5 of the most important global news stories this week.

1. Elections 2024 – Panama, Chad, UK, and the Solomon Islands

Panama begins general elections, and incumbent president Laurentino Cortizo is constitutionally ineligible for a second consecutive term. Chad presidential elections begin this week, with frontrunner incumbent transitional president Mahamat Deby, son of the late president Idriss Deby who died in 2021. In the UK local election results Friday, the Conservative Party suffered heavy losses, with expectations of the Labour Party returning to power in the general election later this year. Finally, the Solomon Islands elected former Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele as their new prime minister in an election closely watched for its potential impact on regional security. 

2. Potential Ceasefire Agreement

Israel and Hamas seem to be seriously negotiating a possible end to the war in Gaza and return of Israeli hostages after months of stalemated talks. Hamas leaders claim to be reviewing the proposal in a “positive spirit” and are sending a team to Egypt this weekend to continue talks. Meanwhile, in the United States arrests of war protesters exceed 2.300 as police violently raid more college campuses, and President Biden refuses to change his approach to the war. 

3. Georgia Protests Media Freedom

Georgian capital Tbilisi has been engulfed in protests after the proposal of a law that would require media and nongovernmental organizations and other nonprofits to register as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they receive more than 20% of funding from abroad. Opposition calls the bill “the Russian law” because of the similarity it bears to Russian laws stigmatizing independent news media. Thousands of demonstrators were dispersed by tear gas and water cannons by police after interrupting parliament. 

4. China Sends Probe to Far-Side of the Moon

On Friday a lunar probe was launched from the Chinese island province Hainan. It will land on the far side of the moon and return with samples revealing a new insight into radio astronomy not seen before. The entire mission is set to last 53 days. China’s space program is ambitious; It aims to put astronauts on the moon by 2030. But for now it is still believed to fall short of the U.S. space program’s capabilities. 

5. Misinformation Surges During Indian Elections

A-list actors Aamir Khan and Ranveer Singh appeared in Ai generated videos circulated on social media during the current election cycle. AI-powered misinformation and disinformation are emerging risks; experts have warned that AI deepfakes will aim to mislead voters and undermine elections around the world. Further misinformation misstates details of casting ballots, claiming the election will be rigged and calling for violence against India’s Muslims.