“It is the responsibility of the citizens to save the constitution and the farmers from corporate clutches then only the constitution will be saved and our land and self-respect will be protected.”
Author: Empire Diaries
Two Words Bill Gates And His Pals Despise: ‘Democracy’ And ‘MSP’
COLUMN/ THE WRITE LINE
By Colin Todhunter
Empire’s Gameplan To End Food Security; Farmers To Gherao FCI Offices In Fightback
To force the govt to ensure food security, Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of protesting farmers, is observing ‘FCI Bachao Divas’
30 Years Of Oil Prices In One Simple Chart
GRAPHIC STORY
The roller-coaster ride of crude oil prices in the last 30 years
‘Death Of Democracy,’ Says Farmer Leader Rakesh Tikait After Attack On Convoy
SPECIAL REPORT
Incident happened in the midst of a Mahapanchayat trail in Alwar, Rajasthan
VIDEO: Get An Inside Look At A Hospital On Singhu Border Farmers’ Protest Site
FARMERS’ PROTEST
Get an inside look at a hospital dedicated to serving the farmers for free
Garment Workers Reclaim $22bn From Fashion Giants In Stolen Wages
SPECIAL REPORT
The grim story of one of the largest transfers of wealth from the Global South to the West in recent history
Agriculture And Beyond: Deregulation Hawks Close In On India
COLUMN/ THE WRITE LINE
By Colin Todhunter
VIDEO: How Farmers At Singhu Border Are Gearing Up To Beat The Heat
FARMERS’ PROTEST
Like winter, like summer. Delhi is ruthless when it comes to weather. Watch this video story to know how the farmers at the Singhu border are preparing to beat the heat.
VIDEO: From Fashion Designing To Volunteering At Singhu Border
FARMERS’ PROTEST
This is an inspiring story of Sarabjeet Kaur who despite being a fashion desinger came to Singhu border for volunteering!
VIDEO: ‘Tent City’ At Farmers’ Protest, The Story Behind The Story
FARMERS’ PROTEST
Elderly farmers talk about the funding mantra behind the protest site they’re camped in
Social Media Microtargeting and the Ministry of Truth
BIG TECH
By Raul Diego
Mini-Empires: American Cities With Economies As Big As Countries
GRAPHIC STORY
To understand the power and privilege of the United States is to get this clear picture of how immensely and obnoxiously rich some American cities are in comparison to countries of the world
Unholy Vaccine Deals: Latin American Govts Allegedly ‘Held To Ransom’ By Pfizer
SPECIAL REPORT
From embassy properties to military bases, the pharma giant is asking for much more in return for coronavirus vaccine shipments than one can even imagine, finds a chilling investigation
If Reckless ‘Development’ Continues, Uttarakhand Awaits More Horrific Disasters
COLUMN/ THE WRITE LINE
By Vimal Bhai
The Giant Empires That Run Today’s World
GRAPHIC STORY
Gigantic international companies, not countries or kingdoms, are empires that run the modern world. Here’s a tell-tale illustration that shows how the biggest of them compare with each other
VIDEO: Angry Women Protesters Make Themselves Heard At The Ghazipur Protest Site
FARMERS’ PROTEST
Angry angels explain why they are protesting against the farm laws
In Pictures: The Haunting Concert Of Concertina Wire
FARMERS’ PROTEST
Kashmir? Syria? Iraq? Barbed wire is no longer a distant ugliness. It’s been rolled out at our home now, as this collection of images from Ghazipur shows
Chilling Lessons From Mexico For India’s Protesting Farmers
COLUMN/ THE WRITE LINE
By Colin Todhunter
Chats From A WhatsApp Group Of World Leaders
SATIRE
A look at how CEOs of modern empires will behave if they are put in a hypothetical chat group
VIDEO: A Tale Of Music And Tears At Ghazipur Border
Sagar Sufi sings for farmers at the protest site on Delhi-Ghazipur border
VIDEO: How The Ghazipur Farmers’ Protest Site Is Roaring Back To Life
FARMERS’ PROTEST
Two tense nights after R-Day, thousands of farmers are now rushing to the Ghazipur protest site. The mood has changed completely. The buzz is back – and it’s bigger and stronger
Why India’s Farmers Are In Deeper Danger In A Post-Covid World
Agri empire’s hidden agenda is to buy up rural land, amalgamate it and roll out chemically-drenched farmerless farms
When Will We Call Mass Farmer Suicides A Case Of Violence, Too?
Tense events from the recent days of the farmers’ protest have brought back this old and uncomfortable question that remains unanswered
তন্ত্র, মন্ত্র, গণতন্ত্র – পর্ব ছয়
হিংসা কি কেবল যা চোখের সামনে দেখা যায় সেটাই? বছরের পর বছর কৃষক আত্মহত্যা আসলে সংগঠিত এবং পরিকল্পনামাফিক হিংসারই ফল।
Republic Day Lesson: How Modern India Has Been ‘Recolonised’ By Foreign Companies
RECOLONISATION
A simple story they don’t tell you – of how and why thousands of profit-hungry MNCs or ’empires’ have captured India’s economy, leaving us as an ‘independent’ nation only in theory
VIDEO: Farmers Roll Out Custom-Built Double-Decker Tractor For Historic R-Day Parade
FARMERS’ PROTEST
A giant water tank, and bunkers right above it to sleep in! Take a look at this incredible piece of innovation on wheels
VIDEO: A Folk-Poet Narrates The Farmers’ Plan For Republic Day
FARMERS’ PROTEST
The elderly peasant recites impromptu poetry to express his anger at the farm laws, and says how he plans to mark January 26/ किसान ने अपनी कबिता में एलान किया गणतंत्र दिबस का कार्यक्रम
Farmers’ Protest Reflects Existential Crisis Of Indian Agriculture
This legislation is wholly regressive and will eventually lead to the country relying on outside forces to feed its population
VIDEO: The Beat And The Upbeat At The Farmers’ Protest
FARMERS’ PROTEST
The video shows activists from the Narmada Bachao Andolan – led by Medha Patkar – in action at the farmer protest sites on Delhi’s borders
The Seeds Of Today’s Farmer Protests Were Sown In The Early 1990s
COLUMN/ THE WRITE LINE
By Colin Todhunter
VIDEO: Music That Inspired A Thousand Slogans At Farmers’ Protest
FARMERS’ PROTEST
This video brings out the story of a young flutist whose music lifted the spirit of the protesting hearts.
VIDEO: The Argumentative Farmer
FARMERS’ PROTEST
This video story brings out the anger and distress of a farmer as he says, “We know how to bring down a government.” /गुस्से में किसान, “हम जानते हैं कि कैसे सरकार को गिराना है”
Reimagining The World: Agroecology And Post-Covid Plunder
THE WRITE LINE
By Colin Todhunter
It’s Not Shocking, This Is The Real Face Of The Overrated USA
The hooligans at US Capitol should learn from India’s farmers how to protest with decency. Just like we should unlearn that America is the world’s leading democracy
Empire’s Illegal Deeds: No One Will Tell You About 2020’s Biggest Courtroom Story
On September 3, a top court in San Francisco ruled that Edward Snowden was right, the American had acted unlawfully against its own people. Did you know about this epic judgment?
Google’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Yet Still Extremely Profitable In 2020
BIG TECH
By Adrianne Jeffries
Kisan Diwas: Farmers’ Lives Matter
The story of how farming was born! Watch this video to know
Imperial Intent: Destroying India’s Farm Sector
THE WRITE LINE
By Colin Todhunter
In Pictures: The Faces Of A Revolution
FARMERS’ MOVEMENT
Whatever turn the farmers’ protest takes, when the dust settles, these powerful faces – from various protest sites – will remain as the revolution’s lasting legacy
From India-Pak Border to Singhu Border: A 450km Journey On Tractors For 2 Days To Join The Protests
FARMERS’ MOVEMENT
For a group of gritty villagers from Rajatal near the Wagah crossing, life oscillates between one border and another
Dispossession And Imperialism Repackaged As ‘Feeding The World’
THE WRITE LINE
By Colin Todhunter
Pakistan Has No Future If It’s Going To Live In A World Of Religious Superstition: Noam Chomsky
During a virtual talk, the renowned intellectual slammed the country for allowing its education system to drift away from science and reality
Dutch Tractors, Law Repealed In Peru: Ray Of Hope For India’s Protesting Farmers
FARMERS’ MOVEMENT
Europe, Latin America are showing hope for India’s farmers
Historic Strike: World Sees The Power Of India’s Working Class
DEC 8TH BHARAT BANDH
Facing the spectacle of reforms, the country’s farmers and workers make their pain and presence felt in the country’s power corridors
New Height of Mount Everest Declared: New Peak In India-China Tensions?
China’s ally Nepal declares Mount Everest’s official height as 8848.86 metres. EmpireDiaries.com had reported in September that the peak’s new height would be announced this year
Stopped At Border, Medha Patkar Runs Past Cops To Enter Tikri Protest Site
EXCLUSIVE
There was a tense standoff at the Delhi-Haryana western border as police tried to stop the rights activist from reaching the protesters – but she dodged them and made it
Noam Chomsky Turns 92: Here Are His Most Memorable Quotes
A precious compilation of his thought-provoking remarks on subjects ranging from US terrorism to whether he’s an atheist to where the Covid-19 pandemic will take us
Rohingyas Packed Off To Island Of Death That Can Sink Any Day While We Mark ‘World Soil Day’
Affluent empires of the world watch from a distance as the refugees are condemned to the unstable, unliveable, silt island of Bhashan Char, which frequently gets swept, submerged, and can disappear into the sea any day
In Pictures: Farmers Fighting For A Brighter Tomorrow
Snapshots from Singhu border that has become the heartbeat of the snowballing farmers’ protest in India
Bhopal Gas Tragedy: A Reminder Of The Crimes Of Corporate Empires
The dark episode is only the tip of the iceberg as bloated corporate imperialists tighten their vicious grip on financially vulnerable countries such as India
Medha Patkar Hails Unity In Battle Against Farm Laws As ‘Historic, Unprecedented’
Watch out for the govt’s divide-and-rule plan to weaken the farmers’ protest, warns the rights activist in an interview to EmpireDiaries.com
In Pictures: Moods And Moments From The Farmers’ Protest In Delhi
Freeze frames from a venue in Delhi that has become a bone of contention in the snowballing farmers’ protest rocking India
Once There Was A Sad King, Maradona By Name
CULTURE DIARIES
By Vidyarthy Chatterjee
In Pictures: Life And Times Of The Farmers’ Protest In Delhi
Snapshots from Burari, where farmers from various corners of India are camped to make their protests heard
Farmers’ Protest: They Are Marching To Keep Democracy Alive
When the new farm bills were passed, it was the straw that broke the camel’s back. From that point on, there’s been no looking back for India’s outraged farmers
Maradona’s Left Foot Turned Argentina Into Everyman’s Homeland
To look at the Maradona-Argentina relationship through the lens of ‘empirism’ – in a hypothetical way – Maradona was, and posthumously is, that ‘empire’. And Argentina is that empire’s land
Tracking The Covid-19 Vaccine: How It Will Kill The Coronavirus
THE DOC’S LAB
By Dr. S A Siraj
All Eyes On Kashmir As Biden Takes Charge Of White House
New Delhi will keep a hawk eye on Washington, DC as both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have pretty strong and controversial views on J&K
Poverty: The Pandemic We Don’t Acknowledge
It’s only because the richest 1% in the world are ‘immune’ to hunger deaths that ‘the virus of poverty’ will never be seen as a critical threat to the human race
Trump Out, Biden In: What It Means For India And The World
The US presidential fight is a battle for who controls the biggest empire of our times. And it matters to India as much as it matters to many other countries. Here’s a look at what changes and what doesn’t
Don’t Be Fooled: The 2020 Election Has Already Been Decided
THE WRITE LINE
By John Whitehead
Schools Are Buying Up Surveillance Technology To Fight Covid-19
BIG TECH
By Colin Lecher
‘I Am A Hacker And I Am Here To Help You’
BIG TECH
By Indranil Chakraborty
कोविड-19: नर्मदा घाटी ने कैसे किया शिक्षा संकट का समाधान
महाराष्ट्र के नंदुरबार जिले के चार स्कूलों ने पूरी दुनिया के लिए विकेंद्रीकृत शिक्षा में एक उदाहरण स्थापित कर रहा है।
A Student Film That Taught The World A Lesson In Filmmaking
CULTURE DIARIES
By Vidyarthy Chatterjee
Covid-19: How Narmada Valley Solved The Education Crisis
Four schools in India’s Maharashtra consigned remote learning to the bin, setting an example in decentralised education for the entire world to follow
তন্ত্র, মন্ত্র, গণতন্ত্র – পর্ব ৫
আমার ভাণ্ডার থেকে রিয়া-সুশান্তদের জন্য একটাও শব্দ খরচ করবো না। ওটা তোলা থাক গণতন্ত্রের চতুর্থ স্তম্ভদের জন্য।
John Pilger: The Stalinist Trial Of Julian Assange
THE WRITE LINE
By John Pilger
তন্ত্র, মন্ত্র, গণতন্ত্র – পর্ব ৪
ইরানের মানবাধিকার কর্মী, রাজনৈতিক বন্দিদের হয়ে আইনি লড়াই করে কারাগার বন্দি নাসরিন সোতুদে।নাসরিন সোতুদেতে উপছে পড়ছে আমার দেশের কারাগারও। স্বৈরাচারী ইরান, আর পৃথিবীর বৃহত্তম গণতন্ত্রের মধ্যে তফাৎটা মাইক্রোস্কোপে খুঁজতে হয়!
India vs. China: Everest’s Official Height Is About To Change
Empire Wars: China and Nepal are expected to jointly announce a new official height of the world’s highest peak
Covid-19 Impact: One Third Of Children Shut Out From School Education
For schoolchildren, lockdown means no education. Empires are failing to tackle this crisis.
Kashmir Revisited: ‘The Militant Ordered The Old Man: Go, Get Me A Shampoo!’
PART FIVE
Looking back at the valley after the revocation of Article 370
Declassified: CIA File Shows Tibet Link To India’s Kalimpong
Confidential US intelligence dossier sheds new light on India-China relations during the 1950s
What Does the Covid-19 Pandemic Mean For Medical Data Privacy?
BIG TECH
By Colin Lecher
তন্ত্র, মন্ত্র, গণতন্ত্র: পর্ব ৩
ড: কাফিল খান: একজন সাধারণ ডাক্তার থেকে প্রতিবাদের মুখ হয়ে ওঠার কাহিনী
Kashmir Revisited: Losing The Local Economy
PART FOUR
Looking back at the valley after the revocation of Article 370
Corporate As Predator, State As Accomplice
THE WRITE LINE
By Vidyarthy Chatterjee
Lockdown Impact: 26 Crore Indians Went Jobless In 4 Months
Bloodbath continues as more and more Indians are losing their livelihoods due to the pandemic and lockdowns
Kashmir Revisited: Caught In The Crossfire
PART THREE
Looking back at the valley after the revocation of Article 370
Another Hiroshima Is Coming, Unless We Stop It Now: John Pilger
THE WRITE LINE
By John Pilger
Were The Hiroshima-Nagasaki Bombings ‘Terrorist Attacks’?
Through information control and crafty jugglery of words, the US has convinced us not to call the nuclear attacks on Japan ‘acts of terror’
Kashmir Revisited: Landing In No Man’s Land
PART TWO
Looking back at the valley after the revocation of Article 370
Covid-19: How Scientists Are Fighting Against ‘Traitors’ Inside Our Bodies
THE DOC’S LAB
By Dr. S A Siraj
Kashmir Revisited: One Year On
PART ONE
Looking back at the valley after the revocation of Article 370
Entrapment: America’s Game Plan To Store India’s Oil
For ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, the new oil deal with the US could turn out to be suicidal
Socialism In The Arab World: A Road Less Travelled
THE WRITE LINE
By Manishankar Prasad
Araria Rape Case Shows How Gender-Insensitive India Still Is
While dealing with a rape victim, the least that one can do is to handle the case with sensitivity. Even that is missing in our country
‘44 Years From Now, Human Population Will Start Shrinking’
India and Nigeria will be the two most populated countries by the end of the century, according to projections from a team of Seattle-based researchers
Pandemic Turns India Into A New Hunger Hotspot
A chilling Oxfam report says globally 12,000 people could be dying every day out of hunger caused by the pandemic by the end of this year
Investigation Exposes Dubai As Global Capital Of Smuggled Gold
India is a major buyer of ‘dirty gold’ from Dubai that comes from conflict-torn African countries
They’re Charred To Death, So That You Can Have Your Dinner
An alarming number of deaths in India from lightning strikes sheds light on a disturbing trend: how little we care when only our villagers die
তন্ত্র, মন্ত্র, গণতন্ত্র – পর্ব ২
আমরা নয় ভক্ত হনুমানের মত গন্ধমাদন কাঁধে নিয়ে জীবনটা কাটিয়ে দিতে পারলে বেঁচে যাই, তাবলে একটা তিন বছরের শিশু! এই শিশু ভবিষ্যতে ‘জঙ্গি’ হয়ে উঠলে তার দায়িত্ব কার?
Happy Birthday, Julian Assange!
As we mark the truth seeker’s 49th b’day, it is worth revisiting how Empire continues to snuff out real journalism
While You’re Reading This, Your Thoughts Are Being Colonised
Thought capitalists are feeding off our thoughts – because our thoughts are their gold – and they want us to continue thinking
‘২০১৯ থেকেই স্পেনের নালায় করোনা ভাইরাস,’ বার্সেলোনা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের আবিষ্কার,হবে ‘পিয়ার রিভিউ’
করোনা ভাইরাসের জন্মস্থান এবং সময় নিয়ে চমকপ্রদ তথ্য খুঁজে পেলো বার্সেলোনা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়। যার অর্থ উহানের ৯ মাস আগে থেকেই এই ভাইরাস আমাদের মধ্যে আছে।
Covid-19 Was Present In Barcelona 9 Months Before It Was Found In Wuhan: New Study
Virologists from University of Barcelona discover traces of the coronavirus in the city’s sewage samples from March 2019
China Has More Nuclear Weapons Than India, Pak Combined: SIPRI Report
Beijing possesses 320 N-weapons as against India’s 150 nukes as of last January
Reason Why Indian Troops Didn’t Use Guns When They Were Ambushed
A 1996 agreement between India and China holds the key to a lot of questions
India’s Racism: Who Will Stand Up For Our Floyds?
THE WRITE LINE
By Ratna
India-China Standoff And The Raw Animal Origins Of Border Disputes
Our tendency to defend borders is linked to phenomena like lions in the jungle angrily tearing into each other for territorial domination and stray dogs ‘scent-marking’ their jurisdiction
Hunger Killed 12 Times More People Than Covid This Year
Suicides, cancers, poverty, smoking, alcohol have separately claimed more lives in 2020 than the coronavirus did
When Will The Migrant’s Story Soak The Pages Of History?
THE WRITE LINE
By Manishankar Prasad
Noam Chomsky: India’s Lockdown Call Genocidal
The celebrated thinker opens up on what went wrong with India’s controversial response to the coronavirus pandemic
Coronavirus Cases: India To Overtake France, Germany
Finally and quite disturbingly, India is emerging as the new global hot spot of Covid-19
The Economy Can Survive The Coronavirus, But Not A Costly India-China War
COLUMN
The Last Word By Awbuck Qandoe
Pandemic Of Xenophobia: The Outbreak And Our Migrants
THE WRITE LINE
By Ratna
Is America Leaving WHO Or Is WHO Leaving America Out?
China and the US have superimposed the template of their clash of empires on the pandemic crisis
Why Are Migrant Histories Not Written?
THE WRITE LINE
By Manishankar Prasad
Coronavirus: Are We Facing A Second Wave?
Lifting lockdowns is necessary for fragile economies like that of India. But governments also need to keep an eye on a chilling lesson from history
Internal Migrants Comprise Nearly 40% of India’s Population
Statistics prove otherwise for those who feel India’s internal migrant population is only a small fraction of our society
Vizag Gas Tragedy: How Foreign Companies Colonised India
The tragic incident makes us question the agenda of overseas brands with sophisticated operations in India
Lockdown Impact: 12 Crore Indians Lost Their Jobs In April
India’s unemployment rate went through the roof, reaching 27.1% in the month ending May 3
Fuel Price Hike: Overtaxation In Times Of Crisis
Is it right to jack up domestic-use petrol and diesel prices when international crude oil costs are crashing?
Migration In Times Of Pandemic: A Ticking Time Bomb
THE WRITE LINE
By Manishankar Prasad
Will Slums Survive The Pandemic?
A look at some prominent super-slums around the world at risk of extinction due to Covid-19
Why Is India’s Testing Rate Low?
It’s time to compare India’s Covid-19 testing rate with those of the worst-hit countries
Can Remdesivir Knock The Coronavirus Out?
Doctors in the US say the drug is helping coronavirus patients to recover faster than usual
Lockdown 3.0 – Where We Stand
The question on everybody’s mind is: When will the lockdown be lifted for good?
Coronavirus Origin: Wuhan Lab Chief Breaks His Silence
“There are malicious claims about the lab,” says Yuan Zhiming, Wuhan Institute of Virology
The Complex Oil Story, Simply Told
There’s a silent war raging out there – a war on the little-discussed petrodollar system
Ready To ‘Die’ For Fashion
Over 500 garment factories in Bangladesh that supply goods to foreign brands have been forced to reopen
The Trouble With India’s Low Covid-19 Cases
Has India been more badly hit by the contagion than we are able to gauge?
Oil Price Collapse: What’s In It For India
The question every Indian wants to know is: will India gain from this oil price crash? What’s in it for the Indian government? What’s in it for the average Indian?
America vs. China: Who Has More Military Bases Abroad?
Empire Wars: Here’s how China compares with the US militarily as it strives to flex its muscles
‘To Hell With The Headscarf!’
BOOK SHELF
How Masih Alinejad, a daring Iranian woman, kick-started a revolution against her country’s hijab law
Petrodollar: The Reason Behind All The Oil Wars In West Asia
BOOK SHELF
Excerpts from a book that explains how the little-discussed petrodollar system works
The Most Dramatic Hostage Crisis Of Our Times
BOOK SHELF
Ground report from the former US Embassy in Tehran – the venue of a gripping 444-day ordeal