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Columnists
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Bloggers
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Opinion | How China Quietly Made New Friends To Prepare For Trump 2.0
Trump's stance on China is no longer a one-dimensional tale of bluster and bravado. His outreach to Xi - whether strategic, self-serving, or both - suggests he's playing a more complex game.
- Syed Zubair Ahmed
- Jan 22, 2025 14:01 pm IST
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Opinion | US Ban On TikTok Could Be Devastating
For the first time in American tech history, the US has passed a law targeting a major Chinese tech giant. If the ban kicks in on Sunday, what lies ahead for the app and its millions of users?
- Syed Zubair Ahmed
- Jan 16, 2025 12:52 pm IST
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Opinion | Trump's 'Monaco' Vision For Gaza Is As Tone-Deaf As It Can Get
United Nations agencies have repeatedly warned that rebuilding Gaza after Israel's offensive against Hamas-one of the deadliest and most destructive military campaigns since World War II-could take decades.
- Syed Zubair Ahmed
- Jan 15, 2025 18:40 pm IST
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Opinion | Musk Is Becoming A Menace For Europe
Musks political mischief isnt confined to Germany or the UK. Hes been rubbing shoulders with other European far-right figures, including Italys Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, raising eyebrows among Europes left-of-centre leaders.
- Syed Zubair Ahmed
- Jan 14, 2025 15:55 pm IST
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Opinion | Trump Is Back. Does That Mean A Saudi-Israel 'Deal'?
Five years ago, the Abraham Accords were hailed as a game-changer, promising a new era of diplomacy and cooperation in West Asia. Unfortunately, the shine seems to have worn off.
- Syed Zubair Ahmed
- Jan 07, 2025 18:28 pm IST
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Opinion | Why India Should Get Behind Space Mining
It is clear that as demand for minerals surges due to green energy transition, asteroids could offer a virtually limitless supply.
- Syed Zubair Ahmed
- Jan 03, 2025 15:58 pm IST
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Opinion | War Or Peace: What Will Become Of Middle East In 2025?
West Asia in 2024 stands at a crossroads. While the region faces numerous challengesfrom political instability to economic dependence on oil there are also opportunities for transformation.
- Syed Zubair Ahmed
- Dec 31, 2024 16:49 pm IST
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Opinion | West Is Gushing Over al Jolani. Has It Forgotten About Laden?
From $10 million bounties to "productive discussions"al-Jolanis journey has been fascinating. But whats been even more telling is the trajectory of US foreign policy. Lessons from the past, tragically, are being ignored.
- Syed Zubair Ahmed
- Dec 24, 2024 12:21 pm IST
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Opinion | Syria: Why Is The Middle East Always In Turmoil?
Why is the Arab world perpetually at war with itself? Why does it spawn so many extremist groups? Why has it been trapped in cycles of violence and instability for decades?
- Syed Zubair Ahmed
- Dec 19, 2024 18:27 pm IST
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Opinion | Tabish Khair, Literature, And What It Means To Be A 'Bihari'
In Literature Against Fundamentalism, his latest nonfiction work, Tabish Khair boldly makes the case that literature is the ultimate counterweight to fundamentalist thinking.
- Syed Zubair Ahmed
- Dec 17, 2024 16:44 pm IST
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Opinion | France To Germany To Belgium, EU Is Imploding
The greatest threat to the EU doesn't come from Moscow or Beijing, but from within. Populist and nationalist movements are on the rise, fuelled by a toxic blend of economic anxiety, cultural insecurity, and distrust of Brussels.
- Syed Zubair Ahmed
- Dec 09, 2024 18:59 pm IST
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Opinion | Two Sides Of The Same Coin: Fundamentalists Share Worldview Yet Remain Hostile
Earlier this month, tragic news from Texas brought the abortion debate into sharp focus.
- Syed Zubair Ahmed
- Nov 26, 2024 19:44 pm IST
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Opinion | The Logistics Of Trump's Deportation Dream Are Not So Pretty
The hurdles in actually executing Trump's grand plan are staggering. The logistics of ramping up the system are as daunting as the rhetoric is bold.
- Syed Zubair Ahmed
- Nov 19, 2024 16:47 pm IST
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Opinion | Just Like Rome, The American Empire Is Crumbling From Within
Washington's influence, for instance, extends to every corner of the glob-ejust as Rome's once did across the Mediterranean and beyond. But beneath the surface, familiar cracks are beginning to show.
- Syed Zubair Ahmed
- Nov 13, 2024 14:36 pm IST
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Opinion | India-Canada Row: Which Way Will Trump Look?
With Trump's return to the Oval Office just weeks away, some in India are already hoping that he will put New Delhis new adversary, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in his place.
- Syed Zubair Ahmed
- Nov 11, 2024 14:29 pm IST
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Opinion | 'And I Love You So...': Notes On Musk-Trump Brotherhood
What really pushed Tesla CEO Elon Musk into Donald Trumps arms? Apparently, it was none other than Joe Biden and his frequent snubs.
- Syed Zubair Ahmed
- Nov 07, 2024 12:34 pm IST
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Opinion | Can The New President Save America's Waning 'Soft Power'?
The America that once championed the free press and the right to protest now appears stuck in a state of democratic backsliding. Polarisation, bipartisan gridlock and eroded trust in government have taken their toll.
- Syed Zubair Ahmed
- Nov 06, 2024 11:53 am IST
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Opinion | India To Africa, Calls For Britain To Pay Reparations Are Growing
Patrick Robinson, a UN judge, indicated last year that the United Kingdom may owe over $24 trillion in reparations for its role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
- Syed Zubair Ahmed
- Nov 04, 2024 12:08 pm IST
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Opinion | What Sanctions? How US' Favourite Foreign Policy Tool Is Backfiring
For the US, the question is not just whether sanctions are effective, but if they are backfiring. Sanctions might weaken economies, but they help autocratic regimes exploit public sentiment in order to stay in power.
- Syed Zubair Ahmed
- Oct 29, 2024 13:13 pm IST
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Opinion | America Is No Longer What It Used To Be, Thanks To Biden
The decline of Pax Americana may not have started under Biden, but it certainly accelerated under him.
- Syed Zubair Ahmed
- Oct 24, 2024 13:51 pm IST