LASZLO LADANY: The Communist Party of China and Marxism 1921-1985: A Self-Portrait (1988)

Presented below is the Foreword by ROBERT ELEGANT. And this is an excellent review: Simon Leys: The art of interpreting non-existent inscriptions written in invisible ink on a blank page. Book review As his seventieth year approached, Laszlo Ladany decided to retire from the strenuous tasks of periodical scholarship to which he had voluntarily subordinated himself since… Read More LASZLO LADANY: The Communist Party of China and Marxism 1921-1985: A Self-Portrait (1988)

China Increasingly Views Trump’s America as an Empire in Decline

For decades, many Chinese viewed the United States with a mix of admiration, envy and resentment. President Trump’s volatile second term shattered that image. Li Yuan When President Trump visited China in late 2017, Xi Jinping welcomed him with a grand display of Chinese history and culture: a four-hour private tour of the Forbidden City culminating in… Read More China Increasingly Views Trump’s America as an Empire in Decline

The Vortex

NB: A gripping and very informative account of the intertwined crises that led to war and global confrontation in 1970-1971. I was a small witness to it from the Indian side of the border; and was caught up in the political cyclone which became the central theme for my novel Revolution Highway. Indeed, it was… Read More The Vortex

Naravane Exposé Reveals Delhi Runs on Narrative

Without alignment between military capability, strategic doctrine and civilian decision-making, India’s deterrence posture will remain asymmetric and operationally hollow. What remains really indispensable is political honesty. The suppression of Naravane’s memoir itself has become emblematic of this failure. A government unwilling to level with parliament or the public about how close India came to escalation… Read More Naravane Exposé Reveals Delhi Runs on Narrative

How Did the C.I.A. Lose a Nuclear Device?

A plutonium-packed generator disappeared on one of the world’s highest mountains in a hush-hush mission the U.S. still won’t talk about. By Jeffrey Gettleman, Hari Kumar, Agnes Chang and Pablo Robles Photographs and videos by Atul Loke. – Dec. 13, 2025 The mission demanded the utmost secrecy. A team of American climbers, handpicked by the C.I.A. for their mountaineering skills —… Read More How Did the C.I.A. Lose a Nuclear Device?

How three Uyghur brothers fled China – to spend 12 years in an Indian prison

NB: There seems to be Sino-Indian unity on torturing the innocent. DS Arrested in 2013 on India’s Himalayan border after fleeing Beijing’s ‘genocide’ against Muslims in Xinjiang, the siblings have been imprisoned indefinitely ever since then On the evening of 12 June 2013, according to court documents, three “Chinese intruders” were arrested by the Indian… Read More How three Uyghur brothers fled China – to spend 12 years in an Indian prison

Reversing the American brain drain: Is the Indian government’s scheme enough?

This officially sanctioned system of privileges will breed resentment among those who have spent their lives in those institutions and have a potentially demoralising impact in the long term. A “substantial set-up grant” only makes the funds available. Procurement is another story altogether. Shobhit Mahajan A recent newspaper report (IE, October 22, ) mentions that… Read More Reversing the American brain drain: Is the Indian government’s scheme enough?

‘She didn’t realise how dangerous it was’: London-bound student held in China over Tibet support

Zhang Yadi was due to begin a degree in the UK but the activist vanished on holiday amid tensions over Dalai Lama Jessie Lau As Zhang Yadi toured remote villages in the Chinese province of Sichuan last year, she updated her friends with messages and photos of lush forest landscapes, colourful streets and locals wearing… Read More ‘She didn’t realise how dangerous it was’: London-bound student held in China over Tibet support

Before and after the fall: World politics & the end of the Cold War

Nuno P. Monteiro and Fritz Bartel, eds., Before and after the fall: world politics and the end of the Cold War, Cambridge, 2021 Reviewed by Lorenzo Cladi In this volume, Nuno Monteiro and Fritz Bartel bring together a vast array of scholars. They all get to grips with the issue of continuity and change with… Read More Before and after the fall: World politics & the end of the Cold War