Editor’s note: Be sure to check out the long list of very good reads we’ve assembled to make up for our absence in our Smart & Curious section!

India-US to seal a defence pact

The Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in town to preside over the signing of a critical defence pact that will allow India to monitor hostile movements and get precise and real time information on enemy positions during any potential border conflict. Yup, it is likely to piss off China. (Mint)

In related US news: The US Congress confirmed the deeply conservative Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination as Supreme Court Justice—just one week before the US election. The Court majority is now solidly conservative—and may overturn an array of previous rulings, including the landmark case that assured a woman’s right to abortion. What this means: Dem candidate Joe Biden will be under severe pressure to expand the number of justices in the Supreme Court. (Vox)

Also this: Time magazine replaced its iconic logo on its cover for a presidential election where the stakes are higher than ever.

There’s water on the moon!

NASA has announced the first confirmed discovery of water on the side that faces the sun—covering some 40,000 square km! But before we get too excited, scientists clarified: “To be clear, this is not puddles of water but instead water molecules that are so spread apart that they do not form ice or liquid water.” So, yeah, not the kind you can drink. (Al Jazeera)

A less happy finding: In a new study, Indian scientists found that intensive irrigation in India cools the land and the air—but creates ‘moist heat’ that is far harder to deal with:

“Moist heat, the kind that causes mugginess, is worse than dry heat. You can beat dry heat by drinking water and cooling yourself. But water doesn’t help much in high levels of moist heat.”

This is a big deal in extreme heat conditions triggered by climate change. And it also has implications for our lawns and roof gardens—which can make the “moist heat stress” far worse. (The Telegraph)

A crackdown on stubble burning

The Union government promised the Supreme Court that it will immediately institute a new law that bans burning of rice stubble in the NCR. But sources tell The Hindu that the Agriculture ministry has not been consulted—and never heard of this proposed law.

The great pandemic: A quick update

• France witnessed a sudden and skyrocketing rise in its Covid cases. The health ministry reported a record 52,010 new infections within just 24 hours. Some experts say that the real number may be as high as 100,000.
• Candida auris is a drug resistant superbug known to thrive in hospital settings. The rate of infections is rising around the world due to rising Covid cases, including India. Why this matters? It is difficult to detect and far more lethal than Covid. Its fatality rate is between 30-60%. National Geographic has this important story.
• Also cause for alarm: Hospital staff in India are being told not to get themselves tested—even if they display symptoms. The reason: a severe shortage of doctors.
• In happier news, the Oxford vaccine is showing good results among both young people and the elderly.
• Also: Iran has developed a phlegm test that can detect Covid in 30 seconds!
• A new study reveals that a daily, low dose of aspirin can help lower the risk of severe complications and even death.
• The government of Wales banned the sale of all non-essential products to discourage people from shopping (and therefore keep its Covid count down). The supermarket giant Tesco decided this included tampons and sanitary napkins. Happily, better sense has since prevailed. 

Indians are on the move again! 

But it’s mainly for pleasure not work! Travel booking sites saw a huge spike in bookings during the festive season—but travellers are staying close to home.

"There's a high occupancy in locations such as Maharashtra, Goa, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Himachal and Uttarakhand. In fact, over the weekend we are almost sold out across these locations. Most of our resort properties are outside the main city with big rooms and common areas which is offering travellers a sense of safety."

Also preferred: outdoor adventure holidays and vacation homes. (Mint)

Facebook doesn’t check facts in India?

The company has media partners around the world which help fact-check fake news. In India these are: Agence France-Presse (AFP), Boomlive, The Quint, India Today, Factly, FactCresendo, Newsmobile and Vishvas News. But an Alt News analysis shows that they are doing a very poor job—especially in the cases that involve the BJP and its supporters. 

An Indian record in diamonds!

A Hyderabad-based jeweller’s ring—which has 7,801 diamonds!—has set a new Guinness record. The ring even has a name: ‘The Divine—7801 Brahma Vajra Kamalam’—named after a rare flower in the Himalayas. Indian Express has the story. Check out the vid here.