Courtesy: Forum 2000
Peaceful dissent was the original animus for the formation of the Forum 2000 Foundation. Started by the late Czech dissident Vaclav Havel, the conference, held in Prague every September, offers a platform to experts and activists from around the world to revisit ideas about pacifism and protest
Courtesy: Sameer Patil
On a week-long October visit to Jammu and Kashmir, the author found both clarity and complexity among the citizens about their new status, and that the practicalities of daily life are more compelling than ideology
Courtesy: Shutterstock
Partisan media coverage of the anti-government protests in Hong Kong points to a new Cold War between the United States and China. The author examines the divergent approaches of the Chinese and international media and the biases they betray
Courtesy: Asad Lalljee
Lebanon has been the scene of some of the biggest mass protests through the month of October. They arose in response to cumulative economic crises due to low economic growth and the government’s controversial austerity measures. But can they also be seen as an awakening of Lebanese society to the need for a more equitable political and social discourse?
Courtesy: MEA/Flickr
Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India earlier this month, resulting in seven new agreements, showed the strength of the mutual relationship. But both governments need to address some rankling issues: the sharing of the Teesta waters, the Rohingya problem and repatriation of the illegal people from Assam
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Decarbonising the transportation sector is an environmental priority globally, and hydrogen, the cleanest and most plentiful of fuels, is central to achieving this goal. If hydrogen mobility is actively pursued, India’s large reserves of gas hydrates and shale gas can be tapped for commercial use. Such a shift in choice of fuel will also ensure India’s energy security
Courtesy: MEA/Flickr
Prime Minister Modi’s tour of the U.S. last month was centred around the UN General Assembly’s 74th session and discussions on environmental challenges, but questions regarding the Indian government’s action in Kashmir persisted
Courtesy: TICAD7/Flickr
The Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development was a departure from earlier editions of it. Japan, which is changing tack as a competitor to China in Africa, held back from publicising the number of heads of state present to prevent any comparisons with other such forums and made no further commitments on Overseas Development Assistance. The accent, instead, was on increasing Japanese private sector engagement
Courtesy: Ruhi Nooreyezdan
India has the largest number of Baha’is in the world today, followers of the world’s newest religion, which was founded in 19th-century Persia. Persecuted in their own country, they came to Bombay, which was already home to many Iranians, to purvey the message of their faith
Courtesy: Shutterstock
Digital black markets, which have always lurked in an opaque world, have now become hubs of illegal activity, selling prohibited goods with ingenious anonymity and resilience. India must sharpen its cybersecurity strategy for this new threat