Category: World

Environmental Pollution

Pollution is the presence of particles or elements in a natural environment and thereby degrading the quality of it. It causes adverse changes to natural environment. Pollution is caused by contaminants and they can be of various types. Contaminants can be particles like chemical substances, gases or energy. They can be foreign substances or naturally occurring ones. Depending on the kind of contaminants and the environment, there are different forms of pollution – air pollution, light pollution, litter, noise pollution, plastic pollution, soil contamination, radioactive contamination, thermal pollution, visual pollution, and water pollution.

Pollution exists mainly in urban societies. The burning of coal and wood increase carbon content in air and make the cities the primary sources of pollution. The Industrial Revolution had brought an infusion of untreated chemicals and wastes into local water resources which supplied water to the people. Early instances include the time when King Edward I of England banned the burning of sea-coal by proclamation in London in 1272, after its smoke became a problem.

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The major forms of pollution are described as follows:

Air pollution – It is caused by the release of chemicals and particulates into the atmosphere. Common gaseous pollutants are carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and nitrogen oxides which are produced by industry and motor vehicles.

Electromagnetic pollution – It is caused due to the overabundance of electromagnetic radiation in their non-ionizing form, like radio waves, etc. Nowadays people are constantly exposed to these radiations.

Light pollution – It includes light trespass, over-illumination and astronomical interference. There have been instances when over illumination of a natural environment by artificial lights have caused birds to be awake at night. It disturbs their natural time cycle.

Noise pollution – It includes noise from all sorts of sources like roadway noise, aircraft noise, industrial noise as well as high-intensity sonar.

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Plastic pollution – This involves the accumulation of plastic products and microplastics in the environment and thereby affecting the wildlife, wildlife habitat, and humans.

Soil contamination – It is caused by chemicals released by spills or underground leakages. Among the most significant soil contaminants are hydrocarbons, heavy metals, MTBE herbicides, pesticides and chlorinated hydrocarbons.

Radioactive contamination – This has increased the 20th century due to activities in atomic physics, such as nuclear power generation and nuclear weapons research, manufacture and deployment.

Thermal pollution – This is a temperature change in natural water bodies. The most common reason is human influence. For example, the use of water as coolant in a power plant.

Visual pollution – It refers to the presence of overhead power lines, motorway billboards, scarred landform, open storage of trash, municipal solid waste or space debris.

Water pollution – It is caused by the discharge of wastewater from commercial and industrial factories into surface waters resources. It also includes discharges of untreated domestic sewage, and chemical contaminants, such as chlorine, treated sewage; pesticides and fertilizer components reaching water bodies through irrigation water. Groundwater pollution is caused from waste disposal including pit latrines and septic tanks; eutrophication and littering.

With growing evidence of local and global pollution, more and more people have started getting informed over time. Issues such as global warming and climate change have also developed in recent years. These have given rise to environmentalism and environmental movements. There are environmental activists who work to raise awareness and to limit human impact on the environment.

Significance & Evolution of Western music

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The Mid & the late 2000s was the era of songs when you had the most beautiful songs. The lyrics, rhythm & music just made so much sense & blended so perfectly to fit in each other. I still remember swaying my head listening to these tracks, whilst sitting by the window seat of local trains. As the cool breeze hit my face & the music captivated my soul. Truly an underrated experience. 

Be it pop, jazz, heavy metals, or blues every musical composition had some deep & pleasant meanings to lend. 

  Remember the days back when we used thomp our feet on Shakira’s ‘Waka-Waka’ & ‘Closer’ by Chainsmoker’s. And if you are a fan of laments, then you may also recall sinking your heart listening to ‘A Thousand Years’ by Christina Perri or ‘Let Her Go’ by Passenger. 

  You bet I didn’t forget all-time fave & heartthrobs of millions right? The One Direction! Giving a series of popular hits back then . ‘Live while we are young’ & ‘What makes you beautiful’ being the liveliest tracks I’ve ever heard. I don’t know if you’ve ever heard to the songs of this American musical drama movie called ‘The Sound of Music.‘ It was made in the mid-1960s. But if you haven’t, you must give it a try. 

  To the present, where we are mindlessly mesmerized by the songs that hold no proper significance of lyrics. No wonder why the current generation songs aren’t sought for traces of culture & ethics. Well, this is a never-ending debate that can be conquered by none. 

   A good song helps not only to have a rest but it’s also helpful for learning new vocabulary. If you like listening to music, your hobby can prove to be quite beneficial to you. As many people including myself, believe in music therapy. This helps you deal with your physical, mental & emotional by establishing a therapeutic relationship with music. 

    “One good thing about music is when it hits you, you feel no pain”  

                                                           ~Bob Marley

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Listening to these Billboard chart artists like- Taylor Swift, Marshmello, Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Selena Gomez, Billie Eilish, Cardi B, Beyonce, Ariana Grande, Harry Styles are treat to ears. Similarly, bands like The Beatles, Maroon 5, The Weeknd, Imagine Dragons. The list goes on & on. Also, pardon me if I missed out on some importants. 

  From the era where one used to feel at bliss listening to music through gramophone to attending live gigs. We have come a long way. Attending the live concerts where the audience sings in chorus with the singer over & over again. And then finally as it ends, a sudden silence falls for a fraction of seconds. Moments later the crowd breaks into a round of applause. Isn’t it intoxicating & magical all at the same time? 

     K-pop bands like BTS, Army, Blackpink are no behind in taking the music levels to new heights & breaking the internet. Despite the fact of being unable to understand their language, fans all over the world haven’t given up on them. As songs sometimes doesn’t need understanding all it needs is music & soul to connect with. But that doesn’t necessarily imply mindless lyrics are all the same. 

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    Have you ever heard of this newly emerging virtual artist called, Lil Miquela? She’s currently taking the music world by storm & has a booming fan base. A CGI character created by Trevor Mcfredries & Sara DeCou. Precisely a robot of 19-years who has released some crackling electro-pop singles. Thus taking the internet by storm. 

      So this is how time flew by, from using instruments to produce musical notes to just using certain software to produce EDMSs. The simple lyrical songs overtime replaced the hearts of the masses by rap songs.

Coronavirus Latest News: Top 10

  1. AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine reached Phase 3 clinical trials in the United States and is very close to get an approval. It could get launched before the November 3, 2020.
  2. The Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital, Bhuwaneshwar, is preparing for the second phase of the human clinical trial of ‘Covaxin’. There were zero side effects in the reports of first trials.
  3. The German scientists claim that they found that cancer drugs stop the growth of coronavirus. A total image of all correspondence channels of a human cell contaminated by coronavirus is recorded and observed for the first time. If these flagging pathways are interrupted and stopped, the virus can not duplicate and spread in the body anymore. Read the study here.
  4. Auckland, the largest city of New Zealand, successfully controls coronavirus spread and exits the lockdown.
  5. China has successfully controlled the transmission of coronavirus and did not find any new community spread reports of the coronavirus in the past few days. After Beijing and Shanghai, Wuhan reopens all the schools.
  6. Reopening of schools in the U.S. proves to record a lot more cases of coronavirus in the country when school children and staff are tested positive.
  7. Anti-mask protestors still on the rise in many parts of the U.S.
  8. Coronavirus protestors come out on the streets of Berlin in Germany, to fight for basic human rights.
  9. Peru, South America now has world’s highest coronavirus death rate.
  10. Japan plans to extend coronavirus loan for India to fight the pandemic.

Hallyu is the new frontrunner of Soft Power

Hard Power or coercive power is often recognized as having shaped Global Politics for years. A smaller nation ought to fear a bigger nation that has an expansive army or greater economic prowess. On the other hand, soft power in politics refers to the ability to attract and co-opt rather than coerce. Soft Power is thus co-optive power. It primarily refers to shaping others’ preferences through appeal or through attraction.

Joseph S Nye Jr. was the scholar who coined the term soft power in the late 1980s. He defined it as the ability of a country to persuade others to do what it wants without force or coercion. In the context of International Relations, it emerged as one of the go-to-strategies for many. The US was among the earliest beneficiaries with the McDonaldization of the world. More recently, Asian countries have witnessed a remarkable boom in their economies thanks to the concept of soft power.

South Korea has been among the biggest beneficiaries of the same. Korean pop, or K-pop as it is more commonly known, has been at the heart of Korean soft power strategies. The Korean culture wave or ‘Hallyu’ has taken the world by storm. K-Dramas were initially meant for domestic audience but its audience soon spread to other parts of Asia and slowly captured the world. K-pop groups like EXO, BTS, Blackpink are now household names. BTS accounted for $4.65 billion (£3.5 billion) of South Korea’s GDP in 2019. EXO’s Baekhyun, who debuted as a soloist in 2019, released his second album in May 2020 and went on to become the first soloist in over 19 years to sell more than one million physical albums. In today’s digital day and age, selling over one million physical albums is a huge achievement.

The popularity of Korean music, K-Dramas and films has resulted in growth in other sectors such as food, tourism and has increased the demand for the Korean language as well. The international popularity of K-pop groups, actors and Hallyu in general, is a great example of the proliferation of Korean soft power. Soft power is at the heart of cultural diplomacy. Through deploying cultural diplomacy tools, nations and other international actors mobilize resources for forming positive opinions about their culture, people and society. The promotion of soft power through cultural diplomacy is a shared interest of both governmental and non-governmental actors as well as K-pop agencies.

K-pop groups play a big part in spreading positive associations with Korean culture worldwide, through the immediate impact of their performances on international music charts, merchandising and rise in tourism. The huge demand for K-pop merchandise in India is testimony to their growing popularity in the region. There are many sellers on Instagram and Twitter who devote their time and efforts to conducting group orders for fans in India in order to help them order albums and other merchandise from South Korea. All these cases illustrate how influential South Korean soft power strategy has been in expanding horizons for the Far East Asian nation.

Ancient Egyptian Gods

Ancient Egyptian Society had many different deities which were an important part of the people’s belief system. There were about 2000 deities in the Egyptian pantheon which were an integral part of the culture. The most famous gods were considered as State Deities while others were a part of the rituals of a specific region. Some of the most popular Deities are – Isis, Osiris, Horus, Ra, Bastet, Set, Nephthys, Anubis.

Isis

Isis was the goddess of magic and was a clever and ambitious woman. She was the wife of Osiris and the patron of magicians. She loved her husband very much and encouraged their son to take vengeance on the evil god Set who had Osiris. She is shown as a beautiful woman with colourful wings.

Osiris

Osiris was a wise and good pharaoh and the husband of Isis. He taught men about farming and is said to have built the first cities of Egypt. His brother Set tricked him into getting inside a coffin and made it into pieces and then hid the pieces all over Egypt. Isis spent years searching for him and eventually put all the pieces together when he partially came back to life. He was the god of the underworld and he sat in judgement over the souls of the dead.

Horus

Horus was called as the Avenger and the son of Isis and Osiris. When he grew up, he defeated Set and became the new pharaoh of Egypt. All mortal pharaohs are considered as descendants of him. Falcon is his symbol and he is often pictured as the man with a falcon’s head.

Ra

Ra was the first pharaoh of the world and the God of the Sun. The Egyptians celebrated as Ra would emerge victoriously after sailing the golden sun ship across the sky. After many centuries Ra became old and went back to the heaven after giving his throne to Osiris.

Bastet

Bastet was the goddess of cats and extremely popular in Egypt. She was a protective goddess and people used to wear amulets with her likeness for good luck. She is pictured as a cat fighting with a knife with the serpent Apep. She was the faithful cat of Ra.

Set

He was the god of desert, storms and evil. He is very tricky and the strongest of all the gods. He became the pharaoh after killing his brother Osiris and was later defeated by his nephew Horus. After that he fled into the desert and controlled the harsh lands outside of the Nile valley. In his old age he spent his days sailing Ra’s boat and defending her from the armies of the serpent Apep. He is pictured as a red skinned god with the head of an unknown animal demon.

Nephthys

Nephthys is the kind and gentle river goddess. She is the wife of Set and the sister of Isis. She didn’t like Set and helped Isis to find the pieces of Osiris and put him together. Her son was Anubis.

Anubis

Anubis is the god of funerals and the most important god. He helped Isis make Osiris into the first mummy. He is pictured as a man with a jackal’s head.

Veganism

Over the past few years, the concept of veganism has become largely popular. Many famous personalities have also started switching into veganism. According to Wikipedia, “Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products, particularly in diet, and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals.” There is a specific pattern of eating involved in it which includes only plant-based food items. Vegan people replace dairy products with plant based milks like soy, scrambled eggs with scrambled tofu, honey with maple syrup and similar other options. They also refrain from using other animal products like clothing from animal products and leather. It is a lifestyle which attempts to decrease animal exploitation as much as possible.

The term “vegan” was first coined by Donald Watson in 1944 when he founded the Vegan Society with a small group of vegetarians, who broke away from the Leicester Vegetarian Society in England. It is said that the term “vegan” was constructed by combining the first and last letters of “vegetarian.” At first it was used to mean “non-dairy vegetarian” and by May 1945 vegans started abstaining from “eggs, honey; and animals’ milk, butter and cheese”. They chose to not consume dairy or any other product of animal origin along with abstaining from meat like vegetarians. In 1951, the Society changed its definition to “the doctrine that man should live without exploiting animals”. It is currently defined as “a way of living that attempts to exclude all forms of animal exploitation and cruelty, be it from food, clothing, or any other purpose.” Interest in Veganism started from the latter part of 2010s as more and more vegan stores opened increasing vegan options. These have started to be increasingly available in supermarkets and restaurants across the world.

Reason behind going Vegan

Vegans generally choose to avoid animal products for reasons like Ethics, Health and Environment.

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People who support the ethics of the practice are called Ethical Vegans who strongly agree to the belief that all creatures have the right to life and freedom. So, they oppose killing a conscious being to simply consume its flesh, drink its milk, or wear its skin — especially when alternatives are available. They also oppose the psychological and physical stress that animals may endure as a result of modern farming practices. For instance, the small pens and cages in which many livestock animals are forced to live between birth and slaughter, the farming industry’s practices of the grinding of live male chicks by the egg industry or the force-feeding of ducks and geese for the foie gras market. Ethical vegans also protest against animal cruelty and raise awareness about ending all forms of cruelty towards animals.

Some also choose veganism due to its health benefits. Plant-based diets may reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and premature death. Lowering the intake of animal products may likewise reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease or dying from cancer or heart disease. One can also avoid the side effects linked to the antibiotics and hormones which are used in modern animal agriculture. Studies show that there is a relation between vegan diets and lower body weight and body mass index (BMI).

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Vegan diets are high in dietary fiber, magnesium, folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E, iron, and phytochemicals; and low in dietary energy, saturated fat, cholesterol, long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, calcium, zinc, and vitamin B12. There is also the possibility of nutrition deficiency because elimination of all animal products may lead to nutritional deficiencies. Some of these can only be prevented through the choice of fortified foods or the regular intake of dietary supplements. Vitamin B12 supplementation is considered to be very important in some cases.

Some people avoid animal products and shift to veganism for the environmental impacts. It is widely known that animal agriculture is a very water intensive process. The UN report of 2010 suggests that animal products need more resources and produce a higher percentage of greenhouse gas emissions than plant-based options.

Black Man Shot by Police in Wisconsin, Protests Follow

Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man was shot in the back by the Wisconsin police in the city of Kenosha. The incident happened on Sunday, while he was walking towards his car and was shot several times in the back. His three young sons witnessed the shooting from the car and were screaming after seeing their father being shot. Video footage of the shooting was shared on social media, which was taken from across the street, it shows the father-of-three leaning into the car. An officer is seen grabbing his shirt after which seven shots were heard. It is unclear what had happened before the video recording begun. He survived the shooting and had a surgery. His father had told the newspapers that his son is paralyzed but the doctors do not know whether its permanent.

At night, groups of protesters defying a dusk-to-dawn curfew gathered outside the courthouse. They confronted law enforcement officers in riot gear outside the county courthouse which was blocks away from where Jacob Blake was shot. They were shouting and tossing water bottles after which they were responded with tear gas and pepper balls.

Despite the curfew, demonstrations erupted on Sunday night, which lead the authorities to close public buildings. Governor Tony Evers have ordered National Guard troops to be deployed in the city to maintain order. He has condemned the incident and “the excessive use of force” and called for a special legislative session next week in order to reconsider police reforms. Protestors marched on the streets from Monday night into Tuesday morning. Many commercial and government buildings and vehicles were set ablaze. The disturbances and protests had slowed down by early morning. According to a protestor, the police used tear gas, rubber bullets and smoke bombs to disperse the crowd. Protestors were marching peacefully but a small group suddenly got violent and started setting fires and breaking glass. The instigators who were seen were reported to be white. After the demonstrations ended, the police and demonstrators had worked together to clean the debris.

The incident occurred three months after the death of George Floyd on May 25. The Black man was pinned to the street under the knee of a white police officer in Minneapolis. The incident sparked protests, against police brutality and racism within the U.S. criminal justice system, across the country and abroad.

Black Lives Matter activists have demanded the arrest of the officers involved in it. Attorney Crump, who also has also represented Floyd’s family, said in a statement, “Blake had been trying to de-escalate a domestic incident when the officers first shot him with a stun gun. As he was walking away to check on his children, police fired their weapons several times into his back at point-blank range.”

Sunday’s shooting had been termed a “domestic incident’ which the police responded to. According to a police statement, they had immediately taken him to the hospital. Authorities have given no further explanation of the details of the incident or what had led to the shooting. The officers who were involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave. The Wisconsin Department of Justice said on Monday that the investigation is underway.

Latest in Environment: Top 10

  1. Scientists in U.S., created a clothing material to keep our bodies cool to the extent which eliminates the need of air conditioning. The fabric does not even need electricity or batteries to work. Read the paper here.
  2. India is investing aggressively in eco theme parks and other tourism sites, which include a Buddhist theme park at Futala, a tourism circuit in Saurashtra and an energy park at Koradi.
  3. A study concludes that children who are raised in greenery and eco-friendly environment have higher IQs than the ones who are not. Pollution adversely affects brain development in children.
  4. California wildfires: More than 752,000 acres got burned, nearly 1,000 structures got destroyed, and 5 citizens lost their lives in the horrific historical fires.
  5. The United States Environment Protection Agency (EPA) paved way for the oil and gas industries to exploit the environment with no hindrance. The trump EPA does so by rolling back an Obama policy of curbing gas leaks at pipelines and wells. The EPA is giving the oil and gas companies the green signal to release much more climate-warming dangerous methane into the atmosphere.
  6. Despite COVID-19 lockdown, Carbon emissions did not reduce. The increase in CO2 levels just slowed down a bit and are still increasing day by day.
  7. The NASA study reveals that ice sheets of Greenland are melting at a speed that even if the global warming stopped right now, they will continue to melt at a significant rate. This is called as no point of return. They are contributing as a single most reason for the rise in ocean levels.
  8. The division of European Union’s Agricultural budget is gravely flawed. It spends money on large farms, without considering environmental contributions of those farms, ignores small farms and farmers and hence, hinders in green recovery from COVID-19. Read the study here.
  9. The scientists at Colorado State University developed a recyclable plastic with the ability to maintain its original qualities after recycling. They do it with a material called PBTL. Read the paper here.
  10. The United Nations E-waste monitor report shows that electronic waste is the world’s fastest growing domestic waste stream. A record 53.6 million metric tonnes (Mt) of E-waste got generated in 2019, and it predicts that this will be 74Mt by 2030.

Face masks now a fashion statement.

COVID-19 had changed everyone’s life altogether whether it is living a comfortable life at own’s residence or to change the fashion style from formal to casual. it had also led to develop some new habits and and improving lifestyle through yoga and exercise completely. If we inspect; the most essential thing these days is wearing a face mask, people had gone all way innovative in making their mask look fashionable and it is gradually becoming a new trend.

“Whether they’re printed or woven, denim or cotton, masks with a creative, handmade touch are trending. Many young women are opting for contrast styled masks. Nobody wants to overlook sustainable fashion at this time of crisis,” says Vikash Pacheriwal, co-founder, RAISIN A BRAND by Parvati Fabrics Limited, adding “Washable cotton masks are selling like hot cakes.”

Thinking about the similar line, marriages to are held with the bride and groom wearing mask similar to their dress code. Within few weeks a new fashion had emerged all across the globe. Designers say that, while quite a few of us have invested in making designer masks, the focus hasn’t just been on churning out attractive patterns that stand out, but rather on protective capabilities.Clearly, the designer face mask aren’t going away any time soon, though, so choose wisely. Surgical, N95 and N99 masks are all different, but most wearers don’t adjust them well enough for them to be effective.

Varieties of designs, color and pattern masks are seen all around this makes to add some flavors in life in this tough time. Face mask provide a new survival at the same time a new look!

Was the Environment Healing During the Pandemic?

While the outbreak of the Covid 19 pandemic prompted lockdowns in many countries all over the world, the resultant decrease in emissions may have improved the health of our planet. Incidents where endangered animals have been spotted in certain areas were all around social media.

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The worldwide disruption caused by this has resulted in great impacts on the environment and the climate. Also, the considerable decline in travel has caused many regions to experience a large drop in air pollution. Carbon emission rates have reduced across countries significantly. There have been many instances where considerable changes in environmental conditions were observed. In China, lockdowns and similar measures have resulted in a 25 percent reduction in carbon emissions and 50 per cent reduction in nitrogen oxides emissions. One scientist estimated that this may have saved at least 77,000 lives over the course of two months. When compared with indexes of last year, pollution levels in New York have decreased almost by 50% this year. Satellite images have shown that Nitrogen dioxide emissions have started to decrease in Northern Italy, Spain and United Kingdom.

As most people had to stay at home due to lockdown and travel restrictions, many animals have been spotted in several cities. Sea turtles were spotted laying eggs on beaches they once avoided. This was found in coasts of the Bay of Bengal due to the lowered levels of pollution and human intervention. In the United States, dangerous vehicle collisions with animals such as deer, elk, moose, bears, mountain lions were very common. These incidents have reduced greatly and the rates fell by 58% during March and April. Endangered animals were visible in urban cities. A group of Nilgai deers were spotted on the roads of Noida near New Delhi. Dolphins which were seen in the Ganges many years ago, were also spotted in the river during the lockdowns. Several migratory birds were spotted across cities.

Gabon, an African country, had decided to ban the human consumption of certain animals like, bats and pangolins. This was done to reduce the spread of zoonotic diseases because the novel coronavirus is thought to have transmitted to humans through these animals.

According to a study published in May 2020, it was found that the rate of daily global carbon emissions during the lockdown in early April fell by 17%. This could possibly lead to an annual carbon emissions decline of up to 7%, which would be the biggest drop in emissions since World War II according to the study. Researchers suggest that these decreases are mainly due to the reduction of transportation usage and industrial activities. It is true that rebounding and returning to our previous routine and lives could diminish these reductions due to the more limited industrial activities. Due to the reduction in flights, air pollution levels have also dropped significantly.

Temporary changes have affected the environmental conditions. However, whether this pandemic will have a lasting impact on the environment is yet to be known. None of us would have wanted to lower emissions in this way, but it has shown us what we can do together in times of need. Covid-19 has shown us the importance of lives, health services, jobs and mental health. It has also shown us the difference that people and communities can make when they work together – this has given us hope that we can show the same zeal while dealing with climate change and saving our planet.

Inconic Festivals Around the World

Festivals happen all over the world and exploring them can be an extraordinary experience for anyone who enjoys culture and art. The following list includes some of the most colourful, amazing festivals which are celebrated in different places around the world.

THE YI PENG LANTERN FESTIVAL, THAILAND

The Yi Peng lantern festival is a very unique kind of festival celebrated in Northern Thailand during a full moon light. It was traditionally celebrated as a festival to mark the end of the monsoon season. It is a spectacular sight to see thousands of sky lanterns floating in the sky and beautiful flowers floating on the Ping river.

HOLI, INDIA

Holi, also known as the festival of colours, is mostly celebrated by Indians during Spring. During the festival people play with colours and engage in dance, music and festivities. It also represents the arrival of ‘Basanta’ or Spring. The traditional festival includes fun filled games and water gun fights.

WINTER LIGHTS FESTIVAL, JAPAN

This is one of the illumination festivals which one must attend. The incredible Winter Light festival takes place in a park in Kuwana City of Japan during November to March. Attracting thousands of tourists, the festival is one of Japan’s finest illuminations. The park also has a variety of restaurants.

GOLDEN RETRIEVER FESTIVAL, SCOTLAND

Known as one of the happiest places on Earth, the Golden Retriever Festival is organized by the Golden Retriever Club of Scotland. It is a mass gathering of Golden Retrievers along with dog lovers in the ancestral home of the breed in a Scottish Village. In 2018, the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the breed was done with the gathering of about 360 Retrievers.

ALBUQUERQUE BALLOON FIESTA, USA

The biggest hot air balloon festival in the world, Albuquerque balloon fiesta is  a nine day long event held in New Mexico during early October. Guests have the rare opportunity of seeing the inflation and take off of around 600 colourful hot air balloons. It is the most photographed event in the world.

LA TOMATINA FESTIVAL, SPAIN

The La Tomatina Festival is held on the last wednesday of August on the streets of Bunol town in Spain. It is a fun event where participants from all around the world throw squashed tomatoes at each other. The week long festival is also famous for its parades, fireworks, music and dance. The tomatoes are provided to the participants before the start of the event. In order to maintain safety participants are encouraged to wear goggles and water trucks are placed across streets.

FLORIDA KEYS UNDERWATER MUSIC FESTIVAL, USA

The festival is usually celebrated to draw attention to the conservation of the coral reef. It is a wonderful festival for divers and music lovers. The festival takes place in a sand area near the coral reef. Hundreds of divers and underwater musicians play songs on the theme of Ocean. It is being celebrated every year for the last 25 years.

ICE AND SNOW SCULPTURE FESTIVAL, CHINA

The Harbin ice and snow festival takes place during the month of January in Harbin of Heilongjiang province of China. Attracting thousands of tourists it features an international competition of ice sculptures and illuminated snow block buildings. Multicoloured lights illuminate the ice and snow formations creating a spectacular sight at night. Artists who construct the ice sculptures use ice from the frozen Songhua river.

OKTOBERFEST, GERMANY

The largest funfair in the world, Oktoberfest takes place from the end of September to beginning of October in Munich City of Germany. The festival attracting around 6 million people around the world includes amusement rides and traditional food. 6 breweries around Munich serve around 7 million litres of beer every year.

Climate Change

The phenomenon of rising temperatures of the Earth resulting in change of climate, seasons, rainfall patterns etc. Is called global warming. Global warming and its effects are together referred to as Climate Change. While these changes have been seen before but the rate of change has increased rapidly from the middle of the 20th century. Findings from different recognized scientific organizations support these claims. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), “human influence on climate has been the dominant cause of observed warming since the mid-20th century”. The emission of greenhouse gases as a result of human activities have been one of the largest causes for this. Fossil fuels, Chloro-fluro carbons (CFCs), deforestation, rise in different forms of pollution are all behind this.

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Temperature change is also accompanied by loss of snow cover, melting permafrost, frequent natural disasters like cyclones. Land surfaces heat more quickly which have resulted in heat waves, forest fires, increase in desert area. These temperature changes are the highest in the Arctic region. Changes in environmental conditions have led to extinction of several wildlife species in forests, coral reefs etc. Rising carbon dioxide emissions lead to rising sea levels, ocean temperatures and ocean acidification. These changes bring in frequent droughts, extreme weather conditions affecting the equilibrium and natural balance.

Almost all countries have come together for climate change under the umbrella of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The convention aims to “prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system”. It has instructed policy makers that there is much greater risk to human and natural systems if the warming goes above 1.5 °C compared to pre-industrial levels. Under the Paris Agreement, nations have made climate pledges to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but even after following those, global warming would still reach about 2.8 °C by 2100. To prevent this from happening and limit the warming to 1.5 °C, methane emissions need to decrease to near-zero levels and carbon dioxide emissions should reach net-zero by the year 2050.

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Governments should act immediately and policies should be constructed to reduce fossil fuel emissions, increase reforestation, forest prevention, use of low carbon energy technologies, food preservation. All societies should work together towards dealing with future global warming problems in a scientific way. Development of more resistant crops, better disaster management should also be considered.

Several international movements have taken place like Fridays For Future where school students take time off from school to aware people and demand climate change action from governments. They demand action from political leaders of the world for the fossil fuel industry to convert to renewable energy and take immediate measures for climate change. This movement was publicised after Greta Thunberg started a protest outside the Swedish parliament with a poster saying “School strike for climate”. She is an environmental activist who has spoken at several internationally recognised platforms. She started her journey as an activist from the time when she had convinced her parents to change their lifestyle for reducing their carbon footprint. She is known for her straight forward manner of speaking at public platforms and criticizing world leaders for their failure to address climate change. She has participated in the United Nations Climate Change Conference (2018) and UN Climate Action Summit (2019). She has also got several awards and made it into the Forbes list of The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women (2019). Though her popularity at such a young age has made her a target of critics, but she continues to work and struggle towards her goal with indomitable spirit.

Street Food Around the World

One of the best ways to know about the history and culture of a place is to try out its cuisine. Not only does it provide one with a delicious treat, it also speaks a lot about the place and its people. Local cuisines range from elaborate meals to roadside snacks. But I feel, to get the real taste of a place you need to try out its street food. While trying out various dishes from the streets you get to explore a place in the best way possible. Here are some amazing food items from all around the world!

Aloo Chat – South Asia

It is a dish which is made with boiled potatoes, cut into cubes and mixed with different spices and chutney. It is popular in Pakistan, parts of Northern and Eastern India and Bangladesh. Aloo chat is a snack or side dish and it varies from region to region in terms of spices and taste.

Crepe – France

Crepe is a popular pancake like pastry which is popular in France and Belgium. They are made with all kinds of fillings and flavours. There are two types of Crepe – ones that are sweet that are made with wheat flour and ones that are savory which are made with buckwheat flour. Sweet crepes are eaten with fruits, custards, whipped cream or chocolate and savory crepes are served with eggs, mushrooms, cheese and ratatouille.

Chuan – China

Chuans are a type of meat kabab served with spices like black pepper, cumin seeds, sesame and red pepper flakes. These kababs are roasted over charcoal or deep fried in oil. It originates from the Uighur and other Muslim communities of China.

Gelato – Italy

Often confused with ice cream, Gelato is an Italian dessert made with milk, sugar, cream, nuts, fruits and toppings. It is much low in fat than traditional American ice cream and has more flavors which makes it a rich and delicious dessert. There are a lot of flavors including vanilla, chocolate, hazelnut, pistachio.

Hot Dog – United States of America

It is a classic American street food and you can find it in food trucks and restaurants across cities like New York and Chicago. A grilled sausage is served in between a steamed hot dog bun along with mustard, ketchup, onion, cheese and chilli. There are a lot of varieties which differ in shapes, taste and sizes.

Mango Sticky Rice – Thailand

Mango Sticky Rice, also called Khaoniao Mamuang is a popular Thai dessert. It is also eaten in Cambodia, Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries. A specific form of sticky rice is mixed with coconut milk and is served with Mango slices. The coconut milk is added so that the rice absorbs all the flavour and tastes sweet. It is popular during the peak mango season in Thailand during the summer months of April and May.

Naan – Central Asia & Middle East

Naan is a traditional bread which originated in Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. It is made with flour, water and ghee. Additional ingredients like milk and yoghurt are also added in different varieties. Made in a tandoor oven, it is a flat bread which is served with other items like curries and fillings. It is served hot brushed with butter and ghee.

Coronavirus Latest Updates: Top 10

  1. After the anti-mask protests, scientists in USA said that they have noticed a trend and conducted experiments which prove that even the cloth masks slow the spread of the virus. It is a very necessary protective layer. They find out that people who wear a mask are mostly asymptomatic. Click here for more information.
  2. Face shields reduced the risk of infection from 19% to zero. The study is published in the medical journal JAMA network.
  3. Humidity is a key factor is the spread of coronavirus. Professor Michael Ward, an epidemiologist in the at the University of Sydney, and two researchers from Fudan University in Shanghai conducted a research which proves that dry air or low humidity is increase the risk of coronavirus spread. The research shows that for a 1% decrease in relative humidity, COVID-19 cases might increase by 7-8 %.
  4. Avaaz NGO conducted a research and concluded that there is a very high percentage of misinformation about coronavirus spreading over Facebook. Facebook algorithm is a major threat to health, they said. They are taking big steps to solve this problem. When someone tries to share a link about COVID-19, they show them a pop-up to connect with credible health information and authorities. Despite its efforts, Avaaz’s report suggests only 16% of the health misinformation it identified on Facebook carried a warning label. The top 10 websites identified by Avaaz researchers which spread misinformation have approximately 4 times as many views on Facebook as information from official sites, such as the World Health Organisation.
  5. In the most comprehensive study of coronavirus patients to date, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Mass General Hospital for Children (MGHfC) provide critical data, which shows that kids play a huge role in the community spread of the virus than previously estimated. In a study of 192 children of age group 0-22, 49 children tested positive and an additional 18 children had shown illness related to coronavirus later on. The infected children were shown to have a significantly higher level of virus in their airways than hospitalized adults in ICUs for COVID-19 treatment.
  6. Australia has secured access to a promising coronavirus vaccine and will offer free doses to its entire population of 25 million. The vaccine is being developed by Oxford University and the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.
  7. Yale has a special saliva test for coronavirus called SalivaDirect. It is much safer and easier to conduct than the universal nasal swab test, which stays short in supply, riskier, painful and not free of cost. Yale conducts the SalivaDirect test for free.
  8. Germany could start the sale of its Coronavirus vaccine in early 2021. The vaccine is in its last stage of testing with high immune results from Stage 1 and 2. Klaus Cichutek, head of the Paul Ehrlich Institute, confirmed it. Russia will start the sale of its coronavirus vaccine at the end of this month.
  9. Most Americans say they are embarrassed by US response to coronavirus, concluded in a survey. Professors at the University of Michigan say they have NO CONFIDENCE in the administration’s plan to control the virus and Collin county said that they have NO FAITH in the state coronavirus data.
  10. Los Angeles stops the supply of electricity to a celebrity’s house. The residents violated the government rules and were throwing parties frequently attended by many. They say it is a warning for all the others who violate the rules.

The Joys of Volunteering

Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual of doing some work for the society as community service. It may include different forms of work. Some volunteers are specially trained in a particular field while some offer to help and join hands for a good cause freely. Volunteering has different sectors like medical, disaster management, education and upliftment of community. There are several NGOs and organisations which offer volunteering opportunities.

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It can help you to make new friends, advance your career, and feel better. Taking some time out of our busy schedules and finding time for volunteering can be difficult for some of us. But you can start small for the sake of trying it out. Volunteering lets you help and reach out to people from different backgrounds and create social change in your own little way. It provides vital help to individuals and gives you a chance to make lives better. Surely it makes people’s lives better but it gives you greater benefits. Give a little time to volunteering and you will get a lot in return!

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It helps you feel happier and healthier. Once you start volunteering, you will meet a lot of new people from different communities. Working with underprivileged communities makes us more aware of our surroundings and feel grateful about our own lives. Also, when you start doing something new it gives you a fresh start and brightens your mood. Most of us love doing new things. Volunteering will also help you spend some quality time outside of work. It will bring both fun and fulfillment to your life. It will help you combat better with issues of mental health like depression and anxiety. It will also improve your mood and give you immense joy. Seeing the smile on the face of a child will surely brighten your day.

You will meet a lot of new people. Your fellow volunteers will either be from similar fields as yours, which will definitely be a positive side or they will be from completely different walks of life giving you a chance to know about a lot of new things. If you are a person who struggles with making new friends, it is a great opportunity for you to start new friendships. Once you start working as a team with others, you will share your ideas and share responsibilities for carrying out a task. While working and planning together it is most likely that you will become great friends. This will also make you a more social person and increase your communication skills. Volunteering helps you to network with a lot of people. Especially if your career path values societal issues, it will be really helpful for you to meet important people and make connections.

Lastly it will help you enhance your career prospects. Almost all companies or educational institutions value a volunteering experience. They will be glad to know that you have been a part of something so meaningful. Volunteering increases your chances of getting selected and helps you improve your resume. It will also give you experience of working with a team and make you a more empathetic and responsible person.