Admonitions from professional Cassandras notwithstanding, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a successful visit to the United States. It was the climax of the diplomatic gauntlet he wielded on May 26 when he invited leaders of all SAARC nations, and Mauritius, to attend his swearing-in ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Their arrival … Read More
In an extraordinary show of determination to defeat the Dawlat al-Islamiyah f’al-Iraq w Belaad al-Sham (Daesh) or Islamic State (IS), Riyadh deputed Prince Khaled bin Salman, son of Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz, and an unidentified royal scion to join the military action against the terrorist group. On September 25, … Read More
Those cheering the revival of the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister’s fortunes in the recent bye-elections must concede that if this is the defeat of the BJP’s ‘love jihad’, it is equally the victory of the ‘boys will be boys’ mindset bolstered by Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav at the … Read More
As Dawlat al-Islamiyah f’al-Iraq w Belaad al-Sham (Daesh or Islamic State) beheaded British aid worker David Haines [probably on Sept 13] and threatened to kill another British hostage, the West realises it cannot defer confronting this menace. Amidst its countless victims, the Daesh has beheaded two American and one Syrian … Read More
Whatever one’s assessment of Islam – Abrahamic offspring, way of life, Arab nationalism, post-Byzantine Arab empire, moderate, or outright murderous towards those outside the charmed circle of jihadi warriors – a bizarre facet of contemporary Islam deserves attention, partly because of its scandalous morality, but mainly because it is irreconcilable … Read More
August having turned to September with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif doggedly in office if not fully in command, growing voices in Pakistan question the hidden hands behind the pincer attack on the regime by Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan and Canadian cleric cum Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) leaderTahirul Qadri … Read More
The stunning success of the rabid Sunni group, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (now known as the Islamic State), in seizing territory in both nations since June calls for careful scrutiny to discern the reasons for its sudden comeback. Some events have occurred in rapid succession. First, terror … Read More
With the National Conference repeatedly questioning Jammu & Kashmir’s accession to India, and Pakistan continuing to claim Maharaja Hari Singh’s erstwhile kingdom in entirety, it is imperative that New Delhi lift the veil of secrecy surrounding the events that resulted in the ruler opting for India. The time has come … Read More
Continuous power outages, a sharp rise in tariff by a regulator ever solicitous of the interests of companies gifted the monopoly of power distribution in the capital by a regime booted out for the same reason, and Delhi’s cup of woes is full. As the audit by the Comptroller & … Read More
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s maiden budget is remarkable for blindsiding economic gurus of national and international stature with gratuitous advice for a ‘closure sale’ of the public sector. It invited the private sector to step up and contribute to economic growth, but did not bend over backwards to solicit … Read More
