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Time of India
21 minutes ago
- Time of India
August 2025 starts with this Angel Number; Here's what numerology says it means
The first day of a month has a major impact on the energy of that month. The tone of August 1, 2025, is spiritually deep and emotionally sensitive, which makes it clear how the month will go. We can see a deep message of healing, closure, and deeper love when we look at the date, the day of the week, and the heavenly message in the numbers. Let's look at the energies of Friday, Number 6, Angel Number 18, and Destiny Number 9 to find out what the universe wants us to achieve in August 2025. Friday: A Venusian Start to a Heart-Centered Month August opens on a Friday, which is Venus's day. Venus is the planet of love, beauty, relationships, and balance. When we think of Venus, we think about things that have to do with love, such how we love, how we give, and how we get. When a month opens on a Venus day, it sets the mood for emotional growth, stronger relationships, and the desire for balance in all parts of life. This means that August 2025 will tell us to take things easy, connect with others in a real sense, and be among things that make us feel good. This month, we should put the quality of our relationships and our emotional peace ahead of our ambitions or outside rewards. Number 6: The Frequency of Care, Love, and Inner Balance The vibration of the number 6 makes up most of the energy on August 1st, which is a great match for Venus. The number 6 in numerology means being responsible, serving others, caring, and keeping your emotions in check. The number of the healer and the peacemaker, the ones who restore peace back to families, relationships, and communities. In August, you should take care of the things that are most important to you, such your home, your heart, your relationships, and your mental health. But this compassion has to come from a place of completeness, not from giving up anything. Number 6 reminds us that true love doesn't take away; it gives back. You need to be emotionally mature and have self-respect in order to be kind. Angel Number 18: Trust the Ending, Embrace the Shift The whole date of August 1, 2025 adds up to 18 before it gets down to a single number. Angel Number 18 in angelic numerology signifies that things are coming to an end, but these ends will lead to new, better beginnings. It tells you to get rid of old behaviors, emotional baggage, or money difficulties that are holding you back from growing as a person. This number means that something has changed. You could want to complete things that have been bugging you for a time, or you might find that they just stop on their own. Don't try to fight it. Angel Number 18 says that everything that is happening right now is part of God's plan. Have trust and let go of the past; what comes next will help you grow. Number 9: Completion, Wisdom, and a Higher Calling Nine is the result of adding one and eight. August 1 is a Destiny Number 9, which means spiritual understanding, service, and going beyond your emotions. The 9 energy is about forgiving others, healing karmic scars, and ending cycles with wisdom. It is a number that reminds us to set our egos aside and work toward something bigger than us. August 2025 is a fantastic month for soul growth because of its effect. You can fix pain that has been passed down through the years, learn to be more kind, and make choices based on what you know instead of how you feel. This number implies that anything you let go of today allows place for deeper alignment, whether it's the end of a chapter or a transformation in how you see life. The Universe's Message for August 2025 The universe offers a clear and timely message: "Fix what isn't working." This term comes from Venus on Friday, the compassionate energy of Number 6, the change that Angel Number 18 represents, and the wisdom of Destiny Number 9. Stop doing things that aren't working. Love the things that are important. And move forth on your path to a better life. This month isn't about doing everything you can to go ahead. It's about taking a step back, getting back to your center, and choosing love over fear. August 2025 is an excellent time to reconnect with what counts, adjust your emotional priorities, and let go of things that have run their course. Use your feelings and what you know to help you make decisions. This month is all about healing, finding peace, and making changes that are easy to accept. Discover everything about astrology at Times of India , including daily horoscopes for Aries , Taurus , Gemini , Cancer , Leo , Virgo , Libra , Scorpio , Sagittarius , Capricorn , Aquarius , and Pisces . Read your detailed Horoscope Today and Horoscope Tomorrow here.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Mains answer practice — GS 1 : Questions on generation of tsunamis by earthquakes and hazard of flash floods (Week 113)
UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative for the practice of Mains answer writing. It covers essential topics of static and dynamic parts of the UPSC Civil Services syllabus covered under various GS papers. This answer-writing practice is designed to help you as a value addition to your UPSC CSE Mains. Attempt today's answer writing on questions related to topics of GS-1 to check your progress. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for July 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Discuss the escalating hazard of flash floods in India due to climate change. Discuss the geological and seismic factors responsible for the generation of tsunamis by earthquakes, using the recent Kamchatka earthquake as an example. Introduction — The introduction of the answer is essential and should be restricted to 3-5 lines. Remember, a one-liner is not a standard introduction. — It may consist of basic information by giving some definitions from the trusted source and authentic facts. Body — It is the central part of the answer and one should understand the demand of the question to provide rich content. — The answer must be preferably written as a mix of points and short paragraphs rather than using long paragraphs or just points. — Using facts from authentic government sources makes your answer more comprehensive. Analysis is important based on the demand of the question, but do not over analyse. — Underlining keywords gives you an edge over other candidates and enhances presentation of the answer. — Using flowcharts/tree-diagram in the answers saves much time and boosts your score. However, it should be used logically and only where it is required. Way forward/ conclusion — The ending of the answer should be on a positive note and it should have a forward-looking approach. However, if you feel that an important problem must be highlighted, you may add it in your conclusion. Try not to repeat any point from body or introduction. — You may use the findings of reports or surveys conducted at national and international levels, quotes etc. in your answers. Self Evaluation — It is the most important part of our Mains answer writing practice. UPSC Essentials will provide some guiding points or ideas as a thought process that will help you to evaluate your answers. QUESTION 1: Discuss the escalating hazard of flash floods in India due to climate change. Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers. Introduction: — India is highly vulnerable to floods. Floods are a recurrent phenomenon, which cause huge loss of lives and damage to livelihood systems, property, infrastructure and public utilities. — According to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), 'a flash flood is a flood of short duration with a relatively high peak discharge in which the time interval between the observable causative event and the flood is less than four to six hours'. Body: You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer: Factors driving flash floods — According to the study, only 25% of the flash floods that occur in India are directly caused by extreme precipitation. The rest of them are a result of a combination of extreme rainfall and the condition of the soil before precipitation. — In the most vulnerable areas, various variables contribute to flash flood disasters. For example, in the west coast and Central India, flash floods are caused by the high flashiness of sub-basins (parts of larger river basins). This means that their water levels rise quickly following a significant rainfall event. Prevailing soil conditions have a significant impact on how quickly water infiltrates a subbasin. — Geomorphological characteristics in the Himalayas, such as steep slopes and high relief (a landscape with a substantial difference between high and low points), contribute to flash floods. Role of climate change — According to a new study published in the journal Nature Hazards by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)- Gandhinagar, 'Drivers of flash floods in the Indian sub-continental river basins', flash floods are primarily concentrated in the Himalayas, the west coast, and Central India. — With rising global temperatures, extreme weather events such as flash floods are becoming more frequent and intense around the world. This is because every 1 degree Celsius increase in average temperature allows the atmosphere to hold around 7% more moisture, resulting in more intense precipitation and increasing the risk of flash floods. — Between 1981 and 2020, the pre-monsoon season in India saw a doubling of the annual frequency of extreme precipitation occurrences. Extreme rainfall during the monsoon, post-monsoon, and winter seasons has increased by 56%, 40%, and 12.5%, respectively, according to the study. Conclusion: — The number of flash flood events increased between 2020 and 2022 from 132 to 184, according to the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti's written reply in the Lok Sabha in 2023. — Despite the increasing threat posed by flash floods, there has been insufficient research to identify areas that are most vulnerable to this extreme weather event. This has posed a challenge in implementing adaptation strategies such as early warning systems. (Source: How flash floods are affecting India) Points to Ponder Read more about floods and government's initiatives to counter the problem of floods How do cloudbursts contribute to flash floods in hilly regions? Related Previous Year Questions Discuss the consequence of Climate change on the food security in tropical countries. (2023) The interlinking of rivers can provide viable solutions to the multi-dimensional inter-related problems of droughts, floods, and interrupted navigation. Critically examine. (2020) QUESTION 2: Discuss the geological and seismic factors responsible for the generation of tsunamis by earthquakes, using the recent Kamchatka earthquake as an example. Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers. Introduction: — Recently, a powerful magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Russia's Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula triggered tsunami waves of up to 16 feet, which had started to American shores along Hawaii's islands and off the coast of northern California. Tsunami alerts of varied levels have also been issued for countries such as Ecuador, Indonesia, Peru, Colombia, and Japan. — An earthquake is an intense shaking of the ground caused by movement under the Earth's surface. It happens when two blocks of the Earth suddenly slip past one another. This releases stored-up 'elastic strain' energy in the form of seismic waves, which spread through the Earth and cause the shaking of the ground. — The Earth's outermost surface, crust, is fragmented into tectonic plates. The edges of the plates are called plate boundaries, which are made up of faults — zones of fractures between two blocks of rock. The tectonic plates constantly move at a slow pace, sliding past one another and bumping into each other. As the edges of the plates are quite rough, they get stuck with one another while the rest of the plate keeps moving. — Earthquake occurs when the plate has moved far enough and the edges unstick on one of the faults. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) says that 'the location below the Earth's surface where the earthquake starts is called the hypocenter, and the location directly above it on the surface of the Earth is called the epicentre.' Body: You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer: How does an earthquake lead to a tsunami? — The earthquake must be a maritime occurrence that shifts the sea floor. It should also be a shallow earthquake, which carries more energy to the surface than deeper earthquakes. Deeper earthquakes spread farther as seismic waves flow radially upwards to the surface, but they lose energy as they travel longer distances. The Kamchatka quake had a magnitude of 8.8, and was one of the strongest earthquake since 1900. — An earthquake resulting in a tsunami is typically caused by 'reverse' faulting. In a reverse fault, the block of rock above the fault plane travels upward relative to the block below the fault plane. The fault motion is induced by compression forces. — 'If the earthquake is large enough and close enough to the ocean floor, the energy released can cause the ocean floor to suddenly raise (uplift) or plunge (subside). According to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) research, a tsunami is primarily caused by a sudden vertical displacement of the ocean floor. — Tsunamis are mainly caused by earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 7.0. However, the most damaging types of tsunamis are often triggered by earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 8.0. These tsunamis can travel long distances and cause widespread destruction. Conclusion: — In the case of the Kamchatka quake, the earthquake took place 136 km east of the coastal city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in Russia, and a shallow depth of just 19.3 km. That is one of the reasons why the earthquake was able to generate tsunami waves. The Kamchatka quake was also a result of reverse faulting. It has occurred as near the Kamchatka Peninsula is the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench, a tectonic plate boundary where the Pacific Plate is being thrust beneath the Okhotsk Plate at the rate of approximately 86 mm per year. This is a relatively high speed by tectonic standards, and causes large earthquakes to happen more frequently in the region. (Source: How an earthquake can generate tsunami) Points to Ponder Read more about Tsunami and 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami Read in detail about the Earthquakes Related Previous Year Questions What is the phenomenon of 'Cloudbursts'? Explain. (2024) Why are the world's fold mountain systems located along the margins of continents? Bring out the association between the global distribution of fold mountains and the earthquakes and volcanoes. (2014) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 112) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 113) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 112) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 113) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 112) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 111) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
A Gurugram resident filed a complaint on Swachhata App—The internet reacts
In a city where civic issues often take time to be addressed, a recent experience shared by a Gurugram resident has brought attention to the effectiveness of the Swachhata App. The user reported multiple garbage dumping sites in their locality and was surprised to see action being taken within the same day– an outcome that has sparked both appreciation and conversation online. Complaint filed in the morning, cleaning in progress by evening The incident came to light after a local Reddit user shared their experience on the subreddit r/Gurgaon with the title: 'Peak Gurgaon Moment, I Posted on Swachhata App and it worked.' The user said they had reported three garbage dumping spots in S Block, Sector 24, where trash and discarded furniture had been lying untouched for over a week. 'For the last week, the garbage and discarded furniture were lying in the same place with no hope for cleaning,' the user wrote. 'Yesterday, I read about this Swachhata app and, with zero hopes, I posted three complaints this morning.' To their amazement, the results were visible within hours. 'In the evening, I came to the balcony. Two of those spots were already cleaned, and the last big one, where tons of garbage had been thrown, was being cleared by a tractor trolley and workers,' they added. Calling the experience 'literally amazing,' the user said they were genuinely impressed by the quick turnaround. Reddit post: Social media users react with interest and skepticism The post sparked responses from other residents, some praising the app's effectiveness, others pointing out delays in their own cities. 'I'm definitely going to try this out too,' one user wrote, showing interest in using the platform. Another added, 'Didn't work for Delhi. Added a few weeks back, no response. Ticket still open.' Some residents flagged persistent issues. One user commented, 'Anyone tried this for that major dump near Ardee Mall? The one that blocks two lanes?' Others focused on awareness, with one saying, 'This app needs more visibility. How can we get more people to use it?' Gurugram's waste woes under the spotlight While such prompt action is not always the norm, concerns over sanitation in Gurugram have been raised consistently by residents over time. According to a report by India Today, earlier this month, a French national who had been living in the city for several years voiced her concerns on social media, describing the local living conditions as challenging and expressing frustration over ongoing cleanliness issues. What the Swachhata App is designed to do As per sbmurban(dot)org, the Swachhata App, introduced as part of the Swachh Bharat Mission , is a digital tool that enables citizens to report sanitation and solid waste-related issues. Each complaint is geo-tagged and directed to the relevant municipal authorities for action. Times of India has not independently verified the claims made in the post. All views attributed to social media users are personal opinions and do not reflect the official stance of the publication. Thumb image: Canva (for representative purposes only)
