Foreign Aid

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Good morning 🌥️ Steph Curry, the unanimously accepted greatest shooter of a basketball of all time and the second highest-paid athlete on the planet, accepted a job as the assistant general manager for his alma mater’s basketball program. And King Charles III launched a podcast. If this isn’t an economic recession indicator, we don’t know what is. Update your resume.

—Gloria Mbabazi, Shem Opolot

CONFLICT

🇺🇬 🇸🇸 Foreign Aid. Ostensibly fearful of washing more plates after dinner, the Uganda government deployed the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) to prevent South Sudan from spinning the block and plunging into full-scale conflict. The deployment follows a worrying uptick in political rifts and violence in South Sudan, where the ink on the 2018 peace agreement has barely dried, and progress on reforms is as slow as a Monday morning commute. However, not everyone is buying Uganda’s geopolitical chivalry, as skeptics whisper about hidden agendas and wonder if Kampala’s actions might light more matches than they extinguish.

GOVERNMENT

🗳️ Free, Speech. Elias Luyimbazi Nalukoola of Uganda’s main opposition party—National Unity Platform (NUP)—emerged victorious in the Kawempe North by-election with a resounding 17,764 votes, crushing his rival, Namabi Faridah Kigongo of the ruling party (National Resistance Movement (NRM)), who trailed with 8,593 votes. The NRM rejected the results, citing concerns about—wait for it—voter intimidation, violence, and disenfranchisement. Doubling down on their gaslighting masterclass, the sore losers vowed to challenge the results in court. The by-election was marred by chaos, with security forces clashing with opposition supporters and journalists. Several media personnel were arrested and assaulted in the fracas. The UPDF, left S. Sudan on read momentarily and announced an investigation into the attacks on journalists, promising to "deal firmly" with the offenders. Translation: the fox is investigating the disappearance of the hens.

🇿🇦 Race and Retribution. The US expelled South Africa’s ambassador, Ebrahim Rasool, declaring him persona non grata. Secretary of State Marco Rubio lobbed accusations of Rasool being a "race-baiting politician" who harbors disdain for both America and Trump. The South African presidency called the decision "regrettable," which is diplomatic-speak for "seriously, guys?" This expulsion underlines the souring relationship between the S. African government and the Trump administration. Rasool’s supposed crime was pointing out—on the record—that Trump’s politics mobilizes supremacists and amplifies white victimhood narratives. Where's the lie?

OTHER HEADLINES

🇸🇩 Tea, Tiffs & Trade Wars. In retaliation for Nairobi hosting the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group making headlines for fueling Sudan's civil war and cheekily signing a founding charter on Kenyan soil, Sudan has severed its trade relations with Kenya, suspending all imports.

Not every time is tea time.
Consequently, Kenya's tea industry is cold and unspiced. The East African Tea Trade Association is fretting over stranded shipments and frozen contracts, while traders brace for a caffeine-deprived fallout in Sudan. With tea exports to Sudan already down 12% thanks to the ongoing civil war, the import ban pokes a hole in a dunked tea bag.

THE REST OF THE WORLD

🇸🇾 A landmark deal in Syria. Amid violent clashes in coastal regions that killed more than 1000 people, the Syrian government reached a deal with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to integrate the autonomous Kurdish administration in northeast Syria into the national government. The agreement will bring most of Syria under the control of the new authorities that replaced President Bashar al-Assad. The SDF, which controls key oil and gas fields, will be integrated into state institutions. The Kurds, who comprise about 10% of the country’s population but have long been marginalized, have shown a willingness to engage with the new government, though they were excluded from recent national talks.

🇵🇰 Pakistan insurgents. Pakistani authorities say insurgents attacked a passenger train, killing 21 hostages before security forces rescued over 300 hostages and killed all 33 attackers. The separatist Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack, saying they were ready to free passengers if authorities released jailed militants. The attack occurred in Balochistan province, where separatists demand greater autonomy and a larger share of natural resources. However, for clout-chasing separatists, targeting a train frequently used by the military, but killing civilians in the process, wouldn’t endear the group to the public.

NN’EBIGENDERAKO
Everything else…

Canadian lawmaker Mark Carney, the former head of the Bank of Canada, was chosen by the Liberal Party to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Beijing expressed displeasure over CK Hutchison's agreement to sell its majority stake in Panama ports to a BlackRock-led consortium.

Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was released from prison after detention for attempting to declare martial law.

A former Meta employee claims Meta created a content censorship tool for China to get access to China’s market.

The U.S. agreed to restore military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine, in exchange for Ukraine's readiness to accept a 30-day ceasefire proposal.

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested and flown to The Hague to face charges of crimes against humanity.

Portugal's government lost a confidence vote, triggering the country's third general election in 3 years.

Spotify says it paid nearly 1,500 artists $1 million or more in royalties in 2024.

Scientists might’ve figured out how to prevent mosquitoes from transmitting malaria.

PROCRASTINATION CORNER
The rabbit hole

> A map showing how big countries really are.

> Yes, there are tiny mites on your face, but…relax.

> Click here if you want to remodel your kitchen soon.

> Do you know these things about your partner?

> The best coffee shops in the world

Have a good week!

— Too Long; Didn’t Read (TLDR)

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