Gaza: Unending War

THE Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have announced that the military operations in Gaza will continue throughout 2024. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has repeatedly stated that the war in Gaza will continue till the Hamas is totally finished.

The Mirage of “Women led” Development

THE G-20 DelhiSummit adopted an omnibus declaration which included a section on “Gender Equality and Empowering all Women and Girls”. Through 17 clauses which reiterate the importance of women’s “leadership and equal participation” in decision-making processes, the declaration resolved to set up a “working group on women’s empowerment.” Given the global reality of continuing discrimination against women and girl children, such a working group to focus specifically on steps to address such existing discriminations can only be welcome.

Israel’s War Crimes

ON the night of December 19, 2023, Israeli military forces surrounded the Al-Awda building in Gaza City’s Al-Remal neighbourhood. Four families were inside the building, including the Annan family, after whom the building is popularly known as the ‘Annan Building’. The Al-Remal area, along the Gaza coastline, was a middle-class area of apartment buildings. During the early days of the war, the Israelis cruelly bombed this residential area, turning this residential quarter into rubble.

TN: Dalit Rights Summit Resolves to Fight Hindutva Casteist Forces in 2024 General Elections

ON December 17, 2023, the city of Chennai witnessed the State Dalit Rights Summit, a congregation of Left, Dalit and social justice organisations which resolved to fight the Hindutva casteist forces and make a dalit charter of demands as part of the political agenda in the run-up to the general elections 2024.The summit was attended by around 400 delegates from across Tamil Nadu.

Suspension of WFI body: Too Little Too Late

TWO pictures carried promptly by most of the national dailies and social media on December 22 last week attracted special attention of the people. One picture shows a heavily garlanded Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) former president Brij Bhushan Singh escorted by his incumbent president elect Sanjay Kumar Singh flaunting a victory sign. In the second picture Brij Bhushan's son was seen displaying a placard in front of his father's Ashoka Road MP bungalow as part of grand celebration of the results of the national body of WFI elections held on December 21.

Biodiversity (Amendment) Act 2023: Profits First

THE president of India recently gave her assent to the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act 2023, amending the original Act of 2002, despite strong objections by the ministry of tribal affairs. Most opposition parties, activists from different sections, and other stakeholders had also opposed the amendment in parliament.

On Ayodhya Invitation

CPI(M) Polit Bureau has issued the following statement on December 26.THE CPI(M) general secretary, Sitaram Yechury, has received an invitation to attend the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The CPI(M) policy has been to respect religious beliefs and safeguarding the right of every individual to pursue their belief. It believes that religion is a personal choice not to be converted into an instrument for political gain.

J&K: Act to End such Impunity

CPI(M) Polit Bureau has issued the following statement on December 24THE Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) strongly condemns the brutal killing of three civilians in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir while they were in custody of the army.Mohammad Showkat, Safeer Hussain and Shabir Ahmad were rounded up by army personnel and subjected to severe torture which resulted in their deaths. The J&K administration has announced compensation for the families of deceased. But that is not enough. There has to be a speedy investigation and punishment meted out to those

India's Reichstag Fire Moment: Mass Suspension of Opposition Lawmakers Is a Step toward Decapitating the Essence of Democracy

NINETY years ago, a major fire engulfed the Reichstag building, the seat of the German parliament. Adolf Hitler, the four-week-old chancellor of Germany, used it as a ruse to clamp down on the opposition and forge ahead with his devious political project. In 2023 in India, the provocation was just a question that led to the mass suspension of opposition MPs in both the house of Indian parliament. The recently concluded winter session of parliament left several blots on our democracy and will go down in history for all the wrong reasons.

2024: A Great Battle Ahead

THE year 2023 ends with the dark shadow of the genocidal massacre of Palestinians in Gaza by the Israeli war-machine.

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