Opinion

I find myself more shaken and stricken after this week's latest mass shooting, the elementary school massacre in Uvalde, Texas, that saw 19 children and two teachers slain in cold blood, than I did after other mass shootings in recent years. Part of that is biographical: As an ex-Texan, the son of an elementary school teacher and the owner of a rifle made by the same manufacturer as was the apparent murder weapon, this just hit home a little closer. And part of that, of course, is the sheer nature of the evil incarnate the likes of which decides to go shoot up a schoolhouse. The palpable nature of that profound evil in our midst is yet the latest reminder of the truism, contrary to modern convention though that truism may be, that man is by his nature inclined toward iniquity. As God Himself says in Genesis 8:21 , "The imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth." Naturally inclined toward tradition, conservatives—if perhaps no one else—intuit this. As the great conservative … [Read more...] about The difficult search for answers after Uvalde | Opinion

Many would remember the school-based campaigns of measles-rubella (MR) vaccination of children from 5 to 15 years, conducted in all States, in 2017. Success was good in a few States, but not in others. School managements, teachers, children themselves and parents were not informed of the basis of this new programme, which was a deviation from the past. There were some unanswered questions: why was it up to 15 years while the Universal (childhood) Immunisation Programme (UIP) covers only those up to five years? Why administer the rubella vaccine that was not in the UIP list in 2017? Why should children who have had one dose of the measles vaccine get another dose? Why are schools instead of health-care centres used for vaccination? Hurdle of poor information The Government decided to eliminate measles and rubella from India by the year 2020 — having missed the earlier set target of 2015. So, in 2017 there was an urgency to accelerate efforts. The basic plan was to create a very high … [Read more...] about Sighting the finishing line in measles-rubella elimination

A week that began with the world wondering if the U.S. and China were inevitably headed to war over Taiwan took a different turn Thursday thanks to a speech delivered by Secretary of State Antony Blinken at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. The concerns about looming conflict came on Monday when President Biden indicated that the U.S. would use military force to protect Taiwan from a potential Chinese attack . While Biden and his team quickly sought to clarify that the U.S. was not backing away from its policy of “strategic ambiguity” regarding Taiwan—arguing that what the president meant was that he was merely reiterating a long-standing commitment “to provide Taiwan with the military means to defend itself”—his remarks triggered a tough response from the Chinese, who asserted China maintained “the strong resolve, determination, and capability” to defend its “national sovereignty and territorial integrity.” As a consequence, interest was high in Blinken’s … [Read more...] about Secretary of State Blinken to China: You Want to Compete? Bring It On!

Of the things Donald Trump has said since he began hinting at a presidential candidacy, the one that most requires challenging is his assertion that people keep asking him to run. Journalists are vigilant defenders of truth when the subject is President Obama's birthplace or OPEC prices. They are credulous when it comes to explaining populist movements. They assume the impetus always comes from the demand side. People are "fed up"! There is an "anti-incumbent sentiment" in the air! Such demand-side sentiments can explain a lot—but not why certain members of the public might wish to be governed by a billionaire yahoo. For that, it is just as important to look at the supply side. Trump's candidacy comes from a sociological fact—the steady rise of plutocracy over the last quarter century—as well as a public sentiment. The truth is not universally enough acknowledged that a man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of political influence. Diversifying one's portfolio to include … [Read more...] about Donald Trump and the Rise of Plutocracy

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has repeatedly drawn the ire of those on the left while being widely praised by those on right as he is viewed as a potential frontrunner for the GOP's presidential nomination in 2024 —making the incumbent a target for Democrats to attempt to unseat in the November midterm election. While Florida has been viewed as a swing state in recent elections, the state has been leaning Republican, with polling and news analysis site FiveThirtyEight assessing that it has a 7.6 percent partisan lean in favor of the GOP. Recent polls show that DeSantis is largely popular, with a majority of Floridians approving of his leadership. At the same time, he has been viewed by many as polarizing, repeatedly drawing substantial backlash from Democrats in the state and on the national stage. It's still undetermined which Democrat will face off against DeSantis on November 8. The two leading candidates are Representative Charlie Crist from the 13th District and … [Read more...] about Democrats’ chances of beating Ron DeSantis in midterm, according to polls

Meghan Markle's father, Thomas Markle, had planned to stay with a controversial aristocrat who runs a royal YouTube channel during his planned trip to Britain at the time of Queen Elizabeth II 's Platinum Jubilee . Lady Colin Campbell, a Jamaican-born British aristocrat and author turned reality television star, known for voicing her controversial opinions on members of the royal family, announced to her 144,000 YouTube subscribers on Thursday that Meghan's father was to stay at her castle home during his stay in Britain had it not been canceled owing to his ill health. It was announced on May 24 that Markle had experienced a stroke and had been hospitalized as a result, making his international trip impossible. Meghan's half-sister Samantha, who is suing Meghan for libel, told GB News that: "My father is recovering in hospital. We ask for privacy for the family, for his health and wellbeing." "He just needs peace and rest," she continued. "Godspeed. We are praying. He just … [Read more...] about Controversial Lady Colin Campbell was to host Thomas Markle for jubilee

After nine years in the opposition, the Australian Labor Party , under the leadership of Anthony Albanese , is back in power. When 74.6% votes were counted, it won 75 seats in the 151-member House of Representatives; the conservative Liberal National Coalition secured 57 seats. More than a victory for Labor, which is still one seat short of absolute majority, this election will be remembered for the rout of the conservatives, who had 77 seats in the outgoing Assembly. The polls also saw a sizeable section of the Australian electorate voting for the Greens and independents, who campaigned on the planks of better environmental standards and anti-corruption policies. In an election where inflation and climate policy dominated the agenda, Scott Morrison, the conservative leader, failed to understand the public pulse. Even when the annual inflation number hit 5.1%, a 20-year high, the Morrison government took comfort in the argument that the unemployment rate was low. Mr. Morrison was … [Read more...] about Reimagining Australia: On Anthony Albanese’s Labor government

Brazil is preparing to receive a record number of international observers for its October election, according to electoral authorities and participating organisations, amid a polarised Presidential race in which President Jair Bolsonaro has questioned the reliability of electronic voting machines. Mr. Bolsonaro's government objected to an invitation last month extended by Brazilian electoral authorities to the European Union to send observers for the first time, sinking that proposal. But the Parliament of South American trade bloc Mercosur, known as Parlasur, will send a formal observer mission for the first time, as will the U. S.-based Carter Center and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES). The 34-nation Organization of American States also will send more observers than it did in 2018, when Mr. Bolsonaro was elected. "We don't know the size of the mission yet, that will depend on the money available, but we intend to make it bigger," said a source at the … [Read more...] about Brazil invites election observers on record scale as Jair Bolsonaro stirs doubts

New Delhi: Mahatma Gandhi was one of the proponents of the idea of giving shelter to non-Muslims facing persecution in Pakistan. The thought was strongly advocated by other leaders like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr Rajendra Prasad and Maulana Azad. Speaking on the issue of granting citizenship to persecuted minorities, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan said, “Today, it is being seen as communal, but there has always been a national consensus on the issue with (senior Congress leaders) Manmohan Singh, Ashok Gehlot and Pranab Mukherjee voicing their commitment to the cause.” As far as the National Register of Citizens (NRC) is concerned, he said it was the Congress’ brainchild and there is no country without a register of its citizens. Khan was speaking at the Nehru Museum Memorial and Library on the topic of “Citizenship institutional and civilizational.” Partition Khan started his speech with the baggage of Partition and said the circumstances of minorities in neighbouring … [Read more...] about Gandhi, Nehru Had Committed to Give Citizenship to Persecuted Minorities of Pak: Arif Mohammad Khan