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The News in Brief

Monday, November 29
Tbilisi apartment building catches fire

150 square metres of an apartment block were consumed by fire in Uznadze Street in the centre of Tbilisi.

The fire broke out on the second floor of a two-storey building. According to the preliminary information, children’s negligence caused the fire.

Fire brigades arrived at the incident within a few minutes of being called. Fire-fighters were able to extinguish the fire rapidly although quite a large area had already been burnt.

One man was slightly injured in the incident, but he did not need transporting to hospital.
(Rustavi 2)



Large boulders hamper traffic to Svaneti

Traffic movement towards Georgia’s mountainous region of Svaneti has been blocked. Large boulders have fallen onto the 25th kilometre of the Mestia highway in Khaishi district.

Special equipment his already at the site, but to clear the road, it will be necessary to blow up the boulders.

For now only pedestrians can travel towards Svaneti. Cars unable to move forward are waiting on the sidelines.
(Rustavi 2)



Georgian Air company cargo plane crashes

The cargo airplane Il-76 which crashed in Karachi, Pakistan on Saturday night belonged to the Georgian air company Sunway Airlines, Russian agency Itar-Tass was told by the Russian Consulate in Karachi. The airplane was en route to Sudan from the United Arab Emirates. At least 18 people died in the crash.
(Interpressnews)



Demonstrators Arrested in Gurjaani

Demonstrators have been arrested in the village of Vazisubani, Gurjaani, Kakheti region.

Eyewitnesses say about 100 demonstrators were protesting against the illegal cutting of the electricity supply. They were calling for a meeting with the local authorities. Following a lack of response from the authorities, they blocked the Telavi-Tbilisi highway.

Kakheti governor Giorgi Ghviniashvili later went to the demonstrators. The protesters accused him of negligence. Ghviniashvili ordered the police to arrest the most active demonstrators; four were taken to Gurjaani police station.

No comment has been made by Gurjaani law-enforcers about the detention. Giorgi Ghviniasvhili categorically denies issuing any order for the arrest.
(Interpressnews)



Tbilisi to host Youth Olympic Festival 2015

Tbilisi will host the Youth Olympic Festival 2015. The decision was taken at the 39th assembly of the European Olympics Committee in Belgrade, Serbia.

The 47 delegates of the assembly had to choose between two cities - Tbilisi and Brno (Czech Republic). Tbilisi won the vote 26-21.

Before the vote, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili greeted participants of the assembly with a video address calling on the committee members to support Tbilisi.
(Rustavi 2)



Irakli Alasania meets villagers living close to conflict zone

Irakli Alasania, leader of the Free Democrats, has met with people living in villages next to the conflict zone in Shida Kartli region and learned about their problems. According to Vako Avaliani, the press secretary of the Free Democrats, the villagers have serious problems with water and wood supply. Vako Avaliani claimed President Mikhail Saakashvili lied when he said that the villages would get wood and flour from the government. “The promise has not been delivered,” Avaliani said. Irakli Alasania will meet residents of villages in Kareli district today.
(Interpressnews)



Georgian Economy Minister attends MEDEF meeting

Georgian Economy Minister Vera Kobalia took part in a meeting of MEDEF business council in France. MEDEF is the largest business alliance in France; some of its members are already working in Georgia or intend to make investments in the future.

At the meeting, Vera Kobalia talked about the main areas in which French investors have shown particular interest. These directions are: tourism, logistics, transport communications and hydro energy.
(Rustavi 2)