MAY 16, 2020 Mirror-SpeTHE ARMENIAN ctator Volume LXXXX, NO. 43, Issue 4636 $ 2.00 NEWS The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932 IN BRIEF Chicago and Wisconsin Armenian Community Helping Armenia Reports 146 New COVID-19 Cases, Each Other and Armenia during the Pandemic 47 Deaths YEREVAN (Ministry of Health, Republic of By Harry A. Kezelian III Armenia) – Armenia has reported 146 more cases Special to the Mirror-Spectator of coronavirus, bringing the total number to 3,538 on May 12 at 11 a.m. The results of 606 tests have been negative. A total of 33,313 tests have been CHICAGO/RACINE, Wisc. – “Can I just conducted in the country. add one thing before we go?” said Fr. According to the data of the National Center for Yeprem Kelegian, retired pastor of St. Disease Control, 71 patients have recovered, mak- Mesrob Armenian Church in Racine, ing for a total of 1,430 recovered patients. Wisconsin, on a diocesan-wide Armenian Forty-seven deaths have been reported in all, Church Youth Organization of America while 19 patients with coronavirus have died (ACYOA) Zoom conference a few weeks because of other diseases. The number of cases ago. “Armenia is really having a hard time under treatment is 2,042. with this crisis. It needs our help.” Der Yeprem has been doggedly repeating the same mantra since the COVID-19 crisis 35 Citizens Return to started. Armenia needs our help. His sug- Armenia from US gestion has been to donate to Ayo – the Armenian exchange students going home in Chicago airport, with Oscar Tatosian, kneeling special-project fundraising arm of the Fund in suit and mask at right LOS ANGELES – Thirty-five Armenian citizens for Armenian Relief. (Visit their website at returned to Yerevan on two flights from the United weareayo.com where a link to donate for States in early May, according to a Facebook report the COVID-19 Emergency Fund is the first many in the Armenian Church’s Eastern was, after all a child of the protest and of the Consulate General of Armenia in Los thing you’ll see.) Diocese – especially the youth, has been social-change era of the 1960s, and his Angeles. The route was Los Angeles-Amsterdam- Der Yeprem, a beloved figure among known for his activism for many years. He calm and gentle, yet genial and friendly Minsk-Yerevan. The Consulate General of Armenia demeanor has not only brought a whole in Los Angeles, collaborating with the Armenian generation deeper into the spirituality of embassy in the Netherlands, solved issues concern- Armenian Orthodoxy, but spurred many to ing logistics and their travel document. Flights are Making Art and Music in action in the area of service. The Bible’s taking place via this route weekly, and the next one Letter of James tells us that true religion is is scheduled for May 18. A Lockdown In Armenia “to care for widows and orphans in their Thirteen Armenian citizens left Los Angeles on And Germany distress,” and no one exemplifies this bet- May 2, and 22 more departed on May 9. ter than Der Yeprem. Der Hayr would be By Muriel Mirak-Weissbach doing this good work whether there was a Armenian Democracy Special to the Mirror-Spectator crisis or not. But as the COVID-19 crisis has taken on world-changing proportions, Praised by US Embassy, ARMENIA/GERMANY - “It’s so hard to he isn’t the only one who has been step- give vocal lessons by Skype. It’s terrible!” ping up and giving back. Yet Still Categorized as Lusine Arakelyan is an opera singer who The states of Wisconsin and Illinois com- teaches at the Aleksey Hekimyan Music bined are home to some 10,000 Armenians, Authoritarian School in Yerevan. Since the lockdown with 5,000 in the Greater Chicago or YEREVAN – “The US Embassy in Yerevan is started in response to the outbreak of the “Chicagoland” area of Northern Illinois. pleased to see that Armenia continues to make coronavirus pandemic, she, like most other Aside from the small enclave in the St. impressive progress on its path to a democratic soci- Armenian teachers, has been forced to Louis area, most Armenians reside in a 100 ety, achieving the largest two-year improvement of expand her pedagogical skills with patience mile strip along Lake Michigan, starting any country in the history of Freedom House’s and creativity. She and her students bridge from parts of Northwest Indiana and the Nations in Transit Democracy Score. Along with the social distance through the computer, South Side suburbs of Chicago, through- USAID Armenia we are committed to supporting and the challenge is significant. out Chicagoland’s North Side and up to the reforms needed to move Armenia forward in its “I play their exercises and songs on the Waukegan, Illinois, then across the state path to democracy and rule of law,” the Embassy piano,” she explains, “record them and send line to the storied community of Racine, said in a Facebook post on May 11. see GERMANY, page 7 Wisconsin, and ending in the Milwaukee Armenia improved its “democracy score” from metropolitan area. Lusine Arakelyan, Berlin, 2017 2.93 to 3.00 out of 7 in the Nations in Transit 2020 see MIDWEST, page 8 report published by Freedom House. Its “democra- cy percentage” is only 33.33 out of 100. Consequently, the same report categorizes Armenia as a “semi-consolidated authoritarian regime.” See 9 https://freedomhouse.org/country/armenia/natio CORONAVIRUS ns-transit/2020?fbclid=IwAR3KTH_- VID-1 ZKnYGX1QAZ0AopYy349xXasFmA2zAJuqkK- O UPDATE 7KJe2ELGRc-63h50. C Moderna Therapeutics’ INSIDE COVID-19 Vaccine Approved For Phase 2 Clinical Trial CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Biotechnology com- Stand Up, pany Moderna Therapeutics, based in Lebanese Armenian Heritage Club flag at a pub in Batroun, Lebanon Cambridge, announced on May 7 that mRNA- (Sept. 2019) where the club welcomed new members. 1273, its vaccine candidate for COVID-19, has Be Counted been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to enter a second Lebanese Armenians Managing Life Page 9 phase of development in a clinical trial involv- Despite COVID Pandemic ing approximately 600 people. The goal of the Phase 2 tests is to ascertain By Taleen Babayan BEIRUT, Lebanon – Perhaps the safety of the vaccine and attempt to replicate Special to the Mirror-Spectator most resilient country in the INDEX positive results. Two vaccinations of mRNA- Middle East, this sliver of land Armenia . 2 1273 at one of two dosages, or placebos, will enveloped by the glistening Mediterranean has faced adversity time and Community News. 6 be given to healthy adult volunteers 28 days again throughout its storied history. Thousands have taken to the Editorial . 13 apart, and their condition will be tracked for streets since last fall to protest government corruption, casting all International . 3 12 months after the second vaccination. It see BEIRUT, page 4 see MODERNA, page 12 2 S ATURDAY, M AY 1 6 , 2 0 2 0 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia EU Provides Agricultural Machinery to Northern Regions of Armenia YEREVAN (Public Radio of Armenia) – Given the current state of emergency of Covid-19 and the needs of vulnerable producers for small-scale agri- cultural machinery, the European Union and the Austrian Development Agency within the EU Green Agriculture Initiative in Armenia (EU-GAIA) project, will provide small-scale tillage machines (moto- blocks) to the communities of Shirak, Tavush and Lori regions. The equipment will be used in a rotating manner by vulnerable producers identified in the communi- ties, who are ready to expand the production of veg- etables and directly use the provided support. The first visit to hand over the agricultural machin- ery will take place on May 13 in Amasia and Sarapat communities of Shirak region. The project will deliv- er the equipment to the mentioned communities of Shirak region and will provide an educational demon- stration on the operation of the equipment. PM Nikol Pashinyan’s group with NKR President Bako Sahakyan, President-elect Arayik Haroutunyan, and other officials • The beneficiary rural settlements of Sarapat community are: Goghovit, Sarapat, Musayelyan, Arpeni, Tsoghamarg, Torosgyugh. The European Union will provide 5 motoblocks here. PM Pashinyan Visits Defense Army Units • The beneficiary rural communities of Amasia community are: Amasia, Aregnadem, Bandivan, Gtashen, Jrajor, Hovtun, Voghji, And Border Positions, Farms in Artsakh Meghrashat, Byurakn. Here the European Union will provide 6 motoblocks. STEPANAKERT (primeminister.am) – ditions. They visited one of the Defense The premier welcomed the ongoing The delivery of the agricultural machinery will be After visiting Artsakh for the celebra- Army’s military units where a new food efforts to develop modern agriculture in an open air event. This event is part of the tion of Victory Day on May 9, accompa- system was introduced just a few days Artsakh and emphasized the impor- European Union’s immediate assistance in mitigat- nied by incumbent President of the ago. tance of close cooperation between gov- ing the effects of the COVID-19 crisis in the agri- Republic of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan, After inspecting the menu and the ernments and the implementation of cultural sector. President-elect of Artsakh Arayik quality of food, the Prime Minister joint activities in this direction. Haroutunyan, and Minister of Defense, emphasized that the new army catering Pashinyan also visited the vegetable Construction Workers Defense Army Commander Jalal system was a successful undertaking. oil production plant in Tagavard village Haroutunyan, Prime Minister Nikol Nikol Pashinyan stressed the need for of Martuni region of Artsakh to get Given Seasonal Work Pashinyan and his spouse Anna continued development of the Armed acquainted with its activities and Hakobyan visited several military units Forces and the military industry.