Government Reset in Yerevan: Armenia’s President Vahagn Khachaturyan reappointed Nikol Pashinyan as prime minister after the new parliament convened, following a constitutional resignation of the outgoing cabinet and caretaker rule until a new government is formed. Parliament Opens Amid Church Row: The first session of the 9th National Assembly opened without Catholicos Karekin II, triggering opposition protests and a wider feud between the government and the Armenian Apostolic Church. Speaker Fight and Accusations: Civil Contract nominated Ruben Rubinyan as speaker; opposition leaders said elections were falsified and raised concerns about political persecution and alleged conflicts of interest. Artsakh Tourism Backlash: Marriott Bonvoy dropped a controversial “genocide-tourism” package that promoted visits to Shusha and Stepanakert after an international advocacy campaign. Railway Tension with Russia: Pashinyan reiterated Armenia’s right to manage its rail infrastructure and warned disputes could go to arbitration, while Russian Railways signaled it wants compensation if the concession changes. Turkey Normalization Push: Ruben Rubinyan said full Armenia-Türkiye normalization and border opening are “very close,” urging Ankara to fulfill the agreement.