Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- May 5, 2021

Lisa Hänel , DW: COVID leads to erosion of fundamental rights and freedom

The coronavirus pandemic has led to an erosion of basic rights around the world.

The "Atlas of Civil Society" shows that many governments restricted citizens' freedoms under the guise of fighting the spread of the virus.

The "Atlas of Civil Society" report is full of examples of restricted freedoms: overcrowded prisons in the Philippines, arrested journalists in Zimbabwe, threatened human rights defenders in Mexico.

For the fourth time, the organizations Bread for the World and Civicus published a comprehensive report on the situation of civil society organizations and their members in almost 200 countries.

Read more ....

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- May 5, 2021

They Desperately Need COVID Vaccines. So Why Are Some Countries Throwing Out Doses? -- Nurith Aizenman, NPR

Is time up for Israel’s prime minister? -- The Al Jazeera

The explosive reset of Czech–Russian relations -- Erik Tabery.

The Strategist

Nicola Sturgeon's Quest for Scottish Independence -- Sam Knight, New Yorker

Ethiopia ‘at a crossroads’ amid spiraling ethnic conflict -- Rodney Muhumuza, AP

Afghanistan’s Moment of Risk and Opportunity: A Path to Peace for the Country and the Region -- Ashraf Ghani, Foreign Affairs

Leaving Afghanistan Makes US Less Safe -- Bruce Hoffman & Jacob Ware, WOTR

‘Thank you’ from Afghanistan: How to continue counterterrorism after the withdrawal -- Lt. Gen. M. Farid Ahmadi, Military Times

Biden Must Boost 2022 Defense Budget To Counter China -- Thomas Spoehr, Breaking Defense

If China ruled the world -- Urban C. Lehner, Asia Times

China and Russia’s Dangerous Convergence: How to Counter an Emerging Partnership -- Andrea Kendall-Taylor and David Shullman, Foreign Affairs

Colombia protests: What is behind unrest? -- BBC

'Diplomacy is back': G7 foreign ministers present united front despite COVID setback -- Charlotte Chelsom-Pill, DW

Federal Reserve turns the dollar into toilet paper -- David P. Goldman, Asia Times