Yoshita Singh

Stories by Yoshita Singh

India begins its 2-yr tenure as non-permanent UNSC member

India begins its 2-yr tenure as non-permanent UNSC member

Rediff.com   1 Jan 2021

India will sit in the 15-nation United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the 2021-22 term as a non-permanent member - the eighth time that the country has had a seat on the powerful horseshoe table.

India's economy could prove to be 'most resilient' in subregion over long term: UN

India's economy could prove to be 'most resilient' in subregion over long term: UN

Rediff.com   29 Dec 2020

India's economy could prove to be the "most resilient" in the subregion of South and South-West Asia over the long term, according to a report by the UN, which says a positive but lower economic growth post COVID-19 pandemic and the country's large market will continue to attract investments. The report titled 'Foreign Direct Investment Trends And Outlook In Asia And The Pacific 2020/2021', and compiled by United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), stated that inward FDI flows to South and South-West Asia slightly decreased by 2 per cent in 2019, from $67 billion in 2018 to $66 billion in 2019. The growth, however, was mainly driven by India, which accounted for 77 per cent of the total inflows to the subregion and received $51 billion in 2019, up 20 per cent from the previous year.

Nirav Modi's brother charged in $2.6 m fraud in New York

Nirav Modi's brother charged in $2.6 m fraud in New York

Rediff.com   20 Dec 2020

Nehal, 41, is charged in a New York Supreme Court indictment with Grand Larceny in the First Degree, Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance, Jr. said.

New York nurse first to get Covid vaccine in US

New York nurse first to get Covid vaccine in US

Rediff.com   14 Dec 2020

The news comes as the United States approaches 300,000 deaths from COVID-19.

Biden, Harris named TIME '2020 Person of the Year'

Biden, Harris named TIME '2020 Person of the Year'

Rediff.com   11 Dec 2020

The publication named the Democratic leaders for its annual prestigious honour, choosing them over other finalists -- Frontline Health Care Workers and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr Anthony Fauci, the Movement for Racial Justice and US President Donald Trump.

UN chief says will take COVID-19 vaccine publicly, calls it his 'moral obligation'

UN chief says will take COVID-19 vaccine publicly, calls it his 'moral obligation'

Rediff.com   10 Dec 2020

Guterres reiterated his call for a COVID-19 vaccine to be a global public good available to everywhere and particularly, available in Africa.

Nirmala Sitharaman in Forbes list of 100 most powerful women

Nirmala Sitharaman in Forbes list of 100 most powerful women

Rediff.com   8 Dec 2020

The women on the 17th annual Forbes Power List hail from 30 countries and were born across four generations.

Indian-American teen named first-ever TIME 'Kid of the Year'

Indian-American teen named first-ever TIME 'Kid of the Year'

Rediff.com   4 Dec 2020

Fifteen-year-old Indian-American Gitanjali Rao was selected from a field of more than 5,000 nominees as TIME's first-ever Kid of the Year. She was interviewed by actor and activist Angelina Jolie for the TIME special.

Oxford Covid vaccine under lens after error: Report

Oxford Covid vaccine under lens after error: Report

Rediff.com   26 Nov 2020

AstraZeneca Plc and the University of Oxford are facing questions about their Covid-19 vaccine and whether regulators would quickly authorise its emergency use after the pharma company acknowledged an error in the vaccine dosage received by some participants and other irregularities and omissions, according to the New York Times.

Recent breakthroughs on vaccines offer ray of hope: UN chief

Recent breakthroughs on vaccines offer ray of hope: UN chief

Rediff.com   21 Nov 2020

This week, global drugmakers Pfizer and BioNTech said their COVID-19 vaccine candidate is 95 per cent effective, including in adults over 65 years of age.

Pfizer says its Covid vaccine is 95% effective in final trials

Pfizer says its Covid vaccine is 95% effective in final trials

Rediff.com   18 Nov 2020

Pfizer and BioNTech said they have concluded phase 3 study of their mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate BNT162b2, meeting all primary efficacy endpoints.

Some countries exporting terror amid Covid: India at UN

Some countries exporting terror amid Covid: India at UN

Rediff.com   18 Nov 2020

India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador T S Tirumurti, said on Tuesday that India condemns all forms of anti-semitism and all forms of discrimination on religious grounds anywhere in the world.

Moderna says its COVID-19 vaccine is 94.5% effective

Moderna says its COVID-19 vaccine is 94.5% effective

Rediff.com   16 Nov 2020

Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Moderna's announcement comes just a week after Pfizer and Biontech said their COVID-19 vaccine candidate was found to be more than 90 per cent effective in preventing COVID-19 in participants.

Iconic Empire State Building lit up in orange for Diwali

Iconic Empire State Building lit up in orange for Diwali

Rediff.com   14 Nov 2020

The Federation of Indian Associations of the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, the leading umbrella diaspora organisation in the US, partnering with the Empire State Building, marked the festival of lights by illuminating the iconic Manhattan building in orange on Friday.

Our assistance doesn't create indebtedness: India at G-77 ministerial meeting

Our assistance doesn't create indebtedness: India at G-77 ministerial meeting

Rediff.com   13 Nov 2020

"In India's development cooperation, we will be guided by our partners' development priorities. Our assistance does not create indebtedness and is without conditionalities," he said at the 44th Annual Meeting of the G-77 Foreign Ministers on Thursday, in a veiled reference to China's loans which has led to debt-traps in some countries.

What Obama said about Rahul Gandhi in his memoir

What Obama said about Rahul Gandhi in his memoir

Rediff.com   13 Nov 2020

On Gandhi, Obama says he has 'a nervous, unformed quality about him, as if he were a student who'd done the coursework and was eager to impress the teacher but deep down lacked either the aptitude or the passion to master the subject', according to The New York Times review.

Harris' husband Douglas to be America's first 'Second Gentleman'

Harris' husband Douglas to be America's first 'Second Gentleman'

Rediff.com   8 Nov 2020

America has never in its history before had a female President and Vice President so it remains to be seen what formal title -- 'Second Gentleman, Second Husband' -- will be given to the first male spouse of an elected leader.

Harris' win latest in growing list of desi lawmakers

Harris' win latest in growing list of desi lawmakers

Rediff.com   8 Nov 2020

Countries across the world -- from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada to Singapore and New Zealand, are witnessing phenomenal strides by Indian-origin politicians, who are now taking on influential and prominent roles in governments and cabinets.

'Must understand Trump supporters and their issues'

'Must understand Trump supporters and their issues'

Rediff.com   6 Nov 2020

'There are voters that may only come out to vote for him because he's speaking to their issues and they may not be Democrat or Republican'

Raja Krishnamoorthi on why so many Indian Americans are running for office

Raja Krishnamoorthi on why so many Indian Americans are running for office

Rediff.com   5 Nov 2020

With an increasing number of people from the Indian-American community playing a significant role in US elections, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi said there is a realisation among them that "if you don't have a seat at the table, you're on the menu -- that is why they are voting and running for office in large numbers".