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 But, following Parliament’s-The National Assembly-rejection of the martial law, he did a quick U-turn and rescinded the Order.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.

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2024-47

About: the world this week, 17 November to 23 November 2024: The War bugle missiles; arresting Israel; Iran’s Supreme Leader; Germany shakes; hypersonic India; Adani in trouble; G20 Brazil; Miss Universe 2024; and the Sexiest Man Alive.

Everywhere

Ukraine’s Missiles

In what could be perhaps be the next level in the Russia-Ukraine war, Ukraine fired United States-supplied long-range missiles into Russia, supposedly a day after the US gave its permission for such attacks. Ukraine used the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) in a strike on Russia’s Bryansk region this week. Five missiles were shot down (by Russia) and one damaged without significant effect. Ukraine also used British missiles at targets inside Russia. All this despite warnings by Russia that it would view such action as a major escalation.

Meanwhile, this week, Russian President, Vladimir Putin approved changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine, setting out new conditions under which the country would consider using its arsenal. It now says an attack from a non-nuclear state, if backed by a nuclear power, will be treated as a joint assault on Russia.

Then in the middle of the week, Russia launched an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) at the city of Dnipro in Ukraine in what would be the first use in this war of a weapon designed to deliver long-distance nuclear strikes. It was also to show the world that Russia means business and would not hesitate to retaliate. ICBMs are strategic weapons designed to deliver nuclear warheads and are an important part of Russia’s nuclear deterrent.

Arresting Israel

This week, in an outrageous act, The International Court (ICC) of Justice in The Hague issued arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Galant (in addition to a dead Hamas’ Commander). This evoked a strong response from incoming US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, who said: “The ICC has no credibility and these allegations have been refuted by the US Government. Israel has lawfully defended its people & borders from genocidal terrorists. You can expect a strong response to the antisemitic bias of the ICC & UN come January”.

Iran’s Supreme

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, aged 85, is reportedly seriously ill, with his second oldest son, Mojtaba Khamenei, likely to succeed him.

Khamenei has served as Supreme Leader since 1989 following the death of Ruhollah Khomeini, the first to hold the title. He previously served as the third president of Iran from 1981 to 1989. Khamenei’s 35-year-long rule makes him the longest-serving head of state in the Middle East, as well as the second-longest-serving Iranian leader of the last century after Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

As supreme leader, Khamenei is the most powerful political authority in the Islamic Republic. He is the head of state of Iran, the commander-in-chief of its armed forces. And can issue decrees and make the final decisions on the main policies of the government, in economy, the environment, foreign policy, and national planning. Khamenei has either direct or indirect control over the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, as well as the military and media. There seems to be nothing he doesn’t control!

Shaky Germany

Olaf Scholz, Germany’s least popular Chancellor on record, is facing growing calls within his Social Democrats (SPD) Party to step aside and let his Defence Minister Boris Pistorius lead the party into next year’s federal election.

Germany is set to hold a snap election on 23 February 2025, after Scholz’s ideologically diverse three-way coalition of SPD, Greens and neoliberal Free Democrats (FDP) collapsed last week following months of infighting.

Scholz, 66, has said he wants to run for a second term and SPD leaders this week individually backed his bid, counting on his experience paying off – despite the party languishing in third place behind the opposition.

However, the final decision is likely to be announced at a party congress in January. And this week, a raft of lesser-known, regional politicians called for a rethink in what would be an unprecedented move – akin to that of the US Democrats in July in persuading President Joe Biden to drop his re-election bid.

India Goes Hypersonic

While the world was asleep, India quietly tested its first hypersonic missile with the ability to strike beyond 1500 kms and capable of speeds of upto more than 5 times the speed of sound at about 6,200 kmh. With this indigenously developed missile technology, India joins an elite club of a small group of nations consisting of the United States, Russia, and China, which have demonstrated similar hypersonic capabilities.

India’s hypersonic missile, developed by the state-run Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and industry partners, is designed to carry payloads for the armed forces. A Government statement said that flight data confirmed the successful terminal manoeuvres and impact with a high degree of accuracy.

The test-firing took place from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the eastern coast of Odisha state, last Saturday.

Adani Again

In other India news, in what appears to be a far-fetched overreach, the US Government indicted India’s Adani Group of bribery, in regard to supplies for solar power projects sourced from the US.

This Wednesday the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York announced charges against Gautam Adani, 62, Sagar Adani, 30, and six others. They are accused of orchestrating a USD 265 million bribery scheme to secure solar energy supply contracts from the Indian government. These contracts were projected to generate profits of nearly USD 2 billion (Rs 16,880 crore) over two decades.

The charges are that, following the promise of bribes to Indian government officials between July 2021 and February 2022, state electricity distribution companies entered into power supply agreement with Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI). This is a public sector undertaking, that acts, among other things, as an intermediary for power procurement – under the Manufacturing Linked Project scheme of the Government of India. The States involved are, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Jammu & Kashmir.

Indian media had this to say, “The indictment against Adani is thin on evidence & details. It is not a judicial order but a hatchet job – bribes alleged, but no clarity on the officials or the quantum involved. This reeks of a strategic attack on India’s growth via its industrial giants”.

G20 Brazil

The 2024 G20 Rio de Janeiro Summit, the 19th meeting of Group of Twenty (G20), a Heads of State and Government meeting, was held at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro from 18th to 19th November 2024. It was the first G20 summit to be hosted in Brazil. Additionally, It marked the first full G20 summit with the African Union as a member, following its inclusion during the previous summit in 2023.

The goals of the Summit were; social inclusion and the fight against hunger; energy transition and sustainable development in its social, economic and environmental aspects; and reform of global governance institutions.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Chinese President Xi Jinping, US President Joe Biden, and Indian PM Narendra Modi were among the leaders who participated.

PM Modi underlined India’s commitment to bringing 250 million people out of poverty. He emphasised India’s strategy of fusing conventional practices with progressive tactics. And recognised the urgency of implementing digital transformation and making it accessible to everyone especially the deprived. Digital transformation has greatly empowered Indian citizens, who now have easy access to resources through their mobile phones.

Iron Boxing

Think boxing, and almost instantly either Muhammad Ali-The Greatest-or Mike Tyson– Iron Mike-flashes across your mind. Tyson was one of the most fearsome heavyweight champions of all time during his heyday in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Late last week he tried to make a comeback in an intergenerational heavyweight battle.

The boxing bout was between 27-year-old social media influencer-turned-prizefighter Jake Paul and the now 58-year old Tyson. The fight was streamed live on Netflix and played out in front of a sold-out crowd at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Paul beat Tyson by unanimous decision to win, in an event that failed to live up to its enormous hype. Fans were left largely disappointed as Tyson showed his age and was never able to generate any offense against his opponent, landing just 18 punches to Paul’s 78.

Tyson said he had no regrets about his defeat. “This is one of those situations when you lost but still won. I’m grateful for last night. No regrets to get in the ring one last time. I almost died in June. Had eight blood transfusions. Lost half my blood and 11 kg in hospital and had to fight to get healthy to fight, so I won”.

Looking back, Mike Tyson’s life is absolutely insane. He robbed houses, spent lots of time in jail; got his prison counsellor pregnant; was convicted of rape and sent to jail; bit opponent Evander Holyfield on both ears- during a fight; assaulted two motorists after a traffic accident and was jailed; used the urine of his wife and infant kid to pass doping tests; held kilos of cocaine; owned tigers that ate his neighbours…and much more ferocious stuff -not for the faint-hearted. Perhaps the scariest man on the planet?

Miss Universe 2024 – It’s a Woman

Late last week, on 16th Saturday, 21 year oldMaria Victoria Kjaer Theilvig of Denmark was crowned Miss Universe 2024. She is the first Danish woman to win the dazzling event, held in Arena CDMX, Mexico City, Mexico. She beat 120 other contestants in a more traditional competition than 2023 that featured plus-size, married, and transgender women. The First Runner-up is Nigeria’s Chidimma Adetshina, and the Second Runner-up is Mexico’s Maria Fernanda Beltran. India’s Rhea Singha failed to make it to the top 12. The New Miss Universe was crowned by last year’s Title Holder – Miss Universe Nicaragua, Sheynnis Palacios.

Kjaer Theilvig is a professional dancer and Entrepreneur and aims to become a Lawyer. She is blonde (the first blonde winner since Australia’s Jennifer Hawkins in 2004) and blue-eyed. And was Miss Denmark 2021 and Miss Universe Denmark 2024.

On the sidelines, avid watchers of the competition were sarcastically celebrating the winner being a biological woman following the pageant’s decision permitting transgender women to participate.

The Crown of Miss Universe has changed twelve times over the course of its 70-year history. This year it’s a new Crown called The Jewelmer Lumiere de l’Infini Crown unveiled on 13 November 2024. It is designed by Philippine-based luxury jewelry company Jewelmer, known for specializing in golden Philippine South Sea pearls. It was handcrafted by master jewellers using traditional Filipino and French jewelry design and making techniques, particularly the Place Vendome technique. Each of the golden pearls was harvested and prepared in 377 steps. The design of the crown is meant to encapsulate and evoke the long history of beauty with the Miss Universe Organization and its Queens. Its gold and platinum metal foundations resemble those of the waves and the dance of the universe, which are adorned with hundreds of diamonds and 23 golden South Sea pearls. The biggest golden pearl featured at the top-center of the crown represents the sun, bursting with diamond-adorned golden rays. The French Lumiere de l’Infini translates to ‘Light of Infinity’ and shining Infinitely’ or Infinite Brilliance.

The Sexiest Man Alive 2024

People is an American weekly magazine that specialises in celebrity news and human-interest stories with the stated goal of ‘connecting people’ to the pulse of American culture. The first issue of People hit the stands in the year 1974.

People has been granting the Sexiest Man Alive title every year, since 1985 when actor Mel Gibson discovered he was the sexiest man alive. Since then, People has found 36 sexiest men (hopefully alive). The list includes a galaxy of stars such as: Sean Connery, Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze, Nick Nolte, Keanu Reeves, Brad Pitt, Denzel Washington, George Clooney (twice), Michael B. Jordan, Brad Pitt (twice), Pierce Brosnan, Ben Affleck, Johnny Depp(twice), Jude Law, Matthew McConaughty, Matt Damon, Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds, Bradley Cooper, Channing Tatum, Adam Levine, Chris Hemsworth, David Beckham, Dwayne ‘the rock’ Johnson, Blake Shelton, Idris Elba, John Legend, Michael B. Jordan, Paul Rudd, Chris Evans, Patrick Dempsey (Grey’s Anatomy)- last year 2023.

In the year 1993 instead of sexiest man alive, People named Actor Richard Gere and Supermodel Cindy Crawford as the ‘Sexiest Couple Alive’. However the couple split after a year, and Richard Gere went on to win the title on his own in 1999 – a second time,

The Award is chosen by paying close attention to comments and what the general public says on celebrity coverage throughout the year. People’s Editors consult focus groups, which inform discussions among higher-ups in the magazine and the editorial staff is asked to give their own input. They also talk to other celebrities, including women to ‘win’ their views. People starts thinking about who could be next year’s Sexiest Man the day after the last one is published. They consider ‘everyone’, to begin with. Research is done, including focus groups. The magazine editors hold top-secret meetings to decide on the winner.

This Year, People crowned American Actor and Filmmaker John Krasinski, 45, as the Sexist Man Alive – 2024.

He is known for his role as Jim Halpert in the TV sitcom, The Office , where he was also a producer and occasional director. He directed, co-wrote and co-starred in the 2018 horror film ‘A Quiet Place’, for which Time Magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Krasinski has given us one of TV’s most beloved characters and, in recent years, has evolved his sense of style.

On the personal side, Krasinski began dating English actress Emily Blunt in November 2008, became engaged in August 2009, and married her in July 2010- that’s a steady series! He now lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his steady wife of 14 years and daughters Hazel, 10, and Violet, 8. Actress Emily Blunt joked that she would wallpaper their house with the Magazine cover if her husband received the crown – that needs to be checked out! These days Krasinski is calling his own shots and appreciates the life he’s built together with Blunt. “It’s that beautiful thing where when you’re married to someone, you’re constantly learning and changing and evolving,” he says. “And I’m so lucky to go through all that with her.” Not that his new title will change anything: “I think it’s going to make me do more household chores,” he jokes. “After this comes out, she’ll be like, “All right, that means you’re going to really earn it here at home”.

More sexy and crowning stories coming-up in the weeks ahead. Powder-up with World Inthavaaram.

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2024-46

About: the world this week, 10 November to 16 November 2024: Wars I to III; US President-elect in transition; India’s Supreme Chief Justice; the Taj Mahal hides; stability returns to Sri Lanka; and ‘Delhi’ Ganesh – no comebacks.

Everywhere

War -I

The Russia-Ukraine War meanders on with each side tearing down some part of the other side every week. Edging to some kind of a pyrrhic victory? This week, on Sunday, Ukraine attacked Moscow with at least 32 drones, the biggest drone strike on the Russian capital since the start of the war in 2022, forcing flights to be diverted from three of the city’s major airports. Not many casualties were reported, though.

War -II

Israel pounded Lebanon’s Beirut’s southern suburbs with airstrikes on Tuesday, mounting one of its heaviest daytime attacks yet on the Hezbollah-controlled area.

Ignited by the Gaza War, the conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah is rumbling on for over a year.

Hezbollah’s rocket and drone attacks have killed about 100 civilians and soldiers in northern Israel, the Golan Heights, and southern Lebanon, over the last year.

War -III

Then there is another ongoing war-an internal one-which does not seem to be nearing an end, anytime soon.

More than 61,000 people are estimated to have died in Khartoum State during the first 14 months of Sudan’s War. Evidence suggests that the toll from the devastating conflict is significantly higher than previously recorded, according to a new report by researchers in Britain and Sudan. The estimate includes some 26,000 people who suffered violent deaths, a higher figure than one currently used by the United Nations for the entire country.

The UN says the conflict has driven 11 million people from their homes and unleashed the world’s biggest hunger crisis. Nearly 25 million people-half of Sudan’s population-need aid as famine has taken hold in at least one displacement camp.

For the genesis of the Sudan War read:

https://kumargovindan.com/2024/05/18/world-inthavaaram-2024-20/

The Shape of Things to Come

Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States is in the process of stitching together his dream team to get to work on the double, when he is formally inaugurated on 20 January 2025. And the sounds of formation seem to be exactly what is required to Make America Great Again (MAGA)-his version.

The first appointment was ‘Ice Maiden’, Susie Wiles for Chief of Staff, who along with campaign co-chair Chris LaCivita were the masterminds behind Trump’s Election victory. Florida Senator Marco Rubio, 53, who holds a hawkish view of China will be Secretary of State. Army veteran Pete Hegseth will be the next Defence Secretary. Matt Gaetz will be Attorney General. Florida congressman Michael Waltz will be National Security Adviser. South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem will play the key role of overseeing US security, including its borders, cyber-threats, terrorism and emergency response. The tough talking, no-nonsense, Tom Homan is Border Czar – no better person to get illegal immigrants off the land. US Army Reserve Tulsi Gabbard was picked for the powerful post of Director of National Intelligence. In regard to India, Tulsi has spoken forcefully for exiled Kashmiri pandits, backed abrogation of Art 370 & says the West can learn from India’s Vedic wisdom.

New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik will serve as the US Ambassador to the United Nations. She made national headlines with her sharp questioning in congressional committees, first at Trump’s 2019 impeachment hearings and again this year quizzing college leaders about anti-semitism on campus.

A worrisome appointment seems to be environmental lawyer and anti-vaccine activist Robert F Kennedy Jr as Secretary of Health and Human Services. He is the son of Robert Kennedy and nephew of former US President John F Kennedy and senator Ted Kennedy. Have the Kennedys arrived, again?

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, the world’s richest man will lead what Trump has termed a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) alongside one-time presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy. DOGE which will function outside of the cabinet but in close coordination with it. Their goal is to shake-up the bureaucracy – removing deadwood and unnecessary departments to make the Government work with terrific efficiency. Said Vivek, “America’s 250th anniversary is on 4 July 2026. DOGE will deliver our nation the birthday gift of a government that’s actually accountable to its people, rather than the other way around”.

Meanwhile, the President and the President-elect met in the White House to ‘firmly’ shake-hands and show snow-white teeth to ensure a smooth transition and transfer of power.

A New Chief Justice

This week, Justice Sanjiv Khanna was sworn in as the new Chief Justice of the Supreme Court(SC) by the President of India. He is the 51st judge to reach this level, and succeeds Justice D Y Chandrachud.

Sanjiv Khanna has been serving as SC Judge since January 2019 before being elevated to the top-most portion in the land. He is the nephew of renowned former SC Judge H R Khanna. Sanjiv Khanna’s noteworthy rulings are his support for Electronic Voting Machines in Indian Elections, saying they prevent booth capturing and bogus voting. He was part of the SC bench that struck down Electoral Bonds as unconstitutional, and upheld the government’s decision in 2019, to abrogate the contentious Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir. His tenure will be up to 13 May 2025. And he better make use of the time to deliver some ‘fresh’ justice.

Obscured Love

The story goes that Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, who built India’s Taj Mahal as a monument of love to his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal, spent the last years of life gazing at the Taj Mahal, as a prisoner (his son put him in jail and stole the Crown) at Agra Fort – near the Taj. This week the Air Quality in Delhi and its neighbourhood was so horrific that it obscured the Taj Mahal: one could not see the ‘outpouring of love’ even standing right in front of it. Shah Jahan must be turning in his grave-and blinded!

New Delhi had a severe air quality level of 424 (AQI), according to live rankings kept by Swiss group IQAir, the worst amongst global capitals. And the Taj Mahal is about 220 km from New Delhi!

To bring some meaning into the air: an AQI up to 33 is Very Good; and between 34 and 66 is Good. Above 200 plus is hazardous.

New Delhi battles smog every winter as cold air traps dust, emissions, and smoke from illegal farm fires. Around 38% of the pollution in New Delhi this year has been caused by stubble burning in the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana. Even Sikhism’s holiest shrine, the Golden Temple in Amritsar was not spared – it vanished in the thick air!

Stable Sri Lanka

Surely, stability is returning to Sri Lanka with its new President Anura Kumar Dissanayake’s party securing a majority in Parliament in the just concluded Parliamentary Elections. His National People’s Party has won at least 123 of the 225 seats in Parliament. The opposition, United People’s Power Party, was left far behind with 31 seats. President Dissanayake was elected in September this year, and this result gives him a thumbs-up, strong mandate to plan and execute his economic revival agenda.

In a significant shift in Sri Lanka’s electoral landscape Dissanayake’s Party won the Jaffna District, the heart of the ethnic Tamil community, along with many other minority strongholds. Probably for the first time Tamils have shifted their loyalties to Sinhalese majority leaders instead of the traditional Tamil parties.

I guess Sri Lankans have spoken clearly and strongly.

We Cannot Use Him Again

Late last week, on 9th November, in the dead of night-almost into the next day- versatile supporting Actor, comedian, and sometimes villain, ‘Delhi Ganesh’ passed away at the age of 80 due to age related problems, at his home in Chennai. His domain was mostly Tamil films and TV serials. He had acted in over 400 films, about 50 TV serials, and in the early years in about 20 plays(each staged 100 times). Delhi Ganesh supported the leading superstars of the time in Tamil cinema and particularly had an enduring act with Actor Kamal Hassan, to who he attributed all his fame and glory.

Delhi Ganesh was born ‘M Ganesan’, between two siblings-an elder sister and a younger brother, in Keezhapavur, a town in Tenkasi District of Tamil Nadu. He grew up in the town of Tirunelveli in a family deeply in love with the arts, which environment stimulated him in the stage direction, in the wonder years.

Most successful careers are not straight lines. Ganesan joined the India Air Force (IAF) in the ground services department as a Clerk in 1964, in Chennai and when he left in 1974, he has risen to the position of Corporal. During his tenure in the IAF he was deployed in the auxiliary personnel team, in Jammu & Kashmir during the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pakistani wars.

While posted in New Delhi he was an active member of the Delhi-based theatre troupe, Dakshina Bharata Nataka Sabha, acting in dramas, playing various roles, and making a name for himself in Tamil theatre in India’s capital.

He quit the IAF in 1974 and returned to Chennai as he found his calling in acting – on the stage, and in the film world. While hunting for acting jobs he worked for a brief period as a stenographer in the Food Corporation of India in Chennai.

He joined ‘Kathadi’ Ramamurthi’s Drama troupe, and during his stay with the troupe, received a breakthrough portraying the role of Kuselar in the play ‘Dowry Kalyanam’, which caught the eye of Tamil film Director K Balachander.

Those days, celebrities and members of other troupes would ensure that they get to view the final dress rehearsal and the first show of a new Drama. That was how his first film chance came about: through Director Balachander who saw him in the Drama ‘Pattina Pravesam’ written and staged by Director & Actor Visu. Balachander promptly offered him a role in the movie version.

The movie ‘Pattina Pravesam’ (entering a City) was written and directed by Balachander based on the play of the same name by Director Visu. It was released in the year 1976, introducing Ganesan to the Tamil Film World as ‘Delhi Ganesh’. During that time, there were two other famous Ganesans ruling the Tamil Film world: ‘Gemini’ Ganesan and ‘Shivaji’ Ganesan, who had also acquired stage names based on the circumstances of their first act.

Whatever, the name stuck and ‘Delhi Ganesh’ flourished as a character artist, a comedian, villain, or a family man, of lasting legacy. He also carved out a name for himself in several TV serials.

Among many awards, Delhi Ganesh received the Kalaimamani Award- the highest civilian award in the state of Tamil Nadu – in 1994.

One of Ganesh’s most iconic roles is in the 1990 Tamil comedy film ‘Michael Madana Kama Rajan’, where he plays a short-tempered cook serving one of Kamal Haasan’s four characters in the film. Kamal and Delhi Ganesh have acted together in many other films, which went on to become memorable super hits, including ‘Nayakan’ (1987), ‘Apoorva Sagodharagal’ (1989), ‘Avvai Shanmugi’ (1996), and ‘Thenali’ (2001).

Delhi Ganesh married his cousin, Thankom, in the early days of his career, and the couple have one son and two daughters. His son, Mahadevan Ganesh, is also an actor. Delhi Ganesh was an affable, outright family person and easily came across as your next-door neighbourhood man.

My last memory of Delhi Ganesh is in the family jingle advertisement for Aswin Sweets – a local brand of sweets – where he convincingly declares that the oil once used (in cooking the sweets) is never used again. Will there be someone like Delhi Ganesh, again?

More love and drama stories coming-up in the weeks ahead. Stay with World Inthavaaram.

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2024-45

About: the world this week, 3 November to 9 November 2024: Israel infighting; USA’s new old President; Amsterdam street-hunt; Cricket-Kiwis make ants of India; and Quincy Jones departs.

Everywhere

Israel: Infighting

This week, Israel’s Prime Minister (PM) Benjamin Netanyahu fired his Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, 14 months into the Gaza War, and the attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Iran.

Netanyahu said there has been too many ‘significant gaps’ between them over the management of Israel’s wars. He added, “In the midst of a war, more than ever, full trust is required between the PM and the defence minister. Unfortunately, although in the first months of the campaign there was such trust and there was very fruitful work, during the last months this trust cracked between me and the defence minister”.

The two have regularly been at odds over the handling of the Gaza war. A previous attempt to fire Gallant, in March last year, led to widespread street agitations against Netanyahu, with opposition groups calling for mass protests.

This time, the ‘gallant’ sacking comes amid a backdrop of disagreements over drafting of ultra-orthodox students into the IDF, with Gallant deciding to send out thousands of draft notices. Leaders of ultra-orthodox Haredi parties in Netanyahu’s coalition Government have called for a law exempting full-time religious seminary students from service.

Religious young men are exempt from military service, which is compulsory for most Jews in the country. Many Israelis are annoyed the ultra-orthodox remain exempt from national service when so many of the country’s young men and women are fighting.

Yoav Gallant was replaced by Israel Katz, was previously foreign minister. Katz has nowhere near the military command experience of Gallant-who is so well regarded within Israel that when he spoke about the direction of the war, often in opposition to Netanyahu, people listened.

Amsterdam Hunt

Late this week Jewish soccer fans were ‘attacked and hunted like animals’ by Islamists, Pro-Palestinian mobs, and antisemitic hit-and-run squads who went on a rampage in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Israelis were abused and pelted with fireworks around the city, and riot police had to be called-in to protect them and escort them to hotels. At least five people were treated in hospital. Israel despatched its aeroplanes to the rescue and said it would fly many fans home. However at the end of the day all missing people were accounted for and Israel sighed in relief.

Dutch police said they had launched a major investigation into multiple incidents following the Europa League soccer game this Thursday night between Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv and Dutch side Ajax.

Later, the King of the Netherlands, Willem-Alexander said: ‘We failed the Jewish community during World War II, and last night we failed again’.

United States (US): a New Old President

The US has a peculiar, long-drawn process of electing its President and Vice-President, beginning from the nomination of candidates through Presidential Primaries, Caucuses, Conventions, and ending on Election Day. They are not chosen by a direct popular vote. The US Constitution requires that a process known as the Electoral College ultimately decides who wins the Presidential election. In all other US elections, candidates are elected directly by popular vote.

Each state gets as many Electors as it has members of Congress (House and Senate). Each state’s political parties choose their own slate of potential Electors. Who is chosen to be an Elector, how, and when varies from State to State.

After a voter casts his ballot for President and Vice-President, his vote goes to a statewide tally. In 48 states and Washington, DC., the winner gets all the electoral votes for that State. The States of Maine and Nebraska assign their electors using a proportional system. A candidate needs the vote of at least 270 Electors—more than half of all Electors out of a total of 538—to win the presidential election. In most cases, a projected winner is announced on election night in November after voting is completed. But the actual Electoral College vote takes place in mid-December when the electors meet in their States.

Electoral votes are awarded on the basis of the popular vote in each State. The Electoral College is not a physical place. It is a process which includes: the selection of Electors; meeting of Electors who cast votes for the President and Vice-President; and counting of the Electors’ votes by Congress.

This week on 3rd November, Tuesday, America voted to elect a new President and Vice-President for the next four years. Counting of votes begins on Election night and typically proceeds in a specific order: election day votes first, followed by early and mail-in ballots. Local election officials are tasked with verifying and counting votes, a process that is meticulously regulated to ensure accuracy and transparency.

In this year’s Presidential Elections, former President Donald Trump of the Republican Party trounced Vice-President Kamala Harris of the Democratic Party to become the 47th President(Elect) of the United States. Trump won the Electoral and the Popular Vote: 295 Electoral votes and 50.8% of the Popular vote, to Kamala Harris’ 226, and 47.5% respectively. The vote for the Vice-President-the running mate- runs alongside that President. And J D Vance becomes Vice President-elect.

Donald Trump made history in many ways: he is the oldest President, at 78, to be elected; the first convicted felon; and the first Republican to win the popular vote in over two decades.

Trump’s strategy of courting a coalition of less engaged voters and minority groups, especially Black and Hispanic men, paid off. His messaging on immigration and the economy resonated with voters, giving him an edge, as many expressed dissatisfaction with President Joe Biden’s administration-baggage Kamala Harris struggled to shrug off.

Trump has proven to be political Teflon: no matter the scandal or issue, he has outmanoeuvred it and garnered support. Voters chose Trump despite the litany of offensive or racist remarks at rallies, concerns about his age, questions about his mental acuity, the fallout from the 6 January 2020 insurrection, and a colourful trial that ended with a criminal conviction.

In his first speech, Trump said the nation delivered “an unprecedented and powerful mandate,” while JD Vance called the election “the greatest political comeback” in US history.

How did Trump pull it off?

He had the fortune of running when Americans were frustrated by inflation, high prices and, to a lesser extent, illegal immigration across the US southern border. On the campaign trail, Trump said he opposed a federal abortion ban but that states are free to pass laws as restricted or unrestricted as they choose. He also became a vocal advocate for having insurers cover the cost of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments.

Trump’s emphatic win seems to be a revenge of the normal working class and a message by the ordinary man on the street to get the job done of making their lives easier, and better. And doing what he said he will do.

Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk lent his entrepreneurial, start-up muscle techniques and his dollars, to the win, especially with the social media platform ‘X’. He endorsed Trump and set a winning narrative. Maybe, America has reached a fork in its destiny, worked, after all. Microsoft’s Bill Gates and a galaxy of Hollywood stars in turn endorsed Kamala, but they acted to a wrong script, ‘divorced from the mega reality’ and it was a flop show.

Those were the Trump’s signature issues, ones that proved to be anvils that weighed down Vice President Harris’ candidacy. The result was a quicker-than-expected set of returns that secured Trump an unbelievable, landslide victory.

India was not let down in ‘trying to place its person’ in the White House, or at least in the neighbourhood. If Indian origin Kamala Harris lost the Presidency, Indian origin Usha Chilukuri won the job of the Second Lady as wife of Vice-President J D Vance – that’s a family vote. Usha becomes the first Indian American, Telugu American, and Hindu Brahim American to reach the position. An elated Chief Minister of the Indian State of Andra Pradesh was quick to give a ‘shout out’, welcoming them home, sometime.

Usha Chilukuri, 38, is the daughter of Indian immigrants. Her father is a mechanical engineer from IIT Chennai and a lecturer at San Diego State University; her mother is a molecular biologist and provost at the University of California, San Diego.

Her parents’ ancestral village is Vadluru in West Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh, though Usha grew up in a San Diego suburb.

Usha graduated from Yale University with a bachelor’s degree in history and from Yale Law School with a Juris Doctor degree. After law school, Usha served as a law clerk for multiple federal judges, including Chief Justice John Roberts, Judge Brett Kavanaugh, and Judge Amul Thapar. Usha married Vance in 2014, and in 2019 she was admitted to the District of Columbia Bar and subsequently worked for a leading law firm handling civil litigation and appeals in cases involving higher education, local government, entertainment, and technology. She resigned from her law firm job in July 2024 to help her husband in the Vice-Presidential campaign. The Second Couple boast three children – two boys and a girl.

Cricket

The New Zealand cricket team’s tour of India ended with a perfect white-wash, topping-up with frothy white cream, to the already won 2 test matches, in the 3 Test Match Series. Words such as historic win, first-ever… etc., were hit to the boundary.

Indians expected their team to salvage some pride by winning the Third Test match played at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, starting on the 1st November, but it was a huge disappointment. Set to chase 146 runs for a win, India disastrously floundered and lost by 25 runs. They left the stadium with their tails firmly between their legs while the Kiwis, who had no tail to wag, or wings to fly, sturdily walked home with the Victory Trophy. Feet firmly pitched on the ground.

‘Q’: You Were The World

This week, American record producer, songwriter, composer, and film and television producer, Quincy Jones, the man known simply as ‘Q’ died on Sunday at age 91. With reasons not being disclosed, we can assume that old age kicked-in.

Q worked with musicians ranging from Count Basie to Frank Sinatra and reshaped pop music with his collaborations with Michael Jackson in a music career spanning more than 65 years. There was little Jones did not do in his career. He was a trumpeter, bandleader, arranger, composer, producer and winner of 28 Grammy Awards.

Quincy Jones was a studio workaholic and a virtuoso at handling delicate egos. He shaped recordings by jazz greats such as Miles Davis, produced for Frank Sinatra, and put together the superstar ensemble that recorded the 1985 fundraiser, ‘We Are the World’, the biggest hit song of its time. That was to raise money for fighting famine in Ethiopia. Jones organised ‘We are the World’ along with Jackson and singer Lionel Richie. The huge all-star chorus featured Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Diana Ross, Bruce Springsteen and Smokey Robinson. Q set the tone for the recording session with a sign that said, ‘Leave your ego at the door’.

Quincy was also a prolific writer of movie scores and co-produced the film, ‘The Color Purple’, as well as the 1990s television show ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel Air’, which launched the career of Actor Will Smith.

Jones’ most lasting achievements were in collaboration with Michael Jackson. They made three landmark albums – ‘Off the Wall’ in 1979, ‘Thriller’ in 1982, and ‘Bad’ in 1987 – that changed the landscape of American popular music. ‘Thriller’ sold as many as 70 million copies, with six of the nine songs on the album becoming top 10 singles.

Hits like ‘Beat It’, ‘Billie Jean’ and the title song made ‘Thriller’ the biggest-selling album of all time. It won three Grammys for Quincy Jones and seven for Michael Jackson. They followed that in 1987 with ‘Bad,’ which had five No. 1 hits, including, ‘Smooth Criminal’ and ‘Man in the Mirror’. Over to their music in Heaven!

More thrilling stories coming-up in the weeks ahead. Listen to the music of World Inthavaaram (wish Q was here to make a recording).

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2024-44

About: the world this week, 27 October to 2 November 2024: Israel & Iran; Afghanistan-voice ban; America-the Menendez brothers; Spain-Biblical floods; Cricket, Chess; and Deepavali – why burst firecrackers?

Everywhere

Israel

Israel kept its promise to whack Iran for daring to attack it over a third-party problem. And late last week, Israel executed a large-scale, three-wave airstrike on about 20 Iranian military sites, targeting critical infrastructure including air defense systems, missile manufacturing facilities, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle(UAV) development centres. It was a calibrated attack and at first seemed ‘not loud enough’ in keeping with Israel’s standards, of such responses. However, from the looks of it, and given the grave-dead silence on the Iran side, Israel appears to have achieved its goals: significantly weakening Iran’s military capacity, publicly exposing the regime’s vulnerability, and preventing a larger, drawn-out conflict. Iran was left ‘naked’-for Israel to strike at will, when it decides.

Iran’s air defense, despite years of boasting, proved insufficient, as Israel penetrated deep inside and danced unchallenged in Iran’s air-space. Israel seems to have chosen the least escalatory option, of the various available, and refrained from hitting financial, regime, or nuclear targets.

Back in the Gaza, Israel’s IDF is surrounding and rounding-up remaining terrorists in north Gaza resulting in the surrender of hundreds of operatives, and the process continues in a seemingly never-ending operation. Meanwhile, 101 hostages still remain captive-held by the terrorist Hamas- and are unreachable for over 395 days. Ceasefire talks are doing the rounds, but nothing concrete as emerged, as yet.

Afghanistan: Voice Over

The Taliban continues its antediluvian thought process in Afghanistan and this week, in a bizarre rule, banned women from ‘hearing each other’s voices’. This is a fundamental tactic of misogynist authoritarianism to prevent communication between women who may otherwise organise and resist. The Taliban only backslides Afghanistan, every week.

The Taliban Minister responsible for the ‘propagation of virtue and the prevention of vice’, declared that women must refrain from reciting the Quran aloud in the presence of other women. “When women are not permitted to call Takbir or Azan (Islamic call to prayer), they certainly cannot sing songs or music,” he said. “Even when an adult female prays and another female passes by, she must not pray loudly enough for them to hear. How could they be allowed to sing if they aren’t even permitted to hear voices while praying, let alone for anything else,” A woman’s voice is considered ‘awrah’, meaning that which must be covered, and shouldn’t be heard in public, even by other women, the minister said. The black-veiling only gets darker.

The Menendez Brothers

In the United States, Erik and Lyle Menendez, two brothers convicted of murdering their parents more than three decades ago, are one step closer to being released from prison. The brothers are currently serving life in prison without the possibility of parole, in California. This is a significant development in a case that has gripped America, since it hit the headlines in the year 1989.

The Los Angeles County district attorney formally recommended their re-sentencing in a court filing, arguing for a lesser sentence for the pair. If approved, the request would make the brothers eligible for parole, and the first step on what could be a long road to freedom.

The brothers fatally shot their parents, entertainment company executive Jose Menendez and Kitty Menendez, with shotguns in their Beverly Hills home in 1989. Jose was shot six times, and Kitty ten times, including a shot to her face after Erik reloaded. The brothers were 21 and 18 years old at the time.

The brothers alleged sexual abuse by their father at their first trial. And claimed they killed their parents in self-defense, following years of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. That trial resulted in a mistrial after the juries deadlocked- a hung jury. Prosecutors argued that the brothers committed the crime out of greed (their parents were worth USD 14 million). They were tried a second time, and packed-off to jail.

Nearly 30 years later, new evidence has emerged: a letter Erik wrote in 1988 detailing the sexual abuse, and another person has alleged that the brothers’ father abused him.

Earlier this month, more than two dozen members of the Menendez family issued a public plea for Erik and Lyle to be released, saying the boys endured horrific sexual abuse at the hands of their father and are not a threat to society. Kitty Menendez’s sister said, “the whole world wasn’t ready to believe that the boys could be raped, or that young men could be victims of sexual violence”. She said that now “we know better” and “a jury today would never deliver such a harsh sentence”. But the family is not in complete agreement. A lawyer for Kitty Menendez’s brother called the brothers “cold-blooded” and said their “actions shattered their family and left a trail of grief that has persisted for decades.” The brother believes his nephews should stay in prison for their “heinous act”, according to his lawyer.

The release of a Netflix docudrama and documentary has renewed interest in the case, with a new generation taking to social media to advocate for the brothers’ freedom.

If the hearing results in a judge approving the new sentence, attention will shift to the California Parole Board. The Board will examine the case, and whether the Menendez brothers are indeed a threat to society if they are released. Even if the Board approves their release, the Governor of California could decide to halt proceedings.

Spain: Super Floods

Imagine a year’s worth of rain-cats & dogs-falling in just under eight hours. That’s what happened in Spain’s eastern region of Valencia this week. Over 95 people have been killed in possibly the deadliest flash flooding to hit Spain in its modern history. Torrential rain battered Valencia, sweeping away bridges and buildings, causing pile-ups on highways and submerging farmland in a region that produces two-thirds of the citrus fruit grown in Spain, a leading global exporter.

Residents in the worst-hit places described seeing people clambering onto the roofs of their cars. As a churning tide of brown water gushed through the streets, uprooting trees and dragging away chunks of masonry from buildings and the water itself standing tall at over 2 metres. It left its mark on the walls of the buildings, in many residential areas. In narrow streets, it was cars ‘flowing over one another’.

Trains to the cities of Madrid and Barcelona were cancelled, and schools and other essential services were suspended in the worst-hit areas. Near about 150,000 users in Valencia were left without electricity.

The scale of the flooding that unfolded in Valencia is truly Biblical and unfathomable. And this is definitely not normal weather or even the ‘normal’ abnormal. There is a footage in Chiva, where a jaw-dropping 343 mm of rain was recorded in just 4 hours between 4:30pm and 8:30pm on a particular day. So severe was the extent of the damage that Spain declared a three-day national mourning.

Sports

Cricket

The New Zealand cricket team is touring India, during October and November 2024, on a three Test Match Series against India’s Cricket Team. The Test Series forms part of the 2023–2025 ICC World Test Championship.

The Kiwis were off to a strong-legged start, winning the First Test in Bengaluru-played between 16th and 20th October-by 8 wickets. And in a stunning ‘flightless walk’ kept the momentum to win the Second Test – played in Pune between 24th and 28th October – by 113 runs. They have climbed to a muscular, unassailable 2-0 lead in the Series.

It was a historic first Test Series victory for New Zealand against India, in India, ending the hosts’ 12-year unbeaten streak. This also ends India’s remarkable run of 18 consecutive home series wins, since Alastair Cook’s England clinched a famous 2-1 triumph in December 2012. We can safely say that the Kiwis white-washed India in an outstanding series win, their first in India in almost 70 years! To draw a comparison, this is as significant as India beating Australia in Australia in 2018, after 70 years.

Pushed to a corner like never before, India face their biggest challenge at home when they clash with New Zealand in the must-win third Test as they are left to salvage pride and fight a perception about their diminishing ability to negotiate quality spin attack. The Third Test match will be played at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai between 1st and 5th November. And India need to win, to remain in contention for a slot in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s in June 2025.

Chess

This week Indian Chess Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi, 21, crossed the venerated 2800 Elo rating mark in live chess ratings – a phenomenal feat. He is only the 16th player in the world and the second Indian to do so after the legendary Viswanathan Anand.

Arjun crossed the mark in the live chess rating by beating Russian chess grandmaster Dmitry Andreikin in Round 5 of the European Chess Club Cup. Arjun is currently on 2802.1 points and holds the world No.3 ranking in the live rating.

Arjun is also the third youngest player to cross the 2800 points mark. The youngest is French GM Alireza Firouzja who achieved the feat at the age of 18 in 2001. World No.1 Magnus Carlsen is the second youngest. He got to 2800 Elo points in 2009, also at the age of 18. At that time Carlsen was the fifth player to cross the 2800 barrier.

Currently, he leads the list in live rating with 2831 Elo points followed by USA’s Fabiano Caruana (2805.2).

The Elo rating system is a method for calculating the relative skill levels of players in zero-sum games such as chess or e-sports. It is named after its creator Arpad Elo, a Hungarian-American physics professor. Elo ratings are comparative and are valid only within the rating pool in which they were calculated, rather than being an absolute measure of a player’s strength.

Deepavali: Why Firecrackers?

Hindus in India and the World over celebrated Deepavali-typically called the Festival of Lights-this week on 31st October, by lighting oil lamps, mostly earthen-diyas- exchanging gifts, devouring sweets, and bursting firecrackers, among other practices.

Often there is a case to prevent or altogether stop the bursting of firecrackers in the name of noise and smoke pollution. And the Courts are challenged, to step-in.

A ‘lack of fundamental understanding’ on crackers affects the Hindu faith. Bursting firecrackers on Deepavali is not a mere celebratory or merry-making activity, but a ritual integral to Hindutva and laid down in the ancient Hindu texts, of over 1000 years. And at best the Government can regulate or control, but never ban or disallow. Here is an explanation.

There are many variants of the ancient Deepavali festival, and it’s no coincidence that Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, and Hindus all celebrate on the same day-in about the same period-in one way or the other.

Generally, Deepavali is the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance; Lord Rama returning to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana (evil-who kidnapped Sita) and welcomed back with an array of lighted diyas and firecrackers; Lord Krishna killing the demon Narakasura-evil; honouring Goddess Lakshmi’s marriage to Lord Vishnu…and a string of many other stories.

The ways of celebrating are also as varied, from buying gold jewellery and ornaments, making and trading sweets, wearing new clothes after an oil-on-the-head bath, exchanging gifts, tightening family bonds-especially brother-sister, lighting diyas… to bursting firecrackers. But, why do we burst firecrackers? This story has not been highlighted much and deserves sparkling attention this Deepavali.

A month before Deepavali, is about a fortnight (a period called mahalaya) dedicated to worshipping our ancestors: we invite them to abide among us-the living on Earth, and receive their attention. The understanding is that your ancestors having come down to Earth from their world, you are supposed to host and feed them. Well, they came, you fed them, and now they -weighed down by the food, and drunk with your hospitality-have to return to where they came from. On the day of Deepavali the ancestors are shown the way to leave, with firecrackers and lights to illuminate their path in the skies above. It’s also a celebration of the spiritual advancement of our ancestors to higher and greater realms.

In summary, the core of Deepavali festivities is to illuminate and resonate the path of our deceased ancestors to the skies above, with firecrackers and and array of lights. This is a fact corroborated in the Ananda Ramayana.

If an Aeroplane needs a lighted runway to land on Earth, so do our ancestors, who require a ‘runway of lights in the sky’ to return to, say, the Heavens above. Hence, it’s important that people burst crackers and fulfil this ritual. That’s the nexus.

The word ‘Deepavali’ is derived from Sanskrit and means ‘row or series of lights’ Though the English version word, ‘Diwali’ is often used, it’s best to use the original Deepavali.

More spiritual stories coming-up in the weeks ahead. Burst firecrackers and light up the skies with World Inthavaaram.

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2024-43

About: the world this week, 20 October to 26 October 2024: Israel goads on; India-China relations; BRICS Summit 2024; India’s Airlines; and a gossip – a former Miss World.

Everywhere

Israel: Charged-up

Israeli continued its strikes across Gaza as its forces intensified a siege of northern parts, surrounding hospitals and refugee shelters, and ordering Palestinian residents to head south. This is with the objective of preventing Hamas fighters from regrouping. On another front, the pressure is being kept on the Hezbollah in Lebanon, who still manages to effortlessly fire rockets into Israel. A drone assassination attempt was made on Israel’s Prime Minister’s home, which failed. Israel’s operations have intensified since the killing of Hamas chief Yahya Al-Sinwar, a week ago.

In focus is the 101 hostages still held by Hamas for over 365 days. Where are they, and how does Israel rescue them?

At the end of the week Israel’s revenge act on Iran began: Israel’s Defence Forces began conducting precise strikes on military targets in Iran. The fire and the smoke will have stories to tell.

India – China: Breaking Brick Walls

In May 2020, India and China had a ‘permitted-only’ fist-fight between their soldiers, in a wrestling skirmish on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Gulwan, Ladakh – East of Jammu & Kashmir State – a flimsy border area. Ladak is one of eight Union Territories of India. (Union territories differ from State Governments in that they are governed, in part or wholly, directly by the Government of India-the Centre).

Chinese forces objected to India constructing roads in the Galwan river valley: a melee and a fight ensued in June 2020 resulting in the deaths of Chinese and Indian soldiers – with actual ‘high’ numbers not being ‘thrown on the table’, on both sides. Then in September 2020, for the first time in 45 years, shots were fired along the LAC, with China and India blaming each other for the firing.

Amid the standoff, in what is seen as not buckling under the pressure tactics of China’s Army (People’s Liberation Army -PLA), the Indian Army held firm, matching the PLA, soldier for soldier along the LAC. India reinforced the region with about 12,000 additional workers to assist India’s Border Roads Organisation in completing the development of infrastructure along the Sino-Indian border. And signalled, through the Galwan clash and the army’s overall border positioning, that India was not going to back down, no matter the consequences.

Since then, both sides have been working silently and furiously to fortify their respective areas of control, while solidifying their stances in international forums. And a Cold War emerged from the boundaries, which became a millstone around the neck on India – China engagements.

This week, after over four years, 17 rounds of meetings on border affairs, 21 rounds of military dialogue, long-drawn, tedious and hard negotiations at many levels, India and China have finally come to an agreement on the tenacious border issue. This is in the Depsang Bulge area and the Charding Ningling Nullah Junction in Demchok, leading to disengagement of forces at friction points-Galwan, Khugrang, Dogra-Hot Springs and Pangong Too- and resolution of the dispute that arose in May 2020. The outcome, at the moment, is a Patrolling Agreement, where both sides can freely patrol their respective areas. This is a significant military and diplomatic win for India, and the two sides have gone back to the situation that existed on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the year 2020. The actual action on the ground will be seen in the coming weeks.

With this bridge built, India’s Prime Minister then headed to the BRICS Summit being held in Russia, where India can probably, ‘carefully hold hands’ with China – on the sidelines.

BRICS Summit 2024

BRICS is an intergovernmental Group of emerging economies comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Originally coming into being to highlight investment opportunities, the grouping evolved into a geopolitical bloc, with member governments meeting annually at formal summits and coordinating multilateral policies since 2009. Bilateral relations among BRICS are conducted on the basis of non-interference, equality, and mutual benefit. It is often referred to as a counterweight to the Western-led world of developed economies. The BRICS Group represents 45% of the global population and 35% of the world’s economy.

The founding countries of Brazil, Russia, India, and China held the first leaders summit in Yekaterinburg, Russia in June 2009 under the name BRIC, with the respective leaders Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Dmitry Medvedev, Manmohan Singh, and Hu Jintao, attending. Following renaming of the organisation to BRICS, South Africa – which made the BRIC as BRICS – attended its first summit as a member in 2011, after joining the group in 2010.

The 2024 BRICS summit-the 16th Annual Summit was held in Kazan, Russia, from 22 to 24 October 2024. This is the first BRICS summit to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE as members following their accession to the Group at the 15th BRICS summit. Saudi Arabia is yet to officially join, but participates in the organisation’s activities as an invited nation. Russia hosted 22 world leaders, including ‘hot favourites’, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

On the sidelines, India’s Prime Minister conducted bilateral talks with several leaders, including Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and the lubrication should work well in times to come.

Currently, the West needs India more than India needs the West, to deal with China. The improvement of China-India relations without a mediator is the best proof of a geopolitical triumph in 2024 given the highly volatile global environment. Both India and China need predictability and stability in the bilateral relationship due to their shared, most important, goal of economic growth. Their cooperation within regional formats such as BRICS and SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization) represents an additional layer of engagement with the countries of the Global South. While India deepens ties with the West via QUAD (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue – India, Japan, Australia, USA) and the European Union (EU). China deepens ties with Russia (DragonBear) and Central Asia as well as RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership- a free trade agreement). The biggest winner of the improvement of the relations between China and India next to their population is Russia because Russia strongly relies on the solid strategic ties and the growing trade volume with both countries to diversify away from Europe towards Asia and sustain its long-term war of attrition against Ukraine.

India’s Airlines

India is bracing for its busiest travel season -with the Festival of Lights, Deepavali, up ahead: and an unprecedented wave of fake bomb threats is creating turbulence for domestic airlines, threatening to affect not only holiday plans but the wider tourism economy, if the crisis continues.

Over less than two weeks until this Wednesday, various Indian airlines have received bomb threats affecting more than 120 flights. The threats were sent via social media, emails and even scrawled on washrooms, forcing airlines to divert flights or make emergency landings for safety checks. Seventy-nine flights operated by Indian carriers received bomb threats between Monday night and Tuesday. During this period, 23 flights from IndiGo, 23 from Air India, 21 from Vistara, and 12 from Akasa received such threats.

This took the total number of bomb threats received by airlines to 169 since 14th October 2024.

To combat the menace, the Government plans to introduce a law that would place hoax callers on a no-fly list under the Aircraft Security Rules. Authorities are also working on legal amendments to recognise such malicious calls as offences, with suspects facing possible investigation and prosecution without a warrant. Indian laws currently only recognise such offences while an aircraft is airborne and have few provisions to deal with offenders when planes are ‘standing still’ on the airport tarmac.

India’s New Chief Justice

India gets a new Chief Justice for the Supreme Court in early November. This Thursday, Justice Sanjiv Khanna was appointed the 51st Chief Justice of India(CJI). He will take oath on 11th November, a day after the current CJI D Y Chandrachud retires upon attaining the age of 65.

As per convention, the outgoing CJI nominates the second-most senior judge as his successor, which recommendation has to be accepted by the Government at the Centre. CJI Chandrachud took charge on 9 Nov 2022 and his tenure will end on 10th November.

Justice Khanna will have a tenure of little over six months before he retires on 13 May 2025, again on reaching the age of 65.

The Centre notified the appointment of Justice Sanjeev Khanna as the next Chief Justice of India, effective 11th November 2024, through a gazette notification.

Gossip: On the Rocks

Over many years, the ever pregnant story doing the rounds is that former Miss World and Actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and her Actor husband Abhishek Bachchan are separating. And much of the talk is as if they have seen or read first-hand, the way-finding signals; as if one just walked out of the bed-room. A missing wedding ring here, a ‘separate’ appearance there, threads on social media – everywhere. And wild speculations, latching on to a sideline glance, or a diaphanous word. In the process we also learnt new terms such as ‘Grey Divorce’. More to come, start writing a dictionary?

To make matters worse, Aishwarya often appears in a curtain bag of Oprah Winfrey inspired flowing costumes, which conceals more than it reveals. And does not do justice to her fabulous beauty. And if at all there is a slit, grown-up daughter Aaradhya is nearby to cover-up, in a split second! Meanwhile, Abhishek wears that strong beard of greater growth than Dad Amitabh Bachchan’s French beard. The media has a hard time pulling hairline stories of such a ‘loose but tight’ case!

Aishwarya Rai married Abhishek Bachchan in the year 2007 and the couple have a daughter, Aaradhya, born in 2012. The last few months have been tough for the couple as rumours of their split and possible divorce have been creating headlines. Beneath the Red Carpet, both actors have maintained a ‘pregnant’ silence. Wonder what’s brewing and growing behind the scenes in their handsome-beautiful world?

More beautiful stories coming-up in the weeks ahead. Hold-tight 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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