Even as the state of women's rights in the United States faces a steady decline, unborn foetus rights are seeing an elevation. Now, the state of Georgia is giving unborn children the right to be considered a person. According to a news release released on Monday, individuals can now claim "any unborn child with a detectable human heartbeat" as a dependent on their state income taxes for the upcoming tax year. People can claim up to $3,000 for a heartbeat as early as 6 weeks into the pregnancy, which is also the time period at which the state's controversial "heartbeat bill" bans abortion.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;'Women's health, lives are on the line,' Joe Biden signs new executive order on abortion

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This is the first step toward asserting complete foetal personhood in Georgia, according to the news publication Jezebel.

"Now, an embryo or fetus at any stage of development is legally considered a person. The tax exemption for those clusters of cells? $3,000 each," wrote Jezebel.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/texas-woman-forced-to-carry-her-own-foul-discharge-to-hospital-just-so-she-can-be-granted-an-abortion-502531">Texas woman forced to carry her foul discharge to hospital just so she can be 'granted' an abortion</a>

In July, the "heartbeat" law went into effect over night. The law, which was previously blocked from going into effect, outlaws the majority of abortions once a "detectable human heartbeat" is present.&nbsp;

Cardiac activity can be detected by ultrasound in cells within an embryo that will eventually become the heart as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, long before many pregnancies are detected.

As per the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) "It is clinically inaccurate to use the word “heartbeat” to describe the sound that can be heard on ultrasound in very early pregnancy. In fact, there are no chambers of the heart developed at the early stage in pregnancy that this word is used to describe, so there is no recognizable “heartbeat.” What pregnant people may hear is the ultrasound machine translating electronic impulses that signify fetal cardiac activity into the sound that we recognize as a heartbeat."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indiana-senate-passes-near-total-abortion-ban-after-closely-fought-vote-502334">Indiana Senate passes near-total abortion ban after closely fought vote</a>

The press release by &nbsp;Georgia Department of Revenue said "In light of the June 24, 2022, U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization and the July 20, 2022, 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in Sistersong v. Kemp, the Department will recognize any unborn child with a detectable human heartbeat, as defined in O.C.G.A. § 1-2-1, as eligible for the Georgia individual income tax dependent exemption."

"As such, on individual income tax returns filed for Tax Year 2022 where, at any time on or after July 20, 2022, and &nbsp;through December 31, 2022, a taxpayer has an unborn child (or children) with a detectable human heartbeat (which may occur as early as six weeks’ gestation), the taxpayer may claim a dependent personal exemption as provided for under O.C.G.A § 48-7-26(a) and (b)(3) in the amount of $3,000.00 for each unborn child."

(With inputs from agencies)

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Even as the state of women's rights in the United States faces a steady decline, unborn foetus rights are seeing an elevation. Now, the state of Georgia is giving unborn children the right to be considered a person.

Even as the state of women's rights in the United States faces a steady decline, unborn foetus rights are seeing an elevation. Now, the state of Georgia is giving unborn children the right to be considered a person. According to a news release released on Monday, individuals can now claim "any unborn child with a detectable human heartbeat" as a dependent on their state income taxes for the upcoming tax year. People can claim up to $3,000 for a heartbeat as early as 6 weeks into the pregnancy, which is also the time period at which the state's controversial "heartbeat bill" bans abortion. Watch | 'Women's health, lives are on the line,' Joe Biden signs new executive order on abortion This is the first step toward asserting complete foetal personhood in Georgia, according to the news publication Jezebel. "Now, an embryo or fetus at any stage of development is legally considered a person. The tax exemption for those clusters of cells? $3,000 each," wrote Jezebel. Also read | Texas woman forced to carry her foul discharge to hospital just so she can be 'granted' an abortion In July, the "heartbeat" law went into effect over night. The law, which was previously blocked from going into effect, outlaws the majority of abortions once a "detectable human heartbeat" is present. Cardiac activity can be detected by ultrasound in cells within an embryo that will eventually become the heart as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, long before many pregnancies are detected. As per the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) "It is clinically inaccurate to use the word “heartbeat” to describe the sound that can be heard on ultrasound in very early pregnancy. In fact, there are no chambers of the heart developed at the early stage in pregnancy that this word is used to describe, so there is no recognizable “heartbeat.” What pregnant people may hear is the ultrasound machine translating electronic impulses that signify fetal cardiac activity into the sound that we recognize as a heartbeat." Also read | Indiana Senate passes near-total abortion ban after closely fought vote The press release by Georgia Department of Revenue said "In light of the June 24, 2022, U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization and the July 20, 2022, 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in Sistersong v. Kemp, the Department will recognize any unborn child with a detectable human heartbeat, as defined in O.C.G.A. § 1-2-1, as eligible for the Georgia individual income tax dependent exemption." "As such, on individual income tax returns filed for Tax Year 2022 where, at any time on or after July 20, 2022, and through December 31, 2022, a taxpayer has an unborn child (or children) with a detectable human heartbeat (which may occur as early as six weeks’ gestation), the taxpayer may claim a dependent personal exemption as provided for under O.C.G.A § 48-7-26(a) and (b)(3) in the amount of $3,000.00 for each unborn child." (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION LIVE HERE: You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Georgia provides 'unborn foetus' rights of a person, just weeks after taking away basic rights of women

Enraged by his ex-wife’s TikTok videos, a Pakistani man drove all the way from Georgia to Chicago, covering over 1,400 kilometres (875 miles), and killed her. He committed suicide after murdering her.

Prior to the murder-suicide, the woman, Sania Khan—a Pakistani American photographer—had been posting videos on TikTok about escaping a toxic marriage and moving on with her life. In her videos, she was documenting her journey of healing from the painful divorce.

As per reports, Raheel Ahmad, 39, was angered with Khan for making videos about her relationship and the South Asian community’s response to it and drove for 14 hours to reach her home.

According to a police report obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times, Sania Khan, 29, was allegedly shot and killed by her ex-husband, Ahmed. Khan had recently moved to Chicago.

Local media reports stated that the incident took place last week. Ahmed’s family had called the Alpharetta police after he was found missing from his home. They asked for a welfare check at Khan’s apartment, where they thought he might be.&nbsp;

The police then arrived at 200 block of E. Ohio street, where thery found a woman and a man with gunshot wounds to their heads inside a residence, Chicago police told ABC News in a statement

Khan was pronounced dead on the spot, whereas Ahmed was taken to Northwestern Hospital where he was declared dead as well. Police said they have recovered a weapon from the scene.

<img alt="Sania Khan TikTok post about marriage" src="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2022/07/918/516/Sania3.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1" />

The killing of the Pakistani woman has sent shock waves across the diaspora, where the other South Asian women have found resonance with the killing. They say that they have faced the same stigmas and isolation when trying to leave abusive partners.

“I could see myself in her,” a Marathi woman who lives in the US told NBC News. “For her to have not only left him, but being able to survive and be happy and do well, that was not something he could not live with.”&nbsp;

Khan, who is a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, talked about her marital struggles on TikTok. She would urge women to "stop ignoring those red flags" and shared her struggles with her own family and some in the South Asian community, who did not support her decision to leave her husband, according to ABC News.

"Going through a divorce as a South Asian Woman feels like you failed at life sometimes," she wrote in a TikTok video.

"The way the community labels you, the lack of emotional support you receive, and the pressure to stay with someone because 'what will people say' is isolating. It makes it harder for women to leave marriages that they shouldn't have been in to begin with."

(With inputs from agencies)

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Enraged by his ex-wife’s TikTok videos, a Pakistani man drove all the way from Georgia to Chicago, covering over 1,400 kilometres (875 miles), and killed her. He committed suicide after murdering her.

Enraged by his ex-wife’s TikTok videos, a Pakistani man drove all the way from Georgia to Chicago, covering over 1,400 kilometres (875 miles), and killed her. He committed suicide after murdering her. Prior to the murder-suicide, the woman, Sania Khan—a Pakistani American photographer—had been posting videos on TikTok about escaping a toxic marriage and moving on with her life. In her videos, she was documenting her journey of healing from the painful divorce. As per reports, Raheel Ahmad, 39, was angered with Khan for making videos about her relationship and the South Asian community’s response to it and drove for 14 hours to reach her home. According to a police report obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times, Sania Khan, 29, was allegedly shot and killed by her ex-husband, Ahmed. Khan had recently moved to Chicago. Local media reports stated that the incident took place last week. Ahmed’s family had called the Alpharetta police after he was found missing from his home. They asked for a welfare check at Khan’s apartment, where they thought he might be. The police then arrived at 200 block of E. Ohio street, where thery found a woman and a man with gunshot wounds to their heads inside a residence, Chicago police told ABC News in a statement Khan was pronounced dead on the spot, whereas Ahmed was taken to Northwestern Hospital where he was declared dead as well. Police said they have recovered a weapon from the scene. The killing of the Pakistani woman has sent shock waves across the diaspora, where the other South Asian women have found resonance with the killing. They say that they have faced the same stigmas and isolation when trying to leave abusive partners. “I could see myself in her,” a Marathi woman who lives in the US told NBC News. “For her to have not only left him, but being able to survive and be happy and do well, that was not something he could not live with.” Khan, who is a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, talked about her marital struggles on TikTok. She would urge women to "stop ignoring those red flags" and shared her struggles with her own family and some in the South Asian community, who did not support her decision to leave her husband, according to ABC News. "Going through a divorce as a South Asian Woman feels like you failed at life sometimes," she wrote in a TikTok video. "The way the community labels you, the lack of emotional support you receive, and the pressure to stay with someone because 'what will people say' is isolating. It makes it harder for women to leave marriages that they shouldn't have been in to begin with." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

US: Pakistani man drives 1,400 kilometres to kill ex-wife for making TikTok videos on divorce

The US police&nbsp;in Georgia are on a hunt for a man disguised himself as an old lady to rob a bank. Wearing a floral dress, white sneakers, orange latex gloves, a white wig and a dark face mask or neck "gator", the unidentified successfully pulled off the heist. According to CBS46 news TV, the suspect is described as a Black man, around 6 feet tall and slim.

According to the police, the incident took place in Henry County, southeast of Atlanta, on Monday.

The man in disguise arrived at Chase Bank in the city of McDonough carrying a pink bag and armed with a gun. He then reportedly gave a note to a member of staff demanding money, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution&nbsp;reported citing police.

After taking the money, the man drove off in a small, white SUV that police believe could have been a recent Lexus model. A tag wasn’t spotted.

Photos of the disguised accused were shared on Facebook by&nbsp;McDonough Police Department.

"Based on CCTV recordings and photos taken inside the bank, the department was able to confirm that the suspect was wearing a floral dress, a wig, and a black mask," the department wrote.

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The Facebook post, which has photos of the accused, as expectedly, drew a slew of reactions on social media, with some even praising him for single-handedly pulling off the heist.

“The funny part in all of this is, no one saw his strange getup as 'ODD' in any way. Just normal for Atlanta,” wrote another.

Another user said, "Now you know... I would have already pushed the panic button before she/ he reached the counter."

While the third user commented, "Hoping they find this man real soon. He's going to do it again and get aggressive.”&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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The US police in Georgia are on a hunt for a man disguised himself as an old lady to rob a bank. Wearing a floral dress, white sneakers, orange latex gloves, a white wig and a dark face mask or neck "gator", the unidentified successfully pulled off the heist.

The US police in Georgia are on a hunt for a man disguised himself as an old lady to rob a bank. Wearing a floral dress, white sneakers, orange latex gloves, a white wig and a dark face mask or neck "gator", the unidentified successfully pulled off the heist. According to CBS46 news TV, the suspect is described as a Black man, around 6 feet tall and slim. According to the police, the incident took place in Henry County, southeast of Atlanta, on Monday. The man in disguise arrived at Chase Bank in the city of McDonough carrying a pink bag and armed with a gun. He then reportedly gave a note to a member of staff demanding money, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported citing police. After taking the money, the man drove off in a small, white SUV that police believe could have been a recent Lexus model. A tag wasn’t spotted. Photos of the disguised accused were shared on Facebook by McDonough Police Department. "Based on CCTV recordings and photos taken inside the bank, the department was able to confirm that the suspect was wearing a floral dress, a wig, and a black mask," the department wrote. × The Facebook post, which has photos of the accused, as expectedly, drew a slew of reactions on social media, with some even praising him for single-handedly pulling off the heist. “The funny part in all of this is, no one saw his strange getup as 'ODD' in any way. Just normal for Atlanta,” wrote another. Another user said, "Now you know... I would have already pushed the panic button before she/ he reached the counter." While the third user commented, "Hoping they find this man real soon. He's going to do it again and get aggressive.” (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Man dressed as elderly woman robs bank in US, police launch manhunt

A Subway restaurant employee in Atlanta, Georgia was shot and killed over an argument that allegedly started over "too much mayo in a sandwich". Another employee was injured in the shooting. The Atlanta Police said a customer apparently got upset about a condiment on his sandwich.&nbsp;

As per a news release from the police department, the police were called to the restaurant near Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta shortly after 6:30 pm (local time).&nbsp;

At the crime scene, two employees were found shot and they were taken to the hospital. As per the authorities, one woman was later pronounced dead at the hospital. The suspect reportedly used a handgun during the incident.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/fossilised-remains-of-humanitys-oldest-ancestors-one-million-years-older-than-thought-492988">Fossilised remains of humanity's oldest ancestors one million years older than thought</a>&nbsp;

During a news conference on Monday, Deputy Chief Charles Hampton Jr. said, "This was a very tragic situation that did not have to occur."&nbsp;

"The suspect came inside the restaurant (to) order a sandwich and there was something wrong with the sandwich that made him so upset that he decided to take out his anger on two of the employees here," Hampton Jr. added.&nbsp;

Hampton further mentioned that a 36-year-old male was arrested Sunday night. However, he declined to identify the suspect citing the ongoing investigation.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-develop-ai-that-can-gauge-distress-signals-of-baby-chickens-492892">Scientists develop AI that can gauge distress signals of baby chickens</a>

The victim has been identified as Brittany Macon. She was 26 years old.&nbsp;

As quoted by CNN, Bertram Ennett, who is an investigator with the Fulton County medical examiner said that an autopsy has not been completed but the preliminary cause of death is gunshot wounds.&nbsp;

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A Subway restaurant employee in Atlanta, Georgia was shot and killed over an argument that allegedly started over "too much mayo in a sandwich". Another employee was injured in the shooting.

A Subway restaurant employee in Atlanta, Georgia was shot and killed over an argument that allegedly started over "too much mayo in a sandwich". Another employee was injured in the shooting. The Atlanta Police said a customer apparently got upset about a condiment on his sandwich. As per a news release from the police department, the police were called to the restaurant near Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta shortly after 6:30 pm (local time). At the crime scene, two employees were found shot and they were taken to the hospital. As per the authorities, one woman was later pronounced dead at the hospital. The suspect reportedly used a handgun during the incident. ALSO READ | Fossilised remains of humanity's oldest ancestors one million years older than thought During a news conference on Monday, Deputy Chief Charles Hampton Jr. said, "This was a very tragic situation that did not have to occur." "The suspect came inside the restaurant (to) order a sandwich and there was something wrong with the sandwich that made him so upset that he decided to take out his anger on two of the employees here," Hampton Jr. added. Hampton further mentioned that a 36-year-old male was arrested Sunday night. However, he declined to identify the suspect citing the ongoing investigation. ALSO READ | Scientists develop AI that can gauge distress signals of baby chickens The victim has been identified as Brittany Macon. She was 26 years old. As quoted by CNN, Bertram Ennett, who is an investigator with the Fulton County medical examiner said that an autopsy has not been completed but the preliminary cause of death is gunshot wounds. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US: 26-year-old Subway employee shot dead by customer in argument over mayo

Georgians 'March for Europe' in thousands to show support for EU bid

Tourists flock to diamond-shaped 240-meter glass bridge in southern Georgia - see pics

Tourists are flocking to a new attraction in Georgia in the Caucasus, a 240-meter glass bridge that spans the Dashbashi Canyon. The bridge is now officially open three years after construction began, take a look.

Georgia: A 240-metre glass bridge built in Tsalka

President of Georgia’s breakaway region, South Ossetia, on Monday, scrapped plans to hold a referendum on joining Russia which his predecessor Anatoly Bibilov had scheduled for July 17.

 
South Ossetia was at the centre of the Russian-Georgian war in 2008 after which the Kremlin recognised the territory as an independent state and stationed military bases there.

 
In a decree issued Monday, the Moscow-controlled enclave's president Alan Gagloev invoked "uncertainty of the legal consequences of the issue submitted to a referendum".

 
The decree also stressed "the inadmissibility of a unilateral decision of a referendum on issues affecting the legitimate rights and interests of the Russian Federation".

 
Gagloev ordered, "to hold, without delay, consultations with the Russian side on the entire range of issues related to the further integration of South Ossetia and the Russian Federation".

 
On May 13, Gagloev's predecessor, Anatoly Bibilov, signed a decree on holding the referendum, citing the region's "historic aspiration" to join Russia, his office said at the time.

&nbsp;

Bibilov lost his bid for re-election earlier this month. Russia has expressed hope that Gagloev will preserve "continuity" in ties with Moscow.

 
Tbilisi has previously denounced as "unacceptable" plans by South Ossetia to hold a referendum on joining Russia.

 
In August 2008, Russian forces launched an all-out invasion of Georgia, which was battling pro-Russian militia in South Ossetia, after they shelled Georgian villages.
<img alt="South Ossetia on Map" data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d2bf4cd9-b281-487f-9cab-a7e3e021085d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/FMiJ8paWQAEJRB5.jpeg" />
 
The fighting ended five days later with a European Union-mediated ceasefire but claimed more than 700 lives and displaced tens of thousands of ethnic Georgians.

 
The war's aftermath saw the Kremlin recognise the independence of South Ossetia and another separatist region, Abkhazia, which have since remained under Russia's military control.

 
The conflict marked the culmination of tensions with the Kremlin over staunchly pro-Western Tbilisi's bid to join the European Union and North Atlantic&nbsp;Treaty Organisation.

 
In March, the Hague-based International Criminal Court prosecutor, Karim Khan, applied for arrest warrants for three current and former South Ossetian officials in connection with war crimes committed against ethnic Georgians.

 
The alleged crimes included torture, inhuman treatment, illegal detention, violation of personal dignity, hostage-taking and illegal transfers of people.

 
Last year, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Russia was responsible for human rights violations in the war's aftermath.

 
[ Inputs from AFP] 
&nbsp; 
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President of Georgia’s breakaway region, South Ossetia, on Monday, scrapped plans to hold a referendum on joining Russia which his predecessor Anatoly Bibilov had scheduled for July 17.

President of Georgia’s breakaway region, South Ossetia, on Monday, scrapped plans to hold a referendum on joining Russia which his predecessor Anatoly Bibilov had scheduled for July 17. South Ossetia was at the centre of the Russian-Georgian war in 2008 after which the Kremlin recognised the territory as an independent state and stationed military bases there. In a decree issued Monday, the Moscow-controlled enclave's president Alan Gagloev invoked "uncertainty of the legal consequences of the issue submitted to a referendum". The decree also stressed "the inadmissibility of a unilateral decision of a referendum on issues affecting the legitimate rights and interests of the Russian Federation". Gagloev ordered, "to hold, without delay, consultations with the Russian side on the entire range of issues related to the further integration of South Ossetia and the Russian Federation". On May 13, Gagloev's predecessor, Anatoly Bibilov, signed a decree on holding the referendum, citing the region's "historic aspiration" to join Russia, his office said at the time. Bibilov lost his bid for re-election earlier this month. Russia has expressed hope that Gagloev will preserve "continuity" in ties with Moscow. Tbilisi has previously denounced as "unacceptable" plans by South Ossetia to hold a referendum on joining Russia. In August 2008, Russian forces launched an all-out invasion of Georgia, which was battling pro-Russian militia in South Ossetia, after they shelled Georgian villages. The fighting ended five days later with a European Union-mediated ceasefire but claimed more than 700 lives and displaced tens of thousands of ethnic Georgians. The war's aftermath saw the Kremlin recognise the independence of South Ossetia and another separatist region, Abkhazia, which have since remained under Russia's military control. The conflict marked the culmination of tensions with the Kremlin over staunchly pro-Western Tbilisi's bid to join the European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. In March, the Hague-based International Criminal Court prosecutor, Karim Khan, applied for arrest warrants for three current and former South Ossetian officials in connection with war crimes committed against ethnic Georgians. The alleged crimes included torture, inhuman treatment, illegal detention, violation of personal dignity, hostage-taking and illegal transfers of people. Last year, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Russia was responsible for human rights violations in the war's aftermath. [ Inputs from AFP] Live TV Code WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia ditches referendum on joining Russia

Severe storms have wreaked havoc in Southern part of US, three people have lost their lives as a result of violent storms. South Carolina and Georgia are among the worst affected by the storms, government buildings and houses have been destroyed

Severe storms wreak havoc in South US, government buildings and houses destroyed

What did Russian President Vladimir Putin think when he ordered his troops into Ukraine? Ray Charles' 'Georgia on mind’ must have been humming in his head.

A slightly altered version, ‘Palestine on my mind,’ was undoubtedly on Egyptian athlete Ali Farag's mind when he condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Sunday as he won Britain’s Optacia squash championship.

"We’ve never been allowed to speak about politics in sports, but all of a sudden, it’s allowed. I hope people look at oppression everywhere around the world. Palestinians have been going through that for the past 74 years,” Mr. Farag, the world’s number two player, said in his acceptance remarks.

It was Yemen that New York Times sports reporter Tariq Panja thought of when he tweeted as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson prepared to visit Saudi Arabia. Mr. Johnson hopes to persuade the kingdom to increase its oil production to compensate for a loss of access to Russian energy due to the Ukraine crisis.

“We are now in a situation where the British PM is heading over to Saudi to plead for oil from an autocrat that is dropping bombs on his neighbour because a different autocrat is dropping bombs on his neighbour,” Mr. Panja said.

Invariably, comparisons hink. To be sure, unlike Russia, Saudi Arabia was invited by the internationally recognised government of Yemen even if that was more of a formality and changes little on the ground while Israel’s conquest of the West Bank was not, like Ukraine, an unprovoked attack.

Nevertheless, Messrs. Farag and Panja make a valid point.&nbsp;

Like the 1990 Kuwaiti invasion of Iraq, Ukraine has provoked widespread international condemnation.

Yet, the international community’s response to Saudi Arabia's seven-year-old invasion of Yemen, sparking one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, and Israel’s 55-year long occupation of the West Bank’s, the world’s longest of neighboring lands, as well as its blockade of Gaza, has been far more muted, if not supportive.

Messrs. Farag and Panja’s point takes of added relevance given the fact that Mr. Putin has given a new lease on life to those that identify with the construct of the values of the West.

Yet, Saudi Arabia and Israel, just like Poland, Hungary, and Turkey, troubled democracies with tarnished rights records that nonetheless support Ukraine, show that the application of those principles and values will inevitably be spotty and contradictory and involve uncomfortable and glaring compromises.

None of that legitimises the actions of those who opportunistically are left off the hook.

Mr. Panja correctly highlights the irony that autocratic Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who ordered the invasion of Yemen shortly after coming to office in 2015, is being asked to help clean up a mess created by an invasion launched by another autocrat Mr. Putin.

To drive home the point of messy and questionable compromises, Saudi Arabia executed days before Mr. Johnson’s expected arrival 81 people convicted of a variety of crimes, including murder and membership of a militant group. Those executed also included a fair number of Shiite activists. It was the largest mass execution in the kingdom’s modern history.

Similarly, Mr. Farag raised a valid point even if his statement was problematic. Rather than referring to continuous violations of international law associated with Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and blockade of Gaza, Mr. Farag equated the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 with the Russian invasion. In doing so, he questioned Israel’s right to exist rather than its continued control of lands designated as occupied and Palestinian in the international community's mind.

Mr. Farag’s statement and the refusal by international sports associations, national leagues, clubs, and event organizers to allow Russian and Belarus athletes and teams to compete under their national flags laid bare hypocrisy and deliberately maintained fictions in the sports world.

Few will take issue with the rejection, yet it blasts a crater into the sports world’s fictional insistence that sport and politics are separate and never should the two intertwine. If anything, Ukraine put that fiction to bed.

Mr. Farag noted as much when he said that his statement was possible because the ban on athletes expressing themselves politically during sporting events was effectively lifted when it comes to Ukraine.

That leaves the question of why Ukraine but not Yemen or Palestine or, for that matter, the brutal repression of Turkic Muslims in China.

It comes as little surprise then that Mr. Putin may hum ‘Georgia, on my mind’ while others hum ‘Yemen and Palestine on my mind.’

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

What did Russian President Vladimir Putin think when he ordered his troops into Ukraine? Ray Charles' 'Georgia on mind’ must have been humming in his head. A slightly altered version, ‘Palestine on my mind,’ was undoubtedly on Egyptian athlete Ali Farag's mind when he condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Sunday as he won Britain’s Optacia squash championship.

What did Russian President Vladimir Putin think when he ordered his troops into Ukraine? Ray Charles' 'Georgia on mind’ must have been humming in his head. A slightly altered version, ‘Palestine on my mind,’ was undoubtedly on Egyptian athlete Ali Farag's mind when he condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Sunday as he won Britain’s Optacia squash championship. "We’ve never been allowed to speak about politics in sports, but all of a sudden, it’s allowed. I hope people look at oppression everywhere around the world. Palestinians have been going through that for the past 74 years,” Mr. Farag, the world’s number two player, said in his acceptance remarks. It was Yemen that New York Times sports reporter Tariq Panja thought of when he tweeted as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson prepared to visit Saudi Arabia. Mr. Johnson hopes to persuade the kingdom to increase its oil production to compensate for a loss of access to Russian energy due to the Ukraine crisis. “We are now in a situation where the British PM is heading over to Saudi to plead for oil from an autocrat that is dropping bombs on his neighbour because a different autocrat is dropping bombs on his neighbour,” Mr. Panja said. Invariably, comparisons hink. To be sure, unlike Russia, Saudi Arabia was invited by the internationally recognised government of Yemen even if that was more of a formality and changes little on the ground while Israel’s conquest of the West Bank was not, like Ukraine, an unprovoked attack. Nevertheless, Messrs. Farag and Panja make a valid point. Like the 1990 Kuwaiti invasion of Iraq, Ukraine has provoked widespread international condemnation. Yet, the international community’s response to Saudi Arabia's seven-year-old invasion of Yemen, sparking one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, and Israel’s 55-year long occupation of the West Bank’s, the world’s longest of neighboring lands, as well as its blockade of Gaza, has been far more muted, if not supportive. Messrs. Farag and Panja’s point takes of added relevance given the fact that Mr. Putin has given a new lease on life to those that identify with the construct of the values of the West. Yet, Saudi Arabia and Israel, just like Poland, Hungary, and Turkey, troubled democracies with tarnished rights records that nonetheless support Ukraine, show that the application of those principles and values will inevitably be spotty and contradictory and involve uncomfortable and glaring compromises. None of that legitimises the actions of those who opportunistically are left off the hook. Mr. Panja correctly highlights the irony that autocratic Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who ordered the invasion of Yemen shortly after coming to office in 2015, is being asked to help clean up a mess created by an invasion launched by another autocrat Mr. Putin. To drive home the point of messy and questionable compromises, Saudi Arabia executed days before Mr. Johnson’s expected arrival 81 people convicted of a variety of crimes, including murder and membership of a militant group. Those executed also included a fair number of Shiite activists. It was the largest mass execution in the kingdom’s modern history. Similarly, Mr. Farag raised a valid point even if his statement was problematic. Rather than referring to continuous violations of international law associated with Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and blockade of Gaza, Mr. Farag equated the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 with the Russian invasion. In doing so, he questioned Israel’s right to exist rather than its continued control of lands designated as occupied and Palestinian in the international community's mind. Mr. Farag’s statement and the refusal by international sports associations, national leagues, clubs, and event organizers to allow Russian and Belarus athletes and teams to compete under their national flags laid bare hypocrisy and deliberately maintained fictions in the sports world. Few will take issue with the rejection, yet it blasts a crater into the sports world’s fictional insistence that sport and politics are separate and never should the two intertwine. If anything, Ukraine put that fiction to bed. Mr. Farag noted as much when he said that his statement was possible because the ban on athletes expressing themselves politically during sporting events was effectively lifted when it comes to Ukraine. That leaves the question of why Ukraine but not Yemen or Palestine or, for that matter, the brutal repression of Turkic Muslims in China. It comes as little surprise then that Mr. Putin may hum ‘Georgia, on my mind’ while others hum ‘Yemen and Palestine on my mind.’ (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

Putin hums ‘Georgia on my mind’

Georgian prime minister said on Thursday that the country has officially applied for membership of the European Union. This has come after European Parliament expressed backing for a similar move by Ukraine currently being invaded by Russia.

"We are applying today for EU membership," Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said after signing the application letter.&nbsp;

"Georgia is a European state and continues to make a valuable contribution to its protection and development," he added. 
"History has deemed the European choice of the Georgian people as its strategic aim."

Georgia's ruling party faced strong pressure from the opposition to follow Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's move to apply for EU membership -- a bid which won backing from MEPs in a non-binding resolution.

Zelensky's decision to seek fast-track EU membership came shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin last week ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The MEP vote on Ukraine was largely seen in Georgia as a window of opportunity to advance its own EU aspirations -- a goal enshrined in the Black Sea nation's constitution.

Last year, Georgia announced its intention to apply for EU membership in 2024.

The government has faced mounting international criticism over perceived backsliding on democracy, seriously damaging Tbilisi's relations with Brussels.

Kremlin's possible target

The war in Ukraine also strengthened the West's focus on Georgia and Moldova, another ex-Soviet republic seeking EU membership.&nbsp; 
The West has expressed concerns that these countries risked becoming possible targets for the Kremlin after Ukraine.

"We stand with Moldova and Georgia to defend their sovereignty and security," French President Emmanuel Macron said last week, while his Foreign Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, said France was "worried" about a possible Russian military offensive against Georgia and Moldova.

Last week, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili was in Paris and Brussels to argue for Europe's commitments to Ukraine being extended to Georgia.

Even if granted candidate status however, Georgia and Ukraine will face a protracted and complex accession process.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Georgian prime minister said on Thursday that the country has officially applied for membership of the European Union. This has come after European Parliament expressed backing for a similar move by Ukraine currently being invaded by Russia.

Georgian prime minister said on Thursday that the country has officially applied for membership of the European Union. This has come after European Parliament expressed backing for a similar move by Ukraine currently being invaded by Russia. "We are applying today for EU membership," Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said after signing the application letter. "Georgia is a European state and continues to make a valuable contribution to its protection and development," he added. "History has deemed the European choice of the Georgian people as its strategic aim." Georgia's ruling party faced strong pressure from the opposition to follow Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's move to apply for EU membership -- a bid which won backing from MEPs in a non-binding resolution. Zelensky's decision to seek fast-track EU membership came shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin last week ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The MEP vote on Ukraine was largely seen in Georgia as a window of opportunity to advance its own EU aspirations -- a goal enshrined in the Black Sea nation's constitution. Last year, Georgia announced its intention to apply for EU membership in 2024. The government has faced mounting international criticism over perceived backsliding on democracy, seriously damaging Tbilisi's relations with Brussels. Kremlin's possible target The war in Ukraine also strengthened the West's focus on Georgia and Moldova, another ex-Soviet republic seeking EU membership. The West has expressed concerns that these countries risked becoming possible targets for the Kremlin after Ukraine. "We stand with Moldova and Georgia to defend their sovereignty and security," French President Emmanuel Macron said last week, while his Foreign Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, said France was "worried" about a possible Russian military offensive against Georgia and Moldova. Last week, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili was in Paris and Brussels to argue for Europe's commitments to Ukraine being extended to Georgia. Even if granted candidate status however, Georgia and Ukraine will face a protracted and complex accession process. (With inputs from agencies)

Amid Ukraine crisis, Georgia formally applies for EU membership

Tiffany Haddish was arrested on Friday, January 14, in Georgia and was charged with driving under the influence.&nbsp; 
 
The actor was arrested in Georgia at about 4 AM for a suspected DUI and improper stopping on a roadway, according to TMZ. 
&nbsp; 
Officers recieved a complaint around 2:30 a.m. of a driver asleep at the wheel on Highway 74, according to the statement. Later, Police located the vehicle and spotted Tiffany pulling into a neighbourhood, after which she was arrested. It is believed that she had been smoking marijuana.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-alec-baldwin-turns-over-cellphone-for-rust-shooting-probe-444904" hreflang="en">Alec Baldwin turns over cellphone for 'Rust' shooting probe</a> 
 
Although, the 42-year-old actor was released after posting a $ 1,666 bond at around 6:30 am (local time). 
 
"Subsequent investigation led to Ms. Tiffany Haddish being arrested for Driving Under the Influence," police told PEOPLE. "She was transported to the Fayette County Jail without incident."&nbsp; 
 
The comedian has experienced a difficult last few weeks with four deaths in her personal life: her grandmother, who has raised her, her pet dog, and close friends Bob Saget and Carl Craig.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/oscars-history-1923-2022-did-you-know-only-five-black-actors-have-won-the-best-actor-award-so-far-444715" hreflang="en">Oscars history (1923-2022): Did you know only five Black actor's have won the Best Actor award so far</a> 
 
In an interview with a news agency, she told that her "personal life is in shambles." 
 
"I'm very emotional. I've been crying a lot 'cause it's— that's my heart. My dog was my heart, and the other people who passed, you know, they were my rocks. They had my back. I mean, they taught me a lot, so I lost the physical, [but] I'm sure I got them in the spiritual," said Haddish.

Tiffany Haddish was arrested on Friday, January 14, in Georgia and was charged with driving under the influence. The actor was arrested in Georgia at about 4 AM for a suspected DUI and improper stopping on a roadway, according to TMZ.

Tiffany Haddish was arrested on Friday, January 14, in Georgia and was charged with driving under the influence. The actor was arrested in Georgia at about 4 AM for a suspected DUI and improper stopping on a roadway, according to TMZ. Officers recieved a complaint around 2:30 a.m. of a driver asleep at the wheel on Highway 74, according to the statement. Later, Police located the vehicle and spotted Tiffany pulling into a neighbourhood, after which she was arrested. It is believed that she had been smoking marijuana. Alec Baldwin turns over cellphone for 'Rust' shooting probe Although, the 42-year-old actor was released after posting a $ 1,666 bond at around 6:30 am (local time). "Subsequent investigation led to Ms. Tiffany Haddish being arrested for Driving Under the Influence," police told PEOPLE. "She was transported to the Fayette County Jail without incident." The comedian has experienced a difficult last few weeks with four deaths in her personal life: her grandmother, who has raised her, her pet dog, and close friends Bob Saget and Carl Craig. Oscars history (1923-2022): Did you know only five Black actor's have won the Best Actor award so far In an interview with a news agency, she told that her "personal life is in shambles." "I'm very emotional. I've been crying a lot 'cause it's— that's my heart. My dog was my heart, and the other people who passed, you know, they were my rocks. They had my back. I mean, they taught me a lot, so I lost the physical, [but] I'm sure I got them in the spiritual," said Haddish.

Tiffany Haddish arrested for driving under the influence, allegedly fell asleep at wheel

In the United States, three men were sentenced to life in prison on Friday (January 7) for the February 2020 shooting of 25-year-old African-American jogger Ahmaud Arbery, a case that highlighted tensions in the country over racial justice.&nbsp;

The three men - Travis McMichael, 35, his father, Gregory McMichael, 66, and neighbour William "Roddie" Bryan were convicted of murdering Arbery after chasing him in their pickup trucks. All were convicted of multiple counts of murder, aggravated assault and false imprisonment in November.&nbsp;

A judge in Georgia sentenced them to life in prison, with two having no chance of parole. Under Georgia law murder gets carries a mandatory life sentence unless the death penalty is sought by prosecutors.&nbsp;

The trial was driven by graphic video of the armed men following Arbery as he ran through their neighbourhood, suspecting with no evidence that he might have been a burglar.

The video, taken by Bryan, shows Arbery trying to avoid them and then Travis McMichael eventually confronting and shooting him with a shotgun.

The video was initially kept secret by local law enforcement and it took several months for the McMichaels and Bryan to be arrested, which came after the footage was leaked online, sparking national outrage.

The judge agreed with prosecutors and Arbery's relatives that the three men, who are white, had "assumed the worst" about Arbery, who he said was "hunted down and shot, and he was killed because individuals here in this courtroom took the law into their own hands."

Earlier,&nbsp;Arbery's family told the court they believed that racial stereotyping led to the killing of the avid jogger, who grew up and still lived across the highway from the Satilla Shores neighborhood where he died.

Arbery's mother reacts to the verdict

The mother of Ahmaud Arbery hailed the sentencing, saying that she never lost faith that justice would be done.&nbsp;

"I knew that we would come out with a victory. I never doubted it and I knew that today would come," Wanda Cooper-Jones said at a press conference outside of the courtroom.

(With inputs from agencies)

In the United States, three men were sentenced to life in prison on Friday (January 7) for the February 2020 shooting of 25-year-old African-American jogger Ahmaud Arbery, a case that highlighted tensions in the country over racial justice.

In the United States, three men were sentenced to life in prison on Friday (January 7) for the February 2020 shooting of 25-year-old African-American jogger Ahmaud Arbery, a case that highlighted tensions in the country over racial justice. The three men - Travis McMichael, 35, his father, Gregory McMichael, 66, and neighbour William "Roddie" Bryan were convicted of murdering Arbery after chasing him in their pickup trucks. All were convicted of multiple counts of murder, aggravated assault and false imprisonment in November. A judge in Georgia sentenced them to life in prison, with two having no chance of parole. Under Georgia law murder gets carries a mandatory life sentence unless the death penalty is sought by prosecutors. The trial was driven by graphic video of the armed men following Arbery as he ran through their neighbourhood, suspecting with no evidence that he might have been a burglar. The video, taken by Bryan, shows Arbery trying to avoid them and then Travis McMichael eventually confronting and shooting him with a shotgun. The video was initially kept secret by local law enforcement and it took several months for the McMichaels and Bryan to be arrested, which came after the footage was leaked online, sparking national outrage. The judge agreed with prosecutors and Arbery's relatives that the three men, who are white, had "assumed the worst" about Arbery, who he said was "hunted down and shot, and he was killed because individuals here in this courtroom took the law into their own hands." Earlier, Arbery's family told the court they believed that racial stereotyping led to the killing of the avid jogger, who grew up and still lived across the highway from the Satilla Shores neighborhood where he died. Arbery's mother reacts to the verdict The mother of Ahmaud Arbery hailed the sentencing, saying that she never lost faith that justice would be done. "I knew that we would come out with a victory. I never doubted it and I knew that today would come," Wanda Cooper-Jones said at a press conference outside of the courtroom. (With inputs from agencies)

Three men sentenced to life in prison for murder of Ahmaud Arbery

During a recent marathon session in the House, two Republican lawmakers from Georgia sat in full view of television cameras. Neither was wearing a mask.

It was the latest act of defiance by the pair, Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Andrew Clyde, against a rule requiring legislators to wear masks on the House floor. Most Republican lawmakers, however grudgingly, have complied with the mandate, which can carry fines that quickly add up to hefty amounts. But Greene and Clyde have repeatedly, and proudly, flouted it.

To date, the two have incurred more than $100,000 combined in fines, which are taken directly from their paychecks.

A resolution approved by the House in January says that members will be fined $500 the first time they fail to wear a mask on the House floor, and $2,500 for subsequent violations. The House Ethics Committee notes each fine in a news release, but Greene’s and Clyde’s violations were so numerous that the panel began announcing theirs in bunches.

Greene, who has said she is unvaccinated, called the mask requirement “communist,” “tyrannical” and “authoritarian.”

“The American people have had enough and are standing up against these outrageous and unconstitutional policies,” she said in a statement.

Greene has been fined more than 30 times for violating the mask rules, accumulating more than $80,000 in penalties, according to her office. She was fined five days in a row during one stretch this fall.

Only 20 of Greene’s fines, totaling nearly $50,000, have been announced by the Ethics Committee. (House procedures and appeals can delay announcements by up to two months.)

Clyde has been fined at least 14 times for violating the mask rule, accruing at least $30,000 in penalties.

In contesting his fines, Clyde has accused the House and the sergeant-at-arms, who enforces the penalties, of a “deeply troubling” practice of “selective enforcement.”

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who has also been fined, suggested that Clyde had found a way around paying the penalties. Massie told CNN that Clyde had changed his payroll withholdings so that he was paid only $1 a month.

A spokesperson for Clyde did not respond to a request for comment.

Other Republicans who have been fined at least once for not wearing a mask on the House floor include Bob Good of Virginia, Brian Mast of Florida, Mary Miller of Illinois, Beth Van Duyne of Texas, Chip Roy of Texas, Ralph Norman of South Carolina and Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa.

Massie, Greene and Norman have filed a federal lawsuit in Washington against Speaker Nancy Pelosi, seeking a judge’s order to strike down the fines as unconstitutional. The suit accuses Pelosi of using the mandate “as a cudgel” to dock the pay of her “political opponents.”

It argues that the House may fine members for disorderly behavior, but that the Republicans do not believe refusing to wear a mask falls into that category.

“Merely entering the House chamber without a mask,” the suit says, “did not constitute ‘disorderly behavior’ because it did not disrupt the House’s operations or good order, nor is it otherwise unlawful conduct.”

Pelosi has said the mask rule helps protect lawmakers and staff members from a “terrible epidemic that has caused suffering and death on a scale not seen in this country since the 1918 influenza pandemic.”

In a court filing, Douglas N. Letter, the House’s general counsel, noted that one member of Congress, Rep. Ron Wright, R-Texas, and a representative-elect, Luke Letlow, R-La., died after contracting the virus.

Letter said that issuing fines for refusing to wear a mask fell squarely within the House’s constitutional powers to “govern its own chamber proceedings and to discipline its own members.”

“This is particularly true here,” he wrote, “where the resolution at issue is designed to protect the health of members and staff in the place where all full House debates and votes take place.”

Those arguments appeared to find support in court this month, as a federal judge expressed skepticism about the merits of the suit.

A House rule requiring members to pass through a metal detector before entering the chamber has also resulted in violations.

That rule was enacted after a pro-Trump mob attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6 and Pelosi pushed for enhanced security. A first violation carries a $5,000 fine, followed by $10,000 for subsequent violations.

Clyde and seven other Republicans have been fined for violating the metal detector rule, as was Rep. James E. Clyburn, D-S.C.

The penalties against Clyburn and five of the Republicans were dismissed on appeal.

But the fines against Clyde — two totaling $15,000 — and the other Republicans, Louie Gohmert of Texas and Lloyd Smucker of Pennsylvania, were upheld.

During a recent marathon session in the House, two Republican lawmakers from Georgia sat in full view of television cameras. Neither was wearing a mask. It was the latest act of defiance by the pair, Reps.

During a recent marathon session in the House, two Republican lawmakers from Georgia sat in full view of television cameras. Neither was wearing a mask. It was the latest act of defiance by the pair, Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Andrew Clyde, against a rule requiring legislators to wear masks on the House floor. Most Republican lawmakers, however grudgingly, have complied with the mandate, which can carry fines that quickly add up to hefty amounts. But Greene and Clyde have repeatedly, and proudly, flouted it. To date, the two have incurred more than $100,000 combined in fines, which are taken directly from their paychecks. A resolution approved by the House in January says that members will be fined $500 the first time they fail to wear a mask on the House floor, and $2,500 for subsequent violations. The House Ethics Committee notes each fine in a news release, but Greene’s and Clyde’s violations were so numerous that the panel began announcing theirs in bunches. Greene, who has said she is unvaccinated, called the mask requirement “communist,” “tyrannical” and “authoritarian.” “The American people have had enough and are standing up against these outrageous and unconstitutional policies,” she said in a statement. Greene has been fined more than 30 times for violating the mask rules, accumulating more than $80,000 in penalties, according to her office. She was fined five days in a row during one stretch this fall. Only 20 of Greene’s fines, totaling nearly $50,000, have been announced by the Ethics Committee. (House procedures and appeals can delay announcements by up to two months.) Clyde has been fined at least 14 times for violating the mask rule, accruing at least $30,000 in penalties. In contesting his fines, Clyde has accused the House and the sergeant-at-arms, who enforces the penalties, of a “deeply troubling” practice of “selective enforcement.” Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who has also been fined, suggested that Clyde had found a way around paying the penalties. Massie told CNN that Clyde had changed his payroll withholdings so that he was paid only $1 a month. A spokesperson for Clyde did not respond to a request for comment. Other Republicans who have been fined at least once for not wearing a mask on the House floor include Bob Good of Virginia, Brian Mast of Florida, Mary Miller of Illinois, Beth Van Duyne of Texas, Chip Roy of Texas, Ralph Norman of South Carolina and Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa. Massie, Greene and Norman have filed a federal lawsuit in Washington against Speaker Nancy Pelosi, seeking a judge’s order to strike down the fines as unconstitutional. The suit accuses Pelosi of using the mandate “as a cudgel” to dock the pay of her “political opponents.” It argues that the House may fine members for disorderly behavior, but that the Republicans do not believe refusing to wear a mask falls into that category. “Merely entering the House chamber without a mask,” the suit says, “did not constitute ‘disorderly behavior’ because it did not disrupt the House’s operations or good order, nor is it otherwise unlawful conduct.” Pelosi has said the mask rule helps protect lawmakers and staff members from a “terrible epidemic that has caused suffering and death on a scale not seen in this country since the 1918 influenza pandemic.” In a court filing, Douglas N. Letter, the House’s general counsel, noted that one member of Congress, Rep. Ron Wright, R-Texas, and a representative-elect, Luke Letlow, R-La., died after contracting the virus. Letter said that issuing fines for refusing to wear a mask fell squarely within the House’s constitutional powers to “govern its own chamber proceedings and to discipline its own members.” “This is particularly true here,” he wrote, “where the resolution at issue is designed to protect the health of members and staff in the place where all full House debates and votes take place.” Those arguments appeared to find support in court this month, as a federal judge expressed skepticism about the merits of the suit. A House rule requiring members to pass through a metal detector before entering the chamber has also resulted in violations. That rule was enacted after a pro-Trump mob attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6 and Pelosi pushed for enhanced security. A first violation carries a $5,000 fine, followed by $10,000 for subsequent violations. Clyde and seven other Republicans have been fined for violating the metal detector rule, as was Rep. James E. Clyburn, D-S.C. The penalties against Clyburn and five of the Republicans were dismissed on appeal. But the fines against Clyde — two totaling $15,000 — and the other Republicans, Louie Gohmert of Texas and Lloyd Smucker of Pennsylvania, were upheld.

2 Georgia Republicans rack up fines for defying House’s mask mandate

Search for the 22-year-old college student, Kyle Clinkscales, who went missing in 1976, appears to have ended on a sombre note. The authorities in the United States have found the car in which Clinkscales was last seen.

Search for the 22-year-old college student, Kyle Clinkscales, who went missing in 1976, appears to have ended on a sombre note. The authorities in the United States have found the car in which Clinkscales was last seen. His wallet, identity card and suspected skeletal remains were also found in the vehicle, which was submerged in a creek in Chambers County, Alabama. On Tuesday (December 7), sheriff's deputies dragged the car out from water after a 911 caller reported seeing it. The authorities were able to identify that the reported vehicle belonged to Clinkscales after running number plates. In a press conference, Troup County Sheriff James Woodruff, who was with Chambers County's Major Terry Wood informed about the latest development in the case. As quoted by CNN, he said, "For 45 years, we have looked for this young man and looked for this car." "We have drained lakes, and we have looked here and looked there and ran this theory down and that theory down, and it's always turned out nothing. And finally yesterday, just out of the blue, Major Wood calls us and he's got the car," he added. Woodruff added, "We were able to locate a wallet inside the car. Inside that wallet was his ID and several credit cards. We have also located several bones inside the car. We believe those to be human in nature." The sheriff also stated that the bones, found in the car, have not yet been tested. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is currently examining them to ascertain whether if they belonged to Clinkscales. Now the police are waiting for the GBI report that can reveal what caused the death of Clinkscales. The sheriff added, "I want to see what the GBI finds in the car. How many bones did they find? Did they find a skull? Is there something that we can take to the crime lab and determine if there was foul play? Was he murdered and left there? Did he run off the road and wreck there? Those are some things we hope to discover." What happened to Kyle Clinkscales? The incident happened on January 27 in 1976 when Clinkscales, said to have started driving in his Pinto Runabout to Auburn University in Alabama, where he was a junior. He believed to have begun his journey from Moose Club, a bar that he worked at in his hometown of LaGrange, Georgia. He was never seen or heard from since then. Initially the family thought he left voulntarily as he was reportedly not doing well at college, however, later they filed a missing person's report. His father even wrote a book about his disappearance, titled "Kyle's Story: Friday Never Came" and also set up a non-profit missing persons organisation, "Find Me Inc". The case of missing Kyle Clinkscales remained one of the most talked-about incidents when it had happened as police had no luck to solve the case for a very long time. Now finally they found the missing piece but after more than 45 years. It's too late for the parents as media reports have mentioned that Kyle's father died in 2007 and his mother died earlier this year at the age of 92.

What happened to Kyle Clinkscales? Car of US student missing since 1976 found with 'human remains'

Georgia's ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili has finally ended his hunger strike after he was moved to a military hospital from a prison clinic. The jailed leader has been on a hunger strike for 50 days after his return from exile in Ukraine on October 1.

There have been reports of him being in critical condition as a result of the hunger strike. The authorities have been urged to move him to a regular clinic after he fainted. Initially, the medical recommendations were rejected. However, Justice Minister Rati Bregadze recently told that they were open to moving Saakashvili to a military hospital to ensure that "his health and security will be protected at most by the state."

The pro-Western reformer president refused food for 37 days to protest his imprisonment, which he says is politically motivated.&nbsp; 
Saakashvili's lawyer, while speaking to AFP said, "He still is in a life-threatening condition and was placed in an intensive care ward," Kipshidze told AFP."&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jailed-saakashvili-critical-after-being-on-hunger-strike-for-weeks-430262">Also read |&nbsp;Jailed Saakashvili ‘critical’ after being on hunger strike for weeks</a>

The US State Department has urged the Georgian government to "treat Mr Saakashvili fairly and with dignity". Several opposition lawmakers had been on hunger strike for days, demanding proper medical care for Saakashvili.

Georgia must take steps "to inform the Court about the applicant's current state of health, to ensure his safety in prison, and to provide him with appropriate medical care for the post-hunger-strike recovery period," the European Court of Human Rights said last week. It also urged Saakashvili to "call off his hunger strike."

(With inputs from agencies)

Georgia's ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili has finally ended his hunger strike after he was moved to a military hospital from a prison clinic. The jailed leader has been on a hunger strike for 50 days after his return from exile in Ukraine on October 1.

Georgia's ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili has finally ended his hunger strike after he was moved to a military hospital from a prison clinic. The jailed leader has been on a hunger strike for 50 days after his return from exile in Ukraine on October 1. There have been reports of him being in critical condition as a result of the hunger strike. The authorities have been urged to move him to a regular clinic after he fainted. Initially, the medical recommendations were rejected. However, Justice Minister Rati Bregadze recently told that they were open to moving Saakashvili to a military hospital to ensure that "his health and security will be protected at most by the state." The pro-Western reformer president refused food for 37 days to protest his imprisonment, which he says is politically motivated. Saakashvili's lawyer, while speaking to AFP said, "He still is in a life-threatening condition and was placed in an intensive care ward," Kipshidze told AFP." Also read | Jailed Saakashvili ‘critical’ after being on hunger strike for weeks The US State Department has urged the Georgian government to "treat Mr Saakashvili fairly and with dignity". Several opposition lawmakers had been on hunger strike for days, demanding proper medical care for Saakashvili. Georgia must take steps "to inform the Court about the applicant's current state of health, to ensure his safety in prison, and to provide him with appropriate medical care for the post-hunger-strike recovery period," the European Court of Human Rights said last week. It also urged Saakashvili to "call off his hunger strike." (With inputs from agencies)

Georgia: Jailed Saakashvili ends hunger strike after 50 days; moved to military hospital

Georgia's ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili has been on a hunger strike for weeks and is now in critical condition. The opposition leader is in jail and thus lacks proper care.

The government has refused to move him from prison hospital to a civilian clinic against the advice of doctors. They have further warned of the risk to Saakashvili's life.

A council of medics has said that his "current status is assessed as critical" and that he faced a risk of fatal complications in the "immediate future".

The pro-Western reformer president from 2004-2013 was arrested on October 1 on his return from exile in Ukraine. He then refused food for 37 days to protest his imprisonment, which he says is politically motivated.

The jailing of the country's foremost opposition leader fuelled a protracted political crisis that gripped Georgia last year after the opposition denounced fraud in parliamentary elections won narrowly by the ruling Georgian Dream party.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thousands-protest-to-support-georgias-jailed-ex-leader-saakashvili-427299">Also read |&nbsp;Thousands protest to support Georgia's jailed ex-leader Saakashvili</a>

The US State Department has urged the Georgian government to "treat Mr Saakashvili fairly and with dignity". Also, several opposition lawmakers have been on hunger strike for days, demanding proper medical care for Saakashvili.

Georgia must take steps "to inform the Court about the applicant's current state of health, to ensure his safety in prison, and to provide him with appropriate medical care for the post-hunger-strike recovery period," the European Court of Human Rights said last week. It also urged Saakashvili to "call off his hunger strike."

Thousands in Georgia rallied to show support for country's jailed ex-president amid growing fears over his health.

The protesters waved Georgian flags and chanted Saakashvili's name. The protests were carried out outside the prison in Rustavi city.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-parliament-passes-bill-for-chemical-castration-of-habitual-rapists-430233">Also read |&nbsp;Pakistan parliament passes bill for chemical castration of habitual rapists&nbsp;</a>

One of the demonstrators, actor Bachi Valishvili, 26, said: "The Georgian government is leading us into an abyss of tyranny. We demand our democracy back."

"We demand Georgia's third president be transferred to a proper clinic and treated adequately, so that his life is saved," he added.

With inputs from agencies

Georgia's ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili has been on a hunger strike for weeks and is now in critical condition. The opposition leader is in jail and thus lacks proper care.

Georgia's ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili has been on a hunger strike for weeks and is now in critical condition. The opposition leader is in jail and thus lacks proper care. The government has refused to move him from prison hospital to a civilian clinic against the advice of doctors. They have further warned of the risk to Saakashvili's life. A council of medics has said that his "current status is assessed as critical" and that he faced a risk of fatal complications in the "immediate future". The pro-Western reformer president from 2004-2013 was arrested on October 1 on his return from exile in Ukraine. He then refused food for 37 days to protest his imprisonment, which he says is politically motivated. The jailing of the country's foremost opposition leader fuelled a protracted political crisis that gripped Georgia last year after the opposition denounced fraud in parliamentary elections won narrowly by the ruling Georgian Dream party. Also read | Thousands protest to support Georgia's jailed ex-leader Saakashvili The US State Department has urged the Georgian government to "treat Mr Saakashvili fairly and with dignity". Also, several opposition lawmakers have been on hunger strike for days, demanding proper medical care for Saakashvili. Georgia must take steps "to inform the Court about the applicant's current state of health, to ensure his safety in prison, and to provide him with appropriate medical care for the post-hunger-strike recovery period," the European Court of Human Rights said last week. It also urged Saakashvili to "call off his hunger strike." Thousands in Georgia rallied to show support for country's jailed ex-president amid growing fears over his health. The protesters waved Georgian flags and chanted Saakashvili's name. The protests were carried out outside the prison in Rustavi city. Also read | Pakistan parliament passes bill for chemical castration of habitual rapists One of the demonstrators, actor Bachi Valishvili, 26, said: "The Georgian government is leading us into an abyss of tyranny. We demand our democracy back." "We demand Georgia's third president be transferred to a proper clinic and treated adequately, so that his life is saved," he added. With inputs from agencies

Jailed Saakashvili ‘critical’ after being on hunger strike for weeks

Paceman Kagiso Rabada defended 10 runs in the Super Over to steer Delhi&nbsp;to a thrilling victory over Kolkata after the home side made heavy weather of a run chase here Saturday.

Chasing 186 to win, Delhi&nbsp;were set up nicely by Prithvi Shaw's 99 off 55 balls but they could not score six runs from the last over, bowled by chinaman Kuldeep Yadav, who held his nerves to give Kolkata a chance to steal a win.

The Capitals ended their run chase at 185 for 6 in 20 overs, taking the match to Super Over.&nbsp;

The home side managed just 10 runs in the Super Over bowled by paceman Krishna Prasidh but Rabada executed yorkers perfectly to deny Kolkata. He removed dangerous

Andre Russell with a perfectly placed yorker and did not allow other batsmen, including captain Dinesh Karthik, to free their arms.

Kolkata needed five off the final ball but managed just one.

Shaw missed out on his century by just one run but steered Delhi&nbsp;to the doorsteps of a win.

Jamaican Russell had endured a beamer blow but still produced a blistering knock of 62 runs from 28 balls to lift Kolkata to a fighting 185 for eight from 64 for five at one stage after being put into bat.

Shaw paced his innings superbly. He initially was happy rotating the strike but did not miss when he had the chance to open his arms.

The 19-year-old from Mumbai packed a lot of power in his pull shots and also drove elegantly. He hit 12 fours and three sixes in his 55-ball knock which pushed the home side to the doorsteps of a win.

He was caught in the penultimate over, edging one off Lockei Ferguson while going for a big shot.

Shaw shared a 89-run stand with his skipper Shreyas Iyer (43 off 32).

The Capitals made it tough for themselves in the last over with Rishabh Pant and others failing to take the side past the finish line.

The home side did not have a flying start and lost Shikhar Dhawan (16) early but shaw and Iyer rotated the strike and also found boundaries in between to keep the required run rate under control.

Shaw's six off Russell, a pull in the mid-wicket, was a treat to watch. He completed his fifty with a six and a four off chinaman Kuldeep Yadav, who was also taken to the cleaners by Iyer.

The partnership ended when Iyer was caught by Shubhman Gill off Russell, two balls after he was dropped by the same fielder.&nbsp;

Later, Shaw added 54 for the third wicket with Rishabh Pant (11).

Earlier, Russell smashed 62 off 28 balls and shared a crucial 95-run stand with his skipper Dinesh Karthik (50 off 36 balls) for the sixth wicket.

The home side dominated a large part of the innings after electing to bowl but Russell and Karthik seized the momentum with their fearless batting.

Russell was hit on his left shoulder by a beamer from pacer Harshal Patel in the 14th over and was on the ground. However, after receiving treatment, he launched an assault on the home bowlers, hitting four fours and six sixes.

Kolkata collected 84 runs in the last six overs to have a challenging total on the board.

The wicket had good carry and it showed when both Kagiso Rabada and Chris Morris bowled. They did trouble the batsmen with pace and bounce.

Lamichhane too tested the KKR batsmen with his leg-breaks.&nbsp;

Iyer smartly shuffled his bowlers around, mixing pace with spin. Patel got rid of Robin Uthappa (11) and Nitish Rana (1) while Rabada had Chris Lynn (20) caught behind.

The run out of young Shubman Gill only made it worse for the visiting side.

The run flow improved dramatically with Russell going hammer and tongs.

Lamichhane, who had given only 12 runs in his three overs, ended his quota with an expensive over with skipper Karthik and Russell creaming off 17 runs.&nbsp;

Paceman Kagiso Rabada defended 10 runs in the Super Over to steer Delhi to a thrilling victory over Kolkata after the home side made heavy weather of a run chase here Saturday.

Paceman Kagiso Rabada defended 10 runs in the Super Over to steer Delhi to a thrilling victory over Kolkata after the home side made heavy weather of a run chase here Saturday. Chasing 186 to win, Delhi were set up nicely by Prithvi Shaw's 99 off 55 balls but they could not score six runs from the last over, bowled by chinaman Kuldeep Yadav, who held his nerves to give Kolkata a chance to steal a win. The Capitals ended their run chase at 185 for 6 in 20 overs, taking the match to Super Over. The home side managed just 10 runs in the Super Over bowled by paceman Krishna Prasidh but Rabada executed yorkers perfectly to deny Kolkata. He removed dangerous Andre Russell with a perfectly placed yorker and did not allow other batsmen, including captain Dinesh Karthik, to free their arms. Kolkata needed five off the final ball but managed just one. Shaw missed out on his century by just one run but steered Delhi to the doorsteps of a win. Jamaican Russell had endured a beamer blow but still produced a blistering knock of 62 runs from 28 balls to lift Kolkata to a fighting 185 for eight from 64 for five at one stage after being put into bat. Shaw paced his innings superbly. He initially was happy rotating the strike but did not miss when he had the chance to open his arms. The 19-year-old from Mumbai packed a lot of power in his pull shots and also drove elegantly. He hit 12 fours and three sixes in his 55-ball knock which pushed the home side to the doorsteps of a win. He was caught in the penultimate over, edging one off Lockei Ferguson while going for a big shot. Shaw shared a 89-run stand with his skipper Shreyas Iyer (43 off 32). The Capitals made it tough for themselves in the last over with Rishabh Pant and others failing to take the side past the finish line. The home side did not have a flying start and lost Shikhar Dhawan (16) early but shaw and Iyer rotated the strike and also found boundaries in between to keep the required run rate under control. Shaw's six off Russell, a pull in the mid-wicket, was a treat to watch. He completed his fifty with a six and a four off chinaman Kuldeep Yadav, who was also taken to the cleaners by Iyer. The partnership ended when Iyer was caught by Shubhman Gill off Russell, two balls after he was dropped by the same fielder. Later, Shaw added 54 for the third wicket with Rishabh Pant (11). Earlier, Russell smashed 62 off 28 balls and shared a crucial 95-run stand with his skipper Dinesh Karthik (50 off 36 balls) for the sixth wicket. The home side dominated a large part of the innings after electing to bowl but Russell and Karthik seized the momentum with their fearless batting. Russell was hit on his left shoulder by a beamer from pacer Harshal Patel in the 14th over and was on the ground. However, after receiving treatment, he launched an assault on the home bowlers, hitting four fours and six sixes. Kolkata collected 84 runs in the last six overs to have a challenging total on the board. The wicket had good carry and it showed when both Kagiso Rabada and Chris Morris bowled. They did trouble the batsmen with pace and bounce. Lamichhane too tested the KKR batsmen with his leg-breaks. Iyer smartly shuffled his bowlers around, mixing pace with spin. Patel got rid of Robin Uthappa (11) and Nitish Rana (1) while Rabada had Chris Lynn (20) caught behind. The run out of young Shubman Gill only made it worse for the visiting side. The run flow improved dramatically with Russell going hammer and tongs. Lamichhane, who had given only 12 runs in his three overs, ended his quota with an expensive over with skipper Karthik and Russell creaming off 17 runs.

Thousands protest to support Georgia's jailed ex-leader Saakashvili

Georgians were voting Saturday in closely watched municipal elections, a day after ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili's arrest on his return from exile deepened a protracted political crisis in the Caucasus nation.

The detention of Georgia's foremost opposition figure raised the stakes in the elections seen as a key test for the increasingly unpopular ruling party.

Saakashvili founded Georgia's main opposition party, the United National Movement (UNM), and was president between 2003-2013.

The 53-year-old said Friday he had returned from Ukraine, where he heads a Ukrainian government agency steering reforms.

The flamboyant pro-Western reformer was detained shortly afterwards over a 2018 conviction in absentia on abuse of office charges. He denies wrongdoing and had denounced his sentence of six years in jail as politically motivated.

His jailing will almost certainly spark upheaval in the small ex-Soviet nation that has been plagued for years by political instability.

"I want to ask you all to go to the elections so that not a single vote is lost," he wrote on Twitter Saturday, posting a picture of a letter to supporters from prison.&nbsp;

"My freedom and, more importantly, the freedom of Georgia depends entirely on your actions and fighting ability."

Prior to his arrest, he posted a video message on Facebook calling on supporters to take to the streets against the government.

Protracted crisis

The municipal elections are being watched inside and outside Georgia for signs of the ruling party Georgian Dream backsliding on democracy.

Saakashvili - who commands a fiercely loyal following -- called in one video Friday for his supporters to gather on the main thoroughfare in the capital Tbilisi on Sunday.

Critics have accused Georgian Dream -- in power since 2012 -- of using criminal prosecutions to punish political opponents and journalists. Interpol turned down requests from Tbilisi to issue a red notice against Saakashvili.

Opposition parties decried widespread fraud and refused to take their seats after parliamentary elections in October last year, which Georgian Dream won narrowly.

The EU mediated an agreement in May, under which Georgian Dream pledged to hold a snap parliamentary vote if it wins less than 43 percent in Saturday's local elections.

Georgian Dream, which was founded by the country's richest man and a former prime minister, withdrew from the agreement in July, but Saakashvili insists it remains in place.

Georgia's Western partners urged the EU-aspirant country's government to implement the agreement that envisaged sweeping political and judiciary reforms.

With concerns mounting in the West over the ruling party's democratic credentials, the United States has hinted at possible sanctions against Georgian Dream officials.

Georgians were voting Saturday in closely watched municipal elections, a day after ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili's arrest on his return from exile deepened a protracted political crisis in the Caucasus nation.

Georgians were voting Saturday in closely watched municipal elections, a day after ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili's arrest on his return from exile deepened a protracted political crisis in the Caucasus nation. The detention of Georgia's foremost opposition figure raised the stakes in the elections seen as a key test for the increasingly unpopular ruling party. Saakashvili founded Georgia's main opposition party, the United National Movement (UNM), and was president between 2003-2013. The 53-year-old said Friday he had returned from Ukraine, where he heads a Ukrainian government agency steering reforms. The flamboyant pro-Western reformer was detained shortly afterwards over a 2018 conviction in absentia on abuse of office charges. He denies wrongdoing and had denounced his sentence of six years in jail as politically motivated. His jailing will almost certainly spark upheaval in the small ex-Soviet nation that has been plagued for years by political instability. "I want to ask you all to go to the elections so that not a single vote is lost," he wrote on Twitter Saturday, posting a picture of a letter to supporters from prison. "My freedom and, more importantly, the freedom of Georgia depends entirely on your actions and fighting ability." Prior to his arrest, he posted a video message on Facebook calling on supporters to take to the streets against the government. Protracted crisis The municipal elections are being watched inside and outside Georgia for signs of the ruling party Georgian Dream backsliding on democracy. Saakashvili - who commands a fiercely loyal following -- called in one video Friday for his supporters to gather on the main thoroughfare in the capital Tbilisi on Sunday. Critics have accused Georgian Dream -- in power since 2012 -- of using criminal prosecutions to punish political opponents and journalists. Interpol turned down requests from Tbilisi to issue a red notice against Saakashvili. Opposition parties decried widespread fraud and refused to take their seats after parliamentary elections in October last year, which Georgian Dream won narrowly. The EU mediated an agreement in May, under which Georgian Dream pledged to hold a snap parliamentary vote if it wins less than 43 percent in Saturday's local elections. Georgian Dream, which was founded by the country's richest man and a former prime minister, withdrew from the agreement in July, but Saakashvili insists it remains in place. Georgia's Western partners urged the EU-aspirant country's government to implement the agreement that envisaged sweeping political and judiciary reforms. With concerns mounting in the West over the ruling party's democratic credentials, the United States has hinted at possible sanctions against Georgian Dream officials.

Georgia holds vote after ex-president Saakashvili's arrest

Georgia's Vice Prime Minister and foreign minister David Zalkaliani has expressed confidence on signing a free trade agreement with India which he said will "greatly contribute to the further development of our economic cooperation".

The Georgian embassy is currently coordinating for the first round of online negotiations between the Indian commerce ministry and the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia. &nbsp;

Speaking exclusively to WION's Sidhant Sibal, Zalkaliani pitched for connectivity between the two&nbsp;countries saying, "(I) would like to underline also the importance of implementing multi-modal connectivity projects and exploiting the transit and transport potential of Georgia. In this regard, I mean the location of Georgia. Let me stress the importance of developing the south–west corridor project, primarily in the context of India."

In July, India's external affairs minister Dr&nbsp;Jaishankar had visited Georgia, the first such visit from the Indian side since the independence of the country in the 1990s.

During the visit, EAM handed over part of the relics of St. Queen Ketevan to government.&nbsp;St. Ketevan was a 17th century Georgian Queen martyred in Iran's Shiraz with her remains brought to Goa by the Portuguese in 1627. On that development, Zalkaliani said, "The Georgian people have been waiting for this day for a long time and I am really delighted to note that the above gesture of goodwill from the Indian government is a result of our mutual commitment and spirit of strong cooperation."

WION: How do you see India-Georgia ties panning out in future?

David Zalkaliani: India and Georgia enjoy centuries-old friendly relationship. I am quite sure that despite the geographic distance between Georgia and India, we can do much more and share a lot together, making the interaction even more result-oriented. Our countries could give one of the best examples in this regard. I think that the development of bilateral trade and economic cooperation should be a top priority in the agenda of our bilateral relations. Unfortunately, the low numbers in the bilateral trade turnover between India and Georgia do not really reflect the existing high potential for the development of trade relations. Along with dynamically developing political relations, quite a solid legal base was laid for the development of bilateral trade and economic relations as well. Several memorandums of understanding were signed in&nbsp;recent years between the various trade communities of Georgia and India.&nbsp;So, with joint efforts, all this should be materialised and become much more result oriented in the near future.

I am confident that the signing of the Free Trade Agreement between Georgia and India will greatly contribute to the further development of our economic cooperation. The embassy is closely cooperating and coordinating with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of India, as well as with the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia in order to plan the first round of online negotiations in the near future. We would welcome more direct investments from India to Georgia, as well as the establishment of joint ventures. In the recent years, important direct investments were made from India, mainly in the energy sector. At the same time, we are also eager to promote the exports of Georgian products to the Indian market, especially the agricultural products and the Georgian wine.

I would also like to underline the importance of implementing multi-modal connectivity projects and exploiting the transit and transport potential of Georgia. In this regard, I mean the location of Georgia. Let me stress the importance of developing the south–west corridor project, primarily in the context of India. The main role of the south–west corridor is the realisation of goods transportation between EU countries and India. I believe that in the context of raising the connectivity, the establishment of fruitful cooperation between the Georgian and Indian ports will be also extremely important.

WION:&nbsp;How will EAM Jaishankar's visit consolidate the ties?

David Zalkaliani: The first ever historical visit of the Indian Minister of Foreign Affairs to Georgia held on July 9-10, 2021 is a clear proof of dynamically developing bilateral relationship and friendship between our two countries and nations. The visit can be considered extremely important in terms of further strengthening our political and economic relations as well as cultural ties and people-to-people exchanges. Dr S. Jaishankar, besides meeting with me, also held high-level meetings with the top officials of the Georgian government and Parliament, namely, with the President of Georgia, H.E. Ms&nbsp;Salome Zourabichvili, with the Prime Minister of Georgia, H.E. Mr&nbsp;Irakli Garibashvili and with the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, Ms&nbsp;Natia Turnava. I am confident that the institutional meetings held in the framework of the visit will give additional impetus to the future development of our bilateral cooperation in different fields and sectors. I also hope that the visit of the Indian Minister of Foreign Affairs will accelerate the establishment of the Indian Embassy in Georgia.

WION:&nbsp;What were the ongoing conversations between you and your Indian counterpart?

David Zalkaliani: We discussed a very wide range of issues in the agenda of our bilateral and multilateral relations and noted with satisfaction the increasing dynamics of our bilateral relations in different fields, including the political, economic, cultural, educational and legal areas. Me and my Indian colleague highly appraised ongoing cooperation in the sectors of transport, investments, tourism, agriculture, technologies, communications and innovations. We also discussed the prospects for further enhancing these relations, especially in the fields of trade and economy.

During the meeting, I expressed my sincere gratitude for India’s firm and unwavering support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Obviously, during the meeting I thanked the Indian government and the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, as well as all representatives of the Indian side, including the Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry of Culture and the Indian Archaeological Agency, who, through close coordination with the Georgian Embassy in India, were involved in returning the one part of holy relics of St. Queen Ketevan to the Georgian nation.

We also exchanged our views on the current and important regional and global developments. We are attentively watching the latest developments in the region of South Asia, especially with regard to Afghanistan. Being a reliable and responsible member of the international community, also recognising the rapidly deteriorating environment in Afghanistan and anticipating the needs of our many partners in NATO and Europe, Georgia initiated an interagency task force responsible for supporting the transit operation with all necessary measures. Working with other NATO member states, we rapidly transformed part of the facilities at Tbilisi International Airport to process, feed, service, provide sanitary facilities and medical treatment and care for evacuees from Afghanistan.&nbsp;

A Georgian military base adjacent to the Tbilisi International Airport immediately became committed to the humanitarian care efforts by erecting enormous, multi-purpose tents to host, feed and accommodate evacuees on an emergency basis. &nbsp;Evacuees were provided with the temporary accommodations on the territory of Georgia. In the maelstrom of the mass evacuation from Kabul Airport, Georgia undertook more than 20 return flights between Tbilisi and Kabul, facilitating the evacuation of more than 2,500 people. During these flights Georgia’s airspace and its territory were used as a transit route from Afghanistan. Our country became an important regional hub and focal point for the evacuation of many nationals representing different countries. The efforts of the Georgian government were highly appreciated by our friends and international partners, including USA, Norway, Finland, EU, NATO and other countries or international organisations. &nbsp;&nbsp;

WION:&nbsp;EAM gave the relics of Holy Relic of St. Queen Ketevan. How do you see the development? This has been a long-standing request of Georgia.

David Zalkaliani: Yes, indeed, the visit was marked by a very important cultural event which has highest spiritual significance for the Georgians, namely, a part of the holy relics of the Great-Martyr St. Ketevan, Queen of Georgia was handled to Georgia and to the Georgian nation on the permanent basis and for free. I would like to extend my special gratitude to my Indian colleague, Minister of External Affairs, Dr. S. Jaishankar for this valuable gesture to bring the holy relics to Georgia. The Georgian people have been waiting for this day for a long time and I am really delighted to note that the above gesture of goodwill from the Indian government is a result of our mutual commitment and spirit of strong cooperation. Georgia and India have strong historical ties dating back to ancient times. The discovery and subsequent return to Georgia exemplify yet another powerful basis of the unbreakable bond of friendship between our countries and people.

It is worth mentioning that the entire process, from the search and excavation to the authentication of the Relics, was time-consuming and took enormous efforts and hard work on the part of India and Georgia alike. We want to express utmost appreciation to those in India who were involved in the process and made an invaluable contribution to this historic event. We will always remember this kind and generous gesture from the Indian side, the unprecedented decision taken by the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi. In the framework of the visit, the Minister S. Jaishankar attended the official ceremony of handling the part of the Holy Relics to the Georgian Orthodox Church that was held at the Sameba "Trinity" Cathedral.

WION: Can we expect a high level visit from Georgia anytime soon?

David Zalkaliani: We attach high importance to further exchanging bilateral visits between Georgia and India. Hopefully, with the consideration of the global pandemic situation, we will be able to schedule a high level visit from Georgia to India in the near future.

WION: What kind of practical cooperation is expected between the two sides?

David Zalkaliani: Our countries enjoy very fruitful cooperation in different fields but obviously there is a big potential for expanding more practical cooperation. We see a lot of potential in boosting mutually fruitful cooperation in the fields of innovations and informational technologies, defense and security, agriculture, healthcare, education, science etc. Deepening of cultural ties and people-to-people exchanges as well as development of tourism between our countries is also extremely important. Our embassy in New Delhi is actively working with the Indian side in order to launch the direct commercial flights between Georgia and India. The launch of the direct flights will further facilitate the development of people-to-people contacts, tourism, educational and cinematographic cooperation and will help us achieve the higher level of trade-economic cooperation as well. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

We attach high importance to the further development of cultural relations between Georgia and India. In this regard, it is important to mention that with the efforts of the Georgian embassy and thanks to the perfect cooperation with the relevant Indian institutions. In 2020, the first ever Hindi translation of the epic Georgian poem "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" was published in India. This is an extremely important and noteworthy event since it identifies those historical and cultural-economic ties which existed as bridges for centuries between our civilisations. This story is a typical Indian narrative and one of its archetypes can be found in the ancient Indian epic "Ramayana", love story of Rama and Sita. Our embassy is also planning to foster the translation of the Georgian poem in other languages of India. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Georgia's Vice Prime Minister and foreign minister David Zalkaliani has expressed confidence on signing a free trade agreement with India which he said will "greatly contribute to the further development of our economic cooperation".

Georgia's Vice Prime Minister and foreign minister David Zalkaliani has expressed confidence on signing a free trade agreement with India which he said will "greatly contribute to the further development of our economic cooperation". The Georgian embassy is currently coordinating for the first round of online negotiations between the Indian commerce ministry and the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia. Speaking exclusively to WION's Sidhant Sibal, Zalkaliani pitched for connectivity between the two countries saying, "(I) would like to underline also the importance of implementing multi-modal connectivity projects and exploiting the transit and transport potential of Georgia. In this regard, I mean the location of Georgia. Let me stress the importance of developing the south–west corridor project, primarily in the context of India." In July, India's external affairs minister Dr Jaishankar had visited Georgia, the first such visit from the Indian side since the independence of the country in the 1990s. During the visit, EAM handed over part of the relics of St. Queen Ketevan to government. St. Ketevan was a 17th century Georgian Queen martyred in Iran's Shiraz with her remains brought to Goa by the Portuguese in 1627. On that development, Zalkaliani said, "The Georgian people have been waiting for this day for a long time and I am really delighted to note that the above gesture of goodwill from the Indian government is a result of our mutual commitment and spirit of strong cooperation." WION: How do you see India-Georgia ties panning out in future? David Zalkaliani: India and Georgia enjoy centuries-old friendly relationship. I am quite sure that despite the geographic distance between Georgia and India, we can do much more and share a lot together, making the interaction even more result-oriented. Our countries could give one of the best examples in this regard. I think that the development of bilateral trade and economic cooperation should be a top priority in the agenda of our bilateral relations. Unfortunately, the low numbers in the bilateral trade turnover between India and Georgia do not really reflect the existing high potential for the development of trade relations. Along with dynamically developing political relations, quite a solid legal base was laid for the development of bilateral trade and economic relations as well. Several memorandums of understanding were signed in recent years between the various trade communities of Georgia and India. So, with joint efforts, all this should be materialised and become much more result oriented in the near future. I am confident that the signing of the Free Trade Agreement between Georgia and India will greatly contribute to the further development of our economic cooperation. The embassy is closely cooperating and coordinating with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of India, as well as with the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia in order to plan the first round of online negotiations in the near future. We would welcome more direct investments from India to Georgia, as well as the establishment of joint ventures. In the recent years, important direct investments were made from India, mainly in the energy sector. At the same time, we are also eager to promote the exports of Georgian products to the Indian market, especially the agricultural products and the Georgian wine. I would also like to underline the importance of implementing multi-modal connectivity projects and exploiting the transit and transport potential of Georgia. In this regard, I mean the location of Georgia. Let me stress the importance of developing the south–west corridor project, primarily in the context of India. The main role of the south–west corridor is the realisation of goods transportation between EU countries and India. I believe that in the context of raising the connectivity, the establishment of fruitful cooperation between the Georgian and Indian ports will be also extremely important. WION: How will EAM Jaishankar's visit consolidate the ties? David Zalkaliani: The first ever historical visit of the Indian Minister of Foreign Affairs to Georgia held on July 9-10, 2021 is a clear proof of dynamically developing bilateral relationship and friendship between our two countries and nations. The visit can be considered extremely important in terms of further strengthening our political and economic relations as well as cultural ties and people-to-people exchanges. Dr S. Jaishankar, besides meeting with me, also held high-level meetings with the top officials of the Georgian government and Parliament, namely, with the President of Georgia, H.E. Ms Salome Zourabichvili, with the Prime Minister of Georgia, H.E. Mr Irakli Garibashvili and with the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, Ms Natia Turnava. I am confident that the institutional meetings held in the framework of the visit will give additional impetus to the future development of our bilateral cooperation in different fields and sectors. I also hope that the visit of the Indian Minister of Foreign Affairs will accelerate the establishment of the Indian Embassy in Georgia. WION: What were the ongoing conversations between you and your Indian counterpart? David Zalkaliani: We discussed a very wide range of issues in the agenda of our bilateral and multilateral relations and noted with satisfaction the increasing dynamics of our bilateral relations in different fields, including the political, economic, cultural, educational and legal areas. Me and my Indian colleague highly appraised ongoing cooperation in the sectors of transport, investments, tourism, agriculture, technologies, communications and innovations. We also discussed the prospects for further enhancing these relations, especially in the fields of trade and economy. During the meeting, I expressed my sincere gratitude for India’s firm and unwavering support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Obviously, during the meeting I thanked the Indian government and the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, as well as all representatives of the Indian side, including the Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry of Culture and the Indian Archaeological Agency, who, through close coordination with the Georgian Embassy in India, were involved in returning the one part of holy relics of St. Queen Ketevan to the Georgian nation. We also exchanged our views on the current and important regional and global developments. We are attentively watching the latest developments in the region of South Asia, especially with regard to Afghanistan. Being a reliable and responsible member of the international community, also recognising the rapidly deteriorating environment in Afghanistan and anticipating the needs of our many partners in NATO and Europe, Georgia initiated an interagency task force responsible for supporting the transit operation with all necessary measures. Working with other NATO member states, we rapidly transformed part of the facilities at Tbilisi International Airport to process, feed, service, provide sanitary facilities and medical treatment and care for evacuees from Afghanistan. A Georgian military base adjacent to the Tbilisi International Airport immediately became committed to the humanitarian care efforts by erecting enormous, multi-purpose tents to host, feed and accommodate evacuees on an emergency basis. Evacuees were provided with the temporary accommodations on the territory of Georgia. In the maelstrom of the mass evacuation from Kabul Airport, Georgia undertook more than 20 return flights between Tbilisi and Kabul, facilitating the evacuation of more than 2,500 people. During these flights Georgia’s airspace and its territory were used as a transit route from Afghanistan. Our country became an important regional hub and focal point for the evacuation of many nationals representing different countries. The efforts of the Georgian government were highly appreciated by our friends and international partners, including USA, Norway, Finland, EU, NATO and other countries or international organisations. WION: EAM gave the relics of Holy Relic of St. Queen Ketevan. How do you see the development? This has been a long-standing request of Georgia. David Zalkaliani: Yes, indeed, the visit was marked by a very important cultural event which has highest spiritual significance for the Georgians, namely, a part of the holy relics of the Great-Martyr St. Ketevan, Queen of Georgia was handled to Georgia and to the Georgian nation on the permanent basis and for free. I would like to extend my special gratitude to my Indian colleague, Minister of External Affairs, Dr. S. Jaishankar for this valuable gesture to bring the holy relics to Georgia. The Georgian people have been waiting for this day for a long time and I am really delighted to note that the above gesture of goodwill from the Indian government is a result of our mutual commitment and spirit of strong cooperation. Georgia and India have strong historical ties dating back to ancient times. The discovery and subsequent return to Georgia exemplify yet another powerful basis of the unbreakable bond of friendship between our countries and people. It is worth mentioning that the entire process, from the search and excavation to the authentication of the Relics, was time-consuming and took enormous efforts and hard work on the part of India and Georgia alike. We want to express utmost appreciation to those in India who were involved in the process and made an invaluable contribution to this historic event. We will always remember this kind and generous gesture from the Indian side, the unprecedented decision taken by the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi. In the framework of the visit, the Minister S. Jaishankar attended the official ceremony of handling the part of the Holy Relics to the Georgian Orthodox Church that was held at the Sameba "Trinity" Cathedral. WION: Can we expect a high level visit from Georgia anytime soon? David Zalkaliani: We attach high importance to further exchanging bilateral visits between Georgia and India. Hopefully, with the consideration of the global pandemic situation, we will be able to schedule a high level visit from Georgia to India in the near future. WION: What kind of practical cooperation is expected between the two sides? David Zalkaliani: Our countries enjoy very fruitful cooperation in different fields but obviously there is a big potential for expanding more practical cooperation. We see a lot of potential in boosting mutually fruitful cooperation in the fields of innovations and informational technologies, defense and security, agriculture, healthcare, education, science etc. Deepening of cultural ties and people-to-people exchanges as well as development of tourism between our countries is also extremely important. Our embassy in New Delhi is actively working with the Indian side in order to launch the direct commercial flights between Georgia and India. The launch of the direct flights will further facilitate the development of people-to-people contacts, tourism, educational and cinematographic cooperation and will help us achieve the higher level of trade-economic cooperation as well. We attach high importance to the further development of cultural relations between Georgia and India. In this regard, it is important to mention that with the efforts of the Georgian embassy and thanks to the perfect cooperation with the relevant Indian institutions. In 2020, the first ever Hindi translation of the epic Georgian poem "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" was published in India. This is an extremely important and noteworthy event since it identifies those historical and cultural-economic ties which existed as bridges for centuries between our civilisations. This story is a typical Indian narrative and one of its archetypes can be found in the ancient Indian epic "Ramayana", love story of Rama and Sita. Our embassy is also planning to foster the translation of the Georgian poem in other languages of India.

'Confident of signing FTA with India,' says Georgia's Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani

Demanding&nbsp;prime minister's resignation over the death of a journalist attacked and beaten by anti-LGBT protesters,&nbsp;several thousand people protested in front of the Georgian parliament on Sunday evening.

According to the TV Pirveli channel, their&nbsp;cameraman Alexander Lashkarava was found dead in his home by his mother earlier on Sunday.

Several dozen journalists were attacked on last Monday by opponents of an LGBT march, which was scheduled to take place&nbsp;in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi.&nbsp;Lashkarava was one of them.

Tbilisi March For Dignity organisers cancelled the event. They said&nbsp;authorities had not provided adequate security guarantees.

Along with blocking off the capital's main avenue,&nbsp;the march's&nbsp;opponents denounced journalists covering the protest as pro-LGBT propagandists. They also&nbsp;threw sticks and bottles at them.

According to colleague&nbsp;Miranda Baghaturia,&nbsp;Lashkarava&nbsp;was beaten by a mob of 20 people. There were bruises on his face and blood on the floor around him, as shown by&nbsp;local TV channels.

He sustained multiple injuries and had to undergo surgery but was later discharged from the hospital on Thursday, as per media reports.&nbsp;The cause of death was not immediately clear.

Georgia's Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and President Salome Zurabishvili have described his death as 'a tragedy'. Meanwhile, police have launched an investigation into Lashkarava's death.

(With inputs from agencies)

Demanding prime minister's resignation over the death of a journalist attacked and beaten by anti-LGBT protesters, several thousand people protested in front of the Georgian parliament on Sunday evening.

Demanding prime minister's resignation over the death of a journalist attacked and beaten by anti-LGBT protesters, several thousand people protested in front of the Georgian parliament on Sunday evening. According to the TV Pirveli channel, their cameraman Alexander Lashkarava was found dead in his home by his mother earlier on Sunday. Several dozen journalists were attacked on last Monday by opponents of an LGBT march, which was scheduled to take place in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi. Lashkarava was one of them. Tbilisi March For Dignity organisers cancelled the event. They said authorities had not provided adequate security guarantees. Along with blocking off the capital's main avenue, the march's opponents denounced journalists covering the protest as pro-LGBT propagandists. They also threw sticks and bottles at them. According to colleague Miranda Baghaturia, Lashkarava was beaten by a mob of 20 people. There were bruises on his face and blood on the floor around him, as shown by local TV channels. He sustained multiple injuries and had to undergo surgery but was later discharged from the hospital on Thursday, as per media reports. The cause of death was not immediately clear. Georgia's Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and President Salome Zurabishvili have described his death as 'a tragedy'. Meanwhile, police have launched an investigation into Lashkarava's death. (With inputs from agencies)

Georgia witnesses protests as scribe beaten up by anti-LGBT group dies

Georgia: Thousands demand resignation of government after death of TV cameraman

In a moving ceremony, India's external affairs minister Dr. S. Jaishankar on Friday handed over the holy relic of St. Queen Ketevan to the Government of Georgia.

Indian FM begins Georgia visit: India hands holy relic to Georgia

In a mega ceremony with pomp and splendor in Georgia's capital Tbilisi, India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar officially handed over part of the relics of St Queen Ketevan to government. St Ketevan was a 17th century Georgian Queen martyred in Iran's Shiraz with her remains having been brought to Goa by the Portuguese in 1627.

Speaking at the ceremony at the Sameba Holy Trinity Cathedral, Jaishankar said, "Given the immense spiritual value that this relic holds for the people of Georgia, we had kept this sacred heritage as our own. The martyrdom of St Queen Ketevan is a story of courage and sacrifice." The event saw the participation of Georgia's top political and religious leaders including His Holiness Beatitude Ilia II, the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia.

While a part of the relic has been permanently handed over, a part remains in India.

"One part of the holy relics still remain in India as a reminder of our shared past", said Jaishankar adding, "The presence of some of the relics in India and Georgia is a bridge of faith between our two countries"

This is the first visit of an Indian external affairs minister to the country since the country's independence in 1991. During the visit, Jaishankar held talks with his Georgian counterpart David Zalkaliani. The last time any Indian EAM and Georgian foreign minister met was in Delhi in 2000. The meet was between the then Georgian FM Irakli Menagarishvili &amp; Indian External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh.

Connectivity was the key focus of the talks in Tblisi, with EAM at the joint presser alongside PM Irakli Garibashvili saying, "We had a discussion on connectivity...And whether it is land, maritime or air connectivity, I think we have agreed that it is in our mutual interest to promote it and to do so expeditiously."

There are 8000 Indian students in Georgia. A number of Indian movies have been shot in the country.

EAM thanked the Georgian govt for the "care that you have taken of the Indian student community" amid the Covid pandemic, saying "you went the extra mile to look after our students in many cases help them come back home and then come back to Georgia for their studies and I do want on their behalf to really convey our appreciation."

The country has a number of investments in hydroelectricity, steel, power transmission and power sector.&nbsp; 
Lauding the country's pro-investment policies, EAM said, "I really applaud your ranking, I am sure that if there was a wider appreciation of that in India you would see an even more enthusiastic business interest in India."

In a mega ceremony with pomp and splendor in Georgia's capital Tbilisi, India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar officially handed over part of the relics of St Queen Ketevan to government.

In a mega ceremony with pomp and splendor in Georgia's capital Tbilisi, India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar officially handed over part of the relics of St Queen Ketevan to government. St Ketevan was a 17th century Georgian Queen martyred in Iran's Shiraz with her remains having been brought to Goa by the Portuguese in 1627. Speaking at the ceremony at the Sameba Holy Trinity Cathedral, Jaishankar said, "Given the immense spiritual value that this relic holds for the people of Georgia, we had kept this sacred heritage as our own. The martyrdom of St Queen Ketevan is a story of courage and sacrifice." The event saw the participation of Georgia's top political and religious leaders including His Holiness Beatitude Ilia II, the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia. While a part of the relic has been permanently handed over, a part remains in India. "One part of the holy relics still remain in India as a reminder of our shared past", said Jaishankar adding, "The presence of some of the relics in India and Georgia is a bridge of faith between our two countries" This is the first visit of an Indian external affairs minister to the country since the country's independence in 1991. During the visit, Jaishankar held talks with his Georgian counterpart David Zalkaliani. The last time any Indian EAM and Georgian foreign minister met was in Delhi in 2000. The meet was between the then Georgian FM Irakli Menagarishvili & Indian External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh. Connectivity was the key focus of the talks in Tblisi, with EAM at the joint presser alongside PM Irakli Garibashvili saying, "We had a discussion on connectivity...And whether it is land, maritime or air connectivity, I think we have agreed that it is in our mutual interest to promote it and to do so expeditiously." There are 8000 Indian students in Georgia. A number of Indian movies have been shot in the country. EAM thanked the Georgian govt for the "care that you have taken of the Indian student community" amid the Covid pandemic, saying "you went the extra mile to look after our students in many cases help them come back home and then come back to Georgia for their studies and I do want on their behalf to really convey our appreciation." The country has a number of investments in hydroelectricity, steel, power transmission and power sector. Lauding the country's pro-investment policies, EAM said, "I really applaud your ranking, I am sure that if there was a wider appreciation of that in India you would see an even more enthusiastic business interest in India."

Martyrdom of St Queen Ketevan is a story of courage: EAM Jaishankar

Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar is on two days visit to Georgia. On his arrival to Georgia S Jaishankar handed over the relic of Saint Queen Ketevan to the government of Georgia. Watch this report to know more.

S Jaishankar hands holy relic of Saint Queen Ketevan to government of Georgia

British destroyer ship Defender docked at Georgian port of Batumi on Saturday. This is the same destroyer that angered Russia by sailing through waters off Crimea.

Russia said it had fired warning shots at the Defender, and later threatened to bomb British naval vessels in the Black Sea if there were further "provocative" actions off Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014. The peninsula is still recognised internationally as part of Ukraine.

Defender's commander Vince Owen said that British Navy was committed to "providing reassurances and security in the region, and incredible deterrence to those who seek to undermine global security"

On Wednesday, Russia had dropped bombs in Defender's path on Wednesday as it was passing Crimea. Russia considered Defender's movements an incursion into Russian waters.

Britain said the Defender had sailed through waters belonging to Ukraine, and that any shots fired had been part of a pre-announced Russian gunnery exercise. It said no bombs had been dropped.

(With inputs from agencies)

British destroyer ship Defender docked at Georgian port of Batumi on Saturday. This is the same destroyer that angered Russia by sailing through waters off Crimea.

British destroyer ship Defender docked at Georgian port of Batumi on Saturday. This is the same destroyer that angered Russia by sailing through waters off Crimea. Russia said it had fired warning shots at the Defender, and later threatened to bomb British naval vessels in the Black Sea if there were further "provocative" actions off Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014. The peninsula is still recognised internationally as part of Ukraine. Defender's commander Vince Owen said that British Navy was committed to "providing reassurances and security in the region, and incredible deterrence to those who seek to undermine global security" On Wednesday, Russia had dropped bombs in Defender's path on Wednesday as it was passing Crimea. Russia considered Defender's movements an incursion into Russian waters. Britain said the Defender had sailed through waters belonging to Ukraine, and that any shots fired had been part of a pre-announced Russian gunnery exercise. It said no bombs had been dropped. (With inputs from agencies)

British navy destroyer that angered Russia docks in Georgia

The US Justice Department announced Friday it was suing the state of&nbsp;Georgia&nbsp;over new election laws it charged would discriminate against African Americans.

The laws were passed in March by the Republican-dominated state legislature after Democrat Joe Biden stunned Republican incumbent Donald Trump by capturing&nbsp;Georgia&nbsp;in the November 2020 presidential election, helped in part by a strong turnout of Black voters.

The Justice Department charged that the new laws were passed with discriminatory intent with little study or debate, and would make voting harder in largely Black precincts compared to predominantly white areas.

"The rights of all citizens to vote are the central pillars of our democracy," said Attorney General Merrick Garland.

"Our complaint alleges that recent changes to&nbsp;Georgia's election laws were enacted with the purpose of denying or abridging the right of Black Georgians to vote on account of their race or color," Garland said.

US Justice Department challenges Georgia voting rules

He said the department was studying new voting legislation in other states and would also sue if constitutional violations were seen.

"We will not hesitate to act," he said.

Collision course&nbsp;

The eruption of the coronavirus pandemic in the middle of an election year saw many states expand early voting and voting by mail, making it easier for the public to obtain and deliver ballots.

While that benefitted both parties, some Republicans including Trump believe it was to their disadvantage, and have pushed for tighter restrictions on how, when and where Americans can vote.

Trump continues to allege vote fraud in&nbsp;Georgia, but despite reviews, investigations and recounts, no significant fraud or irregularity has been uncovered.

The decision to sue in federal court put the Justice Department on a collision course with several Republican-led states attempting to enact new voting laws in the wake of last year's election.

Voting practices in the United States are mostly governed by individual states, as long as they respect constitutional equal rights principles.

If the department wins, the laws are judged illegal -- but the states can appeal all the way to the Supreme Court.&nbsp;

Earlier this week, the Biden administration failed in an effort to pass legislation in Congress to protect voting rights and expand ballot access, as Republicans in the narrowly split Senate united to keep the bill from moving forward.

Garland also announced that the Justice Department is ordering federal prosecutors around the country to prosecute cases of threats against voting officials and poll volunteers, amid a "dramatic increase" in such incidents.

Republicans accused Democrats of using the lawsuit to pursue their own power.

"Joe Biden is now weaponizing the Justice Department to attack election integrity," said Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel in a statement.

Trump meanwhile repeated his unproven claims of ballot fraud.

"It should be the other way around!" Trump said in a statement

"The people of&nbsp;Georgia&nbsp;should sue the State, and their elected officials, for running a corrupt and rigged 2020 presidential election."

The US Justice Department announced Friday it was suing the state of Georgia over new election laws it charged would discriminate against African Americans. The laws were passed in March by the Republican-dominated state legislature after Democrat Joe Biden stunned Republican incumbent Donald Trump by capturing Georgia in the November 2020 presidential election, helped in part by a strong turnout of Black voters.

The US Justice Department announced Friday it was suing the state of Georgia over new election laws it charged would discriminate against African Americans. The laws were passed in March by the Republican-dominated state legislature after Democrat Joe Biden stunned Republican incumbent Donald Trump by capturing Georgia in the November 2020 presidential election, helped in part by a strong turnout of Black voters. The Justice Department charged that the new laws were passed with discriminatory intent with little study or debate, and would make voting harder in largely Black precincts compared to predominantly white areas. "The rights of all citizens to vote are the central pillars of our democracy," said Attorney General Merrick Garland. "Our complaint alleges that recent changes to Georgia's election laws were enacted with the purpose of denying or abridging the right of Black Georgians to vote on account of their race or color," Garland said. US Justice Department challenges Georgia voting rules He said the department was studying new voting legislation in other states and would also sue if constitutional violations were seen. "We will not hesitate to act," he said. Collision course The eruption of the coronavirus pandemic in the middle of an election year saw many states expand early voting and voting by mail, making it easier for the public to obtain and deliver ballots. While that benefitted both parties, some Republicans including Trump believe it was to their disadvantage, and have pushed for tighter restrictions on how, when and where Americans can vote. Trump continues to allege vote fraud in Georgia, but despite reviews, investigations and recounts, no significant fraud or irregularity has been uncovered. The decision to sue in federal court put the Justice Department on a collision course with several Republican-led states attempting to enact new voting laws in the wake of last year's election. Voting practices in the United States are mostly governed by individual states, as long as they respect constitutional equal rights principles. If the department wins, the laws are judged illegal -- but the states can appeal all the way to the Supreme Court. Earlier this week, the Biden administration failed in an effort to pass legislation in Congress to protect voting rights and expand ballot access, as Republicans in the narrowly split Senate united to keep the bill from moving forward. Garland also announced that the Justice Department is ordering federal prosecutors around the country to prosecute cases of threats against voting officials and poll volunteers, amid a "dramatic increase" in such incidents. Republicans accused Democrats of using the lawsuit to pursue their own power. "Joe Biden is now weaponizing the Justice Department to attack election integrity," said Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel in a statement. Trump meanwhile repeated his unproven claims of ballot fraud. "It should be the other way around!" Trump said in a statement "The people of Georgia should sue the State, and their elected officials, for running a corrupt and rigged 2020 presidential election."

US Justice Department challenges Georgia voting rules

Georgians mourned Monday the death of famed scriptwriter, puppeteer and painter Rezo Gabriadze whose internationally acclaimed productions deeply marked the Caucasus nation's cultural landscape.

He died Sunday aged 84, his family told the First Channel of Georgia's public television.

A rare example of intellectual and artistic freedom in the tightly-controlled Soviet empire, Gabriadze's creative work spanned cinema, theatre, painting and literature.

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili led tributes to Gabriadze Monday writing on Facebook that "Georgian culture has suffered an immense loss."

Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili expressed condolences to Gabriadze's family, calling him "a great artist whose huge talent produced numerous masterpieces."

"Warmth, kindness, and love have been the fulcrum of Rezo Gabriadze's creative work," he said in a statement Sunday.

Gabriadze's friend, writer and linguist Levan Berdzenishvili, Monday praised to AFP Gabriadze's "luminous and versatile talent that combined incomparable humour and melancholy."

Gabriadze wrote 35 screenplays over his decades-long career including iconic Soviet-era comic films like cult science fiction movie "Kin-dza-dza" and "Mimino," a tale of a provincial helicopter pilot's bid to fly commercial airliners in Moscow.

Gabriadze won worldwide recognition and international acclaim touring with numerous plays he staged in Tbilisi's Puppet Theatre, which he founded in the Georgian capital in 1981 and headed until his death.

His theatrical productions included the Autumn of Our Springtime, based on his post-WW2 childhood memories in his native city of Kutaisi.

The New York Times described another production, The Battle of Stalingrad, as a "timeless elegy with the delicacy of lacework whose effect is beautiful, poignant and lingering."

Gabriadze was awarded Georgia's pre-eminent decoration in the fields of arts and literature, the Rustaveli Prize, and the French Order of Arts and Letters.

Georgians mourned Monday the death of famed scriptwriter, puppeteer and painter Rezo Gabriadze whose internationally acclaimed productions deeply marked the Caucasus nation's cultural landscape.

Georgians mourned Monday the death of famed scriptwriter, puppeteer and painter Rezo Gabriadze whose internationally acclaimed productions deeply marked the Caucasus nation's cultural landscape. He died Sunday aged 84, his family told the First Channel of Georgia's public television. A rare example of intellectual and artistic freedom in the tightly-controlled Soviet empire, Gabriadze's creative work spanned cinema, theatre, painting and literature. Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili led tributes to Gabriadze Monday writing on Facebook that "Georgian culture has suffered an immense loss." Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili expressed condolences to Gabriadze's family, calling him "a great artist whose huge talent produced numerous masterpieces." "Warmth, kindness, and love have been the fulcrum of Rezo Gabriadze's creative work," he said in a statement Sunday. Gabriadze's friend, writer and linguist Levan Berdzenishvili, Monday praised to AFP Gabriadze's "luminous and versatile talent that combined incomparable humour and melancholy." Gabriadze wrote 35 screenplays over his decades-long career including iconic Soviet-era comic films like cult science fiction movie "Kin-dza-dza" and "Mimino," a tale of a provincial helicopter pilot's bid to fly commercial airliners in Moscow. Gabriadze won worldwide recognition and international acclaim touring with numerous plays he staged in Tbilisi's Puppet Theatre, which he founded in the Georgian capital in 1981 and headed until his death. His theatrical productions included the Autumn of Our Springtime, based on his post-WW2 childhood memories in his native city of Kutaisi. The New York Times described another production, The Battle of Stalingrad, as a "timeless elegy with the delicacy of lacework whose effect is beautiful, poignant and lingering." Gabriadze was awarded Georgia's pre-eminent decoration in the fields of arts and literature, the Rustaveli Prize, and the French Order of Arts and Letters.

Georgia mourns iconic scriptwriter and puppeteer Rezo Gabriadze

The EU and US jointly called on lawmakers in Georgia to sign on to a compromise agreement to be proposed Sunday to resolve a protracted political crisis in the Caucasus country.

"The European Union and the United States call on all members of Georgia's parliament to sign the agreement that European Council President (Charles) Michel will propose today," the joint statement by spokespeople for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and the US State Department said.

The united EU-US front on the issue underlined growing consultation between Brussels and Washington on regions skirting Russia's southern and western borders.

Georgia, an ex-Soviet country that sits to the east of Europe, has been in the grip of a crisis since parliamentary polls in October, which the opposition said were rigged to keep the ruling Georgian Dream party in power.

Opposition parties have demanded snap elections and refused to enter the newly elected parliament.&nbsp;

The crisis deepened in February with the arrest and trial of the leader of the main opposition grouping, Nika Melia, on accusations of fomenting violence during 2019 anti-government protests.

Georgia's prime minister resigned and thousands of opposition supporters rallied in the capital Tbilisi in February to protest Melia's arrest.

EU chief Michel has taken on a mediation role between Georgia's government and opposition to try to rein in the tensions and prevent a perceived backsliding on democracy commitments by the country.

'Courage' needed

The EU-US statement said the compromise agreement to be unveiled was one that all Georgian lawmakers would be able to sign up to "in good faith".&nbsp;

But it said they would need to demonstrate "courage" by backing it over partisan considerations.

The statement said the proposed reforms would bolster the independence of Georgia's judiciary, improve electoral processes and contribute to "a parliament that can better reflect the voices of all people of Georgia".

The proposed agreement, posted to the website of the European External Action Service headed by Borrell, stated its aims as helping Georgia meet challenges thrown up by the Covid pandemic and addressing its "security and stability interests in the midst of regional challenges".

It commits signatories to, within a week, resolving cases of "perceived politicised justice" from the 2019 protests through amnesties or similar measures for convictions, and requiring more than a simple majority to lift parliamentary immunity.

"The parties acknowledge their differing assessment of the 2020 elections and agree to take up their parliamentary mandates and participate in future elections on the basis of the electoral reform agreed here," it says.

It calls for "fully proportional" elections for parliament and "clear criteria" for ballot recounts, as well as allowing "trusted invited domestic and international experts" to review election disputes, among a raft of other proposals to be completed before local elections in October.

Early parliamentary elections should be called in 2022 if the Georgian Dream party scores less than 43 per cent in the October polls, it says.&nbsp;

Power-sharing in parliament, under which opposition MPs would chair five committees, including key ones relating to either foreign relations, rights, or budget, is also set out.

The text also stipulates reforms to improve the judicial system with a pause on appointments to the supreme court until new legislation is passed ensuring better transparency, to be adopted within a year.&nbsp;

The EU and US jointly called on lawmakers in Georgia to sign on to a compromise agreement to be proposed Sunday to resolve a protracted political crisis in the Caucasus country.

The EU and US jointly called on lawmakers in Georgia to sign on to a compromise agreement to be proposed Sunday to resolve a protracted political crisis in the Caucasus country. "The European Union and the United States call on all members of Georgia's parliament to sign the agreement that European Council President (Charles) Michel will propose today," the joint statement by spokespeople for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and the US State Department said. The united EU-US front on the issue underlined growing consultation between Brussels and Washington on regions skirting Russia's southern and western borders. Georgia, an ex-Soviet country that sits to the east of Europe, has been in the grip of a crisis since parliamentary polls in October, which the opposition said were rigged to keep the ruling Georgian Dream party in power. Opposition parties have demanded snap elections and refused to enter the newly elected parliament. The crisis deepened in February with the arrest and trial of the leader of the main opposition grouping, Nika Melia, on accusations of fomenting violence during 2019 anti-government protests. Georgia's prime minister resigned and thousands of opposition supporters rallied in the capital Tbilisi in February to protest Melia's arrest. EU chief Michel has taken on a mediation role between Georgia's government and opposition to try to rein in the tensions and prevent a perceived backsliding on democracy commitments by the country. 'Courage' needed The EU-US statement said the compromise agreement to be unveiled was one that all Georgian lawmakers would be able to sign up to "in good faith". But it said they would need to demonstrate "courage" by backing it over partisan considerations. The statement said the proposed reforms would bolster the independence of Georgia's judiciary, improve electoral processes and contribute to "a parliament that can better reflect the voices of all people of Georgia". The proposed agreement, posted to the website of the European External Action Service headed by Borrell, stated its aims as helping Georgia meet challenges thrown up by the Covid pandemic and addressing its "security and stability interests in the midst of regional challenges". It commits signatories to, within a week, resolving cases of "perceived politicised justice" from the 2019 protests through amnesties or similar measures for convictions, and requiring more than a simple majority to lift parliamentary immunity. "The parties acknowledge their differing assessment of the 2020 elections and agree to take up their parliamentary mandates and participate in future elections on the basis of the electoral reform agreed here," it says. It calls for "fully proportional" elections for parliament and "clear criteria" for ballot recounts, as well as allowing "trusted invited domestic and international experts" to review election disputes, among a raft of other proposals to be completed before local elections in October. Early parliamentary elections should be called in 2022 if the Georgian Dream party scores less than 43 per cent in the October polls, it says. Power-sharing in parliament, under which opposition MPs would chair five committees, including key ones relating to either foreign relations, rights, or budget, is also set out. The text also stipulates reforms to improve the judicial system with a pause on appointments to the supreme court until new legislation is passed ensuring better transparency, to be adopted within a year.

EU, US call on Georgia lawmakers to sign compromise pact

The fight over voting rights is emerging as one of the defining conflicts of the Biden era, and Georgia fired the opening shot with a set of new restrictions underscoring the political, legal and financial clashes that will influence whether Republicans retake Congress and the White House.

President Joe Biden on Friday called Georgia’s new law an “attack on the Constitution” and said the Justice Department was “taking a look” at Republican voting efforts in the state, without offering any specifics.

“This is Jim Crow in the 21st century, it must end,” Biden said, a day after Gov. Brian Kemp signed the bill into law. “I will take my case to the American people — including Republicans who joined the broadest coalition of voters ever in this past election to put country before party.

“If you have the best ideas, you have nothing to hide. Let the people vote.”

Civil rights groups immediately challenged the Georgia law in federal court, backed by prominent Democratic voting rights lawyers. Several Black leaders described the legal skirmishes to come as an existential fight for representation, saying the law clearly puts a target on Black and brown voters. Protests against voting restrictions unfolded this week in state capitols like Austin, Texas, and Atlanta, and more lawsuits are expected.

In more than 24 states, Republican-led legislatures are advancing bills in a broad political effort that is the most aggressive attack on the right to vote since the civil rights movement of the 1960s. It follows months of Republican efforts to tarnish Biden’s presidential victory, which scores of high-level GOP officials still refuse to acknowledge as legitimate.

Democrats, who have limited power in many state capitols, are looking to Biden and congressional Democrats for a new federal law to protect voting. Many in the party see the fight over voting as not just a moral cause but also a political one, given their narrow margins of victory in presidential and Senate elections in Georgia, Arizona and other battlegrounds.

Georgia’s sweeping new provisions, passed by a Republican-controlled Legislature, represent the most substantive overhaul of a battleground state’s voting system since last November’s election. It would impose stricter voter identification requirements for absentee balloting, limit drop boxes, and forbid giving water and snacks to voters waiting in line.

But in a state where former President Donald Trump tried to persuade Republican election officials to reverse his loss, the measure went even further: It shifts the power and oversight of elections to the Legislature by stripping the secretary of state from chairing the state Board of Elections and authorizing the Legislature to name members to the board. It further empowers the state Board of Elections to have sweeping jurisdiction over county elections boards, including the authority to suspend officials.

Biden on Friday called Georgia’s new voting restrictions “un-American,” and sought to tie them to the Democrats’ push in Washington to enact the federal voting rights bill, which the House passed this month. The measure would put in place a raft of requirements intended to protect voting rights, including weakening restrictive state identification requirements, expanding early and mail-in voting and restoring voting rights to former felons.

The president said the new Georgia law was expressly what the House bill was designed to prevent. While Democrats in Congress debate abolishing the filibuster in order to pass the voting rights bill through the Senate, Republican legislators in more than 40 states have introduced hundreds of bills targeting voting access and seizing authority over administering elections.

And another crucial conflict looms this fall: the fights over redistricting to account for growing and changing populations, and the gerrymandering that will allow partisan majorities to limit the impact of votes by packing or splitting up population centers.

The gerrymandering disputes will determine the look of the House and dozens of state legislatures, in many cases locking in majorities for the next decade.

Bitter struggles over voting rights loom even in states with Democratic governors who can veto the legislation. In Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, Republican-controlled legislatures are planning to advance restrictive bills, and new Republican governors would most likely sign them into law if they are elected next year.

“The 2020 election is behind us, but the war over the future of our democracy is escalating,” said Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat who is the secretary of state in Michigan, where Republicans this week introduced numerous proposed restrictions on voting. “For anyone to believe that they can sit down and rest because the 2020 election is behind need look no further than what happened in Georgia as an indication that our work is far from over.”

Republicans, borrowing language from their previous efforts at curtailing voting access, have described the new bills as a way to make voting easier while limiting fraud. Kemp, upon signing the bill into law, said it would “make it easier to vote and harder to cheat,” even though the state’s own Republican election officials found no substantive evidence of fraud.

Kemp on Friday pushed back at Biden’s criticism, saying, “There is nothing ‘Jim Crow’ about requiring a photo or state-issued ID to vote by absentee ballot.”

“President Biden, the left and the national media are determined to destroy the sanctity and security of the ballot box,” Kemp said. “As secretary of state, I consistently led the fight to protect Georgia elections against power-hungry, partisan activists.”

Jessica Anderson, executive director of Heritage Action for America, the political arm of the conservative Heritage Foundation, said Georgia would serve as a model for other Republican-run states.

“The country was watching closely what Georgia would do,” Anderson said in an interview. “The fact that they were able to get these reforms through sets the tone and puts Georgia in a leadership role for other states.”

The Justice Department was aware of Georgia’s voting law, a spokesperson said Friday, but provided no further comment. A White House official said the president, in his comments, was assuming this was an issue the department would review.

The department’s civil rights division would most likely have lawyers investigate whether to file an independent lawsuit, said Tom Perez, the former labor secretary who also previously ran the department’s Civil Rights Division during the Obama administration. It could also take part in the case that was filed by civil rights groups by filing a so-called statement of interest or moving to intervene as the plaintiff, he said.

But this is a precarious time for the federal protections in place. In 2013, the Supreme Court gutted one of the core provisions of the Voting Rights Act, clearing the runway for much of the current legislation aimed at restricting voting. The remaining protection, in Section 2 of the act, is facing a new challenge before the Supreme Court, with arguments heard last month.

The debate is also spilling over into the corporate arena. Activists across the country have been chastising companies they see as silent on the issue of voting rights. In Georgia on Friday, numerous civil rights groups and faith leaders issued a call to boycott some of the standard-bearers of the Georgia business community — including Coca-Cola — until they took action against the effort to restrict voting access.

(END OPTIONAL TRIM.)

The early battle lines are increasingly centering on two key states that flipped from Republican to Democratic in 2020, Arizona and Georgia. Those states are also home to large populations of voters of color, who have historically faced discriminatory laws at the polls.

Two battleground states that remained in Republican control in 2020 — Texas and Florida — are also moving forward with new laws restricting voting.

In Florida, lawmakers are looking to ban drop boxes and limit who can collect ballots for other voters, among other provisions, even after an election that the Republican chair of the state party touted as the “gold standard” and that Republicans won handily.

Blaise Ingoglia, a Republican state representative who has sponsored some of the legislation, said that while the election was successful, it was “not without challenges and problems that we think we needed to fix.” He cited the use of ballot drop boxes, which he helped write into law but he said were not adequately being administered.

“They said the same thing with the last election bill, that we wrote it and they said it was voter suppression, and the exact opposite happened: We had more people vote in the state of Florida than ever before,” he said. “We have 40 days of election with three different ways to vote. How can anyone say voter suppression?”

In Arizona, Republican lawmakers have advanced legislation that would drop voters who skip consecutive election cycles from the permanent early voting list. The list currently consists of roughly 3.2 million voters, and critics of the legislation estimate it would purge roughly 100,000 voters.

Wisconsin Republicans have proposed many restrictions on the disabled, new limits on who can automatically receive an absentee ballot and a requirement that absentee voters provide photo identification for every election — as opposed to having one on file with their municipal clerk.

The measures are certain to be vetoed by Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, but their sponsor, Republican state Sen. Duey Stroebel, said Friday that the legislation would encapsulate the party’s principles heading into the midterm elections.

“It will define that we as Republicans are people who want clean and fair elections in the state,” Stroebel said.

Wisconsin Democrats, confident in Evers’ veto, are eager to have a voting rights fight be front and center ahead of the 2022 elections, said state Sen. Kelda Roys, a Democrat.

“People hate the idea that their right to vote is under attack,” Roys said. “The freedom to vote is just popular. It’s a great issue for Democrats.”

The torrent of Republican voting legislation, Democrats say, undermines faith in elections.

“Even in states where they won’t be passed and have been introduced, like in Colorado, they’re dangerous,” said Jena Griswold, the secretary of state in Colorado. “The rhetoric of lying and trying to manipulate Americans to keep political power is dangerous. It led to all the death threats that secretaries of state and election officials received in 2020. It led to the insurrection.”

The fight over voting rights is emerging as one of the defining conflicts of the Biden era, and Georgia fired the opening shot with a set of new restrictions underscoring the political, legal and financial clashes that will influence whether Republicans retake Congress and the White House.

The fight over voting rights is emerging as one of the defining conflicts of the Biden era, and Georgia fired the opening shot with a set of new restrictions underscoring the political, legal and financial clashes that will influence whether Republicans retake Congress and the White House. President Joe Biden on Friday called Georgia’s new law an “attack on the Constitution” and said the Justice Department was “taking a look” at Republican voting efforts in the state, without offering any specifics. “This is Jim Crow in the 21st century, it must end,” Biden said, a day after Gov. Brian Kemp signed the bill into law. “I will take my case to the American people — including Republicans who joined the broadest coalition of voters ever in this past election to put country before party. “If you have the best ideas, you have nothing to hide. Let the people vote.” Civil rights groups immediately challenged the Georgia law in federal court, backed by prominent Democratic voting rights lawyers. Several Black leaders described the legal skirmishes to come as an existential fight for representation, saying the law clearly puts a target on Black and brown voters. Protests against voting restrictions unfolded this week in state capitols like Austin, Texas, and Atlanta, and more lawsuits are expected. In more than 24 states, Republican-led legislatures are advancing bills in a broad political effort that is the most aggressive attack on the right to vote since the civil rights movement of the 1960s. It follows months of Republican efforts to tarnish Biden’s presidential victory, which scores of high-level GOP officials still refuse to acknowledge as legitimate. Democrats, who have limited power in many state capitols, are looking to Biden and congressional Democrats for a new federal law to protect voting. Many in the party see the fight over voting as not just a moral cause but also a political one, given their narrow margins of victory in presidential and Senate elections in Georgia, Arizona and other battlegrounds. Georgia’s sweeping new provisions, passed by a Republican-controlled Legislature, represent the most substantive overhaul of a battleground state’s voting system since last November’s election. It would impose stricter voter identification requirements for absentee balloting, limit drop boxes, and forbid giving water and snacks to voters waiting in line. But in a state where former President Donald Trump tried to persuade Republican election officials to reverse his loss, the measure went even further: It shifts the power and oversight of elections to the Legislature by stripping the secretary of state from chairing the state Board of Elections and authorizing the Legislature to name members to the board. It further empowers the state Board of Elections to have sweeping jurisdiction over county elections boards, including the authority to suspend officials. Biden on Friday called Georgia’s new voting restrictions “un-American,” and sought to tie them to the Democrats’ push in Washington to enact the federal voting rights bill, which the House passed this month. The measure would put in place a raft of requirements intended to protect voting rights, including weakening restrictive state identification requirements, expanding early and mail-in voting and restoring voting rights to former felons. The president said the new Georgia law was expressly what the House bill was designed to prevent. While Democrats in Congress debate abolishing the filibuster in order to pass the voting rights bill through the Senate, Republican legislators in more than 40 states have introduced hundreds of bills targeting voting access and seizing authority over administering elections. And another crucial conflict looms this fall: the fights over redistricting to account for growing and changing populations, and the gerrymandering that will allow partisan majorities to limit the impact of votes by packing or splitting up population centers. The gerrymandering disputes will determine the look of the House and dozens of state legislatures, in many cases locking in majorities for the next decade. Bitter struggles over voting rights loom even in states with Democratic governors who can veto the legislation. In Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, Republican-controlled legislatures are planning to advance restrictive bills, and new Republican governors would most likely sign them into law if they are elected next year. “The 2020 election is behind us, but the war over the future of our democracy is escalating,” said Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat who is the secretary of state in Michigan, where Republicans this week introduced numerous proposed restrictions on voting. “For anyone to believe that they can sit down and rest because the 2020 election is behind need look no further than what happened in Georgia as an indication that our work is far from over.” Republicans, borrowing language from their previous efforts at curtailing voting access, have described the new bills as a way to make voting easier while limiting fraud. Kemp, upon signing the bill into law, said it would “make it easier to vote and harder to cheat,” even though the state’s own Republican election officials found no substantive evidence of fraud. Kemp on Friday pushed back at Biden’s criticism, saying, “There is nothing ‘Jim Crow’ about requiring a photo or state-issued ID to vote by absentee ballot.” “President Biden, the left and the national media are determined to destroy the sanctity and security of the ballot box,” Kemp said. “As secretary of state, I consistently led the fight to protect Georgia elections against power-hungry, partisan activists.” Jessica Anderson, executive director of Heritage Action for America, the political arm of the conservative Heritage Foundation, said Georgia would serve as a model for other Republican-run states. “The country was watching closely what Georgia would do,” Anderson said in an interview. “The fact that they were able to get these reforms through sets the tone and puts Georgia in a leadership role for other states.” The Justice Department was aware of Georgia’s voting law, a spokesperson said Friday, but provided no further comment. A White House official said the president, in his comments, was assuming this was an issue the department would review. The department’s civil rights division would most likely have lawyers investigate whether to file an independent lawsuit, said Tom Perez, the former labor secretary who also previously ran the department’s Civil Rights Division during the Obama administration. It could also take part in the case that was filed by civil rights groups by filing a so-called statement of interest or moving to intervene as the plaintiff, he said. But this is a precarious time for the federal protections in place. In 2013, the Supreme Court gutted one of the core provisions of the Voting Rights Act, clearing the runway for much of the current legislation aimed at restricting voting. The remaining protection, in Section 2 of the act, is facing a new challenge before the Supreme Court, with arguments heard last month. The debate is also spilling over into the corporate arena. Activists across the country have been chastising companies they see as silent on the issue of voting rights. In Georgia on Friday, numerous civil rights groups and faith leaders issued a call to boycott some of the standard-bearers of the Georgia business community — including Coca-Cola — until they took action against the effort to restrict voting access. (END OPTIONAL TRIM.) The early battle lines are increasingly centering on two key states that flipped from Republican to Democratic in 2020, Arizona and Georgia. Those states are also home to large populations of voters of color, who have historically faced discriminatory laws at the polls. Two battleground states that remained in Republican control in 2020 — Texas and Florida — are also moving forward with new laws restricting voting. In Florida, lawmakers are looking to ban drop boxes and limit who can collect ballots for other voters, among other provisions, even after an election that the Republican chair of the state party touted as the “gold standard” and that Republicans won handily. Blaise Ingoglia, a Republican state representative who has sponsored some of the legislation, said that while the election was successful, it was “not without challenges and problems that we think we needed to fix.” He cited the use of ballot drop boxes, which he helped write into law but he said were not adequately being administered. “They said the same thing with the last election bill, that we wrote it and they said it was voter suppression, and the exact opposite happened: We had more people vote in the state of Florida than ever before,” he said. “We have 40 days of election with three different ways to vote. How can anyone say voter suppression?” In Arizona, Republican lawmakers have advanced legislation that would drop voters who skip consecutive election cycles from the permanent early voting list. The list currently consists of roughly 3.2 million voters, and critics of the legislation estimate it would purge roughly 100,000 voters. Wisconsin Republicans have proposed many restrictions on the disabled, new limits on who can automatically receive an absentee ballot and a requirement that absentee voters provide photo identification for every election — as opposed to having one on file with their municipal clerk. The measures are certain to be vetoed by Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, but their sponsor, Republican state Sen. Duey Stroebel, said Friday that the legislation would encapsulate the party’s principles heading into the midterm elections. “It will define that we as Republicans are people who want clean and fair elections in the state,” Stroebel said. Wisconsin Democrats, confident in Evers’ veto, are eager to have a voting rights fight be front and center ahead of the 2022 elections, said state Sen. Kelda Roys, a Democrat. “People hate the idea that their right to vote is under attack,” Roys said. “The freedom to vote is just popular. It’s a great issue for Democrats.” The torrent of Republican voting legislation, Democrats say, undermines faith in elections. “Even in states where they won’t be passed and have been introduced, like in Colorado, they’re dangerous,” said Jena Griswold, the secretary of state in Colorado. “The rhetoric of lying and trying to manipulate Americans to keep political power is dangerous. It led to all the death threats that secretaries of state and election officials received in 2020. It led to the insurrection.”

Georgia law kicks off partisan battle over voting rights

A year ago, Georgia was one of four states that had no hate crime legislation.

But the deadly rampage last week that left eight people dead, six of them women of Asian descent, is now providing a test of a law passed last year — and a window into the way that the state’s increasingly diverse electorate has altered its political and cultural chemistry.

Georgia, after earlier false starts, passed its legislation following the shooting death of a young Black man, Ahmaud Arbery, who was stopped, detained and then shot to death by white residents in a south Georgia suburban neighborhood.

Now last week’s shootings, in which Robert Aaron Long, 21, has been charged with eight counts of murder, are providing a major stress test for when the legislation can be applied, what it can achieve and how it plays into the state’s increasingly polarized politics.

Political leaders, civil rights activists, and national and local elected officials condemned last week’s attack as an act of bigoted terror, drawing a connection between the majority-Asian victims and a recent surge in hate crimes against Asian and Pacific Islander Americans.

Law enforcement officials and some legal figures have shied away from labeling the killings a hate crime, saying there is insufficient evidence of motivation. Prosecutors in two separate counties are still weighing whether to invoke the hate crimes law.

But that has not stopped the shootings from resonating as bias crimes for many in Georgia, a state that has been at the forefront of the demographic changes coursing through the South.

“I don’t want to draw any conclusions, but it’s obvious to me that if six victims were Asian women, that was a target,” said Georgia state Rep. Calvin Smyre, a longtime Democratic lawmaker who helped shepherd the hate crimes bill through the General Assembly.

In recent years, Georgia has been a microcosm of the racial divides that have affected the entire country.

Last February, the killing of Arbery, 25, ignited a national outcry, particularly after law enforcement officials initially failed to make any arrests following his death near Brunswick, Georgia.

In the aftermath of last week’s killings, the response from law enforcement was criticized once again, after a spokesperson for the sheriff’s department in suburban Cherokee County, where one of the attacks took place, downplayed the role of anti-Asian racism in the shooting there. Instead, he attributed the suspect’s motivation to sex addiction — the gunman’s own characterization — and the fact that he had been having “a really bad day.”

Political leaders, especially in Atlanta, have gone much further, characterizing the events as domestic terrorism and, at least in part, motivated by a web of racial and misogynistic intolerance. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Georgia on Friday, casting the shootings in the context of broader abuse and intolerance directed at people of Asian descent.

But absent clear evidence of the shooter’s intent, there is broad division on whether there are sufficient grounds for adding hate crime charges.

Rep. Sam Park, a Democratic member of the Georgia House and the state’s only Korean American legislator, said it is impossible to separate the crime from the anti-Asian bias and violence that has surged over the past year.

“Regardless of the motive of the perpetrator, we very much feel like this is an attack on our community. Condolences are good. Words of sympathy are great — but actions are necessary.”

But Byung J. Pak, a Republican, Korean American and former U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, urged caution before linking the killings to a hate crime before the investigation is completed.

“Prejudging the case before the completion of the investigation puts pressure on prosecutors to perhaps file charges which may not hold up in court, or raise expectations that cannot be satisfied,” Pak said. “I would be cautious designating this crime as a hate crime until the investigation is complete.”

Racist violence has a particular sting in the American South, considering the region’s long arc of racial discrimination. Though it is often framed in the familiar context of Black-white community relations, a dramatic increase in Asian and Latino populations has also shifted the state’s political and cultural composition.

The General Assembly approval of the state’s current hate crime legislation last year in the wake of Arbery’s death reflected an increasingly purple electorate, as well as pressure from the business community. Three white men have since been charged in connection with his death.

Efforts to pass the hate crime legislation were led by Rep. Chuck Efstration, a former assistant district attorney and a Republican who represents an increasingly Democratic district in Gwinnett County. Efstration said he first pushed the bill in 2019, before Arbery was slain, when it was adopted by the House but failed to gain support in the Senate.

Opponents of the bill argued that it stifled free speech. The legislation was finally adopted despite efforts in the Senate to derail it.

“Georgia has changed,” said Sheikh Rahman, a Democratic member of the state Senate from Gwinnett County outside Atlanta, who is a Bangladeshi American. He describes his district as “people from 100 different countries speaking 100 different languages.

“What my district looks like, the United States of America is going to look like 20 years from now.”

Georgia replaced its two Republican senators in combative runoffs this year, electing Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, and also narrowly supported Biden in 2020. That marked the first time since 1992, when Bill Clinton was elected, that the state voted Democratic in a presidential contest.

However, even as Democrats won two Senate seats and flipped Georgia for Biden, Republicans retained control of the state Legislature and the governor’s office, leaving them in solid control of state government.

“The national story about Arbery became very well known,” Efstration said in a telephone interview. “And there was renewed interest and people raising questions — why was Georgia one of only four states that didn’t have a hate crimes law?”

He added: “We’ve had arguments that these laws are anti-speech or anti-thought and that all crimes involve hate. We were able to address those.”

Democratic lawmakers have pointed to the bill’s passage as a reflection of politics within the state, not just perceptions from the outside.

“The Republicans realized that if they didn’t do it, they were going to lose this election,” said Rahman. “It had to take a tragedy like Ahmaud Arbery before it would potentially be applied.”

But last year’s decisions need not determine this year’s. Instead, the focus of the Republican-controlled Legislature this term has been a very different response to diversity — a raft of bills aimed at making it harder to vote, legislation that will fall disproportionately on minorities.

Since last week’s killings, lawmakers are discussing whether the hate crimes legislation needs to be enhanced, and whether it will be applied in this case.

In the case of Long, the use of the hate crime law could be largely symbolic in the event Long is sentenced to death, which remains a possibility in Georgia.

On the other hand, depending on any charges, the law could have concrete effects. A life sentence — enhanced by the hate crime provision — could potentially mean that he would never be granted parole, according to Efstration.

Marvin Lim, a Georgia state representative who was also among Asian American lawmakers at the meeting with Biden and Harris, called for prosecutors to carefully consider using the hate crime statute.

Though officials in Cherokee County claimed that Long was motivated by sex addiction and not bias against Asians, Lim pointed out that gender is also protected under the hate crime law.

“Given the facts that we know, and I understand there are more investigations to be completed, I would certainly urge prosecutors to apply it to the extent legally possible,” he said.

Smyre, who is Black and the longest-serving member of the Georgia General Assembly, agreed that invoking the hate crimes law for last week’s carnage was a decision that should be left up to prosecutors, but said the legislation’s passage reflected the state’s long, slow progress on issues of racial justice.

“The political pendulum has swung to a great extent, and I think that lots of times, external pressure — that tourniquet that’s outside the Capitol — sometimes decides what we do in the public policy arena.”

A year ago, Georgia was one of four states that had no hate crime legislation. But the deadly rampage last week that left eight people dead, six of them women of Asian descent, is now providing a test of a law passed last year — and a window into the way that the state’s increasingly diverse electorate has altered its political and cultural chemistry.

A year ago, Georgia was one of four states that had no hate crime legislation. But the deadly rampage last week that left eight people dead, six of them women of Asian descent, is now providing a test of a law passed last year — and a window into the way that the state’s increasingly diverse electorate has altered its political and cultural chemistry. Georgia, after earlier false starts, passed its legislation following the shooting death of a young Black man, Ahmaud Arbery, who was stopped, detained and then shot to death by white residents in a south Georgia suburban neighborhood. Now last week’s shootings, in which Robert Aaron Long, 21, has been charged with eight counts of murder, are providing a major stress test for when the legislation can be applied, what it can achieve and how it plays into the state’s increasingly polarized politics. Political leaders, civil rights activists, and national and local elected officials condemned last week’s attack as an act of bigoted terror, drawing a connection between the majority-Asian victims and a recent surge in hate crimes against Asian and Pacific Islander Americans. Law enforcement officials and some legal figures have shied away from labeling the killings a hate crime, saying there is insufficient evidence of motivation. Prosecutors in two separate counties are still weighing whether to invoke the hate crimes law. But that has not stopped the shootings from resonating as bias crimes for many in Georgia, a state that has been at the forefront of the demographic changes coursing through the South. “I don’t want to draw any conclusions, but it’s obvious to me that if six victims were Asian women, that was a target,” said Georgia state Rep. Calvin Smyre, a longtime Democratic lawmaker who helped shepherd the hate crimes bill through the General Assembly. In recent years, Georgia has been a microcosm of the racial divides that have affected the entire country. Last February, the killing of Arbery, 25, ignited a national outcry, particularly after law enforcement officials initially failed to make any arrests following his death near Brunswick, Georgia. In the aftermath of last week’s killings, the response from law enforcement was criticized once again, after a spokesperson for the sheriff’s department in suburban Cherokee County, where one of the attacks took place, downplayed the role of anti-Asian racism in the shooting there. Instead, he attributed the suspect’s motivation to sex addiction — the gunman’s own characterization — and the fact that he had been having “a really bad day.” Political leaders, especially in Atlanta, have gone much further, characterizing the events as domestic terrorism and, at least in part, motivated by a web of racial and misogynistic intolerance. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Georgia on Friday, casting the shootings in the context of broader abuse and intolerance directed at people of Asian descent. But absent clear evidence of the shooter’s intent, there is broad division on whether there are sufficient grounds for adding hate crime charges. Rep. Sam Park, a Democratic member of the Georgia House and the state’s only Korean American legislator, said it is impossible to separate the crime from the anti-Asian bias and violence that has surged over the past year. “Regardless of the motive of the perpetrator, we very much feel like this is an attack on our community. Condolences are good. Words of sympathy are great — but actions are necessary.” But Byung J. Pak, a Republican, Korean American and former U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, urged caution before linking the killings to a hate crime before the investigation is completed. “Prejudging the case before the completion of the investigation puts pressure on prosecutors to perhaps file charges which may not hold up in court, or raise expectations that cannot be satisfied,” Pak said. “I would be cautious designating this crime as a hate crime until the investigation is complete.” Racist violence has a particular sting in the American South, considering the region’s long arc of racial discrimination. Though it is often framed in the familiar context of Black-white community relations, a dramatic increase in Asian and Latino populations has also shifted the state’s political and cultural composition. The General Assembly approval of the state’s current hate crime legislation last year in the wake of Arbery’s death reflected an increasingly purple electorate, as well as pressure from the business community. Three white men have since been charged in connection with his death. Efforts to pass the hate crime legislation were led by Rep. Chuck Efstration, a former assistant district attorney and a Republican who represents an increasingly Democratic district in Gwinnett County. Efstration said he first pushed the bill in 2019, before Arbery was slain, when it was adopted by the House but failed to gain support in the Senate. Opponents of the bill argued that it stifled free speech. The legislation was finally adopted despite efforts in the Senate to derail it. “Georgia has changed,” said Sheikh Rahman, a Democratic member of the state Senate from Gwinnett County outside Atlanta, who is a Bangladeshi American. He describes his district as “people from 100 different countries speaking 100 different languages. “What my district looks like, the United States of America is going to look like 20 years from now.” Georgia replaced its two Republican senators in combative runoffs this year, electing Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, and also narrowly supported Biden in 2020. That marked the first time since 1992, when Bill Clinton was elected, that the state voted Democratic in a presidential contest. However, even as Democrats won two Senate seats and flipped Georgia for Biden, Republicans retained control of the state Legislature and the governor’s office, leaving them in solid control of state government. “The national story about Arbery became very well known,” Efstration said in a telephone interview. “And there was renewed interest and people raising questions — why was Georgia one of only four states that didn’t have a hate crimes law?” He added: “We’ve had arguments that these laws are anti-speech or anti-thought and that all crimes involve hate. We were able to address those.” Democratic lawmakers have pointed to the bill’s passage as a reflection of politics within the state, not just perceptions from the outside. “The Republicans realized that if they didn’t do it, they were going to lose this election,” said Rahman. “It had to take a tragedy like Ahmaud Arbery before it would potentially be applied.” But last year’s decisions need not determine this year’s. Instead, the focus of the Republican-controlled Legislature this term has been a very different response to diversity — a raft of bills aimed at making it harder to vote, legislation that will fall disproportionately on minorities. Since last week’s killings, lawmakers are discussing whether the hate crimes legislation needs to be enhanced, and whether it will be applied in this case. In the case of Long, the use of the hate crime law could be largely symbolic in the event Long is sentenced to death, which remains a possibility in Georgia. On the other hand, depending on any charges, the law could have concrete effects. A life sentence — enhanced by the hate crime provision — could potentially mean that he would never be granted parole, according to Efstration. Marvin Lim, a Georgia state representative who was also among Asian American lawmakers at the meeting with Biden and Harris, called for prosecutors to carefully consider using the hate crime statute. Though officials in Cherokee County claimed that Long was motivated by sex addiction and not bias against Asians, Lim pointed out that gender is also protected under the hate crime law. “Given the facts that we know, and I understand there are more investigations to be completed, I would certainly urge prosecutors to apply it to the extent legally possible,” he said. Smyre, who is Black and the longest-serving member of the Georgia General Assembly, agreed that invoking the hate crimes law for last week’s carnage was a decision that should be left up to prosecutors, but said the legislation’s passage reflected the state’s long, slow progress on issues of racial justice. “The political pendulum has swung to a great extent, and I think that lots of times, external pressure — that tourniquet that’s outside the Capitol — sometimes decides what we do in the public policy arena.”

Why some Georgia lawmakers want last week’s shootings labelled hate crimes

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