Patrick Wintour: Russia’s belief in Nato ‘betrayal’ – and why it matters today

The current confrontation between Russia and the west is fuelled by many grievances, but the greatest is the belief in Moscow that the west tricked the former Soviet Union by breaking promises made at the end of the cold war in 1989-1990 that Nato would not expand to the east. In his now famous 2007 speech… Read More Patrick Wintour: Russia’s belief in Nato ‘betrayal’ – and why it matters today

Dilip

Oliver Milman: How the speed of climate change is unbalancing the insect world

The climate crisis is set to profoundly alter the world around us. Humans will not be the only species to suffer from the calamity. Huge waves of die-offs will be triggered across the animal kingdom as coral reefs turn ghostly white and tropical rainforests collapse. For a period, some researchers suspected that insects may be… Read More Oliver Milman: How the speed of climate change is unbalancing the insect world

Dilip

Last year the oceans absorbed heat equivalent to 7 Hiroshima atomic bombs detonating each second

I was fortunate to play a small part in a new study, just published in the journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences, which shows that the Earth broke yet another heat record last year. Twenty-three scientists from around the world teamed up to analyze thousands of temperature measurements taken throughout the world’s oceans. The measurements, taken… Read More Last year the oceans absorbed heat equivalent to 7 Hiroshima atomic bombs detonating each second

Dilip

Shyam Saran: Communal virus runs riot – Attacks on minorities may lead to irreversible fragmentation of Indian Union

The three-day hate fest against the Muslim community, held at Haridwar recently, is only the latest in a series of intemperate and vulgar attacks against minorities that, if unchecked, may lead to an irreversible fragmentation and disintegration of the Indian Union. We should stop minimising the destructive impact of these increasingly brazen and violent attacks… Read More Shyam Saran: Communal virus runs riot – Attacks on minorities may lead to irreversible fragmentation of Indian Union

Dilip

Chris Hedges and Mark Rudd Discuss Self Destructive Forces on the Left

NB: This argument is an American counterpart of my understanding about the delusions of revolutionary extremism. These delusions are to be found amongst extremist nationalists too, who also see themselves as revolutionaries. These ideological pipe-dreams are fueled by visions of forcing human character into new a mould (determined by the Headquarters of Truth), an addiction to totalitarian… Read More Chris Hedges and Mark Rudd Discuss Self Destructive Forces on the Left

Dilip

Praneet Pathak: Modi in a Traffic Jam, and the Decaying of Our Democracy

Today the nation feels threatened, our collective security and democracy compromised – or so the media would have you believe, with the prime minister’s cavalcade having to turn back due to protests and the allegations of ‘poor security management’ it has given rise to. But in reality, this incident reveals to us the many facets… Read More Praneet Pathak: Modi in a Traffic Jam, and the Decaying of Our Democracy

Dilip