President Asif Ali Zardari, in a meeting with Director of US National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair, urged US to assist Pakistan in its own civilian nuclear technology deal to help overcome its dire energy needs. President had suggested that this kind of deal will not only bridge the trust deficit between the two countries, but […]
Though the second largest economy in Asia, next to Japan, China is the largest investor in teh Bangladeshi economy. Since 2003 it has far outstripped any other country’s investment. The Bangladeshi delegation in China needs to pay attention to that fact and maintain that relationship through gentle coaxing and courting, though to strident ears that […]
The following piece was originally published in Iran Times International’s annual Special Nowruz Edition. On March 20 Iranians the world over will start Nowruz celebrations, the first day of spring, marking the start of the Persian new year. Since the time of Achaemenids Empire the centuries-old Nowruz tradition, which literally means ‘new day’ has been practiced […]
There are two ways to look at Bangladesh’s approach to friendlier relations on equal terms with China. One is to look at the terms of the relationship and say that friendlier relations is hardly in the cards; rather the relationship is one of mere exploitation at the cost of solid footing elsewhere. The other is […]
If you are in the United States, the odds are at least decent that you are knee-deep in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. If you are not, that first sentence probably made no sense. Either way, here are some stories that have caught my eye to take you into the weekend: The Sudanese government has […]
The recent tiff between the White House and the Netanyahu administration has reignited a long-running debate on the terms of cooperation between the United States and Israel. Officials of both countries have repeatedly harped about the shared values and mutual interests of the two countries. The United States supplies Israel with military might and aid, […]
With with 89 percent of the votes counted from the March 7 election, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s coalition has edged ahead of interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi. Nuri al-Maliki’s coalition is currently leading Allawi’s bloc by about 40,000 votes. However, Votes are still being tallied and the race is still too close to call. […]
Bangladesh has been buying stuff from China and China has been happy selling stuff to Bangladesh, without much concern for doing some shopping of its own. That is now about to change. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina currently in the middle of a five day visit to China carried with her great hope that China would […]
The annual Arab League summit is being held this year in Libya, and Lebanon’s attendance at the meeting is doubtful. Libya and Lebanon have been at odds since the highly influential Imam Musa Sadr went missing on a 1978 visit to Tripoli. Many Lebanese blame Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi for Sadr’s disappearance, and tensions between […]
A new study in Nature released this week indicates that your pooch is most likely a descendant from Middle Eastern wolves. The study evaluated genetic traits from 85 breeds of dogs and 200 wild wolves, and researchers found that dogs are probably most closely related to the Middle Eastern gray wolf. Israelis are nicknamed ‘sabras’ […]
The House Committee on Foreign Relations, Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and Global Environment held a hearing yesterday on US-Japan Relations. The subcommittee brought together a panel of experts (half in government, half think tankers) to discuss the current state of the Alliance and the best possible ways to strengthen ties. I found it surprisingly […]
I’ve written extensively on Israel as a model for airline security, particularly following the failed Christmas Eve terror plot. While the Obama administration has changed some policies that shift the security profile toward a system that mirrors some elements of Israeli policies, the technologies developed by Israeli firms are the top of the line. This […]
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