There are only a few days left in 2018. At the end of the year, newspapers and news programs annually publish rankings such as the 10 biggest domestic and international news stories that happened this year. One would think that the U.S.-North Korea summit and the inter-Korean summit would make the list. Other,Thai boy's cave rescue, ,The murder of a journalist in Saudi ArabiaThe midterm elections in the United States, the demonstrations in France, and others are also mentioned. On the other hand, there are many significant events that occurred this year that affected many people, but which are not considered to be included in the ranking. Therefore, GNV will introduce important news that did not receive much coverage in Japan in the form of a ranking.

For the selection of the rankings, we took into account the amount of annual media coverage of the event/phenomenon, the degree of its impact on people and the world, and how much it changed in 2018. Events and phenomena include those that occurred in 2018 as well as those that occurred in the past but became apparent in 2018. For the volume of coverage, we focus on how much coverage the event/phenomenon received in comparison to its scale. (More details on the ranking methodology are provided in a footnote (*1)).

GNV's 10 biggest lurking world news stories of 2018 are as follows.

No. 1 Ethiopia: Major reforms by the new Prime Minister that will have a positive impact on regional peace

In April 2018, Prime Minister Abiy took office in Ethiopia. Since then, both at home and abroadVarious Reformshave been taking place in the country. In the country, anti-government demonstrations and armed conflicts demanding freedom and equality continued against previous regimes that had repeatedly violated human rights in several regions. Immediately after assuming office, Prime Minister Abiy has been releasing political prisoners and abolishing prisons that had been torturing them in their respective regions,Peace is established in the country.The goal is to achieve this goal. Furthermore, as a political reform, the constitution is likely to be amended to prevent the emergence of a dictatorship. The first major international impact was the peace with Eritrea. Ethiopia had been engaged in a major war with Eritrea since 1998 over the border, but in June 2018for the first time in 20 yearsThe peace agreement led to the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries. In addition, the peace agreement led to a border dispute between Eritrea and Djibouti, which had beensettlementand relations with Somalia and Eritrea.recoveryThe first time, the company was in a position to do so.UN Secretary GeneralThe peace agreement is a "wind of hope" in the Horn of Africa, as theEntire RegionIt has also had a positive impact on the However, Prime Minister Abbey's reforms.Incidents by Opposing Partiesis also happening. The future of peace in Ethiopia depends on this administration.

information volume

Asahi Shimbun: 2.5 articles/416 words

Mainichi Newspaper: 5 articles/2,220 words

Yomiuri Shimbun: 0 articles/0 words

Peace agreement between Ethiopia and Eritrea (Photo: Yemane Gebremeskel /Wikimedia)

No. 2 Yemen: the world's worst humanitarian crisis

Three-quarters of Yemen's population is in need of aid and protection due to the armed conflict that has been going on since 2014 and is the world's worst humanitarian crisis, the UN Secretary-General said in April 2018.announcementThe first time, the company was in a position to do so.As of Dec.and 14 million people are food insecure, since 2015,Approximately 85,000 peopleof children under the age of five have died of starvation. In addition, cholera epidemics andMore than 1 millionThe conflict in Yemen began in 2014 when Houthi forces opposed to the new government ousted the government and took control of the capital, Sanaa. since 2015, a coalition led by Saudi Arabia has intervened and repeatedly carried out large-scale air strikes,Intervention on the groundThe Houthis, who are believed to be backed by Iran, have also carried out several missile attacks against government-backed Saudi Arabia. The Houthis, who are reportedly supported by Iran, have also launched several missile attacks against Saudi Arabia, which supports the government. Saudi Arabia's blockade of land, sea, and air transportation routes has led to shortages of food and other supplies.In December 2018, direct talks between the Houthis and the government took place in Sweden to end the conflict. Then, on 13 December, in Bodeida, which was a key area of the conflict.truceThe decision was made by the conflict, and would be a step toward ameliorating the humanitarian crisis.

information volume

Asahi Shimbun: 26 articles / 16,417 words

Mainichi Newspaper: 17 articles/9,303 words

Yomiuri Shimbun: 17 articles / 6,399 words

(Photo: Peter Biro /Flickr[.CC BY-NC-ND 2.0])

No. 3 Venezuela: Increase in refugees and immigrants

In Venezuelaeconomic crisisin November 2018 out of a population of 32.4 million, mainly due to theMore than 3 millionare fleeing the country. Refugees and migrants are in Colombia.More than 1 millionto Peru.500,000 peopleOthers have fled to Brazil, Ecuador, Argentina, and even Central America and the Caribbean, in addition to the shortage of goods due to the drop in oil prices, which have been the main source of revenue since 2014.hyperinflationThe economy began to deteriorate and many refugees and immigrants were affected by the August 2018 currency unit.1/100,000The new currency was introduced by devaluing the currency to a new currency, but the new currency has become difficult to obtain. In addition, some areas are experiencing water shortages and power outages due to lack of infrastructure, especially in the medical field, which is not providing adequate treatment. These factors have also caused some to leave the country. Initially, neighboring countries have been trying to provide Venezuelan refugees and immigrants withaccept legal statusand other countries were tolerant of accepting them. However, as the scale of refugees and immigrants has grown, some countries have had difficulty accepting them, and some countries have had to remove refugees and immigrants from their countries.strict responseIn some cases, it can be seen that the It is necessary to create a framework to deal with the increasing number of Venezuelan refugees and immigrants throughout Latin America.

information volume

Asahi Shimbun: 4 articles/3,930 words

Mainichi Newspapers: 1 article/1,080 words

Yomiuri Shimbun: 0 articles/0 words

A view inside a temporary tent erected by UNICEF for Venezuelan refugees and migrants (Photo: UNICEF Ecuador /Flickr[.CC BY 2.0])

No. 4 India: 4 million people removed from citizenship list

in the northeastern Indian state of Assam,4 million peoplecould be expelled from the citizenship list and face expulsion. People living in Assam were asked to prove that they or their families had lived in India before March 1971, when they were trying to escape the war of independence from Pakistan that took place in neighboring Bangladesh.10 millionThis was the period of the influx of Bangladeshis from the north and south of the country. While most returned after independence, many settled in Assam. Led by Indian Prime Minister Narendra ModiPeople's Party (Taiwan)stated that the registration of citizenship protects Assamese on ethnicity and suppresses illegal immigration. As a result, more than 4 million of the 32 million people who applied to register as Indian citizens were denied registration under the draft citizenship list. On the other hand, expulsion from the citizenship list was done under the pretext of anti-immigration, which is a minority in India.Targeting MuslimsIt is also said that this is the first time that a person has been expelled from the country. Those expelled from the citizenship list are not immediately expelled from the country; there remains room for appeal. However, the situation is expected to be difficult for those expelled. The final citizenship list isDecember 31The project will be completed in

information volume

Asahi Shimbun: 1 article / 2,217 words

Mainichi Newspapers : 0 articles/0 words

Yomiuri Shimbun: 0 articles/0 words

(Photo: Goutam Roy/Flickr[.CC BY-SA 2.0])

No. 5 World: record number of refugees and displaced persons (2017)

In June 2018, the number of refugees worldwide, including internally displaced persons, increased for the fifth consecutive year in 2017, according to a study by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),68.5 millionThis is the largest number ever recorded in the country's history. Of these, 40 million are internally displaced persons, 25.4 million are refugees, and 3.1 million are awaiting the outcome of their asylum applications. more than half of the 25.4 million refugees are under the age of 18. In addition, 16.2 million people were newly displaced or refugees in 2017.Causes of Refugees in 2017are Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, which deteriorated sharply in late 2017, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which had the highest number of new internally displaced persons in the world in 2017. In addition, refugees and asylum seekers from Central America to Mexico and the United States seeking asylum, such as Venezuelan refugees, are also involved. Including those who have been refugees in the past and continue to be so, Syria remains the largest refugee-generating country with approximately 6.3 million refugees, followed by Afghanistan and South Sudan. Eighty-five percent of these refugees live in developing countries. In addition to conflict resolution, which is the cause, in a situation of increasing refugee numbers,Refugee reception systemalso become more important.

Amount of media coverage (articles on the number of refugees worldwide, including UNHCR announcements)

Asahi Shimbun : 0 article / 0 words

Mainichi Newspapers: 1 article / 441 words

Yomiuri Shimbun: 1 article / 158 words

Child Rohingya refugees walking in a camp in Bangladesh (Photo: EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations /Flickr[.CC BY-NC-ND 2.0])

No. 6 World: Antibiotic Resistance Problem

Presented in 2018.WHO (World Health Organization) reportfound that in 49 of the 65 countries surveyed, antibiotics, which are supposed to be used only when resistant bacteria are seen to prevent drug resistance, accounted for more than half of all antibiotics prescribed. In other words, the problem of antibiotic resistance has reached a critical level. Overdose of antibiotics causes pathogenic bacteria to become resistant to antibiotics, making them ineffective. As a result, pneumonia, cancer, infectious diseases such asmedical treatmentThere is a risk that the government will not be able to adequately antibiotic consumption, especially in low-income and middle-class countries.Yearly increaseHowever, the emergence of super-resistant strains is a worldwide trend, and the number of super-resistant strains is increasing dramatically. In areas where the supply of medicines is inadequate, appropriate prescribing is also not possible, and the problem of resistance is becoming more and more serious.promotionThe company is not able to make a profit from the production of new antibiotics. Furthermore, since the profits from the creation of new antibiotics are not sufficient toAntibiotic Developmenthas not progressed very far. In addition to humans, super resistant bacteria are also found in animals.livestockThis is believed to be due in part to the overdose of antibiotics on healthy livestock to prevent disease in order to speed up growth and increase efficiency in the rearing of cattle.

information volume

Asahi Shimbun : 0 article / 0 words

Mainichi Newspapers : 0 articles/0 words

Yomiuri Shimbun: 0 articles/0 words

(Photo: runys /Pixabay)

No. 7 World: Growing gap between rich and poor

an international NGO that works on international issues with a focus on poverty.Oxfamrevealed in 2018 that 42 of the world's richest people have the same wealth as the poorest half of the world's population, or 3.7 billion people, according to the Although the survey is conducted annually, the wealth of 61 people in 2017 and 380 people in 2009 equaled the wealth of half of the poorest people, and the wealth gap is widening every year. Furthermore, 82% of the world's wealth created in 2017 belonged to the world's richest 1% of people. The founder of Amazon, Inc.Jeff Bezosbecame the richest in the world in 2018, just as the world's stock markets became more active in 2017, as the wealth of millionaires who originally had assets in762 billion dollarsIt has increased. One-seventh of this wealth is enough to solve the poverty of the world's poorest people. On the other hand, the wealth of the bottom half of the world's population has not increased. There is also a large gender gap between the world's richest people.90%are male.

information volume

Asahi Shimbun : 0 article / 0 words

Mainichi Newspapers : 0 articles/0 words

Yomiuri Shimbun: 0 articles/0 words

Slums and urban areas as seen from Mumbai, India (Photo: Sthitaprajna Jena /Flickr[.CC BY-SA 2.0])

No. 8 Sahel: First humanitarian crisis in a decade

Lack of rainfall, rising food prices, and conflicts in 2018 have led to the highest level of child hunger in a decade in the Sahel, a strip of land that stretches east to west across the southern part of the Sahara Desert. Furthermore, in 2018, the Sahel region hasRate of increase in hungerwas the highest in the world. In particular, the six countries of Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, and NigerMore than 1.3 millionof children under the age of five are severely malnourished. Malnutrition is especially severe during the low harvest season when food is scarce and diseases such as malaria are on the rise.FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations)According to the "Mere Old Man," about 6 million people were food insecure during this time in 2018. In the Sahel, there is only one rainy season a year during which food can grow. Therefore, a poor harvest due to climate change or conflict will make it difficult for Sahelian people, who grow crops and livestock for food, to survive until the next year. In recent years, climate change has caused precipitation to be unstable, further exacerbating the problem of malnutrition.

information volume

Asahi Shimbun : 0 article / 0 words

Mainichi Newspapers : 0 articles/0 words

Yomiuri Shimbun: 0 articles/0 words

A Mauritanian woman struggles with her harvest due to drought (Photo: Pablo Tosco /Flickr[)CC BY-NC-ND 2.0])

No. 9 East Africa: Dramatic Decrease in FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) in 20 Years

In the last 20 years, from 1995 to 2016, East African 14 and underFGMThe percentage of women for whom the71.4% to 8%.The number of people living in the region fell sharply in 2018 to In North Africa and West Africa, it also decreased by 43.8% and 48.2%, respectively. The sharp decline is probably due to policy changes and steady grassroots level campaigns, among other factors.FGMFGM is a cultural practice in some regions that involves the removal of part of a woman's genitalia at a certain age, which can lead to a lifetime of health problems, including the risk of infection and infertility. 22 of the 28 African countries where FGM is practiced have laws against the practice. FGM is declining in Africa, but the number of cases of FGM in the Middle East is increasing. While FGM is declining in Africa, it is not declining in Yemen and Iraq in the Middle East, and the problem is still being seen in other parts of the world. Even in many areas where FGM has decreased, it may increase again due to poverty, lack of education, and the presence of culturally supportive people who support FGM. The number of people expected to practice FGM worldwide by 2030 is46 millionThis trend is expected to increase where FGM is practiced as a matter of practice. In order to reduce FGM, it will also be important to improve education in the area.

information volume

Asahi Shimbun : 0 article / 0 words

Mainichi Newspapers : 0 articles/0 words

Yomiuri Shimbun: 0 articles/0 words

Rally to learn about the dangers of FGM (Photo: David Mutua /Flickr)

No. 10 Southeast Asia: Dramatic increase in methamphetamine production and distribution

United Nationsrevealed in 2018 that the production and distribution of methamphetamine (methamphetamine) in the Mekong Delta of Southeast Asia has increased dramatically. The region has always been famous for opium and heroin, especially across Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand.The Golden Triangle.It is called. As a function of market factors, criminal groups invest in methamphetamine. Methamphetamine production is difficult to detect because the factories that manufacture methamphetamine are temporary and can be easily moved. Currently, this is taking place especially in northern Myanmar, where central government governance has not reached.UN officialsAccording to the report, opium and heroin production in the Mekong is declining, but methamphetamine seizures are up compared to 2017. Methamphetamine made in the Mekong region and Myanmar has been found in large quantities in the Asia-Pacific region, including Japan and Australia. The drug market for heroin and methamphetamine is40 billion U.S. dollarsIt is estimated that it deserves to be Also,Thailand and other Southeast Asian countriesIn the U.S., there are many cheaper stimulants available that are of a different type than the stimulants consumed in developed countries.

information volume

Asahi Shimbun: 1 article / 2,137 words

Mainichi Newspapers : 0 articles/0 words

Yomiuri Shimbun: 0 articles/0 words

The Golden Triangle (photo: ryan harvey /Flickr[)CC BY-SA 2.0])

These are the results of the ranking. Although many of them were not reported in Japan, various events and phenomena occurred in the world in 2018 that had a significant impact on many human beings. Many of them crossed borders or even spread globally, and the issues must be addressed on a global level. We will continue to keep an eye on various events and phenomena around the world, including those that are not reported in Japan.

1: The ranking was determined in the following way: four events/phenomena from each of six regions (East, South, and Central Asia; Southeast Asia, Pacific, and Indian Ocean; Middle East and North Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa; Europe; and North and South America) and six events/phenomena from global events/phenomena were selected for a total of 30 events/phenomena that received less coverage in Japan. The following is a list of 30 significant events/phenomena that have received little media coverage in Japan. For each event/phenomenon, we assigned a score in five categories: volume of coverage, transboundary nature, number of people affected, impact on political, economic, security, and other systems, and freshness. Because the ranking places particular importance on the fact that the event has not received much attention, double the weight was given to the quantity of coverage item compared to the other four items. As a result of the scoring, we were able to determine 7 events/phenomena out of 30. The remaining three were selected by the editorial board from among those that received the same score, taking into consideration the balance of themes and regions. Finally, the ranking was determined after discussion at the editorial meeting. The volume of coverage was compiled from January 1, 2018 to December 19, 2018.

Writer: Saki Takeuchi

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