India’s Moon Landing: A Remarkable Milestone
India has achieved a momentous milestone by successfully landing a spacecraft, Chandrayaan-3, on the Moon. This groundbreaking endeavor, which has garnered global attention, marks a significant step for the country’s space exploration program. The mission, led by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), showcases India’s prowess in the field of technology and highlights its commitment to pushing the boundaries of scientific innovation. With this successful landing, India joins an exclusive group of nations that have achieved the remarkable feat of a lunar landing.
Introduction to the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC)
The China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) is a strategic infrastructure project of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) aimed at connecting China with Myanmar’s major economic centers.
CMEC was endorsed by Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to Myanmar in January 2020, marking the culmination of China’s efforts to reconstitute Sino-Myanmar relations after Myanmar’s democratic transition.
Panama Canal’s Climate Crisis Affects $270 Billion Trade Industry
For the fifth time this drought season, the Panamanian Canal Authority (ACP) has restricted the size of ships allowed to transit the canal.
With about 38 vessels navigating it daily, a water supply issue is threatening the survival of this vital waterway. The climate crisis has forced Panama’s government to curtail maritime traffic in the channel that connects the Atlantic and Pacific.
Intersecting Challenges: Arms Control and Climate Change
Wajeeha Amin explores the undeniable link between militarism and climate change. She asserts that military operations have substantial environmental impacts, including energy consumption, hazardous waste production, and habitat destruction. Nuclear weapons themselves pose devastating threats to the environment, from immediate devastation to long-term radioactive fallout. Hence, balancing defense budgets with climate solutions, and disarmament are essential to reducing climate change’s impacts.
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor: 10 Years and Beyond
It’s been a decade since the inauguration of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a $50 billion project under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
While many believe that the project has failed in many respects, Ayesha Shaikh shares what it is and what it isn’t.
Importance of Incorporating UN Resolution 1325 in Countering Violent Extremism
Conflicts render women and children utterly vulnerable to violence, harassment, abuse, and the psychological and economic effects of war. In such a volatile environment, women are often forced to step up as the heads of families, and take on odd, if not illegal, jobs for survival. Their experiences also make them more susceptible to radical ideologies.
Yet, the link between gender and conflict resolution, security, and peace is often overlooked. Iman Faisal describes the UN Resolution 1325 to address the dire need for gendered lenses in countering violent extremism, and for establishing comprehensive and inclusive peace.
Why is Russia Rolling Out Islamic Banking?
It was certainly a surprise when the Russian parliament’s lower chamber approved the bill allowing the introduction of the Islamic banking system.
The trial will start on 1st September and last for two years, but with the possibility of an extension depending on the results. Russia’s engagement in developing Islamic banks is a sign of its ambitions to seize new economic possibilities and improve connections with nations with a Muslim majority.
Fukushima Water Discharge Controversy
A disastrous tsunami followed the 2011 earthquake in Japan, causing disruption to the reactors at the Fukushima nuclear plant site. As a consequence, there was a release of radioactive material.
Japan has now decided to release treated radioactive water into the Pacific, but China, South Korea, and the Pacific Island nations are opposing the discharge of the Fukushima water.
Modi’s Uniform Civil Code: A Threat to the Muslims of India
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has once again become a topic of discussion as he’s decided to bring up the long-debated Indian civil code before the national elections. The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will mean a set of common personal laws for all the country’s citizens regardless of their religion. Clearly, he wants to use this legislative appeal to sway a majority of the masses in his direction, but is that the predicted outcome? Ideological dissent is making headway in India, and this move by the BJP is threatening the longstanding Indian claim of being the world’s largest secular democracy.
Fall of the Ottoman Empire & the Emergence of Nation States
To comprehend the fall of the Ottoman Empire, it is essential to examine not only the events that led to this significant shift but also those that followed the collapse. The authors provide a concise overview of the events preceding the empire’s fall, such as the Young Turk Revolution, the Balkan Wars, and WWI, among others. They also evaluate the various agreements and events that contributed to the emergence of nation-states and their international boundaries.
Niger Coup & Its Threat to West Africa
On 26th July 2023, a coup occurred in Niger which left the democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, detained by the presidential guards in the presidential palace.
The presidential guard commander-general, Abdourahamane Tchiani, proclaimed himself the head of a transitional government, the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland.
This one coup has overturned the whole social, political, and economic paradigm of Western Africa.
Examining the Rising Islamophobic Sentiments in Europe
In recent years, Europe has witnessed a disheartening rise in Islamophobia, imposing far-reaching consequences on individuals, communities, and societies as a whole. Europe’s Islamophobic wave has led to Muslim communities experiencing an immense amount of discrimination, hate crimes, and marginalization. When it comes to Islam, freedom of speech has been reduced to an excuse for committing hate crimes.
Fatimah Naeem provides a comprehensive analysis of the causes and consequences of Islamophobia in Europe, and the responses to it. She aims to foster awareness and understanding of this multifaceted issue to encourage constructive dialogue and efforts towards a more tolerant and inclusive European society.
BRICS Currency: Reshaping Global Economics
Sibra Waseem asserts that the US interest rate rise, monetary policy, and geopolitical tensions on global trade prices have fed the move for a BRICS currency. Where approximately 88% of worldwide commerce is currently handled in US dollars and accounts for 58% of global foreign exchange reserves, the BRICS currency would certainly shift the tides of geoeconomics. She, however, notes that the possibility of a BRICS currrency is marred by tensions between states comprising the powerful bloc.
Reclaiming Glory: Türkiye’s Rise Under Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Türkiye has been on a mission to reclaim its previous glory under the leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan’s unwavering support for international Muslims, as well as his criticism of US policies, have thrust him into the center of international discourse.
Despite the polarized public opinion, Türkiye has improved its military capabilities and emerged as a significant player in the weapons market, contributing to its growing global dominance.
Much to the chagrin of the United States, it has formed strategic relationships with countries such as Russia and China, diversifying its alliances and impacting regional dynamics.
Oppenheimer: Recorded History vs Glossed Reels
In this day and age, everyone who is chronically online knows to take any form of media or information with a grain of salt; the same should be the case with Christopher Nolan’s groundbreaking new film ‘Oppenheimer’ which was released just last month on 21st July 2023.
Based on the book ‘American Prometheus’ by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, the highly anticipated movie had a budget of around $100 million. Records broke around the globe as people rushed to theaters and cinemas to catch the earliest screenings.
Nolan has been known to create intellectually challenging films such as Tenet, Inception, Interstellar, and more which make the viewers question not only the laws of physics but of reality as well. Oppenheimer, too, has not deviated from this path.
Is the movie an accurate depiction of history, or has it instead been portrayed to advance American heroism?
Climate Change: A Growing Challenge to State Sovereignty
The sovereignty of states cannot be studied in isolation from the environment in which they reside. Changes in climate patterns have a profound impact on human behavior and pose new challenges for the state. As rising sea levels, droughts, erratic rainfall, and food insecurity sweep across regions due to climate change, large populations have begun abandoning their homelands in search of security and better living standards. Athar Ali discusses how climate-driven mass migrations have influenced the sovereignty of states, disrupting socio-economic and political development.
Notable Political Philosophers
It would not be possible to comprehend how society and the state function without an analysis of political science. It gives people clarity of mind and thought, and the ability to formulate opinions without generational bias.
Termed as the “Queen of Sciences” by Aristotle, political science encompasses the local government, constitutional law, political parties, judicial institutions, policy-making, resource allocation, socio-political ideologies, and state machinery.
Hafsa Ammar explores the works and ideas of five prominent political philosophers: Plato, Al-Farabi, Al-Ghazali, Ibn Khaldun, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
