Sept. 8 News Quiz: Which Country is Bharat?

India recently stirred the pot (and not just a curry one) by referring to itself as “Bharat” in the Sept. 2023 G20 summit dinner invitations. For those who missed the memo, “Bharat” is an ancient Sanskrit term deeply rooted in India’s history and is also the name mentioned in the Indian Constitution. But why the sudden change in RSVP name tags? Well, with national elections looming, the ruling party, BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, decided to spice things up a bit. Some say it’s a nod to India’s rich Hindu past. Others believe it’s a political strategy to challenge the newly formed opposition alliance named “INDIA” (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance).

In a twist of events that Mother Nature probably found amusing, the 2023 Burning Man festival in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada surprised attendees with a natural mud spa treatment as heavy rains transformed the festival grounds into vast cement-like mud puddles. This unexpected ‘feature’ left over 70,000 attendees stranded, turning their desert party into a muddy staycation. Looks like the climate protests over there had their point proven by the weather. As for the Ebola outbreak scare, that was a false rumor on social media, probably started by someone who missed the mud memo.

Back in the days when the internet was still dialing up, and Y2K was the biggest scare, young Serena Williams was making waves at the US Open. Fast forward to 2023, and 19-year-old Coco Gauff follows in her footsteps, advancing to the quarterfinals of the US Open in consecutive years. On Sept. 3, 2023, Gauff showcased her prowess by defeating Caroline Wozniacki, reminding us that history repeats itself. By Sept. 5, she also became the first American teenager to reach the US Open semi-finals since Williams in 2001. On Sept. 10, she won her first grand slam title, becoming the first American teenager to win the US Open and the youngest American woman to reach the US Open final since 17-year-old Williams in 1999. This time, with much better internet.

Elon Musk, owner of X, formerly known as Twitter, and part-time digital drama king, pointed fingers at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) for allegedly trying to “strangle” the platform. This is after ADL’s Director, Jonathan Greenblatt, tweeted on Aug. 31, 2023, about a “productive conversation” with X’s CEO, Linda Yaccarino, about addressing the platform’s hate speech. The post was met with backlash by white supremacists, leading to the trending hashtag #BanTheADL. And during this storm, Musk chose to voice his choked-up sentiments about the ADL with a lawsuit.

Baidu, China’s search engine mogul, unveiled Ernie Bot, China’s AI chatbot sensation, on Aug. 31, 2023. Not before Beijing approved Baidu’s decision to release Ernie Bot to the public, of course. By the afternoon of its grand debut, Ernie Bot became the top app on Apple’s iOS store in China. And as a cherry on top, Baidu’s stock price danced up by over 3%.

The Mate 60 Pro’s advanced 7-nanometer processor is a tiny marvel causing big waves. This chip, a collaboration between Huawei and China’s top chipmaker SMIC, is an unexpected technological leap. Launched on Aug. 29, 2023, this smartphone showcases China’s prowess in dodging the Western 5G chip embargo. It also has the US rethinking trade policies.

The sun-soaked Jimmy Buffett had fans so devoted they even had a name – Parrot Heads! With hits like “Margaritaville” and “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” who wouldn’t want to be part of that flock? Sadly, on Sept. 1, 2023, Jimmy flew off to the big beach in the sky. He died at 76 of Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare and aggressive skin cancer.

The catchy tune “All Star” that had us all humming, “Hey now, you’re an all star,” was the masterpiece of the band Smash Mouth. This Grammy-nominated pop rock band, led by Steve Harwell, made waves in the late ’90s and early 2000s with hits like “Walkin’ on the Sun.” Sadly, the music world recently mourned Harwell’s death, who died at 56 in Boise, Idaho, on Sept. 4, 2023, from liver failure. Harwell retired from Smash Mouth in 2021 due to severe health issues.

Priscilla Beaulieu was just 14 years old when she first met the legendary Elvis Presley. The setting? Germany, of all places, where Elvis served in the army. Fast forward to September 2023, and this intriguing chapter of Priscilla’s life has been captured in Sofia Coppola’s film, “Priscilla,” which premiered at the 2023 Venice Film Festival. The film, set to hit theaters on Oct. 27, is adapted from Priscilla’s 1985 memoir “Elvis and Me.” While Presley emphasized the connection was based on a deep emotional bond rather than physical attraction, the movie depicts Elvis’s grooming of Priscilla and his controlling behavior towards her. Cailee Spaeny, who played the former wife of Elvis Presley in the biopic, won the top acting awards at the 2023 Venice festival.

Released in 2000, “Chicken Run” not only had chickens plotting an escape but also managed to soar high, becoming the highest-grossing stop-motion animated film of all time, raking in over $225 million. And guess what? These chickens are back in the coop with a sequel, “Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget,” set to premiere on Netflix on Dec. 15, 2023. But not without some drama! Julia Sawalha, the original voice of Ginger, claimed she was dropped from the sequel in 2020 because her voice was deemed “too old.” She was replaced by Thandiwe Newton. Mel Gibson, who voiced Rocky in the classic film, was replaced by Zachary Levi.

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter was born on Sept. 4, 1981. On Sept. 4, 2023, the iconic “Queen of Pop” celebrated her 42nd birthday. She marked the occasion with a grand show at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, as part of her Renaissance World Tour. Hollywood’s “who’s who,” including Diana Ross, graced the event. Ross even serenaded Beyoncé with a “Happy Birthday” song. Celebrity guests like Timothée Chalamet and Prince Harry added glamour to the glitz. Here’s to many more chart-topping years ahead!