U.S. President Joe Biden and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi sealed an agreement on Monday formally ending the U.S. combat mission in Iraq by the end of 2021, but U.S. forces will still operate there in an advisory role, Reuters reported. The agreement comes at a politically delicate time for the Iraqi government and could …

The economic activity index grew by 8% this compared with the June 2020, according to the State Statistical Committee data. The volume of industrial production amounted grew by 1.3%; construction grew by 1.3%; retail by 10.3%; services by 12%; foreign trade increased by 20.1%. 5% growth of economic activity in the first half of the …

Some 4,889 COVID -19 tests were performed yesterday, revealing 188 new cases; 1 person died; 4,097 patients are currently receiving treatment. As of 11:00 am on July 27, a total of 1,315,245 tests have been performed in Armenia, 227,298 of them were positive; 219,280 people have recovered, 4,597 have died.

U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Lynne Tracy On July 26, accompanied by representatives of the Armenian Ministry of Defense visited Gegharkunik Province, Ministry’s press service said in a statement. Maj. Gen. Arayik Harutyunyan briefed the ambassador on the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, after which a visit was organized to the Verin Shorzha section of the …

The Human Rights Defender’s Office received an alarm about the capture of one of the residents of Machkalashen community of Martuni region, Artsakh Human Rights Defender Gegham Stepanyan has said. It became known that the person was a resident of Machkalashen community, born in 1989, who was engaged in cattle breeding, while searching for lost …

The 8th National Assembly will convene on August 2, according to the NA apparatus. In case of extraordinary elections to the National Assembly, under the relevant law, the new National Assembly convenes on the second Monday of its formation, at 10:00. The MPs  will elect three deputy speakers of the National Assembly. The agenda also …

US representatives David Cicilline (D-RI) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) are leading a bi-partisan call on the State Department to suspend export licenses for US drone technology to Turkey, pending an official investigation into the destabilizing role of Turkey’s drone programs in the Caucasus, South Asia, the Eastern Mediterranean and around the globe, Armenian Weekly reported. …

Today, starting at 15:30, Azerbaijani army units started firing at the Armenian positions in the Yeraskh section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. The Ministry of Defense said that at this moment the enemy is still firing. The situation at this section of the border has been regularly tense recently. Azerbaijani forces are trying to advance engineering …

Amanda Paul, Senior Policy Analyst for Russia, Turkey and Eurasia at the European Policy Center (Brussels), answers Factor.am’s written questions Q: Mrs. Paul, the situation along the borders of Armenia and Azerbaijan is not peaceful. Azerbaijani troops opened fire on Armenian positions in the Yeraskh area (the questions were sent on June 21 before the …