As Mark Zuckerberg’s platforms block Canadian news, it’s time to consider how to build alternative platforms that serve the public interest

Tough-minded federal Judge Tanya Chutkan, handling the government’s trial against Donald Trump for his conspiracies and the Jan. 6, 2021, coup d’état and insurrection, had a blunt message for the former Oval Office occupant and his lawyers: “Your client’s defense is supposed to happen in this courtroom, not on the internet.” In so many words, Judge Chutkan told Trump stop threatening witnesses and potential jurors.

The coup in Niger threatens Western governments’ interests. The ramifications are regional and international. In the short-term, military cooperation with the US, France, and Canada has been suspended. In the long-term, European energy supplies may be impacted by Nigerien efforts to reassert national control over their resources, a move that would influence Europe’s wider global policies.

Niger is shaping up to be the surprising frontline of the new Cold War. Yesterday, the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) ordered the “activation” and “deployment” of “standby” military forces to the country, an action that threatens to spark a major international war that could make Syria look minor by comparison. In this venture, ECOWAS has been fully supported by the United States and Europe, leading many to suspect it is being used as an imperial vehicle to stamp out anti-colonial projects in West Africa.