Trump 2.0

The shape of things to come?!

Donald Trump threatens to impose reciprocal tax on India

The US President-elect said India charges 'a lot' adding that he would retaliate with the same tax that New Delhi imposes on import of US products.

Reciprocity to be key for next US Government

"Reciprocal, if they tax us, we tax them the same amount. They tax us, we tax them. They're taxing us and we haven't been taxing them", Trump told reporters. "Perhaps the most important element of my plan to make America extraordinarily wealthy again is reciprocity. It's a word that's very important in my plan because we generally don't charge tariffs", he said.

Sends mixed signals to China

* Trump's tariff threat against India comes a day after his sweeping offer to work with China, "to solve all

   problems of the world.

* After winning the presidential election in November, Trump had called for trade sanctions against China,

   Mexico and Canada. Now he has added India to the list. Trump had targeted India in his first term as well.

$ 77.51 billion 

India's exports to US in FY 24, while imports aggregated at $ 42.2 billion

Tailpiece.

Got up at a half past 4, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 8. Vincent arrived on time and I set off for attending Paulson's dad's - Josettan - pre-funeral mass at his place.

Offered my condolences.

Returned and drove Crazy to the petrol bunk to top up with fuel and check tyre pressure.

Sukesan fixed up the Christmas star at the corner of our balcony.

Kochi is the hotspot for Ganja.

Ganja flow to Ernakulam rises as harvest season begins in Orissa.

* In Kochi city alone, seven major ganja seizures have been reported since 01 Nov, with the police recovering         70.1 kg of the narcotic substance.

* Under the jurisdiction of the Ernakulam Rural police, as many as 10 major ganja seizures were reported

   during the same period and 67 kg of ganja recovered.

* The excise has recovered around 52 kg of ganja since 01 Nov, having started anti-narcotics drives ahead

   of the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Tailpiece.

 

Got up at a half past 4, the chores and was ready by a 5' past 6. Sukesan had reached our gate by a quarter past 6 and he dropped me at the Perunthatta Siva kshetram.

Ramakrishnan, the karmi, conducted the 'bali tharpanam' efficiently as usual.

Both Lekha and I went to Dr (Mrs) Sodhi for our cough and cold review and were put on another round of medicines.

A quiet Wednesday. Had carried out the usual Wednesday morning aarathi of the house.

Lekha had gone to town for :-

    * collecting ration from the stand.

    * buying grocery from the Harisree supermarket.

    * buying our fruit basket.

    * the bank for pulling out money.

Surat may be stitch in time.

Bangladesh hangs by a thread!

Surat is single-handedly dismantling Bangladesh's garment industry.

84% of Bangladesh's exports

4 million employed, including 65% women

11%  of their GDP

Top clothing brands are ditching Bangladesh as Islamists rise and minorities face massacre. With democracy replaced by mobocracy, Surat emerges as the safer choice for global giants.

Tailpiece.

Got up at my usual time, the chores and was ready by a quarter past 10.

A quiet Tuesday.

Jimmy comes by around a quarter past 12 and takes our photographs for the canteen smart cards.

In Syria today......

The fight is now between rebel factions supported by the US (SDF) and its NATO ally, Turkey (SNA).

SDF consists mainly of Kurds - the Shias - whom Turkey considers terrorists, all out to carve out Kurdistan from the territories belonging to Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran. SNA (the Syrian National Army), on the other hand, is being funded and trained by Turkey.

The US feels only the SDF can give a stable government that would accommodate different warring factions.

Iran and Russia, though 'beaten' temporarily, will want their pound of flesh too.

....Dangerous times!

Tailpiece.

Got up a trifle late, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10.

The maid was at work today.

A quiet Monday!

The President of South Korea impeached.

The first impeachment in South Korea in 40 years!

South Korea's parliament, yesterday, impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over his martial law decree. The parliament passed the motion 204-85. 

Hundreds of thousands of people gathered near the parliament roared in jubilation. Yoon's presidential powers and duties were subsequently suspended and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo took over presidential powers.

Tailpiece.

Got up at my usual time, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10.

A quiet Sunday.

Yedukumar and Raji had dropped by after attending a wedding here.

Celebrations in Syria.

Thousands of Syrians gathered yesterday in Damascus' main mosque for the first Muslim Friday prayers since the downfall of former President Bashar Assad, while crowds celebrated.

The gatherings were a symbolic moment for the change of power in Syria, a week after insurgents swept into Damascus, ousting the Assad-led state that had ruled the country for a half century.

Tailpiece.

Got up at my usual time, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10.

The maid was at work.

A quiet weekend.

Karthik Poornima.

Got up at 5, the chores and was ready by a half past 7. Chambu dropped me at the nearby bus stop from where I gat the second bus to Thampanoor. Got a blueline a/c deluxe superfast bus to Thrissur and I was hurtling northward by a trifle past 8.

Had three wash room breaks. Kottarakkara was a washout - for both, me and the driver. So, he'd escorted me at Thiruvalla. The second was after lunch at the hotel a trifle ahead of the Kottayam bus stand. The third was on landing, at Thrissur.

Befriended a fellow traveller, Mr Thomas, a Higher secondary School teacher from the Government HSS, Koothattukulam. He was aware of my grandfather and has promised to keep in touch. He's polio-stricken from the age of 2. Nice fella!

Reached Thrissur by a half past 5; boarded an RTC bus to Guruvayur but it took a circuitous route via Vadanappalli, Chettuva road and Chavakkad before reaching Guruvayur!

I reached home just in time to see Lekha light up the last set of the 'Karthika deepams'!

The rest of the evening went off fine with us watching our favourite television serials.

Back again at Tvpm.

Got up at a half past 4, the chores and was ready well in time. Sukesan came with his vehicle by a quarter past 6 and I was at the railway station before a half past 6. The crowd was less comparatively and I could collect the ticket to Thrissur without much wait.

Had my breakfast of idlis, which Lekha had packed for me, at the a/c waiting room. The Jan Shatabdi was on time and I was hurtling toward Tvpm by a half past 8. The journey was boring!

Reached Tvpm by a quarter to 2; Anish was there with the car. I ducked the drizzle and ran into the car! Had the lunch packed by Lekha at the Foundation while Maman and Chambu had gone home. Met Madhavettan - Maman’s classmate and friend - after a long time!

The evening’s meeting went off fine with Maman spelling out the outline plan of action next year, being the 80th anniversary of the Kerala Library Movement and also the 30th anniversary of the Reading Day/Reading Week/Reading Month activities!

We hope to get a rough blueprint of our activities from the feedback of our volunteers, co-ordinators, friends.

A Malayalam film shot entirely on iPhone!

And it is set to dazzle audiences at this year's International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK). Adhithya Baby, 22, is its director.

What sets the film apart is the fact that the entire film - all of one hour and 25 minutes - was shot on a mobile phone over a span of 28 days. The phone is an iPhone 14 Pro. It not only significantly reduced production costs but also streamlined the film making efficient and convenient, says the young director.

The trend of using mobile phones have empowered aspiring filmmakers to bring their creative visions to life without the constraints of traditional, high budget production methods. The movie is, "Kamadevan Nakshatram Kandu' ( Cupid Saw the Star).

The film is presented under the "Good Films That Make Your Life Better" productions.. This is the company's second film to be screened at the IFFK - "Blue Hair", screened last year being the first.

Adhithya is currently pursuing PG in performing arts in Pondicherry.

Courtesy. 

Adapted from Jithul Narayanan's article in the NIE

Tailpiece.

Got up at my usual time, the chores.

Went for our review with Dr (Mrs) Sodhi a day earlier as I'm making a beeline for Tvpm tomorrow.

Lekha's sister, Preetha and her friend, Rohini had dropped by for tea. They're here to be part of the Ekadashi. 

Rajasthan : the investors’ new paradise?

The PM, at the inauguration of the ‘Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit’ at Jaipur, said that the state has a magnetic potential to attract investments. He also added that the state has a unique ability to adapt and grow, even in challenging conditions.

Vital stats from the summit

* Rajasthan's new growth rate            12.7% (7th in the country)

* The state government plans to

   make Rajasthan economy worth      300 Billion

* Highest investment MOUs

   signed in the energy sector               20.82 lakh crores

Sector-wise investment highlights

   * Industry         3.94 lakh crore

   * Mining           1.83 lakh crore

Urban development, tourism, agriculture, IT and more : significant contributions

Driving development across sectors, fuelling Rajasthan's progress.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 3 and recited my prayers, partially. Turned back to sleep again.

Was later than usual to get up.

Left Tvpm by 11 on a Kozhikode-bound low floor a/c bus. Heavy traffic at Changanacherry, Kaladi and Thrissur.

Reached The Quarterdeck at a quarter past 9, instead of the schedued 7!

At Thiruvananthapuram.

Got up at a half past 4, the chores and Lekha was up at 5 to prepare breakfast and lunch for us. Anto was at the gate with his vehicle at a quarter past 6. Left for the railway station soon after.

The station was completely in a disarray as the renovation work was on in full swing. Consequently, the makeshift ticket counters were on the platform itself! The girl at the counter gave me a dazzling smile and wished me.

Helped an old lady, Omana, with her luggage and deposited her on platform no.2 at Thrissur on reaching there. Earlier, had found enough sitting space for a young lady who was standing beside the door. And I chanted the Vishnusahasranama sthothram during our journey to Thrissur. 

Had breakfast at the a/c waiting hall, on platform 1 of the Thrissur railway station and washed it down with a cup of tea. 

The Jan Shatabdi came in a trifle late and thankfully, the chair car was spanking new! Befriended, Vinoy, a young businessman and the journey was quite interesting! Reached Thiruvananthapuram by a quarter to 2, Bijumon sir, our chief co-ordinator and Rajan picked me up and we headed for the Foundation, where I’d Lekha’s packed lunch. 

Maman was discharged from KIMS after a gap of 15 days, this afternoon. He is awfully weak. He made a few important letters that needed early action.

We were at Maman’s place by 7 and rounded off earlier than normal.

The meeting for tomorrow has been postponed for the 12th. I shall return to Guruvayur tomorrow and come back the day after tomorrow.

Notre Dame re-opens.

France, on Saturday, threw open the doors of the capital's Notre Dame cathedral five years after inferno. held up as an example of French creativity and resilience by President Macron, Notre dame's renaissance so soon afte a 2019 blaze that destroyed its roof and spire comes at a difficult time for the country.

The reopening took place officially at 1800 GMT yesterday, when the archbishop of Paris Laurent Ulrich opened the doors, after knocking three times and heralded the start of the two-hour ceremony.

Harsh weather forced officials to move Macron's planned speech indoors and pre-record a concert planned for after the ceremony, as winds gusted up to 80 kilometres per hour.

The service featured prayer, organ music and hymns from the cathedral's choir, followed by the televised concert.

Tailpiece.

Got up at my usual time, the chores and was ready by 10. Sukesan dropped us at the Rajah Hospital a trifle past 10.

For the next five hours, we'd gone through a battery of tests dictated by the cardiologist.

A quiet evening thereafter. Limbering up for my quick dash to Thiruvananthapuram for the Foundation's Core Committee meeting on Tuesday.

 

The 'rock-bolt' technology.

The Border Roads Organisation, in a bid to tackle landslides that pose challenges during the tourism and pilgrimage season in Uttarakhand, has turned to rock-bolt technology which has proven beneficial in treating landslide zones in the mountainous regions.

This innovative technology is being employed at active landslide zones in Raturisera and Bandarkot along the Gangotri Highway. Previously, the same technology was utilised to address hazards in Nalupani and Chungi Badethi landslide zones.

What is Rock-bolt technology?

Fractured rocks are effectively 'stitched' through a specialised drilling process. After employing perpendicular drilling at specific fracture points, the fractures are secured with bolts. Then a mixture of cement and water, under pressure, is injected through a designated hole to fill the cracks, significantly enhancing the stability of the rock formations.

The following aspects are relevant :-

   * Experts say that rock-bolt technology is up to 90% effective in preventing landslides.

   * Technique currently employed at active landslide zones in Ratuseria (outlay 19.8 cr) and Bandarkot

      (outlay 9.3 cr) along Gangotri Highway.

   

Tailpiece.

Got up at my usual time, the chores and we were at Dr(Mrs) Sodhi's clinic by a half past 9 for our review. Have been given another 5-day round of medicines.

A quiet Saturday; the maid had taken a day off.

Have fixed a date with the cardiologist at the Rajah Hospital tomorrow at a half past 10.

  

A rapidly growing new glacier.

A group of scientists have discovered a new glacier in Uttarakhand that is rapidly growing in size.

It is located in the Niti Valley, a remote area in the northeastern most region of the state, close to the India-Tibet border. Stretching 10 km in length, the unnamed glacier, which lies adjacent to the Randolph and Rekana glaciers, spans approximately 48 square kilometres.

It was identified by glaciologists Manish Mehta, Vineet Kumar, Ajay Rana and Gautam Rawat of Wadia Institute of Geology. Their study titled Manifestations of a Glacier Surge in Central Himalaya Using Multi-Temporal satellite Data. The findings indicate that the glacier is currently "surging".

Satellite data suggests three primary reasons for this phenomenon :-

      * Hydrological imbalance

      * Thermal contrast and

      * Sedimentary terrain.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, the chores.

Sajish had come by at a half past 7 to give me a haircut and massage.

Was ready by 10. 

The Silver Line Project is a non-starter!

Railways' new suggestions a major setback for state.

And what are the new suggestions?

 * New track should be broad gauge system

 * It should be integrated with the existing Indian Railway network

 * Environmental concerns should be addressed

 * Comprehensive drainage system required

 * Provision of KAVACH should be ensured

 * Project should be brought under the national master plan

 * Bridges and RoBs should be constructed as per Indian Railway Rules

My take

There goes the Silver Line project tom tommed by the state government!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10.

The maid was at work.

A quiet Thursday.

Ropeway @ Pampa-Sannidhaanam in Sabarimala!

The ropeway service from Pampa to Sannidhaanam aimed at facilitating the transport of devotees and goods will be established before the 2026 pilgrimage season.

It will be set up under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) contract at an appropriate cost of Rs.150 cr. 

The construction will begin by the end of Jan '25/early Feb '25

It was 17 years ago that the state government mooted a ropeway between the mainland and Sabarimala.

The 2.7 km-long ropeway will start from Pampa hilltop and end near Malikappuram police barracks and each cabin would be able to carry 500 kg.

At present, the devotees begin their pilgrimage walk from Pampa to Sannidhaanam via Neelimala, Appaachimedu, Sabari Peedham and Marakkoottam.

Tailpiece.

Got up at a quarter past 5, the chores and was ready by 5.

A quiet Wednesday. Earlier, carried out our usual Wednesday aarathi of the house.

Today was Navy Day! 

'Chalo India' to boost tourism!

Indians living abroad may get a rousing welcome at airports during their trip back to the country or priority in immigration clearance as reward under the 'Chalo India' program. This is to encourage members of the Indian diaspora to convince their foreign friends and associates to make a visit to India.

In return, the visitors will be entitled for a free visa.

Chalo India campaign was launched by PM Narendra Modi. There is no upper limit on the number of foreign friends a diaspora member can encourage, although, the Indian diaspora is persuaded to invite at least five non-Indian friends to explore the grandeur of Incredible India.

FTAs contributed Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) of Rs.2.31 cr (Provisional estimates), a growth of around 65% in the same period in 2023 compared to 6.44 million in 2022.

9.24 million foreign tourist arrivals(FTAs), a growth of 43.5%.

To increase the number of FTAs, various steps have been taken, such as promoting adventure and niche tourism, making easy the availability of e-visas and launching a 24x7 multilingual helpline for tourists.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10. Breakfast consisted of dosas and chutney. The maid was at work.

Lekha had gone to the town to do certain pending work.

A quiet but wet day.

Earlier, spoke with Indirakkutty and Maman. 

GST Mop-up up by 8.5%.

GST mop-up increases by 8.5 % to Rs.1.82 lakh crore in November on higher revenues from domestic transactions. 

Over 11% increase in net collection

The Central GST collection stood at Rs.34,141 crore, State GST at Rs.43,047 crore, integrated GST at Rs.91,828 crore and Cess at Rs.13,253 crore.

Refunds worth Rs.19,259 crore  were issued during the month, registering a 8.9% decline over the same period last year. After adjusting for refunds, net GST collection shot up by more that 11% to Rs.1.63 lakh crore.

Tax from domestic transactions up 9.4%

* GST from domestic transactions grew 9.4% to Rs.1.40 lakh crore in November while revenues from tax

   on imports rose 6% to Rs.42,591 crore.

* The month's GST mop-up is 8.5% higher than the Rs.1.68 lakh crore collected during the same month last

   year. On a sequential basis, it is 2.6% lower than the Rs.1.87 lakh crore collected in October.

2.11 lakh crore GST collection recorded in Apr '24 has been the highest ever!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 5, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10. Suma kunjamma had come by a quarter to 8.

Off to Dr(Mrs) Sodhi for checking up health and medicines. 

A thoroughly wet day.

Dropped Suma kunjamma at the railway station and it was pouring!

Railway track electrification gathers pace.

@ 20 km/day, the Indian Railways has electrified 97% of broad gauge tracks to meet the target of net zero carbon emissions by 2030.

On Target

* Railway electrification is the use of electric power for the propulsion of rail transport

* Rs.8,070 cr allocated for railway line electrification in FY 24 Budget

* Aim : Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2030

* Around 97% of broad gauge rail has been electrified

* More than 20 km of railway track is being electrified everyday in 2023-'24 against 1.42 km a day during 

   2000-2014

* Electrification of rail line is environment-friendly and 70% more economical than diesel tractions

* Railways in 14 states have achieved full electrification and it is nearing completion in 8-9 states.

   - UP                      8,546 km

   - Maharashtra        5,815 km

   - MP                      4,944 km

   - AP                       3,841 km

   - Bihar                    3,802 km

   - Orissa                  2,901 km

   - Punjab                  2,288 km

   - Telangana             1,923 km

   - Haryana               1,780 km

   - Chhattisgarh         1,279 km

   - Kerala                  1,046 km

   - J&K                        396 km

   - Uttarakhand             347 km and

   - HP                            67 km

Tailpiece.

Disembarked from the Bharat Gaurav train at Thrissur, at a 5' past 4. Sajish, the cab driver, helped us with our luggage. Had a cup of tea from a roadside vendor and I pulled out money from the ATM.

The maid had come by. Washing machinex twice to clear the bulk of the washing from the maid.

Today was my birthday vide the Malayalam calendar. Sadya, payasam were made and a cake was cut.

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