Supplies from oil producers in Middle East and North Africa weren’t disrupted, and analysts expect oil prices will drop as protests die down.

TEPCO started paying "condolence money" to local governments to aid people evacuated from around its stricken plant or affected by the radiation crisis.

Employees of Yerevan shops tried to avoid answering the question whether a growth was recorded in sales during Nowruz celebration.

Challenged by high inflation rate, the Armenian government has launched various agricultural programs and resolved to bring down the gas prices for poor families. Thus, from April 1, 2011, 60 thousand of needy families will pay a lower price for the natural gas. The measure has become possible due to the changes effected in the energy system, specifically modernization of the Yerevan heat power plant. The consumers who use up to 300 cu m of gas will be given special coupons which will allow then to pay AMD 100 for a cu m. Those consuming more than 300 cu m will pay the standards price set at AMD 132.

On March 21-28 the tourist inflow in Armenia will reach a record high, with over 20.000 Iranian tourists to arrive in Armenia for Nowruz (Muslim New Year) celebrations.

Supporters of the Armenian National Congress opposition bloc are using social networks to spread information about the future plans. Particularly, opposition activists have already launched Armenian Revolution of reform: March 1, 2011 page on Facebook to inform of the actions planned for March 1. They also created #1mar hashtag in microblog Twitter, where they inform of the mass rally dated to the 3rd anniversary of the March 1, 2008 events, when 10 people were killed and thousands injured. Armenian opposition follows the example of Tunisia and Egypt as well as other Arab states, where organizers of disorders employed social media to implement their plans.