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The News in Brief

Tuesday, May 3
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia: Death Of Osama Bin Laden is Result of Successful Anti-Terrorist Operation

Georgia shares in the success of the antiterrorist coalition according to the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Nino Kalandadze, who spoke about it at a routine briefing on May 02.

"We join in this great success of the antiterrorist coalition. We have been participating in it from the date of its creation, because we believe that terrorism is a global challenge for the world" - Kalandadze said.

Georgia's Foreign Ministry spokesman expressed hope that the successful actions of the antiterrorist coalition will continue.

Previously, foreign media reported that Barack Obama affirmed that "the number one terrorist " Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. forces.

"A week ago, I decided that we have enough intelligence, and I consented to the operation. Under my leadership, carried out an operation near Islamabad, Pakistan, during which the U.S. military showed incredible courage, dismantled bin Laden and received his remains, "- said Obama.
(Prime-News)



Medvedev imitates Saakashvili

International media has found parallels with the political decisions of the Russian President and the President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili after Medvedev announced the abolition of their vehicle technical monitoring law.

Journalists say Medvedev is trying to imitate Saakashvili. Medvedev had issued a decree abolishing obligations concerning vehicles' technical monitoring a few days ago. Medvedev said the technical monitoring should be either abolished or simplified and assigned the vice prime minister Igor Shuvalov and the Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev to prepare a draft document implementing the President`s decree.
(Rustavi 2)



CSD releases footballers after interrogation

The Constitutional Security Department of the Ministry of Interior has arrested several footballers of Georgia for alleged match-fixing and illegal deals with the bookmakers. The law enforcers summoned the captains of the football club Samtredia, Spartak Gogia's Kakhaber Kirtadze, FC Zugdidi's Baia Roin Oniani and Levan Vartagava, as well as footballer FC Wit Georgia's Giga Bechvaia for interrogation.

According to the investigation, these sportsmen were suspected of making illegal deals with the representative of 'black market' bookmaker Davit Gabedava and agreed on the results of the matches in advance. The suspects are alleged to have had deals on the following matches of the national championship of Georgia: Samtredia Vs. Bolnisi Sioni on April 15, 2011, for which the FC Samtredia took 15,000 GEL; FC Tbilisi Dinamo vs. FC Zugdidi Baia on April 19, 2011, for which Baia footballers took 12,000 GEL; FC Vit Georgia vs. FC Bolnisi Sioni on April 30, 2011, for which Vit Georgia took 20,000 GEL.

Footballers were released from the CSD office after the interrogation.
(Rustavi 2)



Kakhaber Dzagania Met Ambassador of Israel to Georgia

Ideological secretary of the Labour Party Kakhaber Dzagania has met the ambassador of Israel Itskhak Gerberg.

As the party’s spokesperson Ketevan Dolidze stated, Dzagania gave the ambassador a letter from his party concerning the imprisoned Israeli businessmen Frenkiel and Fuchs.

The letter reads that the ‘Georgian Labour party’ condemns the arrest of the businessmen by Saakashvili’s terrorist regime, by alluring them into Georgia and taking them hostage.

“Unfortunately elements of anti-Semitism are not a novelty in Saakashvili’s policy and it started with the inhumane persecution of Badri Patarkatsishvili, what ended in mournful tragedy. The Georgian Labour party demands the immediate release of prisoners Frenkiel and Fuchs and an apology from the Georgian government to the brotherly Israeli people”, the letter reads.

Labour addressed the EU and U.S. to impose sanctions on Saakashvili much like they have done against Gaddafi and Lukashenko.
(Interpressnews)



Swollen river floods Akhmeta district

A swollen river has wrecked the bridge connecting village Khorbalo to the village Bakhtrioni in Akhmeta, Kakheti Region, this weekend. The bridge was of vital importance for the villages, because it connected them with the rest of the region. The non-stop rains during the past week have caused floods in the village Kvemo Alvani too, where several houses, orchards and agricultural lands were flooded. River Ilto has damaged the motorway connecting Akhmeta with Tianeti.

The local administration says they are now working to open routes to the villages. Rescuers and emergency services are being mobilized to avoid any accidents.
(Rustavi 2)



Ronald Asmus dies at 53

Ronald Asmus, the head of the Brussels office of the Marshal Foundation, has died at the age of 53. The active supporter of Georgia, who was the author of a book about the Georgia-Russia war, entitled A Little War that Shook the World, died of cancer at the Brussels clinic.

A Little War that Shook the World was translated into several languages. Ronald Asmus was also the author of a work on NATO enlargement, which reviews the need of the alliance's enlargement towards the east.

Ronald Asmus visited Georgia several months ago to attend the presentation of his book on Georgia.
(Rustavi 2)