Global Thread

The Central African Republic, or the CAR, is currently dealing with some post-election drama that was years in the making. Conflict between various rebel groups has decimated the land and displaced or killed large swaths of the population. Political unrest and instability have, in a direct way, contributed to the growing tensions over the years, with authoritarian administrations inflicting military force on the general populous. So how did we get from a newly independent nation in 1960 to a nation in turmoil contending with a highly contested democratic election?

Last week, the Texas power grid failed horribly as the result of deregulatory energy policies, lack of oversight, and lack of preparedness. When the state was hit with frigid cold temperatures, ice, and snow, millions of Texans were left without electricity or gas to heat their homes, without a reliable water supply, and without cell service. Dozens of Texans died in their homes and cars by way of freezing to death or from carbon monoxide poisoning. Meanwhile, state elected officials pointed fingers and evaded blame at a time when they should have been addressing the crisis. Can we expect next time to be any better?

Women's rights activist and advocate for women's right to drive, Loujain al-Hathloul, has been released from prison in Saudi Arabia. Her release was the direct result of the Biden administration's efforts to stand up against human rights abuses taking place in Saudi Arabia, but what does her release mean, and why was she imprisoned in the first place?

The Southeast Asian nation of Myanmar has suffered its fair share of one-party military rule interspersed with periods of attempted democracy. In the latest instance, the military police has overthrown the November 2020 election results claiming widespread voter fraud with little to no evidence. The leader of the National League for Democracy Party, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been detained and is currently under house arrest. Where is this heading, and how can President Biden respond against the coup without inflicting more suffering on the people?

The Southeast Asian nation of Myanmar has suffered its fair share of one-party military rule interspersed with periods of attempted democracy. In the latest instance, the military police has overthrown the November 2020 election results claiming widespread voter fraud with little to no evidence. The leader of the National League for Democracy Party, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been detained and is currently under house arrest. Where is this heading, and how can President Biden respond against the coup without inflicting more suffering on the people?

The farmers in India are - and have been for some time - protesting against their government's recently released farming reform bills. The combined effects of the bills would make life significantly harder for the already troubled farmers while inviting large multinational corporations into India's agriculture industry. Are the bills all bad, though, and can they possibly be justified in the name of globalization? How have similar situations played out for American farmers?

Hello, I'm Yasmin Aliya Khan and I'm the host of Global Thread, a podcast that seeks to understand the world by digging into the past. Here's what you can expect from the pod - keep an ear out!