Editorial

The world is talking of this summit as a historic moment with hopes that it will bring peace to Korean Peninsula. Reading between the lines, beyond the niceties and magnificent optics displayed, some realities do emerge, which will indicate that it is beginning of a great gamble by both sides.

While 47 per cent Indians aren’t saving for the retirement, knowing how much you need to save is probably the most pertinent question for most of us who wants to save and invest.

There are three things that matter in property: location, location, location. The late Lord Harold Samuel, a real estate tycoon in Britain, coined this expression. The phrase is equally applicable to your retirement decision. The decision of where to retire impacts how much money you should save for retirement in a big way.

First it was Archbishop Anil Couto of Delhi. Then came the impeccable Julio Ribeiro, former Mumbai police commissioner, DGP Gujarat and Punjab, and ambassador to Romania. Now Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao of Goa has spoken. There are others who have not gone public. So, is the common theme between them not to vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party in the general elections of 2019?

With less than a year to go in the office, amidst the decision of the monetary policy committee of Reserve Bank of India to raise its benchmark repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.25 per cent, the Modi government might be taking a chance with the growth prospects as the economic recovery is still at a elementary stage and entails a circumspect approach at this crossroad. Despite the fact that the MPC’s advancement was contrived by global financial market developments which itself hinge by uncertainty.

From anecdotal and documentary evidence placed before us, one can say without any hesitation that Noida and Greater Noida are not only the most lucrative postings anywhere in India but the centrifugal force that drive the UP government’s black economy. It is said that a winning strategy sometimes requires a sacrifice or two. King to rook two is famously known as castling. And it epitomises what ever happens in UP’s political economy.

The year 2017 has been quite robust for the global mergers and acquisitions (M&A) market. The announced transaction volumes in 2017 stand at $3.7 trillion. However, the number is slightly on a lower side if one compares that with the transaction volumes of $3.8 trillion in 2016. Still the trend can be termed robust if the significant global geo-political instability is taken into consideration. However, more than strong numbers and buoyant market sentiment, it’s the emerging trends which will define the M&A landscape in years to come.

A dialogue culture is critical to the functioning of democracy. And indeed democracy starts with dialogue. Individuals and groups, with opposing viewpoints, discussing and sharing their thoughts on various aspects is part of a democratic process. And indeed that explains the core principle of a democratic society. Openness to engage with any and all ideologies in a peaceful environment is the core foundation of our democracy.

The newsbreak of Indian and Pakistani Director General Military Operations (DGMOs) agreeing to “fully implement the 2003 ceasefire understanding in letter and spirit,” through a special hotline talk, by media of both countries, comes as a pleasant surprise to affected population, more so after Indian Foreign Minister indicated that dialogue and terror cannot go together a day earlier. 

Disruptive weather conditions including thunderstorms have hit India, UK, US and other regions recently, resulting in a loss of lives and property. The influence of global warming is unmistakable in the erratic weather patterns and the catastrophic weather events of recent years and may worsen in the coming days, if the right measures are not put in place along with immediate action. The good news is that governments and companies are cognisant of the situation and are aligning their business goals, vision and mission towards containing and reversing climate change.

For a developing economy such as India, access to financial resources is critical to foster the development of the economy. As a much-needed step in this direction, government’s push through the trinity of ‘JAM’ (Jan dhan, Aadhaar and Mobile) for direct benefit transfer has ushered a revolution by facilitating the reach of banking services to the traditionally unbanked population. However, certain segments in the country are still deprived of the access to financial resources, which hold the key to growth and generation of employment.