Political and international affairs analyst
Russian President Vladimir Putin closed the BRICS summit, a bloc of developing economies, in the last week of October. Sanctions from the West have been aimed at cutting off Russia's economy from global markets. The conclave was the largest gathering of world leaders in Russia in decades. The 3-day summit attended by the highest officials of 36 countries was a testament to the West's failure of trying to isolate Russia and Putin globally.
Donald Trump has been elected as the 47th President of the United States. This is an incredible comeback for a former president who instigated a forceful attack on the US Capitol, was convicted of felony charges, survived two assassination attempts, and still refused to concede defeat. He criticized his opponent, Kamala Harris, using intensely personal language that exhibited misogyny and racism. He depicted a grim picture of a nation perceived to be overwhelmed by violent migrants. This abrasive rhetoric, coupled with an image of hypermasculinity, appealed to voters, particularly men, in a highly polarized political landscape. The fact that Trump is back in the President's seat underscores that the US society, both men and women, has voted for patriarchy, misogyny, racism, and fascism. His win against Harris, the first woman of color to contest in the Presidential race, marks the second time he has defeated a female rival. It may indicate that some sociology scholars are correct in their views that the US is not ready to accept a female President. They may add that it is further away from accepting a female leader who is not white.
Pakistan is a large Muslim country, is strategically located, and has nuclear weapons. Experts debate whether these weapons' safety is under reasonable control. Some people are worried that by 2030, Pakistan might have the third-largest number of nuclear weapons in the world. This makes some Western countries, especially the United States, worried. There are also allegations that some people in Pakistan might support extremist groups. Some of these groups have even said they want to use nuclear weapons if they get them. People wonder if these groups think it is okay to use nuclear weapons based on their religious beliefs.
Iran launched an unprecedented ballistic missile attack on Israel. Iran targeted military facilities, including Dimona, where Israel's nuclear weapons facility is. The Israeli military has acknowledged that some of its airbases were hit in the ballistic missile attacks but underscored that the air force remains functional.
Sri Lankans elected Marxist-leaning Anura Kumara Dissanayake as their new president, hoping that he will deliver on his pledge to fight corruption and bolster a fragile economic recovery following Sri Lanka's worst financial crisis in decades. Dissanayake beat incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe and opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, and he did so without having any political lineage. This was the country's first election since its economy buckled in 2022 under a severe foreign exchange shortage, unable to pay for imports of essentials. Protests forced then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee and later resign.
Israel and Hezbollah again returned from the brink of an all-out war against each other. The two pulled back after an exchange of heavy fire this Sunday. The situation raised stark fears for the region getting embroiled in another war, while Gaza continues to be a victim of a live genocide. Regional tensions remain high. The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel is decades old, and it is likely to only escalate in the future. The two began the near-daily strikes and counterstrikes along the Israel-Lebanon border shortly after Israel began its genocide on Gaza. Since their recent mutual onslaught, global and regional actors have become active in containing the situation, and it seems they have succeeded for now. However, it is only a matter of time before these two engage in another escalation against each other.