Armenian News - NEWS.am presents the daily digest of Armenia-related top news as of  07.10.21:

  • Armenian Deputy PM has announced the return of an Armenian POW from Azerbaijan.

"The activities that the Armenian Government is carrying out for the return of Armenian prisoners of war from Azerbaijan are clear for everyone," Suren Papikyan told MPs on Thursday.

“Currently, Artur Davidyan, who crossed the border of Artsakh in August 2021, is being returned to Armenia,” he added.

  • Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev said the process of opening communications with Armenia has "partially begun."

Aliyev noted his country wants to turn the page and improve relations with its neighbor Armenia.

"But I believe that if the European Union actively participates it can help us in many areas," he also added.

  • Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin discussed the situation in the region, TASS reported.

“Noting the successful development of Azerbaijani-Russian bilateral friendly relations in various spheres, the heads of state expressed confidence in the further strengthening of cooperation, exchanged views on the prospects of relations," the statement said.

  • The total number of COVID-19 cases in Armenia has reached 268,672. The death toll has reached 5,466.

Meanwhile, 14 percent of the Armenian population has already received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

There are about 14,000 active coronavirus-infected people in Armenia, and 176 of them are vaccinated and need hospital treatment.

  • PACE's new resolution calls on member states and the EU to 'ensure that citizens are informed that the vaccination is not mandatory.'

"Scientists have done a remarkable job in record time. It is now for governments to act," the resolution noted.

The authors also urged to 'ensure that no one is discriminated against for not having been vaccinated, due to possible health risks or not wanting to be vaccinated.