Politics & Diplomacy

Screencaps of a viral Douyin video of animated panda flight attendants welcoming Ya Ya’s arrival with the song, “Ya Ya Come Home.”

Thu, Sep 14, 2023

Panda exchange program targeted by misinformation, driving anti-US narratives in China

Chinese media capitalized on emotionally resonant rumors about alleged panda abuse in the United States amid deteriorating US-China relations

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Asia China
President of Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President of China Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pose for a BRICS family photo during the 2023 BRICS Summit at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, on August 23, 2023. (Source: Gianluigi Guercia/Pool via Reuters/File Photo)

Wed, Sep 6, 2023

Pro-Russian BRICS narratives in Latin America prospered during summit lead-up

In the six months ahead of the BRICS summit, narratives about a new multipolar world and the fall of US hegemony trended in Spanish-speaking Latin America information space

by Iria Puyosa

Argentina Brazil
BANNER: Dilma Rousseff, former president of Brazil and current president of the New Development Bank, speaks at the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, August 23, 2023.

Wed, Sep 6, 2023

BRICS narratives critical of US influence spread in Brazil prior to summit

Discussion on social media platforms focused on de-dollarization and waning US influence

by Beatriz Farrugia

Brazil Buzzsumo
Guatemala City, Guatemala.- In the photos taken on August 14, 2023, authorities are packing electoral materials and documents that will be used on August 20 for the second round. The elections will see a former first lady compete against the son of a former president. Unemployment, corruption and the high cost of living are on voters' minds as they head to the polls on August 20.

Thu, Aug 17, 2023

Far-right Twitter network targets Guatemala’s presidential election

Twitter network backed Guatemala’s Public Ministry amidst attempts to suspend political party Movimiento Semilla

by Esteban Ponce de León

Americas Elections
A still image from a bodycam footage, released by Russia's Defence Ministry, shows what it said to be crew members kneeling down in a cockpit during an operation held by Russian navy officers to board the Palau-flagged Sukru Okan vessel with the help of a Ka-29 military helicopter in the Black Sea on August 13, 2023, in this image taken from video published August 15, 2023. Russian Defence Ministry/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. MANDATORY CREDIT. WATERMARK FROM SOURCE.

Thu, Aug 17, 2023

Russian War Report: Tensions escalate in the Black Sea as the Russian navy forcefully inspects a civilian cargo ship

Russia escalated tensions beyond Ukraine again this week when its navy forcibly inspected and fired warning shots at a civilian cargo ship.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) listens to Arkady Volozh, Chief Executive Officer of Yandex, as he visits the headquarters of the company in Moscow, Russia September 21, 2017. Sputnik/Alexei Druzhinin/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY.

Thu, Aug 10, 2023

Russian War Report: Co-founder of Russia’s most popular search engine condemns war in Ukraine

A co-founder of Yandex, Russia's primary search engine, issued a public statement of opposition to the war in Ukraine and acknowledging his "share of responsibility."

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Tue, Aug 8, 2023

A US agenda for action in Sudan’s information environment

A brief on how the United States and Sudan can collaborate on combatting disinformation and building up the African nation's democratic potential.

by Cameron Hudson

Democracy Derailed report cover art

Tue, Aug 8, 2023

Sudan’s precarious information environment and the fight for democracy

An examination of the time from December 2018, when protests against then-president Omar al-Bashir first broke out, and December 2022, when a framework agreement between civilian and military leaders came into play.

by Tessa Knight, Lujain Alsedeg

A World Map Of China 3D Rendering - Chinese Discourse Power Cover graphic

Wed, Aug 2, 2023

Chinese discourse power: Capabilities and impact

An examination of China's online and offline channels for the dissemination of "discourse power" and the mechanisms of oversight on which such communications rely.

by Kenton Thibaut

Lieutenant General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, deputy head of the military council and head of paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), greets his supporters as he arrives at a meeting in Aprag village, 60 kilometers away from Khartoum, Sudan, June 22, 2019. (Source: REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo)

Wed, Aug 2, 2023

Suspicious network’s copypasta replies to Sudanese paramilitary group’s tweets

Network of potentially hijacked Twitter accounts copy and pasted positive replies to accounts associated with Rapid Support Forces

by Tessa Knight

Conflict Democratic Transitions
SCREENCAP: RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN SPEAKS AT RUSSIA-AFRICA FORUM AT ST. PETERSBURG, SAYING RUSSIA IS READY TO USE REGIONAL CURRENCIES FOR SETTLEMENTS WITH AFRICAN COUNTRIES

Thu, Jul 27, 2023

Russian War Report: Kremlin seeks stronger ties in Africa as Wagner eyes Niger coup

As Russian president Vladimir Putin attends the Russia-Africa Summit, he and his government are making moves to solidify regional cooperation. Amid this, Wagner seeks to capitalize on the coup in Niger.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Mon, Jul 24, 2023

Pro-Russia actors target Armenia with anti-Ukraine propaganda

Suspicious quotes magnified by pro-Russian sources used to undermine Ukraine's reputation in Armenia

by Ani Mejlumyan, Roman Osadchuk

Armenia Conflict