The Words the Western Press are too Cowardly to Use about Israel’s Occupation of Palestine: War Crimes, Crimes against Humanity, Apartheid

RAMZY BAROUD ( Middle East Monitor ) – On 20 February, the United Nations Security Council approved a statement, described in the media as a ‘watered-down’ version of an earlier draft resolution which would have demanded that Israel “immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory.” The intrigues that led to the scrapping of what was meant… Read More The Words the Western Press are too Cowardly to Use about Israel’s Occupation of Palestine: War Crimes, Crimes against Humanity, Apartheid

28th February 2023 Dilip

Matt Sheehan: Silent documentary on China’s unspooling environmental disasters

First posted January 26, 2016 The 2015 film “Behemoth” opens with an mining explosion and closes with a ghost city. The 84 minutes in between are a wordless exploration of what connects the two — the environmental tragedy that has mirrored China’s economic miracle. Shot over several years in the Chinese provinces of Inner Mongolia and Shaanxi,… Read More Matt Sheehan: Silent documentary on China’s unspooling environmental disasters

24th February 202324th February 2023 Dilip

What is to be Undone (2016)

First posted February 22, 2016 NB: This post deals with the political debate sparked off by the recent events in JNU. It is for the consideration of ordinary students as well as other concerned individuals, in India and abroad. It is offered in the belief that a forthright dialogue on divisive themes is the only way… Read More What is to be Undone (2016)

24th February 2023 Dilip

Bernie Sanders: ‘Oligarchs run Russia. But guess what? They run the US as well’

Read an extract from It’s OK to Be Angry About Capitalism by Tim Adams fter the State of the Union address at the beginning of this month, the Wall Street Journal ran an opinion piece that argued: “Joe Biden is Bernie Sanders.” By this it meant that, somehow, by stealth, under the cover of darkness, a “democratic socialist” – both words apparently… Read More Bernie Sanders: ‘Oligarchs run Russia. But guess what? They run the US as well’

20th February 202320th February 2023 Dilip

Indian journalists say BBC raid part of drive to intimidate media

Hannah Ellis-Petersen in Delhi Since Modi came to power in 2014, some journalists and other media workers have alleged that a systematic silencing of critical reporting has taken place and that journalists have been targeted as “anti-national” threats to the state. In this year’s World Press Freedom Index, India dropped down to 150 out of 180 countries,… Read More Indian journalists say BBC raid part of drive to intimidate media

19th February 2023 Dilip

Ashok H. Desai: How the Judiciary Defied the Government to Uphold Constitutional Values During the Emergency

The declaration proclaimed on June 25, 1975, under Article 352(1) of the constitution that a grave Emergency existed whereby the security of India was threatened by internal disturbance was the declaration of a phoney Emergency. Its real cause was the erosion of Indira Gandhi’s hold on power. The occasion to declare it on that day… Read More Ashok H. Desai: How the Judiciary Defied the Government to Uphold Constitutional Values During the Emergency

16th February 202316th February 2023 Dilip

Nayantara Sahgal speaks to Ajoy Bose: ‘We have a nightmare which is worse than the Emergency’

On June 25, 1975, Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency in India that lasted for 21 months. The period saw widespread human rights violations, jailing of members of the Opposition and a clampdown on press freedom. Forty three years later, journalist Ajoy Bose, author of a newly relaunched book on the Emergency, interviews Nayantara Sahgal, who… Read More Nayantara Sahgal speaks to Ajoy Bose: ‘We have a nightmare which is worse than the Emergency’

16th February 202316th February 2023 Dilip

BBC ‘Raid’: PM Modi loses battle of perception internationally

The timing of the income tax survey by the Union government on BBC was ill- advised, and has done irreparable damage to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s image as a global leader Bharat Bhushan Prime Minister Narendra Modi may have further lost the battle of perception internationally with the income tax department raiding (or as the… Read More BBC ‘Raid’: PM Modi loses battle of perception internationally

16th February 2023 Dilip

Suhas Palshikar: There are many ways India mirrors the Emergency now

Recently, Lal Krishna Advani, one of the leaders imprisoned by Indira Gandhi’s Emergency regime, rang a warning bell. He said we, as a country, are still not Emergency-proof. This could be seen as a strange statement because post-1977, many safeguards have been created in the Constitution to ensure a repeat of 1975 does not happen.… Read More Suhas Palshikar: There are many ways India mirrors the Emergency now