Digest: Azerbaijan shelling Armenian positions, COVID-19 situation in Armenia is tense

Armenian News - NEWS.am presents the daily digest of Armenia-related top news as of 06.08.21:

• Azerbaijan has been shelling Armenia's positions in the Yeraskh area since Friday noon, the defense ministry reported.

One of the Yeraskh residents told Armenian News - NEWS.am that an explosion was heard before the shooting, and then a fire broke out near the border. Residents try to stay at home for safety reasons.

According to residents, after the explosion at the border, they constantly shoot.

Meanwhile, Russian border guards have been deployed in Voskepar within the scope of the Russian-Armenian cooperation, the Ministry of Defense of Armenia reports.

“In regard to the news that the presses have been spreading about Russian border guards located in Tavush Province, particularly Voskepar village, we report that Russian border guards have been deployed in the mentioned territory, and construction works are being carried out to build constructions to secure the rear of the border guards.

The process is being carried out within the scope of the Armenian-Russian cooperation,” the press release reads.

• Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan has proposed taxing ads on Facebook and other platforms.

"The point is that we need to tax advertising placed on electronic platforms, as the leading countries of the world do," he noted.

The PM also noted that if something is written on Facebook under sponsored, then it will be taxed.

• A new alternative road is being built in the Lachin region without entering the city, Idayat Rustamov, deputy head of the main department for operation and repair of roads of the State Agency for Highways of Azerbaijan, told reporters at a briefing.

He recalled that the road to Lachin is under the control of Russian peacekeepers and "for this reason and to ensure convenient movement, we have begun construction of a road to bypass the city."

"Its length will be about 80 kilometers. In addition to local companies, Turkish firms are also involved in the work," he noted.

The road through Lachin provides a connection between Armenia and Artsakh.

• Armenia has reported 303 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number to 231,625.

The epidemiological situation continues to deteriorate in the country.

A total of 5,040 people are currently being treated (up 91 per day). 220,825 people recovered (208 per day), and 4,636 patients died (4 people per day).

• Armenia finished its performance at the 32nd Olympic Games in Tokyo with 4 medals (2 silver and 2 bronze).

As part of the Armenian Olympic team, silver medals were won by Greco-Roman wrestler Artur Aleksanyan (97 kg) and weightlifter Simon Martirosyan (109 kg), boxer Hovhannes Bachkov (63 kg) won the bronze medal, and Artur Davtyan took third place in the vault.

Armenia currently ranks 66th in the medal standings.