Rashid's Blog: A Place for Inquisitive Souls

( Note : To be published in the Annual Number of ‘Mainstream’)

In this conversation academician, writer and social activist Zaheer Ali talks about his latest book ‘Romancing With Revolution : Life and Works of Faiz Ahmed Faiz’ (Aakar Books, Delhi, 2019) and why Faiz is ‘ extremely relevant in today’s India’

This is the hour of madness, this too the hour of chain and noose You may hold the cage in your control, but you don’t command The bright season when a flower blooms in the garden. So, what if we didn’t see it? For others after us will see The garden’s brightness, will hear the nightingale sing

(This Hour of Chain and Noose (Faiz, Tauq o dar ka Mausam, 1951)

A new international coalition has been launched to strengthen coordinated action on sand and dust storms, which have damaging impacts on human health, the environment and key economic sectors in many countries around the world.

WMO is one of the partners in the coalition, which includes the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Environment (UNEP), UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO) and World Bank – among other institutions.

It was launched at the UNCCD Conference of the Parties in New Delhi on 6 September. (Today)

Sand and dust storms are a phenomena severely and increasingly affecting 151 countries- areas in Africa, Asia, North America and Australia, tweeted UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw. “It is a global crisis.”

The move, spearheaded by the UN Environment Management Group, comes…