Ethiopia’s renewed push for access to the Red Sea is sharply escalating tensions with neighbouring Eritrea, with both governments exchanging accusations of military provocations along the border. The briefing warns that “whatever the outcome, war will devastate,” underscoring fears that any miscalculation could trigger conflict reminiscent of past hostilities. The standoff now threatens regional stability, raising concerns among analysts, diplomats, and humanitarian agencies who note that both countries remain deeply sensitive to territorial and security disputes. The dispute is unfolding at a delicate moment for the Horn of Africa, where shifting alliances and competing port access negotiations are increasing geopolitical pressure.

Ethiopia steps up fundamental institutional and legal reforms

The government is advancing far-reaching institutional and legal reforms aimed at strengthening the justice sector and improving governance . According to the briefing, Ethiopia is “implementing reforms to strengthen justice institutions,” changes that could significantly shape internal political dynamics as well as its relationships with regional neighbours, including Eritrea. These reforms, which appear in both the Eritrea and Ethiopia political briefing sections, are described as essential for Ethiopia’s long-term economic development and its aspirations for deeper regional integration. The restructuring of judicial and legal frameworks is also being closely watched as Ethiopia navigates internal fragmentation and post-conflict reconstruction.

National Dialogue Commission intensifies calls for civic and religious involvement

Amid ongoing political fragmentation, the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission is urging civic, community, and religious organisations to expand their involvement in helping resolve the country’s mounting challenges . The briefing links this appeal to broader concerns about Ethiopia’s political and economic future, noting that “Ethiopia’s political fragmentation is seen as a major economic bottleneck,” and emphasising that the National Dialogue is a “critical step toward reconciliation.” The Commission warns that sustainable peace will require inclusive participation beyond federal and regional elites, particularly from groups that hold significant moral authority among the population. The success of the national dialogue is increasingly seen as pivotal to preventing renewed conflict and unlocking stalled economic recovery efforts.

Ethiopia’s continental influence highlighted as GERD is hailed as a symbol of unity

Ethiopia’s strategic role within Africa is being elevated on multiple fronts. The CEO of the East Africa Law Society has underscored that Ethiopia remains “central to Africa’s transformation,” pointing to the completion of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) as a powerful symbol of national self-reliance and unity. The commentary emphasises that Ethiopia’s internal stability and institutional strength will directly shape regional progress, particularly in areas of infrastructure, energy, and economic integration. This recognition comes as Ethiopia also assumes a leadership role within the UN-ECA Committee on Social Policy, Poverty, and Gender, alongside Eswatini and other African states—a sign of its enduring diplomatic influence despite domestic challenges.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has again emphasised the government's willingness to hold dialogue with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), reaffirming that the offer remains open. He criticised PTI’s earlier decision to boycott the elections, framing the government’s stance as one of openness while expressing frustration with what he described as PTI’s inconsistent political strategy.

Polling completed peacefully with transparent voter participation

The government reported that polling activities concluded without major incidents, describing the process as peaceful and transparent. Officials highlighted strong and orderly voter participation, pointing to the day as an example of improving electoral management and rising public engagement in the democratic process.

Dialogue offer to PTI remains active, says federal leadership

Reiterating the earlier message, senior government members, including Sanaullah, clarified that the prime minister’s offer for political dialogue with PTI remains on the table . This message aims to signal political maturity and readiness to negotiate despite ongoing tensions between rival parties.

PML-N invites PTI to talks following cooperation signals from KP leadership

A fresh opening appeared after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur Afridi signalled readiness to cooperate. In response, PML-N leaders, notably Sanaullah, extended a renewed invitation to PTI for dialogue. The development is seen as a potential thaw in relations between the two major political camps.

Pakistan’s resilience highlighted by Ahsan Iqbal

Ahsan Iqbal stressed that Pakistan remains a resilient nation capable of rising stronger from ongoing economic and political challenges. He emphasised the country’s inherent strength and potential, framing this moment as an opportunity for national renewal and collective improvement.

AU Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat has strongly condemned the recent wave of violence in Al-Fashar, urging both sides to stop fighting and open corridors for humanitarian aid.

But on the ground, the situation is heartbreaking. The UN says civilians are enduring unimaginable suffering, from mass killings and sexual violence to starvation and forced disappearances under the Rapid Support Forces’ siege.

Tensions are also rising internationally. At an emergency UN Security Council meeting in New York , Sudan accused the United Arab Emirates of secretly funding and arming the RSF. The UAE rejected the claim, instead blaming Sudan’s army for stalling peace efforts.

Both the AU and UN now face growing frustration over slow progress. While AU mediators work to revive peace talks, the UN continues to push for access to deliver aid and hold perpetrators accountable.

For millions of Sudanese people trapped in this nightmare, hope feels distant. Observers warn that the coming days could reveal whether the AU and UN can still make a difference, or if they’ll once again stand by as another humanitarian disaster unfolds.

That long, narrow nation stretches into South America’s Pacific coast for 4,270 kilometres. This comparison shines a light on Chile’s extraordinary geography and the sheer variety of climates contained within its thin boundaries.

From the Atacama Desert in the north to the glaciers of Patagonia in the far south, Chile stretches over 33 degrees of latitude. It occupies a narrow strip of land between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean, measuring 4,270 kilometres from north to south while averaging only about 175 kilometres wide.

The country’s present shape emerged from a combination of rugged topography and historical events: the Andes formed a natural barrier to the east, and colonial expansion, followed by 19th‑century wars, extended Chile’s reach north and south.

Travelling the length of Chile is like journeying from London to Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso or from New York to Bogotá—it’s that long.

This extreme length produces remarkable environmental contrasts. In southern Chile, including Tierra del Fuego, a maritime climate prevails; some parts receive up to 4,000 millimetres of rain a year, though cities such as Punta Arenas get a much more modest 410 millimetres.

Central Chile around Santiago enjoys a Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and mild, wetter winters, averaging around 275 millimetres of annual rainfall. At the northern extreme, the Atacama Desert sees almost no rainfall because the cold Humboldt Current suppresses cloud formation.

In just a few thousand kilometres, you move from snow‑capped Andean peaks and fjords to fertile valleys and some of the driest landscapes on Earth.

Understanding the Moon’s Scale

Placing Chile and the Moon in the same sentence invites curiosity about the Moon’s true size. Astronomers describe the Moon as a mid‑sized natural satellite: Universe Today reports its diameter as approximately 3,474 kilometres.

Space.com , citing NASA data, notes that the Moon’s mean radius is 1,737.5 kilometres, giving a mean diameter of about 3,475 kilometres, and that it orbits Earth at an average distance of roughly 384,400 kilometres.

In other words, the Moon spans just over a quarter of Earth’s width and sits about thirty Earth diameters away. If our planet were scaled to the size of a nickel, the Moon would be no bigger than a coffee bean.

According to the graphic:

While these figures illustrate the incredible size of modern megacities, recent population data shows that the actual numbers are often even larger..

The global significance of megacities

Megacities are more than just population centres. They are hubs of economic power, cultural exchange, and innovation. Yet, their rapid expansion also creates pressing challenges:

Modernisation is a mission for almost every African nation. It’s a process which has many facets and no single route. Simply transplanting a template from one country to another is crude and ineffectual, but there are lessons to be learned from the examples of others.

Specifically Japan, which transformed its economy, and with it the living standards of its people over a relatively short period, has done so without sacrificing its culture and identity. One outcome of the changes has been a political system that is robust and effective. How did that happen?

A combination of humility, respect and pragmatism have given Japan its distinctive form of democracy, one that borrows from but does not seek to replicate Western models.

Reciprocal transitions

Japanese political scientists have called the 1990s their country’s “years of trial.” Within that single decade, Japan cycled through nine prime ministers. By any measure, this was extraordinary political turnover. But what is equally striking is what did not happen: no coups, no assassinations, no bloody purges. Leadership changed hands again and again, yet the system held firm.

Contrast this with Africa, where the exit of a leader has too often meant violence, instability, or even civil war. The continent’s post-independence history is littered with coups d’état and failed transfers of power. Why has political change in Japan been peaceful while in Africa it has so often been brutal?

The answer lies partly in culture , but more specifically in the way political systems in the two regions structure incentives. Four overlapping features—how politics is understood, the practice of political recycling, the treatment of winners and losers, and the supremacy of civilian over military rule—help explain the divergence.

Politics as a multi-sum game

In Japan, politics is rarely understood as a zero-sum contest. Compromise is valued, and effectiveness is judged by a leader’s ability to accommodate competing interests. A politician who loses today may return tomorrow; a fall from office is not career-ending.

In much of Africa, by contrast, political competition has often been closer to a matter of life and death. To lose power can mean not just a dead end job-wise but entails a loss of  wealth, liberty, or life itself. The unwritten rules have sometimes been stark: win and eliminate your opponents, or lose and risk elimination yourself. Political office is tied to material rewards, making control of the state the single most important prize.

Where politics is conceived as a multiple-sum game - as in Japan - compromise is rational. Where it is zero-sum, as in Africa, compromise is dangerous.

One of Japan’s most distinctive practices is what might be called political recycling. Former leaders do not vanish into obscurity but are reintegrated into government , often in roles less senior than the ones they held previously. Keiichi Miyazawa, for example, served as Finance Minister two years after stepping down as prime minister. Taro Aso, after his short-lived premiership in 2008–09, returned as deputy prime minister and finance minister under Shinzo Abe. There are many such examples.

This practice ensures continuity. It gives defeated politicians a stake in the system, reinforcing the idea that today’s loser may be tomorrow’s ally. Political actors cooperate because they know they will almost certainly cross paths again.

In Africa, such recycling is rare. Once power is lost, it is usually lost forever. Examples of returning leaders taking on less senior positions are virtually non-existent (if you know of any please let me know in the comments!) The incentive is not to step aside gracefully but to cling to office at any cost. Leaders who see no political influence without all political influence are more likely to suppress opponents and seek to extend their rule indefinitely.

Victory without vanquished

Japan’s culture of political compromise extends to its style of conflict resolution. The story of Takamori Saigō, the rebel who rose against the Meiji state in 1877, illustrates this. Though defeated, he was later remembered as a “misguided patriot,” and his statue still stands in Tokyo’s Ueno Park. The message is clear: reconciliation is possible, even with those who once threatened the state.

Japanese political culture emphasizes harmony over absolute justice. The aim is not to destroy an opponent but to reintegrate them. Victory is meaningful, in fact more meaningful, without the total humiliation of the loser.

In Africa, however, political conflict has more often been winner-takes-all. Victors cannot feel secure unless their opponents are thoroughly crushed.

Educated civilian leaders

A final contrast lies in the backgrounds of political elites. Post-war Japan’s prime ministers have overwhelmingly come from civilian life, many trained in economics or law, and nearly all educated at elite universities. They are technocrats more than warriors.

In Africa, many leaders emerged from liberation struggles or the military. Their formative experiences conditioned them to see politics as a battlefield, where survival depends on vanquishing rivals. Civilian supremacy has been harder to establish. The shadow of the military remains heavy over politics in many countries, and the instinct to rule as if at war undermines democratic transitions.

Shared traditions, different outcomes

Yet despite these contrasts, Africa and Japan may be closer than they seem. Scholars of Afro-Japanese studies including myself have long argued that Japan’s path to industrialization holds lessons for the developing world precisely because it was a non-Western society that achieved modernity on its own terms.

Ali Mazrui, the great African intellectual, pointed out that both regions share traditions of elders and sages—respect for age, experience, and wisdom as foundations of authority. In Japan, these traditions were harnessed to stabilize the political system. Seniority helped structure succession, while the sage tradition emphasized the role of wise, educated leaders. Political recycling, again, was made possible by these traditions, ensuring continuity and legitimacy.

Africa, too, possesses these traditions, but they have not been translated into stable political institutions. Instead, age and authority are often wielded to entrench incumbents rather than enable continuity and renewal.

Lessons for Africa

What, then, might African societies learn from Japan’s experience? The answer is not simple imitation—cultures and histories differ too much for that. But some principles are transferable.

None of this is easy. Japan’s path was shaped by unique circumstances: U.S. occupation after World War II, a relatively homogeneous society, and strong economic growth in the postwar decades. Africa’s challenges are different—ethnic diversity, colonial borders, and weaker state structures among them.

But the comparison does serve as a reminder: peaceful political change is not the preserve of Western democracies. It can be achieved in societies with their own traditions, as Japan demonstrates. The challenge for Africa is not to copy Japan but to find ways of embedding its own elder and sage traditions into institutions that make politics something other than a fight to the death.

Nine of eleven recognised opposition parties have formally launched the Opposition Dialogue, a political forum to coordinate actions against government decisions. The bloc includes Fuerza del Pueblo, PRD, GenS, PQDC, PSC, PDI, PED, BIS, and Camino Nuevo. Coordinated by José Francisco Peña Guaba (BIS) and spokesperson Soraya Aquino (PSC), the group will meet biweekly to strengthen unity, expand outreach, integrate unrecognised groups, and form policy-focused committees.

Political violence against women

Duarte Province Representative Dorina Rodríguez denounced the normalisation of political violence against women, calling it a major barrier to their electoral participation. Speaking on the A Metro y Medio Podcast , she shared her struggles starting without resources or support, relying on faith and community service to build her career. Rodríguez recalled campaign hardships, including nearly losing her vehicle, and highlighted her legislative role on the Penal Code Commission, where she pushed for harsher penalties for child sexual abusers.

Dominican Republic to host Open Justice Conference

The Dominican Republic will host the First International Conference on Open Justice on August 27–28, with representatives from 21 countries in attendance. Organised by the Dominican Judiciary, RIJA, and the Open Government Partnership, the event will share best practices on transparency, citizen participation, and access to justice. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Arias Arzeno highlighted its importance for building more accessible justice systems.

Abinader’s proposal for Leonel to go to Rome with FAO questioned

Communicator Julio Samuel Sierra has criticised President Abinader’s remark about paying for former President Leonel Fernández to travel to Rome and debate the FAO, after it praised the DR’s poverty reduction. Sierra called it a joke and questioned why the government avoids addressing local issues, such as electricity, water, and security. His comments were shared on El Nuevo Diario en la Tarde alongside fellow journalists.

Cancellation of President Abinader’s 5th anniversary event explained

Presidency Minister and PRM president José Ignacio Paliza explained from Japan that President Abinader cancelled the event marking his five years in office, stressing it is 'a time to work, not celebrate.' Abinader, in a letter to party leaders, cited responsibility to address national needs and focus on citizens’ problems. Paliza added that while the PRM proposed the event, the president felt the moment was not right for large-scale political activities.

In general, the recommended daily intake can range from 2,100 to 4,800 calories for adult men and from 1,750 to 3,400 calories for women. In food terms, that ranges from the equivalent of 35 McDonald's chicken nuggets per day at the low end to 96 at the top end. 

In 2022, the average American consumed the calorie equivalent of 10.6 McNuggets a day. In contrast, the average person in Burundi, Somalia, Lesotho, and Yemen consumed only around five nuggets' worth of calories each day. 

Over time, the amount of food available to most people, and therefore the amount they eat, has been rising. This is a result of poverty reduction as well as improvements in the way we produce and transport food. In most cases, this is a benefit, although in some wealthy countries, a surplus of food has led to serious health problems.

The inequality across the globe is not a recent trend, but a long-term challenge. According to the FAO's 2023 State of Food Security and Nutrition report , over 3.1 billion people, which is nearly 40% of the global population, cannot afford a healthy diet. Even more concerning is that this number has risen by 134 million since 2019, driven by overlapping crises: COVID-19 pandemic fallout, climate-induced harvest failures, inflation, and economic slowdowns.

These figures expose a multi-layered nutritional inequality, where calories are not just unequally distributed, but also increasingly inaccessible for the low-income group. A 2023 World Bank analysis revealed that in some low-income countries, households allocate up to 60% of their income to food.  

However, progress in some parts of the world has been rapid. The chart comparing calorie intake in 1980 vs. 2022 shows Vietnam and Ghana making significant gains, with Ghana's per-person calorie consumption more than doubling. This success is rooted in long-term agricultural investment, better food distribution, and poverty reduction strategies. Ghana, for example, has expanded public agricultural extension services and promoted farmer cooperatives.

Kenya saw a 10.2% decrease in average calorie intake, despite GDP growth and urbanisation. This reflects deeper structural problems, including rising food import dependency, regional inequality, and stagnant rural incomes. According to the report , rural communities have seen stagnation in dietary diversity and food availability.

Meanwhile, another graph shows China's dramatic rise in calorie intake over the past four decades, which closely aligns with its GDP growth. In the 1980s, China implemented market-oriented agricultural reforms, lifting millions out of hunger. Today, China also strategically uses international trade agreements and grain reserves to stabilise food prices. Other countries, including Mali, which has suffered from widespread violent conflict, and Indonesia, have seen less dramatic progress. Today, Indonesia is rolling out the world’s most ambitious free meals programme to close its nutritional gap. More than 80 million people are expected to benefit by 2029.

While undernutrition remains a critical issue in parts of the Global South, a different concern arises in high-income countries: overnutrition and obesity. The WHO warns that the worldwide prevalence of obesity more than doubled between 1990 and 2022. In the UK, for example, over one-third of adults are obese, driven in part by ultra-processed diets.

However, despite the concerns of unhealthy overeating, the biggest problem currently facing the world remains undernourishment. The success stories of the past thirty years demonstrate that it is a problem that can be conquered, but the failures indicate that its demise is far from guaranteed.

*Obviously consuming all your calories in the form of chicken nuggets does not represent a healthy diet. McDonald’s nuggets are used only as an example, other brands have similar nutritional profiles.