Milia Ali

All good things must come to an end, but some things leave us with a lingering “feelgood” emotion. Such was the Presidency of Barack Obama.

Recently, I have been reflecting on the act of giving gifts. My thoughts were partially triggered by the frenzied shopping sprees I witnessed during the Christmas season in the United States.

I have been racking my brain for a positive New Year message. But the US election outcome, the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Aleppo, the brutalities against the Rohingyas in Myanmar have plunged me into despair.

Following Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro's death on November 25, numerous columns and articles have been written about his achievements and failures.

Let me begin by congratulating you on a stunning victory after an unprecedented campaign that your candidate conducted for more

The media is replete with analysis and counter analysis of the ongoing US presidential race. So far, I have refrained from adding my voice to the cacophony because politics is not my cup of tea!

I truly believe that happiness can flow from small things. Time spent with loved ones, an uplifting word from a casual acquaintance, a chance meeting with a long lost friend; all these seemingly mundane things can make us happy.

You would think that the Information Age (spurred by the internet) has made us more aware and well informed about the challenges

Consider the following situation: You meet someone at a social event and within seconds you are subjected to a monologue about her posh home, luxury car, high performing kids and a doting husband.

We live in a world of instant news and communication, with its enormous

While speaking at the Democratic National Convention last month, President Obama observed: “People outside of the United States do

More than three weeks have elapsed since the carnage at the Holey Café and Bakery in Dhaka. Despite assurances by the government to combat terror and assertions by the police about strengthening surveillance, the city remains in a state of deep shock and partial paralysis.

It was the last Friday of Ramadan. A day when, Muslims believe, peace and compassion reign on earth. Ironically, this was the

While in the middle of writing my column for this week, I was hit by a deeply disturbing piece of news - the assassination of

During my recent visit to Sicily, a chance meeting with a pavement vendor selling hats and belts left me in a reflective mood.

One of the common dilemmas we face in our everyday life is when to call it quits. Ordinary mortals seem to have a better

In the sixteenth century, Polish astronomer/scientist Copernicus formulated a model of the universe that put the sun at the centre of

Almost all human beings develop a blind spot for their loved ones, especially for their children. But the very same people seem to have an ambivalent relationship with their country -- sometimes harshly critical while, at other moments, loving without any caveat or

There was a time when leading philosophers and politicians dreamed of an equitable world, where the gap between the “haves” and

SINCE the celebration of International Women's Day on March 8, we women have been inundated with lectures and articles on how to