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Hello,

It is the end of an era of high borrowing costs.

A US Fed rate cut is now inevitable as Fed Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell hinted, “The time has come for policy to adjust.” However, he declined to provide exact indications on timing or extent.

Following his keynote address, Wall Street and global shares jumped toward all-time highs. In fact, gold prices gained more than 1% as the dollar and US Treasury yields retreated.

In other news, SpaceZone India and Martin Group launched Rhumi 1—claimed to be India’s first hybrid reusable rocket—into orbit from ECR Beach, Tamil Nadu. 

SpaceRhumi 1 was launched using India’s first hydraulic mobile launch system, which supports flexible launch operations at angles from 0 to 120 degrees.

ICYMI: Apple’s biggest-ever product launch!

Lastly, the fight against microplastics continues, as researchers have now urged India to consider a ban on microbeads in personal care products. Here’s why. 

In fact, in another study, human brain samples collected at autopsy in early 2024 contained more tiny shards of plastic than samples collected eight years prior. The brain samples contained 7% to 30% more tiny shards of plastic than samples from the cadavers’ kidneys and liver.

In today’s newsletter, we will talk about 

• Traveller’s guide to Kohima
• Food named after places
• The evolving wedding photography industry

Here’s your trivia for today: Which architect is credited with having designed Elizabeth Tower, also known as the Big Ben?

Travel

Traveller’s guide to Kohima

Travelling to Nagaland was always a dream, having read many tales of its pristine beauty. The three-day trip to the ‘Switzerland of the East’ included discovering new sights and sounds, interacting with the locals, and noshing on the traditional cuisine in Dimapur and Kohima.  

I will admit Dimapur was beautiful, but it resembled any other bustling city. The real gem was Kohima, known for its annual Hornbill festival that showcases the state’s rich culture of diverse ethnicities.

What to see:

• While 24 hours may seem less to explore the city, one can pack a lot in without trying hard. From a visit to the War Memorial to the Cathedral of Kohima, and the Kisama Heritage Village—there’s much to see.  
• Located on Garrison Hill, the Kohima war cemetery is believed to have been built in the tennis court of the then-deputy commissioner’s residence. It is here that the Battle of Kohima was fought from April to June 1944. 
• About 12 kms from Kohima is the Kisama heritage village—the venue for the popular Hornbill festival every year. As the festival completes 25 years in 2024, locals believe the village will witness much fanfare.

Wine and Food

Food named after places

Britain may not be traditionally celebrated for its culinary inventions, but there’s no denying that the island nation has given quite a few signature recipes to the world. 

Besides the mainstays, British cuisine also includes a few dishes—sides and sweet treats—whose names are derived from the towns or villages where they originated. These quirky food items, now on must-try lists for travellers visiting these places, offer a slice of Britain’s rich history. Here are some iconic foods.

Food hunt:

• A staple of the British Sunday lunch, Yorkshire pudding was named by Hannah Glasse, who wrote the bestselling cookbook The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Simple in 1747.  Before that, it was known as ‘batter’ or ‘dripping pudding’.
• Cullen, a village and former royal burgh in Moray, Scotland, in the 17th century, became the birthplace of a hearty Scottish soup, the Cullen skink, on the back of its fishing heritage.
• Named after the historic county of Glamorgan in Wales, the Welsh traditional Glamorgan sausage is vegetarian. It could well be the world’s first mock meat alternative!

Art and Culture

The evolving wedding photography industry

Photography plays a critical role in weddings today. They are a return ticket to memories. 

A decade ago, wedding photography was a relatively modest part of the wedding budget, often overshadowed by expenditures on jewellery, attire, and elaborate décor. However, the past ten years have seen a significant shift in how couples allocate their wedding budgets.

Key takeaways:

• As recently as 2010, wedding photography was fairly traditional, with standardised poses and angles primarily meant for inclusion in albums. The digital revolution, fueled by social media, ignited a demand for candid photography. 
• The shift was particularly evident among NRIs who returned to India for their weddings and sought out young photographers to capture their celebrations in a more genuine and immersive way.
• Smartphones have undeniably impacted client expectations. Vertical formats, once considered strange, are now the norm for both photos and videos. The 4×5 ratio for photos and the 9×16 ratio for videos has become widely accepted. 

News & updates

• Withdrawal: India is likely to retract its demand that Infosys pay $4 billion in back taxes after weeks of lobbying by the IT giant. Authorities last month ordered Infosys to pay the additional amount, arguing that its overseas offices should pay GST dating back to 2017.
• Dealings: Johnson & Johnson is negotiating with plaintiffs’ lawyers who opposed its proposed settlement of lawsuits alleging its baby powder and other talc products caused cancer, seeking to eliminate holdouts to the deal. J&J announced plans to finalise a $6.48 billion global settlement through the bankruptcy of a subsidiary company after earlier efforts were rebuffed twice by federal courts.
• Review: Microsoft said it will hold a conference in September for cybersecurity firms to discuss ways the industry can evolve following a faulty CrowdStrike software update that caused millions of Windows computers to crash in July.

Which architect is credited with having designed Elizabeth Tower, also known as the Big Ben?

Answer: Augustus Pugin.

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