Monday, March 8, 2021
News and Views from the Global South
Analysis
Flipping Arizona: Hispanic Movements Flex Political Muscles
The Valley of the Sun is a vast, flat stretch of Sonoran Desert, etched by arroyos and studded with small, jagged peaks. It spans about 50 miles (80 kilometers) west to east and 40 miles (64 kilometers) north to south in south-central Arizona (the state that borders southern California to the east). After cruising through southward on one of the tangle of freeways that vein the expanse, we can leadfoot it another 100 miles (161 kilometers) southeast to Tucson across much the same hardscape, only gradually gaining elevation. The saguaro cacti grow more thickly, but the higher cordilleras maintain a discreet distance most of the way.
Time to End the Lethal Limbo of the U.S.-Mexican Drug Wars
Sporadic but spectacular acts of violence remind the global public of how deeply parts of Mexico have slid into lethal conflict over recent years.
Hopes and Challenges for the First-Ever Food Systems Summit
Building inclusive and healthier food systems, and safeguarding the health of the planet will be some of the key priorities at the first-ever Food Systems Summit next year.
Inequality, Stagnation and Instability ‒ the New Normal for Finance Capitalism
The failure of large-scale bailout operations, historically low interest rates and rapid injection of liquidity to bring about a strong recovery from the 2008-2009 financial crisis and recession created a widespread concern that advanced economies suffered from a chronic demand gap and faced the spectre of stagnation.
From Digital Diplomacy to Data Diplomacy
The digital revolution arrived late at the heart of ministries of foreign affairs across the Western world. Ministries latched on to social media around the time of Tahrir Square and Iran’s 2009 Green Revolution, beguiled by a vision of the technology engendering a networked evolution toward more liberal societies.
Five Lessons for Journalism in the Age of Rage– & Where Lies Travel Faster Than Truth
The news-media industry has long lamented how the digital revolution has broken its business models. Today, a majority of digital advertising money goes to Facebook and Google, and media companies are struggling to reinvent themselves through digital subscriptions.
Beyond the Headlines: the Development Story Behind Irregular Migration
Last week, a too-familiar human tragedy captured news headlines. 39 people were found dead inside a shipping container on an industrial estate in Essex in Southeast England; 31 men and 8 women whose individual identities, for now, remain anonymous, as authorities begin to investigate one of Europe’s worst people-trafficking cases.
Right-Wing Politicians Fear “Invasion” of Europe & US by Migrants and Refugees
The United Nations commemorated its annual World Day of Migrants and Refugees (WDMR) on September 29 ---- this time amidst rising anti-immigrant rhetoric and widespread xenophobia.
Africa’s Industrial Development: Turning Challenges into Opportunities
When world leaders gathered in New York for the 70th session of the General Assembly back in 2016, and proclaimed the period 2016-2025 as the Third Industrial Development Decade for Africa (IDDA III), it reaffirmed the importance of industrialization in supporting Africa’s own efforts towards sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth and accelerated development.
Sudan Transition an “Opportunity” to End Darfur Crisis
Sudan’s transition to civilian rule offers a chance to end the ethnic violence that plagues the western province of Darfur and end a peacekeeping mission there, a top United Nations official said Monday.
After Two Years of Horrors in Burma, the U.S. Is Still Doing Too Little, Too Late
Monsoon season is currently wreaking havoc on the more than 911,000 Rohingya refugees displaced from their homeland in Burma (Myanmar) to the ramshackle camps of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.
Little Hope of Justice for Rohingya, Two Years after Exodus
Two years after the start of an exodus of Rohingya civilians from genocide-like attacks in Myanmar, members of the mainly Muslim minority have little hope of securing justice, rights or returning to their homes, according to the United Nations and aid groups.
One Month Since Libya’s Migrant Tragedy, Detentions Continue
It is almost one month since an airstrike on a detention centre in Libya killed and injured scores of migrants and refugees locked up inside, many of whom were detained for doing nothing worse than fleeing instability or seeking better lives in Europe.
Global Aids Fight Running out of Steam, U.N. says
The global fight against Aids is floundering amid cash shortfalls and spikes in new HIV infections among marginalised groups in developing regions, Gunilla Carlsson, executive director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), said Tuesday.
Heatwaves are a ‘New Normal’, Says Red Cross
It is barely the middle of the month, but the verdict is in: July has been hot.
U.N.’s Islamic State Probe Unit Kicks into Gear
A United Nations-backed probe into atrocities committed by the so-called Islamic State (IS) group in Iraq has frequently been criticised for making slow progress during its first two years of operations. Lately, that could be changing.
Drought, Disease and War Hit Global Agriculture, Says U.N.
The United Nations has warned of drought, disease and war preventing farmers from producing enough food for millions of people across Africa and other regions, leading to the need for major aid operations.
Media and Web Freedom Threatened in Sudan Turbulence
The United Nations has condemned an internet shutdown and the blocking of social media channels during Sudan’s political crisis, as fears persisted over a crackdown on media freedoms in the turbulent African country.
Libya Tragedy: Why Lock up Migrants in the First Place?
A military strike on a detention centre for migrants in Libya that claimed dozens of lives on Wednesday Jul. 3 has reignited a debate over the poor treatment of the mainly African people who transit through the turbulent country.
U.S.-backed Kurds to Halt Child Soldier use in Syria
The United States-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have struck a deal with the United Nations to stop using child soldiers across swathes of eastern Syria under their control and to release all youngsters from their ranks, the U.N. announced Monday.
South Africans Look to Re-elected Government to Rebuild a Stagnant Economy
Millions of South Africans headed out in large numbers, some braving cold and wet weather to cast their ballot in the country's sixth democratic elections this week. The 2019 election was one of the most competitive and contested elections that also saw a whopping 48 parties on the national ballot—up 300 percent from a mere 10 years ago.Next Page »
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