Good news or Bad news: Scoffed premiers, crisis-hit economies lead the world?
On July 1, the official twitter handle of Twitter social media service made this tweet:
“Good news and bad news: 2020 is half over”
A day before the 23rd anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover day to China, Beijing imposed a new security law on the Special Administrative Region. The criticism against President of China, Xi Jinping comes on top of attacks for exporting the Coronavirus pandemic to the world.
In the same vein, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam has been facing backlash for being a puppet to China’s tactics in playing her role for murdering public democracy in the financial hub.
Heading little to the west, the cluster of Nepal, India, and Pakistan leaders draw similar criticism for their attempt to contain the coronavirus spread, in addition to certain geopolitical tensions.
Further to the west, UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been condemned for similar issues like — bungling pandemic management, underestimating its threat, thus leading to a health crisis and a hit to the economy, unclear lockdown plans, and recent tensions emerging from Black Lives Matter protests.
Moving 180 degrees east, Russian President Vladimir Putin has been slammed by critics, calling the plebiscite — which potentially allows Putin to stay in power until 2036 — as undemocratic.
In close proximity, Japan’s leader Shinzo Abe has been in news with his support rate dropping, while North Korean Kim Jong-un continues to remain a mystery to most.
Down south from here, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison had earlier been pilloried for his failure in responding to the bushfires last year.
Among others, the ailing Turkish economy faces turmoil over operations in northeastern Syria. While debt-ridden Italy calls for fresh financial jitters for being too much dependent on China amid woes worsened already by COVID-19 and related lockdown.
Rotate the globe now. We are in the US. I can’t believe, you thought we could end without taking the most palpable name — the leading sheep in the flock, the president of the world’s biggest economy.
US President Donald Trump’s longevity to be rubbished and mocked globally provides employment to many.
To the south, Brazilian premier Jair Bolsonaro — A Trump supporter — adds to the merit for all the wrong reasons.
This is the list of some of the most popular nations, some superpowers, which form a major part in driving the world.
So, is it the pandemic, or we have been planning for this catastrophe since time immemorial now?
I think the answer is the latter one. How come some of the most scoffed leaders are all elected at the same time and performing so much in rhythm?
Bucking the disastrous trend, smaller nations like Taiwan, New Zealand, Greece, and, Finland are making an attempt to show what is called, an adept leadership with respect to handling the biggest plight of this century — the coronavirus pandemic.
Vietnam, Jordan, Slovenia, Iceland, Vatican, Tanzania, Fiji, PNG, Timor-Leste, St Kitts and Nevis, Seychelles, Montenegro to name others.
Now, let us consider that several demographic and economic factors may be some of the reasons leading to their success in containing the deadly virus. But, I doubt if even any one leader from the former list of countries was given the command to handle a nation mentioned later, that particular name would have been out of my list because of mere ignorance, flouted leadership, and mismanagement.
Now, who do you think should be looked upon while discussing responsibility for leading the world? I want you to take a pause and think.
Never mind if you don’t know the answer. Because 2020 is half over and so will half-century be…and in no time, half of the world.
Good news or bad news?
