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January 26, 2023 marks the 74th anniversary of India adopting the status of a sovereign, democratic and republican state. So, it is only fitting we look back on stories of people who helped the country gain freedom. Enter Barefoot Boys, a podcast hosted by <keyword id="6413189" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="konkona-sen-sharma" source="Orion">Konkona Sen Sharma</keyword> on <a href="https://spiral5-dot-yamm-track.appspot.com/2NogNr3rB9wIIQyDF9cpiFhdw157mWNZcyPX6Bk_fNT1gxX1ohAF7XIYXpq1xZ7n02u9UGjdFtCdenB1dKN5p0yNqFk4W67HdDzePpi1tpsOqiXhFgF10FtVWtpbq0QpltljfMxR4UdIyBsrK8Vo3-Lby-nBwyLTN7rXA55xVO0Iy0xbO">Luminary</a>, a subscription podcast network with an award-winning lineup of original shows. Luminary’s Barefoot Boys is an attempt to bring out stories from India, and this story, in particular, deserves to be lauded. An unconventional battlefield Barefoot Boys is a lesser-known story from the early 1900s when the love for football was brewing in British Calcutta. It is the story of eleven boys from Bengal who joined the Indian independence movement by fighting their enemy on the most unconventional battlefield—the football ground. In this podcast series, Konkana Sen Sharma, the celebrated Indian actress, writer, and director with a wide repertoire of Hindi and Bengali films, traces the journey of how these boys pulled-off this unimaginable feat. Defeating the Coloniser India, then still under British rule, was far from receiving independence. Plus, football was a new sport for Indians. In contrast, the British team was well funded, better trained, experienced and significantly, had football shoes. But this didn’t deter the eleven boys from playing against their colonisers, and displaying a level of courage and spirit a few could. While Calcutta was reeling under the news that their ‘capital’ status would be lost to Delhi in 1911, there was news that made waves, locally in Calcutta, across the subcontinent, and reaching the farthest reaches of the Empire: The Barefoot Boys from Calcutta, had defeated the British team in soccer. Brazil of the East Soon, the country earned the moniker ‘Brazil of the East’. Indian football had started to come of age. Beating the British at their own game, the eleven barefoot boys came to be fondly known as Amor Ekadosh, or “Immortal Eleven” for having made their country win at one of the oldest football tournaments in the world, all without boots on their feet! However, football was not considered an Indian sport; with most Indians having grown up playing Gulli-danda and other regional games. How, then, did Indians who had learnt to play football only thirty years before, go on to defeat the very country which was ruling over them? A Luminary Original To commemorate the 74th Republic Day and shed light on this lesser known chapter from India's freedom struggle, Luminary will be opening up the podcast for free streaming through the Republic Day weekend (26th January, 2023 - 29th January, 2023). Listeners who want to live the tale through Konkana’s beautiful storytelling will get access to all the ten episodes released until that week. Konkana, who has received two National Film Awards and four Filmfare Awards, and has built a unique brand for herself, does a stellar job bringing forth this exceptional story. Listen to Sen talk about the majestic Amor Ekadosh, India’s fight for independence, and the interplay of politics and sport, only on Luminary. Disclaimer: Luminary has partnered with Times Bridge to scale and expand its reach in India. Business Insider is a part of Times Bridge, a company of Times Internet Limited.

Luminary’s Barefoot Boys’ Free Stream during the Republic Day weekend: Hosted by Konkana Sen Sharma

<ul class="summary-list"><li>An American sniper in <keyword id="19895162" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ukraine" source="keywords">Ukraine</keyword> said his unit prefers <keyword id="21398645" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AK-74" source="keywords">AK-74</keyword> rifles over Western ones.</li><li>That's partly because they can get more bullets when they attack a <keyword id="19940030" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Russian" source="keywords">Russian</keyword> position.</li></ul>An American veteran fighting in Ukraine said soldiers in his unit prefer to use Soviet-era rifles over modern ones because it's easier to find ammunition, including by taking it from the Russians. Jonathan Poquette is currently serving as a sniper in Ukraine, and he said that his unit prefers AK-74 rifles, which are chambered for 5.45×39mm rounds. "The reason why our unit in particular preferred the AK-74 platforms is because that weapon system is plentiful for the Ukrainians and Russians." He said that when you go to a Ukrainian position, they are more likely to have that type of bullet available as many Ukrainians fight with that rifle. Ukraine, once a part of the Soviet Union, fights with a lot of Soviet-era weaponry that has long been in the country. There are, of course, other ways to get the necessary rifle ammo as well, Poquette said, noting that "if you go and you attack a Russian position and you need to resupply, the Russians are usually going to have 5.45." <div type="image" title="A Ukrainian serviceman in camouflage gear fires an AK-74 with bare trees and a grey sky behind him" height="1341" width="2000" msid="109459860" hostid="261"></div>Poquette is a member of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/video-footage-us-volunteers-ukraine-russia-war-chosen-company-2023-9">Chosen Company</a>, a unit of fighters within the Ukrainian army's 59th Motorized Brigade. The force is technically a reconnaissance unit, but it also executes both front-line assault operations and defensive actions. He was injured in January and has been in recovery and training in Kyiv, Ukraine' s capital city, since the incident. He said that the prolific availability of older rifles among Ukraine's soldiers was also partly an issue with Ukraine's planning. "The West has donated a lot of Western rifles that use 5.56," Poquette said, referring to the standard 5.56X45 mm NATO round, "but the problem is that the Ukrainians didn't necessarily consolidate those weapon platforms very good in certain areas." Ukraine has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-armed-with-modern-t-90-tanks-captured-from-russians-2022-10">used captured Russian tanks</a> and weaponry for its forces to use them to fight back against Russia's invasion. This has also included ammunition from defeated Russian soldiers, or that fleeing Russians have left behind. The KalashnikovAK-74 was first designed in the 1970s, and an updated version, the AK-74M, was first adopted by the Russian army in 1991. <a target="_blank" href="https://en.kalashnikovgroup.ru/catalog/boevoe-strelkovoe-oruzhie/avtomaty/avtomat-kalashnikova-ak74m">Per</a> the weapon's manufacturer, the latter is still widely used across the Russian military as a standard service rifle. The problem with some of the weapons donated by Western countries is that they are often chambered in 5.56, Poquette said, and ammunition from the West has been in pretty short supply lately. <h2>Ukraine's ammunition shortages</h2>Ukraine is suffering from extensive shortages of ammunition and weaponry that have had serio<keyword id="19899478" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="US" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="US" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="US">us</keyword> ramifications all along the front lines. The US recently <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-transferred-ukraine-illegal-iranian-guns-to-fight-the-russians-2024-4">transferred</a> thousands of small arms and about 500,000 rounds of Iranian ammunition taken from smugglers to Ukraine, but it's only a stop-gap measure. Shortages have been exacerbated by Republicans in the US stalling further aid for the past six months. That's despite most of that money being <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-aid-good-us-economy-defense-industrial-base-republicans-2024-2?r=US&amp;IR=T">funding that would go back into the US economy</a> as so many American defense companies would get the work, particularly to replace systems sent to Ukraine. <div type="image" title="A mud-covered AK-74 around the neck of a Ukrainian solder in camouflage gear" height="1333" width="2000" msid="109459862" hostid="261"></div>Soldiers say this means that they <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-was-crushing-in-avdiivka-before-ammo-stopped-us-veteran-2024-4">have had to ration their ammunition and, in some cases,</a> have had nothing to fire for a day, leaving them unable to hit Russian targets that they can reach. Sometimes when another team takes over a position, the incoming forces will ask for the departing team's ammunition and grenades. Some of Ukraine's biggest shortages right now are in air defense and artillery, which are leaving cities defenseless and making front-line combat much tougher to sustain. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this week that Russia had 10 times as many artillery shells as Ukraine. He said that unless aid from the US resumed, Ukraine would have "no chance of winning." It's a stark warning, one that experts have echoed; Frederick Kagan, the director of the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, said that if Ukraine were to lose, the US and its allies would face a Russia more easily able to invade NATO if it chose to do so. <h2>Letting targets go</h2>Poquette said that his unit has had to get more and more selective with its targets, even holding fire with what were once game-changing weapons. The Ukrainians, he said, aren't firing their US-made High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) like they used to. He said <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-shortages-mean-be-choosy-with-himars-targets-us-veteran-2024-4">the unit had to stop hitting targets</a> that they would have hit earlier in the war because of a shortage of rockets. <div type="image" title="Ukraine M142 HIMARS Bakhmut" height="1163" width="2000" msid="109459865" hostid="261"></div>He also said that his unit has had to send infantry out to fight small groups of advancing Russian soldiers rather than use indirect fire to take them out, putting Ukraine's soldiers at greater risk. Europe has been trying to increase Ukraine's ammunition supply, but many of its international partners say that there is not enough to spare on the continent and that not enough new ammo is being produced. A Czech Republic-led initiative has been attempting to source ammunition from outside the EU. The country's president <a target="_blank" href="https://kyivindependent.com/czech-pm-allies-contract-first-180-000-shell-rounds-for-ukraine-via-czech-led-initiative/">said</a> this week that the first 180,000 rounds have been contracted and will be delivered to Ukraine's front lines "in the coming months." Poquette said that Ukraine <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-veteran-in-ukraine-says-ammo-desperately-needed-not-tanks-2024-3">desperately needs artillery and ammunition more than it needs more advanced equipment</a> like tanks from its partners. He said that what matters most right now is "ammunition, grenades, claymores, or other types of mines, rockets, various different rocket systems." "What can one tank do?" he asked, rhetorically. "Not as much as 50,000 artillery shells, 5,000 mortar shells."

American sniper in Ukraine says his unit prefers Soviet-era rifles because bullets are easier to find and they can take them from the Russians

<ul><li><keyword id="18635" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="amazon" source="Orion">Amazon</keyword> Great <keyword id="6416557" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="republic-day" source="Orion">Republic Day</keyword> Sale 2023 is now live on the e-commerce platform.</li><li>The sale offers up to 30-45% discounts on gaming laptops, including exciting exchange offers.</li><li>Here are some of the best offers on gaming laptops from Amazon.</li></ul>The Amazon Great Republic Day Sale 2023 is live and the long-week sale will last until 20 January. The sale offers huge discounts and offers on various products including, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/best-deals-and-offers-on-speakers-earphones-and-other-audio-products-during-amazon-sale/articleshow/97026826.cms">speakers</a>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/amazon-great-republic-day-sale-best-deals-on-phones/articleshow/96971702.cms">smartphones</a>, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/amazon-great-republic-day-sale-2023-best-deals-and-offers-on-laptops-from-asus-hp-xiaomi-and-more/articleshow/97029088.cms">laptops</a> including gaming laptops. As a part of the sale, the e-commerce giant is also offering no-cost EMI, exchange offers and EMI on debit cards across a wide range of products. During the sale, we’re seeing great deals and offers on gaming laptops from companies like MSI, Acer, Asus, HP and Lenovo. Also, Amazon has announced that SBI credit card holders will be able to avail an additional 10% discount during the sale. You can also save extra bucks on exchanging your old laptops. Below, we have hand-picked some best deals and offers that you can grab on gaming laptops during Amazon's Great Republic Day Sale 2023. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="DELL Alienware x14" comment="subhead" text="DELL Alienware x14">DELL Alienware x14</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B0B467YWV3" comment="amazoncard" text="B0B467YWV3">B0B467YWV3</cmsannotation> If you are looking for an Alienware gaming series laptop then your search will end here. Currently, available for ₹1,54,299 DELL Alienware x14 is the best pick as originally it was priced at ₹2,06,119. It features a 14-inch full HD display that has a maximum refresh rate of 144Hz. Additionally, it comes with GSYNC + Advanced Optimus, 16GB DDR5 RAM, 512GB SSD for internal storage, Nvidia RTX 3050 4GB graphic card and Dolby Atmos technology. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Acer Nitro 5" comment="subhead" text="Acer Nitro 5">Acer Nitro 5</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B09X7SXPKC" comment="amazoncard" text="B09X7SXPKC">B09X7SXPKC</cmsannotation> The Acer Nitro 5 AN515-55 gaming laptop is powered by the 10th generation Intel Core i5 processor coupled with 8GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB SSD and a 1TB HDD. In addition, it is equipped with Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650Ti graphics. The laptop features a 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display with a 144Hz refresh rate. Currently listed for ₹57,813 it is one of the best deals which you can’t miss. Also, you can buy it at no-cost EMI using selected bank credit cards. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Dell G15 5511" comment="subhead" text="Dell G15 5511">Dell G15 5511</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B09S3Z95F1" comment="amazoncard" text="B09S3Z95F1">B09S3Z95F1</cmsannotation> The second decent gaming laptop deal from Amazon during the Prime Day sale. This gaming laptop features an RTX 3050 Ti graphics card, 8GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and an Intel Core i5 processor. During this two-day sale event, you can buy it for ₹89,500, down from its original price of ₹1,49,199 <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Lenovo Legion5 Pro" comment="subhead" text="Lenovo Legion5 Pro">Lenovo Legion5 Pro</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B09GTXTCCK" comment="amazoncard" text="B09GTXTCCK">B09GTXTCCK</cmsannotation> The cheapest of the cheap, this gaming laptop will get you some benchmark performance on a budget thanks to its 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD. During the Amazon Great Republic Day Sale, you can buy it at ₹1,29,518, down from its original price of ₹2,24,490. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="ASUS TUF Gaming F15" comment="subhead" text="ASUS TUF Gaming F15">ASUS TUF Gaming F15</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B09RMTMBSM" comment="amazoncard" text="B09RMTMBSM">B09RMTMBSM</cmsannotation> We have seen Asus TUF Gaming F15 selling at ₹74,990 but today, during Amazon Republic Day Sale 2023, the laptop is available at ₹54,990, making it one of the best picks for gamers. During the sale, it is one of the most affordable laptops that features a 144Hz refresh rate, Nvidia GTX GPU and 8GB of DDR4 RAM. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="MSI Gaming GF63" comment="subhead" text="MSI Gaming GF63">MSI Gaming GF63</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B09YTVB91N" comment="amazoncard" text="B09YTVB91N">B09YTVB91N</cmsannotation> This gaming laptop is available at a massive discount of 39%. It features a 15.7-inch screen, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of internal storage. To enhance your gaming experience, it is equipped with Nvidia GTX1650 4GB graphics card. The laptop is available for ₹53,750, down from its original price of ₹88,199. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="ASUS ROG Strix G15" comment="subhead" text="ASUS ROG Strix G15">ASUS ROG Strix G15</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B0BNHFYYRF" comment="amazoncard" text="B0BNHFYYRF">B0BNHFYYRF</cmsannotation> This is one of the best gaming laptops which is available in the market right now. During the sale, it is available at its lowest price of ₹74,990. It features an AMD Ryzen 7 4800H Mobile processor which is coupled with 8GB DDR4 RAM and 512GB of internal storage. Graphics are taken care by NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti and 144Hz of the display. As a part of the sale, you can buy this gaming laptop at no-cost EMI, using an Amazon Pay ICICI credit card. Other than this, you can save some extra using exchange offers, <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="MSI Katana GF66" comment="subhead" text="MSI Katana GF66">MSI Katana GF66</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B0B8ZY4SKQ" comment="amazoncard" text="B0B8ZY4SKQ">B0B8ZY4SKQ</cmsannotation> This is another gaming laptop on our list which is available for just ₹83,990, during the Great Republic Day Sale 2023. It features a 12th Generation Intel Core i5 processor and comes loaded with pre-loaded Windows 11 Home with lifetime validity. Other than this, it has 8GB of DDR4 RAM and 512GB of internal storage. The laptop has a thin and lightweight design, making it easy to carry around. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/amazon-republic-day-sale-2023-deals-and-offers-on-tablets/articleshow/97090745.cms">Amazon Republic Day Sale 2023: Deals and offers on tablets</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/amazon-republic-day-sale-could-be-the-best-time-to-buy-amazon-devices-discounts-on-kindle-echo-speakers-and-fire-tv-stick/articleshow/97085398.cms">Amazon Republic Day sale could be the best time to buy Amazon devices — discounts on Kindle, Echo speakers and Fire TV Stick</a>

Best Amazon Great Republic Day deals on gaming laptops from Asus, MSI, Lenovo, Dell and more

<ul><li><keyword id="18635" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="amazon" source="Orion">Amazon</keyword> is currently hosting the Great Republic Day Sale, which is scheduled to end today.</li><li>The e-commerce giant offers discounts across various products, including laptops.</li><li>Here are some of the <keyword id="16169897" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="best-deals-on-laptops-for-students" source="Orion">best deals on laptops for students</keyword> on the Amazon sale.</li></ul>Today is the last day of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/amazon-great-republic-day-sale-2023-best-deals-and-offers/articleshow/96961163.cms">Amazon Great Republic Day Sale</a>, the first sale from the company for 2023. The e-commerce giant offers deals across a wide range of products as part of the sale, including laptops. Laptops have become an important device for both professionals and students. The needs of students are quite basic, and an affordable laptop is enough for them. If you are a student looking for a laptop, there are many options to choose from in the Amazon Great Republic Day Sale. In addition to Amazon’s offers, customers can also avail of an additional 10% instant discount using their SBI credit cards. This post looks at some of the best student laptop deals. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Best deals on laptops for students" comment="subhead" text="Best deals on laptops for students">Best deals on laptops for students</cmsannotation> HP 15s-fq2673TU <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B0B4N6JVMW" comment="amazoncard" text="B0B4N6JVMW">B0B4N6JVMW</cmsannotation> The HP 15s-fq2673TU is a good option for students looking for an affordable laptop for education. It features a 15.6-inch Full HD anti-glare display and is powered by an 11th gen Intel Core i3 processor. It comes with 8GB RAM and a 512GB SSD, offering ample storage for your files. It supports Alexa assistant, allowing you to perform many functions with voice commands. It offers up to 7 hours of battery life on a single charge. The laptop is currently available for ₹43,728, down from its original price of ₹50,697. MI Notebook Ultra <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B098XK9BPC" comment="amazoncard" text="B098XK9BPC">B098XK9BPC</cmsannotation> The Mi Notebook Ultra is a good option for students looking for a more powerful option. It features a 15.6-inch 3.2K IPS panel with a 90Hz refresh rate and TUV Rheinland certification for low blue light. It is powered by the 11th Gen Intel Core i5 processor coupled with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. It features an all-metal design that gives it a premium look and comes with a fingerprint sensor that allows you to unlock the laptop quickly. The laptop from Xiaomi is currently available for ₹57,999, down from its original price of ₹76,999, offering a discount of 25%. Dell 2 in 1 Inspiron 7420 <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B0B2WPL4CN" comment="amazoncard" text="B0B2WPL4CN">B0B2WPL4CN</cmsannotation> The Dell 2 in 1 Inspiron 7420 is a good option for designers and students looking for a laptop that can also be used as a tablet. The laptop features a 14-inch touch display with narrow bezels and has stylus support. It is powered by the 12th gen Intel i3 chipset coupled with 8GB RAM and 256GB of internal storage. It comes with TUV Rheinland certification and reduces blue light emissions to ensure you do not strain your eyes. The laptop is currently available for ₹50,999, down from its original price of ₹74,716. Asus VivoBook 14 <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B09VNZNF9L" comment="amazoncard" text="B09VNZNF9L">B09VNZNF9L</cmsannotation> The Asus VivoBook 14 is another good laptop worth considering if you are looking for an affordable option. It is a thin, light laptop with a 14-inch Full HD display and is powered by a 10th gen Intel Core i5 chipset coupled with 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD. The laptop comes with Windows 11 and offers Office 2021. The laptop is currently available for ₹39,990, down from its original price of ₹64,990. Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B0B9YHX39M" comment="amazoncard" text="B0B9YHX39M">B0B9YHX39M</cmsannotation> The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is affordable for students looking for a laptop for basic use. It features a 15.6-inch Full HD display and is powered by an 11th gen Intel Core i3 processor coupled with 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD. The laptop comes with Windows 11 and offers two years of warranty. It offers a battery life of up to 6 hours on a single charge. The laptop is currently available for ₹32,927, down from its original price of ₹60,890. Disclaimer - When you purchase through links on Business Insider India, we may earn affiliate commission. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/best-deals-on-truly-wireless-earbuds-and-neckbands-at-the-amazon-great-republic-day-sale/articleshow/97128191.cms">Best deals on truly wireless earbuds and neckbands at the Amazon Great Republic Day Sale</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/amazon-great-republic-day-sale-best-deals-on-apple-iphone-13-watch-series-8-ipad-pro-and-more/articleshow/97085199.cms">Amazon Great Republic Day Sale – best deals on Apple iPhone 13, Watch Series 8, iPad Pro and more</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/great-republic-day-sale-best-deals-on-gaming-monitors-headphones-and-more-on-amazon/articleshow/97052599.cms">Great Republic Day Sale – best deals on gaming monitors, headphones, and more on Amazon</a>

Amazon Great Republic Day Sale – best deals on laptops for students

<ul><li><keyword id="18635" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="amazon" source="Orion">Amazon</keyword> Great Republic Day Sale 2023 is now live on the e-commerce platform, and it will last until 20 January 20.</li><li>The sale offers discounts of up to ₹40,000 on laptops, including exciting exchange offers.</li><li>Here are some of the best offers on gaming laptops from Amazon.</li></ul>The year’s first sale from the e-commerce giant, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/amazon-great-republic-day-sale-2023-best-deals-and-offers/articleshow/96961163.cms">Amazon Great Republic Day Sale 2023</a>, is live now and will continue until January 20. During the week-long sale, Amazon offers huge discounts and offers on various products, including smartphones, TVs, laptops, speakers, and more. Besides discounts, the e-commerce giant also offers no-cost EMI, exchange offers, EMI on debit cards, and more across a wide range of products. If you have been waiting for offers to purchase a laptop, now is the right to buy one because, as a part of the sale, Amazon is offering up to ₹40,000 discounts on a range of laptops from brands Asus, HP, Dell, Lenovo, and more. In addition to discounts, you can avail of no-cost EMI options, exchange offers, and bank discounts on selected products. The e-commerce giant has also announced the selected laptops will be eligible for 24 months of no-cost EMI. Also, if you wish to exchange an older laptop, you can get an additional discount of up to ₹25,000. Best laptop deals and offers on Amazon Great Republic Day Sale 2023. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="ASUS VivoBook 14" comment="subhead" text="ASUS VivoBook 14">ASUS VivoBook 14</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B09RQL2S5F" comment="amazoncard" text="B09RQL2S5F">B09RQL2S5F</cmsannotation> If you are a student looking to purchase a laptop at an affordable price, then Asus VivoBook 14 is a good option for you. It is packed with decent specifications and is enough for students looking to attend online classes, research, and work on projects. It is available for ₹27,990, down from its original price of ₹38,990. Also, buy using selected bank cards you can buy it at no-cost EMI. Further, you can save an additional ₹10,850 by exchanging your old laptop. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Lenovo Ideapad 3" comment="subhead" text="Lenovo Ideapad 3">Lenovo Ideapad 3</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B09MM58Y7Q" comment="amazoncard" text="B09MM58Y7Q">B09MM58Y7Q</cmsannotation> This is another affordable laptop on our list available for just ₹43,990, down from its original price of ₹68,490. It features AMD Ryzen 5 processor coupled with 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD. It has a 15.6- inch display, integrated with AMD Radeon Graphics. It is said to offer a decent battery life of 9 hours at minimal usage. You can buy this laptop at no cost EMI by using Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card and other bank credit cards. Further, you can save an additional 10% by using an SBI credit card. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="HP Victus" comment="subhead" text="HP Victus">HP Victus</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B098QBT5KT" comment="amazoncard" text="B098QBT5KT">B098QBT5KT</cmsannotation> The HP Vitus is a good option if you want an affordable laptop with gaming capabilities. The laptop features a large display and a powerful chipset and GPU, allowing you to run even AAA titles without worrying about performance issues. It is available for ₹52,490, down from its original price of ₹71,343. Also, you can save an additional ₹14,850 by exchanging your laptop for HP Victus. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Mi NoteBook Ultra" comment="subhead" text="Mi NoteBook Ultra">Mi NoteBook Ultra</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B098XLXDRS" comment="amazoncard" text="B098XLXDRS">B098XLXDRS</cmsannotation> The Mi Notebook Ultra is a good option for professionals and students looking for an affordable laptop. It features an 11th Gen Intel Core i5 processor coupled with 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD. In addition, it comes equipped with Intel Iris Xe Graphics, which means it can handle graphic-demanding tasks. During the sale, you can buy it for just ₹56,999, down from its original price of ₹71,999. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="ASUS TUF Gaming F15" comment="subhead" text="ASUS TUF Gaming F15">ASUS TUF Gaming F15</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B09RMTMBSM" comment="amazoncard" text="B09RMTMBSM">B09RMTMBSM</cmsannotation> We have seen Asus TUF Gaming F15 selling at ₹74,990 but today, during Amazon’s Great Republic Day Sale 2023, the laptop is available at ₹54,990, making it one of the best picks for gamers. During the sale, it is one of the most affordable laptops with a 144Hz refresh rate, Nvidia GTX GPU, and 8GB of DDR4 RAM. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Dell Inspiron 3511" comment="subhead" text="Dell Inspiron 3511">Dell Inspiron 3511</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B0B468SB8G" comment="amazoncard" text="B0B468SB8G">B0B468SB8G</cmsannotation> This is another laptop that is available for an affordable price of ₹40,990, down from its original price of ₹55,047. It features an Intel Core i3 processor, DDR4 8GB RAM, and 512GB SSD. It has a 15.6- inch LED display paired with integrated graphics. As a part of the sale, you can buy this laptop at no cost EMI using selected bank cards. Also, exchange offers can save an additional ₹12,850 on this laptop. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3" comment="subhead" text="Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3">Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B0B4KBCRJ3" comment="amazoncard" text="B0B4KBCRJ3">B0B4KBCRJ3</cmsannotation> The Lenovo Ideapad Slim 3 is another good option for professional users and developers looking for a power-packed laptop. It features a vibrant display and a powerful processor with ample storage. It is a lightweight laptop that can be easily carried around. During the sale, you can buy it for just ₹60,927, down from its original price of ₹82,490. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Asus Vivobook Pro 16" comment="subhead" text="Asus Vivobook Pro 16">Asus Vivobook Pro 16</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B0BLP3SWKR" comment="amazoncard" text="B0BLP3SWKR">B0BLP3SWKR</cmsannotation> If you are looking for a premium laptop, you must consider Asus Vivobook Pro 16. It features an OLED display, 11th Gen Intel Core i9 processor, 16GB DDR4 RAM, and 512GB of SSD. This premium laptop comes loaded with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 GDDR6 4GB graphic card, which means it can handle all graphic-demanding games and tasks. You can buy it for just ₹89,990, down from its original price of ₹1,22,990. Other than this, you can save an additional 10% by using your SBI credit card. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/amazon-great-republic-day-sale-2023-best-deals-and-offers-on-tvs/articleshow/96987966.cms">Amazon Great Republic Day Sale 2023 – Best deals and offers on TVs</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/best-deals-and-offers-on-speakers-earphones-and-other-audio-products-during-amazon-sale/articleshow/97026826.cms">Best deals and offers on speakers, earphones, and other audio products during Amazon sale</a>

Amazon Great Republic Day Sale 2023: Best deals and offers on laptops from Asus, HP, Xiaomi, and more

<ul><li>The Amazon Great Republic Day Sale has kicked off and it will run for four days.</li><li>There are several products available with deals and offers.</li><li>Here’s a look at the best laptop deals you can get this sale.</li></ul>The<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/gadgets/news/amazon-offering-big-discount-on-tws-laptops-and-electronic-items-in-great-republic-day-sale-2022/articleshow/88875630.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink"> Amazon Great Republic Day Sale</a> is now live for everyone. It’s Amazon’s first major sale of the year and it’s going to run for four days. There are products from various categories such as smartphones, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/amazon-great-republic-day-sale-top-offers-and-deals-on-refrigerators-acs-washing-machines/articleshow/88899994.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">electronics</a>, home appliances, kitchen appliances, and more. Amazon is also offering a 10% discount for SBI credit card customers. There are several offers and deals to check out during this sale and to make things easier for you, we’ve rounded up the best laptop deals. The list includes ultrabooks, gaming laptops across different price ranges and brands such as HP, Dell, Asus, and more. So here are the best deals and offers you can get on laptops. 2020 Apple MacBook Pro If you’re planning to buy a MacBook you can consider the 2020 MacBook Pro. It’s available at a discounted price of ₹1,08,990 from its original price of ₹1,22,900. This MacBook Pro runs on the Apple M1 chip and comes with 8GB of RAM with 256GB SSD storage. It features a 13.3-inch display and offers up to 20 hours of battery life. You can get the MacBook Pro in two colour options of space grey and silver. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B08N5VSQNG" comment="amazoncard" text="B08N5VSQNG">B08N5VSQNG</cmsannotation> Acer Nitro 5 The Acer Nitro 5 is a gaming laptop that you can buy during this <keyword id="6167250" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="amazon-republic-day-sale" source="Orion">Amazon Republic Day sale</keyword>. It is originally priced at ₹90,140 but you can get it for ₹69,490. The gaming laptop is powered by the 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11400H processor paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage. It also comes with a 15.6-inch FHD display and RGB backlit keyboard. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B099ZZ13JB" comment="amazoncard" text="B099ZZ13JB">B099ZZ13JB</cmsannotation> HP Pavilion 14 The HP Pavilion 14 is a thin and light laptop that you can go for. It is discounted to ₹66,490 from its original price of ₹79,800. It comes in silver colour with a fingerprint sensor. The HP Pavilion 14 features a 14-inch FHD display and it’s powered by the 11th Gen Intel Core i5 processor. The laptop packs 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B08WBB369L" comment="amazoncard" text="B08WBB369L">B08WBB369L</cmsannotation> Dell 15 (2021) This is a 15-inch laptop from Dell that is available at a discounted price of ₹41,490 from its original price of ₹56,776. The Dell 15 (2021) comes with the Intel i3-1115G4 processor paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage. It has a 15-inch FHD display and comes with Windows 10 Home pre-installed. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B09F3QP9JS" comment="amazoncard" text="B09F3QP9JS">B09F3QP9JS</cmsannotation> ASUS TUF A15 (2021) The Asus TUF A15 (2021) is another gaming laptop that you can go for this <keyword id="2553399" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="amazon-sale" source="Orion">Amazon sale</keyword>. It has a cool design and comes in black colour. The Asus TUF A15 (2021) can be purchased at a discounted price of ₹74,490 after a discount from its original price of ₹97,990. It is powered by the AMD Ryzen 7 4800H processor paired with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B09CCW5XVM" comment="amazoncard" text="B09CCW5XVM">B09CCW5XVM</cmsannotation> HP 15 The HP 15 is a mid-range laptop that is originally priced at ₹48,700 but you can get it for ₹37,990. It is powered by the Ryzen 3 3250U processor coupled with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage. The laptop features a 15.6-inch FHD display and is Windows 11 ready. You also get MS Office Home and Student pre installed. It also has a USB Type-C port. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B09FL5CK19" comment="amazoncard" text="B09FL5CK19">B09FL5CK19</cmsannotation> Dell Vostro 3400 The Dell Vostro 3400 is another mid range laptop but with a slightly smaller 14-inch display. The laptop is currently available at ₹56,004 as part of the Amazon Republic Day sale. It is originally priced at ₹67,900. The laptop comes with the 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B097T1WN1Y" comment="amazoncard" text="B097T1WN1Y">B097T1WN1Y</cmsannotation> Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 is a business laptop that is available at ₹63,490 from its original price of ₹70,990. In terms of specs, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 comes with a 15.6-inch FHD display and is powered by the 11th Gen Intel Core i5 processor. The laptop has a backlit keyboard and a fingerprint reader as well. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B09G9Z32KW" comment="amazoncard" text="B09G9Z32KW">B09G9Z32KW</cmsannotation> HP 15 (2021) The HP 15 (2021) has been discounted to ₹43,315 from its original price of ₹49,700. This is another mid-range laptop that offers a 15.6-inch FHD display, Windows 10 and MS Office. Under its hood runs the 10th Gen Intel Core i3 processor paired with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B095YC5VH4" comment="amazoncard" text="B095YC5VH4">B095YC5VH4</cmsannotation> HP Chromebook 14 Those looking for a Chromebook can consider the HP Chromebook 14. It is available at ₹27,490 from its original price of ₹38,000. The Chromebook features a 14-inch display and comes in a thin and light design weighing only 1.46 kg. It packs 4GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage and comes with features such as Google Assistant. You also get a backlit keyboard and Bang and Olufsen speakers. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="B08C5W6PL2" comment="amazoncard" text="B08C5W6PL2">B08C5W6PL2</cmsannotation> When you purchase through links on Business Insider India, we may earn an affiliate commission. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/best-deals-and-offers-on-bluetooth-headphones-and-speakers-on-amazon/articleshow/88953479.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Amazon Great Republic Day Sale — Best audio deals on headphones, speakers</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/amazon-great-republic-day-sale-2022-best-deals-and-offers-on-laptops/articleshow/88918019.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Amazon Republic Day Sale 2022 — Best offers on Apple MacBook Pro, ASUS and bestseller laptops</a>

Amazon Republic Day Sale 2022 — Best offers on Apple MacBook Pro, ASUS and bestseller laptops

As India gears up to celebrate its 74th <keyword id="28240" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Independence-day">Independence Day</keyword>, microblogging website <keyword id="6354616" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Twitter">Twitter</keyword> on Friday has unveiled a specially designed emoji to honour the Indian Armed Forces, which is a vibrant depiction of the National War Memorial. The design of the emoji represents the innermost structure of the Memorial, called the 'Amar Chakra' or the 'Circle of Immortality'. The emoji will be live until 18th August and will be available in English and several Indic languages, such as Hindi, Tamil, Urdu, Kannada, Punjabi, Marathi, Malayalam, Bengali, Telugu, Gujarati, and Oriya. "We hope this emoji will not only add to the Independence Day celebrations but will also encourage Indians across the world to learn more about and pay respects to the lives of India's brave soldiers," Mahima Kaul, Director, Public Policy, India and South Asia, Twitter said in a statement. <keyword id="749437" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Twitter-India">Twitter India</keyword> is also supporting the Ministry of Defence's special initiative #SaluteTheSoldier that pays respects to the lives of Indian soldiers. The Ministry on its part has launched a dedicated Twitter account for the National War Memorial (@salute2soldier). Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be launching the emoji on the eve of Independence Day. Indians across the globe will be able to participate in Independence Day conversations and celebrate with the emoji using the hashtags like #IndiaIndependenceDay, #NationalWarMemorial, #SaluteTheSoldier and many more. This is the sixth edition of the <keyword id="9756861" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="independence-day-emoji">Independence Day emoji</keyword> by Twitter India, having featured creative symbols for the Ashoka Chakra, Red Fort, the Indian National Flag during the previous years. Twitter continues to observe Indian culture with celebratory initiatives and activations for Independence Day, Diwali, Republic Day, among other key Indian milestones, events and festivals. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/heres-how-indias-74th-independence-day-celebrations-will-take-place-this-year/slidelist/77523536.cms">Here’s how India’s 74th Independence Day celebrations will take place this year</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/on-independence-day-over-45000-security-personnel-will-be-guarding-new-delhi/articleshow/77538142.cms">On Independence Day, over 45,000 security personnel will be guarding New Delhi</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/article/independence-day-messages-quotes-and-wishes-for-facebook-and-whatsapp-status/articleshow/77527082.cms">Independence day 2020 messages and quotes</a>

Twitter celebrates India's 74th Independence Day with a new emoji

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Insider spoke with the director of "<keyword id="1595308" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Bring-It-On">Bring It On</keyword>," <keyword id="2675573" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Peyton-Reed">Peyton Reed</keyword>, in celebration of the movie's 20th <keyword id="6360404" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="anniversary">anniversary</keyword> in August.</li><li>The director talked about the challenges in casting the movie as another cheerleader movie, "Sugar &amp; Spice," was being made. That movie's lead, Marley Shelton, was almost cast as <keyword id="29655" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Kirsten-Dunst">Kirsten Dunst</keyword>'s character, Torrance, in "Bring It On."</li><li>Reed said Jason Schwartzman and James Franco — then unknowns — auditioned for the role of Torrance's love interest, Cliff, which went to Jesse Bradford.</li><li>The director touched on how the movie's themes of race, sexuality, and privilege are all still relevant today.</li><li>He also teased that he'd been coming up with ideas for a "Bring It On" sequel that would star original cast members.</li></ul>Can you believe it's been 20 years since we were introduced to spirit fingers, cheerocracy, and "Hey Mickey" as the perfect end-credits song?In 2000, the cheerleader comedy "Bring It On" hit theaters and made stars of Kirsten Dunst, Gabrielle Union, Eliza Dushku, and Jesse Bradford. It also launched a straight-to-DVD franchise. Since then, the movie has only grown in popularity as its comedy and progressive themes have become timeless.No one's more surprised than its director, Peyton Reed. "Bring It On," which through filming was titled "Cheer Fever," marked his feature-directing debut. At the time, Universal had no idea this PG-13 teen comedy would become a box-office sensation. It went on to have a second life on cable and streaming services, teaching generations of tweens the importance of hard work and standing up for what's right.Despite its cheeky premise — the five-time national cheerleading champions, the Rancho Carne Toros, discover that their previous captain stole all their best routines from the East Compton Clovers, and now the Toros' current captain, Torrance (Kirsten Dunst), must figure out new routines for nationals — the story deals with topics like race, sexuality, and privilege in a way that hits home two decades later.Even the iconic film critic Roger Ebert was a fan. After giving the movie a bad review, <a href="https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/fired-up-2009">he declared it</a> "the 'Citizen Kane' of cheerleader <keyword id="406" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Movies">movies</keyword>" in 2009.Reed took a break from writing the script for a third "Ant-Man" movie he'll be directing to chat with Insider about his fondest memories of making "Bring It On" — and he hinted at a sequel that could bring back original cast members.Interview edited for length and clarity.<div type="image" title="bring it on anniversary" height="961" width="1281" msid="77675785" hostid="261"></div><h2>At first Reed thought the title 'Bring It On' was too generic</h2>Jason Guerrasio: You were directing episodes of the "Upright Citizens Brigade" TV show when you got a script called "Cheer Fever," right?Peyton Reed: That's right. I was directing the first three episodes of season two of the "Upright Citizen Brigade" show on Comedy Central, so that must have been 1999. I did my pitch for the movie in Los Angeles and left for New York to do "UCB." And I think as I was finishing up the third episode they did all these follow-up calls and I ended up getting the movie.Guerrasio: Outside of wanting the work, what grabbed you about the story, and what made you think you were right for it?Reed: I was writing a movie at the time that was a high-school-based movie and had fully intended to getting financing and making that movie. But I wasn't very far along on that. So when I read [screenwriter] Jessica Bendinger's script it was so specific in this subculture that it was a really unique way into doing a high-school movie. But more than that, in the script there was a specificity to her writing and to her dialogue. It was clear that she had not only researched it well but spent time in that world.Guerrasio: Is there a story behind the title change from "Cheer Fever" to "Bring It On"?Reed: It was called "Cheer Fever" all the way through shooting, but I think in the back of everyone's mind it felt like there would be talk of changing the title. Universal marketing felt that anything with the word "cheer" in it was going to really make it a narrow audience, marketing-wise.I remember making up lists and lists of titles and having multiple meetings of what this could be called. Internal meetings. Universal and Universal marketing meetings. When "Bring It On" started to rise to the top, I wasn't sure. I liked the confrontational aspect, but at the time it felt just like a generic title. But as we sat with it, it just felt right. It felt like the energy of a cheerleader and, in a weird way, also addressed those themes that were underlying in the movie.Guerrasio: Any titles on the list you remember really liking?Reed: Certain titles worked well for one aspect of the movie but not the whole thing. One was "Made You Look." At one time it was just "Bring It." And I was like, I mean, why don't we just call the movie "Talk to the Hand"? But when we saw "Bring It On" in print on the one-sheet, it really made sense. It represented an attitude.<div type="image" title="Sugar and Spice New Line Cinema" height="802" width="1069" msid="77675790" hostid="261"></div><h2>'Bring It On' was up against another cheerleader movie in production, 'Sugar &amp; Spice'</h2>Guerrasio: At the same time you were casting the movie, a rival cheerleader movie was in the works, "Sugar &amp; Spice." Were you realizing that actors you were going after were also auditioning for that?Reed: The biggest thing with "Sugar &amp; Spice" was when I came back from "UCB" I was rushed to this lunch meeting with this potential actress to play Torrance. Before I had even come on, the producers had gone out to Kirsten to play Torrance, and she wasn't interested. She was booked for another movie.So I was sitting down with an actress named Marley Shelton, who is a terrific actress. I felt at that lunch thinking she would be really good as Torrance.Guerrasio: Oh wow.Reed: But the casting director told me after that meeting, "You should know she's up for another movie." And I was like, "What's the movie?" And then she was like, "You should know it's another cheerleader movie." And I was like, "Hold on a second, you buried the lead — there's another cheerleader movie?"I think at the time it was called "Sugar &amp; Spice &amp; Semi-Automatics" because they were bank robbers. And within the week, Marley Shelton decided to do that cheerleader movie. So now we were faced with a rapidly approaching start date and no lead.I love Kirsten Dunst and asked if we can go out to her again. We reached Kirsten — she was in the Czech Republic at the time doing a movie — and I got on the phone with her, and I talked about what we were going to do with the movie, that we did some work on the script, and what things we were focusing on. Thankfully she said yes.And then I know that Gabrielle also read for "Sugar &amp; Spice" and ended up doing our movie.Guerrasio: Fate was certainly on your side. But through this time, how are you feeling going up against "Sugar &amp; Spice"? It had this cool title, a robbery angle — were you worried about your movie?Reed: On the surface, you go, "Hey, that could be a badass movie." But I liked where we were and what our movie was doing. Honestly, in my mind, I was like, we have to bury that other movie.<div type="image" title="Bring It On Universal 5" height="759" width="1012" msid="77675791" hostid="261"></div><h2>Cliff could've been Jason Schwartzman or James Franco</h2>Guerrasio: Now, for the casting of Cliff, there were a lot of now famous actors who went out for the role, right?Reed: We saw every male actor of that age who was in Hollywood. There was a Jason Schwartzman version of that character. He came in and auditioned and was fantastic.Guerrasio: And James Franco came in and auditioned.Reed: Franco came in, and I think he had just shot the "Freaks and Geeks" pilot. He was fantastic.But I had remembered Jesse from [Steven] Soderbergh's movie "King of the Hill," and I thought he was such a great kid and smart and soulful and felt right for the tone of our movie. On top of being a great-looking kid, he was terrific, and he had great chemistry with Kirsten.Guerrasio: Speaking of that, a scene that still works to this day and shows their chemistry is <a href="https://youtu.be/9UMX4dGRYEw?t=80">the brushing-teeth scene</a>.Reed: Right. That was a fun scene to do, because I don't know if the teeth-brushing scene was in the early drafts of the script. It was something that we added later, and I liked that it's a completely wordless scene.The two of them got really into it, and the stuff that Kirsten did where she's spitting in the sink and hiding it with her hand, that was really fun. To me, it felt like a Frank Capra movie, like "It Happened One Night," where it's fraught with sexual tension. I was really pleased.<div type="image" title="bring it on spirit fingers universal" height="720" width="1280" msid="77675793" hostid="261"></div><h2>The origin story of spirit fingers and what almost got the movie an R rating</h2>Guerrasio: Spirit fingers. That has become one of the most memorable components of the movie. Is that something that on the page you knew it would work, or was it actor Ian Roberts as loony choreographer Sparky Polastri that made it what it has become?Reed: There were a lot of potential versions of spirit fingers, and I had worked with Ian on both seasons of the "UCB" show —Guerrasio: Did you call him in for the Sparky role?Reed: I did. There was a version in an early draft of the script where Sparky Polastri leaned into certain clichés, and we all discussed it and felt there's a different way of doing this.I knew Ian could bring a really different energy to the role, and it excited me that he hadn't been in a movie up to that point. The idea was that he was this kind of Bob Fosse wannabe and he was addicted to pills and this completely fraudulent character. I loved that. He took ownership of the character and also the spirit-fingers bit.Guerrasio: The scene at the football game where Jan's (Nathan West) <a href="https://tenor.com/view/finger-slip-bring-it-on-lift-cheerer-cheerleader-gif-14484819">finger "slips"</a> while holding up Courtney (Clare Kramer) — is it true originally the sequence was to end with Jan smelling his finger and that part got taken out so the movie wouldn't get an R rating?Reed: I think that's a story that has gotten blown out of proportion over the years. I think we just trimmed some frames.This was definitely in the era, post-"American Pie," where teen comedies were trying to push PG-13. But Jessica through her research solicited all these insane stories, and that was an actual story that she had heard from more than one male and female cheerleader. So we wanted to do it in a way that acknowledged all the inherent weirdness and specificity of the cheer world.Guerrasio: I remember that part making it in the marketing of the movie.So, to your point about "American Pie," clearly Universal wanted to show that this had some edge to it.Reed: Yeah, and I think the thing in the marketing was to represent the movie accurately in terms of the fact that it was not a Disney Channel cheerleading-competition movie.<div type="image" title="clovers bring it on" height="1080" width="1440" msid="77675796" hostid="261"></div><h2>Why the movie's themes of race, sexuality, and privilege still work today</h2>Guerrasio: The themes of race and privilege — for a 2000 movie, it was very progressive.Reed: The whole theme was cultural appropriation, and Gabrielle's character, Isis, says it up front when they go to East Compton: "You guys are always stealing something and putting a blonde wig on it and calling it something different." It's right there.Jessica and I have talked about this: In our movie, we are dealing with all these privileged characters. The white cheerleading squad, they are bragging they are the five-time national champions. They are talking to the other cheerleading squad and saying, "That's all right, that's OK, you're going to pump our gas someday." It's not a likable sentiment.But then they find out it's all a fraud. So it's about Kristen's character, Torrance, taking her first steps into awareness. The idea that she's starting to confront her white privilege, that's very much there in the movie, and I feel like that's aged very well.And I have to give major credit to Gabrielle. When she came in, we worked really hard on the character of Isis in terms of how she was portrayed and her dynamic in all the situations. She was very specific in what worked and what didn't work, and I wanted to get it right and make sure we were making a movie that was aspirational in that way.Also, Les (Huntley Ritter) and how there's a moment in the competition where he waits for this kid from this other squad to talk to him — for me, it was important to have those little moments that, here, in this high-school movie and a gay relationship potentially happening, it just is, and the movie is accepting of it.It may sound weird now, but 20 years ago I wanted this movie to feel like things are advancing.<div type="image" title="Bring it On kirsten dunst" height="1003" width="1337" msid="77675801" hostid="261"></div><h2>Is it a perfect movie? Reed says he wouldn't change the ending, but would approach the use of a gay slur differently.</h2>Guerrasio: And another thing that's needed for that advancement is that Torrance and the Toros need to lose at nationals at the end of the movie. That journey Torrance is beginning doesn't work if she gets the trophy at the end.Reed: Exactly. It was always intended to end that way. It was always the "Rocky" ending: He goes the distance with Apollo Creed, but he loses.I remember the line "Second place — it feels like first" carrying a lot of meaning, because it was really about Kirsten's character and the team coming into the competition on their own merits and did the best they could, but the Clovers were always the better squad.I will say, over the years people will say to me, "Does it seem right that the Toros lost?" And I'm, like, "Absolutely it seems right!" It's very interesting how different people perceive the ending, and also very telling.Guerrasio: The use of the gay slur "f--" in the movie — it's one of the few things in it that hasn't aged well. How do you feel now about the use of the word?Reed: It was intentional in terms of dealing with the sexuality and the gender politics in the movie.The word is used twice: when the football players are talking to Les and Jan and they use that word and it's definitely hate speech — it's intended to be hate speech — then when Missy (Eliza Dushku) uses it in the car to talk as the new girl on the team, she's kind of co-opting the language. The whole idea that Jessica had was kids co-opting language and using it in that way. That was the intent of it.If we were to make the movie today, it probably would be approached in a different way. A lot of things would.<div type="image" title="Peyton Reed Jesse Grant Getty" height="1917" width="2556" msid="77675804" hostid="261"></div><h2>Reed hints at the possibility of a 'Bring It On' sequel with original cast members</h2>Guerrasio: This is a movie that whenever it comes on you stop and watch it. Are you surprised by its shelf life?Reed: It's really gratifying, but it's not something I would have been able to predict.It means different things to different people, which I like. Every filmmaker wants that and hopes that will be the case for their movies, but you never know. At a certain point you have to let it go into the world.I was obsessed at the time — and I guess I still am — of making movies that are repeat viewing experiences.Guerrasio: "Bring It On" was a box-office success, but it turned into a huge moneymaker for Universal with the direct-to-DVD sequels it made. Were you ever asked to do a sequel?Reed: At the time I would not have done a sequel, because I wanted to do something else. But I do often wonder what a theatrical sequel would have looked like.Guerrasio: Would you do one now if Kirsten and Gabrielle were involved?Reed: Absolutely. Jessica and I still throw around the idea of doing one. We have talked about doing a 20-years-later thing that becomes a generational cheerleader movie. Particularly with the thematics involved, I think that could be something that would be really timely. And hopefully something that would not shy away from the inherent issues of the movie.I think there's a great version to be done, and it's something we've definitely been talking about recently.Guerrasio: "Talking about" — do you mean, like, someone has a draft of a script in a drawer somewhere?Reed: [Laughs.] There are definitely ideas there. Stay tuned.

'Bring It On' 20th anniversary: Director Peyton Reed looks back on the 'Citizen Kane' of cheerleader movies

<ul class="summary-list"><li>"<keyword id="3763248" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="The-Five">The Five</keyword>" has long been an outlier in cable news, both in ratings and occasional controversy.</li><li>The daytime show was initially an experiment, but it developed a loyal following.</li><li>Longtime hosts <keyword id="9343648" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="jesse-watters">Jesse Watters</keyword> and <keyword id="948321" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Dana-Perino">Dana Perino</keyword> spoke with Insider on its 10th anniversary.</li></ul>Stretched almost beyond recognition, head-to-toe portraits of <keyword id="85287" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Fox-News">Fox News</keyword> hosts Dana Perino and Jesse Watters tower above newly returned tourists and office workers outside of the network's Sixth Avenue headquarters in Manhattan.More than a dozen floors above, Watters and Perino sat down in a conference room to discuss the 10th anniversary of their show, "The Five," an unusually lighthearted and slightly raucous panel show with - you guessed it - five hosts.The longtime co-hosts have some of the most loyal fans across cable news and conservative media, despite their show airing at 5 p.m. "The Five" has been the most watched cable news program in its hour since it launched 10 years ago in both overall ratings and the highly coveted 25 to 54 age cohort, averaging over 2.6 million total viewers in the second quarter of 2021, according to Nielsen ratings.Watters and Perino spoke to Insider about the show's evolution over the past decade and how they view their responsibilities as cable news hosts in a polarized country.This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.Insider's Jake Lahut: If you could go back to 10 years ago when you were starting the show, what's one thing you would tell yourself about what would happen over the next decade? Both for the show and just you personally.Dana Perino: I think that for me, I was a [Fox News] contributor, but that was only one part of several things that I did in my day. So I had my own public relations business called Dana Perino Communications. I was Senate confirmed as a Barack Obama appointee on the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which was actually a lot more work than you think, because you oversee Voice of America and all those things. And I loved that from the foreign policy standpoint, because I was just coming out of the White House [as the press secretary for former President George W. Bush].And my favorite thing to do every day, out of all of those things, was if Fox called and ask if I could do a hit on somebody's show.When "The Five" started, it was just supposed to be five weeks, temporary show. That's what they said, you know, come from July 11th to Labor Day, and they thought that they would launch whatever show is going to replace Glenn back at 5 p.m. So I thought - when you asked me that question, like, what would I wish that I had known - in a way I wish I had known that I would be able to do this as a career and not have all of these pivots, because I was pretty reserved and reluctant to rock any boats, or be funny, or get myself possibly canceled.Jesse Watters: So I came on four years ago and had never been a co-host or an anchor. I came from the street [the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqIwrT2PkMM">"Watters World" recurring segment</a> from Bill O'Reilly's show]. So this was pretty fresh, but what I've learned - and it's almost, like, just this last year by having nothing else to do because of COVID - I've started really developing sources. And I hadn't done that before. So now, if we're doing a topic, I have like three or four or five people I can just call who are experts in that field, an energy guy, a foreign policy guy, maybe an immigration person, and I can text or hop on the phone and say, what's the deal. And they can give me great background. And then I can present my commentary with a little bit more on the ground, factual information that no one else really has. Lahut: So in broad strokes, how do you view the role of humor on the show? The rest of cable news can be very doom and gloom, a little ominous, often a bit angry.Perino: I just had to figure out a way to express my own opinion, because for 20 years, my career had been speaking on behalf of somebody else, which I was very comfortable doing. But there was a shield there. Right? It just took a while for me to get comfortable with that. But I think that being at that table where everyone had a lot of mutual respect for each other's backgrounds, and then adding that lightness where we didn't take ourselves that seriously, the issue seriously and our job seriously. But we were able to have fun. The show was set up as if you were having dinner with your family, and I grew up having robust discussions with my family at the dinner table. And that's not all doom and gloom when you're with your family. I think that's one of the reasons we have fans - and Jessie's met a few of them, believe it or not, in Washington Square Park, who said I've watched every day since I was 13-years-old, and it's been on for 10 years. And you have people now where it's intergenerational. Like there was this great family that we talked to a few years ago where every day at five o'clock, they would get on either Skype or FaceTime with their grandmother and they would watch the show together.Lahut: Has it been more difficult to do Biden segments on the show compared to Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama?Watters: Well, it hasn't been trickier for us, maybe for the producers who have to set the rundown of the show. Everything in the last four years was Trump-centric. It was based on his personality and then the clashes that he was generating through the media and the Democrats, so it was just always a battle there. But now, Joe Biden doesn't make news. He sometimes purposely doesn't make news. That's by design.So we're covering <keyword id="6358883" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="politics">politics</keyword> in a way where there isn't really a strong presence of the commander-in-chief, which is very different even from Obama.Perino: It's very strange to have worked at a place where you have the bully pulpit and not use it. However, I think it has been much more difficult for our competition right now than it is for us. We can talk about anything. We could talk about literally anything. We could talk about this box of Chlorox wipes in front of us, and we would have an entire five minute segment about the wipes, and we would make it hilarious.Lahut: While you're on that, Dana, I was wondering how you think Jen Psaki is doing as White House press secretary, having been in the job yourself? Perino: I think she represents her boss very well. And I think she also comes to the job with an incredible amount of experience that I didn't have because she was a spokesperson at the State Department, and she did briefings every day. And if you are able to nail down foreign policy then - well, for me at the briefing, I would say 85% of my questions were foreign policy up until the financial crisis, for her it's been the opposite - but she already has the foreign policy background and she sparred with reporters. There's a guy named <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2014/04/22/ap-reporter-scorches-state-department-spokeswoman-on-hillary-clinton-initiative/">Matt Lee for the AP</a>, and he used to give her the hardest time.But I admire her for doing a briefing every day, and she gets out there. And I think there's some frustration because they're very comfortable not making news, but I do think she does a pretty good job.Lahut: Jesse, I'm wondering where your politics come from and how you think you've evolved ideologically over the years. I wrote a story yesterday on what you said about how <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fox-news-jesse-watters-native-american-won-land-battlefield-video-2021-7">"we won this land on the battlefield" from Native Americans</a>. Obviously indigenous people were upset about that, and that it wasn't a fair fight, and maybe that wasn't the way to describe it - Watters: Not all fights are fair. That's tough.Lahut: What I want to know is, how much of what you come on the air with are things you believe, and how much is hyperbole or trying to have an entertaining show day in and day out? Watters: It's not an hour-long history discussion on the US-Indian wars. If it was a long discussion on that, perhaps, you know, there's more nuance if you have the time. I have about a minute and 30 seconds to make a point.It wasn't even the main point, but the history of the world is a clash of civilizations. That was the history of this continent. Even the South American continent, the Europeans came, settlers clashed with the indigenous people. It was not a fair fight for a host of reasons, as we all know. And, you know, that's history. Lahut: But in terms of like where your conservatism comes from, was that from growing up? You went to Trinity College, right? Watters: I did. I wasn't politically active at all in college until junior year. I listened to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rush-limbaugh-legacy-consequential-figure-american-politics-fairness-doctrine-2021-2">[Rush] Limbaugh</a> and then I became a Rush baby.Lahut: Interesting. Where were you finding Limbaugh? Was this like driving around or in the dining hall or something? Watters: No, I was drunk in my dorm room and I was watching C-SPAN - or I had fallen asleep, and C-SPAN was on. I had seen the senators pontificating about a bill and it sounded like they were expressing the same views as the founders, the Republican senators. Limited government, low taxes, personal responsibility. And I said, well, that makes sense, and that's what I believe. And then from then on, I kind of ascribed to that political thought. Lahut: There have been times when you said something on the show and far-right message boards really lit up. I'm not sure if you heard of the meme "cruises the boards," or "Jesse cruises the boards" in QAnon circles. They think you monitor stuff like 4chan, 8chan, whatever deep corners of Reddit where people talk about that kind of stuff. Watters: I've never been on Reddit. I've only heard of 4chan, I don't even know what that is.Lahut: Does it matter what you really believe if someone out there on the extreme side goes, 'Aha! There it is, I see some representation on this major channel'?Watters: This is the first time I've heard of this. Lahut: You didn't anything hear last summer at all when you <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jesse-watters-baselessly-speculates-george-floyds-death-was-a-hit-2020-6">said the George Floyd murder was "a premeditated hit"</a>? They seemed excited someone was finally talking about this.Watters: No, I didn't know I was cruising the boards [laughs].Lahut: Do you think you have some sort of a responsibility - regardless of intent - over what you say when millions of people watch this stuff, and clips circulate, and people can act on various stuff if they're feeling empowered? Perino: That's a ridiculous responsibility to put on somebody who is asked to come on a show and think through a topic and to communicate about it. And I learned long ago that I can't be responsible for what anybody else says, whether it was in the administration or my friend, my family.Like, I get a choice of what I get to say every day, and I think the reason that "The Five" works so well is that everyone is their authentic selves. If they're not, you could smell it from a mile away, and then they never last on the show. So what we say is what we believe. Maybe we find a creative way to say it or an entertaining way to say it. I don't know of anybody who has been on that actually doesn't say what they believe. Lahut: A lot of segments on the show lately have been about <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-critical-race-theory-why-is-gop-so-obsessed-2021-6">Critical Race Theory</a> and cancel culture. You're both successful, higher income people who live in New York City and happen to be conservative. Do you think being in New York affects how prevalent you see these issues as being? Or do you think this is a serious problem in almost every community nationwide dealing with a crisis of free speech?Perino: I think that you could look to Randi Weingarten, who is the head of the [American Federation of' Teachers Union, who I would've assumed that when you are making that a fundraising plea for a legal defense fund to defend teachers all across the country on critical race theory, she took it - if she thought it was something fringe, she used just made it completely mainstream. And that was her decision. Watters: Well, I just watch the video of some of the largest school districts in the country have parents who are not politically activated, become politically activated, and come into these meetings and are pretty emotional about what they're seeing is reverse racism being taught to their children. So I don't see it as a fringe issue. I see it as a growing threat to our education system and our young generation.Lahut: But what do you think about some of these laws that are being passed in Republican state legislatures? If I understand the consensus on your show correctly, you guys think everything should be taught. Is that a fair description?Watters: You have history class where you learn about the founding. You learn about slavery, the Civil War, all the way up to World War II, and that's history. And I want history taught. Because without that, we don't, we don't have any understanding of where we came from, but that's not what they're trying to do. They're trying to add another piece of the curriculum apart from history class, another class, another course, that's just focused on skin color. And I don't want to judge people on how tall they are, what country they came from, how short they are, what they look like. I don't want to judge people by their physical appearance.I think we should be defined by our brains and by our hearts and our character. And, and to, and to push that on an age group that's so tender and raw, and is just trying to feel their way through puberty - and then is even happening at younger than that fifth grade, fourth grade, I think - I think it's almost like psychological warfare and it's incredibly hurtful and divisive, especially at a time when these kids have already lost a year remote learning. They're already almost a year behind, and you want to pump their brains full of very, very hateful racial propaganda. And the parents agree with me. All parents agree with me. I think I speak for all parents [laughs].And of all races, too. Black and Hispanic parents are also making their voices heard. They don't want this.Lahut: And that's in the clips, and a lot of this comes down to teachers' discretion. Yet the Florida laws are doing something that a lot of free speech advocates would normally be afraid of, which is the government coming in and strictly limiting what can and cannot be mentioned in a class.Perino: But if you believe in a Republic as we have, and a Federalist system, you might say that the states make decisions about schools. You have parents who have never even heard of who their school boards are, who are now deeply engrained in it. But the state legislatures, from my perspective - I'm not speaking for the whole table - but if the states want to try to take that on, I think that's the more appropriate place. I don't think Congress should try to do that. I don't think that is a federal decision. I think that a lot of these decisions are best made by local community.Lahut: Big picture, what do you think about the notion that we can't even agree on a basic set of facts anymore? There are people out there who blame cable news for how divided the country is. Is there something "The Five" can do that runs counter to this? Perino: I think we're all pretty intelligent people that can agree on facts. I mean, sometimes you could argue about facts, but the facts are facts are facts. And we have great producers who help us be able to show that visually.Lahut: Or like on vaccines, I know you've all been quite transparent on the show about getting it and encouraging viewers to get it, but <a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2021/04/23/republican-men-are-vaccine-hesitant-but-theres-little-focus-on-them">conservative men have remained the most vaccine hesitant group in polling</a>, and that's a major portion of your audience. Watters: Well, I got vaxxed. I got the J&amp;J because I'm afraid of needles. And I told people, if you want to get the vaccine, go get the vaccine, go get vaccinated and it's going to help kill this bug. And it did. Thank God. And it's great.Perino: I mean, and I think that you talked about being in New York. I mean, most people I know are vaccinated, but I know that there are many who aren't. For me, I've just been trying to focus on the fact that the science is incredible. Our researchers are amazing people. The fact that they were able to figure this out, and as quickly as they did - and President Trump deserves a lot of credit for putting the muscle behind it and you know, the production, the muscle and the money to be able to fund it so that we could actually have this.

Fox News hosts talk Biden, Critical Race Theory, and vaccines to mark the 10th anniversary of 'The Five': Q&A

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="12367972" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="barbados" source="Orion">Barbados</keyword> removed <keyword id="11893534" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="queen-elizabeth-ii" source="Orion">Queen Elizabeth II</keyword> as its head of state and declared itself a republic on Tuesday.</li><li>It also declared <keyword id="12048137" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="rihanna" source="Orion">Rihanna</keyword> a national hero at the ceremony.</li></ul>Barbados removed <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/queen-elizabeth">Queen Elizabeth II</a> as its head of state and declared itself a republic as the clock turned midnight on Tuesday. One of its first acts as the world's newest republic was to declare Rihanna a national hero, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-59470843">the BBC reported</a>.<a href="https://www.insider.com/barbados-elects-first-ever-president-replace-queen-head-of-state-2021-10">After swearing allegiance to the new president, Dame Sandra Mason,</a> Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley honored the 33-year-old Barbadian singer and entrepreneur at the country's celebrations.<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2021/nov/30/barbados-declares-rihanna-a-national-hero-during-republic-ceremony-video">According to a video published by The Guardian,</a> Mottley told the singer: "On behalf of a grateful nation, but an even prouder people, we therefore present to you, the designee, for national hero of Barbados, Ambassador Robyn Rihanna Fenty.""May you continue to shine like a diamond and bring honor to your nation by your works, by your actions, and to do credit wherever you shall go" she added, referencing Rihanna's song "Diamonds." <a href="https://www.insider.com/barbados-removing-queen-head-of-state-next-year-republic-2020-9">Plans to remove the Queen as the institutional monarch were first announced in September 2020,</a> Insider's Mikhaila Friel previously reported.Reading a speech written by Mottley at the state opening of parliament at the time, Mason said: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/16/barbados-revives-plan-to-remove-queen-as-head-of-state-and-become-a-republic">"The time has come to fully leave our colonial past behind,"</a> according to The Guardian."Barbadians want a Barbadian head of state. This is the ultimate statement of confidence in who we are and what we are capable of achieving," she added.Barbados' tourism website notes that <a href="https://barbados.org/history1.htm#.YaYMI9bP23I">the nation was ruled by the British crown for almost 400 years</a> before gaining independence in 1966, but the Queen remained head of state until Tuesday. The ceremony took place on the 55th anniversary of this date and saw Prince Charles, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXzlLkk8YUs">who arrived at the Caribbean island on Monday</a> according to The Royal Family YouTube channel, address guests with a speech. According to The Independent, <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/barbados-republic-prince-charles-slavery-b1966511.html">he said that the creation of the republic "offers a new beginning</a>" and acknowledged the part that Britain played in the transatlantic slave trade. "From the darkest days of our past, and the appalling atrocity of slavery, which forever stains our history, the people of this island forged their path with extraordinary fortitude," he added. <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyaNikkhah/status/1465563077034889223">The Queen said the island nation has a "special place" in her heart</a> for "its vibrant culture, its sporting prowess, and its natural beauty," in a letter to Mason, posted to Twitter on Tuesday by The Sunday Times' Royal Editor Roya Nikkhah.She also offered "warmest good wishes for your happiness, peace, and prosperity in the future." Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

One of Barbados' first moves after becoming a republic was to declare Rihanna a national hero

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>China is preparing to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.</li><li>In the run-up to this celebration the Communist Party has ramped up its censorship of domestic movies, with at least two long-awaited Chinese blockbusters getting unexpectedly axed this summer.</li><li>This censorship has in turn opened up the Chinese box office for Hollywood films to fill the void, negating fears that the US-China trade war could crush revenues for American movies in the country.</li><li>Experts told Business Insider that Hollywood has a "big opening" to take advantage of China's increasing censorship of domestic movies.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/us-china-trade-war">ongoing US-China trade war</a> has ignited fears that Hollywood, which is increasingly relying on China for financial success, would lose out on its biggest market.But those fears are misplaced, experts say, and China's ever-tightening censorship on its own movies means that a gap is actually opening up for American blockbusters to fill.China's ruling Communist Party has been particularly sensitive and paranoid over its censorship this year as it prepares to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>The party is already notorious for censoring any and all content seen to jeopardize its morals or hold on power, from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-china-deals-with-dissent-threats-family-arrests-2018-8">deleting social media posts and detaining livestreamers</a>, to cutting out movie scenes it considers uncouth, like those depicting <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hbo-game-of-thrones-season-8-premiere-censored-in-china-fans-upset-2019-4">sex and fighting in "Game of Thrones"</a> and or <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bohemian-rhapsody-china-release-raises-censorship-concerns-2019-2">LGBT romance in "Bohemian Rhapsody."</a>China is in the midst of preparations for its big anniversary in October - the first significant anniversary since it emerged as a global superpower, which will be celebrated with a <a href="https://www.hongkongfp.com/2019/08/29/plan-huge-anniversary-military-parade-set-largest-chinas-history/">massive patriotic military parade.</a>As part of those preparations it has further ramped up its scrutiny of domestically-made movies, with at least two long-awaited Chinese blockbusters being canceled this summer.Neither of those cancellations have been explicitly blamed on censorship concerns, but experts say that this is pretty obviously the reason.In June, Chinese censors canceled the long-awaited box-office opening of "The Eight Hundred," an $80 million, patriotic World War II movie that focuses on the Communist Party's 1949 rivals, the Kuomintang.Beijing blamed the cancellation on "technical reasons," <a href="https://variety.com/2019/film/news/history-why-eight-hundred-shanghai-cancelled-1203244771/">Variety reported</a>. But according to the magazine, the film was axed because the China Red Culture Research Association - a research group sympathetic to the ruling Communist Party - said the film depicted the Kuomintang too sensitively."It is a reversal of history, and misleads the audience. If left unchecked, it will certainly deprive the entire Communist Party of its historical basis," the group's secretary-general Wang Benzhou said, according to Variety.Censors also pulled "The Hidden Sword," a long-awaited summer movie about about a 1930s military officer who led the Chinese fight against Japanese soldiers at the Great Wall, for "market reasons."Again, critics are skeptical about the true reasons for the film being scrapped, and some believe it was axed because the movie's hero fought for the Kuomintang instead of the Communist Party, the <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3018850/chinese-movie-fans-say-censors-are-tightening-their-grip-hidden">South China Morning Post</a> and Variety reported.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>"Anything that deals with the [Communist] Party history or anything that's at all controversial, especially about the Chinese past, has not been allowed to show in Chinese theatres," Stanley Rosen, a political science professor and cinema expert at the University of Southern California told Business Insider.Rosen said: "The official designation [of the cancellation] is 'technical reasons,' but it's basically censorship."Xin Zhang, an analyst at IHS Markit focusing on Chinese cinema, told Business Insider the censorship "is not only for foreign films, but also for local films."It has a strict censorship for which films are going to screen in the market."This is reflected in the decreased number of films, both domestic and foreign, shown in China this year so far. A total of 68 movies were scheduled to be shown in the country between late June and the end of August, <a href="https://qz.com/quartzy/1667963/chinas-censorship-is-sinking-its-own-movie-market/">Quartz reported</a> in July, citing statistics from China's Maoyan movie-ticketing site.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div><h2>Chinese domestic censorship has cleared the way for Hollywood to take advantage</h2>China's increased censorship may have tanked the release of some of its biggest domestic movies, but in doing so, Beijing has made&#xa0;way for American blockbusters to fill the gap.This in turn has negated Hollywood producers' fears that China would use the US movie industry as a stick to beat Washington with in the ongoing trade war between the two countries by not importing Hollywood films.Hollywood studios are heavily reliant on overseas box offices for revenues, with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-approving-more-hollywood-movies-to-reach-goal-by-years-end-2018-12">China being the most important market</a>.Under an official quota, China can publicly screen 34 foreign films a year. These movies generally come from countries with sizable movie industries like the US, UK, South Korea, and India, and the film producers take a cut of the box-office earnings made in China.While countries like the UK do contribute, Hollywood films currently account for 85% to 90% of the total number of imported films in the Chinese market, Zhang said.The quota has been surpassed in both of the last two years, and was meant to be renegotiated in 2017, but that renegotiation has been kicked into the long grass, possibly due to the trade war, according to both <a href="https://cn.reuters.com/article/usa-trade-china-movies-idCNL3N1SP2HR">Reuters</a> and <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2153976/hollywood-edge-its-seat-waiting-china-deal-amid-trade">The South China Morning Post</a>. China imported 40 revenue-sharing films in 2017 and 42 in 2018, according to IHS Markit statistics.Hollywood producers typically take 35% to 40% of the market share from Chinese cinemas, Zhang said.US and Canadian box offices earned a total of $11.9 billion on all films last year, while China alone earned $9 billion, according to the&#xa0;<a href="https://www.mpaa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MPAA-THEME-Report-2018.pdf">Motion Picture Association of America</a>.&#xa0;So precious is the revenue made by Hollywood movies in China, producers have even appeared to self-censor movies in order to pass censors and ensure their films are shown.Most recently the "Top Gun: Maverick" appeared to censor itself by <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-guns-maverick-appears-changed-to-please-chinas-communist-party-2019-7">removing a Taiwanese flag from the jacket of its titular character, Maverick, played by Tom Cruise.</a>Read more:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/4-times-hollywood-changed-its-movies-to-keep-china-happy-2019-8">&#xa0;4 times Hollywood changed movies to keep China happy</a><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Having feared that the Chinese box office revenue stream would dry up as a result of the trade war, Beijing's scrapping of its own blockbusters "leaves a big opening for Hollywood blockbusters to show, even over the summer," Rosen said.And the numbers show it:<ul><li>"Avengers: Endgame" <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/marvel-china-popularity-over-star-wars-shows-franchise-is-more-valuable-2019-5">broke box-office records</a> by earning $614 million in China alone in May. It made $850 million in the US by comparison, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2019/07/12/avengers-endgame-avatar-marvel-cameron-star-wars-alita-aquaman-spider-man-disney-china-box-office/#4c28e7ea396d">according to Forbes</a>.</li><li>"The Lion King" raked in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-lion-king-slammed-by-critic-reviews-loved-by-audiences-2019-7">$97 million</a> in China in July.</li><li>"Spider-Man: Far From Home" earned <a href="https://variety.com/2019/film/news/spider-man-far-from-home-china-toy-story-4-spirited-away-1203256752/">$97.2 million</a> in its opening weekend this July.</li><li>"Hobbs &amp; Shaw" earned $164 million in its first ten days in China - surpassing the $157 million earned in North America over its first three weekends, <a href="https://variety.com/2019/film/asia/hobbs-shaw-china-box-office-overtakes-north-america-gross-in-second-weekend-1203320783/">Variety reported</a>. This was actually <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hobbs-and-shaw-underperforming-at-the-china-box-office-2019-9">an underperformance</a> in the country given the popularity of the franchise and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.</li></ul>"Chinese people have continued to show enthusiasm in watching big Hollywood films," Jue Wang, a lecturer at the Leiden University Institute for Area Studies, told Business Insider.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-hollywood-movies-at-china-box-office-in-2018-venom-aquaman-2018-12">9 Hollywood movies that dominated the Chinese box office in 2018, including some that underperformed in the US</a><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Hollywood's success at the Chinese box office in 2019 counters fears among film producers that China would stop importing American films to punish President Donald Trump over the trade war.The Washington Post in June <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2019/06/14/trade-wars-unlikely-victim-hollywood/">cited</a> producers as saying that they are already working under the assumption of a Chinese freeze on American films, and that "the industry is operating as if it's close to a total shutdown.""People say with the trade war, for example, is going to hurt Hollywood. But in fact for a variety of reasons the trade war has not hurt Hollywood blockbusters at all," Rosen told Business Insider.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>The Communist Party's censorship isn't the only reason behind Hollywood's unexpected success in China, though.China, in a way, can't afford to boycott all Hollywood films. The country's nascent film industry doesn't make enough movies to prop up the market alone - the US and UK each produce about 700 films a year, while China only produces 300, Zhang said."So they [China] do need a lot of diversity and a lot of options for cinema-goers," she said.Another reason behind Hollywood's summer boom is that there have just been a bunch of great movies this year, and China simply doesn't want to miss out."Hollywood this year has had very strong titles, like 'Avengers: Endgame,'" Zhang said. "It's a very big title and has performed very well - not only in China, [but] in every country, every market."<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div><h2>Hollywood takes advantage, but independent US movies are suffering in China</h2>Not all American movies are safe from the trade war, though. Independent, lower-budget films have been suffering since 2017, months before Trump began his trade war.After Beijing ordered businesses to clamp down on investing abroad in 2017 - an effort to stop too much money from leaving the country - one of the first things that lost Chinese investment were independent films, Wang said. Trade tensions have further exacerbated this hesitancy, she said.Rosen said: "No one knows whether the Chinese authorities are going to approve showing these films because of the trade war with the US, for example, [and] whether theater owners will show these films in theaters.""Hollywood's doing well, but independent filmmakers are not," he added.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Hollywood's China boom might not last for long, though.Chinese regulators are "mercurial," and business with the US is "subject to geopolitical crosswinds," The Washington Post noted in its June story.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hollywood-made-in-china-excerpt-2017-1">Aynne Kokas</a>, a University of Virginia media professor and Chinese cinema expert, also told The Post that instability in the Chinese box office "poses a dire situation for Hollywood.""It's a very dangerous financial position to be reliant on Chinese box office to recoup profits," she said.<div></div> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/democratic-candidates-2020-presidential-debate-us-economy-2019-7">Here's how the top 7 Democratic presidential candidates want to transform the US economy</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

China is ramping up censorship of its movie industry ahead of its huge 70th anniversary celebrations, and Hollywood is stepping in to fill the void

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">US Air National GuardSpecially painted A-10C flying over Normandy.</div></div></div>The Michigan Air National Guard's 107th Fighter Squadron flew a specially painted A-10C Warthog over the beaches of Normandy on Tuesday to commemorate the 74th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. D-Day is one of the largest amphibious military assaults in history, with 156,000 allied troops landing on five beaches and about 13,000 paratroopers dropping behind German lines. And the 107th, which took part in the invasion, flew a pair of A-10s, multiple C-130 Hercules and even dropped paratroopers over the beaches of Normandy to commemorate the historical event. It was the first time the 107th was assigned a mission in France since World War II. Check out the photos below:

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