Tag: Israel

FREEWHEELING

About: A break free commentary on events on our Planet, anchored on the news of the world. Any comments beyond the storyline, are entirely mine, without prejudice -take it or leave it. This is a run of events from 1 September to 15th September: the churn and restlessness in the world; Gen Z in Nepal; India pulls up its sleeves; and the passing of fashion designer Armani.

The World on a Spin

The World is definitely spinning-now it seems more on the inside-churning and in a multi-dimensional whirl!

France dived into a political crisis when its Prime Minister (PM) Francois Bayrou was defeated in a confidence vote in the National Assembly: 364 votes against to 194 for. He submitted his government’s resignation to President Emmanuel Macron, who quickly decided to replace him with close ally Sebastien Lecornu. This is France’s seventh PM under Macron, and the fifth in less than two years: a pointer to the disenchantment and full-grown frustration with Macron’s second term.

Lecornu, 39, has spent the past three years as Minister of the Armed Forces focusing on France’s response to Russia’s war in Ukraine. He has now been given the task of consulting political parties, probably on a war-footing, with the aim of adopting France’s next budget.

In the United Kingdom, the British seem to have taken US Vice-President J D Vance’s words -said in jest-seriously. He joked that Britain could well become the “first truly Islamist country to get a nuclear weapon,” following the Labour Party’s election victory. And with the appointment of a Pro-Palestine rabble-rouser as Home Secretary, along with the climbing incidents of Islamic lawlessness, they are on course to achieving that status. Shabana Mahmood has been appointed new UK Home Secretary, replacing Yvette Cooper following a major Cabinet reshuffle in the Labour-led government, triggered by the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner.

Meanwhile, in recent times, Central London has become the stage of many protests. ‘Unite the Kingdom’ march, organised by anti-immigrant activist Tommy Robinson, was attended by around 110,000 people. Then there was the ‘Stand Up to Racism’ counter-protest, besides the ever-so-often, running-on-your-screens, pro-Palestine protests.

Looks like it’s back to old assassination ways in the United States of America: the guns were always there; many are finding the trigger more often than before.

Charlie Kirk, 31, a close associate of US President Donald Trump was assassinated on 10th September while on stage at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, for a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) event, ‘The American Comeback Tour’. Kirk was fatally shot in the neck, around 20 minutes after the event began, in front of an audience of about 3,000 people.

Charlie was a political activist, author, and media personality. He co-founded the student organisation TPUSA in 2012, which caters to conservative youth on American university campuses and was its Executive Director. He was one of the most prominent voices of the populist MAGA movement and exemplified the growth of Christian nationalism in the Republican Party. He leaves behind two young kids and his wife Erika Kirk who pledged to keep his legacy alive.

The suspect, Tyler Robinson, 22 was arrested for the killing, turned in by his own father, to who he admitted the crime. This, after the father saw released photos of the suspect and confirmed that was it was his son. It is said that despite a good upbringing, Tyler Robinson was radicalised ‘in a fairly short amount of time’. Tyler is a third-year student in the electrical apprenticeship program at Dixie Technical College, Utah Valley University, where Kirk was killed.

On the same day, 10th September Indian origin Chandra Nagamallaiah was brutally beheaded in a Dallas Motel by an undocumented immigrant, an illegal alien from Cuba, Yordanis Cobos Martinez, in front of his wife and son. The gruesome act took place at the Downtown Suites Motel in Dallas where Chandra Nagamallaiah and Cobos-Martinez were workers. Nagamallaiah had approached Cobos-Martinez and a female colleague while they were cleaning a room, telling them not to use a broken washing machine. Cobos-Martinez became enraged as Nagamallaiah had asked the female colleague to translate what he was saying instead of addressing him directly. Cobos-Martinez left the room, pulled out a machete ‘from his person’ and launching the assault. Nagamallaiah ran through the motel’s car park screaming for help, but the suspect chased him down and struck him repeatedly.

In late August Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska was killed on a train at the East/West Boulevard light rail station on the Lynx Blue Line in Charlotte, North Carolina. Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee who had fled her country because of the Russian invasion, was fatally stabbed. Her assailant, Decarlos Brown Jr., was arrested upon exiting the train and charged with first-degree murder. The 34-year-old Brown was arrested 14 times before the stabbing; he was convicted of breaking and entering. While on probation, he was arrested for armed robbery. And was incarcerated for more than five years in state prison

What’s happening in the United States of America?

Generation Z (Gen Z) is the generation born in the late 1990s or the early 21st century, perceived as being familiar with the use of digital technology, the internet, and social media from a very young age.

It was student and youth-led, Generation Z’s simmering churn in Sri Lanka some time ago, which spread to Bangladesh and leaders of both countries flying-out to escape the fury of the mobs. This time it was the turn of Nepal.

Nepal is in the grip of its worst political turmoils in decades after Gen Z led protests over a social media ban erupted and transformed into a nationwide uprising against corruption and entrenched political leadership. At least 70 people have been killed in clashes with security forces, which appears to have ignited latent fury. Demonstrators scorched the streets, torched the homes of senior leaders, and stormed (burnt it as well) Parliament leading to the resignation of the Prime Minister.

In events leading to the chaos, Nepal banned social media sites, including Facebook and Instagram, after they did not register with the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology. A notice said social media giants are given a week to register with the government, starting 28th August. But none, Meta (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp), Alphabet (YouTube), X, Reddit, and LinkedIn – had submitted applications, by the deadline.

The number of Facebook users in Nepal can be put at around 13.5 million, and Instagram at around 3.6 million. Many rely on social media for their business. As the social media platforms went down in Nepal, those affected started protesting. The demonstrations against social media ban then snowballed into an anti-corruption protest.

There have been a series of corruption scams and allegations against high-ranking political leaders in Nepal, with little action taken and hardly anyone brought to book. Another factor is the ‘Nepo kids’ phenomenon. The children of political leaders flaunted their wealth and lavish lifestyles, which fuelled resentment among young people.

The turmoil appears to have subsided for the moment, with the ‘social media’ selection of former Chief Justice Mrs Sushila Karki, as interim Prime Minister. Karki took the oath of office after an agreement with protest leaders from the Gen Z movement. Nepal’s newly-appointed interim PM says she will be in the post for no longer than six months. “I did not wish for this job. It was after voices from the streets that I was compelled to accept,” Sushila Karki said, speaking for the first time since being sworn into office on Friday. She said she would hand over to the new government which will emerge after elections on 5th March, next year. Incidentally, Karki’s husband, Durga Prasad Subedi, is a Nepalese democracy fighter, author, and politician who was one of the three youth wing leaders of the Nepali Congress involved in the 1973 Royal Nepal Airlines DHC-6 hijacking. We sure have a potboiler in Nepal.

In keeping with the ‘World tempo’ the other two ‘good old wars’ have become a part of everyday life. Russia continues slamming Ukraine with gunfire, and Israel is working hard on its plan to take full control of Gaza City. Israel says it has over 40% of the city under its control.

On 8th September six people were killed on the outskirts of Jerusalem. Hamas’ armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades claimed responsibility for the shooting. In a lightening response, on 9th September, Israel make a tactical surgical strike on Hamas’s headquarters in Doha, Qatar, targeting the Hamas leadership based in the city, which was getting together for a meeting. The usual noises of violating international law, sovereignty, were made by Qatar, Saudi Arabia… and of course the decaying United Nations.

India

Thanks to US President Donal Trump’s belligerent stance on Tariffs, India began hugging the Russian Bear and kissing the Chinese Dragon to counter the draconian measures. And then, there is also no denying the ‘nudge’ to become self-reliant.

Russia has always been a friend-through thick and thin times; China is different with ‘bone-of-contention’ border issues, often drawing blood. Maybe, India’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister have read the story from the Epic Mahabharata and are following through. The story is narrated by Bhishma to Yudhishthira, to illustrate the principle of forming temporary, self-interested, mutually-beneficial Alliances, during times of crisis. It goes like this.

In a large forest, there lived a Rat in a hole at the base of a Banyan Tree, while a Cat lived on the Tree. One day, the Rat ventured out of its hole only to bump into the Cat. Rats being a traditional meal for cats, the Rat, in question, sought to quickly dart away, but was stopped on its tracks by the Cat. “Let’s be friends”, said the Cat. “No” said the Rat, “how is that possible with rats being something cats always eat for dinner?” Meanwhile, a Hunter in the Forest set a trap-spreading a net under the tree-to trap birds and animals for his dinner, and the Cat got caught in it. Hearing its cries, the Rat came out of its hole. “Help Me”, cried the Cat, bite the net with your strong teeth and release me before the Hunter arrives. I promise I will not attempt to eat you”. About this time, an Owl and a Mongoose arrived on the scene and the Rat was rattled. It proposed a deal to the Cat, “Allow me to hide in your fur until the ‘clear and present danger’ passes and then I shall release you from the net”. All right, said the Cat and allowed the Rat to hide in its fur while the Owl and Mongoose went their own ways. When the Rat got out, the Cat asked it to gnaw the net and release him, as promised. “I’ll do it, said the Rat, but at a time of my choosing as you can still hunt me down for a meal. I will release you just before the Hunter arrives so that both of us have enough time to escape and we have no other motive other than saving ourselves. And you will be fully focussed on escaping without bothering to eat me”. The Rat did just that – the Hunter lost his meal. Thereafter, the Cat and the Rat went their separate ways.

India should treat China like the Rat treated the Cat. Enjoy the ‘alliance’ for mutual benefit, but be wary of China’s Dragon Fire. China cannot be trusted – at least at the Borders.

India’s Epics, especially the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, are a cornucopia of knowledge- ‘the distilled essence of solutions’ to problems plaguing mankind. They are waiting to be read, understood, and applied sensibly in today’s context. Did not someone say, ‘Old is Gold’?

US President Donald Trump’s rant was typical, “Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China. May they have a long and prosperous future together”. Thanks for your attention to the matter? He seems to have mellowed down later and began making overtures of India. No love lost?

Meanwhile, there is another Politician in India’s Tamil Nadu: the Opposition Leader Edappadi Palanisamy who is fighting to hold his Party (AIADMK) together with fragments falling off. Maybe he needs to pay attention to the cat & rat matter?

Goods & Services Tax (GST)

India’s PM promised a deluge of tax reliefs in the form of ‘Next Generation GST Reforms’ during his 15th August, Independence Day Address: seems to have worked it out beforehand. On 3rd September the GST Council met and unanimously accepted a two-tier tax structure of 5% and 18% plus a topping of 40% for ‘Sin Goods’. Many items were pushed down to the 5% slab and 18 % slabs from the previous 12% and 24% slabs respectively. There was cheers all-around and Industry had an ear-to-ear grin. Now they must pass-on the benefit to the common-man. A stellar achievement was the 18% GST on health Insurance was made ‘Nil’ on a quite vociferous demand through the year.Ouch, that hurt. I had just renewed my Health Insurance paying over 10,000 as GST!

Vice President of India

India got itself a new Vice President, C P Radhakrishnan, who took oath on 12 September. In the Vice Presidential elections he secured 452 votes for a maximum possible 437 votes of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Of the 767 votes cast votes, 15 were invalid votes and the opposition candidate secured 300 votes – of a possible 315.

ARMANI

Legendary, iconic, Italian designer Giorgio Armani, a master of style and elegance who reimagined fashion for a modern audience, died on 4 September 2025 at the ripe ‘unfashionable’ age of 91. Armani was indefatigable, driven by relentless curiosity and a deep attention to the present, and to people. He is regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern fashion forever changing the way people think about clothes, something that most fashion designers rarely accomplish. Armani leaves behind one of the most successful business empires in fashion history. The superlatives are deadly.

Armani elevated red carpet fashion to the aura of brightness we see it today. He was the first to ban underweight models-of Body Mass Index (BMI) under 18- from the runway, after model Ana Carolina Reston starved herself to death due to anorexia nervosa, in 2006.

The Armani Fashion House diversified and expanded from fashion into an empire spanning beauty, fragrance, music, sport, and even luxury hotels, earning billions of dollars a year.

Armani revolutionised fashion in the 1970s with minimalist, deconstructed silhouettes (intentionally unfinished), embodied in his famous soft jackets and unstructured suits. He transformed masculine and feminine elegance into a contemporary, sober and sophisticated form. He loosened the restrictions of stiffer styles of suit wear, helping to make men wearing suits feel sophisticated while empowering women in formal settings such as work. In summary, he reinvented the suit: softened menswear making it more sensual and hardened womenswear.

Armani was born in Piacenza, Northern Italy, in July 1934. He was one of three children. His father worked as an accountant. His family’s comfortable middle-class lifestyle was destroyed by the war. He endured a difficult childhood, when there wasn’t very much food on the table, and his mother had a difficult time feeding the children. Going back, his earliest memory was hunger. And he recalled playing with unexploded artillery shells in the street, until one suddenly went off: which severely burnt him, and a close friend was killed.

As a young man, Armani drifted. In 1956, he began a medicine degree, but dropped out after three years, and joined the Army. Swiftly tiring of life in the military, he found a job as a window dresser at La Rinascente – a department store in Milan – where he moved swiftly through the ranks.

Soon, Armani was working for Nino Cerruti – an influential haute couture designer. Within months, Cerruti asked him to restructure the company’s approach. He also went on to design the company’s Hitman Menswear Collection. His work at Cerruti was a crucial period that shaped his future aesthetic, and was also foundational to his knowledge of fabrics. Most designers learn their trade as apprentices or at fashion school, but Armani’s education took place on the shop floor. He learned what fabrics the customers liked, and went to the textile mills to buy them. He became an expert in how cloth was constructed, and used his knowledge to perfect tailoring. While at Cerruti, Armani began to strip away the stiff, traditional Italian tailoring. He created softer, less structured suits that offered men a more modern attitude and freedom of movement.

In 1966, Armani met Sergio Galeotti, a young apprentice architect and fashion designer. Galeotti and Armani began a long personal relationship that would serve as the backbone of their future professional relationship as well. Galeotti prodded Armani to start on his own believing in his potential, and in turn making Armani believe in himself and see the bigger picture in starting his own fashion line.

Then at the age of 41, in 1975, having enough experience and self-belief, and with his partner Sergio Galeotti at his side, he launched his own label, Giorgio Armani. The story goes that Galeotti convinced Armani to sell his Volkswagen Beetle- for start-up capital, to hire staff and secure office space in Milan. They started small: their first office was so dingy that Armani took the shades off the lamps in order to see the fabrics. But their work was nothing short of a revolution in fashion.

Galeotti was the force behind the Armani machine, masterminding the business side, leading the financial sector and administrative aspects of the company.

The 1960s middle classes could not afford haute couture, but yearned for a stylish, distinctive look of their own. With his expertise in fabrics, Armani provided an answer. His fine cloths made possible a menswear range with neat, precise cuts that could be manufactured at scale. Its distinctively Italian style began to influence the way the fashionable dressed. And with more women entering the workplace, Armani spotted an opportunity. “I realised that they needed a way to dress that was equivalent to that of men,” he said. “Something that would give them dignity in their work life.”

With Armani’s elegantly tailored power suits, women were offered an alternative to the stiff and stuffy dresses their mothers had worn to work. They exuded femininity, but were a powerful statement of equality.

Armani received his breakthrough in the 1980s when Hollywood Actor Richard Gere donned Armani suits in the film ‘American Gigolo’. This propelled the brand into the global spotlight, cementing Armani as a household name. Soon, stars from Michelle Pfeiffer to John Travolta embraced his creations, making him the designer of choice for both red carpets and everyday luxury. He broadcast his collection live on the Internet, the first in the world of haute couture, on 24 January 2007.

Armani famously collaborated with model Vittoria Ceretti a prominent Italian supermodel who has frequently worked with Armani throughout her career, appearing in campaigns and wearing his designs at major events.

But Armani didn’t stop at clothes. He expanded into perfumes, eyewear, and multiple lines such as Emporio Armani and Armani Exchange, targeting different segments of the global market. His company’s revenue soared into billions, while his boutiques multiplied across continents. He also built a global hospitality business, spanning hotels, cafes, restaurants and bars, that carried the same elegance as his fashion line. The centrepiece of his hospitality business is the Armani Hotels developed in partnership with Dubai’s Emaar Properties.

As a sports fan, he designed suits for Chelsea and the England football team, and made the uniforms for Italy’s Olympic team in 2012. Working tirelessly Armani through his fashion and hospitality businesses built an empire worthy of a king.

Though Armani remained CEO and sole shareholder right until his death, in his lifetime, Armani drew up a succession plan consisting of a gradual transition of the responsibilities that he had always handled to those closest to him, such as Leo Dell’Orco, the members of his family, and the entire working team. He wanted the succession to be organic and not amount to rupture.

Beyond his family, his heirs will include his long-term collaborator and right-hand man, Pantaelo Dell’Orco, and a foundation. This foundation was established in 2016 and plays a significant role in the preservation of Armani’s legacy and is designed to protect the company. The will instructs heirs to sell a 15% stake in the Italian fashion house within 18 months and later transfer an additional stake to the same buyer between three and five years after his death, or pursue an initial public offering.

His family members, consist of his nieces, Silvana and Roberta Armani, his nephew, Andrea Camerana. Silvana worked at Armani designs, running the womenswear collections. Meanwhile, Roberta, the daughter of his late brother Sergio, has been the director of Armani’s public relations, becoming the bridge between the brand and Hollywood. Roberta orchestrated Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes’ wedding in an Italian castle in 2006, with Armani personally designing both the bride’s and groom’s attire. Andrea, Armani’s nephew, joined the company in 2000 and worked as both a counsellor and licensing director. He eventually became Armani’s sustainability managing director, and focuses on the brand’s policy toward the environment.

Dell’Orco, described as Armani’s right-hand man, has been involved in the company since 1977 and currently heads the men’s style office. He frequently appears by the designer’s side at various fashion shows, and events. In fact, in June 2025, when Armani missed the menswear show during Milan Fashion Week for the first time in 50 years due to an undisclosed illness, Dell’Orco took over.

Remaining independent his entire life, Armani has also stated in his will no major mergers or IPOs would be permitted until five years after his death, providing a period of stability. With this, he sought to protect his brand against potential acquisitions by other giants in the Industry.

Armani was an intensely private man. He never married or had children. And had relationships with both men and women. He had a longstanding personal relationship with Sergio Galeotti, who died of complications from AIDS in 1985. Reflecting in 2015, Armani said of Galeotti: “when I travel, I bring his photograph. There is something that remains. His spirit lingers. For sure. He lives on. I see Sergio everywhere, and I am sure he sees me. And I have hope that whatever I have done, he knows about it”. Armani described his inability to prevent Galeotti’s death as the greatest failure of his career.

In later years, Armani spent much of his time on his yacht, and loved sailing. He had been in declining health in the months leading up to his death.

More well-dressed stories coming-up in the weeks ahead. Suit and boot yourself with Freewheeling.

FREEWHEELING

About: A break free commentary on events on our Planet, anchored on the news of the world. Any comments beyond the story, are entirely mine, without prejudice -take it or leave it. This is a run from 15 April 2025 to 22 April 2025: Boeing on China ground; making the West great again; war & peace; death of a Pope; roof collapse; the biology of sex; and possible new life in our Universe.

Boeing in China: Stuck on the Ground

US President Donald Trump rockets up the Tariff War imposing an astounding 250% tariff on Chinese goods entering America. Earlier in a tit-for-tat, Tom & Jerry play, China plainly cancelled its Plane Orders on Boeing. China’s Airlines were ordered not to take further deliveries of Boeing’s jet planes made in America. China’s top three Airlines, Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines are due to take delivery of 45, 53, and 81 Boeing jets respectively between 2025 and 2027. Now, this could result in Boeing flying-out these planes to other countries. The COVID pandemic had set the Aircraft Industry years behind in manufacturing aircraft and this was a comeback period.

Boeing’s rival Airbus, based in Europe, holds a dominant position in the Chinese market. But Airbus is not in a position to meet all of China’s Orders.

China should take a Boeing flight to Washington with a hand-shake plan and negotiate a deal with Trump to shake up the skies.

Make the West Great Again

Then it was the turn of Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni – she’s a superstar-to catch a flight to Washington, for trade talks. Was the European Union looking? And was it on a Boeing or an Airbus?I missed that part of the flight!

Meloni called on Trump to form a historic alliance between Italy and the US. She acknowledged the rift between the US and Europe, but said now’s the time to fix it. Then came the invitation: “I want to thank President Trump for having accepted an invitation to pay an official visit to Rome, and consider the possibility in that occasion to meet also with Europe.” And she closed with the line that said it all: “The goal for me is, ‘Make the West Great Again.’

Talk straight, drop the drama, and find common ground. Is China listening?

I reckon the Oval Office must be wearing-out thin-with all that inflow and outflow of footfalls!

Wars

With Donald Trump being inaugurated in January this year, his promises on ending the Israel-Hamas War and the Russia -Ukraine War seemed to be working in the beginning. And cheers could be heard. But in a near about a U turn, for the worse, the wars have got into a ‘cushy slot’ (for the perpetrators – Hamas & Russia)and are progressing at their own sound pace.

Sudden: Easter Peace

The United States is almost giving up on bringing about a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine War after negotiations were not translating into tangible outcomes. Ukraine had previously offered a 30-day ceasefire, which was shrugged-off by Russia, and it went on with the fighting as if it heard nothing.

Now, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a brief Easter ceasefire: a declaration met with skepticism in Ukraine as the war enters a crucial phase, and US-led negotiations stall.

The timing, the brevity, the sudden, unilateral nature of it all seemed just a knee-jerk effort. If Ukraine and its allies needed proof of Moscow’s wild cynicism when it comes to peace, the announcement provided just that.

Putin said ‘all hostilities’ would halt between 6 pm, Moscow time on 19 April, Saturday and midnight on 21 April, Monday. ‘We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow our example,’ he said, adding that the truce would help Russia determine how sincere Ukraine is about wanting to reach a ceasefire. However, just hours after the announcement, Ukrainian officials accused Russian forces of ‘not-stopping’ and continuing the fighting.

Unwavering Israel

Yet again, Hamas has rejected Israeli’s most recent ceasefire offer, instead calling for a comprehensive proposal to end the war. The rejection prompted Israeli lawmakers to issue calls for an immediate escalation in Gaza, urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to unleash ‘hell’ and pursue ‘complete victory’.

The Israeli ceasefire proposal did not guarantee an end to the war and called for a disarmament of Gaza, both of which have been red lines for Hamas. The terrorist organization refuses to give up its weapons and demands that any proposal includes a ‘permanent end’ (that’s awfully hard to define?) to the war.

The Israeli plan called for a 45-day truce, during which the two sides would aim to negotiate a permanent ceasefire. Under the proposal, the remaining 59 hostages would be released in stages, starting with American-Israeli Edan Alexander on the first day of the truce as a ‘special gesture’ to the US. A further nine Israeli hostages would be released in two stages in exchange for 120 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and more than 1,100 detainees held without charge since 7 October 2023. The proposal also demands that Hamas provide information about the remaining living Israeli hostages. This in exchange for information about the Palestinian detainees, and the release of the bodies of 16 deceased Israeli hostages, for the remains of 160 deceased Palestinians held by Israel.

In keeping with its style of working, The United Nations issued a dire warning over the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, saying lifesaving supplies were nearing ‘total depletion’ due to Israel’s blocking of aid entering the Gaza.

Roof Collapse

In one of the deadliest non-natural disasters in the history of the Dominican Republic, the roof of the iconic Jet Set Nightclub in Santo Domingo collapsed in the early hours of 10 April 2025 morning, with at least 500 people inside. Over 200 died and another 150 were injured-about 190 were rescued alive. The collapse happened during a performance of merengue (a Caribbean style of dance, music) artist Rubby Perez and his orchestra. The dead included Perez whose body was recovered from the scene. Two former Major League Baseball players are also among the victims.

The Jet Set Nightclub Building began as a movie theatre in 1973 and was converted into the Nightclub in 1994. It underwent renovations in 2010 and 2015 featuring 2-storey high ceilings over an expansive open dance floor, which could hold 1000 standing and 700 seated visitors. The building had large air-conditioners and electric generators on the roof-top and large stage lighting and loudspeakers mounted in the ceiling. Top Heavy? In the year 2023, the roof caught fire after lightning struck an electric generator, but was deemed structurally safe by firefighters. Experts say that the roof was inadequately supposed by columns on the sides, and could have collapsed under its own weight.

Santo Domingo is the capital of the Dominican Republic, an island country in the Caribbean Sea, and one of the Caribbean’s oldest cities.

The Pope Dies

The head of the Roman Catholic Church and the spiritual leader of catholics worldwide, Pope Francis died at the age of 88, on 21 April 2025, Easter Monday, at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. He had been the ‘Peoples Pope’ for a reformative 12 years. And in recent times, he was going through a prolonged period of illness, struggling to carry out God’s work.

Roman Catholics believe the Pope represents a direct line back to Jesus Christ. And is considered a living successor to St Peter, who was chief among Christ’s initial disciples, the Apostles. That gives him unhindered power and to make decisions on issues of faith and morality over the entire Catholic Church. He is an important source of authority for the world’s roughly 1.4 billion Catholics.

In addition to consulting the Bible for guidance, Catholics also turn to the teachings of the Pope for finding their way through the vicissitudes of life.

About half of all Christians worldwide are Roman Catholics. Other divisions, including Protestants and Orthodox Christians, do not recognise the Pope’s authority. The Pope lives in Vatican City, the smallest independent state in the world, surrounded by the Italian capital, Rome. The Pope does not receive a salary, but all his travel and living expenses is paid for by the Vatican.

A papal funeral is traditionally an elaborate affair, but Pope Francis recently approved plans to make the whole procedure less complex. Previous Popes were buried in three nested coffins made of cypress, lead, and oak. Pope Francis has opted for a simple wooden coffin lined with zinc. He has also scrapped the tradition of placing the Pope’s body on a raised platform-known as a catafalque-in St Peter’s Basilica for public viewing. Instead, mourners will be invited to pay their respects while his body remains inside the coffin, with the lid removed. Francis will also be the first Pope in more than a century to be buried outside the Vatican. He will be laid to rest in the Basilica of St Mary Major, one of four major papal basilicas in Rome. A basilica is a church which has been granted special significance and privileges by the Vatican, and the major basilicas have a particular connection to the Pope.

The Pope’s death will set in motion a centuries-old ‘smoking’ process of electing a new Pope – chosen by the Catholic Church’s College of Cardinals: all men, appointed directly by the Pope and who are usually ordained Bishops. There are currently 252 Catholic Cardinals, 138 of whom are eligible to vote for the new Pope. The others are over the age of 80, which means they cannot take part in the election, although they can join in the debate over the selection.

During the time between the Pope’s death and the election of a new Pope, the College of Cardinals governs the Church.

The cardinals will be summoned to a meeting at the Vatican, followed by the Conclave, as the election is known, which is held in strict secrecy – no phones, no contact or communication with the outside world. The Conclave will be inside the famous Sistine Chapel – the ceiling and upper walls of which is painted by Michelangelo. The intent is that the Holy Spirit guides the election, free from politics or outside influence.

Individual cardinals vote for their preferred candidate until a winner is determined, a process, which can take several days. Each Cardinal writes the name of his chosen candidate on a ballot, folds it, and places it in a chalice on the altar. Then they pray, “ I call as my witness Christ The Lord who will be my judge”. A two-thirds majority is required to elect a Pope. After each round of voting, the ballots are burned. Chemicals are added to the smoke to signal the outcome. Black-no decision; white – we have a Pope. In previous centuries, voting has gone on for weeks or months. Some cardinals have even died during Conclaves.

The only clue on the progress of the election is the smoke that emerges twice a day from burning the cardinals’ ballot papers. Black smoke signals failure. The traditional white smoke means a Pope has been chosen. After the white smoke goes up, the new Pope normally appears within an hour on the balcony overlooking St Peter’s Square. A senior cardinal participating in the Conclave will announce the decision with the words “Habemus Papam”-Latin for “We have a Pope”. He will then introduce the new Pope by his chosen papal name, which may or may not be his original given name. Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, but he chose a different name for his papacy in honour of St Francis of Assisi.

The Pope/Pontiff/Holy Father then gives his first blessing, Urbi et Orbi (to the City and to the World). The bells of St. Peter’s ring and Christians around the world rejoice.

Of the 266 Popes chosen to date, 217 have been from Italy.

I hope to see a new Pope who would be meaningfully conservative, following strict Church doctrine, spreading the teachings of the Bible, and diligently minding the welfare of ‘His Flock’ all over the world.

The Biology of Sex

We, modern humans, have been living on Earth for more than three hundred thousand years and often the basic definitions of male-who is a man, and female-who is a woman, become fuzzy, lost in translation, and get challenged, confusing too. To complicate things we have people sliding in-between calling themselves transgenders.

This April, the United Kingdom’s Supreme Court, tasked with the legal definition of a woman under the UK’s Equality Act, ruled that the law defines women as people born biologically female. Wonder what took them so long to get into the X & Y chromosomes of sex? The five judges sitting on judgement gave an unanimous decision – woman in the Equality Law refers to biological women-based on biological sex. That means holders of a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC)- trans women – are not women in the eyes of the law. It makes it awfully clear that if a space or service is designated as women only, a person who was born male but identifies as a woman does not have a right to use that space or service.

This is a huge win for ‘real’ women, ‘real’ men, and sanity in the UK and the West. And has far-reaching consequences for the transgender community-it could restrict trans women from single-sex spaces such as toilets, prisons, and rape centres. Also leading to change in gender rules in various sports.

Going back to the reason why we are here.

In the year 2018 a law passed by the Scottish Parliament called for 50% female representation on the boards of Scottish Public Bodies. Its definition included trans women whose gender is legally affirmed with a GRC. This resulted in a campaign by, ‘For Woman Scotland (FWS)’ to challenge the law in court saying the Scottish Govt had overstepped its powers by effectively redefining the meaning of a woman. The FWS lost the case, it had filed, in a Scottish Court in 2022, but was allowed to take the matter to the UK Supreme Court, which then made the ‘biological’ judgement. Science indeed works!

Harry Potter Author, J K Rowling, a prominent supporter of the Group, said the verdict protected the rights of women and girls across the UK. It took three extraordinary tenacious Scottish women of the FWS, with an army behind them, to get this case heard in the Supreme Court. And win. You better not mess with Scottish Women!

To refresh our Biology Lessons: Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes (46 in total): one set comes from each biological parent. Out of the 23 pairs, one pair is the sex chromosomes, called the X and Y chromosomes. People with XX are assigned female at birth while people with XY are assigned male at birth. Though rare, other combinations of sex chromosomes are possible. The other 22 pairs are autosomes or non-sex chromosomes.

Biology has definitive answers to X and Y issues. No doubt at all.

Planet K2-18b

Biology is suddenly leaning-in everywhere. This real science is back with a bang?

Scientists, Astronomers in particular, are always up to crazy things. Inventing completely out-of-the-box or discovering something we never knew about.

In keeping with the science of things, a team of astronomers detected what they cautiously call the most promising signs to date of a possible bio-signature, or signs of past or present life linked to biological activity, on an Exoplanet named K2-18b. No definitive declaration as yet!

Using the James Webb Space Telescope, the team detected chemical fingerprints within the atmosphere of K2-18b that suggest the presence of Dimethyl Sulfide (DMS) and potentially Dimethyl Disulfide (DMDS). On Earth, both molecules are only produced by microbial life, typically marine phytoplankton.

K2-18b, located 124 light-years from Earth, could be a Hycean world: a potentially habitable planet entirely covered in liquid water with a hydrogen-rich atmosphere. Leading the study is Nikku Madhusudhan, Professor of Astrophysics and Exoplanetary science at the University of Cambridge’s Institute of Astronomy. Madhusudhan and his colleagues first theorised the concept of Hycean worlds in 2021 after determining there may be liquid water oceans on K2-18b.

The planet is located within the habitable zone of its star, meaning that the world is at just the right temperature and distance from the star to host liquid water on its surface.

However, other experts believe that while the results promise excitement, confirming the existence of life beyond Earth-and even deciding what type of exoplanet K2-18b is-will take much more time and data. Astrophysicist Sara Seager, a professor of Physics, Planetary Science, Aeronautics and Astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said independent teams have completely different interpretations of the planet itself.

Hycean refers to a newly proposed type of exoplanet, a portmanteau of ‘hydrogen’ and ‘ocean’. These are thought to be planets with vast liquid water oceans, like Earth, but also have thick hydrogen-rich atmospheres. They are larger than Earth but smaller than Neptune, making them a type of super-Earth or mini-Neptune. Hycean worlds are envisioned as having a significant amount of water, potentially covering the entire planet, similar to Earth. However, they also have a much thicker hydrogen-rich atmosphere than Earth, which could be a significant factor in their habitability.

Meanwhile, how do we get to K2-18b? We need another kind of Elon Musk to get the job done.

More biologically revealing stories coming-up. Find your own space with white, ‘smoking hot’ Freewheeling.

FREEWHEELING

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

More stories ahead. Wheel with ‘Freewheeling’.

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2024-50

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

Everywhere

Shining Stripes of Argentina

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

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

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

Stirred and Shaken South Korea

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

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

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

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

Restored Cathedral

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

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

Uncertain Syria: Assad Scoots

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Israel: Cleverer By The War

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

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

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

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

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

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

Australia Down India, Down Under

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chess Euphoria Strikes India

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2024-49

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

Everywhere

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

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

Assad’s Syria

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

Let’s go back to when it all stared.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now, coming to the present.

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

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

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

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

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

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

South Korea: Declare and UnDeclare

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Japan’s Bears Problem

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Beware of Bears!

Cyclone Fengal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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, 2024-46

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

Everywhere

War -I

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

War -II

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

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

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

War -III

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

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

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

For the genesis of the Sudan War read:

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

The Shape of Things to Come

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

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

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

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

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

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

A New Chief Justice

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

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

Obscured Love

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

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

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

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

Stable Sri Lanka

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

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

I guess Sri Lankans have spoken clearly and strongly.

We Cannot Use Him Again

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2024-40

About: the world this week, 29 September to 5 October 2024: Hydra-headed Hezbollah; US Election Debates; India State Elections; Hurricane Helene; SpaceX’s Dragon docks with the ISS.

Everywhere

Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Iran

Last week, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out a brilliant, precise strike on the terror organisation Hezbollah’s central headquarters, embedded under residential buildings in the heart of Dahieh, Beirut, Lebanon. Hassan Nasrallah, 64, the leader of Hezbollah – was without-doubt – the target of the attack. Initially, there were confusing reports that he had survived, however, after several hours, his death was confirmed by both Israel and Hezbollah. Nasrallah suffocated to death from toxic gases inside his secret bunker after it was demolished by about 80 tons of ‘bunker-busting’ bombs. A number of other commanders, including Ali Karaki, the commander of the southern front, who had all probably come over for a meeting, were also eliminated in the strike. This is a significant, game-changing development in the region terrorised by Hezbollah-which is solidly backed by Iran.

Hassan Nasrallah himself became the leader of Hezbollah after the Israelis knocked-off the previous leader, Abbas al-Musawi, in 1992. Nasrallah is well-known for his strident anti-Israel actions and has repeatedly called for the end of the State of Israel. He also has the blood of United States (US) citizens on his hands with Hezbollah being involved in numerous anti-US terrorist attacks in Beirut: the suicide truck bombings of the US Embassy in April 1983, the US Marine barracks in October 1983, and the US Embassy Annex in September 1984. Naturally, the US ‘welcomed’ his elimination.

Nasrallah played a pivotal role in various attacks and wars against Israel. In particular, the 2006 Lebanon War against Israel solidified his status as a resistance leader in the Arab world. He was also involved in regional politics, supporting the Assad regime in Syria during the Syrian Civil War. Under him, Hezbollah transformed from a guerrilla group focused on resisting Israel into a significant political player in Lebanon, holding seats in the Lebanese Parliament and participating in government coalitions.

Nasrallah believed that Islam holds the solution to the problems of any society, once saying, “With respect to us, briefly, Islam is not a simple religion including only prayers and praises, rather it is a divine message that was designed for humanity, and it can answer any question man might ask concerning his general and personal life. Islam is a religion designed for a society that can revolt and build a community”.

Israel has done the world a huge favour, and after Osama Bin Laden was killed in a special military operation by the United States, Hassan Nasrallah was one who deserved the same treatment.

Nasrallah’s immediate successor, Hassan Khalil Yasinm was also ‘instantly’ taken down by the IDF. This is a culmination of a recent trend in which Israel has repeatedly targeted Hezbollah’s leadership structure and has wiped-out the entire command structure.

Hashem Safieddine, a cousin of Nasrallah is now Hezbollah’s new leader. The third since Nasrallah was killed. Wonder, how long he will last, but there is chance that all Hezbollah members will become leaders, one by one. But this is a hydra-headed problem, cut one head off another grows, and takes its place.

In Greek mythology, the Hydra is a gigantic water-snake-like monster with about nine heads, one of which is immortal. The monster’s haunt was in the marshes of Lerna, near Argos, Greece, from which it periodically emerged to attack people and livestock. Anyone who attempted to behead the Hydra found that as soon as one head was cut off, two more heads would emerge from the fresh wound.

The destruction of Hydra was one of the 12 Labours of Hercules. For that and other labours, Hercules enlisted the aid of his nephew Iolaus. As Hercules severed each mortal head, Iolaus was set the task of quickly cauterising the fresh wounds so that no new heads would emerge. When only the immortal head remained, Hercules cut it off too and buried it under a heavy rock. Further, he dipped his arrows in the monster’s poisonous blood to be able to inflict fatal wounds. It’s now up to Israel to find the cauterising fire… and the poison.

Israel’s breathtakingly ballsy strike on Hasan Nasrallah has opened up the possibility of a brand new Middle East: one where Iran doesn’t call the shots. Israel is making the moves the West hasn’t for decades: demonstrating that aggression will be countered with complete evisceration.

This week, Israel also begun the ground invasion in Southern Lebanon-a limited ground operation-against terrorist targets and infrastructure of Hezbollah. The start was bloody with eight Israeli soldiers being killed in combat as its forces pushed into Lebanon.

What has Iran got to do with all of this? Iran has probably crossed many a red line in supporting, arming, and providing safe haven for terrorists such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthi’s of Yemen, in an anti-Israel stance known as ‘The Iran–Israel proxy conflict, The Iran–Israel proxy war or Iran–Israel Cold War. In the Israeli–Lebanese conflict, Iran has supported Lebanese Shia militias- the Hezbollah. In the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, Iran has backed Palestinian groups-the Hamas.

In turn, Israel has supported Iranian rebels, such as the People’s Mujaheedin of Iran, conducted airstrikes against Iranian allies in Syria and assassinated Iranian nuclear scientists in a long history of tit-for-tat tactics.

Israel’s Prime Minster made a direct appeal to the people of Iran to throw out their tyrant rulers and work towards peace with Israel. But then someone else seems to have heard-got the opposite message-and on Tuesday Iran dispatched about 200 ballistic missiles into Israel, earning the wrath of Israel and the world. The war now grows in yet another direction.

Israel countered the aggression of the ‘Iran missile rain’ with perfect activation and synchronisation of its famous missile defence systems: The Iron Dome detonated the short range missiles within the 70 km range; The David’s Sling system dealt with the mid-range missiles up to about 300 km; and then the Arrow system, which can literally detonate missiles that can fly outside of the earth’s atmosphere in a range of about 2,400 km! The United Kingdom and the United States fell behind Israel and helped shoot-down some of Iran’s missiles.There were no deaths reported on the Israel side except for a lone Palestinian, in the West Bank.

Iran is definitely a menace in the region – a nation gone astray. They need to be dealt with, in a calibrated and wise manner. Maybe Israel (and the US) are upto the task this time around. Meanwhile, the world waits for Israel’s ‘promised’ response.

Towards the end of the week, in yet another attack, Israel not only eliminated Hezbollah’s new leader, but also the entire Shura Council, the committee that nominates Hezbollah leaders.

US Elections: Debates

This Tuesday’s vice-presidential debate between running-mates, Republican J D Vance and Democrat Tim Walz felt like a civil and relatively restrained conversation about the issues at the top of American voters’ minds going into the 5th November election. In that, it was unlike the two fiery presidential debates earlier this year.

If Vance was picked because he puts ideological meat on the bones of Trump’s conservative populism, during the debate he put a polite, humble face on them, as well. And the debate’s lasting impact may be to convince members of his party that the young, only 40 years old, Ohio Senator has a future in national conservative politics, given his ability to clearly advance their ideological priorities on the brightest of stages.

The overall view was that Vance trumped over Walz and made meat of him.

India’s State Elections

Elections in India’s State of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) ended on 1st October, which was the third and last phase for the 90 member Legislature. The first was on 18th September and the second on 25th September. Counting of votes will be on 8th October. This is the first assembly election since J&K’s special status was revoked and fully integrated with the rest of India. However, J&K remains a union territory and statehood is expected to happen sometime after the assembly elections.

The State of Haryana goes to the Polls in a single phase on 5th October for 90 seats. Counting of votes will also be on 8th October.

It’s a coincidence that it’s 90 seats in both States. Going by opinion polls the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-at the Centre-is unlikely to win in any of these States. Despite the fact that in J&K, it should be rewarded for bringing back peace after abrogation of J&K’s special status under Article 370 of India’s Constitution. In Haryana anti-incumbency again the ruling BJP is high. The results could be knocking.

Elections seem to be taking place all the time in India, and the Government is hell-bent on pushing through its new legislation of ‘One Nation One Election’ through the Parliament benches and making it law. That’s a work in progress.

Hurricane Helene Devastates

Hurricane Helene, a large, deadly, catastrophic, and fast-moving tropical cyclone, the strongest on record to strike the Big Bend region of Florida devastated parts of southeastern United States(US). It is the eighth named storm, fifth hurricane, and second major hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. Helene developed gradually from a mid-September disturbance in the western Caribbean Sea within a broad area of low pressure known as the Central American gyre. And then Helene moved inland for the kill.

Some of Helene’s deadliest, most catastrophic flooding unfolded in western North Carolina. It turned the western part of the state into a ‘post-apocalyptic’ landscape.

At least 130 people have died across six states and the death toll can rise. Many more remain missing, perhaps unable to leave their location or unable to contact family where communications infrastructure has been washed away.

Among the demolished towns was the tiny hamlet of Bat Cave, about 160 km west of Charlotte, where in what climate scientists are describing as a 1,000-year event, the Broad River rose to unprecedented levels, washed away homes and broke through the town’s bridge. “It’s so overwhelming. You don’t even know how to fathom what recovery looks like, let alone where to start,” said a survivor.

SpaceX Docks with ISS

This week, SpaceX’s Dragon Spacecraft successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS), and when it returns after a few months it is expected to bring back stranded Astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore. The incoming spacecraft had two astronauts in the driver’s seat(s), with ‘space’ for the returning two.

Astronauts Nick Hague, the Dragon Crew 9 commander and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, the Crew 9 mission specialist were given a ‘weightless welcome’ when they met the others on the Space Station, after crossing over.

The space station’s population has temporarily increased to 11 after this Sunday saw the arrival of Crew 9. The orbital residents spent Monday unpacking Dragon and handing over mission responsibilities as the next quartet prepares to return to Earth.

More docking stories coming-up in the weeks ahead. Weigh the world more with World Inthavaaram.

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2024-39

About: the world this week, 22 September to 28 September 2024: A new war front; Sri Lanka’s new President; India sparkles; and sweeps the Chess Olympiad.

Everywhere

A New War Front

A new front has certainly opened, in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, with Hamas’ partner-in-crime, the Iran-backed Hezbollah, operating out of Lebanon, being surgically attacked by Israel. This, takes off from last week’s Pager-attack on Hezbollah, when over 1500 militants were severely impaired – blinded, or body parts severely damaged.

Israel destroyed hundreds of Hezbollah targets on Monday in airstrikes, which killed at least 300 people in Lebanon’s deadliest day in decades. After some of the heaviest cross-border exchanges of fire since the hostilities began, Israel warned people in Lebanon to evacuate areas where it said the militant Hezbollah was storing weapons. After almost a year of war against Hamas in Gaza on its southern border, Israel is shifting its focus to its northern frontier, from where Hezbollah has been relentlessly firing rockets into Israel, in support of Hamas, since 8th October 2024. And towards the end of the week, Israel called for its Reserves to join the fighting.

Over the week, every day you read about some Hezbollah Commander being taken down in a precision strike-somewhere in Beirut. On Friday, Israeli hit the main headquarters of Hezbollah in Beirut: remains to be seen if its head is alive or at least scratched!

Sri Lanka: Recovering

Two years ago, in the year 2022, Sri Lanka’s economy collapsed plunging the country into its worst financial crisis in decades, and causing unprecedented upheaval. What followed was lethal unrest, with unruly crowds going on a mass rampage across the country. This eventually led to the ruling Rajapaksa family giving-up power-fleeing the country-and Ranil Wickremesinghe hurriedly being sworn in as acting President, to bring the economy back on track. He then went on to being formally elected, by Parliament, in a secret ballot-winning 134 to 82-to serve the remainder of the Rajapaksa Presidential term, which was to end this November 2024.

In the two years that followed, Sri Lanka’s economy made an unexpectedly rapid recovery under Wickremesinghe’s astute management and belt-tightening measures. After securing an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the currency stabilised, the central bank rebuilt foreign-exchange reserves, and inflation fell to singled digits. By the first half of 2024, the economy had grown by 5%. The government successfully restructured its domestic debt, followed by a restructuring of its bilateral debt, i.e., government-to-government loans mostly from China, but also from India and Western counties, including the United States. Just days before the current election, an agreement was reached with international bondholders to re-configure the remaining sovereign debt.

The hard and ‘dirty’ work done, in August 2024, President Wickremesinghe called for Elections to the Presidency, announcing that he himself would run for re-election as an independent candidate. Despite the stupendous achievements in the most trying of times, Wickremesinghe was eliminated at the end of the first phase of vote counting in the Presidential Elections held late last week. He finished third with only 17.26% of the vote. And was overtaken by both Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the opposition leader Sajith Premadasa. Wickremesinghe’s unpopularity stemmed largely from the harsh, but necessary, austerity measures implemented under the IMF-backed stabilisation program.

As no candidate could secure a majority in the polls, the elections moved to the second phase of preferential vote counting, where only two leading candidates remain in the competition. Under the electoral system, voters cast three preferential votes for their chosen candidates. If no candidate wins 50% in the first count, a second tally determines the winner between the top two candidates, using the preferential votes cast.

This week, on Sunday, Sri Lankans finally elected Marxist-leaning Anura Kumara Dissanayake,55 – popularly known by his initials, AKD – as the new President, putting faith in his pledge to fight corruption and bolster a fragile economic recovery. He was sworn-in as Sri Lanka’s ninth President, by Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, early this week. And he quickly named party colleague, College Professor and first-time lawmaker Harini Amarasuriya as the new Prime Minister. Sri Lanka has an ‘executive Presidency’ with the President being in-charge of running the country.

AKD heads both the National People’s Power (NPP) alliance, and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and won the run-off in the second round of counting of preferential votes. It was the first time in Sri Lanka’s history that the presidential race was decided by a second tally of votes.

Dissanayake led from start to finish during the counting, knocking out incumbent President Wickremesinghe and opposition leader Sajith Premadasa. At the end of the first round, AKD had 42.31 % of the vote, and Premadasa 32.76%. A count of the second preference votes took Dissanayake past the required 50% plus, for a clear victory.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s rise to the presidency in Sri Lanka as a candidate of the NPP coalition is nothing short of unalloyed magic. Dissanayake has been JVP’s leader since 2014, and the party has participated in two parliamentary elections under his leadership. In 2015 it secured 4.8% of the vote share, and in 2020, the JVP alliance secured 3.8% of the vote. In the 2019 presidential election he had secured a mere 3.2%.

AKD’s popularity probably has an oblique explanation: the COVID19 pandemic and the poor management of resources by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa after 2019 pushed an unprecedented number of Sri Lankans into poverty. AKD, as the head of the JVP presented himself to the people as a politician who spoke their lingo, understood their problems, and empathised with them. With his pro-working class stance and sharp critique of the political elite he captivated the hearts and minds of Sri Lankan masses, more so after the important role the JVP played in the 2022 protests that toppled the Rajapaksa regime.

However, for Sri Lanka’s Tamil minority, AKD’s election offers little hope. During the campaign AKD rejected devolving more power to the Tamils living in the North and East. And investigating incidents during the civil war- which saw the elimination of the Tamil Tigers-that United Nations investigators said could amount to war crimes. Tens of thousands of Tamil civilians had died during the final months of the defeat of the LTTE – Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

But AKD’s coalition, the NPP, has just 3 of 225 seats in the current Parliament, prompting him to dissolve Parliament to seek a fresh mandate-this week the new President did just that- and cleared the way for a snap general election. The parliamentary election will be held on 14th November 2024, and the new Parliament is scheduled to convene on 21st November. The last general election in Sri Lanka was held in August 2020. Lawmakers are elected for a five-year term.

Rooted in Marxist ideology, the JVP was founded in the 1960s with the aim of seizing power through a socialist revolution. But after two failed armed and bloody attempts in 1971 and 1987-89, which resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of lives- a dark phase-the party shifted toward democratic politics and has remained so, for over three decades. The election results is the first major win for the JVP. It also heralds a new era for the party, which has radically transformed itself and let go of its extreme left ideologies such as the abolition of private property.

Until this election, the JVP remained a minor third party in Sri Lanka’s political landscape. While power alternated between the alliances led by the two traditional political parties – the United National Party and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party – or their descendant parties.

Unlike most of Sri Lanka’s past Presidents, Dissanayake was not born into a political family. Instead, his is an agricultural background; while his father was a low-level office worker. Dissanayake was the first student in his school to go to university. But AKD is no outsider. He was first elected to parliament in 2001 and has remained an MP since then. He even had a stint as Agriculture Minister between February 2004 and June 2005, besides other positions in Parliament. I reckon he has enough experience to count upon.

AKD is married to Mallika Dissanayake and has one son.

India: Hugs, Chips, Cuts, and Washes

India’s Prime Minister returned from a trip to the United States where he hugged President Biden, among others, and participated in the QUAD Summit: the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue- a strategic security dialogue between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States that is maintained by talks between member countries.

US President Joe Biden hosted the QUAD leaders in his hometown of Wilmington for what could be the final meeting of the Indo-Pacific partnership established during his presidency.

True to call, Biden went blank immediately after his speech as he couldn’t remember who to call next for the address. “So I want to thank you all for being here. And now, who am I introducing next?” Biden asked after completing his speech. After a brief and awkward pause, Biden asked again, “Who’s next?” clearly snapping at one of the staff.

Meanwhile, in one of the most consequential outcomes of the Indian PM’s US visit, was the agreement between the US Space Force and two Indian startups Bharat Semi and 3rdiTech to manufacture semiconductors in India for the US and Indian armed forces. That’s a landmark achievement.

3rdiTech is India’s pioneer and exclusive Imaging Sensor Fabless Company. It’s India’s solution for specialised chips that power camera systems, from mobile phone cameras to rearview cameras in automobiles; from Earth observation satellites and fighter aircraft observation systems to specific advanced missiles. Essentially, every camera worldwide relies on these image sensor chips. Much like semiconductor giants, Qualcomm and ARM, 3rdiTech operates as a fabless company, focusing on chip design while not manufacturing them. 3rdiTech excels in crafting custom chips, also known as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), tailored for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) purposes. 3rdiTech has now emerged as a significant player in the aerospace sector.

Vrinda Kapoor the CEO of 3rdiTech put it this way, contrary to popular belief that semiconductor manufacturing is the most valuable sector, the real power lies in owning the intellectual property for chip design.

A fabless company is a semiconductor company that designs and markets semiconductors, but outsources their fabrication to a third party. The term ‘fabless’ is a combination of the words ‘fab’ (fabrication) and ‘less’.

In shocking, unsettling news in India, a 29-year-old woman was found murdered in her home in Bengaluru, with her body dismembered into close to 50 pieces and stored in a refrigerator. The case has parallels to the gruesome murder of 27-year-old Shraddha Walkar in Delhi in 2022. Investigations are ongoing.

The Lord Venkateshwara Tirupathi Laddu Prasadam controversy continued to dominate headlines with some celebrities shooting their mouths off with unwarranted, insensitive comments. And believers rushing to call them out. This week, the Temple was literally washed-off the effects of animal fat being used in making the Laddus, and ‘purity restored’.

Chess Olympiad: India Triumphs

In a golden moment for India, its men and women’s teams won Gold Medals in the 45th Chess Olympiad organised by the International Chess Federation (FIDE), for the first time, in Budapest, Hungary, from 10 to 23 September. A record-breaking 188 teams in the Open Section and 169 in the Women’s competition gathered in the Hungarian capital to do battle on the Chess Board.

India took home all 3 trophies: the Hamilton-Russell Cup, for winning the Open Chess Olympiad; the Vera Menchik Cup for winning the Women’s Olympiad; and the Gaprindashvili Cup, a special trophy awarded for the best combined result in the Open and Women’s sections.

The men’s team of Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, Vidit Gujrathi, and Harikrishna Pentala, with Srinath Narayanan as the captain, consistently led throughout the tournament, winning 10 matches and drawing just one. Before the last round, India was 2 points ahead of China: and in the final round, India just needed a draw to clinch the gold medal, or for China not to win their match. However, India bulldozed the Chess Board with a win, defeating Slovenia.

Gukesh played outstanding chess and had a phenomenal tournament, scoring 9 points in 10 games and earning the individual gold medal on the Top Board. Arjun Erigaisi was another hero scoring 10 points in 11 games and winning individual gold on Board Three. Both significantly improved their FIDE ratings and are close to clearing the 2800 bar – a notable achievement in Chess.

Not to be left behind, India’s women’s team had a very strong start, leading the event after 7 rounds, having won all their matches. They stumbled in round 8, losing to Poland and then drawing with Team USA, but made a strong finish. Going into the final round, India was tied for the first position with Kazakhstan, and the race for the Gold medal was down to the wire

The team of Harika Dronavalli, Vaishali (sister of the Praggnanandhaa – of the men’s team), Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agrawal, and Tania Sachdev, with Abhijit Kunte as the captain, demonstrated excellent composure and delivered, winning the final match against Azerbaijan At the same time, Kazakhstan drew with the USA, 2-2, making India the sole winners of the event.

18-year-old Divya Deshmukh, a new addition to the team, was unstoppable throughout the event. She played all games, scored 9.5 points, and secured the crucial victory in the final match. The Individual gold on Board Three was a well-deserved award for her.

The fight for silver and bronze medals was fierce in both sections. Five teams tied for second place. In the Open Section, Team USA, the event’s rating favourite, defeated China in a hard-fought final round to join them at 17 points. Defending champions Uzbekistan narrowly beat France, Serbia triumphed over Ukraine, and Armenia narrowly defeated Iran, all to join the pack at 17 points. The tiebreaks favoured the USA, which claimed silver, and Uzbekistan, took home the bronze.

In the women’s section, Kazakhstan delivered a strong performance throughout the event, fighting for gold until the very end, and ultimately claimed silver. Four teams – USA, Spain, Armenia, and Georgia – tied for third place, but the tiebreaks favoured USA, which claimed the bronze medal.

In the end there was one Super Mom, ‘filled with teeth’ and smiling from ear-to-ear, Nagalakshmi: the mother of superstars Praggnanandhaa and Vaishali. She was the cynosure of all eyes! When asked how she wishes to celebrate the ‘twin victory’ she said, “I’m going to the Temple”. There is a God waiting.

Chess great, Garry Kasparov called Team India, ‘Vishy’s Children’ referring to India’s Chess Superstar, Vishwanathan Anand, who has been a mighty inspiration in Indian Chess.

More winning stories coming-up in the weeks ahead. Celebrate with World Inthavaaram.