Federal Independent Agencies
Here's a look at documents from federal independent agencies
Featured Stories
Paraguay to Strengthen Trade and Investment Facilitation With IDB Support
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release:
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Paraguay to Strengthen Trade and Investment Facilitation with IDB Support
The Board of Executive Directors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved a $19 million loan to boost Paraguay's international integration by attracting investment, promoting exports, and modernizing border management.
The program, which will be implemented by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC), aims to improve tools for facilitating and promoting foreign investment, advance trade integration and
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release:
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Paraguay to Strengthen Trade and Investment Facilitation with IDB Support
The Board of Executive Directors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved a $19 million loan to boost Paraguay's international integration by attracting investment, promoting exports, and modernizing border management.
The program, which will be implemented by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC), aims to improve tools for facilitating and promoting foreign investment, advance trade integration andthe internationalization of MSMEs, and reduce the time and cost of trade with Brazil.
The initiative includes the development of digital platforms such as the Single Window for Investment Attraction (VUAI), the strengthening of the country brand, and the implementation of business development services for internationalization. It will also focus on modernizing border management through the establishment of a coordinated border management model at the new International Integration Bridge between the cities of Presidente Franco and Foz do Iguacu.
This initiative will benefit more than 600 exporting companies and 190 new foreign companies established in the country, which will receive investment attraction services, contributing to international integration, economic diversification, and more sustainable and inclusive growth. In addition, the modernization of the border crossing is expected to speed up the transit of about 135,000 export and import vehicles per year, significantly reducing times (from 50 to 25 hours) and costs.
Additionally, the project seeks to improve the business and investment climate, complementing the IDB's support for Paraguay's process of joining the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
The loan has a repayment term of 22.5 years, an eight-year grace period, and an interest rate based on SOFR.
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About the IDB
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), a member of the IDB Group, is devoted to improving lives across Latin America and the Caribbean. Founded in 1959, the Bank works with the region's public sector to design and enable impactful, innovative solutions for sustainable and inclusive development. Leveraging financing, technical expertise, and knowledge, it promotes growth and well-being in 26 countries. Visit our website:
https://www.iadb.org/en.
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Original text here: https://www.iadb.org/en/news/paraguay-strengthen-trade-and-investment-facilitation-idb-support
National Portrait Gallery Announces 'Portrait of a Nation: 2025 Honorees'
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The Smithsonian Institution issued the following news release on Dec. 2, 2025:
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National Portrait Gallery Announces "Portrait of a Nation: 2025 Honorees"
Exhibition of Never-Before-Seen and Newly Acquired Portraits Opens Dec. 12
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The Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery will present "Portrait of a Nation: 2025 Honorees" Dec. 12, featuring the four recipients of the museum's 2025 Portrait of a Nation Awards. Established in 2015, the Portrait of a Nation Awards honor extraordinary individuals who have made transformative contributions to the United States and its
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The Smithsonian Institution issued the following news release on Dec. 2, 2025:
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National Portrait Gallery Announces "Portrait of a Nation: 2025 Honorees"
Exhibition of Never-Before-Seen and Newly Acquired Portraits Opens Dec. 12
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The Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery will present "Portrait of a Nation: 2025 Honorees" Dec. 12, featuring the four recipients of the museum's 2025 Portrait of a Nation Awards. Established in 2015, the Portrait of a Nation Awards honor extraordinary individuals who have made transformative contributions to the United States and itspeople across all fields of endeavor. The honorees were presented with their awards at the 10th anniversary of the Portrait of a Nation Gala on Nov. 15, a ticketed fundraiser that supports the museum's operations and endowment. Their portraits will be on view on the museum's first floor Dec. 12 through Nov. 8, 2026. Admission is free.
The honorees are:
* Jamie Dimon, business leader, by photographer Jason Alden
* Temple Grandin, distinguished professor, inventor and groundbreaking researcher of animal science, by artist David Lenz
* Joy Harjo, internationally renowned poet, performer and writer of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and 23rd U.S. poet laureate, by artist Joel Daniel Phillips
* Steven Spielberg, Academy Award-winning director, producer and writer, by artist Kate Capshaw
The exhibition will feature the premiere of two commissioned portraits, one of honoree Temple Grandin and another of honoree Steven Spielberg, and two newly acquired portraits of honoree Jamie Dimon and honoree Joy Harjo.
"This year's Portrait of a Nation Award honorees represent a few of the many disciplines of innovation that have shaped the nation's trajectory and are reflected in the museum's collection of more than 26,000 works," said Rhea L. Combs, director of curatorial affairs. "Furthermore, these portraits offer a glimpse into the dynamic relationship between sitters and artists that has defined the genre of portraiture over time. When viewing these artworks, audiences will discover new sides of four luminaries--each of whom has greatly impacted American life--thanks to the artists' distinct and inspired interpretations."
"Portrait of a Nation: 2025 Honorees" will premiere "Brocken Spectre and Glory: Portrait of Temple Grandin," a 2022 commissioned painting of Grandin by Lenz, who received first prize in the Portrait Gallery's inaugural Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition in 2006. The painting depicts Grandin standing with cows at Waseda Farms, which built the first Grandin-designed facility in Wisconsin for humane cattle-handling practices. A ring of light and colors, an atmospheric phenomenon known as a "brocken spectre and glory," shines in the background, while the viewer's projected shadow in the center symbolizes Grandin's belief that every person is important and can contribute to society in unique ways.
Also debuting will be "The Picture Maker," a newly commissioned portrait of Academy Award-winning director, producer and writer Spielberg by contemporary artist Capshaw. The work combines film projection and oil painting on canvas with dimensions chosen by Capshaw to reflect the 1:33 aspect ratio--mirroring the proportions of Spielberg's first medium, 8mm film. The projection, created by Capshaw, incorporates new material and archival clips from films Spielberg made in his teens and early 20s. These 8 mm, 16 mm and 35 mm movies have not been publicly presented before.
The commissions will be on view alongside a newly acquired portrait of accomplished business leader Dimon, taken by London-based photographer Alden in 2023. Dimon had just completed an interview with Bloomberg Television when Alden recorded this portrait on the sidelines of the JPMorgan Tech Stars Leadership Forum. Also presented is a newly acquired drawing of Harjo by contemporary artist Phillips that has never been shown publicly. Harjo and Phillips met during an artist residency in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where the inspiration behind her portrait was born. The drawing, made with charcoal, graphite and ink, depicts Harjo, a three-time poet laureate for the United States, wearing a traditional native skirt and holding a saxophone as a tribute to her Mvskoke (Creek) heritage and her creative spirit as an internationally renowned poet, performer and writer.
"Portrait of a Nation: 2025 Honorees" has been made possible through the Portrait of a Nation Gala Endowment.
National Portrait Gallery
The Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery tells the multifaceted story of the United States through the individuals who have shaped American culture. Spanning the visual arts, performing arts and new media, the Portrait Gallery portrays poets and presidents, visionaries and villains, actors and activists whose lives tell the nation's story.
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Original text here: https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/national-portrait-gallery-announces-portrait-nation-2025-honorees
National Gallery's Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts Announces New Publication, Art &
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The National Gallery of Art issued the following news release:
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National Gallery's Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts Announces New Publication, Art &
The annual series will explore the role of art and artists in relation to a central theme, with the first volume, Art & Histories, coming in January 2026
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The Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts (the Center), the National Gallery's world-renowned research institute, today announced Art &, its new book series aimed at understanding the role of art and artists in imagining a dynamic social fabric.
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The National Gallery of Art issued the following news release:
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National Gallery's Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts Announces New Publication, Art &
The annual series will explore the role of art and artists in relation to a central theme, with the first volume, Art & Histories, coming in January 2026
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The Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts (the Center), the National Gallery's world-renowned research institute, today announced Art &, its new book series aimed at understanding the role of art and artists in imagining a dynamic social fabric.The first volume, Art & Histories, will be published on January 13, 2026, followed by Art & Water in July of the same year. Future volumes will be published annually in the summer.
Each edition of Art & will invite artists and scholars to explore a central topic--histories, water, dreaming, and more--and how artistic practices, both past and present, shape society's relationships to these issues. Academic exploration of the topics will be accompanied by an original, commissioned work of art created specifically for the book and in response to its theme.
"As a series, Art & is an invitation to think about art together with the issues it shapes through material and imaginative expressions," said Kaira M. Cabanas, the Center's associate dean for academic programs and publications. "The ampersand in the title is intentional both typographically and conceptually. By foregrounding '&' in the title, the series signals how art does not stand alone but is always already entangled with people, ideas, materials, networks, and communities, aligning with the National Gallery's mission to welcome all people to explore and experience art, creativity, and our shared humanity."
Art & Histories, the first volume in the series, engages with multiple cultural contexts and time periods to embrace art's expansive histories, promoting new research through innovative methodologies and exploration of specific issues. The publication features essays by Seeta Chaganti, Lisa Gail Collins, Lorraine Mendes and Igor Simoes, Wanda Nanibush (Anishinaabe, Citizen of the Beausoleil Nation), Juno Richards, and Erhan Tamur, with an original work of art by Glexis Novoa.
The series' concise format, artist interventions, and issue-driven content offer an engaging entry point into art-historical research. The publication aims to be responsive to the breadth of art history as it relates to the theme, with each volume comprising scholarship and subject matter spanning geographies, time periods, and artistic genres. Art & advances the Center's contributions to the scholarly community by including the perspectives of authors of varying generations and at different points in their careers, as well as from different parts of the country and the world, encouraging and introducing the future of art-historical scholarship in a widely available context.
Each volume will be published simultaneously in print and open-access digital editions. Art & will be published by the National Gallery of Art and distributed by Yale University Press. The first edition in the series is now available for preorder.
A launch event for Art & Histories will take place on January 31, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. at Politics and Prose (5015 Connecticut Avenue NW). To learn more about the new publication, visit nga.gov/art-and.
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About the Center
Since its inception in 1979 with the opening of the National Gallery's East Building, the Center has promoted the study of the production, use, and cultural meaning of art, artifacts, architecture, urbanism, photography, and film from all places and periods through the formation of a community of scholars. Center publications seek to deepen our knowledge of the artistic past, present, and future, transforming our understanding of art's role in the world.
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About the National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art welcomes all people to explore art, creativity, and our shared humanity. Nearly four million people come through its doors each year--with millions more online--making it one of the most visited art museums in the world. The National Gallery's renowned collection includes nearly 160,000 works of art, from the ancient world to today. Admission to the West and East Buildings, Sculpture Garden, special exhibitions, and public programs is always free.
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Original text here: https://www.nga.gov/press/national-gallerys-center-advanced-study-visual-arts-announces-new-publication-art
National Gallery Launches First-Ever Online Public Archives Catalog
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The National Gallery of Art issued the following news release on Dec. 2, 2025:
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National Gallery Launches First-Ever Online Public Archives Catalog
The National Gallery of Art announced today the launch of its first online archives catalog, expanding public access to the museum's archival records. Users are now able to digitally search and explore more than 86,000 resources documenting the National Gallery's history and activities since its founding in 1937.
Archival records include historical correspondence, photographs, printed material, and audio and visual recordings
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The National Gallery of Art issued the following news release on Dec. 2, 2025:
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National Gallery Launches First-Ever Online Public Archives Catalog
The National Gallery of Art announced today the launch of its first online archives catalog, expanding public access to the museum's archival records. Users are now able to digitally search and explore more than 86,000 resources documenting the National Gallery's history and activities since its founding in 1937.
Archival records include historical correspondence, photographs, printed material, and audio and visual recordingsrelated to the museum's past and institutional development. Highlights include oral history interviews with leadership, staff, and others from throughout the museum's history, exhibition installation images, checklists, and brochures, press releases, and files relating to works of art commissioned for the opening of the East Building in 1978. With more than 45 archival collections, the resources also include the papers of National Gallery donors, collectors, and staff, including Chester and Maud Dale, John Rewald, Lessing J. Rosenwald, and Dorothy and Herbert Vogel; the World War II papers of nine Monuments Officers; and the records of the Index of American Design.
Researchers and the general public will now be able to directly search the National Gallery's archival records. Museum archivists are then available to assist them in exploring the collection and to share digital versions of the records anywhere in the world. Researchers will continue to have the option to make an appointment and view materials of interest in person. In the future, direct access to digital archival materials will be available through the catalog.
"The heightened public availability of the National Gallery's archival resources furthers our work to increase access to art and inspire creativity," said Michele Willens, the National Gallery's chief of archives. "Our archives serve as our institutional memory and allow us to understand the history and evolution of our institution. As the nation's art museum, we are proud to now share these materials with audiences around the country, including those who may never be able to visit us in Washington."
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About the National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art welcomes all people to explore art, creativity, and our shared humanity. Nearly four million people come through its doors each year--with millions more online--making it one of the most visited art museums in the world. The National Gallery's renowned collection includes nearly 160,000 works of art, from the ancient world to today. Admission to the West and East Buildings, Sculpture Garden, special exhibitions, and public programs is always free.
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Original text here: https://www.nga.gov/press/national-gallery-launches-first-ever-online-public-archives-catalog
IDB Group Announces Graham Macmillan as IDB Lab General Manager
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release:
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IDB Group Announces Graham Macmillan as IDB Lab General Manager
The Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) is pleased to announce the appointment of Graham Macmillan as general manager of IDB Lab, effective January 5, 2026.
IDB Lab is the innovation and venture capital arm of the IDB Group. It leverages financing, knowledge, and connections to support early-stage entrepreneurship, foster new technologies, activate innovative markets, and catalyze existing sectors in Latin America and
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release:
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IDB Group Announces Graham Macmillan as IDB Lab General Manager
The Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) is pleased to announce the appointment of Graham Macmillan as general manager of IDB Lab, effective January 5, 2026.
IDB Lab is the innovation and venture capital arm of the IDB Group. It leverages financing, knowledge, and connections to support early-stage entrepreneurship, foster new technologies, activate innovative markets, and catalyze existing sectors in Latin America andthe Caribbean.
"Graham's extensive experience will be instrumental in advancing IDB Lab's mission to foster innovation and private-sector development impact in Latin America and the Caribbean," said IDB Group President Ilan Goldfajn.
Macmillan brings more than 25 years of experience leading global initiatives across the private, public, and philanthropic sectors, with deep expertise in impact investing. He currently serves as head of global philanthropy and president of the Visa Foundation, where he spearheaded Visa's global pandemic response, integrated philanthropic and volunteer programs across the company, and represented the institution at the White House, the IMF, and the World Bank.
Prior to Visa, Macmillan held senior leadership roles at the Ford Foundation, Citi, and the Citi Foundation. Earlier in his career, he contributed to social-enterprise growth at VisionSpring and Helen Keller International, expanding programs across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
He holds an MBA from NYU Stern (with joint studies at LSE and HEC Paris), an MSc in management from NYU Wagner, and a BA from Colby College. He has served on multiple boards, including Village Capital and the NYU Impact Investing Fund, and is a former term member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
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About the IDB Group
The Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) is the leading source of financing and knowledge for improving lives in Latin America and the Caribbean. It comprises the IDB, which works with the region's public sector and enables the private sector; IDB Invest, which directly supports private companies and projects; and IDB Lab, which spurs entrepreneurial innovation.
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Original text here: https://www.iadb.org/en/news/idb-group-announces-graham-macmillan-idb-lab-general-manager
Ecuador to Boost Efficiency in Public Procurement With IDB Support
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release:
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Ecuador to Boost Efficiency in Public Procurement with IDB Support
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Board of Executive Directors approved a loan of $22.95 million to strengthen the capacities of Ecuador's National Public Procurement Service (SERCOP) and advance the modernization of the National Public Procurement System (SNCP).
The project will drive a comprehensive transformation of public procurement with the goal of improving the quality, timeliness, and transparency of procurement
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release:
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Ecuador to Boost Efficiency in Public Procurement with IDB Support
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Board of Executive Directors approved a loan of $22.95 million to strengthen the capacities of Ecuador's National Public Procurement Service (SERCOP) and advance the modernization of the National Public Procurement System (SNCP).
The project will drive a comprehensive transformation of public procurement with the goal of improving the quality, timeliness, and transparency of procurementprocesses, thereby increasing the efficiency of public spending. To achieve this, the program includes an integrated approach that encompasses strengthening the organization, strategic planning, and governance of the SNCP; enhancing SERCOP's capacity to manage procurement based on principles of efficiency, transparency, and value for money; optimizing control functions and inter-institutional coordination within the National Control Subsystem (SNC); and implementing digital transformation measures, including the development of a new integrated technology platform and strengthening cybersecurity.
The project will benefit more than 13,500 state suppliers, including micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, organizations from the Popular and Solidarity Economy, and entrepreneurs, by providing a more agile, transparent, and accessible procurement system. It will also support over 8,600 contracting entities in managing purchasing procedures more efficiently, as well as SNC institutions, which will improve their ability to exchange and use data for coordinated state oversight, including early detection of irregularities.
This operation is directly linked to a recently approved IDB loan to strengthen Ecuador's Office of the Comptroller General (CGE), a key SNC entity. Both initiatives are part of a comprehensive agenda aimed at improving the quality, efficiency, transparency, and integrity of public spending in Ecuador.
The loan will be granted under the Specific Investment Loan (ESP) modality, with a repayment term of 25 years, a grace period of 5.5 years, and an interest rate based on SOFR plus a margin.
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About the IDB
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), a member of the IDB Group, is devoted to improving lives across Latin America and the Caribbean. Founded in 1959, the Bank works with the region's public sector to design and enable impactful, innovative solutions for sustainable and inclusive development. Leveraging financing, technical expertise, and knowledge, it promotes growth and well-being in 26 countries. Visit our website: https://www.iadb.org/en.
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Original text here: https://www.iadb.org/en/news/ecuador-boost-efficiency-public-procurement-idb-support
Bipartisan Helsinki Commission Leadership Respond to Reports That Georgian Authorities Used Chemical Weapon Against Protestors
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, issued the following news release on Dec. 3, 2025:
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Bipartisan Helsinki Commission Leadership Respond to Reports that Georgian Authorities Used Chemical Weapon against Protestors
U.S. Helsinki Commission Chairman Senator Roger Wicker (MS), Co-Chairman Representative Joe Wilson (SC-02), Ranking Member Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (RI), and Ranking Member Representative Steve Cohen (TN-09) today issued the following statement in response to credible evidence that Georgian
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, issued the following news release on Dec. 3, 2025:
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Bipartisan Helsinki Commission Leadership Respond to Reports that Georgian Authorities Used Chemical Weapon against Protestors
U.S. Helsinki Commission Chairman Senator Roger Wicker (MS), Co-Chairman Representative Joe Wilson (SC-02), Ranking Member Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (RI), and Ranking Member Representative Steve Cohen (TN-09) today issued the following statement in response to credible evidence that Georgianauthorities used a World War I-era chemical weapon against peaceful protesters.
"Recent findings that Georgian Dream used a chemical weapon against peaceful protestors last year are deeply disturbing. These chemical attacks left victims with burns and long-term health complications and are a violation of the human rights commitments that Georgian authorities are obliged to uphold. Such behavior places Georgian Dream in league with corrupt rulers in Russia and China who fear their own people and will stop at nothing to maintain their grip on power.
"We call on the U.S. government and our democratic allies to verify these reports and impose relevant sanctions on those responsible. We continue to urge our colleagues in Congress to pass the MEGOBARI Act, bipartisan legislation that would provide the State Department with additional tools to support the Georgian people's struggle for freedom."
On Sunday, November 30, BBC reported that Georgian authorities used water cannons to spray a chemical called camite at protestors last year. According to the report, which relies on information from experts and whistleblowers from Georgia's riot police, the chemical was invented for use during World War I and taken out of circulation in the 1930's because of its long-term health effects. This revelation comes as Georgians enter their second year of daily demonstrations, protesting the ruling Georgian Dream party's decision to rig elections and derail Georgia's path towards Euro-Atlantic integration. Since protests began in October 2024, Georgian Dream has dragged the country further towards authoritarianism by cracking down on independent media, imprisoning dissenters, and deepening relationships with Russia and China.
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Original text here: https://www.csce.gov/press-releases/bipartisan-helsinki-commission-leadership-respond-to-reports-that-georgian-authorities-used-chemical-weapon-against-protestors/
