Page 256 - Opinion Specials

Shankar Acharya: The top dozen of the last 50

The most important global economic and political trends and events since 1965

China's devaluation

Did Beijing kill two birds with one stone?

Walmart has chosen roads with fewer regulatory obstacles

Retail giant no longer talks about multi-brand retail and has decided to stick on with cash and carry, where policy roadblocks are easier to handle

Sound legislation

Government must avoid making bad laws

Beyond the banks

Companies have found new ways to raise money

Conor Dougherty: Google reorganises to keep lead as innovator

The Silicon Valley behemoth gets a new name, Alphabet, to get a handle on the sprawl of businesses it has entered

M J Antony: Landing in trouble

States do worse in land takeover. A plethora of laws, local factors confound acquisitions

Auto upcycle: Sustained turnaround can drive stock prices up multi-folds

Interest rates should either remain stable, or come down until January 2016 at least; fuels are slated to remain cheap, with crude and CNG down

Five reasons why India's natural gas push remains hot air

Lack of movement on policy front hinders India's attempt to produce more power using natural gas

T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan: To old flames, with little regret

When do you actually outgrow an author?

William Pesek: Another family feud threatens Korea's economy

After Samsung, it's the Shin brothers of Lotte, who are fighting a succession war. Instead of curbing the influence of family-owned businesses, President Park has offered them a quid pro quo: speed up

Surinder Sud: Bringing the youth back into agriculture

It is a matter of worry that in a farm-based economy like India, rural youth are shirking agriculture to migrate to cities for better career opportunities. A new scheme, if implemented properly, can a

Shreekant Sambrani: Towers of babel

The hostility among political parties is a reflection of deep-rooted animosities between their leaders

Regulatory emergency

Why India must act to improve its regulators

The Taliban after Mullah Omar & the battle for Afghanistan

With Mullah Omar's death there is uncertainity over Taliban's future. India must engage all actors including Taliban.

Why the Mumbai Police should focus on policing than 'moral policing'

Despite the evident rise in 'actual' crimes in the city, it is not only sad but also a little funny when moral policing gains priority for an already overstretched police force

Sheer waste of human capital

Colleges and universities are being reduced to degree dispensing machines. It is high time they are converted to learning centres

My experiences with unified agri markets

Why unified agriculture market is a great idea and what are the gaps

Devangshu Datta: Several positives and a few niggles

Although quick reform may not happen due to Parliament logjam, economy is ticking along. A good monsoon means a decent harvest & lower inflation later. But corporate results have stagnated

A K Bhattacharya: Why Air India won't be privatised

A mutually beneficial relationship between the airline and the govt is the reason for its continued funding