Georgia’s Parliament is set to approve a controversial “foreign agent” law on Tuesday, defying mass protests in the capital, Tbilisi, by tens of thousands of people denouncing the measure as a Russian-style effort to squash free speech.
Georgia
Vladimir Putin turns Georgia into a ‘hybrid warfare’ test ground
TBILISI, Georgia — Russia has made myriad strategic blunders and military miscues during its aggression against Ukraine, blighting its prospects for victory. But that does not mean it is losing the geopolitical war to expand its sphere of influence, particularly in the old Soviet bloc.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been working hard to drag neighboring nations into Moscow’s fold through “hybrid warfare,” behind-the-scenes maneuvering designed to destabilize a country through covert and overt intervention, including subversion, propaganda and cyberattacks. He has had considerable success with the tactic in the former Soviet republic of Georgia.
Georgia
Georgia Tech Women’s Basketball Finishes 12th in ESPN’s Final Recruiting Rankings
Georgia Tech Women’s Basketball Coach Nell Fortner has been hard at work on the recruiting trail and it showed when ESPN updated their top 25 recruiting class rankings.
In the updated rankings today, ESPN rated the Yellow Jackets class as the 12th best in the country and the third best in the ACC, ranking behind only Louisville (6th overall) and Duke (7th overall). Georgia Tech has some headliners in this class, including Danielle Carnegie, who is a top 30 player in the country according to ESPN.
Here is what analyst Shane Liflin had to say about the Yellow Jackets class:
Highest-ranked commit: G Danielle Carnegie (No. 29)
“Coach Nell Fortner brings in a trio of complementary perimeter players to add to the roster next year.
Carnegie is a scoring guard who can score in a variety of ways. She is crafty off the bounce and can create her own shot in small space. She is a creative finisher at the rim as well.
No. 49 Chazadi Wright is a small, but feisty point guard. She pressures the ball well defensively and reads the floor well. She has proven over the summer to be a player who will take and make big shots.
No. 82 Tianna Thompson is a skilled guard who excels in catch and shoot situations and improved her ability to create her own shot.”
After missing the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back seasons, Georgia Tech could be in for a resurgence starting next season. Landing Carnegie was a huge deal for Fortner and the program and this class could have them contending for ACC Championships and NCAA Tournament bids in the near future.
Georgia
Georgian Parliament set to adopt controversial foreign agent law Tuesday
Previously, the final vote was scheduled for the end of this week.
On Sunday, however, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze pledged to push ahead with a law despite the public outcry, and on Monday lawmakers began rushing through procedural steps, including a vote by the Parliament’s legal committee.
Georgia
Two Americans, one Russian citizen among 20 detained in Georgia, Russia's TASS reports
Two US citizens and one Russian were among 20 people detained at protests in Tbilisi while Georgian lawmakers were debating a “foreign agents” bill that has sparked a political crisis, Russia’s TASS state news agency reported on Monday.
Georgia’s opposition had called on opponents on Sunday of the bill to stage an all-night protest outside parliament to prevent lawmakers from entering on Monday.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze vowed on Sunday to push ahead with the law after opponents of the bill rallied in one of the largest protests seen since independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
TASS reported, citing witnesses, that police started to push the protesters away from the service entrances of the parliament building early on Monday, leading to some scuffles.
‘Foreign agents’ bill
The “foreign agents” bill requires organizations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as agents of foreign influence or face fines. The ruling party says it is necessary to enhance the transparency of NGO funding and protect the country from outside interference.
Western countries and Georgia’s opposition denounce it as authoritarian and Russian-inspired. Critics liken it to Russia’s 2012 “foreign agent” law, which has been used to hound critics of Vladimir Putin’s Kremlin.
The dispute over the bill has come to be seen as key to whether Georgia, which has had traditionally warm relations with the West, continues its push for European Union and NATO membership, or instead builds ties with Russia.
The EU, which granted Georgia candidate status in December, has repeatedly said the bill could jeopardize Tbilisi’s further integration with the bloc.
Russia’s RIA news agency said the judicial committee of Georgia’s parliament approved the third reading of the bill on Monday, clearing the way for the full parliament to vote this week on completing its passage through the legislature.
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