Excluded Headlines: Potential soft coup in Colombia, disasters in Haiti, Indonesia's environmental measures...
Stay up to date on the global news stories the US- and Eurocentric media overlooks, with journalist and author, Tamara Pearson.
In this week’s Global South news, downplayed or ignored by the English-language mainstream media:
Warnings of a soft coup in Colombia - Colombia’s right-wing forces have increased attacks against the left-wing Petro government. Activists from within the country, as well as left-wing leaders outside it are concerned about the opposition’s use of the offices of the inspector general and attorney to target President Petro and his allies. Their investigations could lead to left-wing politicians being expelled from parliament or Petro losing his position. Speaking at a mass rally on Wednesday, Petro also accused the media, courts, and business sectors of attacking the government, and said the media “hates the vice president, because of her skin colour.” Source, source, source.
Somalia bombed by the US twice in a week - According to the US Africa Command, the air strikes were aimed at al-Shabaab fighters and no civilians were harmed, but the US is not typically reliable when recounting such situations. Source.
Haiti faces disasters on various fronts - For some activists, Haiti is facing “the worst human rights disasters in the Americas” . They accuse the US government of genocide and deliberate destruction of Haitian sovereignty, and note the absence of fair and free elections, as well as political repression, and violence orchestrated by the US-backed regime and paramilitaries. A deadly earthquake also just hit Haiti and displaced more people, after 51 people died this week in floods. Source, source, source.
Indonesia to phase out plastics - The government announced it would start imposing a ban on single-use plastic products by the end of 2029. Source.
Poor bear brunt of longest heatwave in history in Bangladesh - Schools are shut down and there are widespread power cuts in the country after temperatures have hit 40 degrees C from April through to early May. They reduced for a while, then picked up again at the end of last month. Source.
Rohingya refugees protest in Bangladesh - Tens of thousands of refugees have protested their living conditions, as a million people are crammed into camps. The World Food program has a monthly food allocation per person of just US$8. Source.
Tzotzil massacre wasn’t covered by a single outlet - Seven Tzotzil people, including a child, were murdered as they took shelter in a corner shop in Chiapas, Mexico, and no English-language media covered it. Mexico’s president has also admitted that last month the army killed five civilians. Source, source, source.
Sudan is facing acute medical shortages - Due to the current conflict, Sudan is facing shortages of cancer medicines, anaesthetics/pain killers, laboratory equipment, and almost all medicines or supplies for serious conditions like heart disease. Source.