• The Biden administration is backtracking on its promise to stop “offensive weapons” sales to Saudi Arabia to support the kingdom’s deadly war in Yemen. The $500 million contract maintains the Saudi’s Apache helicopters which are used in military operations along Yemen’s border.
(“Biden’s $500 Million Saudi Deal Contradicts Policy on ‘Offensive Weapons,'” Guardian, Oct. 27 2021 )
• Two years ago, Boston-based Liberty Mutual insurance company issued its first sustainability report promising not to underwrite companies with more than 25 percent exposure to extraction or production of energy from coal. Still, Liberty Mutual ranked 16th among major insurance companies in underwriting fossil fuel companies. Overall, the U.S. insurance industry lags behind corporate America in its commitment to clean energy, while at the same time these companies’ profitability directly depends on minimizing the catastrophes caused by climate-fueled disasters.
(“The Oil Merchant in the Grey Flannel Suit,” American Prospect, Sept. 29, 2021)
• Major foundations and non-governmental organizations active in Africa and the developing world are going through an identity crisis. Over a thousand current and former workers for the aid group Doctors Without Borders accused the award-winning humanitarian group of institutional racism, where European-based managers decide what is best for the world’s poor. Despite reforms and calls for social justice, critics say a “colonialist mentality” pervades humanitarian and global health initiatives.
(“The Gates Foundation Avoids a Reckoning on Race and Power,” The Nations, Oct. 6, 2021)
This week’s News Summary was narrated by Anna Manzo.
