Category: World News

News stories from around the World, with focus on my home country India, presented with wit and pun.

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2020-44

About: This is what happened this week, in our World.

Wisdom

“Find the smartest people you can and surround yourself with them.” –Marissa Meyer, CEO, Yahoo!

Everywhere

United States (US)

The ‘red’, Grand Old, Republican Party – Trump-Pence, and the ‘blue’ Democratic Party – Biden-Harris teams are in the throw of the Finals of the US Presidential Election. Early voting is underway and ends on 1st November. Election Day is on 3rd November. Meanwhile, the coronavirus is still a star campaigner growing in momentum across many parts of the US, spreading a message of pandemic mismanagement and a refusal to look at the science of virus things.

Will Joe Biden trump over Donald Trump? I hope it doesn’t end in a ‘well shampooed’ hair-raising photo-finish or a refusal to accept the outcome. We should be knowing next week, by this time.

I’m hoping Joe makes it, with Kamala.

France

Awfully tough and horrific times in France, this time of the year.

On 16th October a 18year old Chechen refugee beheaded a School Teacher, Samuel Paty, in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, a suburb of Paris. This, days after he had shown images of Prophet Mohammed, alongside other caricatures and cartoons, to his students while teaching and discussing the topic ‘freedom of expression’. He has even asked pupils who feared they might be offended by them to look away if they wanted to.

Is there a better way to teach freedom of expression?

The killer was subsequently gunned down by the Police.

Later, in a similar incident on 29th October a knifeman, shouting, ‘Allahu Akbar’ (God is great), killed three people and injured several others in an attack inside a Church in France’s Nice, on the Cote d’Azur. One of the victims, a woman, was decapitated. The scene was described as a ‘vision of horror’. This time too, the attacker was shot, injured, and taken to hospital. Glad that the Police have acted with superb alacrity and responsibility.

France has a long and cherished tradition of freedom of expression, and there can be no justification for attacking this freedom. French President Emmanuel Macron, enraged by the first incident, said that France will continue to defend the freedom that the School Teacher taught so well, and will bring back secularism; and France will not give up cartoons, drawings, even if others back down.

Macron’s war cry on Islamic fundamentalism has infuriated many Islamic countries denouncing it as Islamophobia, and they in turn are going to Town shouting that anything to do with France be banned.

Fanatic elements in any religion cannot be encouraged and France should be given every possible support in dealing with this hydra-headed problem. Religions Leaders should step in to control such radicals living on the fringes of humanity. I believe religion should be strictly kept in the confines of one’s soul, one’s home, and only the best effects should be visible on the outside.

Cartoons are images intended for humour and satire, as a means of communication to convey news, entertainment, and the kind, in a light-hearted manner. It’s best we look at a cartoon as just that, shrug it off with a smile, and not delve too deep into them. Nothing can demean the original, which is forever taken. Why give importance to a cartoon and allow another meaning in a dimension we should not be thinking at all? Why cannot we laugh at ourselves?

Laughter is the best medicine, they say, for many of our ills. When was the last time we enjoyed a Tom & Jerry Cartoon? Imagine if all the Cats meowed endlessly and mice squeaked tirelessly about showing them in caricature? Or, our Politicians -they become famous because of cartooning, didn’t they?

The Vatican City

Last Sunday, Pope Francis announced that Wilton Daniel Gregory, currently the Archbishop of Washington DC, is being elevated to Cardinal, in a list of 13 new Cardinals, all under the age of ‘heavy 80’. With this appointment, Gregory becomes America’s first African American Catholic Cardinal-adding to another of becoming Washington DC’s first African American Archbishop. The primary responsibility of Cardinals is in electing a new Pope, should the present Pope step down or die.

The new Cardinals ‘start getting old’ from 28th November onwards. Cardinals wear the distinctive red vestment to indicate their willingness to sacrifice themselves to the point of shedding ‘their own blood in the service of the Successor of Peter.’

Successor of Peter? Recall, that the primacy of the Pope, also known as Bishop of Rome, Supreme Pontiff, is largely derived from his role as at the Apostolic Successor to Saint Peter, to whom the primacy was conferred by Jesus, giving him the ‘Keys of Heaven’ and the powers of ‘binding and loosing’, naming him as the ‘rock’ upon which the Church would be built.

Pope Francis has been making progressive changes, shaking-up and reinvigorating Christianity. Recently, he approved of same-sex marriages. ‘They are also children of God’, he said. I think that any Religion should constantly evolve, keeping with our better understanding of humanity, without losing sight of core fundamentals. The Pope has listened…and acted. God speaks through him.

Europe

Europe is being demolished and populated by COVID-19 numbers. New cases are a sensation in Poland, Czech Republic, Belgium, and Italy, grappling with positivity rates of between 20% and 31%.

The only way they can be avoided is with aggressive testing, tracing, use of masks, hand hygiene, maintaining of physical distance and avoidance of crowds.

If everyone in the world washed their hands properly, an estimated one million lives would be saved every year, according to researchers in London.

Space

On 26th October NASA revealed that its Stratosphere Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) has discovered water in the Clavius Crater of the sunlit parts of the Moon’s Southern Hemisphere. The quantity detected is minuscule – the Sahara Desert contains 100 times the water found by SOFIA – but it is a very significant discovery, which matters a lot in setting up say, a Base on the Moon or as a stop-over for greater and longer Space missions. NASA hopes to put a Man and a Woman on the Moon, in 2024, through its Artemis Mission.

India

Jammu & Kashmir (J&K)

We almost took it for granted, as an Indian, that we could buy land and property anywhere in India. But until the abrogation of Article 370 this was not possible in the State of Jammu & Kashmir. Only residents of J&K could buy land on producing a Domicile or Permanent Residency Certificate. Not any longer, and from 26th October the Government has gazetted that any Indian can buy land in J&K just like any other State in India.

This simple notification was long overdue. How about buying a nice little cottage overlooking the Dal Lake? Let’s do it?

Elections

Elections keeping rolling in State after State during the year, that one keeps wondering if Democracy is only about voting and forgetting about whom you voted for.

Democracy can succeed only if there is a constant engagement by the people.

This time it’s Bihar State that is going to the polls to elect a new State Government. Current Chief Minister (CM), Nitish Kumar, has been ruling for three five-year terms and is hoping to make it to a fourth. Isn’t it time to give way to someone else?

Voting started on 28th October in a first of three phases for 243 Assembly Seats. The Second and Third Phases are on 3rd and 7th November respectively. We will know the results on the counting day, 10th November.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Janata Dal(United), JD(U), are together pitted against the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the Congress and the Left Parties. Opinion Polls give an edge to the ruling BJP – JD(U) combo.

CM, Nitish Kumar has governed, and managed the pandemic, reasonably well: comes across as a level-headed Chief Minister. Years ago, he was voted one of the best Chief Ministers of India and even thought of as a best candidate Prime Minister. But, he could do more to develop Bihar faster. I would give him one more term to deliver and, whatever, quit after this period. Make way for more talented people. Moreover, we are tired of the same old faces, aren’t we?

Sport

Cricket

The IPL 2020 Cricket Tournament is still scoring in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Match No 52 will be played this Saturday. After Match No 56 on 3rd November, it will be over to the Qualifiers and Eliminators before the Final, near the middle of November.

Mumbai Indians still lead the points table followed by Royal Challengers Bangalore, and then Delhi Capitals. Chennai Super Kings is well-settled at the bottom of the Table with Sunrisers Hyderabad, ‘keeping close’ company.

KL Rahul of Kings XI has the most runs to his name, 641 in thirteen games, Shekar Dhiwan of Delhi Capitals is the closest with 471 runs. Not far away are, David Warner with 436 runs and Viral Kohli at 424 runs. Rajasthan Royals’ Sanju Samson has hit the highest number of sixes – 26. That’s living up to the ‘power of Samson’, in his name

Motor Racing: Formula One

Six-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton has broken Michael Schumacher’s all-time Formula One win record after dominating the Portuguese Grand Prix.

His victory in Portimao, Portugal, was the 92nd of his career, moving past the German’s previous record of 91. Hamilton squandered his lead on the opening lap but after reclaiming it on the 20th lap, he held off all competitors to win the Driver’s Championship.

Lewis Hamilton, of the United Kingdom, competes in Formula One for the Mercedes -AMG Petronas Team. He won his first championship in 2008 while in the McLaren Team before moving to Mercedes. That maiden win was dramatic, making a crucial overtake on the ‘last corner of the last lap in the last race’ of the season to become the then youngest Formula One World Champion in History.

Ever wondered why it is called Formula One? In the beginning when motor car racing was racing to become a sport it was a free-for-all design for the Designer and the Drivers. Then, the Regulators framed a clear set of rules for the design of these cars such as single seating, open wheels, engine power specification, etc. Only cars complying with this ‘formula’ of rules could compete. Somewhere along the road the number One got added, as the sport was the ultimate in car racing. Then it became widely known a Formula One.

With the formula being generated, It begs the question, is there a Formula Two, Three? Yes, with smaller cars and versions, in terms of the power, and the kind.

Potpourri

Taiwan

Taiwan was quick to act when the coronavirus hit the world, and they have the best record in Asia and probably the World, with almost 200 days without a locally transmitted case. What did they do right? In an Island of about 23 million people that had about 553 confirmed cases and only 7 deaths. Their deadly experience with SARS has given them a heads-up start driving them involuntarily into submitting to the strict government directives. They closed borders early, tightly regulated travel, did rigorous contact tracing, enforced technology-driven quarantine and ensured widespread mask wearing.

We have got the experience we never thought we wanted. Should be easy to put ourselves in the shoes of Taiwanese and transplant their mentality to where we live – that’s a good infection to spread, isn’t it?

Enter the Beetle

We have known Superman, Batman, Iron-man; now it’s time to know about a Super Beetle rightly named ‘diabolical ironclad beetle’, biting with the scientific name of ‘Phloeodes diabolicus’. This beetle can survive being run over by a car and is mostly found in the arid western regions of the United States.

The ironclad beetle’s super-toughness lies in its armour. It has two armour like ‘elytron’ (a sheet, cover, protective wing case), that meet at a line, called a suture, running the length of its abdomen. Typically, flying beetles have hardened forewings-elytra-to protect the underlying hindwings, which are used for flight. But the ironclad beetle having lost its ability to fly, its elytra are permanently locked together to provide protection from predators.

The suture acts like a jigsaw puzzle, connecting the beetle’s various exoskeletal blades in the abdomen, which lock to prevent themselves from pulling out. If the suture is broken, another protective mechanism also allows for the blades to deform slowly. That prevents a sudden release of energy, which would otherwise break its neck.

The Beetle can take an applied force of 150 newtons – some 39,000 times its body weight -before its exoskeleton starts to fracture. A car tire would apply force of around 100 newtons if driving over the insect on a dirt surface.

How about a Beetle-Man superhero movie? Anybody dare drive over him?

Until next week with more ‘iron-clad’ stories! Meanwhile, spend the weekend listening to The Beatles we all know so well. ‘Hey Jude, Come Together, I Want To Hold your Hand, Yesterday, Something, In My Life, Love Me Do, While My Guitar Gently Weeps…are some of the best songs strung by them.

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2020-43

About: This is what happened this week, in our World.

Wisdom

One of the tests of leadership is the ability to recognise a problem before it becomes an emergency – Arnold Glasow ( A successful American Businessman)

Everywhere

New Zealand.

New Zealand finished voting, last Saturday, in the triennial General Elections and Labour Party’s Jacinda Arden sprinted-off, from we left her last week, to a landslide win. A majority that is real, the first time since the new Election System kicked-in, with the highest percentage of Party votes (about 49%) in over 50 years. Jacinda Arden gets back to keeping her job as Prime Minister. She would like this ‘second wave’. Ask her daughter, Neve, I bet she must have demanded a sibling to play with – as gift – and to celebrate a ‘second term’. Well, maybe some Prime Ministers have a knack of ‘making’ the best use of everything.

On winning she said, ‘We are living in an increasingly polarised world, a place where more and more people have lost the ability to see another’s point of view’. That’s so awfully true.

The Government also sneaked in two referendums, first, on personal use of cannabis, and a second, on euthanasia, for New Zealanders to vote on. All final results will be declared on 6th November, though we might get a direction by the end of this month. And perhaps a new compass for the rest of the world to navigate these infectious issues.

Czech Republic

They were an owner’s pride and the envy of Europe, being one of the most successful countries in controlling the spread of the coronavirus. They smartly capitalised on a business opportunity in manufacturing masks and supplying the world – in a wartime effort. And also wore them diligently – everyone, everywhere outside their homes, and anywhere else required.

The Czech Republic’s first wave of infection peaked in late March at 408 cases in one day. The highest single-day death toll was just 18, in April. On 30th June, the Czech Republic recorded no new Covid-19 deaths. Then they started celebrating, maybe a tad too soon.

“We didn’t see dead people, we didn’t see people with coronavirus in hospitals”. The Czech people thought that the pandemic was nonsense and they don’t need to wear masks. This is about the same thing my maid told me more than four months ago – ‘I don’t see any dead bodies on TV, in India’, she argued. Now, there are currently more new Covid-19 cases per million people recorded in the Czech Republic than in any other major country in the world.

No Time To Celebrate – the virus still has the license to infect.

My Opinion: We cannot afford to let our guard down. And it’s so obvious that following the basic ‘spread-prevention rules’ can work wonders. The Czech Republic has demonstrated that a simple measure as wearing a mask can successfully keep the virus away… and that by removing them we dashingly welcome the virus inside – lurking behind the door . Can we learn a better lesson in such a bitter time? Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told us about the same, in a Televised address to the nation, even while I was grabbing a brass plate and stick to bang-on. Beware the Festival Season – he warned. Thumbs Up!

United Kingdom

If reports are to be believed, UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson is mulling quitting as Prime Minister as the salary of GBP 150,402 isn’t enough for him to live on, compared to the GBP 275,000 he was earning as columnist with The Telegraph.

I would agree with him given that he has a truck-load of children (six at the last count) many who are too young to live without support. Plus, he has to pay his ex-wife a ton of money, as part of their divorce deal.

It isn’t safe to marry, it isn’t safe to divorce, it isn’t safe to have lots of children ? Ask Boris.

Nigeria

This is another kind of SARS… no relation of the nano one circulating around, which we have been desperately trying to wash our hands off, over the past nine months.

Nigeria is having a dead serious problem with its infamous Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a unit of the Police Force. SARS has been riddled with allegations of unlawful arrests, extrajudicial killings, theft, extortion, abuse, and brutal use of force.

Sounds familiar? Our minds race to count the ‘Encounter Killings’ in India. And what rings is, the familiar Police version that the arrested criminal(s) was shot dead, trying to escape custody.

Having had enough of SARS, Nigerians hit the streets to protest, demanding the end of the rule of SARS. Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, agreed to disband SARS but has been silent thereafter. Instead a new force called SWAT has been formed whose officers are to be trained, by the International Committee of the Red Cross, on policing duties. However, protesters are not convinced and fear this is just a change of gears, and that SARS officers will dissolve into the new unit without facing any accountability for their previous crimes.

Meanwhile, the protests are swelling. We are witnessing a wave of protests that is the biggest display of people power, in years, in Nigeria, as young people demand more sweeping changes. The Nigerian Army was called in to help the Police control the situation and at least 12 peaceful protesters have been killed in the process.

SARS has definitely ‘trigged’ a movement in Nigeria. World over, the Police Force is under immense duress with almost the same accusations of ‘excessive use of force’ in Country after Country. Maybe the United Nations would have to set-up a mix & match Peace Keeping Force in every country – to watch over the Police? Or better still, if all of us take it upon ourselves to keep the Rules of the Land, and do better that what they specify, we won’t need policing at all.

India

Asafoetida

India begins cultivation of Asafoetida, a smelly spice, for the first time, in Kwaring Village, Lahaul Valley, Himachal Pradesh, this October. This is a growing effort of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Institute of Himalayan Bio-resource Technology. India imports about 1,200 tonnes of raw Asafoetida from Afghanistan, Iran, and Uzbekistan – native to these regions – at an annual cost of about Rs 700 crore. However, you may find them ‘struggling to be smelt’ in some parts of Kashmir and Punjab. It is unbelievable that India never grew this ‘inherently Indian’ spice before.

Asafoetida is a staple ingredient in Indian cooking, known as Perunkayam in Tamil, and Hing in Hindi (I’m for learning at least three languages, in India). It is the dried sap extracted from the stems and root of Ferula Asafoetida plants, which hardens into a brownish-yellow sap. The Ferula is a perennial flowering plant that mainly grows in the wild, and thrives in dry soil in temperatures below 35C. India’s tropical plateaus and plains, humid coast, and heavy monsoons makes it almost impossible to grow the Ferula. But, now India is find a way to make the Spice ‘grow in India’.

Europeans call Asafoetida the ‘Devil’s Dung’, because of its strong aroma. If the Devil is around surely God must be nearby: others, around the world, call it ‘God’s Food’. The choice is yours!

Now we can smell, for sure, that the Government has put its nose into import substitution. Challenge that?

Navaratri

Navaratri is one of Hinduism’s most celebrated festivals, essentially signifying victory of good over evil. Let me refresh the legend, for a better understanding of what it means to celebrate. Stories are good for the soul. “To survive, you must tell stories,” said someone. Survive we must.

The force of Hinduism is represented in the Hindu Trinity Gods of Brahma – the Creator; Vishnu – the Preserver; and Shiva – the Destroyer. Simply put, whatever is created by Lord Brahma (inherently good, with best intentions) is attempted to be preserved (a case of good turning bad) by Lord Vishnu, failing which Lord Shiva steps-in to destroy and level the field. It then goes back to Brahma’s drawing board to start the process of a new creation, and the cycle repeats. The three Gods take different avatars to go about their business in ensuring the checks & balances, and peace & tranquility in the World. Between the main Trinity, up there somewhere, and the mortals on Earth there are layers – Heaven and Hell – filled with many other Gods with different tasks: Sun God, Wind God, Sea God, etc. There is also a boss of the Gods, Indra – King of the Gods.

Mortals living on Earth use different tricks to please the Gods to achieve their goals, which is often to obtain maximum, far-reaching superhuman powers. Most bypass the layers of Gods and try to directly draw the attention of the Holy Trinity by means of severe penance, great faith and undying worship, as a result of which the mortal is given a boon – mostly with strings attached (to ensure some means of a control). The most common ‘boon request’ is of one being closest to immortality – cannot be killed by an earthling, or cannot be defeated. It is hoped, by the God, that the receiver of the boon uses it wisely to make the world a better place. But then it doesn’t work this way, as a bad Demon, a priestly Sage or a well-meaning King have equal opportunities to obtain a boon. How they go about using this acquired power it is another story.

Now a demon called Mahishasura obtained a boon of immortality from Lord Brahma. The rider in this case, as defined by Brahma, was, ‘Immortality-yes, subject to the condition that you can be defeated only by a woman’. Clever (in hindsight)?

Armed with the power of immortality Mahishasura, goes berserk and attacks the three worlds of Earth, Heaven and Hell, unsettling and stirring just about everyone. With the Gods trounced in Heaven and wrested from their abode, they scurry to seek the help of the Holy Trinity to defeat Mahishasura. The Trinity agree and combine their powers to create Goddess Durga – a woman – to exterminate this growing evil power. It is believed that Durga is a reincarnation of Goddess Parvati, the wife of Lord Shiva.

Durga descends on Earth and engages in battle with Mahishasura, who keeps changing his form hoping to confuse and out-wit Durga. After fifteen long relentless days of fierce battle Mahishasura is finally killed by Durga’s trishul piercing his chest, while fighting in the form of a buffalo. Evil is vanquished and the World gets back on its feet. Celebrate that!

The nine nights of Navaratri are solely dedicated to Goddess Durga and her nine Avatars – the Navadurga, with distinctive colours for each day. Navaratri culminates on the tenth day with the festival of Vijayadashmi or Dussera.

There are other stories ascribed to this Festival season, such as those from the Ramayana, Mahabharata; and about Saraswathi, the Hindu goddess of knowledge, learning, music and arts. She is worshipped, along with instruments of one’s trade during this time.

Whatever, the stories give us a reason to celebrate, and Festivals are a time to set aside our differences, keep away the shining screens, look each other in the eye and talk only about love and the good things.

Cricket

The IPL 2020 Cricket Tournament running-between-the wickets at this time in the UAE will be finishing its 43rd Game – what a coincidence with week no 43 – this Saturday.

Mumbai Indians lead the points table quickly followed by Delhi Capitals and then by Royal Challengers Bangalore. Last week’s tail, Kings XI Punjab, have wagged and the bite is on Three-Time Champions, Chennai Super Kings, hugging the bottom, and refusing to leave the spot.

KL Rahul of Kings XI has the most runs to his name, 540 in ten games, Shekar Dhiwan of Delhi Capitals is the closest with 465 runs.

The Nobel Prizes – Never Say Never Again.

I’m not done with talking about the Nobel Prizes, not yet. Latching onto a tweet by Dr Atul Gawande, I read Jina Moore’s article, ‘Just Give Poor People Money’ published in the Boston Globe this October. She argues that the Nobel-winning World Food Program (WFP) is one of many agencies increasingly handing out cash rather than goods. But the international aid system still isn’t putting this powerful idea to its full potential. In 2019, the WFP handed out more than USD 1.2 billion in cash and more than USD 860 million in vouchers to nearly 30 million people in 64 countries. “Households that got cash instead of standard aid packages saved 60% more, consumed 32% more, & expanded productive assets like livestock by 76% more; Recipients’ diets improved and so did their kid’s height, weight, and survival”

The Indian Government is listening hard and putting this to use in the form of direct cash transfers to people’s Accounts. It’s only a trickle, in these times – but do keep checking, hoping for a swell. Remember, someone promised fifteen lakh in each Indian citizen’s Bank Account? If done, this very noble act could fetch the Government of India a Nobel in the future! Let’s vote!

Potpourri

Frogs and Rains

Facing a severe drought in 2019, priests in Bhopal, India, married two frogs to please the Rain God into opening the skies. Two months later, they had to divorce the frogs to provide relief from the relentless rain that destroyed more than 9,000 houses.

Did someone try this in Hyderabad? File a Right To Information (RTI) Petition to the Rain God…and wait for an answer. Meanwhile, it’s still raining cats and dogs in Hyderabad.

Space

Lots happening up there: as busy as a beehive, searching for the Queen.

This week, on 20th October, NASA’s OSIRIS-REX space mission craft, touched down – meaning within one metre- on the surface of Asteroid Bennu, cooly extended its robotic arm, quickly grabbed a sample of the surface material and scooted back – called a ‘back-away burn’. The site ‘lending’ the sample form where it was collected is called ‘Nightingale’. The sampling head of the robotic arm, touched Bennu’s surface for approximately 6 seconds.

Flashback, and the Future: The OSIRIS-REX mission was launched from America’s Cape Canaveral on 8 September 2016 to explore and collect a sample of rock & dust from Asteroid Bennu, which is over 321 million km away from Earth. Bennu has a mean diameter of about 490m and is as tall as America’s Empire State Building. The Spacecraft reached the Asteroid target in the year 2018, and after quietly spying on Bennu for two years, successfully performed this grab stunt. The Spacecraft will return to Earth on 24 September 2023 and release the asteroid sample in a capsule that will land in America’s Utah Desert. Here’s cheers to a successful mission!

Meanwhile, NASA Astronaut Chris Cassidy and Russian Cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner have safely landed in Kazakhstan this week, spending about 196 days in space, aboard the International Space Station. The spacemen flew out using a Soyuz Spacecraft and touched down with parachute-assistance. Welcome back Home.

Movies

In the middle of the week, I stopped on the Highway of Work and took a break to watch Kevin Costner’s 2019 movie, The Highwaymen an American period (1934) crime drama film, on Netflix. I was enthralled by the beauty of film making. Kevin Costner as Frank Hamer, and Woody Harrelson as Maney Gault, played to their age, as two former retired & idolised Texas Rangers, called back to track down two notorious, vicious, murdering, psychopath criminals, Annie and Clyde.

The movie Director does not show us the faces of the villains – who the people try to bring on par with Robin Hood – until the end, when they are gunned down in a hail of bullets. The picture frames do most of the talking, with smart one-liners filling the gaps. Kevin Costner is one of my favourites, in a long playlist of Hollywood Heroes, and he ‘lived’ up to my expectations. Worth a watch.

Happy Navaratri, have a wonderful week ahead. More stories coming up, more reasons to do good, and to love one another – I’m sure.

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2020-42

About this Article:

‘Inthavaaram’ is a literal English Translation of the Tamil ‘This (Intha) Week’ (Vaaram)’.

In ‘World Inthavaaram’ I have collected news from all over the World, during the week – in a backstage inventory, in my corner of the World, Tamil Nadu, India – cherry-picking, and stringing together happenings that I think are interesting, and worth knowing about. I might add a ‘My Opinion’ paragraph at the end of a news item, which is entirely my own uninfluenced analysis, based on the facts and data available in the public domain. The intent is to give you – the Reader – a direction to form your own opinion.

My opinions can change, as I learn more and grow in wisdom

I’ll be doing this every week. Hence look out!

Wisdom

“You should treat your marriage like a business that you wouldn’t want to let fail.” – Lisa Ling

This caught my eye, and I co-founded a business with my wife. Well, I work in two dimensions.

Everywhere

New Zealand.

This Saturday New Zealand goes to the polls after three years of the Labour Party’s Jacinda Arden labouring in office, during which time the Prime Minister also produced her daughter, Neve Te Aroha, with partner Clarke Gayford. There are as many as seventeen parties contesting and Jacinda Arden is looking good to win, again.

The New Zealand General Election System is interesting and a ‘new’ kind, to most of us in India. The term of the unicameral legislative Parliament, House of Representatives, with about 120 members, is elected for three years based on a Mixed-Member Proportional System. Voters get two votes: one to decide the representative of their Constituency, and one for the Political Party. Seats in the Legislature are filled, first by the successful Constituency candidates, and second by Party candidates based on the percentage of nationwide or regionwise votes each Party receives. Lots of mathematics and equations are involved. Vote with calculators in hand?

Prime Minister Jacinda Arden had done a fabulous job in managing the situation during the terror of the Christchurch Mosque Shooting, in March last year. She banned military style semi-automatics, within a month of the incident, and quickly loaded gun-control laws. The Australian supremacist aged 29 – Jacinda declared she will never mention his name – who was caught in the act and arrested soon after was found guilty of murdering 51 people and for attempted murder of another 40. He was promptly sentenced to a life in prison-without parole- until death, in a never before punishment handed-out in New Zealand (New Zealand does not have Capital Punishment).

With the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping across the World, Jacinda Arden worked with surgical precision and dug-deep into her natural Maori skills to ward off infections in New Zealand, defeating the coronavirus with scientific weapons: remember she banned the guns, earlier this year! New Zealand has not had a case in near about three weeks at the time of this article.

She might not have kept all of her poll promises but acted decisively when it mattered the most, to safeguard the Country; kept her cool and remained unruffled in the face of multiple crises – including an Earthquake, which she just shrugged-off. That’s a Leader, we can all look up to.

My opinion: Vote for Jacinda Arden. She comes across as someone naturally made for the job. And yes, she can ‘deliver’ – one more time.

Even while writing this article news comes in that she is heading for a Landslide win – much deserved.

United Kingdom.

They could vote to exit the European Union but are ‘unable to vote’ to get the coronavirus exit the Country. With a terrific surge in positive infection cases over the recent weeks PM Boris Johnson announced a new series of three-tier lockdowns: medium, high and very high, with varying restrictions. Will the virus be fooled by these tricks? Depends on the British.

The United States

I enjoyed US President, Donald Trump, being put on the mat by NBC News Anchor Savannah Guthrie in a Town Hall meeting ahead of the 3rd November Presidential Elections. She effortlessly found the chinks in Trump’s armour of arrogance and shot arrows to every Achilles heel.

My Opinion: Vote for the Biden-Harris combo. They are the ones who can ‘scientifically’ make America great again.

India

The Deluge – where is Noah’s Ark?

Looking back over the years, the then undivided State of Andra Pradesh was a favourite ‘pouring ground’ for the Storms, Winds, and Rains of the season, battering the invitingly attractive long coast-line, year-after-year. Then, the Government woke-up and set-up The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), in the year 2005, to tackle these forces of nature and continuously monitor the lines. Ever since the NDMA has been doing a fabulous job in a proactive manner, evacuating people on sensing danger, using modern ‘spy’ and predictive techniques.

Meanwhile, Nature grew in wisdom and moved indoors mauling the newly-born divided States of Andhra Pradesh and Telengana, with unprecedented rains, inundating residential areas, leaving many dead and several in need of relief and rescue. Horrifying videos of people being washed away and vehicles quietly sailing like coming-to-the-surface submarines or hippos were flooding our TV, Computer and Mobile screens. The the swirling currents of water, the flooding, and water logging was unbelievably severe, and dozens of People Colonies went under water.

I guess, we lost our periscopes on storm water drainage systems and flood management. This is a wake-up call.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) classifies rainfall between 115.6 mm and 204.4 mm as ‘very heavy’. About 23 areas in Telangana’s Hyderabad had received over 205 mm of rainfall in 24 hours, with an average of 192 mm: this is the highest rainfall that the city has received in decades. That’s the scale of the ‘indoor’ rains. I guess the NDMA has to quickly learn to toast the ‘coast’ on the land.

Costume Change: Bhanu Athaiya

India’s first Oscar Award Winner, celebrated Bollywood costume designer Bhanu Athaiya died at the age of 91 in a Mumbai Hospital after a prolonged illness fighting a brain tumour.

She won an Oscar for her work in Richard Attenborough’s much acclaimed film, Gandhi, in 1983, which she shared with John Mollo, who designed Gandhi, Ben Kingsley’s, loincloth, among other things. Bhanu ensured that Kasturba was nearby, with her flowing saris.

The story goes that she was given the job within 15 minutes of her audition, in 1982. She had returned the Award to the Academy, for safe keeping, in 2012. ‘People may mishandle the trophy, so it’s best to return it to the Academy’, she said. That was naked foresight.

Bhanu Athaiya was born in Kolhapur Maharashtra, one of seven children. She was married to film lyricist Satyendra Athaiya who passed away in 2004. The couple had separated, before his death, and have one daughter.

She has worked on more than 100 movies debuting with Raj Khosla’s hit movie ‘ CID’ in 1956 and went on to clothe movies such as Jonny Mera Naam, Satyam Sivam Sundaram (this one we remember, Zeenat Aman wearing nothing much other than a precariously clinging sari), Waqt, Chandin, Lagaan, Swades.

She wrote a book called, The Art of Costume Design, published by Harper Collins where she put-down her ideas, for future generations. Time to grab a copy?

Advertisement of Unity in Diversity – get your finger off the gold?

Jewellery brand Tanishq of Titan withdrew a commercial featuring an interfaith marriage from social media and television following a severe online backlash. The forth-five second advertisement for the “Ekatvam (Unity)- the beauty of oneness” collection showed a Muslim family throwing a traditionally South Indian Hindu baby shower for their pregnant Hindu daughter-in-law.

The daughter-in-law says, “But these rituals aren’t celebrated in your home,” and the mother-in-law replies, “But the ritual of making daughters happy is in every home.”

My Opinion: Faith is a matter of personal choice and best left to the individual and the families involved. A coming together of faiths is to be celebrated and a jewel in the crown for a diverse society such as India. This is what Tanishq show-cased. I saw the advertisement many times over and could not find a wrong angle. Take it – the jewels – or leave it. Outsiders have no business making inferences, or trying to hide the shine.

Sports: Tennis played like Cricket

In The French Open Men’s Finals played on Sunday, Spain’s Rafael Nadal continued to ruthlessly dominate Roland Garros with a masterly win over World No.1, Serbian Novak Djokovic. The score board read, 6-0, 6-2, 7-5, which tells us that there was a feeble sign of a fight-back, by his opponent, at the end, but it wasn’t good enough. With this win Nadal has won the French Open for an unprecedented 13th time, rising to the level of another great, Roger Federer’s all time mark of 20 major titles. He also hit a century of match wins on this clay surface. Who said you can hit centuries only in Cricket? I guess, the wicked clay of Roland Garros has a soft spot for Nadal. This story will be acing the camp-fires for time to come.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 Cricket Tournament is ‘bowling-on’ in The Unite Arab Emirates (UAE), and by the weekend, Match No 34 would have been played. We all need to field and watch the sixes light-up the skies until the Final, which will happen in early November. With Knight Riders, Kings, Royals, Challengers, Sunrisers, Superkings, and the kind running about in the Desert, it’s one hell of a Game.

Last count: Mumbai Indian are ‘head-ing’ the points table followed by Dehli Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore. Kings XI Punjab are ‘tail-ing’, at the bottom.

The Nobel Prizes, again.

Economics Sciences is not an ‘original Nobel Prize’ endowed by Alfred Nobel in his will, when he founded the Nobel Prizes. It was established by Sweden’s Central Bank and has been awarded since 1969 in memory of the nobleness of Alfred Nobel. The prize for economics is officially known as the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences, However the nomination process, section criteria and awarding is done in a similar manner as are the original Nobel Prizes.

This year, American Economists Paul Milgrom and Robert Wilson, of Stanford University, have been awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in economics for their contributions in “improvements to auction theory and inventions of new auction formats”.

Does auction ring a bell? Let me explain:The citation says that they have used their insights to design new auction formats for goods and services that are difficult to sell in a traditional was, such as radio frequencies. Now, we are near to understanding. Let’s pull it a bit more. Remember, the 2G Scam in India where second generation licences for mobile networks were given at throwaway prices (read as, in exchange for bribes) instead of carrying out free and fair auctions? India, at that time had a brilliant ‘Economist’ Prime Minister who instead of calling-up Stanford University for ’auction advice’, listened to the down-the-street voices of coalition dharma’ politics. Wish this invention had happened sooner?

Potpourri

Being Attractive

In Iowa State, USA, a female employee can legally be fired for being too attractive.

Sometimes, trying to be beautiful with come-hither make-up, is definitely unattractive. Dress for the occasion is a golden saying.

Tourism: The Great Wall of India

We all know, only too well, about The Great Wall of China. Do you know about the Great Wall of India? It’s India’s shame that we have some of the best Tourist Spots in the World and care a damn, to talk about them, to highlight them, and spread the word about them. I’m trying to breach the ‘fort wall’ of such an Indian attitude.

India’s Great Wall is the spectacular Kumbhalgarh Fort Wall, which according to the Guinness Book of World Records is the ‘Longest Fort Wall’ in the world. And it is the second longest wall in the World – only after the China Wall. The wall stretches for 36 km along the range of Aravalli hills, Rajasmand District, in Rajasthan about 100km from Udaipur, and is about 15m wide, broad enough for eight horses to stand abreast.

Legend has it that the original Fort was built by King Samprati, grandson of Emperor Ashoka in the 6th Century. However The Kumbhalgarh Wall and Fort as it stands today was built by Rana Kumbha of the Mewar Kingdom in the 15th Century. It is one of the few Forts in India which was never conquered and remained invincible except once when the combined armies of Emperor Akbar and Raja Udai Singh attacked the fort: it actually fell due to lack of drinking water rather than the force of the attack. The Fort was designed by one of the most famous Architects of that period, called Mandan.

The legendary Maharan Pratap – Pratap Singh – The King of Mewar, was believed to be born in Kumbhalgarh.

My Opinion: Once this pandemic is more under control we should get our travel bags ready and visit the many inspirational tourist spots in India. Before that while we are in various phases of lockdown it’s best that we learn more about our History and make a list of places to visit. And talk about them to our children and grandchildren. We must strive to make India the greatest Tourist Destination the World has ever known. Let’s do it!

Health

One of the most important messages from the Global Burden of Disease, 2019 – a Lancet study which brings together the most comprehensive data and analysis of worldwide trends in global health – is that over the past decade the world has done a poor job of reducing harmful risks and this is fuelling a global chronic disease crisis. While communicable diseases are causing less illness, disability and death than in the past – leave alone the COVID19 pandemic – chronic diseases are on the rise,”

What do we do? Three things: Eat Well, Sleep Well and Exercise Well. And follow the basic principles of nutrition, recommend by Experts, which are easily summarized, again, in three things (‘Three’ seems to be good number to play around with):

  1. Eat a wide variety of foods. Because food plants and animals differ in nutrient composition, variety ensures the full complement of needed nutrients. They say insects are the new food, flying around these days!
  2. Eat relatively unprocessed foods. These contain nutrients but do not have excessive amounts of added sugars, fats, salt, and calories. Stay close to natural foods – and eat them, before someone else does!
  3. Eat in moderation. Meaning keep your calorie intake balanced with calorie needs. Say you go cycling every day, like my son does in London, you make and keep a list of foods that can keep you hooked to your cycle and prevents you from falling off.

Over to you: start practicing your eating and focus on staying alive this year 2020. Have another great week ahead.

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2020-41

 

About This Article:

‘Inthavaaram’ is a literal English Translation of the Tamil ‘This (Intha) Week (Vaaram)’.

In ‘World Inthavaaram’ I have collected news from all over the World, during the week – in a backstage inventory, in my corner of the World, Tamil Nadu, India – cherry-picking, and stringing together happenings that I think are interesting, and worth knowing about. I might add a ‘My Opinion’ paragraph at the end of a news item, which is entirely my own uninfluenced analysis, based on the facts and data available in the public domain. The intent is to give you – the Reader – a direction to form your own opinion.

My Opinion can change, as I learn more and grow in wisdom.

I’ll be doing this every week. Hence look out!

Everywhere

The week began with the infected President of the United States of America, flying down to Hospital to fight the coronavirus, lying down in bed, during which time, he got-up briefly, all of a sudden (thinking is was Easter), to take the virus for a deadly ride on the roads. And then flew back home to the White House, gasped for breath standing on the balcony and pulled-off his mask for all to see. Or was it for quicker air? He received the COVID-19 treatment that no man on Earth has ever received and declared, ‘We should not be afraid of the coronavirus’. I reckon we have no more breath to explain to this man how infectious diseases can spread, especially from a Rose Garden: the last count of fragrance was about 30 from that unmasked, close hand-shake and hugs-filled gathering on the green lawns. Is there a Centre of Disease Control mowing about in America? They need better machines.

My Opinion:The President is being reckless and irresponsible in ‘not respecting the virus’ and the Science, which specifies simple measures to keep infections under control, and from spreading. Being the commander-in-chief he should set an example in every way possible – including wearing a mask. The virus gives a damn about politics; all it needs is another body to propagate. Never mind you are the President!

The Armenia – Azerbaijan War.

Man keeps fighting for a piece of land to live and to die on.

The former Soviet Union Republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan went to war in September this year over who fully owns Nagorno-Karabakh, and seven surrounding districts, an enclave internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but controlled by ethnic Armenians. Originally this was established, by the Soviets, as an Armenian-majority autonomous administrative region of Azerbaijan. During the collapse of the Soviet Union, in 1988 and then in 1991 Nagorno-Karabakh first wanted to be a part of Armenia, and second, declared its independence, based on a referendum it held – naturally, the Armenian majority voted to break away from Azerbaijan – which is not recognised by the United Nations or any country, including Armenia. The self-declared unrecognised Republic is called Artsakh. This started a war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, in 1988, until Russia intervened to broker a cease-fire in 1994.

They have re-discovered their guns and ammunition this year. And yes, they are roaring. But over the weekend they have agreed to cease-fire. Hope it holds.

Sounds a wee bit like India’s Kashmir problem?

My Opinion: Going by the History and available facts: Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, appears to have a rightful claim on Nagorno-Karabakh and it should continue as an autonomous region within Azerbaijan. Of course, I need more facts and to separately put myself in the shoes of Armenia and Azerbaijan to make a judgement. Whatever, looking from the Nagorno-Karabakh side, It should not matter, after all these years, on which side you belong, as long as you hold all sides and freedom within is unchallenged. Religion should not be a basis of division and Country boundary making – we differentiate to integrate, don’t we?

Local: India

Rape is hugging the headlines, stripping the newspapers of other stories, with the ghastly, inhuman Hathras case in the State of Uttar Pradesh. Why does this keep happening in India? We need to look deep inside our homes, in the way we bring-up our sons and how we understand the many divisions in society. These layers were formed centuries ago, which are not relevant today. Maybe, we should ‘dissolve them with our actions’.

Meanwhile, the local Kallakurichi lawmaker, Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in Tamilnadu marries for love, but the girl’s father – a temple priest – cries foul saying the friends of the family cannot take such benefits. The MLA had asked for the girl’s hand, in the proper manner, which was, however, turned-down by the father for reasons known only to God. Whatever, the girl stood by the love of her life, accepted the knot-tying to bridge the gap of over 15 years between them. The families had known each other for quite some time; perhaps only too well. Well? The Press went to Town on the ‘divisions and ladders in society’, but I won’t beat down that path. Later, when the couple were dragged to Court, it ruled that it was alright, well within the laws. Go ahead and make your day, it said. Days to forget, nights to remember?

India successfully tested a Supersonic Missile Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART) system, that could strike enemy submarines more than 643 km away. The weapon, a first of its kind in India, was launched from Wheeler Island, off the coast of Odisha State . The Government declared that all mission objectives have been met perfectly. Ready to strike.

With China trying to nibble at its borders, India has to climb-up to the challenge of its adversary. Eye of the Tiger!

Games

The Indian Premier League Cricket Season – Twenty Overs matches – organised by the Board of Cricket Control for India (BCCI) is being held in an off-India venue, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), played on the sands of time. Due to the pandemic restrictions, all matches will be played without an audience, players will not be allowed to used saliva to shine the ball, and Captains cannot shake hands after the toss…among other wonderful rules.

The third Tennis Grand Slam of the year, The French Open, is rolling on the Roland Garros, Paris, about this time, and is drawing to a close. In a first ever, we have a Polish teenage sensation Iga Swiatek win the Title. It was deadly straightforward when she beat American Sofia Kenin in two sets. The 19-year-old claimed the French Open title without dropping a single set all through the tournament, becoming the lowest-ranked female Champion and the first Polish player to win a Grand Slam Singles Title. She is also the youngest French Open Winner since 1992. Time to celebrate, Poland.

Now, the men are at work: Spain’s Rafael Nadal has owned Roland Garros for nearly all of his career. And Serbian Novak Djokovic is trying to buy the lease this year. We are looking forward to this Sunday to see the Winner, of this land dispute.

Moving to bigger balls, it was enchanting to read about a young girl, Karishma Ali, living in a remote Village in Pakistan’s Chitral Valley, a mountainous region bordering Afganishthan, becoming the first woman, from her region, to have played football at a national and international level. This, in a Country where a girl can get shot for going to School. Last year Karishma was named among Forbes’ ’30 Under 30’ in Asia in the august company of Tennis Star Naomi Osaka and K-Pop band Blackpink. She has braved the mandatory threats to her life – for daring to play football – with her father strongly behind her, all the way. What a Dad!

Serious Stuff

The Nobel Prizes are announced in the categories that Swedish Industrialist and Chemist Alfred Nobel had willed in 1895 – a year before his death.

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna for the development of a method for genome editing. They discovered one of gene technology’s sharpest tools: the CRISPR/Cas9 genetic scissors. Using these, researchers can change the DNA of animals, plants and micro-organisms with extremely high precision. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, said this year’s prize was about ‘rewriting the code of life.’  Talk about playing God. Well, we’re getting there. Imagine going to a Science Saloon for a genetic cut.

The Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Scientists, Sir Roger Penrose, Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez for their work to understand Black Holes. Roger Penrose got the the award ‘for the discovery that black hole formation is a robust prediction of the general theory of Relativity’, while Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez got it ‘for the discovery of a supermassive compact object at the centre of our galaxy’. The winners share the prize money of 10 million kronor, about Rs 8.30 crore.

Black holes are just that – a region of space where the gravitational pull is so strong that not even light cannot escape. We can rightfully call them Monsters and they live at the centre of galaxies sitting quietly trying to swallow as much as they can, or at least to tug at the various stars. They are one of the most exotic objects in the Universe. Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez provided the most convincing evidence yet of a supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy – the Milky Way. They called in Sagittarius ‘A’.

The Nobel in Medicine was awarded jointly to Harvey J Alter, Michael Houghton and Charles M Rice, ‘for the discovery of the Hepatitis C virus’. Did you know that Hepatitis C causes approximately 400,000 deaths a year? Now, you do. This is a decisive contribution to fight blood-borne hepatitis that causes cirrhosis and liver cancer in people around the world. Prior to their work the discovery of Hepatitis A and B viruses had been firm first steps, but the majority of blood-borne hepatitis cases remained unexplained. This discovery enabled the design of sensitive blood tests and new medicines that have helped save millions of lives.

The Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to American Louise Gluck for her unmissable poetic voice that with austere beauty makes individual existence universal. Her debut novel was in 1968, and the most recent one was ‘American Originality: Essays on Poetry in 2017. She wasn’t the Firstborn, nor living in The House on Marshland but this October she triumphed over The Triumph of Achilles to win the Nobel.

The Nobel Peace Prize went peacefully to the World Food Programme (WFP) for its efforts to combat hunger, preventing the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict and for bettering conditions for peace in conflict -affected areas. In 2019, the WFP provided assistance to close to 100 million people in 88 Countries who were victims of acute food insecurity and hunger. ‘The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach’, is a much ‘tasted’ old saying. Still works!

Melange

I got this information off Uber Facts: A single bat can eat up to 1,200 mosquito-sized insects in an hour. Bats eat an average of 6,000 to 8,000 insects every night. Despite the connection with the ‘best 2020 newsmaker, the coronavirus and its effect, the COVID-19, I think we should be best friends with Bats – only, mind the gap!

Hummingbirds, those tiny birds found mostly in the Americas and Europe – there are over 360 species of them – are the only birds that can fly backwards. Quiz your little kids on these facts. 

I will be back next week, with more stories.