Political

Business

Roving Periscope: As China relents, talks to Pfizer for US vax, Jack Ma ‘retires’

January 7, 2023 virendra pandit

Virendra Pandit New Delhi: Amid reports that Covid-battered China is talking to the US multinational Pfizer to import its vaccines, Jack Ma, the second best-known Chinese globally after President Xi Jinping, has decided to retreat from his online empire in the wake of Beijing’s crackdown on technology behemoths. The media reported on Saturday that […]

Defence

Women’s power: India deploys all-women platoon as UN peacekeepers in Africa

January 6, 2023 virendra pandit

Virendra Pandit New Delhi: India on Friday announced the deployment of an all-women platoon as United Nations Peacekeepers in Abyei on the border between South Sudan and Sudan in Africa. This is India’s single-largest unit of women peacekeepers, the Blue Helmets, in a UN Mission. The deployment of the first-ever all-women’s contingent took place […]

Business

Roving Periscope: Now, the US House inherits Trump’s dysfunctionality!

January 6, 2023 virendra pandit

Virendra Pandit New Delhi: For decades, ‘experts’ in the UK and the US laughed at democratic tremors in India where political instability reigned for years. Now, the shoe is on the other leg: India is politically stable while America and Britain are feeling the heat of being the big daddies of democracy! Last year, the […]

Business

Global recession: Amazon to layoff 18,000 staff, 80% more than it estimated

January 5, 2023 virendra pandit

Virendra Pandit New Delhi: World’s largest e-commerce company Amazon.com Inc., on Wednesday, announced to cut over 18,000 jobs, 80 percent more than it estimated earlier, which shows its fears of a global recession ahead. The company would begin discussing the moves with affected employees on January 18 and provide severance, transitional health benefits, and […]

Business

Clean energy: India approves an Rs.19.7 k crore mission for green hydrogen

January 4, 2023 virendra pandit

Virendra Pandit New Delhi: In a significant development, the Government of India on Wednesday approved the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) with an initial outlay of Rs 19,744 crore, aiming to make the country a global hub for manufacturing this clean source of energy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched this Mission on August 15, 2021, […]

Business

Global economy: Recession will hit a third of the world in 2023, warns IMF chief

January 3, 2023 virendra pandit

Virendra Pandit New Delhi: Warning that the global economy would face a tougher year in 2023 than the previous year, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has said a third of the world would be hit hard. For much of the global economy, 2023 is going to be a tough year as […]

Business

Roving Periscope: India accuses China of trying to unilaterally change the LAC

January 3, 2023 virendra pandit

Virendra Pandit New Delhi: After observing restraint for over 30 months to avoid escalating the matter further, India has accused China of trying to unilaterally change the Line of Actual Control (LAC). India considers the LAC to be 3,488 km long, while China claims it is only around 2,000 km. It is divided into three sectors: […]

Business

Demonetization: How it achieved its objectives—in J&K and UP!

January 2, 2023 virendra pandit

Virendra Pandit New Delhi: With the Supreme Court, armed with a 4-1 majority, upholding the Narendra Modi Government’s 2016 decision to demonetize high-value old currency notes of Rs. 500 and Rs.1000, the spotlight is back on whether this significant step could really achieve its unsaid objectives. Critics, mostly merely politically motivated and unlettered in […]

Business

Demonetization: SC’s 4-1 majority upholds govt decision, rejects 58 pleas

January 2, 2023 virendra pandit

Virendra Pandit New Delhi: In a significant ruling with a 4-1 majority, the Supreme Court on Monday upheld the 2016 decision of the Government of India to demonetize Rs.500 and Rs.1000 currency notes, saying it reflected the executive policy and cannot be reversed. A five-judge Constitution Bench of the apex court also rejected a […]

Business

Roving Periscope: Amid Covid-19 catastrophe, WHO team meets Chinese officials

December 31, 2022 virendra pandit

Virendra Pandit New Delhi: A team of experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) met with Chinese officials on Friday as the Asian country battled its worst-ever health crisis because of an unprecedented outbreak of the scourge this month that has left millions infected and thousands dead. In 2020, when Covid-19 assaulted the world, […]