Researched and collated by: Vagda Galhotra, Prafula Grace Busi & Sheya Kurian
Big wins at the French Open
Rafael Nadal won his 14th French Open title—beating #8 seed Casper Ruud 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 in a match that lasted 2 hours and 18 minutes. It was quite a performance given that Nadal was suffering from a chronic foot injury—and that he needed painkilling injections before every round just to play. Over on the women’s side, 21-year-old Iga Swiatek from Poland defeated Coco Gauff, 6-1, 6-3 to claim the crown. Swiatek is the current #1—after the abrupt retirement of Ashleigh Barty. ESPN has more on the significance of the two victories.
In other sports news: Wales crushed Ukraine’s hopes of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in November—beating them 1-0. It was a huge disappointment for the team—at least half of whom have not played since the Russian invasion. But it was a momentous occasion for Wales which ended its 64-year wait to play in the World Cup. (Reuters via The Telegraph)
Another mandir-masjid flare up
There’s yet another mosque on the Hindutva radar: the Jamia Masjid (Masjid-i-Ala) in Srirangapatna. The claim is that it was built on a temple destroyed by Tipu Sultan. A mob of people chanting the Hanuman chalisa tried to enter the mosque on Saturday—as part of the ‘Srirangapatna Chalo’ campaign—but were stopped by the police. As with other mosques, groups like Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal are demanding a survey to determine the existence of the temple—and handover of the land. (The Quint)
Meanwhile in Kashmir: The government has finally ceded to angry demands of its employees from the Pandit and Dogra communities—and relocated them to safer postings in the Valley. There have been nine targeted killings of Hindus just in May—the latest being the death of a Dalit teacher at a school. The government is anxious to prevent a mass migration similar to the 1990 exodus. Also worth reading: The Telegraph on Dalit Kashmiris who are no less vulnerable—but have been sidelined in a tussle dominated entirely by upper caste Pandits. (The Hindu)
Three surprising studies of note
One: File this under ‘believe it or not’! A German study has found that heavy drinkers among older people are “slimmer, happier and more mobile than their teetotal and low-drinking counterparts.” Those who fell under the group of ‘medium to hazardous alcohol consumption’ were also in better health, experienced less pain and found it easier to perform daily activities.
This is only an observational study—and doesn’t establish cause and effect. But likely reasons for this unexpected link include the fact that these people are already quite healthy—and can therefore drink at these levels. Also: “One explanation may be that higher alcohol consumption may lead to elevated mood, enhanced sociability and reduced stress.” New York Post has the gist and The Sunday Times (paywall) has more details.
Two: We’ve always known that men with lower levels of testosterone make better partners and share more in childcare. But a new study links testosterone levels of adult men to the presence of their fathers—or rather, their absence:
“Overall, Dr Gettler and his colleagues found that on becoming fathers, men had lower testosterone levels if their own fathers had lived with them and been involved in their care during their teenage years. Specifically, if that had happened, testosterone levels in their saliva were 16% below those of men whose fathers had not stuck around to help raise them.”
Scientists are not sure if there is a causal relationship. It may just be that high-testosterone men who don’t stick around to care for their kids beget high testosterone sons. But it casts a new light on fatherless families. (Economist paywall)
Three: New research shows that an increasing number of American children are choosing to attempt suicide by poisoning. Since 2015, the number ingesting toxic substances or overdosing on medications has shot up by 26%. The jump for kids between the ages of 10 and 12 has surged a shocking 109% in just five years. Experts still can’t explain why these numbers are rising. (TIME)
Far less surprising: New research shows that people living in areas with high air pollution are far more likely to experience more severe forms of Covid—ending up in the ICU or requiring a ventilator. The reason: the prolonged exposure to nitrogen dioxide due to pollution. The Guardian has more on why this is a key factor.
Is a bumble bee a fish?
A California court has ruled that four species of bees can be legally categorised fish—in order to make them eligible for protection under endangered species laws. In 2015, the state legislature modified the definition of ‘[f]ish’ to mean “a wild fish, mollusk, crustacean, invertebrate, amphibian or part, spawn, or ovum of any of those animals”—presumably to extend legal protection to more species. A petition by agricultural groups challenged the broader definition, but the court disagreed. Interesting but we wonder why they didn’t just include insects instead. (The Hill)
Also in the US: A terrible once-in-a-lifetime drought in the West is uncovering long-lost dead bodies—as lakes start to dry up. And it’s not just dead bodies Americans have to worry about:
“While the dead bodies are fuelling talk about Las Vegas’ mob past, water experts warn of even more worrisome consequences. If the lake keeps receding, it would reach what’s known as ‘dead pool’—a level so low the Hoover Dam would no longer be able to produce hydropower or deliver water downstream.”
FYI: Thanks to the drought, the available hydroelectric power will be 48% lower than normal this summer. Gizmodo has more on the hydropower crisis looming over California. (BBC News)
Three things to see
One: An ad for the men’s perfume Layer’r Shot sparked widespread outrage—for promoting “gang rape culture.” The government has now asked YouTube and Twitter to take the video down—as a violation of IT rules. It has also been suspended on television. You can see it below if you choose. (The Telegraph)
Two: The village of Ghusiya in Madhya Pradesh is running out of water—and its three wells are almost dry. Women have to perform feats of endurance and skill just to access a little bit of water everyday. The clip below is both astonishing and depressing. (NDTV)
Three: NASA released amazing new footage of its Ingenuity helicopter on its longest and fastest flight over the surface of Mars—flying over 2,300 feet at a brisk 12 mph for just over 2.5 minutes. (Futurism)
Good stuff to check out
On the latest episode of the splainer podcast ‘Press Decode’, the splainer team looks at how easy it is to get a gun in India—and the meme-ification of the Depp/Heard trial. Be sure to head over to the IVM website, Spotify or Apple Podcasts to listen to it.
