Elections

Defence

Pakistan: Nawaz returning, PM Shehbaz Sharif promises to ‘hand over’ power next month

July 14, 2023 Vinayak Barot

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Virendra Pandit   New Delhi: Stating that his coalition government ‘sacrificed politics to protect the state,’ Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, the 23rd Prime Minister of Pakistan, has promised to hand over power to the “caretaker set-up” once the current term of the National Assembly ends in August, the media reported on Friday. His statement came […]

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Business

Roving Periscope: With a fresh IMF breather, cash-strapped Pakistan is relieved for now

July 13, 2023 Vinayak Barot

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Virendra Pandit    New Delhi: After months of severe cash crunch, supply crisis, and political uncertainties, Pakistan, where general elections to the National Assembly are due in October 2023, got a breather from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which transferred a USD 1.2 billion bailout, the media reported on Thursday. A day after the global […]

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Defence

Politics: Dutch PM resigns on migration issue, seeks re-election

July 8, 2023 virendra pandit

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Virendra Pandit New Delhi: Days after the killing of an Algerian-origin migrant teenager triggered widespread arson and violence across France, and the Qur’an burning incident in Sweden, which angered Muslims across the world, the Netherlands’ Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s coalition government collapsed on Friday over  “insurmountable” differences on how to tackle migration of aliens into […]

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Business

Economy: India’s growth sustainable, FinMin says, and cautions against headwinds

July 6, 2023 virendra pandit

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Virendra Pandit   New Delhi:  Noting that the Indian economy grew by 7.2 percent in 2022-23, especially in its last quarter (January-March 2023), the Finance Ministry on Thursday said the country will continue to register sustained growth in a more durable way than before—but also cautioned about the possible headwinds that could pose major challenges, […]

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Business

Roving Periscope: Canada’s domestic politics spoiling its relations with India

July 4, 2023 virendra pandit

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Virendra Pandit    New Delhi: Domestic political compulsions may have forced Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to go ‘soft’ on pro-Khalistani separatists in his North American country which has seen a recent spurt in violence by anti-Indian activists. The revitalized Khalistani separatists have resurfaced and attacked Indian interests in Canada, the US, and Australia, among […]

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Business

Dubious distinction: Pakistan is IMF’s fourth biggest debtor!

July 3, 2023 virendra pandit

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Virendra Pandit   New Delhi: When Muhammed Ali Jinnah founded it in 1947, he argued that only by breaking away from a “poor” India could Pakistan become a prosperous nation. Seventy-five years later, his dream project has come crashing down on the planet. Bankrupt and poly-crises-ridden, Pakistan is now set to become the fourth biggest […]

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Business

Cliffhanger: IMF approves Pak’s $3bn loan program; may be considered in two weeks

June 30, 2023 virendra pandit

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Virendra Pandit   New Delhi: Almost bankrupt Pakistan, facing a default on July 1, has clinched initial approval from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a USD 3 billion loan program, lowering the risk of a sovereign default, the media reported on Friday. The staff-level agreement is subject to approval by the IMF Executive Board, […]

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Business

‘Reverse’ aging: All South Koreans are now younger by a year!

June 29, 2023 virendra pandit

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Virendra Pandit   New Delhi: When do we become one year old? At birth? Or a year after birth? Unlike other countries, a South Korean child was, until now, deemed a year old the day he or she was born because of society’s traditional age counting practices. Not anymore. For, South Korea has now joined […]

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Business

Gaslighted: After Sitharaman, former USCIRF chief also roasts ex-President Obama

June 26, 2023 virendra pandit

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Virendra Pandit    New Delhi: The unsolicited advice Barack Obama gave through the media to US President Joe Biden to rake up the ‘religious freedom question’ during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s just-concluded State Visit last week has landed the former US President in a soup within and without. Not only did Indian Finance Minister Nirmala […]

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Defence

Friendship: The US-India ties among the ‘most consequential’ in the world, says POTUS

June 26, 2023 virendra pandit

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Virendra Pandit   New Delhi: Taking stock two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first State Visit concluded, US President Joe Biden hailed relations with India, saying the friendship between the two democracies is among the “most consequential in the world.” Taking to Twitter on Sunday, he said, “The friendship between the United States and […]

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