The News in Brief
Monday, August 3
Patriarch congratulates nation on ‘Iliaoba’
The Patriarch stated in his homily yesterday that Iliaoba (the feast of Saint Elias, celebrated yesterday) is a great festival for Georgia.
He said that the name Elias means “Power of God.” He prayed for physical and spiritual power for the Georgian nation. He said that Georgia will be reunited and calmed through Saint Ilia the Righteous (Ilia Chavchavadze) and Ilia the Prophet. The Catholicos-Patriarch also talked about his medical treatment in Germany and thanked God that he had returned alive and thanked the Georgian people for praying for him. (Interpressnews)
Four more H1N1 cases confirmed in Georgia
Four more new cases of the H1N1 virus have been confirmed in Georgia. The infected persons went to a special laboratory on Saturday.
It is reported that three of the infected persons are teenagers, from 11 to 14 years old, who had returned from Germany. A woman who returned from the United Kingdom on Friday has also been infected. Representatives of the Georgian National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health say that the health conditions of all the infected persons are stable now and they have almost recovered.
Ten cases of the virus have already been confirmed in Georgia but the centre reports that there are no grounds for panic because no complications usually follow the virus. Representatives of the centre say people who suffer from cardiovascular diseases should be more careful. Excess weight is another factor which can cause complications. (Rustavi 2)
Earthquake in Samtskhe-Javakheti
An earthquake took place in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region on Saturday. Interpressnews was informed by the Director of the Georgian Seismic Monitoring Centre Zurab Javakhishvili that its epicentre was 12 kilometres from Akhalkalaki.
The earthquake, of a magnitude of 3-4 points on the Richter Scale, took place at 01.30 a.m. Javakhishvili stated that fortunately there were no victims or damaged buildings. (Interpressnews)
Georgian President attends opening of hotel in Adjara
A new hotel has opened in the Adjara Region. The Sanapiro Hotel has been constructed in the Benze settlement of Batumi. A Georgian company has invested GEL 6 million in the 7-storey building of one hundred rooms. Swimming pools, amusement places, sport grounds and conference halls are also part of the hotel. Rooms start from GEL 90.
The Georgian President and the Chair of the Adjaran Government attended the opening of the hotel. Mikheil Saakashvili said the number of tourists in Adjara is increasing every year and this will help the local people increase their incomes. The first tourists checked into the Sanapiro Hotel yesterday. (Rustavi 2)
Villages cleared of unexploded materials in Gori district
The village of Kvemo Khviti has been completely cleared of mines and unexploded materials. Locals participated in the cleaning of the dangerous territory in Gori district by specialists on Saturday.
Kvemo Khviti is one of three completely swept villages in the district. All unexploded military hardware has been swept from the village and the local population can now live quietly.
Norwegian People’s Aid carried out the clearance works. This initiative was supported by the US State Department and the Foreign Affairs and International Trade Department of Canada (Rustavi 2)
Three members of Join Us realesed
Members of the Join Us Movement Giorgi Berulava, Eduard Khukhunaishvili and Tengiz Doborjginidze have been released from their imprisonment. The Conservative Party’s Sopho Kuchava has informed Interpressnews that their 12-day term of imprisonment ended yesterday. Anri Bibilashvili will be released when his 13-day term expires today, and David Kochiev and Badri Gogia will be released tomorrow after serving 14-day sentences.
All the arrested except Melor Vachnadze will leave the isolator on August 4. Vachnadze has been charged with extortion under both criminal and civil law. He has been sentenced to 2 months’ pre-trial detention and taken to the 8th prison in Gldani.
Eight members of the Join Us Movement, Giorgi Devnozashvili, Melor Vachnadze, David Kochiev, Badri Gogia, Anri Bibineishvili, Giorgi Berulava, Eduard Khukhunaishvili and Tengiz Doborjginidze, were arrested on July 20 during the demonstrations outside the Parliament building entrance for resisting police and disorderly conduct. Giorgi Devnozashvili paid a GEL 400 fine, the others were sentenced to prison terms of 12,13 and14 days. (Interpressnews)
Fraud suspects detained
Police have detained two fraud suspects. Zurab Saatashvili, 35, was arrested on July 25 at the Eliava wholesale market on charges of staging the stealing of his own Volkswagen car insured by a certain insurance company. It is said that the suspect subsequently managed to sell this vehicle in territory currently under Russian occupation and military control, namely the village of Zemo Artsevi.
Another suspect, Imeda Sabashvili, 29, was also detained as an accomplice. An investigation is in progress under Articles 18-180 and 373 of the Criminal Code of Georgia. (Rustavi 2)
The Patriarch stated in his homily yesterday that Iliaoba (the feast of Saint Elias, celebrated yesterday) is a great festival for Georgia.
He said that the name Elias means “Power of God.” He prayed for physical and spiritual power for the Georgian nation. He said that Georgia will be reunited and calmed through Saint Ilia the Righteous (Ilia Chavchavadze) and Ilia the Prophet. The Catholicos-Patriarch also talked about his medical treatment in Germany and thanked God that he had returned alive and thanked the Georgian people for praying for him. (Interpressnews)
Four more H1N1 cases confirmed in Georgia
Four more new cases of the H1N1 virus have been confirmed in Georgia. The infected persons went to a special laboratory on Saturday.
It is reported that three of the infected persons are teenagers, from 11 to 14 years old, who had returned from Germany. A woman who returned from the United Kingdom on Friday has also been infected. Representatives of the Georgian National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health say that the health conditions of all the infected persons are stable now and they have almost recovered.
Ten cases of the virus have already been confirmed in Georgia but the centre reports that there are no grounds for panic because no complications usually follow the virus. Representatives of the centre say people who suffer from cardiovascular diseases should be more careful. Excess weight is another factor which can cause complications. (Rustavi 2)
Earthquake in Samtskhe-Javakheti
An earthquake took place in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region on Saturday. Interpressnews was informed by the Director of the Georgian Seismic Monitoring Centre Zurab Javakhishvili that its epicentre was 12 kilometres from Akhalkalaki.
The earthquake, of a magnitude of 3-4 points on the Richter Scale, took place at 01.30 a.m. Javakhishvili stated that fortunately there were no victims or damaged buildings. (Interpressnews)
Georgian President attends opening of hotel in Adjara
A new hotel has opened in the Adjara Region. The Sanapiro Hotel has been constructed in the Benze settlement of Batumi. A Georgian company has invested GEL 6 million in the 7-storey building of one hundred rooms. Swimming pools, amusement places, sport grounds and conference halls are also part of the hotel. Rooms start from GEL 90.
The Georgian President and the Chair of the Adjaran Government attended the opening of the hotel. Mikheil Saakashvili said the number of tourists in Adjara is increasing every year and this will help the local people increase their incomes. The first tourists checked into the Sanapiro Hotel yesterday. (Rustavi 2)
Villages cleared of unexploded materials in Gori district
The village of Kvemo Khviti has been completely cleared of mines and unexploded materials. Locals participated in the cleaning of the dangerous territory in Gori district by specialists on Saturday.
Kvemo Khviti is one of three completely swept villages in the district. All unexploded military hardware has been swept from the village and the local population can now live quietly.
Norwegian People’s Aid carried out the clearance works. This initiative was supported by the US State Department and the Foreign Affairs and International Trade Department of Canada (Rustavi 2)
Three members of Join Us realesed
Members of the Join Us Movement Giorgi Berulava, Eduard Khukhunaishvili and Tengiz Doborjginidze have been released from their imprisonment. The Conservative Party’s Sopho Kuchava has informed Interpressnews that their 12-day term of imprisonment ended yesterday. Anri Bibilashvili will be released when his 13-day term expires today, and David Kochiev and Badri Gogia will be released tomorrow after serving 14-day sentences.
All the arrested except Melor Vachnadze will leave the isolator on August 4. Vachnadze has been charged with extortion under both criminal and civil law. He has been sentenced to 2 months’ pre-trial detention and taken to the 8th prison in Gldani.
Eight members of the Join Us Movement, Giorgi Devnozashvili, Melor Vachnadze, David Kochiev, Badri Gogia, Anri Bibineishvili, Giorgi Berulava, Eduard Khukhunaishvili and Tengiz Doborjginidze, were arrested on July 20 during the demonstrations outside the Parliament building entrance for resisting police and disorderly conduct. Giorgi Devnozashvili paid a GEL 400 fine, the others were sentenced to prison terms of 12,13 and14 days. (Interpressnews)
Fraud suspects detained
Police have detained two fraud suspects. Zurab Saatashvili, 35, was arrested on July 25 at the Eliava wholesale market on charges of staging the stealing of his own Volkswagen car insured by a certain insurance company. It is said that the suspect subsequently managed to sell this vehicle in territory currently under Russian occupation and military control, namely the village of Zemo Artsevi.
Another suspect, Imeda Sabashvili, 29, was also detained as an accomplice. An investigation is in progress under Articles 18-180 and 373 of the Criminal Code of Georgia. (Rustavi 2)