Wednesday, 1 January 2024

by OC Media

• 2 min read

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Daily Brief

Friday, 3 January 2025

OC Media

••2 min read

Regional * Abkhazia’s Ambassador-at-Large Kan Taniya has told Radio Sputnik that if Georgia chooses a pro-Western vector, it will be forced to open a second front against Russia in Abkhazia. ‘In such conditions, it is unlikely that anyone will have time to help them [Georgians], or will help them. They [Georgians] understand that in the current conditions, no one will discuss the withdrawal or introduction of troops, the Russian Federation will resolve the issue within a few days’, Taniya said

Daily Brief

Thursday, 2 January 2025

OC Media

••1 min read

Azerbaijan * A customs official was detained for allegedly attempting to smuggle four kilogrammes of gold out of Azerbaijan. Afsar Mirzaliyev, who works for the State Customs Committee’s Anti-Smuggling Department, was detained at Baku airport. * President Ilham Aliyev’s cousin, Izzatkhanim Javadova, was arrested near Athens, Greece, on drug charges. Javadova, also known as Michaela Jav, is Aliyev’s first cousin. She is also a DJ. She was arrested in a drug bust at a party she was reportedly o

Daily Brief

Tuesday, 31 December 2024

OC Media

••2 min read

Armenia * Armenian border guards have taken over the Agarak checkpoint on the border with Iran from Russian border guards. Russia’s guards have manned the checkpoint since Armenia’s independence in 1991. * Russian police in Moscow have briefly detained former Armenian Defence Minister Arshak Karapetyan on Armenia’s request. Karapetyan, who served as minister for three months in 2021, is wanted in Armenia on charges of abuse of authority and power, exceeding the limits of his authority, not pe

Daily Brief

Monday, 30 December 2024

OC Media

••3 min read

Armenia * On 27 December, 12.5% of mining company Lydian Armenia CJSC’s shares were officially transferred to the Armenian Government. Operation of the contested Amulsar gold mine was greenlit in January 2024, after Armenia’s government accepted a 12.5% stake in the mine, despite years of protests by eco-activists and residents from communities adjacent to the mine. * On Saturday, Parliamentary Speaker Alen Simonyan and Head of the parliamentary Defence Committee Andranik Kocharyan held a clo