A new horror in France
A Tunisian national, Brahim Aouissaoui, attacked and killed three people at a church in Nice. It appears to be a copycat attack similar to the beheading of a French school teacher two weeks ago. Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron said, "Very clearly France is under attack," and vowed it will not give in to terrorism. The terror alert has been raised to its highest "emergency" level, and up to 4,000 military personnel will be deployed to protect schools, churches and other places of worship.
Point to note: Aouissaoui is not a recent immigrant or part of France’s Muslim minority. He arrived in Europe in September, and entered France via Italy. CNN has the most details on him, while Associated Press has a long report on the attack and its aftermath. We explained the context and background of these killings here. Also read: The Guardian on the rising anger in the Muslim world at Macron and France. New York Times on the rising anxiety among French Muslims—who feel unfairly blamed for these attacks.
State of the US election
- Joe Biden at 51% leads Donald Trump by 9 points in the latest polls. And he appears to be holding steady—unlike Hillary Clinton whose lead evaporated as the election neared.
- One possible reason: the pandemic. As Vox explains, he is doing the most poorly in states hardest hit by the virus.
- Still in Trump’s corner: white men. New York Times (via TOI) looks at the ‘white male gap’ revealed by pre-election surveys.
- This may explain why Trump is saying that he will not accept the outcome if he loses. He’s called the polls “fake” and repeatedly warned his supporters against election fraud—and they believe him! NBC has that story.
- The real worry about rigging: witches and wizards on TikTok who are casting spells to decide the winner. Wired has this bizarre story.
- Good news for Trump: at least this Indian astrologer thinks he’s gonna win. Yes, this is making the rounds on Indian WhatsApp.
Wanna get a Yahoo phone?
Yup, the company best known for losing out to Gmail has bravely entered uncharted territory: a branded smartphone, Yahoo Mobile ZTE Blade A3Y. To be fair, it sounds pretty good value for money at $50. Also: it’s purple. (Cnet)
An anti-pollution commission for Delhi
As promised, the government has issued a new ordinance that creates a Commission for Air Quality Management for the NCR region. It has the authority to close any industry or establishment and cut their power supply. It will have search and seizure powers. And defying its orders carries a five-year jail term and/or Rs 1 crore in fines. Indian Express explains.
The latest Covid gyaan: A quick update
- Data analysis of 30 studies published between January and July raises an alarming possibility: We may not know the actual incubation period of the virus. As of now, our quarantine protocols are based on the expert consensus—which puts it at a range of 2 to 14 days. But this study found that in some cases it can be as high as 34 days.
- According to a German study, the best protection against infection in indoor events is not masks or social distancing—but very good ventilation. This excellent infographic in El Pais demonstrates brings this warning powerfully home.
- New research reveals that the virus causes long-term skin problems including rashes, hives and chilblains (Covid toes).
Yet another Kashmir-related raid
The National Intelligence Agency raided the home of Zafarul Islam Khan. This is part of a series of nationwide raids on Kashmiri NGOs, activists and journalists that are suspected of diverting funds to finance secessionist activities. Now Khan is not a Kashmiri nor is he linked to any Kashmiri organisation. But he is the former chairman of the Delhi minority commission which issued a report accusing BJP leaders of inciting the violence in Delhi earlier this year. (The Telegraph)
Laxmmi no longer a bomb
Akshay Kumar’s highly anticipated movie ‘Laxmmi Bomb’ has now been renamed as ‘Laxmii’—i.e. it has lost the bomb and an ‘m’ but added an ‘i’. The rechristening is in response to rightwing groups enraged at the title. The reason: it is allegedly disrespectful to the other Lakshmi, as in the Goddess—who, however, is surprisingly unoffended by grossly distorted spellings of her name. (NDTV)
Also in trouble: Mission Impossible 7. Twelve people tested positive on its set despite taking great precautions.
Saudi money: ‘anti-national’ or anti-Pakistan?
Saudi Arabia released a 20 Riyal note to commemorate its presidency of the G-20 Summit on November 21-22. Pakistanis are furious that it removes Kashmir from Pakistan’s map. But more importantly, it removes Kashmir from India’s map as well—and shows it as a separate territory. See it here.