World
Putin looks to halt neighboring Georgia's Western ambitions in vital election
Georgians go to the polls on Saturday in crucial parliamentary elections as the country struggles to move closer to the West, all while under the watchful eye of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The stakes could not be higher for the small nation that sits in the troubled Caucasus region. Georgia, once part of the Soviet Union, has been caught between heavy Russian influence since it declared independence in 1991 and trying to join the European Union and move closer to the West.
“It is within Russia’s interest to ensure Georgia’s alienation from its allies and halting of the EU integration process,” Natia Seskuria, an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, told Fox News Digital.
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Supporters of the ruling Georgian Dream Party attend a rally in the center of Tbilisi, Georgia, on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Shakh Aivazov)
For Russia, the upcoming elections present an opportunity for Putin to keep Georgia in its orbit. If Georgia manages to conduct free and fair elections and restore relations with the European Union (EU), Seskuria says, this will be a defeat for Russia.
A group of bipartisan senators, led by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Jim Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, put forth legislation that would hold Georgian government officials and individuals responsible for corruption, human rights abuses and efforts to advance the foreign influence law or facilitate its passage.
“The United States stands with the Georgian people and their pursuit of a Euro-Atlantic future. The Georgian government’s recent efforts to align with Russia reject the desires of Georgians and pose a significant threat,” the bipartisan group of senators said in a press release.
Russian President Vladimir Putin seen during the Navy Day Parade on July 31, 2022 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. (Contributor/Getty Images)
Many observers of the region believe the parliamentary elections will be one of the closest and most significant elections since its independence. For Putin, it will be Russia’s first opportunity to exert influence in a Georgian election since his country’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
“What we see right now is that the Georgian government has made this election as a choice between war and peace. They have tried to say that casting a vote for the opposition would be casting a vote for the war with Russia,” Ani Chkhikvadze, a journalist with Voice of America based in Tbilisi, told Fox News Digital.
Ivana Stradner, an expert on Russian disinformation with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that Putin is waging an ideological war against the West.
“He is trying to reshape the world order and in order to accomplish his goals he does not need to send tanks and jets in the West. He is using proxies, such as the Georgian Dream Party, to spoil Georgia’s EU path and challenge the West,” Stradner said.
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Fox News Digital also spoke with opposition politician and former secretary of the national security council, Giga Bokeria of Georgia’s pro-European Federalist Party. Bokeria said that Russia’s strategic interest is to keep the current Georgian Dream government led by the oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili in power.
Campaign billboards of the ruling Georgian Dream Party depicting opposition parties’ leaders and activists and reading in Georgian “No to war, No to Agents” sit in Tbilisi on Oct. 22, 2024, ahead of Oct. 26 parliamentary elections. (GIORGI ARJEVANIDZE/AFP via Getty Images)
“Ivanishvili’s government has embraced the Russian propaganda line that the U.S. is an ‘imperialist power’ and has instigated the war in Ukraine.”
Bokeria also alleged that Ivanishvili facilitated the infiltration of Georgia’s political system, economy and security structures by those sympathetic to Russia.
Russia plans to use these close contacts to influence politics and society in Georgia. Statements from the Russian security services about Georgia are closely aligned with the narratives coming from Georgian Dream politicians. These entities praise the Georgian government and accuse the West and Europe of trying to drag Georgia into war with Ukraine.
While Georgia’s elite political class in the Georgian Dream Party want close ties with Russia, everyday Georgians know where they stand, firmly with the EU.
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Georgians have strong aspirations to join the EU, with polls showing up to 83% of Georgians in support. The Georgian Dream Party stalled Georgia’s efforts of joining the EU since it became a candidate member in 2023. The EU subsequently put Georgia’s process on hold after a controversial “foreign agent” law that required citizens, non-governmental organizations, media outlets and other civil society organizations that receive over 20% in funding from abroad to register as a foreign agent with the Justice Ministry.
Demonstrators gather at the Parliamentary building during an opposition protest against the foreign influence bill in Tbilisi, Georgia, on May 28, 2024. The Georgian parliament has overridden a presidential veto of the “foreign agents” legislation that has fueled Western concerns and sparked massive protests for weeks. (AP Photo/Zurab Tsertsvadze)
If the Georgian Dream Party cements its hold on power, it could be catastrophic for its EU prospects. A Georgian Dream victory, FDD’s Stradner says, would be a victory for Putin.
Civic IDEA, a pro-Western nonprofit in Georgia, released a report outlining the Georgia Dream party’s dependency on Russian money, including those coming from people connected to sanctioned businesses. The report notes that most of the party’s major donors are backed by Russian funds and individuals whose interests are closely aligned with the Kremlin.
Civic IDEA also reveals that not only do individuals have socio-political ties with Russia, but some are listed as “international sponsors of war.”
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Four Americans were reportedly caught in a fiery multi-vehicle crash in Mexico that left at least 10 people dead and about 10 others injured.
The massive pileup happened Sunday after a tractor-trailer crashed into multiple vehicles on a highway in the western state of Jalisco, according to the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection of Nayarit.
While the agency reported 10 deaths, Mexico’s Army, Air Force and National Guard said nine people were killed.
Jalisco Civil Protection told Reuters that four Americans suffered minor injuries and were transported to a local hospital.
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A vehicle was left charred and mangled following a massive multi-vehicle pileup in Jalisco, Mexico, on Sunday. (Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection of Nayarit)
“Four patients in minor condition, all U.S. citizens, were transferred to the Arboledas Hospital in Guadalajara by a private ambulance from the highway,” Jalisco Civil Protection said.
Reuters reported that two of those killed were minors.
Another two of the injured were identified as National Guard members who suffered serious injuries and were taken to a hospital in Guadalajara, according to Reuters.
Videos circulating on social media appeared to show several vehicles engulfed in flames along the highway connecting Guadalajara and Tepic, sending multiple plumes of black smoke into the air.
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A firefighter works to douse the smoking engine of a destroyed vehicle after a devastating highway collision in Jalisco, Mexico, on Sunday. (Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection of Nayarit)
According to Mexican officials, the crash happened when a tractor-trailer apparently suffered a brake failure and slammed into a line of vehicles that had stopped because of an earlier accident.
“According to initial reports, a trailer reportedly suffered a failure in its braking system and ended up crashing into several vehicles that were stopped due to a prior incident,” Mexico’s Army, Air Force and National Guard said in a post on X.
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The initial accident reportedly involved a rear-end collision between two tractor-trailers. As emergency crews responded, a third tractor-trailer crashed into the scene, according to the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection of Nayarit.
“As a result of this second impact, three private vehicles and two tractor-trailer trucks were completely destroyed by the fire,” the authorities said. “Additionally, two other private vehicles and an official Dodge Charger unit belonging to the National Guard sustained material damage. “
Mexican authorities inspect the incinerated frame of a tractor-trailer on a highway connecting Guadalajara and Tepic in Jalisco, Mexico, on Sunday. (Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection of Nayarit)
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Firefighters later extinguished the blaze, officials said.
Local outlet El Financiero reported that the driver of the tractor-trailer was detained by the National Guard.
Reuters contributed to this report.
At least 27 people were killed and 63 injured, many critically, after a fire ripped through a popular pub in Bangkok. Authorities are investigating whether the pub, located near the iconic Chatuchak Weekend Market, had adequate escape routes.
Published On 13 Jul 2026
The Walt Disney Company’s live action “Moana” may be the No. 1 movie at the domestic box office, but it did not make a big splash in its first weekend in theaters.
The movie, which cost a reported $250 million to produce, earned just $43 million from ticket sales in the U.S. and Canada, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Internationally, it earned $52 million from 50 markets, adding up to a $95 million global debut.
The studio bet big on “Moana,” one of its most popular franchises. The 2016 animated film is the most watched movie on Disney+. Its sequel, which was stitched together from a planned streaming series, made over $1 billion and scored a Thanksgiving record when it opened with $225 million in 2024. “Moana 2” was also released just 19 months ago.
This latest “Moana,” directed by Thomas Kail, brings Dwayne Johnson back as the demigod Maui and introduces Catherine Lagaʻaia as the adventuring Polynesian princess. Despite praise for Lagaʻaia, the film set sail on a wave of dismal reviews from critics for being essentially a shot-for-shot remake of the original.
What audiences say about “Moana”
It’s currently sitting at a 34% on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences, the majority of whom were women (66%), were less negative: According to PostTrak, 63% said they would “definitely” recommend the film to their friends. Parent reactions were even stronger, with 78% saying they would recommend it to other parents. It also got a promising A- CinemaScore.
Disney’s live action remakes of beloved animated films, new and old, have had their share of successes and disappointments. Some have made over $1 billion, including “Lilo & Stitch,” “The Lion King” and “Beauty and the Beast.” Others have floundered, most notably last year’s “Snow White,” which made only $205 million worldwide. “Moana” opened more on par with “Snow White” ($42.2 million).
Paul Dergarabedian, the head of marketplace trends for Rentrak, said “Moana’s” debut could also be a product of PG-rated oversaturation in the marketplace: Universal’s “Minions & Monsters” was in second place with $20.5 million and “Toy Story 5” was close behind in third place with $18.5 million.
“Families love going to the movies, but right now there are three of them,” Dergarabedian said. “That’s a lot of competition.”
PG-rated films outgrossed others in 2024 and 2025, so “Moana’s” performance may not be a case of “family movie fatigue,” he said, but simply shows there can be a ceiling. Families have to make a choice, and after four weekends, “Toy Story 5” is still going strong with a running global total of $879.1 million.
There also are signs that these movies might not sink or swim based on the opening weekend alone. Although “Minions & Monsters” opened below expectations over the Fourth of July holiday, it also had a modest 45% drop this weekend. Its running domestic total is currently sitting at $108.3 million.
Elsewhere at the box office, horror and history
The weekend’s other big new opener was definitely not PG: The R-rated horror “Evil Dead Burn,” a Warner Bros. release, opened in fourth place with $13.7 million. It’s a significant dip from the previous two films in the series, which both opened in the $25 million range.
Angel Studios’ George Washington movie “Young Washington” rounded out the top five films in its second weekend in theaters, with $6.4 million. Olivia Wilde’s chamber dramedy “The Invite” landed in sixth place in its first weekend in wide release, with $5.7 million from 1,610 theaters.
And though it has dropped out of the top 10 domestically, “Michael” has officially crossed $1 billion at the worldwide box office, only the second film this year to do so after “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.” It’s also now the highest grossing musical biopic of all time, a title previously held by “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
The total domestic box office for the year is currently sitting just under $5.2 billion, up about 10.7% from this point last year. While both May and June were very strong — both generating over $1 billion in North America — July, Dergarabedian said, has faced some headwinds with a string of underperformers, including “Supergirl.” Things will likely pick up next week with the arrival of Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” followed by “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” the weekend after.
“They could power a stronger August than July at the box office, which would be very unusual,” Dergarabedian said.
Top 10 movies by domestic box office
With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak:
1. “Moana,” $43 million.
2. “Minions & Monsters,” $20.5 million.
3. “Toy Story 5,” $18.5 million.
4. “Evil Dead Burn,” $13.7 million.
5. “Young Washington,” $6.4 million.
6. “The Invite,” $5.7 million.
7. “Obsession,” $3.8 million.
8. “Supergirl,” $3.6 million.
9. “Disclosure Day,” $3.2 million.
10. “Backrooms,” $1.5 million.
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