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A smiling two-year-old Valentina Aleman runs down a sidewalk in Buenos Aires, dodging cardboard boxes, a worn-out sofa, and a broken refrigerator without noticing the cars zooming dangerously close to her and others—risks of living on the streets.

Is there a Marxist position on fashion? Maybe not a “position” as such—though some Marxists have also been notable fashionistas (and others, distinctly scruffy dressers). However, a Marxist approach can reveal quite a lot. Fashion is (arguably) unique to and a characteristic of our species.

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn (1890-1964), known as “The Rebel Girl,” was one of the premier labor activists and leaders of the struggle for women’s equality in the 20th century. She was an organizer for the Industrial Workers of the World, a founding member of the ACLU, and later in life the Chairperson of the Communist Party USA. In this article, originally printed under the headline “For the Rights of Women” in the Daily Worker on March 11, 1954, Flynn discusses the U.S. origins of International Women’s Day.

The Parliament has passed the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Fourth) Amendment Bill, 2019, which sought to amend Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution, by providing 10 per cent reservation in the public employment and higher education for the economically weaker sections. The economically weaker sections would be determined by the State keeping in mind the family income and other indicators of economic disadvantage. The Bill received the Presidential Assent on 12th January, 2019 and has become the law now. Thus, in one stroke, this Government changed the complete spirit and ethos of the reservation policy, which till now meant to redress the historic caste-based oppression in India.

The crazy left and the crazy right and everything in between. And rambunctious sex became the determining factor in the selection of a Supreme Court judge in the United States. Trump’s nominee for SCOTUS Brett Kavanaugh faced a litany of sexual misconduct charges, including heading a high-school ring of gang-bang rapists. His accuser No.1, California professor Dr. Christine Ford, gave an emotional opening statement that struck chords. But accused Kavanaugh followed her and what he did left everyone in doubt.

As we were scurrying across to escape the relentless scorching sun into the cool comforts of the exhibition halls at Greater Noida Exposition Centre, Ms Helena Li was looking around rather wistfully. It was so much of wasted opportunity.

The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly. Two decades later, in 2001, the General Assembly unanimously voted to designate the Day as a period of non-violence and cease-fire. The United Nations invites all nations and people to honour a cessation of hostilities during the Day, and to otherwise commemorate the Day through education and public awareness on issues related to peace.

Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul should have been given the honour of being the first man sent to Outer Space, the spaceship programmed not to ever return. He was that kind of man – a surly exile, with a dark presence. A man who saw warts before he found beauty, if ever. The child of indentured labour, he laboured to cast a critical eye. To the point it came natural to him.

Navjot Singh Sidhu has the makings of a Mani Shankar Aiyar. Except that Aiyar can hardly make anyone laugh and Sidhu laughs from deep down in his throat at the lamest of jokes. Aiyar and Sidhu will not make good roommates. Sidhu will laugh at every Aiyar sentence and Aiyar will be left checking his wrist watch at every crack Sidhu makes. Genuine humour is neither man’s forte though both have a way with words.

The Malayali is a global citizen. Some call the Malayali the ‘Sardar’ of the South. Like the Sikh, Malayalis are found in all corners of the Earth. The Gujarati, too. But the Malayali temperament kind of matches that of the Sikh. This is a viewpoint. But look hard and one might pop out of a wigwam or a teepee.