This Week’s Top Stories from the Global South: Traditional Filipino dance, Tunisia’s election aftermath, massacre in Ecuador

Asia

Traditional Filipino dance captivates audiences

In Marawi City, students at Dansalan Polytechnic College celebrated the school’s 23rd anniversary with a mesmerizing performance of ‘singkil’, a traditional dance of the Maranao people. The dance, rooted in the epic ‘Darangen’, showcases rich costumes and rhythmic bamboo pole movements, embodying the vibrant culture of Southern Philippines. Read more here.

Vietnam’s young coffee entrepreneurs brew a revolution

In Vietnam, young innovators like Vu Dinh Tu are using coffee culture to challenge traditional career paths. Once a finance professional, Vu now runs a cafe, reflecting a growing trend of young people seeking independence through creative ventures in a society that still values conventional careers in medicine or law. Coffee, long a staple of Vietnamese life, is becoming a symbol of self-expression. Read more here.

South Korean author wins Nobel Prize

Celebrated South Korean novelist Han Kang received the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature for her “intense poetic prose” that delves into historical traumas. Best known for ‘The Vegetarian’, Han's work often explores suffering and human fragility. Her 2014 novel, ‘Human Acts’, deals with the violent Gwangju Uprising and its aftermath. Read more here.

Africa

Tunisia's president celebrates with supporters

Tunisian President Kais Saied secured over 89% of the vote in the recent elections, despite a low turnout of just 27.7%. Following this, his supporters celebrated in the streets, while his main rivals Ayachi Zammel and Zouhair Maghzaou trailed far behind. They chanted slogans such as "People want Kais Saied back!" as they gathered in the streets. Read more here.

Artists transforming a Nigerian slum

In Lagos, artists have used dance festivals to uplift Orowonshoki, one of the city’s poorest neighbourhoods. The initiative called the Slum Party, has garnered attention and even led to infrastructural improvements, like road repairs. Founder Sunday Ozegbe highlights how dance can attract government support and bring international focus to neglected communities. Read more here.

Mozambique’s calm post-election

Following tense elections, Mozambique has remained peaceful as citizens hope for stability. Frelimo, the ruling party since independence, is expected to extend its 49-year grip on power with Daniel Chapo as its next presidential candidate. Mozambique began counting votes on Wednesday, October 9, following tense presidential and parliamentary elections, expected to allow the ruling Frelimo party to extend its 49-year hold on power. President Filipe Nyusi is concluding his tenure after two terms, with Daniel Chapo set to succeed him as the party's candidate. Frelimo, which has governed Mozambique since its independence from Portugal in 1975, first allowed elections in 1994. Read more here.

Latin America

Colombian startup shields savings from currency devaluation

Colombian engineer Martín Peláez developed Plenti, an app that protects savings from devaluation through blockchain. This platform has already processed $500 million in transactions, helping over 20,000 users avoid the volatility of the peso. Currently, the app only operates in Colombia and the United States, but the team has plans to expand into other Latin American countries facing similar issues. Read more here.

Bolivia’s wildfires break records

Wildfires in Bolivia have ravaged over 10 million hectares, the worst fire season on record. Santa Cruz, a key farming region, has been hit hardest, accounting for almost 7 million hectares of the damage. The new figures released on Monday by non-governmental organization Tierra Foundation represent the equivalent of nearly 19 million American football fields. Read more here.

Ecuador declares state of emergency

A recent massacre in Ecuador, leaving five dead, has heightened concerns about rising gang violence. The government declared a state of emergency as the homicide rate soared from 6 per 100,000 people in 2018 to 47 in 2023, despite a slight decrease in overall homicide numbers this year. The Ecuadorian government has reported a decline in overall homicide rates, from 6,037 deaths in the first ten months of 2023 to 4,959 in the same period this year. However, violent crime remains a critical issue, with the homicide rate skyrocketing from 6 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2018 to 47 in 2023. Read more here.