Armenian News - NEWS.am presents a daily digest of Armenia-related top news as of 18.06.2020:

             ·       [UPDATE]  Yerevan’s Court of Appeal released Thursday former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan on bail.

             The ruling was announced by the presiding judge Arsen Nikoghosyan.

             Thus, the ex-president will be freed on bail of 2 billion AMD ($4,1 mln).

·       The Shengavit district court of the Yerevan court of general jurisdiction resumed Thursday the examination of the motion to arrest opposition Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) leader and business tycoon Gagik Tsarukyan.

The Armenian parliament has earlier approved petitions to strip Gagik Tsarukyan of his parliamentary immunity and to take him into custody.

Only 87 MPs of the My Step ruling bloc faction voted for the two petitions.

In the meantime, President of the European People’s Party (EPP) Donald Tusk took to his Twitter to share concerns over the Armenian government pressuring the opposition.

"EPP is concerned by numerous instances of backsliding of democracy in Armenia. We call on Armenian authorities to refrain from pressuring the opposition," he noted.

·       Armenia recorded on Thursday 665 COVID-19 new cases, bringing the total number of 18,698.

The total number of tests conducted so far is 89,992, while 10,728 people are currently being treated and 7,560 people have already recovered.

In total, 309 patients have died thus far.

According to health minister Arsen Torosyan, as of Thursday morning, 143 people need to be hospitalized, 25 of whom are at home.

We have 444 citizens in severe condition, 131—in critical condition, 39 of whom are hooked up to ventilators,” he added.

·       Armenia now ranks 13th in the world in the number of COVID-19 cases per one million inhabitants.

According to worldometers.info/coronavirus/, 18,698 cases of COVID-19 have already been registered in the country, and this means 6,310 cases per one million residents.

To note that on June 8, Armenia ranked 20th in this regard.

·       The number of European countries where the rate of COVID-19 infection has increased has almost tripled —from 6 to 21, and the coronavirus remains active in many countries. Hans Kluge, the World Health Organization Regional Director for Europe, noted during a briefing for Russian-language media.

According to him, an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases is observed in a number of countries, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, North Macedonia, and Israel.

·       The pilot of a helicopter that crashed outside LA in January, leaving NBA legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and all seven others onboard killed, may become disoriented in the fog, Reuters reported referring to federal investigators.

According to it, Ara Zobayan shortly before the crash told the dispatchers that the helicopter was gaining altitude, however, it was descending. As the board noted, pilots can become confused about an aircraft’s attitude and acceleration when they cannot see the sky or landscape around them, creating “spatial disorientation.”