Jan 9: News and emotions

Of horrific crimes

In a spine-chilling incident, a start-up CEO murdered her four-year-old son in Goa and was caught traveling back to Karnataka with his body in a bag. Suchana Seth (39) reportedly killed her child in a North Goa apartment and was arrested en route to Bengaluru. Police suspect her estranged relationship with her husband as a possible reason behind the killing. She is the founder and CEO of the AI start-up Mindful AI Lab; she also featured on the "100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics" list for 2021.

Of lust and power

According to court documents, Google co-founder Sergey Brin and his ex-wife Anne Wojcicki visited Jeffrey Epstein's "pedophile island." "I met the pair when they visited the Island for the day as Sergey wanted to try out his new kitesurfing equipment as he had only just started surfing and was very eager to try out his new equipment with us girls," Epstein accuser Sarah Ransome said.

Ransome further asserted that Trump had intimate involvement with one of her friends. She also claimed that Epstein had recordings of Trump, Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, and Richard Branson engaging in sexual activities with an unnamed woman.

In a separate incident, some 500 female students from Sirsa, Haryana, have written to Modi's office, leveling accusations of sexual harassment against a professor at Chaudhary Devi Lal University. The students detailed instances where the professor would summon them to his office and lead them to a bathroom, engaging in inappropriate physical contact. The university's internal complaint committee twice cleared the professor of any wrongdoing.

Of desperation

Desperate to leave Gaza, Palestinians are reportedly paying bribes as high as $10,000 to brokers facilitating their exit through Egypt. According to the UN, 85% of Gaza's population is now displaced. Egypt is, meanwhile, reluctant to open the Rafah crossing as it fears a massive influx of people.

On another note, the Israeli government has initiated the recruitment process of Indians to address the severe labor shortage in its construction industry. There were ~80,000 Palestinian workers in Israel's construction industry; their permit has been canceled after the Oct 7 attack by Hamas.

Last week, state governments of UP and Haryana advertised 10,000 open positions in Israel. Workers are promised a salary of $1,500/month and a bonus of $180 credited upon their return to India. Despite the dangers, Indian workers perceive these jobs as the "opportunity of a lifetime."

Tour de headlines:

• A recent study has revealed a disturbing reality about bottled water: the presence of nanoplastics in concentrations significantly higher than previous estimates. These nanoparticles, so tiny as to be invisible under a microscope, can migrate through the body's tissues, enter bloodstream and introduce harmful chemicals directly into cells.
• South Korea's parliament has passed a bill that prohibits the breeding and slaughter of dogs for consumption. This move marks the end of the longstanding yet contentious tradition of consuming dog meat in the country.
• French PM Elisabeth Borne has stepped down from her post following recent political tensions over contentious reforms in immigration laws and the pension system. She was France's second woman PM.

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