Armenian News - NEWS.am presents the daily digest of Armenia-related top news as of 30.12.21:

  • Azerbaijan has transferred another five Armenian servicemen to Armenia, Sputnik Azerbaijan reports.

It is clarified that this concerns the soldiers who were captured during the provocation that Azerbaijan made in Syunik Province on Nov. 16.

The captives were transferred with the support of Hungary.

  • The US State Department called on Azerbaijan to expeditiously release all remaining Armenian detainees.

"We welcome Azerbaijan's December 29 return of five Armenian servicemembers who were detained on November 16, 2021," the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs of the US Department of State tweeted.

We urge the full and expeditious release of all remaining detainees, exchange of remains, and accounting for missing persons. We stress the importance of humane treatment of detainees in accordance with international obligations,” the bureau added in a second statement.

  • Moscow considers the appointment of special representatives for dialogue between Armenia and Turkey a logical and reasonable step. The official representative of the Russian foreign ministry, Maria Zakharova, stated this Thursday at her weekly press briefing.

"The normalization of relations between Yerevan and Ankara will contribute to the improvement of the overall situation in the region and the formation of a climate of trust and good neighborliness," Zakharova said, adding that Russia has repeatedly stated its readiness to mediate and play a role in that normalization.

  • The president of Azerbaijan has come up with a new initiative that aims to create a "basis" for territorial claims against Armenia.

This time Ilham Aliyev has "Azerbaijanized" the Yerevan Teachers' Seminary.

According to Azerbaijani media, Aliyev signed an order Wednesday to prepare the events for the 140th anniversary of the “Irevan Teachers' Seminary.”

  • As of Thursday morning, 89 new cases of the coronavirus were confirmed in Armenia, and the total number of these cases has reached 344,826 in the country, Armenian News-NEWS.am has learned from the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Also, seven more deaths from COVID-19 were registered, making the respective total 7,968 cases.