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‘Shoplifters’ Is Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Palme d’Or Winning Masterpiece

INDIA: One of Kore-eda Hirokazu’s directorial films, ‘Shoplifters’ won the Palme de ‘or award at the 2018 Cannes film festival.

The 2-hour long movie emanates a subtle and a virgin screenplay and camera work.

Moreover, Kore-eda is admired for his sense of observing life as it goes on, this shows in how his camera is situated almost always in the right place to let know what is happening in the scene.

To add, the actors look like they have their own created, curated and contained experiences like in the movie.

Intrinsic nature of the film

In shoplifters, Kore-eda Hirokazu tells a story about a very unconventional family.

The two elders of the family, the husband and wife are living on the edge of poverty in occasional employments with low wage jobs. Hence, they shoplift to make ends meet.

Together with a young female and a boy they live in two rooms in their grandmother’s house, living off of her pension to cope up with their finances.

One day, on their way back from the store, stolen goods in hand, the father and son come across a young girl, just five years old. It’s cold out, and she has nowhere to go. It’s clear her house is no proper home for her and so they decide to adopt her secretly after learning the scale of abuse and neglect that the girl has undergone.

Furthermore, the several concurrent scenes from “Shoplifters” seem to hold no context that could possibly participate in the plot of the movie.

But after paying close inspection, it is all a spiral that shows different types of love, affection, and tenderness that would eventually come to make the conclusion stronger.

Also Read: Short Film On Lockdown-hit Family Shortlisted By Cannes

An emotive

The plot of ‘Shoplifters’ unfurls slowly but delicately, revealing tender moments of love and hardship, bit by bit.

Interestingly so, the movie never quite shifts gears, but it slowly builds, and it pulls you in every step of the way.

The dialogues are fractured but real – nothing expository, just a family unit comfortable with its parts; luring you in with its ordinariness but also spelling out the genuine closeness of the “family” so subtly.

Certain scenes in the movie, for instance, the ‘fly on the wall’ scene was simply more brushstrokes painting the picture as a whole rather than driving the narrative, which was far more visual and definitely about “moments”.

Everything seems to be going well until a cascade of incidents sends the family into a spiral, and new truths begin to surface.

The strength of their bonds is tested, and the heartstrings of the audience are plucked at subtly and expertly.

The Great Gatsby: The World’s Most Misunderstood Novel

INDIA: The novel ‘The Great Gatsby’ that is set in about a hundred years ago is authored by F. Scott Fitzgerald and is admired plenty. Published in the year 1925 as a doomed novel, it now is considered the greatest American novel written. Moreover, the now-classic staples also in the high school reading lists.

Profound or not?

Anyone who went through American high school has heard this about The Great Gatsby – “The green light represents the American Dream.” In college, though, in a course of Fitzgerald and Hemingway, they come to believe that it wasn’t the real focus of the novel.

Basically, implying that the novel was far more literal than people thought. But such a literal interpretation robs the book of its deeper meaning. It’d be like saying Hemingway’s “The Sun Also Rises” is just about a bunch of people drinking and having fun. Sure, that stuff happens, just like Gatsby and Daisy’s romance, but what it signifies is important.

From my perspective, Gatsby himself most embodies the delusion of the American dream: he built himself up on the back of someone else’s riches and later through unscrupulous means (bootlegging) and by the end, even his wealth means nothing to him, it’s not enough. In the end, it doesn’t save him from destroying himself. In a way, that’s the perverted view of the “American dream” that I see ever more prevalent especially in today’s society and, having researched Fitzgerald and the 1920s, in the post-WWI America as well.

Love story or not?

Still from ballet ‘The Great Gatsby’. Photo Credit: Instagram

About the plot, the lion’s share of readers surmises that it is more of an actual tragic love story than an allegory for the inevitable failure of the American Dream. Gatsby has lines describing Daisy’s voice as “full of money” and the universal “green – envy and money” symbolism that gives doubts about Jay’s love’s sincerity.

Fitzgerald is meaning to show the ultimate failure of the American Dream with Daisy’s and Gatsby’s relationship, as it’s bound to fall apart from the beginning. Money can not always buy you happiness, it can’t make you friends, it can’t turn back time. I think it can also be saying that money can delude one into thinking they’ve reached the American Dream, as then the green light would simply be a lie. Tom and Daisy have gotten high off a Pseudo-American Dream and Gatsby wants a piece of that too, as has other higher class people in the book who live from each dazzling party and to the next.

Also Read: India’s Best-Selling Collaborative Fiction Novelists Launch Their Second Book

Fitzgerald probably did include aspects of the story such as aspects of a tragic love story, but to say the story is to be taken most if not entirely literal is silly given the feelings towards the time period Fitzgerald had, which would align fairly well with the abstract interpretation of the book.

Gatsby idealized Daisy and created his own version of her. In certainty, it was out of Jay’s desire to hold on to the past. He figured if he couldn’t have Daisy he would never be happy because in his mind she was this perfect woman who held the key to his happiness.

Hit Manga Series ‘Attack on Titan’ To End On 9th April After 11 Years Of Publishing

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JAPAN: The popular manga series; Attack on Titan (Japanese title: Shingeki no Kyojin) is set to release its last chapter dubbed as “Yeager” on 9th April 2021 after publishing for over 11 years. The author and illustrator of the monthly manga series, Hajime Isayama decided to end the series with the 139th chapter tomorrow.

The manga managed to create a buzz among the youth and adults within a few months of its release. The series set in motion in the first issue of Kodansha’s monthly publication, Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine, released on the 9th of September in 2009. Furthermore, it is Hajime Isayama’s first work as a mangaka that has gone on to attract fans from all over the world for years.

Although the chapter is yet to come out, the contents of the chapter have leaked and pre-predicted by the fans. Precisely, the ending of the story was hinted at in the 2015 live-action adaptation of the series. The fans managed to prognosticate the end of the series which has lead to the chaos in the Attack on Titan fandom.

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Unsatisfactory reviews on the original ending of the story led the author to alter the end of the series. Interestingly so, he had now decided to restore the ending and will go on to do so.

Moreover, the manga series has been adapted into animation and a live-action movie that hit theatres in 2015. The anime, however, is yet to release the 2nd part of its fourth season. According to the teaser that was released on youtube, the second part of the series will release the first episode this winter.

To add, the upcoming chapter is reportedly 40 pages long and will fill stores in a day.

Mandala: Matrix Of The Mind

INDIA: ‘Mandala’, meaning a ‘circle’ has defined spiritual learning from within since ancient times. Pronounced ‘man-dah-lah’, it renders the phrase – ‘life is a never-ending cycle’. Mandala’s circular and compact design represents the universe. The pattern has been in use as a spiritual and ritual symbol in Buddhism and Hinduism since the beginning of time. Furthermore, it delves into deeper aspects of both religions.

To define Mandala in today’s world, the term refers to any diagram that shows radical balance.

The term first appeared in Rigveda, an ancient Hindi text that also included the image of the Mandala. The pattern can as well be a square enclosing a circle and may represent aught to a being with spirit.

Mandala art is also prominent with adult coloring books as the intricacies help de-stress and in the deeper sense help focus on the little things that we otherwise tend to overlook in the course of life.

Change: the only constant

As a ritual in Tibetan Buddhism, mandalas made from colored sand are prepared for days only to be destroyed in the end. The essence of Buddhism is meditation and the essence of meditation is awareness. That clear, pure consciousness, which is just aware of the phenomenon occurring – without labeling, without criticizing, without rationalizing.

This ritual signifies that nothing is forever and that it’s unhelpful to attach to anything even if it’s beautiful. The phrase – “You must learn to let go that which you fear to lose” succours it.

The destruction of the mandala shows that the immaterial is just as important as the material. Life makes way for death, death makes way for life. Impermanence is the cosmos, aka the only constant is – change. The beautiful picture is still there, just piled up then scattered to the winds.

Mandala meditation

The aesthetically pleasing and decorative imagery is used profoundly used as a tool in meditation and Yoga. It removes irritation and allows a creative mind to run free.

Precisely, the design is gazed at till one gets the knowledge from within, somethings that words won’t suffice to make one understand that feeling. The learnings from the mandala are spiritual and hence result in self-transformation. It helps recognize unhealthy thoughts and reduce stress. The time spent with the mandala while meditating increases every time.

Purple South Korean Islands Attract Tourists

SOUTH KOREA: An island located off the southwestern coast of South Korea tint the land with the shade of lilac by the native bellflowers called Campanula. The residents of the island decided to drench the island with a tenuous shade of purple.

A bridge that is bathed in the same hue connects the two islands, Banwol and Bakji.

Bridge drenched in purple hue. Photo Credit: Twitter

The residents of the Banwol and Bakji islands decided to turn their towns lavender to boost tourism. The residents have tinged the houses, bridges, phone boxes, roads, and benches into the blush of purple borrowed by the native balloon flowers. To make it more scenic, they have planted pastel purple flowers like lavender and asters. The government added 30,000 New England wildflowers, asters. Around 230,000 square feet of lavender fields were planted for the same cause.

Purple Islands of South Korea

Due to the new transformation of the two islands, they now are addressed as ‘The purple islands’ of South Korea.

Since the official start of the campaign in 2019, the painting of the two islands attracted over 487,000 people. Additionally, Shinan country has invested around 4.8 billion won ($4.25 million) to paint the two islands. Moreover, more than 28,000 square meters of roofs are painted lilac.

Photo Credit: Instagram

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Around a hundred residents live in the small peaceful islands. The older residents have expressed the joy of watching younger people visit their tiny towns. Interestingly so, the restaurants in the towns serve food on purple plates with purple rice. On the benches, the phrase ‘I purple you’ is seen written which was first introduced by Kim Tae-Hyung, K-pop boy band BTS member.

Along with all other alluring and charismatic facts about the island, the place actually charges zero fees to tourists who visit wearing purple.

Third Eye Cafe Supporting The LGBTQ Community By Providing Employment Opportunities

INDIA. Mumbai: Third Eye Cafe in Navi Mumbai employs mostly transgenders and is known for its appetizing menu. The cafe is run by a team of transgenders who along with working as chefs, also serve the customers.

The current employees of the cafe have come to work from different parts of Maharashtra in order to live a life of solemnity. Leaving behind their own personal stories of flounder and glum, they are finding new bliss in this cafe of hope.

According to the co-founder of the Third Eye Cafe, Nimesh Shetty, the name of the cafe came to him from the concept of showing society their third perspective. ‘Third’ represents the third gender and the ‘eye’ conveys the belief of them having a differing perception than the most part of the society.

Although the third gender is recognized in India, acceptance of the same is not yet felt dwelling in the air of the country.

Mahi, one of the first employees of the Third Eye Cafe has stated her obligation towards the cafe owners. Before the cafe opened in the mid-year of 2017, Mahi begged on the streets of Pune for two years after leaving her house.

Mahi, an employee of the Third Eye Cafe. Photo Credit: Instagram

“We did a survey in 2016, where 68% of people said that they wanted to see something different and would love to see transgenders doing mainstream jobs,” said Shetty.

Read Also: Entrepreneur Priyank Patel Empowering Marginalized Communities Through Diverse And Inclusive Hiring

The staff is seen mainly wearing t-shirts of dark color with ‘unmind, unplug, unleash’ inscribed on the back of their wear. In a way, reflecting the untangled notion of the cafe and their being.

The place also hosts several fans’ greets and meets for the singers in the indie scene.

Polar Bears Live On the Edge Of The Climate Change Crisis

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INDIA: Master of their own environment, polar bears domineer the arctic ice stratum. The species perch at the top of the food chain and therefore are considered strong predators. These white and pleasant-looking animals are also sturdy swimmers. With giant and webbed front paws used to paddle, they dwell in the coastal waters of the Arctic. Consequently, polar bears have thrived in the world’s coldest environments since forever.

February 27 is celebrated as International Polar Bear Day. International Polar Bear Day raises awareness on the issues faced by polar bears. This magnificently beautiful animal is certified as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Spirit Animal: Polar Bear Symbolism

The staunch Arctic adaptations of polar bears succor the life of the giant snowy creatures. Moreover, the stark white coat visible on the facade is rather a tool to abide by the environment. It covers the black skin that soaks up the warmness of the sun.

Polar bears have never been dethroned of their stature. Fearless and unbothered by the living creatures around them, they centralize their own survival. Furthermore, the fur grows on the bottom of its paws that provides a better grip on the ice and cushion from the cold sheets.

People with polar bears as their totem are believed to be strong yet powerful. Kindred with the animal’s aggressive parenting, they have their own aggressive yet playful side. The authentic lifestyle of the species influences people’s traits majorly who believe polar bears as their spirit animal.

Read Also: Climate Change Might Have Played A Role In The COVID-19 Pandemic, New Study Says

The polar bear as a totem highlights the major defensive qualities of a person. It is also believed that the appearance of a polar bear in a dream is the reason for jollification. Interestingly so, it signifies the person and his recently acquired power to never give in to problems or bow down to negativity.

The animal’s capability to thrive in the bitter cold environment too reflects on the person and his aptness to thrive in circumstances hostile for others. It divides and guides to move between the living and the spirit world.

Khelo India 2021 Organised In Gulmarg Gets Inaugurated

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INDIA: The second edition of Khelo India will begin in Gulmarg on Friday. The winter games will see a total of 1200 participants from all over the country including the 27 states and 8 union territories of India.

“Athletes from 27 states and Union Territories will converge on the snow-bound slopes of Gulmarg during the event to compete in different categories of sports,” an official spokesman of the J&K government said in a statement.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has e-inaugurated the five-day game which will include different cultural programs showcasing the arts and crafts. Moreover, stalls are set up which include local authentic food and crafts among other necessities.

Khelo India winter games event

Ice skating, ice hockey, skiing, Nordic ski, snowboarding, ski mountaineering, ice stock, and snowshoe race include the games that will be seen in the event.

Khelo India is an initiative to strengthen the sports ecosystem by encouraging mass participation and promotion of excellence, as quoted by Khelo India on Twitter.

“We want to encourage the youth of India. We want to support our young generation for excellence in sports,” said Honorable Minister of Sports, Kiren Rijiju during the inauguration.

“The increase in the number of participations from states and the UN of India stipulates that the youth of India is coming forward with talents and powers,” said PM Narendra Modi in his inauguration speech. Adding that the ahtletes will take the experience from Khelo India winter games and use the same in the Podium of Winter Olympics.

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Furthermore, the game is organized by the Union ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports along with the contribution of J&K sports council and the Winter Games Association of Jammu and Kashmir.

Previosuly, the first edition of Khelo India was held in Odisha from 22 Feb which concluded on March 1 of 2020.

Three Killed And Seven Injured After Explosion In Singapore Workshop

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SINGAPORE: Ten people were rushed to the hospital after an explosion at the Tuas industrial building, Singapore caused a fire on the premises. Witnesses said that they heard a loud explosion from the building at around 11:20 am on Wednesday.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the explosion was caused due to the long-term accumulation of potato starch. It was elucidated as the combustible dust explosion. The company used potato starch in its product and due to inadequate planning, the starch in powder form started accumulating in a confined environment which led to the explosion.

Aftermath of the blast. Photo Credit: Twitter

The workers working in the Tuas factory of fire protection systems suffered severe burns.

The fire department arrived at the affected area 10 minutes after it was alerted immediately by one of the witnesses. Two water jets were used to calm down the fire in the building.

Read Also: Beirut Explosions, Concerned About The Wellbeing Of Children: UNICEF

Eight victims were taken to the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) while two more from the opposite unit were taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital. Three of the injured victims were announced dead due to the extremity of third-degree burns they suffered all over their bodies. Additionally, three ambulances were seen taking the victims to the hospital.

In a statement, doctors said that due to the grievously burned bodies, it was difficult to identify the victims.

“The employer is making separate housing arrangements for the unhurt workers. MOM is also working with the employer to ensure their wellbeing is being taken care of,” the Ministry of Manpower said.

Around 65 people from the neighbouring units were excavated from the building.

Philippines Records 239 Deaths In a Single Day Due To COVID-19

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PHILIPPINES: The Health Ministry of the Philippines has reported the deaths of 239 people as a result of COVID-19 on Saturday.

Additionally, there were 2,240 confirmed infections on that day.

This is reportedly the second-highest count of deaths recorded in a single day since the start of the pandemic.

September 14 of last year recorded the highest number of deaths in a day with 259 deaths.

Moreover, the country capital has in recent days experienced a spike in coronavirus infections.

Previously, the government had decided to re-open the theatres, arcades and shopping malls.

This discrete decision of the government gave rise to a debate among the mayors of the cities, opposing the decision over the fear of increasing infections.

The resumption of the same hence was postponed for two weeks.

Furthermore, President Rodrigo Duterte in the next week will decide whether to re-open the public attractions for resuming economic activities.

The country is currently in a colloquy with seven manufacturers for importing over 148 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

Authorities have said that the vaccine manufacturers are demanding protection from future product liability claims before delivering the shots.

Read Also: Pakistan to host World Environment Day 2021

The government had planned to kick off its vaccination program by mid-February followed by the arrival of Pfizer BioNTech shots through the COVAX facility. However, due to the absence of an indemnification program, the arrival was delayed.

To save the economy of the country and preventing it from falling into a slump, actions are accordingly being planned.

COVID-19 Update

The country has so far recorded 5,63,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 infections.

12,094 people have lost their lives to the virus while 5,23,000 cases of recovered patients have been reported so far.

Furthermore, the count of worldwide deaths due to COVID-19 have crossed 2.4 million. 63.1 million people have recovered.