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Lifeguards on the beach at the Boatyard Beach Club in Bridgetown, Barbados, ensure safety on the turquoise blue sea, on January 7, 2025.
What We’re Watching: Caribbean islands come together, “Gen Z” protests hit Morocco, Afghanistan cut off from the world
Four Caribbean countries go border-free
The Caribbean island nations of Barbados, Belize, Dominica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have launched an EU-style free movement deal, letting citizens live and work across borders without permits. The move aims to curb the Caribbean’s longstanding brain drain of skilled workers who leave for North America and Europe. Critics worry it may mean tougher job competition in some of the countries, but supporters say that if the rollout goes smoothly more Caribbean countries could join, a big step toward binding the region’s economies and cultures more tightly together.
Yet another “Gen Z” protest…
First it was Indonesia, then Nepal, then came Timor-Leste, then it was Peru, and then Madagascar. Now, “Gen Z” protesters are going after the government in Morocco. Hundreds took to the streets of the normally stable North African nation of 37-million people to call for better social services and an end to corruption. They also denounced the amount of money the government has spent on building new soccer stadiums – Morocco is set to co-host the World Cup in 2030. Although GenZ 212, the group that organized the protests, urged demonstrators to stay peaceful, some torched cars and buildings and clashed with police.
Afghanistan goes dark
Afghanistan is entering its third day of a nationwide communications blackout after the Taliban government reportedly slashed more than 99% of the country’s internet and phone services on Monday, halting air travel, business, banking, and much of daily life. Officials cited morality concerns, but rights groups say the move is aimed at isolating Afghans and tightening control. The blackout is particularly difficult for Afghan women: internet access had allowed them to maintain access to the outside world after the Taliban curtailed their freedoms and career opportunities following their 2021 takeover.
Comparative maps showing which countries had official diplomatic ties with Taiwan just before the UN recognized the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1971 to today.
The Graphic Truth: Taiwan's shrinking recognition
Honduras announced this week that it’ll sever official diplomatic ties with Taiwan and instead recognize China. This would bring the number of countries with formal ties to the self-ruled island down to 13, with only two Central American allies (Belize and Guatemala) remaining. China, which considers Taiwan a breakaway province, has been playing tug-of-war with Taipei for influence in Latin America for years. We look at which countries had official diplomatic ties with Taipei in 1971, just before the UN switched recognition of China’s government to the People’s Republic, compared to today.