Former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili was sentenced on Wednesday to nine more years in prison after being found guilty of embezzlement, the Interpress news agency reported.
Saakashvili, who was president from 2004 to 2013, was jailed for six years for abuse of power after he returned to Georgia in 2021 after a spell abroad. He has spent much of that sentence in a prison hospital.
Georgian television showed scenes of commotion in the courtroom after the verdict was announced, with Saakashvili supporters calling the judge a "slave" of the present government.
A deeply polarising figure in Georgia today, Saakashvili rose to power on a tide of popular acclaim in the 2003 Rose Revolution.
In power, he reorientated Georgia towards the West and embarked on an ambitious public sector reform program that delivered rapid improvements in the South Caucasus country of 3.7 million.
However, the latter part of his tenure was marked by authoritarianism, police brutality, and a disastrous 2008 war with Russia.
In 2012, his United National Movement party lost an election to a coalition headed by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a billionaire businessman who remains Georgia's de facto leader to this day.
After leaving office, Saakashvili moved to Ukraine, where he briefly served as governor of the southern Odesa region.
In 2021, he returned to Georgia, despite having been convicted in absentia of abuse of power. He was arrested and jailed on arrival.
The US House has passed the MEGOBARI Act, a bipartisan bill promoting democracy in Georgia and proposing sanctions on officials. As it heads to the Senate, Tbilisi pushes back, warning it could strain US-Georgia ties amid calls to reset relations.
The U.S. House will debate the MEGOBARI Act, a bipartisan bill proposing sanctions on Georgian officials and offering aid if Tbilisi shifts from anti-Western policies, following Georgia’s adoption of a controversial foreign agents law.
Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili expressed hope that Armenia and Azerbaijan will sign a peace agreement in the near future, contributing to the positive development dynamics of the South Caucasus region.
A trilateral meeting between the representatives of the foreign ministries of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia was held in Tbilisi, where the sides discussed prospects for regional stability and cooperation.
A trilateral meeting between the deputy foreign ministers of Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia is taking place today in Tbilisi.
The United States has quietly approved a Qatari initiative to finance salaries for Syrian public-sector workers, marking a significant shift in Western engagement with post-Assad Syria, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday called for an immediate end to the escalating hostilities between India and Pakistan, saying he “hopes they can stop now” after a series of deadly cross‑border strikes.
The U.S. Federal Reserve kept its benchmark federal funds rate unchanged on Wednesday, maintaining the target range at 4.25% to 4.50%, in a widely expected move as the central bank navigates a complex economic environment marked by slowing inflation, global trade tensions, and political pressure.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that an announcement related to the Gaza Strip is likely within the next 24 hours, signaling potential developments in the U.S. approach to the worsening humanitarian crisis in the besieged enclave.
A Rafale fighter jet operated by the Indian Air Force has reportedly been shot down for the first time in combat, according to sources cited by CNN, marking a significant and symbolic development in the ongoing escalation between India and Pakistan.
India has fired a series of missiles into Pakistani-controlled territory, in what it has described as “Operation Sindoor”
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Discover every major VE Day 80 event in Britain, 5‑8 May 2025—from London’s parade and fly‑past to street parties, concerts and museum exhibitions.
New Tesla registrations in Denmark collapsed 67 % in April to 180 vehicles, industry data showed Thursday, underscoring a sharp demand drop for the EV maker in one of its once-strong European markets.
Chinese e-commerce platform Temu has announced it will no longer sell goods directly from China to U.S. customers, shifting instead to U.S.-based sellers amid the closure of a long-criticized customs loophole.
According to Israel’s Channel 11, direct talks between Türkiye and Israel are scheduled to take place in Baku on 8 May. The discussions are expected to focus on regional security issues, particularly in the context of the situation in Syria, where the interests of both countries often intersect.
During a joint press statement with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam outlined a five-point plan to implement the agreements reflected in the Joint Statement signed today.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Armenia’s territorial integrity cannot be separated from that of its neighbours, responding to accusations over the 2020 war made by former presidents Kocharyan and Sargsyan.
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov held talks with Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid during his official visit to Baghdad, focusing on expanding bilateral cooperation across various sectors.
On May 7, To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, arrived in Azerbaijan for an official state visit.
The United States has quietly approved a Qatari initiative to finance salaries for Syrian public-sector workers, marking a significant shift in Western engagement with post-Assad Syria, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday called for an immediate end to the escalating hostilities between India and Pakistan, saying he “hopes they can stop now” after a series of deadly cross‑border strikes.
The U.S. Federal Reserve kept its benchmark federal funds rate unchanged on Wednesday, maintaining the target range at 4.25% to 4.50%, in a widely expected move as the central bank navigates a complex economic environment marked by slowing inflation, global trade tensions, and political pressure.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that an announcement related to the Gaza Strip is likely within the next 24 hours, signaling potential developments in the U.S. approach to the worsening humanitarian crisis in the besieged enclave.
A Rafale fighter jet operated by the Indian Air Force has reportedly been shot down for the first time in combat, according to sources cited by CNN, marking a significant and symbolic development in the ongoing escalation between India and Pakistan.
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