Erik Prince has moved beyond mercenary armies. His next project is mining minerals in Congo and Afghanistan to help power electric cars. It’s unlikely to help conflict-ridden countries — and could harm them. — By Antony Loewenstein The founder of the military contractor Blackwater, Erik Prince, has a new project. He’s aiming to raise $500 million to invest in the discovery, exploitation, and delivery of resources required to produce electric car batteries. …

Can the mighty Communist Party win the hearts of China’s youth, or will the 2D world lure them into Japan’s clutches? — By Tanner Greer Japanese anime has conquered China. In Chinese, the term “2D culture” (erciyuan wenhua) describes both the television shows, video games, anime (cartoons), manga (comic books), music, and movies inspired by Japanese pop culture and the millions of Chinese who consume these products every week. …

Scenes from Switzerland’s annual gathering of the rich and clueless — By Michael Hirsh “I want a world of peace, freedom, and democracy,” new Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro declared in his keynote speech at this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday. The far-right leader then asked everyone in the audience — all his wealthy new friends — to…

The U.S. State Department is working to stand up a new cybersecurity bureau, but it’s hobbled by debates with lawmakers on its purpose and mandate — By Robbie Gramer and Elias Groll The U.S. State Department is expected to stand up a new cybersecurity bureau this year as the government grapples with expanding foreign cybersecurity threats, according to current and former officials familiar with the plans. …

Apple’s former security chief explains why he took a job with the ACLU — By Elias Groll The computer scientist Jon Callas is a legend of the computer security world. For the last two years, he worked at Apple, where his job entailed breaking into the company’s products to find holes in their security systems. Before that, he co-founded the companies Silent Circle and…

With larger powers in retreat, small countries and civil society groups have stepped up — and they have won some significant victories — By Kenneth Roth In some ways these are dark times for human rights. Yet while the autocrats capture the headlines, the defenders of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law are also gaining strength. The same populists who spread hatred and intolerance are spawning a resistance. The excesses of…

The United Kingdom is facing a generational crisis and adults are nowhere to be found in Parliament — By Stephen Paduano “Who is in charge of the clattering train? The axles creak and the couplings strain. … The pace is hot, and the points are near, And sleep hath deadened the driver’s ear; And signals flash through the night in vain. Who is in charge of the clattering…

Africa isn’t just dealing with an outbreak anymore — and that’s bad news for everyone — By Laurie Garrett Nearly 600 people have contracted Ebola since last August in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, making the ongoing outbreak the second largest in the 43-year history of humanity’s battle with the deadly virus. …

Diplomacy is working — for now — By Patrick M. Cronin The Korean Peninsula is no longer on the brink of war, which seemed like a real possibility in 2017, and the memory of U.S. President Donald Trump’s “fire and fury” rhetoric has faded. Trump’s summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore last year…