Delhi Guardian

Trump’s foreign policy trump card, seen as a lack of coherence and diplomatic finesse by his critics, is escalating tensions in an area that is already bleeding due to the violent nature of its power politics West  Asia  appears to be cursed. When was the last time the region was portrayed or perceived in positive light in public discourseIJ Any development that augurs well for the future is matched by an unnerving development that suggests an impending catastrophe. First, Saudi Arabia arrested eleven princes on grounds of corruption. This was a sensational piece of news, yet innocuous as compared to the happenings in the region, and brought the region into spotlight again. Then we heard about the mysterious disappearance and resignation (later withdrawn) of lebanese Prime minister Saad Hariri. This was followed by Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi’s announcement that evil ISIS had been defeated. And to top it all came President Donald Trump’s announcement regarding th...

n order to reap the demographic dividend, it is imperative we harness the potential of students enrolled in government schools and Kendriya Vidyalayas An anxious wave seems have gripped the education sector. The recent spate of headlines regarding the security of children in schools has once again highlighted how vulnerable some of our students are. This unsettling news was in direct contrast to the celebrations on Education Day and  Children’s Day  earlier last month. Deliberations are underway to identify solution to the alarming menace of abuse. Of course, gender sensitization, adequate security and a better system to report such cases are being discussed in various forums but the debate has somehow overlooked the plight of our students who attain their education at a government funded school. All Indian schools do not resemble the images of fancy building which we have been repeatedly seeing on our television sets. In recent weeks, the government has announced a slew...

The ideological tennis-match that is public discourse in India has left the ordinary or garden variety of citizen who can think for himself as a spectator with a crick in the neck  A strange phenomenon seems to have gripped this country.  Every  development  in the economic and political realm appears to accentuate its virulence. At times I find myself oscillating my head from left to right; just like I do when I witness a live tennis match. Issues which must be condemned for just being blatantly wrong are being politicised by extremes. The space for a healthy middle is diminishing; and very rapidly. Debates in this country are being held hostage by two conspicuous squads. On the left, we have India's liberals. Mind the usage. In political science, the term liberal has a completely different meaning. But people who subscribe to this philosophy in India have grossly misinterpreted its essence. They will eloquently articulate their grand vision for India; an Indi...

It's time for parents to promote a healthy balance between materialism and simplicity in the live of our children, writes ISHAAN SAXENA I and my wife are expecting our first child in the month of July. Being a new parent is an exciting development in our lives. A lot of our time is spent in getting prepared for this life changing moment. But I must admit that it has come with its own share of anxieties and apprehensions. My fears stem from the rampant culture of materialism in society. I have spent sleepless nights ruminating over how I will promote a healthy balance between materialism and simplicity in my child’s life. And yes, when I observe the world around me, the more convinced I am that my fears are not unfounded. Before I voice my views let me make it abundantly clear that I am an ardent supporter of capitalism. It has propelled the Indian economy to greater heights. One can debate the distribution of the fruits of economic growth but the Indian economy is moving o...

Donald Trump’s decision to opt out of the Paris agreement is evidence that we are gradually shifting towards individualism from universalism. This is the predominant reason for the rapidly decaying and destabilising environment on our planet President Donald Trump’s radical decision to renege on the  Paris agreement  has created shockwaves across the world. Former President Barack Obama had worked tirelessly to navigate the intricacies of politics and diplomacy to craft this agreement. We live in a world where choices are very important, and it is vitally important to take cognisance of the consequences of the choices which are made. This may appear to be very evident but the correlation is not well understood. Such is the case with the decision to abrogate the Paris agreement, which was cobbled together so meticulously. The planet has been here for 4.5 billion years; in comparison, the Homo sapiens have existed for a very tiny and insignificant part of the earth’s his...

India has a bigger ambition than a cricket series with a neighbour. So let us consider the proposed bilateral series to be a wide ball and focus on the boundaries we have the potential to achieve The Government’s decision to jettison the idea of an India-Pakistan  cricket  series comes at a time when the bilateral relations between the two countries are frosty and strained. Some may call it a radical decision, but the Government has successfully managed to convey a stern message to our neighbour. National security imperatives are priority and till the time Pakistan does not contain anti-India activities, bi-lateral relations in all spheres will be limited. WhenUnion Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports  Vijay Goel  emphatically rejected the idea of a series, social media exploded with the usual hackneyed arguments. Those who are strong proponents of a bi-lateral series between the arch rivals continue to pursue the same line of reasoning. In their opinion, art...

Trump will take some time to realise that his actions cannot revamp a system which is so intimately related to his own country. Revoking agreements and enforcing controversial bans belie what America has historically stood for, in decades since the Second World War US President Donald Trump’s first few days in office have witnessed a profusion of apocalyptic predictions for the world economy.  His unabashed move to encourage protectionism in the world economy does not augur well for the future of the trading regime. The contours of the world trade may have suffered damage. In some cases, this is irreparable, such as the fate of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement after the US withdrawal.  Going by his recent conversations with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of Australia or his Mexican counterpart Pena Nieto, citizens around the world appear disgruntled and anxious. Power in the vagaries of international relations is a complicated subject, since it is the outcome of a ...