Excluded Headlines: US using the UN to control Haiti while Trump demonises migrants from there. Women spearhead lawsuit in Indonesia ...
Stay up to date on the Global South news stories the US- and Eurocentric media overlook, with author and journalist, Tamara Pearson.
In this week’s Global South news:
US using the UN to control Haiti while Trump demonises migrants from there - While Trump falsely claimed Haitian refugees or migrants are abducting and eating pets, the current administration has been putting that racism into practice by deporting migrants and refugees back to the country — a policy only reconsidered in June this year.
At the same time, the US has presented a draft resolution to the UN Security Council to transition its Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to a “peace keeping operation” of Kenyan police in Haiti. So far, the Kenyan police (who don’t speak Haitian creole) have spent most of their time in their US-built base at the Port-au-Prince airport, while Haitian police complain about getting paid seven times less than them. UN-US foreign interference in Haiti has historically been destructive, and undesired by Haitians. The US, in the draft resolution, tries to justify its operation by arguing that Haiti is a threat to international peace - blatantly untrue. Source, source, source, source.
Almost 100 dead as rains trigger devastating floods in war-ravaged Yemen - Recent heavy downpours in war-torn Yemen have triggered flash flooding and landslides, claiming nearly 100 lives. Experts warn that these seasonal rains, exacerbated by climate change, could worsen malnutrition and cholera cases among the population. Source.
Record floods in Vietnam - Thousands have been evacuated from Hanoi as Typhoon Yagi brought record floods, pushing the Red River's water level in the capital to a 20-year high. The typhoon has claimed 179 lives, with 145 people still missing. Source, source.
Women spearhead a forest fire lawsuit against three companies in Indonesia - Villagers across in South Sumatra have filed a lawsuit demanding compensation for financial losses and health impacts caused by wildfire-induced haze, which they allege was sparked by three pulp and paper companies, all of which are suppliers to Asia Pulp & Paper (APP), Indonesia's largest pulp and paper producer. The lawsuit claims that between 2015 and 2020, fires burned 254,787 hectares —an area nearly the size of Jakarta— making them major contributors to the haze that plagued South Sumatra during dry seasons. Damages include respiratory illnesses and mental health issues from being unable to attend school or places of worship. Companies start fires in order to clear vegetation. Source, source.
One million affected by northern Nigeria floods - Floods in north eastern Nigeria have submerged entire residential areas, and displaced tens of thousands of people. Source.
Israeli airstrike on Gaza displacement camp kills at least 40, leaves giant hole - Israel bombed a refugee tent camp and an area Israel itself had designated as a humanitarian zone. For a local journalist’s photos of the attacks, see here. Video (trigger warning). Meanwhile, the state of Palestine took its permanent seat at the UN - a historic moment. This followed a May resolution that Palestine was eligible for UN membership. Source, source, source.
Iraqi anti-corruption head investigated for corruption - Judicial authorities announced an investigation into the head of the country’s anti-corruption body over audio recordings allegedly linking him to bribery. Source.
Bolivia fires - Protesters are demanding action against fires ravishing areas of the country, wielding placards saying ‘Bolivia can’t breathe.’ Venezuela, Uruguay, and Peru have sent firefighters and equipment to the country. Four million hectares have burned so far this year. Source.
Odd results in Algeria’s elections - Just over a quarter of voters appear to have participated in the national elections, with 94.7% of voters re-electing Abdelmadjid Tebboune as president. But Tebboune himself is questioning the results, alleging fraud and joining with his opponents to accuse the electoral body of inaccuracies. Source.
Useful reads:
Oil Kills: Inside the International Uprising Disrupting the Aviation Industry
How Sudan’s rich cultural heritage has become endangered by war (short video).
South Sudan floods: the first example of a mass population permanently displaced by climate change?
The Genocide in Palestine – How to Prevent the Next Stage from Happening
WEOG: The UN’s Settler-Colonial Bloc
Sudan is burning and foreign powers are benefiting – what’s in it for the UAE
New Global Media Index measures how 20 of the world’s most powerful news providers cover Africa