In this weekly feature for Andelman Unleashed, we continue to explore how the media of other nations are reporting and commenting on the United States, and how they are viewing the rest of the world.
To emphasize, we cover lots of ground….So, you may not want to read it all, but it's all here for you!
How others see America
No end of horrors?
Indeed, for much of the world, there was a firehouse of themes out of Washington to focus on this first, quite packed week of the Trump presidency.
So, the French daily Le Monde on its front page noted "Trump militarizes his migration policy: The White House published photos of expulsion of migrants on board a military cargo plane….The American president launches the engagement of the army to 'seal the frontier' with Mexico."
But the lead story is a warning—a cautionary tale: "European defense: the reasons for the stalemate," elaborating:
Despite Donald Trump's injunctions the threat embodied by Vladimir Putin, the security file of the 27 [members of the EU] is becalmed
Kaja Kallas, the new head of the EU diplomacy, calls for strong "investment" in the face of a much more productive Russian industry.
If progress has been made since 2022 and the invasion of Ukraine, a vote on the European program for the defense industry remains blocked
All this followed a week in which Trump stunningly dominated the headlines:
Donald Trump inaugurated and already on the offensive
Trump, the will of an "imperial presidency"
Trump lays down his first ideological markers
But the paper especially highlighted at the top of its front page, the (rarely) signed editorial by its editor-in-chief, Jerome Fenoglio, who began:
A source of inspiration for the signatories of the Constitution of the United States of America, Montesquieu placed political virtue at the very foundation of democracy. It would be an understatement to say that the man who on Monday, January 20, who now leads the world's most powerful republic for the second time, has built his existence on the very opposite of this principle. Lies, violence, manipulation, extortion, cynicism, selfishness, sexism, racism and detestation of the law and institutions—these are the hallmarks of Donald Trump, throughout his career as a real estate tycoon, candidate and president elected in 2016, then defeated in 2020.
None of this, nor the attempted coup he helped foment four years ago with the assault on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, or the multiple judicial convictions that threatened him, prevented him from being clearly re-elected, winning this time the popular vote. This fact speaks volumes about the evolution of our societies, not only across the Atlantic from France.
But beyond all this, Fenoglio took this opportunity to announce a stunning development:
As a social media specifically focused on news, Twitter, now X, has always represented a major stake in this battle….Since Musk's takeover, the billionaire has transformed it into an extension of his political cause, a form of libertarianism increasingly close to the far right. He has turned it into an instrument of the pressure he wants to put on his competitors or on Europe's social-democrat governments.
Today, the intensification of Musk's activism, the formalization of his position within the Trump power apparatus and the increasing toxicity of the exchanges led us to conclude that the usefulness of our presence weighs less than the many suffered side-effects.
We have therefore decided to stop sharing our content on this platform for as long as it operates in this way and to recommend that Le Monde journalists do the same. We will also increase our vigilance on several other platforms, notably TikTok and Meta, following Mark Zuckerberg's worrying statements.
But enough of France … there's the whole rest of a horrified world.
Media across the European continent continued to take the temperature of Trump and the New World he has brought with him, many holding their collective breath, including Spain's Antena 3 TV, whose US correspondent José Angel Barad reported, calling on your humble servant for a brief comment…..
London's The Economist highlighted the West's perception of the forthcoming, conflict with a resurgent China…..
At the same time, among a barrage of phone calls between America's new secretary of state, Marco Rubio and a raft of his homologues around the world, was a notable one with China's Wang Yi … but already there were some lacunae, as Hong Kong's South China Morning Post was quick to point out:
Washington does not back Taiwan independence, according to China’s foreign ministry, a detail omitted from the American side’s read-out.
“The United States does not support ‘Taiwan independence’ and hopes that the Taiwan issue will be peacefully resolved in a way accepted by both sides of the Taiwan Strait,” Rubio said in a call that he requested, according to Beijing’s foreign ministry.
However, in the State Department’s telling, Rubio “stressed the United States’ commitment to our allies in the region and serious concern over China’s coercive actions against Taiwan and in the South China Sea”.
Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary.
Most countries, including the US, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any attempt to take the self-governed island by force and is committed to supplying it with weapons, as authorised by the Taiwan Relations Act.
Asked about the differing accounts of what was said about Taiwan on the call, Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for Beijing’s embassy in Washington, said “the content of the call has been made very clear” in the Chinese ministry’s statement.
The call marks the first direct contact Rubio has had with Beijing after a string of one-to-one engagements with counterparts throughout the Indo-Pacific region, including those in Japan and the Philippines. In both those cases, their joint statements warned of a need to counter China’s “destabilising actions” in the region.
In its read-out of Rubio’s call with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, also on Friday, the State Department said they “discussed regional concerns to include China’s aggressive behaviour in the South China Sea”.
Finally, back in Europe, the ultimate question, poised as pointedly as we have come to expect from our distinguished colleagues in Brussels at La Matinale Européenne …
Europe must no longer count on “American friend” with Trump
Will the United States remain a democracy? Will it continue to protect all its allies? Donald Trump's first acts on the day he returned to the White House have shaken certainties in Europe. The awakening is painful. War is back on the old continent and predators are in power in most of the major powers. They despise the European Union and want to dismantle it. Trump has entered this macabre dance with his many supporters within the EU itself.
“Do not ask what America can do for Europe and its security, ask yourself what we can do for it. Europe has been, is and will always be great,” said Poland’s Donald Tusk before the European Parliament….
How can we take the Europeans seriously when it comes to defence? During his first term in 2016, Donald Trump banged on the table and called on the allies to respect the commitment made in 2004 to devote 2% of their GDP to military spending by 2024. The Americans re-elected him in 2024 and on his return to the White House, he noted that while the Alliance now has two new members, Sweden and Finland, eight “deadbeats” are still far from the mark: Italy, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Luxembourg, Slovenia and Croatia.
How others view the World
Mexico: A first response
If there was any question just how resolutely Mexico's new president, Claudia Sheinbaum intends to face down Donald Trump, she left little to the imagination during this inauguration week, as The Rio Times reported:
President Sheinbaum has announced a bold initiative to create 35,000 jobs for citizens deported from the United States. The private sector is offering these positions across various industries, including manufacturing, services, construction, and mining.
This job creation scheme forms part of a broader emergency plan to support repatriated Mexicans. The government is also implementing additional measures such as social security enrollment and access to social programs for returnees. Sheinbaum highlighted the “Plan Mexico” as a cornerstone of the country’s economic strategy. This six-year investment program aims to fortify Mexico’s economy against external pressures.
It offers substantial tax incentives for companies investing in Mexico, with a focus on boosting domestic production in import-dependent sectors. Despite market uncertainties following Trump’s return to power, Mexico’s economy remains resilient. It continues to show strength in the face of these challenges. The peso has maintained its strength, trading at 20.3 per dollar. Inflation is at its lowest since 2021, even with a recent 12% increase in minimum wage.
The economic impact of Mexican migrants extends beyond remittances. According to data presented by Ana Teresa Ramírez of Latino Donor Collaborative, Mexican migrants generate $2.06 trillion of the US GDP. This underscores their significant contribution to both Mexican and US economies. Sheinbaum’s proactive approach demonstrates Mexico‘s commitment to supporting its citizens while maintaining economic stability. This strategy could potentially reshape labor markets and economic relations between Mexico and the United States in the coming years.
Reports that a US cargo plane bound for Mexico with repatriated Americans was refused landing permission was debunked in Washington and Mexico City. As Mario Camarillo Cortes, national editor of Mexico City's La Cronica de Hoy newspaper, reported:
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) in Mexico assured that both countries maintain a good relationship, cooperation and respect for their respective sovereignties.
“When it comes to repatriations, we will always accept the arrival of Mexicans to our territory with open arms. Mexico embraces you,” the agency said.
But then there’s Colombia ….
A crisis erupted late Sunday as Colombia faced down Trump, barring expulsion flights from landing, leading to Trump threats and as the nation’s leading newspaper El Tiempo headline:
President Petro responds to visa freeze: “First comes the dignity of Colombia and Latin America.”
The Colombian president stressed that his decision seeks to prioritize respect and dignity for migrants.
And then there's Russia … & its own version of reality
While Putin tries to navigate the new reality being shaped by MAGAworld, the Institute for the Study of War reported:
The Kremlin has launched an information operation that seeks to create the false impression that the Russian economy is performing well despite numerous continued indicators of macroeconomic distress. Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed during a meeting on economic issues that 2024 was a "strong year" for the Russian economy [with] a manageable budget deficit of 1.7% and a 26% increase in non-oil-and-gas revenue to 25.6 trillion rubles ($257.9 billion) in 2024 and announced a retroactive 9.5% increase in insurance and military pensions to address rising Russian inflation. A Russian Finance Ministry report projected economic strength and suggesting Russian budget revenue in December 2024 reached a record high of over 4 trillion rubles (about $40 billion)—up a 28% percent over December 2023 and the highest level since 2011. The data fails to account for Russia's unsustainable levels of defense spending, rampant inflation, a growing deficit and the erosion of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, however.
ISW continues to observe macroeconomic data that directly contradict the Kremlin's claims that the Russian economy is performing well. The Kremlin has recently adopted policies aimed at increasing defense spending all while Russian society faces labor shortages, broader demographic issues, declining savings, and increasing reliance on bailouts as the Russian economy faces rising interest rates, inflated salaries, and deteriorating production capacity. These economic realities suggest the Kremlin's efforts to posture economic strength are largely an information operation aimed at reassuring domestic audiences—posturing Russian strength abroad while masking the true challenges Russia's economy is facing, heightened due to its war against Ukraine.
As if that wasn't enough, then there are the Cossacks. Yup, the same folks that my grandfather fled Bessarabia to escape at the end of the 19th century. This time, as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's northwestern Russia serviceSever Realiidiscovered on the website of the All-Russian Cossack Society:
Russia continues long-term efforts to build out its manpower reserve with All-Russian Cossack Society organizations and create a willing and well-trained prioritized pool designed to buffer the Kremlin from potential blowback in the event of a possible future partial call up of Russian reservists. A total of 11.4 million rubles (roughly $114,880 has been allocated for territorial defense training for 100 officers … and will include drone piloting training and tactical, medical, and fire training, and organizing defense and interacting with political authorities in "wartime conditions." The Kremlin's efforts likely [involve] expanding the number of well-trained troops in Russia's active reserve pools that the Kremlin can call up to fight in Ukraine or elsewhere during a possible future partial call up of Russian reservists.
Making good on our pledge to chronicle every national election every year, January has seen four of them … so here goes. If you want to skip, you can scroll down to Africa!
Belarus: Without a choice….
It was possible to vote for someone other than Alexander Lukashenko—after all, four loyal stalwarts were also on the ballot. But would you really want to take your life in your hand to do so? Especially since every time he has even stood for election over his past three decades in power, he's won with 75% to 85% of the vote in elections that The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) said "failed to meet international standards."
This time, exit polls from state-run television gave him an 87.6% vote. Hard to see how “official” figures could be far off. But international standards? As EuroNews reported:
His opponents, many of whom are imprisoned or exiled abroad by his unrelenting crackdown on dissent and free speech, call the election a sham — much like the last one in 2020 that triggered months of protests that were unprecedented in the history of the country of 9 million people. The crackdown saw more than 65,000 arrests, with thousands beaten, bringing condemnation and sanctions from the West.
[The president goes everywhere with his dog]
His iron-fisted rule since 1994—Lukashenko took office two years after the demise of the Soviet Union—earned him the nickname of “Europe’s Last Dictator,” relying on subsidies and political support from close ally Russia. He let Moscow use his territory to invade Ukraine in 2022, and even hosts some of Russia's tactical nuclear weapons, but he still campaigned with the slogan “Peace and security,” arguing he has saved Belarus from being drawn into war.
His reliance on support from Russian President Vladimir Putin — himself in office for a quarter-century — helped him survive the 2020 protests. Observers believe Lukashenko feared a repeat of those mass demonstrations amid economic troubles and the fighting in Ukraine, and so scheduled the vote in wintry January, when few would want to fill the streets again, rather than in summery August. “It’s better to have a dictatorship like in Belarus than a democracy like Ukraine,” Lukashenko said in his characteristic bluntness.
“The trauma of the 2020 protests was so deep that Lukashenko this time decided not to take risks and opted for the most reliable option when balloting looks more like a special operation to retain power than an election,” Belarusian political analyst Valery Karbalevich said.
And then, of course, there's the question of what (or who) next? After all, Lukashenko, at 70, has been seen as having difficulty in walking and at time speaking. As EuroNews continued:
Lukashenko repeatedly declared that he wasn’t clinging to power and would “quietly and calmly hand it over to the new generation.”
His 20-year-old son, Nikolai, travelled the country, giving interviews, signing autographs and playing piano at campaign events.
Comoros: Speaking of father & son
It's another nation where an "elected" ruler came to power in the 20th century and this month saw his power renewed as his party swept to a hardly unexpectedly overwhelming 33-5 majority of seats in the parliament of this Indian Ocean island. Now, as Singapore's Straits Times wrote:
Comoros President Azali Assoumani, who came to power in 1999 through a coup and has won four elections in the Indian Ocean archipelago nation since 2002…said on Thursday in a speech to supporters on the island of Moheli: "I will place my son to replace me as head of the state and the party."
Still, as the paper observes, there may be one snag here….
His successor would have to come from Anjouan, one of Comoros' three main Islands. According to Comoros' constitution the presidency must rotate among the three Islands every 10 years. El Fath would therefore not be eligible to replace his father at the end of the presidential term in 2029 unless the constitution is changed.
Assoumani's latest election victory came in 2022, though the results were rejected by the opposition who said the poll was tainted by irregularities. He has put his son in charge of coordinating government affairs and granted him sweeping powers over the cabinet.
Of course, there may be other avenues to power…..
Comoros, with a population of about 800,000, has witnessed around 20 coups or attempted coups since winning independence from France in 1975.
Croatia: Another coronation
The incumbent, described by Politico.EU as "a critic of NATO and the EU whose populism has earned comparisons to Donald Trump," swept to a crushing victory, as the BBC's Jake Lapham reported:
Voters in Croatia have re-elected Zoran Milanovic to a second term, after he won almost three-quarters of votes cast in the country's presidential election. It was a dismal result for his opponent Dragan Primorac, who had the backing of the governing centre-right Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party. Primorac picked up 25% of the vote – the worst-ever result for Croatia's most powerful political force.
The outcome was met with a muted response from Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, who declined to congratulate the winner and insisted that "Milanovic offers nothing".
Primorac briefly inserted himself into the country's parliamentary elections last year by announcing he'd be running for prime minister, before a court ruled the move unconstitutional.
Vanuatu: Aftershocks center stage
The government went ahead with a snap national election as voters were still sifting through the wreckage and coping with aftershocks of a major 7.3 magnitude earthquake that shattered Port Vila, capital of the fragile Pacific island nation, claiming 12 lives and injuring more than 200, displacing thousands.
As Margot Staunton reported for Radio New Zealand:
Frustration is growing in Vanuatu over the snap election, with claims the government has put politics before people. Ballot boxes are still arriving in Port Vila and official counting is unlikely to begin until this weekend.
The talk in Vanuatu is that former deputy prime minister Jotham Napat will win the top job after the snap election. Unofficial tallies and social media suggest that Napat, head of the Leaders Party, has secured up to eleven MPs, putting him in prime position to try and form a coalition government.
The snap election on 16 January was called in November and held despite a 7.3 magnitude earthquake that devastated the capital on 17 December. Voter apathy had been notable, with less than half of constituents turning up to vote.
And then, there's Africa
Putin, it seems is never too distracted to ignore Africa. Le Monde's Benjamin Roger and Poline Tchoubar tracked a huge Russian military convoy en route to Mali …. (Roger is the deputy head of the paper's Africa service after being expelled from Mali in 2022 while a reporter for Jeune Afrique) ….
Russia delivers armored vehicles to Mali and restructures its military presence. Around 100 vehicles, including light tanks and armored vehicles, arrived in Bamako, the Russian Defense Ministry intending to speed up replacement of the Wagner group by Africa Corps.
The column stretched as far as the eye could see. Dozens of trucks carrying light tanks, armored vehicles and military ambulances marched past in the 30-minute video shot in Sébénikoro, on the south-western outskirts of Bamako. "It goes all the way to Guinea!" whose border lies a hundred kilometers away, said the man speaking on the video, Boubou Mabel Diawara, a Malian influencer well known for supporting the junta led by General Assimi Goïta.
This shipment of equipment comes as Russia restructures its presence in Africa. Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad on December 8, 2024, Russia has been in a precarious position in Syria, the country it used as a logistical hub to project its resources to the continent.
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And then there's a lot of ice ….
We have readers confirmed on six continents, but whether we have one on the seventh—Antarctica—is not clear. Still, there's a chunk of that continent, likely uninhabited, that's headed out to sea. With potentially horrific consequences. As the BBC reported:
The world's largest iceberg is on a collision course with a remote British island, potentially putting penguins and seals in danger. The iceberg is spinning northwards from Antarctica towards South Georgia, a rugged British territory and wildlife haven, where it could ground and smash into pieces. It is currently 173 miles (280km) away.
Countless birds and seals died on South Georgia's icy coves and beaches when past giant icebergs stopped them feeding.
It is known as A23a and is one of the world's oldest. It calved, or broke off, from the Filchner Ice Shelf in Antarctica in 1986 but got stuck on the seafloor and then trapped in an ocean vortex. Finally, in December, it broke free and is now on its final journey, speeding into oblivion.
The warmer waters north of Antarctica are melting and weakening its vast sides that extend up to 1,312 feet, taller than the Shard in London.
It once measured 3,900 sq km, but the latest satellite pictures show it is slowly decaying. It is now around 3,500 sq km, roughly the size of the English county of Cornwall.
And large slabs of ice are breaking off, plunging into the waters around its edges. A23a could break into vast segments any day, which may then hang around for years, like floating cities of ice cruising uncontrollably around South Georgia.
This isn't the first huge iceberg to threaten South Georgia and Sandwich Islands. In 2004 one called A38 grounded on its continental shelf, leaving dead penguin chicks and seal pups on beaches as massive ice chunks blocked their access to feeding grounds.
The territory is home to precious colonies of King penguins and millions of elephant and fur seals.
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And now, for our most highly valued, but lightly paid members, we'll conclude with a stunning look at Europeans’ state of mind…and its evolution through these parlous times.
Not to mention regular bonus gallery from cartoonists around the world on events today and the Transition to Trump through our great partner Cartooning for Peace and some remarkable newspapers.
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