🤖 Inchworm-like robot moves without rigid parts

A new soft robot, inspired by an inchworm, has been developed that moves entirely without rigid parts. This creation comes from research at the University of Gothenburg, where Hari Prakash Thanabalan is working. The 3-cm robot mimics muscle flexing using a five-layer polymer-carbon configuration, expanding by about 10% when powered. It has proven durable, running for four hours daily over four months and surviving needle punctures. This technology could eventually be used for Mars exploration or pipeline inspection. 🤖

🤝 US vows full support for Japan post-yen move

The United States has committed to providing complete backing for Japan following recent yen intervention. This support is being offered by Bessent, who addressed the situation concerning Japan. The intervention occurred in response to economic pressures, though specific figures and dates were not detailed. This commitment aims to stabilize the financial environment for the Japanese economy. Future actions will depend on the ongoing market dynamics and policy adjustments.

🚨 Bengaluru police rescue professor and homemaker

Bengaluru police used the Namma 112 system to intervene in multiple emergencies on Saturday. They rescued a 28-year-old private college professor from alleged confinement in R.T. Nagar around 3:20 p.m. The police also saved a homemaker from suicide near K.S. Layout at 3:45 p.m. Furthermore, a 14-month-old child was rescued from a locked room in C.V. Raman Nagar on August 1. Legal proceedings have been initiated regarding the professor's case, and the child was unharmed.

🚗 Supreme Court boosts insurance cover for new vehicles

The Supreme Court extended the mandatory third-party motor insurance coverage for new vehicles by one year on Tuesday, August 4, 2026. This ruling mandates four years of cover for new cars and six years for new two-wheelers across India. The court cited a shocking number of uninsured vehicles leading to victim suffering in compensation claims. Furthermore, the court directed ANPR cameras to integrate with insurance data and proposed denying fuel to uninsured vehicles. This move aims to drastically improve road safety and compliance across the country. 🚗

😠 Udhayanidhi denies Trisha comments, claims misquote

Udhayanidhi Stalin denied making any derogatory remarks against actor Trisha Krishnan, asserting his speech focused only on farmers' issues. The DMK leader was questioned at Sengipatti Police Station in Thanjavur regarding the allegations. His speech reviewed minister performance over the past three months, highlighting farmer problems. Stalin claimed the allegations were based on 'copy-pasted' statements he never made. He stated he is ready to legally challenge the case filed against him. 🚜

🏛️ Supreme Court Daily Updates for August 4, 2026

The Supreme Court conducted its daily proceedings on August 4, 2026. Key hearings took place across various benches in New Delhi. Specific case details and motions were heard throughout the day's session. These proceedings addressed a range of legal matters impacting different sectors. The court is set to continue its regular schedule on the following day.

✨ Laravel Zed extension brings LSP to PHP/Blade

The Laravel team released an official Laravel extension for Zed to connect Laravel LSP to the editor. This update is available in Zed's extension registry as version 0.1.0 on July 30th. It provides features like completions, diagnostics, and code actions for PHP and Blade files. Laravel LSP understands your app, completing config keys and flagging non-existent routes. Users can install it via the Extensions page with no default configuration needed.

🗳️ Delhi voter roll deadline pushed to October 27

The Election Commission has extended Delhi's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls for the second time this month. This process is happening across Delhi, involving nearly 1.45 crore voters. The door-to-door verification will now run until August 17, with the final rolls set for October 27. This extension is needed because the digitisation of forms has been slower than anticipated due to various technical issues. Voters are urged to submit their completed enumeration forms as soon as possible. 🗳️

📈 India's obesity numbers are climbing fast

Obesity is becoming a major public health worry across India. The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) found that nearly a quarter of adults were overweight or obese in 2019-21. The latest NFHS round from 2023-24 shows this figure has jumped to around 30%. Health risks like cardiovascular diseases are linked to this trend, though measurement methods vary. The NFHS uses BMI, while WHR offers insight into dangerous abdominal fat distribution.

📱 iPad deal alert: 11-inch A16 for $399.99

The 11-inch A16 Apple iPad is currently on sale for $399.99 at Amazon. This price is a reduction from the usual $449, offering an 11% discount. This special deal became available on August 4th for the Silver and Blue colorways. The iPad boasts a Liquid Retina display and USB-C connectivity for smooth performance. This affordable tablet is a great opportunity for users needing a fast, reliable device. 📱

🤖 Alibaba drops massive AI model for free, rivals Claude and ChatGPT

Alibaba has released Qwen3.8-Max, an open-weights AI model boasting 2.4 trillion parameters. This powerful model is available next week on Hugging Face and ModelScope, marking a major shift in AI accessibility. While Fable 5 leads in some text tests, Qwen3.8-Max is highly efficient and significantly cheaper to run. The release comes as Chinese open-weight models rapidly increase their market presence globally. This strategic move allows smaller labs to use state-of-the-art AI without huge datacenter costs. 🤖