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On that evening, when I was casually texting my relative as we discussed Lebanon’s situation, he sent me a photo that my Tweet was shared on TV < Back Never Give Up on Your Voice: My Tweet Went Viral in Lebanon By Riwa Hassan November 30, 2021 Expressing my voice in Lebanon, a country that has been collapsing Nothing uncommon, just some videos of militias terrorizing the country with their legal and illegal arms. Over the years, this has become a norm for me and for everyone who lives in Lebanon, one of the most politically complex and divided countries in the MENA region. For decades now, our citizens have stood by political warlords and religious extremist figures, which has weakened Lebanese unity and allowed for corruption to infiltrate almost all governmental and non-governmental organizations. Today, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the economic crisis, the Beirut explosion, and the overall socio-political situation compounded, people can no longer afford their basic necessities. On October 14, 2021, although the scene was not very different from today, the backstory was in fact more threatening, as it seemed that the country was on the verge of a civil war. Hezbollah and Amal Movement, known as the duo-Shiite, protested against the judge for the Beirut explosion investigation, Tarek Al Bitar, and accused him of being biassed after he involved some of their leaders in the investigation. As the protestors approached Ain El Remmaneh, where the residing majority are Christians who follow the Lebanese Forces Party, the clash, which soon became a bloodshed, began. This Tayouneh-Ain El Remmeneh bloodshed was called a “mini-civil war” as it also started in the same area where the Lebanese Civil War began in 1975. During that same time, I was in French class, trying to process all the news and the videos while texting my loved ones to make sure they were safe. The whole clash was not as disappointing to me as the youth supporters of these political parties, whose dreams and daily lives have been destroyed over the past two years. The protest, which was clearly not peaceful, was defended by Hezbollah and Amal supporters, as they backed it up with their right to protest and express themselves freely. They only recognize such human rights when it is in their interest. This sentiment was expressed in a Tweet I shared, which compared Hezbollah and Amal’s reactions in protests against a judge doing his job to the protests which demanded justice, equality and basic life necessities. In the former, they clearly supported the protests, but in the latter, their reaction was opposing and full of violence. As I normally do, I wrote a Tweet, “Remember when they called us ‘ate3een tor2at’ and ‘ze3ran’ and accused us of threatening civil peace when we were protesting for our basic rights #العدالة أقوى_من_ترهيبكم #الطيونه .” ‘Ate3een tor2at’ and ‘ze3ran’ can be translated to bandits or crooks. The hashtag under which I shared my Tweet is translated to “justice is stronger than your terrorism.” Suddenly, my Tweet was trending, and while some were threatening and cursing me, others showed their full support. On that evening, when I was casually texting my relative as we discussed the whole situation, he sent me a photo that my Tweet was shared on TV, on Lebanon Broadcasting Corporation International (LBCI). I received a lot of messages that encouraged me to continue voicing my opinion. At the same time, I got messages to be careful, and warnings that being bold about my stance is not safe. Later this year, on November 22, Lebanese Independence Day, while I was supposed to be studying for my finals, I could not help but think of how our lives have flipped upside down during the past two years, and reflect on what independence I was supposed to celebrate. I poured the words from my heart onto a post on Instagram. In almost an hour, my post was shared on numerous Instagram stories, especially within the Sciences Po community. For that, I cannot explain how safe it felt to be living in such a supportive community. I cannot thank you enough but I am forever grateful for your effort to help share my voice. I am writing this article on the plane on my way back to Lebanon and I have never felt this afraid yet excited at the same time. I know that I have only been away for around three months, but the situation in the country is changing very fast and, sadly, for the worse. On the bright side, this is the first time I have seen this amount of people going back to Lebanon, which explains how much love all the Lebanese diaspora hold for this country despite all the traumas and losses it has caused them. Sharing my stance and explaining the situation in Lebanon means a lot to me, and I will always express my opinion regardless of the consequences. Freedom of expression might only be found in our constitution, on paper, but we have the duty to share our concerns and turn it to action. The latter is one step forward towards change which Lebanon is in dire need for.

Sport is key for every individual. It constitutes an integral part of human life. Essentially, it keeps us fit and sane while reinforcing mental and physical strength. Biologically, it keeps our prominent organs alert and in turn the heart becomes stronger when it is met by regular exercise. Serving as a tool to help build the character and personality of a person. Sports have gained priority in all aspects of life while uniting the people. < Back Sports as a Way of Life By Joudi Arafa November 29, 2021 Sport is key for every individual. It constitutes an integral part of human life. Essentially, it keeps us fit and sane while reinforcing mental and physical strength. Biologically, it keeps our prominent organs alert and in turn the heart becomes stronger when it is met by regular exercise. Serving as a tool to help build the character and personality of a person. Sports have gained priority in all aspects of life while uniting the people. What can be learned from Sports? Sports bring utility. Notably, they establish discipline in life as they teach the fundamentals of communication, mobility, hard work, fairness etc. Psychologically, sport advances a human's thinking ability and decreases the stress of mind. It teaches control of emotions; the essence of staying focused in attaining discipline. Consequently, how does one attain their desired levels of discipline to reach a desired goal? First and foremost, it is essential to highlight the value of discipline in shaping determination and mindset. Discipline is a crucial foundation for any sport, and also a major aspect to succeed and dominate in other areas of life, especially in one’s career. As mentioned, it assists in achieving a certain mindset towards realizing great things. Another angle that can be taken when stating the lessons learned from sports is leadership skills. Even without being the captain of the football team, all teammates gain leadership skills. Sports always encourage people to strive to be the best that they can be, acting as a role model in their surroundings. Undoubtedly, physical activity is a core mental skill because it impacts other parts of our lives, like school and relationships with family and friends. It acts as an opportunity to build self-confidence, by embracing getting along with all kinds of people. Being a part of a group is motivating by itself; there is a group energy that occurs when people come together to take part in the same fun event. To sum up, discipline and focus are just two of the life skills that sports can illustrate; responsibility, goal-setting and working within a group are all equally beneficial and vital when recognizing sports and physical activity as pillars of leading a happy healthy life. Technology in sports The world of sport is perpetually changing over the years, and the use of technology is just one area that has made an impact on many sports in the modern day. Nowadays, technology plays a significant role in sports, and its use is indeed growing significantly. Advanced technology has become more resilient and less burdensome over this last decade, paving the way for new opportunities. Athletes currently wear sensors that portray real-time information to a trainer’s tablet, a GPS that precisely pinpoints motion, and wearable tech that prevents injuries. Compared to whiteboards and post-practice reviews, technology has substantially increased athletic potential. Take, for instance, swimmers and divers who participate in an extremely technical sport and have adapted the use of sensors into their usual practices. When swimming or diving, sensors measure more than the usual time and effort metrics. They map movements like rotational speed, dive angle, leg movement and hydrodynamics. Observing movements like those listed is groundbreaking, and allows trainers to help athletes further perfect their movements. Remarkably, they may only shave milliseconds off a performance, but a millisecond in a race can make all the difference needed to secure that desired gold medal! Importance of sports for students life As mentioned, sports have a massive positive impact on both the mind and body. It is therefore imperative to assess the various benefits that a student will gain from engaging in sports activities while also attending class. One can not deny how much sports aid in the overall development and growth of a student when effectively balanced with academia. While engaging in sports activities may seem to deduct time from studying, research has shown that more active students have better cognitive abilities. Sports along with other physical activities are beneficial to the brain, which allows students to remember or understand consistently what they read. In turn, it also increases competence when planning, creating strategies, and building team work, all of which are vital skills to have when being part of society. Development from sport goes beyond learning new physical skills. Sport helps students develop better ways to cope with the highs and lows of life. Constructive use of time and discipline is a major characteristic of any sportsperson. If a student plays sports, they need to demonstrate commitment of time, to be in a particular place at a particular time every day as a part of their routine. Simply put, participating in sports encourages a mindset towards practice, growth, and improvement: principles that encourage students to also hold academically. Becoming better at a sport results in self satisfaction, and sports are an excellent way to experience tangible improvement. From improving social skills to teaching self-esteem and personal resilience, sports can instill lifelong values for students that reach far past the classroom. With that being said, let’s hear what students from our Sciences Po campus had to say when asked about staying active: Carolina MOHR, 18yrs What sport do you play? “Soccer” Why is physical activity important for you? “Mental health, specifically for focus and I also just generally feel better because of endorphins.” Samanéa Rousseau, 18yrs What sport do you play? “I did competitive swimming for 12 years and eventing in horse-riding for 10.” Why is physical activity important for you? “I liked the idea of pushing myself to see where it takes me. I liked the outcome of mixing sports and people- it brought me amazing teammates, made me travel, encounter people and places I would not have otherwise. It taught me how important connections between people are. Those people picked me up when I was at my lowest and also pushed me to do my best. Go try new things, meet people; those things will teach you a bundle of values about life that you don't even know you need. I wish it to everyone, don't be scared to make the leap because you have nothing to lose.” Lena Westlund, 18yrs What sport do you play? “Boxing” Why is physical activity important for you? “Beneficial for physical and mental health.” David Ederberg, 21yrs What sport do you play? “For most of my life I’ve been doing Krav Maga, here in Menton I mostly play Volley- and Basketball. But I also like going running and doing different workouts to stay fit.” Why is physical activity important for you? “For me, being physically active is the perfect way to clear my mind, gain new energy and to be able to better focus and concentrate on school work. I love it when after a workout you know that you really challenged yourself and accomplished something - it's the best feeling ever.”

When thinking about global warming, one rarely associates it with terrorism. Nevertheless, when looking at the aims of terrorist organizations and the potential power and influence that climate change predisposes them to have in certain regions of the world, we understand both the disparity of the situation and the urgent need for it to change. < Back Terrorism & Climate Change: A Collective Effort To Further Destabilize West Africa? Victoria Krumova September 30, 2024 Our world is political. By virtue of our need to constantly showcase our individuality and unique way of thinking, we often stand strong in our beliefs. We debate topics like abortion, war, mental health and, basically, all that we can think about. We also debate climate change. And while some highlight that it has come as a result of human activity, others passionately argue that the influx of temperatures is solely a natural phenomena explained by the cyclic nature of the temperatures on our planet. One, however, has to pose a begging question that arises: does it really matter what causes climate change, when we see it is a fact and it is starting to kill our own? Because, at the end of the day, if we have the means to stop it, slow it down, or postpone it, shouldn't we all be united by the goal of self-preservation and the chance for prosperity for future generations? Surely, for the average UK resident, climate change is not going to radically alter their day-to-day life experiences. It might be two degrees hotter on a random Thursday afternoon, but that, for most people, is as far as the impact will go. The country having millions upon millions of pounds in its bank reserves, being relatively self-sufficient and being isolated from other countries means that it is unlikely to face consequences such as inability to invest in adaptation means, lack of goods it had previously been supplying itself with from other countries, or massive waves of migrants in a theoretical critical peak of climate change. But what about Tuvalu, a country expected to sink in under 100 years with the current rate of the rising of ocean levels? The country is the first ever to announce it is “going digital” and is being brought to the metaverse to preserve its customs and traditions. And, as heartbreaking as it is to say, this dystopia is our reality. Cities like Cairo and Alexandria are also at risk of sinking; coastal areas will be the first ones hit by tornados and there will be mass migration of millions of people to a limited number of cities with the most resources. There will be less agricultural land that is supposed to feed the same number of people, there will be overcrowding on the job market and housing options will be insufficient compared to the demand. And yet, these are the “expected” outcomes of climate change. They are the impacts the people of the future will have to deal with. No matter directly or indirectly affected by the crisis, all countries will suffer, regardless of the extent. But how does the situation look today, and more interestingly, what are the unexpected ways in which climate change shapes our reality? When thinking about global warming, one rarely associates it with terrorism. Nevertheless, when looking at the aims of terrorist organizations and the potential power and influence that climate change predisposes them to have in certain regions of the world, we understand both the disparity of the situation and the urgent need for it to change. So what are those terrorist groups doing? Where are they acting? And most importantly, what does climate change have to do with all of this? To be able to analyze these questions, we firstly need to look at where these organizations are prevalent. ISIS and al-Qaeda have been extremely active in West Africa—Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger. The answer to why, however, is far more complex. On the one hand, there is the issue of weak governments that do not have a strong military, by virtue of Africa’s lack of great wars in its history. This, in recent years, has meant that terrorist organizations could install themselves on the territories of those countries, without necessarily having a hard time doing so. Weak governments have also proven to be inadequate in dealing with local conflicts. These conflicts, often based on religious or ethnic divide, lead to the necessity of social services and the need for protection. Jihadist organizations then offer that protection to the people, thus spreading their ideology and influence. The U.N. and France have tried to battle this. In 2013 the U.N. sent a peacekeeping force in Mali, after the occupation of its northern parts by Islamist fighters. France too involved itself, by sending 5,000 soldiers, in an effort to stabilize the situation. However, the insurgency of violence in the region, despite the presence of said external powers, is an undeniable fact. Not only did deaths from armed violence in Mali increase by more than three times from 2015 to 2019, but the U.N. also lost more than 300 soldiers, making this what some have called the “deadliest peacekeeping mission in the world”. It remains uncertain whether the failure of this mission has occurred as a result of the soldiers not being ordered to launch active offensives against the militants, or because of the alleged interference of the Malian government with the operations that were being carried out. Nevertheless, both the U.N. and France decided to withdraw their forces in 2023 and 2022 respectively, with the latter doing so in response to the alienating shifting alliances the junta made with Russia and the growing anti-French sentiment among the local population. Climate change is making battling with the rebel groups and the terrorists even harder. As 70 percent of the population of West Africa is reliant on agricultural activities and livestock to make their living, even the slightest change in weather can mean famine, poverty and death. Thus, a certain demographic has chosen an alternative path for going through life: young men. More and more of them have been resorting to militancy, and by doing so, they have been making the situation for the civilians even more dire. The number of civilian fatalities in Mali has more than doubled in the span of just two years—from 2020 to 2022. In Burkina Faso, 223 people, 56 among whom were children, were massacred on Feb. 25 this year in the villages of Nondin and Soro. In a statement, Human Rights Watch Executive Director Tirana Hassan condemned the attack saying that "the massacres in Nondin and Soro villages are just the latest mass killings of civilians by the Burkina Faso military in their counterinsurgency operations.” She also expressed the need for international assistance to support an investigation into crimes against humanity. But with France and the U.N. already having only a bitter taste of failure from their last mission in Mali, Russia and China having criticized said mission and the UK and Sweden refusing to send troops, it may be said that the international community is intentionally choosing to avoid involving itself further in West Africa’s struggles. A lot of questions remain unanswered: what about the civilians that are forced into radical ideologies because of desperation; what about the kids that are being killed by rebel groups; what about the young men that seek a more stable future in the groups responsible for the unstable status quo? And with the droughts that leave those people without a land to live off of, how much worse will the situation become? With no peacekeeping missions currently present on the terrain, terrorists are continuing to wreak havoc in West Africa. Just recently, on Sept, 5 a jihadist group carried out an attack on civilians in Barsalogho. As of most recent claims, this group was Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), which has links to al-Qaeda. Because of their presence in the northern parts of the country, almost 90,000 migrants, most of them Christian, have sought refuge in the town of Barsalogho, hoping to escape the jihadist violence. However, this attack has proved that no place is safe when there is nobody to stop the advance of the jihadists into new territories. According to reports, between 200 and 400 people were killed in the attack. Moreso, the massacre took place while the civilians were digging defensive ditches to protect themselves from situations exactly like the one that followed. According to eyewitnesses, corpses were found lying near the shovels they had been using to dig. But Burkina Faso has been experiencing turmoil since long before Sept. 5. As stated in reports from May 2023, two million people have been displaced internally—the majority of whom are women and children. According to statistics cited by the Los Angeles Times , “one out of four people requires aid and tens of thousands are facing catastrophic levels of hunger.” Bringing this back to climate change and the need for water and fruitful agricultural lands, there is a silver lining. Despite the droughts that the region has been facing, international organizations have been present on the ground in countries such as Burkina Faso. Oxfam International has invested resources into spreading information to the local families on adapting to the new weather conditions, preparing nutritious meals from the food they have access to and have also trained people on proper hygiene in regards to both cooking and water consumption. Workshops on preventing malnutrition have been carried out in the village of Tafgo, water towers have been installed in other communities and crops that require less water to sprout have been found. However, this is not a viable long-term solution to the impend ing need for food. A local— Noaga Ouèda—shared with Oxfam International: "As there has been less rain than in previous years, we are suffering a lot. Before this, we didn't know hunger, but now we are forced to ration the to [flour] so that we can give it to our children." Therefore, the issue still remains, regardless of the efforts put in and the progress made. No matter our efforts to find crops that require less water to sprout, they require water nonetheless. So the question begs: How many more people will go to sleep hungry tomorrow compared to today and how many more will need to fall asleep under the sounds of yet another jihadist rebel group’s firearms rummaging through their city?

Why the Saudi takeover of Newcastle United is a dark day, not only for the football community, but also for the wider United Kingdom population. < Back Controversy as Saudi Arabia Gains Entry into Top-Flight Football By Hugo Lagergren December 30, 2021 The recent takeover of Newcastle United by the Public Investment Fund (P.I.F.), Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, has sparked outrage across the football community due to its strong connections with the Saudi Arabian government and Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince. Football fans and human rights activists have criticized the Premier League and Newcastle United for their apparent refusal to consider Saudi Arabia’s dismal human rights record during the takeover saga. Amnesty International's United Kingdom branch has also criticized the takeover and called for the English Premier League to reshape its owners and directors test to include a larger focus on human rights issues. Amnesty UK’s CEO, Sacha Deshmukh, stated that the takeover represented “a clear attempt by the Saudi authorities to sportswash their appalling human rights record with the glamour of top-flight football.” However, Amnesty was not the only group to criticize the takeover. Fans of Crystal Palace put up a banner denouncing the Premier League for allowing the transaction. The banner depicts a man in a thawb, a traditional Arab garment which Crystal Palace fans labeled the P.I.F., wielding a large blood-stained sword. Next to him, what appears to be a Premier League official is standing in a pool of blood with bags of money at his feet, and he is holding a rainbow armband in tatters. Recently, the Premier League has cracked down both on racism and the discrimination of the LGBTQ+ community through various initiatives, including taking a knee before each game and sporting rainbow shoelaces and armbands. The majority of players take a knee before each game, with only a few exceptions. The rainbow campaign remains less prominent among players yet is still supported by most. These campaigns extend beyond just the players. Within each broadcast, the Premier League includes graphics underneath the scorecard with slogans such as “No Room For Racism.” These initiatives have highlighted the English football community’s united stance, for the most part, on these issues. They have issued strong and clear messages repeatedly denouncing any form discrimination within the sport. Despite some continued instances of discrimination, notably after the final of the 2020 UEFA European Football Championship, there has been progress towards eliminating racism. Indeed, it is this progress that facilitated Australian football player Josh Cavallo to come out as gay on October 27th 2021, thus becoming the first and only openly gay player in top-flight football, and one of the only openly gay athletes in any major sports leagues across the world. Now that Saudi Arabia’s P.I.F. has been accepted into the football community, it will create the sense that the LGBTQ+ are less welcome. While it may not affect the English LGBTQ+ community directly, since Newcastle will probably continue to support the various LGBTQ+ campaigns, it makes it abundantly clear that, despite the warm words, football’s governing bodies value money over inclusivity and the protection of human rights. Football fans have rallied behind the LGBTQ+ community to criticize the Premier League for approving the deal, many citing Saudi Arabia’s continued criminalization of homosexual behavior. Indeed, Saudi Arabia continues to encourage violence and repression of the LGBTQ+, as it operates under an uncodified criminal code based on Sharia Law, which strongly prohibits any form of homosexual activity. Public floggings are a routine occurrence and many gay citizens have been imprisoned. However, Saudi Arabia’s human rights abuses extend far beyond the LGBTQ+ community. Intellectuals and activists across the country are imprisoned for speaking out against Mohammed bin Salman’s regime. This includes Raid Badawi who was imprisoned in 2012 on the charge of “insulting Islam through electronic channels.” Public demonstrations by groups of people are also a criminal act. Women remain heavily repressed in practice and in law, with many laws ensuring that they remain subordinate to men. Harassment and intimidation are common practices that women in Saudi Arabia face on a regular basis. Indeed, in 2015 alone, the Ministry of Labor and Social Development reported over 8,000 cases of violent and psychological abuse. Only very recently have small steps been taken to make Saudi society more inclusive towards women, such as the extension of the right to drive. However, Saudi Arabia remains extremely patriarchal. Saudi Arabia’s ardent censorship also caused the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 for being critical of the regime, and his death sparked outrage around the world. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia remains one of the world’s top executioners, as dozens of people are put to death every year, often in the form of public beheadings. Other controversial issues include the civil war in Yemen that Saudi Arabia takes an active role in, the continued use of torture as a state-sanctioned punishment, religious discrimination against Shi’a minorities, and the banning of human rights organizations such as Amnesty International. The wife of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi expressed her shock that the Premier League approved the Newcastle deal. She also expressed her sadness in relation to the state of Newcastle United and English football in general, due to their acceptance of authoritarian regimes into the sport. Despite the controversy and widespread condemnation, Newcastle fans have celebrated the takeover, as many hope that increased investment from the P.I.F. will lift the club out of a cycle of misfortune and failure that has plagued it over the past 20 years. Alan Shearer, the Premier League’s all-time top scorer and a Newcastle legend, hailed the takeover as a “special day” for the club’s supporters. Shearer acknowledged the concerns regarding Saudi Arabia’s human rights abuses, yet cited “Russians” (Chelsea), “Chinese” (Wolverhampton Wanderers) and “Abu Dhabi” (Manchester City) as a justification for Saudi Arabia’s presence in the Premier League. When asked about human rights concerns, many Newcastle fans defended their joy by citing Saudi Arabia’s investments in Twitter, Facebook and Uber, arguing that we, as a society, have not stopped using these platforms as a result, and continue to enrich Saudi Arabia by using these platforms. So, they argue, why shouldn’t Newcastle fans rejoice if it means it will bring their club more success? Rona Evain, the executive director of the Football Supporters Europe Association, argues persuasively that the ethical considerations within football are more important due to the sport’s influence on society. He considers this to be why football must place more emphasis on ethics. “The example given is that the Saudi sovereign fund has also invested in Uber and so on, but people don’t have posters of Uber cars at home. They don’t have tattoos of the logo on their skin or take their children to Uber’s AGM [Annual General Meeting].” Evain joins the wider call for stricter ownership tests to prevent similar regimes from engaging in acts of sportswashing, a term used to describe the process of countries or states using sports teams or events to improve their political image, both domestically and abroad. The failure of the Premier League to block the deal highlights how football remains an industry driven by greedy bureaucrats who are willing to sacrifice ethical issues in favor of monetary gain. Authoritarian regimes are increasingly using sportswashing to distract attention from their oppressive behavior. This includes the Chinese Olympics in 2008, the Russian World Cup in 2018 and Winter Olympics in 2014, and attention is now turning to the 2022 Qatar World Cup. This is an issue that is not going away anytime soon, and therefore, must be addressed if the footballing community is to become as inclusive and egalitarian as it pretends to be on the surface.

When faced with a situation this severe, it is imperative to remain cognizant of our chosen course of study. Our specialization in the Middle East entails a collective duty — we must band together to support this region in which we are all so invested. < Back Prices Soar as the Egyptian Economy Enters a Recession By Catarina Vita February 28, 2023 Egypt, which has been in an economic recession since before its manifestations of political discontent in 2011, accumulates 85.6 percent of its economy in debt. As Egyptians demanded “bread, freedom and social equality” during the Arab Spring, their nation was plagued with precarious living standards and an unstable economy. Protests petitioning better administration of the economy brought global awareness to the Egyptian situation. Unemployment raged due to serious issues in infrastructure — such as the precarious maintenance of roads and unhelpful urban planning — besides the grave mismanagement of national economic investments. From 2013 to 2014, 6 percent of the Egyptian Gross Domestic Product was directed to fuel subsidies, which neglected the healthcare and infrastructure sectors. The towering unemployment rate of 13.4 percent in 2013 is largely due to infrastructure itself; the lack of road maintenance makes the working commute harder, similarly to the urban planning that could be better. As a result, Egypt enters a vicious cycle — or downward spiral — of dangerously low economic growth. The Egyptian Arab Spring activists in 2011 watched the economic recession rise from 9.8 percent to 13.5 percent in 2013 — and this percentage only grows. Besides the overinvestment in the fuel industry, the funding of long-term projects, such as building a new metropolis and the artificial “Green River,” a chain of lakes below the desert, also bog down the Egyptian economy. These two projects specifically exacerbate Egypt’s emergency climate crisis. When Nadeen Ebrahim from the CNN asked Professor Nabeel Elhady at Cairo University about his input on Egyptian artificial states, he responded that carrying water to an artificial metropolis is far from sustainable — environmentally and financially. Egypt continued to suffer economically in 2022. The impacts of the war in Ukraine reached the Middle East as fuel prices — the main source of investment in the Egyptian economy — climbed. Investors in Egypt swiftly retracted, causing the Egyptian pound to depreciate 14 percent against the U.S. dollar. Grain prices flew as Russian blockades made accessible trade impossible. Egypt, with Russia and Ukraine as two of its biggest importers of grain, no longer offered accessible bread prices, leading to widespread food insecurity. From 2021 to January 2023, the prices for chicken, a standard item for the Egyptian diet, went from 30 Egyptian pounds to 70. Chicken swiftly turned into a luxury item in Egyptian kitchens, and the National Institute of Nutrition responded to criticism with the suggestion of eating chicken feet, which is not commonly eaten in Egypt, according to CNN. Using a photoshopped picture of the world-famous soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo and the proposed meal idea, starving Egyptians resorted to this advice, and the price of chicken feet doubled. The National Institute of Nutrition swiftly deleted the post after Egyptian influencers and news organizations noticed the falsehood of the image. Home to over 100 million people, Egypt undergoes a downward spiral of economic insufficiency. The issues of food shortage and insecurity, lack of governmental credibility and raging unemployment simultaneously join hands during this crisis. For over ten years now, Egyptians have demanded “bread, freedom and social equality.” Hopefully, with global cooperation and more efficient economic investments, the Egyptian people will receive what they have for so long been asking for.

This sport recap is the first edition of a new project that the Menton Times has launched, in which it aims to recap all of the major sports news and events that have taken place during the weeks before each edition is published, in case you may have missed anything. < Back Sports Recap: February and March By Hugo Lagergren March 30, 2022 This sport recap is the first edition of a new project that the Menton Times has launched, in which it aims to recap all of the major sports news and events that have taken place during the weeks before each edition is published, in case you may have missed anything. The sport community stands united with Ukraine: Like much of the world, the sporting community has rallied together to show its solidarity with the people of Ukraine. In light of Russia’s violent invasion of the country, each sport has found different ways of expressing its solidarity with Ukraine, often at the expense of Russian athletes. From the disqualification of Russian athletes to the wearing of the Ukrainian flag, the sporting world's response has been strong, both on an institutional and individual level. The most significant show of support might be FIFA’s decision to disqualify the Russian national football team from participating in their World Cup qualifier versus Poland. The decision came after FIFA had initially declared that Russia would be allowed to compete under the name “Football Union of Russia.” After intense pressure from the Polish, Swedish, and Czech football associations (FA), its opponents in the World Cup qualifying knockout stages, and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), FIFA were forced to disqualify Russia from the tournament. The ban also prevents Russia’s women’s football team from competing in any tournaments or matches. In a joint-statement with FIFA, UEFA also banned Russian clubs from participating in any European club competitions. This includes the Champions League, the Europa League and the Europa Conference League. As a result of this ban, Spartak Moscow were eliminated from their Europa League Round of 16 tie against RB Leipzig. This was the only Russian club still competing in a European club competition, hence the only club affected by UEFA’s ban. Russia recently lost its appeal to have this ban lifted by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. UEFA has also terminated its sponsorship deal with Gazprom, a major Russian oil company. The termination of such a relationship will undoubtedly affect UEFA as the deal, in place since 2012, has been reported to be worth around 40 million euros per season. In addition to this, UEFA has decided to move the 2022 UEFA Champions League final, which was originally planned to be played in Saint Petersburg, to the Stade de France in Paris. Following a request from the Ukrainian FA, FIFA has also postponed their World Cup qualifying match versus Scotland due to the ongoing fighting raging within the country. Originally scheduled to be played on the 24th March, it has been postponed indefinitely, with discussions under way for a new date, with the international break in June being the most likely option. Possibly one of the biggest stories currently within the football world is concerning the ownership of Chelsea FC by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, whose self-proclaimed “father and son” relationship with Putin caused the UK government to freeze Abramovich’s assets on the 10 March. In the days after the invasion, sanctions were handed out to Russian officials. Yet, initially, Abramovich was not included in these sanctions. Abramovich made it clear that he wanted to shield the club from any political backlash, and hence, attempted to sell the club before the UK government managed to slap him with sanctions. He failed to do so in time, and the UK government took control of Chelsea. A special license has been issued by the government which allows Chelsea to continue playing, however, after 10 March, no extra tickets could be sold and the club’s shop would be forced to close. The sanctions on Abramovich interrupted the sale of the club, however, the UK government has shown itself to be “open in the future to considering a license that would permit the sale of Chelsea FC,” on the condition that Abramovich make no profit from the sale. As bids continue to come in, Abramovich estimates the club to be worth around 3 billion USD. Abramovich’s love of the club remains apparent. He has stated his willingness to forgo the 1.5 billion GBP in loans he has made to the club over the last two decades, as paying this would, no doubt, have a crippling effect on the club’s financial structure. Abramovich is expected to make a decision on the club’s sale in the coming days. The International Paralympics Committee also ruled that Russian and Belorussian athletes would not compete in the 2022 Beijing Winter Paralympics that day before the games started. In Formula 1, a few weeks before the beginning of the 2022 season, US-based team Haas terminated Russian driver Nikita Mazepin’s contract, as well as their main sponsorship deal with the Russian company, Uralkali. This decision came after the FIA ( Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile ), Formula 1’s governing body, gave Mazepin the go ahead to continue racing in Formula 1, on the condition that he race under a neutral flag. Mazepin has since been extremely vocal in criticizing Haas for their decision. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) is one of the only major sports governing bodies which is yet to impose bans on Russian athletes. With Russian tennis player Danil Medvedev making history, by taking the top spot of the ATP World Rankings off Novak Djokovic for the first time, the ITF came under intense pressure to ban Russian athletes from competing and revoke Medvedev’s position as World Number 1. They responded by stating the Russian and Belorussian athletes would be allowed to compete, as long as they agreed not to compete under the name or flag of their respective countries. However, the sport with the biggest Russian representation is undoubtedly ice hockey, and for this reason, people waited apprehensively for ice hockey’s governing body, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), to address to situation. Their response did not hold back. The IIHF banned any Russian or Belorussian players from competing in any IIHF tournaments “until further notice.” The Federation also withdrew Russia’s hosting rights for the 2023 World Juniors. On the other hand, the National Hockey League (NHL), the most popular club ice hockey competition in the world, took a more moderate approach. Whilst the NHL has not banned Russian players from participating in the competition, it has suspended relations with its Russian business partners and has paused its Russian language social and digital media sites. Russian-born Alexander Ovechkin, hailed as one of the greatest ice hockey players of all time, spoke out against the war and called for peace. However, he stopped short of criticizing Russia and Putin. Many Russian athletes, including Medvedev, have also taken this course of action. They call for peace, yet are unable to criticize the Russian president directly. This highlights the fear that Putin instills within his citizens, even within top Russian athletes who live abroad. As sport plays such a large role in our societies culture, it is important for the sports world to continue to take a strong stance on Russia's unprovoked act of aggression. The reason being that we idolize sportsmen and women. Economic sanctions successfully cripple Russia’s economy, however, it affects people less on an individual level. We don’t have posters of big oil companies on our wall, or take our children to said companies’ AGMs. On the other hand, sport acts as a temple for millions of people. Attending football games and following clubs and national teams religiously results in athletes being raised up and placed on a pedestal. This gives them a responsibility to behave appropriately, as their actions often resonate across wide swathes of society, due to the influence they possess. It is for this reason that it is so pleasing to see so many athletes supporting Ukraine on an individual level. Certain football players, including Polish striker Robert Lewandowski, have started wearing armbands with the Ukrainian flag. Premier League clubs continue to broadcast the Ukrainian flag on screens within the stadium before games begin and fans showcase homemade banners, flags and slogans which highlight their solidarity with the people of Ukraine. Football: Sadio Mané scored the winning penalty as Senegal defeated Mohamed Salah’s Egypt to qualify for the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup amid controversy. Opposition fans shone bright-green lasers in the faces of the Egyptian players throughout the match. After the match, the Egyptian FA claimed that their team had been subjected to racism and other intimidation tactics. Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana and Cameroon also qualified. In Europe, Portugal and Poland booked their place in Qatar at the expense of North Macedonia and Sweden. Following a shock early defeat to North Macedonia, European champions Italy will miss out on the World Cup for the second time running. Canada managed to qualify for the first time in 36 years. Uruguay and Ecuador joined Brazil and Argentina as the South American teams to have secured qualification for the World Cup. In other news, the Premier League title race is heating up as Liverpool moves within one point of Manchester City, following their poor run of form. With 9 games left in the season, and both teams still competing in the Champions League and FA Cup, the stage is set for an intense race to the finish line between Klopp’s Liverpool and Guardiola’s Man City. Liverpool, who recently beat Chelsea to win the League Cup are no doubt looking to build on this, by completing a historic quadruple. A feat never before achieved by an English side. The Champions League Round of 16 provided some serious shocks as well. PSG were eliminated by Real Madrid, after a 17-minute hattrick by Karim Benzema sent the Bernabeu into raptures. Another disappointing end to PSG desperate attempts to get their hands on the elusive Champions League trophy. The summer transfer window saw them bringing in the likes of Sergio Ramos, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Lionel Messi to strengthen their chances of Champions League glory. Their early exit from the competition can only be seen as a huge disappointment, and questions have intensified over manager, Mauricio Pochettino’s future at the club. Villarreal also stunned Juventus by thrashing the old lady 3-0 in Turin to send them through to the quarter-finals of the competition. The quarter-final draw in full: Chelsea vs Real Madrid Manchester City vs Atlético Madrid Villarreal vs Bayern Munich Benfica vs Liverpool In Ligue 1, Nice have continued their successful run of form as they jostle with Marseille for 2nd place in the French championship and qualification for the Champions League. This would be a first for the club, as Nice have never qualified for the Champions League. Their success has extended to the French cup, where Nice managed to defeat both PSG and Marseille, earning them a place in the Final where they will 7th place Nantes. Rugby: In Rugby, France beat England at the Stade de France to win the Six Nations, completing their first Grand Slam in 12 years. Tries from Antoine Dupont and Gaël Fickou saw France breeze past England in a dominant display, much to the delight of the 80,000 French fans within the stadium. With France set to host the next Rugby World Cup in 2023, they will undoubtedly be considered the favorites, as reigning Champions South Africa have lost 4 out of their last 7 games. The final week of the Six Nations also saw Italy end their 36-match losing streak, with a stunning late victory against Wales. After Paolo Garbisi’s late conversion put Italy one point ahead of Wales in the dying embers of the game, the scenes were jubilant in Rome, with tears of joy being shed by players and fans alike. Formula 1: The first Grand Prix of the Formula 1 season saw Ferrari reestablish themselves by completing a 1-2 finish, with Charles Leclerc taking his 3rd career victory in Bahrain. The Scuderia ’s dominant display sets up an exciting three-way battle for the Championship, with Red Bull and a struggling Mercedes. Despite looking strong in testing, both Red Bulls were forced to retire late on in the race with powertrain issues, in what can be described as a nightmare start for the English team. Swimming: On 17 March, Lia Thomas became the first trans swimmer to win the NCAA women’s championship. This has reignited the heated debate surrounding transgender athletes’ participation in sport, as many call for her title to be taken away from her. Lia Thomas, originally William Thomas, was ranked 456th within the men’s event and jumped to 1st in the women’s event, above Olympic silver medalist Emma Weyant. American sports: In American football, the Los Angeles Rams scored a late touchdown to win the 56th edition of the Superbowl, beating the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20. On 15 March, American basketball player, Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors, made history by becoming the all-time leading 3 point scorer, with 2977 pts, overtaking Ray Allen (2973 pts).

Although the human rights violations in Qatar and its threat to the environment are alarming, it is of the utmost importance that one approaches the situation holistically. Forced labor, environmental threats and the kafala system gained attention due to World Cup boycott conversations. While the tournament has already occurred, it is paramount to not discard these issues in future discourse. < Back Analyzing the Morality of the World Cup: Boycotts, Forced Labor and Human Rights By Catarina Vita December 31, 2022 Every four years, not only do football fans from all around the globe gather to watch the sport but so does most of the world’s population. FIFA, the International Federation of Football Association, is responsible for the World Cup and decided to host the 2022 games in Qatar. Appalled by the workers’ rights violations and the imminent climate crisis in Qatar, a portion of the World Cup audience considered boycotting the tournament. However, counterarguments arose: the consideration of a boycott only popularized when the World Cup was located in the Middle East, and Qatar’s longstanding history of poor labor rights makes the timing of the boycott hypocritical. With increased international knowledge of Qatar’s recently abolished kafala system, alongside continued worker maltreatment in the country, potential World Cup spectators considered not watching the tournament at all. The kafala system, by definition, is a labor system connecting foreign workers to a local employer with no relation to labor ministries. As a result, workers have no rights, and many complain about a lack of breaks and overwhelmingly long working hours. Despite the Qatari government’s 2016 termination of the system, Amnesty International reports that the reform was “inadequate” and still allowed foreign workers to be exploited by their bosses. Furthermore, it is also argued that Qatar did not have the proper infrastructure for the World Cup. The high mortality rate among immigrants was due to the fast-paced manual labor of building stadiums. The climate crisis in Qatar also made the choice of country subject to criticism. Due to the ever-rising temperature in the country, even during the fall season in November and December, the government installed air conditioners inside seven of eight football stadiums. The total Qatar World Cup carbon emissions predicted were upwards of 3.6 million tons, while the tournament in Brazil and Russia had an estimated two million tons emitted. Some perceive the boycott to be either ineffective or contradictory. Although FIFA was involved in an extensive corruption scandal throughout the 2010s, the other World Cups were still watched and appreciated. Moreover, human rights violations in other World Cup host countries, such as massive corruption and torture in Brazil and anti-LGBTQIA+ stances in Russia, did not incur such international resistance. Qatar was the first Middle Eastern nation to host a World Cup, and the fact that only then did boycott ideas surface raises questions about the general perceptions of Middle Eastern countries. Although the human rights violations in Qatar and threats to the environment are alarming, it is of the utmost importance that one approaches the situation holistically. Forced labor and the kafala system gained attention due to boycott conversations. While the World Cup has already occurred, it is paramount not to discard these issues in future discourse. The worsening climate crisis and human rights violations are not limited to one country in the Global South; as these conversations arose because of the World Cup, it is vital to research and raise awareness about them on a global scale.

In the West Bank and Gaza, where de facto democracy has long been out of the question and the destructive implications of war continue to devastate, a technocracy may be the only viable solution to address the needs of a population in ruins. < Back Constructing a Technocratic Government in Post-War Gaza By Lara Harmankaya March 31, 2024 Amidst debates on democracies and their discontents, technocracies often appear as a viable alternative model of governance. In the West Bank and Gaza, where de facto democracy has long been out of the question and the destructive implications of war continue to devastate, a technocracy may be the only viable solution to address the needs of a population in ruins. The Palestinian Authority (PA), which was inaugurated following the Oslo Peace Process between the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Israeli government, governs the West Bank under the banner of Fatah, a faction of the PLO. Born from the Gaza-Jericho Agreement, which promised the Palestinian populations residing in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip the future creation of an independent Palestinian state, the Palestinian Authority has lost any trace of domestic democratic legitimacy over the years. Following Hamas’ victory in the 2006 general elections and subsequent conflicts with Fatah, Gaza has been under the rule of the militant-terrorist group Hamas. This has led to the fragmented political system that is found today, where the two territories are under the control of two rival political groups. For many Palestinians, this fracture has been among the most harmful obstacles to the Palestinian cause, leading to disunity in the movement for nation-building. The potential for democratic rule in the PA, although promising at the start, has diminished tremendously over the years. The cancellation of the presidential and legislative elections in 2021 by the President of the PA, Mahmoud Abbas, is a recent example of the stymied space for political plurality. His four-year term was meant to have ended in 2009. Yet, with his rule by decree, strict control over the judicial system, dissolution of the legislative council and purging of rivals, he continues to dominate the PA and the PLO. To make matters worse, the opposition candidate for the 2021 elections, Nizar Banat, is said to have died in police custody, sparking popular outrage from within the Palestinian population. In general, the PA is viewed by many Palestinians with suspicion; according to a study by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR), more than half of the Palestinians surveyed in June 2023 were in favor of the dissolution of the PA. The proliferation of illegal Israeli settlements in Area C of the West Bank, alongside PA cooperation with the Israeli Defense Forces to repress internal Palestinian opposition, have been the final nail in the coffin for the PA’s popular legitimacy. With the Israeli government’s increasing control over the administration and civil affairs in Areas A and B as well, the PA has come to be perceived as complicit in Israel’s actions. In the eyes of many, it is no longer a real autonomous authority capable of governance. It is also dependent on international and Israeli funding, leading critics to wonder whether it can ever truly take a resolute stance against these foreign actors. Especially after the chaos that superseded Oct. 7, the PA has proven one thing: it is unable to effectively deal with Hamas and ease the plight of Palestinians. In the name of political survival, the PA has not remained as the one true representative of the Palestinian general public. The West Bank’s fragile democracy thus suffers from a double blow on legitimacy: it is ruled by an authority that is deemed ‘authoritarian’ by the Freedom House and is under Israeli occupation in certain territories. However, calls for a reform, emerging from both internal and external actors, seem to have resurfaced now with the resignation of the Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh and his cabinet. This arrives at a time of “international orientation supporting the establishment of a single Palestinian Authority over all of the Palestinian territories,” according to Minister of Social Affairs, Ahmed Majdalaini. The United States’ vocal approval of such efforts to “reform and revitalize” evinces this, having long been preceded by pressures for political unity and the restructuring of the PA. It is still unclear whether the resignation is a move to preserve the existing structures rather than revitalize the system itself, but if the proposal for technocracy is truly meaningful, then the necessary reconstruction of the Palestinian Authority may follow through. Amidst the uncertainty of the current state of the Hamas-Israel war, envisioning reconstruction in Gaza under a technocratic government offers a glimmer of hope to the disillusioned populations of the Palestinian territories. The technocratic government would not only end the political and territorial split of the PA but could also overcome the problems of ‘corruption, nepotism and inefficiency’, in the words of former PA official Ghaith al-Omari, that it has been associated with over the past few years. Although sources offer varying visions of what the technocratic government would look like, or how long it would last for, the basic consensus is that the negotiation process would represent different factions and different regional players, including Egypt. It would operate outside the realm of politics and would be governed by nonpartisan experts until the time is right for elections. A popular example of a technocratic government in recent years was found in Italy, where the Prime Minister post was taken up by economist Mario Monti. His 13-month government has been applauded for plunging Italy out of a crisis of credibility through its decisive structural reforms. Technocracies have been deemed in a positive light in parliamentary democracies, especially when appointed for a limited time horizon to respond to emergencies. Despite lacking the legitimacy that comes with a democratic vote, these governments have proven to be successful in getting things done. Particularly in a place as embedded in failed governance as Gaza, the chance of depoliticizing administration and establishing a government that is not inherently attached to the complex politics of the region must be grabbed. More importantly, the civil and social rights of the residents of Gaza, which have been persistently violated, can finally be protected. Foreign minister Al-Maliki articulates the goals and needs of the Palestinian people in the following words, “We want to be accepted and engaging fully with the international community. We want to get contribution[s] that help in order for us to be able to provide first of all the necessary services to our people, emergency services, then to talk about how we can reconstruct Gaza after such devastating destruction." The technocratic government can re-establish international ties to bring these to life. The endorsement of the United States, Saudi Arabia and other Arab states for this technocratic government, however, does raise questions about sovereignty and the role of these foreign powers in its establishment. Moreover, it is uncertain whether Israel will be equally willing to relinquish control over Gaza at the end of the war; the Knesset recently voted against “unilateral” recognition of a Palestinian state. The very survival of the PA appears to be precarious. But it is worth noting that the talk of the formation of this technocratic government can itself be construed as part of a larger strategy of reaching a ceasefire. Politically uniting the leadership of Palestinians also brings them closer to the prospect of a Palestinian state in the years to come. It is undeniable that the stakes are high for the future politics of Gaza. The viability of a technocratic state can also be questioned. Nevertheless, it is now evident that the international community is prepared to conceive of scenarios for a long-term resolution. A plethora of points for contemplation arise from this new proposal, starting with: to what extent will the international community be involved in post-resolution Gaza? Will a true democracy follow the technocratic government? Or will it follow the precedent of Mahmoud Abbas’s 19-year presidency? Could collaboration in reconstruction efforts mitigate tensions between Arab states and the United States? Can stability ever exist in Gaza? A statement by the Chinese premier Zhou en-Lai, made when responding to what he thinks of the French Revolution of 1789, is equally valid as an answer to these questions: “It is too early to tell.”

Sports Recap – October 2022 < Back October Sports Recap By Arian Akrami October 31, 2022 Formula 1 Max Verstappen was officially crowned 2021 Formula 1 World Champion following the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday Oct. 9. He became only the 11th driver to win back-to-back championships. With 12 victories already secured, and four races left, it remains entirely possible that the Dutchman could break the record for the most wins in a season (13 – Michael Schumacher with Ferrari in 2004, Sebastian Vettel with Red Bull in 2013). However, Red Bull has come under a barrage of criticism following statements that the team had exceeded the budget caps which were introduced at the beginning of the 2021 season. A Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) statement announced that the team exceeded the $145 million budget cap by less than 5%, which constitutes a “minor” level breach. This level has come under criticism since it could still constitute a significant value of approximately seven million dollars. Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto said: “five million dollars is about half a second, one to two million dollars is 0.1-0.2 seconds, which can be the difference between second on the grid to pole.” Potential repercussions include a deduction of championship points, financial reprimands and a reduction on the team’s budget cap. Tennis On Sunday Oct. 9, Novak Djokovic, recently championed at Wimbledon, defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas (6-3, 6-4) to clinch his 90th Association of Tennis Professionals title at the Astana Open in Kazakhstan. United States Open victor and world number one Carlos Alcaraz faced a major upset following defeat in the opening round Belgium’s David Goffin. Elsewhere on the Association of Tennis Professionals Tour, Taylor Fritz beat the United States Open runner up Francis Tiafoe (7-6, 7-6) in an all-American final at the Japan Open. This has allowed him to enter the world top 10 for the first time. Fritz was able to progress to the semifinals with a walkover due to the injury of Wimbledon finalist, Nick Kyrgios. On the Women's Tennis Association tour, the Polish world number one, Iga Swiatek, was stunned at the Ostrava Open final in the Czech Republic. She was defeated by Barbora Krejcikova, who managed to clinch her second successive Women's Tennis Association title on home soil (5-7, 7-6, 6-3). Football In the Premier League, as Arsenal continued their fine form, beating Leeds United away from home to remain top of the league, out-of-form Liverpool managed to defeat reigning champions and currently second place Manchester City, courtesy of a goal from Mohammed Salah. Manchester United Women thrashed Brighton and Hove Albion 4-0 to remain top of the Women’s Super League, level on nine points with Arsenal and Chelsea, who beat Everton and Reading, respectively. Manchester City picked up their first points of the season with another 4-0 scoreline against Leicester City, who remain rock bottom with zero points, alongside Reading. In Ligue 1, Neymar extended his excellent goal-scoring record so far this season in a crucial 1-0 victory for Paris Saint-Germain in the Classico against Olympique Marseille. The club now sit top of the table with a three-point lead over second place FC Lorient, who fell to a draw at home to Reims despite a 45th minute red card for their opponents. On the international front, Denmark’s kit manufacturer, Hummel, have hidden their logo, and Denmark’s emblem, on their World Cup apparel as a way to voice their disassociation with the Qatar tournament which has been criticized for its abhorrent treatment of migrant workers . Although their national colours are red and white, they have decided to release an all-back third kit, which Hummel described as “the color of mourning,” in solidarity with the thousands of lives lost during the construction of the stadiums.

Même les leaders politiques les plus charismatiques de l'histoire de l'Argentine n'ont pas réussi ce que l'équipe dirigée par Messi a réussi : imprégner l'âme de près de 46 millions d'Argentins de la fierté d'appartenir à la nation argentine. < Back Le Football, Source de Miracles Pour l'Argentine? By Amalia Heide January 31, 2023 Argentine: un pays brisé, divisé entre anti-Kirchneristes, anti-Macristes, anti-libéraux, anti-caste politique, anti-IMF... en général toujours anti. Un pays plongé dans une forte crise économique, politique et sociale. Argentins : toujours insatisfaits du présent, toujours pessimistes quant à l'avenir. Aucun homme politique, aucun événement historique, aucun ennemi commun, aucune lutte sociale, aucune célébration collective n'a réussi au cours des dernières décennies à unir ce peuple, plein de ressentiment et vide d'espoir. Même le conflit sur la souveraineté des Malouines entre l'Argentine et l'Angleterre ne fait pas l'unanimité ou ne suscite pas de passion profonde parmi les citoyens. Mais en sept matches et en l'espace d'un mois, l'équipe nationale de football argentine semble avoir réalisé l'impossible. Je ne parle pas de la victoire de la Coupe du monde, mais de ses conséquences : plus de 5 millions de personnes sont sorties dans la rue pour fêter la victoire. Même les leaders politiques les plus charismatiques de l'histoire de l'Argentine n'ont pas réussi ce que l'équipe dirigée par Messi a réussi : imprégner l'âme de près de 46 millions d'Argentins de la fierté d'appartenir à la nation argentine. Pauvres, riches, hommes, femmes, citoyens de gauche, citoyens de droite célébrant et scandant en chœur le même slogan. Il a déjà été décrété que c'est la plus grande fête de l'histoire de l'Argentine. Et pour une fois, il n’y a pas un parti politique impliqué, il n'y a pas de principes idéologiques en jeu. Désormais, puisque nous avons été témoins qu'en équipe, nous pouvons atteindre nos objectifs, pouvons-nous apporter ce nouveau sentiment d'unité dans l'arène politique ? J'ai des doutes à ce sujet. C'est précisément cette absence d'arrière-plan idéologique qui a permis cette union fraternelle. Le fossé politique est si profond dans notre pays que je doute fort que cela nous permette de réduire de manière durable nos conflits politiques internes, nos différences idéologiques, notre aversion mutuelle. Il est évident que le fait d'être champions du monde restera un point de référence commun, une source de joie et de réconfort, et pourra donc contribuer à désamorcer les tensions, mais de là à les éliminer, c'est une autre affaire. D’autre part, on peut se demander si ces célébrations ne montrent que le meilleur côté du peuple argentin. Ces célébrations, qui en théorie semblent très poétiques, romantiques, libératrices, ont fini par révéler en pratique notre penchant presque morbide pour le débordement, la sauvagerie et la destruction. Personnes blessées et tuées en tombant de ponts, de monuments ou de biens publics. Au lendemain de la caravane de l'équipe nationale argentine, les alentours de l'obélisque, l'emblème de Buenos Aires, étaient pitoyables. Les feux de signalisation, les panneaux indiquant le nom des rues, les stations de bus... tous détruits. Avec quel budget tout sera-t-il réparé ? Sans parler des ordures dans les rues que d'autres devront ramasser. Après tout, comme l'a dit un joueur de l'équipe nationale, ce n'est que du football. Mais espérons que le football permettra de réaliser le miracle d'une véritable unité. C'est mon seul souhait.

Despite a few hiccups and more than a few drunk incidents, the ski trip was a tremendous success. Sciences Pistes faced their fears on the mountain, and they are stronger for it. Going into the second semester of the year, there is undoubtedly a tighter connection between us than ever before < Back Menton à Risoul: Sciences Pistes Spend Last Week of Break at Annual BDS Ski Trip By Hugo Lagergren February 28, 2023 We all know that sports are not what Sciences Po prides itself on, and neither is the Menton campus famed for its sporting performances at the annual intercampus Minicrit competition. However, this has not stopped the Bureau Des Sports (BDS) from outperforming itself at every opportunity this school year. They managed to collect over 2000 euros for the League Against Cancer for Pink October, nearly triple what they managed last year. Thanks to their apt negotiation skills, the bureau received sports equipment for each campus team for the first time in Sciences Po Menton history. And for their final trick… send nearly 100 students to the Alps for a five-day skiing holiday before the beginning of term — a feat that they executed perfectly. On Monday morning, Sciences Pistes woke up early, eager to board the bus. The journey from the pebbly beaches of the Côte D’Àzur to the snowy tips of the French Alps began… and continued. After a few festive hours, the “are we there yet?” calls began in earnest. For eight hours, they persisted. A little downtrodden, we finally arrived in Risoul and checked into our rooms at “Yoonly & Friends” — well, at least those of us who managed to make it down the infamous icy steps. After a complicated check-in and a well-needed night’s rest, we were finally ready to begin exploring. Being super excited to start skiing, we all woke up early to pick up our skis from the local rental shop and collect our ski passes. Many of the group had never seen snow, let alone set foot on a ski slope, so there was some understandable apprehension among a few, especially after seeing second-year Ilyes Mesbah and first-year Nael El Kihal bombing down the slopes at uncontrollable speeds. Their speed and elegance, unfortunately, inspired second-year Lilou D’Inca, who, according to her, had not set foot on a pair of skis “for over ten years” to throw herself a little too enthusiastically down her first hill. After multiple barrel rolls and a torn ligament, the medical team managed to get D’Inca down the slope in one piece. Her ski holiday was promptly over. We hope our beloved cheer captain will recover quickly and bring home the Minicrit. The rest of the group remained in good spirits as we sat down for lunch beside the slopes. It did not take long for the initial groups of flatmates and friends to dissolve. Almost immediately, 1A’s and 2A’s were becoming more comfortable skiing with one another. What was so brilliant about the ski trip was not the skiing or the parties; it was its ability to bring us all together. “The ski trip really brought us closer together,” comments co-president of Bureau Des Sports, Romain Dufournet. “Five days of holiday all together is obviously going to be packed with emotion. I think constantly being around each other and talking to each other and just living in the moment outside the context of Menton and Sciences Po allowed us to create stronger bonds.” After skiing, we were treated to some first-class DJing by DJMiketrackz at ”La Grotte du Yéti.” It might have been a ski trip, but it did not stop the Ummah from partying like it always does. The Après-Ski was a highlight. Beer in hand, the snowy outdoor party embodied the Mentonnais saying: “no stress, success.” It was a moment for everyone to relax and decompress before the work kicked in a few days later. The parties often continued well into the night, with Sciences Pistes getting to bed at times that could only make Mme. la directrice Yasmina Touaibia proud. This resulted in exceptionally slow mornings. However, the enthusiasm never waned. Despite a few hiccups and more than a few drunk incidents, the ski trip was a tremendous success. Sciences Pistes faced their fears on the mountain, and they are stronger for it. Going into the second semester of the year, we have a tighter connection than ever. As the monotony of essay writing and unanswered emails set in, I would just like to leave the reader with a notion that is important to keep in mind going into semester two, as it highlights the campus’ ability to surpass all expectations despite the adversary we face: Samy, c’est un mec du R.

My mom got breast cancer when I was ten and, although she is the strongest human I possibly know, I got to see how much it destroyed her. To face an illness which makes you stand on a thin, thin line between life and death is one hell of a changing experience. < Back Pink October: Let’s Run for a Cause By Wang Di October 30, 2021 One event worth featuring this month was the “Octobre Rose,” or Pink October event, jointly organized by our very own Feminist Union (FU) and the Bureau des Sports (BDS) of the SciencesPo Menton campus. On October 3, a fundraising sale and run took place in Menton, with the support of the Institut du Cancer de Montpellier, for the student population to raise awareness on breast cancer prevention and diagnosis, as well as donating to the cause. The event consisted of merchandise and food sales that began at Bastion from the late morning, culminating in a 4km run/walk to the Italian border post and back to Bastion. Even as it began to pour at the beginning of the run, the organizers and participants were undeterred and remained determined to complete the 4km route. Despite the odds, the runners completed the run and were able to support a good cause. The mood back at Bastion after the run was ecstatic. Below is an interview with Cloé Azria (Co-President of the FU) and Samanéa Rousseau (President of the BDS) on their motivations and experiences in organizing the Octobre Rose event. The interview has been lightly edited for the purpose of this feature: What is your objective of organizing the October Rose event? What is the beneficiary organization, and which other student associations did the FU partner with to achieve this aim? Cloé : Organizing Octobre Rose has been one of my most beautiful projects as breast cancer is a cause that I really care about. Breast cancer is and must remain a matter of common concern. It is not just about women and girls suffering from a disease which can be potentially treated, it is a cause which can affect our friends, our sisters, our mothers or any other woman on this earth. It is thus important to remember that breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and the second most common in the world after prostate cancer. After spending my summer as a volunteer at a cancer patient support centre, I really understood the terrible stakes of this disease. This is why I wanted to unify the students of Menton around such a beautiful and touching subject. In addition, as I used to participate in the Pink October races in Montpellier, the idea of doing a similar event in Menton could not be more evident. My aim: organizing a “not serious” race for a serious cause (What I mean by these words is a fun run which supports a very serious cause). As I couldn’t organize Octobre Rose last year because of Covid 19 and the sanitary situation, I was more than eager to concretize my project. As one of the Co-Presidents of the Feminist Union and Vice-President of the BDS, it became obvious that the run would be a collaboration between the two associations, especially with Samanéa, the President of the BDS, who has been a great help in both organization and realization of the event! Samanéa : I think we can all agree that breast cancer overall is a very important cause which must be fought for. It represents a very special cause to me because I got to see the effects it can hold both mentally and physically on one individual. My mom got breast cancer when I was ten and, although she is the strongest human I possibly know, I got to see how much it destroyed her. We tend to think that the diagnosis and the treatment are the hardest to go through yet the step after you are finished is even harder – especially as a woman – to accept her body after breast cancer. Once the treatments are done, once you have been accommodated with chemo, radiotherapy, the tons of operations and ins and outs at the hospitals, getting back into the real world; to your job, to social gatherings... To run basically any task once you go through something that so drastically and unexpectedly changed you is the hardest. You never can really heal from cancer. It takes acceptance and faith to take back your life where you “left” it and I admire my mom- and all these women- that are going through or have gone through a breast cancer suspicion or diagnosis. Pink October is the occasion for celebrating the little but giant fighters that these women are -because let me tell you that- to face an illness which makes you stand on a thin, thin line between life and death is one hell of a changing experience. Pink October is the occasion to raise funds for the foundations supporting these women during their treatments, the hospitals, the NGOs, the research institutes helping the treatments improve. Pink October is also the occasion to raise awareness amongst men and women. I am one of many who has seen a loved one go through a cancer diagnosis so please share the information. Ladies check up on yourselves, men make sure your surroundings know about this cause and how important check-ups are. It is never a fun topic but truly, the earlier you notice it, the better. That is what Pink October is about. That is what the pink ribbon means. When Cloé came to me with the plan of organizing an event containing a race for Pink October, the matter was set, and I was thrilled to put my BDS board and myself to collaborate with the Feminist Union on this cause. What is the greatest challenge you have faced in organizing this event? Cloé : Even though the organization was a bit complex as I had to face challenges regarding logistics, the city, the stands, the day... It was an amazing experience which taught me a lot as I had to learn how to deal with the Mairie, the various problems, the hospital, etc… Samanéa: Cloé did such a good job with handling the administrative burden of getting authorization- THE struggle haha- and got such great ideas to make this event enjoyable for a serious cause. What is the amount of funds that you managed to raise during the event? Cloé : Along with the sale of goodies and the run, we have launched a prize fund to collect all the donations to fight Breast Cancer. For now, we have collected about 800€ which is amazing! The prize fund is open until the end of October and we hope with all our hearts that people will still give something to support the fight against breast cancer, as all the donations will be given to the Cancer League. What is your greatest takeaway in organizing this event? Cloé : Organizing this event took me many weeks but I had an incredible team by my side, first Samanéa and then both the FU board and the BDS board. We even decided to go to Ventimiglia to buy all the food and drinks we needed and it was really fun to do! The fact that our event was also sponsored by the Institut du Cancer de Montpellier was amazing: they sent us goodies (USB keys, pens, shirts, bracelets...) and gave the race more impact!! I sincerely want to thank all the people who helped me in this touching event, it couldn’t have gone better. I also want to thank the Institut du Cancer de Montpellier for supporting us. Samanéa : Seeing the project take form by Cloé’s side was very warming. Seeing the associations of our campus supporting our project and encouraging their boards to participate encouraged us. Seeing our students engage was touching. Seeing all of us get together for this cause was beautiful. Organizing the event with our great team made it easy and enjoyable. We thank you for bringing your smiles to your event and for making it count with your donations. Special thanks to my board for being incredible ;) Let’s keep it up. Given Cloé’s and Samanéa’s recount of events, it would have been an understatement to call the Octobre Rose a success, for it fully demonstrated the solidarity of the campus to unite around a singular cause that continues to affect the lives of millions around the world. For all inquiries regarding breast cancer or how to donate to the prize fund, please feel free to reach out to either Cloé or Samanéa directly in person or through social media.

On March 10, Saudi Arabia and Iran stunned the international community by announcing that their diplomatic relations would be fully restored, following several days of secret talks in Beijing. < Back Saudi Arabia and Iran Restore Diplomatic Relations By Peyton Dashiell September 27, 2023 On March 10, Saudi Arabia and Iran stunned the international community by announcing that their diplomatic relations would be fully restored, following several days of secret talks in Beijing. Several days later, the Saudi government invited Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to soon visit the kingdom and meet with top diplomats for reconciliation efforts. With tumultuous ties dating back decades, the reconciliation between these two regional powers could signify a shifting dynamic in the Middle East and potentially end the proxy conflict between countries that has played out in Yemen, Syria and Lebanon. Relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran have gradually deteriorated since the 1979 Iranian Revolution and have experienced periods of complete suspension and hesitant reconciliation. Iran has accused Saudi Arabia on multiple occasions of championing American interests in the region rather than representing Islam. Both countries have competed for regional dominance while pursuing wildly different foreign policy strategies. From 1987 to 1990, diplomatic ties froze after the “Mecca incident,” during which Shia pilgrims in Mecca clashed with Saudi security forces, causing riots that killed over 400 people. After the tragedy, Saudi Arabia and Iran disputed who the responsible party was, and Iran took four Saudi citizens hostage from the Saudi Embassy in Tehran. Diplomatic relations were suspended for almost four years, and Iranian citizens were prohibited from going on the Hajj pilgrimage until 1991. After two decades of stable ties, the Saudi-Iranian relationship experienced a turning point in 2011, with the advent of the Syrian Civil War and foiled Iranian assassination plot, in which the Iranian government allegedly planned to assassinate Saudi ambassador Adel al-Jubeir in the United States. After years of waning relations, Saudi Arabia and Iran once again cut off all diplomatic ties in 2016 after Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr was executed in Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Embassy in Tehran was subsequently ransacked. In recent years, rapprochement between the two countries may have seemed like an unlikely prospect – Saudi Arabia has joined forces with Western powers to oppose Iran’s highly contested nuclear program and has strengthened unofficial ties with Israel, particularly regarding intelligence to counter Iran. At the same time, Iran has bolstered support for the Assad regime and the Houthi rebels in Yemen, both prominent Saudi enemies. These renewed ties could potentially shake up the regional power balance, especially regarding the Saudi-Iran proxy conflict, relations with Israel and China’s mediatory role. This normalization raises questions regarding the civil war in Yemen — since 2014, ongoing fighting between the Houthi rebels and the former government of Mansour Hadi has created a nearly ceaseless war and a severe humanitarian crisis with the involvement of several international proxies. Both groups claim to constitute the legitimate leadership of Yemen; the Houthis receive financial and military support from Iran, while the Hadi faction is backed by a Saudi-led coalition bolstered by the United States and the United Arab Emirates. A United Nations-backed ceasefire agreement in 2022 brought several months of relative calm and an improved humanitarian landscape to Yemen. Still, it ended in October 2022 after both parties disagreed on renewal terms. Shortly after Saudi Arabia and Iran announced their renewed ties, Saudi and Omani delegations began peace negotiations in Sana’a on April 10, sparking hope for de-escalation. Additionally, the dynamics of the Saudi-Iran relationship have played out in the Syrian Civil War since 2011. Tehran provides military support to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and many militants affiliated with the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps are in the country. Saudi allies like the United States have backed Syrian rebel groups like the Syrian Democratic Forces and Kurdish militias in northern Syria. Furthermore, news of this rapprochement caused alarm in Israel, which has experienced slightly thawed ties with Saudi Arabia recently as both nations collaborate to counter Iran’s regional power and nuclear ambitions. The United States and Israel have identified Saudi Arabia’s entry into the Abraham Accords as a strategic goal for the near future, an extraordinarily unlikely step if Saudi Arabia and Iran fully reconcile. Since the news of this rapprochement, the prospects of this appear increasingly improbable. In late April, Saudi Arabia is expected to receive a delegation of Hamas officials for the first time in nearly a decade. Hamas, a militant Israeli adversary group and governing party of the Gaza Strip, has long been a recipient of military and financial aid from Iran, although relations soured around 2015 due to Hamas’ support for rebels in the Syrian Civil War. Many have attributed Saudi Arabia and Iran’s tense relations to their sectarian division – Wahhabist Sunnis govern Saudi Arabia while Iran is majority Shia. While Sunnis and Shias commonly lived side by side throughout history, Shias have faced oppression by Sunni majorities, and Sunni leadership has often portrayed Shias as heretical. The effects of Saudi Arabia and Iran’s religious disunion are exemplified among the strategic alliances of the region – majority Sunni nations like Egypt and the UAE align with Saudi Arabia. At the same time, countries with large Shia populations like Iraq and parts of Lebanon and Syria lean toward Iran. But to what extent have religious doctrines fueled Saudi Arabia and Iran’s regional rivalry? According to analysts like Dr. Najat Al-Saied of the Middle East Institute, the real explanation for Saudi Arabia and Iran’s lasting feud is far more complicated. Al-Saied contrasts the Iranian regime's theocratic, revolutionary structure with Saudi Arabia’s hybrid monarchy, which aims to be a player in the international system, aligning with major powers like the United States, rather than to initiate a revolution. Additionally, Saudi Arabia aims to shed its sectarian image through its Saudi Vision 2030 framework, which outlines a plan to modernize the Saudi economy and improve the public sector. While Iran leans into the sectarian Shia identity to pursue its aims and reject Western influence, Saudi Arabia is prioritizing Saudi nationalism over specifically Sunni dominion. Iran’s criticism of Saudi Arabia’s guardianship of Mecca and Medina is not an example of Sunni-Shia tensions but rather a “revolutionary message” from Iran to inspire resistance against the House of Saud. Finally, this diplomacy represents a major step for China after several years of steadily increasing its political and economic role in the region. China has many strategic objectives in the Middle East, from securing energy resources to countering global US influence. China has become the largest economic investor in the Middle East since the 2011 Arab Spring. Numerous clean energy agreements have been signed between Beijing and Middle Eastern governments, and bilateral trade between China and the Middle East totals $245 billion. However, this development marks a consequential shift in China’s role from an economic powerhouse to a diplomatic broker – a role historically occupied by the United States. This rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran could be significant and far-reaching. China may take on a larger role as a Middle Eastern mediator, peace prospects may improve for long-standing conflicts and regional power dynamics may shift in the complicated proxy dynamic between the two countries. However, some observers remain skeptical that this relational shift is anything more than symbolic. Despite peace talks, Houthi forces in Yemen continue to launch offenses against the Saudi-led coalition in the Marib province. Additionally, Lebanon's political and economic crisis and the threat Israel faces from a nuclear Iran will require much more than revived Saudi-Iranian relations to overcome.

Now called the “African turn,” since early 2022, ISIS has conducted about half of its operations in Africa, and in the first four months of 2022, there have been more attacks organized by the Islamic State in Nigeria than in Iran. < Back The Worrying Rise of Jihadism in Africa: A Look at Nigeria By Isabella Hehl Dalla Zuanna October 31, 2022 Known for its cruel abductions, school attacks and village-burnings, this particular Islamist insurgency group is responsible for the murder of tens of thousands, as well as the forceful displacement of millions. With their focus primarily on northeast Nigeria but sometimes spilling into the Lake Chad Basin, these ruthless terrorists might be responding to their country’s widening economic disparity, political corruption and longstanding religious tensions, fueled by the Nigerian government’s counterterrorism efforts and strong-handed police. Created by a prominent Borno State Islamist cleric named Mohammed Yusuf, this group’s aim is to establish a fundamental Islamic state with sharia criminal courts. Estimated by U.S. intelligence officials to number around four and six thousand hardcore militants, and by others three times that, the group is known around the world. Once its name is said, it alludes to trauma, violence and overwhelming fear throughout West Africa … Boko Haram . Founded in 2002 in Maiduguru, Nigeria, this Salafi insurgency movement has conducted countless terrorist attacks on political and religious groups, police and military, as well asarbitrary civilian attacks in villages and busy markets. Considered to be one of the largest insurgency groups in Africa, Boko Haram seems to be particularly effective at displaying the weaknesses of the Nigerian government in its inability to effectively contain the group. Prior to the 2009 Maiduguri crackdown, the jihadists only operated in northern Sahel. They did not target Christian minorities and expatriates, only focusing on Nigerian state representatives, government institutions and those they determined to be “bad” Muslims. However, the crackdown set off an armed revolt in the Bauchi state, which spread to the northeast. In this uprising, police and government forces were responsible for the murder of over eight hundred people, including many suspected Boko Haram members, including their leader, Yusuf. As a result, the conflict spread beyond the Borno states and since then the attacks have had national and international repercussions. Although the attacks lack coordination and an apparent cycle, they have now multiplied to target prisons, military barracks, banks, police stations, churches and mosques, especially on Christian and Muslim holidays. Political scientist and research director Marc-Antoine Pérouse de Montclos states, “It is important to emphasize how the execution of Mohammed Yusuf was a serious strategic error. By creating a martyr, it has indeed generated a current of sympathy in favor of the victims of repression, at least in the Northeast.” Since Yusuf’s death, Boko Haram has splintered into two factions, with Abubakar Shekau at the head of one and Yusuf’s son Abu Musab al-Barnawi at the other, which has the same final goal as that of Shekau but a less uncompromising view as to what apostasy constitutes. Arguably, the increasingly atrocious nature of Boko Haram has also led to rifts within the group, which then decided to rebrand itself as the Islamic State’s West Africa Province after it declared allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria in 2015. However this might not be as significant as it first appears, since many jihadists often swear allegiance to another terrorist group for a semblance of power and unity, yet still work mostly independently. However, it can still be argued that this rebranding symbolized Islamist unity, connecting Middle Eastern and Northern African terrorism with that of the Eastern African domain. In May 2021, Islamic State’s West Africa Province killed its Boko Haram leader, Shekau, resulting in the surrender of thousands of people, including civilians, former Boko Haram fighters and their families, to Cameroonian and Nigerian authorities. However, another consequence was that many Boko Haram commanders joined the Islamic State’s West Africa Province, leaving Boko Haram in disarray. Yet, the end of violence in northeast Nigeria seems unlikely, especially since the new jihadist group might be more resilient — estimated by United Nations analysts to already have four to five thousand fighters — and continues the ransomed kidnappings, lootings, military facility attacks and the taxing of local populations and commerce, mostly in northern Nigeria. The political and socio-economic conditions of Nigeria have only intensified Boko Haram’s violence.With a record of inequality, political corruption and instability due to over half a dozen coups, the 1967-1970 civil war, and decades of ironfisted military rule, Nigeria proves to be fertile ground for radicalization. Although the country is Africa’s biggest economy and contains abundant natural resources, it is also statistically one of Africa’s poorest populations, with about half of its two hundred million citizens surviving on less than roughly $1.90 per day. This can arguably be attributed to the unequal distribution of oil revenues, which mostly go to a small percentage of elites, as well as through the embezzlement of highly corrupted government ministers. Analyst Chris Ngwodo states,“The emergence of Boko Haram signifies the maturation of long-festering extremist impulses that run deep in the social reality of northern Nigeria. The group itself is an effect and not a cause; it is a symptom of decades of failed government and elite delinquency finally ripening into social chaos.” Although we can see a decline in Boko Haram’s brutality in northeastern Nigeria since 2015, jihadist-linked violence in Africa has increased 17-fold since 2009. In 2021, United Nations statistics revealed that in the first six months of that year, “the most striking development” was the shift in the African continent. Instead of the perhaps expected Middle East or South Asia, as the world region most impacted by jihadi violence and suffering the worst number of casualties due to such U.N.-designated jihadists. Now called the “African turn,” since early 2022, ISIS has conducted about half of its operations in Africa, and in the first four months of 2022, there have been more attacks organized by the Islamic State in Nigeria than in Iran. Arguably, it is Africa’s emergence as the mentioned jihadist’s center of gravity which has caused the continent to serve as the new international epictenter of jihadi terrorism. Even the U.S. Committee on Homeland Security in 2017 claimed, “ The threats posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and al-Qaeda are dynamic and are expected to increase as the Islamic Stateloses ground in Iraq and Syria, and as al-Qaeda seeks to reclaim its status as the leader of the global jihadi movement. In this context, North Africa, which sits on the edge of Europe, has emerged as an important theater in the war on terror.” Arguably, the reason for this geographical shift in the focus of terrorism from the Middle East to Africa, is the lack of counterterrorism efforts in the latter. While 2015, Chad, Niger and Cameroon have deployed several thousand troops as a part of an African Union authorized multinational force, which has helped the Nigerian military reclaim many of its territories, foreign direct investment inflows to Nigeria have plunged, from nine billion dollars in 2011 to $3.5 billion in 2017. This symbolizes the decline in international foreign aid, which, in turn, leaves the future of jihadism in the African continent unsure. The current strategy of the Islamic State’s West Africa Province is focused on addressing past mistakes and causes of tension by ensuring that group members are fairly treated by their field leaders and incentivizing fighters through the division of war spoils. This has been a strong driver of success, as can be observed on the eastern front, especially in poor communities which lack resources. The jihadist group’s work to ensure the support of the population through the promotion of mutual investment between itself and communities and stable access to services in isolated areas, allows for tax collection as well as the legitimation of the group. To achieve the goals the jihadists have set for themselves, they continue their attacks on humanitarian initiatives, international relief activities, and murder and abduct humanitarian workers, as well as loot and burn their offices. As a result, the displacement rate has increased by almost 50 percent. Most victims in northeastern Nigeria are women and children — a region which has suffered under the struggle for dominance between the Islamic State’s West Africa Province and Boko Haram. According to Al-Ahram, a recent international report covering Borno, which was Boko Haram’s first stable stronghold, has shed light on the dire humanitarian situation — the insecurity in the area has led to about 25 percent of the land being cut off from Lagos, the capital. Borno, once described as the region affected most negatively by this conflict, is now at a complete risk of secession. Borno is but one of the several cities in the Islamic State’s expansive strategy to implement a so-called “scorched-earth” policy, which they may use to their advantage both inside the area and abroad, as a potential signal to the rest of the world that Africa is now the focus of jihadists.

Le Sommet arabe du 4 mars semblerait révéler une exception à une longue période de quasi-désengagement. Ce rassemblement pourrait-il marquer une réaffirmation de la solidarité arabe et un regain d'intérêt pour les aspirations nationales palestiniennes? Le plan adopté pourrait en effet, potentiellement, révéler un retour de la lutte des pays arabes pour la cause palestinienne. < Back La cause palestinienne, un nouveau souffle pour le panarabisme? Christy Ghosn March 31, 2025 Une vidéo générée par IA, publiée sur le compte Instagram du président américain, dépeint une bande de Gaza transformée en une « Riviera du Moyen-Orient. » Gratte-ciels, plages de sable, statue en or de Donald Trump, cette vision dystopique a suscité de fortes réactions au sein du monde arabe. La vidéo, postée sur Truth Social et Instagram, illustre ce que pourrait devenir Gaza sous contrôle américain—idée évoquée par Trump au début du mois de février. Lors d'une conférence de presse conjointe avec le Premier ministre israélien Benyamin Netanyahou, Trump avait choqué le monde en déclarant : « Nous nivellerons les lieux et nous débarrasserons des bâtiments détruits. Puis nous allons relancer le développement économique, qui fournira un nombre illimité d’emplois et de logements pour les habitants de la région. » Face à cette proposition, les États arabes se sont unis pour exprimer leur désaccord, réveillant un fort nationalisme arabe ancré dans la cause palestinienne. Le sommet arabe du 4 mars dernier au Caire symbolise cette solidarité. Pourtant, malgré cette montée du sentiment panarabe, la réalité semble marquée par un nationalisme territorial grandissant, reléguant progressivement l’engagement collectif au second plan. De cette manière, bien que le soutien affiché aux Palestiniens demeure, son expression concrète s’affaiblit, laissant entrevoir une forme d’abandon progressif. Le nationalisme arabe (La Qawmiyya en arabe) repose sur l'idée d'unité et d'intérêts communs parmi les peuples arabes. Émergeant au début du XXe siècle comme un mouvement d'opposition dans les provinces arabes de l'Empire ottoman, il s'est notamment développé dans l'entre-deux-guerres, avec des figures comme Sati' al-Husri ou encore Michel Aflaq. Bien que cette idéologie n'ait pas réussi à créer un État arabe unifié, son idéologie a laissé un héritage durable en tant que sentiment d'appartenance à un même peuple. Comme l’écrit Youssef Choueiri: « [Aflaq] insista de nombreuses fois sur le fait que ce qu’il avait à dire était plus un point de vue [ nadhra ] qu’un système [ nadhariyya ]. Ce nationalisme arabe, profondément enraciné dans la cause palestinienne, a trouvé en cette lutte un puissant catalyseur pour unifier les peuples arabes. Par exemple, lorsque les Palestiniens se sont soulevés contre l'occupation et la création de l'État d'Israël, des figures comme Gamal Abdel Nasser ont su exploiter cette cause pour rallier les masses arabes, en présentant Israël comme une « citadelle de l'impérialisme. » De nombreux sommets de la Ligue arabe ont également joué un rôle crucial dans l'histoire de la cause palestinienne. En 1964 par exemple, le Conseil National Palestinien a été créé lors d'un sommet, marquant le début d'une représentation officielle pour le peuple palestinien sur la scène internationale. Dix ans plus tard, en 1974, un autre sommet a reconnu l'OLP comme le seul représentant légitime du peuple palestinien, renforçant ainsi son poids diplomatique dans les négociations de paix qui ont conduit aux Accords d'Oslo. La Wataniya (ou nationalisme territorial), de son côté, se concentre plus sur l'identité nationale au sein des frontières étatiques existantes. Il semblerait que ces deux formes de nationalisme coexistent souvent, créant un paradoxe où une identité nationale forte côtoie une identité arabe partagée. Leyla Dakhli, historienne tunisienne, explique ce paradoxe en affirmant que malgré les divisions entre et au sein des pays arabes, le nationalisme arabe s’est appuyé sur une culture populaire, diffuse, afin de le transmuer en « culture officielle. » Le sentiment d’appartenance au sein des Etats arabes se manifeste aujourd’hui depuis le 7 octobre 2023, les peuples et les États arabes affichant un soutien unifié à la Palestine. De Tunis à Amman, en passant par Le Caire, de nombreuses manifestations de solidarité ont eu lieu, soutenues par des déclarations des chefs d'État arabes. Le 4 mars dernier, lors du Sommet arabe qui s’est déroulé au Caire, les dirigeants des États arabes ont adopté un plan de 53 milliards de dollars sur cinq ans pour la reconstruction de la bande de Gaza, rejetant unanimement le plan de Donald Trump visant à déplacer les habitants de Gaza. Le président libanais a affirmé qu'il n'y aurait pas de paix sans la libération totale du territoire et la restitution des droits légitimes des Palestiniens. Aoun a souligné que la souveraineté complète et stable du Liban est intrinsèquement liée au rétablissement total de la Syrie et à l'indépendance de la Palestine: « le Liban retrouve aujourd'hui sa légitimité arabe » grâce au soutien constant de ses alliés, affirme t-il, mettant en lumière l'interdépendance des luttes arabes. Selon lui, la véritable indépendance et la légitimité du Liban ne peuvent ainsi être atteintes que dans le cadre d'une unité arabe renforcée. Cependant, malgré un engagement historique en faveur de la cause palestinienne, l'implication des pays arabes semble diminuer au fil du temps. Lors du Sommet de Khartoum en 1967, les pays arabes avaient adopté une position ferme, refusant toute reconnaissance d’Israël. Pourtant, plusieurs pays ont aujourd'hui normalisé leurs relations avec Israël. L'identité palestinienne se distingue progressivement de l'arabité régionale, devenant une identité nationale propre. Selon Elias Sanbar dans Figures du Palestinien , les Palestiniens ne sont plus simplement des habitants d'une terre arabe, mais un peuple avec une identité distincte. Il affirme qu’ils sont même délaissés par leurs frères arabes, qui sont « pour la cause palestinienne, mais contre les Palestiniens . »: alors que les régimes arabes ont soutenu la cause palestinienne comme un enjeu politique contre Israël, ils ont souvent marginalisé les Palestiniens eux-mêmes, par crainte de déstabilisation interne et pour préserver leurs intérêts nationaux. Néanmoins, le Sommet arabe du 4 mars semblerait révéler une exception à une longue période de quasi-désengagement. Ce rassemblement pourrait-il marquer une réaffirmation de la solidarité arabe et un regain d'intérêt pour les aspirations nationales palestiniennes? Le plan adopté pourrait en effet, potentiellement, révéler un retour de la lutte des pays arabes pour la cause palestinienne. Les réseaux sociaux et les médias comme Al-Jazeera ont à leur tour favorisé cette ré-émergence d'un sentiment d'appartenance parmi les peuples arabes. Selon Benjamin Stora , « des gens entrent en contact les uns avec les autres et se comprennent par le biais d’une langue arabe renouvelée, standardisée. Une langue qui peut être comprise du Maroc jusqu’aux Émirats, contredisant les versions distinctes, séparées, opposées des langues nationales arabes. Les moyens technologiques modernes favorisent un néo-nationalisme arabe. L’idée du nationalisme arabe reste à l’ordre du jour. » Dans ce contexte, la position américaine reste cruciale dans la résolution du conflit israélo-palestinien. Marie-Joëlle Zahar souligne que l'avenir d'un plan arabe crédible dépendra en grande partie des intentions de l'État israélien et du soutien américain. Au-delà de l'humanitaire, « ce sont des enjeux profondément politiques, ». L’enjeu est « la manière dont on résout les conflits, ce qui est acceptable et ne l’est pas, c'est la valeur du droit international. » « Si ce plan n'est pas au moins considéré par les États-Unis, la situation pourrait être critique, » a-t-elle poursuivi. Ainsi, si la cause palestinienne continue de fédérer un certain nationalisme arabe, son expression politique et concrète s’effrite face aux dynamiques nationales et aux réalités géopolitiques. Dans ce contexte, la position américaine demeure déterminante : sans une prise en compte sérieuse par Washington, toute initiative arabe risque de rester symbolique, accentuant l’isolement progressif des Palestiniens. Photo source: Ramy Raoof on flickr

Sports Recap – December 2022 < Back December Sports Recap By Hugo Lagergren December 31, 2022 World Cup Argentina defeated France on penalties in a thrilling World Cup Final to win its third title and its first since 1986. The match ended 3-3 after 120 minutes and saw Kylian Mbappé, France’s star boy, spearhead two late comebacks by scoring a hattrick. Despite this, Argentina were comfortably in control of much of the game after two early goals from Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria. The French team, who appeared overwhelmed by the whole occasion, struggled to get into the game during the first half and seemed dazed by an assertive Argentinian performance, a phenomenon which spilled over into the penalty shootout. Millions of Argentines piled onto the streets of Buenos Aires on Monday to celebrate their country’s victory. The Plaza de la Repúblic was a sea of light blue and white euphoria, with people hanging from bus stops and buildings, chanting songs, and generally rejoicing about their national team’s success. Lionel Messi, the most decorated football player in world history, added to his locker the one major trophy that has forever eluded him. After he confirmed before the tournament that the Qatar World Cup would be his final World Cup, much of the world’s attention has been focused on him. Therefore, this feels like a fitting end to his journey with the national team, even though he has since said that he will continue playing for the national team. After the match, President Emmanuel Macron attempted to comfort the French players, who were trying to win back-to-back World Cups for the first time since Brazil in 1958 and 1962. Fans quickly noticed a tense interaction between President Macron and Mbappé, who looked inconsolable. President Macron, a passionate football fan, who rarely misses an opportunity to support the national team, phoned Kylian Mbappé in 2021 when he wanted to leave PSG and helped persuade him to stay in France, at least until this World Cup. Fans and journalists were reminded of this and criticized Macron for instrumentalizing his relationship with Mbappé and the French national team. However, as the World Cup has now come to a close, the world has begun to digest what has undoubtedly been one of the most controversial World Cups since the tournament’s conception in 1930. The controversy started in 2010 when Sepp Blatter, the then-president of FIFA, announced to the world that Qatar had won the right to host the 2022 World Cup. The football world was shell-shocked by this. How could Qatar, one of the smallest sovereign nations in the world, host football’s biggest tournament successfully? Many pointed to the lack of infrastructure and an absence of any footballing culture. Increasingly, people accused FIFA of operating with a lack of transparency. In 2015, the U.S. Department of Justice confirmed many people’s suspicions by indicting 14 top football officials, seven of which worked for FIFA. The accusations, ranging from bribery and fraud to money laundering, stated that these officials were involved in several deals to influence media and marketing rights for FIFA games and the bidding processes concerning international tournaments, such as the World Cup. This triggered a cascade of criminal investigations into FIFA, notably into FIFA’s then-president, Sepp Blatter, and his relationship with Michel Platini, a favorite to replace him. Both resigned and have been involved in criminal proceedings until recently. Perhaps more importantly, Qatar has been the subject of much criticism regarding its human rights record. As the tournament approached, public attention shifted away from FIFA’s corruption issues, instead focusing on the treatment of migrant workers in Qatar, most of whom have been working on World Cup-related projects since 2010. Qatari officials have largely denied accusations of mistreatment. However, in an interview with Piers Morgan last month, the secretary-general of Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, Hassan al-Thawadi, admitted that the number of migrant worker deaths relating to World Cup projects is “between 400 and 500”. Qatar has since disputed this figure. Notwithstanding this higher-than-usual estimate from a Qatari official, the truth appears even more damning. In February of 2021, The Guardian revealed that around 6,500 migrant workers have died since Qatar was awarded the World Cup in 2010. Thousands of families of the deceased migrant workers await compensation from FIFA and Qatar to no avail. The World Cup in Qatar has also been the costliest in terms of its carbon footprint. Despite the tournament being played in the winter, Qatar fitted each open-air stadium with industrial-scale air conditioning. Many concerns were also raised regarding Qatar’s criminalization of homosexuality. Initially, the England team said they would wear the rainbow ‘One Love’ armband in support of the LGBTQ+ community. FIFA, arguing that it disrespected local customs, strong-armed the England squad, among others, into dropping any forms of public support. Football has always prided itself on being a game of equality and inclusion. Together, FIFA and Qatar have obliterated this. And yet, not only are they walking away relatively unscathed, they appear all the richer for it. Qatar got its time in the spotlight, highlighting its desire to be considered a major global player and FIFA raked in over $7bn in revenue since the previous World Cup. Argentina may have won the football, but the real winners of the 2022 World Cup are Qatar and FIFA. While Qatar 2022 may have been the costliest, most bloodstained and environmentally unfriendly World Cup in history, there is no sign that change is on the horizon. It is part of a worrying trend of sports washing, which fans are becoming increasingly numb to. Countries such as China and Saudi Arabia, where authoritarianism runs unchecked and human rights are neglected, are being considered candidates for future World Cups. Is there a point where fans and politicians finally decide that enough is enough and FIFA cannot be allowed to parade itself above the moral duties of all citizens to stand for human rights? After all, no amount of lives lost is justified by the thrill of watching Lionel Messi’s Argentina take on Mbappé’s France, however spectacular they might be. Or is the twisted money-making spectacle that is FIFA destined to continue flouting questions of morality and decency in the name of football? Regardless of what the future looks like for football’s governing body, there is no doubt that despite the gripping nature of the football, which saw an unlikely Moroccan success story unfold and highlighted the dwindling presence of heavyweights Belgium and Germany in world football, Qatar 2022 leaves a bitter taste in one’s mouth when we consider the cost of this World Cup. Boxing Tyson Fury, 34, retained his WBC world heavyweight title by stopping Derek Chisora, 38, in the 10th round of their fight via TKO. Despite Fury coming out of retirement to fight Chisora, there was little doubt among pundits and enthusiasts that Fury would prove too difficult a challenge for Chisora, who has lost four of his last five fights. Indeed, the mismatch was clear from the outset as Fury dominated his opponent until the referee stopped the fight, as Chisora was visibly hurt. Fury’s victory sets up a potential undisputed heavyweight bout against undefeated Ukrainian fighter Oleksandr Usyk, the current WBA, IBF, WBO & IBO champion. Rugby Union England Rugby sacked coach Eddie Jones only three months before the beginning of the Six Nations tournament. England will be looking to improve their record in the tournament, which has seen them finish fifth and third in the past two years. France has continued to put on a solid display with wins over Japan and South Africa, seeing them finish 2022 unbeaten. In February of 2023, they will be looking to defend their Six Nations title.

Palestine continues to dissolve like an Alka-Seltzer on global maps. Newly sworn-in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised to enforce this in a Dec. 28 tweet: “The Jewish people have an exclusive and unquestionable right to all areas of the land of Israel.” < Back Radical Panaceas: Netanyahu Shamelessly Promises to Annex Designated Palestinian Territories By Lara-Nour Walton December 31, 2022 Palestine continues to dissolve like an Alka-Seltzer on global maps. Newly sworn-in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised to enforce this in a Dec. 28 tweet : “The Jewish people have an exclusive and unquestionable right to all areas of the land of Israel.” Such a statement comes as an affront to official United States’ regional efforts, which claimed to prioritize “ peace over the sovereignty movement ” since Aug. 2020. Netanyahu’s predicted course of action would, conversely, “formulate and promote policies within whose framework sovereignty will be applied to Judea and Samaria.” Such an approach would remove distinctions between Israel and designated Palestinian Territories like Gaza and the occupied West Bank, thus paving the way for further settlement and strife under the Netanyahu administration. West Bank settler and Religious Zionism champion Bezalel Smotrich will be finance minister, overseeing essential aspects of Palestinian life in occupied territories. Similarly, West Bank settler and Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) leader, Itamar Ben-Gvir , will manage the state police per his national security minister position. Ben-Gvir is a particularly contentious pick considering his public expressions of racism and ardent support for Meir Kahane’s ultranationalist and anti-Arab Kach party. A spokesperson for Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas laments that the new Netanyahu coalition will “constitute a dangerous escalation and will have repercussions for the region.” Yet, Palestinian resistance has historically had little bearing on Israeli national vision — an estimated 600,000 Jewish Israelis reside in the 140 settlements that pockmark the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel’s 1967 occupation of the aforementioned regions is widely considered a breach of international law and directly contributes to the displacement and subjugation of the indigenous Palestinian demographic, though Israel disputes these claims. Palestinian self-determination within Israeli borders has been minimized to such an extent that Netanyahu’s coalition partners dismiss the two-state solution altogether. However, such a development has been a long time coming, with both Israelis and Palestinians increasingly scrapping the two-state compromise in favor of more radical panaceas. A 2014 Washington Institute for Near East Policy survey disclosed that most Palestinians hope to see the wholesale reclamation of historical Palestine “from the river to the sea,” while a mere 27 percent endorse a two-state solution. Declining support for moderate policies, like the two-state agreement, only extends the protracted regional quagmire, with neither side willing to relinquish land for fear of international erasure. However, one Palestinian Twitter user, @Jennineak, acknowledged the Israeli-Palestinian power imbalance by denouncing Netanyahu’s recent remarks as inciting “ ethnic cleansing .” Anti-Netanyahu animus is not confined to Palestinian populations. He is serving a record sixth term as Israeli Prime Minister, and his return was not smooth sailing. Only last year, eight opposition parties united to oust him from office after four deadlocked elections and a corruption scandal. The Yesh Atid coalition, led by the outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapid, is one such party determined to regain state control. Netanyahu was sworn in without decorum — no ceremonial power handover took place and a note scrawled in Lapid’s handwriting “Lapid – 2024” awaited him on the Prime Minister’s desk. Furthermore, the Israeli public and international community fear that discrimination may surface with the ascendance of newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister Avi Maoz and his anti-LGBTQ Noam party. Maoz has already called for the ban of Jerusalem's Gay Pride Parade and opposes women’s military participation and non-Jewish immigration to the country. His strict observance of Jewish law has the potential to be institutionalized — Israel’s anti-discrimination law may be amended to allow businesses to refuse services on religious grounds. Despite Netanyahu’s move to include the openly gay Parliamentary Speaker Amir Ohana in his coalition, growing agitation is latent among certain Israelis. Queer activist Daniel Johnas expressed that, for the first time, he is afraid to fly the rainbow flag in his country’s streets. Other critics are apprehensive in the face of coalition resolve to pass legislation that would vest a parliamentary majority with the power to override Supreme Court decisions. Netanyahu remains unfazed by domestic and international disenchantment. He informed the Knesset that, alongside his annexation plans, his new administration aims to expand Israel’s arsenal of Arab regional allies and hinder Iran from acquiring nuclear weaponry. The Prime Minister was sworn in on Dec. 29, 2022, yet, his term has already proven to be turbulent. Only time will tell how the most right-wing government in Israeli history will fare.

The success of the Moroccan team at the 2022 FIFA World Cup has disrupted the traditional balance of football. It has shown how the unassuming underdogs can, with the right combination of teamwork, persistence, and a steadfast, strong-willed, bald-headed coach — Walid Regragui, nicknamed “avocado head”— attain new heights. < Back Morocco's World Cup Success Sends the World a Powerful Statement By Colin Lim January 31, 2023 “Avec nos lions!” triumphantly proclaimed the destination displays of the Casablanca buses. Although the Atlas Lions had lost the World Cup semifinals to France a week earlier, the feeling of triumph was palpable under the balmy December sun. As traffic flowed along the wide boulevards of Morocco’s financial hub, adorned with red and green flags, the national team was eagerly welcomed home 80 kilometers away in Rabat. Riding in an open-top bus, conspicuously emblazoned with the national rallying cry, “Dima Maghrib,” the players were greeted by thousands of jubilant fans who recognized and appreciated the magnitude of their accomplishment. The fact that Morocco’s national football team had even made it to this point was an impressive feat. Their unprecedented success rallied Morocco, the Moroccan diaspora, and Muslim communities of disparate origins worldwide behind a single team. As the first Arab or African country to advance to the semifinals, Morocco managed, at long last, to break the glass ceiling that had been so inviolably reserved for European and South American teams, the traditional strongholds of professional football. The players, whose feline moniker dates back to an extinct species that used to roam the mountains of North Africa, carry an array of passports, as the 26-person lineup includes only 12 players born on Moroccan soil and others born in France, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium and Canada. As the Moroccan team advanced through the World Cup, defeating Belgium, Canada, Spain, and Portugal, they captivated their audience and the world with several iconic images. Photographs that went viral displayed players’ jubilee — even embracing and kissing their mothers, à la Achraf Hakimi. Several photos of Moroccan players and staff united in prayer on the field, all facing the qibla and publicly affirming their faith, gained momentum among Muslim communities globally. The visibility of their devotion in the face of anti-Muslim sentiment in their European birth countries offered a source of inspiration and empowerment. The success of the Moroccan team at the 2022 FIFA World Cup has disrupted the traditional balance of football. It has shown how the unassuming underdogs can, with the right combination of teamwork, persistence and a steadfast, strong-willed, bald-headed coach — Walid Regragui, nicknamed “avocado head”— attain new heights. The Atlas Lions will showcase their improvements at the next World Cup in North America, potentially contributing even more to the diversification of successful football teams.

Qatar’s movement towards a more democratic political system highlights the country as a progressive force in the region, which can help it gain assistance and recognition by important international actors such as the United States or the European Union. < Back The First Democratic Elections in Qatar- Democratic or Diplomatic? By Emilia Kohlmeyer November 29, 2021 On October 21, the Gulf emirate Qatar held its first elections for the government’s legislative body, Majlis Al Shura (commonly referred to as the Shura or Advisory Council). The monarchy has been continuously delaying its elections since 2007 — although the Qatari constitution outlined the first elections to commence as early as 2004. The Shura is composed of 30 popularly elected seats and 15 seats appointed by the Emir. It is responsible for approving the national budget as well as drafting, discussing, and voting on proposed legislation — however, with some legal restrictions. Eligible to vote are native Qatari citizens over the age of 18 — excluding a large number of naturalized citizens. While Qatar has a population of almost three million residents, only about 10% hold citizenship — and an even smaller portion is of 'native' descent. The controversial electoral law, outlined in the 2005 Nationality law, requires proof that one’s grandfather was born in Qatar. This led to backslash over the exclusion of the prominent Al Murrah tribe, sparking multiple arrests of members. Independent candidates over the age of 30 are permitted to run for an office term of four years, given that they are recognized native citizens, have no criminal convictions, exhibit good character, and are fluent in written and spoken Arabic. Political parties are banned in the emirate. Furthermore, foreign funding was strictly prohibited and a maximum budget of two million riyals, equivalent to 500.000 euros, was set for a maximum campaign of two weeks. The vote was divided in 30 electoral districts with a total of 284 candidates distributed on 30 seats. There were 28 female candidates, however none were successful. The elected candidates were largely composed of former government officials and influential businessmen. The functions of the Shura Council According to the constitution, Qatar has a democratic system which is based on the separation of powers. Furthermore, Article 76 states, “The Advisory Council assumes the Legislative Power, approves the State's public budget and exercises the function of ‘watchdog’ over the Executive Power, according to the manner stipulated in this Constitution.” The Majalis Al Shura has the power to approve the national budget and to draft, discuss, and vote on proposed legislation. In ordinary circumstances, the Cabinet would propose laws which are then passed on to the Shura Council for verification. Once the Advisory Council passes a bill by majority, it must be passed to the Emir for approval. If he rejects the bill, it must be resubmitted to the council within three months with a given explanation. However, if the Council passes the same bill again by a two-thirds majority the emir is required to pass the law. The emir, as executive power, also has the right, according to Article 70 of the constitution, to issue laws in ‘exceptional circumstances’ for a limited period of time – without consultation of the Council. However, to extend this law, the Shura Council must approve it with a two-thirds majority within 40 days of submission. Hence, constitutionally, the executive’s power is limited by the requirement to consult the Shura Council. Elections in Qatar: Progressive or Utilitarian? Qatar is one of the wealthiest states of the world, possessing the third largest natural gas reserve, which provides the state with 70% of government revenue and 60% of the GDP. This has allowed the country to provide generous benefits to its citizens, such as free healthcare, education, no taxes, and a monthly income. Therefore, while neighboring states such as Bahrain and Saudi Arabia faced political turmoil in context of the Arab Spring protests, Qatar faced essentially no opposition by its population. The Arab Opinion Index of 2019/2020 affirmed that 98% of the population believed the political situation in Qatar was either good or very good. Furthermore, the level of democracy was assessed as 7.5/10, ranking remarkably higher than other countries in the region. This can be mostly attributed to the rent the population receives, but as well due to their size. The government is known to have historically made concessions with tribal figures, which largely dominate the civilian political discourse. Qatar’s political sphere is therefore largely run under the notion of ‘no taxes, no voice.’ However, the elections can be seen as an anticipatory effort by the government to decrease the number of natural resources while the population increases. This will inevitably reduce the economic rent, and limit the government's leverage over the population. To maintain the social contract on which the monarchy relies, an increase in popular political participation reduces the responsibility of providing rent, and potentially facilitates the implementation of policies such as taxation. Furthermore, the elections can be regarded as a move to appeal to international powers. Qatar has been increasingly acting as a mediator in conflicts, such as in Middle Eastern countries during the Arab Spring, as well as negotiating with Israel on behalf of the Palestinian cause. This has conflicted with Saudi Arabia’s anticipations as the guard and mediator of the region. Its movement towards a more democratic political system highlights Qatar as a progressive force in the region, which can help it gain assistance and recognition by important international actors such as the United States or the European Union.

After two political comebacks and an ongoing legal battle, this term presents Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s final opportunity to alter his legacy. < Back As Netanyahu Regains Power, the Far-Right Flourishes By Peyton Dashiell November 30, 2022 With nearly all votes counted from the Nov. 1, 2022, Israeli election, former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is poised to return to the role, continuing his reign as the longest-serving prime minister in Israeli history. As his Likud party and several right-wing coalition partners obtained a stable parliamentary majority, there may be an end in sight for Israel’s protracted political crisis, which has sparked five snap elections since 2019. Netanyahu, who formerly served as Prime Minister from 1996 to 1999 and 2009 to 2021, leads the center-right Likud party. His decades-long political career has overseen the Oslo Accords, both Intifadas, disengagement from Gaza and the Abraham Accords. Netanyahu’s position on Palestinian statehood has shifted many times. After opposing a Palestinian state early in his career, he reversed course in his 2009 Bar Ilan speech, supporting a two-state solution as long as the Palestinian government agreed to demilitarize. However, he condemned a two-state solution ahead of the 2015 Israeli elections, and many of his coalition partners support full Israeli annexation of the West Bank. Within Israel, Netanyahu advocates for free-market principles — he has eased Israeli foreign exchange controls, reduced the size of the public sector and passed anti-monopoly and anti-cartel laws to increase economic competition. Regionally, he has attempted to maintain a delicate power balance with Iran and Saudi Arabia, strongly condemning any Western nuclear deal with Iran as a threat to Israel’s security. And despite his alignment with religiously conservative parties, Netanyahu himself comes from a secular background and supports some progressive social issues like same-sex marriage. In 2019, Netanyahu was indicted on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust, all of which he denies. The investigation into these charges is ongoing; a loophole in Israeli law requires officials under investigation for corruption to resign from all government offices except that of prime minister, allowing Netanyahu to take office despite his legal battles. His trial resumed on November 7 — the Jerusalem District Court will hear testimony regarding the Gifts Affairs, in which Netanyahu and his wife are accused of accepting $200,000 in gifts from billionaire Arnon Milchan in exchange for helping him obtain a U.S. visa and securing tax exemptions. Israel is a parliamentary democracy — the Israeli President, whose power is mostly ceremonial, nominates a member of the parliament (Knesset) to become Prime Minister, typically the leader of the largest party. The nominee is then tasked with creating a multi-party coalition with at least 61 out of 120 Knesset seats to retain power. This election was the fifth in four years due to a parliamentary crisis over Netanyahu’s leadership — the liberal wing of the Knesset has refused to create a coalition with Netanyahu, while Likud has insisted on keeping Netanyahu as party leader, resulting in an unstable coalition majority. In this election, Likud secured 32 Knesset seats, the largest share of any party. The Yesh Atid coalition, led by outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapid, earned the second-largest share with 24 seats. Netanyahu has begun coalition talks with the Religious Zionism, Shas and United Torah Judaism parties, which won 14, 11 and seven seats, respectively. Overall, the coalition will hold 64 seats, safeguarding it against the fragility of past coalitions with smaller majorities. The far-right Religious Zionist party, led by Bezalel Smotrich, merged with Itamar Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party to gain 14 Knesset seats and join Netanyahu’s coalition. Ben Gvir is associated with the Kahanist movement and Kach party — both banned by Israel in 1994 due to incitement of terrorism and racism against Arabs and labeled as terrorist organizations by the United States, the European Union and Japan. Ben Gvir, who was disqualified from service in the Israeli Defense Forces due to his radical views, has faced dozens of hate speech charges and called for the expulsion of Palestinian citizens of Israel viewed as disloyal to the Israeli government. The domestic agendas of Religious Zionism and Otzma Yehudit espouse religious conservatism — both parties oppose same-sex marriage and call for increased federal funding for religious studies. Additionally, Religious Zionism has expressed aims to vest the Knesset with the power to override the Israeli High Court. Right-wing leaders have heavily criticized the High Court for rulings on settlement construction, detention of African asylum seekers and the ability of Reform and Conservative Jewish converts to gain Israeli citizenship. While Netanyahu distanced himself from Ben Gvir on the campaign trail, the leaders met in coalition talks in Tel Aviv on Nov. 7. Ben Gvir expressed his aim to become public security minister, a role that manages police oversight and training. The success of Religious Zionism and Otzma Yehudit came at the expense of the Israeli left. For the first time since its establishment in 1992, left-wing party Meretz failed to pass the electoral threshold and gain any Knesset representation. Meretz leader Zehava Galon denounced the Religious Zionist party and labeled the election results a “disaster for Meretz, a disaster for the country, and yes, a disaster for me personally.” Prime Minister Yair Lapid has garnered blame for blocking coalition efforts between Meretz and Yesh Atid, claiming that both parties would securely pass the threshold. English Track first-year Roey Ofer has supported Meretz in the past five elections due to their resistance to West Bank annexation and advocacy against human rights violations. Ofer rejects the narrative that Lapid is solely culpable for left-wing failures: “I believe the respective leaders of each party are to be blamed for not being willing to unite their lists as well as providing voters with a solid ideological alternative which is not merely a negation of their opponents.” Arab parties Ra’am and Hadash Ta’al increased their seats to five each, while the Balad party failed to cross the electoral threshold. The three parties, along with Mada, previously comprised The Joint List, a coalition of Arab-majority parties that served as the third largest faction in the Knesset. However, the coalition dissolved in September after several members from different parties left due to ideological disputes. Palestinian citizens of Israel, who make up nearly one-fifth of the Israeli population, have much lower voter turnout rates than Jewish Israelis — only 55 percent cast votes this cycle. While second-year Sama Nabulsi attributes this low turnout to the Knesset’s disinterest in ameliorating Palestinian conditions, she doesn’t believe that past anti-Palestinian legislation or disillusionment from prior coalition shortcomings should discourage Palestinian citizens from voting: “ I think Palestinians with the ability to vote should vote for three main reasons. First, to push the power away from far-right and generally racist parties. Second, if they choose to vote for Arab parties, to be able to secure some control and representation in the parliament. And third, to be able to build strength in the Palestinian voice for future elections and parliaments, a higher voter turnout creates an efficient voting bloc that would help constitute what the future government may look like. I don’t know how far a Palestinian voice can go in the makeup of the Israeli parliament today, but I believe that the battle isn’t over yet. ” Reversing trends seen globally, the rightward shift in this election was primarily driven by young, first-time voters — supporters of right-wing, religious parties specifically skewed young, male and Orthodox. A pre-election survey from the Israel Democracy Institute found that 71 percent of Israelis under age 24 identify as right-wing, compared to 47 percent of those 35 and older. Once a political pariah, Itamar Ben Gvir enjoys support from the incoming prime minister, and Religious Zionism is now the third largest party in the Knesset. Regarding overall election consequences, an anonymous second-year said, “there are many concerns that arise from this election, from the incorporation of once extremist and radical views into the Israeli political mainstream to dangers to Israel’s democracy, especially within the judiciary.” They also noted increased division within Israeli politics: “the high number of Orthodox and Ultra-Orthodox lawmakers and the ever-increasing rift between Israel and Diaspora Jews also offer little reason for hope.” Despite his cumulative 15 years in office, Netanyahu’s third term is unlikely to bring stagnancy to Israeli politics. Emboldened by his strong coalition majority, Netanyahu can pursue an ambitious agenda — he has highlighted normalization with Arab countries as a key priority, building upon the 2020 Abraham Accords he signed with former U.S. President Donald Trump. However, questions remain about the impact of his religious, right-wing coalition partners — will they significantly shape Israeli security and social issues, or will Netanyahu work to temper their aims and maintain the status quo? After two political comebacks and an ongoing legal battle, this term presents Netanyahu’s final opportunity to alter his legacy.