The Corrections
The finally dropped and Robert Pattinson plays the darkest of knights—going from brooding vampire to brooding bat-suited superhero. Zoe Kravitz shows up as Catwoman, and there’s a blink-and-you-miss-it glimpse of Colin Farrell as Penguin. decodes all the easter eggs for die-hard fans.
A GOOD LIST OF REBELLIONS Congress rebels unite: 23 senior Congress leaders—including bigwigs like Kapil Sibal, Shashi Tharoor and Ghulam Nabi Azad— calling for sweeping changes and "a full-time, visible leadership.” While it took pains to praise the Gandhi family, it was immediately framed by other loyalists as great betrayal. They too now have written panicked counter-letters singing praises of the leadership. Panicked because interim chief Sonia Gandhi says she at the next leadership meet to be held today. has the most clear-eyed take on this tired old script. South Indians unite: DMK MP Kanimozhi also to Ayush ministry complaining about “Hindi domination.” The reason: Its top bureaucrat told Tamil participants of a government webinar that they were free to leave if they didn’t understand Hindi. Kanimozhi is demanding an inquiry. Kerala MP Shashi Tharoor has since spoken up in support, as have other Tamil politicians like Kamal Hassan etc. Our show of support: that sums up the eternal Tamil vs Hindi wars. Belarusians unite: The country witnessed more mass demonstrations against the rigged elections that have kept President Alexander Lukashenko in power—despite the lethal use of force to put down past protests. This was the outside the parliament over the weekend. Also check out: This with the school teacher who actually won the election. TRUMP HAS A SIBLING PROBLEM The President’s niece secretly recorded his older sister, and her opinion of her chhota bhai is damning. Example: “It’s the phoniness of it all. It’s the phoniness and this cruelty. Donald is cruel.” Also: “He has no principles. None. None.” Why this matters: It’s his own sister, and there’s an election around the corner. You can hear the recordings over at the . Trump hypes BFF Modi: But hey, at least our PM likes Trump, and a whole lot at that. Trump is now using highlights of love-fest staged for his Gujarat visit to woo Indian Americans. See Modi-themed below. Modi hypes BFF peacock: The PM, OTOH, is too busy bonding with his other BFFs—namely, mors and mornis—who have a starring role in his . THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC: A QUICK ROUNDUP * China has been —in food, transportation and service sectors—with experimental vaccines. Also receiving the vaccine: government workers who have to travel overseas. For example: The Chinese miners who have now been banned from entering Papua New Guinea. A government official : “In light of the lack of information, of what these trials are and what possible risks or threats that they may cause our people if they were to come into the country, I cancelled that flight yesterday to ensure that we continue to act in the best interest of our people and our country.” * Scientists in Germany held in a single day to figure out how superspreader events occur: "The first of Saturday's three concerts aimed to simulate an event before the pandemic, with no safety measures in place. The second involved greater hygiene and some social distancing, while the third involved half the numbers and each person standing 1.5m apart." None of the volunteers had Covid. * The UK government has offered to pay to encourage people to eat out. And it’s been a wild success. Brits have thus far enjoyed 35 million such ‘happy meals’ at 85,000 restaurants. * A global online campaign wants governments around the world to ease pandemic restrictions unmarried couples. Thus far, most countries only repatriate spouses. * Closer to home, multiplex theatres like PVR, INOX etc are planning to set up to kickstart big-screen viewing. Future locations: Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Punjab. * finds that animals like gorillas, orangutans, gibbons, gray whales, bottlenose dolphins and Chinese hamsters run a high risk of becoming infected. The reason: They have the same 25 amino acid residues as humans. TIKTOK GETS READY TO SUE This week, TikTok will file a lawsuit challenging Donald Trump’s impending ban on its US operations. The claim: his executive order does not meet the requirements of a law that allows the president to regulate economic transactions in a national emergency. Legal experts agree that Trump is on weak ground. One reason: there is no evidence as yet that TikTok is sharing user data with Beijing. () In related anti-China news: India is stepping up visa restrictions on Chinese businessmen, academics and other experts. Also under review: 54 MOUs signed between the IITs, Banaras Hindu University, Jawaharlal Nehru University and the official Chinese language training office, Hanban. () INDIA IS LOSING ITS BABY GIRLS According to a new study, India could lose more than 1,200 female foetuses every day over the next 10 years due to female foeticide. The total number of prevented female births: 6.8 million! Uttar Pradesh will account for the largest percentage (30%) of that number. () Also in danger: Gujarat’s Asiatic lions. Around 25% over the last year due to a shoddy and dangerous tracking program. The government radio-collared way too many lions, and without consulting experts. > “Apart from the discomfort that can be caused by the 1.5 kg of collar, experts say it is fatal for young male lions because > their manes grow quicker and the head size increases for a few years.”
Founding member Riniki Sanyal sent to us on Friday as a personal ‘sanity break’—and we loved it sooo much, we had to share it with the world :)
A LONG LIST OF GOOD READS * Christopher Nolan’s ‘Tenet’ is playing in theatres in the rest of the world—and the reviews are out. Most concur: Pretty as it may be, it isn’t worth the risk of playing footsie with the virus at the theatre. rounds up the lot, but offers a far more fun read. * profiles the anonymous lawyer who has been correcting the New York Times’ many typos, one untactful tweet at a time. Happily, no one has set such high standards for us. * A must read from : the women workers in Lesotho who suffer daily sexual assault and rape for the privilege of making our jeans. * looks at ‘forgiveness therapy’ that helps patients—especially women—make peace with the extreme trauma of abuse. What we found thought-provoking: how it separates forgiving an abuser from reconciling with them. * offers a fascinating look at the Nazi origins of the cheery orange-coloured Fanta—and of course, Coca Cola that owns it. * reports on the rise of ‘step porn’—incestuous sexual fantasies involving step-siblings/parents etc, and why this genre is everywhere at this moment of time. * explains why our Ganesh idols have become gargantuan in size. * A very good read in : The mythology of ‘Karen’ and how the angry white woman has turned into a weaponised tool of sexism. * looks at how the racist stereotype of 'docile' Asian women is hurting their careers in the West.
IN PRAISE OF GANESHA celebration that’s truly infectious in its joy. or Quenevadi (Ganapati), son of Ixora (Ishvara) or Shiva—as illustrated by 18th century artist Bernard Picart titled ‘the Ceremonies And Religious Customs Of The Various Nations’ and divine elephant god. because that’s just how it is now.
A lively look back at our pehla election of 1951. We’ve come a long way.
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Scientists are trying to alter the evolutionary course of animals—so they can survive it.
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The BJP is expending astonishing amounts of energy on Tamil Nadu this election season—and it’s all about 2029.
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Early-onset cancer has been steadily rising but scientists have no clue why this is happening.
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