IN the 70 years since the national capital’s journalists came together to form a union, the nation’s media and the media community have grown by leaps and bounds. We have seen change, growth, attrition, expansion, retrenchments and closures of media establishments as well as the sprouting of start ups. While the media’s outreach and power has never been as extensive as it is today, the challenges before journalists have never been as stark.Seven journalists were killed in 2018.

STATISTICS show that the period of neoliberal economic policy in India has witnessed a much higher rate of GDP growth compared to the earlier dirigiste period, indeed almost double the previous rate. They also show that the rate of agricultural growth, especially of foodgrains, in the neoliberal period has been distinctly lower than in the previous period.In per capita terms, the contrast is even sharper.

The following is the statement issued by CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, on May 7.THE indiscriminate arrests of youths across Kashmir and particularly in southern districts of the Valley in the recent times will erode people’s trust in the government further and widen the gulf which would be difficult to bridge.As the response of people in the just concluded Lok Sabha elections was not so encouraging in south Kashmir, it warrants introspection from the political leaders, particularly from those who are at the helm of affairs in Delhi.

Below we publish the statement issued by the All India Kisan Sabha on May 3PEPSICO’S expression of intent to withdraw lawsuit against farmers is a significant victory in the struggle for protecting farmers’ seed freedoms. However, nothing concrete has been done by them yet in that direction. AIKS demands that the company come clear and walk the talk or brace for more intense protests. The Gujarat state government should also come clear on what are the negotiations that it is having with the company.

THE aerial bombardment of Gaza by the Israeli armed forces is the latest piece of aggression in the ongoing attacks by Israel on the two million Palestinian people caged within this narrow strip of land.