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The New York migrant crisis up close
Since 2022, New York City has absorbed more than 170,000 migrants, mostly sent on buses by Texas officials from the US-Mexico border. Many of them are asylum-seekers who hail from South American countries facing political and economic upheaval, like Venezuela and El Salvador. But increasingly, people from Asia, western Africa, and the Caribbean have been making the difficult journey to the US via the southern border as well.
Unlike other so-called “sanctuary cities,” New York has a legal mandate, known as a consent decree, that requires the city to provide shelter to anyone who asks for it. But the already under-funded, under-resourced system is struggling to deal with the influx of so many people. Adding to the chaos, in October, the city changed its policy to require everyone in the shelter system to reapply for a bed every 30-60 days. For asylum seekers already trying to navigate byzantine legal and healthcare systems, the instability can have devastating consequences.
That’s why grassroots organizers like Power Malu of Artists Athletes Activists, Adama Bah of Afrikana, and Ilze Thielmann of TeamTLC have been stepping up to fill a major gap in the city’s immigration system: greeting arrivals, pointing them towards resources, providing food and clothing. Most crucially, they're help people understand their rights and apply for asylum, so they can get work permits and find permanent housing.
Speaking from the front lines of this crisis, the organizers say the city isn't fully meeting the needs of the migrants coming here, despite spending $1.45 billion on migrant costs alone in 2023. "The illusion is that they're in these beautiful hotels and they're getting all of these services and it's not true," Malu says, "That's why you have organizations like ours that have stepped up and had to change from welcoming to now doing case management, social services, helping them with mental health therapy."
GZERO’s Alex Kliment spent time on the ground with newly-arrived asylum-seekers and the volunteers to better understand the reality on the ground, how this current crisis getting so much national attention is functioning day to day, and if the city could be doing more to help.
GZERO has reached out to City Hall for comment and will update with any response.
Learn more about the organizations mentioned in this report:
Catch this full episode of GZERO World with Ian Bremmer on public television beginning this Friday, March 15. Check local listings.
Understanding Navalny’s legacy inside Russia
Russian dissident Alexei Navalny was a uniquely charismatic, fearless, and media-savvy critic of Putin’s regime who will be extremely hard to replace, says GZERO’s Alex Kliment. But as beloved as he was internationally for his fearless stance against the country’s strongman leader within Russia, his appeal was somewhat limited to educated elites.
“There was a poll last year that only about 10% of Russians saw Navalny as someone whose activities they approved of about 40 or 50% said they disapproved him Navalny” Kliment says. “And a quarter of Russians had never even heard of him.”In 2020, recall, he was poisoned with a nerve agent in an attack that he blamed on the Kremlin. He later, on camera, tricked a Russian security official into appearing to admit responsibility for the hit.
That may be hard to believe for Western observers who have grown accustomed to grainy videos of Navalny defiantly smiling from behind bars. But it’s a function, Kliment says, of the fact that the Kremlin controls the media. The Kremlin has cracked down on opposition movements like Navalny’s, and many Russians who would be most likely to support him have left Russia since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
- Navalny's death is a huge loss for democracy - NATO's Mircea Geona ›
- What happens if Alexei Navalny dies? ›
- Navalny’s death: Five things to know ›
- Putin's gulag gamble with Navalny ›
- “A film is a weapon on time delay” — an interview with “Navalny” director Daniel Roher ›
- Putin critic Alexei Navalny dies in prison ›
- Tracking anti-Navalny bot armies - GZERO Media ›
Israel-Hamas war is a mixed blessing for Putin
Over the past few weeks, the conflict in Gaza has drawn attention away from what used to be the most covered war in the world: Russia's invasion of Ukraine. You know who's not mad about that? Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Even before the Hamas attacks, Western support for Ukraine was starting to waver, GZERO's Alex Kliment explains. Now, Putin is perfectly happy to see Western governments and media distracted by the Middle East. What's more, a little unrest in the region always bumps up prices for Russian oil.
But there are a few reasons why this latest conflict in the Holy Land might not be a blessing for Putin. For one thing, it forces him to choose sides in a way that he doesn't relish. It took Putin 10 entire days to call Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with condolences after the October 7th attacks. And while Russia condemned the Hamas rampage, Putin has also welcomed Hamas officials in Moscow and called for a ceasefire, something both the US and Israel oppose.
On the one hand, bending towards the Palestinians puts Putin firmly in line with mainstream opinion in the Arab world and the broader global south, where sympathy for the Palestinian cause is strong. On the other hand, antagonizing Israel could lead the government there to change its mind about giving advanced weapons to Ukraine, something that Prime Minister Netanyahu has so far chosen not to do.
And then there's the risk of this conflict spiraling out of control entirely. A wider regional war between Israel and Iran could turn into a nightmare for Putin. But don't forget, Russian forces are currently propping up the Assad regime in Syria, an ally of Iran that could easily be drawn into a wider war with Israel.
In short, Vladimir Putin is fine with Middle Eastern instability that puts the heat on his Western adversaries. Unfortunately for him, he can't count on staying out of the fire himself.
Watch more about the situation in the Middle East on the upcoming episode of GZERO World with Ian Bremmer.
Catch GZERO World with Ian Bremmer every week at gzeromedia.com/gzeroworld and on US public television. Check local listings.
- Is war in Gaza good for Russia? ›
- Biden seeks urgent aid package for Israel, Ukraine ›
- Putin's endgame in Ukraine ›
- Ian Explains: Putin's partners and allies ›
- What We’re Watching: Ukraine latest, Israel blocks arms to Kyiv ›
- Will Israel be forced to choose between Russia and Ukraine? ›
- Israel, Iran, and the metastasizing war in Ukraine ›
- Putin wins another classic Soviet election - GZERO Media ›
Israel-Hamas war: "Just bring them back," says brother of 9-year-old Israeli hostage
Few people can grasp the horror that is Roy Zichri's daily life. Ever since his nine-year-old brother was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7th, along with his mother, Keren, and his grandparents, Roy and his family have been doing everything possible to bring the hostages home. But as Ohad Munder-Zichri experienced his ninth birthday somewhere in Gaza under Hamas captors this week, Roy has felt as powerless as the families of the 20 or so other children currently being held hostage (not to mention the 200+ total captives).
In the latest episode of GZERO World with Ian Bremmer, the show's executive producer, Tony Maciulis, asks Roy what message he has for Ohad's Hamas captors. "No message," Roy responds, after an emotional pause. "No message. Just bring them back as soon as possible."
With Hamas' release of a few hostages in the past few days, there is renewed hope for those still being held captive. But as Israel's military continues to bomb Gaza in anticipation of a bloody ground invasion, the future of those hostages remains very much in doubt. In the meantime, Roy wants the world to know how special his young brother is. "Him and I, we have a very strong connection. We have our own jokes and our own games, and he's very lovable and adorable."
Catch GZERO World with Ian Bremmer every week at gzeromedia.com/gzeroworld and on US public television. Check local listings.
- The Israel-Hamas war: Where we are, two weeks in ›
- Will Hezbollah enter the Israel-Hamas conflict or not? ›
- Saving US hostages in Gaza: Use Egypt as intermediary, urges Rep. Mike Waltz ›
- America's tightrope walk with the Israel-Hamas war ›
- Ian Bremmer: Understanding the Israel-Hamas war ›
- Israel-Hamas war: Hostage release doesn't mean the end is near - GZERO Media ›
Will Israel's war with Hamas spread north to Lebanon?
In Beirut, a little over 50 miles from the Israeli border, there are few signs of the violent conflict capturing the world's attention. At least for now. Further south, there have been almost daily exchanges of rocket fire between the Israeli Defense Forces and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group that dominates southern Lebanon and is a regional power in its own right.
Fear is growing, even in the north, that the war between Israel and Hamas could spill over into a broader regional conflict, GZERO's Fin DePoncier reports from Beirut. But Lebanon is reeling from its own internal struggles–It suffered a devastating economic collapse in 2019 that was exacerbated by the 2020 pandemic and a deadly explosion at the Port of Beirut that caused billions in damage. It's also politically paralyzed; its divided parliament hasn't been able to elect a president since Michel Aoun left office in 2022.
DePoncier is in Beirut to hear from its diverse population about what they think about their country's precarious position and what it would mean if Lebanon gets dragged into Israel's war with Hamas. Some people see themselves as entirely removed from the conflict, others would pick up arms to fight, but everyone is bracing for the worst. For now, all eyes are on Hezbollah and the southern border.
Watch more about the situation in the Middle East on the upcoming episode of GZERO World with Ian Bremmer.
Catch GZERO World with Ian Bremmer every week at gzeromedia.com/gzeroworld and on US public television. Check local listings.
- Can this election save Lebanon? ›
- Is Hezbollah losing influence in Lebanon? Kim Ghattas on Lebanese divisions & unity ›
- Ian Bremmer: Understanding the Israel-Hamas war ›
- Hamas attacks in Israel ignite war ›
- Skirmishes with Hezbollah threaten escalation ›
- Podcast: What's the US role in the Israel-Hamas war? Views from Sen. Chris Murphy & Rep. Mike Waltz - GZERO Media ›
UN Global Advocate Eddie Ndopu: Changing how the world thinks about disability
When Eddie Ndopu was a toddler in Namibia, he was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy and given just five years to live. Now 33, Ndopu is on a mission to reframe how the world thinks about disability, advocating for human rights and equal access to education all over the world.
“The statistics are still abysmal. We're sitting between 90 and 98% of children with disabilities in the Global South who've never seen the inside of a classroom,” Ndopu says “It remains a travesty of justice.”
In 2019, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres tapped Ndopu to be one of 17 Advocates for the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, helping translate the needs of the world’s most vulnerable people to a global audience.
GZERO World’s Tony Maciulis caught up with Ndopu on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly to learn more about the fight for education access, the power of representation, and why it’s important not just to make sure people with disabilities are the beneficiaries of international development, but actually in the decision-making room.
Watch the full episode of GZERO World with Ian Bremmer: World trade at risk without globalization, warns WTO chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Catch GZERO World with Ian Bremmer every week at gzeromedia.com/gzeroworld or on US public television. Check local listings.
"Golda" looks back at Israel's controversial former PM
It’s hard to imagine today, but for a tense few hours in 1973, it looked like the country of Israel might cease to exist. Half a century later, Israeli-American filmmaker Guy Nattiv has made a new film about Israel's prime minister at the time, Golda Meir, and those fateful few days during the Yom Kippur War. He speaks with GZERO World's Alex Kliment about why he wanted to reframe the former PM's story, who is played by Helen Mirren.
In October 1973, as most Israeli Jews were resting or fasting for the holiest Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, Egypt, and Syria launched a joint invasion from the South and North, nearly overpowering Israel’s badly unprepared defense forces. The war quickly became a proxy conflict between the US and the Soviet Union.
Meir was the country’s first and still only female leader. Meir took charge over a staff of bickering advisers and commanders and managed to turn the tide, saving Israel from destruction and even laying the groundwork for an eventual peace with Egypt.
But the shock of those days remained. The damage was done. Just six months later, after an official inquiry into her conduct of the war, Meir resigned in disgrace. But what really happened, and who was to blame? The film offers a new perspective on this period of Israel's history and the woman at the center of it.
Watch the GZERO World episode: Modern antisemitism on the rise
And watch GZERO World with Ian Bremmer every week at gzeromedia.com/gzeroworld or on US public television. Check local listings.
Governing AI Before It’s Too Late
The explosion of generative AI we’ve seen since November 2022 has been a game changer in both technology and politics, capable of bringing enormous growth and productivity but also the potential for great peril. How can AI be regulated and governed before it’s too late? That’s the topic of a new collaboration between our own Ian Bremmer, founder and president of Eurasia Group and GZERO Media, and Mustafa Suleyman, CEO and co-founder of Inflection AI.
Together they penned an article for the September issue of Foreign Affairs magazine which details a plan to create a global framework around fast-moving and evolving technologies. The two describe the need for 5 basic principles of governance, and new global organizations that can monitor and mitigate risk without stifling growth.
In this special report for GZERO Media, Bremmer and Suleyman join GZERO’s publisher Evan Solomon to take a deep and critical look at where AI is today, where it is going, and how to prevent it from becoming ungovernable.
- How should artificial intelligence be governed? ›
- AI regulation can’t address what people want ›
- China to require AI licenses ›
- Regulate AI: Sure, but how? ›
- Podcast: Getting to know generative AI with Gary Marcus - GZERO Media ›
- The AI power paradox: Rules for AI's power - GZERO Media ›
- UK AI Safety Summit brings government leaders and AI experts together - GZERO Media ›
- AI agents are here, but is society ready for them? - GZERO Media ›
- Podcast: Artificial intelligence new rules: Ian Bremmer and Mustafa Suleyman explain the AI power paradox - GZERO Media ›