THERE is something curious about the “Legion of Merit” award conferred on Prime Minister Narendra Modi by President Donald Trump.  The Legion of Merit is primarily a military honour bestowed by an American president.  The chief commander category has been in the past given mainly to army chiefs, generals and commander-in-chief of the armed forces of other countries. Only a handful have been given to heads of State, or, government leaders and those too have been close military allies of the United States.

THE big success of the Bharat bandh called by the farmers’ organisations on December 8 was a display of people’s support and sympathy for the cause of the farmers.

THE Internal Working Group (IWG) of the Reserve Bank of India has proposed allowing large corporates and industrial houses to own banks by amending the Banking Registration Act, 1949. The other proposal is to allow large non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) with asset size of Rs 50,000 crore and above (including those controlled by corporate houses) and with a track record of a decade, to convert themselves to banks.

THE victory of Joe Biden in the presidential election in the United States must have been a galling for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.  After all, he was the first Indian prime minister ever to virtually endorse a candidate for  the election, the incumbent Donald Trump. 

Everyone recalls the reiteration of the slogan “Ab ki Baar Trump Sarkar” by Modi at the “Howdy Modi” rally at Houston in September 2019.  The Namaste Trump rally at Ahmedabad in February 2020 was another political gesture in favour of Trump organised by Modi.

THE spectre of unemployment is stalking the country.  After the pandemic broke out and the hasty lockdown, millions lost their jobs in industry, small businesses, service sector and, above all, in informal sector.