POWDER KEG
   Date :17-Sep-2019

 
THE drone attack on Saudi Arabian energy giant Aramco is bound to escalate tensions between Iran and the United States to a dangerous level with possibility of a military confrontation. An uneasy atmosphere has been raging under the surface in the Persian Gulf following heightened strain between Washington and Tehran over a crumbling nuclear deal. The attack on Saudi oil site that has affected almost five per cent of world’s daily oil supply is being seen as a provocation by Iran’s leadership. While Riyadh formulates steps to reinforce world’s faith in its capabilities, close ally Washington has gone ahead with naming Tehran as the culprit. This would further scupper chances of diplomacy and negotiations between US and Iran. The Persian Gulf has turned into a powder keg as allegations are flying thick and fast from both sides. With the European signatories of the nuclear deal struggling to get the US and Iran on talking terms, it has become highly imperative for the regional players including India to take lead and stop warmongering to save the oil economy.
 
SIXTY YEARS!
 
SIXTY years ago, a brilliant idea came up -- Doordarshan -- and it changed India’s entertainment and educational landscape forever. Not only did it become a major vehicle of passing any message to the people but also became a commercially viable enterprise. Looking back, some people tend to criticise DD for its poor quality. But such criticism does not conform to reality. For, a lot of programmes and news bulletins on DD were of a high quality, which professionals do not fail to recognise. Subsequently, in the rush of commercially-driven TV channels, DD may have got some setbacks. Yet, it did create a great revolution which no historians will ever miss. Now also, those who watch DD regularly often find themselves far better informed than others. No matter some negatives, DD is a good example of how a Government initiative can bring in certain high standards of quality. Of course, from now on, DD will have to get into a quality-enhancement mode to gain back some of its lost constituency. That is the call of the day.