Author: Sharanya Sukesh

Representation of the LGBTQIA+ community and their concerns are often brought up during the election season and in media during the pride month.  While Pride Month and media coverage shed light on these issues and political promises are made, there is criticism that these efforts often lack substance and fail to address more profound systemic challenges or foster genuine societal empathy and awareness toward queer rights. LGBTQIA+ Political Representation and Engagement According to Pinklist India, an organization focused on intersectional feminism, politics, queerness, and the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community in the political sphere reported that out of the 543…

On 9 June, Narendra Modi was sworn in as the Prime Minister of India for the third consecutive term. Several world leaders offered their heartfelt congratulations on his victory.  One post in particular sparked strong reactions in China. Last week, Taiwan’s newly elected president, Lai Ching-te, congratulated Modi, highlighting the “rapidly expanding” partnership between Taiwan and India. Modi replied by supporting “closer relations” between the two governments and a “mutually advantageous economic and technological collaboration.” This post provoked Beijing as they perceived India’s failure to adhere to their ‘One China’ policy. ‘One China’ policy states that Taiwan is not an…

The US President Joe Biden’s initiative ‘America is Beautiful,’ also known as 30 by 30, aims at conserving, restoring, and connecting a minimum of 30 percent of the lands and waters the US has for the advancement of the nation’s economy and the well-being of its citizens by the year 2030.  Biden took this step toward conservation a week after he took office in January 2021. Three years later, new protections have significantly advanced the goal of being achieved by 2030. These initiatives span from glacial lakes in Minnesota to tribal lands in dry New Mexico, vast areas of the…

Narendra Modi, the leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), took the oath as the Prime Minister of India for the third consecutive term on Sunday in New Delhi. This event marks a historic moment as Modi becomes the second Prime Minister after Jawaharlal Nehru to secure a third term. In addition to Modi, 72 leaders were sworn in as members of the Modi Cabinet, reflecting a significant and extensive team to support his administration. The new Modi Cabinet comprises 30 Cabinet Ministers, five Ministers of State with Independent Charge, and 36 Ministers of State. This diversified team demonstrates a…

On Thursday, U.S. President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Zelensky attended the 80th anniversary of the D-Day events in Normandy, accompanied by European leaders who have backed Kyiv in the ongoing war with Russia.  Speaking in Paris a day after the event, Biden apologized to the Ukrainian people for the weeks of uncertainty about additional assistance, pointing fingers at the conservative Republicans in Congress who delayed a $61 billion military aid package to Ukraine for six months. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for bipartisan U.S. support like that during World War II. Mr. Biden promised that the U.S. would continue…

After the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) chose him to be their leader during a pivotal meeting in the nation’s capital on Wednesday, Narendra Modi is scheduled to take the oath of office as Prime Minister for a third consecutive term on Sunday.  Although the BJP did not secure a majority independently, the party-led NDA alliance won 293 out of 543 seats, surpassing the majority threshold 272 in the Lok Sabha. With the Janata Dal-United (JDU) and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) acting as potential “kingmakers” and giving their consent, the formation of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government is…

Japan, a country known for its diplomatic neutrality in the Israel-Palestine conflict, has announced that they are sending an invite to the Palestinian envoy for the Nagasaki event. Israel, one of Japan’s closest allies, has not been invited to the event. Instead, they have called for a ceasefire. Japan was the only member of the G7 governments that condemned the Gaza attacks and the number of casualties it has caused in the Strip. Shiro Suzuki, the Mayor of Nagasaki, and officials started sending out RSVP cards to all embassies in late May. However, since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in…

President of the United States, Joe Biden, made remarks about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he is prolonging the war in Gaza to secure his political status.  In an interview with Time Magazine, the U.S. President stated that there was ample justification for people to reach that conclusion when asked if he thought Netanyahu was prolonging the conflict for political reasons, echoing a common belief in Washington and other capitals that the Israeli leader is using the war to shield himself from political backlash.  The widespread consensus is that Netanyahu’s popularity has dropped significantly after the October 7th Hamas…

Hunter Biden, 54, the son of President Joe Biden, is on trial for felony gun charges, making it the first time in U.S. history that a sitting president’s child is facing trial. He is accused of violating federal law by purchasing and possessing a firearm while being addicted to drugs.  Despite admitting to struggles with alcohol and crack cocaine addiction, Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty to the three charges. The trial, expected to last one to two weeks, is being held in Wilmington, Delaware, a Democrat territory. Hunter Biden faces charges for allegedly lying on a federal form about…

Most of the exit polls have predicted that the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is set to win at least 350 seats in the Lok Sabha Assembly elections this year.  The last phase of elections was held on June 1. Exit polls are primarily used to determine which party has the support of voters. They also provide insight into the predicted number of seats a party or alliance could win. The polls have projected that the NDA government will return for another term, winning two-thirds of the majority. The Lok Sabha Election results will be announced…