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Ecuador’s Indigenous Communities Prevail, for Now, Against Moreno’s Austerity Drive

Laura Weiss Friday, Oct. 18, 2019

After nearly two weeks of paralyzing and deadly protests in Ecuador, the streets of Quito rang out in celebration Sunday night. The demonstrations, led by indigenous groups, had succeeded in pressuring President Lenin Moreno to reinstate a popular fuel subsidy he had removed as part of an austerity package.

Africa Watch

Tunisia’s Election Introduced a New Era. Mozambique’s Points to a Troubled Past

Andrew Green Friday, Oct. 18, 2019

Presidential elections on either end of the continent this week delivered markedly different results. While a vote in Mozambique appears to have secured a victory for the ruling party, elections in Tunisia may have introduced a new political era after outsider Kais Saied won the race in a landslide.

Q&A

The ‘Entangling Cycle of Violence’ Behind Unrest in Indonesia’s Papua Region

The Editors Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019

Indonesia’s Papua region has been rocked by violent protests in recent weeks in response to racist incidents against indigenous Papuans. Dozens of protesters have been killed. Simon Philpott discusses the factors behind the recent unrest in the context of a much longer cycle of ethnic conflict in Papua.

China Note

Can the Limited U.S.-China Trade Deal Move Past ‘Phase One’?

Benjamin Wilhelm Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2019

China says it is “on the same page” as the U.S. on a partial trade deal reached in principle Friday. But even if negotiators finalize the tentative agreement, progress toward a more comprehensive pact could be hindered by domestic politics and a lack of trust between both countries’ senior leadership.

Q&A

A ‘Perfect Storm’ Has Led to a Spike in Drug Deaths in Scotland

The Editors Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019

The number of drug-related deaths in Scotland spiked to nearly 1,200 in 2018—a 27 percent increase over the previous year. In an interview, Catriona Matheson discusses the myriad factors that are causing the epidemic and what authorities at various levels of government are doing to address it.

Africa Watch

Can International Pressure Keep South Sudan’s Peace Deal From Unraveling?

Andrew Green Friday, Oct. 11, 2019

South Sudan’s peace deal showed signs of faltering this week ahead of a November implementation deadline. With key provisions unmet, including an agreement on the boundaries of the country’s states, opposition leader Riek Machar is threatening to boycott the unity government that is the deal’s centerpiece.

In Nicaragua, Attacks on Journalists Are Part of Ortega’s Survival Strategy

Laura Weiss Thursday, Oct. 10, 2019

Last month, El Nuevo Diario, Nicaragua’s second-largest newspaper by circulation, announced that it would shut down after months of pressure from the government. The closure of the paper, which had been critical of President Daniel Ortega, is only part of a broader campaign to suppress dissent.

China Note

Can China Afford to Lose the NBA?

Benjamin Wilhelm Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019

A tweet by Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey in support of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protesters has provoked a fierce backlash from China. The fallout is already costing the NBA, but the situation also presents a challenge to Beijing, as American basketball is immensely popular in China.

Q&A

After an Upset Election Win, Can Anti-Establishment Forces End Kosovo’s Limbo?

The Editors Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019

A left-leaning anti-establishment party scored an upset victory in parliamentary elections in Kosovo last weekend. In an interview, Aleksandar Kocic discusses the significance of the election results and what they could mean for stalled negotiations aimed at normalizing relations with neighboring Serbia.

Q&A

Will North Korea’s Squid Poaching Strain Its Close Ties With Russia?

The Editors Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019

Russian border guards have escalated a crackdown on North Korean squid poachers in recent weeks, detaining dozens of fishing vessels and hundreds of crew members. In an interview, Artyom Lukin explains the timing behind Russia’s clampdown and how this is affecting the two countries’ broader relationship.

Africa Watch

Constitutional Changes Pushed By Lungu ‘Will Dig the Grave of Democracy in Zambia’

Andrew Green Friday, Oct. 4, 2019

With Zambia’s National Assembly set to debate changes to the country’s constitution, President Edgar Lungu appears to be consolidating his party’s hold on power ahead of his 2021 reelection campaign. The proposed amendments have sparked outrage among opposition parties and civil society groups.

Q&A

Can a Scandal-Plagued Trudeau Win Reelection in Canada?

The Editors Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019

Voters in Canada will go to the polls on Oct. 21 to decide whether Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should be returned to power. The election is widely seen as a toss-up. In an interview, Christopher Sands assesses Trudeau’s first term and the factors that could make or break his reelection bid.

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