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The News in Brief

Wednesday, August 12
Washington's new anti-Russia sanctions have become effective - Unian news agency

According to a recent Facebook post by the Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Valeriy Chaly, the Federal Register, the daily journal of the U.S. government, has published a full list of individuals and entities subject to the extended sectoral sanctions against Russia.

The extended sanctions list includes:

Seven individuals and six companies that have tried to circumvent the imposed sanctions (including those associated with G. Timchenko, B. Rotenberg, as well as weapons manufacturer Kalashnikov Concern);

Two Russian companies that are involved in the military industrial complex of the Russian Federation;

Four former Ukrainian officials and their supporters who are involved in the embezzlement of state assets and abuse of power;

CJSC MAKO Holding, affiliated with Oleksandr Yanukovych (elder son of the fourth President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych);

Five operators of Crimean ports and one Crimean ferry operator;

35 companies controlled by the individuals who were previously included in the sanctions list, as well as companies that have more than 50% of their capital controlled by Russian Vnesheconombank and Rosneft. (IPN)



Policeman shot during house call in eastern Georgia

A policeman was shot on duty in Georgia’s eastern Kakheti region on Monday, during a house call about domestic violence.

Police received a call about family violence in the village Zemo Alvani, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. When police arrived at the house, a man opened fire and shot one of the policemen in the head and the chest.

The wounded police officer was taken to Telavi hospital and is in a serious condition.

The shooter was subsequently detained, the Ministry said.

An investigation has been launched for the attempted premeditated murder. (DF watch)



Zurab Gamezardashvili appointed Deputy Interior Minister

Head of the Border Police Division, General-Major Zurab Gamezardashvili has been appointed Georgia’s Deputy Interior Minister.

Zurab Gamezardashvili graduated from the MIA High School and worked on different positions in the MIA for years. (IPN)



Azerbaijan, Georgia to improve Mtkvari (Kura) River’s ecology

Azerbaijan and Georgia will sign an agreement to improve the ecological state of the Mtkvari (Kura) River, said Matanat Avazova, the deputy director of the national environmental monitoring department of Azerbaijan’s Ecology and Natural Resources Ministry.

She told Trend on August 10 that Azerbaijan has done extensive work on an international level to improve the Kur River’s ecological state.

Avazova added that Azerbaijan has been for about two years discussing this issue with Georgia and the talks in this regard are already coming to an end.

She said the talks are being conducted through diplomatic channels and at the level of foreign ministries.

“Upon their completion, the two countries will sign a corresponding agreement, and the other side will have to fulfil the commitments to improve the quality of water in the Kur River,” said Avazova.

“I believe that after signing the agreement it will be possible to prevent Kur’s contamination,” she added.

She also said that Azerbaijan 10 years ago joined the ‘Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes’ of the Council of Europe, and this structure issues reports on water quality assessment every four years.

Avazova added that international reports indicate severe pollution in the upper reaches of the Mtkvari ( Kur) and Araz rivers. (Trend.az)