IALA, NAASR and the Zohrab Center to Host Literary Lights 2026 Featuring Rose

Tatoyan Vazgen Leave a comment

IALA, NAASR and the Zohrab Center to Host Literary Lights 2026 Featuring Rose by the Sea Author Rebecca Rose Mooradian

The second installment of Literary Lights 2026 reading series will feature Rebecca Rose Mooradian, author of the highly anticipated picture book Rose by the Sea, in conversation with fellow writer, Astrid Kamalyan. The virtual event will take place on April 11, 2026, at 10:00 AM Pacific | 1:00 PM Eastern | 9:00 PM Armenia time. Register here.

 

Praise for the Book

“A beautifully illustrated and emotionally rich picture book about the impact of the Armenian Genocide that introduces this difficult chapter of history through the eyes of a child, Dzovinar . . . Mooradian and Yim have created a powerful book to share with care. It opens space for conversations about resilience, identity, and remembrance, and it shows how storytelling helps us honor the past while finding beauty in survival.” — School Library Journal (Starred Review)

“The lyrical prose and stunning illustrations evoke displacement, fear, and uncertainty while also channeling courage and hope. . . . The detailed artwork deepens the emotional resonance of the text with a powerful use of color and artfully integrated motifs and remembrances that echo from scene to scene, creating a powerful story that gently invites conversation and reflection.” — Booklist (Starred Review)

“Based, per an author’s note, on the childhood events of Mooradian’s great-grandmother, this first-person story connects arrayed hues to a youth’s flight during the Armenian genocide. . . . Establishing a new residence, the sisters paint the walls in colorful hues that remind them of loved ones and home, contributing to a vibrant, layered collage of the duo’s experiences.” — Publishers Weekly

Rebecca Rose Mooradian lives in a woodland garden in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee. Her works have appeared in New Millennium Writings, Sing Out! online, and Hamilton Stone Review, among others. When she’s not inn-keeping, chasing her kiddos, or gardening, she’s writing words and music about how much she loves the world. She is represented by Courtney Donovan at Writers House.

Astrid Kamalyan comes from a big, happy family and is the oldest of five. She spent most of her childhood in Armenia. As a child, she wished she could one day paint the beautiful mountains of Artsakh. Now she paints with words and writes for the most important people in the world—kids. Astrid holds an MBA degree from the American University of Armenia. She loves globetrotting with her husband and two sons. Astrid currently shares her time between Chicago and Yerevan, Armenia.

 

Literary Lights 2025 is a monthly reading series organized by the International Armenian Literary Alliance, the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research, and the Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center. Each event—held online or in-person—will feature a writer reading from their work, followed by a discussion with an interviewer and audience members. Read along with the series by purchasing Rose by the Sea and more titles at IALA’s Bookshop.org storefront.

 

Missed the latest Missed our Literary Lights 2026 launch event featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning author Peter Balakian? Watch the full recording here.

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Verelq: Fear of Pashinyan forces his team to feign loyalty

Anna Tamamian Leave a comment

“Hraparak” newspaper writes:


Candidates on the pre-election list were told by the CP staff to submit the relevant documents required for the candidacy for deputy to the central office of the party in order to start compiling the packages to apply to the CEC.


We were told that most of those below the 100th rank are in the kamukats, should they apply or not? The point is that the KP has deep doubts that they can get a majority in the June elections and claim a parliamentary mandate, so they wonder if it is worth being included in the list.


Moreover, we are talking about some acting MPs, whose relatives are persuading them to submit the papers and the application in order to stay away from trouble, so that Pashinyan does not start persecuting them now.

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The father, who killed a 3-year-old child in Claptagh, was sentenced to life imprisonment

Antranik Varosian Leave a comment

Armen Ovanesov, the father who killed the 3-year-old child in Tsapatagh, was sentenced to life imprisonment. The information is reported by shamshyan.com.


Ovanesov was sentenced to life imprisonment by the judge Artavazd Karapetyan of the first instance court of Gegharkunik region.


Criminal prosecution was initiated against him under the 3rd, 5th, 9th points of the 2nd part of the article 155 of the RA Criminal Code.


Ovanesov drowned the child.


The body of a 3-year-old child was found on November 2, in the middle of the field near Tsapatagh. They were looking for the boy since October 27.

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The Prosecutor’s Office demands from Argam Hovsepyan to confiscate 5 immovable properties in favor of RA

Emil Lazarian Leave a comment

The anti-corruption court accepted another lawsuit filed by the General Prosecutor’s Office regarding confiscation of property of illegal origin.


The Department of the General Prosecutor’s Office in cases of confiscation of property of illegal origin submitted a demand to the court to confiscate in favor of the Republic of Armenia from Argam Norayri Hovsepyan, director of the “National Bureau of Expertise” SNOC of the National Academy of Sciences of the RA (under criminal proceedings, authorities suspended) and his related persons:


5 real estates located in the city of Yerevan, 2 of them in the Kentron administrative district.


1 vehicle.


162 million 812 thousand drams, which is not substantiated by the legal income of the person, has an illegal origin, was transferred to a bona fide acquirer or cannot be identified and confiscated based on the legal regulation of Article 20, Part 4 of the RA Law “On Confiscation of Property of Illegal Origin”.


135,297 drams as the balance of illegal income.

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The Mother See of Holy Etchmiatsin has published the timing of Holy Week ceremonies

Emil Lazarian Leave a comment
Photo: Sputnik Armenia

The schedule of Holy Week ceremonies in Holy Etchmiatsin Mother See has been published.


A FLOWER (March 29)


Andastan (blessing of branches) and blessing of children – at 10:00


Holy Liturgy – at 11:00


Doors open at 17:30


HOLY TUESDAYin memory of ten Kusanats (March 31)


Evening service – 5:30 p.m


HOLY THURSDAY (April 2)


Morning liturgy, at the end of the Order of Penitence – at 8:00


Holy Liturgy – at 10:30


Foot washing procedure – at 16:00


Eclipse order – 19:00


GOOD FRIDAY (April 3)


Order of Crucifixion – at 12:00


Evening Service and Funeral Service – 5:30 p.m


HOLY WEEK (April 4)


Morning service – 8:00 am


Holy Candlelight Liturgy – at 5:30 p.m


FESTIVAL OF THE HOLY RESURRECTION (April 5)


Easter Patriarchal Liturgy – at 10:30

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Iran is ready to destroy the infrastructure of a neighboring country in response to a provocation

Maral Chavushian Leave a comment

Ghalibaf, the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, made a post on the “X” social network, in which it is said:


“According to some data, the enemies of Iran, with the support of one of the countries of the region, are preparing an operation to seize one of the Iranian islands.


All movements of the enemy are under the control of our armed forces. If they take even one step forward, the entire vital infrastructure of that regional country will be targeted mercilessly without limitation.”։


Iran owns 18 islands in the Persian Gulf, of which Kharg is the main hub for Iranian oil exports, the ownership of three islands (Big and Small Tomb, Abu Musa) is contested by the UAE, and Qeshm, Larak and Hormuz islands have become very important in terms of Iranian control of the Strait of Hormuz.


At the same time, there is information that the US is moving a special marine landing unit to the region.


The regional country referred to in the post could be either Saudi Arabia or the UAE.


Iranologist Vardan Voskanyan




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The police and the Investigative Committee conducted about 20 searches in Yerevan

Jalatian Sonya Leave a comment

Alarms were received that special police operations are underway in different parts of the capital, reports 168.am. 


In response to the inquiry, the spokesman of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Narek Sargsyan, said that the officers of the criminal police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, together with the Investigative Committee, are conducting searches at around 20 addresses in Yerevan.


At the moment, no information is provided regarding the purpose of the actions and other details. 


There is information that the searches are carried out in the places of residence of people with a criminal subculture.

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Consumer prices in Armenia increased by 4.1% in January-February

Karagyozian Lena Leave a comment

According to preliminary data, consumer prices in Armenia in January-February 2026 increased by 4.1% compared to January-February 2025. This is evidenced by the data of the Statistical Committee of Armenia report.


Moreover, in February of the current year, compared to February of the previous year, the increase was 4.3%, and compared to January of the same year, 0.5%.


According to the statistical committee, the prices of industrial products increased by 9% in the first two months of the current year, compared to the same period last year. In February, the growth was 9.5% on an annual basis, and 1.4% on a monthly basis.


According to the preliminary data of the Statistical Committee of Armenia, the economic activity index of Armenia registered a 7.4% increase in January-February 2026, compared to the first two months of 2025.

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It is in Baku’s interest that everything in Yerevan remains as it is

Jalatian Sonya Leave a comment

Imagine for a moment that there was a person in power in Azerbaijan who would carry our theses and our ideas word for word. Let’s leave aside its factuality. just go and repeat them verbatim on the subject of Artsakh.


Imagine if it was preached so actively that a part of the Azerbaijani public would start to think the way it suits us, the way we consider fair, start thinking the way we want. Say that it would be a greater success than any war and victory in it. That would mean defeating them not only on the battlefield, but also ideologically. Roughly speaking, ruling over their brains…


It would be good for us, wouldn’t it? This is exactly what is happening against us during this time. Imagine how happy it is for them to stay in the current government in Armenia…


Azerbaijanologist Tatev Hayrapetyan




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The RA government will allocate 1.1 billion drams to the infrastructures of marzes

Boris Nahapetian Leave a comment
Լուսանկարը՝ 168.am

Armenia allocates more than one billion drams to the large-scale modernization of regional infrastructures. Within the framework of the state co-financing program, eleven communities of the country will receive support, where vital projects will be implemented, starting from the construction of solar plants to the overhaul of roads and educational institutions.


The relevant decision was adopted by the Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure at the March 26 meeting of the government Davit Khudatyan initiative. The total amount of allocated funds will be 1 billion 100 million drams, which will make it possible to implement subsidy programs in Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir, Gegharkunik, Syunik and Tavush marzes. According to the minister of the sector, the total volume of co-financing of similar projects from the state budget of 2026 has already reached 3 billion 57 million drams.


Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan detailed the main directions of investments. State funds will be used for the installation of seven solar photovoltaic plants with a total capacity of more than 350 kilowatt-hours, the overhaul of the roofs of residential buildings, the asphalting of roads, as well as the modernization of irrigation and outdoor lighting systems. In addition, replacement of old elevators, improvement of playgrounds and repair of kindergartens are planned.


During the session, special attention was paid to the deplorable condition of the administrative building of Aragatsotn Marzpetaran. The head of the government considered the current conditions of the building unacceptable for the state department, emphasizing the need for an urgent solution to the problem. In this regard, a part of the funding will be directed to the development of design and estimate documents for the fundamental repair of the structure and the acquisition of consulting services, which, according to Minister Khudatyan’s assurance, will be implemented in stages.

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