The Zika Virus, WEF, and the ‘stans.

The World Economic Forum: Party or Policy?

This meeting of hundreds of the world’s most powerful celebrities, bankers, CEOs, entrepreneurs, and economists took place over 4 days starting January 20th in the majestic city of Davos in the Swiss Alps. The declared mission of the WEF this year was “Improving the State of the World.” Over 320 representatives from BRICs countries (i.e. Brazil, Russia, India, and China) were in attendance, signifying the increasingly important role developing countries are playing in world production. Unfortunately, strong decisions regarding China’s recent slump could not be made, as this year no high-ranking Chinese leaders were in attendance.

Notably, just a few days before the Forum met, Oxfam published its yearly Study of Inequality. The report revealed that the 62 richest people in the world have the same amount of wealth as the over 3.5 billion poorest 50% of the world. Five years ago, 388 of the richest were needed to reach that mark. Pointedly published just before the forum began, it’s an indication that the wealth gap is expanding exponentially.

While some see the World Economic Forum as an important collaboration and concentration of pioneers and industry leaders in a neutral European country, others suspect the attendees just turn up for the skiing, discounts on Swiss watches, and the free chocolate and cheese they are undoubtedly gifted. Go figure.

The Zika Virus and Guillain-Barré Syndrome

A virus spreading mostly in Central and South American countries through mosquitoes has been linked to brain damage in infants that are born with exceptionally small heads. In the past year, there have been almost 4,000 cases of the Zika Virus reported in Brazil alone.

While it has not been proven beyond doubt, there is strong evidence that the Zika Virus also drastically increases the chances of developing the Guillain-Barré syndrome, an extremely dangerous condition where patients can remain paralyzed and on life support for weeks at a time.

There is also evidence that the Zika Virus may be transmitted through sex, a possibility that has many experts worried. Health services are advising pregnant women against traveling to Latin America to avoid the Baby catching the Zika Virus, and in El Salvador the government has urged women to avoid pregnancy until 2018.

Readers are also advised against referring to victims of the Zika virus as “pinheads.”

Crisis in the ‘Stans

Since the breakup of the Soviet Union, the rickety and repressive nations of Central Asia have relied primarily on Russia’s relative prosperity to remain stable, with migrant workers in Russia sending home earnings for their families. However, at the moment Russia’s economy is stalling, and it’s dragging Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan with it. Experts predict that their relative economies will hit rock-bottom in 2016, and at that point any significant negative event could spell the beginning of violent revolutions over the region.

Russia’s economy is slowing down due to US sanctions, Russian counter-sanctions, and the general slowdown of world markets. The Foreign Policy Magazine’s commentary on this issue can be found here.

Officials were quoted as saying “It’s time to take a ‘stan.”

Syrian peace talks are barely getting off the ground. Secretary of State John Kerry to opposition: “It’s time to get Syrious.”

Disagreements over representatives are preventing the peace talks planned to end the almost 5-year Syrian civil war. This is the third time diplomatic solutions have been attempted since the war began in 2011. The death toll of the conflict is over 250,000 and is one of the major causes of Europe’s refugee crisis. The peace talks have been rescheduled for this Friday, but the representatives for the opposition have yet to be announced, at least publicly.

And no, Kerry didn’t actually say that.

Notable

Terror attacks in Cameroon, Pakistan, and Turkey

In Cameroon, 25 people were killed when 3 suspected Boko Haram bombers set off suicide bombs in a marketplace. The Boko Haram terrorist group declared its allegiance to ISIS in 2015. More here. Additionally, on the 20th attackers affiliated with the Pakistani Taliban stormed the Bacha Khan University near Peshawar, Pakistan, killing 22 people. Finally, 10 tourists were left dead in Istanbul, Turkey, when a single ISIS terrorist set off a suicide vest in the centrally-located Sultanahmet Square.

Hey there, hot stuff.

The National Centers for Environmental Information reported recently that 2015 was the hottest year on historical record (est. 1880). Additionally in the extended report, the Center asserted that the year beat records as the largest margin of temperature increase ever (Up 1.62°F)

Hangover-Free Alcohol? What more could you ask for?

University students, rejoice. North Korea’s Pyongyang Times recently asserted that the nation has invented a beverage with an alcohol content of between 30 and 40 percent. It further claims that this miracle drink, made mostly with ginseng and rice and called Koryo, can be consumed with a reduced risk of a hangover. It also “exudes national flavor,” which I infer is a good thing. Additionally, the ginseng used in the production is claimed to cure Ebola, AIDS, and cancer. If this miraculous refreshment isn’t enough to welcome North Korea with open arms, what is? Welcome to the (communist) party.

 

Jakarta, Prisoners, Ouagadougou, and More

Bombings in the Indonesian capital

In an outbreak of violence some are comparing to the November 2015 Paris attacks, a group of terrorists linked to the Islamic State set off small explosives in the middle of
Jakarta last Thursday, killing 4 and wounding 20.

The explosives used in the attack were likely grenades or weapons of a similar small scale, making some people wonder if it is an indication of the weakening power of terrorist groups in the area, the reasoning being the weakness of this attack in comparison to the 2002 bombings in Bali that killed 202 people from 21 nations.

While approximately 88% of Indonesians are Muslim, ISIS does not consider Indonesia to be a truly Muslim country, and therefore has no qualms about plotting attacks there.

Dalian Wanda to acquire Legendary Entertainment

The Dalian Wanda Group, China’s largest commercial property owner, will be purchasing Legendary Entertainment, one of Hollywood’s biggest companies.

This $3.5 Billion purchase comes after a line of past forays into the movie industry by Wanda, already the world’s largest cinema chain operator, including the purchase of AMC Theaters and the beginning of construction of a massive $8.2 billion studio complex in Eastern China.

Wang Jianlin, the chairman of Dalian Wanda, flew in stars like Leonardo DiCaprio and John Travolta to stir up support for the venture. Wang is widely considered the richest man in China, and the 29th richest in the world. China has increasingly been buying up US companies in acquisitions like this one, paving the way for increasingly interconnected economic systems of the two superpowers. Realists argue this interdependence only leads to conflict, and Liberals claim it leads to greater peace. Only time will tell.

US sailors released after tension-filled negotiations with Iran

After drifting into Iranian waters on January 15th, two American patrol boats were captured in the Persian Gulf over suspicions of spying by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. Following a series of apprehensive phone calls between the nations, the boats and their crews were released the following day. While some in the United States protested Iran’s actions in capturing the boats at a time when the nations are cooperating, Secretary of State John Kerry pointed out how much more dangerous the situation could’ve been “three or four years ago.” Thinking back to March 2007 brings memories of a similar situation, when 15 British Marines were arrested by Iranian forces after entering Iranian waters. Instead of being released quickly, they were held for 13 days before the Iranian president released them.

While the US government denies any direct links to the Iran Nuclear deal, it is likely that this groundbreaking nuclear agreement sped up the hostage negotiations, at the very least by opening up channels to effectively communicate. Tehran was approved by international investigators for the deal only a day before the US sailors were captured.

Prisoners from Iran safely leave the country after swap

Also in Iran, 3 Americans were recently freed in a prisoner swap with 7 Iranians. They arrived in the Ramstein Air Base in Germany on the 17th and are scheduled for medical checkups in the area. Their release in exchange for multiple Iranian prisoners suggests a positive change in the relationship between the US and Iran, as seen in the Iran Nuclear Deal.

That being said, it’s still a shaky relationship. Just hours after the ex-prisoners were safely out of Iranian airspace, the US Government hit Tehran with a new round of sanctions, allegedly to punish the nation for breaking UN resolutions by illegally testing a ballistic missile capable of holding a nuclear warhead.

Tsai Ing-Wen elected President of Taiwan

On the 16th of January, Tsai Ing-Wen was elected the first female President of Taiwan, running for the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), with 56.1% of the vote. Her party also gained a majority of seats in the government. This may become a significant issue in international politics, as the US has constantly maintained a highly ambiguous attitude towards Taiwan’s independence. While Tsai Ing-Wen has so far not openly supported Taiwanese independence, she is backed by many who do. Her party is much more progressive and open to the idea of change than the previous government. Because of this, the issue of Taiwanese independence may strain relations between China and the US.

Noteworthy

In Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso in West Africa, 30 people were killed when 4 Al Qaeda-affiliated attackers infiltrated a luxury hotel on the 15th of January. The next day, troops stormed the building and liberated it, killing all the attackers in the process. On the same day, a group of Al Qaeda fighters took an African Union base in Somalia across the continent, with dozens of Kenyan soldiers killed in the process.

Additionally, just a day after Africa was declared clear of Ebola by the World Health Organization (WHO), a woman’s corpse tested positive for the disease in Sierra Leone. While it is a setback for the eradication of Ebola, the WHO had warned that future flare-ups would remain likely, and so were prepared for this occurrence.