DailyOh! IMA says Covid third wave inevitable, to what happens when Mars and Venus align

It was a charged Monday. From the world of politics, sports and the skies.

Let’s first open with the news on the hostile neighbour. Chinese soldiers and civilians displayed banners and Chinese flags in protest from the other side of the Sindu River in the Demchuk region of Ladakh, as the Indian villagers were celebrating Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama’s birthday.

Now over to the charged skies. As many as 68 people died after being hit by lightning in separate incidents across Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan yesterday and today. Many across the states have been injured by lightning. As of the death toll, 41 were killed across UP as of this morning, 20 in Rajasthan and seven in Madhya Pradesh as of last night.

Despite technological advancement, lightning strikes remain the most common reason for deaths by forces of nature in India. Read here to understand the reason behind it and for ways to minimise fatalities.

राजस्थान के कुछ इलाकों में आकाशीय बिजली गिरने से कई लोगों को अपनी जान गंवानी पड़ी है। इससे अत्यंत दुख हुआ है। मैं मृतकों के परिजनों के प्रति अपनी गहरी संवेदना व्यक्त करता हूं: PM @narendramodi

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) July 12, 2021

उत्तर प्रदेश के कई हिस्सों में आकाशीय बिजली गिरने से हुई जनहानि हृदयविदारक है। इस त्रासदी में जिन लोगों को अपनी जान गंवानी पड़ी है, उनके परिजनों के प्रति मैं अपनी शोक संवेदना प्रकट करता हूं। ईश्वर उन्हें इस दुख को सहने की शक्ति दे: PM @narendramodi

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) July 12, 2021

Lightning, our Word of The Day is defined by the Cambridge Dictionary as “a flash of bright light in the sky that is produced by electricity moving between clouds or from clouds to the ground.” It comes from the late Old English lightnen, which interestingly translates to "make bright" and is used with a positive connotation of lightening the mood.

But there is nothing to lighten the mood as far as the flashes of lightning from the sky is concerned. Neither is anything light about the flash floods that occurred this morning in Himachal Pradesh as a result of heavy rainfall last night.

#WATCH Around 10 shops damaged as Manjhi River rages following heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh's Dharamshala pic.twitter.com/m98H2O6Ank

— ANI (@ANI) July 12, 2021

From celestial killers to the microbial killer — the coronavirus. With the threat of a third wave of Covid-19 looming large, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has warned against mass gatherings across the country.

While that was the news from the North, the Rajinikanth fans in the South were also struck by the figurative bolt of lightning as the superstar announced the dissolution of the Rajini Makkal Mandram (RMM) — his political outfit. This effectively puts a full stop to all speculation of the actor’s political forays.

While Rajinikanth has lost all interest in entering politics, technocrat-turned-politician Rajeev Chandrasekhar lost the prized ‘blue tick’ on Twitter today. The Union Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology and Skill Development changed his Twitter handle, which was probably why the blue tick vanished. It returned soon after.

Speaking of losses, the biggest loss in the world of sports over the weekend was England losing the UEFA Euro 2020 final. Italy and England held each other off with the Azzuri finally beating the Three Lions 3-2 in a penalty shoot-out, giving English fans yet another heartbreak at the Wembley, dashing hopes of ending the long wait for Euro glory. 

However, things weren’t always this bad for England. There was a time when, winning the 1966 FIFA World Cup after defeating West Germany 4-2 in the final, England grasped their only major tournament victory. Watch this to know more on that.

Did you know how the English lost the World Cup even before they won? It is perhaps the most thrilling theft and recovery in England. It is a mystery that remains unsolved because the possible culprits (barring one middleman) are still unknown. Even more gripping is how the trophy was found.

The Jules Rimet Trophy — awarded to the winner of the football World Cup — was stolen from the Westminster Central Hall in London on March 20, 1966 — less than four months before the tournament in England. It was on public display at the exhibition when the thieves pinched it from right under The Football Association (FA) and Scotland Yard’s noses. The English FA received a ransom demand of £15,000 for the trophy that was valued at £3,000 and insured for £30,000.

A week later, the trophy was found by a dog named Pickles at the Beulah Hill district of southeast London. Pickles and his owner David Corbett were on a walk when Pickles sniffed the parcel, that turned to be the trophy. Needless to say, if it were not for Pickles, England would not have even the lone piece of silverware in their cabinet.

Now to Mars and Venus.

Men are from Mars and women are from Venus, said John Gray. But what happens when the two align? We will know that tonight when the planets Mars and Venus come together and align with the Earth’s Moon.

You can see the celestial phenomena against the lunar backdrop, in the western sky just after sunset. Will there be sizzling chemistry? Read here to know how to watch this incredible marvel. Another bit of good news from space: Aeronautical Engineer Shirisha Bandla, who hails from Andhra Pradesh, travelled to the edge of space with British billionaire Richard Branson. Her feat made her the fourth Indian ever to go to space. Here's what she said after her incredible flight.

We leave you on that note. See you tomorrow!

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Also Read: When England won the football finals