Afternoon brief: Uddhav pushes to finalise MVA's CM face; nurse who saved 35 lives in Wayanad landslides awarded, more

A shortlist of the biggest headlines, recommended stories, and a special collection of news items you should check out.

In a meeting of the MVA alliance parties, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray stressed the need to announce a chief ministerial candidate before the elections. Thackeray criticised the practice of giving the CM post to the party with the most MLAs, citing past experiences with the BJP where this led to internal conflicts and undermining of allies. He expressed willingness to support any CM candidate proposed by the Congress and NCP (SP) and emphasised the need to protect Maharashtra’s self-respect. Thackeray also called for an inquiry into land deals in Ayodhya and theft from the Kedarnath temple. NCP MP Supriya Sule urged for prompt finalisation of seat-sharing. Dig deeper

(UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray addressing a meeting in Thane on Saturday. (Praful Gangurde /HT Photo) (HT_PRINT)

On Thursday, Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin awarded the Kalpana Chawla Award for Courage and Daring Enterprise to nurse A. Sabeena. Sabeena, from Nilgiris, earned the accolade for her heroic efforts during the devastating landslides in Kerala’s Wayanad last month. Amid heavy rainfall and landslides that resulted in 229 deaths and over 130 missing, Sabeena ziplined across a river to treat over 35 stranded individuals. Her bravery, captured in viral social media footage, led to the award being presented during Independence Day celebrations. Sabeena emphasised the importance of collective action during disasters, regardless of personal differences. Dig deeper

The Latest News

Mpox virus detected in Pakistan, days after WHO declared it a global health emergency Dig deeper

ECI to announce schedule for election to legislative assemblies today Dig deeper

ISRO successfully launches EOS-08 satellite; SSLV development complete, says chairman Somanath Dig deeper

Global Matters

‘World is on the brink of a third world war’, Russian MP issues a big threat over Ukraine's incursion aided by the west Dig deeper

Bangladesh's caretaker government vows to take swift action against people attacking minorities Dig deeper

Entertainment Focus

Stree 2 has achieved a major milestone at the box office despite facing competition from multiple films on its opening day. The horror-comedy, released on Independence Day, earned ₹58 crore nett in India, making it one of the top openings in Bollywood. Here’s a look at the top five biggest box office openings:

Jawan (2023): ₹75 crore ( ₹65 crore Hindi, ₹5 crore each Tamil and Telugu). Pathaan (2023): ₹57 crore across all languages. Stree 2 (2024): ₹58 crore net. War (2019): ₹53.35 crore. Thugs of Hindostan (2018): ₹50.75 crore.

Other notable releases on August 15, include Vedaa, Khel Khel Mein, and Thangalaan. Dig deeper

Its Trending

Five individuals have been charged in connection with Matthew Perry’s death, including his assistant, two doctors, and Jasveen Sangha, dubbed the “Ketamine Queen.” Sangha, 41, is accused of selling the ketamine that led to Perry’s fatal overdose in October 2023. The actor’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamassa, is charged with procuring the drug for Perry. The Friends star, found dead in his hot tub on October 28, died from “acute effects of ketamine,” according to his autopsy. Court documents reveal that Sangha sold 50 vials of ketamine to Perry, earning $11,000. She has pleaded "not guilty." Dig deeper

That’s all we have at this hour in our afternoon briefing. Catch you in the evening.