Bridge On The River Kopai

Weekend Stories by Trishikh

A strong and assertive old-man stood on the edge of the Khoai, a canyon of purple geological rock formation naturally created by millions of years of effect of wind and water erosion on red laterite soil rich in iron oxide commonly found in the region.

From, top of the purple hill the greybeard looked at the wooden bridge that spanned across the tranquil waters of the Kopai, a tributary of the Bakreshwar River, which flows past the present-day towns of Santiniketan, Bolpur, Kankalitala, Kirnahar and Labhpur in the Birbhum district of Eastern India’s West Bengal state.

The year was around 2000 BC. A descendant of king Pandu of Mahabharata was ruling the land, however long gone were the illustrious days of the Panch Pandavas – five brothers, Yudhishthir, Bhim, Arjun, Nakul and Sahadev and their glorious reign.

The king that ruled now was no comparison to his ancestors. He…

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Column One: Possessions migrants shed crossing the border – Los Angeles Times

The migrants begin to shed all but their most prized possessions once they reach shore. Jonatan Cruz, 31, and his Guatemalan family drop their expired Mexican residency permits. Others have left sweatshirts, size 23 toddler shoes, Avon strawberry lip balm, disposable diapers, masks, Garanimals khakis (size 2T), a red Hello Kitty purse and a Texas flag backpack. When their wet jackets snag on trees, they slip them off and leave them suspended in the dark, like ghosts. They stumble forward without flashlights into the scrubby oak and sage. They clutch what they need most: valid identification and scraps of paper bearing the phone numbers of friends and family in the U.S. Youths traveling alone keep contact numbers tucked in their pockets, if not written on their chests by their parents before leaving home. A child’s jacket and pair of pants left on the banks of the Rio Grande by migrants.(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Bessy Yamileth Gómez Flores carries a notebook scribbled with Matthew 21:22: “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Another woman drops a pink pleather purse stuffed with a wad of wilted Honduran bills. Others carry their hopes.

Salvadoran Fatima Pineda Vasquez, 16, wants to be an architect. She has come with her 12-year-old nephew, who wants to be a surgeon. They plan to join his mother, Fatima’s older sister, in Missouri.

Source: Column One: Possessions migrants shed crossing the border – Los Angeles Times

Bouncing Back After COVID-19

All Around BC

COVID-19 took a toll on millions worldwide and fueled a lot of pessimism, uncertainty, anxiety, stress, and suffering. When this cloud of uncertainty rolled in, it started to prompt some to think that maybe things would never get better. But researchers want to remind us that we are more resilient than we might think.

A study from the University of British Columbia last year found that more than 60 percent of respondents experienced some adverse impact with regard to their mental and physical well-being, because of COVID-19. But according to one UBC psych professor, he thinks we might bounce back quicker than expected. Citing China as an example, they’re seeing pre-COVID-19 activity levels after dealing with the pandemic for so long.

People want to get back to the old ways of socializing

They want to go to live music events again, they want to go shopping, to get out…

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Scientists find evidence that novel coronavirus infects the mouth’s cells

The potential of the virus to infect multiple areas of the body might help explain the wide-ranging symptoms experienced by COVID-19 patients, including oral symptoms such as taste loss, dry mouth and blistering. Moreover, the findings point to the possibility that the mouth plays a role in transmitting SARS-CoV-2 to the lungs or digestive system via saliva laden with virus from infected oral cells. A better understanding of the mouth’s involvement could inform strategies to reduce viral transmission within and outside the body.  Source: Scientists find evidence that novel coronavirus infects the mouth’s cells

Three Russian Ballistic Missile Submarines Just Surfaced Through The Arctic Ice Together

The unprecedented exercise served as a bold statement of Russia’s presence and capabilities in the increasingly tense Arctic region.

“As part of the Arctic expedition, three nuclear-powered submarines surfaced from under the ice in a limited space with a radius of 300 meters [approximately 984 feet] for the first time in the history of the Russian Navy,” Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov, Command-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, reported to President Vladimir Putin on March 26. “For the first time, a set of combat training, scientific research, and practical diverse measures is underway under the single design and plan in subpolar regions.”

Source: Three Russian Ballistic Missile Submarines Just Surfaced Through The Arctic Ice Together

Myanmar: Defense chiefs from 12 countries condemn protest deaths | News | DW | 28.03.2021

Nations including Germany and the US jointly decried the military violence which resulted in over 100 deaths in one day. Protesters have returned to the streets of Yangon and Mandalay in further defiance of the junta.

Source: Myanmar: Defense chiefs from 12 countries condemn protest deaths | News | DW | 28.03.2021