HT Evening News Brief Aug 27: 21 Indians rescued amid Nepal floods; PM Modi pitches sports participation

Good evening. Here's your quick five-minute update on today's top stories from India and around the world. Amid heavy flooding in Nepal that has killed at least 270 people, the Ministry of External Affairs reported on Thursday that over 288 Indian nationals remain uncontactable. Despite this, 21 Indians have been rescued and efforts are underway for their safe return.

The ministry's spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, also mentioned that 200 Indian nationals have sought assistance in Tibet. In other news, a private training aircraft crashed in Kanpur on Thursday morning, resulting in the deaths of the pilot and co-pilot, identified as Sachin Bhatia from Gujarat and Abhishek Pujari from Karnataka. Following controversy over the enrollment of the 2026 graduating batch, the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in Bengaluru has cancelled their convocation ceremony for the graduating class of 2026, citing unavoidable circumstances.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated his vision for Indian sports during his Independence Day speech, emphasizing that expanding the number of sports in which India participates, particularly in disciplines with little past participation, is crucial for improving the country's Olympic performance. He clarified that his vision is not solely about winning more medals, but about integrating sports into the nation-building process.

Lastly, the film "Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups," starring Yash, opened to lukewarm reviews but good collections at the box office, surpassing the ₹100 crore mark in its domestic run.