Georgia
EU halts Georgia accession and freezes financial aid over controversial ‘foreign agent’ law
The EU ambassador to Georgia, Pawel Herczynski, confirmed the EU’s decision to halt Georgia’s accession process and freeze a portion of its financial support to the country on Tuesday. The decision comes in response to a newly adopted Georgian law that critics argue curbs democratic freedoms.
Herczynski stated, “Regrettably, Georgia’s EU accession process is stopped for now – this has been decided by EU leaders during the last European Council.” He added that “[The] EU has frozen its support for Georgia from the European Peace Facility, totaling 30 million euros for 2024.” He further noted that additional measures are under consideration should the situation worsen. “It is sad to see EU-Georgia relations at such a low point, when they could have been at an all-time high,” he said.
The controversial law in question mandates that media, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other non-profit groups register as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they receive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad. Despite mass protests and a veto from Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, the law was passed by the Georgian parliament.
In December, the EU granted Georgia candidate status for membership, contingent on several reforms, including fighting disinformation, aligning foreign and security policies with the EU and implementing justice reforms. However, membership talks did not commence as Georgia had not met the necessary preconditions. To initiate talks, unanimous agreement from all 27 EU member nations is required, along with a negotiating mandate and a comprehensive screening procedure.
The EU had previously warned that Georgia’s new “foreign agent” law jeopardized the country’s bid for EU membership. At the summit which took place on June 27, EU leaders explicitly cautioned that Georgia’s path to membership would be blocked unless the law was repealed. They urged Georgian authorities to “reverse the current course of action which jeopardizes Georgia’s EU path, de facto leading to a halt of the accession process.”
They were designed to hold a drink, but cups produced in Rome, Georgia, have become one of the FIFA Men’s World Cup’s most unexpected souvenirs.
Inside the Top Cup plant in Rome, millions of cups were created to celebrate the world’s biggest sporting event.
“We made 10 million over 70 different graphics for the World Cup,” said Rome native and Top Cup General Manager Zach Dixon.
The plant in north Georgia produces up to 750,000 cups a day.
“We’ve always been really proud of the cup … but the World Cup has obviously taken it to another level,” said Top Cup CEO David Cuthbert.
Fans have been taking them home from matches. Some have even been listed for sale online.
“We’ve always been really proud of the cup… but the World Cup has obviously taken it to another level,” said Cuthbert.
Dixon said they begin the process with massive coils of aluminum, each weighing about 30,000 pounds. The metal is stamped, stretched, washed, and moved down the line.
The plant produces about 1,100 cups every minute.
Ricardo Marques, the senior vice president of marketing for Michelob ULTRA, said that there have been venue-specific, match-specific, and Finals-specific stadium cups for the World Cup. There are also three separate red, white, and blue designs available for fans at bars and restaurants around the U.S.
“We’ve seen an incredible response to the collection. Together, these commemorative cups give fans a unique keepsake and a lasting reminder of an unforgettable FIFA World Cup experience and the moments that brought millions of people together through the world’s game,” Marques said.
Cuthbert said his company has seen how the World Cup has done wonders for metro Atlanta businesses.
“Our team in Rome, Georgia takes tremendous pride in helping bring this fan experience to life for one of the world’s biggest sporting events,” he said.
So when soccer fans celebrate the surprise victory or mourn their last-minute loss, they’re doing so with a little piece of Georgia.
Athlon Sports projected the best SEC games for each week of the 2026 regular season.
The conference features some of the most compelling matchups in all of college football, from opening weekend through rivalry week. The selections emphasize games anticipated to have the biggest impact on the SEC championship race and College Football Playoff picture.
Florida’s annual clash with Georgia was tabbed as one of the SEC’s premier fixtures. The game has grown in national significance since it began in 1904, continuing as a battle of blue-blood programs that routinely produces iconic results. The game temporarily moves to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta during the Jacksonville stadium renovations.
The Jon Sumrall era carries with it an increasing sense of belief — many experts see the Gators as a dark-horse CFB playoff contender. Regardless of its final win-loss record, UF will play a part in shaping the season’s narrative as they face several post-season favorites in Texas, Georgia and Oklahoma.
Noted in the article is the SEC’s depth and newly implemented nine-game conference schedule. Georgia, Texas, Alabama and LSU appear multiple times on this list, with Georgia facing Alabama in Week 6 and Ole Miss in Week 10 while LSU hosts Clemson in Week 1 and will see Texas in Week 11 take on Alabama.
Many contenders from the SEC face multiple nationally relevant foes over the course of the season.
Athlon Sports’ Best game for every week of the 2026 season
- Week 1: Clemson at LSU (Sept. 5)
- Week 2: Ohio State at Texas (Sept. 12)
- Week 3: LSU at Ole Miss (Sept. 19)
- Week 4: Oklahoma at Georgia (Sept. 26)
- Week 5: Auburn at Tennessee (Oct. 3)
- Week 6: Georgia at Alabama (Oct. 10)
- Week 7: Alabama at Tennessee (Oct. 17)
- Week 8: Ole Miss at Texas (Oct. 24)
- Week 9: Florida vs. Georgia (Atlanta) (Oct. 31)
- Week 10: Georgia at Ole Miss (Nov. 7)
- Week 11: Texas at LSU (Nov. 14)
- Week 12: Texas A&M at Oklahoma (Nov. 21)
- Week 13: Texas at Texas A&M (Friday) (Nov. 27)
Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
-
Kansas54 seconds ago
Kansas Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 winning numbers for July 15, 2026
-
Kentucky7 minutes agoCyclosporiasis spreads across Kentucky
-
Louisiana13 minutes agoLouisiana pastor ordered to stay away from home of man he attacked
-
Maine19 minutes agoIn Maine, Bobby Charles vs. Hannah Pingree is the race that matters | Opinion
-
Maryland25 minutes agoMaryland confirms 5 new measles cases, bringing year’s total to 9 – WTOP News
-
Michigan31 minutes agoMichigan health expert talks impact of Canadian wildfire smoke: There’s really a long list of who is at risk”
-
Massachusetts37 minutes agoThe science behind Massachusetts’ wildfire smoke-darkened skies
-
Minnesota43 minutes agoMinnesota United Statement on International Friendly | Minnesota United FC
