News for 'Economic and Political Weekly'

Indian delegation meets Taliban team in Moscow

Indian delegation meets Taliban team in Moscow

Rediff.com21 Oct 2021

The Indian side expressed readiness to provide extensive humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, Mujahid was quoted as saying by Afghanistan's Tolo News.

'Xi will wait for the Modi government to make the reconciliation moves'

'Xi will wait for the Modi government to make the reconciliation moves'

Rediff.com20 Oct 2022

'Which will not happen.' 'Foreign Minister S Jaishankar has expressly refuted Beijing's statement that normalcy was returning to Sino-Indian relations.'

UK PM Boris Johnson to face no-trust vote over partygate scandal

UK PM Boris Johnson to face no-trust vote over partygate scandal

Rediff.com6 Jun 2022

Sir Graham Brady, who is in-charge of collating the letters of no-confidence received by the 1922 Committee, said the threshold of 15 per cent of the Tory parliamentary party, or 54 MPs, seeking such a vote has been met and it will place on Monday evening in the House of Commons.

Covid runs rampant in China as govt seems absent

Covid runs rampant in China as govt seems absent

Rediff.com26 Dec 2022

One Chinese source informed ANI that 10 million new infections are probably occurring daily in China.

Markets end over 2-week lows ahead of Fed meet

Markets end over 2-week lows ahead of Fed meet

Rediff.com16 Sep 2014

Investors booked profit ahead of the outcome of the two-day US Fed policy meet which begins today.

Xi is the only leader Obama will meet one on one this week

Xi is the only leader Obama will meet one on one this week

Rediff.com28 Mar 2016

52 world leaders, including Narendra Modi, will attend this week's Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, DC. Obama will meet separately only with the Chinese president.

Sensex tanks 284 points to end at 1-week low; global markets drag

Sensex tanks 284 points to end at 1-week low; global markets drag

Rediff.com3 Aug 2016

The BSE Mid-Cap index was currently down 1.25%

Modi Breaks Fresh Ground In Foreign Policy

Modi Breaks Fresh Ground In Foreign Policy

Rediff.com23 Mar 2022

'The big power struggle in faraway Europe erupted at a most critical juncture when India has been increasingly sceptical about American policies and statesmanship,' argues Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.

What I Saw When The Kashmiri Pandits Fled in 1990

What I Saw When The Kashmiri Pandits Fled in 1990

Rediff.com25 Mar 2022

Threats were often communicated to Pandit homes through notes tied to stones chucked through a window, or a notice pasted on a wall. Those sometimes came from neighbours eyeing that Pandit family's property. Those threats often worked in the atmosphere of terror during that awful season of vacuous exercise of State authority, writes David Devadas, longtime Kashmir watcher and author of two books on the Valley.

Why India's healthcare system is near collapse today

Why India's healthcare system is near collapse today

Rediff.com10 May 2021

Shortage of ICU beds, oxygen, ventilators, vaccines, doctors, nurses and crematorium space in India has dominated headlines around the world in the past few weeks with Covid-19 cases surging beyond control and the government failing to deliver. Yes, election rallies, Kumbh Mela, blatant flouting of social distancing and mask protocols coupled with a messy vaccination process are said to be responsible for the health crisis of colossal proportions that India is facing today. But an analysis of Budget speeches made by finance ministers over 75 years also offers a glimpse of how low on the priority list healthcare has featured for the political class and policy-makers, which is a significant reason for the current situation.

GST on petroleum products will cut fuel taxes: Gadkari

GST on petroleum products will cut fuel taxes: Gadkari

Rediff.com10 Nov 2021

Bringing petrol, diesel and other petroleum products under the single nation-wide GST regime will reduce taxes on these products and increase the revenue of both the Centre and states, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will definitely try to bring petrol and diesel under GST if she gets the support of the state governments, said Gadkari while addressing the Times Now Summit virtually. "In the GST Council, finance ministers of states are also members.

'Dominant castes must put their empathy cap on'

'Dominant castes must put their empathy cap on'

Rediff.com4 Aug 2021

'Our senselessness on caste issue has gone so deep that we need to have a sensitivity test on why we as Indians have become so numb to such mindless violence.'

'Unemployment is unprecedented'

'Unemployment is unprecedented'

Rediff.com27 Jan 2022

'In May 2020-2021, nearly 10 crores (100 million) lost jobs. 'Covid is not the reason for the present crisis. It aggravated the crisis.'

Boris Johnson resigns, to stay on till new British PM is elected

Boris Johnson resigns, to stay on till new British PM is elected

Rediff.com7 Jul 2022

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday said he was sad to announce his resignation as Conservative Party leader, triggering a leadership election for a new Tory leader who will go on to become the new PM.

UK's PM-in-waiting Liz Truss remains committed to India ties

UK's PM-in-waiting Liz Truss remains committed to India ties

Rediff.com5 Sep 2022

Newly-elected Conservative Party leader and prime minister in waiting Liz Truss is among the senior British politicians known for championing deeper India-UK strategic and economic ties, describing them as a "sweet spot" of global trade dynamics.

Full text: President Murmu's address to Parliament's Budget Session

Full text: President Murmu's address to Parliament's Budget Session

Rediff.com31 Jan 2023

'Wherever in the world there is political instability, those countries are beset with severe crises today. But India is in a much better position than the rest of the world due to the decisions taken by my government in the national interest,' President Droupadi Murmu said in her address to both Houses of Parliament.

Hijab Row Can Hurt Indian Diplomacy

Hijab Row Can Hurt Indian Diplomacy

Rediff.com17 Feb 2022

India and Indians can ignore Pakistan, but that cannot be said of other nations in the neighbourhood, where New Delhi's 'Neighbourhood First' policy constantly reverberates. Four of the eight SAARC member-nations are Muslim -- Afghanistan and Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Maldives. The rulers decide the nation's India or anti-India policy in the first two, and street-opinion contributes to the same in the latter two, points out N Sathiya Moorthy.

Chh'garh govt moves SC against suspended IPS officer

Chh'garh govt moves SC against suspended IPS officer

Rediff.com10 Jul 2021

According to police, the documents recovered during the raids revealed that Singh was allegedly involved in promoting enmity and hatching a conspiracy against the established government and public representatives and was booked under sedition charges.

2020 will be the year of the economy, but...

2020 will be the year of the economy, but...

Rediff.com3 Jan 2020

'Neither Modi nor the BJP have lost control over the minds and votes of their original supporters due to their tremendous political ability to play upon baser communal instincts.' 'But this buoyant support will melt away if the economic scenario remains depressing.' 'That makes 2020 an interesting year to watch out for,' notes Sheela Bhatt.

Raj strikes back! Suella Braverman leads Indian-origin contenders for UK PM post

Raj strikes back! Suella Braverman leads Indian-origin contenders for UK PM post

Rediff.com7 Jul 2022

Even before Boris Johnson stepped out of 10 Downing Street on Thursday to deliver his resignation speech as Conservative Party leader and triggering a leadership race for a new British prime minister, at least one Indian-origin candidate is already lined up to compete for the "best job in the world".

Sedition charge slapped on suspended Chhattisgarh ADG

Sedition charge slapped on suspended Chhattisgarh ADG

Rediff.com9 Jul 2021

Singh was booked under IPC sections 124-A (sedition) and 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc) of the IPC at Raipur's City Kotwali police station late on Thursday night, Raipur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ajay Yadav said.

Post-Ukraine, Finance Minister Must Revisit Budget

Post-Ukraine, Finance Minister Must Revisit Budget

Rediff.com23 Mar 2022

Budget has already bombed at the box office and passing it without a revisit will be a mockery of the exercise though any modification may be short lived and perfunctory, observes V Ranganathan.

Time to END Bank Nationalisation

Time to END Bank Nationalisation

Rediff.com30 Jul 2021

Nationalisation has served its purpose. It's time to move ahead, keeping majority ownership of the government in a few banks to serve the people, argues Tamal Bandyopadhyay.

'Economic growth: India has the potential to replace China'

'Economic growth: India has the potential to replace China'

Rediff.com27 Aug 2015

The country has already laid down a 'red carpet' for businesses.

TN's Technocrat Finance Minister Faces First Test

TN's Technocrat Finance Minister Faces First Test

Rediff.com12 Aug 2021

Finance Minister P T R Palanivel Thiagarajan has proclaimed his determination to set Tamil Nadu's fiscal house in order in five years, and Friday will show how he plans to go about it when he rises to present the Stalin government's maiden budget, says N Sathiya Moorthy.

Industry will have to wait, 2nd stimulus package to target MSMEs, weaker sections

Industry will have to wait, 2nd stimulus package to target MSMEs, weaker sections

Rediff.com29 Apr 2020

The beneficiaries of the second set of announcements are expected to be micro, small, and medium enterprises, farmers, women, poor, migrant workers, and other marginalised sections of the society, reports Arup Roychoudhury.

Why the US navy's actions must worry India

Why the US navy's actions must worry India

Rediff.com12 Apr 2021

'I do not agree that the intent was to send a political message to China that the US treats friends and foes alike.' 'In any case, such acts do not ruffle a feather in China,' observes Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).

Chouhan faces big challenges in fourth term as CM

Chouhan faces big challenges in fourth term as CM

Rediff.com8 Apr 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic, weak economic conditions, and a few political considerations are some of the challenges he faces.

Mandir done, what next for Modi?

Mandir done, what next for Modi?

Rediff.com18 Nov 2019

'You can presume that Modi and his party will now focus on the economy.' 'But then, there is the Jharkhand election next month, Delhi soon thereafter and so on.' 'And this isn't a political leadership that takes even a panchayat election lightly,' notes Shekhar Gupta.

The Two Faces of India's Democracy

The Two Faces of India's Democracy

Rediff.com22 Sep 2022

How should one billion Indians, for whom deprivation has become an inescapable way of life, join us in celebrating 75 years of Independence? And where do we go from here? asks Kalyan Singhal.

Jacinda Ardren sweeps New Zealand polls to win 2nd term as PM

Jacinda Ardren sweeps New Zealand polls to win 2nd term as PM

Rediff.com17 Oct 2020

'With 87 per cent of the votes counted, Ardern's center-left Labour Party has won 48.9 per cent of the vote, meaning her party looks likely to score the highest result that any party has achieved since the current political system was introduced in 1996,' CNN reported.

Why Modi's Gujarat model has failed

Why Modi's Gujarat model has failed

Rediff.com9 May 2021

As India suffers and the ruling party is on the defensive, the truth is that the only way that this wave will pass is if exponential growth of the virus stops on its own, asserts Aakar Patel.

Modi's Dilemma

Modi's Dilemma

Rediff.com13 Mar 2021

Our precipitous decline is being noticed and recorded abroad with alarm. It is strange that within India we are carrying on as if it is business as usual, observes Aakar Patel.

Won't renounce use of force to unify Taiwan: Xi at CPC

Won't renounce use of force to unify Taiwan: Xi at CPC

Rediff.com16 Oct 2022

Taiwan considers itself a sovereign state -- but China views the self-ruled island as a breakaway province. Beijing has not ruled out the possible use of force to achieve unification.

Bihar BJP launches fresh attack on Nitish over central aid

Bihar BJP launches fresh attack on Nitish over central aid

Rediff.com7 Feb 2022

The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar came under fresh attack on Monday from state Bharatiya Janata Party president Sanjay Jaiswal whose party seems annoyed with junior ally Janata Dal-United's shrill demands for special assistance from the Centre.

CNG rates hiked by 50 paise/kg in Delhi; remain same in Mumbai

CNG rates hiked by 50 paise/kg in Delhi; remain same in Mumbai

Rediff.com8 Mar 2022

CNG price in the national capital and adjoining cities on Tuesday was hiked by Rs 0.50 per kg, while an imminent increase in petrol and diesel price has been put on wait-and-watch mode for more clarity on global oil prices. CNG price in NCT of Delhi has been increased to Rs 57.51 per kg from Rs 56.51, according to the information posted on the website of Indraprastha Gas Ltd - the firm which retails CNG and piped cooking gas in the national capital. Following the firming up of international gas rates, IGL has been raising CNG rates by up to 50 paise (Rs 0.50) per kg periodically. Prices have gone up by about Rs 4 per kg this year alone.

China endorses new Taliban govt; announces $31 million aid

China endorses new Taliban govt; announces $31 million aid

Rediff.com8 Sep 2021

Taking part in the first meeting of Foreign Ministers of the neighbouring countries on Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China will provide Afghanistan with 200 million yuan ($31 million) worth of grains, winter supplies, vaccines and medicines as per its requirements, official media in Beijing reported.

Need India's support against Taliban threat: Afghanistan

Need India's support against Taliban threat: Afghanistan

Rediff.com14 Jul 2021

Atmar briefed Jaishankar about the situation in the war-torn country amid growing security concerns over the Taliban fighters rapidly seizing control of a large number of areas, forcing many countries to scale down their presence there.

China pledges support to Taliban, asks them not to back Uyghur fighters

China pledges support to Taliban, asks them not to back Uyghur fighters

Rediff.com28 Jul 2021

Amid deepening concerns in China over the regrouping of the ETIM, blamed by Beijing for all the violent attacks in its volatile Xinjiang province and elsewhere in the country, Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Mullah Baradar at Tianjin and sought to prevail on him to build a 'positive image and establish a broad and inclusive political structure that suits Afghanistan's national realities'.

Every fifth Lok Sabha MP a dynast

Every fifth Lok Sabha MP a dynast

Rediff.com30 Jul 2014

While dynastic politics may have receded in the Lok Sabha, it is alive and kicking in states