The gruesome incident of rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata has left the nation shocked. I was dismayed and horrified when I came to hear of it. What is more depressing is the fact that it was not the only incident of its kind; it is part of series of crimes against women. Even as students, doctors and citizens were protesting in Kolkata, criminals remained on the prowl elsewhere. The victims include even kindergarten girls. No civilised society can allow daughters and sisters to be subjected to such atrocities. The nation is bound to be outraged, and so am I.
Author: TheViyug
The Best Books to Read at India’s 78th Independence Day
As the clock struck midnight on August 15, 1947, a new dawn broke across the Indian subcontinent. For the millions of people who had fought for decades under the colonial rule, that moment marked the culmination of a dream – a promise to self – determination, unity, and hope. The birth of a free India, announced with Jawaharlal Nehru’s stirring words, “At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom,” signified not just political independence, but the reclamation of a long-suppressed identity. Yet, as the jubilant celebrations of that day echoed across a land still trembling from the trauma of partition, India found itself poised between freedom and fracture, between euphoria and an uncertain future.
Epidemic of Exam Leaks: South Asia’s Education Under Siege
In a shocking turn of events, an investigation done by a team of journalists for six years has shown that more than 30 government jobs and academic board exams in Bangladesh including question papers of the nation’s most competitive exams like Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) have been leaked for over “a decade”. These incidents of paper leaks are spreading like a contagious epidemic in South Asia’s education system. Paper leaks where exam question papers are disclosed before the scheduled date have become a common phenomenon that disrupts the integrity of individual academic assessments.
Mossad’s Strategic Gambles in the Middle East
Two years after the US struck the Al-Qaeda chief in Afghanistan, Israel has allegedly carried out an offensive covert operation in Iran, killing its most wanted Hamas chief, Ismail Haniyeh, in a mysterious, sophisticated bomb blast, one of the critical successes in the global terror landscape after the US. However, Intelligence work in complicated situations has always led to playing a zero-sum game where conflict can go in two ways: either all hell breaks loose, or it can be strategically controlled and minimise escalation.
Emergence of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and Beyond
There was a time in the year 1979, when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan, at that moment both Pakistan and the US considered Afghanistan as a region to safeguard their interest. When Afghanistan was having wars with Pakistan it didn’t bother Pakistan much as it was aware of US funding to Pakistan but today the scenario has changed, post US withdrawal from the region Pakistan is left to deal with terror outfits in Afghanistan all alone. Pakistan has a long-shared bond with TTP as TTP is Pakistani militants from Pakistan, TTP experienced a strong comeback in 2020 after the Afghan peace deal with the US. Afghan Taliban and TTP share deep ideological roots.
Dragon Breathes Fire at Shangri-La: China’s Approach to Global Security
The Shangri-La Dialogue, held in Singapore from May 31 to June 2, 2024, is a prominent annual forum that brings together defence ministers, military chiefs, and security experts from the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. Organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), a leading think tank on international affairs, the event provides a platform for high-level discussions on pressing regional security issues. This year’s dialogue was particularly significant, as it took place against the backdrop of heightened geopolitical tensions, ongoing conflicts, and the evolving global security landscape.
The Group of Seven is the new Saviour of Africa
Group of Seven (G7) is an informal grouping of advanced democracies (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom and the United States) that meets annually to coordinate global economic policy and address other transnational issues. The G7 plays a significant role in global governance, as its member countries are among the world’s largest economies and have a substantial impact on international relations. The G7’s engagement in Africa is crucial for sustainable development, as the continent faces numerous challenges, including poverty, climate change, and security threats.
Is Winning Control of PoK Beneficial for India?
Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) refers to the portion of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir that is currently under Pakistani control. The territory has been a source of tension between India and Pakistan since the two countries gained independence in 1947, and the disputed status of PoK has been a key issue in the ongoing conflict between the two nations. The disputed territory was ruled by Maharaja Hari Singh, a Hindu king, but the region had a majority Muslim population. When the state of Jammu and Kashmir acceded to India in 1947, Pakistan claimed that the accession was invalid and sent troops into the region.
Xi’s European Tour: Global Power Shifts and India’s Challenge
In these changing times, where every nation is trying to recalibrate its position according to its interests and the shifting power balances President Xi Jinping’s visit to France, Hungary, and Serbia has garnered observers of international politics their inquisitive seats of analysis. This comes when multiple conflictual clashes are building around the globe. The more than two-year war in Ukraine, the result of which seems to be elusive to the site, the Israeli siege of Gaza and its spillover effects in the region and the covert build-up of tensions between Israel and Iran distorting the current power status quo.
How Far Have University Student Protests Influenced Solidarity with Gaza?
Student protests in solidarity with Palestine have surged at universities worldwide following the escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. Protesters are demanding that their institutions sever ties with Israel and divest from companies supporting the conflict. The protests, largely organised by coalitions of student groups, have spread across the United States, Canada, Europe, and even Australia. Students have set up encampments on campuses to pressure universities into taking action. Protesters argue that universities should not maintain relationships with entities linked to the Israeli-Palestinian dispute and that such ties are inappropriate.