At the Summit of the Americas in June, 33 governments of the region pledged to tackle violence against environmental defenders by taking “concrete actions.” But rather than declarations, changing the situation on the ground demands that governments address the drivers of violence and repression against these defenders.
Europe’s eyes were fixed on Prague today for the inaugural summit of the European Political Community assembling all of continental Europe’s leaders, besides Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko. But tomorrow’s European Council meeting focusing on Europe’s energy crisis is expected to deliver more tangible outcomes.
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega has long had a contentious relationship with democratic countries. But in the past few days, Managua took jabs at the EU, the U.S., some Latin American neighbors and even the Vatican. It seems Ortega has settled on a new international strategy to strengthen and perpetuate his hold on power.
Just eight months after seizing power in Burkina Faso, Lt. Col. Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba conceded the presidency to his rival, Capt. Ibrahim Traore, in a countercoup. What the change in leadership will mean for Burkina Faso’s deteriorating security situation and transition back to democratic elections is unclear.
Western expatriates in China have shaped perceptions of the country to the point of sometimes overshadowing the country itself, but their experiences exist under a protective umbrella of privilege that is often out of touch with the experiences of so many other foreign-born workers and Chinese citizens working overseas.
Many analysts expected Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to include a cyber Armageddon as part of the conflict. So when those expectations didn’t materialize, the initial surprise quickly turned into declarations that Ukraine had won the “cyber war.” But it’s still possible that Moscow will turn up the dial on its cyber operations.
Few institutions in British political life have seemed more indestructible than the Conservative Party. But Prime Minister Liz Truss’ chaotic first month in office has shattered what remained of the party’s reputation for economic competence. Now a pillar of British political life for 200 years is now facing electoral extinction.
Saudi King Salman issued a royal order last week to make his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, prime minister. While the position is symbolic, it consolidates the crown prince’s de facto control of Saudi Arabia and guarantees him sovereign immunity, staving off legal action against him in a U.S. courtroom.
Over the past decade, Greece has experienced a major wave of outward migration, driven by the country’s prolonged economic crisis. To prevent significant stress on Greece’s societal, economic and cultural fabric, the Greek government must tackle the root causes of outmigration and create incentives for those who have left to return.
During his speech to the U.N. General Assembly, President Joe Biden declared that the U.S. is open to U.N. Security Council reform. Though major reforms are unlikely, Washington still needs to demonstrate that it is at least serious about the effort. That could mean looking for fairly quick wins to show it means business.
Ever since the August 2021 suicide bombings at Kabul’s international airport, the Islamic State-Khorasan has continued to make headlines with gruesome attacks in Afghanistan, in an effort to portray itself as resurgent. The reality is more complicated, and there is a real possibility that IS-K is actually in decline.
The “War on Drugs” has failed. While that statement is absolutely true, it’s also a cheap applause line. Calling out the failures of the war on drugs is easy, and these days doing so generally finds widespread support. But it’s easier to criticize the current failed approach than to develop and implement alternatives.
Last month, Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo noted that the country’s first-ever presidency of the G-20 in 2022 was a sign of its growing global stature. The remarks spoke to how Jokowi is walking a fine line between selectively engaging abroad, while also seeking to advance his immediate policy priorities at home.