Happy Friday, muggles. It seems like everyone was at a National Park this summer, but in case you weren’t (or want to go again), next Saturday is the day to go. September 26th is National Public Lands Day and all National Park Service sites that normally charge an entrance fee will be free that day! But before you check out our national parks, you’ll want to check out these stories.

Parts of Mexico move to ban junk food for kids

Mon Sep 14

Oaxaca became the first state in Mexico to ban selling or giving out high-calorie packaged foods and sugar-sweetened drinks to minors. Now, Tabasco has also approved a prohibition and a dozen other states are considering similar bans. 

The junk food ban is partly in response to the coronavirus pandemic…

Tens of thousands of Mexicans have died from COVID-19, and two-thirds of the deaths were reportedly people who suffered underlying medical conditions such as obesity and diabetes. Because of these deaths, some Mexican officials are trying to change the diets of the younger generation.  

While the ban was passed in some states, legislators are still working to draft the rules and punishment. Of course, the bans also face opposition from those who have business and money at stake.

SOURCES: NPR, BBC, The Washington Post

Hate speech, ethnic violence, and the assassination of a singer in Ethiopia

Mon Sep 14

A politically-motivated disinformation campaign on Facebook led to: 

• the murder of popular Ethiopian singer Hachalu Hundessa
• violence in the capital and Hundessa’s home region 

Hundessa is part of the Oromo ethnic group…

The disinformation campaign spread rumors that he was abandoning his ties to the Oromo group and joining Prime Minister Ahmed Abiy (who has been criticized by Oromo nationalists who feel he’s pushed aside his background to appeal to other ethnic groups).

As a result, Hundessa was targeted by his own ethnic group… 

On June 29, he was shot and killed in the capital Addis Ababa, and the man charged with his murder said he was an assassin with the Oromo Liberation Front, a violent nationalist group.

This led to hate speech, violence, and hundreds of deaths…

The government tried to shut down the internet, but calls for violence against numerous ethnic and religious groups were already spreading online. Many are saying Facebook has increased tensions in a country that already suffers from a fragile and dangerous ethnic political makeup.

SOURCES: Vice, BBC, The New York Times

Israel, Bahrain, and U.A.E. agree on a new Middle East

Tue Sep 15

Leaders and representatives from Israel, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates gathered at the White House this week to sign the Abraham Accords for new, improved relations in the Middle East. The upcoming changes in these three Middle Eastern countries include new embassies, more commercial air travel, and more economic ties (such as tourism, technology, and energy). 

Why was the U.S. involved in the deal?

The White House saw the opportunity to broker this accord as a win for the administration after it failed to negotiate a peace deal between Israel and Palestine, especially in an election year. For the U.A.E., the deal also solidified its purchase of weapons, jets, and drones from the U.S. while Bahrain could benefit from U.S. air defense systems.

But not everyone is a fan of the Accords…

• Palestine has condemned the agreement, as they were barely mentioned and are still asking for the end of Israeli occupation  
• Iran views it as a de facto alliance between Israel and the Gulf’s Sunni Arab monarchies, which likely pits Israelis and Sunni Arab countries against Shiite Iran

What happens now?

• The move for normalization in the region meant that Israel would have to back off plans to annex parts of Palestine (for now)
• Analysts believe Saudi Arabia may move to normalize ties with Israel because of their close partnership to Bahrain
• Some experts believe Sudan and Oman could be next to recognize Israel

SOURCES: The New York Times, BBC, NPR