President Erdogan Wins Another Five Year Term

 

President Erdogan was reelected president of Turkey. Despite the challenges from the earthquake and the civil war in Syria. What the recent developments show is that Erdogan will be a longtime presence in Turkish politics. The concern for Syrian refugees is being deported back to a war torn nation. Kurds still face considerable discrimination and the Erdogan administration has been known to have an anti-Kurdish sentiment. The emphasis on a conservative Islamic society, makes some concerned about the restriction of freedoms. Press freedom has been reduce for the past decade. Islamic nationalism is not enough to solve Turkey's domestic concerns. The earthquakes caused considerable damage and homelessness was a result of that. Infrastructure and economic stabilization should be priorities. Turkey is both a NATO member and has good relations with the Russian Federation. President Erdogan's policy is mediation as a solution to the Russia-Ukraine War. The direction of Turkey's foreign policy has made him a major international figure. Arabs of the Middle East do have a more pressing matter related to President Recep Erdogan's reelection. New Ottomanism shows that Turkey wants to have more influence in the Gulf region. This will not just be in the Middle East, but in North and East Africa. The new Turkish nationalism comes with a religious fervor and refusal to acknowledge past history. Turkey refuses to come to terms with the Armenian genocide. Turkey has long sought to be a part of the European Union, but authoritarian policies in the country prevent that. Considering disagreements related to the recognition of Cyprus and Sweden's entry into NATO EU membership remains stalled. President Erdogan is seeking more power both domestically and on the international stage. 

Germany's Recession

 

Germany is Europe's largest economy and is now in recession. The concern is that this could be an indication of  a growing economic crisis. The effect could be global and other EU countries could be effected. Output has fallen to 0.3 % in the first quarter of 2023. The aftermath of COVID-19, inflation, and the sanctions on Russia are contributing factors. Manufacturing has seen a slump in Germany. Combined with a decline in retail sales demonstrates consumers have little disposable income. If prices increase for food and fuel, consumers will not spend more.    The recession could last longer than what some economists predict. The European Central Bank has increased interest rates, which has not been done since 2008. This policy will not be a solution to the recession. Even if the sanctions related to fuel were abolished, the damage has been done. Businesses and workers are going to face the majority of hardship. Germany has a 7.2 % inflation rate, which means the average German citizen will struggle to afford certain products. The Bundesbank claims that the economy should recover around April to June. The hope is that industry will see growth, which will counter low consumer spending. Reducing subsidies for hybrid and electric cars was not the best decision for the current quarter. Car production is an essential part of the physical economy and ensures a source of employment. The German auto industry becomes less  competitive without technological innovation. The warning signs of a bigger recession were seen in 2021. According to the Federal Statistical Office ( Destatis ) Germany was  technically in a recession in March of 2021.   

Climate Change Is Effecting Developing Nations

 

Climate change is going to impact public health, the economy, and well being of nations. According to the UN's World Meteorological Organization, weather disasters have surged between 1970 to 2021. The majority of deaths have occurred in developing countries. The data showed that it accounted for 90%. The data was extrapolated from a study of 11, 778 weather disasters. Floods, cyclones, hurricanes, and heatwaves are going to become more powerful. While the focus was on developing counties, least developed countries are going to be at risk. Early warning systems and disaster management is not going to stop the increase in climate change related  incidents. More laws are needed for environmental protection and reducing global emissions. Corporations that are part of the fuel industry have to account for the damages. The burning of coal and the drilling of oil  need to replaced with alternative energy sources. Funding research into new technologies, such a carbon capture plants should be the task of governments and the United Nations. The biggest obstacle is that fossil fuel companies have influence over governments in the EU and North America. These countries continue to exploit and extract the natural resources of the Global South. The West will not be completely shielded from the dramatic shift in climate. Too many extreme climate incidents could negative impact their economies. The UN early warning system will not be effective unless practical solutions are made to address the growing climate crisis. Without a large international climate and environmentalist movement, pressure will not be present for change on a global scale. The evidence is being more visible with higher temperatures and an increase in sea levels.  

Zahi Hawass' Views On The Queen Cleopatra Documentary

 

Netflix has released a documentary Queen  Cleopatra and it has generated backlash in Egypt. The race of Cleopatra has been subject to debate. Archeologist Zahi Hawass has also commented on the matter. He has asserted that she was Greek and of European heritage. Hawass'  views are in conflict with African history. The famed archeologist has held the position that Egypt is not an African civilization. It would be incorrect to say Ancient Egypt was not a part of Africa. The modern racism coming from Egypt is about erasing African history. The Arab presence really became prominent in the 7th century. The result was that the Berbers, Libyans, and Nubians were displaced from invasion. Egyptian nationalists are trying to remold ancient history to suit their narrative. The negative reaction of a black actress playing Cleopatra demonstrates anti-black racism among the Egyptian population. Greece has not had the same reaction to this documentary. The bizarre aspect of this is that Arab peoples are worshipping the Ptolemaic dynasty. These were Greek colonizers on a land that did not belong to them. Then Egypt would fall to the Roman Empire.  Yet, the Egyptian nationalists do look at ancient history in that context. Some Egyptians want to even disassociate with West Asia and make distinguish it as uniquely distinct. Zahi Hawass tends to favor this position. The black presence has been in both upper and lower Egypt. The problem with Egyptology was that it was designed to pull the country out of African history. The origins of the field of study were in Europe at a time when Africa was being colonized. The problem is not that Cleopatra is being played by a black actress. The issue is that historians and archeologists are applying their modern concepts of race to ancient history. The only way to know fully about Cleopatra is to find her tomb. If a mummy of her is found and DNA tested, then it can provide information on haplogroups. Zahi Hawass does not favor this, because he might realize the majority of  historical figures in Egypt have African ancestry.   

African Leaders Are Proposing A Peace Plan To The Russia-Ukraine War

 

African leaders have grown concerned about the war in Ukraine. Now, an effort is being made to formulate a plan for peace with South Africa taking leading the mission. African leaders will head to both Moscow and Kiev. President Cyril Ramaphosa has made phone calls to both President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymyr Zelensky. There remains doubts about success. The attempt should be praised, considering the European Union has done little. The peace mission demonstrates that African nations are becoming more influential on the international stage. Zambia, the Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Uganda, and Egypt are expected to have their heads of state attend the peace mission. President Hakainde Hichilema ( Zambia ) ,  President Dennis Sassou Nguesso (the Republic of the Congo ), President Macky Sall ( Senegal) ,  President Yoweri Museveni (Uganda), and President  Abdel Fattah el-Sisi are expected to make their arguments for peace. Many attending are longtime leaders, with the exception of President Hichilema who has been head of state since 2021. Other African leaders cannot attend due to internal matters. Sudan and Ethiopia are dealing with both ethnic conflict and civil war. The DRC grapples with an insurgency. Having more countries in the delegation could be helpful. Ghana, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Angola, Zimbabwe, or Namibia could have joined the peace mission. The African peace mission should be deemed a positive development in European affairs. Peace will never come as long as NATO expands and the arms industry profits from the Russia-Ukraine War. The US, UK, France, and Germany want to see the conflict extended. South Africa was accused of sending weapons to Russia, but there remains to be evidence of such a transaction. It is clear that some European leaders want the peace mission to fail, for a number of reasons. Preserving the arms trade and dismantling Russia are objectives of those who want the war to escalate. What happens next depends on the terms prosed in a peace settlement.   

The Negative Impacts of COVID-19 Lockdowns

 The World Health Organization declared that COVID-19 is  no longer a public health emergency. It appears that the pandemic gradually is coming to an end. That does not put a stop to the concerns and controversy surrounding public health policy. Considerable debate continues about the origins of the virus. The origin was either zoonotic or the result of gain of function research. Bats and pangolins were cited as the origin of COVID-19. However, the Wuhan Lab that was doing viral research might have been the source. The lab leak theory gains more credibility when viral research has been done for a number of years internationally. A definite answer or conclusion cannot be made without an investigation. Speculation is not conspiracy theory. Notions that COVID-19 was a Chinese bioweapon or part of a depopulation program would be deemed conspiracy theories. The accusation of disinformation and conspiracy theory has been designed to deflect major failures during the crisis. Public health policy was handled poorly and caused more damage. Lockdowns were neither effective or helpful in stopping the virus. The negative impacts will be seen for years to come. Education, the economy, and  personal health suffered due to the lockdowns imposed. Social distancing, vaccination, viral testing, use of masks,  and quarantines  were far more effective methods than lockdowns. Few questioned the policy or acknowledged the devastation it caused. Anti-lockdown protests occurred, because the policy was causing psychological and economic harm to citizens. The more restrictions that came, the greater the possibility of basic human rights to violated. The COVID-19 pandemic ushered in an era of biosecurity policing state apparatus. When the next  pandemic emerges methods might become more draconian. Lockdowns should not be part of public health policy. 

     Education was effected. Children were experiencing learning loss. Locking down schools had no scientific basis given the data. Children were at the lowest risk of death from COVID-19. Risk factors increased based on age and health condition. A person with comorbidities would ne more likely to die from the virus. Healthy children would be safe. The lockdown of schools put struggling students at a disadvantage. Those with learning disabilities or students having difficulty with a particular subject need in person instruction. Students who had  high academic performance also experienced learning loss. Reading and mathematics must be taught in a certain way. Online instruction is not enough to fully master these subjects. The  digital divide demonstrated the disparities among students. Every child does not have internet access. Students of lower socioeconomic status were put at a disadvantage. While primary and secondary school students were negatively impacted, university students were as well. COVID-19  made most classes online. Considering that students are paying high tuition, this becomes more egregious. Students come to class to get a full lecture and instruction. The fact in person learning  was not part of students 2020 semester deprived them of the educational experience. Learning loss is not a temporary mishap. Children who do not learn the essential skills needed will struggle to get employment in the future. As technology and the process of automation advances higher education will be needed for the majority of the workforce. Disruptions such lockdowns jeopardized children's education. 

      The economic devastation from lockdowns can still be felt. Small businesses struggled, unemployment increased, and the world's population lost financial security. Governments did not supply an adequate amount of funds for people to sustain themselves under lockdown. While major corporations were protected, small businesses failed. Working from home was an option for some. Certain jobs cannot operate this way. Construction, retail, and public transportation need employees to present. Some financial aid did come, but did account for cost of living. Rent, utilities,  mortgages,  food, and fuel still had to be paid. Lockdowns made it  impossible to conduct basic commerce. The result was a rapid growth electronic commerce. Seeing as shops, stores, and shopping centers were not open due to lockdown restrictions an uneven shift occurred. Microsoft , Amazon , and streaming services did not have competition. The stores that did remain open began doing price gouging. Those who were employed as essential workers were praised, but did not get the proper amount of hazard pay. Nurses and grocery store workers were made into heroic figures, yet not treated as such. The economy was made worse by lockdowns and exacerbated class division. The poor suffered more in comparison to the upper class elite. Those who who were middle class were getting closer to falling into poverty. Unless a person could get remote work, finding a job was more difficult during the pandemic. Staying home would not be possible unless a person had  enough income to cover living expenses. The years between 2021 to 2022 did not see a recovery. People did not return to jobs, because the pay was to low . When the lockdowns ended all the businesses did not return. The use of masks and social distancing would have been a more practical solution . Instead lockdowns and erroneous supply-side economic policies were implemented.   

      The well being of the public was harmed by lockdowns. Reports of mental health concerns and a rise of domestic violence became common. Loneliness and depression rates were directly connected to the lockdowns. These mental health conditions existed before lockdowns, it just caused more people to suffer from them. The anxiety was also induced by a media and government that promoted fear rather than rational solutions. Panic and concerns about getting sick made some withdraw from social contact. People could not see friends or family. To some this a critical support system. Those with a stable relationships in their social circles discovered for the first time how it feels to be isolated. The lockdowns had an disparity between men and women in terms of well being. Domestic violence became a bigger threat to women under lockdowns. Women who experienced this abuse had limited options during the pandemic. Women's shelters might not have been available. The freedom of movement was restricted and women attempting to escape violence was made harder. Little consideration was given to the horrid condition in which victims of violence live. Mental health was not only effected, but a physical condition can be too. People require some exposure to sunlight. Being sedentary during lockdown can alter circulatory system health. The feeling of being trapped caused a sense of hopelessness. Some were even speculating that the lockdown was going to be a "new normal ."  People who were financially secure  felt lockdowns were an extended vacation. Others were stressed, losing their housing, and in state of constant anguish. The decline in mental health predates the pandemic. The public health crisis made it worse. 

      Lockdowns were presented as the only solution. When the pandemic started vaccines were not available. Those who challenged the position were either ignored or accused of spreading disinformation. When it became apparent that a zero COVID-19 policy was not possible, more people objected to lockdowns. Anti-lockdown protests emerged in Germany, China, the US, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Hungary, and Austria. Canada, Israel, and Lebanon also saw anti-lockdown protests. The demonstrations were not a far-right plot, but a reaction to strict stay at home orders. Citizens were almost forced to protest due to governments not giving sufficient funds to survive. When it came to China's zero COVID-19  policy it meant food insecurity for the people of Shanghai. Those who refused to get vaccinated in Austria were subjected to lockdown. The irrational fear and demonization of the unvaccinated was just another case of panic influencing behavior. The vaccinated can still spread the virus, so the vaccine mandates did not matter. Lockdowns did not contribute to stopping the pandemic. What got the crisis under control was reaching a point of hybrid immunity and vaccines.COVID-19 will not disappear or  be eliminated by lockdowns. Quarantines and viral testing are better approaches. Quarantines take individuals who were sick or exposed and separates them. The term should not be confused with lockdown, which stops daily operations or activities. Efficient viral testing would have prevented much of the disturbances that followed. Social distancing in public accommodations made more sense than shutting down various public places. Instead certain nations chose a lockdown policy when studies have show they were not effective. John Hopkins University concluded in 2022 that lockdowns did not reduce COVID-19 mortality. The spread of the disease was only minimally reduced. Lockdowns were evidence of failed public health policy. The unfortunate fact is that governments and the biomedical establishment will not learn from their mistakes. The world remains unequipped to fight the next pandemic.         

Ursula von der Leyen Disregards The Challenges of Palestine

 

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has been condemned for her comments related to Palestine. She expressed that Israel made " the desert bloom" on social media  for the country's 75th  anniversary. The issue with the statement is that ignores the violence and colonization that has caused  years of human rights violations. It should not be forgotten, that Germany's imperialist war and genocide resulted in the large exodus of Jews from Europe. Arab civilization predates European settlement and it appears to be an effort to erase that history. The Hittite Empire, the Assyrian Empire, Mesopotamian civilization, Persian Empire, Ottoman Empire,  the Abbasid and Umayyad caliphates contributed more than the state of Israel. Sumer was the earliest West Asian civilization. The original inhabitants of    Kingdom of Judah and the Kingdom of Israel were not Europeans. Racism does not only distort the historical narrative, but also negatively impacts diplomacy. Ursula von der Leyen demonstrated that the European Union has not only an anti-Palestinian sentiment, but an general anti-Arab policy. The EU Commission President has not said anything about the judicial reforms in Israel, seem as an attack on the democratic system. Her actions further demonstrate that the EU is not a supporter of human rights. The unbreakable support for a country that continues to subject people to occupation and implements authoritarian policies should not be praised. Arab nations should not cooperate with countries that view them as less than human. Palestine and other Arab states would have a better future enhancing diplomatic relations with Africa, East Asia,  and Latin America. Unless the EU 's  foreign policy changes, they might seem themselves further isolated by other continents. 

Argentina's Economic Crisis

 

Argentina faces economic hardship. The country appears to be seeing a form of hyperinflation. The Argentine peso is losing value. This explains why some might exchange their pesos for US dollars instead. The government has in response limited the number of dollars citizens can by at the current exchange rate. Politicians pretend that the recent development was some random act, but there ahs been a pattern of economic instability. The 2001 crisis proved that it was a combination of institutional failures, deposit freeze, and a default on public debt trigged economic turmoil. IMF policies have not secured the economy of Argentina. Just like in 2001, the new economic downturn will generate more poverty. People who were financially secure will see themselves impoverished. Many were not able to recover their deposits from the 2001 crisis. The Argentine public has grown even more suspicious of the banking system and government. The fear of the devaluation of the peso is present. There is also an indication that Argentina lacks hard currency and is not taking in more money. The crisis has made it more difficult for business to operate. Without specific costs known, running an establishment is not possible. Inflation will harm or eradicate small business, before bigger corporations. Argentina plans to accept an IMF $ 3.9 billion deal. IMF agreements have never solved Argentina's economic concerns and the new deal has limited chance of success. The economic crisis has gotten so severe that President Alberto Fernandez will not seek another term. Argentina's crisis is a warning to the global economy and the fragile nature of the banking system.