FREEWHEELING

About: A break free commentary on events on our Planet, anchored on the news of the world. Any comments beyond the story, are entirely mine, without prejudice -take it or leave it. This is a run from 3 April 2025 to 14 April 2025: Trump mania, Dire Wolves, India’s Waqf Bill, and the Mumbai Terror mastermind.

Tariff Mania: Trumponomics

United States (US) of America’s President Donald Trump has been on a flamboyant James-bondish shake & stir roll ever since he took Office this January, and the momentum only gathers multiple hues every day.

Over the past many weeks, ‘Tariff’ has been the most used word in the world of Trade and has perhaps acquired a cult status. I reckon a kid’s first word might just be ‘tariff’, instead of mommy!

Tariff is tax charged, at a country’s borders, on goods imported from other countries. Typically, tariffs are a percentage of a product’s value. E.g., a 25% tariff on a USD 10 product would mean an additional USD 2.50 charge. Reciprocal Tariff would mean they are based on what countries already charge a country, say the United States, in the form of existing tariffs, plus non-tariff barriers such as regulations. Companies that bring foreign goods into a country have to pay such tax to the Government at the border points.

Trump says ‘tariff’ is his favourite word and for decades he has argued that the US should it to boost its economy. Tariffs will encourage US consumers to buy more American-made goods, increase the amount of tax raised, and lead to a huge spurt of investment in the country. The aim is to reduce the gap between the value of goods the US buys from other countries and the value of those it sells to them.

Trump’s rant is that America has been taken advantage of by ‘cheaters’ and ‘pillaged’ by foreigners.

The US slammed Reciprocal Tariffs on a host of countries-imports from the rest of the World. A unilateral 10% on imports from all countries was the first to kick-in with US Customs Agents beginning to make collections on 5 April 2025 at Seaports, Airports, and Customs Ware-Houses. This ushers in America’s full rejection of the post-World War-II system of mutually agreed tariff rates. The claim is that 10% tariff on all nations and much higher rates of up to 50% on individual countries will boost the US economy and protect jobs. However, many nations will face much higher tariffs, starting on 9 April 2025.

A Trade Lawyer said, “This is the single biggest trade action of our lifetime. It is expected the tariffs will evolve over time as countries seek to negotiate lower rates. This is a pretty seismic and significant shift in the way that we trade with every country on Earth”.

These tariffs include 49% on Cambodian products, 46% on Vietnamese imports and an extra 34% on those from China (in addition to 20% tariffs previously announced). Goods from the European Union (EU) will be taxed at 20% and that from India at 27%. Trump’s higher Reciprocal Tariff rates of 11% to 50% are due to take effect on 9 April 2025.

On the sidelines, Trump’s buddy Elon Musk, told a political event in Italy that he hoped to see complete freedom of trade between the US and EU, which he described as ‘a zero tariff situation’. Canada and Mexico were exempt from Trump’s latest duties but still face a 25% tariff imposed recently on goods that do not comply with rules of origin under a North American trade accord.

While Trump’s Order exempted 1,000 product categories from the new tariffs such as pharmaceuticals, uranium and semiconductors, he is considering new duties on some of them. Later, it was announced that smartphones, computers and some other electronic devices were exempt from Reciprocal Tariffs.

The announcement sent the world into a tizzy hammering financial markets. And Stock Markets dived and plunged all over the World raising concerns of a recession. Many of them bounced back-some quickly others gradually, licking their wounds. Meanwhile, countries scrambled their best negotiators to fly to the US for talks. One of the first off the blocks, was Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu – hit by a 17% tariff – who ‘red-tied’ with Trump in the Oval Office. Netanyahu promised to eliminate Israel’s trade surplus with the US and also remove trade barriers. They showed-off their ‘best-friends equations’. The US is Israel’s closely ally and largest single trading partner.

China responded by imposing retaliatory Tariffs of 85% on America. And in turn America raised the bar even further going up to 120%. However, amidst the storm, Trump unilaterally called a 90 day ‘Tariff Cease-Fire’ with the rest of the world with the exception of China. India stayed calm and withered the Trump tempest for the present.

Wonder how all of this is going to end – call it crazy or is it disruptive deal-making?

Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi

I first came to know about Dire Wolves in the George R R Martin’s, fantasy novel A Game of Thrones (also a major TV series) where they are portrayed as a species of wolf, but much larger and significantly more intelligent than the normal wolves. Though considered as pets to the main characters they were much more. It was the animal featured on the House Stark sigil (an inscribed symbol considered to have magical powers) and thus incredibly important to the Northern Rulers of the mythical period. In ‘Game of Thrones’ premiere, a litter of Dire Wolves was discovered, with each Stark child allowed to care for one, and with the animals quickly bonding with their corresponding owners.

Touching ‘terra firma’, the Dire Wolf once roamed an American range that extended as far south as Venezuela and as far north as Canada, but then the species went extinct-not a single one has been seen in over 10,000 years.

Enter a company called Colossal Biosciences, which pulled off a staggering Jurassic Park Science feat and resurrected the extinct Dire Wolves, much like Dinosaurs came alive in the movie. Plenty of Dire Wolf remains have been discovered across the Americas, which presented the opportunity for Colossal Biosciences to bring them back to life.

Relying on deft genetic engineering and ancient, preserved DNA, Colossal Biosciences scientists deciphered the Dire Wolf genome, rewrote the genetic code of the common Gray Wolf to match it, and, using domestic dogs as surrogate mothers, brought Romulus, Remus, and their sister, 2-month-old Khaleesi, into the world during three separate births last year and early this year. In doing so, effectively, for the first time, de-extincting a line of beasts whose live gene pool vanished long ago.

The Dire Wolf genome that was analysed was extracted from two ancient samples: one a 13,000-year-old tooth found in Sheridan Pit, Ohio; the other a 72,000-year-old ear bone unearthed in American Falls, Idaho. The samples were lent by the museums that housed them.

Recall, the mythical story, Romulus and Remus were suckled by a she-wolf in Lupercal Cave before being rescued by a shepherd. Romulus went on to build the ancient city of Rome (they say after killing Remus). ‘Khaleesi’ means Queen and is derived from Dothraki (a fictional language in George R R Martin’s fantasy novels and Game of Thrones).

Romulus and Remus are enjoying their puppy life: chasing, tussling, nipping, nuzzling, and the kind. But what is very un-puppy like is their huge size and behaviour: the snowy white 6-month-olds already measure nearly 4 feet long and weigh about 36 kg. But the angelic exuberance puppies exhibit in the presence of humans-trotting up for hugs, belly rubs, kisses-is completely absent. They keep their distance, flinching and retreating if a person approaches. These pups were the first to produce a howl that hadn’t been heard on Earth in over 10,000 years!

The Dire Wolf isn’t the only animal that Colossal Biosciences, which was founded in 2021 and currently employs 130 scientists, wants to bring back. Also on their de-extinction wish list is the Woolly Mammoth, the Dodo, and the Thylacine, or Tasmanian Tiger. Already, in March, the company surprised the science community with the news that it had copied mammoth DNA to create a Woolly Mouse, a chimeric critter with the long golden coat, and the accelerated fat metabolism of the Mammoth.

Since their births, the Dire Wolves are living on a 2,000-acre ecological Preserve at a location in the US that Colossal Biosciences keeps secret for obvious reasons. The Preserve is surrounded by a 10 feet fence and includes a smaller six-acre site with a veterinary clinic, an extreme-weather shelter, and natural dens where the wolves can securely retreat. A staff of veterinarians looks out for the animals around the clock. The wolves are fed a diet of beef, horse, and deer meat as well as liver and other offal, along with puppy chow to provide vital nutrients. When they were just weaned, the meat was served pureed, which is similar to the partially digested meat a mother will regurgitate to feed her young. Now the food is presented whole so the wolves can tear it apart as they would if they had hunted it down. So far, they have not actually killed any small, live prey that may have ventured into their enclosure.

Should extinct animals be brought back to life? Imagine if we bring back Dinosaurs and allow them to roam the Earth. And going a step further, how about our ancient cousins Neanderthals? While the scientific feat is surely spectacular should not we be circumspect and draw a line somewhere? Unless we want to make some new kind of species and release them on the Moon or Mars and allow them to evolve – hoping one day they fly back to Earth or welcome us on their Planet-as a bloodline Alien?

India’s Waqf Bill

The Background, Basics

The word ‘Waqf’ is from the Arabic word ‘Waqufa’ meaning, to detain or to hold or tie up. Waqf is the permanent dedication by a person professing Islam, of movable or immovable property for any purpose recognised by Muslim/Islamic Law as pious, religious or charitable. And and any other use or sale of the property is prohibited. Once designated so, a Waqf property is considered inalienable, and cannot be inherited, gifted or sold and the ownership is transferred from the person making the Waqf to Allah- bestowing it to Him-making it irrevocable. ‘Waqif’ is a person who creates a Waqf. In the absence of a physically tangible entity, a ‘Mutawalli’ is appointed by the Waqif, to manage or administer a Waqf property.

In India, through The Waqf Act 1954, State Waqf Boards (SWBs) were created in every State, for the first time, to manage Waqf properties within the State. This Act led to the establishment of the Central Waqf Council (CWC)of India in 1964 to oversee and supervise State Waqf Boards and enable a centralised administration. Several amendments to the Waqf Act of 1954 were carried out in 1959, 1964, 1969, and 1984 to further improve the administration of Waqf properties.

Then came the Waqf Act, 1995, which repealed the 1954 Act and its amendments. It provided for the power and functions of the CWC, SWB, and a Chief Executive Officer, and also the duties of Mutawalli. It also created Waqf Tribunals -special courts with powers similar to civil courts – which decisions were final and could not be challenged in civil courts. The Tribunals were like kangaroo courts, and surprisingly were outside the purview of Indian Civil Law.

The Government estimates that Waqf Boards currently control 8.7 lakh properties spanning 9.4 lakh acres across India with an estimated value of 1.2 lakh crores. India has the largest Waqf holding in the World. Further, Waqf Board is the largest landowner in India after the Armed Forces, and the Indian Railways. There are 356,051 Waqf Estates registered under Waqf Board; 872,328 immovable properties and 16,713 movable properties registered under the Waqf Board.

This mammoth establishment created a plethora of issues such as, limited diversity in constitution of SWBs and CWC, misuse of power and non-maintenance of proper accounts by Mutawallis, lack of effective coordination with local revenue authorities, issues of removal of encroachments, registration and declaration of title of Waqf properties, sweeping power to Waqf Boards for claiming properties resulting in disputes and litigation, non-applicability of Limitation Act resulting in creating disharmony among communities, low and negligible income from Waqf properties, etc.

Over to the Present: Key Changes

India’s Parliament after intense debate passed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 on 2 April 2025, with the lower House, the Lok Sabha passing it with 288 voting in favour and 232 against. The next day, the upper House, the Rajya Sabha approved the Bill with 128 in favour, to 95 against the legislation. The Rajya Sabha held a discussion on the Bill for around 12 hours before clearing it. Then the President of India signed it into law on 8 April 2025 and notified it for implementation in The Gazette of India.

The Waqf Amendment Act of 2025, allows Waqf to be formed by: declaration; or endowment when the line of succession ends (called Waqf-alal-aulad). Only a person practicing Islam for at least five years may declare a Waqf and the person must own the property being declared. It removes ‘Waqf by user’, where properties could be deemed as Waqf based solely on prolonged use for religious purposes. It also adds that Waqf-alal-aulad must not result in denial of inheritance rights to the donor’s heirs including women. Any government property identified as Waqf will cease to be so. The District Collector of the area will determine ownership in case of uncertainty and put it up for approval by the Government.

The New Bill brings in representation for the Bohra and Agakhani Muslim communities in addition to the exiting Shia and Sunni, if they have functional Waqf. The SWB/CWC will have at least two women Muslims and two non-muslims excluding ex-officio members. This brings in wider representation – being property and does not interfere with religious practices.

The ‘kangaroo court power’ of the Tribunals was brought under check: a Tribunal’s orders may now be appealed in a civil High Court within 90 days.

The central government can make rules regarding: registration; publication of accounts of Waqf; and publication of proceedings of WBs. Under the Act, State government may get the accounts of Waqfs audited at any point.

The Waqf Amendment is a watershed moment in India clearing the grey areas in the law, which meandered outside it, bringing better accountability, representation, and control.

While most States in India remained calm, the State of West Bengal began boiling: violent anti-Waqf Amendment clashes erupted in Murshidabad. The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) an off-shoot of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) appears to have played a significant role in instigating violence holding door-to-door campaigns ‘falsely claiming that the Centre was using the Waqf law to snatch everything owned by Muslims’. Central Forces were called-in to contain the violence especially against Hindus, who abandoned their homes in fear.

The Govt of West Bengal is failing to contain the loot, arson, and vandalism and its Chief Minister declared the State will not implement the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 -that’s a direct challenge against the law made by Parliament. This could have incited and instigated the violence and such speech should be abhorred.

The Return: India’s 26/11

In a superb diplomatic and security victory milestone for India, it got a stranglehold on on one of the master-minds and conspirators of the Mumbai Terror Attacks of 26 November 2008 (26/11). A total of 175 people died-including 9 of the attackers in that horrific, bloody attack, which shook India. A lone survivor Ajmal Kasab was physically caught by the unforgettable heroic Tukaram Omble – who gave up his life in the process, being shot by Kasab in close range, multiple times. Kasab was tried by India’s courts and hanged to death in the Yerawada Central Jail in 2012. Also in my memory stays Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan of the National Security Guards (NSG) who died in a heroic rescue mission by India’s Commandos in the Taj Hotel. The attackers belonged to the Pakistan based terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), supported by Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence.

Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a 64-year old Canadian citizen, of Pakistan origin was extradited to India on 10 April 2025, after 16years. A former Pakistan Army Medical Corps turned Immigration Consultant. Rana’s childhood friend and co-conspirator David Coleman Headley is in a US jail, sentenced to 35years for his role. Rana now faces justice under full-force of Indian law.

The man primarily responsible for getting Rana extradited to India is Senior Advocate Dayan Krishnan, who led India’s arguments in a US court. The proceedings, saw a spirited legal fight between Krishnan and another extradition veteran Paul Garlick QC, who represented Rana.

Tahawwur Rana provided the blueprint that helped LeT carry out the terror attacks in Mumbai. He helped David Headley obtain a multi-entry business visa to India. Both of them worked in close co-ordination with Pakistan’s ISI and had made a detailed attack plan to target Chatrapati Shivaji terminus, Taj Mahal Hotel, Nariman House and the Cama & Albless Hospital. David Headley in India took the help of Hollywood Director & Film-maker Mahesh Bhatt’s son Rahul Bhatt to reconnoiter places in Mumbai. Rana also provided Headley with the required finances for the operation.

The expectation is that Tahawwur Rana will be sentenced, after India coaxes out of him, more information, details, and names of any other conspirators.

More stirring stories ahead. Have a blast with ‘Freewheeling’.

FREEWHEELING

About: A break free commentary on events on our Planet, anchored on the news of the world, garnished with humour. Any comments beyond the story, are entirely mine, without prejudice -take it or leave it. This is a run from 14 March 2025 to 2 April 2025.

Enter the Dragon

It took Elon Musk’s SpaceX to bring back stranded Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS), who were first deposited in the cold, in Space, by Boeing’s Starliner Spacecraft in June 2024.

Boeing’s Starliner, with stars in its eyes, carried two astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams in its first ever human crew carrying mission. It was intended to be a 8-day-stay and its successful return-with the crew’s hair intact-meant NASA could certify Boeing’s spacecraft to make routine trips to and from the ISS. Elon Musk’s SpaceX had already reached that exalted status and was freaking out making round trips-about 44 trips to the ISS (only Elon’s young son did not make the grade, as yet). The Starliner encountered serious problems with its thrusters, and its propulsion system was leaking helium gas like a sieve. Boeing’s Engineers worked furiously to resolve the issue and succeeded, but NASA decided not to risk lives and ordered the return of Starliner without the crew. And it did return ‘pretty safely’ in September 2024. Meanwhile, Sunita Williams let loose all her hair (and even had Donald Trump counting the strands) and in typical Indian tradition perhaps decided not to tie it until she returns Home. Thank India, it worked.

Now, enter the Dragon.

SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft is capable of carrying up to 7 passengers to and from Earth orbit, and beyond. It is the only spacecraft currently flying that is capable of returning significant amounts of cargo to Earth, and is the first private spacecraft to take humans to the space station.

Sunita’s hair relayed the message, and a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Dragon spacecraft lifted-off on 14 March 2025 from the Kennedy Space Centre, Florida with a crew of 4, consisting of NASA Astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan’s astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Russian Cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. Is this not collaboration among fighting Nations at its best? The inward crew will spend 6 months in Space until another crew replaces them. Sunita Williams, who had been the commander of the Space Station, handed over to the new team, and after ‘taming her hair’ shifted into home gear.

Returning along with Sunitha and Butch-both of them after a nine month stay-will be NASA’s Nick Hague and Russia’s Aleksandr Gorbunov, who have themselves been in Space for 6 months.

The reusable Crew Dragon Freedom Capsule undocked from the ISS and successfully splashed down off the cost of Florida on 18 March 2025 and was well received with a splash of applause by a pod of dolphins swimming in the neighbourhood. The crew were then successfully extracted from the Capsule and planted on Earth. Looking forward to them growing at Home.

Wars

Israel got back to its old ways, collapsing the ceasefire agreement with Hamas as the latter was not keeping its side of Agreements in releasing hostages. There are now 59 hostages still being held in brutal captivity. And Israel started a major ground offensive in Gaza to clear, seize and occupy large swaths of land, in addition to many other plans to kill the devil. I would say that Israel must annex some Gaza territory every day for every hostage not released.

On the sidelines, ‘Negotiation Liking Nations’ Egypt and Qatar are desperately trying to revive the ceasefire and tunnel a deal in the dry desert conditions. And I wonder why the people of Gaza are not rising-up against Hamas for making their lives unalloyed hell. Wait, someone heard, there is indeed some rumblings of an uprising demanding that Hamas release the hostages and get out of their lives. But it begs the question, is this true? The same civilians that cheered the 7 October barbarism have turned a new leaf, unbelievable? It is yet another drama by Hamas?

Meanwhile, Israel announced that it is going to take back full ‘security control’ of Gaza. Enough is enough.

On another War front, on 18 March 2025, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin grabbed the phone and spent over 2 hours talking about ending the Russia-Ukraine War and also about improving frosty relations between them. Love was in the air. The blood and treasure that Ukraine and Russia have been spending in the war would be better spent on the needs of their people-that’s wisdom oozing through every pore. The wily Putin deflected Cupid’s arrows, did not hug an immediate ceasefire, but said he will not police every move and every breath of Ukraine’s electricity grids and gas supplies. The dialogue goes on and a breakthrough ‘may or may-not’ be expected. And Putin is an awfully tough customer. That’s the way it is. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s President has put off his plans for shopping for new suits.

India: Traitors, Poop, and Loose Cash

Freedom of Speech needs freedom to be more freely defined in India. Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra, called Maharashtra’s State’s Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde a Traitor (gaddaar) in a show titled ‘New India’. Kamra referred to Shinde’s 2022 defection from the Shiv Sena, which triggered a major political crisis leading to a vertical split in the Shiv Sena and subsequently Shinde’s Group being ‘legally’ recognised as the real Shiv Sena – with the Bow & Arrow. In the Show, Kamra sang a parody of a Bollywood song alluding to Shinde as a traitor, outraging his supporters who called it derogatory. The studio in Habitiat, Mumbai where the Show was shot, was attacked by Shiv Sena supporters who ransacked the place and made meat of the furniture.

Freedom of speech works on a knife-edge. Shinde is surely not a traitor as the Law of the Land-the Courts-has said that he leads the ‘real’ Shiv Sena, and further he has won the people’s trust by winning the Elections. The traitor is now on the other shoe? Surely comedy is great fun with the laughs it generates, but where is the fine control and ‘honouring facts? Looking back, the undivided Shiv Sena was the original traitor after winning the Elections jointly with the Bharathiya Janata party (BJP) and then dumping them. The Shiv Sena supporters are surely outside the law – taking law into their own hands in going physically after the Physical Studio. And they should be dealt with as per the law. Surely they have no right to react in the manner they did. Unless you want to make a comedy of ‘self defence’? Finally, why cannot our Politicians and famous people just laugh it off with a shrug, take things in their stride?

In another stinking story in the Southern State of Tamil Nadu, Health Department sanitary workers – about 20 of them in uniform – invaded the house of Savukku Shankar, a You-Tube and Political Activist, and dumped sewage waste and human faeces in his house in Chennai. And hurled the choicest expletives, and used abusive language on his Mom who was alone at home. This is supposed to be in the wake of some comments and allegations made by Savukku Shankar about sanitary workers, Greater Chennai Police, and the Commissioner of Police. Since when did Sanitary Workers not get dirty? And again, taking law into their dirty hands? The poop deserves to be its rightful place- underground. Surely, this is a smelly new trend in India.

Swinging over to India’s Capital New Delhi, for Justice Yashwant Varma, a judge of the Delhi High Court, the Festival of Holi turned unholy when a fire broke out in his official Bungalow, on the night of 14 March 2025. Actually, it was in an outhouse on the grounds and the fire burnt through bundles of cash stashed in the store room. About four-five bags of partially charred Indian currency notes – estimated to about INR 150 million – were discovered by firefighters who doused the flames and captured digital evidence. Of course, Justice Varma categorically denied the ‘money hoarding’ labelling it-you guessed it-a larger conspiracy to tarnish his (great?) reputation. There was an attempt to quickly transfer the Judge to another Court, which was protested by the lawyers of the receiving Court. Why should we handle such dirt? And don’t we have to guard our reputation, as well?

The discovery of the cash-stash was a thunderbolt strike on the reputation of the Indian Judiciary. Are they a law unto themselves, answerable to none? The method of selection of Judges to such Posts was naturally called into question. And there is a colourful fire burning right now in the house of the Judiciary! Urgent reforms needed here-before the next fire!

Earth Shakes

Earthquakes are back with a Big Bang. Since when did they leave? Myanmar, already reeling with internal insurgency and a footloose Army was struck by a 7.7 magnitude Earthquake on 28 March 2025. It killed over 2700 people, injured over 3900 people and caused the collapse of numerous man-made structures.

In faraway Bangkok, Thailand, about 1000 km from the epicentre, a lone unfinished under-construction high-rise building fell unbelievably, like the proverbial pack of cards, into a pile of dust. Experts reasoned that it was because a ‘flat slab’ construction process was adopted, where floors are made to rest directly on columns, without using beams. And Thailand wasn’t thinking Earthquake resistant construction at all?

The Earth’s upper layer is split into different sections called tectonic plates. These plates are moving constantly, which causes earthquakes and volcanoes. And Myanmar sits uneasy atop the convergence of four of these tectonic plates-the Eurasian, the Indian, the Sunda, and the Burma plates. Like it or not Myanmar is considered to be one of the most geologically active areas in the World.

More earth shaking stories ahead. Ride with ‘Freewheeling’.

FREEWHEELING

About: A footloose commentary on events on our Planet, anchored on the news of the world, garnished with humour. Any comments beyond the story, are entirely mine, without prejudice -take it or leave it. This is a run from January 2025 to 13 March 2025.

It looks like the New Year 2025 had just begun, and we are already in the middle of March, moving at the speed of light, trying to spy Einstein on the stands. It appears that Elon Musk (and his little son) is the only person living on the Planet, and at some distance is Trump trying to find his space. Suddenly, Elon’s Starlink is already rocketing into India, riding with Jio (Hello Reliance) and Airtel (Hello Bharti) linking up in mysterious ways to space the air waves in this part of the world.

The United States (US) President Donald Trump began his new term with a big-bang, giving an awfully blunt, straight-talking, commencement of presidency address. His disruptive ideas had everybody in a swoon-deeply shaken and stirred: deporting illegals in America to all parts of the world in handsome chains; throwing tariffs around like hitting balls of various shapes out of the ground; boxing with Ukraine’s President in the White House, pushing Ukraine to the red corner; and making love to Russia’s President Putin (who surely accepted the advances and smiled like a Cheshire cat). Trump’s Vice-President, Vance sent Europe scurrying to do things it thought it could never do-but is the best for it -and had it fuming through every available nostril.

Meanwhile, India’s Prime Minister earned a great negotiator medal in the US’ White House; hugged France’s Macron-too tight for Brigette-in France; and found a new winning streak in State Elections in India. Talk about the Modi magic rising-up again. The comeback of the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) in Delhi was after 27 years and people hope to see more stars in clearer skies, and breathe longer with cleaner air while imbibing the ‘spirits’ of Scotland & Ireland. Last heard, India’s PM was in Mauritius adorning himself with yet another Highest Award medal. I reckon, the 56-inch chest can hold…and perhaps is growing wider, to match India’s GDP.

Israel saw many of its hostages, held by the barbaric terrorists Hamas, released in bits and pieces in a ceasefire that kicked-in, in January and seems to be holding. The large-scale fighting is off the hook, while the small-scale surgical strikes keeps the fire burning. Trump issued yet another ultimatum to release all the hostages or face the wrath of Israel. The bad guys have been holding Israel to ransom for almost two years and Israel is pregnant with revenge. Rightfully so.

I say, one state of Israel is the best solution-from the River to the Sea-with its people digging their heels, living in the land that was always their homeland. Think about the biblical Moses-the promised land and the Ten Commandments; Samson- strength in the hair; David- sling-shot Goliath; Solomon -oozing wisdom…and many others. So much to look up to! I wish every country in the world would stand-up and scream, ‘Release the hostages now-bring them Home’ or forget we can do any kind of business with you.

After some spanking in America and hot desert talk in Saudi Arabia, Ukraine has agreed to a cool 30 days cease-fire with Russia. And Russia is still cogitating over it-eyeing more land and sea? Hope to see Ukraine’s President wearing a nice suit, soon. And America gleaming with rare-earth metals on its chest. Else, the laughs are on Ukraine?

With the United Nations loosing all its teeth (did it have any at all?) and becoming redundant in these war spring times, we need a make-over. If I were Russia, I would say, disband NATO and yell at Europe to find other means of safeguarding themselves: how about learning some self-defence. And we are always ’near-by’, across the Border, to lend a helping hand and offer a ‘Bear Hug’. Ask India if you have any doubts!

The world’s largest gathering of people in one place, the Maha Kumbh Mela happened in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, and other upstream and downstream places on the River Ganges between 13 January and 26 February 2025. The Mela was at the Triveni Sangam-the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers, after a gap of about 144 years due to a rare celestial alignment, making it a once-in-a-lifetime event for Hindus all over the world. Believers swelled the banks, and it was a sight of humanity, to behold, with visitors of one 660 million making the pilgrimage. The world is surely a cleaner place-in many dimensions-what with past mistakes and sins of life cleansed with a holy dip in the holy Ganges. Special cleansing bacteria took care of the rest, claimed some scientists.

In India’s southern state of Tamil Nadu, a Russian name wearing Chief Minister created havoc on learning a third language. Never mind Russian, he thought in Tamil and fumbled in ecstasy in English. His Members of Parliament rocked Parliament, black & red, on a perceived insult and extracted an apology from the Centre’s Education Minister, while quietly worshipping (and building statues for) a man who called the Tamil language barbaric; unfit even to earn beggar wages; and encouraged everyone to talk to their maids in English. And advocated that at least Tamil Nadu remains forever a British State. Caught in the headlights are the kids who dream of learning three languages to improve their cognitive and learning abilities: says the New Education Policy of India. Early in the year, the Russian name Chief Minister claimed that the technology of smelting Iron was developed in Tamil Nadu about 5,300 years ago. The Iron Age just got older. Other claims have rusted. Wonder, who will come out with more shine!

The Oscars -the 97th Academy Awards- was staged in March 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, US. The film ‘Anora’ won a leading five awards, including Best Picture. Other winners included ‘The Brutalist’ with three awards; ‘Dune: Part Two’, ‘Emilia Perez’, and ‘Wicked’ with two awards each.

Adrien Brody, acting in The Brutalist, won the Best Actor Award; Mikey Madison, being Anora, dressed-up to become Best Actress. The Brutalist is about a Hungarian-Jewish Holocaust survivor who immigrates to the US to achieve the American Dream. Anora is about a stripper from New York marrying the wealthy son of a Russian Oligarch in a Cinderalla moment. The fairytale hits the ground when the Russian parents try to annul the marriage.

In Tennis sport, Australian Open 2025, Italy’s Jannik Sinner swept aside Russian Alexander Zverev to retain the men’s singles title. In the Women’s singles final, America’s Madison Keys beat Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka to get the keys to the Cup. Afterwards, Jannik found out he had sinned and accepted a three-month suspension after testing positive for dope-the banned substance clostebol- during the 2024 Indian Wells tournament. That seems a light punishment -until the next sin?

And in New York, two men were hospitalised with histoplasmosis (a lung infection) after growing weed using bat poop! Innovation is the real word, these days. Nothing artificial about it.

In cricket sport, Team India became Champions in the Champions One-Day Cricket Tournament held in Dubai, sending the Kiwis wingless to New Zealand. This is India’s third grasp of the Cup, and they won without losing a match. India’s iconic cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, now firmly bats in the commentary box, danced the game of his life-on the border of the field- and had Bollywood’s dancing stars looking bewildered. Even the costume was clever, with Gavaskar wearing pants of what could have been the better part of the mini-skirt of his fellow woman Anchor. How do they face this kind of competition?

More stories ahead. Wheel with ‘Freewheeling’.

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2024-52

About: the world this week, 22 December to 28 December 2024: Wars of the world; Germany’s terror; France’s horror; A former Indian Prime Minister dies; and death of Japanese small car-maker.

Everywhere

The world is reeking with a lot more violence and mayhem, other than the visible wars rolling in Ukraine, the Middle East-Gaza, and to a lesser degree in Sudan, Myanmar, and some other countries. And the War took yet another deadly turn, with the Iran-backed Houthis of Yemen launching rockets into Israel and Israel returning the favour more in kind. This week, Israel went hammer & thongs on neutralising the ‘Houthis threat’, bombarding their strongholds, besides wiping out key infrastructure in Yemen.

Germany’s Terror

Late last week, on 20th December, Germany’s Magdeburg Christmas Market was the scene of a horrendous terror attack. A 50-year-old man, originally from Saudi Arabia and living in Germany for close to two decades ploughed his car through the Market causing two deaths (including a child) and injuring about 80 people. The man, a Doctor, Taleb Abdulmohsen, was promptly arrested by Police.

Abdulmohsen had fled Saudi Arabia carrying the weight of rape accusations and implications in serious crimes. Saudi Arabia had formally requested that he be extradited, but Germany had denied the request citing human rights concerns, despite clear evidence of his criminal activities.

Post-Asylum in Germany Abdulmohsen reinvented himself as a dissident, publicly declaring himself an atheist and ex-Muslim, perhaps aimed at securing full asylum protection in Germany. And began working in a government hospital as a psychiatrist. Shockingly, while holding this position, he was publicly active in criminal activities, including human trafficking-smuggling young girls. Abdulmohsen made explicit threats against Germany, which authorities dismissed as ‘freedom of expression’.

France’s Horror

After a three-month trial, a French Court found Dominique Pelicot, 72, guilty of repeatedly drugging and raping his wife, Gisele Pelicot, for almost a decade, and inviting more than 70 strangers to rape her unconscious body in a case that horrified the world.

All the ’50 strangers (out of the 70) – the co-defendants, who were traced out – were also found guilty of charges brought on them. Gisele Pelicot, 72, the victim had waived her right to anonymity, and became a symbol of female courage and resilience during the trial.

Dominique Pelicot pleaded guilty to the charges, and a panel of five judges sentenced him to the maximum of 20 years in jail. The court found 46 of the other defendants guilty of rape, 2 guilty of attempted rape and 2 guilty of sexual assault, handing down sentences of between 3 and 15 years in jail.

Dominique Pelicot, denied misleading the men, whom he had met online, saying they knew exactly what they were doing. “I am a rapist like the others in this room,” he said during testimony.

The Pelicots’ children, David, Caroline, and Florian, arrived in court to hear the verdict alongside their mother. The siblings have spoken out forcibly against their father, rejecting his pleas for forgiveness.

The strangers come from all walks of life: lorry drivers, soldiers, firefighters, security guards, farm workers, a supermarket worker, a journalist, and the unemployed. The youngest was just 22 when he entered Gisele Pelicot’s bedroom, while the oldest was in his early 70s. Many had children and were in relationships. Most lived within a 50km radius of the Pelicots’ picturesque village of Mazan, which nestles in the vineyards, below Mont Ventoux.

The case only came to light in 2020, when Dominique was caught trying to take photographs up the skirts of women in a supermarket. Police then discovered more than 20,000 photos and videos on his computer drives revealing the horrifying secrets that he had hidden, from his now ex-wife, for a decade.

Dominique Pelicot had worked as an electrician and an estate agent and was married to Gisele for 50 years. He put powerful tranquilisers into his wife’s food and coffee that put her to sleep for hours. Gisele said she was worried she was developing Alzheimer’s or had a brain tumour because of the memory gaps.

She says she hopes the enormous interest in her case will help other women who have suffered sexual abuse, and brushes off praise for her own bravery in letting the world see her pain. “It’s not courage. It is determination to change things,” she said. “This is not just my battle, but that of all rape victims.”

Meanwhile, in India’s Tamil Nadu, the State BJP President, K Annamalai, took to the ancient Indian technique of self-flagellation -whipping himself six times-to highlight the apathy of the Police and State Government in the case of a sexual assault of a student on the campus of the premier Institute of Anna University, in Chennai. The intent seems to be to shock the political system out of its stupor on horrific acts of sexual violence and Police inaction in the State. It was a powerful a message as it was dramatic. He has vowed to walk barefoot until the State Government is ousted – the next elections are due in 2026, unless we are missing something.

India: a Former Prime Minister Passes

This week, former Indian Prime Minister (PM) Dr Manmohan Singh– the 13th PM of India- died at the ripe age of 92 due to age related illness. He was PM for two five year terms, between 2004 and 2014.

Though, by default, the Leader of the Lok Sabha-Members of Parliament(MP) directly elected by the people – goes on to become the PM, Dr Manmohan Singh is the only long-serving PM who never got himself elected to the Lok Sabha. He was a Rajya Sabha MP throughout his term, having lost the only time he contested as a Lok Sabha candidate in 1999, from South Delhi. The Constitution allows this, but it’s a ‘tacit understanding’ that a PM gets himself elected from the Lok Sabha – The House of the People. In that sense, he was an unelected Prime Minister.

Though he was PM of India for a decade, it was his stint as Finance Minister under former PM, P V Narashima Rao (PVNR) that gained him unforgettable fame for unshackling India’s Economy-the stifling Licence Raj-and unleashing the animal spirits in the Economy. He transformed into action PVNR’s vision of heralding the bold economic reforms of 1991, which forever transformed India. PVNR had inducted the apolitical Economist that Dr Manmohan Singh was, and gave him the ‘freedom’ to do what it takes to get the country out of the severe economic crisis that India faced. A hesitant Dr Manmohan Singh (what would the Party Chief say?) was encouraged by PVNR to deliver, along with his Commerce Minister, P. Chidambaram. As PM he shouldered the responsibility of the managing the politics ‘of whatever tough decisions his Finance Minister had to make’ to get India’s economy on the move.

Over the next few years, Dr Manmohan Singh carried out several path-breaking structural reforms that liberalised India’s highly regulated economy. And these measures proved successful in averting the crisis of the time – pulling India from the brink of bankruptcy.

But in later years as a ‘compromise’ or ‘accidental’ Prime Minister, he failed to capitalise on the stupendous job he did as Finance Minister, and roll out the next generation economic reforms. Maybe, it was because PVNR wasn’t around to lend the backbone?

Dr Manmohan Singh came to be viewed as a weak, remote-controlled (by the Congress Party Chief) Prime Minister. And a record number of scams were uncovered during his second tenure as PM, though he himself had an unblemished record: he was considered, wise, thoughtful, and scrupulously honest. He attributed his failure to be tougher – especially in acting against scam-tainted Ministers-to what to called ‘compulsions of coalition politics – some compromises have to be made’.

Born in Gah in what is today Pakistan, Dr Manmohan Singh’s family migrated to India during its partition in 1947. After obtaining his doctorate in economics from the University of Oxford he worked for the United Nations. He began his bureaucratic career when he was hired as an advisor in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. During the 1970s and 1980s, Dr Manmohan Singh held several key posts in the Government of India, such as Chief Economic Advisor, Governor of the Reserve Bank, and head of the Planning Commission.

One of the best moments in his tenure as PM, was striking a civil nuclear deal with the United States. Others, such as the important National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) and the Right to Information Act (RTI) were passed by the Parliament in 2005. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) was also created soon after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, as need for a central agency to combat terrorism was realised- He was criticised for not doing enough by going after (‘hot pursuit’) the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attack-one of India’ worst ever. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)was established in February 2009, an agency which went on to implement the Multipurpose National Identity Card -Aadhaar-with the objective of increasing national security and facilitating e-governance.

Dr Manmohan Singh married Gursharan Kaur in 1958. They have three daughters, Upinder Singh, Daman Singh, and Amrit Singh. Upinder Singh is a professor of history at Ashoka University. Daman Singh is a graduate of St. Stephen’s College, Delhi and the Institute of Rural Management, Anand, Gujarat. Amrit Singh is a Staff Attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union in the United States.

Japan: Death of a Small Car-Maker

Osamu Suzuki, 94, an ingenious ‘penny-pincher’ who led Japan’s Suzuki Motor Corporation for more than four decades and played a key role in turning India into a flourishing auto market, died of lymphoma, on Christmas Day.

He steered the Company ambitiously, during his time as either chief executive or chairman, out of its primary market of mini-vehicles.The inexpensive, boxy, 660cc cars specific to Japan benefited from generous tax breaks, but demanded a stringent reining-in of costs that proved to be a key part of Suzuki Motor’s DNA.

Osamu Suzuki’s thriftiness was legendary: he would order factory ceilings lowered to save on air-conditioning and fly economy class on airplanes even at an advanced age.

“Forever,” or “until the day I die,” were signature humorous responses with which he parried queries about how long he would stay at the company, on which he retained a tight stranglehold into his 70s and 80s.

In the 1970s, he saved the company from the brink of collapse by convincing Toyota Motor to supply engines that met new emissions regulations, but which Suzuki Motor had yet to develop. More success followed with the 1979 launch of the Alto mini-vehicle, which became a massive hit, boosting the automaker’s bargaining power when it tied up with General Motors in 1981.

Osamu Suzuki then took a big and risky decision to invest a year’s worth of the company’s earnings to build a national car maker for India. His personal interest was motivated by a strong desire “to be number one somewhere in the world”.

The Indian Government had just nationalised Maruti, set up in 1971 as a pet project of Sanjay Gandhi, son of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, to produce an affordable, ‘people’s car’, made in India. Maruti needed a foreign partner, but early collaboration with Renault fell through. Team Maruti team knocked on many doors but was snubbed widely by brands including Fiat and Subaru and initially also by Suzuki Motor.

The partnership only came about after a Suzuki Motor Director in India saw a newspaper article about a potential Maruti deal with Japanese small-car rival Daihatsu. On learning that the Maruti team had been turned away he hastily invited the team back to Japan, asking for a second chance. A letter of intent was signed within months. And the rest is history.

The first car, the Maruti 800 hatchback based on the Alto, was launched in 1983, becoming an instant success. Today, Maruti Suzuki majority-held by Suzuki Motor commands roughly 40% of India’s car market.

In class-conscious India, Suzuki also ushered in change, insisting on equality in the workplace, ordering open-plan offices, a single canteen and uniforms for executives and assembly-line workers alike.

Not all endeavours were a success, however, when nearing his 80th birthday, Osamu Suzuki clinched a multi-billion-dollar tie-up with German giant automaker Volkswagen(VW) in December 2009. Touted as a match made in heaven, it soon faltered, with Suzuki Motor accusing its new top shareholder of trying to control it, while VW objected to the Japanese firm’s purchase of diesel engines from Fiat. Suzuki Motor took VW to an international arbitration court in less than two years, eventually succeeding in buying back the stake of 19.9% it had sold to Volkswagen.

Osamu Suzuki, who often cited golf and work as the key to his health, finally passed the baton as CEO to his son Toshihiro in 2016, and stayed on as Chairman for another five years until age 91, keeping an advisory role until the end.

Since 2016, his company has deepened ties with the world’s biggest carmaker Toyota, which acquired a 5% stake in Suzuki Motor in 2019. Maruti Suzuki is set to supply electric cars for Toyota from next year. Said Toyota of him, “He was a father figure who developed Japan’s kei car (mini vehicle) and nurtured it into Japan’s people’s car”.

During Osamu Suzuki’s reign Suzuki Motor was transformed into a global conglomerate successful spreading to 190 countries where it has a significant presence. He had the vision to avoid a direct fight with the other global auto manufacturers who were competing with each other using cutting-edge technology. Instead, he looked out for unexplored markets with small but modern cars which changed the automobile trends in the countries he entered. In India, for example, he introduced small modern cars when the market was dominated by old fashioned, outdated cars, thereby, revolutionising the auto industry.

Osamu Suzuki’s fiscal prudence is one of the reasons behind the rise of Suzuki Motor Corporation to the status of an auto giant by selling small low priced cars, still making a profit.

Born Osamu Matsuda, Osamu started his career as a loan officer in a local bank. His life took a turn when he married Shoko Suzuki, the granddaughter of the patriarch of Suzuki Motor Corporation, Michio Suzuki. As the Suzuki family did not have a male heir, Osamu was married into the family, and following the Japanese custom, Osamu took up the family name of Suzuki, to become Osamu Suzuki. He is the fourth adopted son to run the company. He joined the company in 1958 and worked upwards through the ranks to become President two decades later.

Shoko and Osamu Suzuki have three children and the family lives in Hamamatsu city, in Japan.

More small and big stories coming-up in the weeks ahead. Drive with World Inthavaaram.

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2024-51

About: the world this week, 15 December to 21 December 2024: the wars; death of a tabla titan; Top Gun honours for Tom Cruise; India – State and Parliament; Test Cricket, and a fabulous Indian spinner retires.

Everywhere

The Wars

A top Russian General accused of using chemical weapons on the battlefields in Ukraine was killed in a bomb blast in Moscow early Tuesday-an attack swiftly claimed by Ukraine.

Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, who headed Russia’s nuclear, biological, and chemical protection forces was killed, along with an assistant, by a remotely detonated bomb planted in an electric scooter outside an apartment building. This came a day after Ukrainian prosecutors sentenced Kirillov, in absentia, for Russia’s use of banned chemical weapons in the ongoing war.

With Hamas down but not out, Hezbollah almost out, and Syria staring a grim possibility of returning to the Stone Age, Israel turned its sights on the Iran-backed Houthis of Yemen.

This week, the Houtis launched a ballistic missile into Israel’s Tel Aviv damaging a school, but no injuries were reported. The missile was intercepted by Israel. Within hours, in a quick response Israel completely paralyzed three Houthi-controlled Ports in Yemen during airstrikes, targeting capital Sanaa for the first time. Dozens of fighter jets, along with refuelling aircraft, hit targets up to 2,000 km from Israel.

Wonder how Israel plans to deal with the ‘Mother Ship’ – Iran.

On another front, news floats-in that hostage deal negotiations between Hamas and Israel are nearing conclusion. As part of the deal, Palestinian terrorists convicted of murder will be exiled to Turkey and Iran. Discussion is ongoing regarding the names and sentences of the Palestinian prisoners who will be freed as part of the deal. The deal being worked on would consist of three phases. The first phase, which would last 45 days, all Israeli civilians and female soldiers being held hostage in Gaza would be released and Israel’s troops would withdraw from the centre of cities, coastal roads, and an area along the Gaza-Egypt border. In addition, residents of northern Gaza would return to their homes. In the second phase, the remaining hostages would be freed, and the Israel would complete its withdrawal from Gaza. The third phase would be a permanent ceasefire and the end of the current war. Will it work out this time?

Wah Ustad!

This week Zakir Hussain Allarakha Qureshi the legendary tabla virtuoso and global ambassador of Indian classical music died, aged 73, in San Francisco, United States. His death was due to health complications. Besides being a percussionist, Zakir Hussain was a music composer, music producer, and film actor.

The tabla-a pair of drums used in Indian classical music-is historically viewed as an accompaniment to the main performance.

Think Tabla, and Zakir Hussain flashes across the mind with those trademark long curly locks of hair, which danced to his fingers that made music in the iconic Brooke Bond Taj Mahal Tea advertisement, of the 1980s. Taj Mahal Tea was a premium Indian tea brand launched in 1966.

The advertisement opens with Hussain seated against the backdrop of the beautiful Taj Mahal, effortlessly playing the tabla. Later, he sipped on a cup of Taj tea. When a voiceover praises him saying, “wah ustad, wah” (Wow Ustad – as skilled musician- Wow!) he responds, “Arre huzoor, wah Taj boliye!”( Come on-annoyingly- sir, praise the Taj). This exchange, though brief, became iconic, drumming itself in the collective memory of Indians. At a time when television was still a novelty in India, the advertisement resonated with viewers for its simple yet impactful message and Zakir’s humble charisma. The television commercial portrayed the perfection in playing the tabla as the result of hours of dedicated work, just like the work of a master tea blender. Wow indeed!

Zakir Hussain was the eldest son of tabla master Ustad Alla Rakha Qureshi. Two of his brothers Taufiq Qureshi- a percussionist-and Fazal Qureshi-a tabla player-are also in Indian classical music. He spent his early days in Mumbai training, under his father; studied at St. Michael’s School Mahim, Mumbai; and graduated from St Xavier’s College, Mumbai. He moved to the United States in 1970, where he lived and ‘played’, up to his death. And kept the long hippie locks!

Zakir Hussain was a child prodigy and collaborated with Indian classical icons like Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan, and Shivkumar Sharma and global musicians like John McLaughlin and George Harrison. His journey, from a child prodigy to an internationally celebrated percussionist, is a masterclass in balancing tradition and innovation.

Hussain played on George Harrison’s (lead guitarist of the famous Beatles) 1973 album ‘Living in the Material World’ and John Handy’s 1973 album ‘Hard Work’. He also performed on Van Morrison’s 1979 album ‘Into the Music’ and ‘Earth, Wind & Fire’s (an American Band) 1983 album ‘Powerlight’.

Hussain joined Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead(an American Rock Band) to create the special album ‘Planet Drum’, featuring drummers from different parts of the world including Vikku Vinayakram (known as the God of Ghatam) from India. The first Planet Drum album, released in 1991 and went on to win the 1992 Grammy Award for Best World Music Album – the first Grammy ever awarded in this category. In later years the same team came together to make the album ‘The Global Drum Project’, which won the Grammy for Best Contemporary World Music Album at the 51st Grammy Awards Ceremony in 2009.

Awards came by the beat to Zakir Hussain. He won a total of four Grammys over his career. India awarded him the Padma Shri, the Padma Bhushan, the Padma Vibhushan besides the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for contributions to Hindustani Classical Music.

Hussain composed, performed, and acted as Indian music advisor for the Malayalam film ‘Vanaprastham’-a 1999 Cannes Film Festival entry, and won awards at the 2000 Istanbul International Film Festival, Turkey; 2000 Mumbai International Film Festival in India, and 2000 National Film Awards, India.

He has composed soundtracks for several movies, most notably ‘In Custody’ and ‘The Mystic Masseur’ by Ismail Merchant. And has played tabla on the soundtracks of Francis Coppola’s ‘Apocalypse Now’, Bernardo Bertolucci’s ‘Little Buddha’, among other films. He starred in several films specifically showcasing his musical performance both solo and with different bands, including the 1998 documentary ‘Zakir and His Friends’. Hussain co-starred as Inder Lal in the 1983 Merchant Ivory film ‘Heat and Dust’, for which he was an associate music director.

In 2016, Hussain was among many musicians invited by President Obama to the International Jazz Day 2016 All-Star Global Concert at the White House.

Eight years after Zakir Hussain moved to the US, he met, dated and married Antonia Minnecola, a Kathak dancer and teacher, who was also his Manager. They have two daughters, Anisa Qureshi and Isabella Qureshi. Anisa graduated from UCLA and is a film-maker. Isabella is studying dance in Manhattan. The story goes that Hussain married Antonia without telling his mother who had rigid views, and Hussain was the first to marry outside his community. But his father was there to marry him off. And took on the responsibility to explain to his mother to bring her on-board. In later years his mother met Antonia and grew to like her.

Hussain’s life revolved around rhythm from the very beginning. He leaves behind a timeless legacy that will inspire generations.

Top Gun Cruise

Tom Cruise, 62, was awarded the US Navy’s highest civilian honour for outstanding contributions to the military with his screen roles. The Distinguished Public Service Award was presented to Cruise during a ceremony this week at the Longcross Film Studios in Chertsey, Surrey. Tom Cruise expressed his gratitude for the ‘extraordinary acknowledgement’.

Cruise happened to be around in the neighbourhood, working on his next film, ‘Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning’, due for release in May 2025.

Tom Cruise’s lead role as a young naval aviator. Lieutenant Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell, a in the 1986 smash hit ‘Top Gun’ shot him into celebrity status, and the film’s record-breaking success spiked military enlistment. The Navy thanked the action hero, who it said had “increased public awareness and appreciation for our highly trained personnel and the sacrifices they make while in uniform”. The movie Top Gun was so influential that the Navy even set up recruitment tables in theatres screening the movie.

Tom Cruise reprised his role as Lieutenant Pete Mitchell in the 2022 sequel ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, which the Navy said ‘reinvigorated’ military interest from younger audiences.

The prestigious civilian honour was previously awarded to Academy Award winners Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks for their work in the World War II movie ‘Saving Private Ryan’.

Cricket, Rain, and Ashwin

The Third India versus Australia Cricket Test Match played at the Gabba, Brisbane, Australia, had a third force trying to get in to bowl, bat, keep, and howl. Rain wrecked havoc throughout the match, and ultimately had the final say. The Test ended in a draw, which saw India struggling at one point way behind Australia. And defeat was staring down on them. Thanks to the rain, ‘they escaped jail’.

Then there was a fourth force, well actually an announcement. India’s ace spinner Ashwin Ravichandran, 38 called it quits and announced retirement from International Cricket. Ashwin is widely regarded as one of the greatest spinners of all time. He represented the national team that won the 2011 ODI World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy-where he bowled the match-winning final over. He plays for Tamil Nadu and South Zone in domestic cricket and for Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

First, some mind-boggling statistics.

Ashwin took 537 wickets in 106 tests with 37 five-wicket hauls; made 3,503 Test runs with six centuries and 14 half centuries. He Played 116 ODIs and took 156 wickets and 65 T20s with 72 wickets. He was the fastest bowler to reach 300 test wickets in terms of number of innings. He is one of the only three players to have scored 3,000 runs and taken 500 wickets in Tests. As of September 2024, he is the highest-ranked bowler in the ICC men’s player rankings and the highest rated Indian bowler ever in Test cricket.

He played as a right-arm off spin bowler and a handy lower order batsman. Ashwin started as an opening batsman but dropped down the order due to limited success and turned into an off-break bowler. He made his first-class debut for Tamil Nadu in December 2006 and captained the team the following season. In 2011, Ashwin made his Test debut against the fiery West Indies and became the seventh Indian bowler to take a five-wicket haul on debut.

He had greater success with the turning tracks in the Indian subcontinent. He won the ICC Cricketer of the Year and ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year awards for 2016. He has been named five times to the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year and was named in the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Decade 2011–20. In 2015, he was awarded the Arjuna award by the Government of India.

In his bowling, Ashwin produces several variations and flights the ball, thereby giving it more chance to spin and dip on the batsman. In addition to his normal off-breaks, he produces an arm ball and the carrom ball, the latter of which he uses frequently in the shorter formats. In IPL 2013, he bowled leg-breaks and googly as well. He evolved his carrom ball from the soduku ball, a finger-flicked leg-break used in tennis ball cricket on the streets of Chennai. However, he refrains from bowling the doosra as it requires him to bend and straighten his arm, which he finds difficult to do.

Ashwin resides in Chennai Tamilnadu. He married his childhood sweet-heart, Prithi Narayanan in November 2011, and the couple have two daughters.

I get that creepy feeling that Ashwin has placed his himself above the country. He could have waited till the end of the India-Australia Test series to announce his retirement. His Dad said he was humiliated, but Ashwin quickly called for it to be ignored. Whatever, good luck to him.

India Melange

State

There was outrage in Tamil Nadu, which saw the funeral procession of a convicted terrorist S A Basha attended by a huge crowd, with 2000 to 5000 police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel being deployed in Coimbatore City! SA Basha was sentenced to life for the 1998 Coimbatore Bomb Blasts.

On 14 February 1998, bombs went off at 12 locations in Coimbatore city, just ahead of BJP leader LK Advani’s visit, killing 58 people and injuring another 200. Basha was found guilty by the Courts and was sentenced to life imprisonment along with 12 others in 2007. Fundamentalist organisations including the Al-Ummah founded by Basha, the All India Jihad Committee, and Islamic Defence Force, were all held responsible for the 1998 bombings.

Basha founded Al-Ummah after the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya on in December 1992. As ties between Muslims and Hindus in Coimbatore and elsewhere became increasingly strained, Al-Ummah was able to radicalise young Muslims.

Basha was granted parole recently for undergoing medical treatment for an illness and died when he failed to respond to treatment.

It was a shame to see political parties such as Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) an Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) Seeman, alongside many Muslim and Kongu leaders vying with each other to ‘condole the death’. These parties has earlier demanded the release of those sentenced for the 1998 blasts.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticised the state government for granting permission to Basha’s funeral procession, accusing it of ‘minority appeasement’.

Centre

India’s Parliament is working its Winter Session and conducting business has become a heated job with the Opposition Parties shouting-down the Government and disrupting proceeding over finicky issues. The Government introduced the ambitious ‘One Nation One Election Bill’ and promptly sent it to a Parliament Committee for more discussions.

Journalist Tavleen Singh (who I follow on X) described a controversy over a supposed insult to Ambedkar-architect of India’s Constitution-as nothing to do with him, but a juvenile high jinx more suitable to a rowdy school yard.

Towards the end of the week it became bloody with the Leader of the Opposition – Rahul Gandhi-accused of pushing a senior BJP MP leading to this fall and admission to Hospital.

India’s Parliament is a place to watch when in session: guaranteed entertainment. They seem to discuss everything, except what matters for the country.

More top-gun stories coming-up in the weeks ahead. Stay with World Inthavaaram.

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2024-50

About: the world this week, 8 December to 14 December 2024: Argentina’s chain-saw President; Shaken & stirred South Korea; a restored Cathedral; Syria’s President scoots; Israel-getting cleverer by the war; Chess euphoria in India; and Test Cricket Down Under.

Everywhere

Shining Stripes of Argentina

Argentina, under its maverick President Javier Milei, declared that for the first time in 123 years Argentina has no deficit and instead a sustained fiscal surplus, free of default.

When he took office in December 2023, Milei committed himself to transforming Argentina-and took it dead seriously. The foremost task he set himself was to eliminate the fiscal deficit-primarily through reducing public spending-and stopping the financing of the treasury by printing Central Bank Money with the goal of eradicating inflation. And he has delivered on that promise.

Javier Milei’s aggressive cost-cutting measures significantly brought down Argentina’s expenses. He inherited an economy battered by inflation so chronic that supermarkets adjusted the price of goods every day. But his famous ‘chain-saw’ no-nonsense, stay-lean, austerity approach-shutting down or merging various unnecessary Government departments-has brought stability to Argentina. Javier Milei is surely setting an example for Governments to follow. Already looking in this direction is the ‘under formation’ America’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team of Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. More chain-sawing in this part of the world?

Stirred and Shaken South Korea

Last week, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol made a shocking and disastrous attempt at imposing martial law in the country. This would have given the military sweeping emergency powers to root out what he called ‘anti-state forces’ and overcome obstructionist political opponents. But, following Parliament’s-The National Assembly-rejection of the martial law, he did a quick U-turn and rescinded the Order.

This week the President spoke to South Koreans in a televised address, “I leave it up to my party to take steps to stabilise the political situation in the future, including the issue of my term in office,” he said, promising there would be no second attempt to impose martial law (if he is still President).

Last Saturday he survived an impeachment vote in Parliament, but the leader of his party said the President would eventually step down. Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP) boycotted the impeachment vote, put forward by the main opposition Democratic Party, and the motion was scrapped after not enough lawmakers participated. After the vote, however, PPP leader Han Dong-hoon said the party had decided that Yoon would resign, saying, “The declaration of martial law was a clear and serious violation of the law”.

The opposition needed at least eight votes from Yoon’s PPP to reach the two-thirds majority needed to impeach. But almost all PPP lawmakers departed after casting votes on a separate motion and only three from the party voted.

Restored Cathedral

Late last week on the 7th December, the Notre-Dame de Paris, a medieval iconic Catholic cathedral and a world-famous landmark in Paris, France, was reopened following the completion of restoration work. About five years ago, in April 2019, a fire destroyed the cathedral’s spire and roof and caused extensive damage to its interior. And French President Emmanuel Macron had promised to re-open, within 5 years, which he did.

The reopening ceremony was presided over by the Archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich, in the presence of the French president, and other heads of state and government. This was followed by an inaugural mass on 8th December at which a new altar was consecrated, and a series of public services over the following days.

Uncertain Syria: Assad Scoots

After more than 50 years of Assad family rule, and 13 years of civil war, the Syrian capital of Damascus fell to rebels this Sunday, following a lightening offensive that began in Aleppo and ripped through the major cities of Hama, and Homs. The main rebel coalition, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) led by Ahmad al-Sharaa – better known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, declared Syria ‘free’ and pledged to establish a pluralistic government. Fireworks lit up the streets of Damascus as Syrians celebrated their newfound freedom. But the events left Syrians at home and millions of refugees abroad hopeful yet deeply uncertain about their country’s future.

Bashar al-Assad stepped down as President and left Syria hours after rebel forces took control of the capital Damascus. Assad confided in almost no one about his plans to decamp to Russia where he had been granted political asylum. Instead, aides, officials and even relatives were deceived or kept in the dark.

Assad fled Damascus by plane on Sunday, 8th December flying under the radar with the aircraft’s transponder switched off, escaping the clutches of rebels storming the capital. The exit was dramatic: deception, despair and flight ended his rule of 24 years and brought the civil war of 13 years to an abrupt halt. He flew to Russia’s Hmeimim airbase in the Syrian coastal city of Latakia, and from there on to Moscow. Assad’s immediate family, wife and their three children, were already waiting for him in the Russian capital. Assad didn’t even make a last stand. He didn’t even rally his own troops. He let his supporters face their own fate. Remember, Syria ran one of the most oppressive police states in the Middle East during the Assad family rule.

The next day, Assad’s Prime Minister said he had agreed to hand power to the rebel-led Salvation Government. Assad has not been seen in public since he met the Iranian foreign minister in Damascus a week ago. That day, he vowed to ‘crush’ the rebels seizing territory, with dizzying speed. Turns out he left with speed.

Later, during the week, Mohammad al-Bashir was installed by Al-Golani to lead an interim administration- the Syrian Transitional Government. He said his aim is to bring back millions of refugees, create unity, and provide basic services. But rebuilding would be daunting with little funding on hand.

Mohammad al-Bashir is a Syrian politician and engineer and served as the 5th prime minister of the Syrian Salvation Government, the civilian administration of HTS , between his election on 13 January 2024 and appointment to the current role.

In a televised statement, Al-Bashir announced that officials from the Salvation Government met with representatives of the previous government to facilitate the handover of power. And that his cabinet from the Salvation Government would assume their corresponding roles in the transitional government.

On his part, Al-Golani said that he would dissolve the security forces of the former regime, close its notorious prisons and hunt down anyone involved in the torture or killing of detainees.

Meanwhile, the world is carefully watching to see if Syria’s new rulers can stabilise the country and avoid unleashing violent revenge.

Israel: Cleverer By The War

Pouncing upon the opportunity of Syria’s chaos, Israeli unleashed mayhem on weapons and military facilities in Syria. Its warplanes carried out a wave of over 350 strikes across the country, including in the capital Damascus wiping out the Syria Air Force, strategic weapons stockpiles, and much more, rendering Syria’s fighting capability toothless. A research centre with suspected links to chemical weapon production was among the sites hit. Israel’s said the attacks were meant to stop weapons falling into the hands of extremists following the overthrow of the Assad regime. Israel has also sent troops into a buffer zone on its border with Syria in order to impose a ‘sterile defence zone’ in southern Syria.

Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu said that the Golan Heights, occupied by Israel for almost 60 years, will remain part of Israel ‘for eternity’. This is amid a growing criticism of an Israeli takeover of a previously demilitarised buffer zone in Syrian-controlled territory.

Israel’s soldiers also took control of Syrian army positions on Mount Hermon – the highest point in Syria- and in Quneitra province after the Assad troops abandoned their posts. The Israeli military intends to use deterrent fire against any attempts to breach the border fence, ordering residents of five Druze Syrian villages to stay at home until further notice.

Meanwhile, Leaders and Representatives of many South-western towns and villages in Syria, which have large Druze populations, the biggest being the town of As Suweida, are demanding to be annexed by Israel and to become Israeli citizens.

The Druze faith is one of the major religious groups in the Levant (Middle East to the East) with between 800,000 and a million adherents. They are primarily located in Lebanon – 5.5% (of the population) Syria – 3%, and Israel- 1.6%, with smaller communities in Jordan.

The Druze who call themselves Al-Muwahhidun are an Arab esoteric religious group from West Asia who adhere to the Druze faith, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and syncretic religion whose main tenets assert the unity of God, reincarnation, and the eternity of the soul. Although the Druze faith developed from Islam, Druze do not identify as Muslims. They maintain Arabic language and culture as integral parts of their identity, with Arabic being their primary language. Most Druze religious practices are kept secret, and conversion to their religion is strictly not permitted for outsiders.

Australia Down India, Down Under

After a thumping 295 run win-hammering Australia-in the first Cricket Test Match at Perth, it was a sobering defeat for India in the second test at Adelaide-the City of Churches. The Aussies prayed hard?

India’s skipper Rohit Sharma who missed the first Test, to be present at the birth of his second child, returned to captain the side in the second test, a Day-Night Test using Pink Balls. He won the toss and decided to bat first, to make best use of the pitch at the Adelaide Oval, but India were rattled out for 180 thanks to some top-class bowling by Mitchell Starc. He claimed a career-best Test figure of 6 wickets giving 48 runs, as Australia seized the initiative on day one.

In its first innings reply, Australia made 337 for the loss of 10 wickets with Travis Head smashing 140 runs in 141 balls including three sixes and ten boundaries. This is Travis’ hometown and he bludgeoned his way to a third century at the iconic venue, in just 111 deliveries. They say he has a love-affair with the Adelaide Oval, and he went level with the great Donald Bradman’s three hundreds at the same venue. India’s Jasprit Bumrah took 4 wickets for 61 runs and Mohammad Siraj took 4 wickets for 98.

Australia then dismissed India for 175 in their second innings, thanks to a Pat Cummins blitzkrieg, taking five wickets for 57 runs. The Aussies then comfortably chased down the 19-run target to win the Pink-Ball Test by 10 wickets, levelling the five-match series 1-1.

It took less than two and a half days, not even a third night – under seven sessions – for Australia’s bowlers to take apart India either side of Travis Head’s hundred. It was bowling so venomous that it made up for a consistent weakness of team’s, which is relying on one player’s big score to rescue an otherwise floundering innings.

The Third India vs Australia Test match will begin on 14th December, Saturday, in Brisbane.

Chess Euphoria Strikes India

This week, India erupted in euphoria over 18-years-old Indian Chess Grandmaster Gukesh Dommaraju winning the World Chess Championship, beating the reigning world champion, China’s Ding Liren. He is the youngest ever, in the history of Classic Chess Championship to win the title. The Championship tournament was held in Singapore between 25 November and 12 December 2024. It was played to a best of 14 games, with tiebreaks as required, and Gukesh won by 7.5 to Ding’s 6.5. Gukesh won three games and Ding won two games. He takes home prize money of about INR 11.45crore.

The previous youngest was Russia’s Garry Kasparov at age 22 and 210 days and quickly behind is Norway’s Magnus Carlsen at 22 years, 357 days. Gukesh has also broken the 39 years old record of the youngest World Chess Champion, held by Garry Kasparov.

The first World Chess Championship match was held in the year 1886 and won by Wilhelm Steinitz – a Bohemian-Austrian and later American -who defended his title again in 1889, 1890 and 1892. Gukesh is only the second Indian to win the title after Vishwanathan Anand held the title in 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2012. India becomes only the second nation besides the old Soviet Union to produce multiple world Champions. The Next Championship Title is after two years.

There are many who feel that as along as Norway’s Magnus Carlsen remains the most dominant player in the game the title carries little weight. And in the opinion of Chess great Gary Kasparov, “It’s an official title, which in my opinion has no historical relevance”.

This places in perspective the fact that Gukesh has to work even harder to become the best player in the world. And this is a first, steady, strong move to get to position.

Gukesh is the third-youngest grandmaster in history, the third-youngest to reach a chess rating of 2700, the youngest to reach a rating of 2750, and is the eighteenth-highest rated player in history with a peak rating of 2794.

Gukesh was born in Chennai and lives in Tamil Nadu. His family hails from Andhra Pradesh. For more on Gukesh’s background and his climb to the top, read:

https://kumargovindan.com/2024/04/27/world-inthavaaram-2024-17/

Said the Godfather of Indian Chess, Vishwanathan Anand, “Gukesh’s win will go a long way for Chess in India”. No truer words!

It’s generally believed that the game of chess originated in India about 1,500 years ago. Its earliest known predecessor was called ‘chaturanga’, which translates to ‘four divisions (of the military)’: infantry, cavalry, elephantry, and chariotry. These forms are represented by the pieces that would evolve into the modern-day pawn, knight, bishop, and rook, respectively. In a sense, Chess has come back home – young again.

More classic stories coming-up in the weeks ahead. Stay for the long haul, with World Inthavaaram.

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2024-49

About: the world this week, 1 December to 7 December 2024: Yet another war in the Middle East; South Korea messes-up martial law; Japan’s grisly problem; and Cyclone Fengal strikes.

Everywhere

Does the end of the year make people go crazy-trying to quickly finish unfinished business’ of the year(s)? As if the wars in Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon (now under a ‘diaphanous’ cease-fire with Hezbollah) and Turkey’s airstrikes against the Kurd militant targets in Syria and Iraq are not enough, Syria has joined the list, but of countries such as Sudan, Myanmar, which are at war with themselves. Then there is a severe unrest in Bangladesh with the hate-war against Hindus on a steady boil and now suddenly South Korea, feeling left-out, almost strayed-in but quickly recovered. Even as the Earth rotates tilting mores on its axis (under pressure?) the World moves in circles. And what good does war do? Swallow fire, bite bullets? Oh, tell me!

(For a change, Ukraine and Israel are off the Table in World Inthavaaaram)

Assad’s Syria

Syria’s civil war is back with a loud bang. It is in the spotlight after a new rebel coalition launched a surprise attack, sweeping into the country’s second largest city, Aleppo, which was once Syria’s largest city by population and its economic capital. It is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world. This is the first time forces opposed to the Government have seized territory in Aleppo since 2016, shattering the stalemate of a war that never formally ended. The renewed conflict, which has killed more than 300,000 people and sent nearly 6 million refugees out of the country, also has wide ramifications across the region and beyond, especially in the background of ongoing wars in the region.

Let’s go back to when it all stared.

Once upon a time, at the height of the Arab Spring in 2011, pro-democracy demonstrators took to the streets in Syria calling for the ouster of its authoritarian President Bashar al-Assad. The protesters were met with deadly force and the movement brutally crushed. However, an armed opposition began to form made up of small organic militias, various armed rebel groups such as the ‘Free Syrian Army’ and some defectors from the Syrian military. This marked the beginning of the Syrian Insurgency, which by mid 2012 escalated to a full-blown civil war. The opposition forces- the insurgency- were supported in various ways by neighbouring Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, as well as, of course, the United States.

But as the anti-government forces grew, Syria’s allies Iran and Russia scaled-up their support for Syria. On the ground, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as well as its Lebanese proxy Hezbollah helped fight the armed rebel groups. In the skies, the Syrian Air Force was bolstered by Russian warplanes. To add to the potboiler extremist Islamists including Al Qaeda and ISIS were swayed, taking up a common cause with the moderate Syrian opposition who did not welcome a jihadist involvement.

By 2014 the extremists dominated and ISIS began sweeping across the country. Fearing Syria would become a permanent terror hotbed, an international coalition led by the US stepped in with a focus on eliminating the group but without confronting the Syrian regime.The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)-a US partner made up of Kurdish fighters -fought against ISIS, effectively ending the group’s territorial existence. The SDF was formed from a group known as the Peoples’ Protection Units (YPG), which is considered a terrorist organization by neighbouring Turkey.

In 2016, Syria’s civil war shifted in President Bashar Al-Assad’s favour after a Russian blitzkrieg on Aleppo helped him regain control over the city.

In 2020, Russia and Turkey agreed on a ceasefire in the last remaining opposition-held province, Idlib, agreeing to establish a security corridor with joint patrols.

There have been no major flare-ups since then, but Syria’s government never regained all of its territory. And as recent events in Aleppo reveal, armed resistance never fizzled away.

Now, coming to the present.

In just over 72-hours last week, in a surprise attack, a coalition of Syrian armed rebel groups operating under the banner of ‘Deterrence of Aggression’ captured Aleppo, dealing a significant blow to President Assad and causing a major escalation to a largely dormant war. By Tuesday, Syrian rebels reached the northern countryside of Hama.

The rebel coalition consists of well-established armed Islamist factions who, despite differences, are united in fighting Assad, ISIS, and Iran-backed militias. The offensive began on Wednesday after rebels formed a new coalition called the ‘Military Operations Command’. They quickly swept through villages outside Aleppo and residents have now said they control much of the city, meeting little resistance on the way. In response to the rebel advance, the Russian and Syrian air forces launched an aerial offensive in Aleppo and Idlib provinces.

Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 and has ploughed manpower and resources into the war. Russia is Assad’s main partner in the sky. Meanwhile, Iran has suffered a series of attacks from Israel, in particular landing heavy blows on Hezbollah. This time, Assad’s allies are sweating it out in continuing to help him.

Aleppo was also the main rebel stronghold until Assad took it over in 2016. With the rebels regaining a foothold again, they are no longer cornered in Idlib, which could potentially trigger a domino effect.

The new grouping is made up of a broad spectrum of opposition forces, from Islamist factions to moderates. Leading them is Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a former Al Qaeda affiliate in Syria that used to go by the name Al-Nusra Front. The group headed by Abu Mohammed al-Golani, officially cut ties with Al Qaeda and has been the de facto ruler in Idlib. It is designated as a terrorist group by Turkey, the US and the United Nations. They have been joined by groups backed by Turkey and others previously supported by the US. Complicating the situation is that some of the rebel groups are also fighting the SDF. The Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army, which is part of the rebel coalition that took control of most of Aleppo city, said it had seized control of the city of Tal Rifaat and the towns of Ain Daqna and Sheikh Issa in the northern part of the Aleppo governorate. It also claimed to have captured the villages of Shaaleh and Nairabiyyeh in Aleppo’s northern countryside. Those territories were previously held not by the government of Bashar al-Assad but by the SDF.

A quagmire. The head spins, right? So many people fighting for control. Wonder, what do they want. An Islamic State? Al Qaeda, ISIS, Hamas, Hezbollah, now HTS?

South Korea: Declare and UnDeclare

This week, in an unbelievable stunning act, South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol declared an Emergency Martial Law across the country in a Television Address. He accused the opposition of controlling the parliament and sympathising with North Korea. The shock decision comes in the aftermath of his People Power Party and the opposition Democratic Party disagreeing over a budget bill. The move plunged South Korea into political chaos.

Equally surprising, the country’s parliament voted to defy the move.

According to South Korea’s Constitution, the President can declare martial law to cope with a military threat or to maintain public safety and order by mobilising military forces. The decision must be reviewed by the cabinet and the National Assembly must also be notified about the decision. The law also dictates that if South Korea’s parliament requests the lifting of martial law through a majority vote – as has happened – then the President must comply. Since South Korea’s establishment as a republic in 1948, there have been more than a dozen instances of martial law declaration.

Special forces of the army stormed the parliament building, while soldiers surrounded part of the parliament and clashed with citizens who rushed to oppose martial law. Later when the forces tried entering Parliament, Lawmakers barricaded themselves inside, stone-walling doors with desks, sofas and fire extinguishers. There was no further escalation, with the heavily-geared battle-ready Forces showing discretion.

South Koreans were ‘dumbfounded’ when they first heard the news that martial law had been declared – and some thought it was a ‘hoax’.

President Yoon Suk Yeol made a wild gamble in a bid to dig himself out of a political impasse – but will now likely face calls for his removal from power. He has made his position much more difficult, if not impossible.

Yoon Suk Yeol has been in power since 2022, after narrowly winning the election by just 0.7 % points. He has struggled to get his agendas through as South Korea’s parliament is controlled by the opposition. Unable to pass his own laws, he has instead been vetoing any bills the opposition hoped to pass.

The next day on Wednesday, better sense prevailed, and Martial Law was aborted with the President announcing he will lift martial law in accordance with the vote. Soon after, his Cabinet approved the end of the decree.

Now the pressure is on the President to step down. After a whirlwind night of political upheaval in South Korea, the president’s future is in jeopardy as calls grow for impeachment following the thwarted attempt to impose martial law.

This is certainly one of the greatest political errors a President can make. And at the end of the day, ‘democracy worked’; it prevailed in restoring the system.

By the end of the week, probably to save himself, the President ‘gunned-down’ the Defence Minister – he was sacked.

Japan’s Bears Problem

Japan is grappling with an-unable to bear-growing Bear problem complemented by a dwindling and ageing band of Bear Hunters. A record 219 people were attacked by Bears, 6 of them fatal, in the twelve months through March 2024, while more than 9,000 Bears were trapped and culled over that period.

Japan is home to two species of Bears: the Japanese Black Bear and the Hokkaido Brown Bear. Most of the Black Bears live on the main island of Honshu, with a small number in Shikoku. The Black Bear is slightly smaller than its kind in China. The Brown Bear is found in the northern island of Hokkaido and is the biggest land animal in Japan. And is among the largest types of Brown Bear in the world.

Both species of Bears have been cleverly expanding their habitats. The number of Brown Bears in Hokkaido, more than doubled to about 11,700 in the three decades through 2020, though other estimates put their numbers at roughly 44,000 – a threefold increase since 2012!

Over recent decades, restrictions on hunting practices and greater emphasis on conservation contributed to a surge in the Bear population. With Japan’s rural areas experiencing rapid demographic decline, Bears are venturing closer, than before, in to towns and villages, and abandoned farmland, to occupy precious space.

Although some hunters stalk Bears as a hobby, many are not thrilled about culling trapped Bears for local governments. And they also risk clashing with authorities. Bear Hunters have also become a ‘vanishing species’, with people moving on to more ‘lucrative habitats’! In response to increased Bear attacks, this year Japan proposed relaxing rules around gun use to make it easier for hunters to shoot Bears in urban areas.

Experts say depopulation and a decline in the amount of managed farmland, in recent decades, may have emboldened Bears to approach towns for food. A clearer demarcation between habitats would help humans and Bears coexist. Bears are also raising cubs closer to human settlements, causing young Bears not to fear people as much as before. Climate change-driven shifts in the ripening and flowering of fruits, nuts and leaves may drive Bears to raid crops when their usual food sources are low.

“What we need is a daily, consistent effort to make sure that Bears don’t enter human areas,” says a Bear Expert.

Bears hibernate in the winter, lowering their body temperature and using stored fat for energy. They spend the hibernation period in their dens, which are typically built in the hollows of trees, between rocks, or even dug from the ground. And the floor is cushioned with dead leaves and branches. Females give birth to their cubs during this period, and spend at least two months inside the den.

With Japan’s population ageing and shrinking, some companies are turning to technology to manage Bears. Propped on four rods, the ‘Monster Wolf’ robot sold by a Company, Wolf Kamuy, emits growls, barks, and threats from a loudspeaker, triggered by a sensor. Priced at about 400,000 yen (about USD 2,550) and powered by solar energy, the gleaming-eyed beast has demonstrated some success in warding off Bears, though its sensor can be triggered by other animals (humans included?)

Beware of Bears!

Cyclone Fengal

This week, cyclonic storm Fengal a deadly tropical cyclone that originated from a tropical disturbance off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia on 14 November ripped through Southern India’s state of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka and making landfall on 30 November. Going by the structured naming process, ‘Fengal’ was named by Saudi Arabia and means a ’strong wind’.

Cyclone Fengal brought significant flooding and damage on its path. It is the fourth cyclonic storm of the 2024 North Indian Ocean cyclone season. Many places in Tamil Nadu faced incessant rains for almost three whole days. Previously thought dead & buried Rivers suddenly sprang to life wearing a fresh muddy coat of paint.

Given last year’s disastrous flooding in Chennai, the State Govt armed itself to the teeth with boats & water pumps and the kind, and boldly proclaimed it can handle anything. That followed severe criticism of its abysmal handling of the previous years’ floods. Cyclone Fengal must have heard and this time it changed direction and wrecked havoc in Villupuram, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam – 800 acres of farmland sent underwater -Tiruvannamalai, Kallakurichi, Dharmapuri, Salem, in addition to sending the adjacent State of Puducherry under water. Historic, never before… were the words thrown around. Nevertheless, Chennai did suffer and for some it was a deja-vu with about 130mm of rain.

The Temple Town of Tiruvannamalai saw a never-before landslide kill at least 7 people. Sudden release of water to the tune 1.80 lakh cusecs from the nearby Sathanur Dam without adequate warning caused severe flooding and loss of cattle, downstream. The Government maintains it followed SOPs, but most residents complained that they did not receive adequate warnings. A resident of Puthur Chekkadi, which is home to over 500 houses, said that only a few people in the village received SMS alerts from the Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority, that too on Monday morning, when the village was already flooded.

In the aftermath, the States are limping back to normalcy.

More flooding stories coming-up in the weeks ahead. Bear-up and stay above water with World Inthavaaram.

Kaakkaa Thukkikittu Poochi

About: a light-hearted look at a failed to take-off arranged marriage adventure, in Tamil Nadu, India in the 1990s.

It’s been one of my favourite childhood lines, ‘Kaakkaa Thukkikittu Poochi’ (The Crow Lifted it Away). When something goes missing – inexplicably or explicably – and someone asks where it is gone, my childhood fantasy reply has always been, ‘Kaakkaa Thukkikittu Poochi’.

These days, when someone asks where my wife is, or someone, or something else for that manner, I jokingly say the same thing. Often it brings forth a bewildering look, an ear-to-ear smile, or a deep sigh, Oh?

Over the years there are many things that have gone missing – down the rabbit hole – allowing the crow to fly-in and do its lifting-off job.

It was the 1990s, in the early days of bride-hunting, in the world of Boy-See-Girl Arranged Marriages, I had just settled into my job in an Indian Government Public Sector Company at Neyveli, Tamilnadu. I had joined as a Graduate Engineer Trainee and powered myself to Executive Engineer level when the family decided I should get married. Of course, with me giving the electric green signal. I had in my possession a nice little new two-bedroom Flat – Company Quarters – they call it, in the Neyveli Township. And my batch of Engineer colleagues were quick to bring their brand-new wives for the living and filling-in the spaces, some had already progressed to having kids. It was my turn.

One day, I was summoned by my family to see a Girl, living in the nearby city of Salem. Her father worked in Dubai or Oman (I’m not sure) and she was an Arts Graduate ‘fully equipped’ to get married. She had one younger brother.

My Mom, Dad, maternal Uncle and Aunt – a whole troupe was ready for the seeing, and we all filed into the Girl’s House at the auspicious time. After the introductions, exchanges of pleasantries, and serving of coffee, I had my chance to talk to the Girl – privately – for a one-to-one unchaperoned chat. It was a pre-condition I had laid for such adventures.

I had built-up a simple dream figure of my future wife: must have long lustrous hair, look reasonably good, and talk fluent English (I reckoned some education comes with that), among other essentials. I was put in an English Boarding School from the age of three, initially staying as a paying guest in an Anglo-Indian family in the nearby hill station of Yercaud and then into boarding in the dormitory. My thinking was wholly in English. And I translated it to Tamil, my mother tongue, whenever I spoke in Tamil resulting in many calling me a Malayalee from the State of Kerala due to my ‘fish smelling’ accent. To top it up, I talked in hypersonic speed!

Well, the girl had long hair cascading to her hips, looked good – in my opinion- and spoke decent English – though not Shakespearean. I am unable to recall the conversation, but I felt awfully good about it and there wasn’t the slightest hesitation in saying a ‘yes’ to the Girl – assuming other matching aspects will be taken care off by the family (and I reckon she understood what I spoke).

When we decided to leave, I wanted to just go over and say, ‘I like the girl, let’s go ahead with finalising the match’. But my family pulled me aside and said let’s not hurry, we can tell them afterward, when all of us have discussed what we saw.

A few days later, my Dad says, the ‘Girl is not fair-enough – she is on the darker side’. I said that cannot be a reason – unacceptable – if there is any other worthwhile reason I can consider it. We were building a new house at that time in our ancestral Village, and Dad was insistent that we order dark-brown wash basins and WCs for the washrooms. I shot it down, saying, ‘nothing doing – we’ll go for the white coloured ones’. He then argues, you are alright with white ceramic basins, but not a ‘white’ bride? Those were the white colour obsessed days. Any my Dad lived up to it.

With no other reasonable objections coming from the family, beyond inaudible grunts and murmurs, I said let’s go ahead. Meanwhile, I made my own enquires through a cousin of mine, known to the Girl’s family, and was satisfied with what I had gathered-Sherlock Holmes would have been proud. And I was assured that the girl is not of the ‘dangerous kind’.

I had to go on a six-month Company work stay in Haridwar in the North of India and left it to the family to ‘finalise the relationship’ and make Wedding plans.

It turned out that, being unable to convince me against the alliance, the family made another trip to the Girl’s House to see her ‘fully’ once again. They listed more skin, eye, and ear faults, which I did not take with a pinch of salt. But seeing the unholy resistance and not knowing more about the Girl, and not yet in love with her, to make a firm decision, I gave up. My family said ‘No’ to the Girl’s family and we moved on.

With the acquired experience, my family was more cautious and I was successful in the next adventure bringing home my now wife (though, I had to cut down the length of the hair – being richly endowed in other departments).

Over the years, I have always wondered what happened to that Girl, who did she marry? Where does she live? How does she look like now? It’s just a foggy memory I have of her, and I am not sure I would recognise her should I run into her again. There is too much dust on the mirror- and I only remember a smiling oval face and long hair – a dusky beauty. The world is certainly round but still not round enough for us to meet again!

A classic, Kaakkaa Thukkikittu Poochi tale?

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2024-48

About: the world this week, 24 November to 30 November 2024: a belligerent Russia; Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire; rowdy Bangladesh; Australia under-16; India State Elections; Earth’s tilt; small in Argentina; and India’s cricket, down under.

Everywhere

Russia Ups The Ante

The Russia-Ukraine war moves on fiercely, with the threat of escalation and spill-over in the region a dangerous possibility.

Last week, Russia demonstrated its Oreshnik (hazel tree) hypersonic weapon system-without a warhead-to checkmate NATO and the United States, and also issue a warning to the West. It is a devastating, unstoppable surgical strike weapon that basically drops metal lightning out of the sky like Thor’s Hammer or the comets of God. The Oreshnik missile is capable of reaching speeds up to Mach 10 and currently lacks any known countermeasure in missile defense systems.

This week, Russia escalated the conflict in Ukraine with more lethal weaponry and deploying troops from Yemen to bolster its front-lines.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ‘opened a door’ to end the conflict, praising US President-elect Donald Trump as ‘intelligent and experienced’ and capable of finding solutions. Trump had pledged, during his campaign, to end the war in Ukraine ‘within 24 hours’. Of course, without saying how!

It’s absolutely clear that this war cannot end in a victory by either side. Talks and negotiations are the only means of stopping the madness-before it engulfs the world.

Israel and Hezbollah Ceasefire

A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah-operating out of Lebanon-took effect this Wednesday after both sides accepted an agreement brokered by the United States and France. Israel’s security cabinet approved the deal in a 10-1 vote.

The deal stipulates a 60-day halt in hostilities, and hopefully lays the foundation for lasting truce in the region. It requires Israeli ground troops to withdraw from south Lebanon, and, on its turn Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the border south of the Litani River and retreat 40 kilometers away from the Lebanon-Israel border. The vacated spaces will be filled by Lebanon’s Army, which will be deployed in the region-originally a Hezbollah stronghold-within 60 days.

The agreement will maintain Israel’s freedom of operation to act in defence to remove threats posed by Hezbollah and enable displaced Israeli residents to return safely to their homes in northern Israel. On its part, Lebanon would implement a more rigorous supervision of Hezbollah’s movements in the border areas and south of the Litani River to prevent Hezbollah militants from regrouping. Will the ceasefire hold?

Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu said he was ready to implement the ceasefire and would respond forcefully to any violation by Hezbollah. And added that the ceasefire would allow Israel to focus on the threat from Iran, replenish depleted arms supplies and give the army a rest; and to isolate Hamas, and focus more on war in Gaza and release of the hostages.

Netanyahu said, “We have successfully killed approximately 20,000 Hamas terrorists in Gaza since the war began”.

On the other side, it’s estimated that Israel lost 806 IDF soldiers in the process.

Rowdy Bangladesh

The boil in Bangladesh ever since the widespread political violence, which led to the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, continues. And tensions over minority rights and deadly violence against Hindus in particular, bludgeons the headlines. The new military-backed interim government led by Nobel Prize Winner Mohammed Yunus has faced criticism for failing to curb a spike in violence against minorities. In recent months, Hindu businesses, homes, and temples have been vandalised, with the unrest worsening every day.

Hindus comprise about 8% of Bangladesh’s 170 million people.

This week, Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a Hindu priest, an ISKCON monk, and a religious minority leader in Bangladesh, was arrested in Dhaka when he staged a peaceful protest against attacks on Hindus by radical Muslim outfits.

The arrest follows protests led by Hindus in the city of Rangpur, about 300 km north of the capital Dhaka, demanding stronger legal protections and a ministry dedicated to minority affairs.

Chinmoy Brahmachari was detained at Dhaka airport and his arrest comes after a sedition case was filed against him earlier this month – said to be for his outspoken stance against violence targeting Hindus. Earlier this month, sedition charges were filed against 19 people who participated in a minority rights rally in Chittagong.

Later in the week, the Government prosecutor argued that the ISKCON – International Society for Krishna Consciousness – is a ‘religious fundamentalist organisation’ and should be banned. That’s a horrible thing to say given the global nature of ISKCON and its humanitarian services in Bangladesh itself – during the recent floods – and the world over. Bangladesh’s High Court rightfully refused to go into the ban and volleyed the case back to the Government.

Australia’s New Under-16 Law

This week, Australia’s Parliament after an intense, emotive debate, approved and brought into law a Social Media Ban for children under the age of 16 years. This is now one of the World’s strictest laws of the kind.

The Law forces Tech Giants such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, and X to stop minors from logging in to their platforms, or face fines up to USD 32 million. Gaming and messaging platforms are exempt, as are sites that can be accessed without an account, say YouTube. A trial of enforcement methods will start in January 2025, with the ban kicking-in within a year.

‘We are making sure that Mums and Dads can have that different conversation today and in future days’, said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

India’s State Elections

It’s awfully stale and tiring, these elections in India: some people, somewhere are forever voting and the political class is dashing all over the country to make speeches and attend rallies. And makes one wonder whether all this voting works and the people get what they vote for. Or, is democracy only about elections and voting? The Air Quality Index in the New Delhi, for example, flirts above the danger mark ever so often while political parties sound the election bugle-adding noise to the already heavily polluted air-and blame each other.

Late last week, the results of Elections in the State of Maharashtra, which holds Mumbai the commercial capital of India, were declared. And it was a thumping landslide for the ruling The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti alliance, which secured an overwhelming mandate. The BJP won 132 out for the 149 seats it contested – an impressive strike rate of 89% – and partners, the Shiv Sena won 57 and the Nationalist Congress Party, 41.

The Opposition MVA (Maha Vikas Aghadi) Alliance bit the dust, getting a paltry 49 seats. India’s Grand Old Party, the Congress, part of the MVA, won just 16 and was decimated. The House has a total of 288 seats and the majority mark is 145.

This is a shocking turnaround for the Devendra Fadnavis led BJP in the State after an underwhelming performance in the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year. Maharashtra becomes the 6th state in India where the BJP has won back-to-back three elections. Others being Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, and Haryana.

However, in the State of Jharkand the BJP was pushed to second place with 21 seats and the local Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) winning 34 seats, and along with its Alliance partner, the Congress’ 16 seats (another 16 for the Congress!) will form a coalition Government. It was a mighty comeback for the JMM after its leader Hemant Soren was arrested and jailed by the Enforcement Directorate in January in a land scam case, which caused his resignation as Chief Minister. However, he obtained bail from the Jharkhand High Court and returned as Chief Minister to lead the INDI Alliance to victory. 2024 has become Soren’s comeback year.

The Jharkhand Assembly has a total of 81 seats with 41 being the majority mark.

The JMM in particular stressed on adivasi asmita (tribal pride) and showcased its Mukhyamantri Maiya Samman Yojana Scheme, which provides Rs 1,000 per month to eligible women. The turnout of women-4% higher this time-seems to have put the JMM over the top. Credit must also go to Kalpana Soren, who entered politics after her husband was sent to prison. Though the BJP derisively dubbed the power couple ‘Bunty aur Babli’ ahead of the polls, she is credited with revitalising the party and keeping the cadres ‘warmed-up’, in Soren’s absence.

In the bye-elections of various States, it was a wonderful comeback victory for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh State winning 7 out 9 seats in the Assembly. This, after a surprise loss in the Lok Sabha Elections, which was responsible for the BJP falling short of a majority on its own at the Centre.

The Earth’s Tilt

When an object the size of Mars, named Theia is thought to have crashed into the newly formed planet Earth around 4.5 billion years ago, it knocked our planet over and left it (dazed and) tilted at an angle. Ever since this impact, Earth has been orbiting the Sun at a slant. This slant is the axial tilt, also called obliquity and is measured as 23.4 Degrees.

Since Earth orbits the Sun at an angle, solar energy reaching different parts of Earth is not constant, but varies during the course of the year. This is the reason we have different seasons, and why they are opposite in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

Now Scientists have found that the Earth has tilted 80.01 centimetres (31.5 inches) over the last two decades. But the tilt had nothing to do with weird space phenomena, mysterious asteroids, the sun’s gravity, or solar flares, and everything to do with how people are pumping groundwater and shipping it across the planet, a study found. The findings of a study from June 2023 are making headlines over a year after it was published. The planet continuing to tilt is because humans are pumping and moving an obscene amount of groundwater across the planet and redistributing it, according to the study’s press release. This pumping contributed to about 6 centimetres rise in global sea levels. The water was pumped for drinking, agriculture, and industrial use. That makes sense, doesn’t it? Everything you do on the Planet counts, mind it!

While the current shift in Earth’s tilt is not ‘great enough’ to affect weather patterns or seasons immediately, researchers caution that continued groundwater depletion could have long-term climatic impacts.

Oh Deer!

Argentina is celebrating in a small way, of things small.

A rare Pudu fawn was born in a Biopark in Argentina earlier this month, giving scientists and conservationists a unique chance to study and collect data on the tiny deer. We are learning about this after almost a month – giving time for the tiny fawn to get on its feet.

Weighing just 1.21 kilograms the delicate, fragile, and white-spotted male pudu fawn was named Lenga after a tree species endemic to the Andean Patagonian forest of Chile and Argentina.

Pudus are one of the smallest deer species in the world, growing up to 50 centimetres tall and reaching a weight of about 12 kg. They are enigmatic, elusive, hard to see, and flee in zig-zags when chased by predators. The tiny deer face threats from wild dogs and species introduced into southern Argentina and Chile. There are only about 10,000 Pudus living in the world and are classified as near-threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Lenga is spending his days exploring the park with his mother Chalten and father Nicolino. He will be breast-fed for the first two months until he can handle a herbivorous diet. After that, Lenga will lose his white spots and grow the mottled colour that helps Pudus camouflage themselves in their environment from both daytime and nighttime predators. After about one year, hopefully, Lenga will develop antlers that typically- for Pudus- reach up to 10 cm.

Oh India!

India’s cricket team is touring Australia from November 2024 to January 2025. The plan is to play five Test matches and three first-class warm-up matches against the Australia’s cricket team. The Test matches form part of the 2023–2025 ICC World Test Championship.

The 1st Test was played at Perth between 22nd November and 26th November and India hammered Australia, down under, in a historic test win. This was Australia’s first loss in a Test match at the Perth Stadium, with India became the first visiting team to win a Test match at the ground. This was also India’s biggest victory in terms of runs in Australia. Records are made every day in cricket!

With the absence of skipper Rohit Sharma and star batsman Shubman Gill, the popular belief was that Team India would face a torrid time in the first test. However, star pacer Jasprit Bumrah stepped in as Captain and did a swashbuckling job.

India won the toss and elected to bat, scoring 150 runs in the first innings and blowing out Australia for 104 runs. With a 46 run lead, India went into the 2nd innings to score 487 runs, declaring with 6 wickets down. And giving the Aussies a run-chase of 533 to win.

In the chase, Australia kept losing wickets at regular intervals as India bundled them out for 238. For India, Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah scalped three wickets each, while Washington Sundar took two wickets. Centuries by Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli, followed by Jasprit Bumrah’s magnificent bowling helped India thrash Australia by 295 runs.

India’s Jaiswal scored 161 while Kohli brought up his memorable 30th Test ton breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s record of most test centuries (7) for India in Australia. India’s KL Rahul scored his 3,000th run in Tests.

With this win, India takes an early 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

More hitting stories – small and big – coming-up in the weeks ahead. Watch and grow with World Inthavaaram.

This is my Blog where I essay stories on life about and around me, on subjects that stir and shake me up, as I turn, and make life's pages count: hoping to inspire you to live your own story!

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India’s Waqf Bill

The Background, Basics

Over to the Present: Key Changes

The Return: India’s 26/11

Enter the Dragon

Wars

India: Traitors, Poop, and Loose Cash

Earth Shakes

Everywhere

Germany’s Terror

France’s Horror

India: a Former Prime Minister Passes

Japan: Death of a Small Car-Maker

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The Wars

Wah Ustad!

Top Gun Cruise

Cricket, Rain, and Ashwin

India Melange

State

Centre

Everywhere

Shining Stripes of Argentina

Stirred and Shaken South Korea

Restored Cathedral

Uncertain Syria: Assad Scoots

Israel: Cleverer By The War

Australia Down India, Down Under

Chess Euphoria Strikes India

Everywhere

Assad’s Syria

South Korea: Declare and UnDeclare

Japan’s Bears Problem

Cyclone Fengal

Everywhere

Russia Ups The Ante

Israel and Hezbollah Ceasefire

Rowdy Bangladesh

Australia’s New Under-16 Law

India’s State Elections

The Earth’s Tilt

Oh Deer!

Oh India!

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