Hello & welcome to this weekend’s GK nugget. It’s been a hectic & chaotic 12 days since the demonetization announcement was made by the PM on 8 th Nov. All our conversations,  emails & especially our WhatsApp messages have revolved around the facts, some rumours & a lot of jokes about the currency ban. This weekend’s nugget is taking us away from all of that, on a journey through sea faring history . On 17 th November 1869 , the Mediterranean & Red Seas were officially united by the opening of the Suez Canal , a move that changed maritime history for ever. Built by French diplomat and engineer, Ferdinand de Lesseps, the 101-mile long waterway took 15 years to be completed , amidst political disputes, labour shortages and even a cholera outbreak.   Construction began in 1861 using manual labour but picked up speed after 1863 when machinery was brought in to increase the pace of construction. 75 million cubic meters of sand was excavated for its

Hello & welcome to another GK nugget. It’s the start of a week that will define the next 4 years and possibly the future of not just one of the most powerful countries in the world, but the entire world.  That’s right, America goes to vote on Tuesday 8 th November to decide whether Melania Trump becomes the First Lady or Bill Clinton returns to the White House, albeit this time as the First Gentleman (1 st time in history). (Though some say that as per protocol a former President is always referred to as “President So – and – so”. So, if Hillary wins, there’ll be 2 President Clintons in the White House – another 1 st . Formally, though, they would be introduced as "The President of the United States and President Clinton”). There’s been a lot said & written about these 2 candidates and many wish that Barack Obama could continue for another 4 years. But the US Congress passed the 22 nd Amendment to the US Constitution in 1947 that limited a US Presid