ChinmayC Blog

India Post has announced today that postal services to the United States of America will be temporarily suspended with effect from 25 August, 2025 with a few exceptions. The press release issued says that it has taken note of the Executive Order No. 14324 issued by the US Administration on 30th July, 2025, under which the duty-free de minimis exemption for goods valued up to $800 will be withdrawn with effect from 29th August, 2025. Consequently, all international postal items destined for the USA, regardless of their value, shall be subject to customs duties per the country-specific International Emergency Economic Power Act (IEEPA) tariff framework. However, gift items up to the value of $100 shall continue to remain exempt from duties. Per the Executive Order, transport carriers delivering shipments through the international postal network, or other “qualified parties” approved by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), are required to collect and remit duties on postal sh...

I feel the word 'historic' is somewhat positive, meaning a historic event normally denotes a good thing--a good beginning or a development or an achievement. Therefore, what just happened in the elections in supposedly the most advanced democracy and the most liberated society of the world cannot be described as historic; it could, at best, be the darkest development of modern times replete with ominous future prospects and possibilities.  An impeached, convicted, arrested, corrupt, foul-mouthed and a perverted racist criminal has been elected with a landslide to the highest post. And they call him the Protector who would soon make the most advanced superpower country of the world great again! It's not that a seemingly deserving woman and her party have been rejected; it's rather wanting the country to be great again by accepting the Protector.  So then, the Protector is all set to rebuild the country, in active collusion with a handful of unscrupulous squillionaires, b...

Joseph R Biden or popularly known as Joe Biden, the 46 th President of the United States of America, was sworn in a modest inauguration event on the 20 th of January 2021 held in the premises of Capitol Hill which was invaded by Trump supporters two weeks back. At 78, he is the oldest ever President of the country to be sworn in: however, his arrival at this juncture is seen by many as momentous and much-needed in view of the aftermath of Trumpism.   Not surprisingly, considering the bitterly divided American society, President Biden pleaded for national unity and the end of the uncivil war with the slogan ‘shun division, embrace unity’. He explained that ‘unity’ is required in view of the paramount need, which he termed as ‘a desperate call for survival coming from the planet earth itself’, of countering the challenges of rising political extremism, white supremacy racism, domestic terrorism and the pandemic that caused more damage in one year than the whole of the World War-2...

Just when the bicameral United States Congress was to sit in a rare joint session to certify Joe Biden’s electoral victory mobs descended on Capitol Hill, the celebrated seat of the US Government, and drafted a black chapter not only in the country’s democratic history but also in the world’s democratic traditions. Supporters of the outgoing President Donald Trump gathered in large numbers and breached the security to carry out an unprecedented act of desecration and vandalism. At least four people were killed in the violence, and the security personnel, totally overwhelmed by the surging mob, arrested around fifty rioters. Coming in as a light at the end of the tunnel the US Congress had met later and certified Joe Biden’s electoral victory which means that Biden is now the rightful official President of the country set to take over on the 20 th of this month. As per the latest news reports Trump has finally conceded his defeat and acknowledged Biden’s democratic victory.   The...

Common people mostly have fickle minds; they are always guided by what they want to believe, often to their advantage. When they are worried, frightened and clueless about the future they are most vulnerable to doubt and conspiracy theories. For the last six months people all over the globe are very disturbed by the COVID 19 pandemic, not so much because of the deadly effects of the virus than the restrictions and lockdowns derailing normal life it has brought in its wake. They desperately need to go back to the sweet normal times and live happily ever after, and therefore they jump to accept and believe fully when some motivated souls offer that ‘COVID 19 is a hoax, it’s nothing more than an annual influenza’. Thus the ‘doubt virus’ is created and the social media as always helps it spread—at times much faster than the killer virus. Perhaps the basic impulses for skepticism stem from the facts that more than 80% of Coronavirus positive cases are mild in nature and recover easily, only...

On Monday, April 15, 2013, it was Boston when terror returned to America after nearly 12 years. Two bomb blasts tore up a colorful and spirited Marathon. Three innocents were killed and scores injured, maimed and incapacitated for life. It could be matter of great concern considering the frightening perspective.  On March 13, 2013, Terror returned to Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir in India after a gap of three years. The terror-ravaged northern state has been rudely reminded of the ugly evil.  And today, a high intensity blast rocked Bangalore in Southern India. More than 15 innocents including several policemen were injured and fortunately no one got killed.  The terror industry seems to be gearing up for another offensive against humanity. A selflessly united global initiative must happen now to stop terror on its track.  For India the the situation is more terrifying with intelligence reports indicating possibility of more terror strikes. The  apparent...

Now it is Newton, Connecticut. Another tranquil and wealthy locality just 96 km north east of New York City, believed to be the safest place in United States of America. There is an educational institution named Sandy Hook Elementary School in the south west of Connecticut there. Young children aged between five to ten came there on Friday morning too as there was nothing special about that day. As made clear later a masked gunman carrying a rifle and two handguns entered the school and started firing like a madman. At least 27 people including 18-20 little innocent children and the school principal were killed before the state and federal authorities moved in and took the wounded to hospitals. The killer identified as 20 year old Adam Lanza was earlier mistaken for his elder brother Ryan Lanza. He was believed to have killed first his mother who was a teacher in the elementary school, drove his mother’s car into the school premises, fired blindly at least 100 rounds and then killed ...

A peaceful place of worship for the Sikh community, called Gurudwara or temple, in a serene location of the Midwest district of the US, Wisconsin. Over 300 hundred Sikh Americans had assembled there for morning prayers on August 5, 2012, and preparations were also going on for a meal after the rituals. Understandably a lot of women and children were also there. Suddenly a bald and stocky white man with two handguns walked in and started firing indiscriminately. At least six people got killed instantly with scores injured. But for an exceptional promptness and bravery by an American policeman who attended to the SOS call immediately and got critically injured in the ensuing encounter, the toll could have been much bigger. As the FBI took up the investigations speculation was rife about possible motives . Was this horrific incident a case of domestic terrorism as suggested or hate crimes or antics of a trigger-happy psychopath? Since the killed gunman was identified as an ex-US army man ...