DISCOVER TIPS | Knowledge Magazine

By Suhasini Haider Tel Aviv and Jerusalem are two sides of the Israel coin — one the seat of Ultra-Orthodox traditionality and the other a haven for modernists and innovators. The contrast is stark, yet bespeaks the same Jewish identity. Israel, we are told, is a tale of two cities: Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. As much as Jerusalem is steeped in thousands of years of history and conflict, Tel Aviv is young, hip, bright-lights-big-city. Tel Aviv, built right by the ancient port town of Jaffa (Yafo), is only about a hundred years old, settled on sand dunes by a group of European Jewish immigrants. With the most gorgeous waterfront and continuous beach, Tel Aviv is the city that doesn’t sleep, the party city and the gay capital of the Middle East. When we land in Tel Aviv, the city is awash in rainbow colours because of an upcoming gay pride parade that is amongst the world’s biggest. On our first night, we walk into a club on Tel Aviv’s iconic Dizengoff Street (named after its first mayor) w

By Suhasini Haider Having moved back to the Promised Land — from Calcutta, Cochin, Manipur — over the last few decades, Indian-origin Jews, or Bene Israel, are large in number but not as prosperous. (This is the third piece in a series that tries to take take an in-depth look at Israel and its dynamics. Have you read the first piece,  Israe'l's many flashpoints , and the second,  Homes that don't belong ?) ‘ Ajeeb dastan hai yeh, kahaan shuru kahaan khatam  [A strange story this is..where it begins, where it ends]...’ For 35 years, Yona Shimson Kasukar was chief engineer in the little-known Israeli town of Ashdod before he retired. But the years here, far away from Mumbai where he was born, have not dimmed his memory of the songs of his youth, and he sings the 1960s hit song with great gusto. Mr. Kasukar is not alone in remembering them, and soon, the rest of the restaurant on the Ashdod beach, where a group of Bene-Israelis from the area have gathered, joins in to sing

1. First batch of three female fighter pilots commissioned i. Creating history, the first batch of three female pilots - Avani Chaturvedi, Bhawana Kanth and Mohana Singh were inducted in Indian Air Force fighter squadron. On successful completion of their training, the trio were formally commissioned by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. ii. Ms. Avani from Satna in Madhya Pradesh, Ms. Mohana Singh from Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan and Ms. Bhawana Kanth, who hails from Darbhanga in Bihar. iii. In February 2016, President Pranab Mukherjee had announced that all military combat roles will be opened to women in the future. 2. Kerala Tourism bags four awards at ‘FilmAT’ International Film Festival in Poland i. Kerala Tourism won four awards at ‘FilmAT’ which is one of the biggest international film festivals dedicated to tourism, art and ecology in Poland. ii. Three of the honours were given to a single campaign. ‘Responsible Tourism’ initiative started by Kerala Tourism won three awards un

1. Peter Thomson elected as President of 71st session of United Nations General Assembly i. The United Nations General Assembly elected Peter Thomson, Permanent Representative of Fiji, as President of its upcoming 71st session. ii. Mr. Thomson, who will replace current General Assembly President Mogens Lykketoft, will begin his tenure in September at the commencement of the 71st General Assembly session. iii. The Fiji representative will replace current General Assembly President Mogens Lykketoft. Thomson will begin his tenure in September 2016 at the commencement of the 71st General Assembly session. 2. Government approves Rs 2,070-crore highway project in Punjab i. The Union Cabinet has  approved a Rs 2,070-crore highways project in Punjab under its hybrid annuity mode to ensure faster movement of traffic between Chandigarh and Ludhiana. ii. The project is part of Chandigarh-Ludhiana section. Six/ four laning of Kharar to Ludhiana section of NH 95 (New NH 5) has been approved b

1. Railways flags off 1st time-tabled freight train i. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has flagged off India's first timetabled freight train, named ‘Cargo Express’, from Delhi to Bengaluru.  ii. The move aims to reduce the delay and uncertainty over the time schedule for delivery of goods.  iii. Earlier, passenger trains in the country used to get preference over goods trains for transportation across busy routes. 2. Union Cabinet approvals on 15th June,2016 i. The Union Cabinet gave its ex-post facto approval to the MoU for the cooperation in the field of agriculture and allied sector between India and Taiwan. Besides, the cabinet also gave its nod to the signing of Air Services Agreement between both the countries. The MoU was signed between Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre in India and India-Taipei Association in Taipei, Taiwan. ii. The 2nd approval by Union Cabinet is for the Enforcement of Security Interest and Recovery of Debts Laws and Miscellaneous Provisions (Amen

If you grew up on a healthy dose of children’s fiction by English authors, revisit it in your adulthood. Just to reinterpret what gnomes and pixies really are. Did you ever read Jacqueline Wilson? Children’s literature penned by authors from England tends to be the foundation of most middle- and upper-class Indian households growing up. Starting at the age of six, I grew up on a staple diet of Enid Blyton, travelling with elves, gnomes, and pixies; going on adventures with the Famous Five and the Secret Seven; and navigating with Noddy and his pals of various shapes and sizes through Toytown. Joining my collection at the age of eight was the esteemed J.K. Rowling, who entertained me with the adventures of boy wizard Harry Potter and his duels with the Dark Lord Voldemort. These are the books, among others, that inspired me to do what I do today: writing for a living. Source: Wikipedia The award winning, Jacqueline Wilson is an English author of children’s books. She is best known fo

The Walled City is at the core of the Israel-Palestine tussle. Even if Jerusalem is divided, the government will face greater opposition to the resolution from Jewish settlements in the territory of the West Bank that the Palestinian authority claims. (This is the second part of a series that takes a look at the conflict and faultlines in Israel. Read the first part,  Israel's many flashpoints ?) If you ask most Israelis what is the most contentious part of the Israel-Palestine conflict, they will say: Jerusalem. It seems inconceivable to most how any government would be allowed to accede any part of the city, coveted and conquered for 4,000 years, and finally under control of the people of Israel. The first Prime Minister Ben-Gurion had reportedly said, when Israel only controlled West Jerusalem, that he could imagine “Jerusalem without Israel but not Israel without Jerusalem”. On the other hand, most will admit that Jerusalem today is a city divided, and East Jerusalem is con