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The self-proclaimed Islamic State in the Greater Sahara has been blamed for an attack in Niger which killed US and local soldiers. Now the US is considering bolstering its military presence in the West African nation. But army boots on the ground are not necessarily the best thing for Niger’s citizens, warn Yvan Guichaoua and Andrew Lebovich. US authorities should instead ask how they can contribute to stability in Niger by getting involved with the diplomatic and development programmes that are already in place.
Internationally, it’s been a good six months for Venezuela’s opposition alliance. They’ve garnered a great deal of sympathy and support around the globe, and won a major humanitarian award. Marco Aponte-Moreno writes that it’s a different story at home: President Nicolás Maduro has consolidated his power and the resistance movement is flagging.
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A US army team carry the remains of Sgt. Dustin Wright, one of the soldiers killed in Niger.
Reuters/Aaron J. Jenne/US Air Force
Yvan Guichaoua, University of Kent; Andrew Lebovich, Columbia University
If the US, simply focuses on trying to hunt down jihadist leaders in Niger it will be missing an opportunity to address the underlying causes of violence in the region.
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Politics + Society
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Marco Aponte-Moreno, St Mary's College of California
After the Maduro regime won Venezuela's recent gubernatorial elections, results are contested, people are desperate and the opposition has fractured. Can the resistance survive this setback?
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James L. Gelvin, University of California, Los Angeles
Sayfullo Saipov, the suspect in the Manhattan bike path attack, wasn't a devout Muslim. He cursed and came late to prayers. A terrorism expert explains why such a man may want to be a martyr.
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Frans Viljoen, University of Pretoria
A dispute between the African Union's executive and the commission responsible for overseeing human rights could weaken the protection of peoples' rights.
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Soledad Stoessel, National University of La Plata
Ecuador's new president, Lenin Moreno, has been disavowed by the party that brought him to power after disputing with his left-wing predecessor.
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Cities
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Joe Upton, University of Sussex
This highly-stylised slice of the Orient was originally a defence against racism.
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Science + Technology
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Samuel Levin, University of Oxford
Aliens are highly likely to undergo natural selection, shows new research.
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