CEC impasse
PAKISTAN is fortunate to have a constitutional provision which mandates the appointment of the chief election commissioner (CEC) and four members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) only after reaching a…
Euclid spacecraft prepares to probe universe’s dark mysteries
For now, Europe’s Euclid spacecraft sits quietly in a sterilised room in the south of France, its golden trim gleaming under the fluorescent light. But in a few months the…
An unfair burden: Pia Eberhardt and Cecilia Olivet
Twenty years ago, and without any public debate, an arcane international agreement entered into force. The Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) gives sweeping powers to foreign investors in the energy sector,…
Former slave trade town seeks to become African art hub Cecile
Until last year, the few tourists who visited the small West African town of Ouidah were likely headed to the Gateway of No Return, a massive monument to the area's…
Elite capture of space
On April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin’s first human spaceflight not only carried the hopes of the Soviet Union but also bore the aspirations of humanity as a whole. Gagarin’s view…
An unfathomable pit: Candid corner
Things getting chaotic may not be such a huge problem if it is cleared up over time. But when the intent is to continue piling on the mess, it can…
The final frontier
“Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilisations; to boldly…
The space debris threat
The International Space Station (ISS) has been featured in several Hollywood movies, from being hijacked by a hostile alien in Life to being ripped apart by space debris in Gravity.…
Poll credibility
THE first major test of the current Election Commission, in fact the entire nation, is less than 90 days away. With the dissolution of the provincial assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the…
Robotic priorities
WHEN resources are scarce, priorities are set carefully to avoid compromising on necessities. That is a basic economic rule applicable to all spheres, including healthcare. Recently, a controversy erupted in the…
