The knives are out.

A quick scan of the past week's headlines indicates a lot of churn and consternation. Here are some highlights

1. The Indian cricket team lost the test series in South Africa which they were expected to win. No. 3 Pujara and No.5 Rahane are in the firing line (#purane is the new trend) and No. 4 Kohli aka captain will not be spared an inquisition either. The coach Dravid will get a subtle bit of criticism from former players and coaches.
2. The UK PM Boris Johnson seems to have partied without caution at Downing Street the day before Prince Philip's funeral. Apologies etc. over a year later have not reduced the impact of the fallout. Rishi Sunak could be a potential gainer in this game.
3. Uttar Pradesh elections are always full of excitement. India's most populous state and perhaps among its most backward has a huge impact on the centre as well. The time it seems like a two party race with BJP vs Samajwadi Party along with its rainbow coalition of OBCs. BSP Supremo Mayawati has gone missing.
4. Ukraine, supported by a US led coalition is confronting Russia's territorial ambitions and desire to be powerful. Its NATO versus Russia with Ukraine a pawn (remember Crimea)
5. Joe Biden had a challenging week at work. Vaccine mandates were rejected and his passionate plea to change voting laws faced opposition within his own party. Indications after the first year in office are that he could have a tough time getting re-elected.
6. The scientific community has always advocated the use of masks to prevent COVID. There is a growing concern that fashionable cloth masks may not effectively stop the virus. The jury is out on this one, but I would advocate using masks nonetheless. Some protection is better than none.
7. Novak Djokovic, the current world no.1 in tennis with 20 grand slams, is in Australia without getting vaccinated. However, he has a vaccine exemption. The latest news indicates that he may not be able to play due to new restrictions. Australians do not seem to support granting a visa after having suffered lockdowns etc.
8. In Goa, elections are due, and amazingly all parties seem to see opportunity here. In a significant change, defections seem to be happening before the elections and not after, which is usually the norm.
9. It is almost 2 years since COVID reached our shores and has clearly overstayed its unwelcome presence. However, all governments have realized the futility of lockdowns, curfews etc. People dislike being indoors all the time and not being able to use public transportation. It's also important to note that you can now be fined by the police for not wearing masks.
10. India's Congress party, known as the Grand Old Party, is going against the current trend by directing criticism internally, specifically in Punjab.

This year, which had many expectations, is becoming more pessimistic, but we have the power to improve it. We have 50 more weeks to ensure 2022 is a renaissance year for the common man. Have a good weekend.