Here’s what’s going on in the world for the week of May 31, 2022.
Global News
The tobacco industry is a major polluter and climate change according to the World Health Organization.
Chinese disinformation and misinformation are especially prominent in Google News. CCP propaganda showing up in 88% of new searches on search engines like Bing and Google.
Chinese foreign lending often targets the home providence of incumbent political leadership, favoring projects in the home city or providence of a sitting head of state. However, this effect disappears when the incumbent is out of power. This also means that China is at risk of backlash from projects that serve little or no benefit to the borrowing country and the debt for these projects become a debt burden.
Americas
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro signed a decree increase the fine amount for individuals who provide false information in order to gain logging license applications or forest concessions. Environmental activists point out that the legislation doesn’t really address the core problems related to illegal logging or that fines can expire if not paid.
Cyber criminals launched a ransomware attack on Costa Rica’s public health agency computer systems, causing the government to shut down the system.
The Summit of the Americas will be held in the United States of America for the first time since 1994, but Mexico might not attend. Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela had not been invited to the summit.
Africa
Protests are taking place in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo over alleged Rwandan support for M-23, a rebel force that clashed with the Congolese military in Northern Kivu, which borders Rwanda.
The war in Ukraine is causing food shortages in Africa. Both Ukraine and Russia are major food and fertilizer exporters, with Africa being a recipient of more than 40% of grain and wheat exports from Russia in the past few years.
The United Nations Security Council passed unanimously a resolution condemning armed robbery, hostage-taking and piracy off the Gulf of Guinea. Piracy in the region costs coastal states around 2 billion USD a year while piracy in the region remains high despite global decline of piracy.
Europe
Turkey and Russia in discussions over incursions in Northern Syria.
The European Union will embargo 90% of Russian oil exports by December. Poland and Germany are also planning on phasing out Russian oil as well by the end of the year.
After being sworn in for a second term on Tuesday, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will seek European Union membership for the country, but not join NATO.
Middle East
Israel and the United Arab Emirates have signed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, a free trade deal that is potentially worth more than 10 billion USD, according to the UAE.
Lebanon has re-elected Nabih Berri for a seventh term as Speaker of Parliament.
Oxfam is calling on warring sides of the Yemeni war to renew the ceasefire struck in April, citing the need for humanitarian aid and assistance to millions at risk of starvation.
Asia
China’s attempt to sign comprehensive security and regional coordination over fisheries and other issues, ended up falling short as the 10 Polynesian nations approached by Beijing had refused to sign on.
The Bai Lan attitude, or “let it rot”, reflects a growing disillusionment in Chinese youth. The lack of economic opportunities and uncertainty for the future are driving the attitude. However, it’s not unique to China.
A leak of alleged documents and photos from a database in Xinjiang provides more evidence of abuses and involuntary detention of Uighurs in the internment camps. Beijing denies the claims despite this being the second data leak since 2019 showing abuses.
The Department of Foreign Affairs is protesting Beijing’s imposition of a unilateral moratorium of fishing in disputed and Filipino territorial waters, an act that is illegal according to a ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2016.
Global Affairs Weekly 