MS Shanker At a time when global energy markets are on edge, and supply chains are strained by the ongoing West Asia crisis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pulled off what many are calling a calculated “master stroke.” The decision to sharply reduce central excuse taxes on petrol—from ₹13 to ₹3 per litre—and effectively eliminate…
The latest push by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to nudge companies into bringing call centre jobs back to the United States—and to mandate “American Standard English” proficiency—has been packaged as a consumer-first reform. It fits neatly into the political grammar popularised by Donald Trump and his “Make America Great Again” doctrine. But beneath the rhetoric…
Washington: The Federal Communications Commission has mooted proposals to encourage businesses to bring call centre jobs back to the US and require call-takers to be proficient in American Standard English. In a statement here, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said that over the past few decades many corporations shifted their customer service and call centre…
Washington: US President Donald Trump’s signature is set to feature on US paper currency soon, a first for a sitting president since the introduction of dollar bills in 1861. The decision, taken by the US Treasury, coincides with the 250th anniversary celebrations of American Independence this year. “In celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, President Donald…
New Delhi: India and Bangladesh should address “difficult” and “sensitive” issues amicably and Dhaka is committed to maintaining a “mutually” beneficial partnership with New Delhi, Bangladesh’s envoy Riaz Hamidullah said on Thursday. Hamidullah reaffirmed Dhaka’s commitment to a “mutually beneficial” partnership, emphasizing the need to chart a pathway toward a deeper relationship that transcends existing…
Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said no one, including the perpetrators of the Gulf conflict, can foresee its grave consequences for the world, comparable only to the Covid pandemic. Addressing the delegates of the congress of the powerful Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP), the Russian leader said the escalation of the conflict…
New Delhi: Seasoned diplomat Periasamy Kumaran was on Thursday appointed as India’s new high commissioner to the United Kingdom. Kumaran, a 1992-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, is presently serving as Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). He is expected to take up the assignment shortly, the MEA said. Currently serving as…
There is an old saying – he who fights and runs away lives to fight another day. In Indian politics, the updated version appears to be – he who fights, runs away, and goes on holiday lives to tweet another day. Rahul Gandhi, our perpetually reluctant politician, seems to treat Parliament the way the rest…
The moment the Election Commission of India announced the poll schedule, West Bengal predictably slid back into a familiar, ugly script—violence, intimidation, and political muscle-flexing. This is not coincidence; it is a pattern. And at the center of it stands All India Trinamool Congress under Mamata Banerjee. Despite pre-emptive steps by the Election Commission—replacing the…
(Until equality is achieved on the ground, democracy is incomplete) India’s democracy holds its place as the world’s largest democracy. It is not merely a political system, but a reflection of the aspirations, rights, and dreams of millions of citizens. The Constitution promises us equality, liberty, and justice, but the question still remains: has this…
