The View From India newsletter: Our colleagues are dropping dead in Gaza
An Israeli strike on August 10, 2025, targeting Al Jazeera staff in a tent near Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City killed six journalists, four of whom were Al Jazeera staff, including Anas al-Sharif and Mohammed Qreiqeh, and cameramen Ibrahim Zaher and Mohammed Noufal. The two other journalists killed were Moamen Aliwa and Mohammad al-Khaldi. Israel accused Al Jazeera reporter Anas al-Sharif of 'terrorist affiliation.' — unsurprising in a world where state and deep state actors target messengers who put out information that causes them discomfort or brings greater scrutiny. The line between the state's proportionate and strategic response to terror, and the state's own brand of terror, unleashed on ordinary citizens of another country or one's own, must never blur.
To start with, there aren't enough of us in the world telling the Gaza story. Western legacy media, especially in the U.S., stand exposed for their deep, shameful prejudices and worse, silences. Meanwhile, some of our colleagues in Gaza are dropping dead, while bringing to light this brazen carnage. A whole generation is being 'wiped out' in Gaza, as the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees observed recently.
Over 60,000 people have been killed by Israeli forces until now in Gaza since October 2023. Among them are more than 200 journalists. Our colleague Sambavi Parthasarathy in The Hindu's data team combs through the statistics and shows us how Israel, while continuing to pound one of Palestine's non-contiguous regions — Gaza — is slowly asserting 'sovereignty' over the other — West Bank. The UN has said that displacement of Palestinians in West Bank has hit levels not seen since the start of Israel's occupation.
With no respite in sight yet, it is distressing to see so many, including journalists, embracing the official narrative without the slightest scepticism. The Palestinian issue did not begin in October 2023. In this valuable explainer, which traces the history of Israel-Palestine relations from the end of the Second World War, Stanly Johny tells us why several peace agreements lie in tatters, and why there is no Palestinian state till date.
In another timely analysis, Stanly Johny writes: When the world pushes for a two-state solution, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to push for a no-state solution — no sovereignty for the Palestinians, no state for the Palestinians and no rights for the Palestinians. Why is that so, when Israel's closest allies are beginning to recognise Palestinian sovereignty and subjectivity? Blinded by their shared ethno-nationalist ideology and drunk with hard power, Mr. Nentanyahu and his far-right allies Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir are programmatically incapable of grasping the shifts unfolding around them, he writes.
More theatrics, no deal
The much-watched summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin August 15, 2025 in Anchorage, Alaska, did not yield a breakthrough on the Ukraine war.
'We had an extremely productive meeting and many points were agreed to, there are just a very few that are left,' Mr. Trump said. 'We didn't get there, but we have a very good chance of getting there.' Mr. Putin, on the other hand, said: 'We see the desire of the U.S. administration and President Trump personally to facilitate the resolution of the Ukrainian conflict, his desire to delve into the essence and understand its origins.'
Read together, it'll seem like the leaders are on the brink of announcing a ceasefire. But it was a 'no ceasefire, no deal' meeting, as many global headlines put it. Statements and optics mean little in the absence of real outcomes. Theatrics don't automatically spawn solutions. Serious political engagement that reconciles short-term and long-term interests, while prioritising the safety of scores of ordinary people, does. Also, you can't steadfastly back one deadly war and claim to be able to stop another swiftly.
'The challenge before Mr. Trump is to sustain the talks aimed at narrowing the differences further to reach a workable compromise. While it makes perfect sense to end the war on practical terms, Mr. Trump should not impose an agreement on Kyiv. Peace would prevail in Eastern Europe only if Ukraine's security concerns are addressed and it is provided with credible assurances that Russia would not invade it again,' The Hindu noted in its editorial.
And now, global media is tracking the next big meeting between Mr. Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Follow The Hindu's live updates here. Mr. Zelenskyy has also made a pitch for India to play a role in resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict, writes Suhasini Haidar.
Top 5 stories this week:
1. India hit out at the Pakistani leadership for 'reckless warmongering and hateful comments' as well as The Hague-based Court of Arbitration (CoA) for questioning India's decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) after the Pahalgam terror attack – Suhasini Haidar reports
2. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to visit India amidst uncertainties in India-U.S. trade ties, Kallol Bhattacherjee reports.
3. Jeremy Corbyn | The British Left's second act – Srinivasan Ramani on how the former Labour leader is trying to mobilise left-wing voters under his new party, as Labour under Keir Starmer struggles to maintain public support
4. Alaska | Chilling past, warm present: Sruthi Darbhamulla writes on the former Russian region sold to the U.S. in 1867, which still bears traces of Russian cultural influence, that hosted Trump and Putin for a historic summit
5. Honour India's legacy, defend its democracy: Independence Day this year is a stark reminder of the state India is in; it is a reminder of how Indians should resist any moves to undermine the country's constitutional principles, writes Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
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India.com
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Pakistan sends advanced weapons worth billions to stoke civil war in this Muslim country, 70000 already killed, the country is...
New Delhi: The United Nations has banned the supply of weapons to Sudan, which is suffering due to a civil war. The reason behind this is that the country's army is fighting a civil war, divided into two parts. So far, the Sudan civil war has claimed more than 70 thousand lives. Now, Pakistan has made a deal worth 1.5 billion dollars with the army of north-eastern Sudan. Under this deal, Pakistan will give fighter planes, engines, armoured vehicles and a large number of drones to the military junta led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. What deal has Pakistan signed with the Sudan armed forces? Pakistan has made this deal at a time when Sudan has been devastated by the civil war, and the army there, trapped in the grip of international sanctions, is continuously aggravating the humanitarian crisis. It is believed that the payment for this deal will be made by a third country. Reportedly, the army in Sudan does not shy away from killing the civilian population, which has resulted in the deaths of more than 70 thousand people, while the actual figure is expected to be more than one lakh. According to ThePrint, this agreement was signed during the visit of Sudan Air Force Chief El Tahir Mohammad El Amin to Islamabad, where he met Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, Air Force Chief and other senior military officials. What sanctions have Western countries imposed on Sudan? Pakistan has made an arms deal with the Sudan army at a time when Western countries have banned any kind of arms deal with Sudan. On the other hand, with this arms deal, Pakistan has also got entangled in the ongoing competition between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). According to the Swiss government's sanctions documents, Sudan Army Chief El Amin has been held responsible for indiscriminate bombing in civilian areas. These attacks caused massive destruction in areas like Khartoum, Omdurman, Nyala in South Darfur and North Kordofan. In May 2023, hundreds of people were killed in air strikes on East Nile Hospital in Khartoum and Babiker Nahar Pediatric Hospital in El-Fasher in May 2024. What did the US say? Earlier this year, the US Finance Department had also imposed sanctions on Al-Burhan, the head of Sudan's army SAF. The US had said that Burhan had dropped bombs dozens of times on the local population, crowded markets, schools and hospitals, killing a large number of civilians. Yet Pakistan has signed an arms deal with the SAF. Pakistan's myth of being a champion of Muslims is shattered This completely exposes Pakistan's dangerous hypocrisy and double standards. Pakistan, which always tries to show itself as a champion of the global Muslim community, did not care that the weapons supplied by it would kill Muslims. The Sudan civil war started in 2023, and till now, more than one lakh people have been killed. According to the report, Pakistan will sell over 10 units of K-8 Karakoram light combat aircraft, engines of MiG-21 fighter aircraft, HQ-9 and HQ-6 air defense systems, armoured vehicles and hundreds of drones to SAF.
The Hindu
4 minutes ago
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Australia chides Israel after diplomats' visas revoked
Australia's foreign minister on Tuesday (August 19, 2025) criticised Israel for revoking visas held by Canberra's diplomatic representatives to the Palestinian Authority. Israel's tit-for-tat move followed Australia's decision on Monday evening to block a far-right Israeli politician from the country ahead of a speaking tour. Australia and Israel have been increasingly at odds since Canberra declared it would recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said revoking the diplomats' visas was an "unjustified reaction" by Israel. "At a time when dialogue and diplomacy are needed more than ever, the Netanyahu Government is isolating Israel and undermining international efforts towards peace and a two-state solution," she said in a statement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hit back on Tuesday, slamming his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese as "a weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews". The Australian government on Monday cancelled the visa of far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman, whose ultranationalist party is in Netanyahu's governing coalition. Rothman had been scheduled to speak at events organised by the Australian Jewish Association. Hours later, Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said he had revoked the visas of Australia's representatives to the Palestinian Authority. "I also instructed the Israeli Embassy in Canberra to carefully examine any official Australian visa application for entry to Israel," he said. "This follows Australia's decisions to recognise a 'Palestinian state' and against the backdrop of Australia's unjustified refusal to grant visas to a number of Israeli figures."
The Hindu
4 minutes ago
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Mechanisation of garbage disposal is more important than job permanency: Thol. Thirumavalavan
VCK founder Thol. Thirumavalavan on Tuesday said mechanisation of garbage disposal was more important than giving permanent jobs to conservancy workers. Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Thirumavalavan said he was fully supportive of the demands made by the workers, whose 13-day protest outside the Ripon Buildings in Chennai was brought to an end when the police evicted the protesters following a Madras High Court order. 'While I support their demand for job permanency, I have a second opinion on this matter,' he said. Responding to criticism that he was not actively involved in the protest, Mr. Thirumavalavan said he had been constantly in touch with the workers since Day 3 of the protest. He had spoken to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and Ministers K.N. Nehru and P.K. Sekarbabu, who were engaged in negotiations with the protesters, the VCK leader said. Change in govt. policy 'I had met the Chief Minister with leaders of the Left parties to press for a separate law for honour-based crimes. I spoke about the protesters and their demands. Minister K.N. Nehru said negotiations were on with the protesters. I stressed the need to allow those workers to continue working under the National Urban Livelihood Mission. But it was clear that demanding permanent jobs meant demanding a change in the government's policy. This is an issue across Tamil Nadu. I communicated to the protesters that if we request this, there is a possibility that it could be realised. The whole crowd applauded it, saying they too wanted it,' he said. Mr. Thirumavalavan said the State government was ready to commit to anything except job permanency, which was a policy decision. 'There were two options: a) end the protest and settle the matter in court; b) find an alternative venue for the protest after the Madras High Court said the workers could protest only in authorised places. Even after the court issued a direction, I urged Minister Sekarbabu to allow the protest to to them [protesters] till they understand the situation. But the Minister said doing so would be considered contempt of court, and they were removed,' he said. Mr. Thirumavalavan felt he had been unfairly criticised for not being actively involved in the protest, and not speaking up for the workers, who were mostly from the Scheduled Castes. 'I had given a statement that they should be given permanent jobs across Tamil Nadu,' he said. He, however, added, 'Why should only one community do these kinds of jobs? Seeking job permanency is not agreeable to me. I have a second opinion on this issue despite having already extended my support to this cause. This job (garbage disposal) should be mechanised so that other communities will also come forward to do it.'
