Author: Tejomay Mohal Sethi

Wars are fought in many ways. In trenches, behind the wheel of tank, at the trigger of an artillery piece, in the rear supporting the troops. But the war in the Ukraine also fights with guile and disguise, deceit, surprise and humor. No intelligence, cold warriors, or secrecy but the unmistaken conviction of bringing the fight to the Russian regime. The team is led by a quirky former academic, a housewife, a gifted arty-farty guy, an editor, some journalists and a few volunteers. There is a cat-lady, a Thor of thunder, a bunch of nerds working out the quirks, and…

Northern Elders showing Buyer’s Remorse for Backing Tinubu in 2023 It seems unthinkable that the wealthy and powerful cattle-herding class could be on the margins of President Bola Tinubu’s ruling clique, but it’s thinkable now. During the eight years of Fulani-born Muhammadu Buhari, the beef-on-the hoof lobby called Miyetti Allah Cattlemen’s Association marched vast herds of bony white cattle the length of the nation over lands public and private with impunity. The herds and their rifle-carrying herders uprooted thousands of small plot farms and sent thousands of civilians to their graves in so-called farmer-herder clashes. During those years, the killers…

The Czechs have never forgotten that allies handed over their Sudetenland Province to Hitler in 1938 after the German dictator promised it would be “last territorial demand I have to make in Europe.” The Czechs have never forgotten that allies handed over their Sudetenland Province to Hitler in 1938 after the German dictator promised it would be “the last territorial demand I have to make in Europe.” Months later, Nazis occupied their country and waged war in Europe and around the world for seven more years, killing tens of millions. To many today, Ukraine is the next Sudetenland as it…

Punishing hot weather affects not only a person’s health or work productivity but also affects couples’ fertility and birth outcomes, a project by the National University of Singapore (NUS) found. Rising temperatures could further reduce Singapore’s resident total fertility rate, which dipped below 1 – a record low – in 2023. The rate refers to the average number of babies each woman would have during her reproductive years. Researchers from the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine studied sperm samples from 818 men that were already stored at the National University Hospital’s (NUH) andrology section. The scientists then traced the men’s…

Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh resigned on February 26 in anticipation of postwar governance challenges. “I see that the next stage and its challenges will require new governmental and political arrangements,” Shtayyeh said, emphasizing “the emerging reality in the Gaza Strip, the national unity talks, and the urgent need for an inter-Palestinian consensus.” American and Palestinian officials expect that Abbas will nominate Mohammed Mustafa, the chairman of the Palestine Investment Fund, as Shtayyeh’s successor. Expert Analysis “Bringing in Palestine Investment Fund chief Mohammed Mustafa and pushing out the current prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh is the rearranging of the…

Deepening French-Indian Ties Should Create Space for Hard Talks, Not Bypass Them French President Emmanuel Macron will be guest of honor during India’s Republic Day celebrations on January 26. The two countries share defense ties, and French-built Rafale fighter aircraft will feature at the parade. Those same planes, now part of the Indian air force, also featured in a flyby during France’s Bastille Day parade in 2023, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was guest of honor. But while inviting each other to national military parades, neither leader has called for the protection of human rights, focusing instead on trade and strategic ties. …

Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou and Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen affirmed the strong bonds between Greece and Austria, emphasizing their shared values and positions during the official visit of the Greek president to Vienna on Tuesday. Following their meeting, the Austrian president commended Greece’s economic progress and recognized its strategic role in the energy sector. Sakellaropoulou highlighted the collaborative efforts between the two nations within the European Union, the United Nations, and other international organizations. Both leaders expressed their endorsement for the future accession of Western Balkan countries to the European Union. Discussions centered on the current developments in…

Critics say Indian PM aims to score public support, wield influence on global stage As the Cricket World Cup reaches its much-anticipated climax, observers argue that Indian PM Narendra Modi is strategically leveraging the cricket fever to support his political standing ahead of next year’s elections. For Modi, who has the distinction of having the world’s largest cricket stadium named after him, the tournament’s dream finale is a prime opportunity. Cricket, deeply ingrained in the Indian psyche, serves as a powerful tool for Modi to score political points by tapping into its widespread popularity. Indian journalist Suresh Menon describes the…

Rome (16/11 – 57) Sri Lanka is mired in a deep political and economic crisis and the country’s then President Rajapaksa has flown out of the country, days after a huge crowd of protesters stormed his residence in July 2022. Protesters for months have demanded the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, whose government has been blamed for chronic mismanagement of the country’s finances. The island nation of 22 million people has suffered months of lengthy blackouts, acute food and fuel shortages, and galloping inflation in its most painful downturn on record. Here is how the crisis unfolded: April 1: State of emergency Rajapaksa declares a temporary state of emergency, giving security forces sweeping powers to arrest and…

BENGALURU, Oct 26 (Reuters) – Indian consumer spending during this year’s festival season will be slightly better than in 2022, said economists polled by Reuters, but probably not enough to ramp up the speed of what is already the world’s fastest-growing major economy. The broadly optimistic survey data, taken together with expectations for 6.3% growth this fiscal year and next, suggest even with a dip in inflation, prospects for a Reserve Bank of India interest rate cut are still a long way off. Battered during the pandemic, consumption, which makes up for about 60% of Asia’s third-largest economy has been…