WASHINGTON (CNN)–Terrorists planned to use MP3 players and energy drinks to blow up as many as 10 jetliners bound for the United States–authorities said Thursday.
A senior congressional source said it’s believed the plotters planned to mix a "British version of Gatorade" with a gel-like substance to make an explosive that they would possibly trigger with [...]

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–A businessman was found death with traces of violence in his Yerevan apartment late Wednesday–a second high-profile murder reported by the Armenian police in as many days.
A police statement said Armen Grigorian–the owner of a jewelry store in the city center–lay with a fractured skull and hands and feet tied to his bed. The [...]

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)– A senior member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation voiced on Thursday strong opposition to government plans to change Armenia’s current national anthem which was also the anthem of the first Armenian Republic in 1918.
ARF parliamentary faction member Gegham Manukian said Thursday that his party–which is represented in the government–will likely draft a bill [...]

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–Medical authorities urged the population on Thursday to stay indoors in the afternoon and take other precautions against a blistering heat wave that has gripped Yerevan and other parts of Armenia this week.
According to meteorologists–air temperature hit almost 42 degrees Celsius on Wednesday and was just as high the next day–making August the hottest [...]

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–Law-enforcement authorities were hunting on Wednesday for unknown gunmen that shot and killed a controversial businessman who referred to himself as the "godfather of all Armenia’s" and reportedly had underworld connections.
Aleksandr Givoev–53–was gunned down on Tuesday at a roadside market on a major highway where he reportedly stopped to buy fruit while driving his [...]

STEPANAKERT (PanArmenian)–The current format of the peace talks are not targeting a long-term resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict–Arman Melikian–special Karabakh presidential advisor said Wednesday in an interview with PanArmenian.net.
Melikian said despite optimistic statemen’s by the OSCE mediators made in early 2006–the resolution of the conflict is–indeed–far away. He added that–in fact–the meeting between the presidents [...]

BIURAKAN–Armenia–The Homenetmen Scouting Jamboree–which began last week in Armenia–concluded today amid celebrations that culminated in the official closing ceremony.
Present at the event were Armenia’s Deputy Parliament Speaker and Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau member Vahan Hovanessian–ARF of Armenia Supreme Council member Spartak Seyranian and members of the Homenetmen Central Executive.

YEREVAN (Armenpress)–President Robert Kocharian met Wednesday with Armenia’s Education Minister Levon Mkrtchian.
The presidential press service informed Armenpress that during the meeting the minister briefed Kocharian on the entrance exam process.
Mkrtchian also spoke about reforms taking place in education and related projects to ensure the successful implementation of the ministry’s strategy and mission.

YEREVAN Armenia’s national currency–the dram–surged to a new high against the US dollar on Tuesday–continuing its dramatic appreciation which is hitting hard local exporters and ordinary people dependent on external cash remittances. The dollar was trading at an average of 400 drams in currency shops across Yerevan throughout the day–down from 415 registered a week [...]

YEREVAN (Armenpress)–A document developed within the framework of the Armenia-NATO Individual Partnership Action Plan program was published Tuesday. The document consists of four chapters spanning political–security–military–public information–science and environment issues. The document envisions that Armenia would strengthen cooperation with European and Euro-Atlantic structures and institutions–and is aimed at deepening cooperation with European and Euro-Atlantic structures [...]

It is with deep regret that the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau announces the passing of former Bureau member and ARF aactivist Antranig Ourfalian that took place on Tuesday–August 8–2006. Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau On the sad occasion of the passing of prominent ARF member Antranig Ourfalian–the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Central Committee of Western USA–on behalf [...]

YEREVAN (PanArmenian)–Armenian political expert Levon Melik Shahnazaryan called divisive efforts by Azeris living outside of Azerbaijan to create displays within various Holocaust museums around the world commemorating what they call the "genocide of Azeris," in Khodjalu. Melik Shahnazaryan was commenting on an announcement by Javanshir Valiyev–an Azeri government official who works with Azeri communities outside [...]

LOS ANGELES–A delegation of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western Region Central Committee paid a visit to the Lebanese Consul General in Los Angeles Charbel Wahbe to express the party’s solidarity wit the people of Lebanon during the time of crisis. The ARF delegation members Hovig Saliba and Vahe Bozoyan heard an update by Consul General [...]

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–The Armenian police confirmed at the weekend that they have launched criminal proceedings against an outspoken journalist who claims to be the victim of a vendetta waged by an influential family controlling one of Yerevan’s districts. "A criminal case has indeed been opened against a journalist," General Hovannes Hunanian–deputy chief of the national Police [...]