Certainly there are a range of other situations in which the duty to protect could, and perhaps should, be implemented. Zimbabwe and Darfur in Africa spring to mind where peoples are demonstrably at the mercy of pernicious governments who care little or nothing for their welfare. There are plenty of other examples where such intervention might be considered but each needs to be considered as a particular case. Burma is one such. Tens of thousands of people are dying, or are about to die, because of the refusal of the leader of the Burmese junta, Than Shwe, to accept large scale foreign assistance for his people as they struggle to recover from the terrible effects of cyclone Nargis. The evidence of the junta's contempt is apparent on television screens and in newspaper reports around the world. Than Shwe refuses to shift his position despite appeals from the four corners of the globe while he has even refused to take a telephone call from the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Now a brilliant opportunity has emerged for the nations of the West to recover their reputation for concern for the protection of real humanitarian values while saving the lives of many hundreds of thousands of Burmese. It is an opportunity to re-balance the world away from a modus operandi in which assistance to persecuted populations is only given if there is an obvious and substantial material benefit for Western interests. All of the very real benefits accruing to the people of Iraq from the removal of Saddam Hussein have now been lost, benefits which were, at least in part, a debt owed to the people of Iraq by the nations that helped to maintain the dictator in power for their own political and economic benefit. Here is an opportunity to balance the books, the West must now take it through a kind of modern Dunkirk in reverse: a massive fleet of little boats taking aid ashore while helicopters land supplies in a pin-point operation to feed and provide shelter to those in need. If necessary fighter aircraft could fly top cover overhead to ensure that the helicopters and boats were unmolested but with strict orders to frighten rather than fire. In reality, the ability of the Burmese military to intervene must be very limited so the risk would be low and the time-span short in an operation which could be timed to land the aid before the generals were out of bed. As the America's generals would say: “A walk in the park.” A brief walk which would certainly enrage China and perhaps Russia in the short term, the former because it might herald intervention in Tibet and the latter intervention in the Caucasus. But both would quickly see that real politic would rule out either of those scenarios and the world would move on but with the important new proviso that a new international benchmark for humanitarianism had been set.

China-Taiwan bilateral talks
International concerns about China's approach to Tibet have not affected perceptions in Taiwan where the head of the ruling Kuomintang has taken the initiative to revive face to face links with Beijing.

Wu Poh-hsiung, chair of the ruling Kuomintang, flew to Beijing at the end of May for bilateral talks with Chinese president Hu Jintao.

Commenting in advance on his momentous trip, Wu said, “I hope my trip will be conducive to the peaceful development of the two sides and enhance Taiwan's security as well as people's well being.”

The thaw between the two countries comes after the political success of the Kuomintang that saw the election of a new president, Ma Ying-jeou.

The previous Democratic Progressive Party was in favour of independence and separate statehood for Taiwan. But President Ma, who was sworn in on May 20, had declared he wants economic engagement with China, as well as closer trade and tourism links.

Taiwan became the home of the Kuomintang forces under General Chiang Kai Shek following a bloody civil war that saw the defeat of the Nationalists at the hands of the communists under Mao Tse Tung.

Ever since then Beijing has demanded re-unification with Taiwan which has been accused under successive governments of seeking formal independence from the mainland.

International luminaries to protest repression in Tibet
An extraordinary galaxy of international VIPs is starting to come together to protest China's repressive policies in Tibet. The number of those who are willing to stand up and be counted can only increase as the date approaches for the start of the Beijing Olympics.

China had hoped the Olympics would help to highlight its new global status based on ever more impressive economic growth, increasing military strength and a brand new self confidence appropriate for an emerging super power.

But what the Olympics have done is provide a focus for human rights activists concerned about the lack of freedoms in Tibet and China's ruthless use of force to suppress Tibetan dissent. When protestors tried to ambush the Olympic torch in London in mid April, China's ambassador to the UK, Fu Ying, warned that demonisation of Beijing could lead to a backlash against the West.

Unimpressed by the ambassador's warning the acting director of London-based Free Tibet, Ann Holmes, commented, “Tibet is an occupied country. The Chinese government does not understand that Tibetans don't think they are Chinese and don't want to be Chinese. People are not just going to roll over and sat thanks for invading our country.”

Since then UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has declared he will not be attending the opening ceremonies of the Olympics in Beijing, prompting praise from US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton who said President Bush should do likewise.

Brown and Clinton have now been joined by other international figures of repute, such Czech foreign minister Karel Schwarzenberg, former South African president Willem de Klerk, former Crown Prince of Jordan Hassan Bin Talal, Japanese philantropist Yohei Sasakawa, French philosopher Andre Glucksmann and former Czech president Vaclav Havel.

This latest group of international luminaries have called on Beijing to allow international media access to Tibet, the release from prisons of peaceful protestors and the start of a meaningful dialogue between China and Tibetan representatives.

In a jointly written article for the May issue of the New York Review of Books, they say, “It is clear that China's rulers are trying to reassure the world that peace quiet and “harmony” have again prevailed in Tibet. We all know this kind of peace from what has happened in the past in Burma, Cuba, Belarus, and a few other countries it is called the peace of the graveyard.”

Nepalese monarchy on the brink
The world's only Hindu monarchy is in the process of being demolished step by step, but the outgoing king has given little indication of what he intends to do when the process ids complete.

The days of Nepal's 238 year old Shah dynasty were numbered once the Maoist led government took power in Kathmandu earlier this year. Yet the soon to be ousted King Gynanendra has said very little in public about what he intends to do.

Still venerated by some of his subjects as the living reincarnation of Vishnu, Gyanendra and his unpopular heir apparent, Crown Prince Paras, have made few public appearances in recent months.

At the end of May Gyananndra and his wife, Queen Komal, were seen at a temple in Kathmandu where the royal couple offered prayers and presided over the sacrifice of five animals in honour of the goddess Kali.

But beyond that there has been little sign of how Gyanendra spends his day, nor any indication of whether he plans to stay on in Nepal once the country has turned its back to the past and consolidated itself as a republic.

In mid May, after reducing the king to a figurehead, Nepal's House of Representatives took it upon themselves to decide the right of royal succession. It was also agreed that the king and his family would from now on be liable to taxation like any of their subjects.

Meanwhile, in anticipation of the republic that is being created, such expressions as His Majesty's Government and the Royal Nepalese Army have been modified to exclude any reference to the royals.

The next step is for parliament to decide whether any form of monarchy, even if only symbolic, is desirable for the country. Given the temper of the Maoists and their ideological convictions, it is highly unlikely that they will agree to preserving a link with what they regard as an outdated and reactionary system.

At that point Mr Gyanendra Shah, as the king will be known, must decide what is best for himself and his family. Exile has certainly been discussed as an option, but it remains to be seen how, when and if this is taken up.

Mallya takes over as Bank of Baroda CMD
Mr M. D. Mallya has taken over as Chairman and Managing Director of Bank of Baroda on 07th May, 2008. Prior to joining the Bank, he was the Chairman & Managing Director of Bank of Maharashtra.

Mr Mallya, born on 9th November 1952, passed out Bachelor of Engineering with Distinction from Karnataka Regional Engineering College, Suratkal. Subsequently, he completed post-graduation Diploma in Management from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore with Distinction.

He started his banking career at Corporation Bank in August 1976. In a career spanning over 31 years, he worked at various positions and undertook challenging assignments.

His tenure as Executive Director of Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) was marked by several new initiatives and providing leadership inputs, the merger of erstwhile Global Trust Bank with OBC.

Under Mr Mallya stewardship, Bank of Maharashtra made rapid strides in all spheres of activities, like business growth, technology, HR, organizational restructuring, etc.

Mr Mallya has wide exposure to management education and has undergone training programmes in leading academic institutes like Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad, National Institute of Bank Management (NIBM), Pune etc.

He has been on various committees of Indian Banks' Association and National Institute of Bank Management (NIBM), Pune Indian Institute of Banking and Finance and Institute of Banking Personnel Selection.

He has also been associated with CII as member of its SME Sub-Committee.