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Q&A

How Xenophobia Has Become Normalized in South African Politics

The Editors Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Anti-immigrant rhetoric has steadily seeped into mainstream South African politics. In this month’s election, both major political parties advocated stricter controls on immigration. Loren B. Landau discusses the deep roots of xenophobia in South Africa and the uncertain future facing immigrants there.

Q&A

‘Simply Put, There’s No Freedom of the Press’ in Sisi’s Egypt

The Editors Monday, May 20, 2019

The space for press freedom and freedom of expression of any kind has dramatically shrunk in Egypt under President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who took power in a coup in 2014. In an interview, Jared Malsin discusses Sisi’s crackdown on Egypt’s media and how “there’s very little room for free debate of anything.”

Africa Watch

Violence in Sudan Stalls Progress on a Post-Bashir Transition

Andrew Green Friday, May 17, 2019

Sudan appeared to be inching closer to a transitional government this week, but renewed violence in the capital, Khartoum, threatens to derail the talks between the military council and the opposition alliance. Read up on that and other stories from across the continent in our weekly roundup of Africa news.

Q&A

Colombia’s Duque is Presiding Over a ‘Massive Backpedaling’ on Indigenous Rights

The Editors Thursday, May 16, 2019

Since President Ivan Duque took office last summer, Colombia has seen an uptick in violence against human rights advocates and community leaders, particularly from indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities. Gimena Sánchez-Garzoli explains how Duque’s hostility to the FARC peace deal is to blame.

China Note

As Trade Tensions Escalate, China Girds Its Citizens for a ‘People’s War’

Benjamin Wilhelm Wednesday, May 15, 2019

The trade war between China and the United States is heating up again. Fearing political backlash, Beijing has been careful not to be seen as conceding too much in the negotiations, and state media outlets are amplifying a nationalist message, accusing the U.S. of “fighting a trade war out of greed.”

Q&A

Estonia’s Populists, in Power for the First Time, Face the Hard Task of Governing

The Editors Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Estonia’s far-right EKRE party is now part of a three-party coalition government, but its euroskeptic and anti-immigrant positions are likely to be tempered by its coalition partners. In an interview, Martin Mölder discusses Estonia’s recent election and what to expect from the new government’s agenda.

Q&A

Russia Needs Immigrants but Lacks a Coherent Immigration Policy

The Editors Tuesday, May 14, 2019

Russia faces serious demographic challenges in the coming decades, with both the overall population and the working-age population projected to shrink. Authorities recognize the need to hold these trends in check by keeping the country’s doors open, but immigrants in Russia face many hurdles.

Q&A

Powerful Interests in Panama Prepare to Blunt the New President’s Anti-Graft Drive

The Editors Monday, May 13, 2019

Laurentino Cortizo narrowly won Panama’s presidential election earlier this month, after focusing his campaign on fighting corruption. But given the entrenched patronage networks and weak institutions in Panama, he will have a hard time following through on that promise, says Orlando J. Pérez.

Q&A

What’s Behind the Growing Use of Illicit Drugs in North Korea

The Editors Friday, May 10, 2019

Crystal meth was reportedly a popular gift during February’s Lunar New Year holiday in North Korea, and other recent reporting has indicated that drug addiction is on the rise among the country’s youth. Justin Hastings discusses the production, use and perception of illegal drugs in North Korea.

Africa Watch

Will Election Results in South Africa Hobble Ramaphosa’s Agenda?

Andrew Green Friday, May 10, 2019

South Africa went to the polls Wednesday for the fifth national election since the end of apartheid in 1994. The vote was largely seen as a referendum on the African National Congress and President Cyril Ramaphosa. Read up on that and other stories from across the continent in our weekly roundup of Africa news.

Q&A

Can Zelensky Heal the Deep Divisions in Ukraine Left Behind by Poroshenko?

The Editors Thursday, May 9, 2019

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decree late last month to expedite Russian citizenship for people in separatist regions of eastern Ukraine poses a challenge to new President Volodymyr Zelensky. Gordon Hahn discusses Ukraine’s divisions and prospects for Zelensky’s desire to “reboot” peace talks with Russia.

China Note

Is the U.S. Pursuing a Trade Deal With China at the Cost of Human Rights?

Benjamin Wilhelm Wednesday, May 8, 2019

The U.S. offered its harshest assessment yet of the mass detention of Uighur Muslims in China’s Xinjiang region, with one official referring to detention centers as “concentration camps.” Yet U.S. officials appear divided on how to address human rights violations without damaging prospects for a trade deal.

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