Georgia

NATO's large international based military command "Rapid-Trident-2017" started at the Yavorov polygon in the West Bank's Lviv region. There is the International Center for Peacekeeping and Security at the National Academy of Land Forces, TASS reported, citing a statement from the Defense Ministry in Kiev.

Hurricane Irma is barreling up the Sunshine State, bringing heavy rainfall and powerful winds. The deadly hurricane, which is now a Category 2 storm with sustained winds of 100 miles per hour, was moving east of the Tampa metro area.

Hurricane Irma’s winds have started whipping Florida as the storm spins on a new track that puts Tampa — not Miami — in its crosshairs.

Serbia is a step away from qualifying to the 2018 football World Cup in Russia after beating the Republic of Ireland 1-0 in Dublin on Tuesday evening.

The only goal was scored by Aleksandar Kolarov.

The Serbian squad, nicknamed "orlovi" ("eagles") now has 18 points from eight matches - four more than Wales in second place.

States of emergency have been declared as Hurricane Irma grew into a category 4 storm that is forecast to begin buffeting the Caribbean on Tuesday.

Some 4 million cubic meters of concrete are planned to be used in the construction of the Yusufeli Dam, located in the Black Sea province of Artvin, which will become Turkey's highest dam upon completion.

U.S. gasoline prices continued to rise on Sept. 3 amid fears of shortages, despite the restart of several key refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast that had been crippled by Hurricane Harvey. 

Economic losses in Texas from Hurricane Harvey, which is still pounding the water-logged US state with rain, will be some $58 billion (49 billion euros), disaster analysts in Germany said on Aug. 31.

Atlanta, Georgia-based garage-rock act Black Lips is coming to Athens's Gagarin 205 venue on Thursday, August 24, with tracks from its new album - "Satan's Graffiti or God's Art?" - as well as older hits that underscore the act's dirty, rock 'n' roll vibe.
Tickets, which cost 25 euros, can be purchased at www.viva.gr.

Western intrusion into traditional Russian spheres of influence "represents a highly provocative and destabilizing policy," Robert Merry writes this for the National Interest, in an article headlined, "Stop Poking the Russian Bear."

Beside Ukraine, Georgia and Belarus, the author includes Serbia into one of these "spheres of influence."