Is the World Trade Organization still relevant?

United States President Donald Trump’s ‘reciprocal tariffs’ have been compared to the Smoot-Hawley tariffs of the 1930s, which many say hastened the slide into the Great Depression. The difference between the 1930s and now is that we have the World Trade Organization (WTO) to oversee and enforce global trade rules. However, some argue that over … Read more

Where tariffs trump economics – The Hindu

President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting in the Oval Office on April 24, 2025. | Photo Credit: AP The recently announced reciprocal tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump have led to a decline in the prices of key commodities, crude oil, volatility, and a downturn in stock markets. Since the tariff announcement, crude oil … Read more

Amidst regional ferment, Kurds’ quest for statehood

West Asia is in a geo-engineering flux not seen since the birth of Israel 77 years ago. The perennial Palestinian issue is at a pivotal moment with an extreme right Israeli government’s hard-line position at odds with the Arab States’ insistence on a two-state solution for the Abraham Accords’ expansion. After the loss of regional … Read more

Power and freedom: On the Senthilbalaji case

The Supreme Court’s remark on April 23, asking Tamil Nadu Minister for Electricity, Prohibition and Excise V. Senthilbalaji, who has been out on bail since September 2024 in an alleged money laundering case, to choose between his post and freedom was expected. In the last four months, the Court used strong language against the Minister … Read more

Is India witnessing judicial despotism?

The term ‘judicial review’ has not been used in our constitution but it can easily be inferred from Article 13, which says any law in contravention of the constitution shall be void. In fact, even this provision was inserted out of abundant caution, as even in its absence, such a power could have been exercised … Read more

Trans sceptic arguments are incoherent

Marion Calder, centre, and Susan Smith, left, from For Women Scotland, celebrate outside the U.K. Supreme Court in London on April 16, 2025 after the court ruled that a woman is someone born biologically female, excluding transgender people from the legal definition in a long-running dispute between the feminist group and the Scottish government. | … Read more

Cherry-picking from history – The Hindu

While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) keeps questioning Muslim loyalty by cherry-picking episodes from history, Samajwadi Party MP Ramjilal Suman took a leaf out of the BJP playbook when he questioned the patriotism of Rana Sanga. He held the 16th century Rajput ruler of Mewar responsible for inviting the Mughal empire’s founder, Babur, to India … Read more

Responding to the terror attack in Pahalgam

The terrorist attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir is not just an act of brutality; it is a calculated political signal, carefully timed and deliberately chosen to inflict not only human casualties, but cause strategic disruption. Coming days after the Kashmir Valley had begun welcoming tourists as part of a fresh season, and while … Read more