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CNN —Boris Nadezhdin, an anti-war candidate vying for the Russian presidency, said Wednesday he had submitted the signatures required to be listed on the presidential election ballot, potentially allowing him to stand against Vladimir Putin in March. Nadezhdin announced he had delivered 105,000 signatures, the maximum allowed by law, to the Central Election Commission in Moscow, which now has 10 days to review the signatures. Many thanks to those dozens, even hundreds of thousands of people who stood in queues throughout our huge country, in 75 regions of the country, in more than 120 or 130 cities, collecting signatures,” Nadezhdin said at a press conference. Dozens line up to give their signatures in support of Nadezhdin, who hopes to run against Putin in the Russia's March presidential election. He has garnered the support of other prominent Russian opposition figures, including members of jailed Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny’s team and exiled oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who urged Russian citizens to add their signatures for Nadezhdin.

Persons: Boris Nadezhdin, Vladimir Putin, Nadezhdin, ” Nadezhdin, Putin, ”, Anatoly, Evgenia Novozhenina, “, I’m, Alexey Navalny’s, oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Yekaterina Duntsova, Duntsova Organizations: CNN, Commission, Putin, Duma, Civic Initiative Party, Russia’s CEC, CEC, Central Locations: Moscow, Russia, Europe, London, Paris, Georgia’s, Tbilisi, Ukraine, Russian

☆ Boris Nadezhdin: Anti-war presidential candidate ignites Russian anger
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Clare Sebastian | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Dozens, if not hundreds of people lining up in freezing conditions to try to ensure an anti-war presidential candidate has enough signatures to get on the ballot for the vote in March. Key endorsements from other Russian opposition figures, including associates of jailed Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny have helped. The candidate is Boris Nadezhdin, on the surface an unlikely opponent for Vladimir Putin. People give their signatures in support of Boris Nadezhdin, who plans to run for Russian president in the March 2024 election, outside his campaign office in Moscow on January 23. Evgenia Novozhenina/ReutersHe went on to become an adviser to opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, assassinated within view of the Kremlin in 2015.

Persons: Alexey Navalny, Boris Nadezhdin, Vladimir Putin, He’s, oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Evgenia Novozhenina, Boris Nemtsov, “, Putin, ”, Russia’s, I’m, Nadezhdin, Elizaveta, Yulia Morozova, Ivan, Elena, Anna Chernova Organizations: CNN, Reuters, Kremlin, Civil Initiative Locations: Russia, London, Paris, Georgia’s, Tbilisi, Moscow, Ukraine, Bryansk, “, Russian

☆ Pope Francis takes on vested interests to speak out on humanitarian crises
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Analysis Christopher Lamb | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +18 min

Pope Francis received an emotional welcome on the island during a visit showing solidarity with migrants fleeing war and poverty. ARIS MESSINIS/AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis confesses in St. Peter's Basilica during the Vatican's Penitential Celebration on Friday, March 4, 2016. Alessandro Di Meo/AP Pope Francis arrives for his visit with prisoners in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, on Friday, July 10, 2015. Franco Origlia/Getty Images Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I address the faithful in Istanbul on Sunday, November 30, 2014. Gokhan Tan/Getty Images Pope Francis speaks during the feast-day Mass while on a one-day trip to Italy's Calabria region in June 2014.

Persons: Pope Francis, Cardinal Michael Czerny, Francis, “, ”, Regina Coeli, Vincenzo Pinto, Juan Manuel Santos, Santos, Alessandra Tarantino, L'Osservatore Romano, VINCENZO PINTO, Simon Bar Sabbae, Pope, FILIPPO MONTEFORTE, Karekin, TIZIANA FABI, Giuseppe Ciccia, MAX, Pope Francis tries, Pope Benedict XVI, Alessandro Di Meo, Evo Morales, OSSERVATORE ROMANO, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Federico Lombardi, Lombardi, Gregorio Borgia, Getty Pope Francis, Raul Castro, Castro, GABRIEL BOUYS, ANDREAS SOLARO, Kurukkal SivaSri, Mahadeva, Pope Francis in, Eranga, Franco Origlia, Bartholomew I, Gokhan Tan, San Gregorio Magno, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip , Duke of Edinburgh, Oli Scarff, Barack Obama, SAUL LOEB, Santa Sabina, Max ROSSI, Daniele De Sanctis, Pope Francis ', FABIO FRUSTACI, Benedict XVI, Benedict, L'OSSERVATORE ROMANO, Osservatore Romano Pope Francis, Vinicio Riva, Riva, CLAUDIO PERI, Rainbow Association Marco Iagulli Onlus, Fotografia, Father Don Renzo Zocca, Osservatore Romano, LUCA ZENNARO, Jorge Saenz, Dan Kitwood, Jesus, Internationalis Paulus VI, Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Roman Catholic Church's, Peter Macdiarmid, Pope Francis Prev, it’s, He’s, Filippo Monteforte, Donald Trump’s, Czerny, Trump, Donald Trump, Melania, Evan Vucci, Reuters “, ” Cardinal Czerny, Cardinal Czerny, doesn’t, Francis ’, “ Jesus Organizations: CNN, Getty Images, Colombian, Revolutionary Armed Forces, International Catholic Rural Association, Vatican, AFP, Getty, Catholic Chaldean, St, Mercy, ARIS MESSINIS, MAX ROSSI, Getty Images Bolivian, Cuban, Sunday, Queen, getty, Rainbow Association, Renault, Catholic, Roman Catholic, Intelligence, Warner Bros, Discovery, “, Republican, Reuters Locations: St, AFP, Colombia, Rome, Tbilisi , Georgia, Auschwitz, Birkenau, Poland, Etchmiadzin, Yerevan, Armenia, Vatican City, Moria, Lesbos, Peter's, Mexican, Havana, Cuba, Mexico, Santa Cruz , Bolivia, South America, Ecuador, Paraguay, La Paz, Bolivia, Italian, Ukraine, Iraq, Syria, Havana and Washington, Vatican, Pope Francis in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Istanbul, Italy's Calabria, Jerusalem's Old City, Argentina, Roman Parish, San, Rome's, Santa, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Argentine, America, Gaza, Nove, Lampedusa, Italy, Ciampino, Czechoslovakia, Canada, United States, Africa

☆ Antibiotic-resistant germs are killing us. Microscopic viruses may be the answer
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-21 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

Last year doctors offered to treat Horton’s infection with one of nature’s oldest predators — tiny tripod-looking viruses called phages designed to find, attack and gobble up bacteria. SCIEPRO/Science Photo Library/Getty ImagesThe microscopic creatures have saved the lives of patients dying from superbug infections and are being used in clinical trials as a potential solution to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance. Would the bacteria from her ear help scientists find phages that would treat the eye infections as well? By the following January, the CDC said at least 50 patients in 11 states had developed superbug infections after using preservative‐free artificial tears. It was a qualified success: The antibiotic-resistant bacteria in five patients were eradicated, while several more patients showed improvements.

Persons: Cynthia Horton’s earaches, “, ”, Dwayne Roach, Eager, Horton, Maroya Walters, ” Walters, Tom Patterson, Steffanie, Paul Turner, “ Iraqibacter, Patterson, Strathdee, Tom, ” Strathdee, Tom Patterson's, Rather, Anthony Maresso, ” Maresso, “ It’s, ” Roach, phages, Elizabeth Villa, Jumbo phages, Robert “ Chip ”, ” Schooley, Juliette Robert, Haytham, REA, CDC’s Walters Organizations: CNN, San Diego State University ., US Centers for Disease Control, Center, Therapeutics, UC San Diego School of Medicine, UC, Diego’s, CDC, Yale University, Yale School of Medicine, UC San, UC San Diego, ”, San Diego, Baylor College of Medicine, Eliava Institute Locations: United States, North America, Pennsylvania, IPATH, Iraq, New Haven , Connecticut, UC San Diego, Turner’s Yale, San, San Diego State, Texas, Houston, Russia, Georgia, Tbilisi , Georgia

☆ Protesters in Georgia demand punishment for woman accused of defacing Stalin icon
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-13 | by ( Story Reuters | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A large protest was held in Tbilisi on Saturday to demand harsh punishment for a woman accused of defacing a religious icon depicting Josef Stalin which was recently-installed in the Georgian capital, as tensions over the incident remained high. Thousands of Orthodox believers and supporters of the Alt-Info pro-Russian ultra-conservative movement gathered on Saturday in front of the country’s parliament before matching through the city in the direction of the cathedral. The icon is located at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi, Georgia. The police opened an investigation into “petty hooliganism” and questioned the woman who had damaged the icon. Flowers were placed by the icon on Saturday as believers lined up to kiss the part of it depicting Stalin.

Persons: Josef Stalin, Irakli Gedenidze, Stalin, St Matrona, ”, Flowers Organizations: CNN, Trinity Cathedral, Reuters, Alliance of Patriots, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Church Locations: Tbilisi, Georgia, Soviet, Russian, Georgian, Tbilisi , Georgia, Soviet Union, Moscow

☆ EU states to start debating Ukraine membership talks on Tuesday
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Gabriela Baczynska | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] European Union (EU) flags fly in front of the headquarters of the European Central Bank (ECB) in Frankfurt, Germany, July 8, 2020. The initial draft, dated Dec.4 and seen by Reuters on Monday, reads: "The European Council decides to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and with Moldova." For Bosnia, the initial draft stated the bloc was "ready to open EU accession negotiations... once the necessary degree of compliance with the membership criteria is achieved". All three decisions would require unanimous backing of the 27 EU countries. "In our perception, no conditions for Ukraine to start accession talks are met," Hungarian government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs told journalists separately on Monday.

Persons: Ralph Orlowski, Zoltan Kovacs, Charles Michel, Kovacs, Viktor Orban, Michel, Gabriela Baczynska, Jan Strupczewski, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: European Union, European Central Bank, REUTERS, Rights, European Commission, EU, Kyiv, Reuters, European Council, Commission, Ukraine, Thomson Locations: Frankfurt, Germany, Ukraine, Hungary, Moldova, Georgia, Bosnia, Soviet, Kyiv, EU, Caucasus, Tbilisi, Budapest, Hungarian, Brussels

☆ Georgia boils Caucasian grape candy as wine harvest ends
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( David Chkhikvishvili | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Roman Churikov/ File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTBILISI, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Georgia's grape harvest may be over, but vineyard owner and hotelier George Piradashvili's work for the year is far from finished. At his winery in the eastern region of Khakheti, Piradashvili is boiling leftover grape juice from this year's harvest - on strings, together with flour and walnuts, to produce a signature delicacy: churchkhela. Throughout Georgia, the sticks of hard-boiled grape juice studded with walnuts hang from market stalls and shops. Chewy churchkhela sticks go some way to sweetening an otherwise heavy and often spicy diet. The grape juice must be stirred to prevent it setting too soon as it boils and thickens in great vats for hours on end - a highly physical task.

Persons: George Piradashvili, George Piradashvili's, Piradashvili, Fabrizio, Gvantsa, Felix Light, Kevin Liffey, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Telavi , Georgia, Rights TBILISI, Khakheti, Throughout Georgia, Georgia, Russia, Turkey, Tbilisi, Argentina

☆ Azerbaijan snubs Armenia meeting in Washington, accusing US of bias
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh region ride in a truck upon their arrival at the border village of Kornidzor, Armenia, September 27, 2023. REUTERS/Irakli Gedenidze/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 16 (Reuters) - Azerbaijan's foreign ministry said on Thursday it could not take part in a meeting with Armenia's foreign minister planned for Nov. 20 in Washington because of the "one-sided approach of the United States". Azerbaijan objected in particular to "one-sided and biased" comments on Wednesday by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State James O’Brien to the House Foreign Affairs Committee. It complained that O'Brien did not mention that "for more than two months Armenia has not been responding" to Azerbaijani peace proposals. The Azerbaijani statement also said Washington was continuing to offer support to Armenia even though Armenia was "an aggressor and a destabilizing source in the region".

Persons: Irakli, Nikol Pashinyan, State James O’Brien, O'Brien, Washington, Ali Asadov, Kevin Liffey, Mark Trevelyan Organizations: REUTERS, Russia's TASS, U.S, State, House Foreign Affairs Committee, U.S ., Reuters, Thomson Locations: Nagorno, Karabakh, Kornidzor, Armenia, Washington, United States, Baku, Azerbaijan, U.S, Tbilisi, Yerevan

☆ Shankland late goal saves Scotland in Georgia
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TBILISI, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Lawrence Shankland struck late to salvage a 2-2 away draw for already-qualified Scotland against Georgia and maintain their slim chance of clinching first place in their Euro 2024 qualifying Group A on Thursday. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia opened the scoring in the 15th minute when he slid in to poke Otar Kakabadze's ball across the line, but Scott McTominay's seventh goal in seven qualifiers levelled the game in the 49th minute. Georgia regained the lead eight minutes later when Kvaratskhelia scored his second, only for substitute Shankland to head home two minutes into stoppage time, six minutes after coming on as a late substitute. Scotland are in second place, two points behind group leaders Spain before their final qualifier at home against Norway on Sunday, while Georgia, already guaranteed a playoff spot, face Spain away in their final game. Reporting by Trevor Stynes; Editing by Julien PretotOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Lawrence Shankland, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Scott McTominay's, Kvaratskhelia, Shankland, Trevor Stynes, Julien Pretot Organizations: Scotland, Georgia, Spain, Norway, Thomson Locations: TBILISI, Scotland, Georgia, Spain

If accepted, EU officials expect formal accession talks with Kyiv to start next year. A top aide to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Budapest would not support Ukraine's EU integration unless Kyiv changes its laws on minorities, in particular as regards education. "Moldova is firmly on the path for EU membership and we will continue working relentlessly towards this goal," the country's president, Maia Sandu, said in welcoming the move. The Commission said the EU should also begin membership talks with Bosnia and Herzegovina once a long list of extensive conditions are met. In 2020, Britain was the first country to ever leave the EU, a major setback for European integration following World War Two.

Persons: Yves Herman, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Ursula von der Leyen, Von der Leyen, Viktor Orban, Maia Sandu, von der Leyen, enlargements, Andrew Gray, Yuliia, Olena, Alexander Tanas, Gabriela Baczynska, Nick Macfie, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, European Union, European Commission, EU, Kyiv, Ukraine, Russia, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Brussels, Belgium, Moldova, Bosnia, Georgia, BRUSSELS, KYIV, Hungary, Kyiv, Hungarian, Budapest, EU, Moscow, Tbilisi, Herzegovina, Sarajevo, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Netherlands, Britain

☆ France Links Conversation in Russian to Star of David Graffiti
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Aurelien Breeden | More About Aurelien Breeden | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

The Moldovan pair told investigators that they had acted on the orders of a third party in exchange for payment “as evidenced by a conversation in Russian on their phone,” Ms. Beccuau said. Telephone data led investigators to believe that both couples “were in contact with the same third party,” Ms. Beccuau added. France has reported over 1,100 antisemitic acts since Oct. 7. orchestrated the painting of swastikas and antisemitic slogans in West Germany to spark anti-Jewish sentiment and tarnish the country as neo-Nazi, he said. “Stars of David are part of it, too.”Ivan Nechepurenko contributed reporting from Tbilisi, Georgia.

Persons: David, Laure Beccuau, Beccuau, Ms, “, ”, Olivier Véran, Laurent Nuñez, Mr, Nuñez, ” Dimitri Minic, Minic, ” Antibot4navalny, Ivan Nechepurenko Organizations: Moldovan, Foreign Ministry, French Institute of International Relations, Nazi Locations: Paris, Europe, Israel, France, Moldova, Gaza, Russia, West Germany, Ukraine, “, Moscow, Russian, Tbilisi , Georgia

☆ EU weighs advancing Ukraine's membership bid as Russia war drags on
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Gabriela Baczynska | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's Brussels-based executive will publish a report on Wednesday assessing progress achieved towards membership by EU hopefuls. The Commission said last June that Ukraine met two out of seven conditions the EU had set to start membership talks. MOLDOVA, GEORGIAIn good news for Ukraine, Germany's foreign minister expressed confidence that the EU would advance its bid to join. The latter got nine conditions to start membership talks, including fighting organised crime, and can get a conditional positive recommendation along with its neighbour Ukraine. But Tbilisi has the backing of Orban and could still move ahead on its EU path as the bloc wrestles for influence with Russia.

Persons: Ursula von der Leyen's, von der Leyen, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Viktor Orban, Orban, Gabriela Baczynska, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Georgia BRUSSELS, European Union, Kyiv, EU, Hungarian, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Moldova, Ursula von der Leyen's Brussels, Kyiv, Europe, Italian, MOLDOVA, GEORGIA, Moscow, Georgia, Chisinau, Russia, Tbilisi

☆ EU Weighs Advancing Ukraine's Membership Bid as Russia War Drags On
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's Brussels-based executive will publish a report on Wednesday assessing progress achieved towards membership by EU hopefuls. Such talks take years before candidates meet extensive legal and economic criteria to join, and the bloc is not willing to take in a country at war. The Commission said last June that Ukraine met two out of seven conditions the EU had set to start membership talks. MOLDOVA, GEORGIAIn good news for Ukraine, Germany's foreign minister expressed confidence that the EU would advance its bid to join. But Tbilisi has the backing of Orban and could still move ahead on its EU path as the bloc wrestles for influence with Russia.

Persons: Gabriela Baczynska BRUSSELS, Ursula von der Leyen's, von der Leyen, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Viktor Orban, Orban, Gabriela Baczynska, Sharon Singleton Organizations: European Union, Kyiv, EU, Hungarian, Reuters Locations: Ukraine, Ursula von der Leyen's Brussels, Kyiv, Europe, Italian, MOLDOVA, GEORGIA, Moscow, Georgia, Moldova, Chisinau, Russia, Tbilisi

☆ How Elon Musk Changed the Meaning of Twitter for Users
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Kate Conger | More About Kate Conger | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

After Nicholas Campiz evacuated from Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, in February 2022, he stayed glued to Twitter. “As more Ukrainians hopped onto Twitter to tell their story, you had a lot of good accounts from them,” Mr. Campiz said. When war broke out this month in Israel and Gaza, Mr. Campiz, 40, a cartographer who now lives in Florida, turned to Twitter again. With the war in Ukraine, “Twitter was invaluable because you were able to get connected to accounts that were providing good information,” he said. “I feel really helpless in this Israel-Gaza thing because on Twitter now, the ability to do that is just gone.”

Persons: Nicholas Campiz, ” Mr, Campiz, ”, “ Organizations: Twitter Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine’s, Tbilisi , Georgia, Israel, Gaza, Florida, Ukraine

☆ Armenia's PM Pashinyan: We Hope for Peace With Azerbaijan Soon
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

TBILISI (Reuters) - Armenia hopes to conclude a peace agreement with Azerbaijan in the coming months and establish diplomatic relations with it, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Thursday. Speaking at a forum in the Georgian capital Tbilisi, Pashinyan said that Armenia also hopes to open its border with Turkey, a close ally to Azerbaijan, to citizens of third countries. His comments came amid efforts to cement peace in the volatile South Caucasus after Azerbaijan last month retook the contested region of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is internationally regarded as Azeri territory but which had been ruled by breakaway ethnic Armenians since the 1990s. (Reporting by Felix Light; Editing by Gareth Jones)

Persons: Nikol Pashinyan, Pashinyan, Felix Light, Gareth Jones Organizations: Armenian Locations: TBILISI, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgian, Tbilisi, Turkey, Caucasus, Nagorno, Karabakh

☆ Any new Armenia conflict would be France's fault, Azerbaijan's president says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] French Foreign and European Affairs Minister Catherine Colonna and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attend a meeting in Yerevan, Armenia October 3, 2023. Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev last week pulled out of an EU-brokered meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at which Brussels said it was standing by Armenia. President Ilham Aliyev said "that due to the well-known position of France, Azerbaijan did not participate in the meeting in Granada," the Azerbaijani presidential office said. She declined to elaborate on what sort of military aid was envisaged for Armenia under future supply contracts. The Azerbaijani president visited Georgia on Sunday and thanked Tbilisi for offering to mediate for a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Persons: Catherine Colonna, Nikol Pashinyan, Hayk, Aliyev, Ilham Aliyev, Nikol, Charles Michel, Emmanuel Macron, Tigran Balayan, Guy Faulconbridge 私 Organizations: European Affairs, Armenian, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, European Union, European Council, Reuters Locations: Yerevan, Armenia, Photolure, Azerbaijan, Georgia, MOSCOW, European, South Caucasus, EU, Brussels, France, Granada, Baku, Nagorno, Karabakh, Tbilisi

☆ EU accession: List of countries to join the bloc
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

CANDIDATE COUNTRY STATUSTURKEY (candidate since 1999). While still officially a candidate country, Turkey's accession talks with the EU have long been frozen, largely over human rights and governance concerns. It was given the green light for accession talks in 2020 after changing its name from Macedonia to North Macedonia to satisfy Greek sensitivities. The small Balkan country applied for EU membership in 2008. Since 2016, the EU has had a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Kosovo that serves as a basis for its accession path.

Persons: Viktor Yanukovych, Jan Strupczewski, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Union, EU, NORTH, European Commission, Commission, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Granada, TURKEY, NORTH MACEDONIA, Macedonia, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, MONTENEGRO, SERBIA, ALBANIA, EU, Albania, MOLDOVA, Moldova, UKRAINE, Kyiv, Russia, Ukraine, Crimea, BOSNIA, HERZEGOVINA, Bosnia, GEORGIA, Georgia, Tbilisi, KOSOVO, Brussels, Kosovo, Serbia

☆ Why the volatile South Caucasus is important for oil and gas supplies
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The region is criss-crossed with oil and gas pipelines, though none are in close proximity to Karabakh itself. OIL- Azerbaijan's primary route for oil exports is the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, which accounts for around 80% of country's oil exports and runs via Georgia and on to the Turkish Mediterranean coast. - Azerbaijan's total oil exports in January-July 2023 were 23.1 million tons (800,000 bpd), of which 76.3% flowed through the BTC. NATURAL GAS- Azerbaijan has plans to increase natural gas exports to Europe. Azerbaijan exported 6.6 bcm of natural gas to Europe in January-July.

Persons: Deniz, Vladimir Soldatkin, Mark Trevelyan Organizations: BTC, BP, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, Azerbaijan, Nagorno, Karabakh, South Caucasus, Armenia, Baku, Tbilisi, Ceyhan, Georgia, Turkish, Russia, Supsa, Europe, Azeri

Three producers listed in the customs data confirmed to Reuters they had shipped coal from the two regions to Turkey during that period. Reuters was unable to find any information in customs data about deliveries of coal produced in the DNR to Turkey or other countries in 2022. Customs data shows Nedra-06 made two shipments of coal to Turkey totalling 1,600 tonnes in May and June. The buyers were Belize-based Brig Management LTD and Green Rabbit LTD of Hong Kong, the customs data showed. Coal bought at Russian ports by Brig Management LTD and Green Rabbit LTD was taken to Turkey, the data showed.

Persons: Vitaliy Khotsenko, Adzhmal, Vostokugol, Anton Nadeyev, Nadeyev, I'm, Denis Karashchuk, Karashchuk, Filipp Lebedev, Gleb Stolyarov, Humeyra Pamuk, Tom Balmforth, Julia Payne, Jose Sanchez, Mike Collett, White, Daniel Flynn Organizations: NATO, Reuters, European, British Virgin Islands, Donetsk People's Republic, Russia's Ministry of Energy, Federal Customs Service, Luhansk People's Republics, European Union, United, Ukraine, U.S . State Department, UN, Assembly, Florance, Management, Hong, Brig Management, Rabbit, Belize Companies, Corporate Affairs, Green Rabbit, Coal, Toksabay, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Turkey Ankara, Russia, Turkey, Donetsk, Luhansk, United States, European Union, Moscow . Washington, Moscow, Ankara, Ukrainian, Hong Kong, UAE, Belize, British Virgin, East, Africa, Russian, Rostov, Novorossiisk, Turkey . U.S, Antratsyt, Yasynuvata, Tbilisi, Washington, Kyiv, Brussels

Three producers listed in the customs data confirmed to Reuters they had shipped coal from the two regions to Turkey during that period. Turkey, a major coal consumer and importer, is bucking the global trend by increasing coal's share in electricity generation. Customs data shows Nedra-06 made two shipments of coal to Turkey totalling 1,600 tonnes in May and June. The buyers were Belize-based Brig Management LTD and Green Rabbit LTD of Hong Kong, the customs data showed. Coal bought at Russian ports by Brig Management LTD and Green Rabbit LTD was taken to Turkey, the data showed.

☆ Factbox-Azerbaijan Launches 'Anti-Terrorist Operation' in Karabakh
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Felix LightTBILISI (Reuters) - Ethnic Armenian separatist authorities on Tuesday reported a major escalation of hostilities in Azerbaijan's Nagorno-Karabakh region, as Azerbaijan launched an offensive. It said it was attacking Armenian military units in response to what it called "terrorist provocations", and that it would provide "humanitarian corridors" for civilians. Azerbaijan's foreign ministry said peace in the breakaway region could only be achieved once Armenian troops left and the separatist local authority was dissolved. Its foreign ministry urged Russian peacekeeping troops to stop Azerbaijan's "full-scale aggression". "We are deeply concerned about the sharp escalation of the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

Persons: Felix, Maria Zakharova, Felix Light Organizations: Felix Light TBILISI, Armenian, Foreign, Russian Locations: Azerbaijan's Nagorno, Karabakh, Azerbaijan, AZERBAIJAN, Nagorno, Armenia, Russian, Russia, Moscow

☆ Georgia accuses ex-official of plotting from Ukraine to oust Tbilisi government
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Felix Light | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Men wearing traditional clothes stand next to the Georgian flag during the Independence Day celebrations in Tbilisi, Georgia May 26, 2022. REUTERS/Irakli Gedenidze Acquire Licensing RightsTBILISI, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Georgia on Monday accused a former deputy interior minister of plotting from Ukraine to overthrow the Tbilisi government, testing ties with Kyiv as Georgia deepens its relations with Russia. It did not provide evidence, and in Kyiv, foreign ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said Tbilisi was "trying to demonise Ukraine" for domestic reasons. "The Ukrainian state did not interfere, does not interfere and does not plan to interfere in the internal affairs of Georgia," he wrote on Facebook. The Georgian State Security Service named a former bodyguard to Saakashvili as one of the alleged conspirators, along with the commander of a Georgian unit fighting in Ukraine.

Persons: Irakli, Giorgi Lortkipanidze, Oleg Nikolenko, Andriy Yusov, Russia's, Irakli Garibashvili, Mikheil Saakashvili, Saakashvili, Felix Light, Kevin Liffey Organizations: Georgian, REUTERS, Rights, The State Security Service, Western Georgian, Facebook, European Union, EU, Ukraine, NATO, Georgian State Security Service, Thomson Locations: Tbilisi , Georgia, Rights TBILISI, Georgia, Ukraine, Tbilisi, Kyiv, Russia, Ukrainian, Brussels, Europe, Moscow, Abkhazia, South Ossetia

☆ Kremlin says Karabakh tensions rising, Armenia warns of 'critical' humanitarian situation
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Artem Mikryukov/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMOSCOW, Sept 14 (Reuters) - The Kremlin expressed concern on Thursday that tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh were increasing, as Armenia's prime minister described the situation in the blockaded territory as "critical". Armenia has in recent weeks repeatedly accused Azerbaijan of massing forces around Karabakh, which Baku has effectively blockaded since December 2022, causing acute hunger. Armenian state news agency Armenpress on Thursday quoted Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan as saying the humanitarian situation inside Karabakh was desperate. He said a Russian aid truck which Karabakh authorities allowed to enter the region from Azerbaijan on Tuesday had not alleviated the crisis. Armenpress also quoted Pashinyan as saying that Azerbaijan was continuing to mass troops along the frontlines with Karabakh and Armenia, a charge that Baku has repeatedly denied.

Persons: Artem Mikryukov, Dmitry Peskov, Antony Blinken, Matthew Miller, Armenpress, Nikol Pashinyan, Felix Light, David Ljunggren, Gareth Jones, Andrew Heavens Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Department, Karabakh, Thomson Locations: Taghavard, Nagorno, Karabakh, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Baku, Russia, Yerevan, South Caucasus, Moscow, Russian, Tbilisi, Ottawa

☆ Russian Regional Vote Delivers Strong Result for Putin Amid Claims of Rigging
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

But in the regions voting, electoral competition was limited, as strong candidates, including some from Russia's main opposition Communist Party, were blocked from running by authorities. Across the country, United Russia won every provincial governor's race it contested. Among the regional chiefs re-elected was powerful Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, a close Putin ally. Similar systems have been rolled out in many other Russian regions. According to Russian officials, United Russia received large majorities in the regions, taking at least 70% of the vote in each.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Europe's, Putin, Stanislav Andreychuk, Andreychuk, Sergei Sobyanin, Sobyanin, Yoshimasa Hayashi, Moscow's, Felix Light, Lidia Kelly, Leslie Adler Organizations: Reuters, of Europe, Putin's United, Communist Party, United Russia, Kyiv, United Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine's, Putin's United Russia, Russian, Moscow, Kremlin, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, United Russia, Bakhmut, Tbilisi, Melbourne

☆ Russian regional vote delivers strong result for Putin amid claims of rigging
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Europe's, Putin, Stanislav Andreychuk, Andreychuk, Sergei Sobyanin, Sobyanin, Yoshimasa Hayashi, Moscow's, Felix Light, Lidia Kelly, Leslie Adler Organizations: of Europe, Putin's United, Communist Party, United Russia, Kyiv, United, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine's, Putin's United Russia, Russian, Moscow, Kremlin, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, United Russia, Bakhmut, Tbilisi, Melbourne

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