Political

Business

Microfinance: Obama, Hillary, and over 160 others urge Dhaka to acquit Nobel Laureate M. Yunus

September 1, 2023 Vinayak Barot

Virendra Pandit   New Delhi: Former US President Barack Obama, ex-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and over 160 other global leaders have urged Bangladesh to suspend ongoing legal action against Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Laureate and the Father of Microfinance. Concerned over a string of court cases against Professor Muhammad Yunus, 83, these global leaders, in […]

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Business

Roving Periscope: After India, 4 more Asian nations reject China’s recycled “standard maps”

September 1, 2023 Vinayak Barot

Virendra Pandit   New Delhi:  Imagine five countries rejecting in as many days an aggressive China’s ridiculous and unilateral claims on their borders—it happened this week but none of these countries dread an aging, toothless Dragon’s alleged fire-spitting anymore! But this is the surest sign of multiple crises gripping China. Not just its plummeting economy, […]

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Business

Ukraine war: Russia may buy (Chinese) weapons from North Korea!

August 31, 2023 Vinayak Barot

Virendra Pandit   New Delhi: How deadly and expensive Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has become was proved with reports suggesting that Moscow, once a major arms exporter, is trying to buy weapons even from North Korea to keep its fratricidal conflict going in the neighboring country. With no end visible to the ongoing 18-month-old “special […]

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Business

Weather: The driest August since 1901 causes concern for Indian agriculture

August 31, 2023 Vinayak Barot

Virendra Pandit   New Delhi: The driest month of August since 1901 is causing worries in India’s agriculture sector, the backbone of the national economy, as many farmers have been forced to buy more seeds to sow them again as fresh monsoon rains are expected in September. These monsoon showers are vital for India’s nearly […]

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Business

Roving Periscope: Fearing collapse at home, Xi, like Putin, may skip the G-20 Summit

August 31, 2023 Vinayak Barot

Virendra Pandit   New Delhi: Facing their worst challenges both at home and abroad, China’s President Xi Jinping, just like his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, may also skip the Group of 20 (G-20) Summit scheduled for September 9 and 10 in the Indian capital. Putin is afraid of venturing beyond Russia because of an arrest […]

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Defence

Pakistan: In one case, HC suspends Imran’s conviction; in another, he will remain there, for now!

August 29, 2023 Vinayak Barot

Virendra Pandit   New Delhi: Incarcerated in the Attock District Jail since August 5, Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi had little to cheer about on Tuesday when the Islamabad High Court suspended his conviction in the Toshakhana corruption case as he will remain in ‘judicial remand’ in the cipher case for now. Serving as Pakistan’s Prime […]

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Business

Roving Periscope: After skipping the BRICS in SA, an isolated Putin won’t attend the G-20 Summit also

August 29, 2023 Vinayak Barot

Virendra Pandit   New Delhi: After skipping last week’s BRICS Summit in South Africa, Russian President Vladimir Putin, apparently apprehending his arrest abroad or a possible second coup at home, will not attend the Group of 20 (G-20) Summit in India, scheduled for September 9 and 10. He confirmed his absence in a telephonic conversation […]

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Education

Veil: As France moves to ban abaya, Indonesian teacher shaves 14 girls’ heads on hijab issue

August 28, 2023 Vinayak Barot

Virendra Pandit    New Delhi: Amid protests, France moved on Monday to ban the wearing in schools of abaya dresses by Muslim girls, Indonesia imposed a strict dress code in schools, shaving off the heads of 14 female students for not wearing the veil ‘properly.’ Last year, millions of angry women hit the roads across […]

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Business

Fukushima: Chinese protest, abuse Japanese after release of ‘contaminated’ waters into the Pacific

August 28, 2023 Vinayak Barot

Virendra Pandit    New Delhi: Water wars to control this elixir of life are common in several countries. But the Chinese are angry at their Japanese counterparts for releasing allegedly ‘contaminated’ waters from the ill-fated Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean. The Fukushima nuclear disaster was caused by a powerful earthquake and the […]

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Business

Roving Periscope: Imprisoned, ex-Pak PM Imran now “satisfied” with jail facilities!

August 28, 2023 Vinayak Barot

Virendra Pandit    New Delhi: Although they are multiple crisis-ridden, many people in Pakistan have never lost their sense of black humor. For example, when the Indian spacecraft Chandrayaan-3 landed on the southern pole of the Moon last week, a Pakistani man told a TV news channel with a straight face that Pakistan need not […]

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