China is at it again!
Beijing is once again constructing new camps on disputed areas of the border—even as both sides have been holding multiple rounds of talks to resolve the conflict. An unnamed Intelligence Bureau official says:
“The Chinese troops have so far shown no intent to retreat from India-claimed territory and have been acting against the agreement reached so far between the two sides to initiate the disengagement process.”
The Indian military has been ramping up its presence in response. But a buildup on the border is hardly good news for the troops on the eve of a long, cold winter. (The Telegraph)
Speaking of angry neighbours: Pakistan is furious with India because we are asking the EU to grant sole geographical indication (GI) status to our basmati rice. Such a status would restrict the use of the word ‘basmati’ to rice grown in parts of India. If approved, basmati would become like champagne. That sounds lovely except not to Pakistan which accounts for a third of EU imports of rice. (The Guardian)
England shuts shop
The nation is back in lockdown, this time for four weeks starting Thursday. All pubs and restaurants will close along with nonessential retail shops, and different households will be banned from mixing indoors. But colleges and schools will remain open. PM Boris Johnson said:
"The virus is spreading even faster than the reasonable worst-case scenario of our scientific advisors, whose models ... now suggest unless we act, we could see deaths in this country running at several thousand a day."
In related Covid news: Some Indian experts claim that the government is holding back data, which makes it hard to understand what is going on, especially unexplained patterns in data. For example: the near-equal case fatality rates—how many die out of those infected—in Kerala (0.4%) and Bihar (0.5%) in contrast to Punjab’s high 3.1%. They are also challenging how authorities define our recovery rate. The Telegraph has more. Also read: A new book written by three leading epidemiologists predicts India could witness multiple peaks.
Dear Indians, eat more sugar!
India is the world’s second-biggest producer of sugar—and there is a chronic excess supply of sugar in the country. The reason: governments offer big incentives to sugar producers for political reasons. But the high production costs make it difficult to sell abroad. And consumption in India has stagnated at 19 kg per capita per year compared with a global average of 23 kg. The solution: Sugar mills are working on a big campaign to persuade Indians to eat more sugar!
“If per capita consumption rises to the global average, domestic demand will climb by 5.2 million tons a year, according to Sudhanshu Pandey, the top bureaucrat at the food ministry. That would slash the surplus, cut overseas sales and save the government money by reducing export subsidies.”
Honestly, we have no words except to note that 77 million Indians have diabetes, the second highest total in the world. (Mint)
Barcelona faces bankruptcy
The Spanish football giant is vastly overpaying its star players—and could go broke if they refuse to accept a salary cut. The team pays its first team an incredible £235m a year—and Lionel Messi alone makes £988,000 per week, with bonus payments reaching as much as £13 million a year. Management is insisting that players take a 30% cut by Thursday—or else the club will be bankrupt by January. (SportBible)
New number for cylinder refills
Indane gas will now have a single national number to book refills starting November 1. The number—7718955555—is a 24x7 customer line. So your local numbers will not work any more. The upside: You don’t have to change the number each time you move. Mint has more useful gyaan on how this will work.
Indian trolls hate on happy newlyweds
Lekshmi and Hrushi Karthik decided to treat themselves to a post-wedding photoshoot to make up for a low-key, Covid-safe wedding. The “romantic and intimate” photos were shot on a tea plantation: "It was great fun. We laughed through it. We were really excited about it. It was a part of our honeymoon, we were just married and we felt free." Unfortunately, when they uploaded the photos to Facebook, trolls felt just as free to attack them:
"We received two days of relentless hate… People said we were showing nudity, they asked if we were wearing clothes underneath, they said we were doing it for attention and seeking publicity… It was really awful for me. They were harassing me much more than him. They were telling me to act in porn films, I was body shamed."
The good news: Love has proved stronger than hate, and the couple have refused to take down the lovely carefree photos. See one example below. BBC News has more.
The $600 billion menopause ‘opportunity’
According to a new report by venture capital firm Female Founders Fund, one billion women around the world will be in menopause by 2025—and they will spend $2000 a year on average on prescriptions, doctor visits, treatments, devices, and products. That adds up to a $600 billion opportunity for businesses who serve their needs. And yet of the $254 million invested in women’s health-tech over the past decade, only 5% has gone to menopause treatments. (Fortune)
Your first pandemic horror flick is here
‘Songbird’ is set in a dystopian near-future—i.e. 2024—when the world is still in quarantine thanks to an even deadlier virus, Covid-23. The creepy trailer—starring KJ Apa, Sofia Carson and Demi Moore and directed by Michael Bay—dropped on Friday. And almost everyone is unhappy. Too soon? You think?
The best Sean Connery tributes
Ok so Michael Caine just tweeted: “Sean Connery A Great Star, Brilliant Actor and a wonderful friend. The Man Who Would Be King was THE KING.” But Raj Thackeray—yes, the Raj Thackeray—put out an astonishingly lengthy tribute. But the bizarro prize goes to Big B who tweeted:
“What is the date today .. 31 . 10 . 20 .. add up ➡️ .. 3 +1 is 4 .. then 1 = 5 .. then 0 .. then 2, so 4+1+2 = 7 .. then 0 .. so .. 3+1+1+2 = 7 .. and 2 zeros before you get there .. So .. 007 .. !! Sean Connery passes away .. he gave life to 007 !!”
Mercifully, Amul did better:
