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Georgia controversial ‘foreign agent’ bill passes first reading in Parliament

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Georgia controversial ‘foreign agent’ bill passes first reading in Parliament


The Georgian Parliament passed the “transparency of foreign influence” bill in its first reading on Wednesday, according to Georgian news sources IMEDI News. The bill passed despite repeated calls from the EU to withdraw the legislation and mass domestic protests. During a session deliberating the bill’s passage on Monday, a brawl erupted during a speech by the leader of the Georgian Dream Party Mamuka Mdinaradze, who introduced the bill. The bill must pass two more readings to become law.

The bill requires entities in Georgia receiving over 20 percent of their funding from abroad to register as foreign agents, which would include most civil society and media organizations. In March 2023, the Georgian government was forced to unconditionally withdraw a similar draft bill during its second reading. The bill has also been criticized as being similar to the “foreign agents” law in Russia used to crack down on dissent.

The EU condemned the “transparency of foreign influence” bill, expressing concerns that it could potentially hinder Georgia’s EU membership aspirations. The EU stated that the law “is not in line with EU core norms and values” and could potentially restrict the operations of civil society and media organizations. The US similarly criticized the law, stating, “If adopted, the proposed legislation could limit freedom of expression, stigmatize organizations that deliver these benefits to the citizens of Georgia, and impede independent media organizations working to provide Georgians with access to high quality information.”

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili claimed the bill was in line with fundamental rights and sought to address foreign influence proportionately. He also compared it to the EU’s Directive on organizations carrying interest representation on behalf of third countries. According to the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO), the EU’s Directive aims to ensure transparency with the aim of upholding democracy, whilst the Georgian bill aims to undermine civil society under the pretext of transparency.

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Falcons address biggest hole with Georgia prospect in new mock draft

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Falcons address biggest hole with Georgia prospect in new mock draft


For a long time it seemed the Atlanta Falcons were purposefully avoiding drafting prospects from Georgia for some reason. There are signs that’s changing with the new front office regime, though. Last month Kirby Smart commented on how his program is developing a relationship with the Falcons.

That’s a good sign for Atlanta’s defensive front-seven, because that group needs all the help they can get and it’s where the Bulldogs have thrived the most in recent years. Jalon Walker is helping to reinvigorate their pass rush, and more help could be on the way soon.

In a new five-round mock draft from NFL.com, the Falcons hit up that local resource again and take Georgia defensive tackle Christen Miller at No. 48 overall.

At the combine Miller checked in at 6-foot-4, 321 pounds with 33″ arms and 10″ hands. Here’s the highlight reel.

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Like most nose tackle prospects, Miller’s college production (four sacks, 11.5 TFL) doesn’t exactly jump off the page.

However, the scouting report on Miller mentions both upper and lower body power in addition to good balance. Those traits should make him a solid nose tackle at the next level.

If the Falcons do end up drafting Miller, he should project to be starting up front in Week 1.



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6-foot alligator delays Delta flight taking off from Georgia airport

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6-foot alligator delays Delta flight taking off from Georgia airport


A Delta flight was delayed after a massive alligator plopped itself on the taxiway of a Georgia airport, according to reports.

Recently unearthed air traffic control audio captured the unusual moment the Delta pilot noticed the lazing gator at the Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport on the evening of March 20, WDSU reported.

A Delta flight was delayed after a massive alligator plopped itself on a taxiway at Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport. Getty Images

“There’s a six-foot gator sitting on his two legs,” the pilot said over the radio.

“Six foot?” the tower controller asked, to which the pilot replied, “Yeah. He’s about six foot.”

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“He just laid down,” the pilot added.


An American alligator with its mouth open on sand.
The alligator was safely removed and relocated outside the airport grounds. Getty Images/National Geographic

Airport crew responded and safely removed the alligator to the airport, then relocated it outside the airport grounds, the outlet reported.

No one was injured during the incident, authorities added. It’s unclear how the alligator managed to wander into the airport unchecked.

Flight operations resumed shortly after the reptile was removed, the outlet said.



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Passover ad featuring challah sparks backlash for Georgia Senate candidate | The Jerusalem Post

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Passover ad featuring challah sparks backlash for Georgia Senate candidate | The Jerusalem Post


A Georgia Democratic candidate for the state Senate came under ridicule over the weekend after a Passover ad published in the Atlanta Jewish Times reportedly featured challah, a leavened bread traditionally avoided during the holiday. The controversy spread on Saturday after Atlanta Journal-Constitution political reporter Greg Bluestein posted about the ad on X. 

Nathalie Kanani is running for Georgia State Senate District 14, and has publicly described herself as a candidate focused on affordability, healthcare, housing, education, and workers’ issues. In a LinkedIn post published about a month ago, she said she had officially qualified to run for the seat.

The issue appears to have stemmed from a holiday greeting in the Atlanta Jewish Times Passover edition, which was published this past week and included a wide range of Passover-themed community content and messages. 

Bluestein wrote on X that a Georgia Senate candidate’s Passover ad in that week’s Atlanta Jewish Times “features challah,” adding, “It’s the thought that counts, I guess.” His post helped push the item into broader political and Jewish social media circles. 

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The mockery built quickly. Raw Story, which aggregated the reaction, quoted conservative commentator Jonah Goldberg joking that the image was like serving a “Yom Kippur BLT sandwich,” while progressive commentator Molly Jong-Fast called it “incredible” and added that “Veep was a documentary.” The same report also cited Georgia state Rep. Esther Panitch criticizing the mistake and noting that, as the only Jewish member of the Georgia General Assembly, she was available for “holiday consults.”

During Passover, Jews avoid hametz (leavened grain products), and bread is among the clearest examples of foods excluded from the holiday. Matzah, the flat unleavened bread eaten during Passover, is one of the most recognizable symbols of the festival. 

That made challah, a braided bread commonly associated with Shabbat and other Jewish occasions, an especially awkward choice for a Passover greeting. For many Jewish readers, it signaled a basic misunderstanding of one of Judaism’s best-known observances. 

As of Sunday,  Kanani’s campaign had not issued any publicly visible response in the sources reviewed for this report.





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