Afghanistan experienced yet another defining moment as millions of Afghans braved suicide attacks, roadside bombs, intimidations and even unexpected stormy weather conditions to take part in the presidential elections’ expected to produce the country’s first democratic and peaceful transfer of power. That is if, in spite of a possible run-off, the next steps in the electoral process will allow for …

Contest for Central Asia Both Putin and the West are wooing Central Asian leaders in energy-rich Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. If Russia weakens economically, they will want at least a foot in the Western camp. Russia Diminished Russia’s role in international affairs is diminished, at least temporarily. Moscow has been de facto excluded from the Group of Eight industrialised …

Groundbreaking Discovery, Bumpy Roads Ahead, Equality before Law, Lions Conquer the Cricket World, Parliament is Supreme, Sir!, Aftermath, Purely Irrational, Enter the New World, How Dare You Unite?, Tiny Nations Dreams Big, Asia Pivot Policy Groundbreaking Discovery On Mar 17, experts at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics announced detecting the waves of gravity that rippled through space right after the …

After offshore oil was discovered in 1966, the Sheikh conceived a vision of a modern city-state and entrepot whose prosperity would outlast the flow of oil revenues: without far-sighted investment, he feared, the desert would one day reclaim its territory and his descendants would ride camels as his forebears had done. Mr William Duff became a key figure in transforming …

(1) Dubai Museum, (2) Jumeirah Beach Park, (3) Burj Khalifa, (4) The Dancing Fountains, (5) Souk Al Bahar, (6) Friday Brunch, (7) Old Dubai, (8) Jumeirah Mosque, (9) Big Bus Tour, (10) A Cruise on the Creek, (11) The spice souk, (12) Hatta Pools, (13) Ski Dubai, (14) Deira Gold Souk, (15) The Dubai Mall 1. Dubai Museum Catch a …

‘I do not know if I am a good leader, but I am a leader. And I have a vision. I look to the future, 20, 30 years. I learned that from my father, Sheikh Rashid. He was the true father of Dubai. I follow his example. He would rise early and go alone to watch what was happening on …

The Most Towering Writer of Latin America On 17 April 2014, Gabriel García Márquez, Latin America’s most popular novelist, passed away. He was not prolific’ he wrote just six full-length novels’ but in terms of world renown and sales Mr García Márquez’s ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’ (1967) has eclipsed almost any other text translated from Spanish in the past …

An Iconic Wit, Writer, Raconteur and Urdu Buff It is difficult to evaluate the legacy of Khushwant Singh an icon of our times. The Subcontinent suffered a great loss on 20th March, 2014 when Khushwant Singh, the iconic writer passed away, drawing curtains on a journey which was a symbol of courage and boldness. A fistful of his ashes were …

‘And when thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am about to place a viceroy in the earth, they said: Wilt thou place therein one who will do harm therein and will shed blood, while we, we hymn Thy praise and sanctify Thee? He said: Surely I know that which ye know not.’ (Al-Baqarah:30) Human beings have a great …

A new reform drive in the educational sector of Pakistan has been embarked on recently. Media reports suggest that international donors have pledged one billion dollars for development in the educational sector of our country. But there is a serious problem. The problem is not that there was no need for reforms, but these donor countries who are showing concerns …