The Indian budget every year has always been an eagerly awaited event. For many decades, the best minds in economics, finance, tax, business and industry throng the media house to analyze the provisions shared by the Financial Minister.
Sometimes major events completely disconnected may be data points for the plans of the different powers around the world. The challenge is to discern what purpose they serve? More critically, what are we moving towards?
When the US Ambassador threatened India's "Strategic Autonomy" policy over India's friendship with Russia - much more than meets the eye was at stake. Let us unpack how the Ukraine war has fundamentally changed the US and the world. And why are we here anyway?
Tokyo is the most expensive city in the world. Osaka is the second most. Japan is certainly not a country for the faint-hearted! Here is a list of the most expensive cities in the world.
10. Geneva 9. Caracas 8. Paris 7. Zurich 6. Singapore 5. Melbourne 4. Oslo 3. Sydney 2. Osaka 1. Tokyo
The situation in the city is so crazy it seems that some people are living in what are kinda like “Coffin Units”. The are called (“geki-sema share house” or 激せまシャアハウス in Japanese) – but are extremely cramped units. People are paying ¥55,000 (US $586) to live in stacked, “coffin-like rooms”!
Some people think that these businesses which sell the geki-sema share houses are deceiving as there are two bedroom apartment available in Tokyo for ¥55,000 a month.
In a news program, the crew met a couple who lives in one of these units.
The news crew interviewed a 24 year-old entrepreneur and 19-year-old aspiring actress, both of whom lived in spaces that measured less than two tatami mats (the famous tatami mat being a modular reference to measuring floor area, coming in at approximately 1.5 square meters or 16 square feet in Tokyo). (link)
Here are some pictures of the coffin rooms. (courtesy: kotaku)
“Locker room units”Staying in just enough placePlace for bed, clothes, and a TVThis one has just enough place to sleep.
Shinzo Abe stepped down in 2020 as the PM. So why would anyone kill him? Political and geopolitical dynamics in Japan are complex. A deep dive to make sense.
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