The Russia that might have been
What if Boris Yeltsin had chosen Boris Nemtsov as his successor, as he had said he would, instead of Vladimir...
If you want democracy, forget referendums
Referendum results can often depend less on the true balance of public opinion and more on the side of the...
Live in Pak or China? Big Brother is watching you
As a schoolboy, more years ago than I’m prepared to admit, I poured over the pages of George Orwell’s book,...
2019 will be a turbulent year: Here are some predictions
“Predicting is the art of saying what will happen and then explaining why it didn’t”, goes the old saying. Nevertheless,...
Fake news a threat to our democracy
The risk of disinformation contagion is growing as we are increasingly connected by social media. LONDON: How many times...
Why US sanctions on Iran will fail
A few years ago I called into Khasab, a port city on northern Oman’s Musandam Peninsula. My boat was berthed...
China’s economic tentacles are grabbing Southern Europe
Next month Chinese President Xi Jinping is undertaking a state visit to Spain and Portugal, cementing China’s quiet diplomatic and...
Hard times for President Putin
Not only does he have difficulties in wresting back control of the internet, but there is public uproar against his...
Can US’ problems in Afghanistan be contained by Prince of Darkness?
Erik is Chairman of Frontier Services Group, which has marketed itself as a provider of security and logistic services to...
India’s purchase of S-400 could be a mistake
LONDON: If you had picked up a British newspaper on 5 September you would have found two faces staring at...
Social media is addictive and young people are dying for it
Psychologists have found that some platforms have an alarming effect on the mental health of young people, including high levels...
How India should react to US sanctions on Iran
LONDON: When President Donald Trump signed the order on 6 August re-imposing sanctions on Iran, a reporter in the room...
Trump and Putin make for a stunning conspiracy theory
I find it difficult to believe that Trump is controlled by Moscow. But then, every day since Donald Trump was...
Will Turkey implode?
Turkish lira has plunged in value by 20% this year, creating unwanted price rises for households and businesses alike. ...
Why I miss the stability of the Cold War
Now we have uncertainty, with the risk of nuclear escalation in Asia and the Middle East. NATO is at its...
Got some dirty money? Why not use the Laundromat?
There has been the suspicion that the vast percentage of wealth came from dirty money, which was cleaned en route...
China is developing a maritime noose around India
I wonder how many Indian politicians in Lutyens Zone go to bed each night worrying about China. If they don’t,...
The post-truth world of Trump
LONDON: Let’s get one thing clear: North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un will never give up his nuclear weapons unilaterally. Perhaps...
On your Marx: 200 years old, but still not history
With growing inequality in Russia, it’s not surprising that Marx’s theories are resurfacing. In his installation speech last week, President...
Fasten your safety belts, Middle East could explode
The world will soon witness two events, personally contrived by President Donald Trump, that could lead to bloodshed, one possibly...
Storm clouds gather in Trumposphere
“A weak and untruthful slime ball…” tweeted President Donald Trump on 13 April, illustrating his elegant command of the English...
Time for India to sit at UN’s top table
Member states should pressurise the P5 to voluntarily suspend their veto during voting for the expansion of the UNSC. ...
Why John Bolton terrifies me
Bolton is so well known in the political circuit that there is no shortage of descriptions available: ‘the neocon of...
How to win elections, Cambridge Analytica-way
It is the undecided voter that politicians wish to influence. LONDON: “Half the money I spend on advertising is...
