Sahel
BUSINESS
Black Winter: Sahel Power Calculus and Global Security Partnerships
Military strikes from Nigeria to Venezuela presage a turn towards a power calculus that increasingly sidelines the genuine spirit of sovereign partnership.
EUROPE
Europe’s Fragile Outpost: Unrest and Security Challenges in French Guiana
French Guiana faces social unrest, poverty, and military pressure from Venezuela, challenging France and Europe’s strategic presence.
EUROPE
Madagascar: A Postcolonial Wave of Francophone Influence Lost
President Rajoelina fled Madagascar on a French military plane as protestors took over the capital. Paris is losing its hold on yet another former territory.
EUROPE
Judges, Uranium, and Telegram: The New Battlefield of Europe–Russia Rivalry
A World Bank tribunal blocks Niger from selling uranium, while French agents push for censorship in Moldova.
WORLD
US Eyes Mauritania-Israel Deal as New Sahel Foothold
As Western flags are lowered across the Sahel in Mauritania, Washington is eyeing a new kind of foothold, one built through peace than military bases.
Popular
Poland’s Catholic Football Pilgrimage: Unity, Faith and a Hard Line on Migration
At a Marian shrine where football supporters gather to pray, a presidential call for “Poland without illegal immigrants” turned a devotional event into a political stage.
AfDB Turns to Gulf as Western Funders Step Back
The African Development Bank has installed a president with ingrained Gulf experience as Washington pulls back hundreds of millions
Modern Toys, Old Childhood: Barbie and Lego at a Crossroads
As Mattel unveiled its first autistic Barbie yesterday, developed over 18 months with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, the $11.87 doll raised familiar questions about whether modern toys widen childhood or quietly narrow it.
Alps Without Snow: Winter Tourism Tries Reinvention
As Grandvalira in the Pyrenees postponed its late-November 2024 opening until mid-December, warm temperatures left slopes across France, Austria and Spain grassy well into the month, forcing managers to watch thermometers anxiously.
Iranian Heritage Under Threat From All Sides
As civil unrest spreads across Iranian cities in early January 2026 and President Trump renews warnings about military options, the country's 28 UNESCO World Heritage sites sit vulnerable to dangers from multiple directions.
