Armenian News - NEWS.am presents the daily digest of Armenia-related top news as of 20.07.21:

 

YERASKH FIRE

https://news.am/eng/news/654461.html

From late Monday evening until 2 am on Tuesday, the Azerbaijani armed forces continued firing — from the firearms, but without the use of grenade launchers — at the Armenian positions located in the Yeraskh village section of the Armenia-Azerbaijan (Nakhchivan) border.

During the intense exchange of fire for several hours, the head of the Yeraskh community, Radik Oghikyan, sustained a firearm wound. He was organizing the extinguishing of the fire that had broken out in the area as a result of the actions by the Azerbaijanis.

The Armed Forces of Armenia announced that they will not allow any change at the line of contact.

 

SOLDIER

https://news.am/eng/news/654486.html

A criminal charge has been brought against Lieutenant H.A.  amid the death of conscript Artur Ghazaryan.

In particular, at around 9:40pm on July 16, after receiving a report at the firing position of the military unit that an alleged movement of the adversary had been observed in the area of the position, Lieutenant H.A. conducted a monitoring and site survey during which noticing a movement at around 9:45pm, he violated the rules of combat duty, fired shots—from his rifle—in the given direction, as a result of which conscript Artur Ghazaryan sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head.

This army officer has been remanded in custody.

The criminal investigation continues.

 

BLOC

https://news.am/eng/news/654519.html

The opposition ‘Armenia’ bloc has decided to take its parliamentary mandates, a member of the Bureau of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun political party Armen Rustamyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Yesterday, second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan, who is number one on ‘Armenia’ bloc’s list of candidates for MP, declared that he had applied to the Central Electoral Commission and refused to take the parliamentary mandate.

‘Armenia’ bloc will have 29 mandates in the eighth convocation of the National Assembly.

Based on the results of the snap parliamentary elections, ‘I Have Honor’ bloc will have eight mandates.

 

MANDATE

https://news.am/eng/news/654492.html

Lilit Makunts, who is third on the Ruling Civil Contract Party's electoral list for the snap parliamentary elections on June 20, has submitted a parliamentary mandate withdrawal petition to the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) of Armenia.

Makunts will be appointed as Armenia's new ambassador to the United States, and her respective agreement has already been received.

To date, the CEC has received two petitions for giving up parliamentary seats. Earlier, second President Robert Kocharyan, who heads the opposition Armenia bloc, had submitted a similar petition.

 

MANDATE

https://news.am/eng/news/654492.html

Lilit Makunts, who is third on the Ruling Civil Contract Party's electoral list for the snap parliamentary elections on June 20, has submitted a parliamentary mandate withdrawal petition to the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) of Armenia.

Makunts will be appointed as Armenia's new ambassador to the United States, and her respective agreement has already been received.

To date, the CEC has received two petitions for giving up parliamentary seats. Earlier, second President Robert Kocharyan, who heads the opposition Armenia bloc, had submitted a similar petition.

 

AVIATION

https://news.am/eng/news/654499.html

An agreement was signed between the Armenian National Interests Fund and Air Arabia, according to which a new Armenian national airline shall be established.

According to Hakob Tshagharyan, a former adviser to the Prime Minister and an aviation specialist, such a plan has no mechanisms to regulate the national aviation sector and a level playing field for local air carriers.

"Air Arabia signed a cooperation agreement, which is falsely presented by the Armenian authorities as the creation of a national air carrier for Armenia,” said Tshagharyan.

Also, he wonders if more than 50% of the shares of this national air carrier will be in the hands of the Armenian side, and how is it that the controlling package will belong to Air Arabia.

 

LA

https://news.am/eng/news/654471.html

The Armenians in Los Angeles have said their last goodbye to renowned duduk player, the late Djivan Gasparyan.

His grandson Jivan Gasparyan Jr., also a well-known duduk player, informed that the funeral of his grandfather will take place in Armenia on Saturday.

Djivan Gasparyan will be laid to eternal rest at the Komitas Pantheon in Yerevan.

He had passed away on July 6 at the age of 92.

 

COVID-19

https://news.am/eng/news/654473.html

As of Tuesday morning, 194 new cases of the coronavirus were confirmed in Armenia, and the total number of these cases has reached 227,716 in the country.

Also, three more deaths from COVID-19 were registered, making the respective total 4,572 cases.

The number of people who have recovered over the past one day is 102, the total respective number so far is 218,529, and the number of people currently being treated is 3,503—an increase by 89 from the previous day.

And 6,299 COVID-19 tests were conducted in Armenia over the past day, while 1,277,470 such tests have been performed to date.