Om Marathe
Om Marathe is a sub-editor at the Indian Express, with interests in foreign policy, law, and engineering. He is a qualified Spanish speaker and keenly observes the Latin American region.
Articles By Om Marathe
Explained: How Narwhal, the puppy, grew a tail on its head
One theory is that the extra tail is Narwhal’s parasitic twin -- a highly rare occurrence in nature. Parasitic twins are a rarely observed type of the phenomenon called conjoined twins, which in itself is highly uncommon.
Explained: Why Bolivia is the latest South American nation to fall into chaos
Bolivian President Evo Morales, whom the elections had brought to power for a fourth term, has said he has been the target of a coup, and has alleged the role of a “civic-political-police” conspiracy to remove him from power.
Explained: Khadi gets HS code; but what does that mean?
The Harmonised System, or simply ‘HS’, is a six-digit identification code developed by the World Customs Organization (WCO).
Explained: Who are the travellers quoted in Ayodhya judgment?
Who were the travellers Tieffenthaler, William Finch, and Montgomery, and what did they write about Ayodhya?
Explained: The significance of the Feni river MoU between India, Bangladesh
The Feni river, which forms part of the India-Bangladesh border, originates in the South Tripura district, passes through Sabroom town on the Indian side, and meets the Bay of Bengal after it flows into Bangladesh.
Explained: US is exiting the Paris Agreement. What does this mean?
The United States is the world’s second largest emitter of greenhouse gases. It also plays a preeminent role in mobilising financial resources globally to fight climate change.
Explained: What is the Danakil Depression?
Microbes are known to survive almost anywhere. Scientists now believe that this place is an exception.
‘Death to America’: What happened in Tehran on November 4, 1979?
What caused the US embassy crisis 40 years ago, what unfolded in the months that followed, and what was the response in India to Iran's revolution?
Explained: What’s happening in Chile?
At least 20 people have died in the demonstrations and violence so far; prosecutors said on Wednesday that they were investigating a total 23 deaths believed to be linked to the protests.
Explained: Why lawyers in India can’t advertise their services
In a public notice last week, the Bar Council of Delhi said errant lawyers contravening Bar Council rules would be prosecuted under the provisions of the The Advocates Act, 1961.
Protests in Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Venezuela, Mexico — why trouble brews in Latin America
From protests against alleged election fraud in Bolivia and demonstrations against economic inequality in Chile and Ecuador, to political unrest in Venezuela and the cartel war in Mexico, trouble has been brewing across the region.
Exlpained: Why Bolivia is on boil over ‘election fraud’
Bolivia is the third country in Latin America, after Ecuador and Chile, where large scale protests are taking place this month.
Explained: What is INS Baaz, and why is it important?
On Friday, Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh visited INS Baaz, the southernmost air station of the Indian Armed Forces and spent a day with personnel stationed there.
Explained: Indian visitors don’t need visa to enter Brazil now
According to a Government of Brazil website, the country first waived visa requirements for tourists from Japan, Australia, US, and Canada on June 17 this year. The citizens of these countries do not need a visa to enter Brazil for a period of 90 days, extendable for another 90 days.
Lèse-majesté law explained: Why ‘insulting’ Thai king can land you in jail
Although the foreign press has often reported about the Thai monarchy, any discussion about the royals within Thailand itself, if perceived as “insulting”, can lead to strict punishment under the nation’s lèse-majesté law.
Explained: Why Jagmeet Singh is important for Canadian politics
Canada election results: In Monday’s election, Jagmeet Singh emerges as kingmaker despite polls showing the NDP losing almost half its tally of 44 seats that it won in the 2015 elections.
Explained: Why has a Chinese company leased a whole island in the Pacific?
The move by China is considered to be in furtherance of its aggressive foreign policy, which seeks to make Beijing a major sea power in the Pacific Ocean, where Tulagi is located.
Explained: The protests that forced Ecuador’s capital to move
The indigenous groups protesting a rollback in fuel subsidies in Ecuador have arrived at an agreement with the government, bringing to an end to the largescale demonstrations that have brought the Latin American country to a standstill.
Explained: The long battle of Iran’s women to enter stadiums
The current move is the most significant yet in erasing the country’s four-decades-old legacy of not allowing women from entering sports stadiums.
Explained: What election manifestos must do, why they matter
The Congress-NCP alliance in Maharashtra release their manifesto in the beginning of the week, and the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee published its Sankalp Patra on Friday. How do manifestos matter, and how seriously should they be taken?