19:00 News in Brief: NSS's 573 Cases, New Tensions Between Church and Government, Araratcement Case

Here are the news highlights from the past hour:

• In the first half of 2026, the National Security Service (NSS) initiated 573 criminal cases based on reports related to state security, border violations, drug-related offenses, bribery in elections, and other crimes.
• Garabed II has accused the authorities of attempting to limit the Church's autonomy, while a judge related to his and six bishops' case has recused themselves.
• The Prosecutor's Office has identified apparent violations in the acquisition process of a sports school owned by Araratcement and has reported the findings to the Anti-Corruption Committee.
• Armenia has received an additional tax-free quota of 5,000 electric vehicles for import in 2026.
• According to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Ruben Rubinyan has become the youngest president of the world’s parliaments since his election.
• A Russian-Israeli historian, Artem Kirpichenok, was arrested in Israel while attending a conference from Yerevan, with the grounds for his detention still unknown.
• In Russia, submarines at the military bases in Kamchatka and Novorossiysk have begun to be protected by anti-drone networks to enhance defense against potential attacks.