I remember visiting the British Library for the first time when I was 10. I had gone with my parents and my twin brother to see the exhibition of the Magna Carta who was celebrating its 800th birthday. When I heard about this competition and that whatever I submitted would be stored alongside such a powerful document like the Magna Carta, I HAD to take part! I love history and politics. For the past four months I have been writing articles. I have been focussing on how some world leaders have been using the pandemic to their advantage. I have called my articles "Under the cover of Covid-19". In these uncertain times, researching and writing these articles has kept my mind from wondering to darker places. Here are some of my articles. HUNGARY Under the cover of darkness cast by Covid-19 .... a few days ago, the Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban was invested with almost dictatorial powers. Just like in most other countries the new measures were put in place in order to tackle the Corona virus. But unlike in most other countries, in Hungary, these powers have no time limit. Meaning that the Hungarian PM will be able to call upon these powers for as long as he remains in charge of his country. Many people in the EU, along with members of the Hungarian parliament, are concerned about these new developments. Using a pun that refers to the recently imposed lock-downs, the leader of the opposition party said "The law placed the whole of Hungarian democracy in quarantine." These powers given to Viktor Orbán have been controversial with more than 100,000 people signing a petition against the move. Hungary's education system has also taken a dark turn. Over the past few months Viktor Orbán has changed the education system to include books from some far right-wing Hungarian nationalists such as Miklos Horthy who was a Hungarian dictator from 1st March 1920 to 15th of October 1944. Miklos Horthy joined the axis and helped the Nazis during the war against the allies. These new subjects are compulsory in schools across Hungary. Two petitions were signed - one for and one against these new educational measures. The votes against the new subject are 24,011. In favour of the new subject is 23,010. Very close indeed. Seems like Hungary is split down the middle in its political views. Over a period of time these new lessons could change the view of young people along with feeding them works which are most likely to be offensive to non-Hungarian students. In a move, precipitating this decision by Orbán, the Hungarian billionaire and philanthropist George Soros was forced to move the University he had established in Hungary to Vienna. It would seem, in the case of Hungary, Covid-19 has not just cast darkness over the health of its people, but also served as a cloak for Orbán's ulterior motives. CHINA / TAIWAN Whilst the world is looking the other way in its fight against the Corona Virus, China has been busy behind the scenes building up its military might near the coast of Taiwan. China's relationship with Taiwan is a complicated one. Taiwan was a part of China since the late 1600s. For a short while (between 1895 and the end of the WW2) it belonged to Japan. Between 1927 and 1950 a civil war raged in China. The war was between the Chinese Communist Party and the Kuomintang, the Chinese National Party. At the start of the war the Kuomintang had been winning. It wasn't until the Chinese Communist Party was given aid from the U.S.S.R. that the tide turned. This resulted in a streak of military victories for the Chinese Communist Party. The Kuomintang retreated onto the island of Taiwan. Ever since the end of the civil war the communists have never been able to invade Taiwan. Now, however, with the whole world distracted by their own plight, China is "getting cheeky". In the latest rise in military tensions, Taiwan's air force has scrambled to warn off approaching Chinese jets. Taiwan has repeatedly complained that China has stepped up its drills near to the island. Taiwan is also particularly aggrieved, that in times like this, China is still blocking its access to the World Health Organisation. USA / GUAM Under the covers of Covid-19.... a few weeks ago the United States Air Force (U.S.A.F.) removed their bombers from the island of Guam. A former Spanish colony, Guam has been in American hands since the end of the nineteenth century. It was briefly occupied by Japan during WW2. Guam serves as a major military base for the U.S Air Force and Navy. It was an important asset during the Vietnam War, as a base for B-52 bombers headed for missions in south-east Asia. The U.S.A.F kept long range bombers on the island of Guam since 2004. They have been there with the purpose of protecting the U.S and its allies in the area. They have also been used to have a first response if any country attacks them or their allies. Their role was to keep the Chinese and North Koreans from expanding their political and military influence on the west coast of Asia. The official line is that the bombers can be more effective when flying from their home base in the United States. They can still be deployed if needed in the Pacific, but from the US mainland they can respond more quickly to other potential hotspots like the Persian Gulf. However, experts argue, that this particular strategy makes no sense. The truth is that one of China's ballistic missiles, dubbed "the Guam killer" has the ability to hit U.S bases on Guam from the Chinese mainland thus rendering the U.S missiles in Guam useless. This means the U.S has lost a large area of defence in the Pacific. The creation of "the Guam killer" and the subsequent removal of US bombers has tilted the power more in China's favour.