United States Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Brad Cooper said on Thursday that the US military is making “undeniable progress” in the fifth week of its military operation against Iran, AzerNEWS reports.
Day: April 2, 2026
Israel’s moves to establish new energy routes and the Iran-U.S. tension targeting the Strait of Hormuz are shaking the global energy system. Experts, however, say that the emerging situation presents a critical opportunity for Turkiye. Yeditepe University Faculty Member Assoc. Prof. Dr. Furkan Kaya stated, “The Persian Gulf may no longer hold its former significance. The new Basra could be İskenderun.”
With around a year still to go before the next presidential election in South Ossetia, Nelli Gogicheva, editor-in-chief of the Ossetian-language literary magazine Fidiuæg, has already announced her intention to run.
Well before the official start of the campaign, she declared her candidacy and published a manifesto on her Telegram channel. However, her presidential ambitions proved short-lived — she soon withdrew, blaming unspecified “hostile forces”.
The magazine Fidiuæg receives funding from the authorities, and Gogicheva is known as a supporter of current president Alan Gagloev. In her manifesto, she stressed that she does not see herself as part of the opposition. At the same time, she suggested she could perform the presidential role better than Gagloev.
“Without claiming to belong to the opposition to the current authorities, and in order to protect the rights of the oppressed, the disadvantaged and the humiliated, to preserve national identity, language, literature and culture, to develop the national economy and further recognition of our state’s independence, as well as to fulfil the aspirations of all segments of society, to consolidate the people and prevent a demographic catastrophe, I have decided to run in the presidential election,” Gogicheva said, outlining her motivations.
In subsequent posts, she addressed the issue of women’s rights and highlighted gender inequality in South Ossetian politics.
“My participation in the election is meant to draw attention to a pressing issue — the treatment of women in society. In recent days, I have faced aggression from some men who claim that women have no right to engage in active public and political life.
Society’s reaction to women’s political participation is an indicator of our progress — or, on the contrary, regression. Despite global changes, many societies still view women’s involvement in politics with suspicion,” Gogicheva said.
As an example, she referred to the high-profile 2011 scandal, when Alla Dzhioyeva, who won the presidential election, was prevented from taking office.
Gogicheva also raised the issue of domestic violence against women, which she described as widespread in South Ossetia, and said she would seek to address it if elected.
All these high-profile promises by Gogicheva were met with little more than ironic surprise from potential voters. Few appeared to take them seriously. A few days later, she deleted both her posts and her Telegram channel, citing pressure from “destructive forces”.
She issued this statement through an opposition Telegram channel known for its sharp criticism of President Alan Gagloev and his government. The channel’s administrators said they did not know what was happening to Nelli Gogicheva and were simply publishing her message.
In her latest statement, Gogicheva complained of “hostile forces” that had prevented her from selflessly serving the people as president of South Ossetia. She did not name those responsible. However, she said that despite what she described as a “defamatory campaign” against her, she would continue her “struggle for the rights of South Ossetian citizens” — though not as a presidential candidate.
Residents of South Ossetia — whose rights Gogicheva says she intends to defend — again reacted with irony. Many also recalled how she had campaigned in support of the current president just a few years ago.
During the 2022 election campaign, Gogicheva активно promoted Gagloev’s candidacy on social media. Her efforts were later rewarded: after coming to power, he appointed her editor-in-chief of the magazine Fidiuæg.
Some now suggest that, having abandoned her own presidential ambitions, Nelli Gogicheva could once again campaign for Gagloev in the 2027 election. They argue it would be more beneficial for the authorities to channel her energy into boosting their ratings rather than allowing her to act independently in public politics.
This is especially relevant given Gagloev’s currently low approval ratings. If he decides to seek re-election — as many expect — vocal and energetic supporters could prove valuable.
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South Ossetian presidential candidate
Georgia’s State Security Service says its anti-corruption agency has uncovered a group that embezzled funds from free canteen programmes. According to investigators, the group fraudulently misappropriated millions of lari belonging to the state.
Five people have been detained in connection with the case — a company director, managers of four subcontractor firms and one employee.
Authorities say that between 2023 and 2026, 12 contracts were signed between LLC “Aladashvili & Co” and administrations in four Tbilisi districts to provide free meals for socially vulnerable citizens. The total value of the contracts exceeded 26.5 million lari ($9.8m).
Investigators say the company director transferred management of four of the 22 canteens to subcontractors, and that this is where systemic violations began. Between 2024 and 2026, thousands of beneficiaries reportedly received substandard services on a daily basis, indicating that contractual obligations were not fully met.
According to the State Security Service, the companies allegedly falsified delivery and acceptance records, creating fake documentation that allowed them to незаконно appropriate part of the budget funds. Investigators say that out of around 19 million lari ($7m) received, more than 3.5 million lari ($1.3m) was fraudulently misappropriated.
A criminal case has been opened on charges of fraud and aiding fraud. If found guilty, those detained face between six and nine years in prison.
Embezzlement of funds in Georgia