Courtesy: CentralMaine
Huge threats to human rights continue in Afghanistan. President Ghani has pledged to end official tolerance for torture, and his government must also protect the freedom of the media, ensure that more women participate in peace talks, and bring transparency to negotiations with the Taliban. These correctives are overdue
Courtesy: Hillary Clinton/Flickr
Hillary Clinton finally announced her second bid to be the democratic candidate for the November 2016 presidential election on April 12. Despite her landmark achievements, there are a number of controversial issues from her time as senator, the first lady and as Secretary of State, that will be raised in the coming months
Courtesy: South Asia Media
Representative democracy has resulted in coalition governments, comprising parties with opposing agendas, gradually being formed across the world. The Afghan unity government and the BJP-PDP coalition in Jammu and Kashmir are two such coalitions that share numerous similarities, not least of which is the role of Pakistan.
Courtesy: Jennifer Le/Flickr
Lee Kuan Yew transformed a “pestilential and immoral cesspool” into a glittering global city with the world’s highest per capita income and the highest percentage of home ownership. Lee also had grand vision for the role that India could play in Asia.
Courtesy: Reuters/Soe Zeya Tun
The Thein Sein government’s initial successes in Myanmar have eroded, as it vacillates between reform and a return to an authoritarian past. The violent suppression of student protestors this month will further impact the president’s re-election later this year. But will a new government continue the reforms and honour peace agreements with ethnic groups?
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Making land acquisition for industry compatible with the fairness and equity expected in democratic societies is a challenge that may have creative solutions. Amendments to India’s land acquisition law need to be viewed in this global context
Courtesy: NPR
Mexican director Alejendra Inarritu’s Oscar for his work on Birdman comes after his compatriot won the same category award in 2014. This is a matter of pride for the Mexican film industry which is undergoing a renaissance in the last fifteen years. Although Indian cinema dwarfs the Mexican film industry, Mexico’s success in Hollywood should hold as inspiration for Bollywood
Courtesy: electiontrends.in
The last 25 years of Indian democracy have shown that anti-incumbency in state elections is on the decline. This is a positive trend because continuous terms will allow political parties to look beyond single-term policies and focus on long-term development
Courtesy: rediff.com
There is an emerging consensus among scholars and political analysts across the world that the 20th century advances in building democratic systems have run their course. It is in this context that AAP’s rapid rise to power might serve as a light-house of global significance—a beacon that guides others seeking to take democracy to a higher level and warns of treacherous rocks
Courtesy: inbministry.blogspot.com
It’s time to change India’s bad habits. A historic opportunity to alter social behavior was lost in 2012 after the Delhi rape case. What better place to make amends and reignite youthful energies than the new, citizen-centric AAP in Delhi 2015?