Killing in the name of cow on April 15, 2017India is experiencing a new wave of communal tension as ultra-nationalist Hindus try to ban Muslims and Christians from consuming beef and other types of meat. These extremists enjoy full support from the ruling BJP. Some of them are already talking about a coming ‘cow war’ in India. Fear has spread across the country as […]
Its time to get tough with Myanmar on January 10, 2017Towards the end of last year, President Obama announced through an e-mail the decision to lift sanctions against Myanmar. The reason cited for this generosity was the ‘substantial improvement’ achieved by Burma in its human rights portfolio. This came as a surprise to the rest of the world which is witnessing the worst human rights […]
Plans for post-Assad Syria on April 26, 2016In Syria, the rebellion that started as a response to the violent suppression of peaceful protestors has morphed into a full scale civil war turning the country into an arena for regional and, to some extent, international power play. There are certain aspects of the war that have, after the passing of two years, become […]
The peace pipeline on April 26, 2016On Monday March 11, 2013, the presidents of Pakistan and Iran Mr Asif Ali Zardari and Mr Mahmoud Ahmadinejad inaugurated the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline. The pipeline is also, sometimes, referred to as the Peace Pipeline. The idea for such a supply channel was originally suggested by Malik Aftab Ahmed Khan in his article titled “Persian […]
The fiscal facee-off in America on April 26, 2016On Friday March 1, 2013, President Barack Obama inked into law the directive that triggered the sequester that was a topic of extensive debate in the US for the past several weeks. The sequestration, commonly known as the sequester, enacted by the 2011 Budget Control Act, refers to the cuts in federal agencies’ planned budget […]
The fiscal face-off in America on April 26, 2016On Friday March 1, 2013, President Barack Obama inked into law the directive that triggered the sequester that was a topic of extensive debate in the US for the past several weeks. The sequestration, commonly known as the sequester, enacted by the 2011 Budget Control Act, refers to the cuts in federal agencies’ planned budget […]
Argo: a movie or a political statement on April 25, 2016Hailed as one of the best pictures of the previous year, Ben Affleck’s political thriller Argo won three academy awards in the Oscar ceremony held on February 24. The movie also received rave reviews from notable film critics. Argo is set in the backdrop of the 1979 Iran hostage crisis, which smeared the reputation of […]
President Obama and the Middle East on April 25, 2016Palestinian and Israeli leaders have repeatedly blamed the Obama administration for its lack of interest in the peace process. Some were even speculating that the administration wants to wash its hands of this perpetual problem in the Middle East. However, all these assumptions were laid to rest with the recent announcement from the White House […]
The self-evident US policy shift and its possible repercussions on April 25, 2016Amid serious opposition, President Obama nominated Chuck Hagel for the post of the US Defence Secretary. The influential Jewish lobby in the US accused Hagel of being an anti-Semite. The hawks in the administration thought he was too soft on Iran. Despite all the charges levelled against him, Chuck Hagel won the nomination and seems […]
The Middle Easts new power on the rise on April 24, 2016Last year in October, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, visited the Gaza Strip where he was greeted by enthusiastic Gazans holding placards with his pictures on them. It was the first time an Arab head of state visited the coastal enclave since the ruling Hamas took it over after violent […]