🤔 Airbnb CEO slaps tech leaders on AI's bad image

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky stated that tech CEOs are partly responsible for AI getting a bad reputation. He mentioned this during an interview on the Yahoo Finance podcast 'Power Players with Brian Sozzi'. Chesky noted that 159 out of 175 companies at Y Combinator focused on enterprise over consumer products. He believes AI needs to offer practical benefits for regular people, not just enterprise software. This shift is needed because the concept of AI isn't popular outside of Silicon Valley.

🔬 New triple treatment clears HIV in baby primates

A new study found that a triple therapy can permanently eliminate HIV in newborn primates. Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University conducted this work using nonhuman primates from Oregon and California. The treatment combined neutralizing antibodies, antiretroviral therapy, and leronlimab, and was tested on primates within three days of birth. This breakthrough suggests a path to eliminating HIV infection, potentially impacting the 600,000 people killed globally each year. The next step involves testing this successful regimen in newly exposed adults. 🔬

📈 CXMT Surpasses Tencent as China's Most Valued Firm

CXMT has overtaken Tencent to claim the title of China's most valuable company. This shift was reported by Bloomberg.com, detailing the recent valuation changes. As of the latest data, CXMT's market capitalization surpassed Tencent's figure. This indicates a significant power dynamic change within the Chinese tech landscape. Investors are now closely watching how CXMT continues its growth trajectory going forward.

⚖️ Teacher challenges suspension over Savarkar quiz question

A school teacher, Guruprasad Rai K, has approached the Kerala High Court challenging his suspension. He was suspended after framing a quiz question naming VD Savarkar as a freedom fighter who faced the maximum British punishment. This incident occurred in Kasargode, and the suspension was issued on August 9. Rai argues the suspension was based on personal feelings and violates departmental rules, not factual error. The Court has asked the State government to provide specific reasons for the suspension, with the next hearing set for August 17. ⚖️

⚖️ Supreme Court gives Centre ultimatum on food labeling

The Supreme Court issued a strong ultimatum to the Central Government regarding front-of-pack warning labels on high-sugar, salt, and fat packaged foods. This directive was issued after a bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice K Vinod Chandran questioned FSSAI's stance on March 7. The court expressed displeasure, suggesting the government was yielding to corporate pressure concerning citizen health. The Centre was given two weeks to comply with the labelling proposal, or a further order would be issued. 😠

🏥 Nurse Found Dead at Kolkata Hospital

A female nurse was discovered deceased inside a washroom at N.R.S. Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on Wednesday, August 12, 2026. The 30-year-old nurse was on her night shift after clocking in around 8 p.m. that same day. Colleagues couldn't find her for about two hours, and she was later found unconscious before being declared dead. Police found no visible injuries or a suicide note at the scene. A post-mortem is ongoing as authorities investigate if it was suicide or foul play.

🔬 MXene synthesis sped up drastically with flash heating

Researchers have developed a new method that uses flash heating to synthesize MXene. This technique was successfully tested by a team at Nanowerk. The process managed to reduce the synthesis time from several hours down to mere seconds. This significant advancement offers a major boost to the production efficiency of this advanced material. Further research will focus on scaling up this rapid synthesis process for broader applications. 🔬

⚽ Google drops 9 new soccer wallpapers for Pixel fans

Google has partnered with three major European soccer teams to add new wallpapers for Pixel users. The teams involved are FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), and FC Bayern. Specifically, three wallpapers for each team have been released, totaling nine new options. These partnerships suggest future features like custom app icons and personalization options for fans. Users can currently find these new designs in the Wallpaper and Style section on their Pixel devices. ⚽

🤖 AI use is now part of your performance review

Companies are starting to assess employee performance based on their use of Artificial Intelligence tools across the board. Gusto, for instance, categorizes workers into AI archetypes like 'observers' and 'amplifiers' during quarterly reviews. This trend involves platforms like General Assembly finding nearly half of 500 business leaders have included AI in reviews as of the recent survey. While some companies like Meta faced scrutiny over AI-based ranking, others are focusing on the quality of AI integration. Ultimately, businesses are trying to standardize AI fluency, but clear metrics for success are still being figured out. 🤖

🏛️ Rahul Gandhi challenges CBI probe orders in Supreme Court

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has challenged the Allahabad High Court's orders regarding disproportionate asset claims. He is challenging the directives given to the CBI and Enforcement Directorate by the High Court. These allegations originated from a complaint filed by BJP worker Vignesh Shishir in Karnataka. The High Court previously directed verification of the allegations in May and later expressed dissatisfaction with the CBI's affidavit on July 20. Both petitions, including a transfer request, were filed with the Supreme Court on August 7 for hearing on August 17.

🔬 Scientists closer to 4D Quantum Hall Effect

Researchers from Tsinghua, Peking, and ShanghaiTech Universities are pursuing the 4D quantum Hall effect by compensating signal loss in topological insulators. They utilized the topological magnetoelectric effect, which links polarization changes to magnetic fields. By introducing a tunable negative capacitance, the team recovered over 95% of the quantized charge signal from a half-attenuated state. This method addresses signal diminution caused by capacitance ratios in the materials. The next step is using this robust technique for direct measurements of this elusive quantum state. 🔬