The Economist - USA (2019-12-21)

(Antfer) #1

10 The EconomistDecember 21st 2019
The world this year


Fernández defeated Mauricio
Macri. Cristina Fernández de
Kirchner became vice-presi-
dent, spooking investors who
remember her reckless spend-
ing when she was president.

In other elections Justin Tru-
deau’s Liberals were returned
to power in Canada, but with a
minority government follow-
ing a political scandal. The first
election in Thailandsince the
coup in 2014 saw pro-military
parties scrape together a ma-
jority, with help from the
courts. Spainheld two elec-
tions; the Socialists remain the
biggest party. Narendra Modi
won a second term as prime
minister in India. Joko Widodo
secured five more years as
Indonesia’spresident. The
African National Congress
claimed victory in South
Africa, though its 58% share of
the vote was its smallest ever.
The Liberal Party defied the
pollsters to win in Australia.
In Denmarkthe centre-left
came to power, as did the
centre-right in Greece.

Israelheld two inconclusive
elections and is heading for a
third poll in March 2020.
Binyamin Netanyahu was
boosted by America recognis-
ing Israeli sovereignty over the
Golan Heights and describing
the settlements in the West
Bank as lawful. In November
the prime minister was indict-
ed for bribery and fraud.

Italygot a new government
formed by the Democratic
Party and Five Star Movement.
Matteo Salvini, the hardline
leader of the Northern League,
was shut out of the coalition.

The collapse of a dam in the
Brazilianstate of Minas Gerais
unleashed a wave of mud that
killed 270 people. The dam’s
metal waste could affect local
ecosystems for decades.

Media streaming took a leap
forward with the release of new
services from Disney, Apple
and others to try to eat into
Netflix’smarket. Netflix got its
first Oscar nomination for best
picture with “Roma”, though
“Green Book” won the award.

Mankind is my business
The Business Roundtable,
representing America’s top
bosses, redefined the purpose
of a companyaway from
shareholder primacy and
towards the interests of cus-
tomers, workers and commu-
nities. Mark Zuckerberg pro-
claimed “a privacy-focused
vision for social networking”.
But Facebook’sboss found
himself at odds with global
regulators about his ambitions
for Libra, a cryptocurrency that
he wants to launch in 2020.

In the worst crisis in its history,
Boeing eventually suspended
production of its 737 max
jetliner, after it was grounded
worldwide following a second
crash within six months. Air-
lines are still rejigging their
flight timetables.

After a terrorist attack killed 46
paramilitary police in the
Indian-controlled portion of
Kashmir, Indian fighter jets
struck targets inside Pakistan
for the first time since 1971,
claiming to hit a jihadist camp.
India’s central government
later revoked the special status
of its part of Kashmirand split
it into two territories.

A massacre in March of 51
people at two mosques in

Christchurch, New Zealand,
was linked to a rise in global
white nationalism. Five
months later a gunman who
murdered 22 people at a Wal-
mart in El Paso, Texas, was
influenced in part by the
Christchurch shootings.

In Sri Lankaa series of bomb-
ings on Easter Sunday targeted
Christians and tourists, killing
253 people. A claim that the
jihadists were seeking revenge
for the murder of Muslims in
Christchurch was doubted by
intelligence services. The
attacks in Colombo bolstered
the strongman campaign of
Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the
presidential election. After his
victory he appointed as prime
minister his brother Mahinda,
a former president who had
overseen the brutal crushing of
a Tamil-separatist insurgency.

Turkeyinvaded northern Syria
to fight Kurdishforces allied
with America, after Mr Trump
withdrew his troops from the
area. Although widely con-
demned, Mr Trump defended
his decision on the basis that
the Kurds “didn’t help us with
Normandy”. The American
president also unilaterally
ended peace talks with the
Taliban. Afghan negotiators
are struggling to get them back
to the table.

Mr Trump was able to brag
about one success: Abu Bakr
al-Baghdadi, the murderous
rapist who led Islamic State,
blew himself up when he was
cornered by American forces.

An undigested bit of beef
Although vegetarian food
seemed to be offered every-
where in 2019, Greggs, a pur-
veyor of cheap bakery treats in
Britain, was derided for selling
a vegan sausage roll. But it was
its critics who were left with
egg on their face: its share price
is up by 75% since January.

Could Greenlandbecome a
flashpoint in 2020? Donald
Trump’s offer to buy the Danish
territory was mocked in Co-
penhagen, causing him to
cancel a state visit. Now Ameri-
ca wants to open a consulate in
Greenland for the first time
since the second world war. Its
staff may get a chilly reception.

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