Worlds apart

Looking back today at snapshots of 2016 on many news websites, I read about the 'significant' global events and celebrity deaths that marked the year. These were indeed noteworthy and often alarming, but are almost all Eurocentric and it's news about or impacting the Western world. Brexit and Trump, Bowie, Prince, Leonard and George Michael feature often. Iran, North Korea and their nuclear power get a mention as 'bogeymen' countries. ISIL, the burqa, Muslim identity are often spoken of with a predictably narrow lens. The BBC makes space to mention the death of a famous drug smuggler Howard Marks also known as Mr Nice.

But It's like reading only the rich kids' stories. In real terms it reflects the world order. The countries that dominate the news also economically and politically wield more global influence.

I would like to read a more accurate global representation of news on a day to day basis not only when there are major disasters. For more countries to make it into the main bulletins and not sit lower down in the newsworthy hierarchy, separated under side banners of Asia or Africa or even completely overlooked such as Cambodia where I live.

Newsweek in its list of 'the Top 10 World Shaking Events of 2016' includes the Russians' interference in the U.S elections but it doesn't mention the Brazil Olympics and all the surplus food from the athletes' village that was used to feed the homeless in Rio or include in this list that Ethiopia declared a state of emergency in October. Or that the Indian Prime Minister demonetized the country's currency with just a few hours' notice. If approx 18% of the world's population lives in India and 85% of its money was taken out of circulation, then that qualifies as a world shaking event. What about a mention of Iran's literacy rate which is over 90%?

Happy new year to everyone and may the invisible multitudes have a light shone on their lives.

May we see more justice in action in many ways.

I love this sunset view of the pagoda and the cluster of tin roofed houses surrounding it that I can see from my window.
With hope.