Bidzina Ivanishvili, Georgia’s wealthiest individual and former prime minister, is suspected of transferring assets to Georgia to avoid U.S. sanctions. Transparency International (TI) Georgia claims recent tax code amendments, which allow tax-free asset transfers from offshore accounts, were tailored to benefit Ivanishvili.
With an estimated fortune of $4.9 billion, largely held in offshore accounts, Ivanishvili has faced growing scrutiny. The U.S. imposed sanctions on him in response to Georgia’s political crackdown, including the suspension of EU accession talks and violent suppression of protests. TI Georgia suggests he is shifting company ownership from offshore entities to domestic firms. The UK may also sanction him, which could affect his businesses linked to British Overseas Territories.
In January, nearly $500 million worth of artwork entered Georgia, allegedly from Ivanishvili’s collection, raising further concerns.
Georgia’s ruling party, Georgian Dream, has defended Ivanishvili, calling the threat of sanctions "without foundation" and crediting him for the country's "democratic breakthrough." The head of Georgia’s parliamentary finance committee, Paata Kvijinadze, justified the tax changes, stating they were intended to attract investment.
Ivanishvili has also sued Swiss bank Julius Baer, alleging it misinterpreted U.S. sanctions. His long-running disputes with Credit Suisse over financial mismanagement have reportedly fuelled his distrust of Western institutions.
Experts warn that Georgia’s economy faces significant risks due to ongoing political instability and international isolation. While the government highlights a recent $6 billion investment deal with the UAE as a sign of economic resilience, analysts predict stagnation and growing fiscal challenges.
The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, one of the most trusted branches of American defense analysis, has released its annual global threat assessment — and Georgia is firmly on its radar.
Georgia celebrated its 107th Independence Day on May 26 with patriotic festivities in Tbilisi, featuring military parades, aerial demonstrations, and speeches by top officials to honor the nation’s independence.
An exhibition of Azerbaijani and Turkmen carpets and handicrafts has opened in Tbilisi, celebrating the rich cultural heritage and centuries-old weaving traditions of both nations.
Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili is set to meet with Pope Leo XIV on Monday at the Vatican, the president announced earlier today.
Armenian alcohol producers rallied outside the Georgian Embassy in Yerevan, demanding answers over prolonged border delays they say are blocking exports to Russia and causing major financial losses.
On the sidelines of the High-Level International Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation in Dushanbe, Tajikistan’s Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin held a bilateral meeting with Kirti Vardhan Singh, India’s Minister of State for External Affairs, Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.
To halt the infiltration of armed groups, Nigeria's top defence official suggests an ambitious plan to entirely fence the nation's borders with its four neighbouring countries.
India will host the foreign ministers of five Central Asian countries on June 5–6 for the latest round of the “India–Central Asia” Foreign Ministers' Meeting, a key platform aimed at deepening strategic, economic, and regional cooperation.
In a significant step toward regional water cooperation, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan have signed a protocol for the shared operation of the Bahri Tochik Water Reservoir from June to August 2025, during the region’s critical vegetation and irrigation period.
Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana, has been selected to host the 2026 edition of the Games of the Future, an innovative international phygital sports tournament blending traditional athletic competition with digital gaming.
On May 28, the inauguration ceremony of Lachin International Airport was held.
Taxi drivers across France are protesting government plans to cut payments for driving patients to medical appointments. These cuts are part of a broader effort by Prime Minister François Bayrou to save €40 billion in the 2026 budget and reduce the country’s large deficit.
Brazil’s economy is expected to have regained momentum in the first quarter of 2025, driven by a surge in household spending and private investment, according to a Reuters poll of economists conducted from May 21–26.
As peace talks progress, voices from Yerevan, Tbilisi, and Baku reveal hopes, concerns, and expectations for a future shaped by trade, trust, and generational change in the South Caucasus.
In a major blow to one of President Donald Trump’s key economic policies, a US federal court has blocked the administration’s sweeping global tariff regime, ruling that the White House overstepped its constitutional authority.
China has pledged $500 million to the World Health Organization (WHO), becoming the agency’s largest single financial contributor at a time when it faces deep budgetary constraints.
China is set to unveil the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge, the tallest bridge in the world, on June 30, 2025, in the remote and mountainous Guizhou province, marking a major milestone in both engineering achievement and regional development.
On the sidelines of the High-Level International Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation in Dushanbe, Tajikistan’s Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin held a bilateral meeting with Kirti Vardhan Singh, India’s Minister of State for External Affairs, Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.
India will host the foreign ministers of five Central Asian countries on June 5–6 for the latest round of the “India–Central Asia” Foreign Ministers' Meeting, a key platform aimed at deepening strategic, economic, and regional cooperation.
In a significant step toward regional water cooperation, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan have signed a protocol for the shared operation of the Bahri Tochik Water Reservoir from June to August 2025, during the region’s critical vegetation and irrigation period.
On the sidelines of the High-Level International Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation in Dushanbe, Tajikistan’s Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin held a bilateral meeting with Kirti Vardhan Singh, India’s Minister of State for External Affairs, Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.
To halt the infiltration of armed groups, Nigeria's top defence official suggests an ambitious plan to entirely fence the nation's borders with its four neighbouring countries.
India will host the foreign ministers of five Central Asian countries on June 5–6 for the latest round of the “India–Central Asia” Foreign Ministers' Meeting, a key platform aimed at deepening strategic, economic, and regional cooperation.
In a significant step toward regional water cooperation, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan have signed a protocol for the shared operation of the Bahri Tochik Water Reservoir from June to August 2025, during the region’s critical vegetation and irrigation period.
Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana, has been selected to host the 2026 edition of the Games of the Future, an innovative international phygital sports tournament blending traditional athletic competition with digital gaming.
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