📚 Permanent home needed for BC Study Circle in Vizianagaram

The Uttarandrha Backward Classes Welfare Association President pushed for a permanent building for the BC Study Circle. He visited the temporary center located at Kaspa Municipal High School in Vizianagaram. Currently, nearly 100 candidates are crammed into a single room, lacking basic amenities like water and bathrooms. Students traveling from villages face issues like not having space for lunch. He plans to petition MP Kalisetti Appala Naidu and MLA Aditi Vijaya Lakshmi for the new facility.

🔬 CSIR chief checks out India's MedTech scene

Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, Director General of CSIR, visited AMTZ on Tuesday to review India’s MedTech ecosystem development. She met with Dr. Jitendra Sharma and toured companies like Pyramed and Molbio Diagnostics. The visit included the foundation stone ceremony for SS Medical Systems and the launch of an expanded Medi Valley, now 1-lakh Sqft. This platform helps startups move from ideas to prototypes in six months. Dr. Kalaiselvi confirmed all 37 CSIR labs are open to AMTZ startups for research support. 🏥

📉 India's GDP growth set to slow to 6.8% in FY27

India's GDP growth is projected to decrease to 6.8% in the current fiscal year, down from 7.6% in the previous year. This forecast comes from India Ratings & Research, noting risks from the West Asia conflict and El Niño impact. For FY27, the agency estimates the average crude oil price at $85 per barrel and a rupee-dollar exchange rate of ₹93.98. The slowdown is mainly linked to higher fuel and food inflation caused by global uncertainty and agricultural concerns. The agency forecasts quarterly GDP growth at 6.9%, 6.6%, 6.7%, and 6.9% for the coming quarters. 📉

⚽ Rodri on joining Barca: 'First choice' ✨

Rodri officially joined Barcelona, stating that the move to Catalonia was his first choice despite leaving Manchester City. He mentioned speaking with Hansi Flick, who motivates him for the new campaign under the manager. Rodri feels it is a privilege to be compared to Sergio Busquets and is ready to play after a minor procedure. The midfielder also praised young Marc Bernal, vowing to help him develop skills. He expressed high hopes for the squad's future, praising Lamine Yamal's team-first attitude. 🚀

💣 Trump allegedly threatens bomb Oman over Iran deal

Donald Trump reportedly threatened to bomb Oman due to its proposed deal with Iran regarding navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. This threat was made against Oman, as cited by two regional officials, while Iran neared a joint statement on shipping traffic. The claims emerged after Trump expressed displeasure with Oman's stance during talks about the vital waterway. Washington allegedly felt Oman was too lenient in negotiations, especially concerning voluntary vessel fees. The situation remains tense as global energy supplies rely on this critical passage. 💣

⚖️ Lebanon hands over Assad-era general to Damascus

Lebanon's judicial authorities decided to hand over a former senior Syrian military officer to Damascus after questioning him regarding alleged war crimes. The officer, Maj. Gen. Adel Issa, is from Syria and is being transferred from Lebanon to his home country. This action takes place on August 18, 2026, following questioning over crimes in Deir el-Zour and Raqqa. The handover adheres to a 1951 agreement between the two nations concerning suspected criminals. Issa denies the charges, stating he was just following military orders. 😥

🏏 Root keeps Bazball blueprint for Pakistan series

Joe Root stated that the Bazball playing style will not be scrapped before the Pakistan series. He confirmed feeling as ready as any other captain for the three-Test series starting Wednesday at Headingley. This comes after the 2-1 series loss to New Zealand and Ben Stokes' retirement. Root emphasized the need to keep the good elements while adapting to changing game situations. The series will be live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10 am, with the first ball at 11 am. 🏏

👶 Birth under torchlight during massive earthquake

A 39-year-old woman, Maria Florida Nogo Kelen, gave birth via emergency C-section under torchlight after a magnitude-7.7 earthquake hit eastern Indonesia. The event occurred in East Nusa Tenggara on Saturday while she was eight months pregnant, necessitating immediate delivery to prevent fatal seizures. The baby girl, named Gempita, weighed 1.3kg and was born amidst continued aftershocks and hospital damage. Kelen survived a subsequent hemorrhage, and the baby remains stable in a tent incubator in Nagekeo. The disaster has claimed at least 68 lives and left over 1,300 homes damaged. 😥

🕌 BJP promotes two Muslim leaders in national team

The BJP has made organizational reshuffles by appointing Kunwar Basit Ali as Minority Morcha chief and retaining Tariq Mansoor as national vice-president. Both individuals hail from Uttar Pradesh and are linked to the party's Pasmanda outreach efforts. These appointments were made on Monday as the party gears up for the crucial 2027 Assembly elections. The move reflects the BJP's ongoing strategy to strengthen its connection with Muslim voters across the state. This strategic elevation aims to expand the party's ground presence in key demographic segments.

🧑‍⚖️ 4 lawyers recommended for Orissa High Court judgeship

The Supreme Court Collegium recently recommended the appointment of four advocates to serve as judges for the Orissa High Court. These recommended individuals are Sasmita Tripathy, Aditya Narayan Das, Rajjeet Roy, and Gautam Misra. The Collegium approved these proposals during a meeting held on August 18, 2026. Currently, the Orissa High Court operates with only 17 active judges, including Chief Justice Harish Tandon. With two judges retiring this year, the court is short of its sanctioned strength of 33 judges. 🧑‍⚖️

🧐 Exam body overhauls with 600 experts removed

The National Testing Agency (NTA) is undergoing major reforms to boost public trust in national exams. Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi ordered the removal of 600 experts and the introduction of a four-tier checking system. These changes come after controversies like the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak, which led to a CBI probe. Additionally, 20-25 officials will be inducted in the next two to three weeks, and offices will move to reinforced premises. These steps aim to create a more secure testing environment for millions of aspirants. 🧐