Artificial Intelligence and the Threat to Our Humanity

STEPHEN Hawking had warned a few years back that Artificial Intelligence (AI) could spell the end of human race, a threat echoed by Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla, Bill Gates, and many others. This is the apocalyptic vision that the robots we create, may decide we are an obsolete model deserving “retirement”. The truth, a more banal one, is that, are we letting machine algorithms take over what were human decisions earlier, decision making of the governments, the businesses and even ours.

Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya Manch National Conference

THE third national conference of the Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya Manch (AARM) was held in the steel city of Visakhapatnam from June 20-22, 2017. 359 delegates from 15 states and its 16 affiliated units participated in the conference. The conference venue in the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant Town was named as Dr Nilmoni Debbarma Nagar, veteran leader of Tripura Gana Mukti Parishad.

A Note on the Goods and Services Tax

THE Indian constitution had erected a financial federal structure as a complement to the political federal structure. The constitution had been aware that if the states were reduced to the status of mendicants approaching the centre for resources, then that ipso facto would entail a subversion of the federal polity.

Modi in Trumpland

THE fifth visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the United States, this time for his first official meeting with President Donald Trump, has confirmed the subordinate role that India plays in the US-India strategic relationship.This visit of Modi to the White House was being viewed with some apprehensions in the Indian establishment. These misgivings arose from the unpredictable and negative stance that President Trump has taken on various issues affecting India’s interests.

Yechury Writes to PM on Farmers’ Issues

IN a letter written by Sitaram Yechury, CPI(M) general secretary and leader of the CPI(M) group in Rajya Sabha to the prime minister on June 15, he demanded introduction and passing of a legislation in the forthcoming parliament session which not only confers on farmers the right to sell at MSP but also guarantees an automatic annual review of the MSP, which will be, at least, 50 per cent more than production costs.

Qatar Crisis

THE attempt by Saudi Arabia and its allies in the region to isolate and undermine the Emirate of Qatar, seems to be failing. The American military establishment, despite President Donald Trump's repeated tweets supporting the Saudi position, seems to have decided against regime change in the Emirate. The evidence of this is the signing of a $12 billion deal by the Americans to sell 36 F-15 fighter jets to Qatar. Even within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Oman and Kuwait are not supporting the Saudi move for regime change in Qatar.

US Rants Do Not Rattle Cuba

US President Donald Trump had declared at a rally in Miami, Florida on June 16, that he was cancelling Obama's “completely one-sided deal” with Cuba. Speaking before a highly partisan crowd, Trump ranted against Cuba and vowed to completely cut-off relations and strangulate the country into submission. Through the reintroduction of harsh measures, the US administration is reverting to its pre-2014 policies in order to subdue and subjugate Cuba.

HIMACHAL PRADESH: On the Results of Shimla Municipal Corporation

THE Shimla Municipal Corporation elections were held on June 16, 2017. The elections were delayed owing to large scale discrepancies in the voters list which led to a new schedule for the revision of electoral rolls. However, the HP High court ordered for an advance date without revision of the rolls with large scale anomalies left in the list. The result was declared on the 17th, in which 17 seats were won by the BJP, 12 by the Congress, 4 independents (Congress rebels - 3 and BJP rebel -1) and 1 CPI(M).

The Question of Farm-Loan Waiver

THE question of farm-loan waiver that is being demanded by the peasantry is much misunderstood. Such a waiver, it is argued by critics, would vitiate the credit-culture in the country: people would stop repaying loans henceforth in expectation of waivers on them. Since the UPA government had waived farm-loans a few years ago and now again there is a demand for a farm-loan waiver, peasants, they contend, are getting into a habit of not paying loans and demanding periodic waivers instead.

Bengal: Why Darjeeling is on Fire Again?

THE beautiful hill areas of Darjeeling are on the boil once again. The indefinite strike call by the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) has fully paralysed life in the hills. Three GJM activists were killed in police firing in Darjeeling town after clashes with security forces. Tensions have heightened with the fresh stir for the demand of separate Gorkhaland state.Darjeeling hill areas have some distinct features including the topography, nationalities, language and culture. There are special provisions for these areas for quite long time.

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