Indonesia is facing a wave of nationwide protests following the March 20 passage of controversial amendments to its military law, which allow active-duty officers to assume civilian government positions without resigning from the armed forces. Demonstrations have erupted in cities like Jakarta, Bandung, and Yogyakarta, with students and activists fearing a return to the authoritarianism of the Suharto era. Clashes with police, use of tear gas, and violent confrontations underscore public alarm over the military's growing role in civilian governance. The revised law grants military personnel access to key roles in the judiciary and executive branches, including the Attorney General’s Office and the Supreme Court. While Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin argues these changes are necessary for national sovereignty and adapting to global security threats, critics warn they erode the post-1998 reforms that sought to limit the military’s influence over civilian affairs. Rights groups have condemned the opaque and rushed legislative process, which excluded public debate. Pro-democracy advocates see the amendments as a direct threat to Indonesia’s democratic transition, evoking fears of a return to impunity and state-led repression. Given Indonesia’s dark history of military control and human rights abuses under Suharto, many believe these legal changes risk rolling back hard-won civil liberties. As protests grow and tensions rise, the future of Indonesia’s democratic trajectory hangs in the balance.

French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné warned that a military confrontation with Iran is "almost inevitable" unless diplomatic progress is made on reviving a nuclear agreement and de-escalating tensions in the region. His remarks come amid growing Western concern over Iran’s nuclear advances and regional military activity, including Tehran’s support for militant proxies like Hezbollah and the Houthis. Séjourné emphasized that time is running out for diplomacy, citing Iran’s enrichment of uranium near weapons-grade levels and its increasingly aggressive posture across the Middle East. The comment marks one of the strongest public warnings yet from a major European power, suggesting that without a breakthrough, military action—whether Israeli, American, or broader—may be on the horizon. France’s stark assessment underscores how rapidly the Iranian nuclear file is approaching a crisis point. With the JCPOA effectively dead and Tehran expanding regional proxy warfare, Europe’s diplomatic bandwidth is narrowing. If Western powers—especially the U.S.—cannot reach a new deal, the risk of a cascading regional war involving Iran, Israel, and Gulf states becomes real. France's statement reflects not just exasperation with Iran, but also rising fear that deterrence is slipping.

Georgia’s ruling party, Georgian Dream (GD), has escalated its crackdown on dissent by proposing a law that would allow courts to ban any political party deemed “substantially similar” to one previously outlawed. This would effectively prevent the creation of any new opposition parties and could retroactively eliminate existing ones. The amendment follows GD’s longstanding campaign to discredit the United National Movement (UNM) and its so-called “satellites”, a label the ruling party increasingly uses to smear nearly all opposition forces. This move represents a direct assault on political pluralism and marks a significant slide toward one-party authoritarian rule. Coming amid an ongoing democratic backslide, marked by election fraud allegations, media crackdowns, and mass protests, the law signals GD’s intent to neutralize opposition ahead of the October 2025 local elections. With parliament effectively emptied of real opposition and populated by GD loyalists and pseudo-opposition factions, this legislative maneuver is less about legality than raw political control. The proposed amendment would all but codify Georgia's drift from electoral democracy to outright autocracy.

In recent weeks, Nepal has experienced a surge in pro-monarchy demonstrations, with thousands advocating for the reinstatement of former King Gyanendra Shah and the re-establishment of Nepal as a Hindu state. On March 9, 2025, over 10,000 supporters gathered in Kathmandu to welcome Gyanendra upon his return from a tour of western Nepal. Demonstrators blocked the main entrance to Tribhuvan International Airport, necessitating intervention by riot police to maintain order. Despite the growing public support, Gyanendra has remained silent on calls for the monarchy's restoration. The movement intensified on March 28, 2025, when a rally in Kathmandu turned violent, resulting in two deaths and numerous injuries. Protesters clashed with police, leading to property damage and looting. In response, authorities imposed a curfew and detained over 100 individuals, including prominent pro-monarchy leaders. The resurgence of royalist sentiment is largely attributed to public dissatisfaction with ongoing political instability, corruption, and economic challenges since the monarchy's abolition in 2008. Despite the heightened pro-monarchy activities, political analysts contend that the likelihood of reinstating the monarchy remains low. They argue that the institution was a source of past instability and that Nepal's future lies in strengthening its democratic framework. The government's firm stance against the protests and the absence of formal political backing for the royalist agenda suggest that, while the demonstrations highlight significant public discontent, they are unlikely to effect immediate constitutional change.

Meta is facing a landmark £1.8 billion ($2.4 billion) lawsuit in Kenya over accusations that Facebook’s algorithms and moderation failures fueled ethnic violence and civil conflict in Ethiopia. The case, brought by two Ethiopian nationals — including the son of a murdered academic and a former Amnesty International researcher — alleges that Facebook promoted hate speech and incitement to violence during Ethiopia's civil war and failed to act despite being warned. A Kenyan high court ruled that it has jurisdiction over the case, rejecting Meta’s attempts to dismiss it on technical grounds. The lawsuit demands not only changes to Meta’s content moderation practices — particularly in Africa — but also the creation of a restitution fund for victims and a formal apology for harm caused. Claimants argue Meta’s moderation failures contributed to real-world deaths and displacement, highlighting the platform’s disproportionate harm in under-resourced regions. Rights groups like Amnesty International and Foxglove are backing the case, saying it could set a global precedent for Big Tech accountability in conflict zones. Critics note that despite Meta’s prior commitments to improve safety in Ethiopia, the company has since scaled back moderation efforts, including cutting fact-checkers in January 2025. This retrenchment underscores the ongoing disconnect between Meta’s public rhetoric and its operational priorities — particularly in regions where lives are directly at risk from unchecked digital incitement. The case brings renewed urgency to questions of corporate responsibility, algorithmic harm, and the two-tiered system of platform safety globally.

Russia is scrambling to maintain its strategic foothold in Syria following the ouster of longtime ally Bashar al-Assad in late 2024. While granting asylum to Assad has angered Syria’s new leadership and sparked public resentment, the Kremlin is quietly supplying oil, gas, and even printed currency in a bid to curry favor with the transitional government and safeguard its key military bases in Tartus and Khmeimim. Kremlin officials have made clear they won’t extradite Assad, despite requests, as doing so would undermine Putin’s image of loyalty and resolve. The collapse of the Assad regime, long propped up by Moscow, has left Russia diplomatically isolated and militarily vulnerable in Syria. Former allies flipped allegiances overnight, and Iran — Assad’s other main backer — halted oil shipments. In response, Russia has stepped in with discreet fuel deliveries and infrastructure support to fill the vacuum. The Kremlin is also seeking to use energy leverage and its role as a UN Security Council member to remain relevant in shaping Syria’s future, even as Israel, Turkey, and the U.S. assert competing spheres of influence. Despite these efforts, Russia’s position is tenuous. The Kremlin’s refusal to hand over Assad and its role in Syria’s past destruction are major liabilities. However, Moscow is banking on realpolitik — energy deals, reconstruction aid, and the threat of geopolitical veto power — to win over Syria’s transitional leadership. For the moment, Damascus appears interested in maintaining ties, viewing Russia as a useful counterweight to other foreign powers. But whether Putin can parlay energy pragmatism into long-term influence remains uncertain.

In its latest crackdown on religious institutions, the Ortega-Murillo regime in Nicaragua has seized the historic Episcopal Curia of Matagalpa, repurposing it as offices for a state-affiliated company. This move is widely interpreted as a continuation of the regime’s vendetta against Bishop Rolando Álvarez, who was arrested in 2022, sentenced to 26 years for “treason,” and exiled to the Vatican after being stripped of his Nicaraguan citizenship—a violation of international law. Bishop Álvarez, despite his forced exile, remains the apostolic administrator of Estelí and the legitimate bishop of Matagalpa. His recent public reaffirmations of that role provoked fierce condemnation from the regime, which accused the Vatican of interfering in domestic affairs and lashed out with historical grievances against the Church. The seizure of the curia is part of a broader strategy of repression: since 2018, the Nicaraguan government has shuttered over 5,660 NGOs, including many Christian groups. This intensifying persecution of the Church underscores the regime’s efforts to eliminate voices of dissent and moral authority in the country.