Hey, this is Sham, your very own news curator. I know I said last week was the last email before the VIP Membership officially starts. However, in very good news for me, so many of you have signed up for the membership that I need another week to put all names on the list as I was traveling through Kurdistan these past few weeks. So, in better news for you, enjoy this last, very last, very very last issue for free. <3
If you don't know what I'm talking about: This newsletter will change, starting next week. If you want to continue getting this newsletter the way you see it now, sign up to become a VIP Member here.
In issue #354, I do not write about what's happening in Israel and Palestine. Instead, I want to talk about news stories that you might have missed because everybody else is writing about what's happening in Israel and Palestine. In this issue, you'll read about a recent investigation that found out that top fashion brands in Europe are recruiting refugee models and exploiting some of them, leaving them in worse situations than they came from. You will also read about the latest win for LGBTQ+ rights in Hong Kong and everything you need to know about Argentina's elections yesterday. Plus, a podcast about a Mexican trans woman and a controversial British TV show, a new human evolution exhibition in South Africa, reimagining the story of humankind, and so much more.
Happy reading,
Sham
|
|
Estimated reading time: 10 min
You have access to all of my sources by clicking on what's underlined.
Thanks to Wikimedia Commons for the maps.
Map 1, TUBS, CC BY-SA 3.0
Map 2, TUBS, CC BY-SA 3.0
Map 3, TUBS, CC BY-SA 3.0
|
|
'Top fashion brands in Europe exploit models from a refugee camp in Kenya', report finds
|
|
What happened
A Sunday Times investigation has found out that some African refugee models who had been recruited by prominent fashion brands for fashion weeks in Europe have returned to Africa in debt and without financial gain. A number of models The Sunday Times talked to from the Kakuma refugee camp in northwestern Turkana County, Kenya, are at the center of this investigation.
Why this matters
Some 280,000 people live in the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. It is one of the world's largest refugee camps and managed by both the Kenyan government and the United Nations. Over half of its residents are from South Sudan, one of the world’s poorest countries. The global fashion industry needs (stronger) rules and regulation to stop and fight against the exploitation of models by agencies and talent scouts who promise them a better future.
Tell me more
A refugee model's journey looks like this: Scouts within the camp actively seek potential models, sending their photographs to European agencies thousands of miles away, sometimes even browsing through refugees’ Instagram accounts. Sometimes, it’s even like, "Hey, let’s Zoom and see if you’ve got the vibe." If chosen, the selected model gets a pass from Kenyan government officials who manage the camp (no one can leave the camp without this pass). Then the model gets a passport and the required visas, travels to the capital Nairobi to either stay with relatives or in agency-funded digs before travelling to Europe. The model flies out just before fashion week, usually to Paris, and attends castings. They are put up in accommodation and are given pocket money for food and transport. It’s a few weeks of living the 'Euro dream', but if the gigs aren't paying, or you’re just not the right fit, it’s back to Kakuma. Many young people in Kakuma view modeling as a way to make it out of the camp. Agencies claim this too, 'you'll get better life opportunities. Plus, you'll add much-needed diversity to the fashion industry!'. However, there are growing concerns about the well-being of the models. Many of them, coming from regions of East and Central Africa where they have had it bad, find themselves in even worse situations when they return, casting doubt on the integrity of the European recruiters and employers, and those who work with them. The investigation namely also revealed that Nigerian businesswoman Joan Okorodudu, also known as Mama or Auntie Joan, signed models to her agency, Isis Models, and then marketed them to larger agencies.
Give me details
One young model recounts being flown to Paris from the camp, only to be sent back after six days due to malnutrition. Another model shares her experience of signing a barely comprehensible contract, has now debts of over €2,000. Achol Malual Jau, a 23-year-old South Sudanese model, ended up with a €3,000 debt after a six-month stint in Europe. The agency that signed Jau said client feedback had "not been the best" despite the fact they had "believed so much in Achol". Matteo Puglisi, the CEO of Select Model Management, expressed sincere regret over her situation, stating, "We lost thousands of euros on her. We have never asked for reimbursement. I am truly sorry she didn’t succeed." It’s worth noting that Select is a major player in the modeling world, with a history dating back to 1977 and a global presence. Speaking in Swahili, via a translator, her mother, Akuach Yol, 50, said: "Achol went abroad to try and change the life of the family, but the way she returned is very painful for me. Refugees go through a hard life. She never got what she went for, so we are still in the same state and suffering as they used to suffer before." Justin Anantawan is a model scout confirms what he calls the "systemic injustice in the fashion industry."
Who "made it"?
Mari Malek is one of the models that 'made it'. She now lives in New York, United States. Malek is setting up Runways to Freedom, a group to support refugees working in the industry. "South Sudanese refugee models are the It girls, and I believe it is due to the fact the diversity and inclusion movement in the fashion industry has skyrocketed demand from people asking for more representation," she said. "African models, dark-skin models, black models and especially South Sudanese models — who are renowned for their striking beauty and powerful look." She added that having models from refugee camps was also a "good story" for the industry. "It is time for the fashion world to wake up and ask themselves at what cost to young African lives their diversity and inclusion policies are fulfilled," she said. One of the costs is also the educational impact of all this. Elizabeth Ndegwa, the head teacher at a local secondary school, said she knows of five girls recently chosen to go to Europe. Modelling has "brainwashed their minds", she said. "It makes them not concentrate on their studies".
What about the United Nations and the Kenyan government?
The investigation also brings attention to the conditions within Kakuma and the responsibilities of UNHCR and the Kenyan government. Despite having schools and shops, the camp’s living conditions are harsh, with extreme poverty, health risks (the threat of malaria, cholera and typhoid is constant), and food shortages (many people there eat one meal a day).
|
|
A top Hong Kong court ruled that same-sex couples (still) deserve equal housing rights
|
|
What happened
The Court of Appeal in Hong Kong (the second most senior court in the Hong Kong legal system) re-affirmed two lower court decisions that say, 'gay and lesbian couples deserve equal housing rights like their straight counterparts.'
Why this matters
In Hong Kong, the law does not allow same-sex couples to get married. However, due to a series of legal battles and court challenges in the past few years, there has been some progress. This is 'Another one', as DJ Khaled would say.
Tell me more
Before, the government had rules that made it difficult (meaning, longer waiting time and more expensive) for same-sex couples to live together in certain apartments or houses that are more affordable and provided by the government. Two people, Nick Infinger and Edgar Ng, who were/are in relationships with their same-sex partners, were told they couldn’t live with their partners under these government housing programs. 'You are not real husband and wife,' authorities had said to Infinger. They thought this was not only untrue (they married in Canada in 2018), but it was also unfair ('you can't discriminate against us just because we are gay. This is against Hong Kong law!'), and in 2018, Infinger and his partner decided to challenge these rules in court... and won. The other judicial review was lodged in 2019 by Edgar Ng, who later committed suicide in 2020 after years of depression. The Housing Authority on Tuesday night said it was studying the judgement and would take follow-up actions as necessary.
Tell me more about Ng
Edgar Ng had gotten married to Henry Li in the UK in 2017. After their wedding (look, so cute), they decided to live together in a public housing unit in Hong Kong. All went well for a while until... Someone sent anonymous letters to the Housing Authority (the organization in charge of public housing in Hong Kong) telling them that Li was living in the flat with Ng. Normally, this should be fine since they are married. However, because they were a same-sex couple, the Housing Authority’s rules made things very difficult for them. Li couldn’t register as an official resident of the flat because the Housing Authority’s policies at the time didn’t recognize same-sex marriages, meaning Li wasn’t considered Ng’s spouse and therefore wasn’t allowed to live there as a family member. They then wanted to buy an apartment together instead, through a program called the Home Ownership Scheme, and hit another roadblock. The Housing Authority, which also oversees the Home Ownership Scheme, did not allow this either. Li said while he was grateful for the ruling, "It has been more than four years since this court case started. I sincerely hope that upon thoughtful consideration, the Housing Authority would not appeal and let this matter rest, and at last let Edgar rest in peace," Li said in a statement last week.
Zoom out: In September, the city’s top court made another ruling in favor of LGBTQ rights, acknowledging that the government had not done enough to protect and recognize same-sex relationships. 'This is not in line with the constitution of Hong Kong. Equal rights must be granted to everyone,' it said, and the government was given two years to develop a mechanism that properly recognizes same-sex relationships. If they don’t do this within two years, then they will be officially breaking the law.
|
|
Argentina election 2023: Here's what to know
|
|
What happened
Argentina voted for a new president and vice president yesterday. The winners will take office on December 10. They also voted for members of the National Congress and provincial governors, specifically 130 lower house representatives and 24 national senators.
Why this matters
Argentina is a major player in global agriculture, influencing commodity prices and trade worldwide. Political instability or policy changes in Argentina affect us all. Plus, as a large country in the region, Argentina’s political climate affects the stability and relations within South America. And this time, it looks like a candidate with pretty far-right ideas is gaining a lot of ground. Some 45 million people live here. Progressive International writes, "The international community has failed to register the threat of Argentina’s extreme right — to the nation of Argentina, to the region of Latin America, and to the prospects for democracy worldwide."
How do elections work in Argentina?
By law, Argentinians between the ages of 18 and 70 are required to vote. To win the presidency in the general elections, a candidate needs 45 percent of the vote, or 40 percent plus a 10-point lead over their closest competitor. Voting ends at 6pm local time (21:00 GMT) on Sunday. The results are expected to be announced on Monday at 9pm local time (00:00 GMT).
Tell me about the candidates
Javier Milei is leading in most polls, with Sergio Massa in second place and Patricia Bullrich in third. People say Javier Milei, the 52-year-old Libra and far-right populist leader of the Liberty Advances party, reminds them of Donald Trump (a Gemini). He has pretty creative superfans, look. His symbol: the chainsaw, with which he cuts through 'The Establishment'. His political ad campaign videos go viral, but his goals are unclear. 'Hey, at least it's not the same as before,' say his supporters, who are mostly young people. He is, however, very vocal about wanting to abolish the local currency and adopt the U.S. Dollar (Ecuador and El Salvador have already done that). His chances to win the first round aren't extraordinarily high, as he's just a few points ahead of presidential candidate Sergio Massa, who's also the country's current finance minister (and with all the money problems many people have in Argentina, this is not a good look). Another candidate is Patricia Bullrich. She's 67 years old, part of said 'Establishment' as former security minister, leans center-right today but used to belong to a resistance group fighting the military dictatorship back in the days (haven't done enough research yet on why this drastic change). She's basically the less dramatic version of Milei, many 'money people' like her for her financial policies. Observers are like, 'but it does say a lot about Argentina that a man like Milei with no political footing has come this far.' It is expected that there will be two winners. In this case, the top two will go through a second round for a runoff election on November 19.
Fun fact: Javier Milei owns multiple clones of his late dog Conan. "They are genetic copies of Mr. Milei’s former dog, also named Conan, and were created in a laboratory in upstate New York," writes Jack Nicas for The New York Times.
What are some of the most important topics of the election?
The economy is perhaps Argentina’s biggest issue at the moment. Inflation is close to 140 percent. Plus, there's this huge US$43 billion IMF loan that Argentina struggles to repay. Many people leave the country to find better opportunities elsewhere, many people have lost trust in the country's institutions. There's also the topics of climate change and abortion rights. The country experienced historic droughts this year, and Milei is against abortion and calls it 'murder' (it's currently legal up to the 14th week, and in later stages as well in cases of rape or risk to the mother’s health).
|
|
|
Sudan: Things are getting pretty intense in Sudan right now. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a powerful paramilitary group, got control of the capital, Khartoum, and now they’re heading south towards Gezira town. Since the fight between the RSF and the country's army kicked off in April, over 5.75 million people have had to leave their homes, and thousands have died. (Reuters)
|
|
|
Australia: Indigenous groups who supported the Indigenous Voice campaign have broken their week of silence to express shock and grief at last Saturday’s result, accusing Australians who voted 'No' of committing "a shameful act whether knowingly or not", and "unleashed a tsunami of racism". (The Guardian)
|
|
|
Iran: Armita Garavand, a high-school student in a coma after reportedly being assaulted by morality police for not wearing the mandatory hijab, is likely "brain dead," according to an Iranian media report. (rferl)
|
|
|
Pakistan: Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif returned to Pakistan after four years in self-imposed exile in London, United Kingdom. (AP)
|
|
|
Niger / France: The French Armed Forces confirmed that 1,500 troops will leave Niger by the end of the year, following the military junta's request. (AFP via Le Monde)
|
|
|
India / Canada: Canada withdrew 41 diplomats from India due to India's decision to revoke the diplomats' immunity following the death of Sikh independence leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. (AFP via NDTV) In the same week, the Supreme Court of India refused to legalize same-sex marriage, saying that this is a decision that needs to be made by parliament. (AP)
|
|
|
The Philippines: Philippine President Bongbong Marcos postponed the enactment of the Maharlika Investment Fund, the country's proposed first sovereign wealth fund, citing the need for further review. (Reuters via CNA)
|
|
|
Japan / Russia: Russia suspended imports of Japanese seafood due to concerns over wastewater discharges from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant. (AFP via The Jordan Times)
|
|
|
Indonesia: The Constitutional Court of Indonesia ruled that regional leaders under the age of 40 can run for president or vice president, thus allowing President Joko Widodo's son Gibran Rakabuming Raka to run as a Vice Presidential candidate in the next presidential election. (The Jakarta Post)
|
|
|
Netherlands / South Africa: Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima were forced to quickly get to their car after encountering an angry crowd of demonstrators on Friday during a visit to a museum for the history of slavery in Cape Town, South Africa. The demonstrators were identified as being Khoisan, the indigenous people of South Africa. (NL Times)
|
|
|
Pakistan: Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif returned to Pakistan after four years in self-imposed exile in London, United Kingdom. (AP)
|
|
|
Nicaragua: Nicaragua released 12 Catholic priests, critical of President Daniel Ortega's regime, and sends them to Rome, Italy, following an agreement with Vatican City. (AFP via The Manila Times)
|
|
|
Nicaragua: Nicaragua released 12 Catholic priests, critical of President Daniel Ortega's regime, and sends them to Rome, Italy, following an agreement with Vatican City. (AFP via The Manila Times)
|
|
|
Australia: Australia's internet safety commissioner fined American technology company X Corp. for AU$610,500 (US$385,000) for inadequately addressing child sexual abuse content on Twitter. (AFP via The Manila Times)
|
|
|
Guinea-Bissau: The capital city, Bissau, finally got its lights back on Wednesday after being in total darkness. Karpowership, a Turkish company which supplies all the country's electricity needs, was like, had turned the lights over a US$17 million debt. The economy minister paid US$6 million; enough for the company to turn the power back on. Over 400,000 people in the city were affected. (Reuters)
|
|
|
Rwanda: Airtel Rwanda just rolled out a brand new 4G smartphone, and it’s priced at a mere US$16.51, making waves as the most affordable device in its category across the country. They officially launched it last week, and it’s all part of a bigger picture in collaboration with the government. Ever heard of the ‘Connect Rwanda’ initiative? Launched back in 2019, it’s this ambitious project aiming to bridge the digital divide, targeting to equip over a million households nationwide with smartphones. Smartphone penetration in Rwanda is currently at around 23.5 percent, which is pretty intriguing considering Rwanda got a network coverage of 99 percent. Fun fact: Netflix founder and chairman Reed Hastings is behind the Rwandan initiative, too. (The New Times)
|
|
|
Nigeria: Nigeria struck lithium gold in places like Nassarawa, Kogi, and a few other states. Now, they're rolling out some laws to make sure the locals get a piece of that pie. Lithium is a billion-dollar global market. (DW)
|
|
|
Kenya: The Environment and Lands Court judge, Lynette Omollo, has ordered the Kenya Railways Corporation to pay a woman over 45 million Shilling (around €290,000) as compensation for demolishing her property in Nakuru. (The Standard)
|
|
|
Senegal: Last week, a court in Senegal was like, "Hold up, we need to fix this." They decided to reinstate Ousmane Sonko, a big name in the opposition, on the electoral lists for the 2024 elections. Sonko, 49, remains the main political opposition to President Macky Sall. (rfi)
|
|
Visit... "Humanity", a new human evolution exhibition opened at Iziko South African Museum in Cape Town, South Africa last month. I read about it in this piece by Rebecca Ackermann and Wendy Black on The Conversation when was immediately intrigued by its very ambitious mission to re-write the story of humankind. The exhibition is said to offer a close look at the history of paleoanthropology while also decolonizing the story of human origin by looking at ways in which human evolution has been used to reinforce Western biases and dehumanize Africans. Plus, the piece I linked to lists four central lessons that could help other institutions locally and internationally to reconsider how they portray human evolution. For example, lose the "great white explorer" narrative, and break the glass boxes. The authors suggest looking at museums differently, as "museums are a western notion", and "putting heritage objects behind glass and on pedestals in sterile spaces is not only alienating, it can be downright offensive."
Listen to...the trailer of "Harsh Reality: The Story of Miriam Rivera", a 2021 podcast series hosted by trans actress and ballroom veteran Trace Lysette, revisiting the story of Miriam Rivera, a Mexican trans woman who starred on the U.K. reality dating show "There’s Something About Miriam" back in 2004. "While almost identical to conventional dating shows like The Bachelorette, this one had a cruel twist: the contestants were intentionally kept in the dark about Miriam’s gender identity until the final episode, at which point her “secret” was unveiled to the world — and to the men who’d fallen in love with her — leaving everyone but the producers in shock," writes this Them article. Rivera was found dead in February 2019 at her apartment in Sonora, Mexico. She was deemed to have died by suicide, but her husband believed she had been murdered. About "Harsh Reality": "It’s a rare show of any kind that brings trans talent like this together on every level of production, and the combination pays off, particularly during interviews with the cis people who were involved in creating 'There’s Something About Miriam'," writes Samantha Riedel.
Read... the newsletter issue "Why are right wing nationalists in India cheering for Israel" by Rana Ayyub. As many of you, I'm trying to stay updated on the very fast changing news landscape around what's happening in Israel and Palestine. I couldn't help but notice the many Indian flags underneath social media posts on the matter. Rana Ayyub's latest issue came just in time to explain that, 'The subtext of the pro-Israel solidarity is the anti-Muslim hate in India.' And: 'This is not the first time the Indian right-wing and many of its leaders have used international terror attacks to fuel sentiments of anti-Muslim bigotry and generalize an entire population.' If you don't know Rana Ayyub, it's high time that you do. Ayyub is an Indian journalist and author of “"Gujarat Files: Anatomy of a Cover Up" (here's a review). She was previously an editor with Tehelka, an investigative magazine in India. "Rana’s work is focused on the marginalized and the oppressed, she routinely speaks and reports about the fight against misinformation and the protection of democratic ideas. It is for this work that she has faced extreme forms of persecution by the Indian government, which includes filing multiple cases for which she is facing trial in India," says this profile.
|
|
|
|
'Café con Aroma de Mujer' (English title: The Scent of Passion) is a 2021 hit Colombian Netflix series and Netflix's fifth-biggest international series of all time, with 326.91 million hours viewed in its first month. The series is a remake of a hugely popular 1990ies telenovela, one of the most popular Colombian novels in history. So much so that it was adapted in several countries. The series told the story of Gaviota and her mother who travelled across Colombia working as coffee harvesters, before Gaviota had a doomed love affair with the aristocratic son of one of her employers. Colombia was said to be "paralyzed" every time the show aired, and it was much praised for its authentic view of Colombian coffee culture, from the slopes of the coffee district to the exportation business in Bogotá.
|
|
|
Saudi Arabia wants to host the 2035 Women's World Cup, says the technical director of the country's women's team.
The country is already in the running to host the AFC Women's Asian Cup in 2026.
Great fit, like an abortion clinic in the Vatican.
|
|
Hey, I'm Sham, the person behind this newsletter. Since 2014, I email a bunch of strangers once a week, curating news headlines from Asia, Africa and the Americas. I work under the assumption that, here in the West (I live in Berlin, Germany), we don't read or know much about the global majority, aka the rest of the world.
My goal is to help you burst your Western-centric bubble.
If you want to know more about me, visit my website or follow me on Twitter or Instagram.
|
|
|
|
