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The Islamists have condemned all statues and sculptural exhibits as “un-Islamic,” though their stand has been challenged by many.

After three years of being at a standstill, peace talks are to resume between Israel and Palestine, according to US Secretary of State John Kerry. He said in a statement, "I am pleased to announce that we've reached an agreement that establishes a basis for resuming final status negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis."

Israel's Defence Minister, Mr. Moshe Ya'alon, on Thursday ( February 19) delivered the 6th R.K. Mishra Memorial Lecture, organised by Observer Research Foundation in memory of its Founder-Chairman.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu created history, defying pre-poll predictions, by leading his right-wing Likud Party to victory in the recently concluded national elections in Israel. The stunning result gave Netanyahu's Likud party 30 seats in the 120 seat Israeli Parliament, the Knesset.

The presentation on Israel, US and Terrorism, by Mr.B.Raman, Convener, ORF Chennai at the weekly ORF Chennai interaction on November 29, 2003 had a first to its credit ¿ it was the first video conference carried out by the Chennai Chapter of the ORF. On this particular occasion

During the recent INSS-ORF dialogue, there was a consensus that, while perhaps the origin of the terror threat is different, this is an area where cooperation can and should be enhanced.

A paradigm shift in India-Israel ties came in July 2017 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi went on a state visit to Israel, becoming the first Indian prime minister to do so. The two countries have since elevated their ties to a strategic partnership; a pillar of this relationship is defence. Such is a function of their respective national interests: India’s long-sought goals of military modernisation, and Israel’s comparative advantage in com

Now that Pakistan has admitted that its scientists were involved in the transfer of nuclear technology,1 three major issues/questions need to be studied and analyzed. Is the problem over for General Musharraf or is it a new beginning of another round of problems? How will the Opposition react? What would be the US response?

The Observer Research Foundation (ORF) organised a brainstorming session on 'Issues in Captive Coal Block Development in India' on March 5, 2009 in partnership with CRISIL Infrastructure Advisory Services

Settling territorial disputes and balancing multilateral relationships are the twin challenges before India and China, opined speakers at the ORF seminar on 'Issues in Sino-Indian Relations and Leadership Change in China' held in Kolkata on July 27, 2013.

Drones are no longer esoteric and confined to military precision strikes. The impending, almost inevitable, arrival of drones into our daily lives raises three issues that we need to start thinking about -- reconceptualisation of connectivity and infrastructure, the need to re-imagine airSpace and the third, privacy.

For the first time in India's history, a common technological platform is available to provide governance services to all Indians through one single smart card.

There is little doubt that the Lalit Modi controversy has hurt the image of the Narendra Modi Government. Mr Lalit Modi is an infamous and notorious character, who ran his businesses, including the Indian Premier League cricket, like a bucket shop.

With the first-ever local council elections concluding without incidents, Maldives has completed the first phase of multi-party democracy introduced with the presidential polls of October-November 2011.

Agriculture will be a weakest area this year because there is to be a shortfall in rice production by over 13 million tonnes due to deficient rainfall to the extent of 22 per cent

While people in Pakistan have grave doubts whether the sectarian violence will end by engaging in symbolic visits like the one undertaken President Asif Ali Zardari, what is really clear is that the country is involved in a difficult battle to save its soul. This has become a major existential challenge.

The long-drawn out violence in Ivory Coast, which reached its climax when forces of Alasane Ouattara and incumbent leader Laurent Gbagbo clashed with each other openly, is indicative of deep-rooted problems within the states.

Many politicians and leaders go out of their way to claim that they are the aam aadmi. But if there was ever a man of the people, it was A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who rose from a humble background to become India's true People's President.

If the US is to stay on in Afghanistan's half a dozen or so bases in the event of it scaling down its combat troops by July 2011, these bases will require a steady flow of supplies.

The ongoing political oscillation in Karachi reflects structural impediments that a country with a weak state and strong society has to face. It underlines the problems that politicians face due to strong kinship.

The Kargil military conflict of 1999 between India and Pakistan came in the wake of the "bhai-bhai" ("we are brothers") euphoria generated by the bus ride of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the then Prime Minister, to Lahore and his high-profile meeting with Mr.Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan's then Prime Minister. In the euphoria, we let ourselves be caught napping by the Pakistan Army in the heights of Kargil.

Many military veterans have returned the medals awarded to them for gallantry and fighting wars to the President, a sure sign of frustration and feeling of neglect.

The BJP has made a mess of Jammu and Kashmir and India’s policy on Pakistan.

Whatever happens between Kabul and Rawalpindi, India has no reason to get too anxious. If Delhi holds its nerve and plays well the few cards it has, India could yet have some impact on the evolution of the Af-Pak dynamic.

The abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019 provoked intense diplomatic response from the international community. For the most part, India received widespread support for its decision. At the same time, however, there have been criticisms of the restrictions imposed in the region on communication and civil liberties. China and Pakistan, in particular, reacted with hostility and attempted to

Nawaz Sharif may have made friendly noises towards India, but two years of relative tranquility that the two countries have enjoyed along with Kashmir is threatening to become a casualty of the big power game. Some interested powers have begun to show inordinate interest in the Kashmir dispute all over again.

It is possible to suppress popular opinion for a while, but whether it will bring long-term peace to the state is a matter of speculation.

The government is burying its head in the sand when it comes to the Kashmir problem, repeating exactly what it did 30 years ago.

The apparent role of Lashkar-e-Tayyeba in the terrorist attack in Srinagar on June 24, killing 8 jawans, has raised several questions which may sour the tone and tenor of New Delhi's renewed engagement with Islamabad.

Is there a political solution to Kashmir?

It has had to navigate the debate on civil liberties, overcome history, and deal with China’s posture

If the Modi government can restore the ceasefire as part of the resumption of talks with Pakistan, strengthen the existing CBMs across the LoC and unveil new ones, the external dimension to J&K could change for the better and create a conducive environment for the ambitious internal agenda for development articulated by the BJP and PDP.

I have stopped reading columns in the International Herald Tribune because I get most of them pushed through my door as op-ed articles in our mainstream English language newspapers.

Located between France and Spain in southwestern Europe is a place called Andorra; 468 kilometres in all, 2.5 times the size of Washington DC with a population of 69,150, predominantly Roman Catholics, 43 per cent of whom are Spanish and rest either Andorrans, French or Portuguese.

A multidimensional approach can be effective in Kashmir.

On October 8, seismic fault-lines made a mockery of the ceasefire line that was drawn 56 years ago between the Indian and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). This map delineation, which was renamed as the Line of Control after the 1971 Indo-Pak war, appears to have gone out of control, at least temporarily, by the fury of the massive earthquake that struck J and Northern Areas on that Black Saturday. Thousands have perished on either side, including

That China is now preparing to extend its railway into Pakistan Occupied Kashmir should stir PM Modi to recognise the significance of the railways for India's national security and factor it into the rail budget to be presented to Parliament next week.