Armenian News- NEWS.am presents a daily digest of Armenian-related top news as of 10.04.2020:

·       The number of confirmed coronavirus cases has reached 937 in Armenia, the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported. As of Friday at 11 am, 16 new cases were recorded in Armenia.

Authorities have also reported two new deaths: the 72-year-old and 81-year-old patients have died. Both have other diseases.

Thus the total death toll in Armenia has reached 12, with 149 coronavirus patients recovered.

According to Armenian health minister Arsen Torosyan, they would offer the government to extend the emergency state in the country.

By the way, according to preliminary data, there are currently three Armenians in Ukraine who have tested positive for COVID-19.

·         Artsakh has confirmed another 2 COVID-19 cases. Thus, the total number has reached five.

In addition to the nine citizens tested for coronavirus this morning, the samples of yet another four people have been sent for examination, and the results of the tests will be announced later, Artsakh Information Headquarters reported referring to the health ministry.

·       Armenian MFA spokesperson Anna Naghdalyan has provided details about the return of the 35 Armenian students who are studying at various high schools in the US.

"As a result of the agreement reached between the MFAs of Georgia and Armenia and in close cooperation with the American Councils, the return of Armenian and Georgian students studying in various US public high schools under the FLEX program to Armenia and Georgia, respectively, was organized on April 9,” she said.

·      The process of peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict does not depend on the March 31 elections that were held there, said Russian MFA spokesperson Maria Zakharova.

According to her, the respective starting point for Russia is that the elections are necessary to ensure the normal functioning of the population. 

Presidential and parliamentary elections were held in Artsakh on March 31. And based on their results, it has been announced that a presidential runoff will take place on April 14.

·.     An Armenian woman and her two minor sons, who were taken hostage by her brother, were released as a result of a special operation in Russia. Russian media report that Hovsep M., 28, had come from Moscow to see his relatives in Pyatigorsk.

According to preliminary information, the man was suffering from a mental disorder and was registered at a psychiatric dispensary.

"The man, who barricaded himself in the apartment, demanded to transfer $200 million as charity aid to Armenia and insisted that the president phone him. In addition, he demanded a fighter jet," the Fifth Channel reports.