• Tensions are growing in Somalia between President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo and Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble over control of the east African nation’s security forces. The dispute focuses on the unexplained murder of a female agent Ikran Tahlil of the National Intelligence and Security Agency in late June. At first, the government blamed the Islamist insurgency al-Shabab for killing Tahill. But al-Shabab, an islamist al-Qaeda affiliate has denied killing the agent.
(“Somalia’s Politicians Play with Fire,” International Crisis Group, Sept. 14, 2021; “Somalia Political Rift Intensifies Over Row Over Missing Spy,” BBC, Sept. 17, 2021; “Somalia is Walking in Afghanistan’s Footsteps,” Al-Jazeera, Aug. 23, 2021)
• The Guardian newspaper reports tech giant Google has systematically underpaid its temporary and contract workers around the globe. Moreover, Google, which has a two-tiered workforce delayed for two years correcting pay rates in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, as the company attempted to cover-up the disparity in wages between temporary workers and full-time Google employees.
(“Google Illegally Underpaid Thousands of Its Workers,” Guardian, Sept. 10, 2021; “Google Workers Demand Back Pay for Temps Company Underpaid for Years,” Guardian, Sept. 15, 2021)
• In a court filing, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requested clean water protections be restored for Bristol Bay, Alaska under threat from the proposed Pebble Creek gold mine. The move, if approved by a federal court, would block permits for the mine in favor of preserving the world’s largest sockeye salmon run, reversing actions by the Trump administration.
(“EPA to Protect Alaska’s Bristol Bay, Blocking Major Gold Mine,” Washington Post, Sept. 9, 2021)
This week’s News Summary was narrated by Anna Manzo.
