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Who is the actual winner of the FIFA world cup 2022?

Who won the FIFA World Cup in reality? Are the teams, the players, or the host the winners?

Qatar, one of the most popular nations on the planet, wants to host the FIFA World Cup. Qatar typically registers temperatures greater than 40. Qatar will serve as the host nation for this tournament due to its improved facilities and infrastructure. 

Al Bayt Stadium, Lusail Stadium, Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Al Janab Stadium, Al Thumama Stadium, Education City Stadium, Khalifa International Stadium, and Stadium 974 are the eight locations where the matches will take place.

The stadium seats are broken down into four categories, with category 1 including the seats that are closest to the ground. The seats in category 2 are just behind the front seats, while category 3 contains the middle row of seats. The rear set is included in the fourth and final category. Seat costs vary from match to match and category to category.

  During the first game, category-1 seats cost $618, category-2 seats cost $440, category-three seats cost $302, and category-four seats cost $55. The cost of a category-1 ticket for a group stage match is $220; for categories 2, 3, and 4, the prices are 165, 69, and 11 dollars, respectively. Tickets for the round of 16 are more expensive than those for group matches. The costs are as follows: 275$ for category 1, 206$, 96$, and 5$ for categories 2, 3, and 4, accordingly. Tickets for the quarterfinal matches range in price from 426 dollars to 302 dollars to 20 dollars to 82 dollars, depending on the category you fall under. In the quarterfinals, the price of the fight match tickets for third place is comparable. For category 1, the cost is $426. For category 2, it is $302. For category 3, it is 206. For category 4, it is 82.

 One of the most watched games is the semifinal. Hence, the prices have increased. For category 1 seats, the cost is 956, while for categories 2 and 3, it costs 659, 357, and 137 dollars, respectively. Any tournament’s finals are the game-changer. The final game always has the most spectators and the most expensive tickets. The cost for category 1 is $1067, category 2 is $1003, category 3 is $604, and category 4 is $200.

With a capacity of over 60,000, Al Bayt stadium is one of Qatar’s biggest and most well-known stadiums. Out of 60,000 seats, around 11,000 are in category 1, 14,000 in category 2, 17,000 in category 3, and 20,000 in category 4, correspondingly. In the Al Baty stadium, the first game will take place. 20.428,000 dollars should be made from the first game. (If every ticket is sold, the computation is based on the ticket price and the location of the seats.)

Counting the initial match, there will be a total of five group matchups. After the group matches, the income will be $32,815,000. A round of 16 games will be played. There will be around $8,191,000 in revenue from the round of 16 games. The income from the quarterfinal game will be around 14,712,000 dollars. The Al Bayt stadium will host both the semifinal game and the final. Around 26,796,000 dollars will be made from semis. After the competition, the stadium should earn a total of around 109,505,000 dollars.

With a capacity of 80,000, Lusail Stadium is the largest stadium in Qatar. Out of 80,000 seats, 13,000 are in category 1, 17,000 in category 2, 23,000 in category 3, and 27,000 in category 4, respectively. There will be a total of six group games played at Lusail Stadium. After the games on the group stage, the stadium will earn about $45,090,000. A total of $9,420,000 will be generated by the round of 16 games. There will be a semifinal contest as well. The semis will generate around $35,541,000 in income. The championship game will take place in Lusail Stadium. The total match income will be around 57,396,000 dollars. After the competition, the stadium will have earned around 147,447,000 dollars in revenue.

The Khalifa stadium can accommodate 40,000 people in total. Eight games will be played in the stadium in total, including a third-place fight, one quarterfinal, one round-of-16 encounter, and six group matches. After the competition, the stadium will have earned a total of 16,483,000 dollars.

40,000 people can fit at Stadium 974 and Alof Janoub Stadium. There will be a total of seven matches at each of the two venues. Six group matches and one round of 16 matches will be played at each stadium. The combined income from the two stadiums will be around $8,021,000.

The Education City stadium can accommodate 40,000 people. Eight games will be played in the stadium, including one round-of-16 game, one quarterfinal, and six group matches. The Education City Stadium will bring in around $14,005,000 in total income.

Al Thumama Stadium can accommodate 40,000 people. There will be a total of eight games, comprising one quarterfinal, one round of 16, and six group matches. After the competition, the stadium will have earned about $24,931,000 in total.

The Ahmad Bin Ali stadium can hold close to 40,000 people. Seven matches, comprising six group matches and one round of 16 encounters be played. After the competition, the stadium will have earned about $8,021,000 in total. 

After the FIFA World Cup, Qatar expects to earn a total of about 336,434,000 dollars. This equals Rs. 277,283,183,42.

The 32 teams that make it into the competition will receive certain benefits. These are the pricing. Eliminator for the group stage will receive $9 million. The losers of the 16th round will receive 13 million dollars. The losers of the Qatar finals will receive 17 million dollars. A 25 million dollar prize will be given to the fourth-place team. A 27 million dollar prize will be given to the third-place finisher. 30 million dollars will be given to the runner-up. and 42 million dollars will be given to the tournament’s victor or winners.

A total of 440,000,000 dollars will be distributed in price. FIFA, not the host nation, will choose how much each item costs. With accommodation and training expenses included, they will undoubtedly make around 336,434,000 dollars.

The event is advantageous for the participating teams, athletes, and the host nation. This is why nations like the United States, South Korea, and Japan aspired to host the competition. Overall, this event will provide good financial revenue for the host nation. The economy of Qatar will be greatly impacted by this money. More than 1.5 million new employment in important industries including construction, real estate, and hospitality are expected to be created as a result of Qatar hosting the FIFA World Cup.

A film review

 The Sleepover (2020)

       Director- TRISH SIE

       Genre– Exciting,Action, Adventure,Family features.

   A very simple family of Modern era living with their life old fashioned limitations like not allowing the phone to their children even if they jumped in higher class, they do not have permitted to attend any party with their friends,Not allowed to go out in late night.Their mother a housewife made these rules But we all know that there is always reasons of restrictions, the same are here with those two siblings of this exciting family.Both are studying in a same school and everyday their father use to receive and drop them,eating foodings made by dad bakery, play video games and sometimes spend times in sleepover.Cavin the little boy has sharp mind and he enjoy the imaginary world more than real. 

   One day a neighbour’s parents come with his child to leave him for the night. That boy also has some list by his mother about what to do or what to don’t.But as he is in another house with another rule and restrictions nothing from the list could be done right from his list.In loan area Cavin’s dad fixed a tent for their sleepover and left them to sleep. And in the same night her daughter tries to escape from home with her friend for one night to attend the party invited by her senior.

At late night tiem to sleep ,Ninjas enter in the house and attack on her housewife mother to take her with themselves for a mission.They took up both husband and wife with them for a robbery. After knowing their mother’s real identification that her mother was the head robber many years before her marriage in the bachelors age;their children decided to find their parents and went out for an overnight adventure. 

Their mother was a witness protection lady who was caught by the police but allowed to be free with a new identification by letting no one know her real identity.

Following the signs Including their dog’s neck belt left by her mother at every steps they followed and in not finally but at end of getting signs they met her mother’s younger sister who is also a robber; she gave them the direction to reach their mother and they followed.Finally they reached the destination and saw their simple housewife mother extraordinary actions and looks that were never been seen before.And also they saw her mother’s fiance who was a robber man,charm and dashing.

But there and then her mother become with a new identification and living her life as a normal person with family this mission was not her choice.They escape brilliantly from this leaving behind all this stuff if past and came back to home safely creating this adventurous night.And the boy who has very quite talent to make stories of imagination,he does the same in front of police too,reached all back to home safely.

Next morning, the neighbour came to take their child who was left for a sleepover and found the child safe and that child went home too.

Everything happened, the restrictions,the limitations came across with a very valid reason why kids of this family faced too many rules and regulations other than others.Now they understand and respect the situations and their family especially her mother.

So,The conclusion comes here with a brief mentality of parents and children.

Parents never want to grab or tie their own children with restrictions. If they do there must be the reason for their safety that’s important more than anything for any parents.

Children like that boy who live in his imagination are brilliant so to make success and happiness in their life it’s necessary to promote and support your child according to their way of interests.

And the last but not least ,the priority matter a lot for a family person no matter who you are,mother or father or sister or you are a brother,if you are in a family you must put your priorities first for them other than anyone no matter how complications has  started ,how it is difficult to deal or to resolve it but things will become smoother as soon as one put family on prior.Stay tied to the family is one of the best weapon to fight against any circumstances, situations,or any difficulty.

Snapshot taken from the movie “THE SLEEPOVER”.

Okay??

Basically everyone expects the normal student lifestyle with proper and regular routine or schedule to follow for a student even that student too.But Eventually mine is bit different.Different lifestyle is not a decision of mine but the wise decision is something that to accept this difference.
  Like all other students I’m also a student of a regular class of academic course at a high named Central University.But the thing is I’m not capable of interacting with people or Hodge podge anymore,The reason behind is something I’m not blaming but before Corona pandemic i was not that what I’m now.I feel anxious and low from deep down to be in gathering,it’s became tough to hear more than one sound hitting my ears,even sunrays and a close conference room makes me uncomfortable.
But taking these all wisely i chose to work from my room ,even class work , activities, projects and all doing individually that makes me feel really good.My elders and professors are understandable enough.I order food or cook sometimes,i ate,i do work like personal stuffs too,I enjoy myself ,watch movies,series etcetera it’s also appreciable for me to write about my lifestyle cause I’m living my own way with no glitches or now atleast and it’s working literally,every well wishers hoping to see me out or be social like before i was,but here I’m not only hoping but working on it too.
    What do you think,does it sound like a normal lifestyle?If I’m the only one who is facing this? The answer is Big Noo…
    As of now things are getting recovered after the pandemic, One after one has faced different phases but the outcome is the same It is Anxiety, depression or phobea and many health issues as well as mental issues. They try to be social,to be active and involved like they were before Pandemic.But there and then remember one thing that things will get worse when we push it to show surroundings that we are okay and internally we continuously go deep down by doing this.

    So just let it be,
    If you don’t want to be in gather just make a space where you can feel atleast not bad than to be in gathering.
   If you don’t wanna hear something/someone just listen to you for yourself to make Comfortable atleast.
   Don’t wanna go out or see something just feel for yourself and work yourself to do productice that can be seen for a single time atleast.
   Atleast eat a bite and drink a drop to immune your brain that is continuously running without break.
   Don’t wanna describe yourself to anyone,just don’t do but focus on yourself to make your personality and let it describe your victory.
   Not feeling okay is too short to say,just don’t say… but i have one oath to say that is;It’s totally okay to not be Okay. Okayy?
   
   

Two ‘Man-made disasters’ recently happened in India and South Korea

 The Machhu river in Gujarat’s Morbi town is now news because the most awful incident took place, on 30 October 2022.  A hanging bridge after the renovation was opened to the public for which people paid money to purchase the tickets and the bridge collapsed killing many people (more than 140) and also many injured (around 100).  The collapse of the bridge has raised many questions. It seems that more people were allowed than its capacity to move. Some TV channels showed many people dancing on the renovated bridge. Now the question arises why so many people were allowed to move beyond its capacity. Another important point is whether there is any ‘Cut Money’ or ‘Commission Money’ involved during the renovation as in our country this is found in many cases. In this regard by saluting a brave police officer of West Bengal, I wish to mention that one Burdwan police officer-in-charge, Sandip Sen made a comment while inaugurating a Kali Puja on 26 October 2022 in West Bengal.  He mentioned that “to build a new road… a contractor usually aims for a 40 percent margin at best. Thereafter, he expects to pocket a further 20 percent himself. The BDO gets four percent, the OC five, and others still get five. Meaning nearly 75 percent of the call money will become cut money, so one can only imagine the quality of finished projects”(The Telegraph Online, 31/10/22).

Anyway, the saddest part here (bridge collapse) is that innocent lives were lost because of the callousness of ‘some’ people. Recent news has revealed that two employees of a firm involved in the renovation work of the Morbi bridge have been arrested. I request top officials of the Gujarat Government the main culprits should be brought into the book and they should be punished. It seems that this a ‘man-made disaster’ so our Union Government and all the State Governments should take lessons from this disaster so that innocent lives are not lost in the future.

Another ‘man-made disaster’, unfortunately, occurred in Seoul, South Korea on Halloween event on 29 October 2022 at least 154 people including a total of 26 foreign nationals were among those killed. Among the 154 dead, 26 were foreign nationals, from the United States, China, Iran, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Japan, Australia, Norway, France, Russia, Austria, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. The event took place after three years as during COVID -19 it did not take place as restrictions and social distancing were lifted.  I feel this is also a ‘man-made disaster’ as more people gathered than the capacity of the area. It is observed that tens of thousands of people flooded into the area in central Seoul to celebrate Halloween – but panic erupted as the crowds swelled, ‘with some witnesses saying it became hard to breathe and impossible to move’ (CNN Online, 31/10/2022, What we know about the deadly Halloween disaster in Seoul).

This is also a lesson to our Union Government and all the State Governments so that with proper planning ‘man-made disaster’ can be avoided i.e., more people should not be allowed to assemble than the capacity of the area. Anyway, in both cases, many innocent lives were lost.   I pray to Almighty God to bestow eternal peace on the departed souls

EV on monthly subscription, by a Benguluru based startup.

Electric vehicles (EVs) may play a critical role in the future of mobility but the journey so far has been fraught with challenges. While customers may fundamentally be in favour of switching to electric alternatives, when it comes to buying one, they are still hesitant. The biggest impediments to the adoption of these vehicles on a large scale are range anxiety (the worry that the vehicle will run out of charge before reaching the destination or charging point) and its price. According to an EY report, an electric car costs 2X times an ICE variant in India. The cost of an electric two-wheeler is 15% more than that of an ICE variant.

A Bengaluru-based startup SWYTCHD provides electric vehicles on a monthly subscription basis. This subscription is all inclusive which covers insurance, charging refunds, servicing, maintenance, and breakdown support.

The Bengaluru-based startup, founded in December 2021 by Sameer Arif, offers a range of EVs (both two-wheelers and cars) on a monthly subscription model. The subscription includes costs of insurance, general servicing, maintenance (including normal wear and tear), breakdown support, and charging refunds, up to a maximum distance of 1,200 km a month.

 “Unlike a purchase process that requires a lot of time, dedication and capital, SWYTCHD is an easy decision with minimal paperwork, which can be done from the comfort of the home.”says Sameer

The subscription starts from Rs 5,000 for two-wheelers and Rs 30,000 for four-wheelers per month. The service is currently available only in Bengaluru.  SWYTCHD has partnered with Bounce as the official leasing and subscription partner for its Infinity scooter. Apart from this, the company also offers two-wheelers from Ather, Revolt Motors, Hero, and Ola, and cars such as TATA Tigor XZ+, TATA Nexon EV XZ+ Lux, Hyundai Kona Premium, and MG ZS EV Exclusive.

 

Rupee might slide further, according to a recent report.

The Indian rupee has been hitting new lows, week after week. From holding on to 74 against the US dollar in January to dropping to 83 last week — a double-digit fall in percentage terms in just 10 months — the rupee’s depreciation has not augured well for the economy. Economists caution that the currency could plunge further in the coming months before settling down. Some forecasters argue that the rupee could rebound and gain strength in the next fiscal year.

The fall of the rupee has been precipitated by global factors and an unusual strengthening of the dollar against almost all major currencies of the world. While the rupee has performed way better against the greenback than biggies such as the pound and the euro, the runaway dollar can’t be taken lightly since it has a massive fallout on India’s import bills and inflation.

The rupee will fall further against the US dollar over the rest of the year, a Reuters poll last week showed, setting up the currency for its steepest annual decline in at least nine years due to a widening domestic trade balance and surging US interest rates.

It is likely to fall further to 84.50 by December, according to the mean and median forecasts of a poll of 14 bankers and foreign exchange advisors. The estimates in the poll ranged between 83.25 and 86, showing a broad consensus that the Rupee would not recover this year.

Powerhouse behind Good American and SKIMS

Joining as a guest in season 14 of Shark tank, Emma Grede is a self-made businesswomen and the first black women to hold an investor position on the popular ABC show, Shark Tank.

In 2008, she established the marketing firm ITB Worldwide for fashion and entertainment.

She is also known for brands such as SKIMS, Good American and Safely.

She is also the chairwoman of the Fifteen Percent Pledge, a campaign that calls on stores to provide Black-owned firms 15% of their shelf space.

The Kardashian clan

Grede is a close business partner with the Kardashian-Jenner family, being the co-founder and CEO of Good American, a size-inclusive clothing line, in 2016 with Khloe Kardashian.

She is a founding partner and the chief product officer of shapewear company SKIMS, owned by Kim Kardashian where her husband is the CEO.

Along with Kris Jenner, she also co-founded the plant-based cleaning company Safely.

History and the start of the career

Born and raised in East London, England by a single mother, she started a side job when she was 12 years old and used her savings to purchase fashion magazines.

She attended the London College of Fashion to study business and left after landing an internship at Gucci.

Post that she quickly drew the attention of Inca Productions, one of Europe’s top producers of fashion shows and events.

Emma oversaw the department that handled sponsorship and endorsement deals after beginning as a producer.

She helped Inca establish the field of “designer collaborations,” which are partnerships between high fashion and consumer brands.

She did this by working with some of today’s top designers, including Alexander McQueen, Christopher Kane, Vivienne Westwood, and Zac Posen, as well as companies like Chivas, Mercedes-Benz, and Sky.

itb

Emma was appointed managing director of the newly established Independent Talent Group and Saturday Group joint venture, ITB, which represents brands’ interests in the entertainment industry, in 2008.

She was appointed CEO of ITB Group when the company bought the licensing firm Brand 360 in 2010.

She is currently the chairman of the business, which has offices in London, New York, and Los Angeles and serves customers like H&M, Calvin Klein, and Net-a-Porter.

ITB Group is active in the fields of artist representation, brand development, and entertainment marketing.

Good American and beyond

As a co-founder she established the Good American company in 2016 with Khloe Kardashian .

It is a US-based luxury clothing brand that supports the idea of a healthy physique and offers a wide range of sizes.

Sales of upwards of $1 million on the first day of the brand’s launch in October 2016 made it the largest apparel launch in history, further demonstrating a void in the market before Good American’s entry.

Instead of the straight body found in the traditional fashion establishment, Good American has been created to serve to a curvier, sexier, and stronger type of woman.

The company backs the nonprofit Step Up, which assists young women in reaching their full potential.

Soon after collaborating with Khloe’s sister and celebrity Kim Kardashian, they launched SKIMS, a all-women type shapewear affordable by the masses.

Recently she also collaborated with Kris Jenner herself for the plant based cleaning company Safely.

Emma Grede with her husband Jens Grede and four children, Grey, Lola, and twins Lake and Rafferty

Today, due to accumulating massive amount of success with so many brands, Forbes declared Emma Grede as one of the top 100 in America’s self-made woman.

Currently she has a net worth of $360 million and is happily married to Swedish entrepreneur Jens Grede. the couple reside in Los angles with their four kids.

What Indians worry about most, read the survey report by 'Ipsos'.

Urban Indians are most worried about unemployment (39 per cent), financial and political corruption (27 per cent), crime and violence (25 per cent), poverty, social inequality (22 per cent) and climate change (22 per cent) in the month of October, revealed Ipsos What Worries the World survey.

At least 2 in 10 urban Indians were worried about inflation (21 per cent), and India was placed last among 29 markets in its worry around inflation. 

Ipsos in India said, “India is still reeling under the collateral impact of the prolonged coronavirus and global slowdown of the economy due to the war in Ukraine, which are impacting jobs, leading to rising in corruption, crime and social inequality. Even the inflation impact is manifesting itself though India is better placed than its global counterparts due to the government’s steps to keep the fuel prices in check. Floods and adverse climate impacts are making urban Indians worry about climate change. These issues need to be addressed by the government first.

An exhibition of paintings wholly inspired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi

 Shri G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister for Culture, Tourism and Development of North-eastern Region, inaugurated an exhibition of paintings by eminent artist, Akbar Saheb today at National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi.  The art of Akbar Saheb is unique as all fifty-five artworks are wholly inspired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and his incredible journey and vision. The exhibition, curated by the well-known Rajeev Menon is open to the public from 28th October to 3rd November 2022.

On the occasion, the Union Minister said that Akbar Saheb has shown the journey of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi including from Gujarat to becoming the world leader. He added that the paintings show major policy decisions such as GST and depict demonetisation and surgical strike in a clear manner. Shri G.K also said the paintings show the challenges faced by Shri Narendra Modi and his achievements as Prime Minister. The paintings are also important as they show the impact of Shri Narendra Modi  around the world.

  

 

The themes presented promise to resonate with every Indian across the country. Each work is deeply rooted in the initiatives taken by the Union government and is directly linked to the aspirations of the common man and the progress of the nation. With his exceptional paintings, Akbar Saheb’s sole intention is to simply encourage and inspire Indians to follow their dream. Of particular interest is the painting titled ‘Dare to Dream’ which documents the courageous journey of a young boy, selling tea in a small town in Gujarat to realise his destiny as Prime Minister of the world’s largest democracy.

The paintings also highlight Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s success stories as well as the many challenges faced with various projects such as Vibrant Gujarat, Shining Bright (based on Asia’s largest solar park in Gujarat), Statue of Unity, Truth Prevails, Sadhbhavana Yatra and so on. Some paintings of note are ‘Lasting Impact’ which depicts his formidable power of resilience and endurance. ‘Bharat Mata’ is another evocative work where the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s mother is personified as Bharat Mata.

Interestingly more than forty artworks are fine expressions based on the popular series of talks, Mann ki Baat. Works like Sankalp Se Siddhi, Say NO to Black Money, Beware of Drugs, Save our Farmers, Water is a Blessing and Helping Hands are masterful compositions that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also send out a powerful message of humanity and compassion. A painting titled ‘Two Great Leaders’ illustrates some special moments shared with President Barack Obama of the United States. There are also the artist’s masterstrokes on the challenges of demonetization, Indus water treaty and the heroic sacrifices of the Indian army.

Akbar Saheb’s paintings present a narrative of mass mobilization and the positive impact of programmes like Swachh Bharat, Digital India, Mudra Yojana, Yoga as part of Life, electrification of villages and LPG connections for the poor. They also illustrate the revitalisation of the economy with the ambitious Make in India project and the growth of tourism as a showcase for the cultural heritage of the country.

***

NEOM : the futuristic sci-fi city of Saudi Arabia.

With plans under way to build Saudi Arabia’s smart city Neom, it is set to be a place in the desert unlike anything else on Earth.

NEOM is being called as what ‘New Future might look like’ by Saudi Arabia. Neom is a portmanteau of the Greek word neos. NEOM is being built on the Red Sea in northwest Saudi Arabia. It can be imagined as a place where entrepreneurship and innovation would frame the course for this New Future. The city is being marketed as a new model for sustainable living, working and prospering. Saudi officials describe it as “the world’s most ambitious project.”

Unveiling the project, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said the 170-kilometre coastal strip in the north-west of the country would be free of cars and streets and have zero carbon emissions.

The smart city will be powered entirely by clean energy, a major step in Saudi Arabia’s shift away from an oil-based economy.

The Line is to be built in Neom and will be home to nine million people, who will live in interconnected societies run by artificial intelligence designed to coexist with nature, with excavation on this massive project having now started.

Confronting the traffic, pollution and infrastructure challenges that overshadow urban life in conventional cities, this futuristic development will prioritise walkability, clean energy and technology to create a new way of living.

Home affordability report on Indian cities.

Ahmedabad continues to be the most affordable housing market at 22 per cent, followed by Pune at 26 per cent and Chennai at 27 per cent, among the top eight cities in India, global property consultant Knight Frank India’s Affordability Index for the third quarter (Q3) of 2022 showed.

Driven by the constant demand for housing properties, Bengaluru has emerged as the fourth most expensive real estate market in the country, stated in report.

Along with this, Mumbai and Hyderabad were known to have one of the most expensive residential markets in the country.

The index revealed that Bengaluru’s affordable housing market has become more expensive mainly because of the 50 bp hike in the repo rate by the Reserve Bank of India the previous month.

The repo rate hike ultimately caused the rise in median loan rates. These loan rates are a direct indication of the affordability of interested buyers and also impact consumer behaviour.

Status of India's Forex reserve.

Until the beginning of this year, the country had saved enough for the rainy day, because of strong capital flows in the past. However, those reserves are depleting fast. India lost nearly $85 billion of its forex reserves in the first half of the fiscal year, the second biggest depletion among major emerging market (EM) peers during the period.

India’s forex reserves were $528.4 billion as of 14 October, the lowest since July 2020, and sharply down from the record $642.4 billion last year. The rupee has crashed more than 10% against the US dollar this year and slipped below 83 for the first time in past few weeks.

To help arrest rupee’s record fall, the Reserve Bank of India has also burned $114 billion from its forex coffer, triggering concerns on this front as well. The central bank has however attributed about two-thirds of the decline to valuation effects. The decline of the forex reserves cannot be solely attributed to a central bank’s intervention to defend the currency against the dollar.

There has been a sharp depletion of forex reserves in the last few months, but what is comforting is India’s high level of reserves that has enabled it to withstand the sharp depletion without any major panic so far. Another comforting factor is the country’s low external debt (20% of gross domestic product) and the short-term debt as a share of total external debt is around 20%.

My Heart and Other Black Holes- Book Review

DISCLAIMER: This review contains spoilers.

One emerging trend in media is the glorification and romanticization of mental health disorders. As a result of the same, a lot of Young Adult (YA) novels have integrated various mental health issues into their plots while still bearing inaccurate representations as young adults look at these serious issues through rose-tinted glasses. Ofter, it ends on a high note thus masking the dark reality of these problems and wrongly depicting the healing process.

My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga is a transitional piece of literature to me. I find that it balances the scale- it depicts certain aspects of mental health issues that are appealing to young adults through the form of romance while also portraying very dark aspects of depression in a fairly blunt manner.

This book follows the bittersweet tale of two teenagers with traumatic childhoods. Aysel is a sixteen-year-old girl who was raised by her father- however, her father murdered a local boy and she carries that stigma everywhere. She pushes her friends and family away to the point where they barely interact with her anymore. Roman, a sixteen-year-old boy blames himself for his sister’s death and bears the weight of that guilt on his shoulders. Both of them want to end their lives and they become Suicide Buddies through a website. Roman wishes to die by drowning on the anniversary of his sister’s death. They both decide to die together.

Naturally, they begin to fall for each other. Warga artfully depicts the contrast between the thought processes of the two teenagers. For Aysel, all she really needed was to be close to someone again, so meeting Roman helped her heal. Roman, on the other hand, was plagued by guilt and was in his own head which meant that the chances of love changing his thoughts and feelings were far less likely. She showcases this beautifully as we can see Aysel’s determination to take her own life reduce and Roman’s determination to do the same be unwavering. Roman’s final suicide attempt without Aysel shows that he loved her enough to want a good life for her but not enough to live his life. The book ends on an ambiguous note and the readers are left wondering about the uncertain future of Aysel and Roman.

Jasmine Warga displays a clean and slightly poetic writing style throughout the book. The language and narration remain consistent throughout the book. There is clear character development for the main characters and adequate character development for others.

All in all, My Heart and Other Black Holes is a very well written piece of YA fiction. I would highly recommend this book to those looking for a quick yet meaningful read.

Rating:

★★★★

Last solar eclipse of the year witnessed today.

For the uninitiated, a partial solar eclipse is one where the Earth moves through the lunar penumbra as the moon travels between the earth and the sun. It is referred to as ‘partial’ because the moon does not block the entirety of the sun, when witnessed from the Earth.

After Diwali on October 25, India and many parts of the world witnessed a partial solar eclipse which was visible in the different regions.

A Solar eclipse occurs when the Moon comes between Sun and Earth and blocks the light of the sun, casting a shadow onto Earth.

When the sun and moon are not perfectly aligned in a straight line, a partial solar eclipse occurs. The sun takes on a crescent shape as if the moon has taken a bite out of it and the Moon only reflects the outer part of Earth’s shadow, known as the penumbra.

Today’s eclipse is special as the last partial solar eclipse was seen from India in 2007 and the next such event would occur only in 2032. Although another partial solar eclipse will occur only in 2025 but that event would not be visible from India.

Indian origin Rishi Sunak become Britain new PM.

Rishi Sunak has scripted history by becoming Britain’s first Indian-origin Prime Minister. His former boss Boris Johnson and Penny Mordaunt could not gather the support of 100 MPs needed to stand in the elections. The former U.K. Treasury chief was runner-up to Ms. Liz Truss in the contest to replace the scandal-plagued Mr. Boris Johnson as Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister. But Ms. Truss quit after a turbulent 45-day term, and Mr. Johnson has abandoned a comeback attempt, leaving Mr. Sunak a strong favorite to finally assume the office he missed out on less than two months ago.

Rishi Sunak will become Britain’s next prime minister after he won the race to lead the Conservative Party, leaving him with the task of steering a deeply divided country through an economic downturn set to leave millions of people poorer.

Sunak, one of the wealthiest politicians in Westminster and set to be the country’s first leader of colour, will be asked to form a government by King Charles, replacing Liz Truss, the outgoing leader who only lasted 44 days in the job before she resigned.

Sunak, the 42-year-old former finance minister, becomes Britain’s third prime minister in less than two months, tasked with restoring stability to a country reeling from years of political and economic turmoil. The multi-millionaire former hedge fund boss will be expected to launch deep spending cuts to try to rebuild Britain’s fiscal reputation, just as the country slides into a recession, dragged down by the surging cost of energy and food.