Saturday, May 30, 2026

NATO concerned about closure of Abkhazia checkpoints

Nabakevi_border_crossing_Abkhazia
Nabakevi border crossing to Abkhazia.

TBILISI, DFWatch–NATO is concerned that the closure of two crossing points between the breakaway region Abkhazia and the rest of Georgia may have adverse impact on the local population. A spokesperson for the alliance on Tuesday asked for the de facto authorities

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Second Georgian contractor held captive in DRC named

Vyacheslav _Pluzhnikov
Pilot Vyacheslav Pluzhnikov is being held by a Tutsi rebel group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo after a helicopter crash. (Imedi.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–The second of two Georgian pilots who were taken prisoner by rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been identified as Vyacheslav Pluzhnikov.

Pluzhnikov has a background from the Georgian air force. He was arrested for alleged espionage

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Patriarch's head of security resigns, citing 'intrigues'

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Patriarch Ilia II and Soso Okhanashvili. (Tabula.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–In the latest twist in the scandal about an alleged assassination plot within the Georgian Church, the head of the patriarch’s security detail confirmed Sunday that he has resigned from his post.

“I went to his holiness… [and] asked for his blessing to left the position,”

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Azerbaijan’s president confident pipeline across Turkey will go ahead

Trans Atlantic Pipeline (TBILISI, DFWatch–Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev is certain that nothing can prevent the construction of a new pipeline from his country to the European mainland.

As a major producer of natural gas, the Caspian Sea nation has much to gain from the planned Southern Gas Corridor,

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Two Georgians held captive in DR Congo after military helicopter crash

Mi24-Congo
The two captured Georgian contractors were in a Mi-24 military attack helicopter belonging to the DR Congo armed forces. (davric/Wikimedia.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–Two Georgian private contractors are being held captive in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, after the military helicopter they were in crash landed in the east of the country nearly a month ago.

Georgia’s Ministry of Defense said Wednesday

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Georgia's church poisoning case still a mystery

Patriarchate
Prosecutors played secret recordings for Church leaders at the Patriarchate. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–Breaking an earlier promise, Georgia’s top prosecutor did not release new evidence about an alleged assassination attempt in the Georgian Orthodox Church upon the return of the patriarch, leaving the public in the dark and the case shrouded in mystery.

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Georgia may ban smoking indoors and at sports arenas

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Tobacco Control Alliance demonstrating in Tbilisi in March, 2016. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–Lawmakers in Georgia are pondering a blanket ban on smoking indoors which will also cover sports stadiums and all forms of public transport.

If the bill is passed, smoking will be prohibited inside all kinds of buildings, except for private homes, laboratories

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New details expected in 'cyanide affair' as patriarch returns from Berlin

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Catholicos-Patriarch of All-Georgia Ilia II. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia expects new details to emerge about an alleged assassination attempt in the higher circles of the Orthodox Church, as Patriarch Ilia II has left the hospital in Berlin and is expected to arrive in Tbilisi at around 6pm Monday local time.

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