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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It is a strange paradox. While the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government is pulling out all the stops to woo investors, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), affiliated to the CPI(M), is indulging in acts which effectively undermine the Government’s efforts.

Has Covid-19 gone? If you think yes, you are not alone. Large chunks of people across continents and countries believe the same. There are still the cautious, those who advise there should not be laxity in Covid-appropriate behaviour. To the majority of world denizens, however, the novel coronavirus is on the retreat or has retreated. Therefore, the assertion in most quarters why vaccine mandates—masks and social distancing, all should not be thrown in the bin?

Iran has always provided a shock element to the global crude market, often spooking the market with histrionics linked to disruption in supplies, thanks to overarching intransigence on the nuclear deal. But for a change, Iran is now proving to be a reassuring prospect even as clouds are gathering over the Ukraine conflict, causing much discomfort to the market operatives even as prices are hovering around the century mark.

The Russian announcement of de-escalation of its defence posture in eastern borders with Ukraine is a master stroke of diplomacy. Several components of the Russian military formations near Ukraine borders have completed their mission and were being stationed back, Russian defence minister had announced on Wednesday. On receiving the news, the global financial markets have climbed up and the oil prices have eased, hoping that the Ukraine crisis will finally blow over.

Along with trying to militarily absorb Ukraine into NATO, another major factor that’s becoming more apparent in the Biden administration’s unceasing talk of war with Russia is the desire of U.S. energy producers to invade European markets with fracked natural gas.

I met Rahul Bajaj first time in Central hall of Parliament when he was an MP in Rajya Sabha; we developed instant liking for each other. As an MP, he made a mark in the upper house as a parliamentarian; he participated in every important debate and did not spare government and opposition for their lapses. Rahulji liked to spend time in Central hall with journalists and friends over cups of steaming coffee. The talk varied from current issues to gossips. Even when his six-year term ended, he would visit Central hall, at least, once during Parliament sessions to meet friends. Often asked why not he is not coming back to Rajya Sabha, his reply would invariably be: “it is not in my hands”.

Proceedings at a recent dinner in Washington suggested that a forthcoming visit to Turkey by Israeli President Isaac Herzog could be about more than putting an end to strained relations between the two erstwhile allies.

In a major development that indicates that rational forces are back at work, Pakistan has allowed the shipment of 50,000 tonnes of wheat from India to Afghanistan. Diplomatic sources revealed this in Islamabad on February 14 and hoped that the transportation of wheat to Afghanistan which is reeling under an acute food crisis would begin from next week.

Quietly passed away Professor Debi Prasad Chattopadhyaya, former Union minister of commerce in the 1970s on 13 February in Kolkata – known as DPC and also ‘Chhoto Debida’ among his juniors in the academia to be differentiated from the older DPC, a Marxist, famous for his Lokayata and other highly acclaimed works. He was born on 5 November 1933.His granddaughter and journalist Sohini Chattopadhyay tweeted on Sunday: ‘My grandfather Prof Debi Prasad Chattopadhyaya, among the foremost scholars of philosophy of Indian science, passed around 1:30 pm. He served as former Union minister of Commerce in the 1970s. Since Oct 2019, he was non-verbal, fed by PEG tube.’

KOLKATA: In West Bengal, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) made a flying start towards winning the civic polls: blowing away all opposition at Siliguri, Asansol, Chandannagore and Bidhannagar (Salt Lake City). In the first phase of polling, out of 226 urban wards in contention, the TMC won 198, some candidates winning by record margins.