<h2>US against the world</h2>
<p>Youngsters enjoy a moment at Versova beach.</p>
<h2>Hark, it&rsquo;s the park</h2>
<p><img title="Take a look at this nook" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jan/dos-eleven-jan-b_e.jpg" alt="Take a look at this nook" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>Take a look at this nook</em></strong></p>
<p>The Shivaji Park (SP) maidan is in focus with the estranged cousins and now partners <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/bmc-election-2026-mumbaikars-must-wake-up-before-bjp-takes-mumbai-to-gujarat-thackeray-cousins-make-emotional-poll-pitch-23611308" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Raj and Udhav Thackeray</a> set to hold their pre- poll BMC rally today (Sunday, January 11).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Yet, it is not politicking that we are worried about. Just the general state of a corner of the Maidan, tucked away next to the aaji-aajoba park which in English is grandparents park in Ingliss-Vingliss. That corner, which was in good condition with local gym equipment, sees infra in disrepair, seats broken and generally unusable. While there is good infra inside the grandparents park, this older equipment in the earlier much frequented corner needs attention an uplift. Rally and recently becoming &ldquo;pally&rdquo; is all very well, but this Maidan needs constant &ldquo;third eye&rdquo; like they say in cricket which looks at upgradation (keep the space open though) and maintenance.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>The king of funny is back!</h2>
<p><img title="Don&rsquo;t chase the algorithm, keep it real, says YouTuber KSI" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jan/dos-eleven-jan-c_e.jpg" alt="Don&rsquo;t chase the algorithm, keep it real, says YouTuber KSI" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>Don&rsquo;t chase the algorithm, keep it real, says YouTuber KSI</em></strong></p>
<p>KSI is returning to <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sunday-mid-day/article/prabhadevi-fair-2026-know-about-this-300-year-old-mela-in-mumbai-and-why-it-is-special-23611499" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Mumbai </a>with a little more time, a little less rush and a brand-new reason &mdash; Try Not To Laugh IRL: India Edition. The British YouTuber says the city&rsquo;s &ldquo;mad energy&rdquo; is what makes it the perfect playground for the format. &ldquo;India is naturally funny,&rdquo; he explains, pointing to the chaos, quick reactions and unfiltered humour that thrive on the streets. Doing it IRL keeps things raw and unpredictable &mdash; exactly how he likes it.</p>
<p>This visit, he feels more settled. The crowds and pace don&rsquo;t throw him off anymore, though he&rsquo;s still cautiously negotiating his spice limits. &ldquo;Meeting Indian fans offline,&rdquo; he adds, &ldquo;hits harder than online noise ever could.&rdquo; And for creators, his advice is simple. &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t chase algorithms. Build something real, and the world will follow.&rdquo;</p>
<h2>For Pete&rsquo;s sake&hellip; look!</h2>
<p><img title="Colin Miller,  Shane Warne in 1993 and Peter Siddle" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jan/dos-eleven-jan-d_e.jpg" alt="Colin Miller,  Shane Warne in 1993 and Peter Siddle" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>Colin Miller, &nbsp;Shane Warne in 1993 and Peter Siddle</em></strong></p>
<p>There were no frills about Peter Siddle when he ran in and bowled fast for Australia. He went about his job quietly and efficiently to collect 221 wickets in 67 Tests. Indian fans will remember Siddle for hitting current Team India coach Gautam Gambhir on the head in Mohali, where the Victorian made his Test debut in 2008. He followed that up by claiming the wicket of Sachin Tendulkar.</p>
<p>Only the other day we discovered that Siddle, 41, has now a new colour to his hair while parading his skills for the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League. The light shade to his hair reminds this diarist of two of Siddle&rsquo;s fellow Australians &ndash; the late Shane Warne and all-rounder Colin Miller, who even coloured his hair blue in the 2000-01 season. Colourful Warne would have surely approved Siddle&rsquo;s hair statement!</p>
<h2>Queer eye</h2>
<p><img title="Akshay Jha" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jan/dos-eleven-jan-f_e.jpg" alt="Akshay Jha" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>Akshay Jha</em></strong></p>
<p>Akshay Jha, 35, creative head of Intimacy Project, is producing Iktsuarpok (English title: The Weight of Longing), a queer feature film that will have its festival premiere at the 22nd Third Eye <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/news/opinion/article/tiff-breaks-s-asia-records-23593898" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Asian Film Festival</a>. The screening will take place on January 13 at the PL Deshpande Maharashtra Kala Academy under the Indian Competition section. Directed and written by Dr Omkar Bhatkar, Jha explains, &ldquo;It [the film] explores the magical space created when the right mix of people meet at the right place at the right time and everything held within them gets expressed.&rdquo;</p>
<h2>Coining our history</h2>
<p><img title="The book recounts history from the lens of indigenous coins" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jan/dos-eleven-jan-e_e.jpg" alt="The book recounts history from the lens of indigenous coins" width="1280" height="637" /><strong><em>The book recounts history from the lens of indigenous coins</em></strong></p>
<p>The Hinduja Foundation has unveiled Early North India and Its Coinage, a new book that traces the region&rsquo;s history through its ancient currency, documenting coins from 300 BCE to 300 CE and featuring over 850 specimens. Launched in Lucknow, the book by historian Dr Devendra Handa offers insights into the political, cultural, and religious life of early North India. &ldquo;This publication marks an important step in introducing a significant part of North India&rsquo;s glorious heritage to the public,&rdquo; said CEO Raman Kalyanakrishnan. Dr Handa added, &ldquo;Years of close study, verification and engagement with rare collections turned this research into a personal scholarly pursuit rather than a purely academic exercise.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>

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