THE WORLD

Photo: Collage of pictures of Tolulope Arotile and Fahim Saleh.

Two Deaths, Many Life Lessons

Viewpoint by Azu Ishiekwene

The writer is the Managing Director/Editor-In-Chief of The Interview magazine based in Abuja, Nigeria.

ABUJA (IDN) – The news mid-July of the deaths of two young people, Tolulope Arotile and Fahim Saleh (fondly called Nigeria’s ‘Elon Musk’) whose paths may never have crossed but who nevertheless shared the same kindred spirit of adventure, left me in a daze.

Both died in different places and under different circumstances, but you only need to look a bit closer to see the dots connecting the tragedies. Like candles in the wind, as Elton John would say, they burned out before their legend ever did.

: Africa & ME Editor; OPINION; 22 July 2020

Photo: Protests in Tripoli, opposing foreign support of General Haftar. (Photo: YouTube Screenshot)

Time Is Not on Our Side in Libya

A "Demilitarization Zone" Would Divide the War-Torn Country into Two Parts

Viewpoint by Vijay Prashad*

This article was originally produced by Globetrotter, a project of the Independent Media Institute.

NORTHAMPTON, Massachusetts (IDN) – Ahmed, who lives in Tripoli, Libya, texts me that the city is quieter than before. The army of General Khalifa Haftar—who controls large parts of eastern Libya—has withdrawn from the southern part of the capital and is now holding fast in the city of Sirte and at the airbase of Jufra. Most of Libya’s population lives along the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea, which is where the cities of Tripoli, Sirte, Benghazi, and Tobruk are located.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 22 July 2020

Collage of Magic Money and Sebastian Mallaby (Twitter), inventor of magic money.

EU & The Other Developed Countries Should Spend Some Of The 'Magic Money' To Help Africa

Viewpoint by Jonathan Power*

LUND, Sweden (IDN) – There is "Magic Money" around in case you didn't know. Not quite made out of thin air, but getting on that way. This is a phrase invented by the economic writer, Sebastian Mallaby, in the new issue of Foreign Affairs, America's leading foreign policy bi-monthly journal. It is a usually important and well-researched article. All policymakers should read it.

: Jonathan Power; OPINION; 21 July 2020

After Downing Statues, Africans Turn to Change at Home

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK (IDN) – Africa has been pulling down statues for years – from Cecil Rhodes at the University of Cape Town to Britain's Queen Victoria in Kenya, to King Leopold of Belgium in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Now, change is moving ahead in Sudan, Gabon and other countries as the momentum for social and economic justice continues to grow. In Sudan, the country's highest governing body has ratified a law outlawing female genital mutilation (FGM) – three months after the cabinet approved amendments to the criminal code that would punish those who perform it.

: Global Information Network; THE WORLD; Africa; 20 July 2020

Photo: The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Credit: Olof von Gawinski, Flickr.

Africa's Largest Hydro Dam Held Hostage as Horn of Africa Countries Wage 'Water War'

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK (IDN) – Three neighbouring countries locked in a bitter dispute over rights to the precious waters of the Nile River may provide a preview of water wars around the world as global temperatures rise and droughts leave populations with insufficient water to drink or for farms.

The three countries – Ethiopia, Egypt, Sudan – are all claiming rights to Africa’s most fabled river but Ethiopia has already laid claim to the water at the source and has begun siphoning it into a $4.5 billion hydroelectric dam to the dismay of Egypt which relies on the Nile for 90 percent of its water.

: Global Information Network; THE WORLD; Africa; 20 July 2020

Collage of the images of Van Guard, BlackRock and State Street Global Advisors.

The Spectre of the Big Three

Viewpoint by Glauco Benigni*

This article was originally published by Other News and is reproduced with permission.

ROME (IDN) – They are called Vanguard, BlackRock and State Street Global Advisors and they are the world's 3 largest mutual funds. They are also known as asset managers or investment funds, operated by professional experts who collect "fresh" money from an immense and varied number of investors and savers. With this "fresh money" they buy securities in the various stock exchanges of the planet and redistribute profits (when things go well) to those who have entrusted them with the surplus of their capital and/or savings. Investors can be of a commercial or institutional nature, but also simple private individuals who access the various investment plans attributable to and controlled by the Big 3.

: Phil Harris; OPINION; 20 July 2020

A Slaughterhouse for Workers

It’s Not Romanians Spreading The Virus, It’s Capitalism

Viewpoint by Vladimir Bogoeski *

BERLIN (IDN) – While the world heaps praise on Germany’s successful response to the Covid-19 pandemic, recent events have thrown a dark shadow on the shiny image. Although its political leadership, unlike that of France and the US, did not frame the pandemic discourse around a war analogy, the ‘collateral damage’ yielded by the German variety of capitalism during the pandemic is hard to overlook.

: Europe Editor; THE WORLD; EU & Europe; 19 July 2020

China-India Conflict a Potential Threat to Five-Nation BRICS

By Kester Kenn Klomegah

MOSCOW (IDN) – Tension between China and India threatens to paralyse BRICS – the association of five major emerging national economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. While struggling to manage the devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and India have locked horns over issues in their "bilateral relations", ranging from border security to trade conflicts and information war.

: Kester Kenn Klomegah; SUSTAINABILITY; Global Partnerships; 17 July 2020

Photo: Trump with children. Source: rawstory.com

Trump’s 'Plan' Is to Make the Virus and Its Casualties Disappear

Viewpoint by Sonali Kolhatkar

This article was produced by Economy for All, a project of the Independent Media Institute. Sonali Kolhatkar is the founder, host and executive producer of “Rising Up With Sonali,” a television and radio show that airs on Free Speech TV and Pacifica stations.

America’s rightward march culminating in Trump's presidency has brought us to this moment where we are dying from a virus that other nations have managed to control.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 17 July 2020

The Pandemic of Racism in America

Viewpoint by Dr Alon Ben-Meir

The writer is a professor of international relations at the Center for Global Affairs at New York University (NYU). He teaches courses on international negotiation and Middle Eastern studies.

NEW YORK (IDN) – The rage, desperation, and determination which continue to bring tens of thousands of Americans to the streets in protest against racism and injustice hopefully will be just the beginning.