The Depths

This is The World Today [View in browser](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvYnNvcXd4ZzRzcC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) The Depths [Formerly DailyChatter - Why are we changing our name?](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvbmlqeG5iajhreS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyJmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) [Share Today's Edition](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvMHJsZnE0MHNvNC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyJmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) [GlobalPost] [Listen to Today's Edition](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsva3A0aXY1cWtlYy8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyJmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) [GlobalPost] [Share Today's Edition](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsveXE1aHYwbHdzaS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyJmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) [Listen to Today's Edition](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvOHR3cW0zN2JnNS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyJmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) GlobalPost is an exclusive benefit for subscribers of The Charlotte Observer The Largest Daily Newsletter Devoted to World News The Depths THE WORLD TODAY — Tuesday, September 24, 2024 The Depths The Depths Need to Know The Depths [Myanmar](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvYzNzZXg0aG5lbC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyJmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) In the Southeast Asian country of Myanmar, casualties from natural and man-made disasters are mounting. Typhoon Yagi recently claimed more than 220 lives across the country, mostly due to flooding and landslides, [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvYXd4MzZrZHh4My8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) Newsweek. At the same time, the United Nations recently determined that Myanmar’s military junta has killed at least 5,350 civilians since they took control of the country in a coup in 2021, Al Jazeera [wrote](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvMGxzNGpsMDhnYi8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~). Since overthrowing the elected civilian government of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, the junta has launched a campaign of terror marked by torture, violent crackdowns on protests, and the suppression of political dissidents. “Myanmar is plumbing the depths of the human rights abyss,” said James Rodehaver, who leads the UN’s human rights office in the country. Meanwhile, Myanmar is also in the throes of a civil war that has claimed around 42,000 lives in battle, [according](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvOGZmM2syd2x4My8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) to the London-based charity Action on Armed Violence. A patchwork of rebel forces have formed to fight the central government, with many fighters living in remote areas where they have created parallel governments to run their affairs, the Diplomat [explained](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdnNwanowNmx1Yy8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~). The Myanmarese are not alone in perpetrating this suffering. China is backing some rebel groups who have formed to challenge the junta’s dark regime. For example, insurgents with the Brotherhood Alliance, a coalition of China-backed rebel groups, have been launching attacks against Myanmarese military camps, using rockets that were likely made in China, the Economist [noted](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvcnVwcWVsN25mdi8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~). China also supports the United Wa State Army, a 30,000-strong force that is the largest group among the rebel forces, [added](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsveWk2bGx0c2R0cy8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) Voice of America. China has denied interfering in Myanmar’s affairs, [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvYm04c2xwZDZiMC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) the Irrawaddy, a Myanmarese publication. But Chinese officials recently demanded that the Ta’ang National Liberation Army – a group that is part of the Brotherhood Alliance – stop fighting, raising concerns that China might be losing control of rebel groups it has supported in the past. Meanwhile, Chinese officials are not supporting Suu Kyi’s ousted pro-democracy National Unity Government. The rebels are not necessarily noble characters, say observers. Some have forcibly conscripted members of the ethnic minority Rohingya, a community that has been traditionally repressed in Myanmar, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation [wrote](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvMzdpZ3RoOXRvZC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~). Rohingyas have been fighting the country’s government for years and around 750,000 have fled to neighboring Bangladesh to escape the violence. But their situation has grown much worse as the civil war has intensified, [added](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdjZ4N3oxbTJldi8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) Agenzia Fides, the Vatican’s news service. Now, there is another wave of emigration to Bangladesh, where more than [a million](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdjV5Ynp6aTJvYi8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) stateless refugees have lived in dangerous and unsanitary refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar already for years, without much opportunity to learn, work or move. Others have been [fleeing](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvZ3VsaHRld28wNC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) Bangladesh for elsewhere in Asia, [wrote](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdjd1OWNhNnN0cy8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) Deutsche Welle. Still, despite the dire situation in Myanmar, there is room for optimism, according to Charles Petrie, a former United Nations assistant secretary-general and UN representative in Myanmar, who traveled to the rebel-held part of the country recently. He wrote in [Noema Magazine](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvNGNra25laXk4OC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) how amid the violence and destruction he discovered a country “in the midst of a profound transformation.” “The struggle against the (junta government) has morphed from a fight by ethnic groups to control territory into the emergence of a new form of participatory governance,” he said. “This governance model has been created organically by a new generation of activists … a new type of civil society was also emerging.” In other words, what he found, he said, was the elements of a future state. [Share this story](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvNnhpeHJiOXdpdC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyJmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) The Depths ~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvcHVuOXl0c2ptNS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~ The World Briefly Back to the Future Back to the Future [Tanzania](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvZjZ1ZndhM2FyMi8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyJmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) Tanzanian police arrested 14 people Monday in an attempt to block opposition-led demonstrations in the city of Dar es Salaam over the kidnapping and killing of opposition figures ahead of elections, Agence France-Presse [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdXcxaWoxbWF2Ny8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~). The main opposition party, CHADEMA, said among those arrested were party chairman Freeman Mbowe and his deputy, Tundu Lissu, who were detained by police ahead of Monday’s planned demonstrations. The party has vowed to continue with the protests, despite a ban on gatherings by police. Over the weekend, riot police were stationed across Tanzania’s commercial capital to prevent protests, the BBC [noted](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvMmt3aGYwMWxtbS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~). The protests ignited after the discovery of the body of Ali Mohamed Kibao, a member of the CHADEMA national secretariat, which was found earlier this month. The opposition says that members of Tanzania’s security forces were behind the killing. CHADEMA has also accused the administration of President Samia Suluhu Hassan of returning the East African country to a repressive rule reminiscent of her predecessor, the late John Magufuli. Hassan took over following Magufuli’s death in 2021 and signaled a more liberal approach to governing. The changes included lifting a ban on opposition protests and a more open environment for journalists. She also promised to restore competitive politics. However, human rights groups and other critics warned that the government is reverting to tactics used by Magufuli to intimidate political opponents ahead of this November’s local elections and next year’s general elections. [Share this story](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvM3YzN2l0c215My8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyJmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) A State of ‘Love and Kindness’ A State of ‘Love and Kindness’ [Albania](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvZ2V4Z3A1Z2NzMS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyJmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) The Albanian government is planning to transform the Tirana-based Bektashi Order, an Islamic Sufi order, into a sovereign state, a move aimed at promoting tolerance, peaceful coexistence and moderation, Euronews [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvajY5M21yaWd5ei8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~). Prime Minister Edi Rama announced the initiative during a Sunday speech at the United Nations in New York, saying the goal of the new state was to promote a tolerant version of Islam that aligns with Albanian values. The planned “Sovereign State of the Bektashi Order” would become the smallest state in the world, coming in at about 25 acres, a quarter of the size of Vatican City. The new state would have its own administration, passports and borders, but citizenship would be limited only to top religious figures and individuals involved in its governance. Reflecting the liberal and tolerant practices of the Bektashi Order, the new state would allow alcohol consumption, would have no dress code and impose no strict lifestyle rules. It is to be governed by the Baba Mondi, the spiritual leader of the Order, and a council that will oversee both religious and administrative functions, [according](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvOWE5c2h1OGc0Zy8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) to the Associated Press. Baba Mondi said decisions of matters of state will be made with “love and kindness.” He expressed hope that the new state’s sovereignty would be recognized by the United States and other Western nations. The Bektashi Order is an offshoot of Sufism, a mystical branch of Islam that is known for eschewing the religion’s stricter tenets. The order originated in Anatolia in the 13th century and rose to prominence in the 15th century as the spiritual backbone of the elite Janissary Corps in the Ottoman Empire. The religious branch has come under scrutiny over its very liberal approach to faith – and its growing political influence. It was banned in Turkey in 1925 under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s secular reforms, forcing the Order to relocate its headquarters to Albania. There are as many as 20 million Bektashi followers globally, including 12.5 million in Turkey, the newswire wrote. In Albania, they make up roughly 10 percent of the Muslim population, which, in turn, comprises half of the country’s overall population of 2.4 million. The rest of the population consists of Catholics, Orthodox Christians and other smaller religious communities. [Share this story](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvejBlcnIybm1pMi8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyJmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) The Depths Our Sister Publication ~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvNmV4bzFyb2dkci8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~ GlobalPost editors rely on World Politics Review for expert, in-depth analysis on global issues and trends. You can too. [Get access now](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvYjBuN2E1a3o5Ni8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~). The Depths ~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvbmF2YmY4MThlcS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~ Defiance Defiance [Martinique](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdjNod2U3dWlraS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyJmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) France deployed a long-banned anti-riot force to Martinique to help local authorities suppress protests over the skyrocketing price of food, with demonstrators accusing the central government of treating its region like a colony, Radio France Internationale [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvY3M4MjR2MGttbS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~). The protests, which broke out in early September on the French Caribbean Island, have left 14 injured, including 11 police officers, and have been marked by gunfire, tear gas and looting. Over the weekend, France’s local representatives instituted a nightly curfew and a ban on demonstrations in certain parts of the capital. After these restrictions were defied by thousands on the island taking to the streets in peaceful marches, an elite riot unit from France was deployed, the Associated Press [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvbGc3eHlpYnVlZy8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~). That unit, known as the Companies for Republican Security, has been banned from Martinique for 65 years: During violent riots in 1959 in the territory, it was accused of using disproportionate force on protestors resulting in the deaths of young demonstrators. The protesters now say they want the government to address soaring food prices on the island. [According](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvNzJob2R2YzE0Yi8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) to the Guardian, residents of the territory pay an estimated 30 to 42 percent more for food than their counterparts in mainland France, but have nowhere near comparable wealth. Last year, Gérald Darmanin, France’s interior minister, had pledged to tackle price-gouging by companies and anti-competitive practices such as monopolies that he said contributed to the high costs. However, demonstrators said that authorities and businesses have failed to do so or address any concerns effectively. Shazi Chalon, an official with [Saint Lucia](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvM3F6cDZ1Y2Qyei8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~)’s consulate in Martinique, told the Guardian that many residents believe that the way France governs Martinique is inequitable: “In a majority-Black country, all of the people who hold the highest positions here … are from (mainland) France,” he said, adding that the local White population “wield most of the economic power in Martinique.” [Share this story](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdDdzOWoxeXM5Mi8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyJmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) Weekly Quiz ~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvajl5NHJ3NTRrZC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~ Behind the Itch Discoveries Behind the Itch In the human body, the sensory nervous system plays a key role in detecting and reacting to allergens, which can lead to itchiness or even hives. Now, scientists are closer to understanding why. In a new [paper](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvbzhzdG5yYjhrdC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~), researchers led by allergy and immunology specialists at Massachusetts General Hospital identified the pathway by which immune and nerve cells interact to cause itching in response to allergens such as pollen, dust mites and mosquito bites. The paper’s senior author Caroline Sokol and her colleagues found that a poorly understood type of immune cell, known as GD3, plays a big role in allergic reactions. These cells produce a molecule called IL-3 which makes sensory neurons more responsive to allergens in the skin. IL-3 makes sensory neurons more sensitive to allergens, making them react more easily without directly causing the itch. This happens through a signaling process that triggers the production of certain molecules, which then starts the allergic immune response. “These weird, very ancient but funny cell types make it absolutely essential for this mosquito-induced itch,” Sokol [told](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvZzMzZW54ZzJsZC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) Popular Science. “It’s also essential for the downstream allergic immune response to it.” In a series of experiments, the team found that the removal of IL-3 molecules or GD3 cells in mice, as well as blocking the signaling pathway, made the animals more resistant to itchiness and immune-activating ability of certain allergens. “By establishing a pathway that controls allergen responsiveness, we have identified a new cellular and molecular circuit that can be targeted to treat and prevent allergic responses including itching,” explained Sokol [in a statement](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsveHh1czJudDZ6dS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~). The number of GD3 cells and their activity appear to be age-dependent, the authors noted. They are now planning to investigate why some people develop more severe allergic reactions than others. “Allergies are increasing in number, and it’s not just that we’re better at diagnosing them,” Sokol emphasized. “We really need to get to the bottom of why, and there are a lot of questions, but that’s what makes it a fun area of science and medicine to be in.” [Share this story](~/AASU4wA~/RgRo1RJBP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvcm9jcWlxd3E5ci8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD16NjdmemR2NGlyJmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmbrQo3yZgwtLhJSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) Thank you for reading or listening to GlobalPost. Your comments are always welcomed and appreciated. 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