Chile's 9/11

In this issue, I talk about the latest Human Rights Watch report on the situation of Ethiopian migrants at the border between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, the new BRICS plan and why the U.S. might be feeling a little hmmm about it, and Chile's 9/11. Plus, African rock music from Zambia, an Indian series to binge, Ottoman shade, some good news from Guatemala and Ecuador, Guyana's reparations talk, French and Afghan misogyny, and so much more.

Hundreds of Ethiopian migrants were killed by Saudi border guards while trying to cross the Yemen-Saudi border

What happened:
Hundreds of migrants from Ethiopia were killed by Saudi border guards while trying to cross the Yemen-Saudi borderbetween March 2022 and June 2023, according to Human Rights Watch. The 73-page report suggests these killings are still happening.

Why this matters:
Saudi Arabia has been investing in global sports and entertainment, possibly to divert attention from its human rights issues. From hosting Formula 1 races to buying English Premier League teams, the kingdom is investing heavily in its global image.

Tell me more:
Human Rights Watch has interviewed migrants, analyzed videos, and studied satellite images. The Saudi Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. In the report published last Monday, Human Rights Watch shows evidence of mass graves and increased Saudi border security. The rights group also said Saudi border guards aren't just shooting, they're using explosive weapons. Sometimes they're asking survivors which limb they'd prefer to be shot in before pulling the trigger. "If committed as part of a Saudi government policy to murder migrants, these killings would be a crime against humanity," they said. Roughly 750,000 Ethiopians live in Saudi Arabia. Many are looking for work, but others are escaping human rights abuses back home. They often take the dangerous "Eastern Route" through Yemen to get there, where they also face abuse from smugglers and traffickers.

What's next?
Human Rights Watch has a few suggestions at hand, 'Saudi Arabia must stop any policy targeting migrants. We urgently need an independent investigation into these abuses. Plus, international governments should consider sanctions and stop selling weapons to Saudi Arabia, and global entities should think twice about participating in Saudi-sponsored events.'

Did Ethiopia or Saudi Arabia reply?
Yes. After the report came out, Ethiopia's Foreign Affairs Ministry quickly announced plans to investigate the findings alongside Saudi officials (meaning, not independently). They urged everyone to avoid jumping to conclusions and to wait for the investigation's results. The ministry's statement, shared on X (previously known as Twitter), also highlighted the strong, long-standing relationship between Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia, despite the recent tragic events. Human Rights Watch is already skeptical, 'Saudi Arabia won't address this, we just know.'

The global financial order might be reshuffling soon

What happened:
The BRICS economic group is getting bigger. Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, have invited Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates to join early next year.

Why this matters:
The BRICS nations already account for 40 percent of the world's population (some 2.88 billion people live here) and about 25 percent of the global aggregate GDP. If the invitation is accepted, this will be the first expansion since it became a formal group with annual meetings in 2009. And the 'let's de-throne the U.S. dollar in international trade' movement might be picking up speed.

Tell me more:
The BRICS nations are on a mission to amplify their global clout, aiming to balance the scales against the US's heavyweight status in global trade. They're even considering creating a new currency for their trade, but they haven't agreed on the 'should we really?' and 'if yes, how would we do that?'. To give you a little bit of an insight into the ongoing debate, Brazil and Russia for example are super hype about it, India is a bit more 'realist' and China is strategically silent. For countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE (long-standing strategic partners of the U.S.), this isn't just a geopolitical chess move. They want to focus on their economic interests, which are increasingly with China, rather than take sides in the great geopolitical standoff between the U.S. and China and Russia. As the UAE's Economy Minister, Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, put it, "We're all about peace, prosperity, economy, and trade."

So, is the U.S. taking the L?
It's not that simple. Yes, the ties between nations like Saudi Arabia and the UAE with China and India are thickening by the day, and more than 40 countries have expressed interest in joining the economic group. But that doesn't mean very much... Yet. Most countries' currencies are still very much pegged to the U.S. dollar and most of their imports are in the U.S. currency, which has made it easy for them to make/send money to each other. Sure, some analysts believe that China is pulling the strings behind BRICS' latest move. But with such a diverse mix of countries, each with its own agenda, BRICS is more like a melting pot of global ambitions. As Janan Ganesh of the Financial Times notes, their shared history of challenging Western dominance might just be the glue holding them together.

Did you know that the BRICs acronym was all marketing? A Goldman Sachs economist named Jim O'Neill coined the term in 2001.

Chile marks the 50th anniversary of the September 11, 1973 coup

What happened:
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