Author: Kavya Pragallapati

President Joe Biden, joined by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his UK counterpart Boris Johnson, agreed on the new Indo-Pacific Security pact. The deal dubbed AUKUS was negotiated on Wednesday. Peace and Stability The heads of nations stated their partnership is guided by their enduring ideas and shared commitment to the international rules-based order. The security pact is to ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific in the long run. For Australia, it is pivotal to be more equipped in the 21st century. The country will build eight nuclear-powered submarines in Adelaide as part of the partnership. Canberra argued…

Traditionally superhero comic are designed to be the site of male fantasies. They were meant exclusively for men and boys. When the comics turned to movies, they primarily catered to male tastes. The stereotypical idea was that women audience would not find the live-action adaptations of the comics worthy of watching. The movies, thus, indulged in hyper-sexualization of female characters, objectification of women on screen and most importantly, the limiting of women on screen to one-dimensional objects with no well-defined personality. However, the incredible success of Marvel Cinematic Universe and the popularity of DC Movies despite the mixed reviews pointed…

This weekend news was filled with reports of crimes against women from across the country. A woman in Sakinaka, Mumbai, was sexually assaulted in the back of a parked tempo. A 24-year-old national athlete from Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, was found on the train tracks with grave injuries and evidence of rape. From Chhattisgarh came the report of a woman abducted and gang-raped. The suspects confessed to killing her for putting up a fight. Unfortunately, this is not the extent of violence against women in the country. These are merely the reports that made it into the national news. It has…

Axis Bank said the initiative is a part of its commitment to help promote implement diversity, equity and inclusion. On September 6, Axis Bank announced inclusive practices and policies for its employees and customers from the LGBTQIA+ community. The new policy comes on the third anniversary of the decriminalization of homosexuality by the Supreme Court. On September 6 2018, India’s apex court struck down section 377, an archaic law that alienated millions of people for decades, if not centuries. Come As You Are Axis Bank launched a campaign on the historic day that promotes diversity, equity and inclusion. The ‘Come…

Ben Wallace, UK Defence Secretary, called the Taliban takeover a failure of the international community. Speaking to British media Ben Wallace, UK Defence Secretary, assessed the west’s intervention in Afghanistan, calling it a job half-done. The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, he continued, was the world’s failure. He maintained the 20-year intervention by US-led forces in Afghanistan “wasn’t a waste, it wasn’t for nothing” instead, it was short-sighted in policy matters. Afghanistan is a country with over 1000 years of history. The western intervention lasted 20-years which in the long run is the blink of an eye. Lasting change takes time…

The much-awaited standalone Black Widow struggles to find its footing.Black Widow was released in India on September 2, the same day Shang Chi hit the theatres across the world. A year after the initially planned release, the long-awaited standalone movie proved a disappointment to the fans. The movie starts on solid footing. The seemingly innocent opening sequence introduces us to Natasha’s family and propels us forward into a thrilling spy adventure. Yet, as the movie progresses, it starts to lose focus. Black Widow The Russian spy’s first appearance was in Iron Man 2, released over a decade ago. Despite multiple…

Angela Merkel marks the end of her 16-year Chancellorship with the upcoming German Federal Elections. Angela Merkel has served as Chancellor of Germany since 2005. In her 16 years of Chancellorship, she has navigated more crises than Macron, Johnson and Trump together. She steered Germany through the 2008 financial crisis and the ensuing eurozone debt crisis, the 2015 refugee emergency and most recently, the Covid-19 pandemic.  In a YouGov survey, she received the highest approval ratings among the European world leaders. Her climate change action plan and response to the global pandemic received a largely positive response. However, her dealing…

Fashion is fast-changing, and keeping up is neither environmentally safe nor cheap. A new trend of thrift stores is the solution. Fashion trends in today’s world are fast changing. The invention of new manufacturing technologies and low prices resulted in people across the globe adopting ‘fast fashion.’ On average, people consume 60% more clothing than they did twenty years ago. Thrift shops are the latest craze. Several Instagram fashion pages have sprouted up. They offer unique opportunities and funky statement pieces that adhere to all ethical fashion practices. What are Thrift Stores? Thrift stores generally sell gently used clothing, household…

On June 16, Santosh Kumar was allegedly assaulted by BJP leader and his henchmen. Now, the alleged assault is the centre of a political fight. Santosh Kumar was allegedly assaulted on 26 June by BJP leader Yadvendra Pratap Singh. Yadvendra is the husband of Anamika Singh, the Pradhan village head of Swansa refuted the allegations. He claimed it was a conspiracy to settle political scores. The Incidents in June Santosh Kumar, a journalist working in Jaunpur, reported for Bahujan India 24 News on 25 June. The report claimed that police in Jaunpur’s Maharajaganj refused to file an FIR on Scheduled…

Researchers in Brazil discover the Covid inhibiting properties of Jararacussu Pit Viper’s venom. Preliminary tests on monkeys showed promising results. Jararacussu, a Brazilian pit viper’s venom, might just be the solution to the pandemic plaguing the world for the last year. Researchers from the University of Sao Paolo in Brazil found that a venom component inhibits the virus’s growth. The study published in the science journal ‘Molecules’ was conducted on Monkeys. The research notes that the molecule was able to cut down on the growth of coronavirus in monkeys by 75%. For a virus that has hitherto remained untreatable, a possible cure could mean a return to normalcy. This path-breaking research emerged from Brazil…