Blatant sports washing: FIFA awards World Cup to Saudi Arabia
FIFA’s decision to award the hosting of the Club World Cup football tournament in December 2023 to Saudi Arabia is the latest coup for the House of Saud, Forbes reports:… Read more »
Search Results for: china influence
The Russian factor in African democracies’ alarming regression
Africa is grappling with democratic backsliding, according to recent studies. In 1985 there were only three democracies while there were 42 authoritarian regimes on the continent. By 2015, the number… Read more »
Ideals and interests aligned: Fighting the long war of ideas
Democracies’ support for Ukraine is not only in line with their fundamental values, but also in their strategic interest, a leading analyst suggests. “Americans continually struggle to reconcile contradictory interpretations… Read more »
‘Spoiler Alert’: Recovery from kleptocracy
The Belgian government this week honored civil society activist Rafael Marques de Morais for his work in combatting endemic corruption in Angola. The founder of Maka Angola and former Reagan-Fascell… Read more »
Global Human Rights Defenders ‘claiming the democratic future’
The U.S. Department of State has announced the winners of the annual Global Human Rights Defender Awards, determined by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. From working to… Read more »
R.I.P. Vo Van Ai – Vietnam’s tireless rights defender
Vo Van Ai, a tireless militant in defense of religious freedom and human rights in Vietnam, died on January 26, in Paris, of complications from heart surgery. He was 88… Read more »
Russia’s Night Wolves: ‘Victory Roads’ boosts Kremlin sharp power
The Night Wolves Motorcycle Club, an infamous nationalist Russian gang funded by the Kremlin, was spotted in Europe on Monday, Newsweek reports: As hundreds gathered to attend a parade… Read more »
Democracy fights back?
It’s far too early to declare 2022 a turning point. Yet democracy experts, who are often a pessimistic group, are feeling more optimistic, German Lopez writes for the Times: For… Read more »
Why do some dictatorships fall while others do not?
The new U.S. Appropriations Bill pushes back against the rise of authoritarianism by investing $2.9 billion for democracy programs globally, including $315 million for the National Endowment for Democracy (NED)…. Read more »
Summit follow-up crucial to prevent another ‘Scramble for Africa’
At last week’s U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, Senegalese President Macky Sall, the African Union chairman, thanked President Biden for his commitment to Africa, AP reports. But he also criticized pending U.S…. Read more »