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Regional Content Writers

Holly-Rose Harwig 

Anet McClintock

Brendan McGing

Celine Lau

Nanthini Sambanthan

Declan Curtin

Katia Leiva

Middle East/North Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa

Europe

East Asia

Southeast Asia

North America

Latin America

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You can access previous World This Weeks in our archive library.

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LATIN AMERICA

Week 28: 4 July - 11 July 2020

Katia Leiva - The sons of former President of Panama, Ricardo Martinelli, are linked to a widespread corruption scandal uncovered in 2014. They are accused of being intermediaries for nearly $28m in bribes. In Haiti, Emmanuel "Toto" Constant, ex-paramilitary leader, could soon be released from jail.

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EUROPE

Week 27: 27 June – 4 July 2020

Brendan McGing — Russia has voted in favour of constitutional amendments which will enable President Vladimir Putin to remain in power until 2036. French President Emmanuel Macron has appointed Jean Castex as Prime Minister following the resignation of Edouard Philippe. 

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LATIN AMERICA

Week 24: 6 – 13 June 2020

Katia Leiva — President Bolsonaro’s controversial stance on COVID-19 exacerbates the ongoing public health crisis in Brazil.

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SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Week 20: 9 – 16 May 2020

Anet McClintock — At least six people have been killed in Guinea during protests against coronavirus restrictions. In Somalia, the armed group al-Shabab orchestrated a car bomb that has killed a governor and three of his bodyguards. Also in the brief: updates on the spread of COVID-19 in the region and government responses.

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SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Week 17: 17 – 25 April 2020

Anet McClintock — Various African ambassadors in China have met with Chinese officials to address concerns about the mistreatment of African nationals in China. Recent ethnically motivated attacks in the Democratic Republic of Congo have raised fears of a resurgence of ethnically motivated violence in the region. 44 members of Boko Haram were allegedly poisoned while in a Chad prison. The crash in oil prices owing to the pandemic has hit oil-rich economies hard.

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LATIN AMERICA

Week 14: 28 March – 4 April 2020

Katia Leiva — Tensions between the US and Venezuela ramp up: the Trump administration proposes a “Democratic Transition Framework”; and deploys warships in the Caribbean in an effort to stop illegal drug imports, one week after accusing top Venezuelan officials of, among other things, “narco-terrorism”.

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EUROPE

Week 9: 22 – 29 February 2020

Brendan McGing — COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in 27 European countries. As a protective measure, Italy quarantined eleven of its towns. Anti-corruption campaigner Igor Matovic and his Olano party win the national election. Greece suspends asylum applications after Turkey halts its efforts to prevent refugees from crossing the border.

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NORTH AMERICA

Week 8: 15 – 22 February 2020

Declan Curtin — Following the Nevada caucuses, Bernie Sanders emerges as a frontrunner in the Democratic race. Joe Biden's campaign, which for weeks has failed to meet expectations, is also revitalised.

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EUROPE

Week 6: 1 – 8 February 2020

Brendan McGing — Over three years after the 2016 referendum, Britain officially leaves the EU. The recent Irish election is the first to take place with three major parties.

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2019 IN REVIEW

Published 24 January 2020

The YDS regional content writers each take a look at some of the major developments in international relations and global politics last year. Includes: the ongoing relevance of ASEAN; rising corruption and instability in Latin America; the Hong Kong protests; the US impeachment proceedings; elections in Sub-Saharan Africa; and more.

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EUROPE

Week 3: 11 – 18 January 2020

Brendan McGing — Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev resigns in the wake of President Vladimir Putin's announced constitutional changes; Mikhail Mishustin, current head of the Federal Tax Service, is poised to take over the position. Turkey makes unauthorised attempts to drill for natural gas in Cypriot coastal waters.

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SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Week 28: 4 – 11 July 2020

Anet McClintock — Thousands attend anti-government rallies in Mali’s capital, Bamako, calling for the resignation of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. Malawi has become the first Africa country to overturn official democratic elections through a re-vote, but new President Lazarus Chakwera is already battling controversy.

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LATIN AMERICA

Week 26: 20 – 27 June 2020

Katia Leiva — The Netherlands deploys troops on Curaçao after unrest broke out following the announcement of austerity measures. Nicaraguan opposition parties form a National Coalition to oust President Ortega, who has been criticised for human rights abuses and his response to the coronavirus pandemic.

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LATIN AMERICA

Week 22: 23 – 30 May 2020

Katia Leiva — Parliamentary elections may see President Desi Bouterse of Suriname, convicted last year of overseeing the execution of fifteen political opponents in 1982, defeated. Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei has expressed frustration with the Trump administration, which continues to send deportees infected with COVID-19 to Guatemala. Venezuela’s First Lady Cilia Flores will likely face US charges of drug trafficking and corruption.

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LATIN AMERICA

Week 20: 9 – 16 May 2020

Katia Leiva — Despite already strained relations, a US official has anonymously announced that Cuba may be re-added to the US list of “state sponsors of terrorism”. In Brazil, mere weeks following the firing of Health Minister Luiz Mandetta, his replacement Nelson Teich has resigned.

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SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Week 15: 4 – 11 April 2020

Anet McClintock — Chad’s former ruler has been granted temporary leave from prison over concerns of the high risk of coronavirus infection in jail. The current President of Chad has stated the country will not longer participate in the regional war against armed insurgent groups. Violence and kidnappings mar the Malian elections.

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SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Week 13: 21 – 28 March 2020

Anet McClintock — An attack by Boko Haram in north-east Nigeria kills at least 50 Nigerian soldiers. In Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embalo is installed as the new President; however, the election results have been contested. One of Nigeria’s most influential leaders, Muhammadu Sanusi II is removed from his throne.

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MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

Week 9: 22 – 29 February 2020

Holly-Rose Biskup — After months of negotiations, an agreement has been signed by both US officials and Taliban representatives. The outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the Middle East sees countries in the region take various steps to protect their citizens.

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SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Week 8: 15 – 22 February 2020

Anet McClintock — Omar al-Bashir will be extradited to face trial at the International Criminal Court. Lesotho's Prime Minister, Thomas Thabane, is charged with the murder of his first wife. A peace deal is struck in South Sudan.

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LATIN AMERICA

Week 6: 1 – 8 February 2020

Katia Leiva — A Human Rights Watch outlines dangers facing Salvadorans who are repatriated following their deportation from the United States. Haiti's President Jovenel Moïse seeks constitutional reforms in the wake of the shutdown of the National Assembly.

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LATIN AMERICA

Week 4: 18 – 25 January 2020

Katia Leiva — January 25, 2020 marked the one year anniversary of the collapse of a Brazilian dam in the state of Minas Gerais. 270 people were killed. On the other side of the country, the Mura indigenous group is fighting against mining giant Potàssio do Brasil.

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LATIN AMERICA

Week 2: 4 – 11 January 2020

Katia Leiva — Our first brief of 2020: Puerto Rico is struck by a series of earthquakes; in Venezuela,  opposition leader Juan Guaidò has again been sworn in as the head of the National Assembly.

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EAST ASIA

Week 27: 27 June – 4 July 2020

On June 30, Beijing passed The Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Celine Lau provides a primer on the new offences it introduces, how they will be enforced and criticisms levied against it.

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SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Week 26:20 – 27 June 2020

Anet McClintock — In late June, Malawi held a new election following the annulment of the outcome of the 2019 presidential election. Evariste Ndayishimiye is sworn in as Burundi’s new president following the sudden death of his predecessor. Also in the brief:updates on the coronavirus pandemic in the region.

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NORTH AMERICA

Week 21: 16 – 23 May 2020

Declan Curtin — The COVID-19 pandemic continues to devastate the United States. While the state of New York, once the epicentre of the crisis, has effectively controlled its outbreak, in many other states cases continue to rise daily.

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LATIN AMERICA

Week 18: 25 April – 2 May 2020

Katia Leiva — UN human rights officials have raised concerns regarding quarantine enforcement measures in Latin American countries.

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NORTH AMERICA

Week 14: 28 March – 4 April 2020

Declan Curtin provides a timeline of the US COVID-19 response. The Democratic primaries take a back seat to the coronavirus pandemic, but it appears Joe Biden will be the nominee.

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LATIN AMERICA

Week 10: 29 February – 7 March 2020

Katia Leiva — Women in Mexico strike on March 9 to bring attention to gender-based violence. Guyana's recent parliamentary elections are plagued by accusations of fraud.

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NORTH AMERICA

Week 8: 15 – 22 February 2020

Declan Curtin — Following the Nevada caucuses, Bernie Sanders emerges as a frontrunner in the Democratic race. Joe Biden's campaign, which for weeks has failed to meet expectations, is also revitalised.

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NORTH AMERICA

Week 6: 1 – 8 February 2020

Declan Curtin — The US Senate acquits President Trump in his impeachment trial. Meanwhile, technical difficulties result in a rough start to the Democratic primaries. 

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SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Week 5: 26 January – 1 February 2020

Anet McClintock — The Gambia takes Myanmar to the International Court of Justice regarding allegations its military has been committing mass genocide against the Rohingya people. In South Africa, many refugees have waited over a decade to have their asylum applications processed. The bodies of nine Lesotho nationals were found in Johannesburg. They were mining illegally and appear to have been stoned to death.

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SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Week 3: 11 – 18 January 2020

Anet McClintock — Al-Shabaab, a radical islamist terror organisation, claims responsibility for multiple attacks in East Africa. Africa's richest woman, Isabel dos Santos, has announced her intention to run for the 2022 presidential election in Angola, despite her assets being frozen. She is accused of diverting billions of dollars of state money. 

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