Kerala’s LOP Pinarayi Vijayan

New Delhi: Leader of opposition and former Chief Minister in Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan It rained heavily on the Center and BJP Amidst the ongoing controversy over the presentation ofVande Mataram‘In Kerala Assembly. He alleged that singing the full version of the national anthem was ‘part of the RSS agenda’.Vijayan said there is no need to stand up when the entire version of ‘Vande Mataram’ is sung or only the first two verses are sung.“It was already made clear that there is no need to sing Vande Mataram in its entirety. There are no other constraints on this issue. In fact, there is no need to stand when only the first two verses of Vande Mataram are sung. Singing the full version of Vande Mataram is part of the agenda of the RSS. The entire song was presented during the swearing-in ceremony, which should not have happened. After that experience, it seems the government has taken a tough decision. This is the approach that should be adopted,” he said.His comments came after the BJP accused the Kerala Assembly of disrespecting the national anthem by not presenting the full version of ‘Vande Mataram’ during Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar’s policy address last Friday.Before and after the Governor’s address, a band team played only the opening verses of the national anthem.Senior BJP leader and Kazhakkoottam MLA V Muraleedharan alleged that there was a Central government directive to require full rendition of ‘Vande Mataram’ at events attended by the Governor, but claimed that the Kerala Assembly did not follow it.“This is an insult to Lok Bhavan and the Honorable Governor. The national anthem, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary, has also been disrespected, the former Union minister said in a Facebook post.Muraleedharan further accused the VD Satheesan-led UDF government of bowing before ‘Jamaat-e-Islami and CPI(M).’“It is clear from this that the government is accepting their argument that the national anthem is not in line with secularism,” he alleged.The BJP leader also questioned the Congress party’s stand on ‘Vande Mataram’ and said the song was first sung at the Congress national conference in 1896.“We register our protest strongly,” he said.Earlier, during the swearing-in ceremony of the newly formed UDF cabinet led by Chief Minister VD Satheesan, ‘Vande Mataram’ was sung in full. CPI(M) and other left parties objected to the entire rendition and argued that parts of the song were not appropriate in a secular and pluralistic society.In a statement earlier this week, the CPM state secretariat said the decision to present the full version goes against the earlier stance adopted by the Congress Working Committee in 1937, which had recommended deletion of parts of the song.The party also cited the Constituent Assembly discussions in 1950 and claimed that only the first eight lines of ‘Vande Mataram’ were accepted for official use as the national song.According to the CPM, parts of the songs reflect specific religious beliefs and their inclusion in official state ceremonies is not in line with India’s secular traditions.The party further alleged that clauses previously excluded from official use were included during the swearing-in ceremony.The CPM also pointed out that even in BJP-ruled states, including West Bengal, traditional full presentations were not given during the swearing-in ceremony.Amid the controversy, Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar strongly criticized the Left parties and accused them of disrespecting the national anthem and indulging in appeasement politics.“In an attempt to hide the embarrassment of being completely rejected by the people, the CPI(M) has now come forward to question Vande Mataram,” he said.Chandrasekhar said, “Insulting the nation for mere political survival can never be called secularism. A developed Kerala requires unity, harmony and a secure society.”Meanwhile, according to PTI, the newly formed Kerala government clarified that the state administration had no role in deciding the schedule of the swearing-in ceremony and said the event was entirely organized by Lok Bhavan.

Indian-origin teenager Shrey Parikh has achieved what millions of young spellers dream of. The 14-year-old from Rancho Cucamonga, California won the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee on May 28 at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, DC. He defeated runner-up Ishan Gupta in a dramatic spell-off final. During the tie-breaker, Parikh spelled 32 words correctly in just 90 seconds. The performance set a new spell-off record and secured its place in the competition’s 101-year history. The win was particularly significant as it was Parikh’s third appearance at the national competition, completing a journey that saw him finish 89th in 2022 and third in 2024 before ultimately claiming the championship.

Credit Parikh’s spelling journey to win America’s largest spelling contest

Shrey Parikh is a 14-year-old Indian-American student currently enrolled in eighth grade at Day Creek Intermediate School in Rancho Cucamonga, California, sponsored by the San Bernardino County School Superintendent. Rather than being a one-dimensional academic, Shrey is known to be a well-rounded individual with rich interests. He is an accomplished musician, playing a remarkable variety of instruments including snare drum, bass drum, timpani, toms, break drum, triangle, glockenspiel, marimba, piano and ukulele.He is also multilingual. From a young age, Shrey has spoken several languages, including three Indian dialects, reflecting his deep Indian heritage. His principal at John L. Golden Elementary School, where Shrey studied before moving on, described him as “accomplished in all subjects”.Shreya’s relationship with competitive spelling began remarkably early. John L. in Rancho Cucamonga. As a fourth grader at Golden Elementary School, he won the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools Spelling Bee, earning him a spot in the 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee, his first appearance on the national stage. He finished 89th that year, which was a solid start for such a young student.In 2024, Shreya made a comeback and finished third with Bruhat Mon Won the championship and Faizan Zaki finished second. Shreya earned $12,500 in prize money. That result indicated that he was firmly one of the elite young magicians in the country.Then there was a tremendous shock. Shrey had missed his school last year when he was battling fever and failed to fully qualify for the national competition. This was a severe blow. He took six months off from spelling before reopening his Merriam-Webster dictionary.With 2026 being her final year of eligibility, and contestants must not have graduated beyond the eighth grade or be older than 15, Shrey approached the season with all-or-nothing intensity. His coaching team included Sam Evanswho has coached each of the last three champions; Soham Sukhatankar, himself co-champion in 2019; and Vijaya Ganesh, a longtime coach and mother of a former speller.The 14-year-old works with three instructors, pays for word lists and study guides, and tries to learn every Greek and Latin root, every language pattern, and every spellable word he can find. He also competes in online bees throughout the year which pits him against other top spellers in the country. Shrey said she practiced five hours a day to prepare for the spelling bee.He arrived in Washington as one of the clear favorites and he did not disappoint.

2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee: The Night in Details

The 2026 event featured 247 participants from the United States and its territories. After two preliminary rounds, the field was narrowed down to eight finalists for the Thursday night showdown at the DAR Constitution Hall.The slim Shreyas, dressed in a business-casual look with a dark long-sleeved collared shirt, khakis and sneakers, walked to the microphone with a serious expression, which quickly disappeared when he heard his words from announcer Jacques Bailey and nodded vigorously, saying he knew the answer.The alarm bell did not ring until the third round, in which four contestants were eliminated within a matter of minutes. By the end of the seventh round, only Parikh and Gupta were left. When both successfully uttered their words in the next round, the spell began.

Enchantment: 90 seconds, 32 words, a record broken

The spell-off format introduced in 2021 is as exciting as it is brutal. Each speller had 90 seconds to spell as many words as possible. As one participant competed, the other was wearing headphones, unable to hear the words being read.The credit was extraordinary. Parikh spelled 32 words correctly out of 35 she attempted in 90 seconds to win the title and broke the previous spell-off record set in 2024 by Bruhat Soma, who spelled 29 words correctly out of 30. Parikh crushed 32 words to Gupta’s 25, and finished on “kasha”, a type of plant, and set a new spell-casting record.This was only the third time the Spell-Off had decided a spelling bee since the format began. Harini Logan won the first spell-off in 2022 with 22 words spelled in 90 seconds, while Bruhat Soma won in 2024 with 29.Scripps later announced that the championship word was “bromocriptine”, a polypeptide alkaloid derived from ergot that mimics the activity of dopamine.

The word that tested him the most

With all his patience, one word paused the credits during the final: “Bhubaneswar”, the capital of the Indian state of Odisha.He said, “I was 99% sure it had a ‘B’ in it, but doubt always lingers in the back of your mind, especially at that time.” “I knew I just had to stick to my guts and my instincts on that word.”He wrote it correctly and moved on.

Their reaction: joy, relief and liberation

After the win, Shrey said, “Right now I am probably the happiest I have ever been. I am feeling very happy and relieved and just a flood of emotions.”“Last year at my school, I was really depressed and very upset. It didn’t even sink in until the next day. I had a really hard time, but I’m glad I was able to bounce back.”On the spell-off itself, the credits were remarkably quiet.“Spelling fast is what I do every day,” he said, holding up a Scripps cup. “An enchantment came naturally.”He described the final round as feeling like “just another day of spelling”.On hearing the announcement confirming his victory, Shrey immediately turned and shook hands with Gupta.

Awards and recognition

As the 2026 champion, Shreya achieved an impressive feat. He received $52,500 in prize money along with reference works from Encyclopædia Britannica and Merriam-Webster, a custom trophy and commemorative medal, and $1,000 in flight credits from Delta Air Lines.He also conducted a meet and greet with an astronaut at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. A trip to Universal Orlando Resort theme park completes the prize package.Although this was the 98th bee, Shrey became the 111th champion as the competition has produced multiple co-champions over the years, including an eight-way tie in 2019.

A historic tradition of Indian-origin champions

Sreya’s win continues a remarkable trend of excellent performance by Indian-American students at the Scripps National Spelling Bee.Recent champions of Indian origin include Faizan Zaki (2025), Bruhat Soma (2024), Dev Shah (2023) and Harini Logan (2022), among many others. Notably, runner-up Ishaan Gupta is also of Indian origin, meaning both finalists this year have roots in the Indian subcontinent.For the first time in Bees history, the second and third place players in the same year won the championship. Faizan Zaki won in 2025 after finishing second in 2024, while Shrey Parikh won in 2026 after finishing third in the same year.

more than a speller

What makes Shrey Parikh’s story fascinating is not just the trophy. It’s the resilience, the fever that caused him to lose his chance to qualify, the months away from the spell and the determination to come back stronger. It’s the discipline of five hours of daily practice and a coaching team assembled for one final shot at glory.It’s also the calmness of the teenager who broke a national record and then described the achievement as “just another day of spelling”.As the 111th Scripps National Spelling Bee champion, Shrey Parikh is already a part of American educational history. However, for a 14-year-old boy who once walked away from school crying, this moment represents something even bigger. It’s a testament to what can happen when talent meets persistence.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Singapore Open 2026 quarter-finals.

India have four events on Friday, with the mixed doubles pair of PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty and Dhruv Kapila-Tanisha Crasto looking to book a place in the semi-finals of the Super 750 tournament.

Sindhu will face her toughest challenge yet as she will take on reigning Olympic champion and top seed Ann Se Young, while Lakshya will look to continue her impressive performance against Japan’s Koki Watanabe. Satwik and Chirag are also in action after battling a tough second-round match, while Dhruv and Tanisha will be hoping for an emphatic comeback win over Japan’s Yuta Watanabe and Maya Taguchi.

Stay tuned for live updates, scores and important moments from Singapore as India’s shuttlers try to make it to the last four.

New Delhi: Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka DK Shivakumar Acting Chief Minister of Karnataka issued his first public statement after Siddaramaiah Praising the veteran Congress leader’s contribution to the state and signaling continuity in the party’s approach to leadership and governance, he resigned from the post.Shivakumar, who is widely seen as Siddaramaiah’s successor, described the outgoing chief minister’s political journey as “one of the finest reflections” of resilience, tenacity and commitment to social justice.In a detailed message posted soon after Siddaramaiah stepped down, Shivakumar thanked him for his “years of service and leadership to the people of Karnataka” and highlighted the impact of the welfare schemes and developmental initiatives launched during his tenure.Shivakumar said in the opening line of his statement, “God does not give blessings or curses. He only gives opportunities. What really matters is how we make use of those opportunities.”Referring to Siddaramaiah’s rise from rural Karnataka to the top political post in the state, he said, “The life of Shri Siddaramaiah Avru is one of the finest reflections of this idea. From a simple village in Mysore to leading the way as the Chief Minister of Karnataka, his journey stands as a testament to resilience, perseverance and unwavering commitment to social justice.”The statement came hours after Siddaramaiah announced his resignation amid months of speculation about a leadership change in the Congress government. The move is expected to pave the way for Shivakumar to take charge as the next chief minister after consultations between state leaders and the Congress high command.Shivakumar also emphasized the political partnership he shared with Siddaramaiah, especially after he became the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president in 2020.He said, “Ever since I was entrusted with the responsibility of serving as KPCC President in 2020, Siddaramaiah Avaru has stood firmly by me like a pillar of strength. Together we have worked shoulder to shoulder to strengthen the party and take its vision to the people.”Calling it a privilege to work with Siddaramaiah as Deputy Chief Minister, Shivakumar said he hoped the senior leader’s “guidance will continue to inspire and strengthen us all in the years to come”.He also indicated that the Congress leadership would strive to maintain unity during the transition period.“As the saying goes, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’ Shivakumar said, I look forward to carrying forward this journey together for the people of Karnataka.

PC: Facebook (Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities)

Ancient stones in Egypt rarely behaved like static objects. In the Karnak temples of Luxor, walls and gateways reappear in unexpected forms, as if the past had been folded and stitched again and again by different hands over the centuries. The latest work in the north of the temple complex has done just that, revealing a gate belonging to Ramses III that had been buried in fragments and overgrowth for generations. What started as a meticulous restoration project has quietly turned into something more level-headed, with signs of a Roman-era presence beneath the sand. Among them is a carved stone tablet associated with the emperor Tiberius, which raises new questions about how sacred space was reused, rewritten, and reimagined over time in ancient Egypt.

Egypt’s Karnak Project uncovers hidden stonework layers beneath Emperor Ramses III’s North Gate

The northern wall gate associated with Ramses III has not had an easy history. Built during the 20th Dynasty, it was reportedly heavily damaged long before modern restoration began, with its lower sections partially exposed and unstable when first documented in the 19th century. Vegetation had taken hold, sections of stone had shifted, and much of its original form was no longer legible in the landscape.An Egyptian-French archaeological team working within the Karnak temples will attempt a slow reconstruction between 2022 and 2025, according to a Facebook post by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. The blocks were taken apart one by one, cleaned, recorded and reassembled with scientific precision rather than guesswork. The aim was not to recreate a romantic version of the past, but to stabilize what was left and understand how the structure originally was.What was revealed during dismantling makes this process unusual. Many reused stones, some of which contained decorative elements from the reign of Amenhotep III, appeared embedded in the later structure. This suggests that the gate itself may also have been built using material from older monuments, turning the site into a kind of architectural archive layered with earlier dynasties.

Facebook (Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities)

What do the excavations of the Karnak North Wall reveal?

As work expanded around the gate, attention turned to the surrounding northern wall of the Temple of Amun-Ra. It appears that archaeologists have found phases of construction here that do not belong to any single moment in time. Instead, the masonry indicates repeated reconstruction, extending from the New Kingdom to the later Greek and Roman periods.A causewayed road was also identified during recent fieldwork, which was partially recorded in early 20th century surveys but never fully understood. It connects the Ramses III Gate to a major courtyard inside the Karnak complex, suggesting that movement through this part of the temple was more structured than previously thought.Mudbrick installations from the Late Archaic period are located in the same area, adding another layer of occupation. The picture that emerges is not of a static sacred boundary, but of a functioning religious landscape that continued to evolve long after its original creators were gone. Experts suggest that the area may have been repeatedly reconquered as political control shifted, particularly during the Roman and Byzantine eras.

It depicts the Roman emperor as the Egyptian pharaoh karnak temple

The most notable discovery is a sandstone stela associated with the emperor Tiberius, measuring about 60 by 40 centimeters, according to a Facebook post by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. It was uncovered during restoration work near the gate, lying within an archaeological layer associated with later settlements.The carving depicts the Roman emperor in traditional Pharaonic style, standing before the Theban triad of Amun-Ra, Mut, and Khonsu. Rather than appearing as a foreign ruler, he is shown taking part in a familiar religious function, giving recognition to the divine command of the temple.This visual language was not uncommon in Roman Egypt. When emperors were depicted in temple settings they often conformed to the Egyptian religious framework, even if their political identity elsewhere remained Roman. The stela also includes a small hieroglyphic inscription referencing restoration work on temple structures, suggesting that it may have functioned as a commemorative marker rather than a purely decorative object.Its presence within the Karnak complex indicates how Roman power was absorbed into existing religious systems rather than completely replacing them. This imagery appears to have been designed to align royal power with local belief structures, consolidating legitimacy through ritual rather than conquest alone.

New Delhi: Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot on Friday accepted the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru and dissolved the Council of Ministers with immediate effect, a day after the Congress leader resigned following instructions from the party high command. However, according to an official order issued from Lok Bhavan, Siddaramaiah will continue in the post until alternative arrangements are made.“In exercise of the powers conferred on me under Article 164(1) of the Constitution of India, I, Thawarchand GehlotThe Governor of Karnataka has accepted the resignation of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and dissolved the Council of Ministers headed by him with immediate effect. The official order states that Siddaramaiah will continue to function as Chief Minister until alternative arrangements are made.This step has cleared the way for change of leadership in the state. karnataka congress chairman DK Shivakumar The Congress leadership, expected to take over the chief ministerial post, has intensified discussions in Delhi, where Shivakumar is scheduled to meet Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge to finalize the government formation, including the cabinet composition and organizational appointments.Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar and AICC Karnataka in-charge Randeep Surjewala will be involved in the main discussion in which decisions on Cabinet reshuffle, Rajya Sabha nominations and MLC candidates are expected, ANI quoted sources as saying. Party insiders suggested that many ministers from the outgoing Siddaramaiah cabinet may not be retained in the new government.To ensure social and regional balance, the Congress is also considering the appointment of four deputy chief ministers. Siddaramaiah’s son, Yathindra, currently a member of the Legislative Council, is likely to be included in the new Cabinet and may be given an important portfolio to signal the continuation of his father’s political legacy.The Congress Legislature Party meeting, largely seen as a procedural step, is expected to be scheduled shortly, after which the date for Shivakumar’s swearing-in ceremony will be announced.Shivkumar reached New Delhi late Thursday night and briefly addressed reporters, saying, “The weather is bad today.” My CM has landed in Jaipur. There is a lot of unrest.”Earlier, Siddaramaiah’s Delhi flight was diverted to Jaipur due to bad weather, where he along with Randeep Surjewala met former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. In a post on Twitter, Siddaramaiah said, “Had a warm meeting with former Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Shri Ashok Gehlot at Jaipur airport today.”According to party sources, the political reshuffle also comes ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections, where the Congress is expected to get two of the four seats from Karnataka and is in contention for the third seat, which requires additional support.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal

New Delhi: Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals will face each other in IPL 2026 Qualifier 2 at the Maharaja Yadvendra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh on Friday, with a place in the final against Royal Challengers Bangalore at stake.Rajasthan Royals are back in form after defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad in the eliminator, thanks to an explosive inning of 97 runs in just 29 balls by young sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi. Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans will be looking to make a strong comeback after suffering a heavy defeat against RCB in Qualifier 1. The encounter promises to be a battle between Gujarat’s disciplined bowling attack and Rajasthan’s fearless batting unit led by the in-form Suryavanshi. The 15-year-old has emerged as the biggest talking point of the tournament with his fearless hitting at the top, leaving behind even established names like Yashasvi Jaiswal.GT’s fast bowlers Mohammad Siraj and Kagiso Rabada will once again have the responsibility of stopping the RR opener early. Siraj had dismissed Suryavanshi with a short ball in their last meeting and Gujarat could target the same weakness again.key players to watchVaibhav Suryavanshi and Joffra Archer remain the biggest match winners for Rajasthan Royals. Archer’s pace and ability to strike in the powerplay could be crucial against GT’s strong top order Shubman GillSai Sudarshan and Jos Buttler.Gujarat Titans will be heavily dependent on captain Shubman Gill and Sudarshan after their batting struggled badly against RCB. Rahul Tewatia’s late-order hitting and Rashid Khan’s control in the middle overs can also play an important role in the knockout match.gt vs rr head to head

gt vs rr pitch reportThere have been consecutive high scoring matches on the pitch of New Chandigarh this season. The batsmen have enjoyed the pace and bounce, while the fast bowlers have struggled at times during the death overs.A more batting-friendly surface is expected for Qualifier 2, and teams may once again aim for scores above 200. Dew later in the evening may also influence the captains to chase the target after winning the toss.gt vs rr weather updateHot and dry conditions are expected in New Chandigarh at the time of the match. The temperature is likely to remain above 35 degrees Celsius in the evening, so there is not much chance of the game being disrupted due to rain.gt vs rr probable playing elevenGujarat Titans: Shubman Gill (captain), Sai Sudarshan, Jos Buttler, Nishant Sindhu, Rahul Tewatia, Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna.Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Riyan Parag (captain), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Joffra Archer, Ravi Bishnoi, Nandre Berger, Sandeep Sharma.The match will start at 7:30 pm Indian time.

PC: Guinness World Records

On the mud flats outside Mombasa, the tide does not remain constant for long. It pulls in, retracts, leaving a surface that looks soft but behaves like something less forgiving once it’s penetrated. Typically on a stretch of coast shaped by salt, heat and passing weather systems, a man spent almost an entire day moving in a narrow rhythm among already dug holes and plants waiting to be pressed into place. The work did not stop much until daylight or nightfall. It just kept going, a small group around it and a line of young mangroves slowly taking hold in the sand-heavy soil. What happened there later became a record, although on the ground it looked more like a repeat than a spectacle.

antony moses New green record set in Kenya with 47,460 mangrove plants planted

Antoine Moses arrived on the Kenyan coast with a sort of routine already ingrained in his activities. The work of planting mangroves is not gentle on the body. Each plant has to be established in wet ground that is shaken under pressure, often knee-deep in places where the tide has recently retreated.On April 30, that rhythm stretched over hours and blurred together. The goal was simple in words but less so in practice: thousands upon thousands of mangrove propagules were placed one after the other, without much change in speed. By the time day broke and night fell, the count had reached 47,460. This number later entered the record books, but at the time it was just a growing line of tiny plants disappearing in the mud.

Antony Moses: The canadian tree planter Redefining large-scale afforestation

Antoine Moses is a Canadian tree planter and environmental activist known for his endurance planting records undertaken in various parts of the world. His work is based largely on a particular corner of reforestation, where the focus is less on the function and more on how many saplings can be put into the ground in tightly measured time windows.Before turning his attention to records, he spent years working in commercial planting operations in Canada, enduring long seasonal shifts where thousands of trees are manually planted in rough terrain. Over time, that routine became the foundation of efforts to increase the pace of record field planting, first in North America and later internationally.

Before Kenya: Antoine Moses’ record of 23,000 trees in northern Alberta

This was not the first time he had attempted something on this scale. Years earlier, in northern Alberta, he had already pioneered a similar endurance planting session, setting a record that included more than 23,000 trees planted in a single day in 2021.Those earlier efforts were shaped by Canada’s commercial reforestation work, where planting cycles throughout the season can be repetitive and physically demanding. By the time he reached Kenya, that familiarity had turned into a kind of method, based on repetition rather than planning, where movement becomes almost automatic.

Why do mangroves matter in protecting fragile coastal shorelines?

Mangroves do not grow in clean conditions. They sit at the border where sea water meets land, bearing both flood and risk equally. In Mombasa, they matter for shore fishing communities and the stability of the coastline, although it is not always visible at first glance.What was being planted that day was part of that system, young seedlings meant to take root in unstable ground and eventually hold it together. The work was physical, but the result is a slow timeline. Nothing about it changes the coastline immediately.At some points during the day, the planting line continued even as the light diminished, with headlamps and small groups working around the same narrow section. The mud did not change its consistency with the hours.

A long journey behind one million trees planted in every season

By this stage, Antoine Moses was already known for his patient planting efforts. Previous records in Canada placed him among a small group of people who view tree planting less as an environmental gesture and more as sustained physical labor to one’s limits.He has said in earlier conversations that even before the Kenyan effort, he had planted a total of more than one million trees in various projects. This figure is difficult to imagine in practical terms, but it reflects years of seasonal work rather than a single campaign.

From shoreline work to millions of online viewers around the world

After the planting session ended, attention shifted to the shoreline. Short clips and photos began circulating through social media, where followers of his work already number in the millions. There are currently about 1.6 million people tuning in to his updates, and seeing snippets of planting days that might otherwise go unnoticed.He also runs a project called Entomos, which sits somewhere between storytelling and coordinating work for reforestation campaigns. It combines environmental planting efforts with digital documentation, often relying on third-party tracking systems like VeriTree to log and verify what has been planted and where it has been placed.The idea is not framed as activism in the traditional sense. This appears to be an attempt to link record keeping with physical activity, so that the latter can find out what happens in muddy areas without relying solely on memory.

New Delhi: It appears that the dust and fury surrounding the change of power in Karnataka has not settled with Siddaramaiah’s resignation as chief minister as he and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, who is expected to replace Sidda soon, are set to meet Congress state in-charge Randeep Surjewala in the national capital.Both the leaders will also meet Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress Parliamentary Party President Sonia Gandhi and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge during the day.According to sources, the meeting mainly focused on finalizing Rajya Sabha candidates, Legislative Council (MLC) nominations and a possible cabinet reshuffle before the swearing-in of the new government. Sources further indicated that many ministers from the Siddaramaiah cabinet are unlikely to find a place in the possible DK Shivakumar-led cabinet. The party leadership is also considering the appointment of four deputy chief ministers to maintain social and regional balance in the new government.A day after announcing that he would step down as chief minister to pave way for Shivakumar as per the rotational formula agreed upon after his 2023 victory, Siddaramaiah expressed his desire to stay in Bengaluru instead of going to the Rajya Sabha, which was part of the offer made by the party high command.Siddaramaiah’s move to “partially agree” with top officials, despite being adamant on his point of not going to the capital for national politics, largely suggests that development could turn out to be a complex quagmire.On Friday, Siddaramaiah, Shivkumar and Surjewala will hold discussions with the top leadership of the party. Rajya Sabha candidates, MLC candidates and cabinet reshuffle will be the top priority during the meeting. Many ministers of the Siddaramaiah cabinet are unlikely to get a place in the DK Shivakumar-led cabinet. Congress sources told news agency ANI that four deputy CMs may be appointed to maintain social and regional balance in the government.

Karnataka Chief Minister ‘Drama’ Timeline

At a press conference on Thursday, the 77-year-old publicly confirmed that he had “politely” declined the party high command’s offer of a “national role” through a Rajya Sabha nomination, so that he could “remain active in state politics”. He has been chief minister for a little over three years, having been sworn in for his second term on May 20, 2023.As per plan, Siddaramaiah held a breakfast meeting with his cabinet colleagues, including his deputy and unofficial CM-in-waiting DK Shivakumar, at his official residence before submitting his resignation. What followed were hugs, tears and apologies.

Siddaramaiah’s comments in press brief

Before a large crowd gathered, Shivakumar held a closed-door meeting with the outgoing CM, hugged him and even touched his feet.For nearly two hours, ministers hovered around Siddaramaiah and explained the reason for his decision to resign after five decades in active politics. He told his colleagues, “I have no regrets. I am resigning with all my heart.”Sources said he informally mentioned that Shivakumar would take over as per the wishes of the party leadership. However, during the farewell press conference, Siddaramaiah avoided questions about his successor, while Shivakumar sat next to him, smiling during the conversation. He said, “Whatever the legislature party and the high command decide will be the chief minister.”The Congress high command is expected to call a CLP meeting in Bengaluru after Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot accepts Siddaramaiah’s resignation, possibly on Friday. The outgoing CM reached Lok Bhawan at around 3 pm to submit his resignation. Since the Governor was out of the city, he submitted his resignation to the Special Secretary of Lok Bhavan, which was accepted on Friday morning.