Manash (Subhaditya Edusoft): SUBHADITYA NEWS CHANNEL PRESENTS NEWS OF THIS WEEK : SCIENCE,POLITICAL,SPORTS , MOVIE & BOOK NEWS

1) Vikram Lander to begin first deboosting to lower orbit today

Vikram Lander, carrying Pragyan rover, was separated from the propulsion module on Thursday. Landing attempt on August 23. India's ongoing third lunar mission marked another significant advancement on Thursday, moving closer to a soft landing on the Moon's south pole planned for August 23. The Lander Module, comprising the Vikram lander and the Pragyan rover, successfully detached from the Propulsion Module.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced that following this separation, the lander will initiate a "deboost" procedure to slow down its speed. This action aims to position the lander in an orbit where the closest point to the Moon (Perilune) will be 30 km, and the farthest point (Apolune) will be 100 km. This particular configuration will serve as the starting point for the anticipated soft landing attempt on the Moon's south polar region. Meanwhile, the Propulsion Module will persist in its current orbital trajectory, collecting valuable research data over the course of potentially months or even years.

Vikram lander to perform key manoeuvre today

Chandrayaan-3's Vikram lander is set to undergo a crucial deboosting manoeuvre on Friday after successfully getting separated from the propulsion module a day before.

The deboosting manoeuvre is scheduled today at around 1600 IST.

Deboosting is the process of slowing down to position itself in an orbit where the orbit's closest point to the Moon (Perilune) is 30 km and the farthest point (the Apolune) is 100 km.

India's third lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3, successfully lifted off from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. The Union Science and Technology Minister congratulated the ISRO chairman and his team. The Project Director, P. Veeramuthuvel, was at a loss for words after the historic launch. ISRO Chief S. Somanath padded the "emotional" project director Veeramuthuvel on stage. After separation from the propulsion module yesterday, the Vikram Lander will:

• Undergo "deboost" (the process of slowing down) to lower the lunar orbit.

• A couple of deboosting manoeuvres will place it in an orbit where the Perilune (closest point to the Moon) is 30 kilometres and Apolune (farthest point from the Moon) is 100 km.

• From this orbit, the soft landing on the south polar region of the Moon will be attempted on August 23.

The lander module of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is expected to descend to a slightly lower orbit upon a 'deboosting' planned for Friday around 4 pm (IST), the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said. The process will happen a day after the lander module successfully separated from the propulsion module, marking a milestone in India's third lunar mission. With Chandrayaan-3, India aims to become the first country to make a soft landing on the moon's safe landing. However, it seems Russia's Luna-25 mission is giving a tough battle to the Chandrayaan in one of the most-watched space race. The next week would be crucial as the date of landing of both the mission overlaps, making the world wonder who

2) Scientists outline a new strategy for understanding the origin of life :by Oberlin College

What were the first life forms like? In a new perspective article, scientists describe a strategy for answering this question by studying the earliest evolution of electron transport chains, a universal metabolic strategy with a very ancient history. The paper is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Despite decades of progress, the origin of life remains one of the great unsolved problems in science. "The most basic features of biology, that organisms are made of cells, that they pass genetic information through DNA, that they use protein enzymes to run their metabolism, all emerged through specific processes in very early evolutionary history," says Aaron Goldman, Associate Professor of Biology at Oberlin College.

"Understanding how these most basic biological systems first took shape will not only give us greater insight into how life works at the most fundamental level, but what life actually is in the first place and how we might look for it beyond Earth."

The question of how life first emerged is typically studied through laboratory experiments that simulate early Earth environments and look for chemistries that can create the same kinds of biomolecules and metabolic reactions that we see in organisms today. This is known as a "bottom-up" approach since it works with materials that would have been present on the prebiotic Earth. While these so-called "prebiotic chemistry" experiments have successfully demonstrated how life "may have" originated, they cannot tell us how life actually "did" originate.

Meanwhile, other research uses techniques from evolutionary biology to reconstruct what early life forms might have looked like based on data from life today. This is known as the "top-down" approach and can tell us about life's history on Earth.

Top-down research, however, can only look as far back as there were genes that are still conserved in organisms today, and therefore not all the way to the origin of life. Despite their limitations, top-down and bottom-up research are aiming at the common goal of discovering life's origins, and ideally their answers should converge on a common set of conditions.

A new article published by Goldman, Laurie Barge (Research Scientist in Astrobiology at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)), and colleagues, attempts to bridge this methodological gap. The authors argue that combining bottom-up laboratory research on plausible pathways toward an origin of life with top-down evolutionary reconstructions of early life forms can be used to discover how life truly did originate on the early Earth.

In their article, "Electron Transport Chains as a Window into the Earliest Stages of Evolution," the authors describe one phenomenon central to life today that could be studied by combining both bottom-up and top-down research: electron transport chains.

Electron transport chains are a type of metabolic system that is used by organisms across the tree of life, from bacteria to humans, to produce usable forms of chemical energy. The many different types of electron transport chains are specialized to each form of life and the energy metabolism they use: for example, our mitochondria contain an electron transport chain linked to our heterotrophic (food-consuming) energy metabolism; whereas plants have a wholly different electron transport chain linked to photosynthesis (the generation of energy from sunlight).

Across the microbial world, organisms use a broad range of electron transport chains linked to a variety of different energy metabolisms. But, despite these differences, the authors describe evidence from top-down research that this kind of metabolic strategy was used by the very earliest life forms and they present several models for ancestral electron transport chains that could date back to very early evolutionary history. They also survey current bottom-up evidence suggesting that even before the emergence of life as we know it, electron transport chain-like chemistry could have been facilitated by minerals and early Earth ocean water.

Inspired by these observations, the authors outline future research strategies that synthesize top-down and bottom-up research on the earliest history of electron transport chains in order to gain a better understanding of ancient energy metabolism and the origin of life more broadly.

origin-of-life-Particles-of-DNA-strands-flying-through-space-to-Earth-shut

This research is the culmination of five years of previous work by this multi-institute interdisciplinary team led by Barge at JPL, to study how metabolic reactions could have emerged in geological settings on the early Earth.

Previous work by the team has investigated, for example, specific electron transport chain reactions driven by minerals (led by Jessica Weber, JPL Research Scientist); how ancient enzymes may have incorporated prebiotic chemistry in their active sites (led by Goldman); and microbial metabolism in extremely energy-limited environments (led by Doug LaRowe, at the University of Southern California).

"The emergence of metabolism is an interdisciplinary question and so we need an interdisciplinary team to study this," says Barge. "Our work has utilized techniques from chemistry, geology, biology, and computational modeling, to combine these top-down and bottom-up approaches, and this kind of collaboration will be important for future studies of prebiotic metabolic pathways."

3) Study explains how part of the nucleolus evolved :by Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Inside all living cells, loosely formed assemblies known as biomolecular condensates perform many critical functions. However, it is not well understood how proteins and other biomolecules come together to form these assemblies within cells.

MIT biologists have now discovered that a single scaffolding protein is responsible for the formation of one of these condensates, which forms within a cell organelle called the nucleolus. Without this protein, known as TCOF1, this condensate cannot form.

The findings could help to explain a major evolutionary shift, which took place around 300 million years ago, in how the nucleolus is organized. Until that point, the nucleolus, whose role is to help build ribosomes, was divided into two compartments. However, in amniotes (which include reptiles, birds, and mammals), the nucleolus developed a condensate that acts as a third compartment. Biologists do not yet fully understand why this shift happened.

"If you look across the tree of life, the basic structure and function of the ribosome has remained quite static; however, the process of making it keeps evolving. Our hypothesis for why this process keeps evolving is that it might make it easier to assemble ribosomes by compartmentalizing the different biochemical reactions," says Eliezer Calo, an associate professor of biology at MIT and the senior author of the study.

Now that the researchers know how this condensate, known as the fibrillar center, forms, they may be able to more easily study its function in cells. The findings also offer insight into how other condensates may have originally evolved in cells, the researchers say.

Former MIT graduate students Nima Jaberi-Lashkari Ph.D. and Byron Lee Ph.D. are the lead authors of the paper, which appears in Cell Reports. Former MIT research associate Fardin Aryan is also an author of the paper.

Condensate formation

Many cell functions are carried out by membrane-bound organelles, such as lysosomes and mitochondria, but membraneless condensates also perform critical tasks such as gene regulation and stress response. In some cases, these condensates form when needed and then dissolve when they are finished with their task.

"Almost every cellular process that is essential for the functioning of the cell has been associated somehow with condensate formation and activity," Calo says. "However, it's not very well sorted out how these condensates form."

In a 2022 study, Calo and his colleagues identified a protein region that seemed to be involved in forming condensates. In that study, the researchers used computational methods to identify and compare stretches of proteins known as low-complexity regions (LCRs), from many different species. LCRs are sequences of a single amino acid repeated many times, with a few other amino acids sprinkled in.

That work also revealed that a nucleolar protein known as TCOF1 contains many glutamate-rich LCRs that can help scaffold biomolecular assemblies.

In the new study, the researchers found that whenever TCOF1 is expressed in cells, condensates form. These condensates always include proteins usually found within a particular condensate known as the fibrillar center (FC) of the nucleolus. The FC is known to be involved in the production of ribosomal RNA, a key component of ribosomes, the cell complex responsible for building all cellular proteins.

However, despite its importance in assembling ribosomes, the fibrillar center appeared only around 300 million years ago; single-celled organisms, invertebrates, and the earliest vertebrates (fish) do not have it.

The new study suggests that TCOF1 was essential for this transition from a "bipartite" to "tripartite" nucleolus. The researchers found without TCOF1, cells form only two nucleolar compartments. Furthermore, when the researchers added TCOF1 to zebrafish embryos, which normally have bipartite nucleoli, they could induce the formation of a third compartment.

"More than just creating that condensate, TCOF1 reorganized the nucleolus to acquire tripartite properties, which indicates that whatever chemistry that condensate was bringing to the nucleolus was enough to change the composition of the organelle," Calo says.

4) Scientists trap light inside a magnet :by Jay Mwamba, City College of New York

Light trapped inside a magnetic crystal can strongly enhance its magneto-optical interactions.

A new study led by Vinod M. Menon and his group at the City College of New York shows that trapping light inside magnetic materials may dramatically enhance their intrinsic properties. Strong optical responses of magnets are important for the development of magnetic lasers and magneto-optical memory devices, as well as for emerging quantum transduction applications. In their new article in Nature, Menon and his team report the properties of a layered magnet that hosts strongly bound excitons—quasiparticles with particularly strong optical interactions. Because of that, the material is capable of trapping light—all by itself.

As their experiments show, the optical responses of this material to magnetic phenomena are orders of magnitude stronger than those in typical magnets. "Since the light bounces back and forth inside the magnet, interactions are genuinely enhanced," said Dr. Florian Dirnberger, the lead-author of the study.

"To give an example, when we apply an external magnetic field the near-infrared reflection of light is altered so much, the material basically changes its color. That's a pretty strong magneto-optic response."

"Ordinarily, light does not respond so strongly to magnetism," said Menon. "This is why technological applications based on magneto-optic effects often require the implementation of sensitive optical detection schemes."

On how the advances can benefit ordinary people, study co-author Jiamin Quan said, "Technological applications of magnetic materials today are mostly related to magneto-electric phenomena. Given such strong interactions between magnetism and light, we can now hope to one day create magnetic lasers and may reconsider old concepts of optically controlled magnetic memory." Rezlind Bushati, a graduate student in the Menon group, also contributed to the experimental work.

5) Sugars affect brain 'plasticity,' helping with learning, memory, recovery:by American Chemical Society

Complex sugar molecules control the formation of perineuronal nets (shown here in green) that surround neurons to help stabilize connections in the brain

Can you recognize someone you haven't seen in years, but forget what you had for breakfast yesterday? Our brains constantly rearrange their circuitry to remember familiar faces or learn new skills, but the molecular basis of this process isn't well understood. Today, scientists report that sulfate groups on complex sugar molecules called glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) affect "plasticity" in the brains of mice. Determining how GAGs function could help us understand how memory and learning work in humans, and provide ways to repair neural connectivity after injuries.

The researchers will present their results today at the fall meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

The sugars that sweeten fruits, candies or cakes are actually just a few simple varieties of the many types of sugars that exist. When strung together, they can make a wide array of complex sugars. GAGs are formed by then attaching other chemical structures, including sulfate groups.

"If we study the chemistry of GAGs in the brain, we can learn about brain plasticity and hopefully, in the future, use this information to restore or enhance neural connections involved in memory," says Linda Hsieh-Wilson, Ph.D., the project's principal investigator presenting the research at the meeting.

"These sugars regulate numerous proteins, and their structures change during development and with disease," she explains. Hsieh-Wilson is at the California Institute of Technology.

In the brain, the most common GAG form is chondroitin sulfate, which is found throughout the extracellular matrix surrounding the brain's many cells. Chondroitin sulfate can also form structures known as "perineuronal nets," which wrap around individual neurons and stabilize the synaptic connections between them.

One way a GAG's function can be changed is through sulfation motifs, or patterns of sulfate groups tacked onto the sugar chains. Hsieh-Wilson's team is interested in how those sulfation patterns become altered, and how they might regulate biological processes such as neuroplasticity and social memory. This could also one day allow researchers to modulate these functions as a potential treatment for central nervous system injuries, neurodegenerative diseases or psychiatric disorders.

When the team deleted the Chst11 gene responsible for forming two major sulfation patterns on chondroitin sulfate in mice, defects formed in their perineuronal nets. However, the number of nets actually increased in the absence of the sulfation motifs, changing the types of synaptic connections between neurons. In addition, the mice were unable to recognize mice to whom they had previously been introduced, which suggests that these patterns affect social memory.

Interestingly, these nets might be more dynamic than once thought—they could be playing a role in both childhood and adulthood. When the researchers targeted Chst11 specifically in the brains of adult mice, they found the same effects on perineuronal nets and social memory. "That result suggests that it may be possible to manipulate these nets during adolescence or adulthood to potentially rewire or strengthen certain synaptic connections," says Hsieh-Wilson.

In other recent experiments, the team wanted to understand how GAGs and their sulfation patterns could affect axon regeneration, or the ability of neurons to rebuild themselves after injury. The researchers are now working to identify protein receptors that bind particular sulfation motifs. So far, they have found that specific motifs cause these receptors to cluster together at the cell's surface and inhibit regeneration. This process could be blocked to create tools or treatments to promote axon regeneration. Having more insight about this process could someday help repair damage caused by certain neurodegenerative diseases or strokes, Hsieh-Wilson says.

6) Researchers find fossilized nonflying precursor to pterosaur in Brazil:bY Bob Yirka , Phys.org

Skeleton and scaled Reconstruction of Venetoraptor gassenae

A team of paleontologists from Brazil, Argentina and the U.S., has found the fossilized remains of a creature they describe as a precursor to the pterosaur at a dig site in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the group describes features of the fossil, where it was found, its condition and where it fits with other ancient creatures.

Artist's interpretation of Venetoraptor gassenae in a Triassic landscape

Prior research has shown that during the late to middle Triassic, dinosaurs became the dominant form of life on land while pterosaurs dominated the skies. In this new effort, the researchers found a fossil from before that time, when land-bound pterosaur precursors roamed parts of what is now Brazil. The fossil has been dated back to approximately 230 million years ago.

Artist interpretation of Venetoraptor gassenae

The team describes the fossil as a well-preserved partial skeleton—it was found embedded in a layer of rock. They also note that it was a lagerpetid that had not been identified before. They named it Venetoraptor gassenae. The fossil revealed a small, land-dwelling, four-legged, bipedal creature—likely standing no more than 0.3 meters at the hips and likely no more than a meter long. It also had a toothless beak reminiscent of those sported by modern raptors.

Fossil of Venetoraptor gassenae

It also had big hands with scimitar-like claws. The researchers suggest that V. gassenae was likely a specialized creature. Its claws appear to have been used to climb trees or perhaps to capture prey. And it likely used its beak in much the same way modern raptors do—to feed, vocalize or even as part of sexual encounters.

Fossil of Venetoraptor gassenae

The fossil was found in a rock layer in the Santa Maria Formation, which is located in the Paraná Basin—a site that hosts a large number of ancient fossils. Its age, the team notes, suggests that it lived alongside the earliest dinosaurs.

The find adds more evidence to theories that lagerpetids are more closely related to pterosaurs than dinosaurs. Such theories suggest that eventually, a common ancestor between lagerpetids and pterosaurs arose, leading to the latter dominating the skies.

1) Congress charges at Modi govt over CAG report, AAP alleges ₹7.5 lakh crore scam:

Congress demanded PM Modi's response to CAG reports on health scheme discrepancies and the high cost of infrastructure projects. The Congress party on Monday demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi break his silence on the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India reports flagging discrepancies in the database of a centrally sponsored health scheme and the high cost of Dwarka Expressway. On the eve of the 77th Independence Day, Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said the prime minister will “unleash his torrent of lies” tomorrow from the ramparts of the Red Fort.

Developer of Ajodhya Development Project have been Illigally benefited by BJP

But will he have the courage to question his own government and his ministers on their corruption and incompetence?” Ramesh asked, alleging that the CAG report has exposed the “sheer corruption and incompetence of the Modi government.”

The Congress MP listed the red flags of the report, including the inflated project cost of the Dwarka Expressway, which went up 14 times from the sanctioned ₹18 crore/km to ₹250 crore/km.

A performance audit by the CAG also found several discrepancies in India’s public health assurance scheme Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) that led to crores of rupees in expenditure on ineligible beneficiaries, mainly due to inadequate validation controls. The faults in the database of AB-PMJAY include invalid names, unrealistic dates of birth, duplicate health IDs and unrealistic family sizes, the government’s auditor said in a report tabled in Parliament.CAG has raised similar questions on irregularities in the Ayodhya Development Project and the diversion of old page pension funds under National Social Assistance Programme for publicity of the Modi government's schemes instead,” Ramesh said.

“We demand answers from the Prime Minister, Chuppi Todiye, Pradhan Mantri-ji! (Break your silence, Mr Prime Minister).”

Earlier today, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the Modi government of corruption in infrastructure projects and said it is "taking the nation on a highway to hell". Citing the CAG report on the 'Bharatmala Pariyojana' highway projects, Kharge said Prime Minister Modi should look within before harping on corruption by his political opponents.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also targeted the ruling BJP, with Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal alleging that the PM Modi-led government has broken "all records of corruption". "The Modi government has broken all the records of corruption in the past 75 years," Kejriwal charged in a post on X, earlier known as Twitter, sharing a screenshot of a media report on the CAG report.

Rajya Sabha MP and AAP national spokesperson Sanjay Singh also targeted Modi over the media report and said his government is the "most corrupt" since independence.

"The Narendra Modi government constructed the road (Dwarka Expressway) at the cost of ₹250 crore per kilometer while it was to be constructed at the rate of ₹18 crore per kilometer," he said, citing the CAG report.

The Narendra Modi government constructed the road (Dwarka Expressway) at the cost of ₹250 crore per kilometer while it was to be constructed at the rate of ₹18 crore per kilometer," he said, citing the CAG report.

Under the 'Bharatmala Pariyojana', a total of 75,000 kilometers of roads were to be constructed at the rate of ₹15 crore per kilometer, Singh said. "But the Narendra Modi government increased the cost to ₹25 crore per kilometer," he claimed.

"This government has committed a scam worth ₹7.5 lakh crore in the Bharatmala project," Singh charged and asked the prime minister to stop talking about his government's commitment to end corruption in the country.

The Congress has attacked the BJP authorities over the disclosure of big irregularities in a number of authorities schemes and initiatives by the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India – CAG. The Congress has demanded PM Modi to interrupt his silence on these mega scams and reply the nation. The Congress requested whether or not there could be any motion towards the Ministry of Street Transport and Highways and the minister.

Addressing a press convention on the occasion headquarters, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate stated, there may be an anti-Modi group within the nation. It’s concerned within the worldwide conspiracy. The identify of this establishment is CAG. This group has uncovered 7 massive scams of the Modi authorities. Modi ji ought to instantly get this group banned and those that get reviews needs to be despatched to jail. They suppose that there’s democracy within the nation.Supriya Shrinet stated that “this is a big issue of scams. The CAG (CAG), which audits government accounts, has exposed seven

Who embezzled the money of the beneficiaries of Ayushman Bharat? only one mobile number connected with 7.5 lacs beneficiaries of Ayushman Bharat

NHAI collecting 154 crores from the public in violation of toll rules,

HAL on publicity and serious defects in design-production of aircraft engines on HAL, leading to a loss of 159 crores

Ministry of Rural Development Allegations of spending pension scheme money on Ad for other projects by Govt , The amount involved about 2 crores 83 lacs

scams. In this, forgery in the bidding of Bharatmala Project, 1 km in Dwarka Expressway. Increase in the cost of road construction to 250 crores, NHAI collecting 132 crores from the public in violation of toll rules, 7.5 lakh beneficiaries of Ayushman Bharat scheme being linked to the same number, giving undue benefits to the contractors in the Ayodhya Development Project, Ministry of Rural Development Allegations of spending pension scheme money by HAL on publicity and serious defects in design-production of aircraft engines on HAL, leading to a loss of 154 crores.Citing irregularities in the Bharatmala project and the Dwarka Expressway, Supriya Shrinate said that the cost of both the projects has gone up. He said that Rs 250 crore was spent to build 1 km of road on the Dwarka Expressway. In this expressway, Mangalyaan reached Mars in the same amount of money as the 2 kilometer road was built. This road should be declared as the eighth wonder of the world and tickets should be taken to see it.

Referring to the irregularities marked by the CAG in the works of Ayushman Bharat Yojana, Ayodhya Development Project and the schemes and projects of the Union Rural Development Ministry, the Congress spokesperson said that our questions to PM Modi are whether he will break his silence on these scams or not? Will there be any action on the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the Minister? Who embezzled the money of the beneficiaries of Ayushman Bharat? Why did the Ministry of Rural Development spend the money of the pension scheme in the promotion of other schemes? Who is giving undue advantage to the contractors in the Ayodhya Development Project?Supriya Shrinate took a jibe on the Prime Minister, saying he does nothing flawed and has constructed a picture of integrity, however the CAG report questions it. And says it have to be an enormous worldwide conspiracy. Focusing on the PM, he stated that every one the scams are taking place underneath your nostril. Will you break your silence? Clarify that the CAG has uncovered irregularities in lots of schemes and initiatives of the Central Authorities, after which the opposition events are besieging the Modi authorities on corruption.

2) Explainer: Inflation is back and it is complicating matters

Adverse weather, including delayed monsoons and heavy rainfall, has led to higher vegetable prices may lead to further rate hikes and slow down economic growth Retail inflation jumped to 7.44% from a year ago in July, a 15-month high, breaching the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) tolerable limit of 6% on the back of runaway grocery and food prices, latest official data show.

3) Himachal Pradesh to declare rain havoc as ‘state disaster’; CM Sukhu says damage worth Rs10,000 cr

Sukhu said that state government, along with the help NDRF and the Indian Army, has been working day and night to restore normalcy in the state.

Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday said that the recent rain havoc has caused damage worth Rs10,000 crore and that it will be declared a “state distater”. He said the official release will be out soon. Amid the monsoon rain fury over the past few days, a total of 74 people have lost their lives so far, including those who died after a temple collapse in Shimla triggered by a landslide. Sukhu further said that the state government, along with the help of national teams like the NDRF and the Indian Army, has been working day and night to restore normalcy in the state. "The government will try its best to help those who were affected by the rain - like those who lost their houses - to restore their normal life," news agency PTI quoted Sukhu as saying.

Regarding the controversy that erupted after reports of CM's remarks, where he blamed construction workers from Bihar for the destruction in Shimla, he said, "From where did this statement come? Please ask them not to play politics." Earlier on Thursday, Union minister Anurag Thakur said the Congress had shown its true colors by insulting the people of Bihar by "blaming" them for the destruction caused by heavy rain.

Monsoon fury in Himachal Pradesh

Amid fresh reports of flash floods and landslides caused by heavy rain in the state, the death toll due to rain-related incidents has risen to 74, and the rescue teams are still carrying out operations near the temple collapse site in Shimla, where eight more people are feared buried.

On Thursday, chief minister Sukhu visited flood and severely rain-affected areas in the Mandi district - Matehdi, Baldwara, Maseran, and Jukain of Sarkaghat assembly.

Meanwhile, the IMD has predicted scattered rainfall in the next four to five days and controlled rainfall in the state until August 25.

Chhattisgarh CM announces ₹11 crore aid

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel on Friday announced to provide a financial assistance of ₹11 crore to Himachal Pradesh, the hill state that has been worst-hit by the monsoon rains, news agency PTI reported quoting a government official.

Baghel on Thursday spoke to Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu over phone and took stock of the situation in the northern state and assured to extend support to deal with it.

4) Himachal Pradesh rain toll rises to 74, waterlogging in Dehradun

Himachal Pradesh rain toll rises to 74, waterlogging in Dehradun; and all the latest news

The death toll in Himachal Pradesh rain-related incidents has jumped to 74 amid reports of fresh flash floods and landslides. Among those who died, 21 were killed due to major landslides at Shiva temple in Summer Hill, Fagli, and Krishnanagar. Eight people are still feared buried under the temple debris. In Uttarakhand, the water level of the Pranmati river in Chamoli district saw a sharp increase following incessant rainfall in the state. Authorities have alerted the locals in the area to ensure the safety and well-being of the residents, officials said on Friday.

On Thursday, Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu visited flood and severe rain-affected areas in Mandi district — Matehdi, Baldwara, Maseran and Jukain of Sarkaghat assembly.

Top rainfall updates from Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand:

In Uttarakhand's Rishikesh, the supportive wire on the Ram Jhula Bridge broke due to flooding over the Ganga river, forcing the authorities to stop the movement of two-wheelers. “The Pauri Police administration has banned the movement of people and two-wheelers after the bridge of the famous Ram Jhula Bridge broke down in the pilgrimage city of Rishikesh due to the spate of river Ganga,” an official said.

The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) in Uttarakhand said on Thursday night that as excessive water filled houses in Kaluwala after heavy rainfall in Dehradun. The SDRF said it was constantly trying to help the affected people.

In Himachal Pradesh, the rescue and search operation was underway on Friday in landslide-affected areas in Shimla. In Summer Hill Area, Disaster Response Forces were seen carrying out the operation.

Sukhu said on Thursday some amount of relief funds from the central government were still pending. He said, “The Union government's first instalment of interim relief was still pending. Out of the relief amount of Rs. 315 crore, which was pending for the last few years with the union government due to some audit objections, a sum of Rs.189 crore has been released whereas under the SDRF, a total of ₹360 crore is released to the State. The central government released the first instalment of ₹180 crore in June and the second instalment of ₹180 crore in advance, which was to be received in December. Thus the amount of ₹360 crore, received so far, was our righteous share, which otherwise is given to all the States. No separate financial assistance has been released so far.”

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday said that light to very heavy rainfall was likely to occur over Uttarakhand on Friday as well as between August 21 and 23.

Himachal IMD scientist Surender Paul said, “Monsoon is on the higher side this time...If we see the data, there is 43% excess rainfall since June 1 in Himachal Pradesh. Scattered rainfall will occur in the next 4-5 days. There will be controlled rainfall in the state till August 25.”

Meanwhile, a road between Maithana and Pursadi on Shri Badrinath National Highway in Uttarakhand washed away on Thursday evening.

Top rainfall updates from Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand:

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday said that light to very heavy rainfall was likely to occur over Uttarakhand on Friday as well as between August 21 and 23.

Meanwhile, a road between Maithana and Pursadi on Shri Badrinath National Highway in Uttarakhand washed away on Thursday evening.

5) Independence Day 2023: Key Highlights from PM Modi's August 15 Speech

Key Highlights From PM Modi's Independence Day Speech: The dawn of the 77th Independence Day turned bright with the colours of the national flag. PM Narendra Modi unfurled the tricolour around 7:30 am at Red Fort. He'll match the record of former prime minister Manmohan Singh, who raised the tricolour 10 times in a row. Approximately 1,800 guests from a variety of backgrounds have been invited to the Red Fort's Independence Day festivities today.

Key Highlights of PM Narendra Modi's Speech On Independence Day

Women-Led Development

The central government will take major steps for women-led development. He said, " India has the most number of women pilots, we are empowering 10,000 women SHGs...after 'Bank wali Didi', 'Dawai Wali Didi' we are working on 'Lakhpati Didi...."

He mentioned, ‘It is everyone's responsibility to ensure there is no atrocity against our daughters.’

Regional Language Empowerment

The Indian government is continuously working to empower regional languages. "I thank the honourable Supreme Court for their special contribution by providing the operative documents in regional languages."- says PM Modi in his speech on Independence Day.

PM Modi says, "Bharat is also a model of diversity." We are working on the concept of 'Vibrant Villages'. He expressed gratefulness towards all the Sarpanch from the first(earlier last) villages of Indian borders.

Developed India By 2047

PM Modi urgent citizens for support and blessings. He said,” It’s the time we need to be serious towards our contribution. In 2047, India should celebrate the 100th anniversary of Independence Day as a developed nation. With transparency and holiness, we can surely become a developed nation… we need to fight three obstacles, corruption, familism and appeasement will all our hearts and soul…”He continued, "Today, 'Parivarvaad' and appeasement have destroyed our country. How can a political party have only one family in charge? For them, their life mantra is- party of the family, by the family and for the family.."

Reform, Perform & Transform

PM Modi said that India was at the 10th position in terms of Global Position, whereas today India is among the top 3 countries in the world. He showed his belief in India being at the number 1 position in the coming 5 years.

Vishwakarma scheme

PM Narendra Modi announced the launch of Vishwakarma on Vishwakarma Jayanti. He said that the Vishwakarma scheme, with an allocation of ₹13,000 crore to ₹15,000 crore for the scheme will benefit people with traditional skills. It will include small-scale jewellery makers, labourers and mechanics.

Digital Bhara

The Prime Minister stated that during his recent trip to the G20 Summit in Bali, developed nations from around the world expressed interest in learning more about the intricate details of the success of Digital India. He claimed that young people in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities have access to digital innovation in India, which is not just confined to the major cites of the nation like Delhi, Mumbai, or Chennai.

Claps For India

On the 77th anniversary of India's independence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation from Red Fort, highlighting the nation's progress and claiming that rating agencies now recognize India.

In his speech, he said, “I am talking about the last 1000 years because I see that there is opportunity before the country once again...What we do in this era, the steps we take, and the decisions we take one after the other will germinate the golden history of the country in the coming 1000 years…"

India is New Startup Unicorn

Around 8 crores of new startups have been registered. Every startup big or small has given employment to many others. He further said, "I have faith in the power of youth, the youth has capability, and our policies and rituals are meant to give them strength. Our youth have taken India to the first three startup ecosystems of the world," says PM Modi in his Independence Day speech at Red Fort.

Avas Nidhi Yojana

PM Modi mentioned the Avas Nidhi Yojana in his Independence Day speech. This scheme will help people living below the poverty line and in unauthorised colonies to build their homes.PM Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech further included various initiatives helping farmers, Manipur, Ayushman Bharat Yojana, OROP, etcAs Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrapped up his address to the nation from the Red Fort in Delhi, balloons in the Tiranga colours were released, as per the annual ritual.

6) Rahul Gandhi will now stay in Leh-Ladakh till August 25, will celebrate father’s birthday on the banks of Pangong Lake – Rahul Gandhi Visit To Ladakh Extended Till Aug 25

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Leh-Ladakh tour has now increased from two days to 25 August. Party sources said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Ladakh has been extended till 25 August. According to information, Rahul will celebrate the birthday of his father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on August 20 at Pangong Lake.

This is Rahul’s first visit to Ladakh since Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into two Union Territories, Ladakh and J-K, following the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35(A) on August 5, 2019. During his stay, he will also visit the Kargil Memorial and interact with the youth.

The source further added that he will also watch a football match in Leh. Rahul has been a football player during his college days. He will also attend the meeting of the 30-member Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC)-Kargil elections on August 25.

The Congress and the National Conference have formed a pre-poll alliance against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the Kargil Council elections to be held on 10 September. Rahul Gandhi reached Ladakh on Thursday and was warmly welcomed by party leaders and workers at the Leh airport.

It may be noted that the former Congress President could not visit Leh during his Bharat Jodo visit. He had said during his speech on the no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha that he would visit Leh soon.

7) Sad and tragic to watch PM Modi in Lok Sabha, says Rahul Gandhi

In an exchange with the media on 11 August, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said Prime Ministers must learn to set aside politics and be the voice of the country.Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech in the Lok Sabha on Thursday was all about himself, his dreams and his ambitions, said Rahul Gandhi at a press conference in New Delhi on Friday.

It was all about him, 2024, Congress, the Opposition, he said, adding, “The issue was Manipur, not the Congress, the Opposition or Rahul Gandhi”. It was truly tragic watching the PM speak, joke and laugh in Parliament amidst chanting of slogans and his name, he also observed.The Prime Minister does not understand that he is not just a politician, that he is my Prime Minister, our Prime Minister… as Prime Minister, he should rise above politics and not behave as a party leader," he said.

In a tacit nod to critics of his comment in Parliament on Wednesday that the government had "killed Bharat Mata" in Manipur, the Congress leader explained why he was "compelled" to say so.

Recalling his visit to Manipur, he said that when he visited the Meitei camps, he was told to ensure that no Kuki accompanied him, even as part of his security detail. They would be killed, he was told. Similarly, when he visited Kuki relief camps, he was advised to leave behind any Meitei security guards, who could be shot dead. "Manipur as a state no longer exists. They have divided the state and the people; and that is why I say that they have killed Bharat Mata," Rahul added.

“In my 19 years in politics, I have visited virtually every state in the country every time there was a crisis. But I have never seen or heard of this kind of division and hatred,” he explained, adding that even though Bharat Mata "is an idea", he has been informed that the phrase has been expunged from his speech in the proceedings of the Lok Sabha. "One cannot even take the name of Bharat Mata in Parliament," he observed.

Claiming that he knows why Prime Minister Narendra Modi cannot travel to Manipur, but saying he couldn't share details with the media, he added that the Prime Minister could at least speak.

"If the Prime Minister wanted to ridicule me, Congress, or the Opposition, he could have done it in public rallies and outside Parliament. The Prime Minister could have laughed, mocked, made ridiculous statements about names some other time," he said. "But he could have addressed Manipur with more seriousness."

8) Recent Manipur Violence:

A) Manipur violence: NSCN-IM refutes selling of firearms to insurgents

In a viral video, a cadre of the NSCN-IM claimed that he had sold five arms and ammunition including AK weapons to a Meitei outfit.The NSCN-IM on Friday refuted claims of selling firearms to insurgents in Manipur as ethnic clashes between the Kukis and Meiteis continue in the state.

In a viral video, a cadre of the NSCN-IM claimed that he had sold five arms and ammunition including AK weapons to a Meitei outfit.The person seen in the viral video was identified as H Khosiivei Lovingson son of Hriipunii of Sirong village, Shepoumaramth Region.

According to the group, the cadre joined the Naga national service on October 12 last year and had done his basic military training during the early part of this year. The cadre was posted at Thungbo Brigade, Naga Army as private.

NSCN-IM claimed that on August 7, the cadre was granted medical leave for ear infection and was sent to Dimapur. The group said that the cadre had been missing since then and only surfaced through a viral video.

“According to his commander, he proved himself a dubious character, a habitual liar and violating the integrity of a soldier,” NSCN-IM said, adding that any layman on the street will understand that there is something “cold and sinister” about the viral video clip.An official statement from the group said, “The video is evidently a premeditated and pre-planned aimed at provoking communal antagonism and force the hypersensitive situation descends into mayhem by creating hostile environment among the communities and thereby portrays NSCN in bad light. Simply put, it is beyond credible sense that a mere rookie private soldier on leave could have access to such illicit arms dealings unless he has premeditated action plan in collusion with the Indian security forces/agency”.

“Naga Army handled its armoury or any military related matter with the crash tested security systems where no officer other than the concerned commander of the unit/area has access to it, least of all a mere private soldier. All said and done, this video viral is nothing but the work of a bunch of war- mongers,” NSCN-IM added

In the video, the NSCN-IM cadre can be seen and heard identifying himself as a Poumei Naga Army (2015 batch) in the corporal rank.

The video was reportedly shot by security forces. The cadre claimed that so far five weapons were sold for an amount Rs 10,00,000-Rs 15,00,000.

B) Manipur: Bodies of 3 violence victims brought to Ukhrul for post-mortem

According to Mercy Khongsai, Joint Secretary of the Kuki Students’ Organisation Ukhrul, the incident happened around 5 am when armed militants intruded the Thawai Kuki village.The bodies of three individuals who were killed in the early hours of Friday in Kamjong district were brought to the Ukhrul District Hospital for post-mortem. The bodies were transported by a team from the Litan police station.According to Mercy Khongsai, Joint Secretary of the Kuki Students’ Organisation Ukhrul, the incident happened around 5 am when armed militants intruded the Thawai Kuki village under Kamjong district and killed three village volunteers who were safeguarding the village.

She further informed that the armed miscreants also attempted to burn down the village. However, with the timely intervention of volunteers from nearby villages, they fled from the village.

“Today, I am standing here at the mortuary for the post-mortem of three persons who were brutally killed by armed Meitei radicals. This is evidence enough that Manipur is not yet peaceful. However, the Centre along with the state government is claiming that Manipur is already peaceful,” said Khongsai, a Kuki student leader.

It won’t be peaceful until and unless the concrete resolution intended by the state government as well as the Central government is implemented, she added.

According to police sources, the incident occurred when a suspected armed group of people attacked village volunteers who were at the bunker, guarding the village during the incident.

It should be noted that state security forces have been continuously dismantling bunkers set up by village volunteers in both the valley and hill areas.

C) Churachandpur admin faces heat over ‘unofficial’ I-Day arms display

State security advisor Kuldiep Singh said that lawful action will be taken against those displaying firearms at the parade.The Manipur government has sought a report from the Churachandpur deputy commissioner and superintendent of police over the display of sophisticated firearms by a group of people at an “unofficial” Independence Day parade, a senior official said on Friday.

State security advisor Kuldiep Singh said that lawful action will be taken against those displaying firearms at the parade.

“A report has been sought from the DC and the SP over the display of sophisticated firearms by a group of people at an unofficial Independence Day parade at Churachandpur on August 15. Once the report comes, we will take lawful action against all of them (those displaying firearms),” he told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.He said over 1,250 firearms have been recovered so far from across the state. A large number of firearms were looted from state police armouries during the last three months of ethnic clashes.

“Combing operations are being conducted regularly and firearms are being recovered on a daily basis,” he said.Chief Minister N Biren Singh added that his government is investigating how the incident (open display of firearms at the unofficial parade) happened “although they were not part of the official Independence Day parade and were conducting it separately”.

1) India vs Malaysia Asian Champions Trophy Final Hockey

India sealed a 4-3 win vs Malaysia to clinch their record-fourth ACT trophy, at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai on Saturday. Initially, Jugraj Singh scored in the first quarter to give India an early lead, but Kamal Abu Arzai equalised to make it 1-1. Then in the second quarter, Razie Rahim converted a penalty corner to make it 2-1 for Malaysia. Then Aminudin Muhamad struck late in the second quarter via a penalty corner to make 3-1 for the visitors. In the third quarter, Harmanpreet Singh converted a penalty stroke to make it 2-3 and then Gurjant came up with the equaliser. With the score 3-3, Akashdeep came up with a late winner to help India clinch their record-fourth ACT title.

2) India vs West Indies 5th T20 Highlights: Brandon King's explosive 55-ball 85 crushes India by 8 wkts, WI win series 3-2

India vs West Indies 2023 5th T20I Highlights: West Indies (171/2) beat India (165/9) by 8 wickets in Florida, win 5-match series 3-2

India vs West Indies 2023 5th T20I Highlights: Brandon King rose to the occasion in the series decider between India and West Indies at Lauderhill, Florida. King scored a match-winning 85*(55), helping West Indies crush India by eight wickets and win the series 3-2. Chasing 166, West Indies were rocked early by Arshdeep Singh. However, Nicholas Pooran and King then took the game away from India, stitching 107 runs for the second wicket. Pooran was dismissed for 47(35) by Tilak Varma, which was also his maiden international wicket. Earlier, Suryakumar Yadav led India's charge with the bat and helped his side post a challenging 165/9 in 20 overs. Suryakumar, who walked in at number three, scored 61(45) before getting trapped LBW by Jason Holder. Tilak Varma was the second highest scorer from the Indian camp, managing 27(18), also stitching 49 runs for the third wicket with Suryakumar.

3) Wrestler Priya second Indian U20 World Champion, fiery Panghal one win away from second title

Priya became only the second Indian woman wrestler to become U20 world champion while fast-rising Antim Panghal also stormed into the title clash as unprecedented success followed India at the junior wrestling World Championships here on Thursday.Unperturbed by the cut suffered above her left eye, Priya easily got the better of Germany's Laura Celive Kuehn 5-0 in the gold medal bout, which had to be stopped twice due to bleeding suffered by the Indian.

Her lightening fast leg attacks rattled the German who could not make even one point-scoring move.Antim Panghal had last year become the first Indian woman to emerge junior world champion and she also rejoiced success on Thursday as she is now one win away from defending her title, reaching the 53kg final.

Panghal, who hit the headlines for challenging Vinesh Phogat for the Asian Games trials but lost her petition, put up a dominating show to win her three bouts with consummate ease.For the first time ever, four Indian woman wrestlers reached the gold medal bouts at the junior World Championships as Savita (62kg) and Antim Kundu (65kg) also stayed unbeaten on Thursday.Harshita is also in contention of a bronze in 72kg competition.

Priya had reached the 76kg final on Wednesday and lived up to expectations.Panghal lost just two points en route the final, annihilating her first round opponent from Poland Nikola Monika Wisniewska in mere 68 seconds and followed that up with technical superiority win over China's Xuejing Liang.

In the semifinals, the wrestler from Hisar district of Haryana outplayed Russia's Polina Lukina, again winning by technical superiority and not losing a single point.

If Panghal can win on Friday, she will become first woman wrestler to win two world titles.

Another Antim was putting the mat on fire in the 65kg competition. She was Antim Kundu from Titoli village in Rohtak District as she too put up a dominating show to secure a place in the gold medal bout.Using her tremendous power, she overpowered Russia's Ekaterina Koshkina in the semifinal, winning 7-5.

Before that, the wrestler coached by Kuldeep Kadian, beat Romania's Maria Magdalena Pantiru 7-2 and pinned Poland's Alicja Nowosad.In the 62kg category, U17 World Champion Savita produced inspiring stuff, winning all three bouts 'by fall', including one against formidable Japanese Suzu Sasaki. She had began with an easy win over Serbia's Dunja Lukic.In the semifinal, she pinned French rival Iris Mathilde Thiebaux.

Harshita also reached the 72kg semifinals but got pinned by Turkey's Bukrenaz Sert and will now fight for bronze.Reena was the only Indian wrestler who lost early in the competition. Competing in the 57kg category, she lost her opening round to Ukraine's Alina Filipovych.Reena will get a chance to reach the medal round through the repechage route as Alina has reached the final.

4) Football legend Mohammed Habib dies; India remembers first 'true professional' player

Only player to score three goals in the Durand Cup final for a winning team

Mohammed Habib, the playmaker par excellence of the 1970s who scored against Pele's New York Cosmos in Mohun Bagan colours and made the football icon take note of his game, died on Tuesday.The former India player was 74.

Habib, who was suffering from dementia and Parkinson's syndrome for the past couple of years, breathed his last in Hyderabad, his birthplace.

Habib was survived by his wife and three daughters.

A bronze medallist in the 1970 Asian Games in Bangkok under the captaincy of fellow Hyderabadi Syed Nayeemuddin and manager PK Banerjee, Habib has represented the big three of Kolkata Maidan -- Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting in his heydays, dominating the Mecca of Indian football for a prolonged period in the late 1960s through to the 70s.

Following a successful career that saw him gain legendary status and earn the tag of the country's first "true professional" footballer for his refusal to accept numerous job offers that came his way owing to his on-field heroics, Habib took to coaching at the Tata Football Academy (TFA).

Later, he also acted as chief coach of the Indian Football Association academy in Haldia.

At a time when the clubs would pay meagre sum to their best players, he was unruffled and remained a professional in true sense throughout his career, for he considered playing football as his real and only profession.

One of the highlights of Habib's career was when he played for Mohun Bagan against the visiting Cosmos Club which also featured the legendary Pele in 1977 in a friendly on a rain-soaked Eden Gardens.

Up against a visiting team that had a star-studded line up with big names like Pele, Carlos Alberto, Georgio Chinaglia and others in its ranks, Mohun Bagan held their own in a creditable 2-2 draw with midfield mainstay Habib being one of the scorers.

In one of his biggest acknowledgments, Habib was singed out by Pele after the match with the one of the world's greatest player praising his game.

5) Vidit Beats Nepomniachtchi As 4 Indian Players Reach World Cup Quarterfinals

GM Vidit Gujrathi outplayed number-four seed GM Ian Nepomniachtchi in round-five tiebreaks to reach the quarterfinals of the 2023 FIDE World Cup, so that half of the remaining field now hails from the rising chess powerhouse of India.

Vidit 4-2 Nepomniachtchi

20th-seed Vidit came into this match against world number-five Nepomniachtchi as the clear underdog, but there was no arguing with his assessment of how it went: "I think I played very good chess and I was never really in trouble in any games, actually."

Vidit pointed out that he missed a big chance in the first classical game, and the first two 25-minute tiebreak games showed that the Indian star had come very well-prepared, both chess-wise and mentally.

The first showed the shocking depth to which the top players can prepare openings. 31.g3! was a move that had to be foreseen when going for this whole extraordinary adventure against Nepomniachtchi's Petroff Defense.

6) Arjun Erigaisi and Praggnanandhaa head to tiebreak; Carlsen eliminates Gukesh; Vidit loses

Gukesh vs Magnus Carlsen, Arjun Erigaisi vs R Praggnanandhaa, Chess World Cup 2023: Wednesday's results meant that just one Indian will reach the semis out of the four that were in the quarters.

Chess World Cup 2023 quarter-finals Highlights: India’s D Gukesh and Vidit Gujrathi were eliminated from the FIDE World Cup in the quarter-finals while R Praggnanandhaa and Arjun Erigaisi forced matters into a tiebreaker.

Needing a win in the second game after losing to Carlsen with white pieces on Tuesday, Gukesh piled on the pressure on the Norwegian, even forcing him into time trouble briefly. But in the end, the 17-year-old from India could not force a victory.

This is our liveblog for the second quarter-finals held on Wednesday. For the blog on the tiebreaker between R Praggnanandhaa and Arjun Erigaisi, click here

7) Carlsen, Gukesh Strike Again; Quarterfinal Showdown Looms

On the first day of round five of the 2023 FIDE World Cup, GMs Dommaraju Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi led the way for India's young stars after both scored wins with Black over GMs Wang Hao and Nils Grandelius, respectively. GMs Magnus Carlsen, Leinier Dominguez, and Nijat Abasov were the other players to draw blood in the Open section and move one step closer to mouthwatering quarterfinal matchups.

1) Taali:

Directed by: Ravi Jadhav

Cast: Sushmita Sen, Ankur Bhatia, Aishwarya Narkar, Hemangi Kavi, Krutika Deo, Suvrat Joshi

Releasing on: 15 August 2023

Streaming on: JioCinema

Synopsis: The movie chronicles the key moments in the life of transgender activist Gauri Sawant, and her fight to get the transgender community recognition as the third gender. This is one of the many amazing new movie releases this week that you cannot miss.

2) Blue Beetle:

Directed by: Angel Manuel Soto

Cast: Xolo Maridueña, Adriana Barraza, Damián Alcázar, Raoul Max Trujillo, Susan Sarandon, George Lopez

Releasing on: 18 August 2023 (in theatres)

Synopsis: Jaime Reyes returns to his hometown, Palmera City, after he finishes his graduation. He is offered an opportunity of a lifetime when he is picked to become a symbiotic host to the Scarab. The ancient alien biotechnological relic gives Jamie powerful exoskeleton armour which turns him into the superhero, Blue Beetle. This is one of the most-anticipated new film releases this week.

3) Guns & Gulaabs:

Directed by: Raj and D.K.

Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Dulquer Salmaan, Adarsh Gourav, Gulshan Devaiah, TJ Bhanu

Releasing on: 18 August 2023

Streaming on: Netflix

Synopsis: Inspired by the “Misfits of the World”, the story is set somewhere in the 90s world of crime and violence. The story will talk about love and innocence, while harmonising the plot with humour and fantasy. It is one of the most-awaited OTT releases this week.

4) Akeli:

Directed by: Pranay Meshram

Cast: Nushrratt Bharuccha, Tsahi Halevi, Amir Boutrous

Releasing on: 18 August 2023 (in theatres)

Synopsis: The story revolves around an ordinary Indian girl who gets posted for a job in a war-torn country. She gets trapped in the country when a battle arrives and survival is now her only quest. You will thoroughly enjoy this upcoming movie releasing this Friday.

5) Ghoomer:

Directed by: R Balki

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Shabana Azmi, Abhishek Bachchan, Saiyami Kher, Angad Bedi

Releasing on: 18 August 2023 (in theatres)

Synopsis: The story is inspired by the remarkable achievement of Karoly Takacs. The film follows the achievements of a cricket player who meets a tragic accident and loses her arm. This Friday, don’t miss out on the release of this Bollywood movie.

MISSED HIT MOVIES RELEASED ON PREVIOUS WEEK

6) OMG 2

RELEASED ON 11 AUGUST.

An unhappy civilian will ask the court to mandate sex education in schools in a dramatic yet amusing courtroom play.

7) GADAR 2

RELEASED ON 11 AUGUST.

This film is the second part of Gadar Ek Prem Katha film, the first part of this film was directed by Anil Sharma in the year 2001. The film was full-action, drama and emotional film. Sunny Deol and Ameesha Patel starred as the lead characters. The second part of the film i.e. Gadar 2: The Katha Continues is also a film made of full action drama and emotion with mostly the same starcast.

The film is the sequel to the 2001 film Gadar Ek Prem Katha, directed by Anil Sharma. The film was full-action, drama and emotional film. Sunny Deol and Ameesha Patel starred as the lead characters.

In the first part of the film Ghadar, truck driver Tara Singh falls in love with a Muslim girl whom he rescues during the partition of India. He crosses the border to bring his beloved wife Sakina back to India. And finally their love is approved by their father-in-law and later they return to India. Talking about the second part of this film, the film Gadar 2 focuses on the unbreakable bond between father and son. In this film, Tara Singh will be seen crossing the border for the life of his son instead of his beloved wife Sakina. To know the full story of Ghadar 2 movie, watch this movie in theaters near you.

BOOK OF THE WEEK:

Jaya : An Illustrated Retelling Of The MAHABHARATA :by Devdutt Pattanaik (Author)

Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling Of The Mahabharata has the whole epic, which was originally known as Jaya, condensed into a tiny capsule in this book. Other than retelling the interesting parts of the Mahabharata, what makes this book a favourite among the readers is Pattanaik rendering of the various local folklores and tales that are associated with the epic, which have been presented in a whole new genre. With a master stroke, the author has elaborated the storyline by including lesser known folklore stories of the epic, while keeping intact its original form and style.

The book has been divided into 108 chapters and has vivid illustrations along with 250 simple line drawings painted by Pattanaik himself. Besides infusing the different tales from local versions of the epic, the author has also added folk arts aspects picked up from 'Yakshagana’ in Karnataka, 'Terukuttu’ in Tamil Nadu and 'Pandavani’ in Chattisgarh to blend with the narrative.

Stories of Barbareek, Aravan, Astika, Madhavi and Jaimini form a special portion of this book. Other than this, Pattanaik has also introduced some intriguing ongoing traditions, like the worship of Draupadi in temples of Tamil Nadu.

Along with this, a whole section has been devoted to the Kurukshetra war described on the basis of descriptive astronomical information. By infusing these interesting details along with the various local versions of the epic, the author has attempted to create a pan-Indian version of the epic that has, since times immemorial, helped in shaping the culture and history of the whole country.

Published by Penguin, this book may be a great choice for those intrigued to know about the religious and cultural intricacies of the country as well as those who are reading the epic for the first time.

Devdutt Pattanaik:

A doctor by training, a marketing manager by profession and a mythologist by passion, Devdutt Pattanaik wears many hats. Apart from travelling extensively giving lectures on different topics ranging between relevance of sacred stories and the importance of rituals and symbols in modern times, Devdutt Pattanaik has also written numerous books including Devi: An Introduction, 7 Secrets of Hindu Calendar Art and Symbols and Rituals from the Heart of the Subcontinent to name a few.