The ICC’s problem with convicting war criminals
The ICC’s top prosecutor recently stated his intention to seek arrest warrants for Israel and Hamas leaders associated with the war in Gaza. Yet, the court's history of challenges raises doubts about its effectiveness in convicting war criminals. The International Criminal Court (ICC), established in 2002, is a judicial institution...
Current in People
Queer inclusivity remains hugely tokenistic in India
The Indian state's paradoxical stance on queer rights – oscillating between tokenistic reforms and harsh crackdowns – underscores the profound disconnect between political rhetoric and lived realities for the LGBTQ+ community. The recent ban imposed by the Pune Police, prohibiting transgender individuals from ‘congregating at traffic junctions and forcibly...
How Putin’s recent visit to Beijing fortifies the Sino-Russian relationship
In Beijing, Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin reaffirmed their complex partnership and promoted a multipolar world order in opposition to US leadership. In mid-May, Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed Vladimir Putin to Beijing for a bilateral discussion on their comprehensive strategic partnership. The two-day ordeal placed significant emphasis on...
Were Just Stop Oil’s protesting tactics effective?
In 2022, Just Stop Oil made headlines after two of its members threw soup over a Van Gogh painting. In the following weeks, the internet was divided over the activists’ radical means of drawing attention to the climate crisis, some calling it ‘alienating,’ others ‘justified.’ In 2022, controversy sparked when...
Nigerian students ordered to leave UK amid currency crisis
A number of Nigerian students have been ordered to leave the UK after Teesside University reported their inability to pay tuition fees to the Home Office. This comes as the Nigerian naira continues to depreciate sharply against major global currencies. Teesside University, located in Middlesbrough, has confirmed that it took...
The Vatican apologises over Pope Francis’s ‘homophobic’ language
The Pope reportedly used a slur during a conversation about gay men. The internet’s response has once again reckoned with the archaic structure of religious institutions. Pope Francis recently caused a stir by using a homophobic slur during a conversation about gay men. After immense backlash, the Vatican has now issued...
BJP’s escalating influence over electoral narratives
As India gears up for elections, BJP is using the media and AI to amplify its messaging and sway public opinion, raising concerns about the integrity of the electoral process. In a bold move, the BJP has embraced political satire, crafting viral video campaigns that mock and caricature its opponents. The viral "Dulha Kaun Hai?" (Who's the Groom) ad, created by political consultancy firm Varahe Analytics, took a humorous jab at...
How India is tackling its hunger and malnutrition crisis
India's fight against hunger and malnutrition remains an uphill battle, with staggering statistics that paint a grim picture of the nation's invisible crisis affecting millions, especially among the most vulnerable communities. India's dismal ranking of 111 out of 125 countries in the 2023 Global Hunger Index, with a 'serious' hunger level score of 28.7, is a sobering reminder of the challenges that lie ahead. The crisis is particularly acute for...
Rishi Sunak wants to scrap your ‘low-value’ university degree
If the Conservatives win the UK’s July election, Rishi Sunak has vowed to scrap ‘rip-off’ university degrees in favour of skilled apprenticeships. Creative and cultural studies will likely be the hardest hit. The UK’s prime minister Rishi Sunak is worried that our university degrees aren’t preparing us well enough to engage in late-stage capitalism. As a result, he’s announced his plan to cut ‘low-value’ degrees and replace them with 100,000...
Israel’s attack on the last ‘safe zone’ in Gaza sparks global outcry
The IDF’s latest lethal attack on a refugee camp in Gaza has violated an order laid out by the International Court of Justice. Meanwhile, leaders in Europe are moving to recognise Palestine as a state, signalling a major turning point in the conflict. Days after the October 7th attack, global media outlets exploded with fake news reports claiming that Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had found 40 babies beheaded by...
