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The News in Brief

Monday, August 27
U.S. Navy Ship Makes Port Call in Batumi

The USS Carney (DDG 64), one of the United States Navy’s guided-missile destroyers, is making a port call in Batumi on Georgia’s Black Sea coast on August 23-25.

According to the U.S. Naval Forces’ European Command, the vessel entered the Black Sea on August 12, “to conduct maritime security operations and enhance capability and interoperability with allies and partners in the region.”

The ship, led by Commander Tyson Young, will stay at Batumi port until August 25, and its crew will take part in routine combined training together with the Georgian Coast Guard.

In a statement on August 23, the U.S. Embassy in Georgia said the port call reaffirms the U.S. “commitment to strengthening ties with NATO allies and partners such as Georgia while working toward mutual goals of promoting security and stability in the Black Sea region.”

On August 23-25, Batumi will also be hosting an Italian vessel Nave Palinuri, to enhance ties between Georgian and Italian naval academy students.

USS Carney’s port call in Batumi comes a day after the Naval Forces’ European Command reported that USNS Carson City, an expeditionary fast transport ship, visited Georgia’s Black Sea port of Poti to conduct routine maritime security operations in the Black Sea region.
(civil.ge)



Man dies at Echowaves festival in Anaklia, police arrest four for drug trafficking

A man attending a music festival died in Anaklia on August 24. The MIA has started an investigation but did not reveal possible reasons behind his death while awaiting autopsy results.

Another festival attendee was also transported to Zugdidi hospital.

As the hospital manager said, the girl had been intoxicated by an undefined substance and feels better now.

Police have arrested four people for drug trafficking on the territory of the festival. Two of them are citizens of Georgia, and the other two are citizens of Iran.

They were found to be in possession of various drugs which are now being analyzed.

The Echowaves festival in the coastal town of Anaklia started on August 23 and ends tomorrow.

The festival organizers have called on attendees to take care of their health, as well as of their friends’ and to timely appeal to medical aid groups in case of illness.
(Agenda.ge)