Latest news with #Benjamin
The Hindu
2 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
A novel that captures the reconversion of Catholic fishermen to Hinduism
A Vinayagar temple in front of a church, especially in the southern coast of Tamil Nadu where the entire fishermen community converted to Catholicism centuries ago, is a rare sight. The Siddhi Vinayagar Temple, facing Our Lady of Lourdes Church at Idinthakarai in Tirunelveli district, is only a few decades old. Behind it lies a tumultuous history that led to the reconversion of a significant section of the fishermen to Hinduism in the 1960s. It is a story vividly told in the novel Alaivaikaraiyil by Rajam Krishnan, whose centenary is celebrated this year. Alaivaikaraiyil is the fictionalised name for Idinthakarai. 'At least 200 of us become Hindus and join the larger population outside. There is an organisation called the Hindu Parishad. They are ready to offer us all help. After all, we were Hindus in the past. St. Xavier converted us to Christianity,' says Benjamin, one of the characters. He says this while convincing his friends and relatives who faced police brutality for refusing to sell shark fins to contractors appointed by the church. Taxes paid to the church As Rajam Krishnan says in the preface, the Idinthakarai fishermen had been paying taxes and offering shark fins to the church ever since their conversion to Christianity. 'In 1965-66, a section of fishermen, realising the value of fins, refused to part with them. This angered the church and some priests, who excommunicated the protesting fishermen. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) brought them back to Hinduism,' she writes. A vivid scene in the novel captures the confrontation between the fishermen and the church contractor. Blood oozes from Jebamalayan's hands. Irudhayam Mama (uncle) lies curled up on the sand. 'Aatha' (the mother of the novel's hero Mariyan) is shouting. Samsalamma is cursing someone. Siluvai Moduthavam is holding a club and vows to root out those who were against the church. 'I suffered heavy losses this year. Ask them to give me at least half the fins from the catch. I have paid ₹4,000 for this contract,' contractor Periya Sayubu pleads with Benjamin, a friend of Mariyan. 'Did we ask you to bid for the contract? Even at last year's auction, we made our stand clear...,' Benjamin retorts, collecting the bag of fins from Issac. Reading the novel, written in the fishermen's dialect of southern Tamil Nadu, is no easy task for an outsider. Yet Rajam Krishnan, an outsider herself, delved deep into the daily lives of the fishermen. Until the arrival of Joe D'Cruz, who won the Sahitya Akademi Award for Korkai, Alaivaikaraiyil remained the only authentic work on the lives of the region's fishermen. Standing near the Vinayagar temple — now attached to the Murugan temple in Tiruchendur — is Anbu. His father Soosai Anthony was one of the fishermen who resisted the church's diktat in real life protests in 1966. 'The local parish priest and the Bishop excommunicated them, a decision that led to a clash, and the police ravaged our village. My father was tied to a post and beaten. I still remember my mother rushing to the spot and seeing him vomit blood,' recalls Anbu. His father resembles Mariyan's father Irudhyaraj in the novel, who is kept in a secret room in the church and tortured by the police. It was while hiding from the police that Benjamin established contact with the VHP. According to the novel, the fishermen made the final attempt to negotiate with the Bishop through Paul Samy, the former priest of Alaivaikaraiyil, beloved by the villagers. But the Bishop remained firm. The village split into two factions. For months, the police camped there, and only those with police-coupons could move freely. 'Our number dwindling' 'Around 300 families converted to Hinduism as the last resort. But our number is dwindling because we depend on others for our livelihood. Marriages often result in either the bride or the bridegroom going back to Christianity. We are firm in our desire to remain Hindus. But we can survive only with support for the education of our children,' says Anbu. A huge kodimaram (flagpole) of the church stands before the Vinayagar temple, emblematic of the enduring power of the church as an institution. As the novel explains, the VHP made arrangements to support the livelihood of the converted families. Women also earned an income by making beedis. 'We visit temples and our favourite is the Murugan temple in Tiruchendur. My father's soul will not forgive the traitors. He insisted that his body be taken around the village before burial, and we fulfilled his wish,' adds Anbu. Today, Idinthakarai has undergone changes. Once the nerve centre of the agitation against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, the church stands as a symbol of this complex history. But Mariyan's father in the novel speaks for both Christians and Hindus, when asked about his identity after the conversion: 'Even now, I utter the word, Jesus, when I hear the church bell. They go to Hindu temples, chant the names of Ganapathy, and sing in praise of Murugan. They visit Tiruchendur. They burn camphor. But none of this has become part of my blood. As far as I know, only the sea is certain. When the police beat us in the priest's room, he was praying. For whom?'
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Baby boy died just hours after being born when ‘doctors failed to carry out basic life-saving tests'
Efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead less than eight hours after he was born 'UNACCEPTABLE' Baby boy died just hours after being born when 'doctors failed to carry out basic life-saving tests' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A BABY died just hours after birth when hospital staff missed signs of a collapsed lung, a coroner has ruled. Little Benjamin Finch Arnold was born prematurely at St James' Hospital in Leeds in 2022. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Benjamin Arnold died just eight hours after his birth at St James's Hospital in Leeds in 2022 Credit: Getty Soon after birth, he developed serious breathing problems, which is not uncommon among babies born early. But crucial, basic life-saving tests were not carried out in time, an inquest into his death has found. It heard Benjamin could have survived if doctors had acted sooner to diagnose and treat a pneumothorax - a condition where air leaks into the chest and causes the lung to collapse. Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT), which runs the hospital, said it was "extremely sorry that Benjamin died whilst in our care". Last month, coroner Oliver Longstaff ruled Benjamin's death was avoidable. Around three hours after he was born, Benjamin underwent a procedure to help his underdeveloped lungs breathe, during which his lungs collapsed. Efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead less than eight hours after he was born. Mr Longstaff said staff "missed opportunity to consider the possibility" of a pneumothorax as the cause of his breathing problems early on in the process. This is because procedure policy "did not mandate a chest X-ray", which he said would probably have revealed it, the BBC reports. A further opportunity was also missed when the medic performing the procedure did not discuss it with the neonatal consultant involved, the coroner added. One sip of my porn star martini and I was in utter agony – my lung collapsed and I was gasping for breath The consultant would likely have asked if a pneumothorax had been ruled out as a cause of Benjamin's condition, the conclusion read. Mr Longstaff said: "No thought was given to the pneumothorax being a potential, and potentially reversible, cause of the collapse. "If they had been treated he would have, on the balance of probabilities, survived." Mr Longstaff has since issued a Prevention of Future Deaths report, aiming to prevent similar tragedies. He sent this report to the Health Secretary, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, and other relevant bodies. He said maternity services in Leeds are dangerously split between two hospitals, with St James' lacking proper medical and paediatric support. Plans to bring all services under one roof have been delayed until at least 2030. There was also confusion over how the St James' unit is classified, with staff describing it as operating at a higher level than officially recognised. What is a collapsed lung? A pneumothorax - also known as a collapsed lung - happens when air has leaked out from the lung in to the chest cavity and chest wall. This causes the lung to collapse down and peel away from the inside of the chest. When someone who doesn't have any known lung problems develops a pneumothorax, this is called a primary pneumothorax. Usually the air has leaked from a blister on the surface of the lung which has been present from birth. A lung can also collapse as a result of conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or emphysema, as well as injuries to the chest wall that cause damage to lung surfaces. The condition most commonly occurs in smokers. The most common symptoms are sudden shortness of breath and chest pain, which may be sharp and worse with coughing and breathing. You may also experience a dry cough. If air has leaked out into the muscles and skin in your chest wall, you may notice a swelling and a 'bubble wrap' sensation if you press on your chest. Occasionally, if the leak of air has been very large, you may feel faint or light headed. A pneumothorax is usually diagnosed through an X-ray. Source: NHS The coroner warned that NHS guidelines for a breathing procedure called LISA are inconsistent, and questioned whether national rules for treating cardiac arrest in newborns are good enough. Finally, he said changes made by the Trust after Benjamin's death need to be properly explained. All organisations involved must respond by July 28. 'This cannot wait any longer' Earlier this year, Benjamin's parents described the care their son received as 'unacceptable'. "We are devastated by Benjamin's death," they said in a statement sent to the BBC. "The standard of care he received was unacceptable. "We urge Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust to take the prevention of future deaths report seriously. "We ask the government to urgently provide the funding for the new hospital building in Leeds. "This would allow all maternity and neonatal care to be provided from a single site and improve patient safety. "This cannot wait any longer." Dr Magnus Harrison, Chief Medical Officer at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: 'I am extremely sorry that Benjamin died whilst in our care and I cannot imagine how difficult the last three years have been for his family. 'We have already made important changes, including ensuring a consultant neonatologist is available on each hospital site and involved earlier in complex procedures. 'While these changes do not undo the loss of Benjamin, we will continue to review and improve our services to provide the best possible care for our babies and their families. 'We appreciate the coroner's thorough investigation and are preparing a response to the recommendations to provide the assurances he is seeking.'
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
"Ridiculous": Tom Brady slammed for spoiling teenage son with outrageous $3M watch gift
Tom Brady's luxury surprise with a personal touch (Image credit: Instagram/X) Tom Brady has turned heads once again—this time for a dazzling family moment. During Super Bowl weekend in New Orleans, the NFL legend gifted his son, Benjamin, a $3 million Jacob & Co. Billionaire Mini Ashoka watch—an ultra-rare timepiece. It features over 100 carats of diamonds and is one of only 18 in the world. A luxury surprise with a personal touch The exchange took place during a private Super Bowl week gathering among close friends. Brady, known for his tightly guarded personal life, allowed cameras to catch this rare moment. It reflected a more relaxed, off-field version of the seven-time Super Bowl champion. The moment wasn't just about wealth—it was about legacy, emotion, and fatherhood. In a video that quickly went viral, Brady surprised his 15-year-old son during a quiet moment. 'Close your eyes… put your wrist out,' he says, carefully placing the watch on Benjamin's wrist. He then hugs the teen and adds, 'I love you, buddy.' The emotion was visible on both sides. Benjamin, clearly stunned, looked down and asked, 'Is this real?' followed by, 'Whoa!' The watch, from Jacob & Co.'s Billionaire series, is a celebrity favorite and ultra-rare. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Memperdagangkan CFD Emas dengan salah satu spread terendah? IC Markets Mendaftar Undo It marked not just a gift, but a moment that blended luxury with deep family pride. Benjamin's reaction, caught alongside his friends' cheers, gave the moment viral energy. One friend shouted, 'Benny's iced out!' as laughter echoed through the room. The lighthearted atmosphere was captured in full, showing a rare father-son connection. Brady, often known for his intensity on the field, offered a glimpse of quiet warmth. It was a snapshot of his post-NFL life—filled with both legacy and love. For many, it felt more like a rite of passage than just a flashy gift. Mixed reactions from fans online While many admired the sentimental gesture, not all reactions were warm online. Some praised Brady for the emotional bond, others raised concerns over the excess. Social media erupted with a mix of humor, skepticism, and awe at the price tag. One fan offered a compliment saying, 'Perfect timing.' Another added, 'Sell it, buy a nice house and a Lambo.' Another commented, 'Time to teach him self-defense.' A fourth wrote bluntly, 'Ridiculous.' Off the field, still in the spotlight The moment unfolded while Brady was in New Orleans for his broadcasting duties. Now heading into his second season with Fox Sports, he's as busy off-field as ever. From media to investments to parenting, he continues juggling multiple roles. But for a brief moment, the spotlight was on something more personal—fatherhood. Also read: Tom Brady melts hearts on Father's Day with emotional tribute to his lifelong hero—his dad Brady's gesture, while opulent, also reflected a deeper sense of love and pride. In his post-playing life, he's made clear that family remains at the center of it all. Though the price tag shocked many, the emotion behind it couldn't be denied. Whether praised or questioned, the moment left a lasting impression—just like the watch.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Armand Duplantis soars to pole vault world record for 12th time, first time at home
Swedish double Olympic pole vault champion Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis increased his own world record again on Sunday, clearing 6.28 metres to the delight of the home crowd at the Stockholm Diamond League meet. With victory in the event already guaranteed, Duplantis broke the world record for the 12th time as he sailed over the bar at the first attempt to improve on his 6.27m effort at Clermont-Ferrand in February. The 25-year-old ripped off his shirt in celebration and raced down the track in front of jubilant spectators at the Olympic stadium built for the 1912 Games. "It's a magical feeling, it's hard to explain," said Duplantis, who had not before broken the record in Sweden. "I wanted this so bad. I wanted to do this in front of everybody here in Stockholm. "It felt like really something special in the crowd today and I knew that everybody really wanted to see it too. "It'll be one of the greatest memories for me, I think, in my career." Duplantis notched up his 37th victory in 41 Diamond League outings, finishing well ahead of Australia's Kurtis Marschall who managed a best of 5.90m. The US-born Duplantis was in a class of his own in another punishing display of vaulting of the highest order, three days after a stellar display in Oslo. "I kept saying it was the only thing I was missing in the accolades, to break a record in Sweden," he said. "I've checked off pretty much everything now." Duplantis is the heavy favourite for a third successive world championship gold in Tokyo later this year. He is also a three-time indoor world champion. He first broke the world record in 2020 when he surpassed the 6.16m mark set by Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie. Duplantis intends to push the bar even higher after his Stockholm exploits. "I'm going to jump higher. There's not much between me and 6.30, technically. It's just a few centimetres. I'm just a perfect day away from it," he said. Hometown runner Andreas Almgren fed off the raucous atmosphere to set a new European record of 12min 44.27sec to win the men's 5,000m. Olympic champion Rai Benjamin edged out Alison dos Santos to win the men's 400m hurdles, with Karsten Warlhom a distant third. Warholm triumphed in the rarely-run 300km hurdles on his home track in Oslo on Thursday, but Benjamin produced a world-leading time of 46.54sec over 400m. "I think on Thursday I got a little too excited but I felt good today even though I was tired," said Benjamin. Julien Alfred won the women's 100m in 10.75sec, the second fastest time of the year. It was only the Olympic gold medallist's second race of the season following her victory in Oslo. Britain's Dina Asher-Smith took second (10.93) ahead of Ivorian Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith (11.00). Two-time Olympic bronze medallist Femke Bol won the women's 400m hurdles in a season's best time of 52.11sec. She finished ahead of American Dalilah Muhammad (52.91) and Panama's Gianna Woodruff (53.99). "I am not in my best shape yet so to take the victory is especially good," said Bol. "A race is never the same as training and it is only my third race of the season... but I am starting to feel the hurdles better every race and getting into race shape. 'It is such a high level at the moment in the hurdles so I am very excited going forward towards the world championships.'
News18
5 days ago
- Sport
- News18
Armand Duplantis Breaks World Record For 12th Time, Clears 6.28m In Stockholm
Last Updated: This was Armand Duplantis' 37th victory in 41 Diamond League outings as he improved on his 6.27m effort in February. Swedish double Olympic pole vault champion Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis surpassed his own world record once again on Sunday, clearing 6.28 metres to the delight of the home crowd at the Stockholm Diamond League meet. With victory already assured, Duplantis broke the world record for the 12th time as he sailed over the bar on his first attempt, improving on his 6.27m effort at Clermont-Ferrand in February. The 25-year-old ripped off his shirt in celebration and raced down the track in front of jubilant spectators at the Olympic stadium built for the 1912 Games. 'It's a magical feeling, it's hard to explain," said Duplantis, who had not previously broken the record in Sweden. 'I wanted this so badly. I wanted to do this in front of everybody here in Stockholm. 'It felt like something really special in the crowd today and I knew that everybody really wanted to see it too. 'It'll be one of the greatest memories for me, I think, in my career." Duplantis notched up his 37th victory in 41 Diamond League outings, finishing well ahead of Australia's Kurtis Marschall, who managed a best of 5.90m. The US-born Duplantis was in a class of his own in another impressive display of vaulting, just three days after a stellar performance in Oslo. 'I kept saying it was the only thing I was missing in the accolades, to break a record in Sweden," he said. 'I've checked off pretty much everything now." He first broke the world record in 2020 when he surpassed the 6.16m mark set by Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie. Duplantis intends to push the bar even higher after his Stockholm exploits. 'I'm going to jump higher. There's not much between me and 6.30, technically. It's just a few centimetres. I'm just a perfect day away from it," he said. Hometown runner Andreas Almgren fed off the raucous atmosphere to set a new European record of 12min 44.27sec to win the men's 5,000m. Olympic champion Rai Benjamin edged out Alison dos Santos to win the men's 400m hurdles, with Karsten Warholm a distant third. Warholm triumphed in the rarely-run 300m hurdles on his home track in Oslo on Thursday, but Benjamin produced a world-leading time of 46.54sec over 400m. 'I think on Thursday I got a little too excited, but I felt good today even though I was tired," said Benjamin. Julien Alfred won the women's 100m in 10.75sec, the second fastest time of the year. It was only the Olympic gold medallist's second race of the season following her victory in Oslo. Britain's Dina Asher-Smith took second (10.93) ahead of Ivorian Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith (11.00). Two-time Olympic bronze medallist Femke Bol won the women's 400m hurdles in a season's best time of 52.11sec. She finished ahead of American Dalilah Muhammad (52.91) and Panama's Gianna Woodruff (53.99). 'I am not in my best shape yet, so to take the victory is especially good," said Bol. 'A race is never the same as training and it is only my third race of the season… but I am starting to feel the hurdles better every race and getting into race shape. 'It is such a high level at the moment in the hurdles, so I am very excited going forward towards the world championships." With AFP Inputs First Published:
