博客

Renowned British journalist Sir Mark Tully, whose distinctive voice became synonymous with authoritative reporting from the Indian subcontinent for decades, passed away at age 90 in New Delhi on Sunday. The legendary broadcaster died at 2:35 PM on January 25th at Max Super Speciality Hospital in Saket, where he had been receiving treatment for the past week.

Hospital authorities confirmed the celebrated correspondent succumbed to multi-organ failure following a stroke, extending heartfelt condolences to his family and countless admirers worldwide.

Born in Calcutta (now Kolkata) in 1935 to affluent British settlers, Tully’s extraordinary journey saw him evolve from theology student at Cambridge University to becoming the BBC’s definitive chronicler of South Asia. His professional connection with India formally began in 1965 when he joined the BBC’s New Delhi office as an administrator, marking his return to the nation of his birth after being sent to UK boarding schools post-World War II.

Tully’s remarkable career spanned three tumultuous decades that defined modern India. His incisive reporting covered watershed moments including the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, Indira Gandhi’s 1975 Emergency declaration, Operation Blue Star (1984), the assassinations of both Indira and Rajiv Gandhi, economic liberalization reforms, and the Ayodhya dispute resolution.

His uncompromising journalistic integrity famously led to his expulsion from India during the Emergency for refusing to sign a censorship agreement—though he returned immediately after democratic norms were restored. Despite resigning from BBC in 1994 citing a ‘culture of fear’ under then Director-General John Birt, Tully continued contributing to BBC programming until 2019 while maintaining his Delhi residence in Nizamuddin West.

The Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri recipient, knighted by Britain in 2002, authored several critically acclaimed books including ‘No Full Stops in India’ and ‘India in Slow Motion.’ UNESCO’s Courier publication celebrated him as a ‘radio legend’ who mastered the medium during an era when magnetic tapes and unreliable telecommunications demanded extraordinary resourcefulness from foreign correspondents.

Indian political figures including Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera joined global voices in mourning his passing, recalling how generations ‘grew up listening to his voice’ and reading his nuanced accounts of India’s complex socio-political landscape.

In a devastating escalation of its winter energy infrastructure campaign, Russian forces launched a massive overnight assault targeting Ukraine’s power grid, leaving approximately 1.2 million properties without electricity during dangerously frigid conditions. The coordinated attack, which extended into Saturday morning, represents Moscow’s most intensive bombardment of energy facilities this winter, continuing a strategy initiated in November 2022.

Kyiv experienced particularly severe impacts, with over 800,000 households plunged into darkness while nighttime temperatures hovered around -10°C (14°F). Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba reported that more than 3,200 buildings in the capital remained without heating by late evening, though this marked an improvement from the 6,000 affected structures earlier in the day. The northeastern suburb of Troyeshchyna emerged as the worst-hit district, with 600 buildings simultaneously deprived of power, water, and heating services.

The human toll mounted as Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed one fatality and four injuries in the capital, three requiring hospitalization. Kharkiv, situated merely 30 kilometers from the Russian border, suffered significant damage with over 30 casualties including a child. Mayor Ihor Terekhov detailed that 25 drones struck multiple districts, damaging a dormitory for displaced persons and two medical facilities, one being a maternity hospital.

Emergency response efforts intensified nationwide, with more than 160 specialized crews working to restore critical services in Kyiv alone. Authorities established heated shelters operating around-the-clock and distributed hot food and medicine to vulnerable residents. The city had recently modified its wartime curfew to permit movement to these warming centers during nighttime hours.

This assault occurred despite ongoing trilateral negotiations brokered by the United States in the United Arab Emirates, which adjourned without visible progress but are scheduled to resume next weekend. Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal acknowledged the tremendous challenges in stabilizing power supply, stating that constant enemy attacks prevent normalization of the energy situation.

Military analysts noted the deployment of sophisticated weaponry, including two rarely-used Tsirkon ballistic missiles among 375 drones and 21 missiles launched overall. The attack pattern demonstrates Russia’s strategic focus on crippling Ukraine’s energy infrastructure during the harshest winter months, creating maximum humanitarian distress while diplomatic efforts continue.

A 62-year-old Christian Palestinian woman sustained life-threatening injuries during a violent confrontation with Israeli settlers near Birzeit, north of Ramallah, on Saturday. Najat Jadallah Emeid was struck in the head with a large rock at close range, resulting in a fractured skull and requiring intensive care hospitalization.

The incident began when settlers brought livestock to graze near the Emeid family property on the outskirts of Birzeit, adjacent to the Atara military barrier. According to family members, the settlers deliberately damaged crops and olive trees before launching an unprovoked stone-throwing assault on the family home.

Najat’s daughter, Nariman Koura, described the harrowing sequence of events: ‘My mother shouted at the settlers to leave after they began breaking olive branches and feeding them to their animals. One settler hit my mother on the leg, causing her to fall, and another then picked up a large rock and struck her on the head while she was defenseless on the ground.’

Family members attempting to provide medical assistance and defend their property faced additional violence. Najat’s son, Eid Emeid, suffered a broken hand and finger while trying to protect his mother. The situation escalated further when Israeli forces arrived on the scene, arresting multiple family members despite their status as victims of the initial attack.

The incident reflects a broader pattern of escalating settler violence in the West Bank. According to documentation by the Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs, attacks against Christians have increased dramatically, with 69 documented incidents in the second quarter of 2025 alone, including holy site desecrations, vandalism, and physical assaults.

Wadie Abunassar, coordinator of the Holy Land Christian Forum, condemned the attack in a video statement: ‘I’m almost speechless about these repeated incidents. This terrorism has to stop.’ He noted that international observers feel ‘powerless in the face of ongoing settler violence, especially due to the lack of cooperation from Israeli authorities.’

Jamal Juma, coordinator of the Stop the Wall campaign, characterized the violence as part of ‘a systematic and well-planned strategy to force Palestinians out of their homes and lands.’ UN documentation indicates that between December 2025 and January 2026, settler attacks resulted in injuries to 33 Palestinians and displaced approximately 100 families through intimidation and threats.

Despite the trauma, the Emeid family remains resolute. ‘No matter what they do, we will not leave our land,’ Koura affirmed, capturing the determination of many Palestinian families facing similar pressures across the occupied territories.