My name is Sophie. I study social anthropology and film at St Andrews University. I’m an aspiring writer and journalist.
Weekly Musings
Pavel Durov’s Arrest In Russian News
(September 2nd, 2024)
According to Russian news source Novaya Gazeta, Putin flew to Azerbaijan at the time of Pavolv’s arrival there. Putin was visiting the country’s president, while the reasons for Durov’s stay are unclear. Telegram channel Baza claims that shortly before his arrival in Azerbaijan, Putin was offered a meeting with Durov by the presidential administration, but turned this offer down. Questions circulate surrounding the intended matter of this meeting and Putin’s refusal to meet with Durov. It is also unknown whether Durov called for the meeting himself because the coincidence in timing would be otherwise suspicious. Deputy speaker of state Duma, Vladislav Davankov, called for the release of Durov. He believes the arrest to have political grounds and “be a tool for gaining access to personal information of Telegram users.” The head of Russia’s “Safe Internet League,” Ekaterina Mizulina, claims that Durov’s arrest corrupted Russian business investments and functions as a continuation of American sanctions.
Pavel Durov’s Arrest In American News
(August 29th, 2024)
Telegram’s owner, Russian-born Pavel Durov, was arrested on August 24th. The reason for his arrest was supposed criminal activity that was unregulated on the platform. The New York Times claims that French authorities staged this investigation in response to charges relating to content featuring drug activity, fraud, child pornography, money laundering, “abetting criminal transactions and refusing to cooperate with law enforcement.” Telegram released an official statement saying that neither a platform nor its owner should be held accountable for the abuse of said platform. His messaging platform is the most widespread and popular social media platform in Russia. Much of its appeal comes from the exchange of ideas generated on the app. The lack of strict guidelines has helped Telegram users to exercise freedom of speech and share unfiltered news. Though, The New York Times believes the app to have been made into a space for terrorist organizations and far-right extremists.
History Revisited
(August 21st, 2024)
With Biden dropping out of the race in the blink of an eye, investors have just a few months to gauge market trends. According to Ned Davis Research, the media has simplified the market rallying process for investors between the second convention and Election Day. The public is able to familiarize with candidates over a prolonged period of time, unlike the exposure sixty years ago. The stock market benefits from an extended time frame. Analysts have greater insight into market trends. Markets require a level of certainty to rally. With Biden getting swapped out for Kamala so suddenly, this certainty is removed. Now, investors face a pressed time frame to make these decisions. In earlier decades, the public had less time to assess candidates. Markets rallied between the second convention and the day before the election. Could we be entering a nationwide case of deja-vu? Today’s incumbent party candidate is less known than the challenger. Kamala Harris has not been featured in the media to the extent that Biden is. Investors have not been this pressed for time in the election process since 1964. There is a risk of analysts not being equipped for this pressure. It will be harder to predict the incumbent party’s impact on markets. According to trends, DJIA percentages rise when the incumbent party retains presidency. It can no longer be promised that the stock market will benefit from this.
University Rector Dismissal
(August 13th, 2024)
On November 21st, I received an email in my University inbox.
At the time, St Andrews’ rector was Stella Maris. During the academic year, she held this position alongside being a trustee. That was until her beliefs got in the way. Come August, Maris was dismissed from both roles at the school. Before taking action, the University conducted a deep investigation into the email. Jewish and pro-Israel recipients reacted strongly to the message, claiming to feel “attacked” and “unsafe.” University court found Maris to have come on too strongly in the email, as she referred to Israel’s attacks on Gaza as “genocidal” and used terms like “apartheid” and “siege,” sparking controversy. In a follow-up email sent out to students, St Andrews stressed that the decision was made out of respect for students that felt targeted by her words and politics.
Maris chose to advocate for suffering in the midst of what she and most St Andrews students believe to be a genocide. Upon her dismissal, peers have spoken out against the court’s decision on social media platforms like Instagram. Maris herself does not show signs of regret as she explains that her statement was within the bounds of her role as the rector. She stresses how “The idea that…the war crimes of Israel in Gaza cannot be discussed in higher education is deeply concerning.” In her email, Maris advocates for peace and unity above all. She explicitly states that her aim is to “highlight the potential for unity, solidarity, compassion, and action” and did not mean to impend on “anyone’s safety or sense of belonging.”