DFWatch staff 
GALI, DFWatch–July 19, a ceremony was held here in Gali to award ‘Abkhaz passports’ to 139 residents who listened to an appeal by something called the Mirzakan Abkhaz Council.
This was was only the latest event organized by the Council in an effort backed by Sokhumi
GALI, DFWatch–Sokhumi has resumed the issuing of ‘visas’ used by many Georgians to visit family and do business here in the Gali region in the southeast of the breakaway republic Abkhazia.
The issuing of ‘visas’ was suspended about two months ago and locals in this predominantly
TBILISI, DFWatch–Four miners died after a methane gas explosion in a coal mine in Tkibuli, Georgia, Monday morning, prompting the temporary closure of the mine.
A further six were injured and brought to hospital. Two of them are still in a serious condition,
GALI, DFWatch–In the past, robberies were rife here in Abkhazia’s easternmost region Gali, which is predominantly inhabited by ethnic Georgians. But recently, the crime situation has noticeably improved.
DFWatch talked to people in Gali about how their situation has changed the last few years.
TBILISI, DFWatch–New Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze unveiled his cabinet on Thursday. The list contains three new names, among them proposed Finance Minister Ivane Machavariani (pictured), while the embattled justice minister gets to keep her seat.
TBILISI, DFWatch–Five people were injured as a helicopter crash landed in eastern Georgia on Thursday.
Three pilots, a border guard and a police officer were injured as the helicopter belonging to the Border Police had a hard touchdown near the village of Artana in Kakheti.
GALI, DFWatch–As Abkhazia’s breakaway authorities are planning to end the use of specially issued ‘passports’ by the end of 2018, the Georgian minority here are facing new bureaucratic hurdles and further discrimination.
TBILISI, DFWatch–A 19 year old shepherd from Georgia’s mountain region Dusheti was charged Monday with the cold blooded murder of an American family of three.
The shepherd, whose identity is being withheld by authorities, has confessed to the killing of Ryan Smith, 43, an entrepreneur,
TBILISI, DFWatch–Former Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has mysteriously been removed from the political council of Georgia’s ruling party.
As PM, Kvirikashvili had a leading role in the advisory body of the ruling party. But he resigned his position abruptly on June 13,
