Amazon Releases “The Rings Of Power” To Win The Streaming Wars

The Rings of Power started on Amazon Prime is a 50-hour television is a big gamble but it is central to Amazon’s bid to stand out in the streaming, especially with HBO Max whose own “Game of Thrones” prequel has just been launched. But it is a big gamble for Amazon.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The Rings of Power characters are barely referenced in Tolkien’s trilogy
• The web series is funded by Jeff Bezos himself a fan of Tolkien
• Set in Tolkien’s “Second Age”, the story has characters largely unknown to creators

Why The Rings Of Power Is Called Amazon’s Gamble?

The show blindly follows the popularity of the books still voted the world’s best novels of all time and Peter Jackson’s Oscar-winning film adaptations. But populated by characters who are barely referenced in Tolkien’s trilogy, there is no doubting the scale of the gamble.

What Are The New Characters In The Rings Of Power?

The Rings Of Power

Princess Disa is the first female and first Black dwarf depicted on screen in Tolkien’s world. Sophia Nomvete who is playing the character said that it was quite nerve-wracking.

The young Isildur or the tragic hero, struggling with the death of his mother, overbearing pressure from his father, and a romantic yearning for adventure is also a new entry into the story. It is played by Baldry.

Younger elves such as Galadriel and Elrond from Jackson’s film are taken into the web series. But there is no Frodo, Gollum, or Aragorn in sight.

While most characters are appearing for the first time, some are created from the scratch simply to spice up the story.

What Is The Cost Of The

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Gautam Adani’s Entry Into The Bloomberg Billionaires Index Raises Concerns

With a $137.4 billion fortune, Gautam Adani becomes the first to enter the top three of the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Also, Mr. Adani (60) is even the first in Asia to join the prestigious billionaires’ group. He now trails only Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos of the US in the ranking.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Gautam Adani becomes the world’s third-richest person
• The group owns everything from data centers to cement, media, and alumina
• But concerns have grown over his rapid growth

What Is The Growth Story Of Gautam Adani?

A college dropout, Gautam Adani started with a diamond business but today he owns a coal-to-ports conglomerate. Also, his group is the largest private-sector port and airport operator, city-gas distributor, and coal miner in the country.

What Are The Concerns Surrounding His Rapid Growth?

In its latest report, CreditSights said that Mr. Adani’s deals spree had predominately funded with debt and his empire was ‘deeply over-leveraged’. Also, concerns are raised over the opaque shareholder structures and a lack of analyst coverage that allow Adani’s shares to soar up to 1000% since 2020 with valuations hitting 750 times. Environmentalists are also criticizing his Carmichael mine in Australia but Adani has pledged to invest $70 billion in green energy to become the world’s largest renewable-energy producer.

Who Is Helping Mr. Adani?

Mr. Adani is focusing on areas that PM Modi deems crucial for development. Also, he received investment from firms including Warburg Pincus and TotalEnergies SE. The surge in coal in recent months has further turbocharged his ascent. In 2022, Mr. Adani added $60.9 billion to his fortune which is five times more than anyone else. In February, he overtook Mr. Ambani … Read the rest

Hardik Pandya Won Hearts With His Cricket And Sportsmanship

India beat Pakistan by 5 wickets in the Asia Cup clash on Sunday in Dubai. But what made news was the picture of Hardik Pandya hugging Mohammad Rizwan from behind. It was a historic match where both teams displayed unmatched sportsmanship.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Hardik Pandya’s superb game and sportsmanship won hearts
• His clip of hugging Mohammad Rizwan is winning hearts on the Internet
• India will next play with Hong Kong on Wednesday

What Was Hardik Pandya’s Score?

Pakistan scored 147 in 19.5 overs and gave India a target of 148 in 20 overs in the Asia Cup Group A clash on Sunday at the Dubai International Stadium. Team India defeat Pakistan by five wickets in 19.4 overs. Hardik Pandya smashed 33 runs off just 17 balls with four boundaries and one sixer. He also took three wickets. It was an all-round performance by Hardik Pandya.

When Did Hardik Pandya Hug Mohammad Rizwan?

Hardik Pandya Hug Mohammad Rizwan

It was a beautiful shot from the match. Seeing two players from opposite teams in a friendly gesture, especially in India and Pakistan is rare. But this rare event was caught on Sunday when Hardik Pandya Hugged wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan from behind.

How India Won The Match?

Hardik Pandya was at his best on Sunday. In the last over, India needed 6 runs from 4 balls. Hardik Pandya was on the batting wicket. He played a dot ball against Mohammad Nawaz and gestured towards Dinesh Karthik that he was in control. And he played the winning shot on the next ball. But it would not have been possible without the 4 wickets including that of Pakistan captain Babar Azam that Bhuvneshwar Kumar took. The pacer took … Read the rest

Neeraj Chopra Made India Proud With 89.08m Throw In Diamond League

Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian to win a Diamond League event in Lausanne on 26 August 2022. The 24-year-old javelin thrower opened with an unbeatable 89.08m throw that turned out to be the winning throw at the end. With this victory, he qualified for the Diamond League finals in Zurich next month.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Czech Republic’s Jakub Vadlejch finished second with an 85.88m throw
• American Curtis Thompson was third with an 83.72m throw
• Neeraj Chopra skipped Commonwealth Games in Birmingham due to an injury
• Chopra qualified for Diamond League Finals and the 2023 World Championships

How Did Neeraj Chopra Make History in Lausanne?

 

Neeraj Chopra Make History in Lausanne

Neeraj Chopra had three valid throws (85.18m in second and 80.04m in sixth) in the event after passing his third and fifth attempts. But his opening throw (89.08m) kept him ahead of others. His nearest rival Czech Republic’s Jakub Vadlejch who is also the Tokyo Olympic silver medallist began as the top seed in Lausanne with a season-best of 90.88m throw but finished at second with 85.88. American Curtis Thompson finished third with 83.72.

What Did Neeraj Chopra Say About His Feat?

A jubilant Neeraj Chopra said that he was delighted with his result. He further said that 89m was a great performance. He was very pleased as he was coming back from an injury and that night was a good indicator that he had recovered well.

Neeraj Chopra went on to say that he had to skip Commonwealth Games due to injury and he was a bit nervous. That night had given him a lot of confidence to finish the season on a high, with a strong performance in the … Read the rest

PM Modi Sees Future In Flexible Workplaces, Work-From-Home Ecosystem

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the labour force had an important role to play in the development of the country. He also said that flexible workplaces, a work-from-home ecosystem, and flexible work hours were needed in the future. He was addressing the National Conference of Labour Ministers of all States and Union Territories via video conferencing.

10 Highlights Of PM Modi’s Address

PM Modi Sees Future In Flexible Workplaces
  1. PM highlighted the role of the labour force in nation-building in the Amrit Kaal. He said the country was working continuously for crores of workers from both the organised and unorganised sectors.
  2. He said that Pradhan Mantri Shram-Yogi Maandhan Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana had given a kind of security cover to the workers.
  3. He pointed out that about 28 crore workers from 400 areas have been registered on the e-Shram portal, a key initiative to provide security to the labour force.
  4. He said that the government had converted 29 labour laws from the period of slavery into 4 simple labour codes to ensure minimum wages, job security, social security, and health security to workers.
  5. The PM highlighted that country’s Labour Ministry was preparing its vision for the year 2047 in Amrit Kaal.
  6. He called flexible workplaces opportunities for women’s labour force participation. He said that the country needed flexible workplaces, a work-from-home ecosystem, and flexible working hours.
  7. The PM recalled his address to the nation on August 15 while emphasizing the full participation of women in the country. He said that the country can achieve its goal by making the right use of women’s power.
  8. He said that India’s success in the 21st century would depend on how well the labour force was used.
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Court Upheld The Privacy Of Kobe Bryant While Awarding $31 Million Damages

A recent court order brought the memories of the tragic death of Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna. The Los Angeles Lakers legend died in a helicopter crash in January 2020. The court ordered Los Angeles County to pay $31 million in damages to Kobe’s widow and a co-plaintiff.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Sheriff’s deputies and firefighters took pictures of the January 2020 helicopter carnage
• A Los Angeles court hearing of the matter finds it a case fit for misconduct
• The court orders compensation for mental trauma for the families of the deceased

What Is The Photo Case?

In January 2020, Sheriff’s deputies and firefighters rushed to the spot on hearing the news of a helicopter crash. The chopper was carrying Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and several others to a girls’ basketball tournament in nearby Thousand Oaks when it ran into rough weather and crashed. The officials who visited the crash sites took pictures of the mangled remains including the champion Kobe Bryant and his daughter.

Kobe Bryant

The trial court learned that some of the officials showed the photos to members of the public including a bartender. One official even texted the pictures to a friend while playing video games. The court took notice of the incident and ordered $16 million to Bryant, and $15 million to Chester.

Who Was Chris Chester?

Chris Chester was the husband of Sarah, the co-plaintiff. He and his daughter, Payton, also perished in the crash. Sarah sued for emotional trauma over the pictures which she feared could land in the public domain. But Chester’s lawyer had called for $1 million for every year of the plaintiffs’ expected lives.

Who

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See Who Is Tesla Chief Is Talking To In India

Tesla Chief Elon Musk is a prolific user of Twitter with 103 million followers and he tweets over 30 times a day to all those following him. But there is one person, who can boast of having a candid conversation about plenary conquest with Musk.

Meet Pranay Pathole….

Mr. Pathole Meet Elon Musk

The 23-year-old Indian software engineer from Pune is a friend of the world’s richest man. And their friendship isn’t a recent one. It has blossomed over the years. Mr. Pathole was just a teenager when Elon Musk started replying to his tweets. Mr. Pathole lives with his parents in an upper-middle-class home in Pune. Like Elon Musk, Mr. Pathole is also an ardent user of Twitter. He works in Tata Consultancy Services.

How Did They Become Friends?

It started in 2018 when Mr. Pathole then 19 pointed out a flaw in Tesla’s automatic windshield wipers. And to his surprise, Elon Musk replied “fixed in next release”. It was a software update that the world’s richest man with a net worth of $266 billion was updating for.

Mr. Pathole said that he was blown away by seeing Musk replying to his tweets. Afterward, Elon Musk started replying to Mr. Pathole’s tweets and also private messages with headline-making company updates.

When Did Mr. Pathole Meet Elon Musk?

Mr. Pathole Meet Elon Musk

Mr. Pathole met Elon Musk on his overseas trip to the US for a master’s degree in business analytics at the University of Texas at Dallas. He took sweets for Elon Musk and hoped to get his degree and work experience. He even tweeted a picture of him with Elon Musk and the Tesla Chief liked that picture. Mr. Pathole called Elon Musk an unpredictable guy. Also, … Read the rest

Happy 104th Birthday To The “Weather Woman Of India” Anna Mani

Today’s Google Doodle is dedicated to the Indian physicist and meteorologist Anna Mani whose birthday is today. She was one of India’s first female scientists who enabled the country to make accurate weather forecasts.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Anna Mani was called the “Weather Woman of India”
• She was a disciple of Nobel Laureate Sir CV Raman
• She pioneered the research of indigenous weather instruments in India

Who Was Anna Mani?

Born on 23 August 1918 at Peermade, Kerala to a Syrian Christian family, Anna Modayil Mani was a bright student since her childhood. After high school, she did an Intermediate Science course at Women’s Christian College (WCC). She continued her learning at the Presidency College, Madras from where she completed her Bachelor of Science with honours in physics and chemistry.

How Did She Start Her Career?

After completing her graduation, she taught at WCC for a year but left after winning a scholarship for post-graduate studies at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. At IIS, she studied spectroscopy, specializing in diamonds and rubies under the guidance of Nobel Laureate Sir CV Raman. She completed her Ph.D. between 1942 and 1945 and published five papers. Afterward, she learned to specialize in meteorological instrumentation at Imperial College, London.

How She Became The “Weather Woman Of India”?

In 1948, Anna Mani joined the India Meteorological Department on her return. At … Read the rest

Will Toyota Urban Cruise Hyryder Go The Prius Way?

Japanese carmaker Toyota failed to impress Indian buyers with its pioneering Prius but learned a tough lesson that the buyers will love its hybrids as long as the price is right.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Toyota is gearing to launch its affordable hybrid Urban Cruiser Hyryder
• Toyota will make its hybrids in India to cut the manufacturing cost
• It will partner with Suzuki Motor to develop low-cost mild hybrid technology

Why Was Prius Failed?

Prius, the hybrid version of the Camry sedan, was launched in India in 2013, but the car failed to attract the attention of buyers partly due to its price tag. Its price was more than eight times the annual income of a middle-class family. Toyota discontinued Prius after struggling hard to increase its sales.

Which Is The Upcoming Hybrid Of Toyota?

Toyota Urban Cruise Hyryder

The Urban Cruiser Hyryder, a compact sports-utility vehicle (SUV), will be its first new hybrid to hit Indian roads. It will put Toyota in a comfortable position against popular midsize combustion-engine SUVs made by Hyundai Motor and Kia Motor which dominate the Indian auto market with 18% of car sales. The Indian auto market is the fourth-biggest auto market.

The full hybrid Hyryder will be 31% more fuel efficient than the Hyundai and Kia diesel models that offer an economy of 25 kmpl. Also, Toyota is collaborating with Suzuki to get its hybrid system Suzuki developed for subcompact cars, or one size smaller. Hyryder will be sold by Toyota and Suzuki. In 2023, Toyota will launch its next hybrid which will be a multi-purpose vehicle or people-carrier.

How Will Toyota Reduce The Cost Of Its Hyryder?

Toyota is working on … Read the rest

How Vehicle Import Plunged Bhutan Into Economic Crisis?

Bhutan government imposes a moratorium on the import of all vehicles to save its dwindling foreign reserve. But utility vehicles, heavy earthmoving machines, and agriculture machinery are kept out of the moratorium. Bhutan is facing a Sri Lanka-like economic crisis.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Bhutan bans vehicle imports for six months to strengthen its foreign reserves
• It is facing an economic crisis because of the Ukraine war, pandemic, and vehicle import
• It is mandated by its constitution to maintain foreign reserves

What Is The Crisis Situation In Bhutan?

Crisis Situation In Bhutan

The foreign reserves of Bhutan dwindled from $1.46 billion in April 2021 to $970 million at the end of December 2021. The data has been released by the Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan. Also, the country is following a zero-COVID policy that has barred foreign tourists for the past two years. But the soaring oil and grain prices due to the Ukraine war aggravated the economic crisis in the country.

How Is Vehicle Import Responsible For The Crisis?

According to the daily Kuensel newspaper, vehicle import is the biggest factor in the economic crisis. The newspaper further said that the country imported more than 8000 vehicles till June and that depleted its foreign reserve to a critical level. But now the ministry of finance has put a moratorium on utility vehicles costing more than 1.5 million ngultrums ($20,000) through a notification. But the vehicles used for the promotion of tourism are exempted.

What Does Bhutan Constitution Say About Foreign Reserves?

Bhutan Constitution Say About Foreign Reserves

The constitution makes it mandatory to maintain reserves for at least 12 months of imports. The moratorium comes into force from Friday and will remain effective for six months. The government will … Read the rest