Armenian News Network - Groong: Week In Review Podcast-logo

Armenian News Network - Groong: Week In Review Podcast

News & Politics Podcasts

Weekly review of Armenian News from https://groong.org. Keeping up with news related to Armenia and Armenians can be challenging; the sheer volume of news in the past few years has increased greatly, and the rise of the “Fake News” phenomenon contributing to the erosion of trust in the news media. The diversity of languages used by the worldwide Armenian community also poses a challenge for Armenian news; there is a significant portion of news that originates in Armenian, sometimes in Russian, and does not get adequately translated into English, or Western Armenian, for those in the Diaspora who are not proficient in Eastern Armenian. Finally, with the COVID-19 pandemic and the political turbulence in countries where significant communities of the Armenian Diaspora reside, be it Syria, Lebanon, the United States, etc., many of our friends and colleagues indicate that they’re simply overloaded with information and lack the time and energy to separate the good from the bad. So we’re creating this weekly digest of news and analysis that we find relevant to share with our friends and the wider ANN/Groong audience. Our goal is to provide a brief overview of the main headlines of the past week, and then cover a smaller set of the more important developments, curated by ANN/Groong editors and contributors who spend an inordinate amount of time daily to process Armenian news. We hope that over time this podcast will help our listeners in becoming more astute consumers of Armenian news. We will strive to provide a rich set of notes with each installation, with links to the most relevant articles and information as a starting point for your further investigation.

Location:

United States

Description:

Weekly review of Armenian News from https://groong.org. Keeping up with news related to Armenia and Armenians can be challenging; the sheer volume of news in the past few years has increased greatly, and the rise of the “Fake News” phenomenon contributing to the erosion of trust in the news media. The diversity of languages used by the worldwide Armenian community also poses a challenge for Armenian news; there is a significant portion of news that originates in Armenian, sometimes in Russian, and does not get adequately translated into English, or Western Armenian, for those in the Diaspora who are not proficient in Eastern Armenian. Finally, with the COVID-19 pandemic and the political turbulence in countries where significant communities of the Armenian Diaspora reside, be it Syria, Lebanon, the United States, etc., many of our friends and colleagues indicate that they’re simply overloaded with information and lack the time and energy to separate the good from the bad. So we’re creating this weekly digest of news and analysis that we find relevant to share with our friends and the wider ANN/Groong audience. Our goal is to provide a brief overview of the main headlines of the past week, and then cover a smaller set of the more important developments, curated by ANN/Groong editors and contributors who spend an inordinate amount of time daily to process Armenian news. We hope that over time this podcast will help our listeners in becoming more astute consumers of Armenian news. We will strive to provide a rich set of notes with each installation, with links to the most relevant articles and information as a starting point for your further investigation.

Language:

English

Contact:

213-254-7586


Episodes
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Lenna Hovanessian – White House Meeting Fallout, Artsakh Erasure, Genocide Dismissal, Azerbaijan Playbook in the US | Ep 470, Sep 7, 2025

9/7/2025
Conversations on Groong - September 5, 2025 In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Lenna Hovanessian of the ANC-Western Region about the aftermath of the August 8 White House meeting between Pashinyan, Aliyev, and Trump. The discussion examines what was left out of the agreements, including Artsakh’s right of return, the release of hostages, and cultural heritage protections, while highlighting the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group and the waiver of Section 907 for U.S. arms sales to Azerbaijan. We also explore strained diaspora–Armenia relations, Pashinyan’s retreat from Genocide recognition, and Azerbaijan’s lobbying playbook, including the bribery charges against Congressman Henry Cuellar, where the ANCA is pressing for Armenian Americans to be recognized as victims. Topics: Guest: Lenna Hovanessian Hosts: Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 470 | Recorded: September 5, 2025 SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/470 VIDEO: https://youtu.be/ruwhwAhRUN0 #ArmenianNews #Artsakh #ANCA #CaviarDiplomacy #Cuellar Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Duration:00:57:30

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Gilbert Doctorow - Multipolar Shifts at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit | Ep 469, Sep 6, 2025

9/6/2025
Multipolar Shifts at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit Topics Guest Gilbert DoctorowHosts Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 469 | Recorded: September 4, 2025 Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Duration:00:52:30

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Robert Amsterdam - In Our Own Way: The Samvel Karapetyan Case | Ep 468, Sep 4, 2025

9/4/2025
Conversations on Groong - September 4, 2025 In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with international human rights lawyer Robert Amsterdam about the arrest and pre-trial detention of Armenian businessman and Church benefactor Samvel Karapetyan. We explore how Armenia’s courts are being used in a campaign of lawfare targeting political opponents and the Armenian Apostolic Church, following growing tensions between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government and religious leaders. Amsterdam discusses the legal inconsistencies, the weaponization of pre-trial detention, and how these actions violate international norms. We also examine the broader consequences for Armenia’s legal system, religious freedom, and international reputation. Topic: Guest: Robert Amsterdam Hosts: Episode 468 | Recorded: September 4, 2025 SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/468 VIDEO: https://youtu.be/3UPm6_bfusA Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Duration:00:35:08

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Benyamin Poghosyan - SCO Summit, TRIPP Corridor, RU - AZ Rift, UK Ties | Ep 467, Aug 31, 2025

9/2/2025
Groong Week in Review - August 31, 2025 In this Week in Review, we look at Armenia’s role at the SCO summit, where Pashinyan struck a new “strategic partnership” with China while also meeting Putin, raising questions about Yerevan’s shifting alignments. We examine the August 8 Washington documents on TRIPP, where words like “corridor” and “99-year lease” swirl despite Armenia’s denials, and ask what Azerbaijan’s demand for constitutional change really means. We cover rising tensions between Moscow and Baku after Aliyev called Russia an occupier and Zatulin warned against seeing Azerbaijan as a partner. And we discuss the UK’s push to raise relations with Armenia to a strategic level, even as London courts Baku and maintains loopholes in its arms embargo. Topics: - SCO Summit in China - The UK in Armenia - TRIPP / Zangezur Corridor - Russian Azerbaijani Relations Guest: Benyamin Poghosyan Hosts: - Hovik Manucharyan - Asbed Bedrossian Episode 467 | Recorded: September 1, 2025 SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/467 VIDEO: https://youtu.be/kTh52542vtU Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Duration:01:15:29

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Jeffrey Sachs - TRIPP down Zangezur Corridor, Armenian Economy | Ep 466, Aug 29, 2025

8/29/2025
TRIPP down Zangezur Corridor, Armenian Economy Conversations on Groong - August 29, 2025 Topics Guest Prof. Jeffrey SachsHosts Hovik ManucharyanAsbed Bedrossian Episode 466 | Recorded: August 28, 2025 Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Duration:00:28:48

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Armen Ashotyan - Reflections on Life as a Political Prisoner, Attacks on the Church and Sovereignty | Ep 465, Aug 28, 2025

8/28/2025
Reflections on Life as a Political Prisoner, Attacks on the Church and Sovereignty Conversations on Groong - August 28, 2025 Topics Guest Armen Ashotyan Hosts Hovik ManucharyanAsbed Bedrossian Episode 465 | Recorded: August 27, 2025 Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Duration:00:59:32

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Tevan Poghosyan - State Sovereignty Day, TRIPP Trap, Iran & Russia Reactions, Kitchen Sink | Ep 464, Aug 24, 2025

8/27/2025
State Sovereignty Day, TRIPP Trap, Reactions, Kitchen Sink Groong Week in Review - August 24, 2025 Topics Guest Tevan PoghosyanHosts Hovik ManucharyanAsbed Bedrossian Episode 464 | Recorded: August 25, 2025 Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Duration:01:14:56

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Sergei Melkonian - Alaska Summit, Trump Corridor, Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Emerging Opposition “Our Way”/”Մեր Ձեվով” | Ep 463, Aug 17, 2025

8/19/2025
Alaska Summit, Trump Corridor, Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Emerging Opposition “Our Way”/”Մեր Ձեվով” Groong Week in Review - August 17, 2025 Topics Guest Sergei MelkonianHosts Hovik ManucharyanAsbed Bedrossian Episode 463 | Recorded: August 18, 2025 Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Duration:01:13:09

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Christine Arakelian - Pashinyan vs. the Church, India Armenia, NGOs and Foreign Influence, Trump Corridor | Ep 462, Aug 17, 2025

8/17/2025
Pashinyan vs. the Church, India Armenia, NGOs and Foreign Influence, Trump Corridor Topics Guest Christine ArakelianHosts Hovik ManucharyanAsbed Bedrossian Episode 462 | Recorded: August 15, 2025 Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Duration:01:07:22

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Hamid Bahrami - Iran and the Corridor through Syunik, Armenia | Ep 461, Aug 16, 2025

8/16/2025
Conversations on Groong - August 16, 2025 Topics: Guest: Hamid Bahrami Hosts: Hovik ManucharyanAsbed Bedrossian Episode 461 | Recorded: August 13, 2025 SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/461 VIDEO: https://youtu.be/lTYVEAuZ8fc #ArmenianNews #Iran #Armenia #TRIPP #ZangezurCorridor Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Duration:00:52:35

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Douglas MacGregor & Christine Arakelian - Armenia in the Crosshairs of US Geopolitical Winds | Ep 460, Aug 12, 2025

8/12/2025
Armenia in the Crosshairs of US Geopolitical Winds Conversations on Groong - Recorded: August 11, 2025 Topics Guest Christine ArakelianCol. Douglas A. MacGregor Hosts Hovik ManucharyanAsbed Bedrossian Episode 460 | Recorded: August 11, 2025 Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Duration:01:04:01

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Dziunik Aghajanian - Trump, Aliyev, Pashinyan Oval Office Meeting and Reactions | Ep 459, Aug 10, 2025

8/12/2025
Trump, Aliyev, Pashinyan Oval Office Meeting and Reactions Groong Week in Review - August 10, 2025 Topics Guest Amb. Dziunik AghajanianHosts Hovik ManucharyanAsbed Bedrossian Episode 459 | Recorded: August 11, 2025 Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Duration:01:05:38

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Stanislav Krapivnik - The Evolving World Order, Russia, and the South Caucasus | Ep 458, Aug 9, 2025

8/9/2025
Conversations on Groong - August 9, 2025 In this episode, former U.S. Army officer and military-political analyst Stanislav Krapivnik discusses the geopolitical fallout from the Trump-Pashinyan-Aliyev summit in Washington, which saw the announcement of a "peace" framework, the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group, U.S. plans for a 99-year "Trump Corridor" across Armenia, and the dropping of Section 907 to allow arms sales to Azerbaijan. He examines Russia's heavy focus on the Ukraine war at the expense of the South Caucasus, the loss of Russian leverage over Armenia and Azerbaijan, and the growing role of Turkey. Krapivnik warns of U.S. and British designs to destabilize the region, outlines possible Russian and Iranian responses, and explores the strategic importance of Georgia, the Abkhazia railway, and regional connectivity. The conversation also delves into Armenia's domestic political challenges, the influence of Western NGOs, and the erosion of core national institutions. Topics: Guest: Stanislav Krapivnik Hosts: Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 458 | Recorded: August 9, 2025 SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/458 VIDEO: https://youtu.be/d37MqzjkV8A #ArmenianNews #SouthCaucasus #Trump #TRIPP #ZangezurCorridor #Russia Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Duration:01:15:10

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Benyamin Poghosyan - Trump Ultimatum to Putin, Corridor Pressures, DC Summit | Ep 457, Aug 3, 2025

8/5/2025
Groong Week in Review - August 3, 2025 Topics: - Trump Ultimatum to Putin - US Sanctions effect on Armenia - Turkey, US, and Armenia’s Territory - The Kitchen Sink Guest: Benyamin Poghosyan Hosts: - Hovik Manucharyan - Asbed Bedrossian Episode 457 | Recorded: August 4, 2025 SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/457 VIDEO: https://youtu.be/CehSMWvolf4 Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Duration:01:04:04

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Benyamin Poghosyan - Public Trust in Freefall, Church on the Rise, and Corridor Pressures Mount | Ep 456, Jul 27, 2025

7/30/2025
Public Trust in Freefall, Church on the Rise, and Corridor Pressures Mount Groong Week in Review - July 27, 2025 Topics Guest Benyamin PoghosyanHosts Hovik ManucharyanAsbed Bedrossian Episode 456 | Recorded: July 28, 2025 Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Duration:01:09:15

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Arthur Khachatryan - Artsakh Negotiations, Armenian Domestic Politics | Ep 455, Jul 27, 2025

7/27/2025
Artsakh Negotiations, Armenian Domestic Politics Topics Guest Arthur KhachatryanHosts Hovik ManucharyanAsbed Bedrossian Episode 455 | Recorded: July 25, 2025 SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/455 Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Duration:00:55:29

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Archil Sikharulidze - Why does Georgia matter for the EU | Ep 454, Jul 24, 2025

7/24/2025
Conversations on Groong - July 24, 2025 Topics Guest Archil SikharulidzeHosts Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 454 | Recorded: July 22, 2025 SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/454 VIDEO: https://youtu.be/W0QxKdthvnw #ArmenianNews #SouthCaucasus #Georgia #Armenia #EU Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Duration:00:58:09

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Pashinyan Meets Aliyev as Armenia Cracks Down on Opposition and Church | Ep 453, Jul 13, 2025

7/14/2025
Groong Week in Review - July 13, 2025 Topics Hosts Hovik ManucharyanAsbed Bedrossian Episode 453 | Recorded: July 13, 2025 Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Duration:00:42:32

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Arthur Martirosyan - Constitution, Western Controlled Syunik, Church Crackdown | Ep 452, Jul 6, 2025

7/8/2025
Groong Week in Review - July 6, 2025 In this episode of the Groong Podcast, we are joined by Arthur Martirosyan for a Week in Review covering Armenia’s shifting geopolitical landscape and domestic upheaval. The discussion explores the controversial proposal for a U.S.-controlled corridor through Syunik, tensions between Russia and Azerbaijan, and Pashinyan’s escalating confrontation with the Armenian Apostolic Church. The show also examines Armenia’s foreign policy confusion, including talk of joining the SCO, while cracking down on opposition voices—most notably the stripping of immunity from Seyran Ohanyan and Artsvik Minasyan. Against this backdrop, the episode questions the erosion of sovereignty, the use of legal tools for political ends, and the uncertain future of Armenia’s democratic and constitutional order. Topics Guest Arthur G MartirosyanHosts Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 452 | Recorded: July 7, 2025 SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/452 Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Duration:01:19:49

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Dziunik Aghajanian – Fallout from Israel’s War on Iran, Azerbaijan’s Confrontation with Russia, Pashinyan Persecutes the Armenian Church while courting the EU | Ep 451

7/1/2025
Groong Week in Review - June 29, 2025 Topics Guest Dziunik AghajanianHosts Hovik ManucharyanAsbed Bedrossian Episode 451 | Recorded: June 29, 2025 Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Duration:01:14:53