DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

Tbilisi, Georgia CNN —Georgia’s parliament has passed a controversial “foreign agents” bill despite widespread domestic opposition and warnings from the European Union that its enactment would imperil the country’s chances of joining the bloc. Many Georgians fear their foreign agents bill will be used the same way in their country. Georgia’s parliament now has 10 days to send the bill to President Salome Zourabichvili, who has already vowed to veto it. However, EU leaders have made it clear that the foreign agents bill’s passage would jeopardize Georgia’s chances of accession. Georgian law enforcement officers detain a demonstrator near the parliament in Tbilisi on May 14.

Persons: Georgia CNN —, Salome Zourabichvili, Zourabichvili, Giorgi Arjevanidze, Bidzina Ivanishvili, they’ve, Putin, ” Zourabichvili, Shakh, Levan Khabeishvili, “, ” Khabeishvili, ” Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Putin’s, Irakli, CNN’s Christian Edwards, Anna Chernova, Vasco Cotovio Organizations: Georgia CNN, European Union, EU, United, Getty, Soviet Union, Georgian, CNN, European Locations: Tbilisi, Georgia, Russia, Ukraine, Europe, Soviet, United States, Caucasus, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, AFP, Russian, Moscow

☆ What is Georgia’s ‘foreign agents’ bill, and why is Europe so alarmed?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Joshua Berlinger | Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Georgia’s parliament is set to pass a highly controversial so-called “foreign agents” bill that has triggered widespread protests across the former Soviet republic nestled in the Caucasus Mountains. Here’s what you need to know about the proposed law and the uproar it has caused. The bill would require organizations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as “agents of foreign influence” or face crippling fines. About 50,000 protesters gathered in Tbilisi to protest the proposed legislation on Sunday. The proposed law is modeled after a similar one in Russia that the Kremlin has used to increasingly snuff out opposition and civil society.

Persons: CNN —, Salome Zourabichvili, Irakli Kobakhidze, Bidzina Ivanishvili, Vano Shlamov, Ivanishvili, they’ve, Georgia’s, Kobakhidze, Mirian, Jake Sullivan, ”, Dmitry Peskov, “, Ursula von der Leyen, Anna Chernova Organizations: CNN, Getty, European, House, Washington, Georgian, EU, “ Locations: Soviet, Caucasus, Tbilisi, Here’s, Georgian, Georgia, AFP, Russia, Europe, Ukraine, Soviet Union, European Union, Georgia’s, Didn’t Georgia, Anadolu, backsliding, George, Brussels, “ Georgia

☆ 50,000 protest Georgia’s foreign agent bill as US sounds alarm over ‘Kremlin-style’ law
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —About 50,000 opponents of a “foreign agents” bill marched peacefully in heavy rain through the Georgian capital on Saturday, after the United States said the country had to choose between the “Kremlin-style” law and the people’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations. “Georgian parliamentarians face a critical choice – whether to support the Georgian people’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations or pass a Kremlin-style foreign agents’ law that runs counter to democratic values,” he said. Demonstrators protest against the foreign agents bill in Tbilisi, Georgia, on May 11, 2024. Georgian Dream says the bill will promote transparency and Georgian national sovereignty. Demonstrators protest against the foreign agents bill in Tbilisi, Georgia, on May 11, 2024.

Persons: “, ”, Jake Sullivan, Irakli Gedenidze, Nino, Vladimir Putin’s, Reuters Bidzina, Sullivan Organizations: CNN, House, Georgian, European, Reuters, Union, Vladimir Putin’s Kremlin, European Union, EU, NATO Locations: States, backsliding, Georgia, European Union, Tbilisi , Georgia, “, Russia, Europe, ”, Georgian, Tbilisi, United States

☆ Georgia rocked by protests as government pushes Putin-style ‘foreign agent’ bill
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —After spending his days making wine in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains, Tsotne Jafaridze returns home to Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital, and begins his new routine. Jafaridze, who also owns a travel business and says he receives 95% of his income from foreign sources, says he would “immediately” be listed as a foreign agent under the broadly-written law. But the government reintroduced the same bill in March and appears determined to force it through, despite protests that grow fiercer every week. Despite recent Russian aggression against Georgia, Georgian Dream has long been accused of harboring pro-Russian sympathies and its billionaire founder, Bidzina Ivanishvili, made his fortune in the Soviet Union. Bidzina Ivanishvili addresses a rally in support of the "foreign agent" law in Tbilisi, April 29, 2024.

Persons: Jafaridze, ”, Vladimir Putin, “, Giorgi Arjevanidze, isn’t, ” Natalie Sabanadze, –, Levan Khabeishvili, Khabeishvili, Bidzina Ivanishvili, ” Buziashvili, Ivanishvili, Bidzina, Shakh, Sabanandze, Irakli Kobakhidze, Kobakhidze, ” Sabanadze, Viktor Orban, Europe’s, Matthew Miller, Washington, Georgia “, Irakli Gedenidze, Viktor Yanukovych, doesn’t Organizations: CNN, European Union, Getty, EU, United National Movement, National Security Council, Soviet Army, Soviet Union, Belarus ’, Party, Georgian, Conservative Political, United, State Department, Protesters, Reuters Locations: Caucasus, Tbilisi, Georgia’s, Russia, Georgian, Russian, Soviet, AFP, Brussels, Georgia, Belarus, Ukraine, Soviet Union, Hungary, Hungarian, United States, stoke, ”

☆ Billionaire politicians have become 'shockingly common' around the world, new study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Robert Frank | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

More than 11% of the world's more than 2,000 billionaires have run for election or become politicians, according to a study highlighting the growing power and influence of the super-wealthy. "Billionaire politicians are a shockingly common phenomenon," the study said. Outside the U.S., billionaire politicians are even more common. Terry Gou, the Taiwanese billionaire and founder of Foxconn, is running for president of Taiwan. Of course, billionaires wield even more political power through their (often secret) donations to support candidates, parties and super PACs.

Persons: Donald Trump, Terry Gou, Vivek Ramaswamy, Doug Burgum, Michael Bloomberg, Tom Steyer, Billionaire Rick Caruso, J.B, Pritzker, Andrej Babiš, Silvio Berlusconi, Bidzina Ivanishvili, Najib Mikati, Sebastián, Thaksin, Phil Ruffin, Larry Ellison, Nelson Peltz, Richard Uihlein, Jeffrey Yass, Stanley Druckenmiller, Cliff Asness, David Tepper, Bruce Kovner Organizations: Wisconsin Valley Science, Technology, Northwestern University, Democratic, Los Angeles, Tax Fairness, Billionaire Locations: Wisconsin, Mount Pleasant , Wisconsin, U.S, Illinois, Taiwan, Czech Republic, Italy, Georgia, Lebanon, Chile, Thailand

☆ Georgia looking to cause an upset at the Rugby World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Jack Hillcox | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Today, Maisashvili is in France leading Georgia at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Having lost 35-15 against Australia in its Rugby World Cup opener, Georgia hopes to bounce back against Portugal this Saturday, then against Fiji and Wales in its final pool C game. David Mdzinarishvili/ReutersThe Georgian national rugby team was formed in 1964, but was initially subsumed by the Soviet Union rugby federation. Despite making up a tiny portion of the Soviet Union, Georgian players were one of the dominant forces in the larger nation’s rugby team. The nation’s rugby team suffered after gaining independence, leading to serious lack of resources.

Persons: CNN — “, ” Levan Maisashvili, Maisashvili, Levan Maisashvili, Georgia's, Levan Verdzeuli, Nika Abuladze –, David Mdzinarishvili, ” Tony Collins, Huw Richards ’, Collins, “, Bidzina Ivanishvili, Forbes, ” Maisashvili, ”, Warren Little Organizations: CNN, rugby, Italy, –, Georgian, CNN Sport, ” Rugby, Scotland, Australia, Rugby World, Portugal, Fiji, Humble, Georgian national rugby team, Soviet Union rugby, Soviet Union, Soviet national, Institute of Sports Humanities, Rugby, Reuters, Nations, Northern Hemisphere, Rugby Championship, Southern Hemisphere Locations: South Africa, Wales, France, Georgia, Shukhuti, Soviet, Georgian, “ Georgia, Fiji, Toulouse

☆ Donaldson shines as Australia down Georgia to snap losing streak
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Nick Mulvenney | Thomson Reuters | Leads Coverage Of Sport Across The Asia-Pacific. Still Reports On The Full Panoply Of Sport. Many Olympics World Cups World Championships Grand Slams Grands Prix | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Donaldson, a surprise selection brought into the side primarily for his place-kicking, added 15 points from the tee with three penalties and three conversions. "There is a real feeling this team could do something," Eddie Jones said after the first victory of his second reign as Australia coach. "We've got a young team, it's a great learning experience for them. Georgia never looked like adding another top tier victim to their tally after wins over Italy and Wales in the last 13 months but battled to the bitter end and scored tries through Luka Ivanishvili and Beka Gigashvili. Australia head south for their second Pool C match in St Etienne on Sunday against a dangerous Fiji side who recently beat England.

Persons: Australia's Ben Donaldson, Livewire, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Jordan Petaia, Donaldson, Eddie Jones, We've, it's, Luka, Nawaqanitawase, Mirian Modebadze, flyhalf Luka Matkava, Davit Niniashvili, Taniela Tupou, flyhalf Carter Gordon, Akaki Tabutsadze, Gigashvili, Levan Maisashvili, Nick Mulvenney, Hugh Lawson, Ed Osmond Organizations: Georgia, Wallabies, Stade de France, Luka Ivanishvili, Blacks, Australia, Petaia, Georgians, flyhalf, Australians, Portugal, Sunday, England, Thomson Locations: Australia, Georgia, Italy, Wales, St Etienne, Fiji

☆ Bidzina Ivanishvili: Credit Suisse ordered to pay $926 million to Georgia's former prime minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-26 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Credit Suisse was ordered to pay $926 million to Georgia’s former prime minister Friday for losing part of his fortune, in a Singapore court ruling that represents one of the biggest legal awards made against the bank. Credit Suisse (CSGKF) said it would appeal the decision. Billionaire businessman Ivanishvili, who was Georgia’s prime minister in 2012 to 2013, had placed $1.1 billion under the custodianship of Credit Suisse Trust in 2005, the court heard. It should have prevented Patrice Lescaudron, an adviser at Credit Suisse Trust in Singapore who was later convicted of fraud, from having access to them. AppealThe $926 million to be paid by Credit Suisse will be reduced by $79 million it had already paid in December.

☆ Georgia's former president says he's dying in prison because of Putin, and calls on the US to save his life
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Georgia's ex-president, Mikheil Saakashvili, said he is dying in prison. Saakashvili is asking the US and its allies to help save his life by applying international pressure. He also warned that Georgia's government is "sliding toward the Kremlin." Georgia 'sliding toward the Kremlin'In his Politico op-ed, Saakashvili described himself as a "political prisoner" who continues to "defend democracy against Putin and his allies." Saakashvili warned that Georgia and other countries in the region "have continued sliding toward the Kremlin" amid Russia's ongoing and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

☆ Factbox: FACTBOX Credit Suisse's troubles - spies, money laundering and central bank cash
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Lescaudron was convicted by a Swiss court in 2018 of having forged the signatures of former clients, including Ivanishvili, over an eight-year period. Credit Suisse has said it expects the case, which it is appealing, to cost it around $600 million. The hedge fund's highly leveraged bets on certain technology stocks backfired and the value of its portfolio with Credit Suisse plummeted. Swiss regulators have rebuked Credit Suisse for "serious" failings in its handling of the multi-billion dollar business with Greensill. In response, Credit Suisse said it condemned the spying and had taken "decisive" steps to improve its governance and strengthen compliance.

☆ Factbox: Credit Suisse's troubles - spies, money laundering and takeover
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Credit Suisse has said it expects the case, which it is appealing, to cost it around $600 million. The hedge fund's highly leveraged bets on certain technology stocks backfired and the value of its portfolio with Credit Suisse plummeted. Swiss regulators have rebuked Credit Suisse for "serious" failings in its handling of the multi-billion dollar business with Greensill. Switzerland's financial regulator said Credit Suisse had misled it about the scale of the spying. In response, Credit Suisse said it condemned the spying and had taken "decisive" steps to improve its governance and strengthen compliance.

☆ Factbox: Why is Georgia in turmoil over a "foreign agents" law?
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Jake Cordell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

TBILISI, March 9 (Reuters) - Ruling lawmakers in the South Caucasus country of Georgia on Thursday scrapped plans to introduce what critics called a Russian-inspired "foreign agents" law after two days of intense street protests in the capital Tbilisi. Here is a guide to what's going on:WHAT IS THE PROPOSED 'FOREIGN AGENTS' LAW? - Swathes of Georgian civil society, including election monitors, corruption watchdogs and independent media outlets would have been covered by the law. - Rights groups say the "foreign agent" tag is a designed to make it easier for the government to discredit its opponents. - It says it is modelled on the U.S. 1938 "Foreign Agents Registration Act", which primarily covers lobbyists and organisations directly working for or under the control of foreign governments.

☆ Oligarhii din Georgia, Moldova și Ucraina: între retragere, regrupare și „reeducare”. Analiză de Dionis Cenușa
▼ + stars: | 2021-05-18 | by ( ) www.ipn.md time to read: +14 min

Oligarhii din Georgia, Moldova și Ucraina: între retragere, regrupare și „reeducare”. Analiză de Dionis CenușaOp-EdOligarhii continuă să fie actori politici activi în Georgia, Moldova și Ucraina. Oricât de imperfecte ar fi instituțiile democratice din Georgia, Moldova și Ucraina, condițiile existente încă permit turnuri de situații favorabile pentru democratizarea domeniului politic. În loc de concluzii...Oligarhii continuă să fie actori politici activi în Georgia, Moldova și Ucraina. Dionis Cenușa, Columnist principal Dionis Cenușa, Columnist principalDomenii de cercetare: Politica Europeană de Vecinătate, relațiile UE-Moldova, politica externă a UE și Rusia, migrația și securitatea energetică.

Persons: Dionis, ., . Aceștia, Maia Sandu, Președintelui Sandu ., Președintele Sandu, Președintele, Petro, Petro Pororeșenko, Viktor Medvedchuk, Nika Melia, Mikhail Saakashvili, Vlad Filat, Vlad Plahotniuc, Ilan Șhor, Sandu, Renato, Kolomoysky, Zelensky, Liebig Organizations: Uniunii Europene, Parlamentul European, UE, Partidul Mișcarea Națională Unită, BBC, Partidului Socialiștilor, Partidul Comuniștilor, Președintele Zelensky, Securitate, Universitatea Justus Locations: Georgia, Moldova, Ucraina, Petro, Rusiei, Ucraina Georgia Moldova Ucraina, UE, Turcia, Israel, SUA, Rusia, Giessen

☆ Top 8 prognoze pentru statele PaE în 2021 – între “contestare” și “reînnoire”. Analiză de Dionis Cenușă
▼ + stars: | 2021-01-11 | by ( ) www.ipn.md time to read: +18 min

Top 8 prognoze pentru statele PaE în 2021 – între “contestare” și “reînnoire”. Majoritatea proceselor politice, socio-economice și geopolitice, care caracterizează statele Parteneriatului Estic, se vor perpetua. Persistența tensiunilor sociale din cauza repercusiunilor socio-economice ale pandemiei, inconsistenței procesului de vaccinare și a populismul politic este iminentă. În loc de concluzii...Spre deosebire de majoritatea statelor europene, statele Parteneriatului Estic sunt obișnuite cu crize sistemice, similare cu cele determinate de pandemie. Dionis Cenușa, Columnist principal Dionis Cenușa, Columnist principalDomenii de cercetare: Politica Europeană de Vecinătate, relațiile UE-Moldova, politica externă a UE și Rusia, migrația și securitatea energetică.

Persons: Dionis, Johnson, Lukașenko, Aleksandr Lukașenko, Maia Sandu, Sandu, Ilham, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Liebig Organizations: Estic, Parteneriatului Estic, Washington ., Parteneriatului, Organizației Mondiale a Sănătății, UE, Summit, FMI, Banca Mondială, Partidul Socialiștilor, Partidul, Nagorno, Parlamentul, Trump, Universitatea Justus Locations: sovietică, Rusia, Belarus, Ucraina, Moldova, Armenia, Georgia, CureVac, SUA, UE, Parteneriatului, Rusiei, României, Azerbaidjan, COVAX, Bruxelles, China, Germania, BERD, BEI, Moldovei, Ucrainei, armene, Belarusului, Minsk, RM, Karabakh, Parteneriatului Estic, Washington, Giessen

☆ Bilanțul anului 2020 pentru statele PaE: 5 oportunități și 5 provocări majore. Analiză de Dionis Cenușă
▼ + stars: | 2020-12-29 | by ( ) www.ipn.md time to read: +29 min

Principalele 5 provocăriCea mai serioasă provocare pentru spațiul Parteneriatului Estic a fost pandemia, care de la primele apariții a provocat victime în rândul populației și a economiilor. În zona rămasă a Nagorno-Karabah-ului a fost instituită misiunea de pacificare a Rusiei (cu 2000 de militari). Iar autoritățile din Azerbaidjan a valorificat criza pandemică și emergența geopolitică a Turciei pentru a restabili integritatea teritorială a țării și a alimenta sursele de legitimitate publică a regimului autoritar, dirijat de Ilham Aliev. Totodată, opoziția în frunte cu Svetlana Tikhanovskaya și societatea civilă și-au ramificat semnificativ rețelele diplomatice, politice și non-guvernamentale în direcția occidentală. Dionis Cenușa, Columnist principal Dionis Cenușa, Columnist principalDomenii de cercetare: Politica Europeană de Vecinătate, relațiile UE-Moldova, politica externă a UE și Rusia, migrația și securitatea energetică.

Persons: Pandemia, ., Dionis, Nikol, Lukașenko, Rusia, Vladimir Putin, Pashinyan, Zelensky, Reziliența, Alexandr Lukașenko, August, Solidaritatea, Alexandr Lukanșenko, Svetlana, Sandu, Kelly Degnan, Carl Hertzell, Ivanishvili, Maia Sandu, Igor Dodon, Liebig Organizations: Estic, Parteneriatului Estic, Monetar, FMI, Organizația, azer, Constituțională, UE, Comisia Europeană, Organizația Mondială a Sănătății ( OMS, Parteneriatului, CSI, Uniunea Economică Euroasiatică, Unitatea, Partidului, Facebook, Universitatea Justus Locations: Estic, Belarus, Moldova, Parteneriatului, Karabah, Georgia, UE, Azerbaidjan, armene, Ucraina, Rusia, Armenia, Baku, Parteneriatului Estic, Belarusului, Ucrainei, Armeniei, Azerbaidjanului, azer, Yerevan, Rusiei, Nagorno - Karabah, armean, Minsk, OSCE, Turcia, Turciei, turc, Caucazul de Sud, SUA, Război, Georgiei, Bruxelles, Moldovei, sovietic, Chinei, Victoria, Washington, Polonia, Diaspora, America de Nord, Giessen

☆ UE și vecinătatea estică „schimbătoare” – între „diplomația post-factum” și realpolitik. Analiză de Dionis Cenușă
▼ + stars: | 2020-11-14 | by ( ) www.ipn.md time to read: +20 min

UE și vecinătatea estică „schimbătoare” – între „diplomația post-factum” și realpolitik. Aceste entități interacționează și promovează agenda partenerilor identificați în configurațiile politice naționale ale statelor Parteneriatului Estic, preponderent în Moldova, Georgia și Ucraina. Prin urmare, partea rusă gândește în termeni pragmatici, de realpolitik, spre deosebire de diplomația normativă și post-factum folosită de UE în regiune. Experiența Ucrainei și Moldovei este similar de negativă, iar interesele oligahice perpetuează în Georgia și Ucraina. Dionis Cenușa, Columnist principal Dionis Cenușa, Columnist principalDomenii de cercetare: Politica Europeană de Vecinătate, relațiile UE-Moldova, politica externă a UE și Rusia, migrația și securitatea energetică.

Persons: Dionis, Președintelui Volodymyr, Zelensky, Sandu, Igor Dodon, Maia Sandu, Maia Sandu ., Vladimir Putin, armean, Nikol, Ilham, Aleksandr Lukashenko, Lukashenko, Hanns Seidel, Liebig Organizations: UE, Belarusului, Parlamentul European, Popular European, Social - Democrați, Estic, Parteneriatului Estic, Constituțională, OSCE, Bruxelles, Agenția, Universitatea Justus Locations: Europa de Est, Nagorno - Karabah, UE, Bruxelles, Moldova, Georgia, Ucraina, Rusiei, Rusia, ruse, Armenia, Belarus, Azerbaidjan, Ucrainei, Moldovei, Socialiștilor, Chișinău, Occident, Georgiei, SUA, Turciei, Caucazul, Sud, Nagorno, armene, Armeniei, Moscova, Baku, îngustate, Karabah, turc, Belarusului, îngustată, Azerbaidjanului, Turcia, Iran, Ankara, Minsk, Giessen

☆ The EU and the “changing” Eastern neighborhood - between “post-factum diplomacy” and realpolitik, Analysis by Dionis Cenușă
▼ + stars: | 2020-11-14 | by ( ) www.ipn.md time to read: +21 min

The EU and the “changing” Eastern neighborhood - between “post-factum diplomacy” and realpolitik, Analysis by Dionis CenușăOp-EdThe diversity of realities in Eastern Europe requires from the EU a "differentiated diplomacy" which emerges from the dynamics of local and external factors, dominant in the region ...Dionis Cenuşa, Senior ContributorThe European strategy for the Eastern Neighborhood is losing ground to the ever-changing reality. It is these shortcomings that define European diplomacy of post-factum, which remains relevant in 2020. First of all, Russia has structural levers that can influence the situation on the ground in the Eastern Partnership states. Instead, the emphasis of Westerners is on calming the political situation, without encouraging the opposition to annul the results of the parliamentary elections. Dionis Cenuşa, Senior Contributor Dionis Cenuşa, Senior ContributorAreas of research: European Neighborhood Policy, EU-Moldova relationship, EU's foreign policy and Russia, migration and energy security.

Persons: Cenușă, Dionis Cenuşa, Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, Maia Sandu's, Fiasco, Igor Dodon, Maia Sandu, Vladimir Putin, oligarch Bidzina, Ivanishvili, Nikol, ”, Ilham Aliyev's, Alexander Lukashenko, Lukashenko, Hanns Seidel Organizations: EU, European People's Party, Social Democrats, Eastern Partnership, Eastern, Constitutional, Socialist, OSCE, Moldovan, Russian, Hanns Seidel Foundation, IPN Press Agency, Policy, Institute of Political Sciences, Liebig, Justus University, College of Europe, Twitter Locations: Eastern Europe, EU, Belarus, Nagorno, Karabakh, Brussels, Moldova, Georgia, Ukraine, Russian, Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Chisinau, Moldovan, Turkey, South Caucasus, Yerevan, Moscow, Baku, Turkish, Azerbaijani, Iran, Ankara, Minsk, Belarusian, Giessen, Germany

Search resuls for: "Ivanishvili"

17 mentions found