Author: ANANYA

Persisting loneliness in the 21st century is an inevitable phenomenon of late-stage capitalism. Often referred to as an epidemic akin to leprosy, its plight is so entrenched and seemingly incurable that, in recent years, nations such as the United Kingdom and Japan have gone so far as to appoint ministers for loneliness to address this “global issue” and the countless suicides it leads to every year. Undermining the importance of community and ignoring the very impossibility of human existence as atomized, independent units have given rise to the phenomenon of being ‘lonely in a crowd,’ where an individual feels a…

The act of looking away from the pain of others in favour of having an easier, more comfortable life for yourself can be relatively undemanding. Through the character of Bill Furlong, played by Cillian Murphy, the film ‘Small Things Like These’ feels like an attempt at persuasion against such complacency. In his first project since the Oscar-winning role in Oppenheimer, Cillian Murphy is unsurprisingly exceptional—distressed, sombre and haunted by his traumatic past in a way that is palpable. His performance assumes centrality in this slow-burn drama and his contribution to the film and the way he brings the character is…

A brutal onslaught was carried out by the Israeli Defense Forces at the Nuseirat refugee camp during late Thursday, killing 33 and injuring 84 Palestinians. Reuters was informed by medics that there was a strike on a post office that had been the shelter to Palestinian families, which also hit the houses nearby. The air strike was described as a “barbaric and heinous massacre” by the Government Media Office in Gaza. In a statement of condemnation a day after, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry stated—“We condemn the savage massacre perpetrated by the occupation forces in Nuseirat camp, which led to the…

In the very first scene, the audience find themselves gazing at a dimly lit strip club with Mikey Madison’s titular character ‘Anora’ charming her clientele. That is where she eventually meets Ivan “Vanya” Zakharov, a 21-year old spoiled son of a wealthy Russian oligarch. Paying for her time and sexual services, Ivan invites her out to his luxurious seaside mansion in Brooklyn multiple times. It was during a New Year’s Eve party that he suggests a more exclusive arrangement with Ani, as she prefers to be referred to—where he would have her out to Las Vegas for a week, for…

As it is often said, it takes many, many years to become an overnight success and nothing about the meteoric rise to fame that 26-year old pop sensation Chappell Roan experienced since releasing her debut album ‘The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess’ back in September of 2023 has come easy to her. A whirlwind rise to fame is not kind to many, especially if you are a young woman diagnosed with severe depression and bipolar II disorder and suddenly have a hoard of people scrutinizing every facet of your existence and being abusive in the guise of devotion.…

Categorising a wide array of books under this one tag might be vapid and reductive since the experience of young women in the cusp of real adulthood, navigating the banality of human existence is hardly singular. Regardless, the ‘Women vs the Void’ genre encompasses literature with female protagonists questioning their place in this world while often being entangled in complicated relationships with others and identity. These books tend to be especially character-centric, lacking a defined plot. Here is a selection of some exquisite, contemplative books which get it right. Interesting Facts About Face by Emily Austin “I want to linger…

The CEO of UnitedHealth’s insurance division, Brian Thompson, was shot dead in broad daylight in a targeted attack outside a hotel in Manhattan on Wednesday morning when he was attending the annual investor conference. The United States of America is tragically no stranger to deaths due to gun violence but unlike most shootings, this one has brought a stream of support for the suspected killer rather than the victim. The Reception Unusually, the killing of the UnitedHealth Group CEO on Wednesday has not been received with an outpouring of horror and shock. Instead it sparked both explicit and implicit approval…

On December 8th, the Assad Regime in Syria was met with an abrupt collapse as the opposition forces advanced towards Damascus on that Sunday morning and declared Syria to be free of President Bashar al-Assad’s government. Syria had been at war for nearly 13 years, but the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched a swift onslaught that overthrew the Assad regime in a matter of days. Following the overthrow, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Sunday that he has given the Israeli military orders to “seize” a demilitarised buffer zone on the Syrian border. Israeli forces have launched…

As opposition forces swept into the capital early Sunday morning, they proclaimed Syria free of President Bashar al-Assad’s government. Nearly 14 years after Syrians rose up in protests against a regime that responded with brutality and swiftly descended into a terrible civil war, the 53 years of al-Assad family control has met with an abrupt end. The Islamist militant organisation with former association with Al-Qaeda, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its affiliated rebel groups initiated an attack in northwest Syria on November 27th. As the military broke down, they swiftly seized Aleppo—the nation’s second-largest city, and then marched south along…

A burgeoning gender critical movement in the United Kingdom masquerading as being pro-women has legitimised and radicalised anti-transgender sentiment, capturing the narrative and exerting significant influence on the government, society and media as it tirades against ‘gender ideology.’ The United Kingdom, which was formerly praised for its progressive views on queer rights, has gained notoriety for its hostility towards transgender individuals and for fostering transphobic sentiment. A survey carried out in November by the brand Zoah revealed that LGBTQ+ people have been feeling increasingly unsafe in the United Kingdom, with around 72 percent of trans and non-binary folks experiencing the…