Umendra Dutt The impending water crisis in Punjab has not only eclipsed its agriculture and economy but also ruined the ecology, health, life style and social fabric of the state. It has severely destroyed
Antoaneta BezlovaCelebrating the success of microfinance as an antidote to poverty has raised some uncomfortable questions here over Chinas reluctance to allow civil society a bigger role in addressing tough so
Helen CaldicottWith all the hype about North Korea, were forgetting that the world is still staring down the barrels of thousands of US and Russian ICBMsIt is difficult to underestimate the problems associated
Paranjoy Guha ThakurtaAs Indias leaders gear up to boost the countrys gross domestic product (GDP) to a dizzying 10 percent per annum, analysts warn that although double digit growth is achievable the countrys
Jawed NaqviIt was colonial perfidy, or so our elders said. They said divide and rule was a British way to pit Indian against Indian. Thats how they created Pakistan. Thats what we were told. So the British were
Nirmalangshu MukherjiThe attack on Parliament on December 13, 2001 was a major event in contemporary India. As the judicial procedure into this case nears its end, with Mohammed Afzal to be hanged on October 20
Praful BidwaiThe black warrant issued to Mohammed Afzal for his involvement in the 2001 Parliament attack has triggered widespread popular protests in Kashmir and revulsion among the countrys liberals. Jammu an
SujaiMost people in the world grow up with prejudices and preset notions ingrained into them by the schools, parents and the media.This is no different for people of India. For example, an Indian talking to Pak
Walden Bello The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Muhammad Yunus, regarded as the father of microcredit, comes at a time when microcredit has become something like a religion to many of the powerful, r
K.G KannabiranFormer Supreme Court Judge is all over the news. The Committee headed by him appointed to Review the Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958 has submitted its report and two well-known journalists, S
David ShoshaniThe reservoir of beliefs that each of us holds within, is the main factor that influences what happens to us. If we deeply accept this axiom we automatically free ourselves from major psychic bloc
Its a total misconception among the general Naga youth today that if one is not tattooed, or if one does not eat MTV, drink Hollywood and sleep Bollywood or use derogatory language, or if one does not booze, sm
Mahir Ali WHEN Anna Politkovskaya fell, there was a kind of hush even in the camp of her enemies - and there was no shortage of those. Chechnyas pro-Moscow president Alu Alkhanov professed to be shocked, s
Colin GonsalvesThe June 2005 report of the Committee appointed by the Central Government to review the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, has recently been made public. It makes interesting reading.
B RamanOne of the most successful operatives of the Research and Analysis Wing, R&AW, Indias external intelligence agency, was a Tamil police officer, who rose from the ranks. B N Mallick, the legendar
K. ElaLawyers, Police, NGOs, Government Officials, Civil Societies, how many of us can confidently say, I have done my bit of creating a better world for our children?I am posing this question to one and all wh
Farzana VerseyThe fate of the filming of Monica Alis book will add her to the roster of Joans of Arc in what has now become a routine canonisation ritual of pop multiculturalism. A group of Bangladeshis has bee
Jason MillerAccomplishing a logic-defying feat, the wealthiest nation in the world has attained the highest rate of homelessness amongst developed countries. 3.5 million human beings experience homelessness eac
T P SreenivasanMore than a year ago, a seasoned Indian diplomat, with vast experience of the UN, told me that the entry of the South Korean foreign minister in the race for the UN secretary general meant that a
Hamid MirFour years ago, General Pervez Musharraf was the first head of State to announce the death of Osama bin Laden. In an interview to CNN on January 18, 2002, he said bin Laden had died because of his kidn