The Guardian@40 – Reminiscences of an era

The weekend attack on a center-left politician in eastern Germany has been widely condemned. But insults, threats and attempts at intimidation have long been a part of campaigning.

It's estimated that more than 53,000 people have fled extreme violence in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince, which equates to 80 percent of the city's population. Haiti has been without a president since the assassination of Jovenel Moïse in 2021. The country has been ravaged for decades by poverty and natural disasters. But since February, Haiti's powerful gangs have joined forces to attack police stations, prisons and the airport. An internationally-backed transitional council has been formed and is now beginning to assess how to take back control.

The Netherlands has always been known as a business-friendly country. But the country looks set to become a lot less hospitable following the result of November’s elections, in which the far right won the most votes. The four parties seeking to form a government have vowed to limit immigration, hitting both high-tech workers and students. Companies have started to voice their concern and some are even threatening to leave the country.

South Africa's coastal city of Durban, known for its popular beaches and warm climate, is facing a severe water crisis ahead of national elections, with residents suffering from prolonged dry taps and poor sanitation services.

Her powerful performances give voice to some uncomfortable truths. Lebanese playwright and director Chrystèle Khodr wades through the ruins of a society in her latest play "Ordalie", exploring the social, political and physical wreckage of her homeland and its history. She tells us more about the quest for justice in contemporary Lebanon, why 19th-century playwright Henrik Ibsen is a fitting contemporary inspiration and how making theatre in a crisis-ridden country is a constant endeavour of creativity and solidarity among artists.

Paris 2024 official partner ArcelorMittal made 2,000 torches for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.