By Tanisha M. Fazal | Foreign Affairs
Russian President Vladimir Putin has long declared that Ukraine has never existed as an independent country. The former Soviet republic is “not even a state”, he said as early as 2008. In a speech on February 21 of this year, he elaborated, arguing that “modern Ukraine was entirely and fully created by Russia”. Days later, he ordered Russian forces to invade Ukraine. As Russian tanks streamed across the Ukrainian border, Putin seemed to be acting on a sinister, long-held goal: To erase Ukraine from the map of the world.
What made Russia’s invasion so shocking was its anachronistic nature. For decades, this kind of territorial conquest had seemed to be a thing of the past. It had been more than 30 years since one country had tried to conquer another internationally recognized country outright, since Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990. This restraint formed the basis of the international system: Borders were, by and large, sacrosanct. Continue reading
GUYANA: The story behind new National Geographic spotlight on Guyana + videos
Guyana is featured in the cover story of the April edition of the National Geographic magazine. The feature, “Up the Mountain, to a World Apart,” is 36 pages inclusive of pull-outs and maps covering the full story of the adventure by climber Mark Synnott with stunning photography by Renan Ozturk. This level of coverage would easily be valued at US$1,000,000.00 and an immeasurable value in highlighting Guyana to the world.
Today, the Disney+ streaming service will air the one-hour National Geographic Explorer documentary, The Last Tepui, bringing even more attention to the amazing topography of Guyana. Undoubtedly the magazine story and the documentary will help thrust Guyana into the forefront of adventure-seeking tourists, adventurers, scientists and documentary-makers. Continue reading →
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