Author: Editor
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INDIA’S INSURANCE AGAINST TRADE WARS
By A.M. Godbole The notion of mutually assured destruction (MAD) helps prevent a direct full-blown military confrontation amongst nuclear weapons states. This has been an important pillar of the global security architecture in the post-second world war era. With India’s reportedly steady progress in its strategic nuclear submarine project—generally considered the most potent arm of…
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Denmark Smiles
After 10 years of central-right rule, Denmark has swiftly swung to the left. In the process, it has got a new face. Literally, a good looking face. Helle Thorning-Schmidt, leader of the Danish Social Democrats, is slated to take over as the next Prime Minister of Denmark. In the recently-concluded elections, she defeated the incumbent…
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ROMANCING ROMANIA
By Monika Skupa The land of Dracula, football craze and the Roma nomads… more than this, foreigners don’t know much about Romania. Located at the confluence point where Central, Eastern and Southern Europe meet, this European country offers a handful of breathtaking places to the travellers who are keen not only to see wonderful places,…
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Whither Syria?
With the fall of the 42-year autocratic regime under Muammar Gaddafi in Libya, all eyes are now on Syria, where pro-reform activists have been fighting for the ouster of president Bashar al-Assad for the past five months. So far, the protesters have succeeded in making the government withdraw a 48-year Emergency Law but their other…
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Libya After Gaddafi
The six-month-old liberation struggle in Libya entered a crucial phase with the rebels taking control of capital Tripoli. This more or less portends the end of the Gaddafi regime, which has been ruling the country for the past 42 years. However, at the time of writing this, there is no word about the whereabouts of…
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Somalia’s Struggle For Survival
By Sachu Jacob The current famine in Somalia was a disaster waiting to happen. Human suffering has been part of the history of Somalia; years of fighting between various war lords, violence and lack of governance have let this small country in the Horn of Africa sink to anarchy. Peace has been in steady decline…
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Can Cameron Bring London Riots Under Control?
British Prime Minister David Cameron is facing his first political test. Since Saturday, London has been witnessing the worst kind of riots and looting. The rioting initially started off in Tottenham on Saturday. The trigger was the fatal shooting of a 29-year-old man, Mark Duggan, by armed police officers. Troubled started brewing in Tottenham, which…
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America’s Debt Woes
Close on the heels of the US debt ceiling deal, credit agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) downgraded the US government’s credit rating from AAA to AA-plus. This is the first time in history that US gets a credit lower than the coveted AAA. Now the US is in the same league as countries such as…
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Ranjan Mathai Is India’s New Foreign Secretary
Ranjan Mathai is India’s new foreign secretary. The appointment is for two years, which can be renewed if the government so wishes. He succeeds Nirupama Rao, who has been posted as India’s ambassador to the United States. Fifty-nine-year-old Mathai hails from Kerala, a tiny state in the southern part of India, which has produced many…
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Hina’s Maiden India Visit
The new Pakistani foreign minister’s maiden visit to India began with a lot of hope. “I bring the good wishes of the people of Pakistan and the government of Pakistan,” said Hina Rubani Khar immediately upon landing in New Delhi on Tuesday, Interestingly, Khar chose to meet separatist leaders of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference,…