INDIA-PAKISTAN: Delhi Steps Up War Rhetoric Amidst Border Clash

As India Wednesday celebrates the 50th anniversary of its transition to a Republic amidst an unprecedented security alert in a number of states, there is a tangible rise in hostile rhetorical exchange with Pakistan.

ECONOMY: Confessions of the Washington Ideologues

The past week has seen remarkable confessions from officials at the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) about policy positions that have affected millions of people in borrowing countries.

POLITICS-LATAM: Voters Opt for Change – But Not Too Much

The message sent by voters in Latin America this year was an almost unanimous demand for efforts against corruption and policies against unemployment, poverty and crime - basically, greater attention to the concrete problems of the people.

RIGHTS: Whatever Happened to the Balkan Stability Pact?

The citizens of southeastern Europe, the war-ravaged Kosovar Albanians and Serbs; the divided communities of Bosnia; the Croats, and their needy neighbours, the Romanians and Bulgarians, are all glumly expecting a Christmas stocking that will be virtually empty.

POLITICS-RUSSIA: Election Results to Prolong Endemic Troubles

While president Boris Yeltsin's loyalists herald Sunday's parliamentary elections as an opening for much- needed stability, critics say the poll is a study-case on how the Russian people are an easy prey for media manipulators.

EUROPE: Funding Scandals Taint European Governments

Once regarded as the squeaky-clean nation of Europe, Germany has been infected by political funding scandals, damaging the public image of the two main parties, and tarnishing the legacy of former Chancellor Helmut Kohl, seen as the titan of German reunification.

/CORRECTED REPEAT/POLITICS-EU: ‘Constructive Ambiguity’ for Turkey, Greece and Cyprus

The European Union (EU) Summit at Helsinki over the weekend of December 10-11 announced what some call "historic" decisions regarding future relations with Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus using an approach of constructive ambiguity.

POLITICS-EU: ‘Constructive Ambiguity’ for Turkey, Greece and Cyprus

The European Union (EU) Summit at Helsinki over the weekend of December 10-11 announced what some call "historic" decisions regarding future relations with Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus using an approach of constructive ambiguity.

RIGHTS-POLITICS: Gender Issues Sidelined in Russian Elections

As Russia's parliamentary election campaign reaches nadir, a number of important problems - notably gender issues - appear to be ignored by the Russian political establishment.

POLITICS-GERMANY: Rediscovering Social Democratic Values

Whether German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's turn to his Social Democratic Party's left flank is merely a tactical ruse or a statement of policy, it is plain that he joined the club of political leaders who intend to give politics a greater role in shaping the globalisation process.

RIGHTS-SOUTHEAST EUROPE: A Time For The Gypsies

It Is unlikely that the oldest displaced persons in Europe, the Romas, look forward to the world's Human Rights Day Friday ( Dec 10) with any sense of achievement seeing that they have been on the lowest rung of society in almost every country for the millennium that has just past.

RIGHTS-PAKISTAN: Military Takeover Divides NGO Opinions

The return of the generals to power has triggered a new debate among liberals in Pakistan: on fundamentalism vs liberalism, or democracy vs dictatorship.

TRADE: The Long Road to Equitable Exchange

Developing countries waged hard-fought wars of diplomacy in the 1960-70's to secure better, more stable terms of trade in basic products - practically their only source of income. Today, however, those raw goods have become bogged down in a period of historically low prices and the majority of developing countries have seen their shares in the world market drastically reduced.

TRADE: Beijing Faces Steep Political Price in Deal with US

This week's trade agreement between China and the United States, expected to pave the way for Beijing to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO), is being hailed by both sides like a 'historic' one.

TRADE: China-US Trade Pact Rescues Many Agendas

The landmark trade agreement reached Monday between China and the United States has boosted China's economic reformers and given US President Bill Clinton a much- needed foreign policy accomplishment.

POLITICS-SOUTH AFRICA: Mbeki Creates ‘Foreign Affairs’ Presidency

South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki is like a fish in water at gatherings like the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting.

FINANCE-US: International Private Banking in the Spotlight

Western nations have complained for years that many leaders in the Third World are guilty of looting their nations' treasuries, soliciting bribes and accepting kick backs from public contracts.

SOUTH ASIA: India Playing Up Neighbours Against Pakistan //corrected repeat//

The summit of seven South Asian leaders in Nepal's capital city, Kathmandu, due to be held later this month, could be derailed by the Indian government which is loath to deal with the new Pakistani ruler, Gen Pervez Musharraf.

SOUTH ASIA: India Playing Up Neighbours Against Pakistan

The summit of seven South Asian leaders in Nepal's capital city, Kathmandu, due to be held later this month, could be derailed by the Indian government which is loath to deal with the new Pakistani ruler, Gen Pervez Musharraf.

CONFLICT-MIDDLE EAST: Oslo Summit Ends Without Breakthrough

The Middle East summit between the leaders of Israel, Palestine and the United States ended here Tuesday without any of the hoped-for announcements of a breakthrough in the regional peace process.

RIGHTS: German Chancellor Walks a Tight-Rope in China

German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is walking a foreign policy tight-rope during his trip this week to China, which is likely to have reverberations in other Asian countries as well as back home.