This is my Blog where I essay stories on life about and around me, on subjects that stir and shake me up, as I turn, and make life's pages count: hoping to inspire you to live your own story!
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?
About: the world this week, 13 October to 19 October 2024: Hamas’ head knocked off; Indian Railways-accident prone; Nobel Prizes; India-Canada row; Mumbai gangsters; Lady Justice; and a retirement in Tennis.
Everywhere
Israel Eliminates Hamas’ Head
Israel confirmed that after a year-long pursuit, this 16th October, Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has eliminated Yahya Sinwar, the leader of the terrorist organisation Hamas, in an operation in the southern Gaza Strip. Israel has accused Yahya Sinwar for orchestrating the savage barbarism of 7th October 2023 leading to the ongoing war. Over the years, he has promoted the Hamas’ ideology against Israel, both before and during the war, and was responsible for the murder and abduction of countless Israelis.
Yahya Sinwar had been hiding for the past year behind the civilian population of Gaza, both above and below ground in the Hamas tunnels, in the Gaza Strip. It was said that he used to surround himself with the hostages-as human shields. However, when he was killed in a dilapidated building, there were no hostages around him.
In recent weeks the IDF, under its Southern Command, has been operating in the southern Gaza Strip, following intelligence of suspected locations of senior members of Hamas. IDF soldiers of the 828th Brigade (Bislach) identified and eliminated three terrorists during one such routine operation. After completing the process of identifying the bodies it was confirmed that Yahya Sinwar was surprisingly one among the three terrorists. Sinwar was killed by an infantry soldier only 9 months into his service, who wasn’t even in uniform on 7th October 2023. Not special forces, not the Air Force. Someone said Yahya Sinwar died like a dog, throwing a stick at an approaching drone, with one hand battered and mangled. The end was dusty, brutal, and bloody, The world is free off yet another personification of evil, a terrorist master-mind joining the ranks of Osama Bin Laden.
What next? Israeli is probably into the last legs of getting the 101 hostages back home. Israel’s Prime Minister (PM) once again asked Hamas to surrender, lay down arms and release the hostages, to end the war. He also guaranteed the safety of those who return the hostages. With the top rung of the Hamas and Hezbollah leadership knocked-off, the war is not over until the hostages are released and the rocket-firing into Israel stops. And the war enters yet another phase. The beginning of the end; or is it the end of the beginning?
Meanwhile, the world awaits Israel’s retaliation to Iran’s missile attack on Israel.
Indian Railways: Right or Wrong Track?
In a deeply worrying (and growing) trend, train accidents are reaching the ‘Headline Stations’ more often than ever before. And they seem to be following a track-misguided, though.
At least seven people were injured in a train collision on 11th October in the southern State of Tamil Nadu when the Mysuru-Darbhanga Bagmathi Express slammed into a stationary goods train at Kavaraipettai, in north Chennai.
The Bagmathi Express is a superfast train running between Mysore in Karnataka, and Darbhanaga in Bihar, covering a distance of 3047 km. It passes through Bengaluru, Chennai, Vijayawada, Nagpur, and Patna.
The Bagmathi Express entered a loop line instead of the main line at around 8.30 pm on Friday and rammed into a parked goods train on the secondary track. The severe collision resulted in the derailment of 12 bogies of the passenger train. Some coaches caught fire, and others derailed. Fortunately, no deaths were reported, but some passengers suffered injuries, with three grievously admitted to Hospital and four treated for their injuries.There were over 1,300 passengers on board, all except the injured left for Darbhanga on a special train, last Saturday.
A Southern Railways Official explained the collision, “It was not supposed to stop a Kavaraipettai station, so it was to pass through it. After leaving Chennai, green signals were given for this train. The driver was following the signals correctly, but the train should have taken the main line. Instead, it took the loop line at the switch, which is where the error occurred.”
Nobel Prizes 2024
Between 1901 and 2024, the ‘real’ Nobel Prizes, and the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences (also called the Economics Nobel), in memory of Alfred Nobel, were awarded 626 times to 1009 people and organisations. With some receiving the Nobel Prize more than once, this makes a total of 973 individuals and 28 organisations. Here, we are in the year 2024.
This year’s Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to John J. Hopfield and Geoffrey E. Hinton, ‘for foundational discoveries and inventions that enable machine learning with artificial neural networks’.
John Hopfield was born in Chicago, USA, and works in Princeton University, New Jersey, USA. Geoffrey Hinton was born in London, United Kingdom, and works in the University of Toronto, Canada.
This year’s physics laureates used tools from physics to construct methods that helped lay the foundation for today’s powerful machine learning. John Hopfield created a structure that can store and reconstruct information. Geoffrey Hinton invented a method that can independently discover properties in data and which has become important for the large artificial neural networks now in use.
All this leads us to the mesmerising world of Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is impacting the way we work, like never before.
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to three Scientists: one half to American David Baker ‘for computational protein design’, and the other half jointly to Britain’s Demis Hassabis and American John M. Jumper – both working in London – ‘for protein structure prediction’. It’s all about proteins this year, life’s ingenious chemical tools, those complicated molecules made up of a chain of amino acids. David has succeeded with the almost impossible feat of building entirely new kinds of proteins. Demis and John have developed an AI model to solve a 50-year old problem of predicting the complex structures of proteins. These discoveries hold enormous potential.
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Americans, Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun ‘for the discovery of microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation’. MicroRNA is a new class of tiny RNA molecules that play a crucial role in gene regulation. Their ground-breaking discovery in the small worm C.elegans (a kind of round worm) revealed a completely new principle of gene regulation. This turned out to be essential for multicellular organisms, including humans. MicroRNAs are proving to be fundamentally important for how organisms develop and function.
The Nobel Prize in Literature went to South Korea’s Han Kang, 53, ‘for her intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life’.
A citation said, she has unique awareness of the connections between body and soul, the living and the dead, and her poetic and experimental style has become an innovator in contemporary prose.
Han Kang is the first South Korean writer and the first female Asian writer to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Han Kang was born in South Korean’s Gwangju before, at the age of nine, moving with her family to Seoul. She comes from a literary background, her father being a reputed novelist. Alongside her writing, she has also devoted herself to art and music, which is reflected throughout her entire literary production.
Han Kang began her career in 1993 with the publication of a number of poems in the magazine, ‘Literature and Society’. Her prose debut came in 1995 with the short story collection ‘Love of Yeosu’, followed soon afterwards by several other prose works, both novels and short stories. Notable among these is the novel, ‘Your Cold Hands’, which bears obvious traces of Han Kang’s interest in art. The book reproduces a manuscript left behind by a missing sculptor who is obsessed with making plaster casts of female bodies. There is a preoccupation with the human anatomy and the play between persona and experience, where a conflict arises in the work of the sculptor between what the body reveals and what it conceals. ‘Life is a sheet arching over an abyss, and we live above it like masked acrobats’, as a sentence towards the end of the book tellingly asserts.
Han Kang’s major international breakthrough came with the novel, ‘The Vegetarian’ Written in three parts, the book portrays the violent consequences that ensue when its protagonist Yeong-hye refuses to submit to the norms of food intake. Her decision not to eat meat is met with various, entirely different reactions. Her behaviour is forcibly rejected by both her husband and her authoritarian father, and she is exploited erotically and aesthetically by her brother-in-law, a video artist who becomes obsessed with her passive body. Ultimately, she is committed to a psychiatric clinic, where her sister attempts to rescue her and bring her back to a ‘normal’ life.
The Nobel Peace Prize goes to Japan’s Nihon Hidankyo ‘for its efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons and for demonstrating, through witness testimony, that nuclear weapons must never be used again’.
Nihon Hidankyo is a grassroots movement of atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, founded in 1956, also known as Hibakusha (bomb-affected people). Its main activities include sending delegations to international conferences and events and holding speaking tours where survivors share firsthand accounts of the horrors of nuclear weapons. The extraordinary efforts of Nihon Hidankyo and other representatives of the Hibakusha have contributed greatly to the establishment of a nuclear taboo-stigmatising use of nuclear weapons.
The Nobel Prize for Economics, was awarded to America’s, Daron Acemoglu and Simon Johnson of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA, and James Robinson, University of Chicago ‘for studies of how institutions are formed and affect prosperity’. They provided an explanation of why some countries are rich and others poor. And insights into why there are such vast differences in prosperity between nations. One important explanation is persistent differences in societal institutions. They have developed theoretical tools that can explain why differences in institutions persist and how institutions can change.
India-Canada Row
Relations between India and Canada reached a nadir with each country striking hot at the each other, through Diplomats. Relations between the two countries have been fraught since last year, when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he had evidence linking Indian agents to the assassination of a Sikh separatist leader -designated as a wanted Terrorist by India-Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45, in his country. In June 2023, Nijjar was shot dead outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, a Vancouver suburb with a large Sikh population. He was a Canadian citizen campaigning for the creation of an independent Sikh homeland Khalistan carved out of India. The Khalistan movement is outlawed in India.
Canada said it has clear and compelling evidence that agents of India engaged in and continue to engage in activities that pose a significant threat to public safety. And that India used organised crime elements, specifically naming ‘the Bishnoi Group’, which is connected to India’s agents.
India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) says Lawrence Bishnoi is the head of an organised criminal syndicate operating along with his associate Goldy Brar – a Canada based Indian Gangster. Lawrence Bishnoi is currently lodged in Sabarmati Central jail, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, since 2014, awaiting trial on terrorism charges. Wonder how he is able to run a murderous network from Jail?
The situation escalated when Canada identified six Indian Diplomats in the Indian Embassy in Canada as ‘persons of interest’ in its investigation into the killing of Nijjar. India quickly announced that it is withdrawing the Indian High Commissioner to Canada and ‘other targeted diplomats’, citing security concerns.
And then in a sharp escalation, and a tit-for-tat move, India on Monday ordered the expulsion of six Canadian diplomats. And issued a hard-hitting response to Canada’s ‘preposterous imputations’ warning that India ‘reserves the right to take further steps in response’.
Mumbai Gangsters
It was a murder unlike anything Mumbai had seen in almost three decades.
Former Maharashtra State Minister, Baba Siddique, 66, was waylaid by three persons in Mumbai’s Nirmal Nagar area, just outside his Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) son Zeeshan Siddique’s office, and shot dead last Saturday night. He was getting into his car in the affluent neighbourhood of Bandra when the air filled with firecracker smoke. As shots rang out, fired by three hooded assailants hiding close by, six bullets hit Siddique in the chest. He fell to the floor in a pool of blood. By the time he reached hospital, Siddique was declared dead.
Siddique himself was a MLA in the Vandre West Assembly constituency, Maharashtra, for three consecutive terms, in 1999, 2004, and 2009, and had also served as Minister of State for Food & Civil Supplies and Labour in the State Government.
Responsibility for the killing was quickly claimed by one of India’s most notorious gangsters, Lawrence Bishnoi, who continues to control one of the country’s largest criminal empires-from behind bars. His so-called ‘Bishnoi Gang’ has been linked to several high-profile killings in India, including of a famous Punjabi rapper, and is also accused of being involved in transnational terrorism in Canada.
Siddique was not only a well-known political face in Mumbai but was also known for his close relationships with Bollywood stars, with Actor Salman Khan chief among them. It was this friendship, suggested one alleged Bishnoi gang affiliate in a Facebook post after the killing, that resulted in the politician’s assassination, linked to a feud going back to the 90s. “Salman Khan, we did not want this war but you made our brother lose his life,” said the post.
India’s Lady Justice
Typically, Lady Justice representing the moral force in Judicial Systems, is depicted as a blindfolded lady with scales in one hand, and a sword in the other. She balances the relative substance and value of the available evidence and arguments on both sides of a dispute impartially (being blindfolded), and tips the scale on the side of justice. The sword represents that justice can be swift and final.
This week, India’s Supreme Court did a makeover of Lady Justice-to do away with India’s colonial legacy-replacing the sword with India’s Constitution and removing the blindfold. Signalling a new era for Indian Justice. Said India’s Chief Justice, “the law is not blind: it sees everyone equally”.
Tennis
Tennis ace, Spain’s Rafael Nadal, 38, announced his retirement from professional tennis leaving the Court open for ‘younger guys’ to serve and stroke their way to glory. He will longer stand in their way. Nadal revealed that he would last be in action in Spain’s Davis Cup tie versus Netherlands, in November.
Nadal has been ranked world No. 1 in Singles for 209 weeks, and has finished as the year-end No. 1 five times. He has clinched 22 Grand Slam Singles titles, which includes a record-haul of 14 French Open trophies. Nadal also has won 92 ATP-level singles titles, and an Olympic gold medal.
After Nadal’s retirement, Novak Djokovic will be the only active player from the Big Three. Roger Federer has already retired, and said he could feel a ‘change of guard’ in both women’s and men’s tennis.
More forceful stories coming-up in the weeks ahead. Stay watchful with World Inthavaaram.
About: the world this week 9 July to 15 July 2023. A Defence Alliance summit; politics in the Netherlands; a disease outbreak in Peru; floods all over the World; poll violence in India; onwards to the Moon; Hollywood strikes; Badminton and Tennis stories; and a transgender beauty.
Everywhere
NATO Summit
This week, leaders from the 31 countries in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) military alliance met in Lithuania’s Vilnius, on a two-day event. They discussed the war in Ukraine, defence spending, and Sweden and Ukraine’s membership. At least one of those is making progress. Sweden is now on its way to joining NATO, after finally gaining Turkey’s support. As for Ukraine, NATO’s Secretary General said that the NATO will extend an official invitation once the ongoing war with Russia is over with an accelerated process. And in the meantime Ukraine will be supported with arms, ammunition, and kind, to keep up their spirits.
Turkey’s argument for keeping Sweden out of NATO was that it is harbouring Kurdish separatists whom Turkey has designated as terrorists. Sweden has toughened its stance against the PKK (the Kurdish militant group) and lifted restrictions on arms sales to Turkey.
Go Dutch
Netherlands is heading to the polls in November 2023 following a collapse of the current four-party coalition Government headed by Prime Minister (PM) Mark Rutte of the VVD – People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy. The other coalition parties are, Democrats 66, Christian Democratic Appeal, and Christian Union.
The coalition parties disagreed over asylum policies and were split in crisis talks chaired by the PM, late last week. The PM had been trying to limit the flow of asylum seekers, following a row last year about overcrowded migration centres, which were opposed by other coalition partners. Asylum applications in the Netherlands jumped by over a third last year to more than 47,000, and about 70,000 applications are expected in 2023. PM Rutte tried to force through a plan, which included a cap on the number of relatives of war refugees allowed into the Netherlands at just 200 people per month. A compromise proposal, known as the ‘emergency brake’, which would only trigger the restrictions in the event of an excessively high influx of migrants, was not enough to save the government. The four parties could not reach an agreement on migration, and therefore decided to end the Government.
Mark Rutte at age 56, is the country’s longest serving Prime Minister. He has been in office since 2010 – heading different coalitions. The current government, which took office in January 2022, is his fourth coalition.
The Farmer-Citizen Movement, which became the biggest party in the upper house of parliament after a shock election win in March this year, said they will not serve in any future government led by Mark Rutte. Wait until November!
Gulliain-Barre Syndrome
Peru has declared a national emergency after an unusual outbreak of rising cases of Gulliain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), a rare autoimmune disorder triggered by an acute bacterial or viral infection. The serious, but rare neurological disorder affects the nerves and causes weakness in the muscles, and even paralysis. Symptoms include back pain, numbness or tingling sensation in feet and arms, loss of reflexes and breathing difficulties.
Four people have died and over 180 cases have been reported. Peru had a similar outbreak in 2019. And now the country is struggling with the worst dengue outbreak in its recorded history, this year.
What does GBS do to the human body?
In a person with GSB, the immune system starts attacking healthy cells instead of sick cells. The Myelin sheaths (a layer that wraps around the nerve cells/neurons) of the peripheral nerves are attacked and prevents neves from sending certain information, such as touch sensations, to the spinal cord and brain. This causes a feeling of numbness. In addition the brain and spinal cord can no longer transmit signals back to the body, leading to muscle weakness.
Causes are unknown but it normally sets in after an infection. Two in every three people with GBS had diarrhoea or a respiratory illness several weeks before developing GBS symptoms. There is no specific cure but symptoms can be treated and the disease managed. On the positive side, it is not contagious and cannot spread from one person to another.
Floods
Floods in North India watered the states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, and Delhi – an outcome of the Monsoon’s torrential rains.
The summer Monsoon brings South Asia 70-80% of its annual rainfall, as well as death and destruction due to flooding and landslides.
In the northern state of Himachal Pradesh, flash floods over the last weekend brought down a bridge and swept away several hutments. Many districts in the State received a month’s normal rainfall in a single day.
Streets across the northern states, including in Punjab, Delhi, and Uttarakhand, were flooded. In some areas, rescue personnel used rubber rafts to rescue people stranded inside their homes.
Roads in several parts of New Delhi were submerged in knee-deep water as it was inundated with 153mm of rain, the highest in a single day in July in 40 years. The River Yamuna has crossed the danger mark of 206 metres in Delhi, prompting the relocation of people residing in flood-prone areas to safer locations.
Delhi, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh have received 112%, 100% and 70% more rainfall than average so far in the current monsoon season that started on 1st June.
Floods are flooding the news not only in India but in the United States where deadly floods stumped the north-east, while heatwaves set to boil much of the southern and western United States, kicking off a week of dangerous weather as warnings about the climate crisis intensify.
Flash floods overwhelmed New York’s Hudson Valley. And flood warnings were still in place in parts of nearby Vermont this week, as the state capital Montpelier’s downtown was under water and officials fear a local dam could fail for the first time since it was built, threatening further inundation.
Japan too joined the flood-bath. Three people were killed and three others are missing in flooding in southwest Japan caused by the region’s ‘heaviest’ rain ever. Rivers overflowed and hillsides collapsed as record amounts of rain were dumped on parts of Kyushu island. The national weather agency logged 402.5mm falling in Kurume this Monday, the highest ever recorded in the city. Roads and power-lines were cut, and thousands were ordered to evacuate as further downpours were expected. The Japanese Meteorological Agency, said the rains were perhaps ‘the heaviest ever experienced’ in the region.
Poll Violence
A democracy places at its cornerstone a simple mechanism for people to choose who will govern the country or their immediate locality and deliver on improving the quality of their lives: voting. Periodically, people vote for candidates of political parties in free and fair elections – ensured by the ruling Government- which is almost always followed by a peaceful transition of power, at least in India.
In perhaps one of the worst poll-related violence seen in recent times more than 25 people were killed during the civic body elections in India’s State of West Bengal. The mayhem, intimidation and ransacking that have accompanied the Panchayat Polls in the State last fly in the face of fundamental principles of democracy and underline a stark reality: the fairness of the election is under a cloud.
Several districts reported booth capturing, damaged ballot boxes, and attacks on presiding officers. This violence is not an aberration in West Bengal: It is entrenched in the state’s political culture, with parties in government — the Trinamool Congress (TMC) now, and the Communist Part of India (CPM) and Congress before it — wielding it to control the street, and thereby monopolise state power.
This time, in village after village, the ruling party systematically used bombs, barricades and cadres to ensure that opposition candidates and supporters were unable to move about on polling day. Where they have the clout to do so, some opposition parties have acted in a similar manner. As a result of the violence in the run-up to filing nominations last month, the High Court had ordered that central forces be deployed in the state. But the onus of ensuring a safe election is not on the uniformed personnel alone-the political class in the state, especially the ruling party and State Election Commission, bears a lion’s share of that responsibility. From the 1960s until the 1990s, tactics such as booth capturing and intimidation of voters and polling officials defined electoral politics in many states, including Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Most of India has rejected that form of politics and moved on. However, West Bengal still lives with it.
India heads to the Moon
India aims to put its man on the Moon in the future. And in the run-up it’s testing out end-to-end capability in safe landing and ‘moon-roaming’.
Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-up on Chandrayaan-2 which got to the moon and its Lander swooned just above the surface of the Moon and crash-landed when the Moon was expecting a soft kiss on its rugged cheeks. ISRO is now wiser and hopes to keep the Lander ‘in check’ and from ‘falling too quick’ to the charms of the Moon.
India launched Chandrayaan-3 it’s unmanned spacecraft to the Moon with a flawless lift-off from base Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, this friday afternoon using the time-tested launch vehicle LVM3.
Chandrayaan-3 consists of a Propulsion Module (PM), a Lander Module – Vikram, and a Rover – Pragyan. The PM will carry Vikram, with Pragyan safely ensconced inside, on an orbit around the Earth; and then gradually take it into a lunar transfer trajectory after which it will inject Vikram into the lunar orbit at about 100km from the Moon’s surface. After orbiting around the Moon and getting closer, Vikram will be de-boosted to land with the Propulsion Module separating and saying good bye. Vikram will then softly touch-down on the Lunar South Pole region – previously unexplored – and after giving the Moon a few winks, will open its doors for Praygan to roll out and roam the Moon.
The Moon Landing is scheduled on 23 August 2023. If successful, India will be the fourth nation to land on the Moon after the United States, Russia, and China.
Hollywood Strikes
Hollywood’s Actors and Writers are on a strike. And this is the first time two Unions – Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and the Writers Guild of America (WGA)- are doing this together. The last time was in 1960 when future United States President Ronald Reagan led the strike.
Actors Tom Cruise, Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp are card-holding members of the SAG-AFTRA and are lending their fire-power and magic.
The strike follows a row over pay and the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with film studios and streaming services and failing to reach an agreement on how to go about it. The Unions are worrying about contracts keeping up with inflation, residual payments in the streaming era and safeguards against the use of AI mimicking their work on film and television shows.
Sports
This week, India’s Lakshya Sen, ranked 19th in the World, won the men’s single title at the Badminton World Federation (BWF)’s 58th Canadian Open 2023. He defeated China’s Li Shi Feng, the reigning All England Champion, in straight games, 21-18 and 22-20.
This remarkable victory marks Sen’s second BWF World Tour Title. His previous triumph was at the India Open, in January 2022.
Sen displayed amazing talent and ability to excel under pressure outclassing his opponent. The match was filled with extraordinary rallies, characterized by fast-paced exchanges at the net. Sen saved four game points in the second game before clinching the championship point with a decisive smash.
The Wimbledon Tennis Tournament is rallying to a close in London and in the Women’s Singles Finals it’s Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur versus Czechoslovakia’s Marketa Vondrousova. Both reached the finals coming through enthralling semi-finals at the All England Club, and are seeking their maiden Grand Slam title having previously fallen short in major finals.
Meanwhile in the Men’s Singles, Serbia’s Novak Djokovic beat Italian Jannik Sinner to enter the finals. Djokovic will face either Carlos Alcaraz or Daniil Medvedev, in Sunday’s final where he is bidding to tie Roger Federer’s record by lifting an eighth Wimbledon crown.
Please Yourself
Rikkie Valerie Kolle has made history as the first transgender woman to win the Miss Netherlands Title. It’s the first time in the Dutch pageant’s 94-year history that a transgender woman has been crowned winner.
It means the 22 year old will be the second openly transgender competitor to take part in Miss Universe in December this year. Rikkie says she dreamed of winning pageants like this as a child. “The journey started as a super insecure little boy,” she said. “And now I’m standing here as a strong and empowering and confident woman. I’m really proud of that”.
More gripping stories will be launched in the weeks ahead. Roam the world with World Inthavaaram.
About-the world this week, 14 May 2023 to 20 May 2023: Turkey Presidential Elections; G7 Hiroshima; Karnataka Elections, India; Tennis in Italy; and the Cannes Red Carpet.
Everywhere
Elections, Turkey
In recent times, Turkey has been grappling with many serious issues: especially economic, in the aftermath of the recent earthquake that tore through the country, and neighbouring Syria. Now it’s Election time and the current Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of the Justice and Development Party-who has been President for over two decades-has failed to secure the absolute majority needed to keep his job. He secured 49.5% of the vote, facing fierce competition from Kemal Kilicdaroglu of the Republican People’s Party, who secured 44.89%.
With voters making their voices heard at the polls, both candidates fell short of the 50% vote they needed to become President. The race is headed toward a runoff, meaning another election by the end of May 2023.
The Turks are at a kind of turning point, having to choose between two leaders offering dramatically different visions for their country’s future. Erdogan promises a strong, multilateral Turkey, creation of six million jobs, and harps on his long rule. Kilicdaroglu, backed by a broad opposition, wants to steer Turkey back towards a pro-Western, more democratic state. And wants to roll back Erdogan’s policies.
The presidential elections are being held alongside parliamentary elections, to elect a President for a term of five years.
G7 Hiroshima, Japan
The Group of 7 nations summit- the 49th- is being hosted by core member Japan in Hiroshima, Japan, between 19 May and 21 May 2023. Other participating members are United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy. And The European Union. This is the first summit for both British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, since being elected to Office.
India is an invitee along with Australia, Brazil, Ukraine, and a few other countries. And the United Nations.
This year, the agenda in addition to the usual climate change, sustainable development, food, and health goals…the focus would be on upholding the international order based on the rule of law, in the light of Russia’s uncalled for aggression in Ukraine.
India’s Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi is on a flying visit abroad: first to the G7 summit; then to Papua New Guinea, followed by a series of engagements in Australia’s Sydney, including a bilateral meeting with PM Anthony Albanese.
While India’s PM was flying, back home it was turbulence in the air, with the Reserve Bank of India announcing withdrawl of those lovely pink colour Rs 2000 notes from circulation. And the Finance Ministry blundering on levying 20% ‘Tax Collection at Source’ (TCS) on international Credit Card Transactions – which it quickly rolled-back. Staggering incompetence?
Elections, Karnataka, India
Karnataka was the only state in South India that was ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which also rules at the Centre. In Elections held last week and votes counted at the end of the week, the BJP was routed by the Grand Old Party of India- the Congress Party. They won an absolute majority and proved the Exit Polls right.
The BJP was found licking its wounds, and it’s a tails-up for the next round of Elections – every failure is a lesson. Whatever the angles the analysts may spin, people throw out the Government that fails to deliver and meet their expectations. And bring back the previous one, which was also kicked out in similar fashion.
Meanwhile, the Congress went back to doing what it does best – High Command ruling. There is a tussle between two senior leaders on who should become Chief Minister and the Bengaluru-New Delhi flights are operating to capacity. If it was not a decisive mandate for one Party, the Resorts and Spas in the region would have been fully booked for parking and feeding the horses – else they might run and be traded in Government formation.
Simple, pure democracy demands that the elected Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) meet and elect a leader among themselves for the top job. But then what is the High Command for?
Towards the end of the week, the logjam was resolved, and the Challenger was felled by the come-hither looks, and dimples of the ‘High Command’, meekly agreeing to be a deputy. Somebody said double-engine sarkar: a ’stable’ government to keep the horses in the stable.
Tennis, Italy
In one of the biggest upsets of this year’s Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) season, a qualifier, 23 year old Hungarian, Fabian Marozsan shocked World No 2 Carlos Alcaraz with a stunning 6-3, 7-6 (4) victory in the third round of the Italian Open, this week. Marozsan ranked No. 135, is the lowest‑ranked player to defeat Alcaraz since July 2021. Until he came through the qualifying draw in Rome and defeated the No. 67 Corentin Moutet, Marozsan had never won an ATP match. This is his first ever ATP main draw and also the first ever Masters 1000 Tournament.
On his first appearance on any major stadium court, Marozsan approached the in‑form Player on the tour fearlessly and calmly. From the very beginning, Marozsan served precisely and controlled the baseline. He forced Alcaraz back with consistent aggression and his sweet two-handed backhand while offering the Spaniard a taste of his own medicine: an endless stream of unbelievable, winning, drop shots.
Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal announced that ‘his body has made a decision’ to withdraw from the upcoming French Open 2023. And he will not be playing for the following months. He is targeting Wimbledon 2024 for a ‘swan song’ end to his career and saving-up for one last season. The 2023 Roland Garros will be the first without Roger or Rafa since 1998 – that’s heart-wrenching for Tennis fans.
Please Yourself
The Cannes Film Festival offers unparalleled fashion moments year after year and this year 2023 it ‘catwalks the screens’ between 16 May and 27 May, on the French Riviera.
This year’s 76th event will feature screenings of the latest films from acclaimed directors such as Wes Anderson, Todd Haynes, and Martin Scorsese. And red carpet appearances from those films’ stylish stars, including Margot Robbie, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, and Tilda Swinton.
Johnny Depp walked the famous red carpet, with the premiere of his Louis XV period drama, ‘Jeanne du Barry’, opening the event. Jeanne du Barry has been billed as Depp’s comeback film, following his explosive trial last year with ex-wife Amber Heard.
She’s got glamour in her genes. Carys, the daughter of Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones –my favourite actress-proved she’s a natural in front of the camera during a rare red carpet appearance. Unlike her mother, who matched the carpet in a flowing, red gown with a long draped shoulder, Carys wore a delicate white lace dress featuring a deep V-neck and back cutouts.
Actress Uma Thurman presented Michael Douglas with the event’s highest honour, the Palme d’Or lifetime achievement award. Taking the stage, Douglas was given a prolonged round of applause. Meanwhile, ‘Indiana Jones’ Harrison Ford was also awarded Palme d’Or, which he emotionally accepted- being his last in the role.
India’s all-time beauty, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is still finding it hard to slay the red carpet. Aishwarya walked the red carpet at the screening of ‘Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny’, dressed in an outfit completely out of her comfort zone – a black gown with a giant silver hood that extended into a train. Aishwarya finished her look with her signature crimson lips. I just could not find Aishwarya – no matter how hard I searched in the great mass of aluminium foil. Why do they keep doing this to her; to her beauty?
More stories coming up in the weeks ahead. Dress cleverly, don’t foil your beauty with the wrong aluminium. Stay with World Inthavaaram.
About: the world this week, 20 March to 26 March 2022, war, prison, a plane crash, girls education, killing fields, and not saying goodbye.
Everywhere
The War
The Russia-Ukraine war bangs-on and Ukraine is hanging-on out there against the unrelenting Russian attack, even pushing them back from a suburb around the capital, Kyiv. Mariupol in southeastern Ukraine is facing the brunt of the attack, mercilessly bombed with about 80% of the city destroyed, but it isn’t giving up. Not yet.
Over a month into the invasion, Ukrainians continue to defy the odds, showing a deadly fighting streak in defence of their country and in keeping alive freedom. Outnumbered in tanks, troops, aircraft, and in other armoury, the highly motivated Ukrainian forces, reinforced with steely citizen volunteers, have in many places fought the Russian Army to a standstill.
The command and control, steadfastly operating out of Kyiv, is effectively co-ordinated over several battlefronts. Sound battle tactics are being deployed to outwit the Russians. And Ukraine is far ahead in the information war. Is victory in sight?
During the week, Anatoly Chubais a key aide of Russian President Vladimir Putin stepped down from his role as an international envoy. This is the senior most official to resign since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Chubais was responsible for coordinating Russia’s sustainable development goals internationally. After the war began, he posted a picture of a murdered opposition figure, in what was seen as a critical gesture. Now, he has followed-through and given-up on Russia’s unholy aggression.
United States (US) President Joe Biden travelled to Europe’s Brussels to meet with his NATO allies. He thundered that any chemical attack launched by Russia in Ukraine would be met ‘in kind’ by NATO. One clear winner of this outrageous war is that the NATO Allies have become ‘great FRIENDS’ again. They put up a united front and told Ukraine that they are with them through this unfolding disaster-supplying them with copious amounts of arms, ammunition, training, food, supplies… and morale.
In another front, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin said it will seek payment in rubles for natural gas sold to ‘unfriendly’ countries, and European Union (EU) gas prices soared on concerns that the move would exacerbate the region’s energy crunch. Russian gas accounts for about 40% of Europe’s total consumption. The EU continues to buy about USD 600 million of oil & gas, daily, from Russia. USA lifts and pays for 8% of its energy needs from Russia.
The ‘unfriendly countries’ are, the US, EU member states, Britain, Japan, Canada, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, and Ukraine. Some, such as the US and Norway, do not purchase Russian gas.
Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky is continuing his address to the World, garnering support and requesting Governments to do what it takes to put pressure on Russia to pull back from its egregious invasion. This week, Swiss Firm Nestle, ‘under ferocious attack from Ukraine for selling in Russia’, withdrew some of its brands such as Kit-kat and Nesquik, from Russia while keeping only the essential food items in supply, on the shelf.
Every week I write about this war, I’m flabbergasted and pained by the destruction and inhuman cruelty happening in Ukraine due to one man’s crazy mind driving the proceedings. How can he get away with such a brutal act with others just watching? We have to find a way to stop this war.
Russia’s Opposition
Alexei Navalny, remember him? This week, the 45 years old Russian Opposition Leader was sentenced to nine more years in prison for fraud and contempt of court, in a maximum security prison. Navalny is already serving more than two years for a parole violation. Despite being lodged in jail, he has condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. And called on people to protest, leading to thousands of arrests.
Will Alexei Navalny’s time come? He faces a seemingly endless series of ‘prejudiced’ prison sentences based on bogus charges; and maybe, the result of the Russia-Ukraine War would liberate him!
Plane Crash
This Monday, a China Eastern Airlines Boeing 737-800, with 132 people on-board crashed in a wooded area of the Guangxi hills in Southern China. Flying at a safe cruising altitude of about 29,100 feet, the plane took a sudden nose-dive to 7,425 feet, recovered briefly to 8,600 feet, and was last tracked at 3,225 feet, before plunging down almost vertically. This, at about the time when it would normally start to descend ahead of landing. The plane disintegrated, starting a fire in a heavy bamboo tree filled area. There were no survivors reported. China has a healthy record of aeroplane flight safety and this crash was unexpected.
Flight MU5735 was flying from the city of Kunming, capital of the Yunnan Province to Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong, bordering Hong Kong, when the tragedy occurred.
It’s estimated that there are 4,208 Boeing 737-800 passenger planes in service, with over a quarter of them based in China.
Boeing 737-800s, which were first produced in the late 1990s, have a strong safety record. The plane involved in Monday’s crash was about six years old. Boeing has been struggling to recover from two fatal crashes involving its 737 MAX aircraft, which claimed the lives of 346 passengers and crew.
The reason for the crash is under investigation, and among the usual technical and weather issues, pilot illness or suicide is being seen as a possibility. The pilot and co-pilot had more than 39,000 hours of combined flying experience, adding to the mystery of why the plane crashed.
Still Flying on Mars
Meanwhile, with sufficient rest, NASA’s Helicopter Ingenuity is still ‘alive and kicking’ on Mars? Over the weekend, the Mars Helicopter took its 22nd flight: the trip lasted 101.4 seconds and Ingenuity got up to 10 meters in the air. The team is busy planning the next flight while Ingenuity conquers a tiny amount of Mars air-space, every time it grabs the Martian air.
Girls in Afghanistan: We Need Education
I follow BBC’s Yalda Hakim on Twitter, and she has been diligently keeping a count on the number of days teenage girls across Afghanistan have been prohibited from secondary school (grades 6 to 12) education, and kept away from classrooms, by the Taliban-ever since they took control of the country (in a manner Russia’s Putin thought he could, in Ukraine). The count stood at 186 days!
This week was expected to be a turning-point with the Taliban announcing that 23 March 2022 will be the date when teenage girls can return to their classrooms. During its previous rule from 1996 to 2001, the Taliban had banned girls from receiving education and this time around it did just that. On introducing the ban last year, the Taliban claimed that their restrictions on girls studying was ‘temporary’ and will be back in place once they are able to ensure all workplaces and learning environments are ‘safe’ for the girls.
However, on 23 March when girls turned up at school gates, the Taliban reneged and sent the girls back to their homes, saying that the time is still not right for them; that officials are yet to draw up a plan for schools that aligns with their interpretation of Islamic law. And that an appropriate Islamic dress has to be designed for them before opening the schools. This brought tears to the eyes of many girls and parents were visibly outraged by such a U-turn.
One million girls in the country are affected by the Taliban’s stance. And if they aren’t back in class soon, it could impact the aid that Afghanistan gets, since Western countries have made it clear that girls’ access to education is a ‘sine quo non’ for the cash to flow.
Amazing that after all the far-reaching development of humankind brought about by education and learning, some are being denied such a basic right, in the name of religion.
Killing Fields of West Bengal
Over the past month, it has been a horrific state of affairs in India’s State of West Bengal, ruled by a ‘permanently scowling and endlessly fighting-with-the-Centre’ Chief Minister (CM) of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) Party, Mamata Banerjee. Her only superpower has been that despite what happens, or does not happen in the State, she keeps winning election after election. If such people-power cannot be used to ensure the safety of people and their betterment, of what use is it?
A student activist was killed by local Police on 18 February, a Congress and TMC Councillor were shot dead on 13 March in two different incidents. And worst of all on 21 March, a TMC deputy Panchayat head of Barshal Village, Rampurhat, Birbhum Disctrict was killed. The same day, it what appeared to be a revenge attack, eight people, including women and children were burnt alive inside their homes in Bagtui Village, Rampurhat. The Television channels showed charcoal-black charred bodies being piled up and taken away, in a heart-wenching scene. Most of these incidents seem to be related in some way to the TMC, the ruling party, headed by its woman CM.
Such medieval violence has no place in a democracy and the buck stops at the CM’s table. Act or leave?
An Ace Tennis Shock
Women’s Tennis World No 1, Ashleigh Barty of Australia announced a shock retirement from tennis at the age of 25 (and Roger Federer is still hitting those balls at age 40 upwards).
Ash Barty is quitting the sport at the peak of her powers, as the reigning Australian Open and Wimbledon Champion. She has held the world No 1 position since winning the 2019 French Open Title.
Barty said, “I just know that I am absolutely spent, I just know physically I have nothing more to give. And that to me is success. I have given absolutely everything I can to this beautiful sport of tennis.”
Turns out that Ash Barty has superb talent in cricket and golf, and maybe we could see her in new avatars on these green fields. Or has somebody seduced her to change track at this station of her life?
Whatever, Ash Barty has redefined sporting success as Quality, not Quantity.
Movies
Over the previous weekend, tired of the news headlines and the macabre incidents swirling around the world, I crashed into the movie, ‘Without Saying Goodbye’ (2022), on Netflix, and promptly fell in love with the romantic, finding-your-purpose-film. It stars Maxi Igelsias and Stephaine Cayo in the lead roles.
It’s about a successful workaholic, ‘gadget-tied’, Spanish Architect, Salvador (Maxi Igelsias) who travels to rural Peru to buy tribal land -in front of a world wonder, Cuzco, navel of the world -and build a luxury hotel for his father’s Business. He is constantly working, scheduling, and getting tasks done. He stays in a little House-Hotel run by Lichi (Wendy Ramos)- who’s land he intends to buy for the project-and bumps into Ariana (Stephanie Cayo), Lichi’s free-spirited artist niece; when a broken-key takes him to her side of the House, watching her sing and dance. And he ‘lights her tail’-a piece of protruding paper in the rear of her dress -with a candle, while dancing, as a way of signalling interest. And it works; love catches fire!
Ariana helps her Aunt run the place, and also takes tourists on treks through the spectacularly beautiful region. She is vehemently against her Aunt selling the land to build a ‘huge chunk of concrete and cement’.
Salvador first falls in love with Ariana and the land, and easily glides into acquiring appreciation for a more eco-friendly way of life, sustainability, and the local culture. Ariana, who has no interest in romantic love, happy endings, or marriage, resists his kind of approach to life and work. Their values are at odds, but he begins to consider the benefits of a less hyper-scheduled life, and she opens up to the idea of sharing her life with someone who’s so willing to change his way of thinking. They discover each other over a ‘bag-pack trek’ through the luscious land, where Salvador learns the yoga of meditation. How can you stop thinking?
Salvador quits his father’s company, takes a sabbatical, and goes on a search to find Ariana, who left in a huff (without saying goodbye) disagreeing over selling the property. Ultimately, as he persists, she comes to value what they have together.
The views of Peru are breathtaking, and we get to see the 15th century Inca citadel Machu Pichhu – one of the seven wonders of the world. And of course, the beautiful chemisty between Salvador and Ariana.
I cannot leave without saying, goodbye. Fall in Love with World Inthavaaram. Discover more wonders. Goodbye, until next week!
About: the world this week, 5 September to 11 September 2021, musings on mankind, abortion, the Kingdom of eSwatini, a Bishop in Spain, Tennis and Football, and a brand new Superhero movie.
Everywhere
Mankind has grown beyond the wildest imagination of our cave-dwelling, hunter-gatherer, stone-tool forefathers. And we are growing our known Universe every single day: we sight a new Star, a new Galaxy, a new Black Hole; spy a fiery Meteor, stare at a beautiful shooting star; find a new Sun-spot…the list goes on. Then we send out space-ships to get as close as possible, tickle them, even land and dig on them – ingeniously fly above too, testing space.
On dear Planet Earth, we discover a new kind of frog in the thick plant and leafy forest undergrowth, or a new species of fish, or my favourite sharks, in the depths of the mighty oceans. All this is made possible by stupendous, never-before in-existence technology, invented by the ever hard-working, relentlessly exploring man. On the way, we designed and manufactured ferocious weapons that can wipe out all of us – without a trace- from the face of the Earth, within seconds. We also created computers and networking – sewing the world together – and suddenly, knowledge is strewn all over the place; you just need to pick it up and use it to make your own thing.
Then it hits you like a sledgehammer: a narrow-minded, cave-thinking force, with their beards, menacing weapons, and disrespect for the woman of mankind emerge from the darkest corners of Earth and occupy centre stage in a country. Do they realise that their mothers are women? And there is a fear of that Country returning to antediluvian times. Have we come full circle? Should we?
This week, such a force, called the Taliban, which had with unbelievable ease gained control of the country of Afghanistan, lazily announced the formation of an Interim Government. It was bulleted with the Who’s-Who on the ‘Wanted List’ of the United Nations and many Countries. Where does Afghanistan go from here?
Unconfirmed reports fire-in that the Panjshir Valley, the last region holding-out, which is not under Taliban rule in Afghanistan and which has steadfastly remained out of any occupying force during its entire history has also been defeated and taken. But there is still signs of a resistance hanging out there.
There is nothing but hope to hold on to. Meanwhile, the rest of the world may start growing a beard and cover itself up!
Eswatini: A Last Kingdom
Eswatini is a tiny, land-locked country in Africa bordered by South Africa and Mozambique with a population of about 1.2 million ‘swazis’. It is officially known as the Kingdom of Eswatini – Kingdom of eSwatini- and was formerly known as Swaziland: the name change happened in 2018. It is the last standing, absolute monarchy in Africa. The country gained its independence from Great Britain in 1968 and is celebrating 53 years of Independence. Well, actually it is not.
Over the past months people are spilling on to the streets, protesting the strangulating monarchy, the brutality of Police and Military action, and clamouring for democracy and a better life, with over 60% of the population living in abject poverty. There are certain parts of the country, which even in this year 2021, do no know what electricity is or what it means to have clean drinking water.
Eswatini is ruled by the ‘superhuman’ King Mswati III, since 1986. He lives an obnoxiously extravagant lifestyle and has over 30 children from a ‘bevy of wives’ (at least 15, on the last count). He owns expansive mansions, a flat of expensive vehicles, and a top-of-the-line personal jet. While the poor people struggle for a livelihood, the King is hoping to surpass his father, King Sobhuza II, who had accumulated 70 wives and over 200 children, in the wife development department. Age is on his side and being in the fifties he may well get past his father. The famous annual reed dance festival of Eswatini helps him find suitable women to add to his collection. And it goes on…
With his talent for adding wives and planting seed, the King should be able to find the means and resources to improve the lot of his people and multiply their incomes. And crown himself with true people’s glory. Or, maybe Kings & Queens are an old-fashion item that need to be thrown out? Over to Eswatini. They decide.
Abortions
Early this month, the State of Texas, United States, brought-in a new law banning abortions once a foetal heartbeat is detected, which is as early as six weeks. Many women don’t even know that they are pregnant around this time. Further, there are no exceptions for cases of rape or incest. Means, you have to carry on with having the baby. The Texas Law is one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the US. And Texas is also doing things differently. It’s giving private citizens the power to enforce the abortion ban. i.e., people can sue abortion providers, friends, and family members who they believe violated the law or helped someone get an abortion. And they can get a prize of at least USD 10,000, if they are successful.
India is, by far, more progressive that the US, on abortion. Recall the recently amended Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act of 1971, which allows women to seek abortions as part of reproductive rights and gender justice. The upper limit of MTP is twenty-four weeks for women including rape survivors, victims of incest, differently-abled women and minors. Failure of contraception is also acknowledged, and MTP is available to ‘any woman or her partner’. The Indian law is definitely empathetic and sensitive, rightfully allowing women to be in control of what happens in their bodies.
Continuing with the pregnancy theme, this week, Mexico’s Supreme Court has ruled that criminal penalties for terminating pregnancies are unconstitutional. The decision to decriminalise abortion in Latin America’s second largest catholic nation brought hopes that throughout Mexico women with the ability to carry a child have the conditions and freedom to determine their reproductive destiny.
The US takes many steps forward and least a few steps backward every once in a while. It can take ‘baby steps’ and learn from India, and Mexico. Some hand-holding is required!
A Spanish Bishop: Falling in Love
Xavier Novell became Spain’s youngest Bishop in the year 2010, at the age of 41, in Solsona, North-Eastern Catalonia. He was a strident critic of homosexuality, advocated gay conversions, and carried out exorcisms; holding on to traditional values of abortion; and being an outspoken supporter of Catalonian Independence. Despite being a a rising star in the Spain’s Catholic Church, last month he gave it all up and secured the Vatican’s approval to resign as a Bishop, citing ‘personal reasons’ – most of us have used this ‘pregnant-with-meaning’ phrase so often in our lives, haven’t we?
Turns out that he had fallen in love with a divorcee, who is a psychologist and novelist, writing Satanic-tinged erotic fiction. In his youth Xavier Novell had fallen in love with a 18 year old girl and wanted to marry her and raise a family, before deciding on the path of God, culminating in his becoming a Bishop.
Wow, what a way to fall – in love!
Paralympic Games, Tokyo: The End
The Paralympic Games came to an end on Sunday and India finished with a fabulous haul of 19 medals – the highest in its History. More sportspersons added glory than ever before.
In total, India bagged 13 medals (Gold-5, Silver-8, Bronze -6) and was placed 24th with China, Great Britain, and the United States topping the tables on most medals won – in that order.
I hope such medal winning unleashes the sporting spirit in India and every State competes with each another, to send the best Athletes to all forms of the Olympic Games.
Tennis and Football
The US Open is nearing the stage of the final matches and I talked about Emma Raducanu in World Inthavaaram 2021-28
Two teenage women who were not too well known to anyone before this US Open will play for the singles championship on Saturday in what is probably the most improbable matchup for a Grand Slam Final since the modern era of tennis began more than fifty years ago. Emma Raducanu, 18 years old, of Britain and Leylah Fernandez, 19 years old, of Canada are the two teenage sensations who knocked off seasoned professionals in the world rankings to get to this stage. May the best ‘born in Canada’ teenager win.
In Football this week, Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick to give Argentina a 3-0 win over Bolivia in a World Cup 2022 qualifier, lifting him above all-time great Pele as South America’s top international scorer with 79 goals. It was Messi’s seventh hat-trick for Argentina.
I am already looking forward to the FIFA Football World Cup 2022 to be played in Qatar between 21 November 2022 and 18 December 2022.
Please Yourself
There are two famous Comic Book Entertainment Companies based in the United Sates, that have, between them, invented all the Superheroes we know – to wow us. DC (Detective Comics) which first created the magic of Mandrake the Magician and then brought to Earth, Superman, flew Batman, ringed Wonder Women…among others; while Marvel Comics spinned Spider-Man (the all-time best superhero revenue earner), forged Iron Man, led Captain America, went green with The Hulk, hammered Thor, and painted Black Panther…among others.
Most of these superheroes were of Western origin and the Eastern World was ignored, kind of felt left-out – needed its own Superhero!
Now, Marvel (Marvel Cinematic Universe-MCU)after looking deeply at Asia produced its first Asian Superhero Movie called, ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ based on its titular Marvel Comics character. The Ten Rings are ten mystical weapons that grant their user immortality and great power.
The film stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, a brutally trained martial artist and assassin who leaves his father’s secret organization, known as Ten Rings, to live an ordinary life in San Francisco, United States. The Superhero lives as a Valet Driver, Shaun, parking cars and spending weeknight karaoke sessions with his co-worker and best friend Katy, from which stage the story rings out.
The goofy exchanges between Shaun and Katy are a stand-out and along with the superb action sequences and special effects, the film is already one of the freshest Marvel pictures to come along in a long time.
Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, who is of Japanese descent, the movie is made up of a predominantly Asian cast of, Awkwafina (Katy), Tony Leung, and the unmissable, Michelle Yeoh.
The Film released on 3 September 2021 in the US and has become a box-office hit.
More teenage sport and superhero stories up ahead in the coming weeks. You’ll fall in love with World Inthavaaram.
About: This is illuminating news, from my perspective, on how we lived this week, in this Earth…and in other Planets as well – beyond Earth.
Everywhere
God Bless America
The United States of America (USA) went through the motions of impeaching its most recent ex-President, as second time, but could not muster the courage to vote him guilty of instigating the 6th January 2021 Insurrection at Capitol Hill – a huge blot on America’s democracy – visible from the Red Planet. Punishing him would have set a great example and cleared the cobwebs on an ambiguous law, which loopholes helped him survive.
A two-thirds majority vote was required to convict the not-so-great ex-President and with a 50-50 tie between the Democrats and the Republicans in the Senate, the final vote count stood at 57 (convict)- 43 (acquit), which was far from the required punishment threshold. Seven Republicans showed ‘great’ guts in agreeing with the Democrats that the ex-President was guilty.
He was acquitted by the Senate and lives to get elected another ‘great’ day.
What Next? More of ‘great’ golf, until the next Elections?
Bill Gates, now a Window to Climate Change
Microsoft Founder Bill Gates is turning out to be a damn good Astrologer, opening doors, windows, and many vistas: predicting infectious disease Epidemics and Climate Change, to mention a few. Nostradamus must be pleased, from up above.
Bill Gates has written a new book, ‘How to Avoid Climate Disaster. The Solutions We Have and The Breakthroughs We Need’. It’s a guide to tackling global warming. I haven’t read it as yet, but here are some insights I plucked out from various reviews.
He says, ‘solving climate change would be the most amazing thing humanity has ever done. By comparison, ending the pandemic is very, very easy’.
Fifty-one billion, is how many tonnes of greenhouse gases the world typically adds to the atmosphere each year. Zero, is what we need to get to.
Renewable sources like wind and solar can help decarbonise electricity, but that’s less than 30% of total emissions. We are also going to have to decarbonise the other 70% of the world economy – steel, cement, transport systems, fertiliser production, and much, much more. We simply don’t have ways of doing that at the moment for many of these sectors.
Consuming less stuff – fewer flights, local food, less electricity and gas – won’t solve the problem.
He argues political action is more important, demanding Governments across the World do the right thing, and using our voices as consumers, insisting the same of Companies.
‘If you buy an electric car, a hamburger made of a meat substitute, an electric heat pump for your home you are helping increase the production of these products and therefore helping drive prices down’.
There’s no doubt that the next best thing to destroying the human race – other than an epidemic – is the effects of climate change. It’s the Elephant in the Room that many haven’t noticed and those who did are trumpeting for immediate action. If we can find a Vaccine for a nano-virus, I’m sure we can herd Elephants out of the room, back into the lush green forests. I agree with Bill Gates, it’s hard to push an Elephant.
Sleepless in Texas – Shivering and Freezing too
Did Bill Gates predict this one?
Texas State in the USA is known for its sprawling deserts and intense heat waves, but, right now it is hiding under a thin layer of ice. Unbelievable?
Texas is in the grip of unprecedented freezing temperatures as a brutally cold, historic winter storm ravaged it, bringing snow, sleet, and freezing rain in its wake. Temperatures touched down to (- )39 Degree Centigrade in many cities.
The frigid cold, crippled giant wind turbines (an important source of electricity in the State), froze and paralysed vital equipment at gas wells, the natural gas system, and in the nuclear industry. Pipes froze and burst across the State.
The primary sources of energy in Texas – natural gas, coal, nuclear, wind and solar – have been affected by the cold and ice causing blackouts and ruinous power outages. The Power Supply Grid was overwhelmed and several parts were left without power, for basic chores.
Homes in Texas are not normally insulated for cold water, resulting in indoor temperatures quickly dropping to freezing point after heating systems failed.
Texas is the only state of the USA with an independent power grid, meaning it depends entirely on its own electricity supply means. In hindsight, it was a lurking disaster waiting to happen, and they should have had a means for connecting with the Grid of another State – at least for emergency power. How can you afford to ‘live off the Grid’ for so long a period?
India, for eg., has a National Electricity Grid – One Nation, One Grid – and power can flow from the top of the Country to the bottom and across, from the left to the right, in a seamless manner, delivering power to Consumers, anywhere in the country. India achieved this electrifying feat in the year 2014.
What caused the freeze? The US National Weather Service says that this is due to an ‘Arctic Outbreak’ that originated just above the US-Canada Border bringing winter storm and plummeting temperatures. Cold air outbreaks such as these are normally kept contained with the Arctic Zone, by a series of low-pressure systems. However, this one moved through Canada and spilled out in to the US. And it has touched down far South into Texas. Amazing reach!
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) – Starting to Trade
The WTO is the only global international organisation dealing with rules of trade between nations. Its main function is to ensue that trade flows smoothly, predictably, and freely as possible. It has 164 nations as its members.
This week, WTO finally got its trading biases right – after years of trading with males in the lead it has made the shift to females. On Monday, it appointed Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the first female and first African head of the WTO. This is a first in the 73 years of GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) and WTO.
Okonjo-Iweala will take up her job on 1st March 2021 and her term, which is renewable, will run up to 31st August, 2025.
One of the selectors said of her, ‘She was not chosen because she is female or because she is from Africa, but because she stood out as the candidate with the best qualifications, experience and qualities for the daunting task’. That’s well said. I just do not like making everything a male-female issue and would trade it for expertise and quality.
The Geneva-based WTO has been leaderless since Brazil’s Roberto Azevedo stepped down last August, a year ahead of schedule. The WTO appoints its leaders through a consensus-finding process, but former US President Donald Trump’s administration stood alone in blocking the consensus around Okonjo-Iweala.
Okonjo-Iweala takes over a beleaguered WTO when it is facing a slew of challenges that have hobbled it in recent years, including how to best manage the increased friction between economic superpowers the USA and China. Critics of the WTO said it has failed to intervene over some of China’s most egregious economic offenses, which in turn has let the USA name its economic adversary a currency manipulator and impose or threaten billions of dollars in tariffs on goods from China.
Okonjo-Iweala is seen as a trailblazer in her homeland. She was twice Nigeria’s finance minister and its first female foreign minister in a two-month stint. A development economist by training with degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Okonjo-Iweala has also had a 25-year career as a development economist at the World Bank, eventually becoming its number two. She has portrayed herself as a champion against Nigeria’s rampant corruption-revealing that her own mother was even kidnapped over her attempts to tackle the scourge. Okonjo-Iweala is married to Ikemba Iweala, a neurosurgeon. They have four children, including author Uzodinma Iweala who wrote, ‘Beasts of No Nation’ (adapted as an award winning film) and ‘Speak No Evil’.
I’m sure the WTO can build strong trade bridges and Okonjo-Iweala has already warned about Vaccine Nationalism, during the current pandemic, ‘a phenomenon where rich countries are vaccinating their populations and poor countries have to wait’.
Toolkits: Vocabulary Building
There is a new word ploughing around Town and it goes by the name of Toolkit.
A Tookit is a collection of documents that contain basic information on an issue, adaptable resources, and campaigning tips, such as tweet suggestions, hashtags, who to tag on social media, how to sign online petitions, etc., so that one can spread the word easily (on a issue) and build-up a momentum of social-media opinion, which could ultimately ignite physical action in terms of sloganeering or for & against rallies – peaceful or otherwise.
Most of us in India learnt about it when overseas Celebrities and Activists began tweeting in support of the Farmer Protests protesting the Farm Reforms – laws enacted by India’s elected Government following due process of walking it through Parliament. Obviously the ‘hand of Toolkit’ was visible in their actions. This lead to inland celebrities fighting back with their own tweets against outside interference. Meanwhile, someone who edited one of these Toolkits, said to have been first prepared by anti-India Forces, was caught and the Police are using all the tools in their kit to find out what’s happening. And now you have a full-blown social media tool war and attempts to unravel a ‘plot against the nation’.
I’m glad that the younger generation is coming out with guns blazing on issues confronting the World. I’m sure they want to add perspective and get in to the thick of things. But they need to be mighty careful on who they are dealing with. Reminds me of Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf. Going to see grandma with sweets and biscuits is ‘very caring’. Beware of the Wolves, lurking in the bushes – and using toolkits for directions!
By all accounts the Farm Laws are very progressive, passed through an elected Parliament, and made into law. These reforms have been in the air for more than a decade and most of the Political Parties opposing them have sometime earlier supported the reforms now actually made into Law. Any changes should be made only through Parliament. Meanwhile it is best to try them out and I’m sure any shortcomings can be corrected by elected legislators. When it is time to vote, the overseas celebrities are welcome to vote, if the can.
Space: USA’s NASA lands on the Red Planet, Mars
On 18th February 2021, National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Perseverance Rover, weighing about a ton, landed, without incident, on Mars on a spot that has never-before been attempted by NASA – the Jezero Crater.
Perseverance is NASA’s ninth landing on Mars and its fifth Rover. And it had to go through the infamous ‘seven minutes of terror’ to land on Mars. The one-way time it takes for radio signals to travel from Earth to Mars is eleven minutes which means the seven minutes it takes to land on Mars occurs without any help or intervention from the NASA Control Centre, on Earth.
The Spacecraft reached the Martian atmosphere at a speed of 12,000 miles per hour and had to slow down to 1.7 miles per hour, seven minutes later, when the Rover landed. The spacecraft’s heat shield endured a peak heating of about 1300 Degrees Centigrade.
Perseverance has been on nearly a 472 million kilometre journey to get here since leaving Earth about 203 days ago (30th July 2020). It will explore the crater and search for signs of ancient microbial life, and collect samples for future missions over an expected life of two years.
There is a helicopter called ‘Ingenuity’ attached to the belly of the Rover and over a process of ten days the Rover will drop Ingenuity and roll away from it. After Ingenuity ‘finds its bearings’, settles down to the world of Mars and charges its solar panels, it will be ready for its first flight, which is expected to last about 20 seconds. This will be the first ever helicopter flight on another Planet and I’m sure the Wright Brothers must be looking down from Heaven, fingers-crossed.
Going back in time, the first Flyby of Mars happened on 15th July 1965, by NASA’s Mariner-4 and on 14 November 1971, Mariner-9 became the first space probe to orbit another planet. The first successful landing on Mars came on 20th July 1976 when NASA’s Viking-1 touched down in a spot named Chris Plantia – The Plains of Golf.
India’s, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) succeeded in its very first attempt to orbit Mars, with the launch of Mangalyaan, on 5th November 2013. And the space probe has been in orbit since 24th September 2014. Though ISRO planned a six-month life for Mangalyaan, it has exceeded expectations completing more than five years – and is still in a ‘circle of love with Mars’.
Surely, we need lots of perseverance to move ahead in life. While Perseverance used every ounce of it to reach Mars to try unlocking mysteries on the origin of life, those living in Texas, on Earth, will need all the perseverance and the ingenuity, they can muster to stay warm and alive.
Life in Antarctica, 3000 Feet Under
Scientists have found life buried deep under about 3,000 feet of ice in Antarctica, challenging the assumption that nothing could live in such conditions. It was thought that Antarctica’s frigid temperatures made it impossible for living creatures to thrive in these extreme locations, because they are so far from sunlight and any obvious source of food.
The strange living creatures were found attached to a boulder in the Arctic seas under an ice shelf. Experts from the British Antarctic Survey drilled through 2,860 feet of ice before making the discovery.
A collection of stationary animals, sponges and potentially several previously unknown species, were among the discoveries.
One of the Researchers explained, “If they are living somewhere as tough as this, they are probably specially adapted to being there. There is a good chance they might go weeks, months and years without food — you have to be pretty hard to cope with that.”
Sports
Australian Open in the Melbourne Park, Down Under
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic became just the second man in history to reach 300 Grand Slam wins with a fluent win over Canada’s Milos Raonic in the fourth round of the Australian Open. He whipped the big-hitting Raonic, in four sets, in just under three hours. On Thursday he beat Russian Aslan Karatsev to reach the finals.
Up ahead of Djokovic, in Grand Slam wins, is Switzerland’s Roger Federer – I miss him – the only man to previously reach the 300 win mark at Grand Slams, now sitting on a pedestal of 362 wins. Rafael Nadal is third, with 285 wins. And he is out of the Australian Open.
Meanwhile, Japan’s Naomi Osaka beat America’s Serena Williams to set up a Women’s Finals clash with American Jennifer Brady – happening this Saturday.
The Men’s Finals will be on Sunday, 21st February…and Novak Djokovic has never lost an Australian Open Final. Worth a watch!
Test Cricket
England’s Cricket Team is touring India at the moment and India got whacked by England in the first test at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, losing by 227 runs.
India came back strongly in the second test, also in Chennai, to wallop England by one of the biggest ever wins, beating them by 317 runs, levelling the four match Test Series. India was lying under a heap of a losing streak of Test Series under ‘new Father’ Virat Kohli’s captaincy and this win has put a stop to that. Kiss the baby? Ravichandran Ashwin scored a total of 119 runs and picked up eight wickets turning into a kingpin of India’s win.
The next two Tests are slated to be held at the Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad, 24the February to 28th February and 4th March to 8th March 2021.
India requires ‘Iron Wins’ in the Sardar Patel Stadium to weld the Test Series into a strong performance and qualify for the World Test Championships.
COVID-19, the Pandemic
New Zealand’s Fight
I have read and clapped my hands with joy on New Zealand’s superb handling of the coronavirus pandemic, going for months without reports of new infections. With a population of about 5 million it recorded just over 2,300 cases of COVID-19 and 25 deaths.
The country closed its borders to people coming-in or going-out, early on in the pandemic, aiming to keep-out the virus. It maintains a tight vigil on the borders to make it a rock-solid buttress against the nano-invader. And it is succeeding.
However, this week Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern ordered the country’s biggest city, Auckland, to go into lockdown after the discovery of three new local COVID-19 cases. One of the cases was traced to the laundry department of an airline catering facility and with the obvious border connection, New Zealand is looking for holes to seal.
Three is definitely a small number but the country’s action is big and putting a mighty effort with the goal of stamping-out the virus. Keep it up New Zealand! Until the vaccines arrive, in many shots, we have no other option but to keep injecting ourselves with lockdowns?
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) is still fishing in the troubled waters of Wuhan, China, to pin-down the source of the pandemic, but China keeps muddying the waters and is not supplying enough bait, leave alone fishing rods.
Vaccination Tracking
The speed of vaccination, to overturn the pandemic, is improving, but we need to jab faster. More than 199 million doses have been administered across 87 countries, i.e., roughly 6.50 million doses per day.
Israel is an outlier, with 79 doses given per 100 people. About 47% of the population has received at least one shot and 31.8% are fully vaccinated.
India has administered about 1.07 crore doses till date, at 0.76 doses per 100.
To provide a perspective, at current vaccination rates the prediction is that India will be fully covered by late 2022. And Israel, the USA, the UK, and much of Europe will be fully covered by the end of this year 2021.
India has seen a steady reduction in coronavirus infection cases across the States, but recently the States of Maharashtra and Kerala have seen a rising trend, which is a case of concern. This is not over and let’s stick to the basics of prevention dynamics until the Science and the Experts declare we are safe.
Please Yourself
I’m a die-hard fan of Hollywood’s Tom Hanks and this weekend I’ve scheduled myself to watch ‘News of the World’, on Netflix.
I’ll be back with more news of the world…and we have that helicopter waiting to take us on flight, in Mars!
About: This is the news ‘boxed in the ring’ this week, in our World. And it’s a week loaded with looks. Look inside.
Everywhere
Everywhere I see lots of unrest and turmoil. Humans are perhaps becoming impatient and trying to grow in various dimensions at the same time. Is it the age of impunity? It seems to be spreading and non-accountability is going viral. Authoritarianism is the new normal. According to the latest, The Economist Survey, only 8.4% of the world’s population live in a fully functioning democracy, while more than a third live under authoritarian rule – and it is getting worse. Look at Russia’s Putin – the Underpants Poisoner, look at Myanmar – the House Arrestor, look at Afghanistan – the Home of Taliban, look at the oldest of them all, North Korea – the Lost Kingdom. Look at China, where the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has been banned this week over said to be spreading ‘fake news’, look at various African Regimes, and look at the Desert Countries. Why, look at what happened in America’s Capitol Hill, the trial of the second impeachment of the ex-President is underway. And we are looking to colonise the Moon! Somebody must be waiting for us, over there, with a lasso?
Once in a while, some fresh breezes do blow especially in deserts, maybe a fragrance. I talked about Saudi Arabia’s Activist Loujain al-Hathloul, in World Inthavaaram, 2020-45
This week she was finally freed, after spending 1,000 days in jail. Welcome back, hope to see her driving soon – she was responsible for women in Saudi Arabia being given the steering wheel, to drive a car! Something anywhere in the world women would take for granted.
Going back to Afghanistan, I liked this quote by Afghanistan Vice President Saleh, ‘We welcome the decision of the Biden administration to review US policy on Afghanistan with wide eyes and open ears.
Wow, we ought to look at this World this week, with wide eyes and open ears. And closed mouths?
Boxing Champions
Remember Boxing Champion Leon Spinks? He died last Friday, aged 67, in Las Vegas, USA. He beat the great Mohammad Ali in a stunning split-decision verdict to win the undisputed Boxing Heavyweight Title, in a 15 round fight, in 1978, at the age of 25. After the win, he famously said, “I’m not the greatest, just the latest.” Of course, later, the greatest beat the latest, again – Mohammad Ali beat Spinks in a rematch.
Spinks won the light heavyweight division gold at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. His brother, Michael Spinks, who would later become heavyweight champion himself, won the middleweight gold.
I can recall Leon Spinks with that big grin, often showing off his gap-front teeth. He had an easygoing personality, with a ‘well-developed, muscular’ drinking habit, and naturally, drank all his earnings. And for a time after retirement, cleaned locker rooms in YMCA, Nebraska.
Leon Spinks had been married thrice. He married his current wife, Brenda Glur, in 2011. He lived in Las Vegas and had three sons – one shot to death in 1990 and another son, Cory, becoming a Boxing Champion.
Spinks was part of a group of ex-fighters who had their brains studied for Brain Health. And was found to have brain damage and shrinkage, caused by a combination of taking punches to the head and heavy drinking.
’Boxing, and Drinking is a dangerous combination – inside the ring, and outside the ring!
Sighting an Outbreak: Dr. Li Wenliang
While we are surely climbing out of the coronavirus epidemic – at least in India – that locked down our lives, physically distanced, and masked us over the past one year, there’s one person we should remember and be ever thankful to: Dr. Li Wenliang, an eye doctor working at a hospital in Wuhan, Central China, where the first case of the coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, was detected at the end of the year 2019. Did he have a special sight, I wonder?
Right now there is a United Nations team ‘looking around’ the Wuhan area trying to find out how it all began.
Dr. Li was the first to raise the alarm on the outbreak and had tried to warn fellow medics of a disease that looked like SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which is another deadly coronavirus. But he was told by the Police to stop making false comments and was even investigated for spreading rumours. Eventually, Dr. Li himself succumbed to COVID-19 on 7th February 2019, after contracting it while treating patients in Wuhan. And this week we are at his first death Anniversary. A year gone by looking-out for the virus.
Dr. Li’s death prompted a rare wave of grief and public anger over the Chinese Government’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak – downplaying the severity and concealing the extent of its spread. Later, in another rare instance, the Chinese Government, looked, listened, felt the anger, exonerated and honoured Dr. Li as a hero.
Public anger over a ‘clearly visible poor sight’ by the Government can always make corrections happen. And we should always be on the look-out of vital-signs of a disease outbreak – never take a myopic view of infectious diseases. Long sight is the answer. Lesson to learn. Looking helps!
The Glaciers Are Coming
Over many years, we’ve been hearing about the possible effects of Antarctica Glaciers melting, and raising sea levels. Without having to go that far, this week near Chamoli, in the North Indian State of Uttarakhand Himalayan Glaciers broke away from the bonding forces of nature – maybe due to mankind’s climate change needling – named itself a deluge, became a devastating avalanche of water. It bursted into the nearest valley river stream, effortlessly smashing its way through a hydro-electric Dam, flooding villages and small Towns, downstream. Dozens of people are missing and many feared dead.
The exact cause of the ‘burst’ is unclear and Scientists are trying to ascertain what triggered the Glacier to break-away. A 2019 study found that Himalayan Glaciers are melting twice as fast as the last century, losing almost half a metre of ice each year.
However small, our actions do influence something large somewhere in the world? Here we are talking about Glaciers and Avalanches.
India’s Prime Minister (PM): when he speaks you better listen.
India’s Parliament Houses, the Upper, Rajya Sabha and the Lower, Lok Sabha witnessed one of the best performances by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who made lucid and absolutely stirring speeches.
In the Rajya Sabha he defended the Government’s progressive Policies and clearly explained the Farm Laws to dissuade Farmers from continuing with their Protests of the past two months. He also shed tears for an outgoing Opposition Member, who was retiring, praising his work done over the many years of slogging in Parliament.
In the Lok Sabha, replying to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Speech, he pitched for the private sector asserting that the culture of abusing it for votes is no longer acceptable. If the public sector is important the private sector is vital. I liked him using the word ‘Wealth Creators’, who he said are required to redistribute wealth among the poor. What can be achieved by handing over the nation to the ‘babus’ (Government Officials)?
I read this on Twitter and it pretty much sums it up, ’In our country a young man of 25 years of age gets more respect and recognition, just because he has got into IAS (Indian Administrative Service) or IPS (Indian Police Service), than a 60 years old Entrepreneur, who has created wealth of crores along with hundreds of jobs. This needs to change’. I am a nearing 60 Entrepreneur and you need to start looking-up at me. The PM just made me look majestic!
When the PM is at his convincing and talking best, there is none to equal him. No wonder the Opposition walked out to avoid being burnt and fried in the Parliament dish.
Kanaka Raju’s Gussadi Dance
The Padma Awards are one of India’s highest civilian honours, announced annually, every January, on the eve of India’s Republic Day. The Awards are given in three categories: Padma Vibhushan – for exceptional and distinguished service, Padma Bhushan – for distinguished service of higher order, and Padma Shri – for distinguished service. The intent of the awards it to recognize achievements in all fields of activities where an element of public service is involved.
The Padma Awards are conferred on the recommendations made by the Padma Awards Committee, which is constituted by the Prime Minister every year. The nomination process is open to the public. And self-nomination can also be made.
This year, a not-much heard of person, a Senior Citizen, an Adivasi from the Gond Tribe of Marlavai Village of Telangana’s Kumarambheem-Asifabad District, Kanaka Raju was awarded the Padma Shri. He won the award for his efforts to popularise the dying art, Gussadi, an ethnic tribal dance form of the Raj Gonds from the Telangana-Maharashtra border.
The Gussadi dance is performed during the harvesting season when Gonds wear a Gussadi Topi – a large header made of many peacock feathers, locally known as Mal Boora – and animal skin tied around their waists.
The 63 years old Kanaka Raju struggles to make ends meet, living in a thatched house with his eleven member family, relying on his 6 acre land for a livelihood. He teaches dance to the local children, who pay a small honorarium. To supplement his income, he works as a cook, on a daily wages basis, in a tribal welfare hostel in the village.
Kanaka Raju has said that while he is extremely happy to have won the award, he would be happier if shelter and food could be arranged for the rest of his life. For such an art form to survive, the artist has to survive. As simple as that!
With the Padma Shri Award, the Government has surely noticed Kanaka Raju, and I’m sure they are listening to his plight. I hope they dance to his tunes to keep him alive so that Gussadi dance lingers in our minds and hearts for years to come. There are many other dying arts around there India which need to fished out and stored in our tanks of knowledge.
Miss India for Miss World
We need to set our beauty sights on the Miss World Pageant to be held in December 2021 where India’s Manasa Varanasi from Telangana’s Hyderabad, will showing us all the beauty within and about her, in trying to win the Miss World Title. On 10th February, the 23 years old Financial Information Exchange Analyst was crowned Miss India 2020.
It’s been a long time since India won a Miss World Title. The last was in 2017 by Manushi Chhillar and before that, in 2000, by Priyanka Chopra, 1999-Yukta Mookhey, 1997-Diana Hayden. Aishwarya Rai won the title in 1994. This was 28 years after Reita Faria became the first-ever Indian to win an International Beauty Title, way back in 1996.
India surely misses the Miss World Title. Bring it Home, Miss Manasa.
The Nano of Reptiles
Talking of small things, Scientists believe they may have discovered the smallest reptile on Earth, a male Brookesia Nana, or nano-chameleon, in the montane rainforest region of Northern Madagascar.
The chameleon subspecies reptile is about the size of a seed with a top-to-tail length of just 22 millimetre (mm); the body alone is just 13.5mm. While the males are so awfully tiny, the females are only slightly bigger at 29mm.
You mention the word ‘Reptile’, and what springs to mind is something huge, which can make you feel nano size. Well, now it’s the other way around. The growth of mankind?
Scientists are in huge demand these days, across boundaries and of various colours. And in these times, everything appears to be at a ‘nano-level’! Hollywood Director Steven Spielberg’s next movie might well be ‘Nano-Jurassic Park – minus 1’.
Australian Open Opens – the 109th Edition
After being COVID-19 postponed many times Tennis’s first Grand Slam of the year, The Australian Open finally got started this Monday at the Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and the balls started flying over the net, on to the net while all the time trying to stay inside marked lines.
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic is a clear favourite having won a record eight times at the Melbourne Park grounds. France’s Dominic Thiem, the reigning US Open Champion and a last year’s losing finalist at the Australian Open will be playing to open his account at this ground. Spain’s Rafael Nadal is also playing, eyeing his 21st Grand Slam. Meanwhile, ace veteran Switzerland’s Roger Federer, is recovering from knee surgery and should be watching from home, caressing his knees.
Among the Ladies, World No.1 and home favourite Ashleigh Barty hopes to serve and make a return. American Serena Williams will be wearing a one-legged, Nike made catsuit, purring for her 24th Grand Slam Title, while defending champion, also American, Sofia Kenin, and the current leading lady of Tennis, Japan’s Naomi Osaka, are the other top players hoping to ace here.
At the time of publishing World Inthavaarm 2021-07, Sofia Kenin’s bid to defend her title ended in disappointment on Thursday, after she was knocked out of the tournament by world No. 65, Kaia Kanepi, of Estonia. She lost 6-3, 6-2 in straight sets in over an hour and drowned herself in tears. Blame the pandemic?
Speeding-Up COVID-19 Vaccinations
Carrying-on from the previous weeks, more than 168 million doses have been shot across 77 countries, i.e., roughly 5.84 million doses per day.
Israel continues to ruthlessly dominate with 68 doses given per 100 people. About 41.8% of the population has received at least one shot and 26.7% are fully vaccinated. That’s amazing, look at what a small country can do?
India has administered about 7.5 million doses till date, at 0.55 doses per 100. But India has not been stingy, sending out its vaccine production to many other countries as well.
Please Yourself, e-bikes.
I saw this coming and was wondering why e-bikes weren’t happening in Tamilnadu. Finally, somebody heard me.
This Wednesday, a company called Pi Beam, an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Chennai-incubated startup launched an electric two-wheeler called PiMo, that can charge faster than a smartphone and can run 50 kilometres until the next charge.
Priced at Rs 30,000 it comes with battery swapping features and a top speed of 25 kilometres per hour (km/hr). Owning this two-wheeler doesn’t require registration or a driving licence. Pi Beam hopes to sell about 10,000 two-wheelers by end March 2021.
I wish they had given it a more dashing name.
That reminds of Ather an electric Scooter which also got its spark and wheels from IIT Chennai, and has been launched in eleven cities across India. Chennai, Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Kochi, Hyderabad, to mention a few.
The Ather is priced at over Rs 1 lakh and has a top speed to 80km/hr, and requires a driving licence.
The future indeed looks electric. I promised a lot of ‘looking’ this week. Hope you looked and noticed! More coming up.
‘Inthavaaram’ is a literal English Translation of the Tamil ‘This (Intha) Week (Vaaram)’.
In ‘World Inthavaaram’ I have collected news from all over the World, during the week – in a backstage inventory, in my corner of the World, Tamil Nadu, India – cherry-picking, and stringing together happenings that I think are interesting, and worth knowing about. I might add a ‘My Opinion’ paragraph at the end of a news item, which is entirely my own uninfluenced analysis, based on the facts and data available in the public domain. The intent is to give you – the Reader – a direction to form your own opinion.
My Opinion can change, as I learn more and grow in wisdom.
I’ll be doing this every week. Hence look out!
Everywhere
The week began with the infected President of the United States of America, flying down to Hospital to fight the coronavirus, lying down in bed, during which time, he got-up briefly, all of a sudden (thinking is was Easter), to take the virus for a deadly ride on the roads. And then flew back home to the White House, gasped for breath standing on the balcony and pulled-off his mask for all to see. Or was it for quicker air? He received the COVID-19 treatment that no man on Earth has ever received and declared, ‘We should not be afraid of the coronavirus’. I reckon we have no more breath to explain to this man how infectious diseases can spread, especially from a Rose Garden: the last count of fragrance was about 30 from that unmasked, close hand-shake and hugs-filled gathering on the green lawns. Is there a Centre of Disease Control mowing about in America? They need better machines.
My Opinion:The President is being reckless and irresponsible in ‘not respecting the virus’ and the Science, which specifies simple measures to keep infections under control, and from spreading. Being the commander-in-chief he should set an example in every way possible – including wearing a mask. The virus gives a damn about politics; all it needs is another body to propagate. Never mind you are the President!
The Armenia – Azerbaijan War.
Man keeps fighting for a piece of land to live and to die on.
The former Soviet Union Republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan went to war in September this year over who fully owns Nagorno-Karabakh, and seven surrounding districts, an enclave internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but controlled by ethnic Armenians. Originally this was established, by the Soviets, as an Armenian-majority autonomous administrative region of Azerbaijan. During the collapse of the Soviet Union, in 1988 and then in 1991 Nagorno-Karabakh first wanted to be a part of Armenia, and second, declared its independence, based on a referendum it held – naturally, the Armenian majority voted to break away from Azerbaijan – which is not recognised by the United Nations or any country, including Armenia. The self-declared unrecognised Republic is called Artsakh. This started a war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, in 1988, until Russia intervened to broker a cease-fire in 1994.
They have re-discovered their guns and ammunition this year. And yes, they are roaring. But over the weekend they have agreed to cease-fire. Hope it holds.
Sounds a wee bit like India’s Kashmir problem?
My Opinion: Going by the History and available facts: Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, appears to have a rightful claim on Nagorno-Karabakh and it should continue as an autonomous region within Azerbaijan. Of course, I need more facts and to separately put myself in the shoes of Armenia and Azerbaijan to make a judgement. Whatever, looking from the Nagorno-Karabakh side, It should not matter, after all these years, on which side you belong, as long as you hold all sides and freedom within is unchallenged. Religion should not be a basis of division and Country boundary making – we differentiate to integrate, don’t we?
Local: India
Rape is hugging the headlines, stripping the newspapers of other stories, with the ghastly, inhuman Hathras case in the State of Uttar Pradesh. Why does this keep happening in India? We need to look deep inside our homes, in the way we bring-up our sons and how we understand the many divisions in society. These layers were formed centuries ago, which are not relevant today. Maybe, we should ‘dissolve them with our actions’.
Meanwhile, the local Kallakurichi lawmaker, Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in Tamilnadu marries for love, but the girl’s father – a temple priest – cries foul saying the friends of the family cannot take such benefits. The MLA had asked for the girl’s hand, in the proper manner, which was, however, turned-down by the father for reasons known only to God. Whatever, the girl stood by the love of her life, accepted the knot-tying to bridge the gap of over 15 years between them. The families had known each other for quite some time; perhaps only too well. Well? The Press went to Town on the ‘divisions and ladders in society’, but I won’t beat down that path. Later, when the couple were dragged to Court, it ruled that it was alright, well within the laws. Go ahead and make your day, it said. Days to forget, nights to remember?
India successfully tested a Supersonic Missile Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART) system, that could strike enemy submarines more than 643 km away. The weapon, a first of its kind in India, was launched from Wheeler Island, off the coast of Odisha State . The Government declared that all mission objectives have been met perfectly. Ready to strike.
With China trying to nibble at its borders, India has to climb-up to the challenge of its adversary. Eye of the Tiger!
Games
The Indian Premier League Cricket Season – Twenty Overs matches – organised by the Board of Cricket Control for India (BCCI) is being held in an off-India venue, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), played on the sands of time. Due to the pandemic restrictions, all matches will be played without an audience, players will not be allowed to used saliva to shine the ball, and Captains cannot shake hands after the toss…among other wonderful rules.
The third Tennis Grand Slam of the year, The French Open, is rolling on the Roland Garros, Paris, about this time, and is drawing to a close. In a first ever, we have a Polish teenage sensation Iga Swiatek win the Title. It was deadly straightforward when she beat American Sofia Kenin in two sets. The 19-year-old claimed the French Open title without dropping a single set all through the tournament, becoming the lowest-ranked female Champion and the first Polish player to win a Grand Slam Singles Title. She is also the youngest French Open Winner since 1992. Time to celebrate, Poland.
Now, the men are at work: Spain’s Rafael Nadal has owned Roland Garros for nearly all of his career. And Serbian Novak Djokovic is trying to buy the lease this year. We are looking forward to this Sunday to see the Winner, of this land dispute.
Moving to bigger balls, it was enchanting to read about a young girl, Karishma Ali, living in a remote Village in Pakistan’s Chitral Valley, a mountainous region bordering Afganishthan, becoming the first woman, from her region, to have played football at a national and international level. This, in a Country where a girl can get shot for going to School. Last year Karishma was named among Forbes’ ’30 Under 30’ in Asia in the august company of Tennis Star Naomi Osaka and K-Pop band Blackpink. She has braved the mandatory threats to her life – for daring to play football – with her father strongly behind her, all the way. What a Dad!
Serious Stuff
The Nobel Prizes are announced in the categories that Swedish Industrialist and Chemist Alfred Nobel had willed in 1895 – a year before his death.
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna for the development of a method for genome editing. They discovered one of gene technology’s sharpest tools: the CRISPR/Cas9 genetic scissors. Using these, researchers can change the DNA of animals, plants and micro-organisms with extremely high precision. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, said this year’s prize was about ‘rewriting the code of life.’ Talk about playing God. Well, we’re getting there. Imagine going to a Science Saloon for a genetic cut.
The Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Scientists, Sir Roger Penrose, Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez for their work to understand Black Holes. Roger Penrose got the the award ‘for the discovery that black hole formation is a robust prediction of the general theory of Relativity’, while Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez got it ‘for the discovery of a supermassive compact object at the centre of our galaxy’. The winners share the prize money of 10 million kronor, about Rs 8.30 crore.
Black holes are just that – a region of space where the gravitational pull is so strong that not even light cannot escape. We can rightfully call them Monsters and they live at the centre of galaxies sitting quietly trying to swallow as much as they can, or at least to tug at the various stars. They are one of the most exotic objects in the Universe. Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez provided the most convincing evidence yet of a supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy – the Milky Way. They called in Sagittarius ‘A’.
The Nobel in Medicine was awarded jointly to Harvey J Alter, Michael Houghton and Charles M Rice, ‘for the discovery of the Hepatitis C virus’. Did you know that Hepatitis C causes approximately 400,000 deaths a year? Now, you do. This is a decisive contribution to fight blood-borne hepatitis that causes cirrhosis and liver cancer in people around the world. Prior to their work the discovery of Hepatitis A and B viruses had been firm first steps, but the majority of blood-borne hepatitis cases remained unexplained. This discovery enabled the design of sensitive blood tests and new medicines that have helped save millions of lives.
The Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to American Louise Gluck for her unmissable poetic voice that with austere beauty makes individual existence universal. Her debut novel was in 1968, and the most recent one was ‘American Originality: Essays on Poetry in 2017. She wasn’t the Firstborn, nor living in The House on Marshland but this October she triumphed over The Triumph of Achilles to win the Nobel.
The Nobel Peace Prize went peacefully to the World Food Programme (WFP) for its efforts to combat hunger, preventing the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict and for bettering conditions for peace in conflict -affected areas. In 2019, the WFP provided assistance to close to 100 million people in 88 Countries who were victims of acute food insecurity and hunger. ‘The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach’, is a much ‘tasted’ old saying. Still works!
Melange
I got this information off Uber Facts: A single bat can eat up to 1,200 mosquito-sized insects in an hour. Bats eat an average of 6,000 to 8,000 insects every night. Despite the connection with the ‘best 2020 newsmaker, the coronavirus and its effect, the COVID-19, I think we should be best friends with Bats – only, mind the gap!
Hummingbirds, those tiny birds found mostly in the Americas and Europe – there are over 360 species of them – are the only birds that can fly backwards. Quiz your little kids on these facts.
Kumar Govindan's Words 