DFWatch staff 
Tbilisi, DFWatch – Republican Steve Russell called for sanctions against representatives of the Georgian government for attempts at rigging the upcoming elections.
Steve Russell, 53, representative of Oklahoma, delivered a speech in the United States House of Representatives,
TBILISI, DFWatch–The Public Defender has asked the Prosecutor General’s Office to investigate a death in preliminary detention.
The ombudsman’s statement reads that March 15, a person who was detained a day before died in a detention facility
TBILISI, DFWatch–The Public Registry in Georgia rejected an application to register the Autocephalous Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster as a public legal entity.
Journalist Lexo Machavarian’s April 19 application was rejected for two reasons. First, because
TBILISI, DFWatch–Eight flights were postponed yesterday at Tbilisi airport due to strong wind.
All the affected flights were by Turkish Airlines. Interpressnews quoted an airport spokesperson saying that the decision was made by the airline.
The delayed flights
TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian breakaway region Abkhazia has decided not to lift a ban on selling real estate to foreigners.
The de facto parliament in Sukhumi has rejected a draft law that would have lifted the ban, which is written into the constitution.
TBILISI, DFWatch–The government in Georgia is preparing an anti-smoking bill. It is not yet known when the law will come into force.
Amiran Gamkrelidze, head of the National Center for Disease Control, says he hopes that the new regulations will come into force from fall.
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia’s minister of healthcare says there is no plan to change the system of universal health insurance, but the government is considering a number of reforms.
Appearing in parliament Wednesday to talk about last year’s achievements,
TBILISI, DFWatch–Academic staff at Tbilisi State University voted for a new acting rector on Wednesday. The winner was the vice rector, Darejan Tvaltvadze, who received 526 out of 967 votes cast.
Other candidates were TSU professors Levan Gordeziani
Tbilisi, DFWatch – The Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon will pay an official visit to Georgia on 23–24 April on the invitation of Georgia’s Prime Minister.
The Secretary General will hold meetings with representatives of the legislative and executive branches.
TBILISI, DFWatch–Despite the relative rise in the ranking to the 64th place, the highest place in the region, Georgia’s score slightly declined.
Reporters Without Borders (Reporters Sans Frontières, RSF), a France-based international organization, issued the