Daily Archives: January 1, 2021

Even though the Grade 3, $100,000 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita is only a five-horse field, this is an interesting group that could showcase a future star or two in the making. This stop on the trail is a one-mile event on Saturday for 3-year-olds.

The public will flock towards Life Is Good based on the ease of his maiden score and trainer Bob Baffert. However, his win is not a guarantee given the longer distance. Instead, bettors might want to give one of the two John Shirreffs entries a chance.

The Sham Stakes is carded as Race 8 with a post time of 4 p.m. PT.

1. Medina Spirit, 5-1 (Protonico Bob Baffert/Abel Cedillo 1: 1-0-0 - $25,200) --The other Baffert entry broke his maiden at Los Alamitos at first asking by three lengths on Dec. 11. TimeformUS only gave him a 99 figure for the win, well below Life Is Goods high of 113 or Parnellis 111. Also, he won at 5 furlongs and now stretches out to a two-turn mile. For what it is worth, the third dam Holy Niner is a half-sister to High Yield, who won the 2000 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G1) and Blue Grass Stakes (G1).

Also, seeing names such as Dynaformer and Unbridled on the dam side is comforting when assessing his route chances. This is a colt who could develop into a nice router. Then again, Life Is Good already smoked this colt twice in the mornings, once on Nov. 9 and the other time on Nov. 16. The replays of those works are available on XBTV. Medina Spirit is a pass on top, but exacta players might want to consider him on the bottom for some value. Use underneath.

2. Waspirant, 15-1 (Union Rags John Shirreffs/Umberto Rispoli 3: 1-0-0 - $54,300) --The son of the brilliant Life Is Sweet broke his maiden in a slow manner on Aug. 29 at Del Mar, and then was an uninspiring fourth in the American Pharoah Stakes (G1), losing by 10 lengths. For those who do not remember the dam Life Is Sweet, she took the 2009 Breeders Cup Distaff and won $1.8 million in her career under Shirreffs.

Given Waspirants stamina-loaded pedigree of Union Rags over Life is Sweet, this ones future success might lie in races at nine furlongs or longer. Toss.

3. Parnelli, 5/2 (Quality Road John Shirreffs/Drayden Van Dyke 4: 1-3-0 - $67,600) --On TimeformUS, this Shirreffs-trained colt is not far behind Life Is Good. Two starts ago, Parnelli ran a 111 TimeformUS Speed Figure when runner-up to Spielberg in a Nov. 1 maiden race at Del Mar. That is only two points less than Life Is Goods 113 in his maiden romp. Parnelli then broke his maiden on Nov. 28 by 5 lengths with only a 103, but the lower figure is forgivable given he competed against lesser competition and did not need his best.

Both races came at one mile, giving him the route experience edge over Life Is Good. Spielberg was a disappointment in the Bob Hope Stakes (G3), but then fired back with a win in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2). The feeling is that Parnelli met the good version of Spielberg at Del Mar in their stretch duel and deserves heavy consideration off that effort against a proven graded stakes horse. He has been developing along nicely and figures to peak. The pick.

4. Uncle Boogie, 15-1 (Ride On Curlin Andrew Lerner/Flavien Prat 3: 1-2-0 - $39,650) --After finishing second in a starter optional claimer, Uncle Boogie ran second in the Bob Hope Stakes (G3), 7 lengths behind Red Flag. While Uncle Boogie did beat Spielberg in fourth, Spielberg likely did not fire his best shot. Also, Red Flag missed the trifecta in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) in his next start. If Uncle Boogie upsets this field, there is no point to class handicapping in the future. Toss.

5. Life Is Good, 3/5 (Into Mischief Bob Baffert/Mike Smith 1: 1-0-0 - $34,200) --The heavy favorite broke his maiden by 9 lengths at Del Mar with a 113 TimeformUS Speed Figure under a hand ride. For a 2-year-old colt in November, that is a great number. But the question of whether he can stretch out to one mile remains a concern at short odds. Remember the lesson of Red Flag in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) earlier this month?

If the favorite tries something new, whether a different surface or distance, then it is logical to play against him. With that said, he could also handle the one-mile distance and develop into another top Kentucky Derby contender sired by Into Mischief. Life Is Good is usable in multi-race tickets, but there is no point to vertical wagers keying him given his extremely low odds. Win contender.

Conclusion:

In terms of a Win or Place bet, Parnelli is the right horse. He shows a solid speed figure that is competitive with Life Is Good and owns successful route experience. If the public puts six figures on Life Is Good to Show in a bridgejumping situation (which is rare these days), then consider a Show bet on Parnelli or Medina Spirit.

For multi-race wager purposes, both Parnelli and Life is Good deserve a spot.

See the original post:
Sham Stakes 2021: Odds and analysis - Horse Racing Nation

Here is our list of the 10 books of fiction that stood out in 2020, arranged in no particular order.

Novels that hit out at the establishment, stories that wore their sexual identity on their sleeve, tales that took on age-old hatreds headlong our list of the 10 books of fiction that stood out in 2020, arranged in no particular order

(Stay up to date on new book releases, reviews, and more with The Hindu On Books newsletter.Subscribe here.)

by Colum McCann (Bloomsbury)

When all political negotiations have failed, can the friendship of two men shine a light of hope on the Israel-Palestine conflict? Colum McCanns hybrid novel, straddling fiction and non-fiction, is a touching plea for peace based on the real-life friendship between Israeli graphic designer Rami Elhanan and Palestinian terrorist Bassam Aramin. They find common ground in grief both have lost their daughters to the violence and bond to the point where they become preoccupied with each others perspectives as they campaign for peace. Their stories are interwoven with a host of others over the course of 1,001 chapters of lyrical prose, spanning vast expanses of time and space, myth and reality, in a latter-day version of One Thousand and One Nights. Read review here.

by Douglas Stuart (Picador)

Douglas Stuart joins a potent chorus of contemporary Scottish working-class writers with his Booker Prize-winning debut. Shuggie Bain is a stark critique of Thatcherism, depicting the poverty and squalor of life in the tenements of 1980s Glasgow. The eponymous Shuggie is shaped by these circumstances; by a big, dysfunctional family that includes his philandering father and alcoholic mother; and by his queerness, which makes him an outsider. But its Shuggies love for his damaged mother that gives the book its heart and beauty. A novel with vintage flavour. Read review here.

by Megha Majumdar (Penguin Hamish Hamilton)

A Muslim girl, Jivan, is arrested for allegedly planting a bomb on a train. As she fights her present circumstances, we learn about her past, populated by characters like PT Sir and Lovely, the hijra. Jivan thought of them as her friends, but when misfortune strikes, they desert her in pursuit of their ambitions. Megha Majumdars debut is an emotionally resonant tale of prejudice, human weakness and betrayal. It has the raciness of the thriller and the moral depth of a philosophical novel. Read review here.

by Tanuj Solanki (Macmillan)

The danger of artificial overintelligence has long been a popular theme in fiction. But Tanuj Solanki does not fall into the killer robot routine; rather, he takes an Orwellian-Kafkaesque turn to make a villain out of a faceless institution. In The Machine is Learning, it is capitalism exemplified in a life insurance corporation that is deploying big data through AI to control lives. Our protagonist is an employee caught between ambition and accountability. His journey to consciousness is the heart of the story. Although he and the other characters are representatives of different world views, Solanki makes sure each is a living, breathing, individuated persona. Read review here.

by Samit Basu (Simon & Schuster India)

Its 10 years into the future and Delhi is still choking in smog, but todays anxieties have become concrete realities in Chosen Spirits. JNU has been demolished to make way for a giant mall; social media is an augmented-reality chimera called The Flow. Bijoyini Joey Roy works as an Associate Reality Controller for The Flow, managing the channels of a Flowstar. She and her childhood friend, Rudra, are drawn into a world of corporate intrigue. This is desi cyberpunk, with dark takes on very Indian cultural maladies. Samit Basu excels at world-building, creating a future at once familiar and bizarre. Read review here.

by S. Hareesh, translated by Jayasree Kalathil (Harper Perennial India)

Legends are created by a facial appendage in S. Hareeshs breakout novel, which won him the JCB Prize 2020. When a Dalit youth, Vavachan, dons a moustache for a policemans part in a play, it stays with him, transforming him into a larger-than-life figure. Power dynamics of caste are reversed as the man with the tash becomes a byword for terror. Its a grand novel of history, caste and Dalit assertion in early-mid 20th-century Kerala, combining realism with fantasy. Hareeshs stunning descriptions make Kuttanad, with its snaking waterways and colourful characters, come to life. Read review here.

by Hari Kunzru (Scribner UK)

A Brooklyn author with a writers block goes to a literary retreat in Berlin hoping to unblock his creative mind. He spirals downwards instead. The centres policy of ultra-transparency and the incitement of a fellow resident leave him disconcerted. In this shattered mental state, he turns to an alt-right media propagandist and comes to believe that the only way out of the confusion is the red pill the revelatory dose of reality which will get him out of the swamp of moral darkness.

Hari Kunzrus novel, with its forensic analysis of the post-truth netherworld, has been called the prototype for Trump-era novels to come and the Gen X Midlife-Crisis Novel in its purest form. His pointed prose is as chilling as it is thrilling. Read review here.

by Nisha Susan (Context)

A musician finding love in a chat room; three dancers arranging their sex life over email; troll wars unhinging a writer; a daughters cellphone chats making a cook uncomfortable such stories from Internet-era India make up Nisha Susans dazzling debut collection. The heroines of these stories are gloriously messy, damaged, politically incorrect, and you find yourselves in them. The girls stick to each other through thick and thin. Men, when they make that rare appearance, are pallid in comparison to the robustly drawn women. Susan, the co-founder of the feminist website The Ladies Finger and of the 2009 Pink Chaddi campaign, makes the personal the political. Read review here.

by Kevin Kwan (Penguin Random House)

To get over the lockdown blues, do you want to fly away to sun-kissed Capri, attend a lavish wedding, ogle at delectable men and do puppy yoga to blow off steam, all the while sitting in your couch? Start reading Sex and Vanity, which, in inimitable Kevin Kwan style, is brimful of bling and the snobs guide to high living. Described as a homage to E.M. Forsters A Room with a View, Sex and Vanity is about the poor little rich girl, Lucie Barclay Churchill, daughter of an American-born Chinese mother and a true-blue New Yorker father. She has always suppressed the Asian side of herself till she meets George Zao. Does Lucies hatred of Zao conceal helpless love? Will she be able to move beyond her WASP upbringing to follow Zao? More Barabara Cartland than Forster, Sex and Vanity is the perfect antidote to pandemic pains. Read review here.

by Karuna Ezara Parikh (Picador India)

The debut novel of poet, former television anchor, and model, Karuna Ezara Parikh, The Heart Asks Pleasure First is an exquisite love story of a young Indian ballet student and a young Muslim lawyer from Pakistan. They meet accidentally at a park in Wales on a sunny day and the inevitable happens. But the forces of history are out to get them: as 9/11 and the attack on Parliament take place, religious prejudices rear their head even in small-town Wales, and the two must fight for their beliefs. Is it possible to find a personal truth which is untouched by the great forces of history, politics and old hatreds? Like Anna and Vronsky, Helen and Paris before them, Parikhs lovers too discover that the world never forgives transgressions. A notable debut that bravely tackles some tough, niggling questions of love and faith. Read review here.

Continue reading here:
Top 10 fiction books of 2020 - The Hindu

The coronavirus will simply go away

Predicted by Donald Trump many, many times

March 6: Itll go away.March 10: Just stay calm. It will go away.March 12: Its going to go away.March 30: It will go away. You know it you know it is going away, and it will go away, and were going to have a great victory.March 31: Its going to go away, hopefully at the end of the month. And, if not, hopefully it will be soon after that.April 3: It is going to go away Its going I didnt say a date. I said its going away, and it is going away.April 7: It did go it will go away.May 15: Itll go away at some point, itll go away.June 15: At some point, this stuff goes away. And it's going away.July 19: I will be right eventually. You know, I said, It's going to disappear. I'll say it again.Aug. 5: This thing's going away. It will go away like things go away.Aug. 31: It's going to go away.Sept. 15: It is going away. And it's probably going to go away now a lot faster because of the vaccines.Oct. 10: It's going to disappear; it is disappearing.Oct. 24: It is going away; its rounding the turn.

Its the end of December, and though vaccines are starting to be distributed, there is no sign that the coronavirus is disappearing, despite the fervent wishes of the herd immunity crowd. Nationwide, the virus is in the middle of a third wave that dwarfs those earlier in the year. On July 17, the summertime coronavirus spike hit its apex in terms of daily new cases in the U.S.: 76,334. Today, that number would be the lowest daily total weve seen in more than two months. Weve marked more than 100,000 new cases every single day since Nov. 4, the number of fatalities from Covid has reached record highs, the 10 deadliest days since the start of the pandemic all happened this December, and the caseload is likely to increase in the coming weeks due to travel during the holidays.

Joe Biden speaks to supporters shortly after midnight on election night, when the race was still too close to call. | Win McNamee/Getty Images

Predicted by James Carville, Nov. 2

In the run-up to Election Day, a strain of thinking emerged that the polls showing a tightening race between Trump and Biden were actually undercounting Bidens support. Among those who embraced this thinking was James Carville, the famed Democratic strategist who helmed Bill Clintons 1992 campaign. Were gonna know the winner of this election by 10 oclock tomorrow night, Carville told MSNBCs Andrea Mitchell on November 2. What people are doing is just unnecessarily scaring people and making them nervous.

The count on election night proved inconclusive, with huge troves of uncounted mail-in ballots waiting to be tallied. It wasnt until 11:25 a.m. on the Saturday four days later that the AP declared Joe Biden the winner and other major media outlets followed suit.

Read more:
The Worst Predictions of 2020 - POLITICO

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This will be the last regular update for Sudan and South Sudan. The organized violence there has declined to the point where it no longer qualifies for regular updates. Instead, we will cover any major outbreaks of violence in our updates of neighboring countries or in a Potential Hotspot piece. Past updates for all wars remain available.

Since StrategyPage began in 1999 weve retired more wars than weve added. As we have noted frequently, the trend since the 1990s has been fewer wars. Those we have retired since 1999 include Haiti (2009), Nepal (2010), Sri Lanka (2010), Central Asia (2012), Ivory Coast (2012), Indonesia (2013), Chad (2013), Uganda (2013), Kurds (2013), Rwanda (2013), Balkans (2013), Ethiopia (2013), Congo Brazzaville (2013), Colombia (2017), Mexico (2017), Myanmar (2020), Algeria (2020), Sudan (2020) and Thailand (2020). Some of these former updates included nearby conflicts that also ended, like Micronesia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.

December 29, 2020: The first regular Sudan update appeared in 1999. Thats 21 years of continual coverage of an area savaged by constant and complex warfare. StrategyPages February 26, 2003 Sudan update rates reviewing. The Front for the Liberation of Darfur (FLD), yet another Sudanese rebel group, took control of the capital of Jebel Marrah province. The capital is named Gulu, not to be confused with Gulu in north Uganda. Western reports said the FLD put at least 300 fighters into the fight for Gulu. For years the Sudanese government in Khartoum has armed the nomadic Arabized (and Muslim) tribes of Darfur. These militias have attacked the Zaghawa and Fur tribes in Darfur. Now the FLD is striking back, allegedly "on behalf of the minority tribes.

Interested readers can find the rest of this update in the 2003 archive. That particular update was one of the first reports on the internet analyzing what became known as the Darfur War and later the Darfur Genocide. Credit AFP with publishing a couple of brief wire reports about the initial attacks. One included the location (Gulu). The updates last three sentences, however, provided the historical, operational and demographic contexts. StrategyPage pegged Darfur as another cruel example of attacks by Sudanese government-sponsored tribes on politically incorrect tribes within Sudan. The updates last sentence explained why Darfuris fought back, under the banner of the FLD. The attacks continued; the rebels resisted. Darfurs warfare and slaughter ultimately led to the deployment of the hybrid United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur peacekeeping mission. The peacekeepers mandate is scheduled to end December 31, 2020. A residual operation, UNITAMS (UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan) will remain in Sudan. Its mission includes improving internal Sudanese security forces civilian protection capabilities, especially in the Darfur region. Its larger goal is to assisting Sudans transition to a civilian government. Sudanese officials know that UNITAMS also has a monitoring mission keeping an eye on the behavior of Sudanese security forces. Sudanese doubt the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) ability to reform. Many RSF militiamen served in the government-sponsored janjaweed militias that savaged Darfur.

Is Sudan now at peace? No. However, since April 2019 Sudan has made great strides towards achieving internal stability. Mass action by the Sudanese people led to the toppling former dictator and war criminal Omar al Bashir -- a truly major stride. War exhaustion was a factor. The majority of the population rejected incessant violence, poverty and authoritarian oppression. For decades Islamist radicals, some tied to the Muslim Brotherhood, dominated Sudans domestic and foreign policies. Islamist extremism was one reason the civil war with the Souths predominantly Christian (or animist) tribes erupted.

The current transitional government, led by prime minister Abdalla Hamdok, is a strange hybrid of military officers, economic technocrats, democratic idealists and intelligent but angry people -- angry for many reasons, but primarily angry that authoritarian rule has killed or starved to death hundreds of thousands of people and left Sudan a wreck. The ruling Sovereign National Council (SNC) is a military-civilian hybrid. The goal, however, is free elections and eventual civilian rule. Hamdok knows war is Sudans economic and political enemy. His government has made numerous peace agreements with rebel groups and has extended offers to the reluctant. Some of the rebels in these factions have been fighting Sudan since the 1970s. Thats right, on and off war against Sudan for 45 years. Hamdok knows external conflict and economic isolation are also enemies. After paying compensation for American victims of terror attacks connected to Bashirs dictatorship, Sudan is now off the U.S. State Sponsors of Terrorism (SST) list. SNC-governed Sudan no longer behaves like a quasi-Iranian ally. It is in the process of making peace with Israel.

South Sudan is wretched. Years of civil war and episodic tribal wars have further impoverished people who were already poor despite the presence of enormous oil fields. Huge problems afflict South Sudan, where the senior leaders are corrupt and self-serving. Many of the worst leaders face individual U.S., EU and UN sanctions. Yet South Sudans people are also tired of war. Cattle raids and violent tribal clashes will continue, but the civil war is finally lapsing. South Sudan and Sudan have reached new oil production and pipeline shipment agreements. Both nations need the income. Hope they spend it on food, not weapons. (Austin Bay)

December 28, 2020: Earlier this month UN Security Council acknowledged that the complete withdrawal of peacekeepersl will not be completed by December 31. At the moment around 7,000 uniformed personnel (police and soldiers) and 900 civilian staff are deployed in Darfur. The delay is the result of logistical challenges. Darfur is an isolated regionit is hard to get to and hard to leave. Covid19 pandemic restrictions make the withdrawal more complex.

December 26, 2020: Sudan accused the Ethiopian Army of supporting attacks against Sudanese territory. Sudan has now reinforced Sudanese Army units in the Wad Aroud region, in eastern Sudan along the Ethiopian border. Both Sudan and Ethiopia acknowledge they have broken off the latest round of border negotiations. Meetings were being held in the Sudan capital.

December 25, 2020: Pope Francis sent Christmas greetings to South Sudans political leaders. He urged them to remember they are committed to implementing the peace agreement. South Sudan is a predominantly Christian area. The peace agreement the Pope referred to is the September 2018 peace process, now called the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).

December 22, 2020: With the impending withdrawal of peacekeepers from Darfur, the UN reminded the Sudanese government that it is now responsible for protecting civilians in Darfur. UN officials point out that peacekeepers will help with training. UN police advisers and support personnel are already in Darfur to help Sudan improve its civilian protection capacities there.

December 21, 2020: Foreign observers accused Sudanese authorities of using excessive force on October 15, 2020 in the town of Kassala. In the incident seven protestors were killed by gunfire and some two-dozen wounded or injured. Personnel from three security organizations were involved: Central Reserve Police (CRP), the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and the Army.

December 20, 2020: Sudans energy ministry announced the country will have to rely on imported gasoline and diesel for two months (70 days) as the countrys main oil refinery undergoes maintenance.

December 19, 2020: Several thousand protesters demonstrated in the capital Khartoum and Omdurman (across the Nile from Khartoum). They demanded the government accelerate economic and political reforms. Several demonstrators demanded justice for those murdered by the dictatorship. Today marked the second anniversary of the mass uprising that eventually toppled dictator Omar al Bashir.

December 16, 2020: Foreign food aid officials warned that the food situation in South Sudan has deteriorated since December 1. Several areas are on the verge of famine. One official said western Pibor county has reached a crisis level. Recent flooding and another episode of ethnic violence have contributed to the famine conditions. The flooding killed both cattle and crops. Another report indicated in at least five counties (located in Jonglei, Warrap and Northern Bahr el Ghazal states) up to ten percent of the population faces starvation. Meanwhile, peacekeepers reported that the reunification of South Sudans security forces (mandated by the peace agreement) has stalled. There are also on-going disputes over the appointment of local commissioners. In some cases, these disputes have led to intercommunal violence. That noted, peacekeepers reported that overall violence in South Sudan has decreased.

December 15, 2020: Egypt held talks with South Sudan. One of the topics was Egypts dispute with Ethiopia over the division of Nile River water. Egypt hopes up river countries like South Sudan can influence Ethiopian operations of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). The GERD, however, is on the Blue Nile. The White Nile flows through South Sudan. South Sudan, however, borders Ethiopia. Ethiopia also supported the southern tribes who rebelled against Sudan.

December 14, 2020: Foreign observers accused the South Sudan government of failing to stop criminal behavior by South Sudans NSS (National Security Service). One report accused the NSS of torture.

December 11, 2020: In Sudan, civilian members of the SNC complained that they were blindsided by the governments decision to allow Russia to build a naval facility in Sudan. The civilians accused the military members of making the foreign policy move with consultation. A senior member of the pro-democracy Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) accused the military of hijacking foreign policy. The FFC supports the civilian members of the SNC. Another FFC member added that the decision to alter Sudans relationship with Israel was also made without consultation. Russia recently received a 25-year lease for a naval installation on the Red Sea.

December 7, 2020: Foreign observers are urging the UN to continue the arms embargo on South Sudan. One report cited attacks from June to April 2020 by South Sudanese government forces on civilians in Central Equatoria state. The report accused the government forces of destroying 110 homes and other structures.

December 5, 2020: UN refugee experts believe that Sudan cannot currently handle the influx of 43,000 Ethiopian refugees. Sudan needs immediate international assistance to care for the refugees.

December 4, 2020: In eastern South Sudan (Jonglei state) peacekeepers have been asked to halt the local violence there so that food aid can get to areas facing starvation.

December 2, 2020: UN observers believe that over 40,000 people have fled from Ethiopia to Sudan. The refugees are escaping the fighting in Ethiopias Tigray region. Refugee organizations fear that more will enter Sudan and estimate that another 150,000 could arrive in Sudan over the next six months.

Read the original:
Sudan: Sounds Of Silence In The Sudans - Strategy Page

But everything might not work out perfectly comes to Russias plan to bring China and Pakistan closer to India

Andrey Kortunov, the Director General of the prestigious Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), published what can be interpreted as Russias unofficial response to India as an Op-Ed for Chinas Global Times. The title of his article gets straight to the point by observing that Russia moves East, India West, straining ties. Unlike his two Indian counterparts, Observer Research Foundation expert Harsh V. Pant and former Indian Ambassador to Russia Kanwal Sibal, Mr. Kortunov is objective, mature, and respectful. Nothing that he wrote could reasonably be interpreted as offensive to the Indian side.

I analysed those two Indians unofficial responses to Russia in my recent articles for The Express Tribune about how Indias unofficial response to Russia might exacerbate growing distrust and asking Why are former Indian diplomats really unhappy with Russia? The first one even accurately concluded that Moscow will likely do all that it can to mitigate the consequences of Indias unofficial responses exacerbating growing distrust between them, as evidenced by Mr. Kortunovs article. Both pieces should be reviewed by the reader if theyre unfamiliar with them in order to better appreciate the style and substance of the Russian experts op-ed.

He starts off by sharing some unfortunate but undeniable facts about Russian-Indian relations. These include his observations that bilateral trade is negligible (especially in comparison to Russian-Chinese trade), the many complications and even setbacks in military-technical cooperation due to the growing Western presence in the Indian defense market and with the current Prime Minister Modis Make in India industrial strategy, and significant areas of disagreement between the two countries on many international matters including QUAD, Afghanistan, the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and others.

While praising their history of productive cooperation over the decades, Mr. Kortunov warns both sides against becoming complacent. He also points out that overall trends in global politics are just as responsible for provoking a thoughtful reassessment of the Russian-Indian partnership as red tape, bureaucratic inertia, communication failures, personal ambitions, or situational omissions are. Once again, these are objective facts that cannot be denied, nor should they cause any offence to the Indian side since some of New Delhis own experts have openly talked about their negative role before.

Mr. Kortunovs most important point, however, concerns his ominous prediction of their future relations. He fears that the two friendly countries might ultimately find themselves in the opposite geopolitical and economic blocks, and the Eurasian space will split into two pieces, if Moscow [continues] moving east, enhancing its ties with China while New Delhi [continues] moving west, building stronger links to the US. Ive consistently warned about this scenario for the past several years yet my words went unheeded by both expert communities, perhaps because this was too politically incorrect/sensitive to openly discuss at the time.

Nevertheless, the taboo has finally been broken by both sides after prominent experts from each one Mr. Pant and Ambassador Sibal from New Delhi and Mr. Kortunov from Moscow released what can be interpreted as their countries unofficial responses to the other after the sudden worsening of relations brought about by the publication of influential BJP ideologue Subramanian Swamys hateful anti-Russian article last month. While the Indian side blamed Russia for this unexpected downturn in relations and even insulted it by implying that Moscow was submitting to China, Mr. Kortunov is careful not to do the same to India vis-a-vis the US.

Instead, he wrote that The future of Eurasia at the end of the day depends largely on the future of the China-India relationship. No outside players, Russia including, can fix this relationship for Beijing and New Delhi. However, outside players, Russia included, can assist in turning this relationship around by offering positive incentives for both sides to work together in trilateral or other multilateral formats. This is true, but what remains unsaid is that outside players like the US can worsen this relationship, though he likely declined to write as much because he didnt want to deign to his Indian counterparts level by laying blame on third parties.

Mr. Kortunov also didnt want to offend India since Russian experts have a very proud tradition of being polite with others even during the tensest moments like when interacting with their American counterparts. No comparable tension exists in Russian-Indian relations, and Moscow will do its utmost to ensure that their disagreements never get to such a point either. Instead of aimlessly criticising India like the Indian experts did with Russia, he proposed the constructive solution of Russia offer[ing] India and Beijing new opportunities for trilateral development projects in the Arctic region, in Central Asia or even in the Russian Far East.

Just as importantly, he concluded his article by advising that decision-makers in Moscow should not regard China and India as two parallel foreign policy priorities that Russia has to choose between and/or keep separate from each other. This is partially a reaffirmation of what Russian diplomats in India said last week about how their countries ties with China and Pakistan are independent of their ones with India. Mr. Kortunov went a step further though by advising that Moscow should rather approach Beijing and New Delhi as partners, which will become more valuable for Russia if they find ways to work more actively with each other.

This is precisely the basis of Russias Eurasian balancing act whereby Moscow independently pursues relations with the dozens of countries across the supercontinent with the grand strategic intent of eventually bringing them all closer to one another through its Greater Eurasian Partnership. Just like Russia hopes that it can leverage its strategic relations with China and India in order to bridge the differences between them, so too might it one day hope of doing the same vis-a-vis its rapid rapprochement with Pakistan and historical relations with India.

Of course, as the saying goes, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry, so everything might not work out perfectly in practice when it comes to Russias ultimate plan to bring China and Pakistan closer to India through its relations with all three. In any case, Russias unofficial response to India as manifested by Mr. Kortunovs op-ed for Chinas Global Times did everything right because he very clearly and calmly articulated his countrys stance from a position of authority considering the high regard in which hes held at home. It can only be hoped that his Indian counterparts will learn from his example and follow suit to defuse the situation.

Read the rest here:
Russias unofficial response to India did everything right - The Express Tribune

The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall were busy this year promoting local and organic foods and farming, literacy, the importance of reaching out to isolated elders, and supporting the Commonwealth and the UK through a devastating pandemic. Today, lets take a look back at their year!

January

Prince Charles sent a video message to the people of Australia following the devastating bush fires in the country; later, he was announced as the first UK patron of the International Rescue Committee.

Mid-month, Charles paid a visit to Oman to attend the funeral of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said on behalf of The Queen.

When the Sandringham Summit was held mid-January, Royal Central followed the breaking news coverage of Prince Charles and Prince William arriving ahead of the historic meeting.

In a sisterly gesture, Camilla presented an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws to Princess Anne at a ceremony at the University of Aberdeen. Camilla also made a donation, of an undisclosed but practical amount, to help combat the Australian bushfires. She also officially opened the Banchory Sports Village in Aberdeen.

Camillas love of literacy continued in 2020, first with her backing The Suns Books for Schools literacy campaign. She also visited the Prospect Hospice for its 40th anniversary.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Charles gave a keynote speech about climate change saying, the only limit is our willingness to act, and met Greta Thunberg. He also hosted the President of Nigeria in a meeting in Scotland and hosted a recital and dinner for Opera Australia at Dumfries House.

In Scotland, Charles hosted a series of engagements at Dumfries House, including with The Princes Foundation, the International Network for Traditional Building, North Highland Initiative, Members of the Scottish Parliament, the Crown Estates Scotland, Scottish Tartans Authority, the Royal Dragoon Guards, and the Ambassador of Indonesia. Camilla, meanwhile, held a reception for the Royal Trinity Hospice at Clarence House.

Camilla also paid visits to the Elmhurst Ballet School, Birmingham Childrens Hospital (for the Roald Dahls Marvellous Childrens Charity), Lichfield Street Hub, and Launer London Limited.

At the end of the month, Charles undertook a royal visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestine Territories. Royal Central covered the two-day event: day one, day two.

Charles also launched the National Centre for Propulsion and Power at the University of Cambridges Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

Camilla travelled to Poland to represent the Royal Family at the commemorations for the 75th anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau on International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

February

At a British Asian Trust event, Charles announced that American singer Katy Perry would become an ambassador. He also paid a visit to a TK Maxx to meet young people whod taken part in the Get Into Retail programme hosted by The Princes Trust.

Charles held meetings with the Royal Botanic Gardens and the AMAR International Charitable Foundations Choir; while Camilla visited the Trauma Informed Growth and Empowered Recovery Service in London on behalf of Barnandos and held a reception for the Naval Chaplaincy Service at Clarence House.

Charles met with Business in the Community, an organisation hed helped found, and the Professional Teaching Institute, Royal Dutch Shell, Shell UK and with government officials, and Plantlife International. He held a Curlew and Other Priority Species Recovery Summit and visited Overton Organic Eggs for The Prince of Waless Charitable Fund.

Camilla paid a visit to the HM Prison Downview and Maggies Centre at the Royal Marsden Hospital.

Mid-month, the royal couple visited Leicester, and Camilla was gifted a statue of suffragette Alice Hawkins. On a rare engagement with The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Charles and Camilla visited the Defense Medical Rehabilitation Centre in Nottinghamshire.

Camilla celebrated the work of Safeline, a domestic violence charity, at a reception at Clarence House; later, she and Charles were sent to the Tower on an official visit to the Tower of London. Charles visited Emma Willis, a shirt company and factory in Gloucestershire. In Warwickshire, he brushed up on his Shakespeare while Camilla celebrated Brent as Londons Borough of Culture 2020.

Charles visited Wales to view the flood-stricken areas; he also paid a visit to a hospice in the area. Camilla attended a reception at Clarence House for her patronage, Versus Arthritis, for Women in Science. She held a meeting with her patronage, the Royal Osteoporosis Society; Charles attended a reception at Kensington Palace for The Princes Trust about Invest-in-Futures.

Charles held meetings with the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council and Natural Resources Wales.

At the end of the month, a new royal visit was announced for Charles and Camilla: to Cyprus and Jordan in March.

March

As March kicked off, Royal Central wondered why Charles thinks God Save the Queen is politically incorrect. Charles and Camilla boarded a public bus outside Clarence House; and Camilla gave a highly-praised speech about domestic violence, and we looked at Camillas work with domestic violence charities.

Charles visited the Royal College of Music in London, and met with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson at his residence, as well as Major General Shaikh Nasser Bin Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa, the National Security Adviser and Representative for Charity Works and Youth Affairs in Bahrain.

Later, he visited Jesus College and Kellogg College at the University of Oxford while Camilla visited Bousfield Primary School in London for World Book Day and met with the new Chief Executive of Shelterbox, her patronage.

Other meetings for Charles included with the Royal Collection Trust, the WWF-UK, the British Red Cross Society, The Princes Trust Group, Sustainable Markets, the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainable Leadership, Commonwealth High Commissioners, and the International Network for Traditional Building, Architecture and Urbanism.

Charles also attended The Princes Trust Awards at the London Palladium and held one of the only Investiture ceremonies of the year at Buckingham Palace before they were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. He visited the Celtic Sheepskin and Company Ltd in his campaign for wool initiative and attended a reception for Surfers Against Sewage; he then opened Nansledan School in Cornwall.

Charles and Camilla joined other senior members of the Royal Family for the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey and then later attended a reception hosted by the Commonwealth Secretary-General at Marlborough House.

Charles attended a WaterAid Summit in London, and hosted a dinner at Buckingham Palace for The Princes Trust. He met with the Governor of the Bank of England and attended a dinner in support of the Australian Bushfire Appeal.

At one of the only racing events this year, Camilla joined Princess Anne and Zara for Ladies Day at Cheltenham. Then, Charless and Camillas overseas visit to Cyprus, Jordan and Bosnia and Herzegovina was officially cancelled due to coronavirus concerns. It was revealed that Charles attended an event with Prince Albert II of Monaco shortly before the sovereigns COVID-19 diagnosis.

At the end of the month, Charles announced that hed tested positive for COVID-19, with mild symptoms. Camilla isolated away from him while he recovered; they isolated in Scotland. It caused a mild furore in Scotland, as questions were asked about whether Charles and Camilla should have been tested in the first place. Clarence House released a health update; and we discussed why the royals had received tests when frontline workers hadnt. The public saw Charles again for the first time since his diagnosis when he clapped for carers outside his residence.

In isolation, Charles held a meeting with Professor Klaus Schwab of the World Economic Forum by telephone; and later spoke to the chief executives of the International Rescue Committee UK and the British Red Cross by telephone.

Camilla released a message of support for people in the UK who may not feel safe at home; and Charles was out of his COVID-19 isolation on 30 March.

April

Following his recovery from COVID-19, Prince Charles released a message of support saying let us try and live with hope and became the first royal to open an NHS Nightingale Hospital via videolink, when he opened the London field hospital. Camilla praised the work of frontline NHS volunteers.

The royal couple celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary on 9 April. Royal Central looked back at the day, Camillas wedding dress, and her wedding flowers. We also explained why they couldnt be married at Windsor Castle.

Charles recorded a special Easter message for Westminster Abbeys podcast while Camilla shared a reading list for the Easter isolation. Following a tragedy in Nova Scotia, Canada, the royal couple released a message of support to Nova Scotians. Camilla also spoke with isolated elders through Silver Line, one of her patronages. On International Dance Day, she revealed that shed been taking dance lessons for the past 18 months.

Prince Charles held meetings with the National Trust; Camilla helped launch the NHS Volunteer Responders Check In and Chat service with the Royal Voluntary Service. She also held a meeting with Medical Detection Dogs, the Royal Academy of Dance and Silver Swans.

Charles spoke with the Prime Ministers of India and Canada via telephone; and held meetings with Sustainable Markets, the Commissioners of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerces Food, Farming and Countryside Commission, Samaritans, In Kind Direct, Teach First, His Royal Highnesss Benevolent Fund, The Kings Fund, and the First Minister of the Scottish Government.

May

Royal Central wondered if Camillas style would ever change to Majesty when Charles takes the throne; and it was revealed that Charles would lead the nation as it marked VE Day. Royal Central provided full coverage of VE Day and gave Camilla a vote of confidence as a future queen consort for her conduct during the ceremony.

Charles recorded two radio shows for classical music (where he revealed how he helped pick music for royal weddings and also spoke of a tribute to his beloved grandmother); and sent a message about missing Ireland because he wouldnt be able to make his annual trip to the country due to the ongoing pandemic. He encouraged people to become fruit pickers to help the labour markets recover from the pandemic; Camilla admitted that shed lost all track of time in lockdown (didnt we all!) and became a shoe fashion icon in North America.

Following a cyclone, the royals sent a message of support to the people of Bangladesh and India; Charles announced that hed attend a virtual tea party for the National Trust and shared that his foundation was working to make medical gowns for the NHS.

The royals shared their support for the Royal Mail. Camilla spoke with veterans in her role as patron of the Desert Rats Association, and helped judge a creative writing competition with BBC Radio 2. She began meeting about The Queens Commonwealth Essay Competition, and also spoke with representatives at Roald Dahls Marvellous Childrens Charity.

Charles held meetings with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the First Minister of Northern Ireland and the deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, the First Minister of Wales, the Tnaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs for Ireland, the Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, the President of Rwanda, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and the Prime Minister of Barbados.

He also met with The Princes Trust chief executives and The British Asian Trusts Advisory Council.

June

Charles revealed that Im so determined to find a way out of this about the pandemic; and attended a service for an oft-forgotten battle from the Second World War. Mid-month, the couple announced that they would return to London from Scotland, where theyd been isolating. They returned to public engagements shortly thereafter.

Camilla announced the winners of the BBC Radio 2 500 Word competition from her home garden; Charles accepted the French Legion dHonneur on behalf of London. Camilla spoke with the French First Lady via telephone.

After Dame Vera Lynn passed away at age 103, the royals shared poignant tributes to the beloved singer. Camilla joined forces with her daughter-in-law Kate to mark Childrens Hospice Week; and she received a new patronage: the ABF The Soldiers Charity.

Camilla also became patron of SafeLives, a domestic violence charity, and held meetings with WOW Women of the World Festival and GIVIT.

Charles held a meeting about the launch of the Great Reset; and met with the Sustainable Markets Initiative, the International Rescue Committee in the UK, the British Council, the Royal College of Nursing Prince of Wales Nursing Cadet Scheme, The Princes Council, The Royal Drawing School

Charles also spoke with the President of Nigeria, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Prime Minister of Canada, the General Officer Commanding London District and Major General Commanding the Household Division, the President of Colombia, the President of Chile,

July

Charles thanked London Tube staffers for their work during the pandemic and later released a video as restaurants, pubs and businesses began to reopen across the UK. As the NHS marked its 72nd anniversary, Charles released another message praising the organisation.

Camilla announced that she would guest edit Emma Barnetts BBC Radio show, where she later revealed how much her dogs mean to her. On a visit to Swindon, Camilla thanked frontline workers, while Charles paid tribute to the victims of the London terror attack 15 years later.

In Bristol, the royal couple visited a food distribution centre; in Wiltshire, Camilla opened a young carer activity centre. The Prince of Wales returned to Wales for the first time since the pandemic began; and new photos of Camilla were released to mark her 73rd birthday (we revealed 73 facts about Camilla for her birthday).

Camilla reviewed the Chelsea pensioners on parade; and when the royals visited Cornwall, Royal Central covered the first and second day of this truncated trip. Charles welcomed visitors back as the Royal Collection Trust reopened. And they might have thought we wouldnt notice, but we did! Charles and Camilla changed their name on their Twitter profile.

Camilla took a walk through London to see how life after lockdown was going; Charles visited Cotswold Farm Park in his role as patron of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust and later visited Shipton Mill Limited in Tetbury.

Charles attended a meeting of the Accounting for Sustainability Chief Financial Officer Leadership Network Roundtable; and he met with the Intelligence Agencies in his role as patron. He also met with The Princes Trust, the Royal Drawing School, the Royal Collection Trust, the Sustainable Markets Initiative, the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership

Charles attended the Commissioning Ceremony at Royal Air Force College, visited the Middlemoor Fire Station, and visited the Caithness General Hospital

Camilla visited the Oxenwood Outdoor Education Centre and met with the Royal Osteoporosis Society. She was appointed Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifles, a post she took over from The Duke of Edinburgh. The pair were involved in a handover ceremony as Prince Philip stepped down and she took over.

August

After a young boy in Bolton read 50 books during the lockdowns, Camilla sent her praise. After a fatal train derailment in Scotland, near Balmoral, Charles visited the site. Again, Charles and Camilla led the nations tributes on VJ Day.

When the coronavirus began to resurge in Australia, Charles sent a message of support; he celebrated as the largest Hindu Temple in the UK marked its anniversary; and Camilla shared a fall reading list. A young boy backed by Camilla vowed to cycle to raise literacy awareness.

Charles met with the North Highland Initiative Covid Fund and representatives of local Caithness businesses and charities. He also met with the Sustainable Markets Initiative.

September

Camilla wrote a powerful op-ed on domestic violence and celebrated International Literacy Day with schoolchildren in London. In one of her first engagements for The Rifles, Camilla, as Colonel-in-Chief, visited 1st Battalion The Rifles. She also marked an important naval anniversary while Charles became patron of a Jewish youth organisation and paid tribute to fallen police officers.

At the end of the month, the royal couple visited Northern Ireland. We covered the day in pictures.

Charles held a dinner at Dumfries House for The Princes Foundation. He then received an update on the Foundations textile programme. He held a meeting for the Sustainable Markets Initiative; and met with food producers from Aberdeenshire Highland Beef and the Scottish Seafood Association.

Camilla visited Medical Detection Dogs and met with the Royal Air Force Halton. She also visited The Seed Box and met with the executives at the Brooke Hospital for Animals. Other meetings Camilla held this month include with SafeLives and The Maggie Keswick Jencks Cancer Caring Centres Trust.

Camilla visited Crathie Opportunity Holidays and Ballater Gallery in Aberdeenshire, and met with the Pro-Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen in her role as Chancellor.

October

Following the death of the Emir of Kuwait, Charles travelled to the country to pay his respects. We wondered if Charles would need to quarantine after he returned from Kuwait, and later learned that he wouldnt have to under government rules.

Charles showed his support for local food producers while Camilla helped launch the Hour of Need Campaign. Camilla visited Wiltshire Council to show her appreciation for their work during the pandemic; and in Brixton she praised the efforts of young people.

On World Osteoporosis Day, Camilla released a video message calling for the world to end this silent disease and baked brownies for a charity. She presented a special Olivier Award and visited an arboretum near Highgrove.

We wondered why male heirs to the British throne are called Prince of Wales while Camilla supported a canine project that detects COVID-19. Meanwhile, Charles signed a cheque for 1 million that he may have wanted to keep!

Camilla held a tea for Duchenne UK and met with representatives from the Cornwall Community Foundation. Charles met with representatives from the Campaign for Wool and Camilla visited Maggies Barts at St. Bartholomews Hospital.

Charles called the President of Ireland and met with the Sustainable Markets Initiative representatives. Per the Court Circular, Charles, as Royal Colonel, The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotlandreceived Fijian representatives from the Regiment to mark the 50th Anniversary of Fijian Independence.

Charles also visited The Royal Dragoon Guards in Catterick and the Royal Air Force Menwith Hill in his role as patron of the Intelligence Agencies. Camilla met with representatives of Medical Detection Dogs and later received the Colonel Commandant of The Rifles.

While Camilla met with Barnardos Young Carers, Charles met with the Atlantic Salmon Trust. Charles later met with the Mayor of Bristol and other city representatives. He held meetings with The Princes Trust and The Princes Trust International, the Sustainable Markets Initiative, and the Prime Minister of Iraq.

Camilla joined a video tank tea with veterans and officers of The Royal Lancers (Queen Elizbeths Own). She also spoke to the winner of The Duchess of Cornwall Award from the Royal Osteoporosis Society and met representatives of the Theatre Artists Fund at the London Palladium.

At their home, Charles and Camilla received representatives of The Elephant Family. Charles later met with the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

November

Camilla opened the Field of Remembrance at a poignant service and sent a message to her troops as Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifles. Since the Festival of Remembrance couldnt happen as usual, Charles and Camilla recorded a message for this years special version.

The royal couple joined The Queen, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, The Earl and Countess of Wessex, and The Princess Royal and Sir Timothy Laurence for Remembrance Sunday events. Charles laid two wreathes. The couple also attended the centenary commemorations for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Westminster Abbey.

It was later announced that Charles and Camilla would visit Germany, the first British royals to do so, to take part in Remembrance events. Charles recorded a special message for those celebrating Diwali; and praised those whove contributed to society during these difficult times in a separate message.

Charles officially helped launch a textiles initiative after a year of meetings and Camilla spoke of her love of reading for the Booker Prize ceremony. Charles celebrated his 72nd birthday and we looked back at a year of his life in photos. Camilla praised young writers whove used their creativity this year.

After The Crowns fourth season premiered and caused a backlash against Charles and Camilla, our Deputy Editor, Brittani Barger, argued that we need to stop painting Camilla as a villain. Camilla was one of many royal women who lent their voices to show support for women on International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

Charles met with chief executives at the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. He also held meetings with the Chief of the Defense Staff, the British Asian Trust, the Sustainable Markets Initiative, The Princes Trust, the Royal Shakespeare Company, Social Impact Bonds, and with the Chancellor of Germany.

Charles visited with United Kingdom and Canadian Service personnel who were taking the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps exercise Loyal Leda at Royal Air Force Fairford. He also spoke with the President of Ireland via telephone.

December

Charles and Camilla announced that they would spend Christmas at Highgrove after the annual Sandringham Christmas was cancelled due to the pandemic.

Charles held meetings with the Royal Collection Trust, the Royal Drawing School, the Royal Opera House, The Princes Trust International, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and Waitrose Dutchy Organics.

The royal couple visited Soho Theatre; they also signed an iconic wall at the 100 Club and celebrated the 800th anniversary of Salisbury Cathedral. They also paid a visit to the National Gallery.

We reminded you of the time Charles was hit by a bus; Camillas dog, Beth, helped her unveil a plaque; and the royal couple shared their Christmas card. It was announced that Camilla would record a special message during Strictly Come Dancing (a show shes said she loves in the past), and she encouraged people to reach out to isolated elders in a separate message.

We took a look at Highgrove House and Camillas best Christmas fashions to wrap up the year.

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Charles and Camilla's Year in Review - Royal Central