The bright graduates of business schools have proved me wrong. Writing in Part 18 of this series in August 2007, I had warned of a worldwide economic collapse by 2010. The MBAs have ensured it already in October 2008.

The impact of climate change is here to stay. One dramatic example is that for the first time in at least 125,000 years (or the beginning of the last Ice Age), ships can travel around the North Pole. The opening up of the North-west and North-east passages in the Arctic region is witness to this.

One of the things that I mentioned in my last column �€œGeremek�€™s World�€ was the late Professor�€™s thinking on the future of Europe. When I met him in 2005, he had predicted that 2009 would be a year of change for Europe with many elections, including the election for the European Parliament to take place in 2009. He had said that maybe Europe would shine after that- depending on the kind of political decisions that the new leaders are able to take.

The last century �€“ especially if we extend it back to 1870 �€“ was unique. It took 18 centuries for the population of the planet to increase from 250 million around 1 AD to 1 billion in 1800. It increased to 1.6 billion by 1900 and it had crossed 6 billion in 2000. Such exponential growth of population is unprecedented. It was also around the beginning of the last century �€“ give and take a couple of decades on either side - that internal combustion machine, aircraft, electricity, telephone and penicillin came into being. Later on the human specie built on the foundation of these inventions to create radio, computer, space travel, internet and the possibility of a visit to another celestial body in the universe.

The events that have taken place from 8th August 2008 until today have served as a turning point in Russian foreign policy. After years of political isolation in the global arena, it seems as though the recent conflict over Southern Ossetia has shaken the Russian bear from out of her cave.

The general elections in Pakistan were conducted amongst much expectation and optimism that a new government and a return to democracy would usher in a period of change and stability which had eluded the country in recent times. The PPP led coalition entered the political arena on the back of an election victory which was arguably achieved through the sympathy vote of an electorate mourning the loss of their recently assassinated leader, Benazir Bhutto. The man in charge, Asif Zardari, spoke of no political credentials and was tasked with forming a government with an increasingly unpopular President at its helm; a coalition partner at odds with the former general and determined to see through �€˜his party�€™s�€™ political agenda and; influential external powers waving an �€˜invisible hand�€™ over issues of national importance. 

S C Jamir, Governor of Maharashtra and Goa in India, made a startling remark while speaking at the inauguration of the SFG International Conference on Responsibility to the Future. He suggested that just as coal and steel had created lasting cooperation between France and Germany in the last century, energy and environmental industries would be the building blocks of peace between hostile nations in the 21st century.

A few years ago, the deluge in Mumbai produced a miracle. As the city started getting flooded, hundreds of young men suddenly appeared in the water from nowhere. They risked their own life to save children and old folks who could not find their way...