Written by William Lucht December 5, 2022 Last Wednesday Tunisian President Kais Saied welcomed Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah for an official two-day visit. President Saied met with not only the Libyan leader but also other high-level delegates such as the Prime Minister Najla Bouden, Central Bank of Libya Director Seddik Kebir and other... Continue Reading →
South Africa’s President Faces Impeachment
Written by Osetemega Iribiri December 5, 2022 South Africa's president, Cyril Ramaphosa, who came into power with the mantra of combatting corruption, is under pressure to resign over corruption allegations in the Farmgate scandal. South Africa's former spy chief, Arthur Fraser, accused the president of money laundering, corruption, and covering up large theft of cash.... Continue Reading →
FIFA World Cup in Qatar Shows Double Standards
Written by Bushra Bani-Salman December 5, 2022 Qatar is about the size of Connecticut, with less than three million people residing in the country, and 88 percent of the population are foreigners. The tournament in the country was questioned due to the country’s disapproval of LGBTQ people, as well as their mistreatment of migrant workers,... Continue Reading →
Barbados Leads Talks on Climate Disaster Financing
The Barbados Prime Minister, Mia Mottley, has proposed a new process for lending money to developing nations. The plan was initially proposed at COP26 in Scotland last year but has since gained support and momentum. The debt within the developing world has grown, and Mottley’s plan “would make it easier for countries…to get funds to beef up defenses against warming and put off debt payments when disasters strike”. The plan, which “calls for special loan clauses that allow for suspending payments when a county is hit by a natural disaster or pandemic, has been named the Bridgetown Initiative.
Lula’s Victory, Bolsonaro’s Defeat
On Sunday, October 30th, leftist candidate Luiz Lula won the presidential election by an incredibly small margin of 50.1% to Bolsonaro’s 49.1%. Lula has promised to “end hunger, zero tolerance for deforestation in the Amazon…and restore democracy to Brazil". He will overturn many of Bolsonaro’s policies, including pro-gun measures, and plans to restore Brazil’s leadership on climate change.
Haiti: Is U.N. Intervention Enough?
Last month, armed gangs blocked the main fuel terminal in the capital of Port-au-Prince and severed access to aid routes. The people took to the streets in protest of the higher fuel and food prices, as half the country is now experiencing acute hunger. Not only are the people hungry, but the country is also combatting a cholera outbreak. “Lack of access to clean water and sanitation, pervasive food insecurity, and inadequate health care create perfect conditions for a dangerous cholera outbreak”.
Peruvian President Faces Constitutional Complaint
Peruvian President Pedro Castillo is facing a constitutional complaint alleging that he is leading a corruption ring within the government. This complaint was filed by Attorney General Patricia Benavides. Whereas presidents typically have immunity against criminal charges, the filing of a constitutional complaint gives Congress a loophole to carry out its own trial. The complaint “will be examined by parliament and could lead to President Castillo’s suspension from office if more than 65 of the 130 members were to vote in favor”.
Hurricane Ian & Persona Non Grata
Cubans have taken to the street after days without power post Hurricane Ian. Hurricane Ian hit Cuba on Tuesday and knocked out power for the entire island, by Friday half of Havana had electricity back. However, many people began banging on pots and pans in protest because of food spoilage. The protests are a rarity in Cuba, a communist country that has not seen anti-government rallies since 2021 and before then 1959 when Castro rose to power. Due to the power crisis the Cuban government has requested emergency assistance from the Biden administration.
Cuba Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage
The referendum on Sunday, September 25th, was a vote on Cuba’s proposed Family Code. According to President Miguel Díaz-Canel, who was a big proponent for the Family Code, the hope behind this referendum was to abolish “prejudices and taboos that have been ingrained in Cuban society”. Prior to the election, the Family Code had undergone 25 drafts and had incorporated several thousand suggestions of what the public hoped to achieve.
Hurricanes, Ambassadors, & Authoritarianism
El Salvador is experiencing a rise in authoritarianism even though consecutive re-election is illegal. The president, Nayib Bukele, announced that he would run for re-election in 2024.
