The Little Drummer Boy / Christmas with André Rieu – Live in Maastricht (2019)

Some music for Christmas Christmas with André Rieu – Live in Maastricht (2019) WW1: Christmas Truce of 1914 – Vision of Humanity The Soldiers’ Christmas Truce 1914 / Armistice Day, November 11, 1918: In Pictures The Little Drummer Boy (originally known as Carol of the Drum) is a popular Christmas song written by the American classical music composer and teacher Katherine… Read More The Little Drummer Boy / Christmas with André Rieu – Live in Maastricht (2019)

Dilip

A Christmas Story

The Bible is unquestionably the most scrutinized “book” in history. Yet certain obvious facts about it nonetheless escape notice. For example, as Diarmaid MacCulloch points out in the Review’s December 18, 2025, the Bible is not in fact a book, but “books,” as its original Greek name (biblia) attests: sixty-six of them, or seventy-three, or seventy-six, depending… Read More A Christmas Story

Dilip

Israeli troops kill six Palestinians sheltering in Gaza school, say hospital chiefs

Attack brings total number of Palestinians killed by Israel to 401 since October ceasefire took effect William Christou The Israeli military killed six Palestinians, including a baby, who were in a school that sheltered displaced people in Gaza City on Friday, hospital officials have said. The attack brings the number of Palestinians killed by Israel to 401 since… Read More Israeli troops kill six Palestinians sheltering in Gaza school, say hospital chiefs

Dilip

Capital punishment

BJP governments are incapable of a Beijing-style clean-up. The government would have to apply restrictions on construction and vehicles that would alienate the builder and transport lobbies Mukul Kesavan Delhi’s air is unhealthy the year round, but in December and January it’s poisonous. When the chief minister, Rekha Gupta, arrived at a smog-filled Arun Jaitley… Read More Capital punishment

Dilip

Laughing carefully

Anusha Rizvi’s The Great Shamsuddin Family is billed as a comedy. So why does it leave you unsettled? Apoorvanand Dolly Ahluwalia (Asiya) and Farida Jalal (Akko) in a still from the movie. Set within one house, and one day, the film maps how personal choices—marriage, migration, belief—are influenced by a wider climate of suspicion. If you wish… Read More Laughing carefully

Dilip

‘We are all human beings first’: Jews and Muslims embrace at vigils for those killed in Bondi beach terror attack

NB: The idea of collective guilt or collective punishment is sheer poison. Everyone, especially the ruling establishments of various countries I need not name, should be aware of the inhumanity of this idea. You cannot defeat darkness with more darkness; violence with more violwence. For all its technological progress, global society seems not to have… Read More ‘We are all human beings first’: Jews and Muslims embrace at vigils for those killed in Bondi beach terror attack

Dilip

‘India’s First Radicals’ argues for a generous assessment of 19th-century Indian intellectual life

NB: Those who bang on about Macaulay’s Minute on education (1835) should acquaint themselves with this early Indian patriot, whose work in education inspired a generation and who preceded Macaulay by many years. DS The men of Young Bengal emerge not as pale imitations of British liberals, but as creative political thinkers who addressed India’s… Read More ‘India’s First Radicals’ argues for a generous assessment of 19th-century Indian intellectual life

Dilip