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Zombie Mission

A grainy, black and white video of a small boat crossing an empty sea, then a big white explosion against a black backdrop. A grim announcement: “three male narco-terrorists were killed during this action.” And so, the steady drumbeat of killing by the US government continues in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Trump administration officials justified the bombing campaign at the end of last year as part of its effort to oust Nicolás Maduro from power in Venezuela. Trump “wants to keep on blowing boats up until Maduro cries uncle,” White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles said. But there have been more than 20 strikes on suspected drug boats since Maduro’s capture in January. Why hasn’t the killing stopped if Maduro is sitting in a Brooklyn jail?

To date, the Trump administration has carried out 66 strikes and killed at least 220 people, and yet we still have next-to-no information about who these people are. Not once has the Department of Defense provided the names of the people it has killed or even indicated their positions inside the groups that it claims are at war with the United States.

The boat strike campaign is now a zombie mission, on auto pilot with no clear strategy or endgame. The reason the killing continues is because the impetus for the operation never had anything to do with military strategy or even counter-narcotics.

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This week, I’ve handed my pen over to Varina Winder. Varina writes about what the movement…

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Happy birthday Laura, Kasia, Kim, and Susan!

Congrats to Abby Fried, the winner of the Julia Ioffe Motherland book drawing. I’ll have more giveaways in the next few weeks. On that, I’m planning to rollout a book review section. Send your recs!

This week, I handed my pen over to Kate Brannen. Kate is a freelance editor and Non-Resident Journalism Fellow at the Reiss Center on Law and Security at NYU School of Law. I *might* do an election day post, so don’t be surprised if you see my name in your inbox on Tuesday!

My weekly plug that algorithms are everything. If you believe in raising women’s voices and diversifying the pundit landscape, please love this post by hitting 🖤 above —and, please, share with others. If you ❤️ the newsletter, please become a paid subscriber. —Elmira

Donald Trump has been creating his own reality for a long time. When he’s lucky (and he often is), not only does he get away with it, but his lying pays off “big league.” He played a successful businessman on TV while his actual businesses were hemorrhaging money. Now, he’s not only the president of the United States, but a billionaire to boot.

In the White House for a second time, Trump’s belief in his power to shape reality is stronger than ever—as it should be: he has the tools of the US government at his disposal. He relentlessly insists on his version of events and then makes decisions based on his misrepresentations. This sense that he controls the truth, however, is leaving him blind to where the real world is refusing to be shaped to fit his vision.

Where Wishcasting Won’t Work

Trump thinks he can control the story of the American economy, but his lousy economic stewardship is beginning to run the ship aground. Inflation is rising, companies are about to pass on the costs of Trump’s tariffs to the US consumer, and with migration reduced to zero, productivity growth is expected to slow with “painful consequences” for everyone, according to The Economist. So far, the frenzied investment in AI is obscuring these broader vulnerabilities, but not slowing them down.

To counter the bad news, Trump is taking greater control of government data: in August, he fired the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The White House also said it does not expect the October inflation report to be released because of the government shutdown. The thinking is: if the data is manipulated or kept from view, people won’t know that the economy is on shaky ground.

But Americans don’t need the government to tell them whether prices are going up. They see it for themselves every time they scan an item in the checkout line. Unemployed Americans will still be out of work even if Trump cooks the job numbers. Trump says he’s building the greatest economy of all time but it’s starting to feel like an AI slop-house of cards.

There are other areas where Trump’s attempts to dictate reality are running into forces outside of his control. Since taking office, Trump has used tariffs to bully every country into submission, except for China. It is too powerful in its own right. No amount of bluster from Trump can change the fact that China produces over 90 percent of the world’s processed rare earths and rare earth magnets, used for everything from fighter jets to smartphones. This monopoly helped China secure important concessions in trade talks with the United States this week.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown time and again that if you let Trump think he’s in control, you can get away with murder, or war, in Russia’s case. Trump promised to end the war in Ukraine in a day when he was running for president, but 10 months into his presidency, peace is as elusive as ever. Putin lulls Trump into thinking a deal is within reach and then pulls the rug out from under him, buying his army more time on the battlefield.

Trump is certainly shaping what’s happening in the Middle East but his control of events only extends so far. The ceasefire deal his administration brokered between Israel and Hamas should be welcomed and celebrated. Trump deserves credit for using the full weight of US pressure to get Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to listen. But to paint his rosy picture of “peace in the Middle East,” Trump had to gloss over the extremely difficult details of what happens next in Gaza. It appears very likely fighting will resume, with Netanyahu ordering new strikes on Gaza this week.

Playing God

There are other policy areas where Trump’s storytelling is being allowed to dominate. In the Caribbean Sea, Trump says the United States is at war against “narco-terrorists” allegedly carrying fentanyl to poison thousands of Americans. Trump has decided that merely labeling someone a “terrorist” gives him the power to kill. He feels no pressure to provide any evidence to back up his claims. The story Trump is telling isn’t true, but few are willing to say so. (Even if it were true, it would still be against US and international law to kill everyone on board.)

A similar scenario is playing out in the streets of Los Angeles, Portland, and Chicago, where Trump has deployed or is trying to deploy the National Guard against the wishes of local elected leaders. Trump has said these Democratic-led cities are plagued with violence, “burning down,” and constitute a “war zone.” Judges in all three states have determined that Trump’s words do not match what’s happening on the ground. For the Chicago deployment, we are waiting for the Supreme Court to decide whether deference should be paid temporarily to Trump’s assessment (no matter how bogus it is) while the case makes its way through the court system. And while this plays out, Trump is hinting that he might even send active-duty troops to crack down on fellow citizens.

Trump insists that he alone determines reality – in the United States and overseas. But the real world (and not the one Trump describes on TV) will come rushing in at some point. When it does, Trump’s impulse will be to deny and to lie, not to fix the problems Americans can see right in front of them. —Kate

Kate Brannen is a freelance editor and Non-Resident Journalism Fellow at the Reiss Center on Law and Security at NYU School of Law.

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This week, Donald Trump said the US would resume nuclear testing. Heather Williams tells us that doing so isn’t so easy and can mean a lot of things. She also says that the country that will benefit from testing: China. (CSIS)

Trump in Asia

The US president made a number of stops in Asia this week. The big headline: A meeting with China’s leader, Xi Jinping. The US and China worked out a trade deal, or, rather, reinstated their relationship where it was when Trump took office. China will delay new controls on rare earth minerals, resume buying US soybeans, and work on reducing the flow of fentanyl. The US will roll back the 20 percent tariffs.

But it’s not back to the status quo, says Lingling Wei. She writes that this isn’t a return to try to build a partnership. It’s “cold-eyed recognition that open confrontation has become too costly and that critical US interest….require a transactional dialogue.” (WSJ) (It’s unlocked)

Don’t expect the US-China truce to last, writes Mira Rapp-Hooper. She notes that “China is highly unlikely to adjust its global aims,” of becoming a tech giant and economic powerhouse. In the US-China competition, Beijing holds a mighty strong hand. (Foreign Affairs)

Prior to Trump’s meeting with Xi, rumors circulated that the Chinese leader would talk to Trump about the US position on Taiwan. Yet, there’s no indication that the independent island nation that China considers a part of its sovereign territory came up. What does that mean? Amber Wang, Sylvie Zhuang, and William Zeng think it’s because there’s a tacit understanding to deprioritize the issue. (South China Morning Post)

Trump stopped off in Tokyo on his Asian tour. All eyes were on Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s new prime minister. The “her first test” headlines made me laugh. How was she going to handle the mercurial US president? Just like she handles—like how most women handle—all men in power, smartly. I may not share Takaichi’s politics, but I know we share the same experience in dealing with highly egotistical men, who constantly need man handling.

Miranda Jeyaretnam says Takaichi won over Trump, offering to by Ford trucks, nominating him for that Nobel, and feeding him beef. Trump praised the new PM, declaring that he could call her for anything. Maybe that was because she also saved him from looking like a clueless old man, wandering around during an official ceremony. (Time)

Venezuela

The US continues to attack boats in the Caribbean. This week, a strike killed four, who the Trump administration says were carrying drugs. There is no proof. Moreover, there is little legal basis for it. Still, Team Trump seems to be upping the ante on a confrontation with Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro.

As noted last week, that seems to be at the behest of Secretary of State and son of Cuban immigrants Marco Rubio. Cybele Mayes-Osterman on how Trump went from brokering a deal with the Venezuelan leader, namely to buy oil, to working to topple the Maduro government. (USA Today)

As I told Stacey Vanek-Smith: Maduro is Rubio’s white whale.

Africa

In Sudan, the UAE-backed militia group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who have been conducting a brutal civil war, have captured the city of El Fasher. As Kate Bartlett points out, this has sparked fears of ethnic cleansing. The RSF grew out of the Janjaweed militia, the group that committed the genocide in Darfur. (NPR)

Well, this is one way to win an election: bar your opponents from running, who then call for a boycott. That’s how 83-year old Alassane Ouattara won a fourth term in Ivory Coast’s elections last weekend. Wedaeli Chilbelushi and Thomas Naadi report. (BBC)

In a similar move, Tanzanians started voting on Wednesday in general elections—with only one real candidate on the ballot. President Samia Suluhu Hassan ensured that her opponents were not able to run. While that might ensure her victory, it has sparked protests in the country. Evelyne Musambi has more. (AP)

Asia

Couldn’t find a good link on this, but it’s definitely worth paying attention to. Talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan collapsed this week, raising concern that the two countries might escalate tensions. (Our friends at WPR have a good run down on it, and we do love Elliot Waldman…)

Americas

Well, Javier Milei pulled out a decisive victory in Argentina’s midterm elections. In fact, his party doubled its seats in parliament, making it easier for the chainsaw wielding leader to continue his push to overhaul the country’s economy. That said, the peso will continue to be a problem, write Nicolle Yapur, Vinicius Andrade, and Giovanna Bellotti Azevedo. (Bloomberg)

In Brazil this week, 64 people died after a drug bust. While that might not be of interest alone, it’s what the state governor said about it. He called it a “state operation against narco-terrorists,” the same language Trump is using to justify his attacks on vessels in the Caribbean. WHAT A US PRESIDENT SAYS MATTERS.

The other big news out regarding Brazil this week, is that the Senate voted down Trump’s tariffs on the country. Stef Kight on why the lawmakers decided to finally do their jobs. (Axios)

Middle East

Well, that ceasefire didn’t hold. Israel resumed attacks on Gaza this week. The whole thing is heartbreaking.

Last week, I noted that JD Vance was “insulted” that the Israeli Knesset passed a resolution to annex the West Bank. That is NOT a part of Trump’s 20-point plan, people. Lamis Andoni points out that that is tactical not moral. Trump doesn’t care about the West Bank, he cares about getting the Abraham Accords back on track. (The New Arab)

Europe

In the Netherlands, the right-wing, anti-immigrant Party for Freedom that Geert Wilders leads did not manage to eke out a win in this week’s election. It won the same number of seats (26) as the more centrist but liberal D66 (I guess everyone’s a liberal compared to Wilders). The results were a blow to the leftist party, which came in third. Eva Hartog, Hanne Cokelaere, Koen Verhelst and Pieter Haeck on the winners and losers of the race and who Rob Jetten, the likely next prime minister is. (Politico)

In Ireland, the left-leaning Catherine Connoly won Ireland’s presidential election.

In Ukraine, Artem lost his father to the war. And then he wanted a friend. Kim Barker brings us the story of what actually happens to people in war. (NYT)

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Elmira Bayrasli - Editor-in-Chief

Happy birthday Farley, Taly, and Alvin, best wine guy in the world!

Congrats to Sarah Sampras, winner of last week’s book drawing of Erin Sikorsky’s book, Climate Change on the Battlefield: International Military Responses to the Climate Crisis.

A busy week! This week I learned about Swerve Sports, a sports channel “where women rule the game.”

This week, I handed my pen to Cathi Choi, Executive Director of Women Cross DMZ. It’s an organization focused on mobilizing women worldwide for peace in Korea. She writes about how US militarism impacts women—and how Korean women are pushing back.

Algorithms are everything. If you believe in raising women’s voices and diversifying the pundit landscape, please love this post by hitting 🖤 above —and, please, share with others. If you ❤️ the newsletter, please become a paid subscriber. —Elmira

At home and abroad, US militarism and state violence are eroding our collective safety. In one of his first executive orders in office, Trump issued a crackdown on immigrants. At Trump’s urging, Congress signed over $150 billion to ICE, making it the largest police force in the country and richer than most of the world’s militaries. In the months following, armed federal agents detained over 300 South Korean nationals at a Hyundai plant in Georgia. This raid marked the largest single-site immigration raid in US history, and greatly strained the relationship between Washington and Seoul. Trump has also posted about turning Chicago into a war zone and renamed the Department of Defense as the “Department of War.”

But we didn’t get here overnight. In order to fully understand this recent escalation, we must examine the long legacy of US forever wars abroad, which has normalized state violence and repression at home. This is particularly important for women, given that militarism exacerbates gender inequality by reinforcing patriarchal values in society and depleting resources that would otherwise bolster social programs. The Korean War offers many lessons.

The Korean War is the United States’ longest-running overseas conflict. For over 75 years, the US has refused to sign a peace agreement. This forever war has harmed Koreans across the peninsula, especially women, and contributed to the escalation of anti-Asian violence, domestic police technologies, and rampant war spending in the US.

Currently, the US stations 28,500 troops in South Korea, costing taxpayers $4 to $5 billion annually. It also spends nearly $1 trillion on its overall military budget, the largest in the world—more than the next nine countries combined. Meanwhile, we have seen Congress slash spending on education, housing, and healthcare and other social programs which tend to benefit women most. The US military continues to act with impunity across the Korean peninsula, leaving deep scars among the population, including the killing of two 14-year-old girls in South Korea in 2002 and the killing of unarmed civilian fishermen in North Korea in 2019.

Feminist peacebuilders know that wars abroad normalize militarized violence at home. But when women lead, societies are more likely to see sustainable and lasting peace. In order for that peace to be sustainable, solutions must be informed by those most impacted. In one recent model of this, a group of women in South Korea launched a landmark lawsuit targeting the US military over prostitution.

Advocates behind the lawsuit are seeking redress for the long legacy of the US military’s human rights abuses against Korean women who catered to US soldiers during the 1960s and 70s. Among other abuses, women were beaten, locked up in facilities with barred windows, and forcibly treated for sexually transmitted diseases, including heavy doses of penicillin which could sometimes send the women into deadly shock.

This lawsuit is one example of many initiatives driven by feminists leaders who refuse to normalize state violence and continue to challenge the root cause of militarism. The South Korean Supreme Court has found Korean women suffered abuse as “comfort women for US military,” finding that government forces “systematically and violently“ detained them in camptowns against their will. Reports also revealed that many women were abducted as teenagers, lured under false pretenses, and held in economic bondage. The plaintiffs are demanding a formal apology from the US military and compensation of 10 million Korean won for each plaintiff ($7,191 USD).

Korean women also led efforts to defend South Korea’s democracy last December. The far right ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol attempted to stage a coup and declare martial law to shore up authoritarian power in the face of declining political popularity. While South Koreans successfully ousted Yoon, the impeachment ordeal revealed a surge of pro-Yoon far right forces, especially among Young South Korean young Korean men, emboldened by MAGA’s proliferation in South Korea, They violently raided courthouses, threatened female judges, and touted slogans like “Stop the Steal” and displayed photos of Trump.

Korean women have offered examples of challenging militarism, confronting patriarchy, and building transnational solidarity. Feminists all across the globe can follow suit. We must build stronger transnational coalitions to end forever wars; increase public awareness of militarism’s impact on our lives; and redefine security through the lens of safety, dignity, and well-being. As we continue to organize and educate for peace, we must also identify the transnational networks, including the war-driven oligarchs, spreading far right ideology globally and threatening the security of women at home and abroad. Transnational solidarity, women’s leadership, and creative advocacy will be essential to build the world we all deserve. —Cathi

Cathi Choi is the Executive Director of Women Cross DMZ, a global movement of activists mobilizing to end the Korean War, reunite families, and ensure feminist leadership in peacebuilding.

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One of the highlights from this week was Maria Ressa announcing AI Red Lines. I’m a signatory to it, along with 200 others, calling for international red lines to prevent unacceptable AI risks.

Trump’s UN speech

I didn’t think it was possible for Trump to shock me anymore. And yet… at the UN this week, the US president went on a rambling tirade against climate activists, Brazil (though he did say he bumped into the country’s president and liked him), and the UN. He went on a crazy screed about how he offered to install marble floors at the UN. Dude, MARBLE IS SLIPPERY and cold. Zulfina encapsulates the “embarrassing” speech. (Letters from a Feminist)

Ukraine/Russia

In a 180, Trump said this week that with NATO and Europe’s help, Ukraine could take back all the territory Russia has seized. If you’re scratching your head, join the club. Our great orange leader does have a tendency to parrot the last thing he’s heard. Given that he was sitting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky when he said this is one explanation. Yet, another, is that Trump is washing his hands of the war—and, as the FT reports, getting ready to blame Europe for any failure. Despite inviting Putin, who has an international warrant out for his arrest for war crimes, to Alaska, Trump has not been able to end his war of aggression on Ukraine. He called Russia a “paper tiger,” noting that only a “Real Military Power” would have completed the job in “less than a week.”

Well, Russia responded, as Ketrin Jochecová notes. “We’re a bear.” (Politico) 🐻

At least they have a sense of humor.

Palestine

At the UN this week, the UK, France, Canada, Belgium, and Australia officially joined 147 other countries in recognizing Palestine as a state. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wasted no time in saying that there would be no Palestinian state. Shira Efron notes that Israel cannot “wish away a Palestinian state.” At the same time, she notes that recognizing Palestine will not necessarily help Palestinians. It actually gives Netanyahu reason to “suppress Palestinian self-determination.” (Foreign Affairs)

Now that there are 152 countries that recognize Palestine as a state, Palestinian leadership needs to unite around a plan for an eventual solution, but also governance, writes Zizette Darkazally. (Chatham House)

Russia and NATO

Well, Russia did it again. On September 9, Russia launched a number of drones in Poland. Ten days later, Russian jet fighters entered Estonian air space. The question now is: Should NATO respond? With Zelensky this week, Trump said that under the right circumstances, it should. Natasha Bertrand and Kylie Atwood note that European capitals are divided. (CNN)

On Estonia’s threat, Emma Burrows notes that the Baltic nation is extending a fence on its border. But it’s not clear that it will guard against Russia. (AP)

US

Censorship at the Department of Defense. There are new restrictions for reporters covering the body, including signing a document that they will not publish classified or unclassified information without authorization, reports Kerry Breen. (CBS)

Listen: And yesterday, Pete Hegseth summoned top military leaders worldwide back to the Department of Defense. No one knows why. Former Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh on the move. (NPR)

In August, the US pulled out of the UN’s human rights review. It is, as Allison Love points out, a mandatory process where countries review one another’s human rights records. IT’S A MECHANISM TO TRACK AND PREVENT HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS. No other country has pulled out—ever. (Women’s eNews)

Africa

In Malawi, 85-year old Peter Mutharika returned to power. He beat out incumbent Lazarus Chakwera in the September 16 presidential election. Mutharika first came to power in 2014 and served through 2020. Rachel Savage reports. (Guardian)

Asia

Back to Afghanistan? Yes, it was the week of crazy comments from the White House. Trump said he hopes to see Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan returned to US control. 🤔 Chantal Da Silva tells us what that’s all about. (NBC)

Americas

So much for America First. Argentina’s economy is a free fall. Stocks have plummeted, along with the Argentine peso. The markets seem to doubt the president’s ability to cut costs and reform, following a number of electoral losses. Natalie Sherman on how the US has stepped in to say it would “do what is needed” to help stabilize the country’s economy. 👀(BBC)

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Donald Trump is weighing his options on the Israel-Iran conflict. Yesterday, he announced he would make a decision in two weeks—a possible indicator he is leaning towards avoiding confrontation.

Avoiding confrontation is at the heart of this week’s column, which I handed over to Kate Alexander. Kate is a Policy & Campaigns Officer at MADRE. MADRE is an international human rights organization focused on gender, racial, climate, and disability justice. It, along with the Grassroots Global Justice Alliance and Women Cross DMZ, form the Feminist Peace Initiative, which in collaboration (there are lots of collaborations…) with the Inclusive Global Leadership Initiative at the University of Denver, recently published the Feminist Peace Playbook. This playbook underscores that there is an alternative to war and militarism. Amen.

It’s part of my effort to bring an alternative lens to what’s happening in the world. If you like this newsletter, please hit 🖤 above —and, please, share with others. If you ❤️ the newsletter, please become a paid subscriber. —Elmira

Israelis and Iranians are caught in a violent spiral, thanks to reckless policymakers who insist that to survive means others must perish. Israel’s strike on Iran’s nuclear sites—carried out despite reports that Tehran was years from a bomb—has led to Iranian retaliation. This tit-for-tat has already killed hundreds in both countries, and the toll keeps climbing.

And larger threats loom: the United States has sent Navy destroyers and an additional aircraft carrier to the region, indicating possible US involvement—especially if Iran harms US interests.

Let us also not forget that Israel has nuclear weapons.

The leaders of all three countries, Trump, Netanyahu, Khamenei, have opted to flex their military muscle, in the name of “national security”—and ignore nuance, planning, or care for people’s actual safety. Collectively, they have decided that war is the only option—three angry old men who not only could, as Simon Tisdall notes, but are willing to get us all killed.

Are there any real leaders we can turn to now? The answer is emphatically: Yes.

They are feminist peace makers.

Currently, there are numerous leaders working in grassroots, feminist peace movements worldwide to put communities’ safety at the heart of policymaking and to hold corrupt officials accountable. These leaders are re-defining national security, not through the whims of ego-driven rulers or the repressive ideologies they serve, but through a deep understanding of what really keeps us safe in our day-to-day lives.

Women human rights defenders have been propelling this redefinition of national security for decades. As an analysis since the end of the Cold War found, when women are able to exercise a strong influence in a peace process, a peace agreement is almost always reached. In 2015, a 20-year study found that women’s participation in peace processes shifts the dynamics of peace talks, increasing the chances of community buy-in and addressing root causes, resulting in improved implementation and durability of peace agreements. That’s likely because when women are at the negotiating table, they can draw from the roles they play as caregivers and grassroots leaders to represent.

Now, the Feminist Peace Playbook, launched earlier this year by the Feminist Peace Initiative and the Inclusive Global Leadership Initiative at the University of Denver, builds on the lessons of global feminist movements and peacebuilders. It offers clear recommendations for US stakeholders to advance foreign policy grounded in feminist principles, including accountability, inclusion, repair, and recognition of root causes. In short, it offers us an off-ramp to these spirals of violence.

Israel justifies its latest strike as a pre-emptive blow against an Iranian nuclear bomb, even though UN inspectors and US intelligence assessed in 2018 that Tehran was still about a year from producing enough fissile material for a single weapon. This week, the International Atomic Energy Agency Director stated that they hadn’t found “any proof” that Iran was pursuing a nuclear weapon. Moreover, by quitting the nuclear deal, the Trump administration destroyed a chance to monitor and prevent Iran's potential bomb development. The Biden team never fixed that mistake. From a feminist peace perspective, a nuclear-free Iran would not only cool today’s crisis but also move the region toward a nuclear-free Middle East, echoing the successful non-proliferation zones in Latin America and Africa.

War is supposed to be an option of last resort. Yet corrupt leaders—Trump, Netanyahu, Khamenei—reach for force first, wielding it at home against protest movements and abroad against political foes to rule through fear.

Some cite Iran’s human rights record to justify airstrikes. Violence won’t fix that. Feminist, women-led movements show that real change comes from grassroots gender-justice campaigns, not bombs. That is what we’ve seen in Sudan, Myanmar, South Korea, and Iran’s Women, Life, and Freedom movement. Each has pushed back on corruption and rights violations, advocating for accountability and justice.

We must remember, there is an alternative. Millions of lives depend on it, few places more urgently than in Palestine. Human rights activists warn that as world attention is on the Israel-Iran war, the Israeli military may ratchet up the violence in the West Bank and especially Gaza. We must continue to bear witness to the genocide in Gaza and war crimes in the West Bank.

We must also rein in our own militarism and expose how war undermines public safety. The US can support that future by passing Representative Delia Ramirez’s (D-Ill) Block the Bombs Act, to limit arms sales to Israel, and Senator Tom Kaine’s (D-VA) the War Powers Resolution to block US direct confrontation with Iran.

On Israel-Iran, there are still opportunities to de-escalate. Iran has publicly advocated for diplomacy and requested. This is the kind of opportunity we need to push policymakers to seize, as people who care about real safety, human rights, peace and democracy.

Safety is intertwined: for Iranians, Israelis, Palestinians and people across the region who crave an end to cycles of grief, radicalization, and vengeance. And that is the safety we urgently need so these three corrupt men don’t kill us all by treating us like pawns in their war games. —Kate

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Iran

Now that a conflict with Iran has begun, how could it possibly end? Well, Israel could end its bombing. But that is unlikely. The US could get involved. The jury is out on that. Iran could surrender. Dalia Dassa Kaye says that’s unlikely as well. She doesn’t see many off ramps here. (Just Security)

What are the best and worst case scenarios for the Israel-Iran confrontation? Elise Labott lays them out, including the possible closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s proxies striking against US citizens and targets, and the rise of oil prices and sparking a recession. (Preamble)

Israel’s conflict with Iran represents far more than another Middle Eastern crisis—it marks the emergence of a dangerous new chapter in nuclear rivalries that has the potential to reshape global proliferation risks for decades to come, writes Farah Jan. (The Conversation)

Changing the subject….

By striking Iran, Netanyahu has diverted European criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza to support, writes Ksenia Svetlova. (Chatham House)

Suzy Hansen has a cover story about how Israel, with the help of the US, broke not only Gaza but the foundations of humanitarian law. (New York Magazine)

G7

Call it the G6 plus one. Donald Trump left the G7 meeting in Canada a day early, supposedly to deal with Israel’s strike on Iran. That wasn’t a terrible loss, writes Sara Miller Llana. Under Canada’s leadership, the group put out a communique and made progress on a number of issues. They also had Zelensky take Trump’s seat. (Christian Science Monitor)

NATO Summit

What a time to hold a NATO summit. But that’s what NATO members will do in the Hague next week. Given how out of step the US is with NATO’s European members, the agenda is short—focused on defense spending. Sophie Roehse and James Goldgeier lay out other things to watch out for next week, including Ukraine. (Brookings)

US

Two Minnesota lawmakers were shot last Saturday, in a brazen act of political violence. Nina Jankowicz, an Interruptrr fellow and friend, is someone who has been threatened for serving in government. She writes about the need for politicians to remember they are in service and refrain from politicizing violence—especially in light of Utah Senator Mike Lee’s disgusting posts on Saturday. (Wiczipedia)

Africa

There seems to be peace in at least one global conflict… Rwanda and Congo are set to sign a peace agreement in Washington next Friday, June 27, ending the conflict in Eastern Congo. Mahima Kapoor and Louis Oelofse report. (DW)

A reminder that while we’re all focused on Israel and Iran, Sudan’s brutal civil war continues—and the Sudanese face famine.

The same is true for South Sudan, whose population also faces “catastrophic levels of food insecurity.” “This is not a human catastrophe,” writes Nyagoah Tut Pur. “It’s a human rights crisis.” (Human Rights Watch)

Asia

Drama in Thailand.. After a call between the country’s young female prime minister (38) and Cambodia’s 72- strongman was leaked. Thai Prime Minister Paetongtam called Cambogian strongman Hun Sen “uncle” and criticized her own army following border clashes last month. Helen Regan and Kocha Olarn report on the controversy, in which there are calls for Paetongtam’s resignation. (CNN)

I point out the PM’s age and gender, because no doubt that factored into her behavior. Younger and a woman, she is expected to show more deference to the older man—even if she is the leader of a country.

By cozying up to Russia’s Putin, perhaps Donald Trump is trying to put a wedge between China and Russia. Natalia Chabarovskaya says that China and Russia’s ties are deep and might not easily be upended. (CEPA)

When the Taliban recaptured power in Afghanistan, human rights defenders took a big hit. Many fled the country or went underground. Operating in the shadows, they’re persisting, but under precarious conditions, writes Rachel Reid. (Afghan Analyst Network)

The Americas

A passing of note… Violeta Chamorro, Nicaragua’s president in the 1990s, the first woman to lead a Central American country, has died. She played a key role in working to unify the country, after Nicaragua’s civil strife in the 1980s, between the leftist Sandinistas and the strongman rule of Anastasio Somoza. She was 95.

Under the Radar

In the UK, MI6, the country’s spy agency, has a new boss, Blaise Metreweli. She’s the first woman to hold the post. She may now be “M” but she was for a long time “Q” writes Harriet Marsden. (The Week) IYKY

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Interruptrr is hiring! I’m looking for journalism or international relations majors to help me put together special sections for the newsletter. More info here.

The Council of Americas is on the hunt for a Vice President.

UNESCO’s Youth for Peace intercultural leadership program is taking applications until June 22.

The Clinton Foundation is looking for a Senior Manager, Women and Girls’ Equality - for a six month contract.

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Elmira Bayrasli - Editor-in-Chief

Happy birthday Lynda and Neece!

This week’s edition is shorter on the “elsewhere in the world” section, mainly because I’ve been in DC all week. I attended Foreign Policy for America’s summit. Check them out!

The column is slightly longer, for an excellent reason. I’ve handed my pen over to one of my Bard students, Prisha Bishen. Prisha took my Feminist Foreign Policy class this past semester. In one class, we looked at the role of women in the military along with the notion of war and feminism. It sparked quite the debate. Prisha approached me a few days later, noting that she was still thinking about our discussion—and struggling with wanting to see women have equal opportunities, including in combat roles, but, also, as a feminist being inherently against war. I encouraged her to write out her thoughts, which is, in my opinion, the best way to think through issues. Here is her end result. I hate to sound corny, but I am enormously proud—and chuffed that a student would dig deeper into a topic discussed or presented in class. (Also, I can’t help myself.) Higher education is most definitely in turmoil these days—and I have A LOT to say about that. And while I’m not entire convinced that the kids are alright, what I can say is—the kids are who we shape them to be.

My weekly reminder to show Interruptrr, which aims to amplify women experts, some love by giving it at 🖤 above—and, please, share with others. If you ❤️ the newsletter, please become a paid subscriber. —Elmira

I used to think women shouldn’t be in the military. So, when the question of whether women should serve in combat came up in my Feminist Foreign Policy class, I struggled. As much as I believe in equal opportunity and representation, I was unsure whether women should serve in the military and participate in war, which is inherently anti-feminist. Would drafting women in the military dismantle the patriarchal institution of war? Would equal representation in the military make combat less patriarchal and by extension, more feminist? When I was paired up with a student during this debate who mentioned Ukraine—the fact that Russia invaded it—I realized this wasn’t such a black and white issue.

If I wasn’t pursuing my bachelors’ degree at Bard College, I might have been training at the National Defence Academy (NDA) to serve in the Indian Army. My father served in the Indian Air Force for twenty-two years as a helicopter pilot and an aviation safety officer. He always encouraged me to go after what I want. Eventually, I chose a liberal arts college where I could study psychology, environmental science and foreign policy, all at once. Sometimes I look back and wonder, had I made the decision to join the military, would I still be the feminist I consider myself to be today? Growing up with pictures and stories of officers serving in the Indian Air Force, I always wondered about the association between war, combat, and masculinity.

The feminist agenda has largely been shaped in the first world, largely by white women. The forefront of their struggles are quite different from the women in the Global South as they entail achieving parity with men in pay and equal representation across all fields. In this case, female representation in combat can be a beneficial thing in the context of defying gender stereotypes, enhancing strategic thinking and standards of military squadrons. What’s important to ask is whether female representation is enough in and of itself to make something feminist.

Scholars such as Ido Levy and Ellen Harring say that women in combat do not negatively impact military effectiveness. A retired US veteran, Claire, told me how an officer, who was himself Black, encouraged her to become company commander, noting how crucial female representation is in that field so young girls and women could feel like they too, can become company commanders. We concluded that having women enhances inclusivity and diversity in the military while also standing a chance against the long standing patriarchal institution it has traditionally stood for. As a proud veteran who served her country, Claire added, “ultimately, nobody really wants to go to war but women in the military could lessen the number of women who are victims of it.”

There’s the argument that the military is anti-women and against feminist values because of how war affects women and children disproportionately. According to UN Women, “.. increases in deaths during war and in violence against women are taking place against a backdrop of increasing blatant disregard of international law designed to protect women and children during war.”

Beyond that, researchers have shown that the physical and psychological effects of war on men can lead to several issues ranging from constant fear, insomnia, post traumatic stress disorder, and shell shock—conditions that increase the chances of domestic violence.

War also has adverse effects on the environment which severely opposes eco-feminism In a day and age where climate change is an imminent threat this is something we must address. Lila Abu-Lughod writes about western women participating in combat in the Global South coining the term, “securo-feminism” which highlights the collusion between international women’s rights advocates and the global security enterprise referred to as Countering Violent Extremism (CVE).” War includes heavy misogyny along with the western colonial notion of “saving” communities that didn’t ask for help in the first place. However, I realized that there’s a clear distinction between advocating for combat versus advocating for war.

I had the opportunity to speak with Nerea, a proud active duty member who served at West Point. Much like Claire, part of why she joined the military was to participate in something “bigger than herself.” While she acknowledged that sexism existed and she felt much more visible as a woman in the forces, Nerea believes she was judged on the merit of what she accomplished and not what she looked like. When I spoke about the military being inherently anti-feminist, she challenged my perspective by affirming the importance of the military as a foreign policy tool among many that operates under civilian political leadership in a democracy, the way Madeleine Albright implemented it. She quoted Douglas McArthur, “(t)he soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war,” while adding, “(a)s much as I would love to envision a world without war, I just don’t know if that world will ever exist.”

Speaking with her made me realize that the inclusion of women in the military could open the door to conversations about pacifism, challenging the traditional view of the military as solely a symbol of aggression. My opinion has evolved as I’ve grown to become more open minded about what a more inclusive military could generate. Countries need to have militaries for self defense and need not stand for war. My Feminist Foreign Policy professor made me realize that I can be a pacifist and a feminist and yet believe in a robust military defense with women. Nerea and I came to the conclusion that it’s important to address how the military is used as a tool of foreign policy and observe how women in foreign policy as civil authorities decide to implement it.

Speaking with Claire and Nerea highlights the fact that women are often wrongly treated as a homogeneous group, when in reality, each woman’s experience and perspective is distinct. An aspect they both touched upon was the gendered display of serving in the military. We spoke about the pervasiveness of men wearing veteran merchandise when they’re out and about, unlike what you find with most female veterans. Perhaps men displaying their association with the military makes them feel more accomplished as a man as well as a hero or a strong macho guy. Wearing a “Served in US army” cap amplifies their role as saviors. By choosing to not broadcast their military service, women potentially weaken the link between combat and patriarchy. This is because even as soldiers, the way women choose to wear military merchandise isn’t an attempt to fulfill and perpetuate the classic patriarchal notion of saviordom. In this way, women in the forces actively deconstruct combat as a patriarchal institution.

As a result, while the military has long been entrenched in patriarchal structures, the presence of women has the potential to redefine its very nature. Women do not simply assimilate into the pre-existing framework of combat; rather, their intelligence, social sensitivity, and ability to negotiate and bring peace offer a counterbalance to the hypermasculine culture that has dominated military institutions for centuries. Their gendered display in and beyond the forces—where they do not seek validation through the traditional hero narrative—weakens the direct association between military service and the patriarchy. Rather than reinforcing combat as an institution of dominance and violence, women’s participation could serve as a disruptive force, shifting the culture from sheer aggression and toxic masculinity to one that values strategic cooperation and diplomacy that in turn are feminist values. Perhaps, then, the conversation should not solely revolve around whether women should be in combat, but rather, how their presence challenges and reshapes the military itself. —Prisha

Prisha Bishen is a rising senior at Bard College, majoring in psychology.

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We’re excited to bring back the book giveaway! Excited to promote and giveaway Elizabeth Weingarten’s new book, How to Fall in Love with Questions: A New Way to Thrive in Uncertain Times. Honestly, this book couldn’t come at a better time. Elizabeth turns the torment of uncertainty into curiosity and a voyage of self-discovery. If yo’ure feeling stuck or powerless—and who isn’t these days? Get onto this terrific read. Enter the drawing to win a copy. Submissions close on Tuesday, May 27, 9:00am ET. And if you don’t win a copy, get it on Tertulia! A woman-run alternative to Amazon. Let’s support women.

Elsewhere in the World.....

On our radar...

While this newsletter is focused on female expertise, on the murder of the two Israeli staff members on Wednesday night, Peter Beinart sums it up better than anything I read over the past 24 hours. Hence, I made an exception. (The Beinart Notebook)

Sigh. South Africa’s president called on Donald Trump this week. And Trump claimed there was an ongoing “white genocide” in the country. Michelle Gavin and Mariel Ferragamo say that it has derailed efforts to cool tensions between the countries. (CFR)

Palestinians in Gaza are on the brink of starvation. Arwa Mahdawi asks “when future generations read about Gaza with horror and wonder how we allowed a livetreamed genocide to happen, what will you say? (Guardian)

Poland and Romania held elections last weekend—both with significant implications. In Romania, the moderate Bucharest mayor, Nicosur Dan, beat out the far right candidate, George Simion, which is a relief to many in Brussels. Things don’t seem as rosy in Poland. In a first round of presidential elections, the pro-EU mayor of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski, narrowly beat out his far right opponent. Yet, as the country gears up for a second round this Sunday, June 1, there is fear that the conservatives may clinch victory in Poland. Molly O’Neal has all the analysis. (Responsible Statecraft)

Once upon a time, Washington followed the oil. Today, it follows minerals—rare earth minerals, to be exact. Laura Kupe writes about a recent agreement the US, Congo, and Rwanda signed to mine minerals and the future of the conflict between Congo and Rwanda, specifically Rwanda’s M23 rebels. (World Politics Review)

While there are efforts to salvage USAID and the US Institute of Peace, the Wilson Center, another DOGE victim, has been allowed to die in silence, writes Jana Nelson. She recounts the body’s history, including its founding under Richard Nixon and the pivotal role it played for luminaries such as Mario Vargas Llosa, John Lewis Gaddis, Haneh Esfandiari, Madeleine Albright, and Thomas Friedman. (The Hill)

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Didn’t have time to focus on this week. Sorry. We’ll be back next week! BUT… Linda Nedell and Angela Acosta hosted the SAYge event last night, where a group of female entrepreneurs spoke about their journeys—along with their portraits. Here’s mine.

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Elmira Bayrasli - Editor-in-Chief

I have lots of thoughts about Trump’s latest on Ukraine, which would have the US recognize Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea, where my father was born, that can be summed up in two words. 🤬

While I put something together on that, I’m thrilled to have Arabella Bowen take the pen today. On Monday, Canadians head to the polls to vote for a new government. Six months ago, that vote would have easily gone to the conservatives. After Trump took over the White House and started talking about making our northern neighbor the 51st state, things changed. This week, Arabella, a Canadian-American, dishes on that change. Check out her terrific Substack, The Layover, about solo travel.

There are lots of italics in today’s Elsewhere section, simply because, I couldn’t find pieces by women! Which goes to prove, why this newsletter is necessary. Some more 🤬

Don’t forget to click the 🖤 above to support the newsletter—and, please, share with others. It helps women! If you ❤️ the newsletter, please become a paid subscriber. — Elmira

Back in November, if you’d told me Canada’s Liberal Party was about to mount a major comeback, I’d have raised an eyebrow.

I was over Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. After nine years as PM, I was starting to appreciate the two-term limits the US sets on elected heads of state. If his party was going to survive the next federal election it needed a new face—and new energy.

And yet, the Liberals are now the odds on favorite to win Monday’s election—the party’s fourth government since 2015. A historic run, especially considering that just weeks ago, Pierre Poilievre—a strident populist who Donald Trump and Elon Musk endorsed—and his Progressive Conservative Party looked poised for a decisive win, even an all-out rout.

But then came Trump 2.0.

At first, it sounded like a sideshow: Trump calling Trudeau “governor” on Truth Social and referring to Canada as the 51st state. Then the trolling started to feel like a real threat. Brutal tariffs rolled out. Elon Musk tweeted (then deleted) that “Canada isn’t a real country.” Border tensions spiked.

Canadians don’t do hot-blooded nationalism. We don’t pledge allegiance to the flag. We’re better known for saying sorry when someone else bumps into us. But when your louder, larger neighbor starts talking about swallowing you whole, the (hockey) gloves come off.

Liquor stores pulled Kentucky bourbon from the shelves. A petition to revoke Musk’s Canadian citizenship—he’s South African, Canadian, and American, in that order—drew nearly 400,000 signatures. “Never 51” merch flooded Etsy. Then came Mike Myers, ending an SNL episode in a “Canada Is Not for Sale” T-shirt and mouthing “elbows up”—a cheeky hockey phrase turned cultural rallying cry.

That unity wasn’t just cultural—it had political consequences.

At the dawn of what many Canadians now consider the “biggest crisis in our lifetimes,” Trudeau announced on January 6 that he’d step down as prime minister.

In Canada, there’s no vice-PM waiting in the wings. Unlike Biden anointing Harris his successor last summer, Canadian party leaders can’t be named by the outgoing boss. They’re elected by party members at a leadership convention.

Into this chaos stepped Mark Carney—former governor of both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, and, until recently, a quiet backstage presence in Canadian politics. An economist born in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, Carney speaks only passable French (fluency in both official languages is a tacit requirement of any PM). He didn’t even hold a seat in parliament.

But in this existential moment, he struck the right note: calm, competent, grown-up. A Canadian counterweight who got Canada through the 2008 financial crisis in better shape than the US, with well-placed friends in Europe, too.

Carney won the Liberal leadership in a landslide and was sworn in as prime minister on March 14. Conscious that he needed a mandate to govern—not to mention an elected seat-nine days later, he called a snap election for April 28, kickstarting a brisk 37-day campaign. In Canada, federal elections are blissfully short. No endless 18-month slogs. You set a date and sprint.

Here in New York, where I’ve lived for the last 20 years, I’ve never been more glued to a Canadian election. I’m watching like it’s a sudden-death overtime hockey game: heart pounding, swearing at the refs.

But as a dual citizen, I’m also voting. When I received my mail-in ballot three weeks ago, I immediately voted for my local Liberal candidate. Canadians don’t vote directly for a prime minister. We vote for a local Member of Parliament (MP). The party with the most votes forms a government and that party’s leader becomes prime minister. I put the ballot in its enclosing envelopes and went straight to the post-office. I seriously couldn’t vote Liberal fast enough.

I’m not alone.

Canada has five federal parties that vie for seats in the 343 seat parliament. But since Trump started threatening our sovereignty, it’s now a two-man race. Some friends didn’t even bother watching the leaders’ debates last week. “I’m voting Liberal. It doesn’t matter,” one texted, before asking, “but who’s winning?”

In 1995, I lived in the French-speaking Canadian province of Quebec when it held a nail-biting referendum to secede altogether from Canada and form its own independent country—a vote it lost by less than one percent of the vote. Back then, the country felt like it was splitting in two. Now, even lifelong Quebec separatists are also planning to vote Liberal, many for the first time. “I think it’s pointless to be a sovereigntist if we become the 51st state,” one told the Globe and Mail last week.

Poilievre still has momentum—especially in parts of the West, like Alberta (Canada’s comp to Texas). His base is also passionate, like Trump’s. And some of the issues he has hammered the Liberal Party on are absolutely legit.

But the tone has shifted. What started as a campaign about housing and affordability has become something bigger: a referendum on who gets to define Canada—and, more importantly, who doesn’t. #elbowsup — Arabella

Arabella Bowen is a Canadian-born, naturalized American citizen who lives in NYC. She is the Co-founder & COO of SoloTrvlr, empowering women to travel boldly. It has a new Substack, The Layover — let’s show our love. You can also follow her here: arabellabowen.substack.com

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Elsewhere in the World.....

On our radar...

Pope Francis

Walking the walk: Pope Francis’ call for a ceasefire in Gaza is well known. What might not have been is that he called the Holy Family Church in Gaza every night since Oct 7, 2023. In his last appearance, he called for peace in the region, but will anyone listen, asks Belén Fernández? (Al Jazeera)

Ukrainian ultimatum

So that “in a day” peace deal Trump promised hasn’t worked out. Tired of trying to reach a peace deal, Trump has indicated that he would be willing to capitulate, which is something his fellow Republicans and white shoe lawyers do, to Putin’s demands: recognize Crimea and ensure Ukraine does not join NATO. Following Russian attacks on Kyiv this week, Trump did manage to muster a “Vladimir STOP!” Many pundits have pointed out that recognizing Russian control of Crimea would reverse more than a decade of US policy—and that aggression ultimately works. Yes and yes, because US policy has been inconsistent, paying lip service to sovereignty when it suits them and turning a blind eye when it doesn’t. It’s Friday morning, and I couldn’t find a good piece on this… more to come.

Tariffs and trade wars

China is not messing around. It released a statement noting that Trump needs to drop all his tariffs before they’d consider coming to the table. And Trump dropping those tariffs is not a far-fetched idea. He continually changes his mind, yes, just like a five-year old.

Trump’s tariffs are driving a gold rush, writes Nicole Narea. (Vox)

What happened in those US-Iran talks?

US and Iranian officials will meet again this weekend in Oman, which has been serving as a go-between for the two sides. It will be the third round of indirect talks. That’s an important point, Motahareh Heydari notes. Given the US side’s inexperience, repped by Steve Witkoff, who I’ve already pointed out has no experience other than buying and selling real estate. The Iranians, who are already deeply skeptical of the US and the Trump team, in particular, want to see if Trump will back off his maximalist pressure. So do we. (Stimson Center)

US

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio unveiled a reorganization of the State Department. What does it entail and how did we get here? Dani Schulkin, Tess Bridgeman, and Andrew Miller lay it out. (Just Security)

RIP the Millenium Challenge Corporation, aka MCC, started under George W. Bush. The agency tasked to support economic development worldwide got DOGEd.

Africa

Three separate but interesting developments out of Africa this week…all have to do with standing for elections.

In Côte d'Ivoire, a court disqualified opposition candidate Tidjane Thiam from running in the October elections, which Katarina Hoije and Kamailoudini Tagba say may spark instability in the country, as incumbent President Alassane Ouattara, 83, will go for a fourth term. (Bloomberg)

And you thought Joe Biden was old. Okay, he was.

Congo banned the party of former President Joseph Kabila, accusing him of having ties to the Rwandan militia group, M23. Kabila had been living in South Africa for the past two years and word is that he might pose a challenge to current leader, Félix Tshisekedi.

Meanwhile, in Tanzania, officials arrested John Heche, deputy leader of the opposition for leading protests against the arrest of Tundu Lissu, the opposition leader. The country holds elections this October.

Asia

JD Vance visited India this week. The country’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, hailed the common culture and commitment to democracy both India and the US share or, well, shared.. 👀 “But beneath the ceremonial optics lies a more complex geopolitical context,” writes Rana Ayyub. The US-India relationship is far more fragile, asymmetrical and contradictory than either side would publicly admit. (Washington Post)

Twenty-six Indian tourists died in an attack in the disputed territory of Kashmir this week. India and Pakistan have been fighting over the territory for nearly 80 years. India has said that the Pakistani militant group, The Resistance Front, was behind the attack. The country has threatened to cut off water to Pakistan. Rhea Mogul, Aishwarya Iyer and Sophia Saifi lay out the moving parts of this precarious situation. (CNN)

War has not only killed and destroyed in Afghanistan, it has also devastated the country’s environment, write Tanya Goudsouzian Zekria Barakzai. “From poisoned water sources to barren lands, the natural world has become another casualty of the war.” (Responsible Statecraft)

The Americas

El Salvador’s “state of exception” is serving as a model for Trump, as he pushes immigration cases offshore and is quashing free expression, writes Jordana Timerman. (Guardian)

Sigh.

Also, pull up a chair and break out the popcorn to watch Colombia’s politics this week. The country’s foreign minister accused the president, Gustavo Petro, of being a drug user. For his part, Petro said that the US cancelled his visa but said “I didn’t really need a visa, but anyway, I’ve already seen Donald Duck several times, so I’ll go see other things.”

Who says foreign policy isn’t full of zingers?

Middle East

Following Assad’s fall in Syria, Israel has pushed aside overtures from the country’s new ruler, Ahmed al-Shara, to increase military activity in southern Syria. That’s not only a mistake but a missed opportunity to isolate Iran, write Shira Effron and Danny Citrinowicz. (Foreign Affairs)

On Syria, with Shara in power, can the country realize the hopes of the revolution? Alia Malek believes it can, in this interesting podcast with Sasha Polakow-Suransky. (Counterpoint)

Europe

Ukrainians have resisted Russia’s aggression for years. Since the full-scale invasion of their country in 2022, Ukrainian women in particular have taken on important roles on the frontlines, in civil society, and at home. Gražina Bielousova’s research examines how Ukrainian leftist feminists advocate for their causes at home and abroad, facing distinct sets of challenges as they attempt to defend their country. (FPRI)

Russia may have big ambitions to rule in Russian-speaking areas. Yet, as Kseniya Kirillova points out, its government has failed to manage the simplest elements of governance. (CEPA)

Science and Climate Change

Need some Earth Day optimism? Alina Hartounian is here for you with terrific organizations working to improve the planet. (NPR)

Under the Radar

Ladies! Unite! Female bonobos fend off male aggression through girl groups. (AP)

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Americans for Responsible Innovation has two openings, one for a Director of Government Affairs and another for a Policy Analyst.

Women Moving Millions is hiring for a Communications Manager.

Americas Quarterly is looking for an Editor.

In London, Chatham House has a posting to be the Director of the US and Canada Programme. (Their unfortunate spelling, not mine).

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Elmira Bayrasli - Editor-in-Chief

This week, Donald Trump made good on his promise to levy tariffs—on everyone, including uninhabited islands. I invited Heather Hurlburt to help make sense of the maddening moment. From 2022-2024, she served as Chief of Staff to US Trade Representative Katherine Tai. Who knew I’d learn so much about Smooth Hawley!

Your weekly reminder to click the 🖤 above, if you like the newsletter—and, please, share with others. It helps spread the word—and helps women! Who are under attack. This newsletter is resistance and your support is fighting back. If you ❤️ the newsletter, please become a paid subscriber. — Elmira

In the aftermath of President Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff announcement, most public commentary has focused on the immediate: Can the EU negotiate? How much will my next iPhone cost? But as big as that is, the administration’s play is much bigger. It represents the opening shock and awe in an effort to remake our politics and economics at home *and* reshape the relationship between global economics and security.

Here are some things you should know:

Scope and scale: Trump’s moves were the biggest one-day tariff hike in 70 years. They left the US weighted average tariff higher than Smoot Hawley, the 1930 tariffs often accused of helping bring on the Great Depression. This comes on the heels of 25 percent tariffs on foreign-made autos, which went into effect Thursday. The administration also announced it would end an exemption that had made small packages of foreign goods (also, small packages of fentanyl) tariff-free. We will see whether our underfunded US Customs is able to implement it on the 4 million packages that arrive every single day, but if so, be warned: it will slow delivery and hike prices on fast fashion, on-line marketplace purchases, and all those little tchotchkes you ordered late at night (like the gold body paint I told a friend to pre-buy for her party months away).

Effects on consumption versus effects on manufacturing: The tariffs will make things such as wine, iPhones, clothing more expensive – unless foreign manufacturers or US importers decide to eat the price hike for you. Don’t hold your breath.

More importantly, the US imports millions of parts and components for use in our own manufacturing industries, from electronics to car parts to fabric and leather. If they're more expensive, the made-in-America final products are more expensive — thus hurting exactly the jobs that tariffs in principle could help protect.

Also, don’t sleep on the chaos as importers and US Customs try to sort out what the new rates are and how they apply, with much less than the usual months-long phase in periods for much smaller tariff moves. Less than 24 hours after auto tariffs took effect Thursday, automaker Stellantis temporarily laid off 900 US workers, in a cascading effect from plant closures in Canada and Mexico.

But will tariffs bring manufacturing jobs back: Economists and policy folks have been duking it out MTV Celebrity Death Match-style for a while now about whether and to what extent tariffs can support domestic manufacturing, whether they help or harm innovation, and whether the cost in higher prices is worth it. What is clear is that in addition to tariffs you need predictability, the rule of law, and domestic investment in the industries and workers you want to save. But this White House and Republicans in Congress haven’t proposed *any* new domestic investment; instead, they have disinvested in infrastructure and education, and disrupted the investments made by the previous Congress and Biden Administration.

What happens next: We’ve already got big declines in global markets and companies announcing layoffs or scaling back production. Next, expect the speed, scale and uncertainty will create chaos in global supply chains... and you remember how fun that was in 2020-2021. JP Morgan estimates the tariffs’ effects will take us “perilously close to slipping into recession,” and that's without factoring in retaliation from affected countries. Trump’s team is betting that most large economies will instead negotiate deals instead of responding with their own tariffs, that relatively little of the tariff costs will be passed on to consumers, and that global markets will quickly pivot to excitement around all the new manufacturing they will attract to the US. Instead, expect a messy mixture of retribution and negotiation from the rest of the world. Overall business will weaken, not merely out of uncertainty but the administration’s other actions, including the disregard for the rule of law and mistreatment of foreigners.

Was this just an opening ploy: Lots of commenters want to think that this is just about negotiating tactics. But, as I wrote at greater length for Chatham House, that misses the point. Trump’s close advisers believe they have a playbook that will reshape the domestic economy and domestic politics in their favor, and re-make the global connections between economics and security in a way that is more to their liking. US history is full of economic theories that reshape our politics even if they don’t technically ‘work.’ If you want to nerd out on this more, the FT’s Gillian Tett has a useful primer on the theory of a so-called ‘Mar-A-Lago Accord.’

Is any of this legal: Perhaps you’ve gotten this far and are wondering how Trump can make these moves. Yes, the Constitution does give Congress, not the President, the power to tariff. The White House has invoked a century-old emergency powers law called the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, IEEPA that gives the president broad authority to make economic actions—in a national emergency. My former Biden Administration colleague Peter Harrell makes a strong case that this is not at all what that law was intended for, but that the private sector is too intimidated to sue. Speaking of Congress, Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) have introduced a bill that would require Congress to approve all tariffs, but no one thinks House Republicans are interested in challenging Trump on this.

And what about the World Trade Organization, where the U.S. committed to tariff levels that we would only alter in negotiation with others, and its place as a pillar of the rules-based international order? The WTO works by consensus, and Washington hasn’t actually withdrawn, although it is true that it is not paying its bills. Will other countries be able to come together and mount some kind of unified stand? This is one area where the Trump team’s skepticism about international cooperation seems likely to be fully justified. —Heather

Heather Hurlburt is an Associate Fellow for the US and the Americas Programme at Chatham House. From 2022 to 2024, she served as Chief of Staff to US Trade Representative Katherine Tai.

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Elsewhere in the World.....

On our radar...

Tariffs

• What happens when you shrink the federal government, deport immigrants, both legal and illegal, and levy tariffs? You get a recession, writes Kathryn Anne Edwards. She goes through the history of the past 13 recessions. An interesting read. (Bloomberg)

• Trump’s trade war will hurt everyone from Cambodian factories to US shoppers, writes Lisa Toohey. (The Conversation)

• The BBC has put together a stunning graphic that shows the percentage of imports into the US by country, and what the Trump administration has levied in return. (BBC)

• Watch: This video streamed before “liberation day.” It’s still worth a watch as Shannon O’Neil and Allison Schrager discuss tariffs and really don’t need the male moderator. (Bloomberg)

Myanmar earthquake

Last Friday, an earthquake hit Myanmar. Thousands have died. Cities have been razed. Information and aid have been hard to access, given the country is under military dictatorship. Erin Murphy. She notes that hours after the earthquake, the military resumed strikes against ethnic states in the north. She helps put Myanmar and this tragedy in perspective (CSIS)

Marine Le Pen: Guilty

In France, far-right politician Marine Le Pen was found guilty for embezzling EU funds. According to French law, she, in addition to having to serve prison time, may not run for public office for five years. That makes her ineligible to be a candidate for the 2027 race. That risks emboldening anti-establishment narratives across Europe, and the US, write Célia Belin, Camille Lons, and Pawel Zerka. (ECFR)

Allow me to editorialize here… The Economist along with a few others have commented that Le Pen should be allowed to run for office. Except the law explicitly says she can’t. If we’re all eager to preserve democracy, let’s start with upholding the rule of law.

US

DOGE has gotten rid of USAID and the Education Department. This week, the Department of Health and Human Services let 10,000 employees go. But before you think the money saved will go to pay down the debt, consider that Team Trump will study what it will cost to take over Greenland. Denmark spends $600 million to subsidize services on the island each year, write Lisa Rein, Natalie Allison, Michael Birnbaum, and Jeff Stein. (Washington Post)

Trump is preparing a new travel ban. This one would bar Afghans from coming into the US. Khushali Haji says this would cut off an important pathway for those escaping the Taliban. (Documented)

Africa

Warnings about renewed war in South Sudan should come as no surprise, writes Clémence Pinaud. The war the country previously fought never really ended. (Foreign Policy)

In Kenya, last September, a court ruled that content moderators on social media platforms could take social media companies to court for violating human rights. Mercy Mutemi wants you to know that Meta is not happy with this, because it will end its exploitation of workers. (Al Jazeera)

The Americas

Haiti consumes 187 pounds of rice per year; America only 26—all because of “Miami rice”—rice imported from the US. These rice imports elbowed out domestic production and were supposedly intended to help Haitians industrialize. It didn’t. Marcia Biggs brings us the report. (News Hour)

Here’s something that will raise your brows. Hezbollah has networks in Latin America, writes Marzia Giambertoni. (Real Clear World/RAND)

The Middle East

In Turkey, as Istanbul’s mayor remains in jail, hundreds of thousands have taken to the streets. The massive protests are one last chance to save whatever little is left of Turkish democracy, Fariba Nawa reports. (Christian Science Monitor)

Remember when the Middle East was the biggest problem? With so many changed factors in the region—a weakened Iran, a new government in Syria, a cowed Hezbollah—now is the time for the US to focus on strengthening corrupt and weak bureaucracies, which enabled Iran, writes Dana Stroul. (Foreign Affairs)

She also admits that that will be harder under Trump. “(a)n approach that rests on just one foreign policy tool—military action—will not allow the United States to capitalize on Iran’s weakness,” she writes.

Europe

Finland, which recently became a NATO member, announced it would withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, which bans antipersonnel landmines, citing threats from Russia. Laura Kayali reports. (Politico)

Is Germany looking to re-establish its pre-war relationship with Russia? Katja Hoyer thinks so. (UnHerd)

Technology

If the Trump administration is committed to leading the world in AI, the new administration needs to focus on deep collaboration with allies to shape their regulation, promote US open source technology, and counter China’s AI influence, writes Christina Knight. (Lawfare)

Under the Radar

Wednesday was Autism Awareness Day. Last year, Cortney Weinbaum spoke about the importance of adapting today’s military to include those who are neurodivergent. I wanted to make sure to bring attention to this and underscore its importance. (ABC News)

During World War II, thousands of Polish refugees, mostly women and children, were displaced by Soviet and Nazi aggression. Many ended up in British territories, including Uganda, where they settled in remote camps, facing hardship but also benefiting from racial hierarchy. Anna Adima tells their stories. (NewLines)

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Opportunities

The Public Rights Group is hiring for a Chief of Staff and a few other posts.

At the Malala Fund, there is an opening for a Chief of External Affairs.

Spark Microgrants has two C-level positions, President and Chief of Staff.

A special plug for a new Substack, EnQuire. Sarah Murray is a freelance journalist, who mostly writes for the Financial Times. In EnQuire she explores two questions: How does the world work? And what makes us human?

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I’d love to have more guest posts—and raise the profile of female experts and expertise. If you have an op-ed idea, please email me on endeavoringe@gmail.com. It’s more important than ever to widen the lens and look at the world from multiple perspectives. 😬

If you like this newsletter and what we do, please click the 🖤 above and share with others. If you ❤️ the newsletter, please become a paid subscriber. — Elmira

The United States’ 90-day freeze on federal aid, announced January 20, has shut down the global humanitarian explosives clearance sector. The US is the leading global contributor to humanitarian clearance—the very slow, very risky, and very expensive practice of removing bombs from old battlefields so that people can safely use the land again. The US funds clearance in Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Angola, Ukraine, and over a hundred other countries around the globe.

In Laos, where I did fieldwork for my first two books, the aid freeze has brought explosive clearance to a halt. Fifty years ago, the United States bombed Laos continuously for nine years as part of a secret sidearm of the Vietnam War. A half a century later, Laos is still the world’s most bombed country per capita. Every single province is massively contaminated with left-over bombs, mostly cluster submunitions. It is difficult to quantify the impact of the bombs that linger. There are too many variables (plane altitude and speed, ground cover, soil texture, age, weather, and so on) to accurately predict just how many of those bombs are still active in the soils of Laos. Village chiefs told me that they averaged about one explosion per village every five years (unsurprisingly, the official reported count is a lot lower). Giving myself the benefit of easy math, if I apply that rate to the rest of Laos’ roughly 8,500 villages, that gives me an average of 1,700 explosions per year while clearance is ongoing. This leads to a back-of-the-napkin baseline of about 425 explosions during the 90-day period of freeze. Each one of those 425 might involve multiple dead or injured people. The actual figure will certainly be higher as these communities try to handle explosives without the benefit of trained experts and specialized safety equipment.

Most of the victims of these left-over bombs are children. In one of the villages where I carried out my research, I attended an education session to teach children how to protect themselves from explosive military waste. The trainer, who was herself a clearance technician and had grown up in another bombed village, had the children pass around a photograph from a recent accident in the area. The photo showed the blown-open bodies of two young boys, chests gaping, limbs twisted, blood staining the grass. The children at the training, who ranged in age from about five to about twelve, solemnly looked at the photograph before passing it on to the person sitting next to them. The last child handed the photograph to me.

The trainer gave the children the honor of acknowledging their bravery. If a five-year-old child can bravely face this terror, then so must we. — Leah

Leah Zani is a public anthropologist and the author of Bomb Children and Strike Patterns. You can follow her writing and research in her newsletter, The Powder Press.

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Happy Thanksgiving! Whoowee, despite so much going on — from the ICC warrant on Netanyahu to US missiles being used in the Russia-Ukraine war to the decline of America and rise of Trump and the question about women in combat — Team Interruptrr be off next week. I might write a column for next Wednesday, we’ll see. We’ll be back with the regular weekly roundup on Friday, December 6.

As we look towards Thanksgiving, Kate Brannen reflects on two documentaries that remind us that resentment and distrust are choices, as is humanity. The latter requires us to see, connect, and listen. Thank you Kate. — Elmira

Spoiler alert: this country is about to become even more polarized. As Donald Trump’s new administration takes shape, it is clear American institutions – and individual Americans – are about to be severely tested. It will take an enormous amount of strength to not let these next few years bring out the worst in us. 

When politicians are doing their best to get you to see the world as “us versus them,” it is difficult to resist the pressure. Trump relies on stoking hatred and division, even spreading imaginary reasons (immigrants eating pets) to hate our neighbors. But you can also find an “us versus them” mentality among many Democrats, for whom it is difficult not to villainize people who voted for Trump. And, of course, this is not a uniquely American problem. Foreign leaders, from Vladimir Putin to Benjamin Netanyahu, dehumanize the people who live on the other side of the border. Their goal: foreclose political opportunities for reconciliation, peace, or any alternative future. 

But this sense that war, violence, and hatred are inevitable is proven wrong every day by individuals. Two recent documentaries drove this point home for me. They both take place in the aftermath of devastating terror attacks, introducing us to people who have every right to hate each other but who instead form brave and profound friendships. Together, they reveal that what’s politically possible is so much greater than what our leaders sometimes want us to believe. 

“Finding Alaa” is a co-production of the CBC and BBC and it tells the story of Azdyne Amimour, a French-Algerian man whose son Samy left home in 2013 and joined the Islamic State in Syria. Amimour had lost touch with him until November 2015, when police told him that Samy was one of the terrorists who participated in the attacks in Paris that killed 130 people. Samy had been one of three gunmen who opened fire inside Bataclan Hall, killing 90 people.

Amimour also found out that Samy left behind a daughter, Alaa, born in Syria just days after the attacks in France. As Amimour searches for her and grapples with his son’s story, he reaches out to Georges Salines, whose daughter Lola was murdered at the Bataclan. The two share their grief for their lost children and build a friendship. “Terrorism is a weapon,” says Salines. “Its main objective is to build such a deep gulf of hatred between communities, that conflict is inevitable.” The friendship between Amimour and Salines is a radical rejection of that outcome. 

When I was watching “Finding Alaa,” I remembered another short film, The Guardian’s “My Brother’s Keeper,” about the unlikely friendship between Mohamedou Ould Salahi, who was held at Guantanamo Bay for 14 years as a prisoner despite never being charged with a crime, and one of his former guards, Steve Wood.

In this case, both men had no reason to try to see the humanity in the other. Wood, who deployed to Guantanamo when he was 24, explains that he was told that the detainees would try to kill him if given the chance. At first, Wood believed Salahi was an al Qaeda terrorist, but meeting him in person was his “Matrix moment in life,” not knowing what to believe about this smiling, polite man in front of him. 

As for Salahi, the U.S. government kidnapped him in Mauritania in 2001 and flew him to Guantanamo. There, he was tortured and put in extreme solitary confinement. Still, when he met Wood, he did not prejudge him. Slowly, over coffee and cards and pecan pie, the two men got to know each other. They transcended their preordained hatred of each other not after Salahi was released in 2016, but at Guantanamo, “in the darkest of moments … when it mattered most,” he says.  

Both movies reveal what is possible between humans who find themselves in situations where resentment and distrust seem like the only choice. They are an antidote to the onslaught of hateful messaging all around us. As Salahi says, “I believe in humanity.” — Kate

Kate Brannen is a Non-Resident Journalism Fellow at the Reiss Center on Law and Security at NYU School of Law. She was previously deputy editor at Foreign Affairs magazine and the editorial director at Just Security.

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Elsewhere in the World.....

On our radar...

The big news today is the International Criminal Court…It has formally issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for crimes against humanity and war crimes. While it is unlikely that either will ever be arrested, it does isolate Israel — and the United States — further. What happens now? Ellen Ioanes lays it out. (Vox)

To show his strongman authoritarian bonafides and disregard for international norms, Hungary’s Viktor Orbán invited Netanyahu to visit immediately following the announcement.

G20 - A picture is worth a 1000 words….

Following the Asian financial crisis in 1997, finance ministers from the 20 largest economies got together in 1999 to discuss and address financial issues. Following the 2008 crisis, those gatherings leveled up to include the leaders of the 20 largest economies, which make up 85 percent of the world’s GDP. This week, Brazil hosted the G20, sans Russia (because, you know…) 

• While these are largely performative, this year’s performance raised a lot of eyebrows when the US president was left out of the G20 “family photo” on Monday. The leaders of Brazil, China, Turkey, and South Africa went ahead without Joe Biden (and Canada’s Justin Trudeau and Italy’s Giorgia Meloni), to gasps and much speculation about America’s diminished role on the world stage. America First or America ignored? Kayla Tausche and Kevin Liptak reflect. (CNN) 👀

• Others missing from the family photo? Women. Why are so few leaders female? The Women’s Empowerment Working Group is working to change that. It convened its first meeting at the G20 this week. Maite Gonzalez Latorre on how the group came to be and its potential to have impact. (Atlantic Council) 

Spoiler: It’s not great, since misogynist leaders such as Argentina’s Javier Millei are opposed. And then there will be Donald Trump….

Meanwhile, the final “communique” - the concluding document provided watered-down support for Ukraine, an ominous indication, and while it did call for more funds to combat climate change, it failed to promise any transition away from fossil fuels. 

Trump 2.0

• If Donald Trump thinks America First will intimidate the rest of the world, he’s in for a surprise, writes Ann Phillips. With the rise of China and other emerging market economies, countries are no longer beholden to Washington DC. (Responsible Statecraft) 

• What will Trump’s cabinet picks mean for US foreign policy and relations with Europe? Majda Ruge dives in. (ECFR)

• Listen: Given how much Elon Musk has been at Trump’s side, you’d think he was a political heavyweight. Gabrielle Sierra on the rise of the tech bros on the global stage and the changing of the world order. (Why It Matters) 🤬

COP29

• The UN Climate Change Conference wraps up today. This year’s focus: financing. More specifically, how much money should wealthy countries, who are the main polluters, provide poorer countries that are feeling the impacts of climate change? Maria Louise Gambale notes that the Global South wants the West to pay trillions, which is unlikely to happen. (PassBlue) 

• There’s so much smog over India and Pakistan, you can see it from space. As COP29 works to improve environmental conditions, R Umaima Ahmed on the alarming conditions. (Global Voices) 

US

With Donald Trump waiting in the wings to move back into the White House, US President Joe Biden has given Ukraine the green light to launch US missiles inside Russia. What does that mean? Samya Kullab takes a look. (AP) 

He’s also given permission for Ukraine to use antipersonnel landmines, to slow down Russia’s advancement, which we have concerns about. (AP)

While the US move won’t radically change the trajectory of the war, it has prompted Russia to change its nuclear doctrine. Our friends at ICAN note that Russia now maintains that it “could launch nuclear weapons in response to an attack on its territory by a non-nuclear-armed state backed by a nuclear-armed one.” (ICAN) 😳

The US Senate rejected a resolution to halt arms sales to Israel. Jessica Corbett has more. (Common Dreams) 

Africa 

South Africa has accused Israel of genocide, bringing a case before the International Court of Justice. Yet, private arms companies in the country continue to sell arms to Israel. Ilham Rawoot, Ra’eesa Pather, Ariella Scher, Abongile Nkamisa, and Michael Marchant investigate for Open Secrets. (Africa is a Country)

Asia

In Hong Kong, 45 pro-democracy politicians and activists were sentenced to prison this week. Tiffany May has the details on this crackdown by Beijing. (NYT)

There’s been lots of chatter about the 4B movement, born in South Korea. What is it? No sex, no dating, no marriage, no babies. Is it coming to the US next? Catherine Kim considers. (Politico) 🤔

The Americas

Watch: Haiti remains in crisis, as gangs rule key locales in the country. Marcia Biggs traveled to Haiti and brings us this chilling look at how the gangs have decimated the country and left Haitians with very little. (PBS News Hour)  

After watching this, it is not surprising to hear that Doctors Without Borders has suspended its operations in the country. 

The US has recognized Edmundo González as the “president-elect” of Venezuela. Macarena Vital Liy reports. (El Pais English) 

Post G-20 summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping was welcomed with open arms by Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Naiara Galarraga Gortazar has the details on the growing bilateral relationship. (El País)

Europe

Sabotage or accident? Russia or China? Who cut the underwater internet cables in the Baltic Sea? The US and EU have differing views on what happened this week, writes Ivana Kottasová. (CNN)

November 20th marks day 1000 of the Russian assault on Ukraine, and as the war heads into winter, things appear bleak for Ukraine. MEI Senior Fellow Dr. Iulia-Sabina Joja and Former NATO SACEUR Gen. Philip M. Breedlove discuss with Matthew Czekaj. (Middle East Institute)

Ukraine has put up a valiant fight against Russia. But it has come with enormous challenges and complications. Katie Livingstone on the struggles Ukraine faces in recruiting and retaining fighters. (Military.com)

On November 6, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced a confidence vote in January, plunging the country into political chaos. By all accounts, this will spell the end of his leadership. Melanie Banerjee on the possible changes ahead for Germany. (Geopolitical Monitor) 

Middle East 

Can Lebanon survive another war with Israel? Maha Yahya says that with a precarious economy and political deadlock in the country, it’s doubtful. (Foreign Affairs) 

Under the Radar

Transgender Day of Remembrance was this week. Rasha Younes calls for the protection of trans people worldwide, citing that there have been over 5,000 anti-trans murders in the past 16 years. (HRW)

From Afghanistan to Iraq to the US, women’s rights are being eroded at an alarming rate. Hind Elhinnawy breaks it down. (The Conversation)

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Happy Halloween! 🎃 And early happy Diwali! ✨

And, yes, my Mets were eliminated. It was painful, but that’s not something new. As the season came to a close, I started to put my father’s death into perspective. Here’s a piece about my dad and the Mets.

Earlier this week, Fethullah Gülen, a controversial Turkish cleric passed away. This week, Jenny Abamu reflects on Gülen’s legacy. Thank you Jenny. — Elmira

Earlier this week, Fethullah Gülen, the Turkish Muslim cleric who fled Turkey in 1999, passed away in Pennsylvania. He was 83. As the leader of a global Islamic movement that preached tolerance, his legacy is paradoxical — a mixture of opportunity and setbacks. 

Gülen worked to lift up Turks marginalized by the secular state. In doing so, his movement contributed to driving Turkey to be a more conservative, religious society. 

I first heard the name Fethullah Gülen in an undergraduate course on the Middle East when my professor compared the Turkish cleric to Thomas Aquinas, the Catholic theologian. As part of the class, we read about how Gülen started his movement in Turkey, providing social services to underserved communities and quietly offering spaces for Muslims who wanted to practice their faith more openly. 

Turkey, for much of the 20th century, had a secular government that restricted religious expression. The Islamic headscarf was illegal in public institutions for years, men couldn't grow long beards, and at one point, even the call to prayer was required to be in Turkish rather than Arabic. It was an environment where openly practicing Islam often meant facing exclusion by the state.

Gülen, however, found a way to navigate this landscape. His schools and charitable work emphasized social good rather than religion outright. It allowed him to quietly weave religion back into public life in a way that was more acceptable in the secular state. The Gülen movement evolved into the global Hizmet ("Service") Movement, establishing schools, universities, and dialogue centers around the world. 

Over time, his followers gained significant influence in various sectors of Turkish society—including education, media, and the judiciary. They established preparatory schools (dershanes) that helped students excel in national exams, leading to positions in government institutions. Historians note that this movement paved the way for the rise of the current leader, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and the AKP party in Turkey. 

This rise in influence unsettled the secular establishment and later, Erdoğan himself.

Eventually, Gülen and Erdoğan clashed. The pivotal clash occurred around 2010, following the Mavi Marmara incident—a deadly confrontation between a Turkish flotilla and Israeli forces. Gülen publicly criticized Erdoğan's handling of the situation, marking the beginning of their rift. This tension intensified when Gülen’s followers in the judiciary and police began investigating corruption within Erdogan’s inner circle in 2013. Feeling threatened, Erdoğan accused Gülen of forming a "parallel state" and began purging his followers from government positions.

In 2012, I moved to Turkey to teach English. Unintentionally, I ended up at one of Gülen’s schools in Beylikdüzü, just outside of Istanbul. The school was new, well-funded, and seemed academically strong. Initially unaware of its affiliations, I soon noticed differences. The Gülen schools were more conservative and religious. Male and female teachers were separated; all the women wore scarves, though as a yabancı (foreigner), I wasn’t required to. The experience was eye-opening—the Gülen I had studied, focused on charity and education, contrasted with the more conservative reality on the ground.

In the United States, the religious aspects of Gülen’s schools are downplayed. As an education reporter in Houston, I visited a charter school reportedly connected to Gülen sympathizers. The school was part of a broader network of Turkish-run institutions that have been points of controversy. Critics questioned whether they promoted Turkish nationalism, scrutinized their contracting practices, and speculated about subtle religious teachings. School leaders denied these accusations, and the schools, which perform relatively well, remain operational.

In Turkey, things changed after the 2016 coup attempt. Erdoğan blamed Gülen for orchestrating the failed overthrow from his exile in Pennsylvania. Despite Gülen’s denials, Erdoğan launched a massive purge, shutting down Gülen-affiliated schools—including the one where I taught—and forcing thousands of his supporters to flee the country. Gülen’s influence within Turkey was effectively quashed, but his global network continues to operate, albeit under increased scrutiny.

My time in Turkey left me with a nuanced view of Gülen. I saw firsthand how his movement helped people. The woman I lived with in Istanbul was raising her daughter alone while her Kurdish husband was in jail. She had nowhere to turn until Gülen’s school offered her a job, allowing her to support her family. Stories like hers were common. Yet, I also saw how the movement’s conservative values pushed Turkey, a bastion of Islamic liberalism, in a more conservative direction, driving it away from Western ideals.

For me, Fethullah Gülen’s story is unsettled. Was he a force for good, providing education and opportunities to the marginalized? Or did his movement contribute to societal divides and political unrest? His legacy—particularly in education—is undeniable, but it sits at the intersection of religion, politics, and social change. In the end, Gülen’s life teaches us that movements are rarely simple, and their impacts are often a difficult balance between progress and contention. His legacy, much like Turkey itself, remains at the crossroads. — Jenny

Jenny Abamu is the Editor-in-Chief of JAM CQ, a new international business publication focused on global business opportunities, strategy, and cultural intelligence. She previously served as a Foreign Service Officer for the US Department of State.

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Event alert!

In NYC, on Monday, October 28, 6pm, Elmira will moderate a panel entitled, Does Engaging the Taliban Legitimize Gender Apartheid? She will be joined by Kaavya Asoka, Annie Pforzheimer, Erica Gaston, and Fatema Ahmadi. Please join! RSVP here.

Elsewhere in the World.....

On our radar...

Conflict in the Middle East 

• Israelis celebrated Yahya Sinwar’s death last week. How they did, particularly on the left, concerns Lisa Goldman. She writes about the triumphalism and racism that otherwise “doveish” journalists used to describe the Hamas leader’s demise. (New Lines) 

• Imene Guiza also looks at reactions to Sinwar’s death on social media where she found those who praised the late Hamas leader and those who criticized Israel for releasing the drone footage of his final moments. (Middle East Eye)

• Kate Brannen and Elmira referred to Audrey Kurth Cronin’s work on terrorist groups. This week, she writes that Sinwar may be dead, but Hamas is likely to survive. (Foreign Affairs) 

• Meanwhile, Israel continued to drop bombs on Gaza and prevent humanitarian aid from reaching Palestinians, increasing the threat of disease and famine. Ruwaida Amer provides us with a first-hand account of the dire conditions in Gaza, which is especially important since Israel will not allow foreign reporters into the territory. (Slate)

• Listen: The Axis of Resistance is the Iran-led coalition of actors that includes Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis (the H club!). As we know, the leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas have been eliminated and, thereby, have weakened this alliance. What is its future? Randa Slim, Fatima Abo Alasrar, and Charles Lister dish it out with Matthew Czekaj. (Middle East Institute)

Amid the horror in Gaza, Stephanie Kleine Ahlbrandt reflects on the survivors of the nuclear bombs on Hiroshima back in 1945. This year, Nihon Hidankyo, a grassroots organization for atomic bomb survivors, won the Nobel Peace Prize. Ahlbrandt underscores the importance of resilience and collective efforts. (Journeys Within and Beyond) 

BRICS summit 

• What is the BRICS group? Originally, the grouping of the fastest growing emerging market countries, Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. That was back in 2001 (the term coined by someone at Goldman Sachs). Those countries gathered this week in Russia, along with some others, including Egypt, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, who have accepted membership. 👀 (There are 36 countries at this week’s summit.) How are the BRICS expanding and how will this impact the Western alliance? Mariel Ferragamo explains. (CFR)

• Turkey, a NATO member, is also in Moscow. Aslı Aydıntaşbaş puts Ankara’s aspirations to join the BRICS into perspective. While, Lynn Kuok, Tanvi Madan, Angela Stent, Yun Sun, Tara Varman, and Valerie Wirtschafter and lay out different aspects of the BRICS summit. (Brookings) 

• Here’s an interesting tidbit: Marta Biino reports that Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have turned down invitations to join the BRICS. 😲(Semafor) 

US 

Elon Musk is giving away $1 million to individuals who register to vote and sign his petition supporting the first and second amendments. The legality of his actions is certainly in question. Yet, as Maria Bautista notes, what is more troubling is that as someone with billions of federal contracts at stake, he is trying to buy the election for Donald Trump. (USA Today) 

The way governments respond to natural disasters has always been politicized. Donald Trump and the GOP’s political weaponization of recent hurricanes is the latest example. Frida Ghitis weighs in. (WPR)

Africa 

Officials in Mozambique announced the results of the October 9 election, amid widespread allegations of fraud. Daniel Chapo, a 47-year-old lawyer who ran on the ruling party ticket, won. The ruling party, Frelimo, has ruled the country for 50 years. There have been protests and violence. 

Whoever takes the reins in Mozambique, writes Tendai Marima, the country’s leader, needs to address the dwindling security situation in the country’s north, where there is a growing Islamic insurgency. (Foreign Policy) 

Last week we noted that Cameroon’s 91-year-old president, Paul Biya has been MIA. He resurfaced this week. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Asia

Frenemies again. After five years, the leaders of China and India held bilateral talks on the margins of the BRICS summit. The two countries had clashed over the Himalayan border that they share. Have they resolved the issue? Genevieve Donnellon-May and Amit Ranjan discuss. (The Interpreter) 

Last week, we noted that there were indications that North Korea was sending soldiers to fight against Ukraine. There is more evidence that that is the case. Meanwhile, Ellie Cook wonders if North Korea is gearing up for war with South Korea? Over the weekend, following the discovery of a South Korean drone allegedly spying on the North, officials in Pyongyang threatened retaliation. (Newsweek) 

In Turkish, there is a saying, beterin beteri var. There is always someone worse. (It sounds better in Turkish…) That might be true in Indonesia as Prabowo Subianto took up the reins as the country’s new president. Human rights and tolerance had already been in decline before he took power. In the weeks leading up to his inauguration, peaceful protestors have been subject to intimidation and harassment, write Rosalind Ratana and Cornelius Damar Hanung. (The Diplomat)

The Americas

Cuba has been in the dark for the past week. A tropical storm knocked out the country’s power grid, causing nationwide blackouts. Ellen Ioanes explains that this crisis is a result of years of neglect and disinvestment. (Vox) 

The Caribbean’s small islands are being hit by a crisis of hurricanes and Farah Nibbs says that colonialism has a lot to do with it. She explains how communities were developed to put those who are marginalized at the most risk. (The Conversation)

Europe

In Moldova, the pro-Western president, Maia Sandu failed to win a majority. So, she will face off with a pro-Russian opponent this weekend. The good news is that along with voting for president, Moldovans cast ballots in a referendum on whether to remain on a path to EU membership. It narrowly passed, despite allegations of Russian interference. Victoria Olari and Shelby Magid answer five questions. (Atlantic Council) 

Georgia, the country, goes to the polls this weekend, to vote in a general election. The stakes are high as the incumbent Georgian Dream party, which has close ties to Russia, is pushing for another victory, while the EU-oriented opposition struggles to keep the country oriented toward the West. Nicole Wolkov, Davit Gasparyan, and Frederick Kagan lay out future scenarios, depending on who wins — or if the ruling party will have to share power in a coalition. (Institute for the Study of War) 

Science and Climate Change

Representatives from over 175 countries are gathered in Colombia this week and next for COP16 to discuss all things biodiversity. How far will nations go to put an end to the rapid decline of biodiversity? That’s the big question, says Catrin Einhorn. (NYT)

Technology

Since February of 2021, there have been over 300 internet shutdowns in Myanmar. Nu Nu Lusan explains the ways people try to overcome these blackouts to work and communicate. (Rest of World)

Under the Radar 

Norway’s PM, Jonas Gahr Støre, wants to increase the minimum age limit on social media in an effort to protect children from the “power of the algorithm.” Miranda Bryant with the details. (Guardian)

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In DC, CSIS is hiring for its Middle East Program - a Program Coordinator/Manager & Research Associate

Also in DC, CFR is hiring a Research Associate for its Geoeconomics Program

In NYC! Or DC…. Semafor is hiring for a Senior Creative Strategist

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• Catherine Lovizio

• Emily Smith

This is our last newsletter for the summer. We’ll be back after Labor Day. Have a safe rest of summer. 😎🏖🍦

Yes, Team Interruptrr is thrilled that Kamala is the leading candidate on the Democratic ticket. And while the temptation to pile onto the many perspectives about her and her ascension is great…. including the tragic reality that her veep pick has to be a white man, because the US is still a white patriarchy where women need male approval…. We’re going to focus on Venezuela. 

Venezuelans go to the polls on Sunday, in an election that might actually oust a quarter of a century of strongman rule. The force behind this development is…. A woman! This week, Fabiana Perera takes the pen, writing about María Corina Machado and putting Venezuelan politics into perspective. Fabi is an Interruptrr fellow and a Senior Faculty Associate at the Defense Security Cooperation University. Thank you Fabi. 

Also, meow. 🐈

On Sunday, July 28 Venezuelans will vote for a new president. Though this would be almost unremarkable in a functioning democracy, it is noteworthy in Venezuela. Since 1999, a strongman has helmed the country. Hugo Chávez catapulted to power in February that year, ushering in chavismo as the former president’s governing style is known. Chavismo started out as left-wing Latin American populism and devolved into left-wing Latin American autocracy of the 21^st century.

Following his death in 2013, his hand tapped successor, Nicolás Maduro has run the country, in the same heavy-handed way. On Sunday, however, Venezuelans may well vote him out, as the outcome is uncertain — despite Maduro’s best efforts to ensure the outcome. Venezuela joined Cuba as the only “Not Free” country in the Americas in 2017, in the middle of Maduro’s first term in office.

On Sunday Maduro will appear on the ballot along with another man, Edmundo González. But it is who is not on the ballot that is significant: María Corina Machado. Machado is the leader of the Venezuelan opposition. She won the Democratic Unity Roundtable’s primary elections, held in October of last year. Close to 2.4 million Venezuelans participated in the opposition primaries and 93 percent voted for her. Her appeal did not go unnoticed or unpunished by the Maduro regime: Machado was barred from running in the election. The regime-controlled supreme tribunal in the country upheld the ban after she won.

The ban did nothing to diminish Machado’s popularity and, in fact, might have backfired. Machado is more popular than ever and has used every strategy to ensure that the opposition she represents is included on the ballot. After exhausting her legal appeals, Machado named a successor. She chose Dr. Corina Yoris, a philosophy professor at a private university in Caracas with little political experience. Maduro’s regime barred Yoris from registering as a candidate. With only a few weeks left to find an alternative, the opposition landed on González.

González is a 74-year-old, retired diplomat. He is not a young activist as so many previous candidates have been, but a grandfather who seems happy to play a supporting role. That is what makes Maduro nervous.

Though she does not appear on the ballot, Machado has continued to campaign energetically throughout Venezuela. She has called on Venezuelans to show up on July 28 to vote and energetically asserted that only “huge fraud” can stop an opposition victory. A recent poll found that among those likely to vote, 56 percent planned to vote for González and 33 percent for Maduro. If the election does indeed favor the opposition, Gonzalez will be elected president.

It’s what happens after that where it gets interesting.

Gonzalez might hold the title of president, but it is likely that Machado would be the force behind the proverbial throne. That’s one scenario. Another is González could find an institutional way to hand the presidency to Machado. This could include calling for a constitutional referendum followed by new elections. It’s exactly what Chávez and his chavismo did back in the early aughts. If González does this, Machado would become Venezuela’s first female president. More importantly, it would offer the country a way to reset back to democracy.

Venezuela’s transition back to democracy would be something to celebrate far and wide. The country was for decades a beacon of representative government in the region. Over the past two-and-a-half decades, it has slipped into authoritarian rule, rupturing its relationships with its neighbors, particularly the United States. The return of democracy to Venezuela would be a clear example of what civil society can accomplish and of the power of international democratic pressure. It would bring with it hope that the same can happen in other countries in which people live under the oppression of an authoritarian regime. —- Fabiana

Fabiana Sofia Perera is an Interruptrr Fellow and senior faculty associate at Defense Security Cooperation University.

The views expressed in this article are those solely of the author and do not reflect the policy or views of the Defense Security Cooperation University or Department of Defense.

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#KHive

• Making the case for Harris to pick a male running mate: Ilyse Hogue explains why this is the right move, noting the Democratic party’s well-documented male voter problem. (The Bulwark) 

• Leap into the unknown, says Rebecca Traister. It is the uncertainty of Kamala Harris’s candidacy that makes her thrilling, and the right person at this moment. (The Intelligencer) 

• With Kamala Harris now at the top of the Democratic ticket, will there be a different approach to Israel-Gaza? Harris has shown more concern about Palestinian suffering and the humanitarian crisis. She sat out Netanyahu’s speech to Congress on Wednesday. Lara Seligman and Michael Gordon look at what a possible Harris foreign policy would look like. (WSJ) 

• As US President Biden steps out of the presidential race, and VP Harris steps in, the nation’s science community has some questions. Mariana Lenharo, Max Kozlov, and Jeff Tollefson are here to fill us in on what Harris’s nomination means for science. (Nature)

Venezuela elections 

• As Fabi notes above, despite her popularity, María Corina Machado, was banned from running as the opposition candidate. What’s worse is that on July 3, the US restarted talks with the Maduro government, likely, as Kristina Foltz notes, with the hope of reopening the Venezuelan oil industry. Machado and her opposition party was not notified or included in these discussions. If the US is serious about democracy, appeasing Maduro is not the way to go, she writes. (Newsweek) 

• Venezuela’s July 28 elections could bring major change. Alexandra Farsari and Christopher Sabatini break down the things you need to know for Sunday’s vote. (Chatham House)

• Energy and climate policies are also on the ballot in Venezuela’s upcoming election. Luisa Palacios explains the country’s lack of action on the environment and climate. (Americas Quarterly)

A War Criminal Goes to Washington

This week, Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu addressed Congress, seeking support for his campaign in Gaza, which has killed over 39,000 Palestinians. Despite past disastrous consequences, US leaders seem ready to comply again, risking regional war and continued complicity in Gaza's destruction, say Annelle Sheline and Adam Weinstein. (Responsible Statecraft)

Netanyahu’s congressional address was not met with the same numbers of supporters as in the past. Riley Beggin explains how so many US Democrats support Israel, but not its leader. (USA Today)

Editor’s note: Inviting Netanyahu to address Congress is not only appalling, it is a travesty of justice. The ICC has applied for a warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest for war crimes, including starvation and crimes against humanity. Former Turkish president, Abdullah Gul said it best, it is a “circus of shame.” 

The Olympics

The Olympics are giving a chance for the French to think about something besides the domestic political chaos that has taken over the country since snap elections earlier this month. Angelique Chrisafis fills us in on the context within which the Olympics will begin this weekend. (The Guardian)

US 

Misinformation about the attempted assassination of US presidential candidate Donald Trump has spread rampantly. Danielle Lee Tomson, Melinda McClure Haughey, and Stephen Prochaska break it down and tell us what’s true and what’s not. (The Conversation)

Africa 

The war in Sudan just keeps getting worse. Michelle Gavin says the crisis needs more global and humanitarian attention. (CFR)

Asia

We mentioned protests in Bangladesh against the quota system for government jobs. Last weekend, they became more violent, as about 150 people were killed. How and why did it turn deadly? Marium Sultana, Saumitra Shuvra, and Tarekuzzaman Shimul discuss. (BBC) 

The Bangladesh protests headlined Cristina Maza’s excellent newsletter, Lazo, providing a comprehensive background on what’s happening. (Lazo) Lazo comes out every Sunday morning. 

Don’t call it a comeback…Previously known for political instability with three prime ministers in four years, Malaysia prioritized populist policies over strategic economic plans, leading to economic lagging. However, under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia is now attracting more investment and charting an economic comeback, writes Trinh Nguyen. (Nikkei Asia)

What’s stopping Xi Jinping from reforming China’s economy? Mary Gallagher dives deep following the CCP’s Third Plenum last week. (WPR)

The Americas

In the Mexican state of Chiapas, more than 12,000 people were forced from their homes in June. Ann Louise Deslandes has the details on the escalation of historical land disputes. (Americas Quarterly)

Europe

This is from the WP’s editorial board, which does have women on it. It best summarizes what Russia is doing with a number of Americans it has arrested and put on trial. The WSJ’s Evan Gershkovich and Alsu Kurmasheva were sentenced, separately. As this piece notes, Russia is not prosecuting journalists, it is putting them on trial. (Washington Post) 

“Giorgia Meloni isn’t so bad!” they said. “Giorgia is pragmatic!” they said. Nathalie Tocci argues that the Euroskeptical Italian leader is working to change the EU from within. (Politico) 

Middle East

Rape is a common weapon of war. What role did it play on October 7? Masha Gessen looks at the allegations and the weaponization of rape and dives back into the experience in Bosnia during the 1990s. (New Yorker) 

China is finally offering Palestinians the platform that they want — one that allows them to play a role in deciding the future of their own territory, something that has been all but completely denied to them by the US and Israel. Lubna Masarwa and Rayhan Uddin fill us in on what this means for Chinese influence and the future of Palestine. (Middle East Eye)

Women’s rights in Turkey have been under tremendous pressure over the past few years. Xanthe Scharff notes that despite the enormous challenges, feminists are pushing back and gaining victories. (The Atlantic) 

Science & Climate Change

Fairbanks, Alaska, is set to hit 90°F on Wednesday, surpassing temperatures in New Orleans, Atlanta, and Washington, DC. This heat wave is concerning as residents are not acclimated to such temperatures and many homes lack air conditioning, writes Andrea Thompson. (Scientific American)

Technology

How did a failed software update create the mess we saw across the world last Friday? Marie Vasek explains, and notes that it could happen again. 👀(MSNBC)

The Crowdstrike failure hit airports, hospitals, and banks among other important windows computers, as they malfunctioned on a massive scale last Friday. Kara Struckman thinks it’s time to diversify our tech. (The Wilson Center)

Under the Radar 

A growing number of Yazidis are rejecting the label of ethnic Kurds to forge a distinct identity for survival. Amberin Zaman reports the story of Sevdin Khudoyan, who firmly identifies as both a Kurd and a Yazidi, while journalist Temur Khudoyan insists they are solely Yazidis. This identity debate is creating divisions within Armenia’s largest ethnic minority. (Al-Monitor)

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The Paris Review is hiring for a Senior Editor.

In DC, Counterpart International is hiring for a Director of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion.

Habitat for Humanity is hiring for a CEO.

Wanna work at the World Bank? Its Junior Associate Program is now open.

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• Emily Smith

We’ll have a final before end-of-summer newsletter next Friday, where we’ll dive into the Venezuela elections on June 28. Then we’ll be off until after Labor Day. 😎🏖 Though I *may* do a cameo piece on foreign policy and the upcoming election. TBD…

My happy place growing up was visiting the pristine beaches in Ecuador, spending time with my grandmother playing in the ocean.

Little did I know that the ocean was the greatest asset in our fight against the climate crisis. Despite this, science tends to focus on what is beyond, over what is below. While the Moon and Mars have been mapped completely, only 26.1 percent of the ocean has — and the ocean makes up 70 percent of the Earth. 

At the age of 12, I watched Al Gore's film An Inconvenient Truth. It stirred my adolescent mind, filling me with uneasiness. “I'm going to save the ocean,” I unwaveringly stated to myself. Of course, I didn't know what that meant at the time. I just knew the fear that my happy place with my grandmother would simply cease to exist as I knew it lit a fire in me to help protect and sustain the health of the ocean, and take action.

Later in life, while a student at Georgetown, I attended a meeting at the United Nations where I learned that we didn't have solutions being built to address the threats facing our planet. I thought to myself: “How was it possible that the ocean, our largest carbon sink, which absorbs ~25 percent of humanity’s carbon emissions and captures 90% of the excess heat we generate, was an afterthought?” Nearly all of Earth’s breathable oxygen originated in the ocean, the planet’s true “lungs.”

An Alliance to Sustain the Ocean

In a recent TED Talk, I asked the audience to consider: “What can I, an individual, a single person, do to help protect our planet?” Once exposed to the facts mentioned earlier, it becomes crystal clear that sustaining the ocean also means sustaining humanity’s existence and Earth’s continued ability to host complex life.

The climate anxiety that I felt at that UN meeting generated an idea. I realized that, even though the problems seem big, their magnitude should not be an impediment to work on what could be addressed. Big changes start with people believing that they can change their immediate surroundings first, however little those contributions may seem at first. So my contribution, what I could do, became clear at that moment: Build the table.

The alliance would save the ocean for future generations. Its members would refuse to pull up a chair and listen quietly as leaders of the past made ocean-altering decisions, sealing our fate. 

Fueled by this ethos, I founded what started as a spark and is now a global nonprofit, @Sustainable Ocean Alliance. I am proud to share that, since 2018, we’ve deployed $4.86M to visionary grantees and founders, accelerating 56 ocean-health tech startups in our Ecopreneur Network. Half of our startups are women-founded/led (a trend reversal, since female founders receive <3 percent of VC funding). Mother Nature, Mother Earth, and Mother Ocean need female solutionists to build the reimagined table.

Women-Led Ocean Health Solutions

Blue Ocean Gear

Over 14 million metric tonnes of plastic enter the ocean annually. Ten percent is ghost gear (lost and discarded commercial fishing gear), the deadliest form of plastic for marine wildlife and reefs. At Blue Ocean Gear, founder and CEO Kortney Opshaug’s sensor-rich Smart Buoy technology tracks and monitors gear, protecting endangered species. 1,000+ Smart Buoys have been deployed, preventing over 17 tonnes of plastic ocean waste.

Sway 

Julia Marsh is the co-founder and CEO of Sway. They leverage seaweed to create TPSea™, a regenerative alternative to plastic nurdles (pellet-like plastic building blocks), and TPSea Flex™, a thin film to make polybags (clothing packaging). The startup won first place in the TOM FORD Plastic Innovation Prize, a 2024 FastCompany World Changing Idea Award, and is rolling out more packaging by Q4.

Navier

Sampriti Bhattacharyya, founder and CEO of Navier, is another incredible ecopreneur we’ve supported at SOA. The electrical, aerospace and nuclear engineer is revolutionizing maritime transport for ocean health with Navier 30 (or “N30”), America’s first all-electric hydrofoil boat and the world’s longest-range electric boat. If Navier scales successfully, fleets of flying water taxis, aka the “Tesla of the seas,” will reduce commutes and pollution in congested coastal cities, where 40 percent of the population resides. — Daniela

Daniela V. Fernandez is the Founder and CEO of the global nonprofit Sustainable Ocean Alliance.

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“Hell is empty and all the devils are here.” William Shakespeare, The Tempest

That’s how we feel not only about the GOP convention in Milwaukee this week but the man Trump tapped to be his vice president, the very junior Ohio Senator JD Vance.

Here’s a fact that we didn’t know until Monday: The youngest vice president was John Breckinridge, in 1857, to President James Buchanan. In 1953, Richard Nixon became Dwight D. Eisenhower’s veep at 40, which is what Vance will be next month. Not a promising example. 

Anyway…. No sooner had the Vance announcement gone out did the moans about what that means for foreign policy come in. Vance, who signed up for the Marines after 9/11 and heeded George W. Bush’s call to fight in Iraq, has talked about his disillusionment with that war and US involvement abroad. He has continually questioned Washington’s support for Ukraine. He is a critic of free trade. In his convention speech, he noted that Biden stood behind the North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that sent jobs to Mexico. Are the GOP’s days of Reaganite globalization and global leadership over? Emma Ashford says it’s complicated. 

Ashford writes in her Substack, What is to be Done?: 

The bottom line on Vance’s nomination is much simpler: it highlights the growing influence of the realist, nationalist wing of the Republican party on foreign policy. Their approach is characterized by a willingness to reject Bush-era neoconservatism, prioritization of the China challenge, and a focus on issues like the defense industrial base, trade, and migration, rather than global alliances and value-driven foreign policy.

Elmira may have more on this over the next few weeks… so maybe a cameo from her in August? Maybe…

US 

In the US, presidents usually have the final say on foreign affairs and Congress has authority over economic elements of policy. Yet, as Kathleen Claussen and Timothy Meyer note, those lines are being blurred in the name of “economic security.” Both Joe Biden and Donald Trump have argued that “foreign commerce” is a national security matter. Hence, why both have leveled tariffs, particularly on China. The authors explain why that’s wrong. (Just Security)

Last Saturday, Donald Trump narrowly escaped an assassination attempt and plunged an already shaky presidential campaign further into turmoil. Or did it? Based on historical observations and analysis, Dinah Voyles Pulver and Marc Ramirez do not think the attempt will have a lasting effect on the elections or the state. (USA Today) We can only hope. 

Democratic Senator Bob Menendez was convicted on corruption charges including bribery, conspiracy, extortion, obstruction of justice, and acting as a foreign agent. He is the first US Senator to be found guilty of acting as an agent of a foreign power. Tracey Tully, Maria Cramer, Benjamin Weiser, and Nicholas Fandos break down the charges. (NYT) All we can say is, good. 

“There is nothing unreasonable about Americans wanting our borders and immigration to be orderly, well-managed, and safe,” writes Nazanin Ash. “But the desire for better border management and a more welcoming America are not mutually exclusive.” Welcome.US makes welcoming refugees easy and helps reduce unplanned arrivals. (US News & World Report) 

Africa 

Gambia’s parliament voted to uphold the country’s ban on genital mutilation after religious groups pushed for the law to be repealed. Rachel Chason has the details on this huge win for gender rights. (Washington Post)

In Rwanda, Paul Kagame won a fourth term as president. Yeah, that’s probably not good. Mariel Muller, Alex Ngarambe, and Isaac Kaledzi on Rwanda’s “controversial and polarizing strongman,” who has ruled since 1994. (DW)  

Nigeria is at a tipping point. It is Africa’s largest economy and population. Can it overcome rampant corruption and violence? Jennifer Cunningham and Matthew Tostevin reflect. (Newsweek)

Kenya’s government targets the poor in mass displacements, in the name of flood preparedness, writes Makena Maganjo. (Africa is a Country)

Asia

For about three weeks, students in Bangladesh have taken to the streets to protest the quota system that is in place for government jobs. Megha Bahree explains the quota system, of which 56 percent is reserved for the descendants of the 1971 “freedom fighters.” (Al Jazeera)

China is preparing for the third plenum of the 20th Chinese Communist Party central committee. Yu Jie lays out what’s on the agenda, including making China a global leader in technology. (Chatham House)

When it comes to the fight for women’s rights in Afghanistan, Afghan fathers can be powerful advocates, says Charli Carpenter. (WPR)

The Americas

On July 28, Venezuelans will head to the polls to vote for president. Will the incumbent Nicolás Maduro hold onto power? Shannon O'Neil and Julia Huesa analyze the upcoming presidential elections. (CFR)

Things between the US and Venezuela have been sticky for decades, but earlier this month, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced that he will resume talks with the US, which has just reimposed sanctions on the country. What does the future hold for the US-Venezuela relationship? Tamara Taraciuk Broner, Michael Shifter, and Marc Becker discuss. (The Dialogue)

Europe

In the UK, Labour put an end to 14 years of Tory rule. Yay? Nesrine Malik dives into the voting data, which shows that the July 4 election had the lowest turnout. What is happening to the British electorate? (The Guardian)

Ursula von der Leyen secured a second term as president of the European Commission. While predicted, it also required some balancing on her part. Zia Weise, Leonie Cater, and Marianne Gros explain. (Politico) 

File under WTF? France has said that it will not allow athletes to wear the hijab during the Olympic games. Tariro Mzezwa has the details. (The Cut) 

Stop policing women’s bodies. 

Also, felicidades España!!

Middle East

It’s no secret that international humanitarian law has been breached during Israel’s assault on Gaza, but a reminder is important. Ghana Ageel reminds us of the torture and horror that Israeli soldiers inflict on Palestinians every day. (Middle East Eye)

An agreement between the EU and Lebanon to reduce Syrian refugee departures could be at the cost of human rights. Marine Caleb dives deep. (Inkstick Media)

Science & Climate Change

New research indicates that climate change is actually altering time – making days a few milliseconds longer. 😳What does this mean long-term? Laura Paddison discusses. (CNN)

Threatened by climate change, Kuala Lumpur has turned to Tokyo, a city renowned for its pioneering efforts in zero-emission building initiatives. Tokyo’s governor Yuriko Koike joins Kamarulzaman Mat Salleh to help mitigate the effects of frequent and extreme weather in Kuala Lumpur. (Nikkei Asia)

Under the Radar 

Why should NATO care about gender?  What are women, and women’s networks, doing to advance democracy – and how should a military alliance think about the strategic utility of programs like Women, Peace and Security? Irene Fellin and Kathleen McInnis discuss. (CSIS)

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In one of our favorite places in the world, the NYPL is offering the Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies Fellowship, a three-month fellowship with a $25,000 stipend. It almost gives Elmira the incentive to get a PhD. Almost.

In NYC, The Ms. Foundation is hiring for a Program Officer, Grantmaking and Capacity Building.

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• Catherine Lovizio

• Emily Smith

Remembering Srebrenica, 29 years on.

Sadly, my father, aka Papa B., passed away last week. His life was a gift, as was the time that we spent together. Born into war and ethnic cleansing, he escaped from Crimea to Germany then Turkey before settling in the United States in the early 1960s. An avid gardener and sports fan (a Mets fan!), he never dwelled in the negative, making the most of situations and always finding a way to crack a joke. Even in his final days, he not only chided me for crying at his bedside, but managed to get in a few zingers. He was a generous, kind, and joyful person. Nur içinde yatsın.

As such, I’ve handed my pen to Nina Jankowicz, an Interruptrr fellow and the Co-Founder and CEO of The American Sunlight Project this week. Thank you Nina. I’ll have a number of other guest columnists until the end of the month. — Elmira

My very first piece of writing published in a well-known outlet was released almost exactly eight years ago. For Foreign Policy, I argued that then-presidential candidate Donald Trump misunderstood NATO. Not exactly a shocker. In questioning the Alliance’s utility and describing it as a protection racket, he was undermining its defense posture and security guarantees. But, I wrote in July 2016: 

Trump’s preoccupation with the dollars and cents of NATO belies his lack of understanding of the history and meaning of the alliance. Though NATO is primarily a defensive mechanism, it also holds great symbolic weight as a community “founded on the principles of democracy, individual liberty, and the rule of law.” And while NATO’s continued utility in the post-Cold War era has been questioned, rising authoritarianism in Europe presents an opportunity for the alliance to reimagine and reassert itself as the great pro-democratic force the 21st century desperately needs.

This week, leaders gathered in a steamy Washington for the annual NATO Summit, which marked the Alliance’s 75th Anniversary. Questions about Trump’s commitment to NATO still haunted it, with the potential for a second Trump term on the horizon. Some of the “rising authoritarianism” I wrote about in 2016 has since been quelled: Poland’s Law and Justice party’s eight-year uniparty grip on power ended last fall when voters ushered in a centrist ruling coalition. Hungary and Turkey still have worrying anti-democratic tendencies, of course, but NATO has flexed its pro-democracy muscles as it has supported Ukraine over the two and a half years since Russia’s full-scale invasion began. 

So, democracy has returned as a bedrock value of the Alliance, its future secured, right? Not exactly. There is a rather large elephant in the NATO room, and its name is the United States of America. It is not just Donald Trump’s bombastic rhetoric or doubts about Joe Biden’s stamina that are shaking the Alliance. It is America’s current democratic wobble. 

Article 2 of the NATO Treaty—the quiet older sister of Article 5, which guarantees that an attack on one NATO member is an attack on all—holds that NATO members “will contribute toward the further development of peaceful and friendly international relations by strengthening their free institutions, by bringing about a better understanding of the principles upon which these institutions are founded, and by promoting conditions of stability and well-being.”

Can the United States truly believe that at this moment it is “strengthening [its] free institutions” when the Supreme Court has just declared presidents immune from prosecution while conducting official duties? Are we “bringing about a better understanding of the principles upon which these institutions are founded” if a former president and current candidate actively spreads disinformation about the outcome of the previous election, and dupes over one-third of Americans in the process? And what about ‘stability and well-being” in a country where women’s bodily autonomy is in question? 

The foundation of NATO is the Alliance’s democratic values. They make up some of the key components that make NATO membership an attractive offer to nations like Georgia, which was “one of the largest non-NATO troop contributors to the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan,” and Ukraine, which has been defending NATO’s eastern flank since Russia began its invasion in 2014. Safeguarding those values begins at home, and yet in the United States, even under the most progressive president in our country’s history, we are experiencing democratic backsliding that would inspire notes of “serious concern” if it were happening elsewhere. 

The Supreme Court’s political posturing, the Big Lie, and the right’s attacks on women are all well-known examples of this phenomenon. But there are thousands of lesser-known case studies. One has scored a direct hit on me and my family: a years-long campaign against independent researchers and civil society organizations that study disinformation. Those leading the campaign erroneously claim that any research on or communication about disinformation is akin to censorship. 

I was the first person to be in this campaign’s crosshairs when I was appointed to the Biden Administration to lead a body within the Department of Homeland Security that would have coordinated policy responses to disinformation. I endured a barrage of hate that included doxxing, deep fake pornography, and threats to me and my family. The campaign continued after I resigned, both against me and other researchers in the field. The Republican-controlled House of Representatives led a McCarthyist inquisition against researchers in the field, levying onerous document requests and hauling us before closed-door panels designed to burden and intimidate us, keeping us from doing our work ahead of the 2024 election. The campaign has also included strategic litigation against many in the field. One of the leading research centers working on disinformation was dissolved due to this pressure. These scenes sound like a Putinesque campaign against civil society, not those from the lives of researchers in the country hosting this year’s NATO Summit. 

For whatever it’s worth, the Summit Communique recognizes the importance of work to counter disinformation; it mentions disinformation five times. It also underlines the Alliance’s shared values, including democracy, in its opening and closing paragraphs. If Trump wins re-election, one wonders whether either term will appear in future communiques, or whether the United States, shirking its commitment to democratic values, will be a signatory to them at all. 

Nina Jankowicz is the Co-Founder and CEO of The American Sunlight Project, a non-profit working to increase the cost of lies that undermine democracy.

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NATO Summit

• NATO is 75. And it’s never looked so….? The White House hosted a summit in DC to mark the occasion this week. Rather than being a celebration, the event, as Emma Ashford notes, is about “whether America will continue to play the leading role in European defense.” (What is to be Done?) 👀😬

• Tony P is helping to keep NATO young. The alliance has tapped a number of “20-something influencers to spread its message,” writes Laura Dhillon Kane. Will that persuade Gen Z to get excited about the alliance and its future? 😬There’s lots of that emoji this week… (Time) 

• Ukraine took center stage at this week’s NATO summit, replete with an appearance from Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. That meant that there was also a lot of focus on how the alliance can best defend its allies against Russia, China, and North Korea, writes Khushboo Razdan. (South China Morning Post)

• With China and Russia taking an increased interest in the Sahel region of Africa and NATO torn on the specifics of how to approach the region, the southern flank of NATO states risks increased migration and security issues. Silvia Colombo and Intissar Fakir lay out the situation and offer suggestions. (Middle East Institute)

French elections

• Whew. The snap French election was definitely full of surprises. To start, it was the shortest campaign in modern history, which makes us incredibly jealous. #LifeGoals. Then there was the unexpected showing for the leftist New Popular Front and the disappointing results for the far-right National Rally that left the country’s parliament in a three-way split. Who will head the country now? Angelique Chrisafis takes a look. (The Guardian)

• Did Macron’s election gamble work? What happens in France now? Is Marine Le Pen finished? Clea Caulcutt outlines five takeaways from the French election. (Politico) 

Iran elections

• Iran’s election also delivered a stunning result. The reformist Masoud Pezeshkian, who is against the compulsory hijab rule, won. Yet, as Holly Dagres points out, many Iranians, particularly the young, did not vote. Gen Z doesn’t see a “bright future,” she writes. Even if Pezeshkian does succeed on his reformist agenda, it is unlikely to satisfy Iran’s 20-somethings. (NYT)

• A reformist may have won Iran’s election, but the real power lies with the Islamic clerics, writes Ellen Ioanes. His ability to implement change will be limited. (Vox) 

• Pezeshkian has indicated that he would like to restart talks with the US. What does that mean for US-Iran nuclear diplomacy? Elizabeth Hagedorn discusses. (Al-Monitor)

UK elections

• In the United Kingdom, Labour claimed a decisive victory in the July 4 election. Keir Starmer has taken up as prime minister at No 10. As he works to respond to voters' concerns, can he also improve the UK’s place in the world? Bronwen Maddox and Olivia O’Sullivan look at a number of global challenges. (Chatham House) 

• Can the UK’s new Labour government successfully reframe the discussion around human rights? Yasmine Ahmed says it is possible, but it will require courage and conviction. (HRW)

US

The calls for Biden to drop out of the November race are getting louder. If he stays, there are questions about whether he can win. If he drops out, there are questions about how fit he is to serve out the remainder of his term. Liana Fix considers the global implications of Joe Biden on the ticket. (CFR)

What is Project 2025? It’s a Heritage Foundation blueprint for another Trump presidency. Laura Barron Lopez lays out what it includes, which is a considerable erosion of checks and balances. (PBS News Hour)

When it comes to nuclear weapons, how do Biden and Trump compare? Caitlin Talmadge examines how each approached the nuclear issue and what to expect upon reelection. (Brookings) 

US Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced articles of impeachment against Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito. Sarah Fortinsky with the details. (The Hill)

Africa 

Digital threats continue to undermine elections around the world. Abi Watson and Fennet Habte dive deep into four key building blocks that have proved successful in Africa when it comes to mitigating digital threats to elections. (Global Public Policy Institute)

Asia

Russia and North Korea just entered a new security alliance. What does this mean for global security and geopolitical balance in the region? Sheila Smith explains. (CFR)

India’s recent elections challenged the dominance of the BJP and PM Modi. While the opposition party is gaining momentum, Yamini Aiyar says there is still work to be done. (WPR)

Nepal transitioned away from being a Hindu monarchy between 2006 and 2008 but former King of Nepal, Gyanendra Shah’s, 77th birthday this July is bringing up a big question for Nepalis: Why do they want the monarchy back? Anne Mocko explains how current instability and a constantly changing government frustrate the Nepalese. (The Conversation)

Women and civil society groups were excluded from a UN-convened meeting on Afghanistan in Doha — ironic, right? Shanthie Mariet D’Souza thinks that this was a little counterproductive. (The Diplomat)

The Americas

Panama’s new president, José Raul Mulino, took office on July 1. Mary Triny Zea clues us in on his ambitious agenda which includes closing the Darién Gap to migration and addressing the Panama Canal’s critical water shortage. (Americas Quarterly)

Conservative Evangelicals in Brazil are using social media to sway voters ahead of municipal elections in October. Daniela Dib and Matheus Andrade clue us in on the role this social media content could play. (Rest of World)

Europe

Russia issued an arrest warrant for Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Alexei Navalny, even though she no longer lives in Russia. Mary Ilyushina and Natalia Abbakumova on what this means, especially given that the announcement came the same day India’s PM Modi was in Moscow. (Washington Post) 

Refugees who have landed in Cyprus face challenging living conditions, not to mention an uncertain future. In December 2023, the country banned refugees from obtaining citizenship, which as Hanna Davis notes, “many will never be able to step foot off the island.” She reflects on the harsh policies asylum seekers face. (Inkstick Media)

Double-tap strikes are as gruesome as they sound — one strike followed by another, the second being a direct attempt at harming first responders, civilians, and others who come to assist the victims of the first. That’s what Russia is deploying in Ukraine (after “testing” them out in Syria). Mercedes Sapuppo and Shelby Magid review the accountability mechanisms, or lack thereof, for tracking and eventually punishing perpetrators of the tactic. (Just Security)

Middle East

Despite the impossible conditions, humanitarian aid workers continue their operations in Gaza. Olga Cherevko on the horrors Palestinians are facing. (Al Jazeera)

US President Biden has been pushing for Saudi-Israeli normalization. That’s dangerous, argue Maria Fantappie and Vali Nasr. At issue is the establishment of a Palestinian state, which the current Israeli government has said it rejects. (Foreign Affairs) 

Science & Climate Change

Hurricane Beryl just surpassed the expectations of what an early-season hurricane could be. Mary Gilbert on what this storm’s rapid intensity could mean for the rest of the hurricane season. (CNN)

Under the Radar 

Sigh. A number of anti-trans laws and regulations have been passed in the United States over the past decade or so. Despite so many laws directly addressing their identities, we still have yet to see a trans person in Congress. Delawarean Sarah McBride could change that and become the first. Sara Pequeño fills us in on her story. (USA Today)

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Elmira Bayrasli - Editor-in-Chief

Editors:

• Pin-Shan Lai

• Catherine Lovizio

• Emily Smith

Happy Purim.

And an early Happy Easter. We’re off next week. We’ll be back on Friday, April 5. Because I won’t get to say it next week, big happy birthday to Parris.

Today, I’m thrilled that Interruptrr has its first op-ed submission. I’d love to make this a regular feature. If you have an op-ed idea, please write me on endeavoringe@gmail.com — Elmira

Following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, women in the country have been stripped of protections and rights, resulting in increased violence against women and human trafficking in the form of child and forced marriages. Before the Sixth Committee at the UN General Assembly is a new provision to a draft international treaty that holds the potential to address the abrogation of those rights and help reverse the situation for women. 

The Treaty on Crimes Against Humanity would provide civilians additional protections, apart from war crimes and the crime of genocide, both of which already are enshrined in international law. Negotiators are currently working to recognize and add gender apartheid as a crime against humanity. Gender apartheid is the discrimination based on gender and sex, a relatively new concept. 

It is long overdue. Just as the International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid recognized racial apartheid as a crime under international law in 1974, it is vital to acknowledge that gender apartheid is unlawful. It holds the key to not only protecting women in Afghanistan, but to potentially bringing the Taliban government to international account. 

Recent reports have shown that officials from the Taliban’s “Department for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice” are implementing a compulsory hijab mandate through arbitrary and forceful arrest and detention of women. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has noted that many of those detained are then “subjected to physical violence, threats, and intimidation” at the hands of male relatives who are required to provide written assurance that they will comply with the “proper” dress code upon their release. 

Afghanistan’s gender apartheid has also resulted in the increase of human trafficking. Facing economic devastation, both as a result of the Taliban’s international isolation and increasing environmental disasters, families have become desperate. Selling daughters, some as young as six, is one way to stave off starvation and survive. 

Another consequence of gender apartheid in Afghanistan is the increase in maternal mortality. Unable to go out in public without a male chaperone, women and girls struggle to access all health care, including reproductive services. 

Both the UN and the Taliban want to reintegrate Afghanistan into the world system, but the preconditions are notably different. The Taliban wants recognition as the legitimate government without changing its actions; however, a 2023 UN Special Assessment report made it clear that centering the women of Afghanistan is essential for normalization to occur. It noted that the Taliban must remove “restrictions on the rights of women and girls to education, employment, and freedom of movement.” 

In January, a group of British Parliamentarians launched the Gender Apartheid Inquiry into the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan and Iran. It is the first such national inquiry in the world to consider gender apartheid in Afghanistan, seeking to assess the scale and nature of the situation and how this crime fits within the existing international legal framework. The United States and other nations that have adopted the Women, Peace, and Security agenda should also carry out a similar inquiry. Supporting a Women, Peace, and Security agenda has to be more than a hortatory gesture.

Similarly, the Taliban must recognize all of Afghanistan’s international treaty obligations. That includes the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). 

As Michigan Law School Professor Karima Bennoune has put it, “there is no escape from gender apartheid. The solution cannot be the departure of half the population of the country.” Like racial apartheid, it demands a principled response and consistent pressure on the perpetrating regime to change, and uphold international norms and standards of human rights. Clearly defining gender apartheid as a crime against humanity is a tangible and practical gesture that is needed right now. — Annie & Shabnam

Annie Pforzheimer is a former senior US Diplomat who served as Deputy Chief of Mission to the US Embassy in Kabul. She is a Non-Resident Associate with the Center for Strategic and International Studies and an Adjunct Professor at the City University of New York.

Shabnam Nasimi is a former senior policy adviser to the United Kingdom Minister for Refugees and Minister for Afghan Resettlement.

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I’m opening up my column to others. Please pitch me your op-ed idea/perspective. Let’s get more female perspectives. Email me on endeavoringe@gmail.com or respond to this post.

Elsewhere in the World.....

On our radar...

Famine 

• Both Gaza and Sudan are on the verge of famine. When is famine declared? Lauren Potts outlines the institutional definitions and their consequences. (BBC) 

• The world’s leading authority on famine warns that famine in Gaza is imminent. Jaclyn Diaz reports. (NPR) 

• There are no female bylines here, but puts into sober perspective the famine that Palestinians face in Gaza. (PBS News Hour) 

US

America is not happy. So says the recent World Happiness Report. The US slipped out of the top 20, to place 23rd. Yulia Talmazan on why the Yanks are feeling down. (NBC News) 

In their great power rivalry, the US and China are using security relationships to compete for influence. The US offers external security, while China provides tools to combat social disorder and political opposition internally. This contest increases the risk of miscalculation, write Sheena Chestnut Greitens and Isaac Kardon. (Foreign Affairs) 

Africa

Gambia is getting ready to overturn a ban on female genital mutilation. It would be the first country in the world to roll back such a protection. Rachel Chason and Ramatoulie Jawo look at the domestic politics driving it and the prospect that other countries will follow suit. (Washington Post)

After a delay, Senegal is heading to the polls on Sunday. Amy Niang on how incumbent President Macky Sall has sowed doubt into Senegal’s governance. (The Conversation) 

Anta Babacar Ngom is a candidate in Senegal’s elections on Sunday. It is unlikely she will win. Still, as Jessica Donati and Babacar Dione note, she’s inspiring many and advancing a “decades-long campaign to achieve gender equality.” (AP) 

Watch: Niger has kicked out the US military from the country. That’s a big deal, in a country and region where extremism is rampant. Idayat Hassan joined others to discuss why and the implications. (Al Jazeera) 

Asia

The Beijing-controlled Hong Kong legislative council passed a law that punishes speech and activism and expands police powers. This new law will “usher Hong Kong into a new era of broad-based oppression,” says Elaine Pearson. (HRW) 

One month before India’s presidential election starts (it is the world’s longest election by date, starting April 19 and ending in early June), opposition leader Rahul Gandhi heads to current Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat. Many experts expect the opposition party to face a rough road to the election, says Kiran Sharma. (Nikkei Asia)

If March 18th’s meeting between US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul revealed anything, it’s that South Korea is cozying up with the US while being less and less invested in finding relative peace with North Korea. Le Nhu Mai gives us the rundown. (The Diplomat)

The Americas

Can the UN Security Council take action on Haiti? Damilola Banjo says it is working on it behind closed doors. (PassBlue) 

Daniela Mohor provides an in-depth look at what’s happening in Haiti, including the transitional presidential council taking shape. (The New Humanitarian) 

The lack of US gun control impacts beyond its own borders. Mexico sees a lot of arms coming into its country. The Mexican government is trying to put a stop to it via the courts. Mary Harris fills us in, with the help of Champe Barton, on who exactly is being sued and how the filing could proceed.  (Slate)

So much for fixing the economic crisis. In Argentina, Javier Milei campaigned on reversing unsustainable economic policies. Several months into his tenure, poverty levels have risen to the highest in 20 years. Milei may have actually caused even worse financial hardship for a large number of his constituency, explain Carol Wise, Nicolás Saldías, Juan Santarcángelo, and Mario Rapoport. (The Dialogue)

Criminal organizations in Brazil are increasing their reach – growing and developing in a way that is influencing both the economy and politics. Constance Malleret weighs in. (WPR)

Europe

The presidential election in Russia this year felt “particularly farcical,” Marina Bocharova says. One month after Navalny’s death, Russian police continue to monitor Navalny’s database to track people who registered for the “Free Navalny” website. (Coda Story)

Crimean Tatars, an indigenous Muslim group, have been fighting Russia since 2014. Viktoriia Pokatilova reflects on Crimea’s 2014 annexation and tells the stories of Tatars who have joined the fight for Ukrainian liberation. (DW)

Slovakia heads to the polls tomorrow for presidential elections and the country risks moving further away from the West. Lili Bayer and Shaun Walker weigh in. (Guardian)

In a surprise move, Ireland’s prime minister, Leo Varadkar, announced his resignation on Wednesday. Niamh Kennedy and Sophie Tanno have the story. (CNN) 

Also, in the UK, Vaughan Gething became first minister of Wales. He is the first Black person to hold a leadership position in the United Kingdom. With that, there are no white men running a UK government. (CBS News) We can only dream. 

Middle East

New York Senator and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized Israel’s government in Congress last week, noting that Prime Minister Netanyahu is an obstacle to peace and calling for the country to hold new elections. While we agree with him, unequivocally, it is problematic for a US official to make such comments. It’s not new, as the US has long interfered in the governance of other countries. And the fact that Netanyahu has done it to us, doesn’t excuse it. 

Having failed to secure a ceasefire and get badly needed humanitarian aid to Palestinians, President Biden has deployed an “aid port” off the coast of Gaza. Could the situation change if Netanyahu is no longer Israel’s prime minister? Nomi Bar-Yaacov is optimistic about a post-Bibi Israel. (Chatham House)

Can you torture without remorse? Shereen Hindawi-Wyatt references Frantz Fanon to try to understand the trend of Israeli soldiers video-taping themselves looting Palestinian homes, paying specific attention to women’s lingerie drawers. Has 75 years of violent settler-occupation led to an increase in violence against Palestinian women? If so, where are the feminists? (Middle East Eye)

Science & Climate Change

A recent World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) report on Tuesday issued a “red alert” on global warming. WMO confirmed last year to be the warmest year on record, averaging 1.45 degrees Celsius above the preindustrial baseline. Miranda Nazzaro reports. (The Hill)

Technology

Scientists are noticing that AI image generators have pretty extreme racial biases, but they aren’t sure about a solution. Ananya fills us in on their dilemmas. (Nature)

We’ve all heard about the dangers of AI. What can governments do about it? Marietje Schaake and Steven Schuurman on how governments must learn from past mistakes and actively shape the future of these new technologies. (Project Syndicate) 

Under the Radar

“It is no coincidence that the same organization that struggles to recognize and address the needs of Black and brown people internally struggles to create humane policies towards similar groups externally,” writes Jenny Abamu. She resigned from the US Foreign Service, noting that the State Department has a toxic work culture for people of color. (Fortune) 

Trans and non-binary youth are some of the most vulnerable in the world, and in the US, they are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers because of the rejection and discrimination they face. Young Nex Benedict’s recent death shook the US LGBTQ+ community, and Stacie Freudenberg reminds us that these deaths could be prevented by efforts to eradicate stigma and hatred. (USA Today)

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Editorial Team

Elmira Bayrasli - Editor-in-Chief

Editors:

• Pin-Shan Lai

• Catherine Lovizio

• Emily Smith