Remipede, proxy wars and Andean paramos
Outriders Magazine #336
The water crisis in Namibia and South America
The Global Commission on the Economics of Water reported that half of the world’s population faces water shortages. By the end of this decade, the demand for fresh water will surpass supply by 40%. This imbalance poses a significant threat to global food production, with more than half of it at risk in the next 25 years due to the deepening water crisis. While each person needs between 50 and 100 litres of water per day for health and hygiene, a person requires around 4,000 litres of water per day to lead a healthy and decent life.
In Colombia and Ecuador, rural communities and activists are working to protect the paramos, high-altitude wetlands in the Andes. Water shortages have led to water rationing in Bogota and power outages in Ecuador. The El Niño weather phenomenon has affected the countries, causing droughts worsened by climate change and human activity. Most of the world’s paramos, which regulate the water cycle by absorbing and slowly releasing rain, are located in the Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
Namibia, a semi-arid country with a population of about 3 million, requires $1.4 billion over the next decade to meet water security needs. Namibia is one of the driest countries in sub-Saharan Africa and heavily relies on groundwater, rivers, and dams. Limited and erratic rainfall, seasonal droughts, and increasing demand mean that Namibians need assistance to ensure a steady water supply for their populations and agriculture.
How small territories are generating income online
Several small territories are profiting from the demand for websites with unique domain endings. For instance, Tuvalu, with one of the world's smallest economies, uses the .tv domain. The royalties from this domain are increasing, and the video game streaming platform Twitch has secured the twitch.tv web address. Libya manages web addresses ending in .ly, such as bit.ly used by Bitly and parse.ly used by the web analytics platform Parse.ly. Montenegro has been allocated the .me domain, popular among individuals looking to create a personal brand.
Due to the artificial intelligence boom, Anguilla is generating additional income from .ai domain registration fees. There are over 533,000 .ai domains, a more than 10-fold increase since 2018. Last year, over 1,000 domains were registered in the .ai domain name. Anguilla's revenue from domain registration fees has quadrupled to $32 million, accounting for around 20% of the government's total revenue, compared to the previous 5% before the AI boom.
Mauritius anticipates receiving "billions of rupees" from the UK after the agreement was reached to grant it sovereignty over the Chagos archipelago. Despite this, the UK still maintains control of the strategically important British-American military base on the archipelago.
Efforts by hospitals and farmworkers to address climate change
In Okayama Prefecture, Japan, elderly rice harvesters face challenges due to high temperatures and climate change. This year, the country experienced its hottest July, with temperatures rising 2.16°C above average, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Japan has already seen a poor rice harvest in 2023 due to scorching weather, leading to a widespread rice shortage this year. To combat climate change, the government promotes cultivating heat-tolerant rice varieties, including the Sai no Kizuna rice, known for its resilience in high-temperature conditions.
A team from Emory University’s School of Nursing studied farm workers working in the heat and found that most were chronically dehydrated, even after drinking fluids throughout the day. Many also showed signs of developing acute kidney injury after just one day of work. However, there is hope on the horizon. Researchers and experts from the Georgia Institute of Technology are working on a sensor that would monitor skin temperature, heart rate, and physical activity levels that farm workers would wear on their chests, potentially revolutionizing farm worker safety.
According to an analysis by the Cross Dependency Initiative, by 2100, more than 16,000 hospitals—one in 12 worldwide—will be at high risk of being closed entirely or partially due to extreme weather events. The urgency of the situation is clear. How are hospitals coping with climate change? They offer telemedicine to patients, produce food and energy for climate disasters, protect buildings from extreme weather events, and try to reduce their carbon footprint.
The economic success of Vietnam and Hong Kong, and the challenges faced by Africa
The detrimental impact of negative stereotypes about Africa in the international media is a serious issue that cannot be overlooked. Research by Africa Practice and Africa No Filter reveals that these stereotypes drive interest in sovereign debt and cost the continent a staggering £ 3.2 billion annually. The disproportionate media focus, particularly during elections when global news coverage is heightened, on conflict, corruption, poverty, disease, and poor leadership is widening the gap between perceived and actual investment risks in the continent. The study, which focused on Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya, did not consider the impact of these stereotypes on other development factors such as tourism, foreign direct investment, and foreign aid.
Vietnam, a region with significant growth potential, is a beacon of hope. The World Bank's optimistic forecast predicts a 6.1% growth by the end of 2024 and a further 6.5% in 2025, making it the fastest-growing economy among emerging economies in Southeast Asia. Vietnam's strengths, such as its low labour costs and a young, large workforce, with 58% of its nearly 100 million people under age 35, are promising signs of a bright economic future. Despite its corruption, political censorship, human rights, and civil society challenges, Vietnam's economic potential is undeniable.
According to the Fraser Institute's 2022 Global Economic Freedom Report, the global economic landscape is shifting. Hong Kong leads the pack with a score of 8.58, followed closely by Singapore with a score of 8.55. Switzerland, New Zealand, and the United States followed suit. However, the report also highlights a concerning trend-globally, economic freedom has fallen for the third year after more than a decade of increases. Venezuela, in last place at 165th, with a score of 3.02, is a stark reminder of our challenges in maintaining economic freedom.
Proxy wars in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Middle East
Urgent and classified information reveals a dire situation in Sudan. A U.S. State Department-funded report and evidence on the ground point to a civil war fueled by foreign weapons, including ammunition and drones from Iran and the United Arab Emirates. The Rapid Support Forces, aided by the UAE, and the Sudanese army, supported by Iran, are at the heart of this conflict. Since the outbreak of the civil war in April 2023, a staggering one-third of the country’s population has been displaced, with over half in desperate need of food aid.
The Middle East is a battleground for another proxy war, this time with Iranian-linked Iraqi militias at the forefront. These militias have launched approximately 40 attacks on Israel using a variety of weapons, including missiles, drones, and rockets. This increased aggression from Iraqi militias underscores Iran’s strategy of using the “axis of resistance” to mount a united front against Israel. Analysts warn that Iranian proxies in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen (Houthi fighters) are potential targets for Israeli retaliation, further escalating the conflict.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is on the brink of a crisis that could spill over into a regional war. Less than a year ago, the Americans desperately attempted to halt the conflict by offering to share secret intelligence with the Congolese authorities in exchange for a ceasefire. The intelligence focused on the movements of the M23 rebel group, which operates in the eastern part of the country. The same offer was extended to Rwanda, a supposed supporter of M23. The latest outbreak of the decades-long conflict has already displaced more than 2 million people, and the potential for it to escalate into a regional war is a grave concern.
New therapies: using remipede venom for epilepsy and developing a nasal spray for COVID
Exciting research from Goethe University in Frankfurt reveals that the venom of a centipede-like creature, Remipede Xibalbanus tulumensis, could be vital in treating neurological disorders such as epilepsy and chronic pain. These crustaceans, discovered in underwater caves on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, produce venom with protein molecules remarkably resistant to enzymes, heat, and extreme pH. These proteins have the potential to inhibit potassium transport channels in mammalian systems and disrupt nerve signal transmission in pain sensitivity, offering a promising avenue for future medical treatments.
The British government is set to trial a potentially groundbreaking weight-loss injection called Mounjaro, developed by the American company Eli Lilly and Company. This initiative aims to alleviate the strain on the national healthcare system and assist unemployed obese individuals in returning to work. With more than a quarter of adults in the U.K. classified as obese in 2023, the need for effective weight-loss solutions is urgent. A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that patients using Mounjaro experienced significantly more weight loss than those using Ozempic and Wegovy from Danish company Novo Nordisk S.A., offering a ray of hope in the battle against obesity.
Exciting developments in vaccination are underway, with new nasal spray vaccines against COVID, influenza, RSV, and other diseases showing promise in providing superior protection compared to traditional injectable vaccines. These innovative solutions are currently undergoing testing in the United States, with scientists optimistic about their potential. A nasal spray containing a COVID-19 vaccine could be a reality in the U.S. as early as 2027, marking a significant advancement in the fight against infectious diseases.
The use of anti-state humour and a ban on living beings in Afghanistan
In some Afghan provinces, media outlets have been banned from showing images of living beings, including humans and animals. A spokesperson for the Taliban's Ministry of Vice and Virtue stated that the ban applies to government media in Takhar, Maidan Wardak, and Kandahar provinces. According to the law, they are prohibited from broadcasting or showing images of anything with a soul. Additionally, in August, the Taliban also prohibited women from speaking or showing their faces in public as part of efforts to combat vice and promote virtue.
Saudi cartoonist Mohammed al-Ghamdi, who previously worked for the Qatari daily Lusail, has been sentenced to 23 years in prison. Some of his cartoons mocked Ramadan issues and touched on the Middle East's political situation. This ban is the most recent in a series of Saudi judicial crackdowns on perceived dissidents since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ascended to the throne.
A generation of Venezuelans who fled their country to escape political persecution and economic hardship is using political satire in comedy shows to humorously address the situation in their homeland. Working online, like the famous group El Cuartico, and even taking on risky performances at home, they reach hundreds of thousands of people as they search for their Venezuelan identity. The crisis has forced more than 8 million Venezuelans to emigrate since 2015.
The diplomatic crisis between Canada and India
Canada's decision to expel six Indian diplomats, including the High Commissioner, in connection to the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar and other actions targeting Indian dissidents in Canada has sparked a significant diplomatic spat. In response, India has ordered the expulsion of six senior Canadian diplomats and the High Commissioner. This latest development underscores the gravity of the deteriorating relations between the two Commonwealth countries.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been actively involved in the investigation, speaking last year about evidence linking Indian agents to the killing of a Sikh leader in Canada. Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, Vancouver, a city with a large Sikh population. Indian agents are also said to have used covert intelligence-gathering techniques, targeted Canadians from South Asia, and engaged in more than a dozen acts of violence.
In early 2018, India drew Canadian attention for its support for Sikh separatism—the so-called Khalistan movement—among the Canadian diaspora. The Khalistan movement, a proposed state that some Sikhs envisioned within the movement that emerged in India in the 1970s, has had a significant impact on Sikh diasporas in Europe and North America, particularly in Canada, where nearly 772,000 Sikhs lived, according to the 2021 census. Canada, with the most prominent Sikh population outside of Punjab, India, is at the heart of this issue.