RajivBuzz

Are people in Russia becoming frustrated with the prolonged war in Ukraine? And is the war having a similar impact on the people of Ukraine? I have no firsthand information about this, but it is well known how nationalist hysteria often seeks to conceal such frustration, particularly among the youth.

I was astonished, let me say pleasantly surprised, on receiving a comment by Rich TVX News  on my blog   "Why predictions of an imminent collapse of the Russian economy may be wrong" (January 28).  I don't know who wrote the strange comment from this "media house", which is based in New York, and claims to "hold sway not only among the masses but also within global corridors of power, influencing esteemed politicians and shaping international diplomacy, especially evident during pivotal events like the ongoing crisis in Ukraine."

The Narmada project is something that has always excited me, including how much water will be distributed and to which sector. A few days ago, when I was talking to a top Gujarat government insider, I was a little surprised when I was told that it is up to the “respective states to decide how much Narmada water they would distribute among various sectors” out of the total quota allocated to the four states—Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan—as per the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal award of 1979.

Recently, I had a conversation with a senior researcher working on a project for a consumer goods multinational corporation (MNC) at one of the top institutes abroad. Insightful and articulate, he holds a PhD from a prestigious university and has a remarkable ability to analyze social dynamics. I am withholding his name because our discussion took place informally during a friend’s lunchtime gathering.

  A veteran Canadian journalist, settled in Russia, has stated in a  Facebook post  that President Donald Trump "is apparently listening to experts who tell him that Russia's economy is on the verge of 'imploding,' and if he just squeezes a bit harder," his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin "will fall into line."

  In a significant move toward animal welfare, the elephants Bishnupriya and Lakshmipriya from ISKCON Mayapur have been transferred to the Vantara elephant sanctuary in Jamnagar for rehabilitation. This decision against the backdrop of Bishnupriya, a captive elephant, crushed a mahout to death in April 2023, highlighting the severe mental trauma endured by elephants in captivity. Bishnupriya had also left another mahout disabled in 2022.  

The Modi government may take credit for popularizing Unified Payments Interface (UPI) system cross India, originally conceptualized under the UPA government by Nandan Nilekani, former CEO of Infosys, who headed a committee that developed a framework for digital payments in India.