Top 10 international headlines of 2016
As 2016 nears an end, Yahoo Singapore looks back at some of the year’s top international headlines.
10. The Panama Papers are released
The leaking of the Panama Papers revealed the names of wealthy celebrities, business people and public officials who might have made use of tax havens to dodge their taxes. At the heart of the scandal is the Mossack Fonseca law firm whose client files were hacked. Since news of the Panama Papers first emerged in April, the entire list of documents has been placed online by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists along with a list of the main figures involved in the scandal.
9. South Korea’s President Park Geun-hye gets ousted
In one of the year’s most intriguing political dramas, South Korean President Park Geun-hye ultimately had to to step down from power following an influence-peddling scandal that emerged in October, which turned her into a target for public anger.
The nation’s first female president allegedly colluded with her close friend and confidante Choi Soon Sil, as well as official aides, to coerce companies into “donating” millions to non-profit organisations which were then used for Choi’s gains. Park was impeached on 9 December, but currently retains immunity from any prosecution.
8. Malaysia’s Najib is unmoved despite ongoing 1MDB scandal
If there were a theme song to Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak’s political career this year, it would be “I Will Survive”. Despite the widening 1 Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal involving billions in diverted funds, US lawsuits naming “Malaysian Official 1”, another Bersih rally calling for his resignation and former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad’s tireless political challenges, Najib has emerged largely unscathed.
The strong support he received at the recent United Malays National Organisation (Umno) General Assembly, as the political party’s president, has further entrenched Najib’s position as a national leader ahead of a general election widely expected to take place early next year.
7. Duterte wins Philippine presidency, launches crackdown on drug crimes
Sweeping the Philippine elections in May, Davao city mayor Rodrigo Duterte came into power promising tough stances on corruption and drug-related crime. In keeping with his word, a crackdown on drug dealers and offenders over the past few months has left thousands dead – the majority of whom are alleged victims of vigilante killings – earning the president the nickname of “The Punisher”.
On the foreign policy front, the outspoken and often potty-mouthed president has at times questioned his country’s military ties with the United States while also forging closer bonds with China.
6. Samsung recalls Galaxy Note 7s
Following multiple reports of exploding batteries, South Korean tech giant made the bold and costly decision in October to halt global sales of its popular Galaxy Note 7 smartphones. The move came amid news of fires caused by the device and major airlines banning it on their flights out of safety concerns. The company is now considering to split itself into two entities in a bid to increase shareholder value.
5. The company behind Pokemon Go is now worth over US$3 billion
While the buzz over it may have died down, Niantic’s augmented reality mobile game Pokemon Go catapulted the company to the top of global app store lists following its launch in July. From America to Asia, players young and old quickly got hooked on snagging the game’s long list of adorable monsters as crowds spilled into public spaces, shopping malls, museums and even private properties, all in the rush to “catch them all”. Needless to say, the nature of the game and its popularity led to it fair share of disruptions – and even fatal accidents – across the world.
4. Thailand’s beloved king, unifying figure, dies at 88
The death of Thailand’s much-beloved King Bhumibol Adulyadej on 13 October plunged an entire nation into grief. A year of mourning was declared, with the nation’s entertainment outlets being ordered to “tone down” their activities for a month. Following a short delay, Bhumibol’s 64-year-old son Maha Vajiralongkorn has ascended the throne, easing some concerns over the fate of Thailand’s monarchy and offering a measure of stability amid a continued insurgency in the nation’s southern part.
3. Brazil sees a Zika outbreak just ahead of the Rio Olympic Games
As the number of Zika cases grew in Brazil, its government’s decision to push forward with the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio exacerbated fears of a global outbreak of the virus, which has been linked to microcephaly in newborns. With the World Health Organisation predicting over 4 million Zika cases spread across the Americas by August, it seemed an impossible task for the nation to eradicate the disease in time. Since then, Zika cases have been reported in various parts of the world, including Singapore, but the jury is still out as to whether these occurrences were directly linked to the spread of the virus in Brazil.
2. Britain votes to leave EU, Cameron quits, market rocked
The United Kingdom European Union membership referendum in June, also known as the Brexit vote, saw the majority of voters in the UK deciding they would be better off withdrawing from the EU. Many critics claimed that the vote was fuelled by anti-immigration fear-mongering perpetuated by various political leaders.
After failing to lead the “Stay” camp to victory, then-Prime Minister David Cameron resigned his post and was replaced by fellow Conservative Party member Theresa May. Looking ahead, the progress of the Brexit’s implementation will be closely watched, as will its repercussions across the world.
1. Trump wins presidency in stunning victory
After a tumultuous US election campaign, many were surprised when Republican candidate and business tycoon Donald Trump won over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Despite Trump committing a number of seemingly irredeemable faux pas – including his infamous leaked comments about women – he was still able to win by a large margin.
As pundits continue to analyse the results and anti-Trump parties work to undermine his upcoming administration, the President-elect has already started making waves domestically, such as with his Cabinet appointments, and abroad, as seen in his brazen telephone conversation with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen.
