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Q&A

Can Russia’s Opposition Capitalize on the Momentum of Election Protests?

The Editors Thursday, Aug. 22, 2019

Every weekend for the past month, protesters have gathered in central Moscow to demand that opposition candidates be allowed to stand in upcoming city council elections. Anna Arutunyan explains what it will take for the recent protests to evolve into a challenge to President Vladimir Putin’s legitimacy.

China Note

In Hong Kong and Overseas, China’s Influence Operations Come Under New Scrutiny

Benjamin Wilhelm Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2019

On Monday, Facebook and Twitter took down Chinese government-linked accounts that were being used to sow political discord in Hong Kong and turn global public opinion against anti-government protesters there. It was the first time either company had blamed Beijing for running disinformation operations.

Q&A

What Can Denmark’s Left Do With Its Largest Mandate in 60 Years?

The Editors Monday, Aug. 19, 2019

Denmark became the third Nordic country to form a left-leaning government this year after the Social Democratic Party won elections in June. In an interview, Karina Kosiara-Pedersen discusses the factors that propelled the Social Democrats to victory and the challenges of implementing their ambitious agenda.

Deforestation Is Spiking Under Bolsonaro, With Environmental Costs Beyond Brazil

Laura Weiss Friday, Aug. 16, 2019

Two weeks after the release of new government data showing a sharp rise in deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon, hundreds of indigenous women occupied a government building in Brasilia to protest President Jair Bolsonaro’s environmental policies. Deforestation has spiked dramatically under Bolsonaro.

Africa Watch

Another Brief Truce Ends in Libya, as Civilians Are Still Trapped in the Middle

Andrew Green Friday, Aug. 16, 2019

After a two-day truce to observe the Eid al-Adha holiday, fighting has resumed in Libya. Any hope that the brief pause might signal a path to the resolution of a conflict that erupted in April, when military strongman Khalifa Haftar began his campaign to conquer the capital, Tripoli, quickly evaporated.

Q&A

What’s Behind Saudi Arabia’s Pivot Away From Foreign Workers

The Editors Friday, Aug. 16, 2019

Saudi Arabia recently announced plans to ban foreign workers from certain jobs in the hospitality sector. In an interview, Omar Al-Ubaydli explains why Saudi Arabia is prioritizing new job opportunities for citizens and why its approach is likely to face pushback from both employers and consumers.

Q&A

Why a New U.N. Report Won’t Reduce International Support for Myanmar’s Military

The Editors Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019

Last week, the U.N. released a new report that documents the economic interests of Myanmar’s military and the countries and companies that are financing its genocide against the Rohingya. But the mission’s findings, while important, are unlikely to alter the status quo, says David Scott Mathieson.

China Note

Hong Kong’s Beleaguered Protesters Struggle to Win the War of Narratives

Benjamin Wilhelm Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2019

Since taking to the streets to protest an extradition law in May, demonstrators in Hong Kong have endured an increasingly brutal police response, which had kept international public opinion on their side. But several ugly scenes during protests this week appeared to play into the government’s hands.

Q&A

An Indigenous Protest in New Zealand Opens Historical Wounds, Testing Ardern

The Editors Monday, Aug. 12, 2019

Since 2016, protesters from New Zealand’s indigenous Māori population have occupied a plot of land near Auckland to prevent construction of a housing development. Grant Duncan discusses the historical issues behind the protest and the limited options that Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has to intervene.

Africa Watch

Can Peace Finally Take Hold With a New Accord in Mozambique?

Andrew Green Friday, Aug. 9, 2019

With the signing of a peace agreement this week, Mozambique’s decades-long internal struggle might finally be nearing its end. The agreement between Frelimo, the party that has controlled the government since 1975, and the former guerilla movement Renamo comes just two months before national elections.

Q&A

Duque’s Misguided Push to Restart Aerial Spraying of Coca in Colombia

The Editors Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019

Last month, the Constitutional Court of Colombia upheld restrictions that it imposed in 2017 on the aerial spraying of coca plantations with the herbicide glyphosate. The decision was a setback for President Ivan Duque’s efforts to restart the aerial fumigation program, as Isabel Pereira explains in an interview.

China Note

Is Beijing Readying a Military Crackdown in Hong Kong?

Benjamin Wilhelm Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019

Hong Kong experienced its most widespread antigovernment demonstrations yet on Monday. Amid the chaos, the Chinese government warned “all the criminals to not wrongly judge the situation and take restraint for weakness.” Beijing’s statement added to fears that the Chinese military could intervene to quash the protests.