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The News in Brief

Tuesday, August 5
New head of UN mission in Georgia

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Johan Verbeke as his special representative to Georgia and head of the UN Observer Mission in Georgia, replacing French diplomat Jean Arnault, who has been serving in Georgia since 2006.

Verbeke is currently a UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon. He was appointed that position in April and took up his duties in Lebanon only two months ago. (Prime News)



Labor rallies to demand release of arrested member

Members of the Labor Party rallied yesterday to demand the release of party member Archil Benidze, arrested on money laundering charges.

Labor activists put up posters reading, “Freedom to Political Prisoner Archil Benidze!”

Demonstrators say Benidze is a political prisoner and should be released immediately.

He was arrested on July 25 and charged with money laundering. He is now serving two months’ pre-trial detention. (Prime News)



North Ossetia armed forces on enforced regime

Due to the escalation of the situation in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone, law enforcement bodies in Russia’s North Ossetia were put on an enforced service regime.

“We do it every time when the situation intensifies there”, said deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of North Ossetia, Soslan Sikoyev. (Black Sea Press)



Villagers demand restoration of drinking water

The residents of Krtsanisi village in Gardabani district are demanding that local officials restore their supply of drinking water.

The appealed to the provincial administration yesterday, and threaten public protests if there is no progress. (Prime News)



New Turkish military attache visits Tbilisi

Newly-appointed Turkish military attache Col. Nurettian Aydogan visited the Georgian Defense Ministry yesterday.

The introductory meeting dealt with plans for joint Georgian-Turkish projects. The Turkish delegation expressed its strong support for Georgia’s NATO integration path. (Prime News)



Public schools to receive computers

An agreement was signed between the Deer Leap foundation and UGT to provide Georgian public schools with computer equipment.

There will be one computer for every 20 students by the end of the year, according to the Education Ministry. (Prime News)



President tours Dusheti region

President Mikheil Saakashvili visited the region of Dusheti yesterday.

He toured a cultural museum and a public school under construction and met with locals. (Prime News)



‘First Gold Of Humanity’ to be shot in Kazreti

The Central Television of Germany has begun production on a film entitled “The First Gold of Humanity,” scheduled to be shot in Kazreti, a town in the Bolnisi district of Kvemo Kartli.

The film is being shot on location where archeological excavations are being carried out.

Culture Minister Nikoloz Vacheishvili, who is a sponsor of the project, visited the Kazreti site yesterday. (Prime News)