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The News in Brief

Friday, September 26
Infant dies at Ozurgeti medical center

A newborn infant has died at Ozurgeti medical center. Center Director Davit Mdinaradze confirmed this information. Leila Zhghenti-Giorgadze was taken to the hospital on September 14, at 13:00 and the infant was born at 18:00. But unfortunately, the infant died several minutes later, - Mdinaradze said.

As reports go, the infant’s body is being examined now and the cause of death will be found out.

Leila Zhghenti’s family accuses doctors.

“We visited the doctor before going into labor and everything was fine. We do not know what happened or whether the infant died immediately after being born,’’- Leila Zhghenti’s sister said.

As per current information, two infants, one woman in labor and one 2-year-old baby have recently died at the clinic. (Ipn)



Disaster response work to be launched today

It was raining non-stop in Guria Region of Georgia overnight September 24-25. The Crisis Management Council officials say the disaster response activities will be launched in the region later on September 25. The rescue brigades were deployed to all disaster affected villages of the region along with the patrol police to provide safety of locals in the most dangerous areas.

The road department brigades were cleaning up the blocked highway section leading to the Nabeghlavi factory during the whole night. The road was blocked by the collapsed rocks and mudslide.

As for another affected municipality of the region, Ozurgeti, here the river beds need to be cleaned up, as the swollen river has damaged road infrastructure and endangered some of the families, who were duly evacuated yesterday.

The disaster has damaged the water reservoir in Ozurgeti, leaving several villages without drinking water supply. (Rustavi 2)



Slovakia ratifies EU-Georgia Association Agreement

Slovakia is the fifth European country to ratify the Georgia-European Union (EU) Association Agreement (AA).

At a Parliamentary session on Wednesday, the vast majority of members of the National Council of the Slovak Republic voted to ratify the AA with Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova, stated the press centre of Georgia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The decision was adopted unanimously, by 117 votes.

Intrastate ratification procedures will be completed immediately after the President of the Slovak Republic signs the Agreement.

The AA deals were signed by Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova and EU representatives in Brussels on June 27.

EU association deals need to be ratified by all 28 EU member countries before they can be fully implemented. (Agenda.ge)



THE C.T. PARK must pay large fine According to Tbilisi City Hall, the company has not paid its cleaning fee since 2007, that’s why the C.T. Park has been fined.

"There was a list of a number of the organizations, which did not pay or paid a reduced amount of their cleaning fees. So, I have personally ordered "Tbil Service Group" Ltd. to make a complete inventory of charging and payment of the fees in the capital city and we want to reinforce the control of the fee, as a form of one of the liabilities,"- Tbilisi Mayor Davit Narmania said. (pia.ge)



A Georgian teenager killed in Syria

An 18 year-old Beso Kushtanashvili, the citizen of Georgia living in the Pankisi Valley, died in the combat operations in Syria - the relatives of the killed young man have confirmed the report.

The recent reports say that over fifty Georgian citizens from the Pankisi Gorge are fighting in Syria currently and some of them are from 16 to 18. Beso Kushtanashvili is the sixth resident of the Pankisi Gorge, who was killed while fighting in Syria. (Rustavi2)



Georgia to join arms trade treaty

On Friday, Georgia will join a new treaty which restricts the international trade in small arms.

The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on April 2, 2013, and is a first of its kind.

It will regulate the sale of small weapons across borders, to restrict the supply of firearms and ammunition into war zones.

So far 119 countries have signed the treaty, and 45 ratified it. In order for the treaty to come into force, more than 50 countries must ratify it.

According to Anna Macdonald, director of the Control Arms coalition, this goal will be reached by the end of this week, triggering “entry into force” by 24 December.

Georgia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Davit Zalkaniani told journalists in New York that his country will join the treaty tomorrow, September 26.

“This is important because there are many white spots in the world, uncontrolled territories, where there is taking place illegal sale and import of weapons,” Zalkaniani said, according to Interpressnews.

According to Amnesty International’s Rasha Abdul-Rahim, the treaty regulates conventional weapons including small arms and light weapons, ammunition, explosives, bombs, missiles, tanks, military vehicles, military aircraft, naval ships.

Governments will commit to creating a national control system where they must assess the risk of such weapons or ammunition ending up being used to violate human rights or humanitarian law if a specific arms deal goes ahead.

Each country will have their own control system, but share control lists with other countries, and file a report every year. (DF watch)