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Tbilisi, Georgia — Thousands of Georgians marched through the capital, Tbilisi, on Sunday, as protests built against a bill on "foreign agents" that the country's opposition and Western countries have said is authoritarian and Russian-inspired. Georgia's parliament said it would hold the bill's second reading on Tuesday, with opposition parties and civil society groups calling for mass protests against its expected passage. If passed, the draft law would require organizations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as "foreign agents" or face fines. Protester Nika Shurgaia said he feared many non-government organizations would be shuttered because of what he called "the Russian law." This label has been adopted by the opposition to compare the bill to a law used to crush dissent in Russia. "There are hundreds of such NGOs who have done so much good for Georgia and now they face being stigmatized and possibly shut down," Shurgaia said. The EU and Western countries have warned that the bill could halt Georgia's integration with the EU, which granted Georgia candidate status in December The bill must pass three readings in parliament to become law, as well as overcome a veto by Georgia's figurehead president, who opposes it. Groups opposed to the bill have protested nightly outside parliament for over a week, since the legislature, which is controlled by the Georgian Dream ruling party, approved its first reading. Thousands of student demonstrators have blocked Tbilisi's central Rustaveli Avenue, facing off against riot police. Opponents of the bill who called the mass protests on Sunday have also called for protests against its second reading on Tuesday. The government has called a demonstration in support of the bill for Monday.

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Tokyo — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s governing party, stung by an extensive slush funds scandal, appeared to have lost all three seats in Sunday's parliamentary by-elections, according to media exit polls and preliminary results. The Liberal Democratic Party's loss is considered a voter punishment for its links to a yearslong corruption saga that erupted last year and has undermined Kishida’s leadership. His party's loss of power is unlikely, however, because of the fractured opposition. “The results were extremely severe,” LDP Secretary General Toshimitsu Motegi told reporters in Tokyo. “We humbly accept the severe results, and we will do our utmost to regain the trust from the public as we continue our effort to reform and tackle the challenges.” The liberal-leaning main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) was certain to win all three seats in Shimane, Nagasaki and Tokyo, according to exit polls by national NHK television, Kyodo News and other media. CPDJ leader Kenta Izumi said the by-elections were about political reforms. “There are   many voters across the country who also want to show (similar) views,” he said, adding that he will seek early national elections if reforms by the governing party are too slow. The loss in the Shimane prefecture was especially shocking to the governing party and could undermine Kishida’s clout, as LDP lawmakers may try to bring him down to put a new face ahead of the next general election. Such a move would dash Kishida's hope for running in the party presidential race in September for another three-year term. He can call the election any time before the current term for the lower house expires in October 2025. Kishida has fought plummeting support ratings since the corruption scandal erupted last year. He has removed several Cabinet ministers and others from party executive posts, conducted internal hearings and drafted reform measures, but support ratings for his government have dwindled to around 20%. The scandal centers on unreported political funds raised through tickets sold for party events. It led to 10 people — lawmakers and their aides — being indicted in January. More than 80 governing party lawmakers, most of them belonging to a major party faction previously led by assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, have acknowledged not reporting funds in a possible violation of the Political Funds Control Law. The money received from the long-term practice is alleged to have gone into unmonitored slush funds. In Sunday's by-elections, the LDP did not field its own candidates in the Tokyo and Nagasaki districts because of the apparent low support for the party. It focused instead on defending the seat in the Shimane district that was vacated by the death of former LDP House Speaker Hiroyuki Hosoda, who was also linked to a few alleged irregularities, including the slush funds. Akiko Kamei, a CDPJ candidate who beat former Finance Ministry bureaucrat Norimasa Nishikori from LDP, said her victory in Shimane, known as a “conservative kingdom,” sent a “big message” to Kishida. “I believe the voters' anger over LDP's slush funds problem and the lack of improvement in daily lives in the prefecture became support for me," she said. The final results of the special vote are expected early Monday.

Beijing — Tech billionaire and Tesla CEO Elon Musk met in Beijing on Sunday with China's number two official, Premier Li Qiang, who promised the country would "always" be open to foreign firms. Musk — one of the world's richest people — arrived in China earlier the same day on his second trip in less than a year to the world's biggest market for electric vehicles. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said that during their meeting, Li had promised the country would do more to help foreign firms. "China's very large-scale market will always be open to foreign-funded firms," Li was quoted as saying. "China will stick to its word and will continue working hard to expand market access and strengthen service guarantees." Beijing would also provide foreign companies with "a better business environment" so "that firms from all over the world can have peace of mind while investing in China," Li added. Musk later said on X, which he also owns, that he was honored to meet with Li, adding the pair "have known each other now for many years.” Musk has extensive business interests in China and his most recent visit was in May and June of last year. Tesla has not shared his itinerary for the current trip. CCTV quoted him as praising the "hardworking and intelligent Chinese team" at his Tesla Gigafactory in Shanghai during his meeting with Li. "Tesla is willing to take the next step in deepening cooperation with China to achieve more win-win results," Musk reportedly added. Earlier in the day, the billionaire met with the head of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Ren Hongbin, "to discuss next steps in cooperation and other topics," CCTV said. The mercurial magnate is a controversial figure in the West, but in China, Tesla's electric vehicles have become a staple of middle-class urban life. The future Having once derided Chinese EVs, Musk described their manufacturers this year as being "the most competitive car companies in the world." "It's good to see electric vehicles making progress in China," he was quoted as saying by a state-backed media outlet Sunday. "All cars will be electric in the future." Musk's own company has run into trouble in the world's second-largest economy: in January, Tesla recalled more than 1.6 million electric vehicles in China to fix their steering software. His arrival in China coincides with a cut-throat price war between firms desperate to get ahead in the fiercely competitive EV market. China's local car giant BYD — "Build Your Dreams" — beat out Tesla in last year's fourth quarter to become the world's top seller of EVs. Tesla reclaimed that title in the first quarter of this year, but BYD remains firmly on top in its home market. An analysis by Wedbush Securities called the visit "a watershed moment for Musk as well as Beijing," given the level of domestic competition and recent "softer demand" for Tesla. The trip also comes as Beijing hosts a massive auto show, which held press events from Thursday and opened to the public over the weekend. Tesla's last hope Comments under posts about Musk's arrival on the social media site Weibo were full of speculation that the celebrity tycoon would attend Auto China while in Beijing. One user suggested Musk's visit was motivated by a desire to test drive an SU7, the first car model released earlier this year by Chinese consumer tech giant Xiaomi. Xiaomi's entrance into the competitive EV sector appears to be off to a positive start, with CEO Lei Jun saying this month that pre-orders had outpaced expectations by three to five times. Other commenters responded to reports that Musk's trip was intended to give him an opportunity to talk with Chinese officials about the possibility of bringing Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology to the local market. "FSD is Tesla's last hope for saving its domestic sales," one Weibo user said. "While the long-term valuation story at Tesla hinges on FSD and autonomous, a key missing piece in that puzzle is Tesla making FSD available in China which now appears on the doorstep," the Wedbush analysis said. Musk's interests in China have long raised eyebrows in Washington, with President Joe Biden saying in November 2022 that his links to foreign countries were "worthy" of scrutiny. The tycoon has also caused controversy by suggesting the self-ruled island of Taiwan should become part of China — a stance that was welcomed by Chinese officials but deeply angered Taipei.

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Baghdad — Human rights groups and diplomats criticized a law that was quietly passed by the Iraqi parliament over the weekend that would impose heavy prison sentences on gay and transgender people. U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement that the law passed Saturday “threatens those most at risk in Iraqi society” and “can be used to hamper free-speech and expression.” He warned that the legislation could drive away foreign investment. “International business coalitions have already indicated that such discrimination in Iraq will harm business and economic growth in the country,” the statement said. British Foreign Secretary David Cameron called the law “dangerous and worrying.” Although homosexuality is taboo in the largely conservative Iraqi society, and political leaders have periodically launched anti-LGBTQ+ campaigns, Iraq did not previously have a law that explicitly criminalized it. The law passed Saturday with little notice as an amendment to the country’s existing anti-prostitution law. It imposes a sentence of 10 to 15 years for same-sex relations and a prison term of one to three years for people who undergo or perform gender-transition surgeries and for “intentional practice of effeminacy.” It also bans any organization that promotes “sexual deviancy,” imposing a sentence of at least seven years and a fine of no less than 10 million dinars (about $7,600). A previous draft version of the anti-prostitution law, which was ultimately not passed, would have allowed the death sentence to be imposed for same-sex relations. Iraqi officials have defended the law as upholding societal values and portrayed criticisms of it as Western interference. The acting Iraqi parliamentary speaker, Mohsen Al-Mandalawi, said in a statement that the vote was “a necessary step to protect the value structure of society” and to “protect our children from calls for moral depravity and homosexuality.” Rasha Younes, a senior researcher with the LGBT Rights Program at Human Rights Watch, said the law’s passage “rubber-stamps Iraq’s appalling record of rights violations against LGBT people and is a serious blow to fundamental human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and association, privacy, equality, and nondiscrimination.” A report released by the organization in 2022 accused armed groups in Iraq of abducting, raping, torturing, and killing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people with impunity and the Iraqi government of failing to hold the perpetrators accountable.

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At least 16 African countries, including South Africa, will hold elections in the remaining months of 2024. Voters who go online for political news are risking exposure to disinformation and misinformation. But a new digital ethics organization aims to help journalists and activists identify false and misleading content so they can educate the public. Zaheer Cassim has the story from Johannesburg.

Tehran, Iran — Iranian authorities have banned an Egyptian TV series depicting a medieval Persian figure over historical "distortions" and "a biased approach," state media reported Sunday. "The Assassins," or "El-Hashashin" in Arabic, recounts the story of Hassan-i Sabbah, the controversial founder of an offshoot Shiite Muslim sect known for bloody political assassinations during the 11th century. The 30-episode series about Sabbah and his band of assassins, who operated out of mountain bases in northern and western Iran, was first broadcast during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan which ended earlier this month. The show has since gained popularity across the Middle East, but the head of Tehran's audiovisual media regulatory body, Mehdi Seifi, said that "the broadcast of 'El-Hashashin' series... is no longer approved in Iran." "Its narrative of Islamic history includes many distortions, and it seems to have been produced with a biased political approach," Seifi was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency, without elaborating. IRNA said the series shows "a false image of Iranians" and quoted experts who argued it sought to link Iranians to the "inception of terrorism."   Another news agency, ISNA, said the series was a "perfect example" of the "modification and falsification of truth." The notorious legends of Sabbah and his medieval order have inspired multiple works of fiction over the years. The remains of the Alamut castle, where the group resided, is today a tourist destination in northern Iran. 

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U.S. President Joe Biden’s jokes were well-received by those who attended the White House correspondents’ dinner in Washington Saturday. But his political rival, Donald Trump, criticized the event as he gears up for a new round of campaign stops and court appearances this week. VOA’s Veronica Balderas Iglesias has the details.

Hamas says it is reviewing a cease-fire plan for Gaza put forth by Israel. This follows a visit to Israel by an Egyptian delegation where officials described a “new vision” for a prolonged end to hostilities. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi has more.

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CHBAR MON, Cambodia — A funeral was held Sunday for 20 soldiers who died at an army base in southwestern Cambodia in a huge explosion of stored munitions that also wounded several others and damaged nearby houses.  There has been no public explanation of what caused the Saturday afternoon blast at the base in Kompong Speu province, though there were no suggestions it was triggered deliberately.  Defense Minister Tea Seiha, representing Prime Minister Hun Manet, presided over the Buddhist funeral ceremony, which was attended by relatives of the victims and fellow soldiers. Cambodian flags covered the wooden coffins.  A villager living nearby told The Associated Press on Sunday that he trembled after hearing the blast because he had never before experienced such a loud explosion.  “When the explosion happened, I was fixing my house with some construction workers,” said Chim Sothea. “Suddenly there was a loud explosion, causing my house to shake and breaking tiles on my roof. They fell down but luckily they didn’t fall inside the house.”  Images showed several badly damaged buildings on the base, at least one with its roof  blown off, and soldiers receiving treatment in a hospital. Other photos showed nearby houses with holes in their roofs.  Four buildings on the base — three for storage and one work facility — were destroyed and several military vehicles damaged, Col. Youeng Sokhon, an army officer at the site, said in a report to army chief Gen. Mao Sophan.  Another villager, who asked to be named only as Sophal, said the military closed the road to the base and “villagers were in a panic, seeking a safe place.” He moved his family to his parent’s home, farther away from the base. When he returned to his own house hours later, he found it undamaged but other villagers’ houses had broken windows, doors and roofs, he said.  Cambodia, like many countries in the region, has been suffering from an extended heat wave, and the province where the blast took place registered a high of 39 C (102 F) Saturday. While high temperatures normally can’t detonate ammunition, they can degrade the stability of explosives over time, with the risk that a single small explosion can set off a fire and a chain reaction.  In March 2005, a nighttime blast at an arms depot in the northwestern provincial town of Battambang triggered an hour-long spray of shells and bullets, killing at least six people and causing panic.  A 2014 report by the Swiss-based group Small Arms Survey highlighted the dangers of poorly stored or mishandled munitions, calling it a “global problem.” It noted that from 1979 through 2013 there were more than 500 incidents involving unplanned explosions at munitions sites. 

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London — Prince Harry will return to Britain to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his Invictus Games in May, before joining his wife Meghan on a visit to Nigeria, his spokesperson said Sunday.  Harry, the youngest son of King Charles, lives in the United States with Meghan and their two children after he gave up working as a member of the royal family in 2020.  He has only returned to Britain on a few occasions since his departure from royal life, arriving for major events such as the funeral of Queen Elizabeth in 2022 and his father's coronation in May 2023.  His spokesperson said Harry would attend a service at St. Paul's Cathedral in London on May 8 to celebrate the Invictus Games, the international sporting event that he founded for military personnel wounded in action.  Harry served as a military helicopter pilot in Afghanistan and Invictus organizers said the service was designed to mark "a decade of changing lives and saving lives through sport."  It will include readings by Harry and the British actor Damian Lewis. Wounded veterans and members of the Invictus community will also attend.  Harry will then be joined in Nigeria by Meghan, a former American actress who is known as the Duchess of Sussex. Harry's spokesperson said the couple had been invited by the country's chief of defense staff, its highest-ranking military official.  No further details were given about the trip.  Harry was last seen in Britain in February this year for a brief meeting with his father after the monarch announced that he had been diagnosed with cancer.  The palace said Friday that Charles would return to public duties after he made good progress following treatment and a period of recuperation. 

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