⚖️ BJP Councillor's Status Up in Air After Letter Recall

Uncertainty hangs over BJP councillor R.Sugathan's position following the Kerala Home department's withdrawal of an official letter. The letter, issued on July 20, allowed Thiruvananthapuram Mayor V.V.Rajesh to grant him six months leave for council meetings. Sugathan, arrested under KAAPA and housed at Viyyur Central Prison, needed this leave to avoid disqualification after missing two meetings. The Opposition UDF and LDF are now demanding the cancellation of the leave and his disqualification, citing Section 91(k) of the Kerala Municipality Act, 1994. Both political fronts are expected to take legal action regarding this matter. ⚖️

⛽ Saudi oil route takes a massive detour

Saudi Arabia has implemented a complex $5 per barrel oil detour to bypass volatile shipping chokepoints. This new route moves crude from the kingdom west to Yanbu, then through Egypt and the Mediterranean before sailing around Africa to Asia. The journey can extend from about 19 days to 48 days, significantly increasing fuel and canal fees. Aramco is considering a separate pricing mechanism for crude loaded at Sidi Kerir to reflect these logistics costs. This extra cost is seen as insuring against major supply disruptions, making redundancy valuable. ⛽

😔 Car crash on Tirupati road: Pilgrim dies, five hurt

A car carrying a six-member pilgrim family crashed into a gorge on the first ghat road leading to Tirupati on Friday. The accident involved a 72-year-old pilgrim from Bengaluru and his five family members. The plunge occurred near the 22nd hairpin bend after the driver reportedly dozed off. The injured were taken to SVIMS, but the elderly pilgrim later passed away during treatment. Police have registered a case and are currently gathering more information about the incident. 😔

🩺 Jipmer launches newborn screening for disorders

Jipmer has inaugurated a Universal Newborn Screening (NBS) programme alongside a dedicated NBS laboratory. The program was recently launched by Saka Vinod Kumar, the Medical Superintendent of Jipmer. It aims to screen every eligible newborn for congenital disorders using DBS samples. Early detection is crucial to prevent irreversible complications like intellectual disability and death. Jipmer plans to expand the range of conditions covered in the coming years. 🩺

🧑‍💼 APSRTC employees push EPFO for better pensions

APSRTC employees met with the EPFO Regional Provident Fund Commissioner-I in Hyderabad to address several long-pending issues. The delegation, led by N. Balasubrahmanyam, sought resolution on higher pension, EPF benefits, and various administrative glitches. They requested EPFO to approve higher pension for nearly 6,000 rejected applicants and provide flexibility for 8,000 others. The employees also demanded pension recalculations based on 2013 and 2017 PRC revisions, opposing the Double Slab formula. The Commissioner assured them that all concerns would be examined and resolved soon. 🤝

⚛️ Hiroshima bomb created a new super material

The atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima caused massive destruction, vaporizing much of the city and killing an estimated 140,000 residents. The blast, which occurred on August 6, 1945, had a yield near 15 kilotons and destroyed about 70% of structures. Rapid cooling created tiny glassy particles called "Hiroshimaites," now found in Hiroshima Bay sands. Crystallographer Luca Bindi's team studied these particles, finding an unknown crystal structure. This unique alloy possesses an AlAu₄-type atomic structure formed during the fiery condensation.

🚀 India unveils first private 800kN rocket engine

A Bengaluru-based space company unveiled India's first privately built 800 kN Full-Flow Staged Combustion (FFSC) LOX-Methane rocket engine on Friday. Astrobase Space Technologies developed this engine, named EVEREST, making India the fourth nation with this FFSC technology, alongside Russia, the U.S., and China. The engine boasts 800 kN thrust and 340 seconds of specific impulse, designed for reusable medium-lift vehicles. This milestone strengthens India’s indigenous launch infrastructure and supports launch-on-demand capabilities. The next step involves a full-engine hot-fire test, followed by vehicle integration and orbital launch development. 🚀

😠 Kerala residents restart protest against poultry waste unit

Residents resumed their protest against the Freshcut poultry waste rendering unit in Ambayathode, Kozhikode, on Friday, August 7. This facility, operational since 2014, has faced controversy for over five years due to foul odours and water contamination concerns. The protest followed the Kerala High Court staying the Kerala State Pollution Control Board’s order to shut down the factory. Action committee members vowed to stop waste lorries and block operations, while MLAs offered legal support. Soon, a joint inspection report on the factory's functioning will be submitted following the High Court's latest instructions. 😠

🔬 AI to predict tiny chip flaws

Researchers are developing the Materials Discovery Cloud to understand how small flaws affect microelectronics performance over time. This project involves Argonne National Laboratory, Berkeley Lab, ORNL, and Northwestern University. It leverages data from August 7, 2026, onwards, as part of DOE’s Genesis Mission. The AI framework will connect defect distributions in materials to key electrical and thermal properties. This aims to help design better next-generation devices by integrating experiments and simulations. 🔬

☔ Delhi-NCR floods streets amid heavy rain chaos

Heavy rain pounded Delhi-NCR throughout the day on Friday, causing widespread waterlogging and severe traffic disruptions across the region. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for Delhi due to the relentless monsoon showers. This weather event led to submerged roads and major commuting issues for thousands of people. A rare combination of weather systems intensified the monsoon spell, prompting further warnings from the IMD. Residents are expected to face more heavy rainfall and localised flooding in the near future. ☔

🏠 Tirupati Property Expo kicks off with 2000+ listings

The CREDAI Tirupati Property Expo 2026 officially started at Sree Convention Centre in Tirupati on Friday. Tirupati MLA Arani Srinivasulu inaugurated this three-day event alongside several other dignitaries. Over 2,000 properties, ranging from ₹40 lakh to ₹4 crore, are currently on display for buyers. The expo features 56 stalls from 20 builders and offers home loan assistance from leading banks. Organizers anticipate around 4,000 visitors and 300 property bookings by the end of the event.