MosJan

World-Renowned Italian Experts Begin Restoring Ancient 3rd-Century Roman-Era Mosaic at Garni Bathhouse in Armenia Italian specialists from the prestigious Opificio delle Pietre Dure Institute in Florence have been restoring the most endangered sections of the Garni bathhouse mosaic since September 1. Some parts of the artwork have been cleaned, several areas reinforced, and additional conservation measures implemented. They also analyzed materials from restoration efforts conducted about 30 years ago to assess the durability and suitability of previous binding agents. Following partial repairs, the mosaic will be conserved, with further work planned in October after additional studies. Specialists from Armenia’s Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports on Monday visited the Garni Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve in Kotayk Province to review ongoing restoration work on the site’s Roman-era bathhouse mosaic. The visit allowed Armenian experts to observe firsthand the conservation techniques being applied. The restoration of the ancient mosaic floors is being carried out by experts from the prestigious Opificio delle Pietre Dure Institute in Florence, internationally recognized for its excellence in cultural conservation. This three-year project involves not only the reconstruction of the intricate floor mosaics but also comprehensive structural work to preserve the architectural integrity of the entire complex. In March 2024, Italian specialists conducted preliminary research and on-site measurements, laying the foundation for the active restoration phase now underway. In May 2025, Armenian authorities began formal cooperation with leading Italian experts for the restoration of the Garni Temple bathhouse. The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports announced that it had delegated the restoration project following an earlier plan developed in 2019 by Italian architect Lucio Speca. Speca’s plan, titled “Revaluing and Restoring the Garni Bathhouse,” outlined the restoration and reinforcement of the mosaic floors and the replacement of the bathhouse cover with modern architectural solutions. Given the significance of the Garni Temple and its bathhouse, and the methodology proposed by Speca, the ministry initiated negotiations with the Italian side, culminating in a 2024 agreement to implement the mosaic restoration through L’Opificio delle Pietre Dure, with the support of the Italian Embassy in Armenia. The institute, a specialized body of Italy’s Ministry of Culture for the research and restoration of monumental art, conducted on-site measurements in 2024 and continued the process with sampling in April–May 2025. The restoration work officially commenced in 2025. Armenian restorers from the Service for the Protection of the Historical Environment and Cultural Museum-Reserves are actively participating in the project, gaining practical experience to support the site’s long-term preservation. Funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and strongly supported by the Italian Embassy in Armenia, the project safeguards a vital part of Armenia’s cultural heritage while strengthening cultural exchange between the two countries, representing Italy’s contribution to the preservation of global historical treasures. The bathhouse of the Garni Temple dates back to the third century CE.

Armenia’s “Armath” Robotics Team Wins Gold at World Robot Olympiad Armenia’s “Armath” robotics team has returned home triumphant after winning first place in the junior age category of the World Robot Olympiad Open Championship, one of the most prestigious global competitions in robotics, held in Ljubljana, Slovenia, from September 2 to 5, 2025. Representing the Armath engineering laboratories of Aygut Village School (Gegharkunik region) and Yerevan School No. 131, the young engineers scored 162 points, outpacing Romania’s “3 Ways of Garbage” and Germany’s “JT-Innovators,” who finished second and third, respectively. The winning team consisted of Ararat Bayanduryan and Grigor Khojayan from Aygut Village School, and Vahe Gabrielyan from Yerevan School No. 131. The team was coached and led by Shahen Arabachyan. Their innovative project, a robotic device designed to detect leaks in gas pipelines, impressed the judges and secured their victory. This year’s Olympiad brought together 214 teams from 44 countries, following a two-stage process. Teams first compete nationally, with Armenia’s contest organized by Contest Lab, and the highest-scoring teams advance to the international round. The champions were greeted at Yerevan’s airport by the leadership of the Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises (UATE), headed by CEO Sargis Karapetyan. Launched in 2011, Armath is Armenia’s flagship national program for non-formal engineering education and one of UATE’s cornerstone initiatives. Implemented with the support of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports, the program now operates around 630 engineering laboratories across the country, accessible in nearly every second school. Today, “Armath” stands as Armenia’s largest public–private partnership.

Armenia Defeats Ireland 2–1 in Yerevan to Claim First World Cup Qualifying Victory Armenia’s national team celebrated a vital 2–1 win over Ireland at the Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium, marking their first victory in the 2026 FIFA World Cup European qualifiers. Eduard Spertsyan opened the scoring with a penalty in first-half stoppage time (45+1’), giving Armenia a crucial lead before the break. Just minutes into the second half, Grant-Leon Ranos doubled Armenia’s advantage in the 51st minute with a clinical finish. Ireland responded through Evan Ferguson in the 57th, and Artur Serobyan had a goal disallowed in the late stages due to VAR, but Armenia’s defense held firm to secure all three points. The win lifts Armenia to second place in Group F with three points, while Ireland drops to fourth with one point. Later tonight, Hungary will host Portugal in the group’s other fixture. Armenia’s next qualifier comes on October 10 against Hungary, a matchup that could prove decisive in the push for World Cup qualification.

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/wedding-crashers-arrested-after-stealing-60k-in-cash-from-glendale-reception/ Police announced Saturday they’ve arrested two men suspected of working together to crash a Glendale wedding and steal expensive gifts from the reception. The grand theft suspects, identified by the Glendale Police Department as Los Angeles residents Armean Shirehjini and Andranik Avetisyan, allegedly stole $60,000 in cash and a gift box filled with dozens of checks. Police said it happened last week at the Renaissance Banquet Hall, located at 1236 S. Central Avenue. Details on the theft are limited, but officials said Shirehjini — who is unknown to the victims — ran out of the venue with the gifts and jumped into a getaway car with Avetisyan behind the wheel. They both fled in a black SUV. Glendale Police Burglary Detectives spent the following week using video surveillance and other resources to identify the suspects, leading to their arrests at Shirehjini’s Sherman Oaks home on Friday.