Best of the fortnight - 25 August 2023
Guest Editor Louis Newstead has scoured the internet for IR-related content that might interest you. Here he brings you the past fortnight's best readings and podcasts to keep you up to date with what's happening around the world.
Global issues
What is the UN cybercrime treaty and why does it matter? Isabella Wilkinson for Chatham House
UK and Europe
Why thousands of Ukrainian refugees in the UK are now homeless. Richard Machin for The Conversation
Why an EU document mentioning the ‘Islas Malvinas/Falkland Islands’ is a big deal. Jennifer Wood for The Conversation
The EU is making overtures for a post-Brexit defence collaboration with the UK – but London isn’t listening. Amelia Hadfield for The Conversation
The Missed Opportunity of Europe’s Energy Crisis. Alexander Gard-Murray, Miriam Hinthorn, and Jeff D. Colgan for Foreign Affairs
Russia and Ukraine
Yevgeny Prigozhin: Wagner Group boss joins long list of those who challenged Vladimir Putin and paid the price. Stefan Wolff for The Conversation
Podcast: Flight of the long knives: Prigozhin’s reported death. The Intelligence from The Economist
After months of negotiations Ukraine will be getting the F-16 warplanes it has been begging for – here’s why that’s important. Matthew Powell for The Conversation
The Return of Russian Ethnonationalism. Jade McGlynn and Kirill Shamiev for Foreign Affairs
Diplomacy Watch: Will Russia follow through on Black Sea threats? Blaise Malley for Responsible Statecraft
USA
America’s Window of Opportunity in Asia. Andrew Yeo, Mireya Solís, and Hanna Foreman for Foreign Affairs
Biden, don’t let differences over Ukraine tank your relations with Lula. Nick Cleveland-Stout for Responsible Statecraft
15 US-backed officers had hand in 12 West African coups. Nick Turse for Responsible Statecraft
US slap sanctions on formerly CIA-backed Syrian rebels. Matthew Petti for Responsible Statecraft
Latin America
Ecuador: how this ‘island of peace’ in Latin America has become a hotbed of violence run by criminal gangs and drug cartels. Nicolas Forsans for The Conversation
Latin America Is Stronger Together. David Adler and Guillaume Long for Foreign Affairs
How Javier Milei upset Argentina’s political status quo. Juan Elman for openDemocracy
China
Why China-Taiwan Relations Are So Tense. Lindsay Maizland for Council on Foreign Relations
Asia
Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech sounded more like a snake oil salesman than a statesman. Nitasha Kaul for The Conversation
U.S.-Japan-South Korea Trilateral Summit. Sheila A. Smith, Scott A. Snyder, and Paul B. Stares for Council on Foreign Relations
Camp David summit: A trilateral march toward instability? James Park and Mike Mochizuki for Responsible Statecraft
Middle East
70 years ago, an Anglo-US coup condemned Iran to decades of oppression – but now the people are fighting back. Simin Fadaee for The Conversation
Amid growing tension between Russia, Iran and the US, Syria’s Kurds have been sidelined. Scott Lucas for The Conversation
Afghanistan: two years after Taliban takeover the west is letting down the democratic opposition. David Loyn for The Conversation
US-Israel relations the coolest for decades after ‘terror’ attack by settlers kills 19 year-old Palestinian. Paul Rogers for The Conversation
Getting Israeli-Saudi Rapprochement Right. Daniel C. Kurtzer and Aaron David Miller for Foreign Affairs
Africa
What Is the Extent of Sudan’s Humanitarian Crisis? Mariel Ferragamo and Diana Roy for Council on Foreign Relations
Niger coup underlines challenge to democracy across West Africa. Paul Melly for Chatham House
Podcast: Countering coups, terrorism and insecurity – insights from ECOWAS. Africa Aware from Chatham House
Fleeing Khartoum: ‘The only thing harder than staying was leaving’. Mukanzi Musanga for openDemocracy
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