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A new energy flowed in the Czechoslovakia after Alexander Dubcek became its leader in 1968. The statesman championed reforms that expanded freedom of speech, protection of press rights and economic programs prioritizing working class people without radically disrupting the nation’s communist framework. The Soviet Union loathed the plan and sought to suppress it with force. Their military intervention, in which the government and its Warsaw Pact allies sent in troops to end that period now known as the Prague Spring. In the Czech Republic’s submission for the 2025 Oscars, Jirí Mádl crafts a propulsive thriller about a team of journalists doggedly pursuing the truth in the months before the Prague Spring and the days of the Soviet Union’s aggressive occupation. The film is inspired by true events, which while researching how the International News Office of Czechoslovak Radio operated in the ’60s. At the time, the office was helmed by Milan Weiner, a tenacious manager who ushered in editorial changes to help the state-sanctioned radio station circumvent censorship. He encouraged reporters to verify information with independent sources (rather than those offered by the Czechoslovak government) and invited dissenting opinions to discussion. With its focus on the news gathering process, affirms the importance of independent and ethical reporting. Mádl’s film, which as of now is still seeking U.S. distribution, might have particular resonance with American audiences wrestling with the reality of misinformation and the shifting image of the journalist in the public imagination. How the press research and present their stories has never been more important. probes its moral concerns through an intimate tale of two brothers trying to survive. After the death of their parents, Tomás (an excellent Vojtech Vodochodský), a politically aloof young man, assumes guardianship of his teenage sibling Paja (Ondrej Stupka). Their situation is precarious: Early on, in a sign of the household’s impoverishment, Tomás cuts around the mold on a piece of sourdough bread to supplement a paltry meal. At any point, representatives from child services can separate the brothers. But Paja isn’t as concerned about that kind of state intervention. The youngest wants a revolution; he participates in clandestine meetings and demonstrations with other student activists fighting for free speech. They are inspired by the work of Weiner (Stanislav Majer) at the radio station. Mádl begins with a deft staging of the brothers’ diverging interests. The opening montage introduces a thrilling tension that the director smartly maintains throughout the film, interspersing chaotic scenes of protestors, Paja somewhere in their midst, fending off police, with quiet, domestic ones of Tomás toasting bread and calling neighbors in search of his brother. Upon returning home, Paja tells Tomás in an excited burst of energy about an opening at the Weiner’s radio show. There’s an audition — a test of sorts — for the coveted position the next day, and Paja wants to apply. Tomás forbids it, but Paja, in the style of rebellious teens and younger siblings everywhere, ignores him. Somehow both brothers end up at the test and, in an ironic twist, Tomás gets the job. moves quickly and efficiently after these establishing moments. Mádl uses a handful of time jumps to build momentum and translate the dizzying pace with which the political climate changed. Tomás, at the encouragement of his current boss, takes the job as a technician at Weiner’s station. (He keeps the news from Paja in a manner that requires some suspension of disbelief.) Once embedded within this team of intrepid reporters, Tomás learns more about newsgathering and radio broadcasting methods and starts to appreciate the value of what Weiner and his comrades are fighting for. He becomes friends with Weiner, who serves as a distant inspiration, and becomes intimately involved with Vera (Tatiana Pauhofová), a translator whom everyone finds cold. But just as Tomás acclimates to his new life, he is asked by his former boss (and then threatened by state police forces) to essentially become an informant. He reluctantly agrees, and Vodochodský’s performance soars in these moments where the soft-spoken Tomás finds himself in ethically murky territory. A visceral sense of hurt and anxiety flash across the actor’s face as his character weighs the pain of snitching on his colleagues and the grief of losing his only surviving family, which complicates our understanding of his character. There are times, though, when Mádl’s screenplay undercuts this work by briefly abandoning Tomás and Paja to consider secondary plotlines (office affairs, general politicking). There are moments when Mádl leaves Paja for so long that his re-entry into the story feels abrupt. One wishes that the brothers were given more screen time to wrestle with how their respective political leanings challenge and change their relationship. Still, excels in other areas, particularly when it comes to Mádl’s use of archival footage. The director scatters these clips throughout this film, sometimes making the grainy footage of Czech citizens storming the streets during a protest or the Soviet Union tanks rolling into Prague seem indistinguishable from this fictionalized retelling. The effect is dizzying in a good way. It elegantly connects to the real-life past, making it easier for viewers to leave understanding why protecting this kind of principled reporting will be necessary to the future. Full credits THR Newsletters Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day More from The Hollywood ReporterMarket Feels Frothy - Ride It While We Can But Be Ready To Get Out!
Religious beliefs put two captains in spotlight during Premier League's Rainbow Laces campaignStrengthening Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's dispute resolution councils is crucial to enhancing their ability to serve communities in a timely and cost-effective manner in resolving disputes and reducing the burden on formal courts while fostering social harmony at the grassroots level. This was suggested during a consultative workshop on Saturday to strengthen Dispute Resolution Councils (DRC) in the Mardan Division. The Peace and Justice Network (PJN) organised the workshop in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pakistan and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police. The workshop was attended by DRC representatives from Mardan, Nowshera, Charsadda and Swabi at the Police Lines in Mardan. The activity was held through the EU-funded "Deliver Justice Project" aimed at making justice more accessible and inclusive in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. The DRCs are an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) forum established under the KP Police Act 2017, and provide alternative dispute resolution services at the police station, subdivision, and district level. As a statutory forum, the DRC provides services to the masses at the grassroots level, enabling citizens to benefit from out-of-court services for dispute resolution. During the opening session of the workshop, Mardan District Police Officer (DPO) Zahboor Babar Afridi emphasised the importance of DRCs, highlighting their operational framework and the positive impact they have in resolving community disputes effectively. Some Observations On The Chinese Model: Effective VS Acceptable Government He also appreciated the efforts of UNDP Pakistan and the Peace and Justice Network for organising the workshop. During the session, District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Zeb Khan highlighted the critical role ADR and DRCs play in addressing count pendency and supporting speedy justice. UNDP Pakistan Rule of Law Programme's Rule of Law and Justice Reforms Specialist Caitlin Chittenden and PJN CEO Syed Raza Ali highlighted that the strengthening of DRCs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was crucial to enhancing their ability to serve communities effectively in resolving disputes. They stressed that by addressing existing gaps — such as inadequate resources, limited training for members, lack of inclusivity, and insufficient public awareness — DRCs can become more efficient, accessible, and responsive to community needs. Strengthened DRCs not only provide timely and cost-effective justice but also play a vital role in reducing the burden on formal courts and fostering social harmony at the grassroots level. The workshop brought together key stakeholders, including law enforcement officials, community leaders, members of the judiciary, civil society representatives, and members of DRCs from across the Mardan Division. Salma Zeb, a legal aid and ADR Officer in the Rule of Law Programme of UNDP, highlighted the importance of a gender-responsive DRC system in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and making it more inclusive. Headquarters SP Rizwan Habib highlighted the importance of enhancing the effectiveness of DRCs by addressing legislative and policy gaps to ensure their decisions are more binding and enforceable. He also emphasised the need for gender-sensitive training to make DRCs more inclusive and responsive to the needs of all community members. Pakistan’s Palestine Resolution And Responsibility DRC members showcased their progress thus far, their challenges, how they overcame them, and recommendations to strengthen the forums. The workshop also reviewed the ADR member selection criteria, the code of conduct and ethics for the DRCs and the actual rules for DRCs. The importance of raising public awareness about the functioning of DRCs was also emphasised to ensure that more people are informed about their services so that they can access them effectively. The workshop featured panel discussions, led by legal and ADR experts who underscored the importance of community-based dispute resolution mechanisms in reducing case backlogs and fostering trust. Participants engaged in group discussions to identify challenges facing DRCs, such as resource constraints, capacity gaps, and awareness issues, and proposed practical solutions. Special emphasis was placed on equipping DRC members with mediation, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills to address community disputes more effectively. The workshop concluded with actionable recommendations, including conducting regular training for DRC members to enhance their skills and knowledge, increasing public awareness of the role and benefits of DRCs, establishing mechanisms to monitor the performance and transparency of DRC operations and encouraging greater inclusion of women and minority representatives in the DRC framework.Conners, Tate lead Appalachian State over Sam Houston 66-63
The award, a joint initiative of the European Film Academy and Filmfest Hamburg, is presented by university students from across Europe. debuted in Competition in Cannes earlier this year. Set in a conservative Danube Delta community, it follows a gay teenager’s journey of self-discovery, which clashes with the traditional values of his parents and neighbours. It was selected from five shortlisted films, including Rich Peppiatt’s Dea Kulumbegashvili’s ; Halfdan Ullmann Tondel’s ; and Kurdwin Ayub’s . Since October, the five nominated films, based on the European Film Awards’ Feature and Documentary Film Selections 2024, have been viewed and discussed at 21 universities in 21 countries before each institution selected its favourite film. In early December, one student representative from each university attended a three-day deliberation meeting in Hamburg to decide on the overall winner. The winner was announced at today’s (December 6) Mayor’s Night in Lucerne, the evening before the European Film Awards Ceremony in the city. The EUFA jury said: “The film deconstructs the mechanisms of ostracism, a worldwide problem penetrating societal and institutional structures. With the effective use of resources, the director brilliantly utilised the Romanian landscape to portray the devastating impact of homophobia. Despite decades of activism and political action, queer communities continue to be marginalised by normative society. The film invites the broader European audiences to look beyond their urban horizons and to reflect on the neglected peripheries, where bigotry transcends legislations, and humanity transcends bigotry.”NYT ‘Strands’ Hints, Spangram And Answers For Thursday, November 28 - Forbes
The long sports-filled Thanksgiving weekend is a time when many Americans enjoy gathering with friends and family for good food, good company and hopefully not too much political conversation. Also on the menu — all the NFL and college sports you can handle. Here's a roadmap to one of the biggest sports weekends of the year, with a look at marquee games over the holiday and how to watch. All times are in EST. All odds are by BetMGM Sportsbook. What to watch Thursday • NFL: There is a triple-header lined up for pro football fans. Chicago at Detroit, 12:30 p.m., CBS: Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and the Bears go against the Lions, who are one of the favorites to reach the Super Bowl in February. Lions favored by 10. New York at Dallas, 4:30 p.m., Fox: The Giants and Cowboys are both suffering through miserable seasons and are now using backup quarterbacks for different reasons. But if Dallas can figure out a way to win, it will still be on the fringe of the playoff race. Cowboys favored by 3 1/2. Miami at Green Bay, 8:20 p.m., NBC/Peacock: The Packers stumbled slightly out of the gate but have won six of their past seven games. They'll need a win against Miami to try to keep pace in the NFC North. Packers favored by 3. • College Football: Memphis at No. 18 Tulane, 7:30 p.m., ESPN. If college football is your jam, this is a good warmup for a big weekend. The Tigers try to ruin the Green Wave’s perfect record in the American Athletic Conference. Tulane is favored by 14. What to watch Friday • NFL: A rare Friday showdown features the league-leading Chiefs. Las Vegas at Kansas City, 3 p.m. Prime Video: The Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes are 12-point favorites over the Raiders. • College Basketball: Some of the top programs meet in holiday tournaments around the country. Battle 4 Atlantis championship, 5:30 p.m., ESPN: One of the premier early season tournaments, the eight-team field includes No. 3 Gonzaga, No. 14 Indiana and No. 24 Arizona. Rady Children's Invitational, 6 p.m., Fox: It's the championship game for a four-team field that includes No. 13 Purdue and No. 23 Mississippi. • College Football: There is a full slate of college games to dig into. Oregon State at No. 11 Boise State, noon, Fox: The Broncos try to stay in the College Football Playoff hunt when they host the Beavers. Boise State favored by 19 1/2. Oklahoma State at No. 23 Colorado, noon, ABC: The Buffaloes and Coach Prime are still in the hunt for the Big 12 championship game when they host the Cowboys. Colorado favored by 16 1/2. Georgia Tech at No. 6 Georgia, 7:30 p.m., ABC: The Bulldogs are on pace for a spot in the CFP but host what could be a tricky game against rival Georgia Tech. Georgia favored by 19 1/2. • NBA. After taking Thanksgiving off, pro basketball returns. Oklahoma City at Los Angeles Lakers, 10 p.m., ESPN: The Thunder look like one of the best teams in the NBA's Western Conference. They'll host Anthony Davis, LeBron James and the Lakers. What to watch Saturday • College Football. There are more matchups with playoff implications. Michigan at No. 2 Ohio State, noon, Fox: The Wolverines are struggling one season after winning the national title. They could make their fan base a whole lot happier with an upset of the Buckeyes. Ohio State favored by 21. No. 7 Tennessee at Vanderbilt, noon, ABC: The Volunteers are a fairly big favorite and have dominated this series, but the Commodores have been a tough team this season and already have achieved a monumental upset over Alabama. Tennessee favored by 11. No. 16 South Carolina at No. 12 Clemson, noon, ESPN: The Palmetto State rivals are both hanging on the edge of the CFP playoff race. A win — particularly for Clemson — would go a long way toward clinching its spot in the field. Clemson favored by 2 1/2. No. 3 Texas at No. 20 Texas A&M, 7:30 p.m. ABC: The Aggies host their in-state rival for the first time since 2011 after the Longhorns joined the SEC. Texas favored by 5 1/2. Washington at No. 1 Oregon, 7:30 p.m., NBC: The top-ranked Ducks have been one of the nation’s best teams all season. They’ll face the Huskies, who would love a marquee win in coach Jedd Fisch’s first season. Oregon favored by 19 1/2. • NBA: A star-studded clash is part of the league's lineup. Golden State at Phoenix, 9 p.m., NBA TV: Steph Curry and the Warriors are set to face the Suns' Big Three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. What to watch Sunday • NFL: It's Sunday, that says it all. Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, 1 p.m., CBS: Joe Burrow is having a great season for the Bengals, who are struggling in other areas. They need a win to stay in the playoff race, hosting a Steelers team that's 8-3 and won five of their past six. Bengals favored by 3. Arizona at Minnesota, 1 p.m., Fox: The Cardinals are tied for the top of the NFC West while the Vikings are 9-2 and have been one of the biggest surprises of the season with journeyman Sam Darnold under center. Vikings favored by 3 1/2. Philadelphia at Baltimore, 4:25 p.m., CBS: Two of the league's most electric players will be on the field when Saquon Barkley and the Eagles travel to face Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. Ravens favored by 3. San Francisco at Buffalo, 8:20 p.m. NBC/Peacock: The 49ers try to get back to .500 against the Bills, who have won six straight. Bills favored by 7. • NBA. The best teams in the Eastern Conference meet in a statement game. Boston at Cleveland, 6 p.m., NBA TV: The defending champion Celtics travel to face the Cavs, who won their first 15 games to start the season. • Premier League: English soccer fans have a marquee matchup. Manchester City at Liverpool, 11 a.m., USA Network/Telemundo. The two top teams meet with Manchester City trying to shake off recent struggles. • Auto Racing: The F1 season nears its conclusion. F1 Qatar Grand Prix, 11 a.m., ESPN2 – It's the penultimate race of the season. Max Verstappen already has clinched his fourth consecutive season championship.
Top NHL Insider Reveals Penguins Are Aggressively Shopping Top-Line Forward
The 49ers are going to have to dip into their quarterback depth this weekend. Head coach Kyle Shanahan announced on Friday that backup Brandon Allen will get the starting nod for San Francisco against the Packers. The move comes as starter Brock Purdy is dealing with shoulder soreness , which limited him in practice this week. The issue was enough to have him ruled out for Sunday, which is a key road matchup in the middle of the season for the 49ers. The 49ers — which will also be without star edge rusher Nick Bosa (left hip and oblique) — are 5-5 entering the game against 7-3 Green Bay, sitting10th in the NFC, meaning they are on the outside looking in for the playoff picture. They now will turn to Allen, who has not started a game in three years. His biggest action in the NFL came in the 2020 season when he started five games (1-4 records), completing 63.4 percent of his passes with five touchdowns and four interceptions. Since that season, he’s thrown just 37 passes in the regular season. He’ll face off against a Packers defense that ranks 15th in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game this season (329) and will be without cornerback Jaire Alexander and linebacker Edgerrin Cooper. Allen will have Joshua Dobbs as his backup on Sunday. The 49ers next face the Bills next Sunday night, making this Packers game all the more important.
WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) — Dior Conners led Appalachian State with 19 points and Myles Tate made a jumper from the free-throw line with 25.1 seconds left as the Mountaineers knocked off Sam Houston 66-63 on Wednesday night. Conners shot 4 of 9 from the field, including 2 for 5 from 3-point range, and went 9 for 10 from the line for the Mountaineers (4-2). Tate scored 17 points, going 6 of 14 from the floor, including 3 for 6 from 3-point range, and 2 for 4 from the line. Jackson Threadgill had 11 points and shot 4 for 11, including 1 for 3 from beyond the arc. Lamar Wilkerson led the way for the Bearkats (3-3) with 22 points. Marcus Boykin added 11 points, five assists and four steals for Sam Houston. Dorian Finister also had 10 points and seven rebounds. Threadgill scored nine points in the first half and Appalachian State went into the break trailing 33-30. Tate scored a team-high 10 points for Appalachian State in the second half. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Conners, Tate lead Appalachian State over Sam Houston 66-63
Hubbard scores 14 of his 25 points late as Mississippi State pulls away from Prairie View A&M, 91-84Spreading joy online: Holiday kindness challenges
Tinubu Is Responsible For Tax Reform Bills Pushback – Sowunmi Gives ReasonThe Golden State Warriors face the New Orleans Pelicans in a group stage NBA Cup game on Friday, Nov. 22, 2024 (11/22/24) at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, La. How to watch: Fans can watch the game for free via a trial of DirecTV Stream or fuboTV . You can also watch via a subscription to Sling TV , which is offering half off your first month. Here’s what you need to know: What : NBA regular season Who : Warriors vs. Pelicans When : Friday, Nov. 22 (11/22/24) Time : 7:30 p.m. ET Where : Smoothie King Center TV : ESPN Live stream : DirecTV Stream (free trial), fuboTV (free trial) *** Here’s an NBA story via the Associated Press: MILWAUKEE (AP) — Doc Rivers got emotional Wednesday when speaking about Bob Love, the former Chicago Bulls star forward and three-time All-Star who died Monday at the age of 81 after a long battle with cancer. Love, who spent 11 years in the NBA, forged a special bond with Rivers when the Milwaukee Bucks coach was a teenager growing up in Chicago. “He was a big guy in my life,” Rivers said before the Bucks game against the Bulls in Milwaukee on Wednesday night, his voice breaking. “Really an impressive guy. People remember Bob from basketball and I really don’t. He was a great basketball player but I met him when I was young, in high school.” Rivers said he first encountered Love at a park in Chicago and took note of Love’s severe stuttering problem. “I remember him talking to me and really struggling,” Rivers said. “I thought how courageous that was. That an NBA player would speak to a bunch of kids at a park. It was just so impressive to me.” A relationship between Rivers and Love took root. “For whatever reason, Bob took a liking to me,” Rivers said. “He would give me his shoes. Just a powerful guy. A tough guy. I think he epitomized Chicago in a lot of ways with his toughness and how we grew up.” Rivers said other young Chicago basketball players at that time, including Mark Aguirre and Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas, also took a liking to Love. “Bob was our guy and I think we all took that toughness from him,” Rivers said. He noted that Love, who was an All-Star for three straight seasons from 1970-73 and averaged a team-high and career-best 25.8 points during the 1971-72 season, struggled after his basketball career but was able to overcome one of his biggest challenges after he left the game. “He conquered the hardest thing that he could conquer and that was his stuttering problem,” Rivers said. Rivers, getting emotional again, said he wanted Love, whose No. 10 jersey hangs in the rafters at the United Center, to be remembered, and not just for what he accomplished on the court. RECOMMENDED • nj .com What channel is the Golden State Warriors vs. New Orleans Pelicans game tonight (11/22/24)? FREE LIVE STREAM, Nov. 22, 2024, 1:30 p.m. What channel is the Dallas Mavericks vs. Denver Nuggets game tonight (11/22/24)? FREE LIVE STREAM, Time, TV, Nov. 22, 2024, 4:00 p.m. “I think we should take note of guys like that because I thought he meant so much to kids,” Rivers said. “He epitomized not only toughness as a player but just with the stuff he went through in life.” (The Associated Press contributed to this report) Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.
Asia Naphtha/Gasoline-Gasoline margins dip; naphtha crack weighed down by poor demand
UN watchdog to conduct probe into sexual misconduct allegations against top international prosecutorGeorgia's rights ombudsman on Tuesday accused police of torturing pro-European Union protesters rallying for six consecutive days against the government's decision to shelve EU accession talks amid a post-election crisis. The country of some 3.7 million has been rocked by demonstrations since the ruling Georgian Dream party announced last week it would halt EU accession talks. Police on Tuesday evening used water cannon and tear gas on the sixth night of pro-EU protests in Tbilisi after the prime minister threatened demonstrators with reprisals amid a deepening crisis in the Black Sea nation. Georgia's Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has refused to back down and threatened Tuesday to punish political opponents, accusing them of being behind violence at mass protests. Protesters gathered outside parliament for a sixth straight night but the crowd appeared slightly smaller than on recent nights, an AFP journalist saw. Draped in EU and Georgian flags, protesters booed riot police officers and threw fireworks. Police responded by directing hoses at the protesters, with some dancing in the jets and others sheltering under umbrellas. The police ordered demonstrators to leave through loud hailers and used water cannon to push the crowd away from the parliament. Then they deployed tear gas against the crowd in a nearby street, causing protesters to cough, with some using saline solution to wash out their eyes. Police roughly detained some demonstrators, Georgian independent television showed. Ombudsman Levan Ioseliani said in a statement that most injuries sustained by detained protesters "are concentrated on the face, eyes, and head", adding that "the location, nature, and severity of these injuries strongly suggest that police are using violence against citizens as a punitive measure", which "constitutes an act of torture." Tensions were already high after October parliamentary elections that saw Georgian Dream return to power amid accusations that it rigged the vote. But Kobakhidze's decision that Georgia would not hold EU membership talks until 2028 triggered uproar, although he insisted the country is still heading towards membership. The mostly young protesters accuse Georgian Dream of acting on Russian orders and fear the ex-Soviet country will end up back under Russian influence. Demonstrators projected a message Tuesday that read "thank you for not being tired" onto the parliament building, an AFP reporter saw. During the latest wave of protests, 293 people have been detained, the interior ministry said Tuesday evening, while 143 police have been injured. The health ministry said that on Monday evening 23 protesters were injured. "We want freedom and we do not want to find ourselves in Russia," 21-year-old protester Nika Maghradze told AFP. Demonstrators accuse the government of betraying Georgia's bid for EU membership, which is enshrined in its constitution and supported by around 80 percent of the population. Nugo Chigvinadze, 41, who works in logistics, told AFP at Tuesday's protest that he did not believe the prime minister's claim that the country is still aiming for EU membership. Sign up to get our free daily email of the biggest stories! "Whatever our government is saying is a lie. No one believed it. No one," he said. "They are not intending to enter the European Union." Pro-EU President Salome Zurabishvili -- at loggerheads with the government -- has backed the protest and demanded a re-run of the disputed parliamentary vote. But Tbilisi's top court on Tuesday rejected a lawsuit filed by Zurabishvili and opposition parties to overturn the election result. That announcement came shortly after Kobakhidze -- who has ruled out talks with the opposition -- vowed to punish his opponents. "Opposition politicians who have orchestrated the violence in recent days while hiding in their offices will not escape responsibility," he told a press conference. International criticism of Georgia's handling of the protests has grown, with several Western countries saying Tbilisi had used excessive force. Kobakhidze threatened to punish civil servants who join the protests, after several ambassadors and a deputy foreign minister resigned. "We are closely monitoring everyone's actions, and they will not go without a response," he said. Using Kremlin-style language, Kobakhidze alleged the protest movement was "funded from abroad". He also accused non-government groups -- attacked in a repressive pre-election campaign by authorities -- of being behind the protests. At Tuesday's demonstration, Tsotne, 28, who works in IT, defied the threats of reprisals, saying: "It's a peaceful protest, of course but I guess as an individual, I'm ready to defend my country here." Georgia this year adopted Russian-style legislation designed to restrict the activity of NGOs as well measures that the EU says curb LGBTQ rights. The laws prompted the United States to slap sanctions on Georgian officials. But Kobakhidze said his government hoped that the "US attitudes towards us will change after January 20" -- when Donald Trump takes office. Meanwhile, NATO chief Mark Rutte on Tuesday slammed the situation as "deeply concerning", condemning "unequivocally" the reports of violence. led-jc-am-im/giv