👋 Google chief scientist Jeff Dean is leaving after 27 years

Jeff Dean, Google's chief scientist, is departing after 27 years to co-found the AI startup Discovery Loop. He is leaving Google DeepMind where he worked since 1999, and his last day is set for Thursday, August 6. Dean co-founds the new public benefit corporation with Sanjay Ghemawat, Oriol Vinyals, and Quoc Le. His move aims to build self-improving AI for science and drug discovery, bypassing bureaucracy. Alphabet is supporting the startup as a founding investor and compute partner.

⚖️ FCRA amendment bill sparks political firestorm

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, aims to control foreign donations received by organizations in India. The bill proposes a 'designated authority' to manage assets of organizations whose registration is cancelled or surrendered. This is controversial because critics argue it will harm NGOs, especially minority-run ones. Opposition parties claim the bill is unconstitutional and a threat to social service institutions. Further discussions are expected as the Monsoon Session continues towards August 13. 🧐

🌧️ Delhi gets drenched, Gurugram advises WFH

Heavy rain hit Delhi on Thursday, causing major waterlogging and traffic snarls across the capital. The India Meteorological Department issued an orange alert for the region, with parts under a red alert. Gurugram Police consequently advised corporate offices to enable work-from-home wherever possible. This advisory aims to ease traffic congestion and support ongoing traffic management efforts. The weather situation across North India remains volatile, with alerts in other states too. ☔

⛈️ Delhi red alert extended amid heavy rain ⛈️

Heavy rain lashed Delhi on Thursday morning, leading the IMD to extend its red alert for several capital parts until the afternoon. Gurugram and Faridabad were placed under yellow alert, while Noida and Ghaziabad faced orange alerts. To manage traffic and waterlogging, Gurugram Police advised corporate offices to enforce work-from-home policies. The red alert covers North East, Central, South East, South, New Delhi, and Shahdara districts. This advisory aims to reduce congestion and ensure emergency service access.

🎮 GTA VI drops November 19 on PS5 and Xbox

Grand Theft Auto VI is set to release on November 19th for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The game will be set in the larger state of Leonida, a modern Vice City analogue, and features Lucia Caminos as a playable protagonist. The Standard Edition costs $79.99, while the Ultimate Edition is priced at $99.99, with pre-orders offering a Vintage Vice City Pack. Notably, the campaign is listed as a single-player experience, unlike its predecessors. Multiplayer is expected later, and a PC version has not yet been announced for the launch. 🎮

📉 Parul Gulati's Goa Airbnb dream hit a reality check

Actress Parul Gulati admitted her homestay in Goa is not hitting her initial earnings target of ₹40,000 per night. The property, Malkin House in Nerul, was initially expected to yield a high income when she bought it two years ago. Currently, the two-bedroom villa is only commanding a rent of ₹11,000 per night, significantly less than projected. She acknowledged that competition and off-season factors were not considered during her initial optimistic prediction. This situation highlights the supply vs. demand challenges facing many homestay owners in popular Goa.

💧 Kerala blocks TN's plan to raise Mullaperiyar dam water level

Kerala has firmly stated it will not permit any increase in the water level of the Mullaperiyar dam. This follows Tamil Nadu's announcement in its 2026-27 Budget regarding pursuing reservoir level hikes. The dam, built in 1895 in Idukki district, is a major dispute point between the two states. Kerala insists the old structure must be replaced for public safety, citing unfulfilled Supreme Court directions. Both states are exploring talks between their respective Chief Ministers to address the issue. 💧

🏏 BCCI overhauls fitness after fitness lapses exposed

The BCCI has decided to completely overhaul the Bengaluru Centre of Excellence (CoE) fitness program following recent team injuries. Internal reviews showed that the lack of standardized fitness benchmarks caused issues, which affected players like Harshit Rana and Mohammed Siraj. Specifically, Harshit Rana was flagged as four kilograms overweight after the England series, while Siraj was surprised by the new Bronco test benchmarks. The CoE previously used customized testing, which led to inconsistencies, and the BCCI is unhappy with the current physio. Moving forward, injured players must pass two Bronco tests before being cleared, starting from next week. 🏋️‍♂️

🚀 HSBC picks 10 stocks with big upside potential

HSBC has identified 10 stocks for potential gains as global investors look for safer bets away from volatile AI Asian markets. The brokerage set a target price of Rs 1,430 (37.5% upside) for Hindalco Industries. This analysis follows a potential $25 billion foreign equity inflow into India. The picks span sectors like auto, healthcare, and infrastructure. These recommendations suggest strong growth narratives across various Indian industries moving forward. 📈

🚨 Instagram friend allegedly assaults and kidnaps 12th grader

A 20-year-old BBA student was arrested in Nagpur for allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting a Class 12 girl. The victim was found tied up in a Dighori flat after a 20-hour police search. The accused, Nirmay Madhav Pakhare, befriended her on Instagram last May using a fake profile. He allegedly threatened to upload her photos if she refused their sexual relationship. The accused was taken into police custody for further questioning. 😔

🌧️ Heavy rain hits Delhi, traffic slows down

Heavy rain drenched parts of the national capital this Thursday, prompting the IMD to issue an orange alert for the city. The weather brought relief from the heat, with minimum temperature hitting 26.6 degrees Celsius. The Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 84 at 9 am by the CPCB. This rain is causing significant waterlogging across Delhi, which is slowing down city traffic. Temperatures are expected to remain mild, with a maximum of around 32 degrees Celsius.