2035 IST, Sunday, October 27, 2013 
Conversation/Comment
Why Indian chefs don't get recognitionBy: Vir Sanghvi
Food guides are a complicated business. As far as the world’s chefs are concerned, there is only one that matters: Michelin. Ever since the guide to France, published by the eponymous tyre company, first started handing out stars to restaurants, its rankings have had a disproportionate effect on the food scene.
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New kid on the nuclear block
India has a formidable new addition to its armoury — Agni-IV. The missile's first test flight under its earlier name, Agni-II Prime, in December 2010 ended in failure. But those problems have clearly been sorted out. The test on Nov 15, went without a glitch, and the missile successfully carried a 800-kg warhead to a distance of over 3,000 km. Agni-III missile, which was first successfully tested in 2007, already has a range of over 3,500 km when carrying a 1.5 tonne warhead. With less payload, this missile's range would be considerably greater. The success of Agni-III and Agni-IV reflects the maturing of capabilities in the long-range missile programme. |
India takes lead in combating Somalia-based piracyBy Arun Prakash
Emblematic of the world’s sense of frustration and helplessness in the face of snowballing Somalian piracy was British PM David Cameron’s strong condemnation of this phenomenon. Speaking on the margins of the recent Commonwealth summit, he described it as “a complete insult to the world” and urged the international community to “come together with much more vigour” in support of counter-piracy endeavours. The leader of this small island nation with a rapidly dwindling navy then offered to lead the effort to combat this menace. |
Vulture funds targeting world's poorest nationsBy: Greg Palast, Maggie O'Kane, Chavala Madlena
Speculators have made $1-bn from crisis-hit countries. A case in the Channel Islands could decide how much more will follow. |
New democratic Egypt set to scale up India ties: EnvoyBy Manish Chand
A new democratic Egypt is set to scale up bilateral cooperation with India that will include robust trade and enhanced exchanges in electoral training, media, youth and sports, says Cairo's envoy Khaled el Bakly. |
Libya poses policy challenge to Asian giantsBy: James M. Dorsey
Change by any possible means is the name of the game in the Middle East and North Africa. |
Pugmarks in a dragon denBy: Pranay Sharma
Can India capitalise on the Red Giant’s hiccups to regain lost ground in Africa? |
Indo-African gene admixtureIndia is a classic example of genetic potpourri. Though the Ancestral South Indians (ASIs) found in the four southern States are not related to any group outside India, populations in the north Indian States known as Ancestral North Indians (ANIs) exhibit a close genetic affinity to middle easterners, central Asians, and west Eurasians. |
Reconciliation and nation building: the Mandela wayBy: Ahmed Kathrada“I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live and to achieve. |
A new country is bornThe birth of the Republic of South Sudan has suffused a conflict-ridden part of the world with euphoria. |
