Where is your gold really from?

This issue is asking you where you got your gold from (because it might come from the UAE, I mean, Sudan) and celebrates two legal wins for trans people in Pakistan and India. Plus: so much snow in South Korea, the UK's been deporting a lot of Brazilians, a useful thread to understand the latest developments in Syria, Chad and Senegal are salty with France, Namibian politics, Indonesian regional elections, perhaps there's an ICC arrest warrant coming for Myanmar's military leader for crimes against humanity, Lucia's five book recommendations from the so-called Global South, and so much more.

Trans people achieved two legal wins in India and Pakistan

What happened:
Transgender activists in South Asia just had a moment worth celebrating, with two big legal wins in India and Pakistan.

Why this matters:
These milestones aren't just for the trans community---they're opening doors for (single) parents, trans kids, and anyone pushing back against outdated gender norms.

Start with India?
Okay, so, in India, Akkai Padmashalli, a trans activist and mom, made history on November 12 by getting a passport for her 5-year-old son, Avin, without listing a father's name. Akkai's actually no stranger to breaking barriers: She was the first trans woman in India to officially adopt a child back in 2019, and a year before that, she became the first trans woman in Karnataka to register her marriage. You can follow her on Instagram.

Good to know:
India's legal landscape has been evolving for trans rights. In 2019, the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act was passed, guaranteeing protections against discrimination in areas like education, work, and healthcare. Back in 2016, India updated its passport policy to let people use just a mom's name, a dad's name, or a legal guardian's name---great news for single parents everywhere, not just the trans community.

Zoom out:
Progress across India is uneven. Many states still don't have functional Transgender Welfare Boards, which are legally required to help trans people access healthcare, jobs, and housing. For example, India's 2011 Census says there are 487,803 trans people in the country, yet only 5.6 percent have managed to apply for a trans identity card, which is essential for accessing government benefits.

Now, what about Pakistan?
One day later, on November 13, in Pakistan's Sindh province, authorities approved the country's first-ever Transgender Education Policy.

Here's what's in it:

• Trans kids can now choose a third gender option on school admission forms.
• The policy includes job quotas for trans teachers.
• It aims to make schools safer and more inclusive for trans students, who often face harassment and financial barriers.

Sindh's Education Minister, Syed Sardar Ali Shah, didn't hold back: "Harassment, discrimination, and a lack of opportunities make education out of reach for most trans people." But the policy, shaped with input from trans activists, is trying to change that by focusing on safety, identity, and real opportunities. Anusha Tahir Butt, who heads Pakistan's Transgender Empowerment Organization, called it a big step forward but said societal stigma still runs deep---especially in conservative areas.

Wanna play a game?
Let's learn the names of all the Indian states this month---together. Why? Because you probably know some U.S. states as well. So... Why not?

Here's the deal:

• Pick a state that sounds interesting to you.
• Find one "cool" fact about it: maybe a famous person from there, a quirky tradition, or a surprising stat.
• Share it online, using #DecenterTheWestChallenge and tag me on Instagram, Bluesky, or Twitter.

(We'll learn something else another time.)

The UAE bought US$1.5 billion in gold from Sudan in the first ten months of 2024, says government official

What happened:
Sudan (officially) made US$1.5 billion from gold exports between January and October 2024, said Mohamed Taher Omer, the director of Sudan's Mineral Resources Company on November 21.

Why this matters:
Sudan's gold isn't just funding the economy, it's also "a currency of the war" (as Kholood Khair says, a Sudanese policy analyst and founding director of Confluence Advisory). Over 20,000 people have been killed since April 2023, seven million displaced within Sudan, and nearly 2 million have been forced to flee the country. "Nowhere else on Earth are so many children on the run, so many people living with such acute hunger," writes BBC's Lyse Doucet. With fighting between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) gutting 80% of public revenues, gold has stepped in to fund fuel, wheat, and even weapons. Meanwhile, globally, global gold prices reached record highs in 2024.

Tell me more:
Sudan's gold sector is massive but messy: Around 2 million people work in artisanal mining under tough conditions, contributing 80% of the country's total production. Officially, Sudan last year exported 26 tonnes of gold this year---but actual production exceeded 50 tonnes. The rest? Likely smuggled. Sudan's government has lost control of major gold-producing regions, like Darfur, where RSF forces now dominate the mines, cutting off a critical revenue stream. The government says it is trying to tighten control, hoping to boost revenue for essential imports and... "the war effort".

So, who's buying all this gold?
Mostly, the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The UAE is the world's third-largest gold importer, and Sudan's top customer. Officially, 70% of Sudan's gold exports go there. Unofficially? It's estimated that 50--80% of Sudan's gold is smuggled, and most of that still lands in the UAE, according to Ahmed Soliman, senior research fellow with the Africa Program at Chatham House. Charles Campbell for Time Magazine writes, "This dynamic makes the UAE a primary actor in the war-torn Northeast African country of 50 million."

What's the UAE's role in the war?
The Sudanese government accuses the UAE of backing the RSF----claims the UAE denies. But leaked documents and UN investigations suggest otherwise, with allegations of Emirati military support to the RSF. Oh, and the RSF has allegedly committed ethnic cleansing in Darfur.

Fun fact:
Rapper Macklemore canceled an October concert in Dubai over the UAE's alleged role "in the ongoing genocide and humanitarian crisis" in Sudan.

Zoom out:
The UAE doesn't just get gold from Sudan. It also buys gold illegally from countries like the Central African Republic, Mali, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. According to a report by Swissaid, 40% of African gold exports are undeclared, and most of that----93%----ends up in the UAE.

Is Russia involved as well?
You bet. Russia's Wagner Group (a militia) funnels African gold (including from Sudan) to fund Putin's war in Ukraine. How much?Some US$2.5 billion, according to the Blood Gold Report. Btw, on Nov. 18, Russia vetoed a U.N. Security Council draft resolution that called for protecting civilians in Sudan....