Saturday, 27 July 2024

Rayhan Ahmed Tapader

Mon, 25 Sep 23

Researcher and Columnist

New dynamic: Kamala Harris vs. Trump in presidential election

Diplomacy

Sat, 27 Jul 24

New dynamic: Kamala Harris vs. Trump in presidential election

A recent shooting incident at a Donald Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, indicates that the time has come to raise a strong voice against political violence in the United States. It is still unclear what the political beliefs of the shooter at Trump's rally were. The Secret Service has confirmed that Trump is safe, but at least one person attending the rally and the suspected attacker have been killed. This incident suggests that the frequency of untoward incidents is likely to increase during the election year. This is particularly concerning as election-related officials continue to fear ongoing threats and violence.

Reasons for rise of far-right forces in France

Diplomacy

Wed, 24 Jul 24

Reasons for rise of far-right forces in France

Before and after the parliamentary elections, President Macron faced unprecedented questions about his leadership from both conservative loyalists and centrist rebels. Candidates worried about their chances in the election openly distanced themselves from him. Meanwhile, influential leaders in the government, like Prime Minister Attal, distanced themselves from Macron's decision to call for early elections. The leftist coalition, New Popular Front (NFP), won the most seats in the French national parliamentary election, successfully blocking a landslide victory by the far-right National Rally (RN). The coalition includes the Socialists, Greens, Communists, and Jean-Luc Mélenchon's France Unbowed party, which were previously deeply divided. Uniting these groups into a coalition was not easy, making their victory a groundbreaking event.

Pezeshkian's Presidency: Balancing reform and resistance

Diplomacy

Mon, 15 Jul 24

Pezeshkian's Presidency: Balancing reform and resistance

Reformist Masoud Pezeshkian has been elected as Iran's 14th president, winning by a wide margin over conservative candidate Saeed Jalili, who was favored by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Pezeshkian hails from West Azerbaijan Province and was born in 1954 in Mahabad city. His father is Iranian-Azeri, and his mother is Iranian-Kurdish. Pezeshkian earned a bachelor's degree in general medicine and, as a young medical student, joined the revolutionaries against the Pahlavi regime. During the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, he served as a combat doctor. In 2001, Pezeshkian became Iran's Minister of Health, and since 2008, he has been a Member of Parliament representing East Azerbaijan.

International Justice System Under Threat Over Genocide Issues

Diplomacy

Mon, 8 Jul 24

International Justice System Under Threat Over Genocide Issues

Like almost all modern conflicts, the legal aspects of the Israel-Hamas struggle are the subject of intense debate. This is not a new phenomenon; such debates have occurred in the past. As with previous military operations in Gaza, Israel is arguing that this current campaign is a measure of self-defense. Article 51 of the UN Charter states that the right to self-defense is a fundamental principle of international law. While there are various debates surrounding the nuances of this principle, any state has the right to take defensive measures in the face of armed attacks. Most international lawyers believe that if rockets are fired into civilian areas and disrupt the normal social life of a part of a country, it can be considered an armed attack under international law. Article 51 of the UN Charter supports this view. However, there is ongoing debate about under what specific conditions such self-defense actions are legally justified.

Welcome to Keir Starmer, the new PM of Britain, goodbye to Rishi Sunak

Diplomacy

Sun, 7 Jul 24

Welcome to Keir Starmer, the new PM of Britain, goodbye to Rishi Sunak

In the UK, the 14-year rule of the Conservative Party has come to an end as the Labour Party returns to power. On July 4, 2024, a general election was held in Britain. Various polls had already been indicating that the Conservative Party would face a major defeat in this election, and the Labour Party would emerge victorious. The election on July 4 confirmed this prediction with a decisive victory for the Labour Party, and Keir Starmer has been inaugurated as the new Prime Minister of Britain. For the first time since 1945, a general election was held in the UK in the month of July. In this election, for the first time, voters were required to show photo ID or identification pictures before casting their votes. In the UK, the term of an elected government lasts for five years. The Conservative Party won the 2019 election. According to the rules, the next general election was due to be held by January 2025.

Ukraine crisis has paved the way for political downfall of Scholz and Macron

Diplomacy

Wed, 3 Jul 24

Ukraine crisis has paved the way for political downfall of Scholz and Macron

On February 24, 2022, when Russia advanced towards Ukraine with over a hundred thousand soldiers, a geopolitical earthquake shook the world. Two years have passed since then, and the war in Ukraine continues. This is the largest and most prolonged conflict on the continent since World War II. Since World War II, there has been no war in Europe with such high casualties and destruction as the current conflict. What Russia is doing now is a classic example of 19th-century imperialist and colonial aggression. The immense suffering Ukraine is enduring today has been experienced by many countries in the past.