A Soviet Agricultural Success: Vast Greenhouse Complex

A Soviet Agricultural Success: Vast Greenhouse Complex - New York Times
In a city starved for winter light, little could seem more out of a place than this: on a day dimmed to gray by a canopy of clouds, Russian workers in short sleeves picking green lettuce and fresh herbs, all while illuminated by brilliant light.

Musharraf's Many Moves Of Make-Believe :

Musharraf's Many Moves Of Make-Believe : outlookindia.com
As the surviving myths about Musharraf and Pakistan are slowly shattered in US and Europe, sending Pakistan into a tizzy, India seems strangely reluctant to wield its weapons. But is a desperate general getting trapped in his labyrinth?

IndianExpress.com :: The right to offend

IndianExpress.com :: The right to offend
The film, Parzania, based on the horrific attack on Gulberg Society in Ahmedabad in which 39 people were burnt alive, can be exhibited in any place in India except in the state of Gujarat. The Gujarat government has not banned its exhibition. What is the reason for this strange phenomenon?

IndianExpress.com :: Spaced out?

IndianExpress.com :: Spaced out?
In these columns we have consistently argued for a comprehensive and cooperative relationship with Beijing. But that does not mean we turn a blind eye to China’s expanding military might. If India believes in a multipolar Asia, it needs to urgently match Chinese space capabilities. If we are honest to ourselves, we will see that the DAE and the DRDO, for all their tall talk of self-reliance, have let us down badly. On high-powered lasers, for example, their efforts have been pathetic to say the least. India needs partners in space. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that the US leads the list of such partners, followed by Israel, Russia and Japan.

"We Probably Gave Powell the Wrong Speech" - International - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News

SPIEGEL Interview with CIA's Former Europe Director: "We Probably Gave Powell the Wrong Speech" - International - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News
The former chief of the CIA's Europe division, Tyler Drumheller, discusses the United States foreign intelligence service's cooperation with Germany, the covert kidnapping of suspected terrorists and a Bush administration that ignored CIA advice and used whatever information it could find to justify an invasion of Iraq.

Beijing is testing strategic waters in India’s backyard

IndianExpress.com :: Beijing is testing strategic waters in India’s backyard
When he leaves his calling card in the island state of Seychelles next week, Chinese President Hu Jintao will raise the stakes in the unfolding competition with India for naval influence in the Indian Ocean.

From Russia, with reactors

IndianExpress.com :: From Russia, with reactors

As Putin visits India, we must join Russia and US in globalising the nuclear industry

India is racist

India is racist-Editorial-OPINION-The Times of India

At Border, Signs of Pakistani Role in Taliban Surge - New York Times

At Border, Signs of Pakistani Role in Taliban Surge - New York Times

Iron Purdah?

Iron Purdah? : outlookindia.com
A military raid in '05 killed 33 Hindus in a Baloch borough. As hush-up bids failed, it now seems the event was well-designed.

The Invisible War : outlookindia.com

The Invisible War : outlookindia.com

Some worry about Islamic terrorism. Others about Left extremism. Yet others about separatist violence. But the endgame for all terrorists is the same. It is to weaken, destabilize and break- up India...

‘Right of self-determination for Kashmiris not realistic’

‘Right of self-determination for Kashmiris not realistic’
Pakistan seeking the right of self-determination for Kashmiris "is not realistic any more" and President Pervez Musharraf's four-point formula to resolve the Kashmir issue takes "note of current realities," a leading Pakistani daily said on Tuesday.

'Evil' Iran got missile parts from US

'Evil' Iran got missile parts from US
The US military has sold forbidden equipment at least a half-dozen times to middlemen for countries-including Iran and China-who exploited security flaws in the Defence Department's surplus auctions. The sales include fighter jet parts and missile components.

Jewish Or Israeli? : outlookindia.com

Jewish Or Israeli? : outlookindia.com

Is this country really an Israeli nation state? If so, does the Israeli nation include all Israeli citizens, much as the American nation includes all US citizens? In particular - does this nation include the 1.4 million Palestinian-Arab citizens, about a fifth of the state's population?

That Sound? Japan Yawning at iPhone - Los Angeles Times

That Sound? Japan Yawning at iPhone - Los Angeles Times

Many Japanese had a hard time buying Jobs' hype about "reinventing" the phone. The revolution is well under way in Japan, where cell phones are used for everything from navigating your way home by GPS to buying movie tickets and updating your blog from wherever you are.

Apple Waves Its Wand, Again

Apple Waves Its Wand, Again - New York Times

At the annual Macworld Expo in San Francisco, Mr. Jobs demonstrated the latest result of godmother wand-waving. He granted the wishes of millions of Apple followers and rumor mongers by turning the ordinary cellphone into … the iPhone.

Return trip for electric vehicles

Return trip for electric vehicles - Los Angeles Times
The electric car, derided as impractical by automakers since General Motors Corp. pulled the plug on its revolutionary EV1, is staging a comeback amid lofty fuel prices and persistent worries about the nation's dependence on imported oil.
Opinion:- "Who Killed the Electric Car?" this movie was an eye opener for me in terms of technology that is already available...

Assam makes for furious Internet debate

The latest killings in Assam by the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) have only intensified a furious debate already raging in Orkut, a free internet-based discussion forum, with its 'members' equally divided between supporting the militant group and opposing their terror actions vehemently....readon

Return trip for electric vehicles

The electric car, derided as impractical by automakers since General Motors Corp. pulled the plug on its revolutionary EV1, is staging a comeback amid lofty fuel prices and persistent worries about the nation's dependence on imported oil.....continued

Misperceptions on Kashmir

Although Kashmir is the 'core issue' for Pakistanis in a political sense, at another level it is clouded by ambiguities. It is difficult for people to perceive a situation where the 60 per cent Muslim majority in Jammu and Kashmir has to share political and social space with 40 per cent Hindus and Buddhist who have an equally strong claim on their homeland. ...more

New IIT proposed in Bihar

The Centre plans to one of three proposed IITs to be opened in the 11th Plan period in Bihar........read on

My OPINION:
I think that India as a nation should have a 10-15 year program to steadfastly increase investment in education. We should plan to have a IIT in everystate by say year 2020. This would give IIT's suffice time and resources to roll out 1-2 IIT's every year, hire good faculty, create relevant facilities. These IIT's should be new ones and not upgraded colleges, ideally built in most rural areas. This will help in creation of economic opportunities in those areas.
similar schemes should be adopted for AIIM'S and IIM's.
However we should not restrict this to just these institutes, we need to create newer models of education to enhance learning opportunities all the way to the lowest economically deprived people or our country. I believe that in long run IT and communications will help us achieve these goals.

A nuclear debate less obscure

The discussion on the India-US nuclear deal is becoming more nuanced and sophisticated. But it could still do with some more clarity...read on

US warship 'Trenton' to join Indian fleet

WASHINGTON: Nearly two centuries after Bombay’s famed Wadia family built HMS Minden — the ship on which the American national anthem Star Spangled Banner was written — history will sail a full circle later this month. ...read on

Prince is out but not down

In India, where being gay is a crime, a royal son was shunned when he told his secret. Now he fights to change the law and public mind-set....continued

Web Access for All Rwandans

In Rwanda, among Africa's poorest countries, an American millionaire is developing one of the world's most modern wireless networks. The Rwandan government hopes the project will help make the country an African counterpart to the Indian high-tech city of Bangalore....read on