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"The Murky Game": Story of the FIFA Corruption Scandal!

| Image: A comedian threw stacks of money at Sepp Blatter during a meeting of FIFA’s executive committee in Zurich.Credit...Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters | In 2015, Swiss Police entered a five-star hotel in Zurich and arrested six people. These people were Office bearers of FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) the governing body of World's most popular sport "Football" .Hours later, the Justice Department of New York, USA unleashed a barrage of allegations to the tune of 47 counts of Indictments against 14 people including FIFA bigwigs, sports marketing executives and owners of broadcasting groups with charges of racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering. This event came as a shocker for football fans worldwide, however, many iterated that it was long pending. So, What begat this disaster which engulfed almost the whole of the footballing world?  The Wholistic View carefully examines (5 Min Read). To grasp this whole series of events and how things trans...

Asian Duel : Explaining the escalating "Trade War" between Japan and South Korea and its Geopolitical Impact

| Image:   Japanese PM Shinzo Abe & South Korean President Moon Jae-In at the G-20 Summit,2019| Japan and South Korea are Asia's biggest economies after China and India and have gained worldwide acclaim for their global brands. But the relationship between these 2 powerhouses have long been strained, and now we're seeing those tensions escalating into a full-blown trade dispute. Amid these tensions, many people are curious as to why these nations are at loggerheads? The Wholistic View tries to find the answer (8 Min. Read) In July 2019, the Japanese Government announced that it would restrict the export of chemicals- fluorinated polyamides, photoresists, and hydrogen fluoride(crucial for producing semiconductors)  to South Korea citing reasons that Korean companies had been inadequately managing these chemicals and leaking them to North Korea for the advancement of its military applications. South Korea on the other hand vehemently denied these accusations and called on ...

History and Influence of the "G-7" and the need for its Expansion

| Image:   G-7 leaders at a summit in August 2019| For Starters, "G-7" meaning "Group of 7" is an informal bloc of countries, made up of so-called world's seven largest advanced economies that meet annually to discuss issues such as global economic governance, international security and energy policy etc. This Forum wields considerable influence on matters concerning the international economic policy. Recently, the head of one of its member state, the U.S. President Mr Donald Trump has expressed his intention to delay its annual summit and proposed to expand its number for members. So, why has this symposium come into being and what does the future hold for it? | The Wholistic View tries to expound ( 6 Min Read )| The Group of 7(G-7) is an informal entente of seven nations namely, The United States, Canada, West Germany(now Germany), Japan, Italy, France and The United Kingdom. This group came into existence to in 1975 when leaders of six states except Canada me...

Understanding The Roles of World Bank and IMF and How Do They Differ?

  | Image:   VOA News| There is no question that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank continue to be amongst the most relevant and significant powerful norm-setters, convenors, knowledge-holders and influencers of the international development and financial landscape. The IMF and the World Bank are closely linked – so close that their headquarters are across the street in Washington DC, USA. So what’s the difference between the two?| The Wholistic View Explains ( 5 Min Read )| Founded in 1944 by Delegates of 44 nations in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, U.S.A., with a general consensus that the old system of exchange rates and payments had failed, leading to the Great Depression, currency devaluations and the collapse of the gold standard. the World Bank Group (WBG, or Bank) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF, or Fund) are twin intergovernmental institutions that are influential in shaping the structure of the world’s development and financial order. T...

When a Barrel of Oil became cheaper than your Cup of Coffee!

| Image:   Reuters| The Pandemic has disrupted economies worldwide, and oil is not escaping unscathed. While fluctuations in oil prices are not new, the latest tailspin sent oil companies and investors in a state of alarm. What does this mean for arguably the most important commodity in the world? The Wholistic View illustrates ( 4 Min Read ). Market forces such as Demand and Supply usually determine the price of commodities but the same cannot be said for oil. The dynamics behind oil prices are often complex, with environmental and geopolitical factors at play. At the start of 2020, demand for oil around the world plunged but oil-producing countries continued to generate the commodity at a surplus.  At one point, the price for a barrel of West Texas Intermediate, the benchmark for US oil, fell to a negative -$37.63 a barrel which meant that oil producers were paying buyers to offload the commodity. For years, global oil production has been increasing steadily fuelled ...

Extradition Bill to Political Cataclysm:Everything you need to know about the Hong Kong Protests

| Photo  Credit :   Reuters| Last decade has been a topsy turvy ride for governments across the globe. We have witnessed a rising trend of authoritarian governments taking up the centre stage and strong political leaders coming into power with huge electoral margins. These majority favoured leaders have fostered a staunch sense of nationalism in its people with no leeway for contrarian views. Presiding Authorities all over the world have formulated laws to keep its constituents in check and gradually curbing freedom of expression in the process. This growing disrobement of democratic rights has capsized social equilibrium and is begetting disenchantment and furore. One such example is the city of  Hong Kong, which is looking at the worst socio-political crises of its history. So, why a region, known for its financial prowess and a High Human Development score is in tatters with people marching onto the streets exponentially?  The Wholistic View  delves deep to e...

The Journey of a Shoe Dog : How Nike became a Global Powerhouse?

| Photo:   Nike Store, Atlantic City(USA)| Just Do IT. A phrase that transcends the linguistic boundaries across the globe and sparks emotions. The Iconic Swoosh logo which ensnared into your consciousness well before you knew it. Chances are, you have a pair of Nike Shoes in your closet right now. So, How did a mere shoe distributor become the most popular and biggest sports brand on the planet?  The Wholistic View deconstructs the brand you know but the story you don't  (8 min read). The Idea In the summer of 1962, a 24-year-old young man named Phil Knight graduated from Standford University. A former long-distance runner in his University days, Phil had written a postulate titled " Can Japanese Sports Shoes Do to German Sports Shoes What Japanese Cameras Did to German Cameras? ".Phil had been in awe of how the Japanese Cameras have replaced the earlier dominant German Cameras and he was curious if the Japanese shoes would have the same effect on the existing German Pla...