Vardavar in Yerevan: City officials say this year’s Vardavar (July 12) will be a “new format” with a concert and entertainment at Republic Square, plus water activity zones, kids’ areas, competitions, and mobile food vendors—aimed at boosting the tourist draw. EU support for Armenia’s economy: The European Commission disbursed €34M to help Armenia’s private sector cope with Russia’s trade restrictions, with trade facilitation and targeted help for agri-food and flower producers via business matchmaking and market access initiatives. Visa liberalization talks: Armenia’s Justice Minister met the EU ambassador to discuss progress on the Armenia-EU Visa Liberalization Action Plan and upcoming justice and human-rights dialogue meetings. Artsakh heritage rumor checked: Claims that Azerbaijan is demolishing the “We Are Our Mountains” monument in Stepanakert are unconfirmed; authorities say the image’s authenticity and timing are under review. Connectivity shift: A deal on mutual transit of international internet traffic between AzerTelecom and Telecom Armenia points to Armenia’s traffic flowing through Azerbaijani territory for the first time since the Soviet era. Tourism demand hit regionally: An Iranian official reports a 14% drop in West Asia tourist arrivals in early 2026, blaming regional tensions and security perceptions. Medical travel ranking: TTW released a 2026 Top 50 Medical Tourism Destinations list, highlighting global healthcare travel hotspots. Infrastructure progress: Work on the Kajaran-Agarak tunnel on the North-South corridor enters a new phase after waterproofing, moving into concreting to cut travel times and strengthen links.