🐘 Drawing contest at Vizag zoo for World Elephant Day

The Indira Gandhi Zoological Park in Visakhapatnam is hosting a drawing competition for World Elephant Day observance. The event is scheduled for Sunday, August 9, 2026, taking place at the Zoo Bioscope from 10 a.m. to noon. There are three categories: Classes I-V focusing on 'My Elephant and Its Keeper'. Senior students (VI-X) will draw on 'Elephant: India’s National Heritage Animal'. The final category for intermediate to postgraduate students is 'Human-Elephant Coexistence: Challenges, Innovations and Sustainable Solutions' 🐘.

🏥 Earthquake rocks Japan hospital during surgery

A magnitude 6.8 earthquake recently shook Kumamoto General Hospital in Japan. Security camera footage captured the moment while four surgeries were actively happening in the facility. The tremor caused equipment to sway violently, prompting staff to shield patients and secure evacuation routes. Despite the chaos, the hospital confirmed that all four operations were successfully finished. Normal outpatient services resumed at the hospital on August 5 after the suspension following the earthquake on July 28. 🏥

🚨 Passenger arrested for mid-air exit attempt

A passenger was arrested for allegedly trying to force open an emergency exit on a Kuala Lumpur-Kochi flight. The incident happened to Jamsheer Athanikkal, a 36-year-old from Koottanad, aboard Batik Air flight OD 231 on Wednesday. The attempt occurred between 9:30 pm and 11:05 pm, damaging the window panel and causing panic. CISF detained Athanikkal after the aircraft landed at Cochin International Airport at 2:40 am on Thursday. He faces multiple charges related to criminal intimidation and endangering public safety. ✈️

🦟 Kerala sees rise in chikungunya cases 🦟

Kerala has reported 105 confirmed and 62 probable chikungunya cases, mostly in Thiruvananthapuram. Health officials link this spike to favorable monsoon conditions for mosquito breeding. The disease causes high morbidity with severe joint inflammation, but is rarely fatal. Authorities are now stepping up surveillance and public awareness campaigns across affected zones. Prevention remains key by eliminating stagnant water sources around homes.

🗳️ Belagavi district misses 12.5% voters in SIR

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Karnataka is nearing its August 8, 2026, deadline. In Belagavi district, 87.5% of the 41,07,000 voters across 18 assembly constituencies have been digitized. Around 35,89,825 forms have been digitized out of 35,94,820 returned forms. Activists are concerned about the high exclusion rate, prompting requests for an extension. The final voter list will be published after reviewing all objections.

🤖 Meta admits algorithm issues in talks with Indian govt

Meta has acknowledged shortcomings within its algorithmic mechanisms during a technical meeting with officials from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). This discussion took place as the Central government increased engagement over regulatory compliance issues with the social media giant. The company is expected to keep its global technical team in India for subsequent talks with government officials. MeitY stressed that all digital platforms must fully adhere to Indian laws and needs swift corrective action. Further meetings are anticipated in the coming days to resolve the outstanding concerns.

🔫 Teen kills grandparents before shooting 5 at school

A 14-year-old student allegedly killed his grandparents before attending a school in Nonthaburi province. The shooter then killed five teachers at the Debsirin School on August 7, 2026. The incident occurred just after 10:00 local time, and the teen subsequently took his own life. The 9mm handgun used belonged to his grandfather, who was a teacher. Police are currently investigating the motive behind this tragic mass shooting. 😥

🌧️ Himachal faces orange alert due to heavy rains 🌧️

The Shimla Met office issued an 'orange alert' for heavy to very heavy rains across isolated parts of Himachal Pradesh for Monday and Tuesday. As of Friday morning, August 7, 2026, a total of 145 roads across the state had been closed due to heavy rains. Dharamshala received 79 mm of rain in the last 24 hours, with Mandi also recording 63.4 mm. Since the monsoon started on June 30, 64 people have died, and the state has faced losses amounting to ₹797 crore. Authorities are monitoring the situation ahead of the forecasted severe weather.

🇮🇳 Modi meets new NDA MPs, reassures former Sena members

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a breakfast meeting with 26 newly inducted NDA MPs, advising them to focus on state development and parliamentary debates. He specifically reassured six former Uddhav Sena MPs who joined the Shinde Sena, speaking to them in Marathi. These outreach efforts are crucial as the BJP seeks numbers to pass key Constitutional Amendment Bills. Following the induction, the BJP-led NDA's Lok Sabha strength grew from 293 to 319. The alliance is publicly embracing these new members to solidify its position ahead of crucial legislative votes. 🤝

🥹 Comedian Zarna Garg Cries Over Big US Ad Win 🥹

Indian-American comedian Zarna Garg broke down in tears after landing a role as the face of a major US ad campaign. This milestone achievement was shared by Garg on Instagram from her home in the US. The comedian expressed shock after overcoming numerous rejections throughout her career journey. She highlighted that she felt overlooked as a middle-aged, immigrant mother with an accent. Garg dedicated this victory to all mothers globally who supported her path.

💰 PayGlocal sets sights on $120M valuation

Cross-border payments startup PayGlocal is set to raise Rs 36.38 crore from existing investor BEENEXT in its first funding round in over four years. This Bengaluru-based company will see its valuation jump 31.8% to Rs 1,140 crore or $120 million. The raise involves issuing 5,074 compulsory convertible preference shares at Rs 71,693.02 per share. PayGlocal offers RBI-authorised payment infrastructure to Indian businesses accepting international payments. Following this, Peak XV will maintain the largest external shareholder stake at 34.04%.