Armenian News

BIRTH RATE INCREASES FOR FIRST QUARTER OF 2010
Aysor
April 14 2010
Armenia

According to the Civil Registry Agency of Armenia's Ministry of
Justice, there were 10,689 babies born in Armenia in January-March
2010, while the 2009's January-March showed 10,173 births.

There were 4,429 marriages registered in the first quarter of 2010,
in comparison with 4,561 marriages in 2009; and 742 couples divorced
this year, while there were registered 753 divorces for the same
period of 2009.

7,259 people have died from January to March of 2010; last year's
number was 7,854.


ARMENIAN CLASSES PENDING IN ANKARA UNIVERSITY
News.Am
April 13 2010
Armenia

Member Of The Turkish Council Of Higher Education Professor Durmus
Gunay stated that they approved application on introduction of Armenian
classes in Ankara University.

According to Turkish Milliyet, Gunay noted that Armenian will be taught
at Ankara University in the following academic year. "There are few
people in Turkey speaking Armenian, while different state institutions
need officers with knowledge of Armenian language," he said.

Nevsehir University also got a permission to open Armenian and Greek
departments.


MORE AND MORE ARMENIANS LIVING ABROAD EXPRESS WISH
TO WORK FOR THE BENEFIT OF THEIR HOMELAND
ArmInfo
2010-04-14 12:53:00

ArmInfo. More and more Armenians living abroad express wish to work
for the benefit of their homeland, says Director of Tanger recruitment
agency Nana Heruni.

She says that the agency receives lots of job applications from
Armenians living abroad. "Despite the stereotypical opinion that
Armenian emigrants just say that they want to come back to Armenia but
do not mean it, we receive lots of requests from Russia, the United
States and Europe. If we want Armenian emigrants to return on a mass
basis, we should create favorable business conditions in our country,"
says Heruni.


Armavia launches direct communication with India
Times.am
14 April, 2010, 2:26 pm
On April 13, Armavia national carrier launched the long-expected
direct flight to Delhi, the capital of India.

`This flight will enable to expand trade and economic relations
between the two countries and will contribute to their deepening,'
Managing Director of the Minar Travels Indian travel agent, Armavia's
general representative in India, Mr. Duggal told reporters at Delhi
International Airport.

Armavia's Regional Managing Director on Middle East, Mr. Kolia
Khatchatourian, for his part, added that India is interested in
developing relations with Armenia. `The Indian side proposes operating
the flight twice instead of once a week, given big prospects for
bilateral collaboration,' he said.

On the eve of the new flight's official launching, Armavia organized a
meeting at Yerevan Mkhitar Heratsi Medical University during which
Indian students were briefed on the company and its plans, in
particular, the new Yerevan-Delhi-Yerevan route. Five most active
students in the meeting were invited to take part in the pioneer
flight.


APRIL IS A MONTH OF TREE PLANTING
Aysor
April 14 2010
Armenia

April 22 is celebrated as a day of the Earth all over the world since
1970. It gathers all the people and organizations, who are concerned
with the problems of the earth, together. Every year the second month
of the spring is full with events which are aimed at concentrating
the attention of the society at the nature protection issues, as well
as encouraging different layers of the society to participate in the
solution of the nature protection issues.

The fund of the wild nature and cultural values' preservation informs
that the fund together with its partner VivaCell-MTS in the frameworks
of the Day of the Earth organizes a series of events including not only
Yerevan, but also Vayots Zor, Ararat, Kotayk, Syunik, Gegharkunik,
Tavush, Shirak, Lori regions. In April they will especially pay
attention at trash gathering works and at tree planting on which
will be present also the officials, as well as representatives of
organizations, workers of embassies, pupils from different regions
of Armenia, students of "Arevordi" Eco-club and volunteers.


ARMENIAN CENTRAL BANK RAISES REFINANCING RATE BY
0.5% TO 7 %
ARKA
April 14, 2010
Yerevan

YEREVAN, April 14, /ARKA/. Armenia's Central Bank said Tuesday it
has raised the refinancing rate by 0.5% percentage point to 7%. The
bank's press office said the inflation rate rose by 0.8% in March
from February to 8.8%, if compared to March 2009.

The Central Bank Council stated that in conditions of expansionary
credit and money and tax and budget policy, implemented as part of the
government's anti-crisis measures and in conditions of positive global
economic recovery, economic growth rate is higher than projected. As
a result the inflationary environment was formed largely under the
influence of these factors that is in tune with the direction envisaged
by the Central Bank.

The Central Bank Council said also that within the frameworks of formed
macroeconomic environment and the rise of utilities tariffs from April
1, the inflationary environment will be preserved within the projected
targets, despite the ongoing drop of 12-month inflationary rate.

The Central Banks said this in view it continues to emphasize the
importance of toughening of money and credit policy aimed at formation
of real interest rates. It said also the Central Bank Council along
with the government's anti-inflationary measures will create real
conditions for bringing the inflation rate within projected targets.

Last time the Central Bank raised its refinancing rate on March 9 by
.5 percentage point to 6.5%.