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ANCA Advocates Lobby Congress to Halt U.S. Military Aid to Azerbaijan Amidst Hostage and Heritage Concerns

ANCA Advocates Lobby Congress to Halt U.S. Military Aid to Azerbaijan Amidst Hostage and Heritage Concerns

Armenian American advocates from over 30 states recently converged on Capitol Hill for Strategic Advocacy 2026, a two-day mobilization organized by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). They visited all 435 U.S. House and 100 U.S. Senate offices, conducting over 150 congressional policy consultations. The primary message delivered was a call for Congress to cease underwriting Azerbaijan, citing concerns over the Aliyev government holding Armenian hostages, destroying Christian churches, occupying sovereign land, and blocking the return of Artsakh refugees. Advocates pressed for the enforcement of the Section 907 ban on U.S. tax dollars to Baku and urged an upgrade to the U.S.-Armenian security partnership. A key request was a bicameral, bipartisan letter, led by Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ), urging the Administration to withhold U.S. military assistance to Azerbaijan. This letter follows the Trump Administr...
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Representative Brad Schneider Joins Call for Release of Armenian Hostages and Right of Return for Artsakh Citizens

Representative Brad Schneider Joins Call for Release of Armenian Hostages and Right of Return for Artsakh Citizens

Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL) participated in ANCA Advocacy Days, an event that mobilized over 60 advocates from the Eastern Region to meet with nearly 100 congressional offices. During these meetings, Schneider, alongside other members of Congress like Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and Representative Jim McGovern (D-MA), voiced support for the release of Armenian hostages and advocated for the right of return for the 150,000 citizens of Artsakh who were exiled from their ancestral homeland. A key legislative priority discussed was urging Senators and Representatives to sign a bicameral, bipartisan letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. This letter calls for the Administration to withhold U.S. military assistance to Azerbaijan until Armenian hostages are released, Armenian Christian heritage sites are protected, and Azerbaijani forces retreat from within Armenia’s borders. Advocates also pressed for co-sponsorship of the ARMENIA Security Partnership Act (H.R. 6840) and the Azerbaijan Sancti...
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Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan Collaborate to Boost Central Asian Tourism

Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan Collaborate to Boost Central Asian Tourism

Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are engaging in discussions to enhance tourist exchanges, develop cross-border travel, and jointly promote Central Asia as a unified tourist destination. These talks occurred in Dushanbe, involving Uzbekistan’s Tourism Committee delegation, representatives from CIS member states, and leaders of international tourism projects. Sanjar Tajiyev, Deputy Chairman of Uzbekistan’s Tourism Committee, met with Nurbol Baizhanov, chairman of the Tourism Industry Committee of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports. Their discussions focused on expanding tourist exchanges, fostering interregional and cross-border tourism, and collaboratively marketing Central Asia to international travelers. The Uzbek Tourism Committee emphasized that strengthened cooperation would allow both nations to broaden tourist exchanges, create new cross-border routes, and present Central Asia as a cohesive destination. They also explored joint presentations, tourism forums, familiarization tours, and the developm...
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EU Adopts Temporary Trade Measures to Reduce Import Tariffs for Armenian Products

EU Adopts Temporary Trade Measures to Reduce Import Tariffs for Armenian Products

On September 24, the Council of the European Union formally adopted temporary trade-liberalization measures for products originating from Armenia. These measures are designed to support Armenia's economy, which has been impacted by recent trade restrictions imposed by Russia. The new arrangement will liberalize approximately 80% of Armenian exports to the EU by suspending import duties on a wide array of products, including certain agricultural goods. This temporary preferential treatment is set to be in effect for a period of two years. The decision follows a positive vote in the European Parliament plenary session on the European Commission's proposal without any amendments. The regulation will be signed, published in the Official Journal of the EU, and will enter into force the day after its publication.
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Antonelli aims to stay on target for F1 title in Baku a year after Piastri's challenge crumbled

Antonelli aims to stay on target for F1 title in Baku a year after Piastri's challenge crumbled

Kimi Antonelli insists the Formula 1 title race is “not over” as he takes a vast 81-point lead into this week’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix
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Motor racing-Haas to decide 2027 driver line-up within couple of weeks

Motor racing-Haas to decide 2027 driver line-up within couple of weeks

By Abhishek Takle BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept 24 (Reuters) - American Formula One team Haas are evaluating a number of drivers and will finalise their 2027 line-up within the next couple of weeks team, boss Ayao Komatsu said on Thursday, a day after the team’s under-pressure racer Esteban Ocon declared
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George Russell starts on pole in Azerbaijan with a chance to cut Antonelli's F1 lead

George Russell starts on pole in Azerbaijan with a chance to cut Antonelli's F1 lead

George Russell starts the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on pole with a chance to cut into his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli’s mammoth 81-point Formula 1 standings lead
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Oscar Piastri Qualifies Third for Azerbaijan Grand Prix, McLaren Acknowledges Mercedes' Pace Advantage

Oscar Piastri Qualifies Third for Azerbaijan Grand Prix, McLaren Acknowledges Mercedes' Pace Advantage

Oscar Piastri Qualifies Third for Azerbaijan Grand Prix, McLaren Acknowledges Mercedes' Pace Advantage
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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to Meet French President Macron and Polish Prime Minister Tusk in Berlin

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to Meet French President Macron and Polish Prime Minister Tusk in Berlin

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is scheduled to hold a meeting today in Berlin with French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. This trilateral meeting brings together key leaders from three prominent European Union member states. The agenda for their discussions has not been explicitly detailed in the provided information, but such high-level gatherings typically address pressing regional and international issues, including economic cooperation, security concerns, and coordinated foreign policy stances. The meeting underscores ongoing diplomatic efforts within Europe to foster collaboration and address shared challenges. The interaction between these leaders is a regular feature of European political discourse, aiming to strengthen alliances and strategize on various policy fronts.
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EU faces backlash after lifting sanctions on Russian billionaires

EU faces backlash after lifting sanctions on Russian billionaires

By Julia Payne, Lili Bayer and John Irish BRUSSELS, Sept 23 (Reuters) - The European Union faced a growing backlash on Wednesday for lifting sanctions on two Russian billionaires, with some of its members saying the move undermined a pillar of support for Ukraine’s war effort and that it signalled
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Kazakhstan Proposes Regional Food Reserve Mechanism for Central Asia

Kazakhstan Proposes Regional Food Reserve Mechanism for Central Asia

Kazakhstan is proposing the establishment of a regional food reserve mechanism for Central Asia, spearheaded by the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS), an affiliate of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). This initiative aims to enhance food security coordination and monitoring across the region. Instead of creating a single, centralized stockpile, the proposal envisions a network that connects existing national reserves through agreed-upon rules and procedures. This system would facilitate transparent information exchange, track global and regional food security trends, and monitor the status and volumes of food stocks, enabling timely responses to crises. IOFS Director General Berik Aryn emphasized that this mechanism would complement national reserve systems, improving collective resilience to food crises.
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This year, with shifting political winds, Canada gets more of the spotlight on the UN's stage

This year, with shifting political winds, Canada gets more of the spotlight on the UN's stage

Canada has a new posture on the planet’s biggest diplomatic stage as world leaders convene at the U.N. General Assembly this week