Global News

A Snapshot of the World 

By Perrin Theocharides, Year 12, The Ridgeway Campus

The world we live in tends to be as exciting as it is large. Sometimes it’s easy to forget just how large it is, as we protect ourselves in our sphere of comfort that rarely stretches outside our immediate vicinity. Of course, we have the news and social media to inform us of events unfolding across the globe. However, often  these mediums shed little light on some of the most important things. In this article, I intend to provide some information on some current events around the world that you may not have heard elsewhere. The three topics covered will be the rivalry between Vladimir Putin and Alexei Navalny, the military coup d’etat in Myanmar, and the Yemen crisis. 

Vladimir Putin, who has served as president of Russia since 2012 (and also from 1999-2008), is a controversial figure. Many believe him to be an oligarch, someone who supports a system of governance known as an oligarchy, where power lies in the hands of a few powerful individuals. In recent months, this view has become increasingly popular due to the acts of primary opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Navalny is the leader of the ‘Russia of the Future Party’. The party follows a politically centrist ideology, championing anti-corruption, liberalism, and equity. His massive social media presence with 6 million YouTube subscribers and 2 million Twitter followers has made him Putin’s main opponent, however, Navalny was forbidden to run against Putin in the 2018 election. On 20 August 2020, Navalny was poisoned on a flight to Moscow. After receiving treatment at the Omsk hospital in Russia, he was flown to a Berlin hospital. Navalny survived the poison, which German doctors revealed was Novichok, a lethal nerve agent developed by the Soviet Union in the 1970s, and used by the KGB. Putin and his government have denied involvement in the attempted assassination. Since Navalny’s recovery, he released a 2-hour long documentary titled Putin’s Palace, revealing the corruption of Putin’s government as it uses taxpayer money for their personal benefits, including the construction of Putin’s new mansion valued at $1 billion USD. If you feel so inclined, you can watch an English dub of the documentary.

On 2 February 2021, Navalny was sentenced to 3 years in prison after a Moscow court overturned a suspended sentence based on fraud from 2014. Although there is no verifiable link between these events, many onlookers have their eyebrows raised. This story will continue as Navalny’s lawyers attempt to free him from jail.

On 1 February 2021, Myanmar’s armed forces launched a coup d’etat, overthrowing the democratically elected ruling party. Since the coup, the military has taken full control of the state in an authoritarian manner, limiting internet access to citizens, conducting night-time raids of opposition, and responding to peaceful protests with excessive violence. As of writing, there have been at least 55 civilian deaths. Over the past month, the people of Myanmar have displayed incredible unity and bravery against the new regime, protesting every day from dawn to dusk. The defiance and vigour of the younger Generation Z has been particularly strong, with students often being at the front lines of these often dangerous protests. Some protestors hold signs that read 'How many dead bodies are needed for the UN to take action?'. Although many countries, notably the US freezing $1 billion in assets to Myanmar, have taken action through economic sanctions, no physical assistance has yet been supplied. The UN Security Council (UNSC) drafted a resolution for the 'restoration of democracy' in Myanmar, however, two member states Russia and China halted the resolution. As Russia and China both have permanent seats on the UNSC, they have the power to veto any resolution. Other nations, India and Vietnam, have also voiced uncertainties regarding the resolution. This story will continue to unfold in the coming months and will hopefully have a peaceful (and democratic) resolution.

Yemen is an impoverished country on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. Currently, the country is experiencing the worst humanitarian crisis on the planet. Of its 30.6 million inhabitants, 24 million require humanitarian aid. The cause of this catastrophe is complicated and involves many competing political interests. I will simplify it as best I can. The crisis originates in 2011, where the state’s dictator Abdullah Saleh handed power to his deputy Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi. This transition caused political instability; there were separatist movements throughout the nation, some wanted Saleh back in power, jihadists launched attacks, and on top of that Yemen’s economy was in shambles. However, most prominent was the growing divide between Yemen’s Sunni and Shia population. This disunity would cause the Yemen Civil War in 2014, a conflict yet to be resolved. From a political perspective, the war is a mess, with several competing factions all fighting for different motives. However, that’s not important. What is important is the effect of this conflict on the people of Yemen. As is the case with most wars, the general population have taken the brunt of the damage. As a result, 12 500 citizens have been killed, over 10 000 wounded, and 3 million displaced. Even worse, due to the fighting, Yemen has experienced a famine since 2016. Almost 85 000 children have died from starvation, and 2 million more are at risk. These numbers aren’t pretty. They serve as a stark reminder of the true dangers of war. If you would like to learn more about the Yemen crisis and possibly donate please visit the UNICEF website.