Tens of Thousands Protest in Georgia Against Controversial ‘Foreign Agents’ Bill |
Last night’s demonstrations in the capital, Tbilisi, are the latest (AFP) in weeks of dissent over a bill that opponents believe could be used to repress political speech and hinder Georgia’s chances of joining the European Union. Police fired tear gas and arrested demonstrators in Tbilisi; earlier in the week, they used water cannons, tear gas, and rubber bullets, RFE/RL reported. UN human rights leader Volker Türk yesterday called on (NYT) Georgian authorities to withdraw the bill and voiced concern over law enforcement’s disproportionate use of force against protesters, while U.S. and European officials have also criticized the draft legislation.
The bill passed two of three required votes on Wednesday, with a final vote expected on May 17. It would require nongovernmental groups that receive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad to register as foreign agents, resembling a 2012 Russian law that has been used to stifle activist organizations and the media. |
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“What began as a demonstration against the foreign agents bill is morphing into a much broader, youth-led movement against the ruling party and its Kremlin-inspired politics—and in favor of strengthening ties with the West,” the Eurasia Group’s John Haltiwanger writes for GZero.
“Georgians have demonstrated unquestionable capacity to influence government policy through peaceful mass mobilization during the 2003 Rose Revolution and the more recent protests in March 2023 which brought about the failure of a ‘foreign agent’ law that ran contrary to European Commission recommendations,” Freedom House’s Jacob Paquette writes for the Atlantic Council.
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Russian Oil Shipments to North Korea Violate UN Limits, White House Says |
Russia quietly shipped (Reuters) more than 165,000 barrels of refined petroleum to North Korea in March and could continue the shipments indefinitely, White House spokesperson John Kirby said yesterday. UN sanctions limit North Korea’s annual oil imports; this week, a UN panel monitoring North Korea’s compliance was disbanded following a Russian vote to end it. Kirby said Washington would continue to coordinate sanctions with partners.
Brazil/Japan: Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio is expected to announce (NHK) support for land preservation in the Amazon Rainforest in a meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva today. It is the first visit by a Japanese prime minister to Brazil in eight years.
This CFR Infoguide explores the importance of protecting the Amazon Rainforest.
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Myanmar Ends Permission for Military-Age Men to Travel Abroad for Work |
Yesterday’s policy announcement comes weeks after a February military enlistment order led many people to try to flee (BBC) the country. Since taking over in a coup in 2021, Myanmar’s junta has been battling rebels in a civil war that has killed thousands of people and displaced at least 2.6 million, according to UN data.
India: Opposition figure Rahul Gandhi will contest (Reuters) India’s general election from part of India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, his Congress Party announced today. The party has been struggling to revive itself since being defeated nationally by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party in 2014.
This Expert Brief by CFR Senior Fellow Manjari Chatterjee Miller unpacks what to know about India’s election.
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Middle East and North Africa |
Hamas Says Cease-Fire Talks Progressing, Will Send Delegation to Cairo ‘As Soon as Possible’ |
Deliberations on a potential cease-fire and hostage release deal in the Gaza Strip are moving forward (WaPo) with a “positive spirit,” Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh said in a statement yesterday. Israel’s war cabinet met (Times of Israel) last night to discuss negotiations.
Israel/Turkey: Turkey has suspended (Hürriyet) all trade with Israel until the Israeli government “allows an uninterrupted and sufficient flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza,” its trade ministry said yesterday. Israel’s foreign ministry said that Turkey was violating trade agreements and vowed to respond.
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CFR’s Robert McMahon and Carla Anne Robbins are joined by journalist Jeffrey Gedmin in this special episode to mark World Press Freedom Day. They discuss the growing threats to global media, the U.S. role in protecting press freedom, and more. |
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Russian Troops Deployed to Airbase Still Hosting U.S. Forces in Niger |
The Russian forces are using (BBC) a different part of the Niger compound than U.S. troops there, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said yesterday. The Pentagon said it is currently working (CNN) with Nigerien officials to carry out an orderly withdrawal from the country after Niger’s junta ended a deal allowing U.S. troop presence.
Liberia: President Joseph Boakai signed an executive order yesterday to set up (BBC) the country’s first war crimes court. International partners such as the United States have welcomed the move, which comes more than twenty years after the end of two civil wars.
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Russian Gas Giant Reports Biggest Loss in More Than Twenty-Five Years |
The majority state-owned company Gazprom reported a loss (FT) of $6.9 billion last year due to plunging sales to Europe following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Sales to Europe were once the core of Gazprom’s business, but they have since more than halved. Since the start of the war, the company has aimed to focus on other petroproducts, though it was not enough to make up for the loss.
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Panama Presidential Frontrunner Allowed to Stay in Race Before Sunday Vote |
Panama’s top court threw out (AP) a legal challenge to leading candidate José Raúl Mulino early today, leaving him and six other presidential candidates in the race.
Haiti: The transitional governing council walked back (Reuters) its nomination for prime minister made earlier in the week after some council members objected to the way Fritz Bélizaire was selected. Council members said they would return to the original list of contenders and choose another nominee.
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Biden Defends ‘Right to Protest, but Not the Right to Cause Chaos’ |
President Joe Biden addressed (AP) ongoing college campus protests over the war in Gaza yesterday, saying that “dissent is essential for democracy, but dissent must never lead to disorder.” He said that he did not support calls to deploy the National Guard to campuses.
This Backgrounder by Anshu Siripurapu and CFR’s Noah Berman looks at the role of the U.S. National Guard.
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Reuters details the reality of famine in Sudan as the country enters its second year of a brutal civil war that has created the world’s largest hunger crisis. |
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