The politics of other countries are often difficult to understand. Venezuela’s situation is a case in point. It currently has two men laying claim to being the real president as well as two National Assemblies and many doubts about how to apply the country’s Constitution. To help contextualise this situation, Daniel Hellinger, Professor Emeritus of International Relations at Webster University and currently a Fullbright Professor at Universidad Autónoma in Madrid, has created a chronology of the last months in Venezuela. He explains why both presidents think they have the right to their demands and how politics and the society have reached this degree of polarization.

The growing role that China plays on the African continent has attracted a lot of keen interest from policymakers, academics and pundits, as well as debate about whether the Asian giant is a force for good or bad in Africa. But, Theo Neethling argues, another global player has been growing its strategic presence on the continent: Russia. He suggests more focus is needed on Vladimir Putin’s plans.