Melissa Godin: The rise of the border and surveillance industry

Companies that profit from selling surveillance technologies and border services to governments are actively lobbying countries to adopt more militaristic approaches to migration. In fact, the border and surveillance industry is now so profitable that it has become a key commodity for major investment companies such as the Vanguard Group, BlackRock, or Capital Research Management, who invest… Read More Melissa Godin: The rise of the border and surveillance industry

Dilip

Val Munduruku: How I took the fight to save the Amazon to the world stage

We see how our forests are turning into large mud pools. We see how the sources of our rivers are silting up and how their courses are diverting. We see how the tree shadows begin to disappear, how the harvested fruits are diminishing, and how the crystalline water of the Tapajós River, of the igarapés – the… Read More Val Munduruku: How I took the fight to save the Amazon to the world stage

Dilip

China calls these Uyghur parents 'terrorists' without evidence. But they say they just want to be with their children again

Three Uyghur parents who publicly appealed to Beijing to let their children leave China have been accused, without evidence, of child abandonment and terrorism by the Chinese government. In separate statements, all three denied the allegations and called on Chinese authorities to allow their families to reunite. In March, CNN revealed the stories of two Uyghur families torn apart… Read More China calls these Uyghur parents 'terrorists' without evidence. But they say they just want to be with their children again

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Apoorvanand: Government attempts to equate a belligerent state with a desperate citizenry / Ramachandra Guha: 'Modi's Leadership Main Reason for COVID Mishandling, He's a Megalomaniac'

Why did the government not call an all-party meeting or convene Parliament to seek advice and cooperation from the entire political class when the pandemic was knocking on our doors? How is the Opposition expected to contribute in this battle? All the resources are concentrated in the hands of the Centre in the name of disaster management.… Read More Apoorvanand: Government attempts to equate a belligerent state with a desperate citizenry / Ramachandra Guha: 'Modi's Leadership Main Reason for COVID Mishandling, He's a Megalomaniac'

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Sally Bayley: The Shakespeare tragedy that truly speaks to us now

In 2021, as we approach Shakespeare’s putative birthday tomorrow, there are more profound reasons why his character is pertinent. During this difficult year of lockdowns and isolation, Falstaff has emerged in my mind as a potent symbol of dispossession and social misfortune    There may be Shakespeare characters who are more celebrated, or whose tragedies… Read More Sally Bayley: The Shakespeare tragedy that truly speaks to us now

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Andrés Tapia: Oil exploitation is threatening the Ecuadorian rainforest – and the planet

I grew up and learned about caring for nature thanks to a pilot programme (Fatima Experimental Center) for the conservation of Amazonian fauna run by the Organization of Indigenous Peoples of Pastaza (OPIP). Today, Pastaza Kikin Kichwa Runakuna (Pakkiru – the current name for OPIP, my home organisation) consists of more than 180 grassroots communities and 13 associations,… Read More Andrés Tapia: Oil exploitation is threatening the Ecuadorian rainforest – and the planet

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Ozlem Goner: Banning the pro-Kurdish HDP in Turkey is a move towards fascism

On 17 March, a top prosecutor filed a case with Turkey’s Constitutional Court demanding the closure of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), as well as a five-year political ban on more than 600 party members. Around the same time, HDP parliamentarian and prominent human rights advocate Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu was forcibly removed from parliament, and later detained. These… Read More Ozlem Goner: Banning the pro-Kurdish HDP in Turkey is a move towards fascism

Dilip

Chinese Naval Base in Africa Set to Support Aircraft Carriers

A recently completed pier at the Chinese naval base near the entrance to the Red Sea is large enough to support an aircraft carrier, the top U.S. commander for Africa told lawmakers on Tuesday. Referring to the Chines naval base in Djibouti, U.S. Africa Commander Army Gen. Stephen Townsend told the House Armed Services Committee… Read More Chinese Naval Base in Africa Set to Support Aircraft Carriers

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How India Allowed the Virus to Overwhelm It. By Ramanan Laxminarayan

Complacency and lack of preparation by the Indian government pushed the country into an unprecedented crisis. A lethal, fast-paced second wave of the coronavirus pandemic has brought India’s health care systems to the verge of collapse and is putting millions of lives and livelihoods at risk. On Sunday and Monday, the country recorded more than… Read More How India Allowed the Virus to Overwhelm It. By Ramanan Laxminarayan

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