As Barack Obama gets into 50s, his popularity ratings is dipping into 40s – quite the opposite of what happened when he was elected as the first black President in 2008, after 8 years of economic catastrophe under George ‘Dubya’ Bush’s presidency. Standard & Poor’s historic decision to downgrade US economy’s rating a notch lower … Continue reading
First things First! Definitely, Barrack Obama could not have become the US President if he was not born in the US and we all know that! There is no provision in the US Constitution to allow a non-American (by birth) to stand for the Presidential Elections! Hence, I do not understand why should Donald Trump … Continue reading
It was only in the year 2004 – I read the autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi ‘Story of My experiments with the truth’ completely; more or less at a continuous stretch except for few brief intervals. I had visited for the first time, the Sabarmati Ashram, at Ahmadabad, India in the same year and the ashram … Continue reading
I quote Robert Hunter, Ex-US Ambassador to NATO: ‘With Muammar al-Qaddafi now closing in on a final campaign to defeat the rebels opposing his regime, the world’s attention has centered on what the United States and others should do — or even can do — to aid those who are trying to bring down the … Continue reading
Can Japan triumph in tragedy? The economic loss caused by the devastation because of a monster earthquake (highest, 8.9 Richter scale?) cum tsunami is really appalling – and it looks quite cynical to expect a triumph amidst this great tragedy in Japan! But, Japan is the only country in the world to do the impossible … Continue reading
Just below the surface of earth – lie huge sheets of rock called as ‘tectonic plates’ that are about 70 kilometers thick. These plates move a few centimeters ( an inch or two) producing distortions with the surface. When these distortions get large enough, natural forces try to correct them by themselves causing the plates … Continue reading
Colonel Gaddafi’s showmanship was most on display on his foreign visits – when he sleeps in a Bedouin tent guarded by dozens of female bodyguards! Strange, isn’t it? Probably, since he was born to a Bedouin herdsman in 1942 in a ‘tent’ near Sirte on the Mediterranean coast – he was re-living that moment every … Continue reading
The newspaper/ media headlines scream – – ‘Demonstrations have been taking places in Yemen where anti-government protesters are demanding that President Ali Abdullah Saleh leave office immediately’. – ‘Witnesses have told the BBC that Libyan troops have opened fire with anti-government protesters in the city of Benghazi, killing an undetermined number of people’. – ‘Thousands … Continue reading
I quote from the blog ‘The Arabist’ – “No one knows where Tunisia’s revolution is headed. Not ordinary Tunisians who, a fortnight after the departure of their dictator of 23 years, Zine al-Abedine Ben Ali, are eager for a return to normality and the opportunity to earn a living in what will remain a battered … Continue reading
With Mubarak likely to quit office soon (days/ week) – under pressure from his own people and international opinion – it compels us to worry about ‘What Next in Egypt?’ Will democracy help Egypt? A democratically ‘elected’ government headed by President Hamid Karzai has not succeeded well in Afghanistan. There is still widespread corruption and … Continue reading
US President Barack Obama, in his maiden visit to India in November 2010 – spelled out his intentions quite well – his prophecy that India- US partnership will be the defining moment of the 21st century is greeted well by each one of us! (please read my earlier post on this aspect) Well, nearly $10 … Continue reading
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak sent word out of his ‘highly secure’ palace through an interview to ABC News that he was ready to go/ leave Egypt but was afraid there will be chaos if he did. For long, after 30 years of being an client of US foreign policy – he has led an autocratic … Continue reading
This was quite expected! President Barrack Obama has expressed his concern over intensification of anti-government protests in Eqypt, as armored tanks roll on to the streets of Cairo. Again, the ‘unbounded’ fears for US security have taken front-seat and Obama has called an national security team meeting to review the ‘political unrest’ situation in Cairo. … Continue reading
I lived for 4 years in the Middle East on overseas job assignment, prior to my return to India after my marriage! So, I have seen the benefits as well as the drawbacks for public in general, under an authoritarian regime ( though ‘monarchy’ is a better term in KSA)! In such a regime, there … Continue reading
Press has to be responsible – not create chaos, at least that should not be its prime motive. But, at the same time the Press is responsible to bring forth the truth. I cannot understand what Wikileaks does want to achieve? It is very sad to learn through such Wikileaks, like the one stating… ‘US … Continue reading
As the global economic order changes, with new countries taking up leadership positions in varied cultural and ‘new’ economically strong markets (BRIC Countries, Africa, South Africa, South East Asia etc) – it has become absolutely essential to reform the United Nations Security Council so that it can serve the cause it was instituted for, in … Continue reading
Yesterday, as I heard the Obama speech that was re-broadcast several times on the Indian news channels – I could only think of other eminent speakers seeking ‘Change’ – like Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Bill Clinton, or Indira Gandhi (In Hindi), in his league or comparison. I agree, they all … Continue reading
China is a country that makes inroads and not let anyone know about it! China’s growing economic and military power is of real concern to its neighbours, particularly India, when we look at the facts. With its defence spending having grown almost twice as fast as its GDP; China staking a claim to India’s Arunachal … Continue reading
It has been a week since the British tabloids reported collusion of some Pakistani cricket players with a London based bookie in spot-fixing; cricket lovers are shocked and do not know how to react. Millions of fans watch cricket glued to their television screen; for their love of the game, across the world. In fact, … Continue reading
In these same columns, few days ago, I had stated that India will be the fastest growing economy by the year 2015. Really, I do not know – whether I have to retract my earlier statement, in view of remarkable performance (GDP) of ‘competing’ Chinese economy in the second quarter (2010) valuing at US $ … Continue reading
