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HMPV Virus Mustn’t Shift Focus from Other Healthcare Priorities
HMPV Virus Mustn’t Shift Focus from Other Healthcare Priorities

News reports on the spread of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) are bringing back memories of the initial alerts regarding COVID-19 a few years ago. While HMPV is not typically fatal, its capacity to infect individuals across all demographics has raised significant public concern. However, it must not become part of a recurring pattern in global health responses: illnesses that also affect the privileged often dominate headlines and governmental priorities, overshadowing diseases that primarily affect marginalised groups and less developed countries.

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Dinner With a Tribal Woman: ‘My Sons Weren’t Maoists’
STORIES OF RESILIENCE :  A Dad Who Became a Mom
HAUNTED AND GHETTOISED: Prolonged Aftermath

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Articles
HMPV Virus Mustn’t Shift Focus from Other Healthcare Priorities

News reports on the spread of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) are bringing back memories of the initial alerts regarding COVID-19 a few years ago. While HMPV is not typically fatal, its capacity to infect individuals across all demographics has raised significant public concern. However, it must not become part of a recurring pattern in global health responses: illnesses that also affect the privileged often dominate headlines and governmental priorities, overshadowing diseases that primarily affect marginalised groups and less developed countries.

Is Organising a Protest Alone Enough for UAPA Charges?

The Delhi High Court has asked the state’s police, which reports to the central government, whether an individual who merely organises a protest site could face charges under the anti-terror Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Judges pressed for clear evidence showing that the act of setting up demonstrations against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act warranted a law typically invoked for serious offenses.

Illegal Mining in Assam’s Dima Hasao Costing Lives

Three people have been confirmed dead, and one body had been recovered as of Jan. 8, two days after at least nine miners became trapped in a flooded “rat hole” coal mine in Assam’s Dima Hasao district. The incident resembles several similar accidents over recent years, despite numerous protests by local residents. The issue persists.

China’s Mega Dam in Tibet Raises Concerns Over Ecology, Livelihoods

China is building the world’s largest dam on a major river in Tibet, which originates from a glacier in the northern Himalayas and flows downstream as the Brahmaputra River, crossing into India before merging with the Bay of Bengal through Bangladesh. The project is expected to significantly impact crucial ecosystems and the livelihoods of millions of people, including those in India and Bangladesh.

Haryana’s Villages Turn to Vigilantism in Their ‘War on Drugs’

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini’s “war on drugs” is reportedly being bolstered by vigilantes, resulting in a rise in casteism, which is not the only adverse outcome. Similar experiments in other countries have demonstrated that such measures can lead to extremely dangerous and long-term consequences.

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The Hidden Financial Perils of the Influencer Dream
The Hidden Financial Perils of the Influencer Dream

In an era where social media stardom seems to promise instant wealth and fame, thousands of aspiring influencers are pouring their life savings into a vision that, for most, remains frustratingly out of reach. Behind the glossy facade of perfectly curated Instagram feeds and viral TikTok videos lies a sobering reality: the path to influencer success is often paved with serious financial troubles.

Manipur Autopsy Reports: 10 Kuki-Zos Killed in CRPF Firing
Manipur Autopsy Reports: 10 Kuki-Zos Killed in CRPF Firing

A thorough analysis of the autopsy reports for the 10 Kuki-Zo “village volunteers” killed in Manipur during an alleged gunbattle with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) suggests that the young men were shot from behind or from multiple directions and at close range. Some of them also sustained injuries that cannot solely be attributed to gunfire.

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Power Crisis Deepens in Jammu & Kashmir Amid Winter
Power Crisis Deepens in Jammu & Kashmir Amid Winter

In the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, households commonly face frequent power outages and struggle with unaffordable electricity tariffs. This, despite the region's immense potential for hydroelectric power generation. Asad Ullah Mir describes the developmental injustices his community endures due to the extraction of hydroelectric power. Meanwhile, Abdul Hamid, a 50-year-old resident of Dal Gate in Srinagar, discusses the tough choices low-income families must make between electricity and basic necessities. This raises a pressing question: Why must the people of this region endure cold, dark winters?

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Dinner With a Tribal Woman: ‘My Sons Weren’t Maoists’
Dinner With a Tribal Woman: ‘My Sons Weren’t Maoists’

An elderly woman, Shanti Devi, who lost two of her sons in a shootout by security personnel, resides alone in a Maoist-affected region of Chhattisgarh. This episode of The Dinner Table explores her story.

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Jharkhand’s State Capitalism: Displacements by Mining
Jharkhand’s State Capitalism: Displacements by Mining

Madhusudan Mahto, a 60-year-old resident of Dhanbad district in Jharkhand state, is one of many paying the price for successive state governments' careless embrace of state capitalism. Coal mining has been ongoing in Jharkhand since 1901. Today, around 6,486 hectares of land in the state affected by the mining activity, while about 75% of the state’s population remains economically dependent on agriculture. Although mining is a lucrative source of revenue for the state and is prioritised over vital sectors like agriculture, it compromises the well-being of millions of residents who are not employed in the mining sector. And this is apart from significant environmental and health costs associated with the extraction of natural resources.

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HAUNTED AND GHETTOISED: Prolonged Aftermath
HAUNTED AND GHETTOISED: Prolonged Aftermath

Khairunissa, along with her siblings and parents, spent years living in a multi-religious and multicultural apartment in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. When communal tensions and targeted violence against Muslims erupted in the city on February 28, 2002, her family initially felt secure, confident that their neighbours would be able to protect them. But then Khairunissa saw a mob approaching their building. In an instant, their lives and circumstances changed dramatically. More than 22 years later, the lasting impact continues to affect them and hundreds of thousands of Muslims in the state.

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Dinner With a Tribal Woman: ‘My Sons Weren’t Maoists’
Dinner With a Tribal Woman: ‘My Sons Weren’t Maoists’

An elderly woman, Shanti Devi, who lost two of her sons in a shootout by security personnel, resides alone in a Maoist-affected region of Chhattisgarh. This episode of The Dinner Table explores her story.

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STORIES OF RESILIENCE :  A Dad Who Became a Mom
STORIES OF RESILIENCE :  A Dad Who Became a Mom

Manish, a resident of Bengaluru, Karnataka, has been raising his daughter alone since she was eight months old. To nurture her effectively, he has taken on the roles of both father and mother, overcoming numerous challenges—deciding where to leave his daughter when he goes to the office, choosing which washroom—men's or women's—to use when they are in a market area, determining the right amount of food to give her, what to say to her about periods, among other things. What truly demonstrates his resilience is his consistent willingness and cheerful attitude in doing everything necessary for his daughter’s upbringing.

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WHAT MAKES A ‘HOME’ | Demolition Drives in Delhi
WHAT MAKES A ‘HOME’ | Demolition Drives in Delhi

The video delves into the lives of Delhi's slum dwellers, whose homes perpetually face the threat of demolition. In a recent case, on May 19, 2023, residents of Priyanka Gandhi Camp in Vasant Vihar, Delhi, received official notices from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to vacate the land by June 15, 2023. Despite legal battles fought by the PG camp residents, their ‘Jhuggis’ (slums) were ultimately demolished. Between April 1 and July 27, 2023, Delhi witnessed 49 demolition drives. In 2023, at least 1600 homes have been destroyed and about 2,50,000 are homeless in India’s Capital. This story is about the plight of those who become homeless overnight.

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Unequal Earnings in Salt Farming
Unequal Earnings in Salt Farming

Gujarat stands as India’s foremost salt-producing state, contributing 85% to the nation's total salt output. Within Gujarat, 31% of this production originates from the Agariya community living within the Little Rann of Kutch. Despite being the primary contributors to the salt industry, the Agariya people find themselves receiving the smallest share of profits. Furthermore, they grapple with the adverse effects of climate change, directly impacting their livelihoods. In this narrative, Bhopa and Gunand, two Agariya salt farmers, shed light on the disparity in earnings within the salt farming sector.

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UNEQUAL LIVES | Everyday Struggles of Dalits in Gujarat
UNEQUAL LIVES | Everyday Struggles of Dalits in Gujarat

Bhupat Bhai Sekhaliya, a diligent and hardworking rickshaw driver from Gujarat, belongs to the Dalit community. Despite his unwavering dedication, the respect he deserves eludes him, particularly from individuals of "upper" castes in his vicinity. Many daily activities, deemed "normal" for any resident, remain inaccessible to him. Defiance can lead to physical assault. However, Bhupat's story is not an isolated incident. In Gujarat, the spectre of violence against Dalits looms large, with an average of four cases reported daily. The past seven years have seen a staggering total of over 9,000 documented instances of such violence.

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BREATHLESS IN DELHI | The Human Cost of Air Pollution
BREATHLESS IN DELHI | The Human Cost of Air Pollution

If you are living in Delhi, you might lose 12 years of your life because of air pollution. Jyoti Lavakare Pande, an author and a journalist from Delhi, writes an open letter to highlight the intensity of pollution in Delhi. She reflects on her mother's vibrant and resilient life, filled with smiles and melodies. Her mother, Kamale Pande, a classical vocalist, was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, struggling for every breath in Delhi's pollution. She pens down her mother’s journey to raise awareness about the invisible killer looming in Delhi’s air.

Videos
‘Revisiting Childhood,’ with Screenwriter, Lyricist and Filmmaker Shashwat Dwivedi
‘Revisiting Childhood,’ with Screenwriter, Lyricist and Filmmaker Shashwat Dwivedi

This video is from the third episode of our online event series, “Newsreel Asia Conversations,” which gives you a chance to interact with filmmakers who explore social, economic and political themes in their works. It all came together from our team's interactions with these creative minds at the 2024 Dharamshala International Film Festival. In this episode, we featured screenwriter, lyricist and filmmaker Shashwat Dwivedi, and our conversation centred on “Revisiting Childhood,” based on his latest film “Bobby Beauty Parlour.”

‘Why Education Comes with a High Cost for Girls,’ with Filmmaker Tarun Jain
‘Why Education Comes with a High Cost for Girls,’ with Filmmaker Tarun Jain

This video is from the second episode of our online event series, “Newsreel Asia Conversations,” which gives you a chance to interact with filmmakers who explore social, economic and political themes in their works. In this episode, we featured filmmaker and director Tarun Jain, and our conversation centred on “Why Education Comes with a High Cost for Girls,” based on his film “Ballad of the Mountain.”

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