💧 Romania shuts down last nuclear plant due to low Danube levels

Romania initiated the shutdown of its final operating nuclear reactor this Thursday because of record-low water levels on the Danube River. Nuclearelectrica is disconnecting the single reactor at the Cernavoda plant, which is located on the Danube. This follows the shutdown of another reactor at the same site at the end of July, as water levels hit the lowest in 90 years. To manage the energy loss, the country switched on a 330-MW coal plant and plans to use more wind power. The Cernavoda plant director stated that a restart is not expected within the next ten days. 😥

🤖 Pixel 11's Tensor G6 ain't 2nm, here's the scoop

Rumors about Google's Tensor G6 in the Pixel 11 being a 2nm chip have been busted. Peng Yu-chun confirmed that Tensor G6 is actually manufactured using TSMC's 3nm process. The chip features a faster CPU, 50% more TPU compute, and support for Gemini Nano. It also gets an upgraded Image Signal Processor and a Titan M3 security chip. This update means efficiency gains from 2nm were not the main focus for this generation.

🔥 Salaar 2 pre-production kicks off for Shouryaanga Parvam

Pre-production has officially begun for the highly anticipated sequel, titled ‘Salaar 2: Shouryaanga Parvam’. Director Prashanth Neel and producer Vijay Kiragandur met to plan the next steps for the project. This follows the December 2023 release of ‘Salaar: Part 1 Ceasefire’ in the fictional kingdom of Khansaar. Prabhas, Shruti Haasan, Sriya Reddy, and Jagapathi Babu are expected to reprise their roles in the bigger sequel. The official release date for the second part has not yet been announced by the makers.

🌊 Massive oil spill hits Oman coast

A vast oil spill from a leaking tanker reached Oman’s coastline on Wednesday, threatening serious environmental damage. The incident involves the tanker Caroline Bezengi, which ran aground near Sharbithat. The spill now covers over 2,000sq km, potentially affecting 40km of Ras Madraka coast and Masirah Island. This happened after the vessel, carrying 800,000 barrels, suffered explosions while navigating risky routes. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation, highlighting risks in the volatile Gulf region. 🚢

📈 Stocks to watch this August 14th

Honasa Consumer reported a massive 118.4% year-on-year rise in net profit for Q1FY27. This strong performance was reported by the FMCG firm in the context of record revenue hitting ₹756 crore. LG Electronics also posted a strong June quarter with its net profit climbing 27.2% to ₹652.8 crore. Max Financial Services Ltd saw a 33% year-on-year increase in Value of New Business to ₹446 crore. Investors should keep an eye on these companies ahead of August 14th.

🚦 Ride apps must ditch pre-ride tipping prompts

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has mandated that ride-hailing platforms remove prompts encouraging advance tipping from their apps. This directive targets platforms like Uber and Ola that currently display options such as “Advance Tip” before booking a ride. The instruction, reported on Thursday, cites the 2025 Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines as the reason for the change. These guidelines strictly state that passengers can only offer tips after the trip has been fully completed. Furthermore, the rules ensure drivers receive the entire tip amount without any deductions from the aggregators. 🚫

🐬 Dolphins rocking a new shell-hunting move

Dolphins have been observed employing a unique new hunting technique involving shells. This behavior was documented by researchers at IFLScience, showing the animals teaching this method to other members of their pod. The footage captures this innovative strategy in action. Scientists are studying this social learning aspect to understand marine mammal intelligence. Future research will focus on how this complex behavior spreads within the dolphin community.

🚨 Convicted Rapist Found With 5G Phone in Bengaluru Jail

A major prison security issue surfaced in Bengaluru after Prajwal Revanna was reportedly found using a 5G smartphone inside Parappana Agrahara Central Prison. This discovery has sparked serious debate regarding alleged VIP treatment and potential corruption within the correctional system. Authorities are now investigating how contraband, including a smartphone and a pen drive with explicit material, managed to enter the high-security facility. The incident raises major questions about the integrity of prison oversight and security protocols. Further action from authorities is anticipated as they look into the breach.

📢 Welfare schemes must reach women and kids directly

Deputy Commissioner Ikram Shariff directed officials to ensure women and children's welfare schemes reach eligible beneficiaries directly. This directive was issued during a meeting at his Kalaburagi office on Thursday. He mandated that awareness programs must have 100 attendees every three months, and attendance must be tracked using GPS-enabled reports. Furthermore, Aadhaar-based biometrics and CCTV cameras must be installed at all Santhwana Centres within 15 days. This aims to ensure transparency and better implementation of schemes like PM Matru Vandana Yojana.

📚 CIIL workshop focuses on Indian Knowledge Systems terms

A two-day workshop on framing documentation strategies for Indian Knowledge Systems terminology kicked off at CIIL in Mysuru on Thursday. Organized by Bharatavani and CIIL, the event aims to build a systematic framework for collecting and organizing knowledge terminology across Indian languages. CIIL Director Basavaraja Kodagunti noted the deep link between language and knowledge evolution in disciplines like agriculture and medicine. The proposed framework will collect and describe technical terms, making them available via an online portal for broader access. Experts are contributing to refine the methodology, focusing on authenticity and inter-institutional collaboration.

🏏 Sri Lankan coach passes away after match clash

A 62-year-old coach died in the hospital after a clash with players during a cricket match in Colombo. The altercation occurred on August 8, involving two players, and resulted in the coach, Sumith Fernando, being hospitalized. A 17-year-old school cricketer was arrested on Monday for allegedly assaulting Fernando. The dispute reportedly started over the lack of drinking water at the training grounds. Fernando was a former mentor to Kusal Mendis and served as a curator for Bloomfield Cricket & Athletic Club. 🏏