Courtesy: 123RF
On November 8, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced to India, the demonetisation of high-value currency notes, he specifically referred to the use of Hawala and fake Indian currency notes for terrorist financing. The hawala system to move funds globally for terrorist financing is huge, secretive, and layered—and a challenge for national security agencies.
Courtesy: A Salute to the Sword Arm
15 August 1947 saw the division of more than a country. There were other spoils that were split: the Royal Indian Navy was one of them. This included not just a division of assets, but also of staff, whom the British Royal Navy had trained. This led to a piquant situation
Courtesy:
India's North Eastern States are part of one of the largest fluvial regions, they share this region with five other nations. At a recent conference, held on the sidelines of the the Nadi Festival in Shillong, the message of 'Listen to the dignity of the river' struck a chord with all present, and is a message which should be carried across the region.
Courtesy: Wikipedia
Prime Minister Modi’s term has been marked by a resolve to improve cooperation among South Asian nations. These proactive efforts can bear rich fruit if the Modi government promotes the concept of geoeconomic and geopolitical equations being seen through the lens of bioregions. There are significant precedents which the Modi government can build upon
Courtesy: Buisness Insider
The World Happiness Report 2016 has listed India at 118th place – the lowest rank among BRICS. While there is a strong case for holistic metrics that map actual well-being, research in happiness needs to be taken with a pinch of scepticism.
Courtesy: Wikipedia
In his last and final State of the Union address, President Obama reasserted the United States’ global supremacy as a military and political power. He claimed credit for the historic Iran deal while conceding that Congress had maneuvered efforts on many crucial fronts
Courtesy: Mehdi Hasan Khan/ Wikipedia
At a time when Islamic fundamentalism is threatening the world, Bangladesh as a moderate muslim democracy occupies a unique position in actively confronting this threat under Sheikh Hasina. Instead of the unjustified criticism levied against its war trials, the West must actively support its fight against terror.
Courtesy: Indian Express
South Asia’s national anthems are patriotic rather than nationalistic.
Courtesy: Sudath Silva/Flickr
After losing power in January, Mahinda Rajapaksa, former president of Sri Lanka, is trying to re-enter politics by contesting for the prime minister’s seat in the elections on August 17. If he wins, it could destabilise Sri Lanka’s politics and impact relations with India, which had been hit under Rajapaksa’s rule. The future scenario will become clearer by next week.
Courtesy: CentralMaine
Huge threats to human rights continue in Afghanistan. President Ghani has pledged to end official tolerance for torture, and his government must also protect the freedom of the media, ensure that more women participate in peace talks, and bring transparency to negotiations with the Taliban. These correctives are overdue