1) NASA shares
image of India's Vikram lander on Moon spotted by its lunar orbiter:
India's Chandrayaan-3
lunar mission is as significant as it is beloved by over a billion Indians
after its Vikram lander achieved a successful Moon landing near the lunar south
pole on August 23. Most of the world celebrated as India became the first nation
to achieve a successful soft landing near the moon's south pole. Now a NASA
spacecraft in lunar orbit captured a captivating top-down view of
Chandrayaan-3's Vikram Lander.
Chandrayaan-3's Vikram
lander touched down on August 23, and NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO)
flew over the landing site four days later, providing a distant view with its
LRO Camera. NASA released the image, with the lander appearing small against
the moon's textured landscape, yet the mission's impact is evident.
NASA marked the landing
site with a white square, and within it, one can spot Vikram represented by a
dark shadow surrounded by lighter material, created by the rocket plume
interacting with lunar soil during landing.Chandrayaan-3 mission achieved its
primary objective by demonstrating a safe and soft lunar landing.
The mission's
predecessor, Chandrayaan-2, crashed during its landing attempt in 2019,
witnessed by LRO, which captured the debris field. This stands in contrast to
the new image of the intact Chandrayaan-3 lander.
Meanwhile, it’s bedtime
for Chandrayaan-3's rover Pragyan after a ten-day exploration spree on the
lunar surface and completing all its assignments.Chandrayaan-3 Mission: The
Rover completed its assignments. It is now safely parked and set into Sleep
mode. APXS and LIBS payloads are turned off. Data from these payloads is
transmitted to the Earth via the Lander," India's space agency posted on X
last week.
Chandrayaan-3:
ISRO's next focus
ISRO’s next focus will
be to revive the mission once the next lunar day begins on September 22.
Its battery is fully
charged and its solar panels are aligned in a way to help it receive solar
light.
“Currently, the battery
is fully charged. The solar panel is oriented to receive the light at the next
sunrise expected on September 22, 2023. The receiver is kept on. Hoping for a
successful awakening for another set of assignments! Else, it will forever stay
there as India’s lunar ambassador,” the ISRO posted.
ISRO has already
activated the sleep mode of Pragyan Rover. The battery is fully charged, the
receiver is kept on and the solar panel is oriented to receive the light at the
next sunrise expected on September 22.
Chandrayaan 3 mission's
achievements so far
Throughout its
operational phase, Vikram Lander and Pragyan rover executed numerous lunar
experiments:
1. Rover Exploration:
Prior to activating the Pragyan rover's sleep mode, ISRO reported that it
covered a distance of over 100 meters. Notably, the rover's communication range
is limited to 500 meters from the Vikram lander.
2. Historic Sulphur
Discovery: The Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) instrument onboard
the rover unequivocally confirmed the presence of Sulphur (S) in the lunar
surface near the south pole, representing a groundbreaking in-situ measurement.
Additionally, LIBS detected Al, Ca, Fe, Cr, Ti, Mn, Si, and O.
3. Pioneering Plasma
Measurements: The Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive Ionosphere and
Atmosphere - Langmuir Probe (RAMBHA-LP) payload onboard Chandrayaan-3 Lander
conducted groundbreaking measurements of the near-surface lunar plasma
environment over the south polar region. Preliminary assessments suggest
relatively sparse plasma near the lunar surface. These quantitative
measurements hold promise for mitigating interference in radio wave
communication and enhancing future lunar mission designs.
4. Seismic Activity
Recording: The Instrument for the Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA) payload on
Chandrayaan 3 Lander, the first Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS)
technology-based instrument on the moon, recorded the movements of the rover
and other payloads. Additionally, it captured an event on August 26, deemed to
be of natural origin, which is currently under investigation.
5. Thermal Behaviour
Exploration: The ChaSTE (Chandra's Surface Thermophysical Experiment)
instrument measured the temperature profile of the lunar topsoil around the
pole to better understand the thermal characteristics of the moon's surface.
Equipped with a controlled penetration mechanism capable of reaching a depth of
10 cm beneath the surface and featuring 10 individual temperature sensors, the
probe generated a temperature variation graph for the lunar
surface/near-surface at various depths during its penetration. This marked the
first such profile for the lunar south pole, with ongoing detailed
observations.
6. Alternate Sulphur
Confirmation: Another instrument onboard the rover corroborated the presence of
Sulphur (S) in the region using a distinct technique. The Alpha Particle X-ray
Spectroscope (APXS) detected S alongside other minor elements. This finding has
prompted scientists to explore new theories regarding the source of Sulphur (S)
in the area, including intrinsic, volcanic, meteoritic, and other
possibilities.
2) ISRO + ESA=
India's Sun mission successful as Aditya-L1 has European friends:
ISRO and ESA have been
working on the Aditya-L1 mission to evaluate its operations and challenges. The
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has back-to-back missions lined up
for the extraterrestrial exploration, with the latest being the Aditya-L1
mission that set-off to study the Sun. The payload of this mission will send us
data about the brightest star in the solar system from a distance of around 1.5
million km from the Earth.
In order to receive information
from the payload efficiently, a robust communication infrastructure is an
essential aspect. Here, the European Space Agency (ESA) plays a pivotal role as
it offers its services in deep space communication. It ensures in receiving not
only the scientific data from faraway distance but also to ascertain the
location and status of the spacecraft.
"For the Aditya-L1
mission, we are providing support from all three of our 35-metre deep space
antennas located in Australia, Spain, and Argentina," Ramesh Chellathurai,
ESA service manager said. Along with this, the foreign space agency is also
providing additional support from its stations in French Guiana and UK.
Both ISRO and ESA will
continue to work together throughout the stretch of the Aditya-L1 mission over
two years of routine operations.
ESA's other job is to
validate a dedicated software developed by ISRO to determine the exact position
of the spacecraft. It will use the process known as orbit determination to
ascertain the craft's position.
How will the
payload be injected into the Lagrangian point?
The name Lagrangian
Point was given after its discover and French mathematician Louis Lagrange and
its L1 is one of five such points, situated between Earth and Sun.
Aditiya-L1 will carry
out its journey to one of the ‘unstable’ Lagrangian points by performing
transfer manoeuvre over the period of 125 days.
How long ISRO, ESA
have been working together?
Both ISRO and ESA joined
forces since 2022 and has been intensively working together to evaluate
Aditya-L1 mission's operations and the development of the software.
05.17.21 PM IST, 02
September 2023
Here's the wrap:
All you need to know about Aditya-L1
Aditya-L1 spacecraft
launched successfully today
Nigar Shaji, a woman
ISRO scientist helmed Aditya-L1 mission
First earth-bound firing
to raise Aditya-L1 orbit tomorrow: ISRO
ISRO to provide next
level of solar data to world with Aditya-L1
PM Modi congratulates
ISRO on successful launch of India's solar mission
Aditya-L1 spacecraft
successfully separated from PSLV rocket: ISRO
"Sunshine moment
for India': Jitendra Singh hails successful launch of Aditya-L1
Nation proud, delighted
over successful launch of Aditya-L1: Amit Shah
Cong hails Aditya-L1
launch, says nations build capacity of science not in few years but decades
Aditya-L1 launch:
Meet the women who helmed Sun mission success
Nigar Shaji, the project
director of India's first solar mission, Aditya-L1, expressed excitement and
pride over the successful launch of the mission.
New Delhi: The
successful launch of Aditya-L1 is a “dream come true”, said 59-year-old Nigar
Shaji, the project director whose name shines the brightest among the brilliant
women behind India’s first solar mission.
“This is like a dream
come true. I am extremely excited that PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle)
was able to place Aditya-L1 in the intended orbit. Once Aditya L-1 is
commissioned, it will be an asset to the country and the global scientific
fraternity,” said Shaji, a resident of Tenkasi district of Tamil Nadu who comes
from a family of farmers.
She completed her
engineering in electronics and communication from the Tirunelveli Government
Engineering College and later pursued her Masters in electronics and
communications from Birla Institute of Technology (BITS), Ranchi. After her
Masters, she joined the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in 1987 and later went on to
be a part of the team at the UR Rao Satellite Centre An expert in
communications and interplanetary satellite programmes, Shaji has also made
significant contributions to the space agency’s remote sensing programme. She
was also the associate project director of “‘Resourcesat-2A” — the Indian
Remote Sensing Satellite for National Resource Monitoring and management.
While Shaji took the
lead in the launch activities of the mission, another woman scientist, Annapurni
Subramaniam, ensured that India’s maiden mission to study the Sun goes
smoothly. Subramaniam is the director of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics —
an autonomous institute under the department of science and technology that
developed the primary instrument on-board Aditya-L1 spacecraft.
Resident of a village in
the Palakkad district of Kerala, Subramaniam comes from a family of musicians.
She has completed her PhD in Physics from IIA, which she now heads, and
specialises in the areas of star clusters (open and globular), star formations
and pre-main sequence star, galactic structures, Magellanic clouds and stellar
population.“We have designed the primary instrument that is being carried on
Aditya-L1. It (VELC) is basically a coronograph, which will see the Sun in a
total solar eclipse all the time. This mission will for the first time help us
see the inner most part of the Sun,” she said.
3) Aditya-L1: India's
solar probe captures stunning images en route to L1:
India's Aditya-L1 space
probe took a selfie and images of Earth and the Moon while on its way to
Lagrange Point 1. India's maiden space-based solar probe Aditya-L1 took a
selfie while on its way to Lagrange Point 1, or L1. The camera onboard
Aditya-L1 captured the image of its largest payload, Visible Emission Line
Coronagraph (VELC) and SUIT instruments on September 4, according to the Indian
Space and Research Organisation (Isro). The camera also clicked Earth and its
only natural satellite Moon on the second day of its four-month-long journey to
L1.
👀Onlooker!
Aditya-L1, destined for the Sun-Earth L1 point, takes a selfie and images of
the Earth and the Moon,” Isro said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, as it
shared the selfie and images of Earth and Moon clicked by camera onboard
Adtiya-L1
Adity-L1 blasted off on
a polar launch satellite vehicle on September 2 from Sriharikota in Andhra
Pradesh. On Tuesday, the spacecraft successfully performed the second
Earth-bound manoeuvre, attaining an orbit of 282 km x 40225 km.
"Aditya-L1 Mission:
The second Earth-bound maneuvre (EBN#2) is performed successfully from ISTRAC,
Bengaluru. ISTRAC/ISRO's ground stations at Mauritius, Bengaluru and Port Blair
tracked the satellite during this operation. The new orbit attained is 282 km x
40225 km," ISRO said in a post on 'X' in the early hours of Tuesday.
The next Earth-bound
manoeuvre is scheduled for September 10 around 2:30am IST.
Aditya-L1, which carried
seven different payloads to have a detailed study of the sun, will be placed in
a halo orbit around Lagrangian Point 1 (or L1), which is 1.5 million km away
from the Earth in the direction of the sun. Four of of payloads will observe
the light from the sun and the other three will measure in-situ parameters of
the plasma and magnetic fields. Major objectives of India’s solar mission
include the study of the physics of solar corona and its heating mechanism, the
solar wind acceleration, coupling and dynamics of the solar atmosphere, solar
wind distribution and temperature anisotropy, and origin of Coronal Mass
Ejections (CME) and flares and near-earth space weather.
4) Scientists:
"Earth-like planet" is hiding in our own solar system :ByChrissy
Sexton :Earth.com staff writer
Japanese astronomers
have proposed that an “Earth-like” planet exists much closer to home than the
infamous Planet Nine. The research is published in The Astronomical Journal.For
years, the astronomy community has speculated about a ninth planet in our solar
system, commonly referred to as Planet Nine.
Kuiper Belt planet
However, researchers
from Japan now suggest that there might be another planet, closer than Planet
Nine, hiding in the Kuiper Belt, a doughnut-shaped ring of objects just beyond
Neptune’s orbit.
The study was conducted
by Patryk Sofia Lykawka of Kindai University in Osaka, Japan, and Takashi Ito
of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan in Tokyo. “We predict the
existence of an Earth-like planet,” the researchers wrote. “It is plausible
that a primordial planetary body could survive in the distant Kuiper Belt as a
Kuiper Belt planet (KBP), as many such bodies existed in the early solar
system.”
The scientists believe
that this KBP is up to 500 astronomical units (AU) from the sun. This is 500
times the distance between Earth and the sun, and closer than Planet Nine.
Icy objects
According to the
experts, the KBP could be up to three times as massive as Earth. However, the
temperatures are likely too cold to sustain life as we know it.The Kuiper Belt
is known to contain millions of icy objects, referred to as trans-Neptunian
objects (TNOs), because they are located beyond Neptune.
Astronomers believe that
TNOs are remnants from the formation of the solar system. They are composed of
mixtures of rock, amorphous carbon, and volatile ices such as water and
methane. “The orbits of trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) can indicate the
existence of an undiscovered planet in the outer solar system,” the researchers
noted. “These rock and ice bodies are the remnants of planet formation in the
outer solar system.”
Gravitational pull
The research team
observed that something larger nearby gravitationally influences some of these
objects, giving them “peculiar orbits”.
Additionally, the belt
has a significant population of high-inclination objects, those with a high tilt
as they orbit around the sun. Computer simulations suggested that the
hypothetical KBP could be responsible for these effects.
“We determined that an
Earth-like planet located on a distant and inclined orbit can explain three
fundamental properties of the distant Kuiper Belt,” the researchers wrote.
“[These are] a prominent
population of TNOs with orbits beyond Neptune’s gravitational influence, a
significant population of high-inclination objects, and the existence of some
extreme objects with peculiar orbits.”The researchers clarify that they
predict, rather than confirm, the existence of the KBP, and more research is
needed.
Planet Nine
They also emphasized
that their proposed planet is different from the already-hypothesized Planet
Nine, which is much more massive and thought to be located on a more distant
orbit.Planet Nine was first theorized by experts from Caltech in 2014 when they
noticed that the orbits of the most distant TNOs were being perturbed or
disrupted.
Astronomers still claim
that this can be explained by the gravitational pull of a ninth planet in our
solar system that orbits 20 times farther from our sun than Neptune. However,
to date, astronomers only have circumstantial evidence for the existence of
Planet Nine. Some aren’t convinced it exists at all.
Outer reaches of
the solar system
If it does exist, Planet
Nine is believed to be in the outer reaches of our solar system, beyond the
Kuiper Belt, rather than within it. A separate team of researchers suggested in
2020 that Planet Nine could have formed in the inner solar system at its
genesis and was then kicked out by interactions with Jupiter. Another study
published earlier this year suggested that Planet Nine could be surrounded by
20 hot moons, which might help experts locate it.
The new proposal by the
Japanese researchers adds another layer of intrigue in the quest to fully
understand the outer reaches of our solar system. While the existence of the
KBP is yet to be confirmed, its prediction brings us one step closer to unveiling
the mysteries of the cosmos.
More about the
Kuiper Belt
Beyond the orbit of
Neptune lies a region of space teeming with icy objects, dwarf planets, and
mysteries waiting to be unraveled. It is called the Kuiper Belt. Acting as a
cosmic frontier, this region holds clues to our solar system’s early days and
the processes that shaped it.
Location and span
The Kuiper Belt starts
at approximately 30 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun and extends outward to
about 50 AU. To put this into perspective, one astronomical unit is the average
distance between Earth and the Sun. Thus, the Kuiper Belt starts where Neptune
orbits and stretches out into deeper space.
Composition and
inhabitants
Composed mainly of
frozen volatiles like water, methane, and ammonia, the Kuiper Belt contains a
vast number of icy bodies. These remnants from the solar system’s formation
vary in size from tiny particles to dwarf planets.
Pluto, once regarded as
the ninth planet, is the most famous of these Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs). But
other significant bodies, such as Haumea, Makemake, and Eris, also call this
region home.
Formation and
importance
Scientists believe the
Kuiper Belt formed around the same time as the solar system, about 4.6 billion
years ago. Gravitational interactions with giant planets, like Jupiter and
Neptune, scattered many of these icy objects into the belt.Studying the Kuiper
Belt offers us a unique window into these primordial times. The composition and
behavior of its objects can provide insights into the solar system’s early
conditions and the processes that led to planet formation.Exploration and
discoveries
Humanity’s interest in
the Kuiper Belt intensified when the New Horizons mission flew past Pluto in
2015. The spacecraft sent back unprecedented images and data. This historic
encounter showed us a diverse landscape of mountains, valleys, and plains on
Pluto, reshaping our understanding of KBOs.New Horizons continued its journey,
visiting the object Arrokoth in 2019, further expanding our knowledge of these
distant icy worlds.
The future of
exploration
The Kuiper Belt remains
a region of significant interest for future space missions. As technology
advances, we can anticipate more spacecraft venturing into this icy realm.
These journeys will unveil further mysteries of our solar system’s outer
limits.
In summary, the Kuiper
Belt stands as a testament to the vastness and complexity of our solar system.
Its icy inhabitants, both large and small, offer us invaluable insights into
the past and beckon explorers to uncover their secrets. As we continue to gaze
outward, the Kuiper Belt will undoubtedly remain a focal point in our quest to
understand the cosmos.
More about Neptune
Neptune, the eighth
planet from the Sun, reigns as one of the solar system’s most enigmatic worlds.
Possessing deep blue hues and tumultuous atmospheres, this gas giant beckons
scientists and space enthusiasts alike to delve into its mysteries.
Discovery and
position
Astronomers Johann Galle
and Urbain Le Verrier jointly discovered Neptune in 1846. Their achievement
stands out because they based the discovery on mathematical predictions rather
than direct observations. Located about 30 astronomical units (AU) from the
Sun, Neptune orbits our star once every 165 Earth years.
Physical
characteristics
With a diameter of about
49,244 kilometers, Neptune holds the title of the fourth-largest planet in our
solar system. Its striking blue color arises from the absorption and reflection
of sunlight by its atmosphere.
This is particularly due
to the presence of methane. But beneath its gaseous exterior, Neptune hides a
potential water-rich interior with a solid core.
Atmospheric
activity
Neptune boasts some of
the most violent weather in the solar system. Its winds, among the fastest
detected on any planet, can whip around at speeds exceeding 2,100 kilometers
per hour.
The planet also
showcases massive storms. The most famous is the “Great Dark Spot.” It rivalled
the size of Earth when the Voyager 2 spacecraft first observed it in 1989.
Moons and rings
Neptune commands a
system of 14 known moons, with Triton being the largest and most intriguing.
Triton orbits Neptune in the opposite direction of the planet’s rotation. This
suggests that Neptune might have captured it from the Kuiper Belt.
Furthermore, this
ice-covered moon spews nitrogen geysers from its polar regions. Neptune also
possesses a faint system of rings. They are composed primarily of ice particles
and dust grains, which astronomers believe might be relatively young and
short-lived.
Exploration and the
future
Voyager 2 remains the
only spacecraft to visit Neptune, conducting a flyby in 1989. The data and
images it sent back revolutionized our understanding of this distant blue
world.
However, with advancing
technology and growing interest, future missions to Neptune might not be far
off. These missions could provide deeper insights into the planet’s atmosphere,
internal structure, and its intriguing moon, Triton.
In summary Neptune
stands as a testament to the diversity and wonder of our solar system. Its deep
blue visage, turbulent atmosphere, and mysterious moons offer a plethora of
opportunities for exploration and discovery. As our understanding of the
universe expands, Neptune will surely remain a focal point in the quest for
knowledge.
5) Human embryo
models grown from stem cells :by Weizmann Institute of Science
A research team headed
by Prof. Jacob Hanna at the Weizmann Institute of Science has created complete
models of human embryos from stem cells cultured in the lab—and managed to grow
them outside the womb up to day 14. As reported today in Nature, these
synthetic embryo models had all the structures and compartments characteristic
of this stage, including the placenta, yolk sac, chorionic sac and other
external tissues that ensure the models' dynamic and adequate growth.
Cellular aggregates
derived from human stem cells in previous studies could not be considered
genuinely accurate human embryo models, because they lacked nearly all the
defining hallmarks of a post-implantation embryo. In particular, they failed to
contain several cell types that are essential to the embryo's development, such
as those that form the placenta and the chorionic sac. In addition, they did
not have the structural organization characteristic of the embryo and revealed
no dynamic ability to progress to the next developmental stage.
Given their authentic
complexity, the human embryo models obtained by Hanna's group may provide an
unprecedented opportunity to shed new light on the embryo's mysterious
beginnings. Little is known about the early embryo because it is so difficult
to study, for both ethical and technical reasons, yet its initial stages are
crucial to its future development.
During these stages, the
clump of cells that implants itself in the womb on the seventh day of its
existence becomes, within three to four weeks, a well-structured embryo that
already contains all the body organs.
"The drama is in
the first month, the remaining eight months of pregnancy are mainly lots of
growth," Hanna says. "But that first month is still largely a black
box. Our stem cell–derived human embryo model offers an ethical and accessible
way of peering into this box. It closely mimics the development of a real human
embryo, particularly the emergence of its exquisitely fine architecture."
Letting the embryo
model say 'Go!'
Hanna's team built on
their previous experience in creating synthetic stem cell–based models of mouse
embryos. As in that research, the scientists made no use of fertilized eggs or
a womb. Rather, they started out with human cells known as pluripotent stem
cells, which have the potential to differentiate into many, though not all,
cell types. Some were derived from adult skin cells that had been reverted to
"stemness." Others were the progeny of human stem cell lines that had
been cultured for years in the lab.
The researchers then
used Hanna's recently developed method to reprogram pluripotent stem cells so
as to turn the clock further back: to revert these cells to an even earlier
state—known as the naïve state—in which they are capable of becoming anything, that
is, specializing into any type of cell.
This stage corresponds
to day 7 of the natural human embryo, around the time it implants itself in the
womb. Hanna's team had in fact been the first to start describing methods to
generate human naïve stem cells, back in 2013; they continued to improve these
methods, which stand at the heart of the current project, over the years. The
scientists divided the cells into three groups. The cells intended to develop
into the embryo were left as is. The cells in each of the other groups were
treated only with chemicals, without any need for genetic modification, so as
to turn on certain genes, which was intended to cause these cells to
differentiate toward one of three tissue types needed to sustain the embryo:
placenta, yolk sac or the extraembryonic mesoderm membrane that ultimately
creates the chorionic sac.
Soon after being mixed
together under optimized, specifically developed conditions, the cells formed
clumps, about 1 percent of which self-organized into complete embryo-like
structures. "An embryo is self-driven by definition; we don't need to tell
it what to do—we must only unleash its internally encoded potential,"
Hanna says. "It's critical to mix in the right kinds of cells at the
beginning, which can only be derived from naïve stem cells that have no
developmental restrictions. Once you do that, the embryo-like model itself
says, 'Go!'
The stem cell–based
embryo-like structures (termed SEMs) developed normally outside the womb for 8
days, reaching a developmental stage equivalent to day 14 in human embryonic
development. That's the point at which natural embryos acquire the internal
structures that enable them to proceed to the next stage: developing the
progenitors of body organs.Complete human embryo models match classic diagrams
in terms of structure and cell identity
When the researchers
compared the inner organization of their stem cell–derived embryo models with
illustrations and microscopic anatomy sections in classical embryology atlases
from the 1960s, they found an uncanny structural resemblance between the models
and the natural human embryos at the corresponding stage. Every compartment and
supporting structure was not only there, but in the right place, size and
shape. Even the cells that make the hormone used in pregnancy testing were
there and active: When the scientists applied secretions from these cells to a
commercial pregnancy test, it came out positive.
This implied that their
models faithfully emulated the process by which an early embryo gains all the
structures it needs for beginning its transformation into a fetus. "Many
failures of pregnancy occur in the first few weeks, often before the woman even
knows she's pregnant," Hanna says. "That's also when many birth
defects originate, even though they tend to be discovered much later. Our
models can be used to reveal the biochemical and mechanical signals that ensure
proper development at this early stage, and the ways in which that development
can go wrong." In fact, the study has already produced a finding that may
open a new direction of research into early pregnancy failure. The researchers
discovered that if the embryo is not enveloped by placenta-forming cells in the
right manner at day 3 of the protocol (corresponding to day 10 in natural embryonic
development), its internal structures, such as the yolk sac, fail to properly
develop.
"An embryo is not
static. It must have the right cells in the right organization, and it must be
able to progress—it's about being and becoming," Hanna says. "Our
complete embryo models will help researchers address the most basic questions
about what determines its proper growth."
This ethical approach to
unlocking the mysteries of the very first stages of embryonic development could
open numerous research paths. It might help reveal the causes of many birth
defects and types of infertility. It could also lead to new technologies for
growing transplant tissues and organs. And it could offer a way around
experiments that cannot be performed on live embryos—for example, determining
the effects of exposure to drugs or other substances on fetal development.
6) This newfound
birdlike dinosaur had surprisingly long legs:By Nikk Ogasa:
Early birdlike dinosaurs
are thought to have lived lofty lives up in the trees. But a newly discovered
creature had surprisingly long legs that may have made for a life on the run.
The leggy birdlike dino
(Fujianvenator prodigiosus) lived about 150 million years ago during the
Jurassic Period, researchers report September 6 in Nature. That’s around the
same time as its distant cousin Archaeopteryx, one of the earliest known birds
(SN: 3/13/18).
“It looks quite similar
to Archaeopteryx … except the legs,” says paleontologist Min Wang of the
Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing. “Fujianvenator has really, really long
legs.” Wang and colleagues identified the creature as one of the earliest known
avialans — a group that split off from the rest of dinosaurs and eventually
became birds. The first avialans are key characters in the bird origin story.
But little is known about them, Wang says, due to the scant diversity of
fossils found. Early avialans discovered so far, including Archaeopteryx, are
generally short-limbed, apparently equipped for moving through the trees.
Pheasant-sized F. prodigiosus’ lower leg bones were twice as long as its thigh
bones, a trait not found among the other known birdlike dinosaurs.
Entombed amid mudstones
and shales in what is now southeastern China, the creature’s bones were
discovered alongside fossils of aquatic and semiaquatic species. Those clues
indicate that F. prodigiosus inhabited a swamplike environment. It probably
dashed after prey like today’s ostriches or waded through water like a
primitive crane, Wang says.
The first avialans
weren’t all tree dwellers, he says. “It’s not the full picture.”
1) MP: 10 BJP
leaders join Congress:
Adding to the woes of
the ruling BJP in Madhya Pradesh, around 10 saffron party leaders, including
four senior and strong leaders, today joined the opposition Congress party.
The BJP leaders who
joined the Congress included MLA Virendra Raghuvanshi of Kolaras in Shivpuri
district, former MLA Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat of Dhar, Chandrabhushan Singh
Bundela alias Guddu Raja who is the son of two-time Member of Parliament Sujan
Singh Bundela, and BJP leader from Bhopal Ashish Agrawal alias Golu, who is the
nephew of former BJP Home Minister Umashankar Gupta.
Besides, BJP leaders
Chedilal Pandey and Shivam Pandey of Katni, Arvind Dhakad of Shivpuri, Anshu
Raghuvanshi from Guna, Keshav Yadav from Bhind and Mahendra Pratap Singh from
Narmadapuram (Hoshangabad) also took membership of the Congress today.
MP Congress Chief Kamal
Nath welcomed all the BJP leaders into the Congress fold and gave them the
membership of the party at Bhopal. Along with the BJP leaders, thousands of
their supporters also left the ruling saffron party and joined the opposition.
On 1 September, veteran
BJP leader and two-time former MLA Girija Shankar Sharma also quit the saffron
party.
Sharma belongs to a
family dedicated to the BJP for decades. Girija Shankar Sharma and his younger
brother Sitasaran Sharma have won the Hoshangabad assembly seat (formerly
Itarsi seat) seven times in a row for the BJP since 1990 to 2018.
Girija Shankar Sharma
had won the seat in 2003 and 2008.
Sitasaran Sharma has won
the seat the remaining five times. Sitasaran Sharma was also the speaker of the
MP State Assembly during the past BJP government.
Assembly polls in MP are
due in November this year.
2) Rahul in
Brussels, to hold meeting with EU MPs & address media:
Congress leader Rahul
Gandhi, who is on a six-day trip to Europe arrived at Belgium’s Brussels on
Thursday morning and will hold interactions with Indian diaspora and European
Union MPs.
His EU tour comes at a
time when New Delhi is scheduled to hold a much-anticipated G20 Summit in the
national capital between September 9 and 10 where the leaders from the US, UK,
Australia, China and others will mark their presence.
His tour also coincides
with the first anniversary of Bharat Jodo Yatra. According to party sources,
the Congress leader will meet MPs of Europe in Brussels on September 7 around
2:30 p.m. and then hold a meeting with civil society at 7:30 p.m., where he
will have dinner with non-Indian residents (NRIs) at around 11.30 p.m.
The sources also said he
will also address a presser at 8:30 p.m.
On September 8, Rahul
Gandhi will have breakfast with the businessmen in Brussels and then hold a
meeting with top industrialists at around 9:30 a.m.
After concluding his
visit to Brussels, Rahul Gandhi will arrive in France’s Paris on September 8
itself and will hold an interaction programme at Sciences PO University in
Paris, and will attend a meeting later. He also has a dinner programme.
He will have a press
conference in Paris on September 8 around 9 p.m. and then hold a meeting with
France’s MPs and Indian diaspora.
On September 9, Rahul
Gandhi will have interactions and meetings with MPs and interaction at Inalco
University in Paris.He will reach the Netherlands on September 10 and visit the
famous 400-year-old Leiden University.On September 11, he will be in Norway and
meet the MPs and at the University of Oslo will present his address. He also
has an interactive programme with the NRIs there.
This is Rahul Gandhi’s
first trip outside India after his membership was reinstated by the Lok Sabha
following the Supreme Court’s stay on his conviction in a 2019 Modi surname
remarks defamation case on August 4.Earlier this year, he visited the US for an
over six day trip, where he addressed the Indian diaspora, attended a lecture
programme at Stanford University and also visited San Francisco, Washington and
New York.
In March this year, he
visited the UK and attended several programmes there.
His statements in the US
and UK drew sharp responses from the ruling BJP.
3) Vasundhara Raje
dropped from BJP’s Rajasthan poll panels:
Ms. Raje’s absence in
the two committees has led to speculation about her role in the BJP’s election
strategy and creates doubts about her projection as the party’s chief
ministerial face Former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje was left out of two
election linked panels in Rajasthan on Thursday. The BJP announced the
formation of an election management committee and election manifesto committee
for the upcoming Rajasthan Assembly polls. BJP State president C.P. Joshi and
Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore were also left out.
The 21-member election
management committee will be headed by former MP Narayan Panchariya, while
Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal will lead the election manifesto panel. The
two committees were set up on the instructions of BJP national president J.P.
Nadda.
Mr. Joshi, accompanied
by BJP State in-charge Arun Singh, made the announcement at the party’s State
headquarters here. The party is likely to set up an election campaign comittee
and screening committee shortly to select candidates.
Ms. Raje’s absence in
the two committees has led to speculation about her role in the BJP’s election
strategy as well as doubts about her projection as the party’s chief
ministerial face. Sources in the BJP said Ms. Raje would be accommodated in the
election campaign committee and get a role “befitting her stature”. Mr. Singh
told journalists that Ms. Raje, in her capacity as the BJP national
vice-president, would campaign during the election. “She has a big role to
play. She has been the Rajasthan Chief Minister twice,” Mr. Singh said, about
Ms. Raje’s absence from the committees.
Mr. Singh said the
committee would work with great resolve towards victory in the polls. “People
in Rajasthan are fed up with the Congress government, which has failed on all
fronts and broken its promises,” he said.
Rajya Sabha Members
Ghanshyam Tiwari and Kirodi Lal Meena, former Union Minister and Jaipur Rural
MP Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore were among senior BJP leaders appointed as
members of panels. The two other important party leaders not finding a place in
committees were Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who represents Jodhpur
in Lok Sabha, and former BJP State president Satish Poonia, who is at present
the Deputy Leader of Opposition.
4) Will have
government of poor, not of Adani’: Rahul Gandhi's promise from poll-bound
Chhattisgarh:
Rahul Gandhi attacked
the Centre over issue related to alleged stock manipulation by Adani Group. He
alleged PM Modi of working for '2-3 billionaires’ in India. Congress leader
Rahul Gandhi on Saturday doubled down his attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP)-led central government and alleged that the saffron party and Prime
Minister Narendra Modi ‘work for two or three billionaires’ in India pointing
at recent reports of Adani Group's alleged stock manipulation.
Referring to the reports
by Financial Times, Gandhi said the article in the world's biggest financial
newspaper mentioned billionaire Gautam Adani sent ‘thousands of crores of
rupees from India and swelled the share prices (of his own firms)’.
“Whether the
(Congress-led) governments in Karnataka, Chhattisgarh Rajasthan, Himachal
Pradesh or the forthcoming governments in Telangana and Madhya Pradesh, will be
the government of poor not the government of Adani,” the Congress MP said while
addressing a rally in the poll-bound Chhattisgarh.
He further hinted that
PM Modi cannot make an inquiry on the Adani Group ‘Because after the inquiry
the loss will not be for Adani but to someone else’.
"Before every
election, BJP presents a number. They say they will get 230 seats-250 seats.
But every poor person in Karnataka voted for Congress," he said while
talking about BJP's defeat in Karnataka assembly elections.
The Congress MP also
alleged the right-wing part of ‘breaking the economic backbone of India’.
"GST and demonetisation destroyed small businessmen and that was done
deliberately," he added.
5) India to open
embassy in Timor Leste, announces PM Modi at Asean-India summit:
Timor Leste joined the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2022 as an Observer, before
becoming its full member.
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi on Thursday announced a decision to open an Indian embassy in Timor-Leste.
Modi announced the decision while co-chairing the annual ASEAN-India summit in
this Indonesian capital. At the ASEAN-India summit, the prime minister
announced the decision to establish an Indian Embassy in Dili, Timor-Leste, the
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
"The decision is a
reflection of the importance India attaches to ASEAN, and its relations with
Timor Leste," it said.
The MEA said the
decision was warmly welcomed by Timor Leste and ASEAN member nations. Timor
Leste joined the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2022 as an
Observer, before becoming its full member.
ASEAN is considered one
of the most influential groupings in the region, and India and several other
countries including the US, China, Japan, and Australia are its dialogue
partners.
6) Congress plans
massive rally, CWC meeting ahead of Telangana polls:
The PCC spokesperson
said the high command responded positively to the proposal and indicated to the
PCC to make arrangements
With the elections to
the Telangana state assembly nearing, the Congress is gearing up for a massive
show of strength in Hyderabad by holding a public rally on September 17, which
will be preceded by the first meeting of the newly-constituted Congress Working
Committee (CWC), people familiar with the matter said.
“We had put forth a
proposal before All India Congress Committee [AICC] president Mallikarjun
Kharge during his visit to Telangana last week. A formal letter was also
written to the high command later,” Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) official
spokesperson B Ayodhya Reddy told HT.
Rahul Gandhi At Telegana
The PCC spokesperson
said the high command responded positively to the proposal and indicated to the
PCC to make arrangements. “However, we are yet to get the official
confirmation, as we understand there are similar requests from the PCCs in
other poll-bound states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh,” Reddy
said.
The latest developments
of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government calling for a
special session of Parliament may affect the plans of the party holding the CWC
meeting, followed by a public rally at Hyderabad, he said.As per the proposal
put forth by the TPCC to the high command, the CWC will hold its first meeting
in Hyderabad on September 16. “It will be a major event for the party, as all
top leaders of the party including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi,
Mallikarjun Kharge and chief ministers of various Congress-ruled states will
attend it,” Reddy said.
On September 17, the PCC
is planning to hold a huge public rally at Secunderabad Parade Grounds which
would be addressed by Sonia Gandhi. “The day also holds historical significance
as it was on this day that Hyderabad was merged with Indian Union in 1948.
Sonia, with whose initiative the Telangana state had become a reality in 2014,
would make a fervent appeal to the people to bless the Congress which granted
separate statehood to the region,” the PCC spokesman said. Since all the CWC
members would be present on the dais, the PCC would make unprecedented
arrangements for the meeting. “It is going to be a massive show of strength by
the party. On the same day, the PCC will announce its five promises to the
people of Telangana, as was done during the Karnataka assembly elections,”
Reddy said.
As per the schedule,
more than 100 Congress leaders from different parts of the country would tour
all over Telangana to kickstart the election campaign from September 18.
“However, the entire schedule depends on the special Parliament sessions and
the party high command’s decision,” he said, adding that if there is any change
in the programme at the last moment, it would be rescheduled to a later date
this month.
7) Is India
changing its name to Bharat? G20 invite controversy explained :By Krishn
Kaushik
Invites sent by Indian President Droupadi Murmu calling herself "President of Bharat" for a dinner on the sidelines of the G20 summit have stirred speculation that the government may be about to change the country's name
WHAT IS THE CONTROVERSY
ABOUT INDIA'S NAME?
By convention,
invitations issued by Indian constitutional bodies have always mentioned the
name India when the text is in English, and the name Bharat when the text is in
Hindi.
However, the invites --
in English -- for the G20 dinner called Murmu the President of Bharat. An
official at the president's office said they didn't want to comment on the
issue when asked by Reuters.
Given the
Hindu-nationalist ideology of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government and its
push for increased use of Hindi, critics responded to the use of Bharat in the
invites by suggesting the government was pushing for the name to be officially
changed.
Over the years, Modi's
nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has been changing colonial
names of towns and cities claiming to help India move past what it has termed a
mentality of slavery. WHAT IS THE OFFICIAL NAME OF THE COUNTRY?
In English, the South
Asian giant is called India, while in Indian languages it is also called
Bharat, Bharata and Hindustan.
The preamble to the
English version of the constitution starts with the words “We, the people of
India…,” and then in Part One of the document it states “India, that is Bharat,
shall be a Union of States.”
In Hindi, the
constitution replaces India with Bharat everywhere, except the part defining
the country’s names, which says in Hindi, “Bharat, that is India, shall be a
Union of States.” Changing India's name to only Bharat would require an
amendment to the constitution which would need to be passed by a two-thirds
majority in both houses of parliament.
WILL THE GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALLY CHANGE THE NAME?
For some, the timing of
the controversy is suggestive.
The incident comes just
days after the government announced a surprise five-day special session of
parliament later this month, without disclosing any agenda. The move prompted
unconfirmed reports that a change of name could be discussed and passed during
the session.There has been no confirmation that such a move is in the works,
but members of the government and the ruling BJP have suggested that the name
Bharat should take primacy over India.
The Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological parent of the BJP, has always insisted on
calling the country Bharat.A government spokesperson did not immediately
respond to a request seeking comment.
WHAT IS THE HISTORY
OF BOTH THE NAMES?
Both names have existed
for more than two millennia.
While some supporters of
the name Bharat say "India" was given by British colonisers,
historians say the name predates colonial rule by centuries.
India comes from the
river Indus, which was called Sindhu in Sanskrit. Travellers from as far away
as Greece would identify the region southeast of the Indus River as India even
before Alexander the Great's Indian campaign in 3rd century BCE.
The name Bharat is even
older, occurring in ancient Indian scriptures. But according to some experts it
was used as a term of socio-cultural identity rather than geography.
Major Causes of
recent controversy about the name INDIA:
1) BJP leaders including
Modiji do not want to quote about word "INDIA" because the acronym of
all party alliance aganist BJP is I.N.D.I.A (Stands for Indian National
Developmental Inclusive
Alliance)
2) Modiji also cook up this issue on
Name "India" through his Pet media(Godi Media) to divert the public
and as well as media attention from the "ADANI GATE ISSUE" Where on
previous week various international Newspaper like Gurdian, Financial Times and
OCCRP
publish their detail
investigative reports on Adani Scam after Hindenberg.
8) ‘We most
certainly.…’: Sonia Gandhi writes to PM Modi seeking agenda of special session
of Parliament:
Congress' Sonia Gandhi
stated that the session was called without any prior discussion with the
Opposition. Congress parliamentary party chief Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday wrote
to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking details of the government's agenda for
the upcoming special session of the Parliament. In the letter to the prime
minister, Sonia Gandhi said the session was called without any prior
consultation with the Opposition.
The government will hold
a ‘Special Session’ of Parliament from September 18-22, parliamentary affairs
minister Pralhad Joshi announced on last week while keeping the agenda under
the wraps.
In her letter, Gandhi
wrote, “You have convened a special five-day session of the Parliament
beginning 18 September, 2023. I must point out that this Special Session has
been convened without any consultation with other political parties. None of us
have any idea of its agenda.” She added that the only information that the
Opposition had received was that five days had been allocated for “Government
Business”.
Gandhi said that the
Opposition would definitely participate in the upcoming session to raise public
concerns, and listed nine issues hoping it will be taken up during the special
sittings. She wrote, “We most certainly want to participate in the Special
Session because it will give us an opportunity to raise matters of public
concern and importance. I earnestly hope that time will be allocated under the
appropriate Rules for a discussion and debate on these issues.”
Congress leaders earlier
told The Hindustan Times that the plan for Gandhi to write to Modi was endorsed
by all Opposition's 24 INDIA bloc constituents with a presence in Parliament.
This came after the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA)
decided in two meetings – one of the 28-member group and another of the
Congress – that it wants to discuss fresh allegations against the Adani Group,
price rise, unemployment, the Manipur situation and Centre-state relations in
the five-day session beginning September 18, sources said. The Congress leader
listed out several matters of importance ranging from Manipur violence, Adani
row and Caste census. Highlighting several issues, Gandhi wrote, “I earnestly
hope that in a spirit of constructive cooperation, these issues will be taken
up in the forthcoming Special Session.”
Issues mentioned by
Gandhi in the letter were:
1) Current economic
situation with focus on increasing price rise of essential commodities, growing
unemployment, rise in inequalities and distress of MSMEs;
2) Commitment made by
the Government of India to farmers and farmer organizations in regard to MS and
other demands raised by them;
3) Demand for a JPC to
investigate the transactions of the Adani business group in light of all
revelations;
4) The continued agony
faced by people of Manipur and breakdown of; Constitutional machinery and
social harmony in the State;
5) Rise in communal
tension in different States like Haryana;
6) Continued occupation
of Indian Territory by China and challenges to our sovereignty on our borders
in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh;
7) Urgent need for a
Caste Census;
8) Damages being
inflicted on Centre-State relations;
9) Impact of natural
disasters caused by extreme floods in some States and drought in others
Congress leader Jairam
Ramesh on the Sonia Gandhi's letter
Speaking to reporters
after Sonia Gandhi sent a letter to the PM Modi, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh
said that nobody had any information about the special session of the
Parliament and suddenly, during one of INDIA bloc's meet, a special session was
announced.
Ramesh said, “Sonia
Gandhi in a letter (to PM Modi) mentioned that the session has been called
without any discussion with the opposition. No discussion was held with other
political parties. Suddenly, during the INDIA bloc's meet in Mumbai and we hear
that a five-day Parliament session has been called. Nobody had any information
about it. Usually when special sessions are held, it is through mutual consent
and discussion among several political parties… This is for the first time that
we do not have any details for the agenda.”
1) India vs Pakistan, Asia Cup 2023 Highlights: Match called off due to rains, here's what will happen to points:
Arch rivals India and
Pakistan will face off against each other for a much-anticipated encounter at
the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy on Saturday. The two Asian
rivals had last faced each other in one-day cricket during the 2019 ODI World Cup,
where India defeated their neighbours convincingly by 89 runs.
However, the Babar
Azam-led Pakistani side is looking strong and is currently the number 1 ranked
international team. Pakistan had also convincingly defeated Nepal during the
inaugural match of Asia Cup 2023 by 238 runs owing to centuries by skipper
Babar Azam and Iftikhar Ahmed along with an exceptional bowling performance by
all-rounder Shadab Khan.
Key Highlights of
Ind vs Pak, Asia Cup 2023 so far:
India's innings kicked
off on a defensive note as rains disrupted the match twice. Shaheen Afridi was
dangerous as expected and stunned the Indian team with back-to-back wickets of
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
The innings was
stabilizing when Haris Rauf struck and dismissed Shreyas Iyer. Shubman Gill and
Ishan Kishan were treading a cautious path, trying to build a good innings, but
Haris Rauf struck again and dismissed Shubman Gill.
Hardik Pandya came with
composure and Ishan Kishan also opened his arms. The two players are playing in
a good partnership and are taking the game forward.
The breakthrough came
with the wicket of Ishan Kishan who was dimissed by Haris Rauf, after which
Shaheen Afridi took out Hardik Pandya.
The next two players
Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul also went back to the pavilion soon.
Jasprit Bumrah played
some good shots to take the Indian innings to a fightable score of 266. The
rains are back after first innings and let's see what happens next.
Ind vs Pak Live: Match is officially called
off due to the rains and both India and Pakistan will be 1 point each.
2) Pakistan vs
Bangladesh Highlights, Asia Cup 2023: Pakistan beat Bangladesh by 7 wickets in
Super 4 clash
Pakistan (194/3) beat
Bangladesh (193) by 7 wickets in Super 4 game in Lahore
Pakistan vs Bangladesh
Highlights, Asia Cup 2023 Super 4: Pakistan dished out an all-round effort to
beat Bangladesh by seven wickets in the Super 4 encounter at the Asia Cup in
Lahore on Wednesday. Imam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Rizwan starred with the bat as
Pakistan chased down the 194-run target in 39.3 overs, with the latter
returning unbeaten on 63(79). Imam, on the other hand, scored 78(84) and
stitched a decisive 74-run third-wicket stand with Rizwan. Pakistan skipper
Babar Azam, however, couldn't do much with the bat as he was cleaned up for
17(22) by Taskin Ahmed. Earlier, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah produced a clinical
show as Pakistan folded Bangladesh for 193 in 38.4 overs. Rauf emerged as the
standout bowler from the Pakistan camp, scalping four wickets in six overs.
Naseem was not far behind as he picked three wickets in the 5.4 overs. Barring
Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim no other Bangladesh batters could resist
the fiery pace of Pakistan. The pair added 100 runs for the fifth wicket and
both slammed their respective half-centuries. Shakib was dismissed for 53(57),
while Mushfiqur was caught-behind for 64(87).
3) India vs Nepal
highlights, Asia Cup 2023: India reach Super 4 after 10-wicket win over Nepal
India have reached the
Super 4s of the Asia Cup 2023 after registering a comprehensive 10-wicket win
(DLS) over Nepal. Both Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma stormed back to form with
fifties in a must-win match. Earlier, Nepal had been bowled out for 230 in 48.2
overs.
The rain almost spoiled
the cricket game, but thanks to the ground staff, we got a game. In the second
part of the game, they had to make it shorter, only 23 overs, and India had to
score 145 runs. Rohit and Gill had already scored 17 runs in 2.1 overs when
rain stopped the game. After the rain, they played carefully at first and then
started to attack. Rohit did well against fast bowlers Karan and Komi and then
did even better against the spin bowlers. He reached his fifty after facing 38
balls, while Gill reached his after 47 balls. Both of them played really well,
and India won the game with 17 balls left. Nepal tried their best, but India
was just too good for them.
4) US Open 2023
semi-final line-ups completed in sizzling New York heat
Carlos Alcaraz is one
step closer to defending his US Open title after beating Alexander Zverev to
reach the semi-finals. He will face Daniil Medvedev, who warned a player might
“die” during his win over Andrey Rublev as New York sizzled in 90-degree heat
and energy-sapping humidity.
Aryna Sabalenka flexed
her muscles as the incoming world number one by beating Chinese youngster Zheng
Qinwen, while Madison Keys stunned Wimbledon champ Marketa Vondrousova. Here,
the PA news agency looks back at day 10 at the US Open.
The women’s doubles
provided the most drama as Laura Siegemund and Vera Zvonareva beat Victoria
Azarenka and Beatriz Haddad Maia 5-7 7-5 6-4 in an epic match lasting three
hours and 12 minutes.
Joe Salisbury and
America’s Rajeev Ram are in the semi-finals of the men’s doubles. The defending
champions, looking for a third consecutive title in New York, face second seeds
Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek. Five-time champions Alfie Hewett and Gordon
Reid are into the men’s wheelchair doubles semi-finals.
5) US Open 2023:
Novak Djokovic breaks Roger Federer's all-time record after storming into 47th
Grand Slam semis
Novak Djokovic's shirt
was soaked in sweat but the 23-time Grand Slam champion had the energy to keep
the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd entertained with a song a few minutes after
roaring in delight in New York on Tuesday afternoon. The Serb had just beaten
9th seed and local favourite Taylor Fritz 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 in 2 hours and 35
minutes to storm into the semi-finals of US Open 2023 in New York.
Novak Djokovic was
delighted after the convincing win over Taylor Fritz, who had the backing of
the home crowd at the Ashe. The Serb had avoided spending more time on the
court on a hot and humid day.
The match was played
with the Arthur Ashe Stadium retractable roof partially shut, which offered
shade both for spectators and the two competitors on an afternoon when the
temperature topped 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius) and the humidity was
above 55 percent, according to AP News agency.
Djokovic was clinical in
every sense as he found top gear whenever he was put under pressure by Fritz.
The 9th-seeded American was not able to match the intensity of Djokovic, making
51 unforced errors and having a second-serve win percentage of only 28, when
compared to the Serb's 56. Fritz had 12 break point opportunities, including
one in the final game of the match, but he converted only 2 of them while
Djokovic converted 6 out of 9.
The women’s semi-finals
at the US Open are set. Aryna Sabalenka will play Madison Keys and Coco Gauff
faces Karolina Muchova.
Sabalenka flexed her
muscles as the incoming world number one by beating Chinese youngster Zheng
Qinwen. On Wednesday, the second seed from Belarus cruised into the last four
at Flushing Meadows for the third straight year with a commanding 6-1 6-4
victory. Keys was similarly efficient in beating Marketa Vondrousova in
straight sets.
Both women’s semi-finals
take place overnight on Thursday UK time.
US Open women’s
semi-finals (today)
Arthur Ashe Stadium
Midnight UK time (7pm
local)
Coco Gauff [6] v
Karolina Muchova [10]
Madison Keys [17] v
Aryna Sabalenka [2]
6) India vs Iraq,
2023 King's Cup Semi-Final Highlights: IND lose on penalties to IRQ after match
ends 2-2:
India took the lead
twice but Iraq equalised after which the Blue Tigers lost in the penalty
shootout. India gave Iraq a run for
their money but finally came out short in the penalty shootout. A sumptuous
from Manvir gave India the lead in the first half while an own goal from the
Iraq goalkeeper gave them the lead again in the second half. However, Iraq nullified
both those leads by converting penalties. Iraq dominated towards the end but
India held their defensive shape. The match ended 2-2 and went straight into
the penalty shootout, with there being no extra-time in the King's Cup. Brandon Fernandes missed the first penalty
for India and that remained the difference.
The Indian men’s
football team lost to Iraq 5-4 in a penalty shootout after the semi-final match
ended at 2-2 after regulation time. They will next play for third place on
Sunday.
The Indian men’s
football team lost 5-4 on penalties to Iraq in the semi-finals of the King’s
Cup 2023 football tournament at the 700th Anniversary Stadium, Chiang Mai,
Thailand, on Thursday.
After the scores were
level at 2-2 after regulation time, the match came down to penalties as there
is provision for no extra time in the tournament. Brandon Fernandes missed a
spot kick as India slumped to their seventh loss in eight meetings vs Iraq.
In regulation time,
Naorem Mahesh (17’) scored the opening goal for India while the other was
accounted for through Jalal Hassan Hachim’s own goal (51’). Ali Al-Hamadi (28’)
and Aymen Hussein (80’) were on target for Iraq.
The Indian men’s
football team, ranked 99th in the world, came into the tournament without the
talismanic Sunil Chhetri, who opted out of the squad due to personal
reasons.Playing in their traditional blue jersey, the Indian men’s football
team initially defended deep and looked to counter-attack. Iraq meanwhile, were
on the offensive from the start.The Iraqi team, the highest-ranked team in the
tournament at world No. 70, launched attacks in waves but the Indian defence,
led by veteran centre-back Sandesh Jinghan, stayed resolute.
A quarter into the first
half, the Indian team took the lead against the run of play. India’s Sahal
Abdul Samad made the most of the empty space behind the opposition defence and
played a through ball to Naorem Mahesh, who slotted it past the Iraqi
goalkeeper Jalal Hassan Hachem to give India a 1-0 lead.
Stung by the goal, Iraq
pressed more men forward in search of the equaliser. Ten minutes after
conceding the opening goal, Iraq were back on level terms via a penalty. The
referee pointed to the penalty spot after Sandesh Jinghan was shown the yellow
card for a handball in the box. Ali Al-Hamadi made it 1-1.
The first half did not
see any more goals as both teams went into half-time with the scores level at
1-1.After the break, India showed much more intensity going forward. Five
minutes into the second half, India were back in front after Iraqi custodian
Jalal Hassan Hachem made a mess of a shot from India’s Manvir Singh and
conceded an own goal.
As the match progressed,
the Iraqi team began to dominate possession and took the attack to the Indians.
Ten minutes from the final whistle, Iraq drew parity from the penalty spot
after Aymen Hussein was fouled in the box by the Indian defenders. Aymen
Hussein hit the penalty to the right of the diving Gurpreet Singh Sandhu to
make it 2-2.
Iraq peppered the Indian
half with long balls in an attempt to score the winner but the Indian defence
stood firm. Iraq came under pressure in the dying moments of the game after
Zidane Iqbal was shown a red card. India, though, failed to make their
numerical advantage count as the match headed into the dreaded penalty
shootouts.
In the tie-breaker,
Brandon Fernnandes hit the post.
The Indian men’s
football team will next play the second losing semi-finalists from the match
between hosts Thailand and Lebanon in the third-place match on Sunday.
India won a bronze medal
when they last played in the King’s Cup in 2019. The Men in Blue beat Thailand
1-0 to finish third after losing to Curacao in the semi-finals.
7) Sabalenka beats
Keys in match tiebreak; faces Coco Gauff in final:
MATCH TIEBREAKER: Sabalenka
beats Keys 0-6, 7-6(1), 7-6(5)
Sabalenka draws the
error from Keys after a slow second serve from the American to get the
mini-break. Wide serve into the ad court from Sabalenka and Keys sends the
backhand return long - 2-0. Keys nets a backhand return and it is a 3-0 lead
for the second seed.
Sabalenka moves to 4-0
with a forehand winner.Keys finally opens her account with a forehand winner
down the line but Sabalenka is ahead 4-1.
Slow second serve from
Sabalenka, Keys hits a powerful inside-out forehand return to cut the deficit -
2-4. Sabalenka moves 5-2 up with a forehand winner in the deuce court as Keys
desperately tries to keep the ball in play.
Keys comes up with a
gorgeous backhand winner down the line and is back within two points of the
second seed who now leads 5-3. Sabalenka with a crosscourt forehand winner to
go 6-3 up. Trouble for Keys.
Sabalenka makes it 7-3
as Keys nets the forehand return on the run. Stunning pickup by Sabalenka after
Keys hit a powerful forehand return on her serve and the American eventually
sends a backhand lob wide - 8-3.
Great athleticism from
Sabalenka at this stage to rush to the net and hit a crosscourt winner in
response to a drop shot from Keys. Six match points. First one goes away as
Sabalenka makes a mess of the forehand return.
Now, Sabalenka serves.
Body serve from the second seed but Keys hits the backhand return right at her
feet to draw the error - 9-5.Wide serve into the deuce court from Sabalenka and
Keys hits the crosscourt forehand return just long. Aryna Sabalenka is through
to her maiden US Open final!!!!
Jawan:
Directed by: Atlee
Cast: Shah Rukh Khan,
Nayanthara, Vijay Sethupathi, Deepika Padukone, Priyamani, Sanya Malhotra
Releasing on: 7
September 2023 (in theatres)
Synopsis: The story
narrates how Vikram Rathore, a former soldier turns mastermind and plots
various heists across the country. He forms a team of six skilled women to
carry out his tasks. During these escapades, he finds out that he has a son,
Azaad Rathores, a dutiful police officer in the line of fire. Determined to
make amends with his son, Vikram sets on a mission to protect him from his
arch-nemesis and fourth most significant arms dealer globally, Kalee. Book your
tickets for this Bollywood movie which releases this Friday.
The Nun II:
Directed by: Michael
Chaves
Cast: Taissa Farmiga,
Jonas Bloquet, Bonnie Aarons, Storm Reid, Anna Popplewell
Releasing on: 8
September 2023 (in theatres)
Synopsis: An upcoming
Friday movie release that is all set you give you the chills is The Nun II. Set
four years after the occurrences that took place in the first film, the story
revolves around Sister Irene as she once again comes face to face with Valak,
the Nun and faces demonic circumstances at a boarding
Haddi:
Directed by: Akshat Ajay
Sharma
Cast: Nawazuddin
Siddiqui, Anurag Kashyap, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Ila Arun
Releasing on: 7
September 2023
Streaming on: Zee5
Synopsis: A weekend
release you cannot miss. The story revolves around the life of a transgender
named Haddi, who moves to Delhi to join a gang of transgenders and
cross-dressers. Things take a wrong turn when an influential man kills the head
of the group and Haddi decides to avenge her death.
Burning Body:
Directed by: Jorge
Torregrossa, Laura Mañá
Cast: Úrsula Corberó,
Quim Gutiérrez, José Manuel Poga
Releasing on: 8
September 2023
Streaming on: Netflix
Synopsis: Set in 2017,
the story is a fictionalised version of the real Crime of Guà rdia Urbana. The
story follows a crisis that arrives after the burned body of Pedro, a cop is
discovered in the Foix reservoir near Barcelona. Secrets unfold and details of
toxic relationships, cheating, violence and sex scandals involving the deceased
and another two fellow agents named Rosa and Albert are uncovered. Do not miss
out on this exciting new OTT release.
Fifty Shades
Darker:
Directed by: James Foley
Cast: Dakota Johnson,
Jamie Dornan, Eric Johnson, Eloise Mumford, Bella Heathcote, Rita Ora, Luke
Grimes, Victor Rasuk, Kim Basinger, Marcia Gay Harden
Releasing on: 4
September 2023
Streaming on: Netflix
Synopsis: The story
picks up from Fifty Shades of Grey, after Ana decides to break her bond with
Grey. Christian is miserable in her absence and decides to give Anastasia
exactly what she needs. While the duo explores the new side of their
relationship, Grey’s dark past continues to haunt him.
Insidious Chapter
3:
Directed by: Leigh
Whannell
Cast: Dermot Mulroney,
Stefanie Scott, Angus Sampson, Whannell, Lin Shaye
Releasing on: 5
September 2023
Streaming on: Netflix
Synopsis: The prequel
delves into the backstory of Elise Rainier and provides more context about the
supernatural world introduced in the previous films like Elise’s encounters
with sinister entity from the “Further”.
Jailer:
It's not even been a
month since Jailer released in theatres and the OTT release date is already
out. The film, which was released on August 10 at cinema halls, is all set for
streaming online. The blockbuster film will be available for the audience to
stream on Amazon Prime Videos in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi.
About Jailer
The blockbuster is about
a retired jailer Tiger Muthuvel Pandiyan (portrayed by Rajinikanth), who goes
on a manhunt to find his son’s killers. As he navigates the shadows of his
son's world, Muthuvel's determination is put to the test, leading him through a
complex and familiar path. Can he overcome his grief and emerge victorious in
this pursuit of justice?
Jailer features an
ensemble cast with Superstar Rajinikanth in the lead, along with Ramya Krishnan,
Yogi Babu, Vinayakan, Tamannaah Bhatia, and Master Ritvik in pivotal roles. The
film also features special cameos from Malayalam superstar Mohanlal, Kannada
superstar Shiva Rajkumar, and Bollywood star Jackie Shroff
Book of This Week:
Indica: A Deep
Natural History Of The In: A Deep Natural History of the Indian Subcontinent
:by Pranay Lal (Author)
The first definitive
natural history of the Indian subcontinent.
Did you know that the
exquisite caves of Ellora were hewn from rock formed in the greatest lava
floods the world has known—eruptions so enormous that they may well have
obliterated dinosaurs? Or that Bengaluru owes its unique climate to a tectonic
event that took place 88 million years ago? That the Ganga and Brahmaputra
sequester nearly 20 per cent of global carbon, and their sediments over
millions of years have etched submarine canyons in the Bay of Bengal that are
larger than the Grand Canyon? Ever heard of Rajasaurus, an Indian dinosaur
which was perhaps more ferocious than T rex? Many such amazing facts and
discoveries—from 70-million-year-old crocodile eggs in Mumbai to the nesting
ground of dinosaurs near Ahmedabad—are a part of Indica: A Deep Natural History
of the Indian Subcontinent.
Researching across
wide-ranging scientific disciplines and travelling with scientists all over the
country, biochemist Pranay Lal has woven together the first compelling
narrative of India’s deep natural history, filled with fierce reptiles,
fantastic dinosaurs, gargantuan mammals and amazing plants. This story, which
includes a rare collection of images, illustrations and maps, starts at the
very beginning—from the time when a galactic swirl of dust coalesced to become
our life-giving planet—and ends with the arrival of our ancestors on the banks
of the Indus. Pranay Lal tells this story with verve, lucidity and an
infectious enthusiasm that comes from his deep, abiding love of nature.
Pranay Lal: is a biochemist by training and works for a non-profit
organisation on public health. He has been a caricaturist for newspapers, an
animator for an advertising agency and an environmental campaigner. His first
book, Indica: A Deep Natural History of the Indian Subcontinent was published
by Allen Lane in December 2016 which won the best non-fiction debut award at the
Tata Lit Fest in Mumbai in 2017, the best book award at the Delhi Book Fair
2017, and was named among the top 10 memorable books of the year by Amazon and
The Hindu’s non-fiction list of 2017. Right now he is working on two books
Malabarica: A Deep Natural History of the Malabar and The Cretaceous: The
Golden Age of Dinosaurs.
Nature Magazine
National Geographic
Cartoon Games
History Channel
Online Movies
Scientific American
Filmfare Mag
Online Britannica
Time Mag
Unexplained Mysteries
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