🔱 Mahalakshmi temples get festive for Sravanamasa

Mahalakshmi temples across Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts observed a festive atmosphere on the first day of Sravanamasa. Devotees gathered at these spots, seeking blessings from the Goddess of wealth. The Astalakshmi temple in Srikakulam, constructed a decade ago, saw special prayers and ksheerabhisekham. Furthermore, the Kammasigadam Mahalakshmi temple in Ranasthalam also saw a huge influx of visitors. An estimated 1,000 women devotees are expected to pray every Friday throughout the month. 🙏

🐅 Sacked constable linked to leopard killings in Kuno NP

A dismissed Delhi Police constable, Bhagwan Singh alias Salim, has been arrested for the killing of 10 leopards in Kuno National Park. The arrest occurred in the national capital on Tuesday by a joint STSF and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau team. This followed the seizure of 10 leopard skins in Agra on July 23, leading the probe to MP. Investigators are also examining the potential role of a major wildlife conservation NGO. The suspect will be presented before a special court in Shivpuri for further questioning. 🐅

⚖️ Man gets 5-year sentence for fake govt stamps

A Shivamogga court convicted a man for forging government documents and counterfeiting official stamps and seals. The accused, Vishnubhakta, who operates a computer centre on ANK Road, was found guilty of creating fake documents for various government departments. The judgment was pronounced by the III Additional District and Sessions Court on Wednesday, August 13, 2026. This case originated from a 2021 complaint filed at Jayanagar police regarding cheating and forgery. He has been sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment plus a ₹17,000 fine. ⚖️

🐕 Student's dog safety invention gets national recognition

Scarlett Tiani developed the Tail Wag Warning, a pet safety system, which reached US Nationals for a major award. She is a sixth-grade student from West Rocks Middle School in Norwalk, Connecticut. Out of 305,000 students, she was one of only five to win the Patent Application Award on the date of the 2026 Invention Convention U.S. Nationals. The invention helps prevent accidental dog bites by warning visitors about pets at home. Tiani will now work with lawyers to formally submit her invention to the United States Patent and Trademark Office. 🐕

📚 Group asks for 5-year age limit hike for teachers

The AIDYO and Job Aspirants’ Struggle Committee submitted a memorandum to Additional Deputy Commissioner Geeta C.D. in Dharwad. They urged the Education Minister to extend the age limit by five years for 15,000 teacher recruits. The State government had issued a Gazette notification on January 29, 2026, allowing a five-year age relaxation. However, this relaxation was missing from the 15,000 teacher recruitment notification. They also objected to the high school teacher recruitment excluding mathematics teachers. 📚

🚧 Edappally corridor six-laning deadline set for May 2027

The National Highways Authority of India has set May 2027 as the deadline for completing the six-laning of the Edappally-Kodungalloor NH 66 corridor. This crucial stretch is part of the 570-km Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod NH 66. Work on the 30-km corridor faced delays due to material sourcing issues and public demands for better infrastructure. NHAI plans five new underpasses and 5.60 km of service roads to address these concerns. Local bodies will also receive ₹28 crore for additional drains along the Edappally-Muthakunnam stretch. 🚧

🎓 Kerala University honors four big names

Kerala University's Syndicate recommended honorary doctorates for Madhu, Sreekumaran Thampi, K. Radhakrishnan, and P.R. Sreejesh on Thursday, August 13, 2026. Dr. Radhakrishnan will get an honorary DSc, while the others receive honorary DLitt degrees. Left-backed members walked out protesting the appointment of T. Vijayalakshmi as director of UGC-Malaviya Mission TTC. The Syndicate also delegated a committee to review a PhD case involving Vipin Vijayan. Additionally, 32 PhD degrees were awarded and 248 aided-college teachers got promotions.

🏏 Gardner gets safeguards after Voll relationship reveal

Cricket Australia is keeping Ashleigh Gardner as women's vice-captain but implemented new selection safeguards. The board discussed this on Wednesday, showing support for her leadership role. New measures were added to the Respect at Work policy to address potential conflicts. Specifically, Gardner will recuse herself from discussions involving teammate Georgia Voll's squad spot. This move ensures policy keeps up with high-performance environment realities. 🏏

🚧 Tunnel collapses in Uttarakhand, workers trapped

An under-construction tunnel at the THDC project in Chamoli district collapsed on Thursday evening after debris and water entered the site. Rescue teams managed to evacuate 13 people safely, while efforts continue for those still inside. Preliminary info suggested 18 to 19 workers were inside when the incident occurred around 7.05 pm. Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami has directed authorities to handle the rescue operation on a war footing. The government prioritizes the safe evacuation of every trapped person amidst ongoing operations.

🗳️ Calicut University Student Union Polls on Aug 14

Elections for the University of Calicut students’ union are set to take place on Friday, August 14, 2026. The voting timing has been shifted from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the vote counting will commence at 2 p.m. Over 500 councillors from five affiliated districts will vote for key functionaries. The Students’ Federation of India has fielded candidates, with the Kerala Students’ Union and Muslim Students’ Federation forming an alliance.

🎣 Kerala fishers fight corporate push for black sand wealth

Kerala's fishing community is uniting to oppose the Centre's move to open black sand and offshore mineral resources to large corporations. T.N. Prathapan, chairperson of the Kerala State Fishermen Coordination Committee, stated the Bill challenges local livelihoods in Kerala. The proposal involves amendments to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, despite earlier resistance in Kollam. This move risks limiting the state's ability to collect cess and levies from private entities. Fishermen vow to resist this policy, especially after the Chief Minister's assurance on private mining. 🎣