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, 2024-36

About: the world this week, 1 September to 7 September 2024: Dead Hostages; Russia rains missiles; US School shooting; Bangladesh festers; Indian plane hijack story – true and false; Sexual Assault in India-Hema Committee Report; Paralympics 2024 – India sprints

Everywhere

War World

The unhinged brutality unleashed by Hamas goes on. Israel Forces found the bodies of six hostages, Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Sergeant Ori Danino, in a tunnel in Gaza. They were all taken hostage on 7 October 2023, and murdered by Hamas terrorists, in captivity: shot in point-blank range in the back of the head, about 48 hours before they were found. Heart-breaking and gut-wrenching agony.

Israelis poured out on the streets demanding their Government do better. And go for a ceasefire to get back the remaining hostages. In this darkest hour, US President Joe Biden rubbed salt into festering wounds, saying Israel’s PM is not doing enough. And Britain ordered certain arms supplies to Israel be stopped. Israel was devastated – punished for no fault of theirs. And what are allies for? Later, the US called on Britain to cancel its decision to freeze 30 arms export licenses to Israel.

In the other war, Russia this week launched one of its deadliest strikes on Ukraine. A Russian missile strike hit a military educational institute and a nearby hospital- killing at least 50 people and injuring more than 200. The attack happened in the city Poltava, about 300 km southeast of Kyiv. Ukraine said the ballistic missiles hit their targets within minutes of each other-giving people little time to find shelter after the sirens were sounded. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed that Russia will be held accountable.

United States School Shooting

This week in the United States, there was yet another school shooting incident-and the first mass campus shooting since the start of the school year. A 14-year old boy, Colt Gray, killed two fellow students, two teachers, and wounded nine others in shooting spree at Georgia’s Apalachee High School, in Winder. Colt Gray was armed with a semi-automatic weapon. After the shooting, he was quickly confronted by school deputies and immediately got on the ground and surrendered. A motive is yet to be established.

Bangladesh: Off a Tangent?

Bangladesh under its interim leader Muhammad Yunus is walking on water. The Nobel Laureate sought to downplay the issue of attacks on minority Hindus in his country calling it ‘exaggerated’ and questioned the manner in which India projected it. He had this to say, “I have said this (to India’s Prime Minister), also that this is exaggerated. This issue has several dimensions. When the country went through an upheaval following the atrocities by (Sheikh) Hasina and the Awami League, those who were with them also faced attacks”. Quick on the heels of ‘this exaggeration’ was shock and outrage in Bangladesh after a 17-year-old Hindu boy was lynched in front of soldiers and police. Utsav Mondal was accused of blasphemy by Islamists following a response to another boy who castigated Hindu practices. He entered a police station for protection, but the mob followed and beat him to death – Law enforcement watched, and did nothing.

Hijacking a True Story

The True Story

On 24th December, Christmas Eve, in the year 1999, Indian Airlines flight IC 814, from Kathmandu to New Delhi with 178 passengers and 11 crew members on board, was hijacked shortly after take-off from Nepal’s Tribhuvan International Airport, by five armed terrorists, belonging to the Pakistan-based militant group Harkat-ul-Mujahideen. The terrorists were, Ibrahim Athar, Shahid Akhtar Sayed, Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Mistri Zahoor Ibrahim, and Shakir.

The hijackers initially demanded the release of 36 militants held in Indian jails, along with USD 200 million in cash and the remains of a deceased militant, Sajjad Afghani – who was arrested in 1994 and killed in July 1999 while trying to escape prison. The hijackers forced the plane to change its course multiple times, initially diverting it to Amritsar, India, then to Lahore, Pakistan, and later to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where 27 passengers were released. Eventually, on the morning of 25th December, the aircraft left Dubai and landed in Kandahar, Afghanistan, which was then under Taliban control. Kandahar had one serviceable runway, a sort of Air Traffic Control, and a couple of shanties. The rest of the airport was in a shambles, without power and water supply – under Taliban rule.

While in Amritsar, the hijackers, anticipating a commando action, first stabbed a passenger (to death), Rupin Katyal – who was just-married and on his honeymoon with his wife, in Kathmandu- to show that they meant business, and then forced the pilot to take off.

After final negotiations, on 31 December 1999, India agreed to release three high-profile militants: Maulana Masood Azhar, Ahmed Omar Sayeed Sheikh, and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar in exchange for the release of the remaining passengers and crew members. All other demands stayed still-born. The hijackers, however, were allowed to escape to Pakistan, where they remained at large (Later, some of them were knocked-off by ‘unknown men’).

The Netflix Series: IC 814 – The Kandahar Hijack

Indian Filmmaker, Anubhav Sinha’s IC 814 – The Kandahar Hijack, a six-episode mini-series streaming on Netflix, has been hauled over the coals for not sticking to facts. It is not just about the names of the five IC 814 hijackers, passengers of that flight, others-in-the-know have called out the series for several inconsistencies, including the role of ISI, Indian Intelligence and the portrayal of the hijackers.

At the top of the list is the failure to highlight the real names of the terrorists, which seemed to be a bid to conceal the fact that the hijackers were Islamic terrorists. In the series, the hijackers are referred to as Chief, Doctor, Burger, Bhola, and Shankar. Many on social media expressed anger and frustration over the names Bhola and Shankar, accusing the filmmaker, of deliberately choosing Hindu names for the hijackers, rather than their actual Muslim names. Reports say that Bhola and Shankar were codenames used by two of the hijackers during the actual hijack.

There was a shrill outburst on social media and other forums, following which Netflix agreed to put a declaimer and mention the actual names. In mounting anger, many deleted their subscription of Netflix for its anti-Hindu bias in a ‘Boycott Netflix’ trend.

Sexual Assault in Kerala: Hema Committee Report

In the year 2017, on 17th February, a popular Malayalam Actress was abducted by five unidentified men, while returning from a film shoot, near Kochi, Kerala State. She was sexually assaulted in a moving car for over two hours, and the men filmed the assault. Later, they dropped off the actress at noted Malayalam Actor-Director Lal’s (M P Michael) residence. Lal insisted that the Actress-the Survivor-inform the Police and file a case. And the Police began investigations.

The actress identified a Pulsar Suni, who worked as a driver for several celebrities, as one of the assaulters. The investigations ran deep and revealed that Malayalam Actor Dileep had orchestrated the attack to ‘teach the Survivor a lesson’.

Dileep was married to Actress Manju Warrier from 1998 to 2015. After the Wedding, Manju quit acting, despite her own flourishing career, while Dileep’s fame reached superstar status. In 2015, Dileep and Manju Warrier divorced, the apparent reason being Dileep’s affair with Actress Kavya Madhavan, which was reportedly broken to Manju by the Survivor. In their messy divorce, the Survivor took Manju’s side, and they have remained close friends. Then in the year 2016, Dileep and Kavya married. The story is that Dileep planned the entire assault in revenge -to settle scores with the Survivor- and filmed the assault so that he could blackmail her.

After the Survivor identified herself on social media, the Film industry witnessed a major upheaval, which led to the formation of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC). The WCC filed a petition to investigate the challenges faced by women in the Malayalam film industry following the heinous sexual assault on the Survivor. Based on their petition and following public outcry, the Government of Kerala established a three-member committee – the Justice Hema Committee – in February 2017. This was headed by retired Justice K Hema – the committee was named after its head. It also had on board former Actress Sharada, and retired IAS officer K B Valsala Kumari.

The Justice Hema Committee submitted its report to the Kerala Government on 31 December 2019. The report, was kept under wraps for five years, and certain sensitive portions were redacted to protect individual privacy. It was argued that publishing the report in totality would harm the industry. Finally, the findings were made public on 19th August 2024. The Report took the country by storm disclosing instances of sexual harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam film industry. The original report had 295 pages, but 63 pages were redacted before its release under the Right to Information Act (RTI), as widespread repercussions were expected.

The Hema Committee Report has revealed horrid tales of sexual abuse, illegal bans, discrimination, drug and alcohol abuse, wage disparity, and inhuman working conditions, especially for women. The Cinema industry is male-dominated and has become an exclusive Boys’ Club. In particular, the Malayalam film industry is under the control of a powerful lobby of male producers, directors, and actors who ‘dominate other persons’ working in cinema. The report describes the situation in cinema as ‘very shocking’.

The Report has identified at least 17 forms of exploitation experienced by women working in 30 different categories within the Industry. It emphasised that women were being asked to make certain ‘adjustments’ and ‘compromises’ – euphemisms for sexual favours – to secure or retain opportunities. It added, that these two words are very familiar among women working in Malayalam cinema, who ‘are asked to make themselves available for sex on demand’. The ‘Casting Couch’ syndrome?

Several Malayalam female actors and junior artists have accused Directors, Actors, and an Actor-turned MLA of sexual harassment, and misconduct.

On 27 August 2024, following the release of the Hema Committee report, the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) dissolved its entire executive committee for the period 2024–2027 and resigned ‘en masse’. Actor Mohanlal, who had by then secured his second term as President of AMMA, was the head of the executive committee, which decided to step down. Mohanlal was criticised for having ‘lost his ability to respond’.

The Oscar Wilde quote, ‘Life imitates art far more than art imitates life’, finds mention in the Report. How Kerala and its film industry reacted to the shocking actress abduction and assault case in 2017 could also be extrapolated of the dictum.

With much focus on sexual assault and rape in India, in recent times, how are other countries, say France, doing?

Sex & France

In a horrifying story coming out of France, a man, Dominique Pelicot, is on trial, accused of using sleeping pills to drug his wife of 50 years, in order to rape, facilitate, and film her rape by at least 51 other men. The abuse went on for nearly a decade, without the woman’s knowledge.

This awfully disturbing case has igniting scrutiny-peeling off layers-over how France handles and defines sexual assault. Under the country’s laws, rape is officially defined as an ‘act of sexual penetration’ committed through ‘violence, coercion, threat, or surprise.’ Legal experts say the wording should specifically and explicitly name that without consent, sex is rape, and that consent can be withdrawn at any time. They also advocate for laws to clarify that consent isn’t possible if a sexual assault occurs when someone is in a state ‘impairing’ their judgment.

Offenders find enough loopholes to penetrate sexual assault laws, and France isn’t alone. Earlier this year, New York lawmakers attempted to pass a bill that would prohibit those on trial for rape from using a survivor’s voluntary intoxication as part of their legal defense, but it has been held up in the state assembly. Marital rape wasn’t deemed a crime in all 50 states of the United States until 1993. Even post ‘Me Too’ numerous issues remain in the language of sexual assault laws. Many hope that the ongoing trial in France will draw attention to the use of drugs to facilitate abuse and highlight problems around legal language – and that the verdict has outcomes that reverberate internationally.

Paralympics 2024: India’s Medal Sprint

India appears to develop its best fighting spirit when handicapped: excelling in para athletics. What the normal Olympic team could not, it being done by the Paralympic Team, to acclaim. It’s raining medals for India in the Paris Paralympics 2024. That’s a lot of healing.

Previously, India won 31 medals across Paralympic Games with the most successful Paralympics being Tokyo 2020, with a haul of 19 medals – five gold, eight silver and six bronze. This time, India has-up to this Friday-won 27 medals with six gold, nine silver, and twelve bronze medals, which is India’s highest ever medal tally in a single Paralympic Games.

Kumar Nitesh won the country’s second gold medal (the first was by Avani Lekhara, in shooting) in the men’s singles badminton. Sumit Antil became the first Indian male athlete to win back-to-back gold medals in the same event after his victory in the men’s javelin throw. He also set two Paralympic records in the process with throws of 68.55 m in Tokyo and 70.59 m in Paris. Nishad Kumar and Yogesh Kathuniya won silver medals in the men’s high jump and the men’s discus throw respectively, in a repeat of their Tokyo 2020 performance. Thulasimathi Murugesan won the only Indian silver medal in women’s badminton. Suhas Yathiraj won a silver medal for the second consecutive Games in the men’s singles para-badminton event. Ajeet Singh Yadav and Sundar Singh Gurjar won the silver and bronze medals respectively in the men’s javelin throw. This was Gurjar’s second medal after he finished third in the same event in the previous Games. Sharad Kumar won his second Paralympic medal, a silver in the men’s high jump. Sachin Khilari won India’s fifth athletics silver medal, finishing second in the men’s shot-put.

Preethi Pal who won India’s first ever track medal in athletics by winning a bronze medal in the women’s 100 m became the only Indian multi-medalist in the Games after she won her second bronze in the women’s 200 event. Rubina Francis won India’s fourth shooting medal with a bronze in the women’s 10 m Air-pistol event. Sheetal Devi became the youngest Indian Paralympic medalist, at 17 years, after she won a bronze medal in the compound archery event along with Rakesh Kumar. Manisha Ramadass and Nithya Sivan won bronze medals in women’s badminton events to take the Indian medal tally in the badminton events to five. Deepthi Jeevanji won the bronze medal in the women’s 400 m race and became the youngest – at 21 years – Indian track medalist at the Paralympic Games.

Mariyappan Thangavelu won the bronze medal in the Men’s High Jump event making it three consecutive medals wins in three editions of the Paralympics: bronze this year 2024, silver in 2020 and gold in 2016. Mariyappan is the son of a daily wage-earner in Tamilnadu At the age of five, he suffered permanent disability when he was run over by a drunk bus driver while walking to school: his right leg was crushed below the knee, causing it to become stunted. Despite this setback, he completed secondary schooling and pursued sports.

Dharambir set an Asian Record of 34.92 m to win the country’s fifth gold in the men’s club throw final, equalling that in Tokyo. In the same event, Pranav Soorma won silver with a throw of 34.59m. Praveen Kumar won India its sixth gold medal in the men’s high jump clearing 2.08m. He won his second consecutive Para Games medal, improving upon a silver in the previous edition in Tokyo. Kapil Parmar won India’s 25th medal – a bronze -in the men’s -60kg Judo, a first for India.

Harvinder Singh became the first Indian archer to win gold beating Poland’s Lukasz Ciszek 6-0 in men’s recurve open final. He had won bronze in the same event in Tokyo 2020. Harvinder, 33, is pursuing a PhD in Economics. When he was about one-and-half years old, he contracted Dengue Fever and due to a medical mishap lost proper movement of both his legs, permanently impairing his mobility.

The Paris Paralympics features 4,400 athletes from around the world competing in 549 medal events across 22 sports, and concludes on 8 September 2024.

More revealing stories coming up in the weeks ahead. Stay covered with World Inthavaaram.

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2024-34

About: the world this week, 18 August to 24 August 2024: Wars; America’s Presidents; India grapples with sexual assault, India’s PM visits Poland and Ukraine; Bangladesh crisis; and Antimicrobial resistance.

Everywhere

The Wars

The wars of the world seem to be adding up every week, without end in sight. Ukraine is basking in its counter-offensive against Russia, wading into Russian territory, holding on, and shouting out loud that the famous Russian retaliation is after all a, cry-wolf!

In the Gaza War, this week, Israel retrieved bodies of six hostages from the Khan Younis area in southern Gaza. They were found dead in a tunnel. And are part of the Israeli civilians that Hamas had kidnapped alive on 7th October 2023, held hostage, tortured in underground tunnels, and obviously executed.

Cease-fire talks are going on furiously with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken flying around. Israel appears close to accepting a proposal, keeping the release of the remaining hostages in mind, but Hamas remains the bad boy, thinking about the ‘day after’. Unconfirmed reports say that the Hamas Chief, Yahya Sinwar insists on guarantees for his own safety-that he should not be assassinated-as part of any agreement to release hostages. He once roared that it would be an honour to die fighting Israel.

America

This week, ahead of the United States Presidential Elections, the Democratic National Convention was held in Chicago City to uphold the candidatures of Vice President Kamala Harris for President, and her running-mate Minnesota State Governor Tim Walz for Vice President(VP). And a formal acceptance of the nominations by respective candidates happening during the Convention.

President Biden gave an emotional speech as he made the case for ‘President Kamala Harris’. He praised his choice of Harris as his VP, saying it was the best decision of his career. The Obamas spoke about why Kamala Harris should win. While the former President gave his speech in a generic uplifting manner, the former First Lady talked black & white.

Meanwhile, outside the Convention hall, thousands of protesters gathered to show dissatisfaction over Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war.

India

The outrage in India continues over the rape and murder of a 31-year-old Post Graduate trainee Doctor while on night-duty at the RG Kar Medical College, Kolkatta. Protests continued this week and the streets are screaming for justice.

India’s Supreme Court stepped in on a ‘suo motu’ basis, slamming the events after the murder: the Hospital immediately calling it a suicide, speedily cremating the body as if to bury the crime, and lodging a First Information Report (FIR) well after the post-mortem of the unnatural death.

The Supreme Court constituted a 10-member National Task Force to formulate a protocol for ensuring safety of doctors and healthcare professionals. And appealed to the striking Doctors to ‘trust the SC’ and resume their duties. Later, the Doctors agreed and called-off the strike, but protests by others continue.

Then in another incident in the State of Maharashtra massive protests broke out in Badlapur when two four-year old girls were sexually abused by a school, house-keeping staff, sweeper, a 23-year-old male, who was subsequently arrested on a complaint by the parents. The assault occurred in the girls’ toilet, which lacked female staff supervision. The incident came to light when one of the girls visibly frightened, told her parents that an older male at school, whom she referred to as ‘dada’ (Marathi for elder brother), had undressed her and touched her inappropriately. The parent then went on to make a complaint. The school suspended the Principal and three staff members as the protests escalated. Parents of the children and local citizens blocked the railway tracks at Badlapur Railway Station and also ransacked a local Police Station demanding strict punishment – a death penalty for the accused.

Stepping back, the cases of rape and sexual assaults in India have been astoundingly high. Blame it on India being an underdeveloped country or our hardwired genetics playing its part? And, we now have social media and democratised data access to report incidents. Will a death penalty work as a deterrent? Solid studies show that, without doubt, it is the ‘fear of getting caught’ that reduces criminality. Taking a higher view, India must sort out investigation of crime and enforcement – separating them. India is crying for Police and Judicial reforms: delivery of justice should be quick -on the double. Recall the Ajmer sex scandal which came to light in the year 1992. More than 100 girls aged between 11 and 20 years were victimised by a gang, whose members befriended them and shot their photographs in compromising situations, and later raped them. This week, 6 of the 18 accused were sentenced to life imprisonment – after a whopping 32 years!

Four years ago, I wrote about Police Reforms in India. Here is a link for any further reading:

https://kumargovindan.com/2020/08/15/shake-well-before-use-indian-police-reimagined/

This week, India’s Prime Minister (PM) set out on a visit to Poland and Ukraine to improve bilateral ties and discuss global issues. The Poland visit was the first by an Indian PM in 45 years. Amazing that it took so long for an Indian PM to reach Poland. And it is the first trip by an Indian PM to Ukraine since the country gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

India and Poland share a social relationship going back to World War II when Maharaja of Nawanagar, Jamnagar, Gujarat, Digvijaysinghji Ranjitsinji Jadeja – called the Dobry Maharaja (the Good Maharaja)- provided shelter and homes for Polish refugees escaping the wrath of Hitler’s invasion of Poland. You can read that story here:

https://kumargovindan.com/2021/08/28/world-inthavaaram-2021-35/

Naturally, India’s PM paid homage at a memorial of the Dobry Maharaja in Warsaw and recalled the special relationship. He also touched upon the Kabaddi Connection between the countries. The game of Kabaddi had reached Poland, and they have taken it to great heights, with the country becoming the European Kabaddi Champion for two consecutive years. And Poland is all set to host the World Kabaddi Championships, for the first time, this 24th August. Kabaddi is quite popular in Poland as it resembles the European game of Tag, and Wrestling.

Tag is a playground game involving one or more players, who is ‘it’ chasing other players in an attempt to ‘tag’ or mark them out of play, typically by touching with a hand, thereby making that person ‘it’.

India’s PM said he will ‘share perspectives’ on the peaceful resolution of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia during his visit to Ukraine, which comes more than a month after he travelled to Russia. The PM added that for decades India’s foreign policy was to maintain a distance from all countries. The situation has changed. Today India wants to maintain close ties with all countries. Hence, the many firsts coming up…and the list may get longer.

India’s support for Ukraine has been patchy and may be this is an opportunity to show substance and explain why India does what it does – a Bharat first approach.Could India have an ace up its sleeve – balancing Russia and Ukraine?

Towards the end of the visit, India’s PM listened to Ukrainians speak Hindi – being taught in the country. And presented four BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri) Cubes to Ukraine. The BHISHM cubes are an easy-to-use, mobile medical facility that can be swiftly deployed to save lives in the most challenging circumstances.Each BHISHM Cube is self-contained consisting of medicines and equipment for the first line of care in emergency situations. It also includes surgical equipment for a basic Operation Room that can manage 10-15 basic surgeries per day. The Cube has the capacity to handle about 200 cases of diverse nature such as trauma, bleeding, burns, fractures, etc. It can also generate its own power and oxygen in limited amounts. A team of experts from India have been deployed to provide initial training to the Ukrainian side to operate the Cube.

And of course, to match the Russian bear-hug, Indian and Ukrainian leaders hugged each other, awfully close.

Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, with the new Interim Government in place, normalcy appears to be only limping-back, but Islamist violence against Hindus continues. And the situation is as if hanging in some kind of a balance. Wonder what comes up next!

On 20th August in the district of Thakurgaon mobs set fire to Hindu homes, leaving devastation and fear in their wake. This incident is not an isolated one, but a continuation of a sinister pattern of persecution that has gripped the Hindu community in Bangladesh for decades. Just days before, Bangladesh was rocked by the murder of Haradhan Roy, a Hindu councillor, and his driver. The senseless killing is believed to be motivated by Roy’s religious identity and his position of influence within the community. This was soon flooded by another disturbing incident where Gautam Chandra Paul, a respected Hindu Teacher was forced to resign from his position solely because of his faith.

The systematic erasure of Hindus from the social, political, and cultural fabric of Bangladesh appears to a work in progress. The numbers tell a story of their own. In 1941, Hindus constituted approximately 28% of the population in what is now Bangladesh. Today, that figure has plummeted to less than 9%. This sharp decline is the result of a calculated campaign of violence, intimidation, and forced conversions aimed at driving out the Hindu population. It highlights a disturbing trend of religious persecution. Despite the gravity of the situation, there is a deafening silence from certain media and political quarters who have sought to downplay these incidents; dismissing them as sporadic acts of violence rather than acknowledging them as part of a broader, systematic issue.

AMR

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is a term used to describe micro-organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolving over time and becoming resistant to antimicrobials-drugs used to treat infections caused by such micro-organisms. As a result existing medicines become ineffective and infections persist in the body, increasing the risk of spread to others, and making it harder to treat and contain diseases.

Antimicrobials include antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasites. Micro-organisms that develop antimicrobial resistance are also called ‘superbugs’. The misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in humans, plants, and animals are the main drivers in the development of drug-resistant pathogens.

AMR is considered as a ‘silent pandemic’ and according to a study published by ‘The Lancet’ in January 2022, it was directly responsible for 1.27 million global deaths in 2019 and contributed to 4.95 million deaths.

India is the largest consumer of antibiotics globally in terms of absolute volume. Studies have reported poor prescription quality, including un-indicated prescription of broad-spectrum antibiotics without evidence of bacterial infection. These findings are of particular public health relevance considering India reports high antibiotic resistance in bacteria that cause certain common infections.

Under the guidelines of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Global Action Plan, India launched its National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (NAP-AMR): a five-year plan (2017–2021) that outlines strategies to curb AMR in the country. The plan aims to tackle AMR in both human and non-human sectors, including agriculture, fisheries, animal husbandry, and the environment. The plan’s first five strategic priorities align with the Global Action Plan while the sixth priority highlights India’s role in containing AMR internationally. The plan also includes state-level action plans to ensure action at the ground level.

The States that have launched their State specific Plans are Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, and Delhi. The State of Kerala stands-out in making pioneering progress in AMR.

The Kerala Drug Control Department launched tests in the first week of January 2024 called Operation Amrith (AMRITH – Antimicrobial Resistance Intervention For Total Health) to prevent the overuse of antibiotics in the State. Pharmacies must keep accurate records of antibiotic sales as per this initiative. Additionally, a poster mentioning ‘antibiotics not sold without a Doctor’s prescription’ should be displayed. If not complied, strict action would be taken against pharmacies and medical stores that supply antibiotics without a Doctor’s prescription. Operation Amrith is aimed at conducting surprise raids in retail medical shops for detecting Over-The- Counter(OTC) sale of antibiotics and also a Toll Free Number is provided for lodging complaints against medical shops. Once a complaint is received, it will be transferred to the corresponding zonal office for verification and immediate departmental actions will be taken, if violation is detected.

The Government of Kerala was the first state in India that came up with the state action plan on AMR, KARSAP, in 2018. Aligned with India’s National Action Plan, Kerala’s plan reflects a multi-sectoral approach. Besides human health aspects, it aims to address animal and environmental dimensions of the AMR problem, which is crucial for effective containment of AMR. Delhi-based think tank, Centre for Science and Environment, had actively contributed to the Kerala action plan and has been an implementation partner in the state’s AMR containment efforts.

It’s time other States hear Kerala’s clarion call and get their act together.

More viral stories coming up in the weeks ahead. Stay safe with World Inthavaaram.

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2024-32

About: the world this week, 4 August 2024 to 10 August 2024: Britain’s riots; US Elections-running mate; Taylor Swift-not fearless; Bangladesh coup; war fronts; and the Paris Olympics – focus on India.

Everywhere

Britain: Rioting Right

Violent protests erupted in towns and cities across Britain following last week’s knife attack, which killed three children in Southport, north of Liverpool. The protests spread across the country, including Liverpool, Bristol, and Manchester, resulting in dozens of arrests as shops and businesses were vandalised and looted. Several police officers were injured in the line of duty.

The stabbing attack was seized on by anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim groups as misinformation spread that the suspected attacker was an immigrant and a radical Islamist. This stoked further outrage. Police said the suspect was born in Britain and are not treating it as a terrorist incident.

On Sunday, hundreds of anti-immigration protesters gathered by a hotel near Rotherham, northern England, where Britain’s Interior Ministry was housing asylum seekers. The protesters, many wearing masks or balaclavas, threw bricks at police and broke several hotel windows, before setting a large bin close to the hotel on fire.

The new Government, fresh from a superb win at the hustings, scrambled to control the worst disorder in the United Kingdom in more than a decade. Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the protests and riots as “far-right thuggery” and said perpetrators would face the full force of the law. The target of the attacks were Muslim communities, mosques, and other minorities. With this crisis running on the streets of Britain, the honeymoon period of the new Government is all but over.

Who is behind the thuggery? Faceless. Plans to engage in violent gatherings have been spread on social media, encouraging attendees to shield their faces or use coded language that stirs up anger at immigration without explicitly calling for violence. Naturally, the Govt is looking at social media as an instigator. Mind that ‘misinformed’ tweet, you could get yourself arrested!

United States Elections: Running Mate

This week US Vice President Kamala Harris decided on her running-mate, choosing Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota. Walz is currently in his second term as Governor and chairs the Democratic Governors Association. He previously served 12 years in Congress. And prior to that, Walz was a high school teacher and football coach and served in the Army National Guard, reaching the rank of Command Sergeant Major, one of the highest ranks an enlisted member can attain. As a first-time campaigner, he opposed a ban on same-sex marriage and supported abortion rights. Walz fell out of favour with the gun lobby over his support for gun safety actions as Governor. Walz supports In Vitro-Fertilization (IVF) having himself ‘become productive’ after struggling to become a parent along with his wife of three decades.

Taylor Swift: Not Fearless

US singer-songwriter Taylor Swift is in the Vienna, Austria leg of her blockbuster Eras tour scheduled to play three shows in the European city from Thursday to Saturday. But Organisers cancelled the shows over a possible terrorist attack after Austrian authorities said they foiled a terror plan in Vienna. The extraordinary decision-which came at significant cost to Vienna’s businesses-has devastated fans and renewed focus on the vulnerability of huge concerts as soft targets for terror networks and spree killers.

Police in Austria have questioned three teenagers suspected of plotting a suicide attack at the Taylor Swift show, sparking renewed concerns over the indoctrination of young people online. Foreign intelligence agencies helped authorities uncover the plot. That’s the world swiftly singing together on intelligence gathering.

The Bangladesh Drift: the Churning

Bangladesh is at a historic turning-point. Well, it has been in this place many times before, at about the same cross-roads. And they keep coming on the trot.

The student protests of the past weeks over reservations in government jobs, dangerously changed track and galvanised into a force that toppled the Government of Prime Minister (PM) Sheik Hasina, 76. In January this year, she won a landslide mandate for the fourth consecutive time in the General Elections. Her party, The Awami League won 224 seats, out of the 300 under direct elections. That’s about 15 years in continuous power and a total of 20 years as PM. Most Opposition Parties had boycotted the Elections, apparently making the win easier.

The seemingly harmless and peaceful demands by University students to abolish quotas in civil service jobs that began in July transformed beyond recognition. This despite the Supreme Court calling-off the strangulating quota system. However, the creeping death toll reaching over 300, due to the brutal crackdown on the protesters, turned the Government into an authoritarian one to preserve peace. Enough reason for people to spill on to the streets. And with most of the Opposition in various modes of arrest, this seemed the only outlet for anger against the Government. The PM repeatedly cut-off internet access in parts of the country, imposed a nation-wide curfew, and labeled the demonstrators as ‘terrorists seeking to destabilise the nation’. Well, they lived up to the label.

Sheikh Hasina blamed the Pakistan basedJamaat-e-Islami, its Islami Chhatra Shibir student wing, and other associate bodies for inciting the student violence. And in an official circular imposed a ban on Jamaat-e-Islami under an anti-terrorism law.

With protests spiralling out of control, the Army served a 45 minute ultimatum to Sheik Hasina to leave the country. She found a helicopter and flew into the safe-haven of India, landing at a military airfield, Hindon, near New Delhi, and was met by India’s National Security Advisor after which was taken to a safe location.

Meanwhile, protesters reached the PM’s house and raided all that was inside, dusting-up her blouses, bras, and what not? One even paraded her Sari and wore it.

It was awfully painful to see people climb up the statue of the Father of the Nation and try to hammer him down. Almost killing him a second time. Recall, Sheik Mujibur Rahman-the founding father of Bangladesh and the father of Sheik Hasina- was shot in point plank range by the same Army, which entered his home, and killed almost the entire family in a horrific turn of events in 1975. That was the first Army coup of Bangladesh. Hasina herself was in Germany at that time and after years of struggle lived to become PM one day. Her sister too escaped the carnage, at that time.

Bangladesh Army Chief, General Waqar-uz-Zaman quickly took control and announced the formation of an Interim Government. Meanwhile the President of Bangladesh Mohammed Shahabuddin, ordered the immediate release, from House-Arrest, former PM Khaleda Zia who was also Bangladesh’s first Woman PM and leader of the Opposition, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Bangladesh’s unicameral parliament was also dissolved. What is the President’s role in Bangladesh?

Bangladesh has a unique system of transfer of power; at the end of the tenure of the government, power is handed over to members of a civil society for three months, who run the general elections and transfer power to elected representatives. The President as the ceremonial head of the state has limited powers. He can grant pardon to a man sentenced to death penalty or lessen the punishment. In certain instances, he also performs some legislative and judicial functions.

On another front, Hindu and other minority communities were ruthlessly attacked amounting to ethic-cleansing and heading towards genocide, showing another diabolical motive of the unfolding drama in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council said that about 200 to 300 Hindu homes and businesses have been vandalised since Hasina resigned. About 15 to 20 temples have been looted.

Towards the end of the week, the Protestors agreed to Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus becoming Leader of an Interim Government. Student Leaders of the so-called ‘Gen Z Revolution’ said they have not met all of their goals, and after Hasina’s resignation, the group wanted to ‘abolish fascist systems forever’. The leaders say they won’t accept a military-led or supported government.

Professor Muhammad Yunus, 84, who was in France over a minor medical procedure, flew in to Bangladesh’s capital Dacca, and was sworn-in on Thursday. Tucked inside his new cabinet are Nahid Islama and Asif Mahmud, students who led the anti-government protests. Yunus kept up to 27 critical portfolios with himself. One man show?

Muhammad Yunus known as the ‘banker to the poor’ aims to bring stability to Bangladesh. He answered the call of student protesters to temporarily lead the restive country following weeks of deadly anti-government demonstrations.

Yunus is a social entrepreneur and banker who won the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for his pioneering microfinance work as founder of the Grameen Bank that helped alleviate poverty in Bangladesh and was widely adopted around the world.

He is also a longtime critic of Sheikh Hasina. Over the years, Yunus was embroiled in multiple legal cases said to be unfairly targeted by the authorities. They include a defamation suit, a food safety case, and allegations of tax irregularities. In January, a court in Bangladesh sentenced Yunus to six months in prison for labor law violations. In a separate case, he was indicted in June on embezzlement charges. All of which was denied by Yunus.

India’s Prime Minister, under pressure to protect persecuted Hindus, had this to say, “My best wishes to Professor Muhammad Yunus on the assumption of his new responsibilities. We hope for an early return to normalcy, ensuring the safety and protection of Hindus and all other minority communities. India remains committed to working with Bangladesh to fulfill the shared aspirations of both our peoples for peace, security and development”.

Yunus’ first speech acknowledged the attack on Hindus and minorities and appealed to the protesters to trust him to bring law and order under control. If not, he threatened to step-down as Interim Leader.

Israel and Ukraine: the fight is on

The two steadily ongoing war fronts are that of, Ukraine-Russia in Europe and Israel-Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Middle East.

In the first front, this week, in a surprise turn, Ukraine Forces pushed further into the Kursk region of Russia in a cross-border incursion with the intent of diverting Russian forces and to disrupt and demoralise them. Ukraine intends to hold-on to the territory as long as they possibly can.Will a tit-for-tat work?

In the second front, Iran mulls scrapping plans to take revenge on Israel for killing Hamas’ Political Head on its soil, in exchange for a Gaza ceasefire. In the background US, Qatar and Egypt hit the negotiation acceleration pedal urging Hamas to resume talks, after the killing in Iran.

Paris Olympics 2024: Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together

The Olympic Games is running on the Paris, France, stage from 26 July to 11 August.

In Tennis, Serbia’s Novak Djokovic struck gold in the Men’s Singles Tennis beating Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(3), 7-6(2), in an enthralling neck-and-neck final.

Novak Djokovic is the only player in tennis history to win every big event in the game of Tennis. This is the first time in his career that he has won an Olympic Gold, adding to his ever-expanding chest of 24 Grand Slam titles. Alcaraz missed out on a gold medal in his maiden Olympics appearance.

In Hockey, India beat Britain in penalty shoot-outs, 4-2 after a 1-1 tie in the regular game. Indian Goal-keeper Sreejesh became an overnight sensation over his heroics of the day-saving many goals on the field and blocking a crucial one in the shoot-out. The Great Wall of India-shouted fans, who then went treasure hunting into this Home Sate of Kerala and dug up stories of what went into building of the wall. India faced Germany in the semi-finals but despite a valiant fight succumbed 2-3. Then, bringing some cheer, India went on to beat Spain 2-1 to clinch the bronze medal. This is Indian’s second consecutive win having won the bronze in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, beating Germany.

India’s gold medal winning hope Neeraj Chopra secured a Javelin final spot with a throw of 89.34m. His best throw was 89.94m at Stockholm in the Diamond League Games, last year. In the finals, Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem threw a stunning 92.97m to win the Gold and break the Olympic Record of 90.57 established in Beijing 2008. Neeraj threw 89.45 to get the Silver. The Bronze Medal throw reached 88.45m.

This is a back-to-back Olympic Medal for Neeraj who had won the gold in Tokyo Olympics with a throw of 87.58m. In that competition Arshad Nadeem had finished fifth with 84.62m. This is Pakistan’s first ever medal in this event at the Olympics.

In Wrestling, India’s Vinesh Phogat defied huge odds to earn herself a sure chance of a medal in the 50kg event. She became the first Indian Woman to reach an Olympic final in Wrestling. Sakshi Malik is the only other wrestler, who had clinched a bronze medal in the Rio 2016 Olympics. In her opening match Phogat stunned reigning Olympic Champion, Japan’s Yui Susaki; then beat former European Champion, Ukraine’s Oksana Livach in the quarters, and Pan American Games Champion, Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman in the semi-finals to reach the finals. She was to take on USA’s Sarah Hildebrant for the Gold. But then, in a sudden twist and a heart-break, on the day of the finals, Phogat was disqualified for being overweight by a beggarly 100 grams in the 50 kg weight category. Competition rules say wrestlers must stay in their weight category on both days of the tournament. After Phogat’s disqualification, only the gold and bronze medals were awarded in the event. India has made a legal appeal and there could be yet another twist.

Now, a flashback. In May 2023, Vinesh Phogat was detained by police in New Delhi while attempting to march to India’s new parliament building, just as it was being inaugurated. This was during a protest against Brij Bhushan Singh, the wrestling federation chief, over allegations of sexual harassment and intimidation. Phogat was later released.

In the run-up to the final, Phogat’s fellow wrestlers hailed her journey as both a personal and collective triumph for India’s wrestling community who have long complained that authorities failed to take their allegations seriously.

At the end of the week, Aman Sehrawat, 21, won the Bronze Medal in the Men’s Freestyle 57 kg bringing some cheer to India. He became the youngest Olympic medalist in Wrestling.

Vaulting to other events, Sweden’s Armand Mondo Duplantis broke the men’s Pole Vault world record for the 9th time with a jump of 6.25 m to cap a gold medal-winning streak. The 24-year-old has won every global men’s Pole Vault title since claiming his first Olympic gold in Tokyo.

In the Medals Tally, USA leads with 33 Gold and overall 111 medals, followed by China, Australia, and Japan. India had a total of 6 medals: 1-Silver and 5-Bronze. In the previous Olympics Tokyo Olympics, India had won 7 medals: 1-Gold, 2-Silver, and 4 Bronze.

More medal stories coming-up in the weeks ahead. Run, jump, or swim to glory with World Inthavaaram.

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2024-30

About: the world this week, 21 July 2024 to 27 July 2024: Microsoft goes hard; the wrath of Israel; new Presidents of the US; Bangladesh rocks; India’s Budget, Testing, and Firing; Nepal plane crash; Paris Olympics; and Dark Oxygen.

Everywhere

Microhard

In one of the biggest technical outages in history, millions of Microsoft Windows users world-wide experienced the Blue Screen Of Death (BSOD), last Friday. Almost all Passenger Airlines around the world faced technical issues that affected booking, check-in, and flight updates. Hundreds of flights were cancelled. Other sectors affected were healthcare, shipping, finance, food chains, and brokerage firms. What caused this?

A mistake in a security software update sparked hours-long global computer systems outages, another incident highlighting the vulnerability of the world’s interconnected technologies. This occurred when CrowdStrike, used in Microsoft Windows, released a sensor configuration update for its ‘Falcon Sensor’ to Windows Operating Systems. Sensor configuration updates are an ongoing part of the protection mechanisms of the Falcon platform. The configuration update triggered a logic error resulting in a system crash BSOD. However Mac and Linux-based systems were not affected.

CrowdStrike’s website says, it is a cyber security service designed to stop internet breeches or hacks. It was founded on the premises that sophisticated attacks targeting the world’s leading businesses cannot be solved merely using existing malware-based defenses. A brand new approach was needed – one that combines the most advanced endpoint protection with expert intelligence to pinpoint the adversaries perpetrating the attacks, no just the malware.

Later, CrowdStrike said the issue has been isolated and a fix deployed. It confirmed that it is not a security incident or a cyber attack. Users running Falcon Sensor for Windows version 7.11 and above, that were online between Friday, 19 July 2024 04:09 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) and Friday, 19 July, 2024 05:27 UTC were affected. Systems running Falcon Sensor for Windows 7.11 and above that downloaded the updated configuration from 04:09 UTC to 05:27 UTC – were susceptible to a system crash.

Global cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike is one of the largest operators in the industry. It is not a household name, but it is a USD 83 billion company with more than 20,000 subscribers around the world, including Amazon and Microsoft.

The Wrath of Israel: Don’t Start a Fire

Late last week the Houthis (an Iran-backed militant group) of Yemen hit Israel’s city of Tel Aviv with a drone resulting in the death of one Israeli civilian and injuring many others. When you do this to Israel, what happens? You invite its wrath!

Israel’s Air Force struck the largest Port in Yemen causing grave damage. The Port was completely engulfed in flames. About 25, F-15 and F-35 aircraft, accompanied by refuelling planes, flew about 2000 km toward the city of Hodeidah in Yemen for the attack. The strike was carried out in eight waves, which destroyed fuel depots and a power station north of the Port inflicting severe damage on the Port.

Bibi in America

During the week, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Bibi) flew to the United States, shopping for ‘good will and support’. He also addressed both Houses of Congress and delivered a masterpiece of a speech. It was mighty impressive that he got an insane number of standing ovations, 55 to be precise – the most standing ovations given to any foreign leader addressing Congress. The applause went overboard, and at one point, the audience began to clap and Bib had to stop them to say, “No, don’t applaud. Listen.” Here are some of the best lines:

This is not a clash of civilizations. It’s a clash between barbarism and civilization.

These protesters chant, ‘from the river to the sea’. But many don’t have a clue what river and what sea they’re talking about. They not only get an ‘F’ in geography, they get an ‘F’ in history. They call Israel a colonialist state.

Don’t they know that the Land of Israel is where Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob prayed, where Isaiah and Jeremiah preached and where David and Solomon ruled?

For nearly 4000 years, the land of Israel has been the homeland of the Jewish people. It’s always been our home; it will always be our home.

And one more thing. When Israel acts to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, that could destroy Israel and threaten every American city, every city that you come from, we’re not only protecting ourselves. We’re protecting you.

In World War II, as Britain fought on the front-lines of civilization, Winston Churchill appealed to Americans with these famous words: “Give us the tools and we’ll finish the job.” Today, as Israel fights on the frontline of civilization, I too appeal to America: “Give us the tools faster, and we’ll finish the job faster.”

Back to the War Front

In an Israel Defence Forces (IDF) operation in Khan Younis, 5 bodies of hostages were recovered from the Gaza Strip and brought back to Israeli territory. It is over 300 days and about 125 hostages are still held in excruciating captivity by the Terrorist Hamas.

Biden Out: Kamala In

US President President Joe Biden, 81 – who is recovering from Covid – and has been ‘rapidly growing old’ in recent times, finally announced he will no longer seek re-election, ending his Presidential campaign less than four months before Election Day. He said his decision was in the best interest of his party and the country. And he quickly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee, calling on fellow Democrats to come together and beat Republican candidate Donald Trump. This is the first time a US President has ended his re-election bid this late in the game. The last incumbent to make a similar move was President Lyndon B Johnson in 1968.

The US Secret Service: Grilled & Roasted

Over the week, US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle appeared before a bipartisan House Oversight Committee looking into the lapses of the Donald Trump assassination attempt, to answer questions. The committee was allover her with piercing questions, and she cut a sorry figure under the intense grilling. She rankled lawmakers by refusing to provide sufficient details about the incident, being as slippery as an eel and as evasive as a snake. Said one of the members, ’This committee is not known for its model of bipartisanship, and I think today we came together unanimously in our disappointment. We don’t have that confidence that you can lead.” During more than four hours of often contentious proceedings, Cheatle called the 13 July 24 shooting “the most significant operational failure at the Secret Service in decades”.

Later in the week, she could hold-on no longer. She resigned.

Bangladesh Rocks

Bangladesh’s Supreme Court on Sunday rolled back most of the controversial quotas on government jobs which sparked violent protests in the country.

The Court dismissed the earlier ruling that brought back the quotas, directing that 93% of government jobs will be open to candidates on merit, without quotas. A lawyer representing the students said that the Supreme Court, “gave a final solution to this quota system. That is, 93% quota for general people, 5% quota for freedom fighters and their kin, 1% for ethnic minority community, and 1% for third gender and physically disabled”.

India: We built this City

The official commentary on Budget 2024, that was unveiled on 23 July 24, would run something like this: ‘It’s a comprehensive strategy built on nine foundational pillars – agriculture, employment, inclusive development, manufacturing and services, urban development, energy, infrastructure, innovation/research and development, and next-generation reforms. These will serve as guiding principles aimed at fostering broad-based opportunities and sustainable progress across the country. It presents a holistic approach to economic development, balancing fiscal prudence with targeted interventions for inclusive growth and sets a bold trajectory towards a prosperous and resilient India’.

The focus of this year’s Budget was on ‘ four caste’ groups of: Farmers, Youth, Poor, and Women, to hopefully make life better for them.

Set aside that jargon, and let’s roll over. The Government, short of a majority in Parliament, actually stands on two foundation pillars. 1-its own numbers, and, 2-that of the States of Andhra Pradesh (AP) and Bihar plus certain other small Allies. And AP and Bihar got their pound of flesh, when the new Government set sail on the high seas on 11 June 24 following the declaration of Election Results on 4 June 24.

AP got a bonanza of INR 15,000 crore for building its new capital city of Amravathi (It had no capital following bifurcation into Telangana and AP, with Telangana getting Hyderbad as its Capital) a completion of irrigation projects and essential infrastructure such as water, power, railways, and roads. Bihar got big-ticket measures of INR 26,000 crore for various road projects in the state and bombastic plans for new airports and sports infrastructure. In addition, it grabbed another INR 11,500 crore for flood mitigation and taming the mercurial River Kosi, which runs through the State.

The hard-working, honestly tax-paying middle class felt left-out again – timidly thrown under the bus. Though the tax slabs were tinkered with and the standard deduction tweaked, giving them ‘slightly more money’ in their hands, they were disappointed. It was depressing that the tax on Long Term Capital Gains was increased by 2.5% to 12.5% (from 10%) without indexation. And Short -Term Capital Gains from equities and mutual funds to 20%. The Govt rewarded the risk taken to grow their money. What was given by the right hand was quickly grabbed by the left hand. Did something spill down?

The Big Numbers said INR 48.21 Lakh Crore would be the estimated total expenditure by the Govt with a nominal GDP Growth of 10.5%. The Fiscal deficit, which represents the difference between the government’s total income and its total expenditure was plugged at 4.9% with serious intentions to bring in under 4.5% by 2025-26, which is actually very good.

The allocation for Defence was 6.22 Lakh crore; the Rural push was 2.66 Lakh crore; and for Education it was 1.26 Lakh crore, among other outlays.

With the top honchos of the Corporate world complaining about a lack of skills among the ‘educated unemployed’, the Govt heard. It came up with a programme to skill-up 20 lakh young people over a 5-year period. 1,000 Industrial Training Institutes will be upgraded in a hub. One-month wage will be provided to new entrants in all formal sectors in 3 instalments up to INR 15,000, which is expected to benefit 210 lakh youth.

Finally, is a great spin, import duties on gold and silver were reduced to 6% from the earlier 15% leading to India’s Jewels in the crown getting cheaper. And gold prices fell by over 5%. With Indian households owning approximately 11% of the World’s Gold the fall in prices wiped out over 10 lakh crore from the value of gold held by Indians in a single day.

India: We Test Well

This week India’s Supremo Court ruled on the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for Under-Graduate admission to India’s Medical Colleges, which testing was challenged. It said that there was no proof of systematic breach of exam – sanctity preserved, hence no-retest needed, nor a cancellation of exam itself. But 4 lakh candidates will lose 5 marks each over a contentious Physics question. New merit lists were to be notified in two day’s time and the derailed process was put back on track.

India: We Fire Well

In another fighting news, on Wednesday, India quietly and successfully flight-tested its Phase-II Ballistic Missile Defence System from off the Odisha coast. The test demonstrated India’s indigenous capability to defend against ballistic missiles of 5,000 km class. The Target Missile was launched mimicking an adversary Ballistic Missile, which was detected by weapon system radars deployed on land and sea and activated the Interceptor system.

Nepal: Plane Crash

This week there was yet another plane crash in Nepal. I recall writing about two other plane crashes over the past two years in 2023, and 2022. Since 2000, nearly 360 people have died in plane or helicopter crashes in the country.

This Wednesday, a small passenger plane, a Bombardier CRJ-200 aircraft, belonging to Nepal’s Saurya Airlines crashed and caught fire while taking off from the capital Kathmandu, killing 18 people on board and leaving one survivor, the Captain Pilot. The 50-seater plane, carrying two crew members and 17 technicians, was heading for regular maintenance to Nepal’s new Pokhara airport, which is equipped with aircraft maintenance hangars. Eighteen of those on board were Nepali citizens, with one engineer from Yemen.

Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft veered off to the right and crashed on the east side of the runway with its wing hitting the ground.

The crash again focused attention on the poor air safety record of the landlocked Himalayan nation that is wedged between India and China and is heavily dependent upon air connectivity due to its limited road network. Nepal’s aviation industry has a poor safety record – that has been attributed to multiple factors over the years, from unpredictable weather to lax regulations.

The Paris Olympics: On Your Marks

In what will be a unique festival ‘on the water’, for the first time in the history of the Summer Olympics Games, the Opening Ceremony will be held outside a stadium. Athletes will parade down Paris’ famous River Seine, on boats – a floating parade through the heart of the City. The Opening Ceremony is scheduled to begin on Friday 26 July, when the first boats depart from the Austerlitz Bridge.

Going east to west through the city, 10,500 athletes on 94 boats will be ferried down a 6 km route that ends in front of the famous Trocadero, opposite the Eiffel Tower, where the rest of the Ceremony shows takes place, such as the lighting of the Olympic cauldron and the official opening speech by French President Emmanuel Macron. The boats will pass through some of Paris’ most iconic landmarks, including the Louvre and the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral.

Saboteurs struck France’s TGV high-speed train network in a series of pre-dawn attacks that caused chaos on the country’s busiest rail lines and heightened security concerns. Vandals damaged signal boxes along the lines connecting Paris with cities such as Lille in the north, Bordeaux in the west and Strasbourg in the east. Another attack on the Paris-Marseille line was foiled.

In another incident, the Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg airport, located by the French-Swiss-German border, was evacuated due to a bomb threat. It later reopened and resumed operations.

Under the Sea: Dark Oxygen

We are all too familiar with oxygen produced by photosynthesis. But what if there is another source, that too deep under our Oceans?

This week, Scientists found evidence of an additional source of oxygen – raising questions about the origins of life on Earth. For decades, scientists have floated theories about dark matter, which is believed to hold galaxies together by its gravitational pull. The enigma of dark matter continues, and now scientists have discovered what they call ‘dark oxygen’ on the ocean’s floor.

A recent study published in Nature Geoscience-a journal dedicated to Earth sciences research-shows oxygen emitted from mineral deposits 4,000 meters below the ocean’s surface on the seafloor at a depth that is almost half the length of the tallest peak of Mount Everest.

On the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), which spans 4.5 million square kilometres in the Pacific Ocean, there are coal-like mineral rocks, called polymetallic nodules, which typically contain manganese and iron. Scientists have found that these nodules produce oxygen without the process of photosynthesis. The fact that we’ve got another source of oxygen on the planet other than photosynthesis has consequences and implications that are utterly profound.

More oxygen-rich stories coming-up in the weeks ahead. Breathe easy with World Inthavaaram.

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2024-29

About: the world this week, 14 July2024 to 20 July 2024: India fights; Donald Trump fights; Israel fights; Reservations shake & stir Bangladesh and India’s Karnataka; Air India’s Gold; EU Leaders place themselves; Spains reigns in Wimbledon and the Euro-cup.

Everywhere

India: Mounting Body Bags

Terrorists from across the Border-read as Pakistan-are still on the prowl in India’s State of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) and the number of dead Indian Jawans is mounting. This week, four Indian Army soldiers including an officer were killed in an exchange of gunfire during an encounter with terrorists in the Dessa area, Doda District, J&K. Counter-terrorism activities are underway, and it’s time India visibly acts to prevent these attacks, than just express ‘routine sympathy’ for those martyred.

America: Die Another Day

Last Saturday, former US President Donald Trump was at a Republican Party Campaign Rally at Butler, Pennsylvania, when he trumped death and ducked to live another day. A bullet grazed his right ear while he danced his head in his trademark speaking gesture-that saved him. It was a failed assassination attempt. Time magazine summed it up best with the headline, ‘Man of the Ear’.

A 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks drove 70 km from his home in Bethel Park with an AR-15 rifle, climbed-up a warehouse at the venue, and took shots at Trump, while roof-top snipers seemed slow to spot him. When bullets wizzed past him, and after one kissed his ear, Trump went down on his knees holding a bloodied ear, while the Security Service body-blanketed him. A spectator, a 50-year-old volunteer fire-fighter chief, Corey Comperatore, was killed when he dived on his family to protect them-he died a hero. Two others were injured.

Trump emerged from the bottom of the stage, with a fist thumping, ‘fight’-only after finding his shoes, which came loose in the melee. And overnight it became an iconic photo with China quick to copy it on T-Shirts and sell them like hot cookies.

The would-be assassin, Crooks was killed: shot dead by a Sniper, while still on the roof. A clear motive is yet to be established.

Crooks, a ‘high honours’ graduate with an associate degree in engineering science, working in a local nursing home kitchen as a Dietary Aide, at a short drive from his home. The AR-15 style semi-automatic rifle used was purchased by Crook’s father about six months ago, and dad allowed the son to use it, like he had many times before. And Crooks purchased 50 rounds of ammunition on the day of the rally. He had a membership of the gun club in his area for at least a year. He had registered himself as a Republican voter but has made a USD 15 donation to a Democratic Party cause.

On the day of the shooting, Crooks drove his Hyundai Sonata to the rally and parked it outside the rally venue, with an explosive device hidden in the trunk of the car that was wired to a transmitter he carried. He had a bicycle, which he used to scout around the rally site and finally to reach the chosen position. He then scaled an air-conditioning unit of an adjacent building from the ground and pulled himself up onto the roof. He got up eight shots at Trump, about 400 feet away.

The AR (ArmaLite Rifle)-15, is a weapon of war, designed to be lightweight, easy to fire and carry in the field. It’s also a central symbol in the US gun debate; the most popular, and ubiquitous firearm in the US, with close to 25 million in civilian hands.

Law enforcement says, Crooks was identified as suspicious an hour before the shooting and Secret Service deemed him a threat 10 minutes prior to Trump going on stage. But allowed Trump to go ahead, anyway.

All eyes are on the Secret Service to explain how it could have suffered its biggest security failure since President Ronald Reagan was shot at in 1981. As a former president and presidential candidate, Trump receives Secret Service protection by law. And when it comes to campaign rallies, security sweeps around the event’s perimeter are typically routine. The Secret Service’s counter-sniper and counter-assault teams were at the Rally. Yet, a gunman was able to fire his weapon within 400 to 500 feet of where Trump took the stage, leaving many shocked and fearful that there could be more acts of political violence ahead of the November Elections. Of course, a President of the US is given over a thousand times more security than an ex-President. But the security-lapse is alarming and raises many red flags!

Later, turning-up with a neatly bandaged right ear, Trump announced his running-mate and Vice Presidential candidate as the 39 years old James David Vance. Eight years ago, in the lead-up to the 2016 presidential election, JD Vance was a bitter critic of Donald Trump. Publicly calling him an ‘idiot, and said he was ‘reprehensible’. Privately, he compared him to Adolf Hitler. He has since come-around.

Vance, was born in southern Ohio. And rose from poverty to become US Senator and now, a Vice Presidential candidate. Vance defeated Democratic Party Nominee Tim Ryan in the 2022 US Senate Election in Ohio State.

After serving in the Marine Corps, attending Yale Law School, and working as a venture capitalist in San Francisco, Vance rose to national prominence thanks to his bestselling 2016 Book, ‘Hillbilly Elegy’. In that memoir, he explored the socioeconomic problems confronting his hometown and his upbringing in Appalachia. And attempted to explain Trump’s popularity among impoverished working class white Americans.

He met his future wife Usha Chilukuri at Yale and married her in an interfaith Wedding ceremony in 2014: they were blessed by a Hindu Pandit, along with a Bible reading by Vance’s best friend. The couple have three children: Ewan, Vivek, and Mirabel.

Usha is a daughter of Indian immigrants, from a family of academic achievers. Her great-aunt, Shanthamma Chilukuri, 96, is celebrated as India’s oldest active professor. She teaches Physics and lives in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh State, commuting 60 km on most weekdays for her classes at Vizianagaram. And says, teaching is her passion and purpose in life. Usha’s family hails from Vadduru Village in Andhra Pradesh but moved to Chennai when her maternal grandfather took up a teaching assignment at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).

At the end of the Republican National Convention, Donald Trump accepted his Party’s nomination as Presidential candidate. During his acceptance speech, he rolled out a Rambo threat to the terrorist Hamas, “We want our hostages back. And they better be back before I assume Office, or you will be paying a very big price”. Great words indeed!

Israel: Fierce Battle

Last Saturday, news swirled about the possible killing of Muhammad Deif, the second in command of the Terrorist Hamas, in a deadly air-strike by Israel on the compound where intelligence indicated he was hiding. However, Israel has not confirmed whether it indeed killed Hamas’s elusive military leader. Israel seems confident he was at that location to meet with Khan Younis brigade commander Rafa’a Salameh. But it could be possible that Deif left, for some reason, minutes before the strike.

Israeli forces continued pounding areas in the central Gaza Strip, killing and are eliminating tens of Hamas terrorists almost every day. This Tuesday, the military said it had eliminated half of the leadership of Hamas’ military wing and killed or captured about 14,000 fighters since the start of the war, around half the fighting force estimated by the Israeli military. Israel says over 320 of its soldiers have been killed in Gaza. And the fighting goes on.

European Union(EU): Leaders Elected

Ursula von der Leyen, 65, of the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) was re-elected as President of the European Commission following a secret ballot among Members of European Parliament (MEP). She secured the backing of 401 MEPs at a vote in Strasbourg on Thursday – 41 more than required. Von der Leyen, was first elected in 2019. And will now serve another five years at the helm of the EU.

Von der Leyen is German, and worked as a Physician and Research Fellow before becoming a Politician. She is married to Physician Heiko von der Leyen – a Professor and CEO of a medical engineering company. The couple have seven children.

As head of the EU’s executive branch, the President sets the EU’s policy agenda, political direction, and priorities, leads a cabinet of commissioners and represents the EU at international meetings and summits.

The other two big EU jobs will be filled later this year by Antonio Costa, a former Socialist Prime Minister in Portugal, who will head the European Council, which represents the 27 EU governments; and by Estonia’s Kaja Kallas who has stepped down as Prime Minister to become the EU’s foreign policy chief.

Bangladesh: Reservations – Shaken

Bangladesh is on the boil. Thousands of students armed with sticks and rocks clashed with armed police in the capital Dhaka this Thursday. And mobile internet services were cut to quell anti-quota protests that have killed at least 16 people this week.

The nationwide agitation, the biggest since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was re-elected for a fourth time, is fuelled by high unemployment among the youth, with nearly a fifth of the 170 million population out of work or education.

Students have been holding rallies demanding change to a system which reserves a third of public sector jobs for the families and relatives of veterans of the country’s war for independence from Pakistan in 1971 -categorised as war heroes. Some jobs are also reserved for women, ethnic minorities. Government jobs are highly coveted in Bangladesh because they pay well. In total, more than half of the positions-amounting to hundreds of thousands-are reserved for certain groups. And takes the quota system to a whooping 56%.

The students are arguing that the system is discriminatory, demanding a merit-based approach to jobs.

India’s Karnataka Reservations – Stirred

Meanwhile, in India’s State of Karnataka, The State Government brought a bill, cleared on Monday, which requires Private Companies to prioritise local hires for 70 % of non-management roles, 50%of management-level jobs, and 100% reservation at certain lower levels. By every sound of the Bill, it appeared to be glaringly illegal and would not pass the Constitution test. And surely the Courts will chuck it out. But still, India’s Grand Old Party-The Indian National Congress-which rules the State, made a scene of it.

But then, there was a thunderous uproar, with many Bengaluru Companies saying they will move their business out of the State. And the nearby state of Andhra Pradesh began ogling at the opportunity, and turned on an infectious charm, with come hither looks. Karnataka suddenly found its tail settling between the legs and made a hasty retreat.

“The bill intended to implement reservation for Kannadigas in private sector institutions, industries and enterprises is still in the preparation stage. A final decision will be taken after comprehensive discussion in the next cabinet meeting”, said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Wonder where wisdom lies?

Air India: Gold

This week, an Air-India passenger flying on a normal flight from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to New Delhi on flight AI-992 raised suspicion with his continual refusal of in-flight food and drink during the over five hours flight. The airline must have felt slighted that its on-board cuisine wasn’t tickling enough for the man. An alert flight-attendant found this unusual and informed the Captain. And on landing the Passenger was placed under severe watch by Customs. On interrogation, he admitted to concealing gold in his body. He had about 1097 grams – with about INR 69 lakh – of the precious metals hidden in four capsules in his rectum. Indians love their gold, for sure. Never mind where it comes from.

Sports: Tennis and Football

Wimbledon

The Ladies Final saw Czech Barbora Krejcikova outplay Italian Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 2-6, 6-4, to win her first Wimbledon Singles Ladies Title. With the victory, Krejcikova emulated her late friend and coach Jana Novotna, who was Wimbledon Champion in 1998 and died from ovarian cancer in 2017, at the age of 49.

For Jasmine Paolini, 28, it was her second straight Grand Slam final defeat, after falling to Poland’s Iga Swiatek in straight sets in last month’s French Open.

In the Gentlemen’s Finals, Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz beat Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2, 7-6, to win the Wimbledon Singles Title, and now owns 4 Grand Slam Titles (1 U S Open, 1 French Open and 2 Wimbledon) at age 21. He also retains the title he won last year. He outclassed seven-time champion and 24 Grand Slam Title holder Djokovic. Alcaraz is also only the sixth man to win the French Open and the Wimbledon back to back.

Novak Djokovic says of Carlos Alcaraz, “He played every single shot better than I did: the way I felt on the court today against him, I was inferior on the court. He was a better player. That’s it. He played every single shot better than I did. I don’t think I could’ve done much more… he wasn’t allowing me to have free points on my serve. He played with a lot of variety. I’ve never seen him serve that way. I’ve never seen him serve that fast. He must’ve had a really good serving practice day, yesterday. He really outplayed me… he was better than me in every aspect of the game.”

Carlos Alcaraz received the trophy from a classy Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, who came back from her time-out, sizzling in a purple dress. And with daughter princess Charlotte fondly looking over her. The Royals received a standing ovation.

Eurocup 2024

Spain beat England in the European Football Championship, hosted by Germany from 14 June to 14 July 2024. The tournament involved 24 teams, with Georgia making their European Championship debut.

Spain had 65% possession to England’s 35% and double the passes made. England got a lucky draw with Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia and got lucky again in semi-finals beating Netherlands, but were finally outplayed by brilliant Spain.

Spain struck late, to win with a 2-1 victory over England on Sunday in Berlin to capture the trophy for a record fourth time. It was an intense first-half as Spain dominated, but England soaked in the pressure, and held them to a 0-0 scoreline. In the second-half, Spain struck early as Neco Williams scored in the 47th minute to give his side a 1-0 lead. But Cole Palmer equalised in the 73rd minute, bringing England back to the game. Spain substitute Mikel Oyarzabal scored a late winner in the 86th minute as his side won, 2-1.

More earful stories coming-up in the weeks ahead. ‘Fight’ with World Inthavaaram.

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2024-2

About: the world this week, 7 January 2024 to 13 January 2024; Israel changes tactics; the Houthi Movement; France’s new Prime Minister; Bangladesh’s old PM; India’s oil find; the Golden Globe Awards; and passing of Football superstars.

Everywhere

Israel is shifting its war against the terrorist Hamas to a different level: to a new kind of tactical urban guerrilla warfare. And once their goals are accomplished, I am sure there will be no army like Israel’s Defense Forces. There are still 136 hostages out there, since 7 October 2023, under unimaginable duress, and Israel is fighting hard to bring them home.

On another front, the United States and the United Kingdom launched a massive retaliatory strike against Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen. The strikes were from the air and sea against Houthi military targets in Yemen, in response to the Houthis’ attacks on ships in the Red Sea. And this is a dramatic regional widening of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

The Houthis have, more than two dozen times, attacked commercial vessels since mid-November 2023, triggering an international challenge. The US and UK said their action demonstrated a shared commitment to freedom of navigation, international commerce, and defending the lives of mariners from illegal and unjustifiable attacks.

The Houthi Movement, officially known as ‘Ansar Allah’ is a Shia Islamist political and military organisation that emerged in Yemen in the 1990s. The leadership is drawn largely from the Houthi Tribe, hence the name. In the formative stages, it was mainly an opposition to Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Salem, who they accused of corruption and being backed by Saudi Arabia and the United States. What began as a moderate theological movement that preached tolerance and held broad-minded views evolved into a violent organisation, over the years, largely influenced by the Hezbollah of Iran. In the year 2003, the Houthis adopted their official slogan as, ‘God is the Greatest, Death to America, Death to Israel, A curse upon the Jews, Victory to Islam’. This slogan is often portrayed on a white flag, with the written text in red and green: the pro-islamic statements in green and the anti-America & anti-Israel ones in red. The Houthis aim to govern all of Yemen and support external movements again the US, Israel, and Saudi Arabia. They have a complex relationship with their own people-the Sunnis- in Yemen.

This Tuesday, France named a new Prime Minister: the youngest and the first openly gay person. Gabriel Attal, 34, takes over from his predecessor Elisabeth Borne following her resignation early in the week over turmoil on an Immigration law that strengthens the Government’s power to deport foreigners. Gabriel joined French President Macron’s political movement in 2016 and was Government Spokesman from 2020 to 2022, which made him well-known. He also served as Budget Minister and Education Minister in Macron’s Government. And is popular among the people besides being media savvy. France seems to be growing young, riding on the shoulders of the old. Macron himself became France’s youngest President at age 39 in the year 2017.

This week, South Korea’s Parliament passed a landmark ban on production and sale of dog meat, bringing to an end a centuries old practice. Until now, eating dog meat was neither explicitly banned nor legally permitted and has long been viewed as a source of stamina on hot summer days.

In India’s immediate neighbourhood, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,76, secured a record fourth straight term-her fifth at the top job-with her Awami League Party winning two-thirds majority in Parliament. The voter turnout was miserly at 40% and could be due to the main Opposition Party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its Allies, boycotting the General Elections. They were angry over the harsh crackdown on the opposition and human-rights violations. Hasina herself won her seat for the eight time, since 1986, and her nearest rival secured just 469 votes.

Hasina has been in power since 2009 and has remarkably transformed the economy of Bangladesh. Its garment sector is one of the world’s most competitive. She has staved off military coups, controlled Islamic militancy, and raised the profile of her country. And she is best friends with India.

Sheikh Hasina is the daughter of Bangladesh’s Father of the Nation, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was the architect of separation from parent Pakistan, and founding Bangladesh as an independent nation in 1971 – with India’s help. The Father was assassinated in August 1975. Hasina herself has survived a total of 19 assassination attempts on her life. She has a son and a daughter. Hasina’s niece – the daughter of her only living sibling, Sheikh Rehan is Tulip Siddiq, the UK politician serving as Member of Parliament for the Hampstead and Kilburn constituency.

India is beginning to get rich in many ways. It’s already the owner of the largest ornament gold in the World and as if the shine of this yellow isn’t enough, India discovered one of its best Black Gold – Crude Oil – finds ever. India’s Oil & Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) announced the discovery. A total of 26 wells were found, and 4 wells have just begun production, capable of pumping out 45,000 barrels per day by May or June this year. This would meet about 7% of India’s total oil requirements. The discovery is 30 kilometres from Kakinada’s coast, nestled within the Krishna Godavari basin, off the coast of Andhra Pradesh State.

The 81st Golden Globes Awards Ceremony 2024, hosted by comedian Jo Koy, was held at the Beverley Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills, California, US, on 7th January and the award winners were announced. The Golden Globes is one of the few Award ceremonies which include achievements in both motion picture and television. Oppenheimer and Barbie, between them, won most of the nominations and the awards, reminding us that ‘Barbenheimer’ are quite a pair, still running together on the big screen. Oppenheimer had 8 nominations and 5 wins: best Film-drama, best Actor-drama for Cillian Murphy, Best male actor in a supporting role for ‘Iron Man’ Robert Downey Jr, Best original score, and Best Director for Christoper Nolan.

Barbie was the most nominated film in 9 categories and won 2 Globes. It won the first-ever award for Cinematic & Box Office Achievement, introduced this year. Barbie directed by Greta Gerwig set records and hit over USD 1 billion in global box offices. The second award was for Best Original Song. Billie Eilish O’Connell and Finneas O’Connell won for their emotional track, ‘What Was I Made For?

Best Film-musical or comedy went to Poor Things: about a young woman living in Victorian era London who, after being resurrected by a scientist following her suicide, runs off with a debauched lawyer to embark on an odyssey of self-discovery and sexual liberation. The best animated film went to The Boy and the Heron: follows a boy during the Pacific War, who discovers an abandoned tower in his new town after his mother’s death and enters a fantastical world with a talking grey heron.

The best non-English Film award went to Anatomy of a Fall: a French courtroom drama thriller about as a writer trying to prove her innocence in her husband’s death.

Best Television Series-Drama went to Succession: the ups and downs of a dysfunctional American global-media family. Best Television Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television went to Beef: about two strangers whose involvement in a road rage incident escalates into a prolonged feud. Ali Wong and Steven Yeun became the first actors of Asian descent to win for their meaty roles in the series.

Major fashion and dressing trends were unleashed at the Golden Globe Awards. And individuality still ruled the Red Carpet. The 50s ankle-length cocktail dress—the sheath and lavender was there. Bangs (locks of hair that fall over the scalp’s front hairline to cover the forehead, usually just above the eyebrows) were a big-bang sensation, going by Taylor Swift’s ‘Kissing the Brow Bangs.’ Carey Mulligan’s blunt cut, which some call the bob, also did the rounds. Large glam curls were seen on Jennifer Lopez and Brie Larson, which provided a soft look. Selena Gomez and Helen Mirren went for the traditional bun, while Billie Eilish and Lily Gladstone did some exciting things with the layers. Ponytails were back. Florence Pugh’s fluffy reverse duck-tail was chic and could start a trend with women. Barbie’s Margot Robbie came in a pink Armani dress inspired by the classic ‘Superstar Barbie’ doll of 1977. She continued playing Barbie.

What about the men? They were simply suave.

In the world of Men’s Football, only three players have won the FIFA World Cup, both as player and as a Manager. Franz Beckenbauer of Germany, Mario Zagello of Brazil, and Didier Deschamps of France.

This week, on 9th January, Franz Beckenbauer died at the age of 78. Late last week, on 5th January, Mario Zagello, died at the age of 92. That’s two legends leaving the football field forever, within the span of a week.

Beckenbauer, known in Germany as ‘Der Kaiser (the Emperor) is considered one of the greatest footballers of all time. He helped Germany win their second world title as a player and Captain in 1974 and later as a Manager in 1990, in their third win.

Born in Munich in 1945, he captained Germany to the 1974 World Cup title on home soil when they beat the Netherlands 2-1 in the Munich final; then managed the team that beat Argentina 1-0 in Rome to lift the trophy at Italia’90. He was named European footballer of the year in 1972 and 1976. He played a pivotal role in some of the country’s greatest sporting achievements. But, in later years, his legacy was tarnished by his involvement in scandals surrounding Germany’s successful bid to host the 2006 World Cup.

Mario Zagello was in Brazil’s winning team, playing alongside the legendary Pele, in the 1958 and 1962 World Cup, and ‘managed’ Pele and the Brazilian team in 1970 when Brazil won the World Cup for the third time. He wore the nickname of ‘The Professor’ throughout his coaching career due to his tactical awareness and commanding presence on the bench. Brazil went on to win the world in 1994 and 2002 – an unsurpassed record five times. Brazil is quickly followed by Germany with 4 FIFA World Cup wins in 1954, 1974, 1990, and 2014 and Italy also with four wins in 1934, 1938, 1982, 2006.

More real and reel stories coming up in the weeks ahead. Watch 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!

Everywhere

Russia Ups The Ante

Israel and Hezbollah Ceasefire

Rowdy Bangladesh

Australia’s New Under-16 Law

India’s State Elections

The Earth’s Tilt

Oh Deer!

Oh India!

Everywhere

War World

United States School Shooting

Bangladesh: Off a Tangent?

Hijacking a True Story

The True Story

The Netflix Series: IC 814 – The Kandahar Hijack

Sexual Assault in Kerala: Hema Committee Report

Sex & France

Paralympics 2024: India’s Medal Sprint

Everywhere

The Wars

America

India

Bangladesh

AMR

Everywhere

Britain: Rioting Right

United States Elections: Running Mate

Taylor Swift: Not Fearless

The Bangladesh Drift: the Churning

Israel and Ukraine: the fight is on

Paris Olympics 2024: Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together

Everywhere

Microhard

The Wrath of Israel: Don’t Start a Fire

Bibi in America

Back to the War Front

Biden Out: Kamala In

The US Secret Service: Grilled & Roasted

Bangladesh Rocks

India: We built this City

India: We Test Well

India: We Fire Well

Nepal: Plane Crash

The Paris Olympics: On Your Marks

Under the Sea: Dark Oxygen

Everywhere

India: Mounting Body Bags

America: Die Another Day

Israel: Fierce Battle

European Union(EU): Leaders Elected

Bangladesh: Reservations – Shaken

India’s Karnataka Reservations – Stirred

Air India: Gold

Sports: Tennis and Football

Wimbledon

Eurocup 2024

Everywhere

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