Researched and collated by: Sara Varghese & Elisha Benny
Gyanvapi Mosque: The latest update
There is no mention of any Shiva lingam, but the video survey of the masjid concludes that bells, kalash, flowers and trishul are visible on pillars in the tehkhana (basement) of the masjid. The survey was ordered by a lower court in Varanasi—in response to a petition claiming the right to offer puja at a Maa Shringar Gauri sthal allegedly located on its premises. The Supreme Court is hearing an appeal filed by the mosque committee to block the survey—and to protect the mosque as per the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. The Court has now ordered the lower court to “strictly desist” from passing any fresh orders in the case—and will hold the next hearing today. Indian Express has more on the survey results. Read our Big Story on the mosque’s history and the key laws involved.
A worrying monkeypox outbreak
Cases of monkeypox have popped up in the United Kingdom, Portugal, Spain and other European countries. There have been infections detected in Canada and the US, as well. Scientists are worried because the disease is very rare—and no one can figure out exactly how these people caught it since many have not travelled abroad. The viral illness is more common in parts of central and west Africa. More alarming is the fact that it’s spreading through a totally new route: sexual contact.
So what is monkeypox? Its symptoms include fever, body aches, enlarged lymph nodes and eventually “pox”—“painful, fluid-filled blisters on the face, hands and feet.” One version kills up to 10% of those infected. NPR and Washington Post have more details.
Speaking of viruses: A massive study of insurance claims in the US shows that more than 3/4th of people diagnosed with long Covid did not have a severe infection—and were never sick enough to be hospitalised. (New York Times)
Navjot Singh Sidhu is going to jail
The politician’s fortunes have taken a sharp turn for the worse in recent months. First, he was sidelined within Congress and in Punjab politics after the state elections. Now, the Supreme Court has ordered him to serve a one-year sentence for a 1988 road rage case—which resulted in the death of a man. Sidhu and his associate reportedly “dragged Gurnam Singh out of his car and hit him”—and the 65-year-old later died. The case has dragged on for 34 years.
First, Sidhu was found guilty of homicide—but the Supreme Court overturned that ruling in 2018, and fined him a measly Rs 1000 for hurting a senior citizen. Singh’s family appealed that ruling—and the Court reversed itself, declaring:
“In our view, some material aspects which were required to be taken note of appear to have been somehow missed out at the stage of sentencing, such as the physical fitness of respondent No 1 (Sidhu) as he was an international cricketer, who was tall and well-built and aware of the force of a blow that even his hand would carry.”
In response, Sidhu tweeted: “Will submit to the majesty of law.” (The Telegraph)
Also in serious legal trouble: Cement giant Lafarge. A French court ruled that it can be charged with aiding and abetting human rights violations. This is the first time that a company has been indicted in France for complicity in such a crime. Here’s why Lafarge is under trial:
“A French judicial investigation found that between 2012 and 2014, the company, through its Syrian subsidiary Lafarge Cement Syria, paid up to 13 million euros (about $17.5 million at the time) to various armed groups, including the Islamic State. The subsidiary made these payments in order to keep its cement factory in northeastern Syria running despite the ongoing war and kidnappings and the security threats faced by its employees, according to the investigation.”
Also not doing well: Tesla—which has been taken off the S&P 500’s Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) index. Socially conscious investors use the index to make investment decisions—which explains why Elon Musk is furious and is calling ESG a “scam.” Here’s why Tesla was booted off:
“Margaret Dorn, the S&P’s head of ESG indices for North America, wrote in a blog post that Tesla lacked ‘low carbon strategy,’ amassed complaints of poor working conditions and racial discrimination in its Fremont factory, and mishandled investigations into injuries and deaths involving the car’s Autopilot feature.”
Morning Brew has more on Musk’s pushback.
Two big entertainment deals
One: Historian Ramachandra Guha’s books on Mahatma Gandhi are being turned into a fictional series—with Pratik Gandhi (‘Scam 1992’) playing the lead. There’s no teaser since production has not started, but here’s the description:
“From his earliest days to his actions in South Africa to the great struggle in India, the series will tell the lesser known stories of his life which played an important role in shaping young Gandhi into a Mahatma.”
We are very excited. (The Print)
Two: The great and departed Stan Lee—the beloved co-creator of Spider-Man, Avengers and Hulk—is returning to Marvel Studios thanks to a 20-year deal. Marvel will “license the name and likeness of Lee for use in future feature films and television productions, as well as Disney theme parks, various ‘experiences’ and merchandising.” This does not excite us at all. (The Hollywood Reporter)
Elephant grief research on YouTube
Scientists studying comparative thanatology—the study of how different animals react to death—have long struggled to document such responses among elusive elephants. Researchers decided to crowdsource YouTube videos for data instead. Here’s what they found: The most common reactions included sniffing and touching. In some, the mothers kicked their dead calves—or even carried them. Many roared loudly or kept vigil over the bodies. Why this matters:
“Understanding more about how elephants view death could ‘give us insight about their highly complex cognitive abilities,’ Dr. Pokharel said. More urgently, she hopes that it will also help to better protect elephants that are still alive, especially Asian elephants that are in frequent conflict with humans. ‘We always talk about habitat loss, we talk about all these things,’ she said. ‘We are not talking about what animals are going through psychologically.’”
See an example below. (New York Times)
Four things to see
One: In what many are calling the “Freudian slip of the century,” former US President George Bush in a speech said the following sentence: “The result is an absence of checks and balances in Russia, and the decision of one man to launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq.” He corrected himself asap—“I mean, of Ukraine”—but only to add “Iraq too.” Watch him below. (Al Jazeera)
Two: As part of a Gucci and Adidas collaboration, the two companies are selling umbrellas in China—priced at roughly $1,644. The Chinese are not impressed. The reason: it is "not waterproof and is meant for sun protection or decorative use.” Translation: It’s pretty darn useless. And from what we can tell, it isn’t very attractive either. (BBC News)
Three: People constantly complain about Instagram’s arbitrary content policies. Well, one OnlyFans creator found a creative way to get her handle unblocked. No, we do not recommend trying it for yourself lol! But it does tell you a lot about the tech industry.
Four: Scientists have discovered a rare new species of burrowing snake named the Phaloris shawnella in Paraguay. It is non-venomous and indeed “strikingly beautiful”—but also highly endangered and close to extinction. (Newsweek)
A shout out for #StoryForGlory
Editor’s note: Adani Media Initiatives reached out to us for help spreading the word about their #StoryForGlory talent hunt for journalists. Their partners include a bunch of excellent news organisations—like Indian Express and The News Minute. We know many of our subscribers are in the media biz—and may find it useful. FYI, this is not paid content:)
Adani Media Initiatives in collaboration with DailyHunt is launching a talent hunt for people enthusiastic about journalism and digital content creation. The talent, which is preceded by an eight-week fellowship, is targeted nationwide. For both video & written content, we are accepting applications from bilingual (English and Hindi) content creators.
Last day to apply: May 28. You can find out more about the programme over at their website.