Libya in turmoil
World leaders have agreed in Berlin on a joint course of action to de-escalate the ongoing conflict in Libya, pledging to end foreign interference and back a truce. But, analysts say, it’s now up to those powers to put pressure on their Libyan allies to stop the fighting. The summit, though, was largely overshadowed by militia blockades of oil fields, which has led to crude oil production being shut down.
The summit was attended by Turkey, Russia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, and included representatives from the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Congo, Algeria, United Nations and African Union. All parties signed a 55-point communique, in which they also pledged to respect an arms embargo, that will be put forward as a UN resolution.
So does this mean anything? And is there any chance it could lead to peace?
Thais in the streets
The opposition Future Forward Party, and its leader, have been acquitted of conspiring to overthrow Thailand’s monarchy. But the party, led by Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, faces more charges and the threat of being dissolved.
Anger towards the political elite has been growing among young Thais, and a protest movement against the government is gaining momentum. Earlier this month more than 10,000 people organised a run through the streets of Bangkok demanding that Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha step down.
So what’s next? And what is the status of democracy in Thailand?
‘Still Here’
“Most women don’t just wake up in the morning and decide to commit a crime,” says Diana McHugh, Director of Communications at the Women’s Prison Association. “From individual circumstances to macro forms of trauma and oppression, a woman’s story is never linear and always nuanced. Immersive technologies enable us to create an experience for the viewer that is as layered and dynamic as the woman’s life itself, making her story more impactful for those who can almost literally walk in her footsteps.”
McHugh has worked with the storytelling and innovation studio at Al Jazeera, Contrast VR, on ‘Still Here’, an immersive experience focused on women in prison and the impact of gentrification on New York’s Harlem neighbourhood.
‘Still Here’ premieres at the Sundance Film Festival this week. Told through the lens of a fictional character named Jasmine Smith, who returns to life after 15 years in prison, the narrative has been crafted together with women who have spent time in prison. We’ll speak to one woman whose story inspired the experience.
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