newspaper editorials with hindi/english vocab

#everydayquiz  

The Hindu

Ending politics of remission

The verdict of a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court on legal questions relating to grant of remission to life convicts exposes the haste with which the Tamil Nadu government acted in February 2014 in seeking to release the seven persons serving life terms for plotting to assassinate Rajiv Gandhi in 1991. The court’s finding that the Central government has primacy in according remission to life convicts in a case of this nature is a political setback to Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. It was apparent that she wanted to be seen as a champion of Tamil rights rather than the stern opponent of terrorism that she was believed to be. In token compliance with a statutory requirement, she wrote to the Centre, giving just three days’ time for its opinion on their release. Alarmed by the thought of Rajiv Gandhi’s killers being freed, the then United Progressive Alliance government rushed to the Supreme Court to stall the process. Thus, the humanitarian question whether convicts who had only been accessories in the LTTE’s assassination plot should languish in prison even after 23 years was converted into a political issue. It became embroiled in technical questions that were referred to a Constitution Bench. The validity of the Tamil Nadu government’s decision will be decided separately by a regular bench.

However, the larger significance here is that the court has barred State governments from invoking their statutory remission power for the premature release of those sentenced by a High Court or the Supreme Court to a specified term above 14 years without remission. It has rejected the theory that every convict, even those facing life-long incarceration, will have to be offered a ‘ray of hope’, placing the interests of the victims of murder above those of the perpetrators. It indicates that those whose death sentences are altered to life terms will have to spend the rest of their life in prison. At the same time, it has kept a small door open for life convicts by declaring that one who had got the benefit of commutation of death sentence to life is not barred from getting remission from the executive. In any case, it has said the constitutional powers of the President and the Governor for grant of clemency remain untouched. The State government will now have to get the concurrence of the Centre in cases investigated by Central agencies before it can use its power of remission to release convicts. Also, the sentences they are undergoing must be for crimes relating to subjects falling under the Union government’s executive powers. The court rejected the idea that a State government can remit prison terms on its own without following the prescribed procedure. A lesson to be drawn from this episode is that the release of prisoners ought to be dealt with on merits on a case-by-case basis by following statutory procedures and not through whimsical or partisan acts of political misadventure.

Grant अनुमति देना

Agree to give or allow (something requested) to.

re·mis·sion माफी 

The cancellation of a debt, charge, or penalty.

con·vict  अपराधी 

Declare (someone) to be guilty of a criminal offense by the verdict of a jury or the decision of a judge in a court of law.

haste तेज़ी

Excessive speed or urgency of movement or action; hurry.

pri·ma·cy   प्रमुखता 

The fact of being primary, preeminent, or more important.

set·back असफलता

A reversal or check in progress.

ap·par·ent प्रत्यक्ष

Clearly visible or understood; obvious

Stern कठोर या निर्दय

(of a person or their manner) serious and unrelenting, especially in the assertion of authority and exercise of discipline.

com·pli·ance पालन 

The action or fact of complying with a wish or command.

stat·u·to·ry कानूनी

Required, permitted, or enacted by statute.

Rush  झटपट दौड़

Move with urgent haste.

Stall टालना

Delay

hu·man·i·tar·i·an मानवीय

Concerned with or seeking to promote human welfare.

ac·ces·so·ry अतिरिक्त

A thing that can be added to something else in order to make it more useful, versatile, or attractive.

as·sas·si·na·tion  हत्या 

The action of assassinating someone.

lan·guish  दुर्बल

(of a person or other living thing) lose or lack vitality; grow weak or feeble.

em·broil  व्याकुल करना, आपत्ति में डालना

Involve (someone) deeply in an argument, conflict, or difficult situation.

Bar बाधित

Fasten (something, especially a door or window) with a bar or bars.

in·voke आह्वान

Cite or appeal to (someone or something) as an authority for an action or in support of an argument.

pre·ma·ture  अपरिपक्व

Occurring or done before the usual or proper time; too early.

in·car·cer·a·tion  जेल में बन्द करना

The state of being confined in prison; imprisonment.

Perpetrators अपराधी

(perpetrate) perform an act, usually with a negative connotation; "perpetrate a crime"; "pull a bank robbery"

com·mu·ta·tion परिवर्तन

Action or the process of commuting a judicial sentence.

            clem·en·cy क्षमा

Mercy; lenience.

Concurrence  सम्मिलन

Agreement of results or opinions

whim·si·cal  मनमौजी

Playfully quaint or fanciful, especially in an appealing and amusing way.

par·ti·san समर्थक 

A strong supporter of a party, cause, or person.

The Hindu

Myanmar’s best hope

Aung San Suu Kyi’s meetings with Myanmar’s President Thein Sein and military chief General Min Aung Hlaing, nearly a month after her party’s resounding election win, are highly significant, given the tumultuous civil-military relations in the Southeast Asian nation. Ms. Suu Kyi had reportedly asked for these meetings immediately after the polls. But the delay had triggered some concerns over whether the still-powerful military would accept the election result and let her National League for Democracy form the next government, which is expected to assume office on March 31. A presidential spokesperson later allayed the concerns, saying both leaders had discussed a “smooth transition and transfer of power to the newly elected government”. While the military-backed government’s reassurance that it is committed to political transition is welcome, the process of transition and building a constitutional framework for the new government could turn out to be a cumbersome process. That is mainly because the military is unlikely to be willing to cede full control to the civilian government. The military-written Constitution bars Ms. Suu Kyi from becoming the President because her children are not Burmese, and it reserves key Ministries, including defence, interior and border security, for the military. Gen. Aung Hlaing has already said there would not be any change in the Constitution to let Ms. Suu Kyi become the President. She has, on the other hand, vowed to lead the government “whether or not” she is the President.

Ms. Suu Kyi is the best hope Myanmar has at this point of time. She is a stout democrat and widely popular, and her party has a legitimate mandate to lead the country, which faces several problems from poverty to ethnic conflict. One of the reasons the military agreed to a transition to a more democratic set-up was the realisation that it could not rule the country with an iron fist forever. Despite years of suppression, the political opposition has been resolute. Besides, the internal dynamics of the Myanmar society remain fragile. The Rohingya community, Muslims castigated as illegal immigrants, have been widely discriminated against by sections of the Buddhist majority. The government’s efforts to end the civil war with ethnic groups through negotiated agreements were only partially successful as rebels in the region bordering China refused to sign ceasefire pacts in October. The country also faces a huge economic challenge. What Myanmar needs now is a leader who can unify the people and take the country to a new era of social and political democracy. A large number of people inside and outside the country believe that, under the circumstances Ms. Suu Kyi may be the best person to take up the challenge. But the question is whether the generals would let her do it. For her part, Ms. Suu Kyi needs to be more forthright in articulating an inclusive agenda, for example vis-à-vis the Rohingya, that addresses ethnic tensions, and gives democracy in Myanmar a stronger chance.

re·sound·ing  ज़बर्दस्त

(of a sound) loud enough to reverberate.

tu·mul·tu·ous  ज़बर्दस्त

Making a loud, confused noise; uproarious.

al·lay  ज़बर्दस्त

Diminish or put at rest (fear, suspicion, or worry).

tran·si·tion  ज़बर्दस्त

The process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another.

re·as·sur·ance  समझाना

The action of removing someone's doubts or fears.

cum·ber·some जटिल

Large or heavy and therefore difficult to carry or use; unwieldy

Cede  आत्मसमर्पण करना,  त्याग करना

Give up (power or territory)

Stout  मजबूत

(of a person) somewhat fat or of heavy build.

eth·nic धर्म या भाषा की विरासत से संबद्ध

Of or relating to a population subgroup (within a larger or dominant national or cultural group) with a common national or cultural tradition.

Fist मुठ्ठी

A person's hand when the fingers are bent in toward the palm and held there tightly, typically in order to strike a blow or grasp something.

sup·pres·sion  प्रतिबंध 

The action of suppressing something such as an activity or publication.

dy·nam·ics गतिशील

The branch of mechanics concerned with the motion of bodies under the action of forces.

frag·ile मुलायम

(of an object) easily broken or damaged.

cas·ti·gate  तिरस्कार करना

Reprimand (someone) severely

forth·right  स्पष्टवादी

(of a person or their manner or speech) direct and outspoken; straightforward and honest.

ar·tic·u·late  स्पष्ट रूप से कहना

Express (an idea or feeling) fluently and coherently.

Business Standard

Beating domestic violence

A new report from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation titled Women and Men in India - 2015 confirmed one of the country's worst-kept secrets: that gender inequality begins and flourishes in the Indian home. One of the most depressing points is that more than a third of registered cases of serious crimes against women - the largest share - came under the category of "cruelty by husband and relatives". This evidence, if any were needed, of extreme chauvinism within large swathes of Indian households finds its external expression in society at large: "assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty" (euphemisms for rape and molestation) accounts for nearly a fourth of serious crimes against women. As with India's sex ratio and female literacy rates - the worst in South Asia and many sub-Saharan countries - statistics that demonstrate Indian society's innate bigotry provoke little reaction from policymakers. Yet, coming as these do a few days ahead of the third anniversary of the brutal rape and murder of a student in Delhi, which sparked protests that earned India worldwide notoriety, some sort of response is surely warranted.

Formulaic policy prescriptions can rarely alter ingrained social prejudice; but there are still a range of options available to policymakers that can alter the terms of engagement in women's favour. Faster economic growth, for instance, will create its own momentum in empowering women, the sheer demands for talent forcing employers to shed gender prejudices. Information technology businesses, with their global linkages, have potently demonstrated these benefits. Societal changes, however, take decades to make an appreciable impact.

In the short run, some practical interventions would help. For one, statistics strongly point to the need to make domestic violence a punishable offence: the Domestic Violence Act of 2006 is a civil law that is primarily aimed at securing protection orders. It is only if these are violated that criminal charges can be brought against the offender. Some succour is available under Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code (titled "Husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty") that carries a punishment of three years imprisonment plus fine - but it can be invoked only in extreme cases, usually when the victim commits suicide or is murdered. The strengthening of rape laws has gone some way towards at least encouraging more victims to report these crimes; the findings of the report suggest that marital rape urgently needs to be included within its ambit. This is vital in a society in which the arranged marriage template uniquely disempowers women. Fast-track courts for domestic violence, as there are for rape, could also partly counter the apathetic approach of most police forces to crimes against women. Admittedly, these are not perfect solutions to a deep-rooted social problem but they have the virtue of being more workable than downright silly initiatives like a bank for women only.

Beat आघात 

Strike (a person or an animal) repeatedly and violently so as to hurt or injure them, usually with an implement such as a club or whip.

do·mes·tic  देशी

Of or relating to the running of a home or to family relations.

Worst  सबसे बेकार

Superlative of bad, ill.

chau·vin·ism अन्ध-देशभक्ति

Exaggerated or aggressive patriotism.

Swathe पट्टी बांधना

Wrap in several layers of fabric

as·sault  प्रहार करना

Make a physical attack on.

in·tent  इच्छा

Intention or purpose.

out·rage         हिंसात्मक कार्य

An extremely strong reaction of anger, shock, or indignation.

mod·es·ty नम्रता

The quality or state of being unassuming or moderate in the estimation of one's abilities.

eu·phe·mism कठोर बात को कोमल रीति से कहना

A mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.

Molestation कामुकतापूर्ण उत्पीड़न

The act of subjecting someone to unwanted or improper sexual advances or activity (especially women or children)

dem·on·strate कामुकतापूर्ण उत्पीड़न

Clearly show the existence or truth of (something) by giving proof or evidence

in·nate जन्मजात

Inborn; natural.

big·ot·ry कट्टरता (

Intolerance toward those who hold different opinions from oneself.

pro·voke ललकारना

Stimulate or give rise to (a reaction or emotion, typically a strong or unwelcome one) in someone.

bru·tal  बर्बर

Savagely violent.

Spark  चिंगारी

Emit sparks of fire or electricity.

world·wide विश्व भर में

Extending or reaching throughout the world.

no·to·ri·e·ty विश्व भर में

The state of being famous or well known for some bad quality or deed.

war·rant  जमानत ,  प्रमाणिक ठहराना

Justify or necessitate (a certain course of action).

pre·scrip·tionनिर्धारित औषधि

An instruction written by a medical practitioner that authorizes a patient to be provided a medicine or treatment.

al·ter परिवर्तन करना

Change or cause to change in character or composition, typically in a comparatively small but significant way.

in·grained  गहराई से समाया हुआ

(of a habit, belief, or attitude) firmly fixed or established; difficult to change.

prej·u·dice पक्षपातपूर्ण

Preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience

Sheer  शुद्ध

Nothing other than; unmitigated (used for emphasis).

Shed  छप्पर 

A simple roofed structure, typically made of wood or metal, used as a storage space, a shelter for animals, or a workshop.

link·age  छप्पर 

The action of linking or the state of being linked.

so·ci·e·tal  सामाजिक

Of or relating to society or social relations.

suc·cor  सहायता

Assistance and support in times of hardship and distress.

vi·tal अत्यावश्यक

Absolutely necessary or important; essential.

tem·plate  नमूना (

A shaped piece of metal, wood, card, plastic, or other material used as a pattern for processes such as painting, cutting out, shaping, or drilling.

Uniquely विलक्षण ढंग से

So as to be unique; "he could determine uniquely the properties of the compound"

dis·em·pow·er

Make (a person or group) less powerful or confident.

ap·a·thet·ic  बेपरवाह

Showing or feeling no interest, enthusiasm, or concern.

vir·tue   सदाचार

Behavior showing high moral standards.

down·right स्पष्टवादी

(of something bad or unpleasant) utter; complete (used for emphasis).

#everydayquiz

Indian Express

Be scared

Despite a year of increasing public concern and alarm over the costs of rising air pollution levels in Delhi, little appears to have changed. Yesterday, the Delhi High Court expressed displeasure over “unchecked rising pollution” in the city. On Wednesday, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) reprimanded the Delhi government for failing to control pollution levels, directing it to issue advisories that would warn children and the elderly — two groups most at risk from inhaling toxic air — to stay at home. Meanwhile, Norway is reportedly considering classifying the capital as a “hardship” posting because of deteriorating air quality, and an international school has cancelled all outdoor activities until pollution levels decrease. This comes even as the Central Pollution Control Board, which measures air quality, classified Delhi’s air as “hazardous” this past week.

Yet, the government has not treated it as the public health emergency it so clearly is. As a first, immediate step, the government should, as the NGT recommended, issue warnings and make information on the most critically affected areas widely available. Though stay-at-home days may not prove practical in the long term, given the frequency with which they might occur, people ought to be able to make an informed choice. Second, officials should educate the public about masks that filter out at least some particulate matter, and even subsidise them to encourage adoption. Then, the government needs to target the different sources of pollution, instead of focusing interventions on, say, vehicular sources. For instance, the burning of garbage is a major contributor to Delhi’s dirty air. But because of the absence of a centralised system of landfills or garbage treatment, and a lack of incentives to hunt for other solutions, waste continues to be burnt, spewing harmful toxins. At the same time, as the NGT noted, the use of diesel generators, cars and trucks must be actively discouraged, perhaps by imposing a tax. Beijing, another city with alarming air pollution, bans drivers of diesel cars from obtaining licence plates.

At a time when the Centre has launched an ambitious “smart cities” programme, it is clear that there is much work to be done to ensure that our existing cities are liveable. Delhi is merely the most visible and high-profile example of how creaky urban infrastructure in India is. The Max Planck Institute estimates that, by 2025, more than 30,000 Delhi residents will die each year from air pollution, with Kolkata and Mumbai

accounting for another 40,000. The WHO’s list of the 20 most polluted cities is dominated by Indian metros. There are policy fixes for this looming public health catastrophe. But without popular pressure on politicians to prod them into action, they are unlikely to be adopted.

Scared  भयभीत

Fearful; frightened.

rep·ri·mand फटकार 

Rebuke (someone), especially officially.

in·hale  सांस लेना

Breathe in (air, gas, smoke, etc.)

de·te·ri·o·rate बिगड़ जाना

Become progressively worse.

haz·ard·ous खतरनाक

Risky; dangerous.

Treat  इलाज 

Behave toward or deal with in a certain way.

sub·si·dize आर्थिक सहायता देना

Support (an organization or activity) financially.

gar·bage  निरर्थक वस्तु

Wasted or spoiled food and other refuse, as from a kitchen or household.

land·fill  भरावक्षेत्र 

A place to dispose of refuse and other waste material by burying it and covering it over with soil, especially as a method of filling in or extending usable land.

Spew उल्टी करना, उल्टी करना

Expel large quantities of (something) rapidly and forcibly.

ob·tain  हासिल करना

Get, acquire, or secure (something).

liv·a·ble रहने लायक

Worth living; enjoyable.

creak·y चरमराने वाला

(of an object, typically a wooden one) making or liable to make a harsh, high-pitched sound when being moved or when pressure or weight is applied.

ca·tas·tro·phe  आपत्ति 

An event causing great and often sudden damage or suffering; a disaster.

Prod  अंकुश

Poke (someone) with a finger, foot, or pointed object

The Guardian

view on the Syria debate: crossing the watershed

inisters always said that parliament would not be asked to debate the bombing of Syria unless the government already had the numbers to win the vote. On Wednesday, after more than 10 intense hours in the Commons, the government duly got an emphatic 174-vote majority, with 397 MPs backing the extension of the campaign, 66 of them Labour rebels. Britain is now a fully committed participant in the US-led aerial alliance against Islamic State in Syria as well as Iraq. A largely defunct international border will now be crossed. But so will a new political watershed for Britain

This newspaper opposed the motion that MPs voted for on Wednesday night. We support the cause of defeating Isis, and we do not reject military action. But we do not believe that the case that David Cameron put to parliament held up under scrutiny. In particular, his case is based on some heroic assumptions about the numbers, moderation and unity of local Syrian and Kurdish ground troops, without whom the military defeat of Isis is vanishingly improbable. It also rests on a large helping of wishful thinking that the Vienna diplomatic process will produce a post-Assad transition that would permit Syrian state forces to play a decisive role in the military obliteration of Isis.

A YouGov poll published on Wednesday showed declining public confidence in the case too, which is ominous for the government. Perhaps that may change, now that the action is under way and UK armed forces are in harm’s way. But the Commons debate itself will not have persuaded many doubters until, perhaps, a remarkable speech by the shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn raised the level of the occasion and elevated Mr Benn into a truly significant figure in Labour’s ranks. Sometimes, on such occasions, there is talk of “the Commons at its best”. Today was not one of those days until then. Mr Cameron, already under fire for his words about Labour “terrorist sympathisers”, said little new. Jeremy Corbyn made a laboured speech against bombing which was met with mixed enthusiasm on his own side – and was hit for six as a piece of oratory by Mr Benn. Mr Corbyn may be gaining public support for his scepticism about bombing, but he is also haemorrhaging public support as a leader at the same time.

The decision has, however, been taken. Many MPs made thoughtful speeches through the long day and several have produced website statements and other analyses that do credit to their serious approach to an indisputably difficult set of dilemmas. What matters now is that the government should not delude itself into thinking that the hard part is over. It isn’t. If anything, the hard stuff – military, diplomatic, political and humanitarian – starts here. Ministers need to realise that, as Yvette Cooper put it, the country has lent the government its support for the Syrian campaign on a variety of important conditions. And what has been lent can later be reclaimed.

The first of these conditions concerns the way the bombing raids are carried out. Mr Cameron said some reassuring things about precision weapons and pilot skills. But public opinion, here and elsewhere, will not stand for mass civilian casualties or ineptly conducted missions. Isis is adept at concealing itself behind human shields and it will do so. As a general rule, Britain must not bomb human shields, however important the Isis targets behind them. Mr Cameron should have set out the RAF rules of engagement more openly. He should have been challenged more robustly on the subject. He still can be, and he must.

A second condition is that the diplomatic drive must be redoubled, not forgotten. Mr Cameron must recognise that he won the vote because MPs and the public want and expect the diplomatic solution to be the government’s foreign policy priority now. Yet that is easier said than done. Progress in Vienna is welcome, but it remains little more than embryonic at this stage. There are no cosy choices here, as the defence committee chair, Julian Lewis, said in his speech.

MPs must also turn up the heat on timings. Parliament has been promised quarterly reviews of the progress of the campaign. That is not enough. MPs should put a sunset clause into the commitment in Syria and be ready to withdraw their support if the hoped for progress is not made. Britain must also accept that more war means more refugees and an increased obligation to do more for them and to take a larger share. This week is the start of what could be a long commitment. But the focus must also already be on the finish.

em·phat·ic ज़ोरदार

Showing or giving emphasis; expressing something forcibly and clearly

Back  समर्थन करना

Give financial, material, or moral support to

ex·ten·sion  फैलाव

A part that is added to something to enlarge or prolong it; a continuation.

aer·i·al  वायुविषयक

Existing, happening, or operating in the air.

scru·ti·ny सूक्ष्म परीक्षण

Critical observation or examination

he·ro·ic  वीरतापूर्ण

Having the characteristics of a hero or heroine; very brave

Troop फौज

A group of soldiers, especially a cavalry unit commanded by a captain, or an airborne unit.

van·ish·ing·ly ग़ायब हो जानेवाला

In such a manner or to such a degree as almost to become invisible, nonexistent, or negligible

im·prob·a·ble असम्भव

Not likely to be true or to happen.

ob·lit·er·a·tion विनाश 

The action or fact of obliterating or being obliterated; total destruction.

om·i·nous  मनहूस

Giving the impression that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen; threatening; inauspicious

com·mons लोक

A dining hall in a residential school or college.

per·suade  उकसाना

Cause (someone) to do something through reasoning or argument.

or·a·to·ry वक्तृत्व

A small chapel, especially for private worship.

skep·ti·cism  संदेहवाद

A skeptical attitude; doubt as to the truth of something.

hem·or·rhage  रक्त स्राव होना

(of a person) suffer a hemorrhage bleeding,.

Indisputably निर्विवाद रूप से

(indisputable) incontestable: not open to question; obviously true

di·lem·ma  विकल्प, दुविधा 

A situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives, especially equally undesirable ones.

Ineptly  अयोग्यता से

With ineptitude; in an incompetent manner; "he performed his functions ineptly"

a·dept  कारीगर ,  कुशल

Very skilled or proficient at something.

con·ceal गुप्त रखना

Keep from sight; hide.

Robustly मजबूत ढंग से

In a robust manner; "he was robustly built"

em·bry·on·ic अपरिपक्व

Of or relating to an embryo.

co·zy आरामदायक

Giving a feeling of comfort, warmth, and relaxation.

a sunset clause

In public policy, a sunset provision or clause is a measure within a statute, regulation or other law that provides that the law shall cease to have effect after a specific date, unless further legislative action is taken to extend the law.

ob·li·ga·tion शर्त 

An act or course of action to which a person is morally or legally bound; a duty or commitment.

The Dawn

Wrong move by Britain

IT seems David Cameron hasn’t learnt any lessons from the past, especially from the flawed policies of one of his predecessors, Tony Blair, who was prime minister during the crucial 1997-2007 decade.

While winning the vote on Syria bombing was easy because his Conservatives have a majority; what was shocking was Mr Cameron’s speech before the Commons voted 397 to 223 to give him the go-ahead.

In a speech which Labour chief Jeremy Corbyn said “demean[ed]” the office of the prime minister, Mr Cameron claimed that those opposed to the bombing were “terrorist sympathisers” — a remark that harkens back to George Bush junior’s assertion after 9/11 that those who were not with him in his ‘war on terror’ were with the enemy. That 9/11 was a horrendous crime, as was 7/7, goes without saying.

Men evil to the core perpetrated those crimes and aroused the world’s conscience. If, therefore, Mr Bush chose to attack Taliban-ruled Afghanistan the world could understand the wound America had suffered.

But the way he perpetrated his ‘war on terror’ and the consequences this philosophy produced did everything except to kill the monster of global terrorism.

Mr Cameron, too, seems blind to the grey and sees what he calls an “incredibly complex” situation in black and white, forgetting that those whom he labelled “terrorist sympathisers” seem now to have become wiser under Mr Corbyn’s leadership and have seen the consequences of their blind support for American policies.

Mr Blair was Mr Bush’s sidekick in invading an Iraq which, the UN confirmed, never had weapons of mass destruction. And yet the two launched a war whose consequences have produced the kingdom of evil that is the militant Islamic State group.

Who is the target of RAF bombing now? Do all interested powers have a commonality of goals? For Russia, it is the anti-Assad forces that need to be destroyed; the Turkish priority is regime change in Damascus; oil powers Iran and Saudi Arabia are working at cross purposes, and a mysterious lull characterises the ground war, because American and French strikes have not had much effect on the IS’s fighting capability nor led to a shrinkage of the territory the militant group controls.

Unless all powers first agree on the target, merely pouring fire from the skies will mean not only misery for the Syrian people, nearly 300,000 of whom are already dead, but also the birth of more IS-like hordes of butchers elsewhere in the world.

Flawed दोषपूर्ण

Blemished, damaged, or imperfect in some way.

pred·e·ces·sor पूर्वज 

A person who held a job or office before the current holder.

de·mean अपनी प्रतिष्ठा कम करना

Cause a severe loss in the dignity of and respect for (someone or something).

heark·en कान लगाकर सुनना

Listen.

hor·ren·dous  भीषण

Extremely unpleasant, horrifying, or terrible.

Core  सब से महत्वपूर्ण भागा

The tough central part of various fruits, containing the seeds.

per·pe·trate  पाप या दोष करना

Carry out or commit (a harmful, illegal, or immoral action).

a·rouse  उकसाना

Evoke or awaken (a feeling, emotion, or response).

con·science  अन्तरात्मा

An inner feeling or voice viewed as acting as a guide to the rightness or wrongness of one's behavior.

per·pe·trate पाप या दोष करना

Carry out or commit (a harmful, illegal, or immoral action).

side·kick  सहायक 

A person's assistant or close associate, especially one who has less authority than that person.

in·vade  घुसपैठ करना

(of an armed force or its commander) enter (a country or region) so as to subjugate or occupy it.

Lull तूफान के पीछे का ठहराव

Calm or send to sleep, typically with soothing sounds or movements.

shrink·age  संकोचन

The process, fact, or amount of shrinking.

mere·ly  केवल

Just; only.

Pour  बाढ़ 

(especially of a liquid) flow rapidly in a steady stream.

Horde  गिरोह

A large group of people.

butch·er  गिरोह

A person whose trade is cutting up and selling meat in a shop.

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