China’s Vision for a New Silk Road

China’s ambitious One Belt, One Road initiative, unveiled in 2013, is really two plans combined to form a larger framework of new trade routes. The first of these is One Belt, which refers to the development of new infrastructure, particularly railroads and highways, to connect China’s interior provinces with Europe by way of Russia, Central…

Russia’s Strategy: Built on Illusion

Strong powers can underplay their hands and afford to make mistakes. Weak powers, on the other hand, need to exaggerate their power and be far more precise in its use. Power is like money; the less you have, the more you need to flaunt it and the fewer mistakes you can afford to make. But…

Mossad’s killing ways

A good writeup on the assassination of Hamas’ top leader Mahmoud al-Mabhouh on January 19 at a hotel in Dubai allegedly by 11 members of Israel’s secret service organisation.  The whole operation by Mossad has many lessons for the Indian government to learn. While dealing with terrorist supporting countries like Pakistan, an aggressive covert assassination…

Payback time

Its payback time as the monster spawned, aided and abetted by succesive Pakistani governments, military and the rogue spy agency, ISI is coming to haunt them. The fire that Pakistan so used to burn India has finally engulfed its own house.  Sad, but there is not much being learnt by Pakistan even when every city…

Is G-20 the new G-7 ?

Time changes, people change, economies change and the powers wielded by countries change.  There was a time when Britain ruled half the world, today its nowhere.  There was a time when the US was the undisputed economic champion, today that aura is on the wane. Its in these changing times we wonder if a group…

The Greatest Ever?

The Federer Express chugs on, merrily eclipsing all the records in his way and at the same time winning over friends and opponents with his ruthless display on the court. Roger Federer finally broke the 14 Grand Slams record of Pete Sampras by winning the Wimbledon this weekend beating Andy Roddick of the US in…

Is Ban Ki Moon the world’s most dangerous Korean?

At least Jacob Heilbrunn of Foreign Policy magazine thinks so.  According to him… Even in this unimpressive company, though, Ban Ki-moon appears to have set the standard for failure. It’s not that Ban has committed any particularly egregious mistakes in his 2½ years on the job. But at a time when global leadership is urgently…

Burqa not welcome in France

French President Nicolas Sarkozy believes that Burqa (the veil worn by muslim women worldwide) “is not a symbol of religion, but a sign of subservience for women“. Iam a great believer in democracy and freedom of choice.  If a woman wants to wear a burqa, she should be free to wear it and if she…

Chinese govt’s silly censorship method

Funny video in BBC of the Chinese police in plain clothes using umbrellas to block the reporter from reporting on the Tianenmenn Square 20th anniversary. Watch and have a good laugh at the stupidity of the Chinese undercover police 😉 CNN video link here and AFP video link here More on the 1989 protest at…

China’s Dollar Trap

An interesting article by Paul Krugman in New York Times Back in the early stages of the financial crisis, wags joked that our trade with China had turned out to be fair and balanced after all: They sold us poison toys and tainted seafood; we sold them fraudulent securities. But these days, both sides of…

Nano to launch today

Tata Motors said it will launch its ultra-cheap Nano car in Mumbai on Monday — a vehicle meant to herald a revolution by making it possible for the world’s poor to purchase their first car. But few predict the snub-nosed Nano will be able to turn around the company, which has been beset by flagging…

Bangkok beckons this V-Day

Am going off to Bangkok tomorrow for a short holiday with biwi ji.  Will be back in Singapore late on 17th night.  The first Valentine’s day post marriage will be at the Thai capital, which also known as “Krung Thep Maha Nakhon” meaning “City of Angels“. Meanwhile Muthalik and his chaddi gang with the active…