Ukrainian rebels have launched a missile attack on the city of Mariupol, a strategic access point to the Black Sea. The attack signals the formal end of the tattered cease-fire, and an escalation in the crisis. Taking the city would give the rebels a land route from eastern Ukraine into the Crimean peninsula, solidifying control over what Russian President Putin has termed “New Russia.” It is unclear how the West will respond to this escalation.
The Brazilian states of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais are suffering through the worst drought since the 1930s. The water shortages threaten the economy of Brazil in powerful ways and it is not clear how the situation can be rectified. Many industries will be unable to function unless the drought substantially eases up. The loss of one of the largest economies in the world would be a crippling blow to the global economy as a whole.
The violence perpetrated by the Islamic State has re-kindled Western fears of “radical Islam.” The recent actions against Japanese hostages will likely inflame the debate further. The category of “radical Islam” is a meaningless one, but it refuses to go away. The world, however, needs to figure out a way to address the issue of terrorist violence without conflating it with a religion.
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