‘Emergency’ Spending, Pinochet’s Deadly Trail, Arrests in Jordan, and More
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For half a year, Jordanians have taken to the streets to rally against Israel’s ongoing war on the Gaza Strip and call for an end between the Jordan-Israel peace agreement. Now, Jordanian authorities are cracking down on protesters and activists, reports Hanna Davis.
Across the globe, Ramona Wadi explores the history of ties between Pinochet’s dictatorship in Chile and other regimes across Latin America — and the deadly trail behind them.
Meanwhile, as Azerbaijan gears up to host COP29, the UN climate talks, Baku is ramping up human rights abuses and environmental abuses. As Kate Watters and Jeffrey Dunn argue, the international community should insist on changes — including the release of political prisoners — before the conference takes place.
Behind the scenes, our Creative Capsule Residents are wrapping up an intensive eight-month process through which they’ve been developing projects at the intersection of creativity and global security. They’re working on an exhibition on prison art in the Middle East, a podcast on the Black Sea, an artist book on the deadly trade in fake medicines, and more. Please join us for the Creative Capsule Residency Showcase April 22, 2024 at noon Eastern. Register Here.
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“What Counts as a US Spending ‘Emergency’?” by Steve Ellis (April 8)
An ‘emergency’ supplemental spending bill has been languishing since last summer. This bipartisan legislation to provide aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan passed the United States Senate in February as part of an “emergency supplemental” appropriations package. While parts of this funding package arguably aim to address pressing emergencies, others do not qualify as emergencies.
“The Pinochet Regime’s Deadly Trail from Chile to Brazil” Ramona Wadi (April 9)
With a foot in the door in Chile prior to the US-backed Chilean dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet in 1973, Brazil played a prominent role in destabilizing the country and, according to declassified documents, not necessarily in a role subservient to US interests.
“Ahead of Hosting COP29, Azerbaijan Is Ramping Up Human Rights and Environmental Abuses” by Kate Watters & Jeffrey Dunn (April 9)
In November of this year, COP29, the United Nations Climate Conference, will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan. This marks the third year in a row that the event will be hosted by a government with significant fossil fuel reserves and a poor human rights record — notably for its repression of civil society.
“As Jordan Cracks Down on Palestine Protests, Arrests Soar” by Hanna Davis (April 10)
Demonstrations in Jordan, where a large portion of the population has Palestinian heritage, have continued throughout six months of Israel’s war on Gaza. But amid rising anger and growing protests, Jordanian security forces launched a crackdown on demonstrators and political activists.
“How Senegal Is Energizing a West African Democratic Alliance” by Joseph Sany (April 10)
Senegal’s dramatic transfer of presidential power this week highlights that West Africa, routinely seen as a zone of democratic erosion and failure, includes an arc of resilient coastal democracies — from Senegal to Liberia, Ghana, and Nigeria.
“Deep Dive: Deep Dive: Skopje 2014 and Its Discontents” by Emily Tamkin (April 11)
A new paper considers the case of “Skopje 2014,” an ambitious architectural project by the government of what was then known as Macedonia (now North Macedonia). Undertaken to emphasize links to Europe, the project instead produced political conflict and “further removed Macedonia from the European cultural space it so much desired.”
“Does Europe Need to Worry About War?” by Natassa Bastea (April 11)
Two years have proven sufficient to shatter any aspirations of a united Europe, becoming a formidable force capable of intervening in major crises within its immediate sphere. The Russian invasion of Ukraine underscored the disparities and hesitancy within the EU, a fact further highlighted by subsequent conflicts.
“Improvising and Harmonizing Inter-American Music Diplomacy” by Adam Ratzlaff and Jeffery A. Tobin (April 12)
During the height of the Cold War, a jazz tour in Latin America became an unexpected battlefield for hearts and minds. American jazz musicians, ambassadors of freedom and innovation, took the stage in countries shadowed by political tension, offering a rhythm of hope and a melody of shared humanity.
From the desk of Patrick Strickland, managing editor of Inkstick Media.
Top photo credit: Christian Lue via Unsplash.