Tag: US – Iran

CAPTURED: WAR & PEACE

About: This is the fourth in my Captured Series, on stories that moved the World since Episode 3, when the world was on fire – blazes. This time I capture stories on what is turning out to be a never-ending war, the peace of the BRICS Summit, Sports, and a sensation called Jimothy the Raccoon.

WAR

Least we forget, try recalling what started the Russia-Ukraine War and it appears hazy, flimsy, and bizarre. A history of intertwining between these countries, yet fighting with each other. Old cave and tribal instincts of man rising to the surface?

Going back deep into History, once upon a time Ukraine was a founding republic of the Soviet Union (USSR) from 1922, until it declared independence in 1991 on the collapse of the USSR. Ukraine gave up all Soviet nuclear weapons and related military infrastructure, stationed on its land, to Russia over several years after independence -completing the last warhead transfer in 1996. However, it kept its civilian nuclear facilities and power plants.

Ukraine also holds the site of the terrible 1986 Chernobyl accident at a Soviet-built nuclear power plant, which is easily the worst disaster in the history of commercial nuclear power generation. An experiment designed to test the safety of the power plant went wrong and caused a fire which spewed radiation for 10 continuous days. Clouds carrying radioactive particles drifted thousands of miles, releasing toxic rain all over Europe. Deaths directly attributable to radiation exposure eventually climbed to a figure of over 9,000 people. About 116,000 people in the immediate vicinity of Chernobyl were quickly evacuated, and a 30 km Exclusion Zone was imposed, which was later expanded to cover more affected areas. Today, it is still illegal to live inside the Exclusion Zone. Despite this, about 130 to 150 people persisted: many of whom are women in their 70s and 80s, farming their ancestral land, maintaining their own way of life.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, after months of belligerent posturing to this effect, but officially the Russia-Ukraine War started in February 2014, when Russia captured and annexed the Crimean Peninsula, belonging to Ukraine. Hitting the History button again, during the Soviet Union days, Crimea was ‘internally transferred’ from Russia to Ukraine to commemorate the Union of Russia and Ukraine. Amidst the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, when Ukraine seceded, it continued to exercise sovereignty over Crimea-which seized the opportunity to call itself the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. Russia’s seemingly iron-clad argument of annexation of Crimea in 2014 was that it was getting back what actually belonged to Russia. And they cleanly got away with it. This was the first Annexation of another country after World War II.

Looks like February is a dangerous month for Ukraine, any year!

What are the reasons for Russia and Ukraine being at each other’s throats? Seems to be the usual verbose, complex geopolitical, historical, and security motivations asserted by Russia. The eastward expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is touted as an existential threat to mighty Russia. And Russia has all along been demanding legal guarantees that Ukraine would never be admitted into NATO. The full-scale invasion of the year 2022 was justified as some kind of ‘demilitarising’ and ‘denazifying’ Ukraine, which is nothing but unfounded propaganda. In the mind Russia still considers Ukraine as the blood running in its body!

Ukraine (it too has Russia, after all) fought back and even carried the fight into Russia in a strong calibrated counter-attack. By the year 2023 the front lines had largely stagnated, and the conflict became a war of attrition as it continued into 2026. The war has displaced a third of Ukraine’s population, with as many as 1.6 million Ukrainians forcibly transferred to Russian territories by Russian forces.

Over 4 years and 6 months has passed and the war is anything but over, stealing World War I’s run of 4 years 3 months and 14 days; and perhaps targeting World War II’s throw of 6 years and 1 day. It still remains a grinding war of attrition, with limited Russian territorial gains at high cost, Ukrainian long-range strikes deep into Russia, and no imminent peace deal. Russia occupies roughly 20% of Ukraine. Neither side has achieved a decisive breakthrough.

What needs to be done to stop the war? No one has an answer. Maybe until Russia’s President decides it’s done (whatever he had in mind) and enough is enough. In the process, Ukraine has become an expert in Drone Warfare and learnt to use modern weapons and perhaps use of ‘James Bond gadgets’ supplied by its Allies.

Maybe disbanding NATO- which is a defensive grouping of nations- would be the best offensive action at ending this Bloodline War. Well, was not The Warsaw Pact, the counter to NATO formally disestablished in July 1991? And isn’t the Cold War over?

Now, over to the other war which occupies the headlines. It too began in late February this year. What’s this thing with February for starting wars?

This other war is the United States and Israel fighting Iran. And Iran in turn trying its darnedest to ‘kick the backside of camels’ of nearby nations such as UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait to drag the Middle East -screaming and squealing – into the War, by itself and through its proxies in Lebanon and Yemen. The United States (US) achieved one of its goals by knocking off the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the first few days, but perhaps the ulterior motive of collapse of Iran and Regime Change, never happened and stays on the drawing board. Instead, it went straight to becoming a Strait of Hormuz drama. A badly wounded (how bad, no one knows) Mojtaba Khamenei succeeded his father as Supreme Leader and the Islamic show goes on.

Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen have intensified attacks on Saudi Arabia with missiles and drones striking airbases and infrastructure, disrupting the Red Sea as an alternative route and prompting Saudi pipeline issues. Saudi’s Prince Charming winked and asked Israel for Intelligence Information.

Multiple ceasefires and memoranda, including a June 2026 Pakistan-mediated one, have been signed and then collapsed over issues like Hormuz control, Iran’s nuclear programme, sanctions, and proxy activity. Fighting has settled into cycles of strikes, lulls, and renewed exchanges rather than an all-out conventional war.

Meanwhile, Israel continues to dismantle Hezbollah in Lebanon, terminating the lives of more and more Hezbollah and Hamas big shots. And wiping out a maze of tunnels. I get to know, when Israel posts ‘ELIMINATED’ stamped on the guy, on X. Wonder how many more are out there – new guys coming in faster than the old ones being shot-down to Hell.

Operations Epic Fury and Roaring Lion are moving on their own tracks while Iran is busy needling its neighbours, keeping the fires burning.

Wars a certainly big business for the Arms Manufacturers and Suppliers. And perhaps an opportunity to get rid of old and ageing weapons. And try out fresh new techniques of killing people? But, there is still something we can do!

I am reminded of Viktor E Frankl’s powerful concluding lines in, Man’s Search For Meaning, ”For the world is in a bad state, but everything will become still worse unless each one of us does his best. So, let us be alert – alert in a twofold sense: Since Auschwitz we know what man is capable of. And since Hiroshima we know what is at stake”.

PEACE: BRICS 2026

Then comes the BRICS Summit hosted by India and attended by Russia, Brazil, China, South Africa and many others – not living in the acronym. Over 20 years, the BRIC start-up became BRICS and got even better, building a colony of nations. Brick by brick? Hugs, handshakes, photo-shoots ruled while the media went mad discussing the Indian vegetarian menu.

On conclusion, the newspaper headlines screamed, ‘BRICS unanimously adopts landmark Delhi Declaration’. The focus continued to be on the so-called pragmatic goals of making it easier for member nations to promote trade settlements and investments in their own currencies to achieve faster, cheaper and safer cross-border payments, among other points. It called for nuclear disarmament, arms control, and non-proliferation; made a strong statement on the Palestine cause and even asked Israel to withdraw its occupying forces from Lebanese territory.

I was disappointed. Lots of lacklustre, invisible, unmeasurable goals. Russia was easily left off the hook.
My kind of visible action would be: Russia declaring its war with Ukraine over; Iran dealing with only directly responding to the US(and Israel), withdrawing support to its proxies in the Middle East, not attacking its neighbours; Gaza behaving itself and staying away from endlessly ‘irritating’ Israel – accepting Israel as a State; condemning Bangladesh’s harassment of Hindus; China accepting existing borders with India and declaring the Border War over…and the kind. Live and Let Live. Simple: one headline per day for the next week and more…until the next Summit.

India’s Prime Minister oiled the show very well in his trademark style. I would not have space on my walls to hammer the photo-frames!

China is set to chair the next BRICS Summit in 2027 and President Xi Jinping quickly left – perhaps to begin making arrangements.

Does anybody track the outcomes of these great Summits? Or are they only grandstanding glossy words on glossy paper?

SPORTS

India continues to gain muscle in sport, keeping the momentum of its many successes – across sport domains.

The Indian Women’s Cricket Team won a record-extending eighth Women’s Asia Cup title on 13 September, defeating Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final in Dubai.

On the same day India’s Dhiraj Bommadevara made History by winning the 2026 Archery World Cup Final in Saltillo, Mexico. He won the men’s individual recurve gold medal becoming the first Indian man to claim the season-ending title.

Dhiraj Bommadevara an Indian Army Subedar and recurve archer from Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, delivered one of India’s standout individual results of the past two months. He beat Japan’s Junya Nakanishi 6-5 in a shoot-off after the five-set final finished level, sealing it with a 10 to Nakanishi’s 9. Earlier in the event, he defeated Olympic medallists Berkim Tumer of Turkey) and Jean-Charles Valladont of France.

India is the land of the Archer and Arjuna and Lord Rama would be proud.

Another heart-warming result was Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty winning the men’s doubles title at the 2026 China Masters Super 750 in Shenzhen on 6 September, becoming the first Indian pair to lift the trophy since the tournament began in 2005. They beat China’s He Jiting and Ren Xiangyu 11-21, 21-13, 21-17 in a 70-minute final after dropping the opening game. It was their third final at the event, after runner-up finishes in 2023 and 2025. Persistence pays!

Moving out of India to the United States.

Alexander Zverev won the 2026 US Open men’s singles title, beating American Ben Shelton 6–3, 7–6(7–2), 5–7, 6–2 in the final on 13 September. It was his second Grand Slam of 2026-after the French Open-and the first US Open men’s title by a German since Boris Becker won the title in 1989.

Kazakhstan’sElena Rybakina– the No 2 seed- won the women’s singles title beating two-time defending champion Belorussia’s Aryna Sabalenka 6–4, 5–7, 6–2 on 12 September. It was her first US Open title and third major overall (she also won the 2026 Australian Open). The result also confirmed her position as the new World No 1.

RACOON JIMOTHY

A Raccoon is a medium-sized, stocky mammal native to North America. It looks a bit like a small, hunched bear or a heavy-set cat, with a pointed muzzle, rounded ears edged in white, and short legs. The most recognisable features are the bold black ‘bandit’ mask across the eyes and a bushy tail. The body fur is dense and grizzled gray-brown. Front paws are hairless on the palms and unusually dexterous, almost hand-like, which lets raccoons manipulate objects, open latches, and feel for food. Raccoons have short necks – thick, and often hidden. A raccoon’s body is compact and somewhat hunched, with dense fur around the shoulders and a relatively broad head that sits close to the torso. That makes the neck less obvious than on a dog, cat, or deer. You still see it clearly when the animal stretches, looks up, turns its head, or walks with the head held forward.

Now, enter Jimothy the Raccoon.

A wild raccoon living in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, Washington State, US, has captured the collective imagination of people, due to his unusual body shape. It was first spotted in July 2026, and has since gone viral on social media, and its fame has spread not only across the US, but globally as well.

The spark was a short Instagram video posted by a woman after she spotted him under a car on 13 July and thought he was a cat. She named him Jimothy because, “he just looked like a Jimothy to me. I don’t have any other explanation”. The clip exploded to millions of views and became an internet sensation. Neighbours then shared older footage, including a video of him as a clumsy kitten with his mother and siblings. Jimothy is a playful made-up portmanteau combining Jim and Timothy – a common piece of modern slang used in internet memes and comedy to poke fun at overly formal or corporate speech.

The look, plus the name, plus the “what am I looking at?” energy turned him into an instant mascot. Seattle embraced it as Jimothy Summer: city proclamations, murals, tattoos, a bobblehead, brand shout-outs, charity fundraising, even an honorary University of Washington mention. People compared him to a Cryptid (a fictional animal of folklore), Danny DeVito, or a living Koosh ball (a round toy made of soft rubber filaments attached to a central core).

Jimothy has a rare congenital spinal condition, called short spine syndrome. It shortens and compresses the spine so his head sits right on his shoulders, his body looks compact and rounded, and his gait is a distinctive lope. Jimothy is incredibly short, and an unusually round raccoon running through the neighbourhood.

Now his every movement is carefully mapped, multiple global news outlets are running stories on him and Seattle City Hall has already christened 2026, ‘The Summer of Jimothy’.

Wildlife officials have been clear: leave him alone. He is a healthy wild raccoon, not a pet. Approaching, feeding, or trying to catch him risks harm to both the animal and people.

Meanwhile, Jimothy is still around, and is often spotted in the neighbourhood.

BETWEEN THE LINES

About: a ‘write-down’ comedy on the news of the world. Who watches stand-up comedy?

The United Kingdom is beginning to see more Prime Minister(PM) changes than the infamous English weather. Is there an umbrella for this one? The UK is fast kangaroo-leaping into Australian style politics, where it is awfully hard to remember who the Prime Minister is-or was-with slick changes that’s peculiar only to Australia. Ask the duck-billed Platypus on what’s going on. Football Field player changing -with the name-board number always remaining No. 10-has been put to shame.

British PM Keith Starmer after over two years of wretched, mangled governance decided to quit-another one bites the dust in British Politics. He lost the ball of support of his Labour Party Members of Parliament (MP) and informed team Manager, King Charles that he is resigning-cannot clearly see the goal-post, any longer. Now, the Labour Party will labour to elect a new leader and therefore PM. His likely successor is Andy Burnham-calls himself more British than English-who recently screeched into Parliament in a By-Election and was officially sworn in as Makerfield’s new MP in the House of Commons. The 56-year-old made the right noises about leading the Labour Party and an orderly transition to becoming Prime Minister. There is some history here, when Andy Burnham tells that the ‘turning point’ in his political life came in 2009, when he was booed at a football ground in the north-west of England. Now, it’s three cheers!

The joke doing the rounds is that Airbnb is sponsoring No 10. Downing as perfect for short stays. I am garnishing that: cats and dogs are allowed, at no extra charges

Meanwhile, in a gilded hall at Versailles, Paris, United States President Donald Trump signed a 14-point Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU)with Iran, to halt the ongoing war. Israel never noticed, and not known to playing world-class football, went on with business as usual, trying to kick the militant Hezbollah out of the field. They, who are sprawled all over Lebanon. The Strait of Hormuz opened, closed, opened, closed, open, closed…leaving people in a tizzy and heading to the bar to open a bottle of Hormuz whiskey instead, and drink the Arabian spirits. I wonder, why should Iran bother about Lebanon when it has its own hair to keep and cover safely? Any why does the MOU not include any provisions requiring Iran to stop massaging the butts of the Hezbollah, Hamas, or the Houthis? Unalloyed support-call it bad refereeing? Show the Red Card.

India’s National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) exam finally got off the air on 21 June 2026-after a mid-flight scare, the previous time. And India’s Prime Minister, who had just landed from the air, smiling like a Cheshire cat, stayed off the road, parking himself in the Airport, until the Exam started. What an idea, Sirji-helping heavily stressed students reach the exam centres without a sweat. Strange are the ways of India, with the Army, Airforce, among others, called-in to protect the exam question papers. If there is still a leak, the Navy might have to sail-in to plug, provide reinforcement and do further straight shipping.

Moving on to other things, in India, everyday 1200 to 1220 people die in accidents and there is no prize for guessing the killer cause: road accidents. It’s hard to swallow, but the fact is, the price of life in India in ZERO. Remember, India invented the zero, and we cannot help ourselves living up to it- and dying for it. What, with 1.4 billion people in bumper-to-bumper life. There is a story about the high density in the West Bengal’s capital of Kolkatta such that even dogs cannot wag their tail in the usual sideways swagger; instead they are finding space vertically-up and down. Dogs too are learning. Anybody making a movie called, Planet of the Dogs?

Then there is this particular species of Homo Sapiens, which thrives on driving a BMW, an Audi, or a Mercedes-Benz on the pavements meant for the walkers and putting people on them to sleep, forever. Never knew population control can happen this way. The Gates of Heaven are always open.

The Devil is definitely lurking in the details: in the pot-holes, on the great highways and the speed-breaker infested streets; in wedding dowry; in building collapses, in construction sites, in bridge failures; in the railways, trains going berserk, and especially unmanned crossings; in high-rise building fires; animal(street dogs included)-bites; death by suicide, rape, murder…it’s an endless, ever expanding list. Once, a Google Map route took a driver to the end of an unfinished bridge, and there was no looking back.

On 22 June 2026, 15 people, mostly students, were charred to death after a fire broke out in a 3-storey building in the heart of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. A day earlier, 8 died in an Ammonia Gas leak in a Food Export company in Tiruvallur, Tamil Nadu. Exporting death?

Joining the blood stream, The International Labour Organization says, every year more than 8.4 Lakh people die globally from health conditions linked to the workplace. It is a dangerous world we live in. We do not need Aliens from Space to conquer us: we are our own best beasts.

I recall a cousin of mine, now permanently living in the United States and making frequent strips to India saying, “Once you step out of your house, there is no guarantee that you will return home alive”. I reckon every day is an adventure! If Christopher Columbus was living in India, he would not have been able to cross the street alive, leave alone sailing through an open sewer. Oh, Santa Maria!

Nothing beats gossip about the Film World-Hollywood, Bollywood, Kollywood, Tollywood-in India and abroad. A top headline is, Actresses getting pregnant, and showing-off that glamorous well-rounded, shining baby bump. Recently, Actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu who was married to a popular Telugu actor and separated, tried again, married Raj Nidimoru-a Producer, Filmmaker Businessman, Writer- and now the home-production has been successfully rolled out. She is in the family way. Sure business works wonders and bumping into the right person definitely produces results. However, we are yet to see that magnificent bump, though the media went crazy over a tiny one, they thought they spied, when the wind was doing the only job it knows-blowing. These guys are unbelievable, in spotting curves and angles you and I just are stone and wind blind to. Hope, a full one appears soon-and the expectations are indeed Space High. Maternity leave is around the corner.

In another part of the world, across the oceans, working hard to keep Samantha company is Hollywood Actress Anne Hathaway-the Princess who kept a Diary. She is married to Actor Producer, and Jewel designer Adam Shulman and the couple probably heard Elon Musk’s clarion call to launch more babies-the American population is seriously declining-and two, they already have, not being enough, went back to production, and a third jewel is on the way. More entries in the Diary?

That’s already two bumps- that I know- to look-up to, all happening in June 2026. And this being football season, it’s raining goals everywhere! Move over Messi & Co.

The FIFA World Cup is kicking about in the United States of America, and it is a fabulous Discovery of America, and of football. Discovery Channel and the National Geographic have lost their footing. There is magic everywhere, on the American streets and on the football grounds. Probably the Greatest of All Time (GOAT), Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi, scored a hattrick, and then in another game scored two more to become the highest goal-scorer in World Cup history. It’s time they make the goal-posts smaller?

I am riveted to watching football and chasing all the clever goals- especially those going between the legs. And between the lines, I have an eye on that speed-breaker, baby-bump. I’m sure there’s much more to come. The dice is heavily loaded.

CAPTURED: COOKED

About: This is the second in my Captured series; about capturing various stories that rocked the world. Call it Season 1, Episode 2.

I have cooked this tongue-in-cheek account of events over the past few months, in a unique flavour and garnished it with special herbs. Hope it tastes good.

It looked like just the other day in the year 2022 that Russia invaded Ukraine and we called it a War- a new front opened in the War Business. Then the terrorist Hamas brutally attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, and took Israelis as hostages, who they painfully released in drops until the finals on 13 October 2025. In-between, Israel raised Gaza to pulp, millions starved, and it took the US President to squeeze out a peace-plan. And then this war dried-up.

However, despite biting efforts, the Russia-Ukraine war ‘drones on’ without an end in sight. Maybe it will end only when Russia’s President thinks it should end, when he has had his full. What are the objectives? Is it an ever-shifting goal-post? Meanwhile, Ukraine has become an expert in Drone-making, and if it actually wins, can re-write Sun Tzu’s, Art of War.

While all this was happening, Iran which was hiding behind the skirts of Hamas-Gaza Strip, Hezbollah-Lebanon, the Houthis- Yemen first tasted America’s bunker busting bombs targeting its nuclear facilities. The taste wasn’t finger-licking and the United States of America (USA) and Israel came to dinner loaded with food on the table. Iran’s Supreme Leader choked and was killed.

With an intent of widening the conflict, Iran retaliated against other Gulf countries, who were enjoying their meals silently for decades and never dreamt of being hit. But they were hit and became hungry for revenge. Now this war meanders on endlessly, joining the ranks of Russia-Ukraine.

Back home, the US President survived an assassination attempt – a fully loaded-with-arms man, hungry for action, simply charged a dinner hosted by the President. He did not get to eat the food on the table, though, and was whisked away from the scene by Secret Service Officers. He lived to feed himself another day.

How many more need to die for man to realise the futility of war? And the importance of eating good, healthy food to stay alive!

In India, Elections to State Assemblies was served to the people. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) scored a hat-trick in Assam: people liked the local food, I guess. In the State of West Bengal a ferocious, fish-eating lady was finally, comprehensively decimated by the BJP, after 15 years of fishing in troubled waters. She lost her seat refused to accept the results, did not resign and had to be dismissed by a clever, no-nonsense Governor imported from the State of Tamil Nadu. The BJP was dumbfounded and stunned, as all it took was for the Prime Minister, during the election campaign, to walk unannounced in to a road-side sweet shop to enjoy the traditional jhalmuri- served well. After winning, it was a burst of sweet jhalmuri, all over the state. Jhalmuri is Kolkata’s most popular street food snack. It is a crunchy mix of puffed rice tossed with vegetables, spices, and a signature pungent mustard oil.

Going South on to Tamil Nadu the ruling Don Quixotic Government, which spent its entire five years fighting against the Centre, at the drop of a reason; building statues of its late Chief- and naming everything they built after him; and whipping up Dravidian Stock divisions, was bushwhacked by a reel Film Star. Tamil Nadu feeds on, and nourishes itself on film stars yet again. Kids – who could not vote-literally coaxed their parents and grandparents to vote for the Star in the name of change: else they said they will starve themselves. Some food for thought. But some wise, old, well-fed elders – without anyone to intimidate them – could not digest a rookie piloting a plane in a mid-air change and pulled back. Result, the Film Star’s party fell short of majority. And riding on horseback, the Star rode to the Governor a couple of times – trying to make hay while the sun shines. Meanwhile, the Opposition, which ran a brilliant campaign and hoped to come back to power found it was stamped out of food in the overall unbelievable scenario, which many called a Black Swan Event. Then, they began eating themselves.

Finally, the Star was fed support from people from across the table of the Evil Forces he had campaigned against and with a lovely ‘suit & boot’ took oath as Chief Minister.

In the State of Puducherry – previously colonised by the French- the BJP Alliance baked well, returning to power in the Assembly Elections. One of its Members, on being disallowed to take ‘Oath of Office’ in French, took it in Malayalam.

In the neighbouring state of Keralam- where they speak Malayalam-which shared its Governor with Tamil Nadu, the Congress Party Alliance, that opposes the BJP at the Centre, won a banquet meal and became so stuffed with it that it took a whole ten days to get it down their throats to their stomachs, an elect a Leader. Talk about stomaching a victory, after a decade in the Opposition!

In the meantime, the US President flew to China and noodled its President to work together as fantastic pals. In the US President’s world everything is great, fantastic, exemplary. Talks focussed on trade, the Iran conflict, Taiwan, and broader US-China relations. Packed like sardines, the US President brought along top US Business CEO’s and high-profile executives, about 17 of them -from technology, finance, aerospace, and other sectors to show economic muscle, and for the meat of trade opportunities in China. And to pressurise China to open-up and gobble up more of US Businesses – breakfast, lunch, and dinner served.

Not to be left behind, India’s Prime Minister(PM) decided he needed some pizza and lean-in on a melody with Italian PM Meloni. He gifted her a pack of the home-grown toffee brand Melody. And it was ‘Melodi’ in the air sang Social Media, where such events fly off the shelves as viral. But he kept the best for the last. And the Indian manufacturer of the Melody Toffee went Instagram with ‘Sweetening relationships since 1983’.

In a 5 nation tour, India’s PM started with the United Arab Emirates where he made clever plans with the Oil Sheiks to strengthen energy ties and storage of precious oil for India, amid the West Air tensions – in the process enabling gas-cooked food on the table, for Indians. In the European leg of Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and finally Italy, he set out to deepening partnerships in trade, technology, Artificial Intelligence, innovation, green growth, and defence. At almost all the places enthusiastic foreign dancers, after probably eating spicy Indian food, danced to Indian tunes, to Indian dances.I would have loved to see Indians living abroad, after eating foreign food, dancing to foreign tunes, foreign dances!

India’s PM not only had food on his mind he also had plates as well. While in the Netherlands, he charmed them to handing over Leiden (Aanaimangalam) Copper plates one of the first Copper plates to be discovered about the great Cholas of Tamil Nadu. They were excavated by the Dutch, while in India, in the year about 1700 and brought to the Netherlands by a Pastor whose descendants donated it to Leiden University in 1862. The plates were deciphered in 1886 and found that Rajaraja Chola I had issued them and consisted of 21 copper plates held together by a bronze ring with the regal seal. The first 5 plates are in Sanskrit, rest 16 are in Tamil. They weigh about 30 kilograms and are numbered. Plates 2-21 mentions the lineage of Cholas. It also records the historic grant by Rajaraja Chola to the then Ruler of Sri Vijaya, Indonesia, for constructing a Chulamanivarma Vihara in Aanaimangalam of Nagapattinam District of Tamil Nadu. Interestingly, boundaries of the Vihara were determined by the ceremonial circumambulation of a female elephant.

In the summer of 2023, India had submitted a request to Leiden University to return the Chola Plates – with or without food on them.

These plates will now be kept by the Archaeological Survey of India in the capital, New Delhi. Never mind Tamil Nadu cried it wanted it back on its table.

Finally, India’s PM returned with more medals on his famous 56 inch wide chest – enough to make an Army General jealous. What, with many a nation gushing and rushing to honour him with their heaviest medals. I reckon it was wide, on purpose. And a Museum piece?

CAPTURED

About: We love to capture a lot of things, pictures of objects, songs, books, movies, memorabilia, experiences, news…and keep them with us, ‘cell them’ somewhere, in mysterious ways (some venture into capturing animals and humans too). I have captured these stories from the news of the world and am locking them down them. This time it’s about the United States in action, in Venezuela and Iran – along with its buddy, Israel- which captured my attention.

VENEZUELA

The whole of last year, 2025, we had a President, that of the United States of America, who began a 100 metre dash for the Nobel Peace Prize, then a 200m sprint, then a 400m run…growing gradually into a never-ending marathon jog, of sorts. Peace was still not in sight despite honestly bringing the Israel-Hamas war to an end, getting all the hostages released, and making Wild West claims of reigning-in India on its superb Operation Sindoor battering of, ‘living next-door’, Pakistan.

A new weapon called Tariff, was unleashed during 2025, by the US President. Never mind the US Supreme Court called the ‘Bluff’ (and India’s Priyanka Chopra fought hard, with an ancient Pirate blade, to keep the gold).

Meanwhile, the year turned a page and early on 3 January 2026 the President took the Peace Bull by the horns – actually working from behind, screwing its tail. If peace does not get one a Prize maybe surgical action could get one closer? Another President, Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela found himself captured in his sleep- thankfully with his wife Cilia Flores for great company-all in the blink of an eye, in the capital City Caracas. He was into narcoterrorism, drug-trafficking, and other highs affecting the American people and a New York Court wanted him captured and brought to America for justice. The US President’s men did just that. Justice at midnight-lights out, please. It did not matter he was the President of another country!

It was a ‘crack-oiled’ operation, which the Venezuelans could not see happening in the dark and where the world could clearly see the stealth and magnificent superiority of the US Armed Forces. Operation ‘Absolute Resolve’ was absolutely clinical – would make a surgeon proud!

Maduro’s government was purely authoritarian, with electoral fraud the name of the game and with human rights abuses, corruption, censorship, and severe economic hardship permanently up its sleeve: that was the order of the day, and stacking-up into a monumental heap of misdeeds. Those who were caught in the tyranny of the land were the thousands who died in extrajudicial killings and the about 7 million forced to flee the country due to economic collapse.

After the capture, Venezuelans celebrated, a new Government smoothly slid into place and began to seriously look inward at the world’s largest proven Oil Resources, perhaps to oil the US President and the world. That’s where were are.

IRAN

The Venezuelan dust on Nicolas Maduro’s boots had just begun to settle, when the roar of the Lions of Israel and the Eagle-eyes of the United States combined with deadly precision on, 28 February 2026, to send Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, thousands of leagues into the sky. Nevermind he thought he was safe with a supremely reinforced concrete and heavily fortified bunker 200 feet below Iran’s ground level, within his reach. He never got to the lift that would take him down to the underground Bunker in a 5 minute ride, but was killed by Israel’s deadly, ‘Blue Sparrow’ missile while still above ground holding a meeting. His wife, daughter, a son-in-law, a grandchild, along with a few top generals joined him in his journey to the skies above. America’s famous bunker busting GBU-57 burrowing bombs were used later to clean-up the underground world should other Iranian rats use it as a supreme getaway. Sadly, none were captured, but sent to invisible parts of the world.

For over 47 years the fundamentalist Islamic Republic of Iran has been the single greatest prime mover of death in the Middle East. It has funded, armed, and directed terror across the globe. They built Lebanon’s Hezbollah, funded Gaza’s Hamas, armed Yemen’s Houthis, spending billions a year on terrorism. They specifically targeted Americans, Israelis, Jews, Arabs, and anyone standing in their way. ‘Death to America’, ‘Death to Israel/Zionists’, were popular war cries. Others were, ‘Death to hypocrites’, ‘Death to enemies of God/Islam’. All this, on the outside world.

On the inside, all the while, Iran was quietly building nuclear weapons while shaking hands with diplomats from other countries, and bullying its own people. Tens of thousands of Iranians were killed in domestic protests and crackdowns since the year 1979. During the recent, January 2026, crackdown on protestors of the Regime, ‘ssnipers on rooftops shot protestors in their heads. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps entered hospitals and shot and killed injured protestors in their beds. Relatives were handed over dead bodies on payment of a bullet fee-based on the number of bullets on the body. This January alone, Iran executed the largest massacre of civilians in its modern history.

They shot a 16-year-old girl, Nika Shakarami, in the street. Then snatched her body and tried to bury her in secret before her family could find her. Another 20-year-old man, Amirhesam Khodayarifard walked into a protest and was chanting peacefully. A government agent shot him in the head. They beat to death a 22-year-old woman, Mahsa Amini, over a headscarf issue, after The Guidance Patrol, the Religious Morality Police, had arrested Amini for not wearing the hijab in accordance with government’s ‘gold’ standards! Then there is the heart-wrenching story of Dr Aida Rostami, a 36-year-old Iranian General Practitioner working at the Shahid Chamran Hospital in Tehran who was secretly treating (only because she was true to The Hippocratic Oath) wounded protesters during the nationwide uprising sparked by Mahsa Amini’s death in custody. After tending to several injured people and realising she needed more supplies, she left to buy them. She called her mother earlier that evening, asking if she needed anything on her way home. She never arrived. The next day, police contacted her family claiming she had died in a ‘car accident’. They directed the family to collect her body from the forensics office. What they found instead was undeniable evidence of extreme brutality: a smashed face, broken arms, fractured shoulders, severe bruising on the lower torso indicating signs of sexual assault, and her left eye completely gouged out. The official forensics report vaguely cited death from being ‘hit by a hard object’. But medical examiners told the family privately that they had been ordered to conceal the real cause that she had been tortured and killed by security forces. Dr. Aida is one of the thousands of women who were killed by brutal anti-women Khamenei regime. These are just a few of countless horror stories of the kind. This is who they are. This is who they’ve always been.

The Israel-US joint strike on Iran was called Operation Epic Fury and the objectives centred on weakening Iran’s missile systems, naval power, and nuclear program. And disrupting the network of proxy forces that Iran has used in an asymmetric warfare to influence conflicts across the Middle East.

The strike happened even while negotiations were going-on with Iran, to prevent start of the present war. From the outset, the Iranians asserted that uranium enrichment was Iran’s inalienable right and declared their large stockpile of enriched material-about 9,980 kilograms-was off the table for negotiation. This could yield about 11 nuclear bombs if further enriched: that’s how close they are to a nuclear weapon. What killed any deal-making was probably when they told the negotiators, “We’re not going to give you diplomatically what you couldn’t take militarily.”

Experts in International Law (e.g., Natasha Hausdorff) say the war is legal and legitimate. This is especially in the background of the decades old ongoing armed conflict with Iran during which, it is well known, Iran has been consistently attacking US and Israel interests across the world. The US specifically invoked Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, saying the strikes were for self-defense and pre-emptive, and accused Iran of violating UN Security Council resolutions related to its nuclear activities. Seen in the context in which ‘Operation Roaring Lion’ was launched, Israel joining the US to strike Iran is in accordance with the international law of armed conflict.

Under International Law, the use of force by States is governed primarily by the UN Charter, Article 2(4) of which prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State. There are two main exceptions: 1-authorization by the UN Security Council under Chapter VII, or 2- self-defense under Article 51, which allows force in response to an ‘armed attack’ until the Security Council acts. Preemptive strikes (preemptive self-defense or anticipatory self-defense) refer to the use of military force by a State against another State (or non-State actor) before an armed attack has actually occurred, but when such an attack is believed to be imminent. Preventive strikes (also called preventive self-defense, preventive war, or preventive attack) refer to the use of military force by a State against another State to neutralise a potential future threat (such as acquiring nuclear weapons capability) that is not yet imminent.

At this time, the US has openly ruptured with the United Kingdom over Iran, base access, and broader British policies on energy and immigration, while treating Germany under Chancellor Friedrich Merz as a more reliable partner and moving to cut trade with Spain over NATO and base issues.

The UK did not join its ‘all-weather’ ally – the US- in the opening strikes and refused to allow its Diego Garcia base to be used by the US. However, later the UK relented and allowed limited use of other bases and even readied an aircraft carrier for duty in the Mediterranean. US President Trump castigated the UK for being very uncooperative and ruining relationships, saying – this is not the age of Churchill and they do not want the UK to join after they have won the war. He said about the same about Spain’s uncooperativeness.

On the other hand, in what never happened in about 50 years, almost all the Gulf countries of UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait of the Gulf Cooperative Council united against Iran. This is because Iran has triggered the Gulf countries to get involved. While primarily targeting US military bases and assets in the region Iran’s return-of-fire also affected civilian infrastructure in several Gulf countries due to direct strikes, interceptions, and falling debris. Overall regional impacts include few killed and over 100 injured across the Gulf, with widespread economic disruptions: thousands of flights canceled, oil prices rising due to halted production, and temporary closures of key ports and airspace. The anger in the Gulf reach a crescendo.

Then suddenly you find the Shia Muslims – Iran- on one side and the Sunni Muslims – Gulf countries on other, but united. The timeless fault lines are as visible as never before.

Looking from another angle, Trump is dismantling the British system of Imperial control, of keeping the Gulf in permanent turmoil through Britain’s much used colonial era divide & rule policy, using Islamist fundamentalism as a battering ram-obviously against Russia-and in the process keeping its commerce paying through the Lloyds Register of Shipping Insurance.

Insurance for nearly all oil tankers going through the Strait of Hormuz is provided by Lloyds and with Iran closing the Strait, Lloyds said it is terminating ‘war risk’ Insurance. Trump then outflanked the UK by ordering his Government, US Development Financial Cooperation, to provide Insurance and ordered the US Navy to ensure safe passage of Oil Tankers. This seems to be the most consequential outcome in the war, thus far, with 300 years of ‘British Crown Control’ broken in a single day.

The US seems to be digging up the former American President Franklin D Roosevelt’s (FDR) ‘America First’ Policy and re-organizing globalisation, to this end. Broadly, this plan is about using America’s methods of economic development and industrialisation on its allies, and is directly opposite to the British Imperial Rule System, which America blames is the cause for many conflicts in the World, beginning with World War I.

FDR saw the British Empire as a barrier to global peace and economic fairness, arguing that colonial systems bred resentment and instability. He advocated decolonization in regions like Africa, India (at that time under British Rule), and Asia, viewing imperialism as ‘unselfish’ only if it advanced civilization without exploitation-but he saw Britain’s model as selfish, exploitative, and outdated. FDR’s anti-colonial push was pragmatic: he feared that maintaining empires would alienate potential allies in the developing world and prolong global conflicts, harming US interests.

Donald Trump seems to be first US President who has seriously latched-on to FDR’s ideas…and is trying to make it work.

Wow, there are so many layers to the present conflict:more than what meets the eye. And surely the Middle East would look a lot different after the US & Israel – Iran War is over. Meanwhile, for Israel, it’s looks like it’s just another day in Office. And India is definitely on the right side of the conflict. India anyway is quietly dismantling the effects of British colonial rule within the country.