Armenian News - NEWS.am presents a daily digest of Armenia-related top news as of 27.04.2020:

·       The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has reached 1,808 in Armenia, and one new death has been reported.

According to the latest data, 848 COVID-19 patients have recovered thus far, whereas 29 others have died in Armenia from the disease.

The most recent coronavirus casualty in Armenia was 80 years old. As Alina Nikoghosyan, spokesperson for the minister of health noted, the patient had concomitant chronic illnesses.

In the meantime, to assist Armenia in fighting against the spread of COVID-19, the United Arab Emirates today sent a plane carrying 7 tons of medical accessories to Armenia, and the medical accessories will be distributed to more than 7,000 medical workers.

“It is an honor for the Emirates to perform its duty to help other countries in the fight against the novel coronavirus,” said the UAE Ambassador to Armenia Mohammad Al Qatam Al Zaabi.

·       The health ministry of Artsakh informs that another person infected with the new coronavirus has recovered and been discharged from hospital.

According to the Artsakh Information Headquarters, this person is the Armenian citizen who had entered Artsakh on April 7 and had tested positive for COVID-19 on the next day.

This person was transferred to Armenia for further treatment.

So far, eight COVID-19 cases have been recorded in Artsakh, and five of these patients have already recovered.

·       No final exams will be held in Armenia’s schools this year, said the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Armenia, Arayik Harutyunyan, on Monday.

According to him, the remote education will continue in May as well.

The minister noted that, still, Armenia universities will choose the form of holding final exams.

·       Sedrak Arustamyan, the director of Multi Group company of Armenia, is accused of giving about US$20 million in bribes, Arustamyan's lawyer Hovik Sukiasyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

By the decision of a Yerevan court on April 25, Arustamyan has been arrested for two months.

Sukiasyan said that he will file an appeal against the arrest decision.’

"About 10 years ago, under a contract, he lent money to two people at an interest rate of 4% per annum. But the terms of those contracts have been extended twice, they are valid contracts, they have legal value; it is about the equivalent of about 20 million US dollars,” the attorney said.

Sedrak Arustamyan was also charged with two other charges: he is accused of failing to comply with the requirements of the law during the construction of a hotel in downtown Yerevan and is charged with large-scale money laundering, creating or managing a financial pyramid, as well as tax evasion along the lines of the North-South Road Corridor construction project.

·       Levon Mnatsakanyan, the Artsakh Police Chief, was in the Armenian parliament. He was taking part in the sitting of the National Assembly’s Inquiry Committee for Examining the Circumstances of the Military Activities of April 2016.

To note, during the April 2016 war, Mnatsakanyan held the position of Commander of the Artsakh Defense Army.