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Still Going Strong!
Still Going Strong! [Illustration by Anup Singh] December 27: Something momentous happened at London’s West End theatre a few days ago on December 16. A play by famous mystery writer Agatha Christie, The Mousetrap, was staged to a standing ovation yet again. Nothing unusual in that except for one thing. It was the 20,000th stage performance of The Mousetrap. And this makes the play the longest running in the world, having premiered in the year 1952....
Bermudas on Beaches — and in Parliament
August 12: Very soon members of Parliament in Bermuda will go to work wearing Bermuda shorts. This is what the lawmakers of Bermuda Islands have decided. Usually, parliaments across the world are known for their sober dress sense to convey that being a member of the legislature is no laughing matter, and the prestige of the Parliament has to be kept in mind while dressing for it. Bermudas on Beaches — and in Parliament [Illustration by Sudheer Nath] The Bermudian House of Assembly, which is where the members of Parliament assemble, recently voted to relax the dress code of its parliament....
Slumdog Millionaire's Big Haul at the Golden Globe Awards
Where: Los Angeles, U.S.A. January 12, 2009 : Slumdog Millionaire, an Indian story set and shot in India, is based on the novel ‘Q&A’ by an Indian diplomat and first-time novelist Vikas Swarup. It was directed by the well-known British director Danny Boyle, and released in 2008. The film won awards for best director, best picture, and screenplay (by Simon Beaufoy) in addition to best musical score. The prestigious Golden Globe awards are presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association every year in Los Angeles....
Conquering Britain!
Where: Birmingham, UK November 25, 2000: A few weeks ago, we wrote about Indian-born Roshan Doug, who has been selected as the poet-laureate for the city of Birmingham in Britain. Close on the heels of that news comes another: Birmingham councillors will be giving an Indian name to a few suburbs in the city. Birmingham’s Apna Town Apna Town (our town) will be the new name for Sparbrook, a group of suburbs in Birmingham city. So this Christmas, if you drive past the Midlands (160 km north of London) you can see the Apna Town signage in English, Hindi, Gurmukhi and Urdu....
Saved! Two Nuclear Submarines Collide; No Injuries or Leaks
Where: London, U.K. February 16, 2009 : Last week two submarines, one British and one French, both carrying nuclear weapons, collided in the Atlantic Ocean. Neither British nor French officials could explain how this could have happened with two sophisticated vessels from allied nations. The event proved to be a puzzle and an embarrassment for both navies. There were no leaks or injuries, but both submarines were badly damaged, and had to return to port. One expert said the ‘freak occurence’ was partly because the submarines are designed for stealth, and added, ‘The whole point of a deterrent submarine is that it is as quiet as possible so you can’t find it....
Bid your Name into a Bestseller
November 4: The publishing world has come full circle. At one point of time, authors would run from publisher to publisher trying to get his/her book published. Then it was the turn of the publishers to run after popular authors and pay them astronomical sums just to persuade them to write a bestseller. Now a new twist has been added to the tale: no, it’s not an unknown author paying to get his book published. This time readers will pay through their nose to be a character in tomorrow’s bestseller!...
Trapped
Where: Russia August 19, 2000: The Kursk, an ultra-modern Russian nuclear-powered submarine has sunk. Its crew has been trapped underwater for over a week now. In fact many might already be dead. By denying that it was a serious accident and by not launching serious rescue efforts in the beginning, the Russian government has reduced their chances of survival further… The submarine’s ability to stay for long periods underwater, is an absolute marvel of science. Actually, this is due to its capsule-like body....
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