what happened last week in Asia, Africa and the Americas

Hey, this is Sham Jaff, your very own news curator. Each week, I highlight some of the biggest stories from regions and countries that are historically underreported in "Western media". My goal is to burst our Western-centric bubbles, and expand the view we hold of the world. Questions, comments, concerns? You can reach me anytime by replying to this mail. And if this newsletter was forwarded to you, you can sign up at whathappenedlastweek.com.

Issue #396 is looking at Africa a bit more closely, specifically Algeria and Nigeria. In Algeria, an old man has just been re-elected president in a country full of frustrated, young people and in Nigeria, the "deadliest attack by Boko Haram" made the headlines; you can imagine how gruesome the details are. Plus (for VIP Members of this newsletter): I shift my focus to more positive stories like Senegal's female hip-hop beat makers, a Brazilian music legend, a must-see museum in Mexico City, and an Indian producer/singer whose latest album makes up for the fact that Kanye West doesn't produce good music anymore. And so much more! Sign up here to become a VIP member. You support 100% self-funded independent journalism with your subscription. You have no idea how much this means to me.

Btw, how do you like whlw so far? Has it helped you in any way? Just reply to this email. I'm so curious.

Good reading, and catch you in your inbox next week!
Sham

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Big shout-out to Wikimedia Commons for the helpful maps.

North Africa

Algeria's president has just been re-elected

What happened
Abdul-Majid Tebboune has just been re-elected as president of Algeria with a whopping 94.65% of the vote.

Why this matters: Algeria is Africa’s largest country by area and, with almost 45 million people, is the continent’s second-most populous nation, right after South Africa.

Tell me more
Over 5 million people cast their ballots, and Tebboune easily defeated his challengers, a conservative and a socialist, who each got around 5% of the vote. This is Tebboune's second time around. While he has gained popularity thanks to increased public spending, such as raising wages and pensions, Algeria’s deeper issues haven’t changed. The country’s economy is heavily dependent on oil and gas, making it vulnerable to market changes. Efforts to diversify the economy haven’t been very successful, and there’s still a lot of red tape holding back foreign investments, writes Dalia Ghanem for Middle East Council on Global Affairs.

Who is Tebboune?
Tebboune, who first came into power in 2019, is closely aligned with the military, and this backing has historically been crucial for political success in Algeria. Ghanem calls them "the true power brokers".

What was the voter turnout?
Tebboune's campaign was marked by low enthusiasm, especially among young voters, leading to a turnout of 48%. The election was also characterized by a repressive atmosphere, with opposition parties, media, and civil society groups facing harassment. Amnesty International and other organizations have raised concerns about this.

What now?
Algeria will likely continue on its current path, with Tebboune’s government focusing on large-scale social spending thanks to a boost in energy profits. He’s promised to raise unemployment benefits, pensions, and public housing programs, just as he did in his first term. However, the country remains in a political crisis, with many people disillusioned with elections, seeing them as offering little real change. Plus, "Algeria still has more than 200 prisoners of conscience, including journalists and activists. Many whistleblowers, such as Zaki Hannache, a young activist that posted daily judicial news about prisoners of conscience on social media, are now in exile," writes the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy. Algeria also faces other big challenges, like high costs of living, water shortages due to drought, and growing poverty, especially among the youth.

While things are "stable" for now, Ghanem writes there’s always a chance that Algerians will once again demand real change, just as they did during the Hirak protests in 2019 which toppled then-president Bouteflika.

West Africa

Boko Haram killed at least 170 people in one day in northeastern Nigeria

What happened
At least 170 people were killed in Mafa village, northeastern Nigeria, when several members of ISWAP, a splinter group of Boko Haram, attacked a local market, worshippers, and homes, according to residents last week as per AP.

Why this matters: The attack is one of the deadliest in that part of the country (Yobe state) in the past year. Yobe is one of three states on the front line of a 15-year conflict waged by Boko Haram and other armed groups, which has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced more than 2 million.

Tell me more
Around 50 armed men, riding motorcycles, stormed the village in Yobe state on Sunday evening, shooting and setting buildings on fire. Local media reported that Boko Haram claimed responsibility, stating it was in revenge for villagers informing security forces about their activities. The militants said a number of their members had been killed because of these tips. "This is the first time our community has faced such a devastating attack," said Buba Adamu, a local chief. Many parts of the region are outside the Nigerian army’s control, and villagers live in fear of such acts of retaliation. Security forces operate in these areas but lack the resources necessary to stay 24/7. This is also why, in recent years, civilians in the region have formed self-defense groups to fight Boko Haram; Mafa’s civilians did the same thing, reports The New York Times.

What does Boko Haram do in Nigeria?
Since 2009, Boko Haram has been fighting to establish its version of Islamic law (Sharia) in the region. The group, now divided into different factions, is responsible for the deaths of over 35,000 people and the displacement of more than 2 million. This has led to a humanitarian crisis, with millions in need of aid. So far this year, at least 1,500 people have been killed by armed groups in the region, according to ACLED.

Zoom out: Last year, Boko Haram was responsible for three of the 20 deadliest attacks worldwide, according to the Institute for Economics and Peace’s Global Terrorism Index. But more people were killed in the assault on Mafa than in all three of those attacks combined.

What now?
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu condemned the attack but did not mention specific security measures. He was elected on a promise to end the Boko Haram violence, but analysts say his security policies have lacked bold action. They note that the problems he took over, like inadequate financial resources and personnel, persist. Then there's also the displacement that's happening. According to a survivor, who simply gave his name as Mallam Ali Isiaka, most of the people in the area were farmers, who would soon start harvesting their crops, he told Vanguard. "Most of our people here are farmers and herders. It is unfortunate that after the incident, many people fled the village, leaving their farmlands and hard-earned properties due to fear of another attack."

Hey, I'm Sham, the person behind this newsletter. Since 2014, I email a bunch of strangers once a week, curating news headlines from Asia, Africa and the Americas. I work under the assumption that, here in the West (I live in Berlin, Germany), we don't read or know much about the global majority, aka the rest of the world.

My goal is to help you burst your Western-centric bubble.

If you want to know more about me, visit my website or follow me on Twitter or Instagram.

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A 78 year-old man vs a lot of young people

what happened last week in Asia, Africa and the Americas

Algeria's president has just been re-elected

Boko Haram killed at least 170 people in one day in northeastern Nigeria

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