🌧️ Kerala boosts flood relief as death toll hits 15

Kerala announced increased compensation for families affected by recent floods and landslides following a disaster review meeting. The state government made this decision as the death toll rose to 15, with seven people still missing across the state. Compensation for deceased families is set at Rs 8 lakh, plus an immediate Rs 10,000 assistance. Additionally, those who lost both house and land in landslides now receive Rs 12 lakh. The government is urging the public to disregard social media rumors about reservoir water releases. 🌧️

🃏 Magic reveals 25 wild cards in Commander set

Wizards of the Coast finally revealed 25 wild cards for Mystery Booster: Commander Edition after months of secrecy. This reveal happened over the weekend following an invite-only event at Gen Con hosted by Gavin Verhey. The set includes over 50 exclusive legendary creatures alongside hundreds of reprints. These original legends push boundaries by embracing niche archetypes and unusual restrictions beyond typical Commander rules. Players can expect highly experimental deckbuilding puzzles and a major dose of nostalgia from the release.

🌡️ Strong El Niño Alert Issued by WMO

The World Meteorological Organization has issued a warning about an impending strong El Niño event. This significant climate pattern is being observed globally, impacting various weather systems. Forecasts indicate the event is set to develop and intensify over the coming months. El Niño often leads to changes in weather patterns, causing extremes like droughts or heavy rains in different regions. Authorities are advising nations to prepare for the potential climatic shifts ahead. 🌡️

🗿 Ancient Skull Layers Like Modern Humans & Neanderthals

Fragments of the Homo antecessor skull have shown surprising similarities to both modern humans and Neanderthals. Researchers made these findings while studying the ancient skeletal remains in a specific archaeological site. The analysis covered several distinct layers found in the fossil record. This discovery helps shed light on the complex evolutionary paths of early hominids. Scientists will continue further research to better understand these fascinating ancient lineages. 🗿

☁️ AWS partners with Superblocks for secure coding

Vibe-coding startup Superblocks has inked a multiyear joint marketing agreement with Amazon Web Services (AWS). This partnership allows Superblocks' tool to run inside the private clouds of AWS customers. As of its Series A in May 2025, Superblocks has 50 employees and raised $60 million. This trend shows hyperscalers pushing enterprises to keep AI scaffolding within their clouds. This move signifies a shift towards secure, on-premise enterprise AI adoption. 🤖

🚀 SpaceX rocket crash warns about moon bases 🛰️

A SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage is set to crash into the Moon this Wednesday, creating a debris cloud visible from Earth. The 4 metric ton rocket will strike near Einstein Crater at 6:34 am UTC at about 5,400 mph. This impact is expected to cause an explosion of 3 metric tons of TNT, forming a crater up to 27 meters in diameter. This event highlights space junk risks for future lunar bases planned by multiple nations. Researchers view this as a chance to study hazards before long-term human missions launch in the coming years.

🦠 Nagaland tackles hepatitis stigma on World Hepatitis Day 🦠

Nagaland observed World Hepatitis Day on July 28 with a focus on eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health threat. The state-level event, held in Kohima, saw officials discuss the burden of Hepatitis B and C cases across various districts. Statistics showed that Dimapur and Kohima have the highest Hepatitis B positivity among pregnant women. The theme, "Let's Break It Down," calls for removing barriers like stigma and lack of awareness. Authorities urged stronger community education and expanded access to free screening and treatment services moving forward.

🌌 Black holes have cosmic indigestion, apparently

Black holes are observed to experience indigestion after consuming too much cosmic matter. Researchers studied a black hole eruption from Swift J1727.8−1613, located in Chile, during 2023. The study revealed that at least 10% of the transferred mass is expelled back into space. This suggests that not all the material falls into the black hole, making the process more complex than imagined. Future observations will continue to challenge assumptions about these extreme universal phenomena. 🪐

🔬 New protein acts as immune system's off switch

Mayo Clinic researchers found a protein called TRAILshort that cancer cells use to shut down the body's immune response. This discovery was made by scientists at Mayo Clinic while studying various diseases across different locations. The study identified TRAILshort in cancers like melanoma and in diseases such as COVID-19 and lupus. This protein prevents T cells from attacking diseased cells, reducing the effectiveness of advanced therapies like CAR-T cell therapy. Future research aims to target TRAILshort to boost cancer treatment or reduce harmful immune responses.

🏞️ Arunachal's Glaw Lake becomes first Ramsar site

Glaw Lake in Arunachal Pradesh has been officially designated as the state's inaugural Ramsar site. This pristine freshwater ecosystem is situated inside the Kamlang Tiger Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary in the Eastern Himalayas. The site boasts over 150 tree species and 49 orchid species within its area. The designation shows India's commitment to wetland conservation, having grown its network from 26 sites in 2014 to 101 currently. This milestone reinforces the resolve to protect nature and secure dependent communities' futures.

🤔 Kerala UDF stuck on PM SHRI scheme dilemma 😵

The Congress-led UDF government in Kerala is facing heat over the PM SHRI scheme, mirroring past issues. Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan argued the government is forced to continue because the prior LDF government already signed an agreement with the Union government. This is amid the state needing ₹1,158.13 crore in education funds held by the Centre as of August 4, 2026. The government's wavering stance highlights a struggle to balance funding needs against ideological opposition to NEP, 2020. Next, the UDF must decide between losing federal funds or facing criticism over curriculum compliance.