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Roving Periscope: The US reopens Covid origin issue, says it may have spread from a Chinese lab

February 28, 2023 virendra pandit

Virendra Pandit   New Delhi: As Sino-US relations deteriorate further and America goes to the presidential polls next year, the theory of the Covid-19 virus first circulating in Wuhan around November 2019 and spreading from a laboratory, has resurfaced. And, if she became US President in 2024, Indian-origin hopeful Nikki Haley has vowed to cut […]

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Business

G-20: FMs may fail to draw consensus over Russia—Ukraine war, debt burdens

February 25, 2023 virendra pandit

Virendra Pandit   New Delhi: A day after the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine entered the second year on Thursday, a meeting of finance chiefs of the Group of 20 (G-20) countries may have failed to arrive at a consensus over the devastating war and the debt burden of the “Global South.” Russia, a member […]

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Business

Roving Periscope: China, which attacked India in 2020, wants peace in Ukraine!

February 24, 2023 virendra pandit

Virendra Pandit   New Delhi: On Friday’s first anniversary of the ongoing war in Ukraine, China claimed neutrality, then blamed the West and its allies for ‘inciting’ the Russian invasion and called on all parties to support the two countries in reaching “a comprehensive ceasefire.” In fact, China spoke a lot without really saying anything […]

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Business

Roving Periscope: As the wealthy frolic, broke Pakistan announces austerity for ministers, officers

February 23, 2023 virendra pandit

Virendra Pandit   New Delhi: A week after hundreds of wealthy Pakistanis thronged an upmarket mall in Lahore and queued up for hours to grab expensive branded coffees and pastries from Canadian food chain Tim Hortons, Islamabad announced on Wednesday some ‘austerity measures’ for ministers and officials to somehow impress the International Monetary Fund (IMF) […]

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Business

Roving Periscope: A year on, Putin blames the West for Ukraine war, suspends START

February 21, 2023 virendra pandit

Virendra Pandit   New Delhi: Two days before the first anniversary of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine on Friday, President Vladimir Putin accused the war-torn neighbor and the West of provoking the conflict with the expansion of NATO and new European anti-rocket defense systems, and developing military contingents on the border of Russia. Since […]

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Business

‘Protect the poor, tax the rich,’ IMF asks broke and embattled Pakistan

February 20, 2023 virendra pandit

Virendra Pandit   New Delhi: After Defense Minister Khwaja Asif’s open admission last week that Pakistan is bankrupt and has already defaulted, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has asked the nearly cashless country to protect the poor and impose more taxes on the wealthy as the South Asian nation seeks to unlock funds from the […]

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Business

Roving Periscope: Ahead of Feb 24, US President Joe Biden secretly visits Ukraine

February 20, 2023 virendra pandit

Virendra Pandit   New Delhi: Just three days ahead of the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, US President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to the war-torn nation’s capital, Kyiv, on Monday, the New York Times reported. The US President arrived in Kyiv after a long train drive from the […]

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Business

Power: A year after, the Sri Lankans to gets back 24×7 light—at a higher cost, though

February 16, 2023 virendra pandit

Virendra Pandit   New Delhi: After Pakistan’s collapsing economy hogged the headlines in recent months, India’s yet another next-door neighbor Sri Lanka has brought some good news: the Sri Lankans, reeling under unprecedented economic hardships will now get 24×7 electricity, although at a higher cost. The media reported on Thursday that, after a year of […]

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Business

Roving Periscope: Pakistan to impose fresh PKR 170 billion in taxes, cries for IMF’s $1.1 billion installment

February 16, 2023 virendra pandit

Virendra Pandit    New Delhi: Reeling under a collapsing economy, severe hardships, and a massive foreign debt burden of over USD 130 billion, cash-strapped Pakistan late on Wednesday introduced a money bill in Parliament to raise PKR 170 billion in fresh taxes (“mini-Budget”) by June this year as part of the strictest terms and conditions of […]

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Business

Tech babies: With 1,300 added last year, India now has 27,000 active startups

February 15, 2023 virendra pandit

Virendra Pandit   New Delhi:  India, the third largest technology startup ecosystem worldwide after the US and China, added more than 1,300 active startups in 2022, taking the total tally to nearly 27,000. With 23 unicorns in 2022, the South Asian nation also added the second-highest number of unicorns in the world, the National Association […]

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