The world’s fastest train opens in China – just in time to whisk people away for the Chinese New Year celebrations. By Malcolm Moore on board the Harmony Express Telegraph Previous 1 of 2 Images Next The new CRH Wuhan-Guangzhou train service travels at an average speed of 217 miles per hour Photo: ADAM DEAN The Wuhan-Guangzhou high-speed railway Photo: REUTERS “Wow, it is faster than a helicopter,” exclaimed Luo Rongguang as the G1049 Harmony Express eased its way out of Wuhan train station and instantly began to gain speed. Within a minute of departure, the world’s fastest train was travelling at 120 … Continue reading China steams ahead with world’s fastest train

Capital suggestion Strategic mind Sunday, February 14, 2010 Dr Farrukh Saleem This was my first interaction with the soldier who commands the seventh largest military force on the face of the planet. He wears a Hilal-e-Imtiaz and a Nishan-e-Imtiaz on his chest. We were with him for three hours during which he shared with us seven dozen slides. I can tell you that when he plans, he plans with SWOT in mind – strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. I can tell you that when he defines a phenomenon he defines with STEER in mind – socio-cultural, technological, economic, ecological and … Continue reading Pakistan army rules because…….

By Irfan Husain The statements by FM Qureshi and from the Indian side show a wholly negative attitude, which leads one to wonder why the two sides are even bothering to go through with the motions. – File photo OFFSTAGE, we can almost hear the weary orchestra tuning up for yet another round of the slow one-step forward, two-steps back waltz that constitutes Indo-Pak talks. We are all familiar with the routine: cynical bureaucrats, terrified of straying from their narrow briefs, delivering carefully prepared statements without any belief they will succeed. After more than 60 years of stonewalling over Kashmir, … Continue reading The Indo-Pak bangra-waltz

A bride wearing gold ornaments sits before taking her marriage vows during a mass wedding ceremony in New Delhi October 29, 2009. — Reuters Culture Breaking up is hard to do, so pay someone else THE BREAK UP ARTIST Breaking up is hard to do, so pay someone else MUMBAI: From the overweight and transsexuals to people with HIV and those supposedly afflicted by negative planetary positions, the Internet dating game in India increasingly has a website for everyone. And with Valentine’s Day on Sunday, the specialist sites are seeing a rise in hits. “There’s always an increase in activity … Continue reading Indians get particular about online marriage

This picture taken on February 11, 2010, shows a woman choosing Valentine’s Day gifts at a shop in Peshawar. — AFP Culture No Valentine’s: Saudi religious police see red No Valentine’s: Saudi religious police see red PESHAWAR: Hip young romantics in Pakistan’s most dangerous city are splashing out on text messages and teddy bears, defying Taliban bombers and conservative parents to find love this Valentine’s Day. It has taken four years and the prospect of never seeing her again, for Mohammad Asif to pluck up the courage to approach the object of his affections, a fellow engineering student in northwest … Continue reading Peshawar romantics defy Takfiri Mullahs and Taliban for Valentine’s

Does This Jog Your Memory Comrade? Marcus, February 12th 2010, 8:41 pm A Socialist Workers Party website has demonstrated its relief that the Islamic Republic of Iran has survived the challenge of recent street demonstrations with an article entitled: ‘Iran: The Islamic Revolution Defeats Western Hopes for Regime Change’ It’s difficult to understand anyone nominally left-wing would share that emotion, but its a strange world we live in these days. They’ve even found an Iranian socialist to say something unpleasant about the green-clad demonstrators protesting against the lack of democracy: For the social and political character of the Green Wave, consult Iran’s … Continue reading Socialist Workers Party UK supports a crack down on freedom in Iran