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American hegemony is over. Now it is absolutely clear that the imperialist bully has been subdued. None would have ever thought that the American hegemony and dominance would be stripped off in this way. Russia’s successful military intervention on September 30 in Syria has been a major setback for the US hegemony and dominance. In a single stroke the mythical wall of American supremacy has been demolished.

How many years does it take for the government of India to, first, decide on and, then, implement a nuclear power project? The subject is relevant since neighbouring China, India’s main rival in global economic standing and growth, has announced its plan to set up 100 nuclear power projects at home and abroad in next 10 years. China is the world’s largest energy consumer. It is also the world’s No. 1 coal producer. It has a reasonably good proven petroleum reserves. China’s latest tie up with the United Kingdom to set up a massive $24-billion nuclear power plant partnering EDF of France on build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis at an insignificant investment cost of the UK has raised eyebrows of the entire western world. The UK-China deal was signed and sealed last week during the visit of President Xi Jinping. China signed more than $62 billion deals with the UK. China is expected to design the British nuclear power plant. On record, the anti-nuclear campaigners helplessly slammed the UK-China deal. The campaign was short-lived having no impact on the decision of the UK government.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A ‘ringing controversy’ over the so-called missed calls is raging in the Kerala BJP riven by factionalism.

A seminal change is apparently taking place in the BJP’s social outlook which can have momentous consequences for the party and the country. It relates to the lowering of the party’s opposition to the consumption of beef. The significance of this shift from its customary position cannot be overemphasized since the subject has always been one of the most sensitive issues for the party and the saffron brotherhood, perhaps even more than the construction of the Ram temple.

Executive always tried to control judiciary by adopting several means but did not succeed. The Judiciary had, in fact, armed itself with the power to ensure its autonomy and independence by denying the politician any say in the selection and transfer of judges. The latest is the landmark Supreme Court decision invalidating the government’s move to put in place a National Judicial Appointment Commission (NJAC) by BJP-led NDA government. Parliament amended the Constitution, brought about the 99th amendment to provide for constitution of NJAC. The apex court by a 4-1 majority, struck down the 99th Amendment. The crux of the NJAC arrangement was not the intention to rectify the obvious infirmities in the collegium system; there is near unanimity that the collegium system needs to be fixed. Rather the bottom of the NJAC law is to control the judiciary.

The Bihar BJP leaders are euphoric of winning the Assembly elections and wresting the power from Nitish Kumar, but the ground level developments speak otherwise. Though the state leaders present a brave face, discernible gloom has descended. A feeling has gripped the leaders that the party has lost emotional contact even with its hard core supporters.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 17-day-long agitation in the plantation sector is mercifully over. And the workers are back on their back-breaking jobs.

Why does Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal blame everyone else other than himself for all the ills in Delhi? Since the time he took over whatever incident happens he finds a scapegoat while he keeps himself aloof. The latest is the horrendous rape of two children in the capital. He should remember what he said after the Nirbhaya rape case against the chief minister Sheila Dijnttgttty6ttttt\kshit in 2012 calling her a weak CM and if he was given the power for just one day, he could change the situation. Now that he is the chief minister, “Repeated rape of minors is shameful and worrying. Delhi police has completely failed to provide safety. What are PM and his LG doing?” Kejriwal tweeted on his way to meet the families of the two victims. He later tweeted, “PM sir, give control of Delhi police to Delhi govt for one year. If situation does not improve, take it back.”

Professor Jagdish Bhagwati described TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) as “a political response to China’s new aggressiveness, built therefore in a spirit of confrontation and containment, not of cooperation”. What does it mean? It may unleash two theories of an economic block: One, a creation of an economic contingent by USA to nail the Chinese expansionism in Asia pacific region; and two, building up of a political alliance through economic partnership to thwart the Chinese aggressiveness. The comment of Professor Bhagwati seemed to have thrown an air of pessimism on the success of USA, as it was built up with the aim of confrontation and not of cooperation. With the absence of China in TPP, USA wants to write the global trade rules.

India’s engagement with Africa is set enter a new phase with the hosting of the 5-day summit meeting with the leaders of the continent. The first summit level talks was held in 2008 in New Delhi and the second one was in 2011 at Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. Though the links between India and Africa are millennia old and New Delhi had supported continent’s struggle for independence and fight against apartheid, China could score the point on having more intensive engagement with the continent. Comparatively India structured institutional engagement with Africa as a whole had a late start. But better late than never. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has rightly seized the opportunity for deepening relationships with Africa picking up the thread from 2008.