In late November, Algeria adopted new laws regulating the media and journalism, characterized by the government as allowing for more press freedoms. But considering the government has done so much to eviscerate freedom of expression and tame independent journalism in Algeria, that characterization doesn’t hold weight.
In November, Liberian President George Weah astonished many observers both at home and abroad by conceding defeat to opposition candidate Joseph Boakai in the second round of the country’s presidential election, a move that stands in stark contrast to the recent coups and democratic erosion seen elsewhere in West Africa.
In early December, Chinese maritime forces water-cannoned Philippine resupply vessels en route to the Second Thomas Shoal, a disputed land feature in the South China Sea that hosts a small Filipino military detachment. The clash was the latest in a series of incidents as the two countries maneuver for advantage in the disputed waters.
On Oct. 28, the British Library went dark, the result of a ransomware attack by the cybercrime group Rhysida. The impact of the incident has been limited to a small community of researchers, but it is also part of a wider pattern of ransomware attacks against the public sector in the U.K. and around the world.
One year after U.S. President Joe Biden hosted the U.S.-Africa Leaders’ Summit, great power competition is still driving Washington’s Africa policy. So while the summit did produce some positive outcomes, engagement with civil society remains limited and human rights protection continues to be placed on the back burner.
With the war in Gaza having intensified following the end of the recent U.S.-supported pause in fighting, it has become clear that this conflict is upending U.S. President Joe Biden’s plans for the Middle East: The war has dealt a body blow to Arab-Israeli normalization, while accelerating Iran’s regional integration.
Madagascar could be hovering on the brink of another political crisis after President Andry Rajoelina was declared the winner of a sham election. Amid democratic backsliding and continued French support, Rajoelina will begin his third term with popular discontent and disillusionment with the ruling elite at an all-time high.
Financing is a critical component in the response to various development goals across the Global South, but it is also urgent to scrutinize how solutions are implemented. In particular, the exclusion of local actors affects the effectiveness of international assistance and can even lead to foreign aid doing more harm than good.
On Oct. 31, the Biden administration restored Mauritania’s trade preferences under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, despite Mauritania not having fully eradicated forced labor and slavery. A closer look at several other aspects of U.S.-Mauritania relations may shed light on the Biden administration’s decision.
Although the scale of the unrest that engulfed the streets of Dublin last month took both the authorities and the general public by surprise, it probably shouldn’t have. It is just the latest and most extreme in a series of incidents in Ireland over the past six months fueled by the far right and rising anti-immigrant sentiment.
Israel’s previous wars in the past few decades have had limited economic fallout, in part due to their brevity. But its current conflict against Hamas in Gaza promises to be a more protracted campaign, one that will affect a more significant swathe of the Israeli population and disrupt supply chains to a much greater degree.
In addition to the human cost of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, the conflict also poses clear challenges to the regional energy ecosystem that has emerged in the Eastern Mediterranean over the past decade. Having already created immediate disruptions, the war could also have a long-term impact on its future development and expansion.
Over the past decade, the rise of social media has indelibly changed politics in Latin America and made digital outreach, especially toward large swaths of the population under 30, critical to any successful campaign. That shift has brought about the rise of a new type of political figure in Latin America: the influencer spouse.
Beijing’s recent diplomatic moves have fueled the growing chorus of voices raising the alarm over China’s alleged desire to use the Israel-Hamas war to fundamentally challenge the U.S. role in the Middle East. However, it would be a mistake to perceive China as anything other than an opportunistic actor in the Middle East.
Former Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk will likely return to office in mid-December, and from day one the pressure will be on and the task ahead will be immense. Among other pressing issues will be jumpstarting Poland’s energy transition after eight years in which Warsaw adopted an obstructionist approach to the climate crisis.
Qatar’s role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas since Oct. 7 has given its standing a boost. That initially frustrated some of Doha’s Gulf Arab neighbors. But as the war continued, Gulf countries came to see some benefits, leading to coordination among them. As a result, the war has become a milestone in intra-Gulf relations.
The Israeli works of popular culture that are the most critically acclaimed in the West are also often the ones that engage the most directly with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. To outside observers, that has made it seem as though Israeli society was moving in a more conciliatory direction than it actually has in recent years.