Novelist Sharadindu Bandopadhyay created fictional detective Byomkesh Bakshi in exciting geo-political times, in Calcutta, then an interesting global city. The movie Detective Byomkesh Bakshi , directed by Dibakar Banerjee, tries to capture some of these fragments
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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: MEA India
The French media’s reportage of Modi’s recent visit to France was limited but significant, and inevitably a lot of it was about the Rafale deal. Various other issues were covered, including the nuclear reactor project in Jaitapur. Some newspapers recommended that France must heavily invest in India, while some expressed concerns, but on the whole the coverage has generated enthusiasm
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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
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The France-India relationship must not be overshadowed by the Rafale deal. Modi’s visit can be the opportunity to add fresh energy in the economic relationship by harnessing economic complementarities.
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If the sanctions against Iran are eased following the April 2 agreement with the P5+1 on the country’s nuclear programme, it will increase global oil and gas supplies, bringing stability to energy markets. It could also resolve the issue of the Farsi Block in Iran, where further exploration of gas by Indian companies has been held back
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India’s Supreme Court struck down Section 66A of the Information Technology Act as unconstitutional because it infringes on freedom of expression. India's future depends on a social and cultural movement in favor of greater tolerance in public life so that diverse, even offensive, opinions can be freely expressed
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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
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In the past week two documentaries that went viral in China and India were banned. In China, a documentary about pollution. In India, a documentary about the Nirbhaya rape incident in 2012. India's decision to ban the film suggests that the government's approach to censorship is starting to look more like China's
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