Brazil President-Elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva declared last week that “the devastation [of the Amazon] will be a thing of the past.” He has his work cut out for him. Outgoing President Jair Bolsonaro presided over the destruction of an unprecedented proportion of the precious rainforest, crucial to human survival, during his four years in office.
The family of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh expressed hope that the FBI’s newly announced investigation into her death will bring them “closer to justice,” as Israeli officials declared that they will not cooperate, and even condemned the United States for opening a probe at all.
Demonstrations against Iran’s authoritarian regime have continued for nearly two months in spite of the rising number of people killed by state forces and the Iranian parliament’s recent vote to execute protesters.
The South Pacific island nation of Tuvalu promoted a proposal for a fossil fuel nonproliferation treaty to COP27, the United Nations’ annual climate change conference.
Canadian military intervention in Haiti now appears unlikely in spite of the request by Ariel Henry, who is acting as Haiti’s prime minister, for a “specialized armed force” to be deployed in his country against endemic gang violence. Instead, international sanctions on individuals are being employed to do the work.
Republican lawmakers in the US House of Representatives are calling for increased confrontation with China, and should this party take power in next week’s midterm elections, they may exercise significant influence on US foreign policy in the Asia-Pacific region.
In a move that critics are calling a “dangerous escalation,” the United States is reportedly preparing to deploy up to six nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to northern Australia, where they would be close enough to strike China.
SoftBank Group, Japan’s second-largest public company, has quietly acquired a massive stake in US local media over the past few years. It is part of the financialization movement which critics argue is hollowing out local news media and eroding the nation’s democracy.
Breast Pocket Mountain by Karen Hill Anton tells a story of self-discovery in rural Japan, which fills the reader with hope. Karen, a New Yorker, ends up raising a bicultural family, becomes a writer for the Japan Times, a teacher of modern dance, and a Shodo calligraphy practitioner of merit.
New aid offered by Australia to Pacific island nations is aimed at reducing Beijing’s influence over Pacific island nations, an issue which has emerged as a major concern for US allies in the region.
