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South Caucasus News

La prueba para la detección ultratemprana de nueve tipos de cáncer ya …


La prueba lleva por nombre Oncoseek y los nueve tipos de cáncer que puede reconocer son el de estómago, mama, esófago, páncreas, hígado, ovario, intestino, linfoma y pulmón, mediante una biopsia líquida; es decir, con una muestra de sangre de tan solo 8 mL.

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South Caucasus News

Exchange rates – Norges Bank


Norges Bank’s exchange rates are middle rates, i.e. the mid-point between buying and selling rates in the interbank market at a given time. The exchange rates…

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South Caucasus News

Azerbaijan ranks among leading foreign investors in Georgia


According to the country’s Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, the United Kingdom emerged as the largest source of investment during the period, followed by the United States, the Netherlands, and Azerbaijan.

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South Caucasus News

Eight Defendants Freed After Court Approves Plea Deals in October 4 Unrest Case


Eight defendants charged in connection with the October 4, 2025, local election day unrest reached plea agreements, with seven of them walking free from Tbilisi City Court, which approved the deals, on June 9, while the eighth, Eva Shashiashvili, had already been released on bail seven months earlier due to health-related concerns.

The seven defendants include Aleksandre Gogoladze, Gocha Katashvili, Sulkhan Abralava, Ramaz Jorbenadze, Jandri Tirkia, Genadi Kelikhashvili, and Davit Ghurtskaia. They, as well as Shashiashvili, were charged with participating in group violence and attempting to seize a facility of strategic or special importance, and faced up to seven years in prison.

All admitted guilt and stated they regret their actions, which became the basis for reaching plea agreements with the prosecution. The agreements resulted in their release and three-year suspended sentences.

Their case was initially part of a broader proceeding involving 15 defendants. The remaining seven defendants in that case – Giorgi Chakhunashvili, Ia Darakhvelidze, Zakro Albutashvili, Davit Zhghenti, Konstantine Kokaia, Kakhaber Mzhavanadze and Davit Sturua – have not been offered plea deals yet, as they do not admit the charges against them.

“The eight defendants admitted to committing the crime, expressed remorse, and submitted applications to us. As we promised, plea agreements were concluded with all of them,” Prosecutor Roin Khintibadze said. “Each of the eight was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, which was suspended subject to a three-year probation period. As for the other defendants, if any of them wish to admit the crime they committed, genuinely repent, and submit an application to us, they still have the opportunity to do so before the verdict is delivered.”

The first plea bargains in the election day unrest cases emerged during a June 2 hearing involving a separate group of twelve defendants. Prosecutors announced that seven of them had admitted guilt and agreed to plea deals. If approved by the court, the agreements would result in three-year suspended sentences, allowing the defendants to be released from prison.

The defendants are Aleksandre Khabeishvili, Beka Kelekhsashvili, Giorgi Muladze, Mamuka Labuchidze, Guriel Kardava, Avtandil Surmanidze, and Temur Kurtsikidze. All have been held in pre-trial detention. The remaining five defendants in the same case – Vakhtang Pitskhelauri, Abo Naveriani, Anton Uperi, Nana Sanderi and Mariam Mekantsishvili – continue to deny the charges.

The use of plea bargains expanded further on June 8, when six additional defendants charged in connection with the election day unrest agreed to enter negotiations with prosecutors. The defendants – Sergo Megrelishvili, Giorgi Rurua, Giorgi Korkia, Lasha Ivanadze, Levan Jikia, and Khvicha Gogokhia – had faced charges of participating in group violence and/or attempting to seize strategic buildings.

The deals come amid what appears to be a gradual shift away from the more uncompromising approach seen in earlier opposition protest-related trials, where defendants refused to admit guilt, a prerequisite for plea bargains, or cooperate with authorities in any other way. Government critics have also pointed to a lack of trust in the judiciary and prosecution service, citing a previous case in which prosecutors rejected a plea agreement after defendants had already pleaded guilty.

October 4 Unrest and Trials

Unrest erupted on October 4, 2025, the day of the partially boycotted municipal elections, after a group of protesters, following a call from organizers of a “peaceful revolution” rally, attempted to occupy the presidential palace in Tbilisi and were repelled by police. Up to 60 people, including rally organizers, were subsequently charged in connection with the events, with most placed in pretrial detention. Georgian Dream officials have described the events as a foreign-orchestrated coup attempt.

The court handed down the first multi-year prison sentences against a group of ten people, including politicians and activists, on May 7. Those convicted included opera singer and activist Paata Burchuladze, United National Movement members Murtaz Zodelava and Irakli Nadiradze, retired Colonel Lasha Beridze, and Strategy Aghmashenebeli member Paata Manjgaladze.

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South Caucasus News

Northern Israel residents are skeptical about straining ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah



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South Caucasus News

First Karabakh Voice Congress brings together experts in vocal science


With the support of the Ministry of Science and Education, the 1st Karabakh Voice Congress has been held at the Faculty of Arts of Karabakh University, AzerNEWS reports.

The congress was organized jointly with several scientific organizations, including the Azerbaijan Society of Otorhinolaryngology, the Azerbaijan Society of Phoniatrics and Speech Therapists, the European Union of Phoniatrics, as well as the Turkish Society of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, the Society of Voice, Speech and Swallowing Disorders, the Professional Voice Society, and the Laryngology Society.

The aim of the event was to discuss various aspects of professional voice production with local and international experts (doctors and artists), to scientifically explore the features of Azerbaijani music, mugham, and national vocal styles, and to establish a common platform for future research.

Opening the event, Dean of the Faculty of Arts Turkar Gasimzade provided information about the faculty’s activities to the participants. Afterwards, Professor Haldun Oguz, President of the European Union of Phoniatrics, stressed the importance of the scientific event and expressed his satisfaction, on behalf of all colleagues, at being at Karabakh University.

The main topic of this year’s first congress was dedicated to various aspects of professional voice, lifelong healthy vocal performance, and research opportunities in voice science.

The event continued with a concert featuring performances by the Faculty of Arts of Karabakh University and artists from Turkiye.

The congress brought together faculty members and students of Karabakh University, and 35 phoniatrists, speech therapists, and artists from scientific centers in Turkiye, the United States, and Azerbaijan participated in the scientific program.


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South Caucasus News

AI adoption in finance hampered by missing data readiness, says CBA


The primary reason artificial intelligence (AI) projects fail to move into production is related to data challenges, according to a senior official of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan, AzerNEWS reports.

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South Caucasus News

Azerbaijan’s strategic foreign exchange reserves continue to grow


As of June 1, 2026, Azerbaijan’s strategic foreign exchange reserves reached $88.4 billion, Finance Minister Sahil Babayev said during discussions on the draft law “On the implementation of the 2025 state budget of the Republic of Azerbaijan” at a meeting of the Milli Majlis Committee on Economic Policy, Industry and Entrepreneurship, AzerNEWS reports.

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South Caucasus News

Karl Malone Toyota | Toyota Dealer Serving Midvale, UT


Our Draper, UT dealership is just a short drive from Midvale so plan to visit Karl Malone Toyota soon so you can take a test drive and let us help you with your next vehicle purchase.

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Xi and Kim visit North Korea-China friendship tower in Pyongyang