By: Sophia Rathleff "The cost of engaging in idolization is heavy; it impacts the future of our nation’s policy and determines our success.” Idolisation is the act of admiring strongly, and a plague upon the political scene. There has been a worrying increase notable in the scene of politics. It has become a sensation that grips not only election season but everyday life. The endless jokes, about not discussing politics at family dinners or bringing certain topics up with certain members of the family, are tired and largely brushed off. But they stem from somewhere, and that somewhere is posing a grievous threat to politics as a whole. The two main driving factors for this exploding increase in idolisation are largely considered as: Social media The history of idolisation in wider pop culture These two causes are heavily intertwined, with one easily catalysing the other. Idolisation of celebrities especially has become gradually more intense as the wider use of social media has been ingrained in society at large. This environment has yielded a dangerous situation that becomes more and more precarious with each passing year. What makes idolisation so dangerous? It's simple in that it; creates a cult-like mentality, distorts the truth and focus of political motives and has detrimental implications on the individual. This cult-like mentality has an irreparable effect on political discourse as a whole. Political discourse is the backbone of democratic politics and the election of public officials. In theory, it is built off of the foundations of the institutions they serve and the political motives of the party or individuals these officials represent. There are many reasons why this may not be met, but the idolisation of politicians creates a smokescreen in which the politician remains good. A blind follower base can arise through this and when emotion is connected to one’s political discourse, it becomes difficult to determine where the idolisation ends and the facts start. If one were to look for a textbook example of the dangerous cult-like idolisation of a politician, it is hardly surprising that Donald trump and the MAGA crew come to the surface. Over the past 6 years, the US has seen the terrifying growth of this fanbase that has wielded ignorance and violence as their weapons of choice. However, what is considered the “good” fanbases for politicians, such as those for Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Barabra Lee, are still perilous. They create a moral high ground that politicians simply should not be awarded. It also shapes the way in which politicians present and create their political motives, actions and outcomes. One, popularity is now at the forefront, which often involves strategic sweeping under the rug to be able to uphold and maintain. Two, it further polarises the political scene, creating mounting pressure to outdo the competition in ways of popularity, which often leads to radical proposals. Overall, this polarisation must end, for the sake of the individual and the institution, wherever or whoever that may be. This is one political tren that must be contained and prevented elsewhere, not that it doesn't already exist outside the USA (this is just the chosen case study). If not for the reasons outlined above, idolisation should be limited because more often than not politicians have skeletons in the closet or they will do something that is a moral failure on some front. Not to say don't support and advocate for the candidates that share your views and values, but absolutely advocate for your right to participate in political discourse. But, one should leave it there, leaving the emotion and personal connection behind. It's safer for everybody in the end. Sources: https://thesmokesignal.org/2020/11/13/the-danger-of-idolizing-politicians/ https://www.uchscommander.com/opinions/2021/02/11/idolization-of-politicians-a-dangerous-trend/ https://www.theparachutemedia.com/politics-activism/why-we-need-to-stop-idolizing-politicians

By: Anahita Biswas In the past democracy has been looked at as the most successful type of governance but in today’s society, more people are supporting right-wing politicians/parties such as Bolsonaro in Brazil, Erdogan in Turkey, Giorgia Meloni in Italy, and Narendra Modi in India to name a few. All these politicians have conservative and reactionary views. So what makes them so popular? Liberal democracy is a type of democracy that in a way separates the power within the government to maintain a balance in the system. This is normally portrayed through representative democracy where eligible citizens of the country vote for a person or a party to represent their views rather than directly voting on policies and laws. Europe is becoming increasingly more right-wing, an example of this is that they are stills supporting the expansion of the welfare state by giving access to millions to receive government benefits but at the same time they are in turn rejecting all undocumented immigrants from receiving the same treatment. Today with increasing amounts of unrest in the world and mass displacement of people from their homes, it isn’t surprising that many people are choosing to move towards a more right-wing society. A big driving factor for voters nowadays is what the representatives' views are on migration and people... Since the recession, right-wing populist movements such as the National Rally in France, The league in Italy, The party of Freedom, the Forum for Democracy in the Netherlands, the Independence Party, and the Brexit Party in the UK have grown in popularity. Between 2015-2020 we saw an increase in right-wing populists in the EU. Although this subsided due to Covid between 2020-2022, it is on the rise again. In Hungary Orban followed up his 2018 victory and in Sweden, they followed with their right-wing party doubling their support amongst young voters since the last election whilst Belgium's top 2 parties are extreme right-wing populists. You may be asking how supporting more right-wing politicians affects the world today. As stated before with the increase of displacement around the world if countries start to move towards a more nationalist and right-wing mentality we will see increasing amounts of unrest and issues in the world. Many of the countries that are experiencing more refugees coming in are European countries so if they move towards a more right-wing view then that could really affect everyone around the world. So what has led to this change in Europe and how might this affect the liberal democratic systems around the world? Is this a trend that will remain only in Europe or will it soon become the new normal all over the world? Sources: https://www.populismstudies.org/Vocabulary/right-wing-populism/ https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/01/15/far-right-extremism-global-problem-worldwide-solutions/ https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2020.557561/full https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt20krxdr.6#metadata_info_tab_contents https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1467-923X.12765 https://www.diffen.com/difference/Left_Wing_vs_Right_Wing https://www.cliffsnotes.com/cliffsnotes/subjects/american-government/why-are-republicans-or-those-who-favor-capitalism-called-the-right-or-right-wing https://www.politico.eu/article/understanding-europes-shift-to-the-right/

The world’s biggest sport returns- Introducing the world to Qatar By: Julia Bermig On December 2, 2010, FIFA announced the next 2 host nations of the world's most important sports tournament: Russia in 2018, Qatar in 2022. 24 influential men who make up the FIFA executive committee chose the two most controversial host nations yet. Jump to 20th November 2022, 67,000 fans filled the Al Bayt Stadium for the opening match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup opening match. Ecuador defeated Qatar, the host, mired in controversy 2:0. The embarrassing loss is unwantedly historical; the first ever host nation to lose its opening game. Although this was not great for the football team it was great for the country as a whole. For Qatar, this was an opportunity for “sportswashing’ and soft power- introducing a little known Gulf Nation to a potential 3.3 billion viewers, emphasising innovation, infrastructure, pallatibality and modernity. However, as said before, , its reputation has been heavily tarnished by allegations of inhumane migrant labour conditions, corruption, censorship, women’s and LGBTQ+ inequalities. When Qatar won the bid, the country had only one stadium large enough to host a World Cup game. 12 years later, they have eight, along with 300 billion USD worth of infrastructure projects. But every time the glossy stadium and sand dune adverts come up, the same question arises: Who built it all? Allegedly, migrant workers in unjust working conditions, remuneration and a lack of social protection. There have been reports of workers not being able to change jobs or leave Qatar without employer consent, an apparent violation of Article 23 and 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights . In 2013, Amnesty International reported that some workers were coerced into signing false statements claiming they had received their wages to get their passports and personal documents back. The Guardian reported up to 10,000 worker deaths due to lack of safety, water/food, and adequate living conditions occurred to build this World Cup. Migrants make up 90 percent of the state’s population. The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintains that the number of worker deaths remains under 40, stating that they “dispels concerns about the misinformation reported in the British newspaper The Guardian about the conditions of migrant workers in the State of Qatar”. “Today I feel gay”, stated FIFA president, Gianni Infanto, as he assured LGBTQ visitors would feel safe and comfortable in Qatar, a country which allows stoning to death as legal punishment for the crime of homosexuality. He insisted he understood their concerns of discrimination as he was bullied as a child for being ginger. and normalise discrimination as “just a . Some European team captains (England, Wales, Belgium, the Netherlands,Switzerland,Germany, Denmark) planned to wear “one-love” armbands in protest of these anti-LGBTQ+ laws. However,FIFA threatened sporting sanctions against any team wearing the armband and “political team equipment”. In protest, the German national made a statement by covering their mouths in their team photos ahead of their game against Japan. The team explained their action: “We wanted to use our captain’s armband to take a stand for values that we hold in the Germany national team: diversity and mutual respect. Together with other nations, we wanted our voice to be heard.It wasn’t about making a political statement – human rights are non-negotiable. That should be taken for granted, but it still isn’t the case. That’s why this message is so important to us. Denying us the armband is the same as denying us a voice. We stand by our position.” While Infanto’s remarks may have sounded rather absurd, there is indeed something to be said about western hypocrisy and an attitude of moral superiority and unequal scrutiny against the Gulf State. The first Middle Eastern World Cup has seen unprecedented scrutiny. Allegations of corruption and bribery are almost synonymous with the FIFA organisation. The 2006 successful Germany bid was proven to be corrupt- 6.7 million euro in 2005 were falsely filed. Russia has a terrible human rights record, Brazil also has allegations of widespread migrant worker exploitation. Yet none of these former hosts endured such scrutiny and criticism. Works Cited Byers, Justin. "Qatar Rushes Infrastructure Projects Ahead of World Cup." Front Office Sports, 26 Sept. 2022, frontofficesports.com/qatar-rushes-infrastructure-projects-ahead-of-world-cup/. "Danish, German Captains to Wear One Love Armbands at World Cup." Reuters, 19 Nov. 2022, www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/danish-german-captains-wear-one-love-armbands-world-cup-2022-11-19/. "FIFA President Hits out at Qatar World Cup Criticism in Extraordinary Speech Ahead of Tournament." Channel 4 News, 19 Nov. 2022, www.channel4.com/news/fifa-president-hits-out-at-qatar-world-cup-criticism-in-extraordinary-speech-ahead-of-tournament#:~:text=He%20spoke%20for%20nearly%20an,ginger%20child%20he%20understood%20discrimination. Johnny Harris. "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHjbay54F4U." YouTube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHjbay54F4U. Accessed 24 Nov. 2022. "The 'One Love' Armband Is Causing a Stir at the World Cup." Time, 21 Nov. 2022, time.com/6235503/one-love-armband-qatar-world-cup/. Vox. "How FIFA corrupted the World Cup." YouTube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlKVfJg4hHE.

By: Maya Kumar, Ananya Jain and Saanvi Bahadur “I feel Qatari, I feel African, I feel gay, I feel disabled.” These bizarre words were spoken by FIFA president, Gianni Infantino in an address regarding the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The World cup, held in Qatar, has faced massive media attention in previous weeks, and it’s not just because Morocco is in the semi-finals. The 2022 FIFA world cup has shown that the game surprisingly has broader implications than just being fun to yell at your TV. The world cup is the largest football sporting event, hosting over 30 teams and bringing an average of $6.4 bn to their host countries. This year, FIFA has been used as a lens through which many have pointed out the poignant injustice within Qatar and the FIFA organisation itself. With a tangled web of allegations, FIFA has dug itself into a corner like never before. The next few weeks will be crucial in deciding the future of the FIFA organisation. Hosting the FIFA world cup in Qatar was an unprecedented decision, as it is the first time that such a large-scale sporting event has been held in the Middle East. Events in the Middle East often come with the stigma of prevalent violence, injustice and human rights violations; many Middle Eastern people hoped this would be different. “Apart from visibility, it’s also about having some influence in international affairs and being able to punch above [your] weight,” says Georgetown University of Qatar professor Danyel Reiche. Despite Qatar being 4th richest country in the world due to their booming oil industry, they still struggle to underscore themselves as a hub for global affairs; perhaps because of its numerous human rights violations. From the get-go, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as Amnesty International have been highly opposed to FIFA setting up a base in Qatar since it was announced in 2010. One of the largest issues that were made apparent was the poor working conditions migrant workers had to deal with, which would only be exacerbated by the presence of the World Cup. They make up over 95% of the labour force in Qatar showing that they are the backbone of the Qatari economy, yet the immense pressure that was put onto these migrant workers to cater to the thousands of fans that would visit Qatar, as well as the building of infrastructure that would be needed to support them, is just unfair and cruel. Although Amnesty has partnered with the Qatari government to create frameworks and reforms that would ensure the fair and adequate treatment of migrant workers such as allowing employees to change occupations and leave the country without first securing permission from their employers, these rules are not often upheld, regulated and enforced. Amnesty themselves admit that whilst their rules look good on paper, in practice they lack enforcement and therefore don’t give rise to any real, tangible change. We can see similar violations with FIFA in past instances such as hosting in Russia in 2018, a country that blatantly annexed Crimea and is now at war. This begs the question - how does FIFA select their host countries and what is the line which they are willing to cross? The exemplification of this can be seen in the number of deaths that occurred while erecting the World Cup. Hassan al-Thawadi, secretary general of Qatar’s World Cup announced that “between 400 and 500” migrants died. “I don’t have the exact number,” he admitted sheepishly. The very failure of the Qatari government and FIFA organisation to not even know the number of people whose death they are responsible for is indicative of the nature of these organisations. After all, FIFA is a profit-maximising entity, but does this mean they should ignore the injustices that occur under their very noses? Their weak attempt at evading the blame came in the form of a, frankly, outlandish press release in which the current FIFA president claimed that he could empathise with those affected by the Qatari regime, despite having no real basis for this. Qatari migrant workers don’t need our sympathies; they need advocacy and real structural change to ensure that this cycle of abuse does not continue any longer. Sources: https://www.espn.com.sg/soccer/fifa-world-cup/story/4806508/world-cup-fifa-president-infantino-slams-europe-hypocrisy-in-astonishing-speech https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/2022-11-22/qatars-world-cup-controversy-explained https://www.vox.com/world/23450515/world-cup-fifa-qatar-2022-controversy-scandals-explained https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2022/05/fifa-time-to-compensate-migrant-workers-in-qatar/

A case of trickery that has left two grandmasters in an extreme stalemate By: Mihika Yadav The vast and whimsical world of chess has been turned on its head following the shocking claims of a young and nifty Grandmaster cheating against the current ‘world’s best chess player’. 19-year-old Grandmaster Hans Niemann first sent the world into a state of frenzy when he defeated Magnus Carlsen at the Sinquefield Cup in early September. World Chess Champion, Magnus Carlsen, enigmatically withdrew from the tournament making no public remarks apart from posting a provocative video on Twitter. The video showed football manager José Mourinho saying, “If I speak I am in big trouble.” The thumbnail of a video of football manager José Mourinho posted by Magnus Carlsen A couple of weeks later, the two were paired together for an online match. After playing one move, Carlsen quit the game as a form of protest against Niemann’s participation. Provoked by Niemann’s lack of accountability, Carlsen decided to share more about his suspicions against Niemann. Image of a letter posted by Magnus Carlsen Carlsen tweeted a letter directed to the ‘Chess World’ in which he says that, “[he] believe[s] that cheating in chess is a big deal and an existential threat to the game.” He also shared that he believes Niemann has cheated more times and more recently than he cares to admit. This was in reference to the 19-year-old Grandmaster’s confession to cheating in small online games as a 12 and 16-year-old. Carlsen added that he feels wrong playing against someone who has cheated repeatedly in the past as he doesn’t know “what they are capable of doing in the future.’ The lengthy statement came to a close with Carlsen revealing that he has more to say but is forbidden from doing this. He ends by sharing that he hopes that the truth can come to light, “whatever it may be”. Niemann followed this controversial declaration from Carlsen with one of his own, stressing his supposed innocence. Niemann announced that he would be willing to play completely undressed to emphasize his innocence and appease everyone that may doubt him. Many Grandmasters such as Maurice Ashley and Anton Smirnov have come to Niemann’s defence, claiming that he has been found guilty before being proven innocent. They’ve added that it is not fair for Carlsen to give deluded and partial information while accusing Niemann. Grandmaster Nigel Short called Carlsens’s accusations against Niemann, ‘death by innuendo’, i.e. maligning his image without saying anything explicitly. Integrity is the driving force of any sport and its importance in the world of chess has been emphasised in light of recent events. Regardless of whether Niemann is found to be solely responsible for his victory in the Sinquefield Cup, his past acts of deceit will have ramifications on the moral aspect of chess. Players may feel that they can cheat and use computer-aided chess engines to compete in online tournaments and still be crowned a Grandmaster. Many of these tournaments come with a financial reward such as Chess.com’s million-dollar tournament which inevitably changes the morals by which players may participate with. When a monetary reward is introduced, the issue surpasses that of virtue and evolves into something more in line with fraud. This threatens the entire basis of the sport and the prestige by which titles such as Grandmaster and International Master are bestowed. Cartoons made by the UPR political cartoonist, Meher Patel! Links: npr: https://www.npr.org/2022/10/21/1130442319/hans-niemann-sues-magnus-carlsen-for-100-million-accusing-him-of-defamation#:~:text=Hans%20Niemann%20sues%20Magnus%20Carlsen%20for%20%24100%20million%2C%20accusing%20him%20of%20defamation&text=via%20Getty%20Images-,Hans%20Niemann%20has%20filed%20a%20lawsuit%20accusing%20chess%20world%20champion,the%20world%20of%20elite%20chess. CNN: https://edition.cnn.com/2022/10/05/sport/hans-niemann-chess-cheating-allegations-intl-hnk-spt/index.html#:~:text=The%20controversy%20began%20last%20month,a%20statement%20posted%20to%20Twitter https://edition.cnn.com/2022/09/26/sport/chess-cheating-accusation-by-magnus-carlsen/index.html BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-63153281

By: Maya, Ananya & Saanvi After the Queen’s death, 250,000 people lined up to see her casket, with some waiting over 30 hours. We see people like David Beckham waiting in impossibly long lines just to have the chance to ‘say goodbye’ to a single lady. The gates of Buckingham palace were lined with teddy bears, flowers, and photographs, some even leaving jam sandwiches. Are these shows of affection a testament to her success as a ruler or a worrying display of her cult following that shows a very warped perception of the queen? The rest of the world is baffled by this reaction: why is the queen so glorified when what she stands for are such outdated ideals of colonialism? Right after the passing of the queen, there were blasphemy laws. People who criticised the queen or the monarchy were arrested or fined, meaning that we cannot truly know if this show of ‘affection’ was genuine or if the fear of the law has silenced them". A woman who simply exercised her right to freedom of expression was charged with breach of peace for holding up a sign that said ‘F*ck Imperialism, Abolish Monarchy’. Symon Hill was arrested for shouting ‘Who elected him?’ at a proclamation ceremony for the king. His crime? Exercising his human right of freedom of speech. The UK, a ‘first world country’, is silencing their people for upholding their right of expression; human rights aren’t conditional, we can’t pick and choose when we want to uphold them. Many believe that the monarchy is a symbol of the outdated ideals of colonialism, and isn’t representative of the modern efforts used to revert the lasting impacts of imperialism. The South African Freedom Fighters have said, “We do not mourn the death of Elizabeth, because to us her death is a reminder of a very tragic period in this country’s and Africa’s history.” To some people monarchy is a reminder of The Crown’s ‘glory’ days; to others it is a symbol of oppression. While Queen Elizabeth is not responsible for the atrocities committed by her ancestors, she had a duty to acknowledge the suffering people went through at the hands of the institution she represents. Even though colonisation wasn’t her fault, she sits on the throne wearing a crown made from jewels stolen from India, South Africa and other ex-colonies; we see just how much she profits from the exploitation of the oppressed. The crown itself contains the Kohinoor Diamonds, which were stolen from India and never returned, showing a very tangible and physical reminder of the oppression that millions of people experienced. The symbol of the crown continues to glorify the British Empire, a time where thousands were placed in Boer concentration camps, 4 million people in Bengal starved to death under Churchill’s rule and brutally tortured rebels during the Mau Mau rebellion. Despite the bloody history, the demands for reparations by past colonies are met with platitudes. By upholding this image, the Queen and royal family continue to contribute to this unjust narrative, and hence, are just as much part of the issue. We also fail to see what purpose the monarchy even has today. It is outdated and it contributes nothing to the country’s well-being. It also undermines the very basis of democracy. For instance, the queen has a royal prerogative which grants her the power to override laws without the consent of other members of parliament. Though we do not see this exercised a lot, it begs the question, what qualifications do any of the monarchs have to make decisions for the wellbeing of their countries? What gives someone the divine right to rule over others simply because they were born to a certain family? Let’s also look at the state of the UK today, more than a month after the passing of the queen. Many cannot afford to rent or own homes, some struggle to pay for basic necessities despite maintaining full-time employment. And here we have billions of dollars being spent on the funeral of a single lady, who did not really contribute that much to the state of the UK. We see people being pushed out of their homes, having to take out loans they simply cannot afford to pay back, being silenced about their experience so the country could go into mourning. How fair is it that certain businesses needed to close down during the period of mourning to show “respect”? Respect should be earned instead of forced. The British monarchy isn’t going away anytime soon, but it needs rectification in order to make it suitable for the modern day and age. We have got to address the horrific acts of imperialism, oppression and colonialism that happened at the hands of the UK, at the hands of the monarchy. While many can mourn the death of the queen, we have got to address the monarchy really stood for. Sources: https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2022/9/10/the-monarchy-needs-to-die-too https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/opendemocracyuk/whats-wrong-with-britain-lets-start-with-the-monarchy/ https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/apr/24/monarchy-suckers-royal-fairytale-prince-philip-royalty

Explosive elections and voter violence By: Sophia Rathleff With the recent attack on the Pelosi family, many are considering it a grim foreshadowing of what is to come. Election season is an emotional and polarised time, especially in the US. With the rise of MAGA and the intensity of gun control debates, violence has been escalating around political events in the US. The media has reported the election season horror stories in 2016 and 2020, but the circumstances for the November 2022 midterms are looking much worse. To recap: The midterm elections are a crucial part of the American political system, it elects both the house of representatives and the senate. The democratic party has held the majority for two years, but it looks as if they will lose the house to the republicans. Key voting topics this year are abortion, climate change and immigration. Alongside this, candidates are racing toward the presidential election in 2024, with what looks to be a return of Trump. That is where the issue is starting to arise. The right-wing views of Trump have given American nationalists a platform and figure to rally behind. However, it defied the norms of political rallying, leading to the dramatic climax of January 6th 2021, which is defined as an insurrection. Distrust and anger have been pedalled along the political spectrum. With paranoia and mistrust being sewn into the American psyche, there has been a surge in violence towards political actors, polling staff and even ordinary people. So much so that security organisations have warned of a raised threat level, and stated that “Attacks conducted by lone actors pose the most plausible threat to potential targets”. Going further to say that the attacks are fuelled by ideological reasons. As stated previously we have already seen Paul Pelosi be seriously injured by an individual fuelled by conspiracies deriving from the right wing. Not to negate Mr Pelosi's injuries, but the more serious aspect pertaining to elections is that the assailant was seeking to kidnap and seriously maim Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. She has been a fervent supporter of democratic policies (such as free access to abortion and gun control) and was an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump. Attacks like this are a damning destruction of US democracy that is rearing its head for the world this November. The world will have to watch to see how severe this violence will become, but the US should be and is bracing for what is to come. As one Trump supporter said to sky news "I think that's (civil war) the only thing that's going to bring America back together after this election if we lose." They are seemingly willing and ready to fight for their “freedoms and liberties”. But can they really be considered that, if nobody can decide what they are?

By Julia Piórko Bermig As news of Russian war crimes and military aggression in Ukraine become daily news and yet another missile strikes Kyiv, understanding the EuroMaidan Revolution and the Annexation of Crimea is vital to shaping our understanding of the Ukrainian plight today. It shows us why the Russo-Ukrainian War has been waging on since February 2014 - not 2022. In 2010, Ukrainians elected a pro-Kremlin President- Viktor Yanukovych. Ever since he took power, the economy and political landscape have deteriorated and tensions have risen. In November 2013, he refused to sign the Association Agreement with The European Union, which would vastly progress longstanding ambitions of EU membership. Shortly after his refusal, he received a hefty loan from Moscow. His decision sparked fierce protests, the largest being held in Kyiv's Independence Square (Ukrainian: Maidan Nezalezhnosti). Protests grew in scale and size, spreading to other cities. The protests turned violent when on November 30th Ukrainian police in riot/military gear circled protesters, used tear gas, beat them up with batons, and kicked all who fell to the ground. The public demanded accountability. On December 1st, protesters returned to the square and began occupying government facilities around Kyiv. All police attempts to stop dissent failed and caused further outrage at police brutality, and the movement grew. On December 8th up to 1 million people marched for the government’s resignation. At first, demonstrators were advocating for European integration however, as police brutality and repression of peaceful protests increased, demands shifted: the people wanted an end to Yanukovych’s corruption, abuse of power, and police violence, ultimately demanding he resigns from his position. On February 18-20 2014, riot police fired at crowds of peaceful unarmed protesters, killing around 100 civilians. This was the straw to break the camel’s back. On February 20th 2014, Parliament (including Yanukovych’s party) voted to condemn police violence against the demonstrators the same day. Yanukovych fled the country, his government collapsed and parliament removed him from power. Especially at this time, the legacy and importance of the Euromaidan revolution are clearer than ever. It was an irrefutable signal of the Ukrainian people’s desire to be an independent, sovereign, democratic and European nation. Ukrainian culture, history and heritage experienced a new revival. On February 20th 2014, the same day that parliament voted to condemn violence against protesters, Russia began its deliberate armed attack to seize the Crimean Peninsula. Vladimir Putin had had meetings with senior security advisers regarding instability and loss of Russian Influence in Ukraine. “Little green men” (unmarked Russian troops) captured key sites around the peninsula on February 27 and seized control of the region's parliament. Later, they installed a pro-kremlin puppet government across Crimea led by Sergey Aksyonov and held a highly disputed sham referendum on the status of the territory. The Declaration of Independence of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol was then adopted and Crimea was declared independent from Ukraine, subsequently becoming formally annexed by the Kremlin. Ukraine had aligned itself with the EU and democracy during the EuroMaidan revolution - the annexation of Crimea was Putin’s response. When Ukrainian NATO membership became plausible this February, the Russian Armed Forces launched a full-scale invasion. Works Cited "The Crisis in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine." Encyclopedia Britannica, Pifer, Steven. "Crimea: Six Years After Illegal Annexation." Brookings, 8 Mar. 2022, www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2020/03/17/crimea-six-years-after-illegal-annexation Sobolieva, Alisa. "EuroMaidan Revolution." The Kyiv Independent, 24 Aug. 2022, kyivindependent.com/explaining-ukraine/euro-maidan-revolution. "What Did Ukraine’s Revolution in 2014 Achieve?" The Economist, 16 Feb. 2022, www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/02/16/what-did-ukraines-revolution-in-2014-achieve.

By: Raina Lath A few months ago, when former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country, a state of emergency was declared. What was the crisis in Sri Lanka? As many of us may know, Sri Lanka has been facing the worst economic crisis since its independence in 1948. During April, protests had begun in Colombo and rapidly spread through the entire country. Shortages of medicine and fuel as well as frequent power cuts have caused prices to rise drastically. Due to lack of foreign currency, the government is unable to import more. So how did the crisis come about? The former government had blamed the Covid 19 pandemic which had badly affected the tourist economy. However, many experts blame former President Rajapaksa's poor economic mismanagement for several years. It became the first country in the Asia Pacific region in 20 years to default on foreign debt. Additionally, according to official data, food costs increased 84.6% from a year earlier. Mr. Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka fled the country and resigned in July as a result of the country's recent political unrest. In response to a dramatic rise in the price of food and petrol, hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in frequently violent protests. The administration of Mr. Rajapaksa was criticised by many Sri Lankans for how it handled the situation. Before stepping down he made Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe acting president. What is the plan to tackle the crisis? While he worked to stabilize the situation, Mr. Wickremesinghe proclaimed a state of emergency throughout the nation and enforced a curfew in the western region. In terms of the economic crisis, the overcoming would require a stable government that could eventually raise interests and taxes to raise government revenue. New economic reforms would also need to be put in place in order to re-stabilize the economy in Sri lanka. The country currently owes over $51 billion to foreign leaders. Thankfully, India has contributed at least $1.9 billion, while the World Bank has agreed to give Sri Lanka $600 million. In addition, A potential loan of $3 billion is being discussed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). What is happening now? President Ranil Wickremesinghe has adopted a harsh stance against the activists who drove his predecessor to flee the nation and quit in July at the height of the country's crisis. That being said, the protests and rioting are still ongoing. Soldiers demolished a long-standing protest camp outside the President's office soon after Mr. Wickremesinghe assumed power. They detained hundreds of protesters. After the government proclaimed the city center a "high security zone" and forbade protests there, officers in riot gear stopped the student march. On 23rd of September Wickremesinghe issued an order prohibiting any rallies and demonstrations in the vicinity of important buildings, including his office and the residences of senior military officers. However on September 24th, the protests continued calling for the release of fellow activists arrested under anti-terrorism laws. The police responded using water cannons and tear gas to disperse protesters. It is apparent the state of Sri lanka is still in crisis, however as the new government works to recover from this economic slump, hopefully the state of sri lanka will restabilize. Sources: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-61976928 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-61028138 https://www.bbc.com/news/business-62990385 https://thediplomat.com/2022/08/how-sri-lanka-can-overcome-its-economic-crisis/ https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2022/9/25/photos-sri-lankan-police-fire-tear-gas-to-disperse-protesters

BRAZIL'S ELECTION 2022: THE EDGE OF DEMOCRACY By: Henrique Vieira Soares On the 2nd of October of 2022, Brazilians went to vote in the most polarized and important election since Brazil's redemocratization – after the country went under a military coup from 1964 to 1985. On one side, there is Brazil's former left-wing president Luis Inácio Lula da Silva (Workers' Party), who governed the country from 2003 to 2010 and had his name involved in corruption scandals. On the opposite side, the current far-right president Jair Messias Bolsonaro (Liberal Party), whose government is considered one of the worst in Brazil's history, seeks for reelection after defeating a Workers' Party candidate in the 2018 elections – in which Lula was unable to run since he was in prison after being convicted on corruption charges which were later annulled. Brazil's 2018 election runoff results: Bolsonaro got 55.13% of total votes and Haddad got 44.87%, showing how divided the country already was at the time. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2018_Brazilian_presidential_election_map_(Round_2).svg The political tension before the 2018 elections In order to understand the chaotic political context of Brazil that led to Bolsonaro's election in 2018, it is necessary to go back in time. Two years before, in 2016, Lula's successor, Dilma Rousseff (PT), was impeached after being charged with using a state-controlled bank to finance social programs. In these programs, the government would give money to a bank, which would distribute it to the population. However, the government started to defer bank payments, which made the bank responsible for financing most of the program with its own money, leading to R$ 34,2 billions (6,5 billion dollars) in late payments in 2014. This practice is known as "pedaling": delaying payments to banks in order to present better economic indicators to the financial market, in order to project the country's economic situation as better. Moreover, the corruption investigation called Operation Car Wash – considered by many the biggest corruption scandal in Brazil's history – was another relevant factor for the impeachment to happen. The Operation Car Wash investigated executives from the oil company Petrobras for accepting bribes from construction firms in return for awarding them contracts at inflated prices. It was also found that some members of the Workers' Party (PT) and of other parties were involved in this corruption scheme, including, at the time, former President Lula, who was later found guilty and sentenced, in 2018, to 12 years in prison for corruption. Lula admits there was corruption in Petrobras, as proof shows, but denies he was involved in it. Also, his sentence came at the same time he was the leading opinion polls for that year's presidential election, which he claims was all part of a political strategy to prevent him from running for office and, consequently, to elect Bolsonaro as president. Despite all the scandals and controversies, Lula still is, today, the main politician in the left-wing and his popularity reflects the economic growth Brazil had during his and part of Dilma's government, as poverty rates went from 13.6% in 2001 to 4.9% in 2013. After 580 days in prison, Lula's corruption convictions were annulled. He was found not guilty of some accusations and others were annulled because the right jurisdiction had not been followed, as well as the judge responsible for his trial was considered biased in the process. Bolsonaro's government "The dictatorship [in Brazil] mistake was torturing without killing" "I don't rape you because you don't deserve" "I would rather my son to die in an accident than him to be gay" The claims above were all publicly made by Bolsonaro, showing clearly his position towards human rights, women, and the LGBTQIA+ community. The key question, then, is how does someone who thinks like that rise to power? The corruption scandals added to heavy unemployment and economic crisis were perfect for Bolsonaro to rise. Given the context, a considerable amount of the population was against the Workers' Party, and they saw in Bolsonaro the savior capable of defeating Lula's political party and putting an end to corruption, as he was a big critic of the Workers' Party and Brazil's two previous leftists presidents. Therefore, his polemic claims caught the attention of the conservatives in Brazil and his speeches gave hope to most people who were suffering to survive, given the economic crisis. It is hard to understand, however, how someone like Bolsonaro, with a terrible experience as being deputy for 27 years and having only two of his bills approved, could solve the crisis, as he did not have a clear strategy. Unsurprisingly, this lack of experience and capability was reflected on his government, as prices increased and purchasing power decreased. Also, his insensitivity during the Covid-19 pandemic showed his incapability of leading a nation, since he discouraged the use of masks, social distancing and the vaccine. "I am not a gravedigger" - Jair Bolsonaro's response when told by a journalist about the large number of deaths by Covid-19 in one day. The 2022 elections During the political campaign for the 2022 elections, it was known that the two main forces of the dispute were Lula and Bolsonaro – as opinion polls revealed. However, all polls pointed that Lula had a bigger advantage than Bolsonaro, and people were surprised when the official results came out: Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2022/oct/02/brazil-election-2022-live-results-bolsonaro-lula-da-silva In order to win a presidential election in Brazil, a candidate must achieve more than 50% of the votes. So, as none of the candidates achieved that, a runoff round is happening on the 30th of October – and until there I am afraid to say nothing is won. After a political campaign characterized by accusations and violence, as Bolsonaro supporters killed others who support Lula, the outcome of this election is quite unpredictable, even though people want to be optimistic about Bolsonaro's defeat. It is quite easy to choose a side in this election: Bolsonaro represents a threat to democracy, as he has made undemocratic claims, and Lula represents respect for democracy. Many may not want to vote for Lula because of the corruption scandals involving his and the Workers' Party name; unfortunately, at this point it is essential to look at the bigger picture and make a conscious decision. If Lula is elected, at least there will be space for opposition if something wrong happens. However, if Bolsonaro wins again, no one actually knows if people will have the opportunity to protest.

By Ishaan Patel On September 21st, president Vladimir Putin announced the mobilisation of 300,000 Russian reservists in what was called a ‘partial mobilisation’. In the speech, Putin made further escalatory claims, including warning the west against what he called ‘nuclear blackmail’, and swearing that if Russia's Territorial integrity was threatened, it would not hesitate to employ its nuclear weapons as an option. Now, these troops seem like nothing more than an insurance policy. As of the writing of this article, Russia has been holding referendums in the occupied territories of Kherson, Luhansk, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia, which western countries have called illegal and invalid. Russia’s endgame is not to expand - even with greater manpower, it simply lacks the material capability to embark on a new offensive. Instead, Russia wants to hold these territories from Ukrainian attacks, with the crucial weakness amongst the Russian lines being the simple lack of manpower to hold these occupied territories. If the Russian forces can dig in and simply hold in the face of Ukrainian attacks, this would count as a victory. But, of course, adding these new territories is not likely to stop Ukrainian counter-offensives. The Ukrainian government has made clear several times that its end goal is the complete liberation of the estimated ⅕ of the country that is under Russian control. And with the current status of the Russian mobilisation, it looks like any attempt to hold these provinces will be highly costly. First of all, the contracted soldiers who were sent in the first place were amongst the most well-equipped in the Russian army, professionals who served in the armed forces as a job. This isn’t saying much - the initial invasion was still extremely under-equipped, with technologies and weapons far beneath the western ones supplied to Ukraine. But the equipment that mobilised soldiers is getting, to say frankly, pathetic. It is becoming quite evident that the equipment given to these men was simply dug up from old soviet bunkers, with numerous battalions being given rusted AK-47s, crumbling bullets and being told to bring their sleeping bags and camping equipment, as well being instructed that in lieu of actual first-aid equipment, to use tampons and menstrual pads instead. But perhaps, the most disturbing fact to have come out from the mobilisation is the fact that Russia intends to give its men just 2 weeks in training - which, to fight a technologically advanced, tactically competent and spirited enemy, means that these reservists are just cannon fodder. In comparison, men who served in the Gulf War against a far inferior enemy were given whole months of military training. Unfortunately, it’s not hyperbolic to say that many of these mobilised troops have been doomed from the start. There isn’t a viable scenario in which a majority of Russian troops come out unscathed and unaffected. And, with this loss of life will come discontent. Russians now have to contend with a brutal fact - instead of treating this war as a faraway foreign escapade, they will realise it to be what it is: a merciless meat grinder. Russians could ignore the death of contracted soldiers, people who chose war as a profession, but when sons, brothers and fathers come back in caskets, the true devastation of the war will be felt. You can endure economic hardship and political instability, but the loss of life reaches far deeper. Furthermore, the mobilisation and illegal referenda spell further economic retaliation - against an economy that is frankly in the shitter. Major industries have fled from Russia, accompanied by a complete export collapse. Furthermore, an immense brain drain followed in the wake of the invasion as Russians in skilled areas such as tech and medicine have exited the country. And when European markets completely shut off from Russian gas for good, the real trouble starts. Products like gas are non-fungible, and the infrastructure required to supply will take years to construct - removing exportation in the short-term, where Russia has nothing to make up the difference. Russia’s economy and standard of living is likely to drop to levels not seen before and in extremely little time. There is also the threat of nuclear retaliation. Many people suspect that the annexation of these territories means an assault on them could mean an attack on Russia itself, opening the use of tactical nukes in response to a threat on Russian territory. Now, a tactical nuke is a battlefield weapon - it has a smaller yield and is used against armies, not cities. But just because it is not ‘world-ending’ per say, does not mean that it would have significant consequences. There is an idea called the nuclear taboo - in which the detonation of any nuclear weapon lowers these standards of deterrence and increases the risk of all-consuming nuclear war. Every country is interested in ensuring they are not evaporated, to maintain this deterrence. A detonation of even a tactical nuke means that Russia is likely to be utterly isolated - a true pariah state. Even its ‘closest’ allies, such as China or India, would undoubtedly close relations with the country to pressure it to de-escalate. A tactical nuke is possible, but these threats are more likely to be sabre-rattling, as Putin gains much less from exploding a warhead in Ukraine. What is clear from all this is that a true ‘war’ has the ability to bite its propagator as well. This escalation by Putin means that Russian society is on an accelerated trend of chaos and instability. The economic despair, the degradation of foreign relations, and the ultimate pain of a lost life, mean that the current regime is on a tightrope - trying desperately to advance to a clean conclusion. F. Cancian, Mark. “What Does Russia’s “Partial Mobilization” Mean?” Www.csis.org, 26 Sept. 2022, www.csis.org/analysis/what-does-russias-partial-mobilization-mean. Faulconbridge, Guy, and Jonathan Landay. “Russia Issues New Nuclear Warning as Contested Ukraine Referendums End.” Reuters, 27 Sept. 2022, www.reuters.com/world/ukraine-annexation-votes-end-amid-russian-mobilisation-exodus-2022-09-26/. Accessed 25 Oct. 2022. Human Rights Watch. “World Report 2021: Rights Trends in Russia.” Human Rights Watch, 3 Dec. 2020, www.hrw.org/world-report/2021/country-chapters/russia. Staff, Washington Post. “Read Putin’s National Address on a Partial Military Mobilization.” Washington Post, 21 Sept. 2022, www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/09/21/putin-speech-russia-ukraine-war-mobilization/. Accessed 25 Oct. 2022. Yeung, Josh Pennington, Jessie. “Protests Erupt in Russia’s Dagestan Region as Minorities Say They Are Being Targeted by Putin’s Mobilization Orders.” CNN, 26 Sept. 2022, edition.cnn.com/2022/09/26/europe/russia-dagestan-protests-mobilization-intl-hnk/index.html. Accessed 25 Oct. 2022.

By: Jason Rosenzweig You may have heard a lot about Giorgia Meloni, but many people don’t know who she is and what she stands for beyond a few buzzwords. The founder of the Brothers of Italy — a party that can be traced back to a successor to Mussolini after WW2 — she has taken Italy by storm and won the election along with her coalition. So who is she, and what does she believe in? In 1992, Giorgia Meloni joined the Youth Front, the youth division of the Italian Social Movement (MSI), a party created by followers of Mussolini in 1946 after his fall from power. From there, she continued to rise in the ranks of MSI and other parties which came after it, until she got to the point of founding her own party, the Brothers of Italy, in 2012. Giorgia Meloni has incredibly controversial political positions. She is staunchly anti-gay marriage and holds the view that homophobia does not exist at all in Italy, and thus no laws need to be enacted to act against it. She also opposes abortion. However, with this issue, she is not going to work to outlaw it. Instead, she is going to allow doctors to object to an abortion and not carry out the procedure. However, she is willing to take drastic measures to “protect the family” as she sees it. She said she may amend the constitution of Italy so she can ban gay people from adopting babies, an incredibly severe measure. On the hot topic in Europe of immigration, Meloni has some… interesting views, to say the least. This is strategic because strong views about immigration win elections. Meloni thinks that Italy must adopt a zero tolerance policy towards illegal immigration and that it must increase its average birth rate in order to reduce the need for migrant labor. She is opposed to non-Christian migrants coming to Italy and she is opposed to multiculturalism. She has also shown support for multiple conspiracy theories including the Great Replacement (a theory that white “pure” white people are being replaced by immigrants and Muslims in particular), and another theory that there is a planned mass migration of Africans to Europe in order to eliminate and replace Italians. Her belief in all of these policies, especially the two conspiracy theories she has shown support for, is entirely ridiculous. It is often hard to realize when hearing buzz words like “fascist” and people talking about Mussolini just how bad Giorgia Meloni is for the future of a socially progressive Europe. Her beliefs are incredibly harmful not just to Italy but to the world and anyone who wants to immigrate to Italy. I fear that her beliefs may spread to other neighboring countries and we may see a neo-fascist and protectionist (rather than globalist) wave sweep over Europe. This may weaken the EU in a way that it cannot fully recover from, as people like Meloni dislike the EU and believe that it is inefficient and a waste of resources. The people of Europe must avoid electing people like Meloni and her Brothers of Italy in order to form a better Europe and a better world. Sources: Agenzia Vista Alexander Jakhnagiev. ""Gli Omosessuali in Italia? Non Sono Discriminati": Meloni E Salvini in Piazza Contro La Legge Sull'omofobia Minimizzano Le Aggressioni." Il Fatto Quotidiano, 16 July 2020, www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2020/07/16/gli-omosessuali-in-italia-non-sono-discriminati-meloni-e-salvini-in-piazza-contro-la-legge-sullomofobia-minimizzano-le-aggressioni/5870812/. Accessed 20 Oct. 2022. "The Anti-women Agenda of the Woman Set to Be Italy's Next PM." OpenDemocracy, www.opendemocracy.net/en/5050/giorgia-meloni-far-right-brothers-of-italy-election-prime-minister-racism-gender/. Accessed 20 Oct. 2022. Drogo, Giovanni. "Giorgia Meloni Contro Il Terribile Piano Kalergi." NextQuotidiano, 7 Oct. 2016, www.nextquotidiano.it/giorgia-meloni-contro-il-piano-kalergi/. Accessed 20 Oct. 2022. "Giorgia Meloni: "In Costituzione Il Divieto Di Adozione Per Le Coppie Omosessuali"." Gaypost.it, 3 Feb. 2018, www.gaypost.it/giorgia-meloni-costituzione-divieto-adozione-coppie-omosessuali. Accessed 20 Oct. 2022. Kington, Tom. "Giorgia Meloni is First West European Leader to Believe Great Replacement Conspiracy Theory." The Times & The Sunday Times, 27 Sept. 2022, www.thetimes.co.uk/article/giorgia-meloni-is-first-west-european-leader-to-believe-great-replacement-conspiracy-theory-pddmf5vsf. Accessed 20 Oct. 2022. "Quelli Che "servono" a Meloni (di Manginobrioches)." HuffPost Italia, 26 Aug. 2022, www.huffingtonpost.it/blog/2022/08/26/news/meloni-10092065/. Accessed 20 Oct. 2022.