Author: Dilip

I'm a scholar, writer and teacher; and my blog is designed for intellectual exploration. It carries no advertisements and requires no cash subscription

Mushroom cloud over Fangataufa atoll, French Polynesia, 1968

Adam Tooze ‘Vautour II’ flying in the cloud of the ‘Canopus’ nuclear explosion, the first explosion of a French thermonuclear bomb, over the lagoon of the Fangataufa atoll in French Polynesia in 1968. The Vautour II was taking samples of material from the cloud. Source: Marlène Aviation https://adamtooze.substack.com/p/russia-under-sanctions-the-foreign?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email Nuclear Testing in the Marshall Islands: A… Read More Mushroom cloud over Fangataufa atoll, French Polynesia, 1968

Dilip

Michael Longley: Literature should not be changed to remove ‘complexities’

By Cormac Campbell The poet Michael Longley has said that the “complexities and difficulties of literature” must not be simplified to fit changing outlooks. He was speaking after an event in his honour at Armagh’s Robinson Library marking his Feltrinelli International Prize for Poetry last year. At the event the 83-year-old reprised the lecture he… Read More Michael Longley: Literature should not be changed to remove ‘complexities’

Dilip

UN condemns Israel’s use of excessive force in attack on Palestine

In a rare condemnation of Israel, the UN has denounced the country’s excessive use of force in its largest military operation in two decades targeting a refugee camp in the West Bank. The UN secretary general, António Guterres, clearly angered by the impact of the Israeli attack on the Jenin refugee camp, said it had left… Read More UN condemns Israel’s use of excessive force in attack on Palestine

Dilip

Such were the joys

Jacintha Buddicom and George Orwell were childhood soul mates who lost touch until he was dying. A new postscript to her genteel memoir sheds a disturbing light on their friendship, finds Kathryn Hughes Kathryn Hughes Eric & Us by Jacintha Buddicom From the late 1960s my family spent every weekend and most of the summer… Read More Such were the joys

Dilip

Manipur Conflict: Echoes of History & Perils of False Narratives

In a revealing interview with The Wire, Meitei MLA Nishikant Singh Sapam, Chairman of the Committee on Privileges and Ethics in the Manipur Legislative Assembly, stated that the conflict primarily revolves around land. It becomes evident that labelling Kukis as ‘terrorists,’ ‘narco-terrorists,’ ‘illegal immigrants,’ or ‘foreigners’ serves no purpose other than undermining their legitimacy, subjecting… Read More Manipur Conflict: Echoes of History & Perils of False Narratives

Dilip

‘Deep political changes are only a matter of time’

Correspondence with Vladimir Kara-Murza In April 2023 the Russian opposition politician and human rights activist Vladimir Kara-Murza was sentenced to 25 years in prison for speaking out against the war on Ukraine. He was found guilty of ‘running an ‘undesirable organization’, of ‘spreading falsehoods about the Russian army’ and of high treason – likely in connection with… Read More ‘Deep political changes are only a matter of time’

Dilip

Govt employing influencers: Death knell for professional news media?

Bharat Bhushan With an eye on the general elections, the government’s communication policy has diversified from TV and print media to include social media influencers. Individuals with large followings on social media will get government funding to promote the government’s leadership and programmes either directly or through advertisements. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology… Read More Govt employing influencers: Death knell for professional news media?

Dilip

प्रवेश शुक्ला गिरफ़्तार, घर पर बुलडोज़र चला | Pravesh Shukla arrested

5 Jul 2023 #madhyapradesh #shivrajsinghchouhan #narottammishra आप कैसे दुनिया में सर उठाकर कह सकेंगे कि जात-पात का भेदभाव इस देश से मिट गया है। किसी के ऊपर पेशाब करने की यह सोच हवा से नहीं आई है बल्कि सैंकड़ों साल से चलते हुए प्रवेश शुक्ला में बनी हुई है इस जातिवादी सोच के लिए संघ… Read More प्रवेश शुक्ला गिरफ़्तार, घर पर बुलडोज़र चला | Pravesh Shukla arrested

Dilip

86 Ex-Civil Servants Including Former Odisha Cadre IAS Officers Write To Amit Shah; Allege Harassment Of NGOs Under FCRA

Bhubaheswar: More than 80 retired civil servants, including at least four ex-IAS officers of Odisha cadre, have sought Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s intervention to put an end to alleged harassment of voluntary organisations under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). The group of 86 former civil servants of the All India and Central Services, which… Read More 86 Ex-Civil Servants Including Former Odisha Cadre IAS Officers Write To Amit Shah; Allege Harassment Of NGOs Under FCRA

Dilip

The Dark Side of AI: Manipulating Reality / Ensuring Re-sponsible Use Of AI

Streamed live on 5 Jul 2023 #artificialintelligence#chatgpt#darksideofaiDive into the world of artificial intelligence and discover the good, the bad, and the ugly. Explore the disturbing trend of deepfakes, where AI is used to manipulate vide-os & pictures, blurring the line between fact and fiction. What is deepfake technology and how is it evolving, how can… Read More The Dark Side of AI: Manipulating Reality / Ensuring Re-sponsible Use Of AI

Dilip