💡 Setbacks fueled Perplexity AI CEO's rise

Aravind Srinivas faced multiple rejections before founding Perplexity AI, including being denied Computer Science at IIT Madras. He narrowly missed a branch change by 0.01 CGPA and was initially rejected by MIT for his PhD application. Srinivas later worked at OpenAI, Google, and DeepMind before co-founding Perplexity AI in August 2022. His journey highlights that success is often built by how one responds to 'no,' not just uninterrupted wins. He advises students to prioritize velocity, continuous learning, and deep curiosity. 🚀

🐒 China's drug research faces 'monkey problem'

Lab monkey costs in China have drastically shot up, making sourcing them incredibly difficult for biotech firms. This issue is affecting Chinese companies operating in the country, where the cost for a cynomolgus macaque reached about $26,294 in June. China now holds about a third of the global innovative drug pipeline, making primate safety data crucial for trials. Study planning timelines are extending by four to ten months due to these delays and age requirements. Imports from Cambodia are expected to help bridge the anticipated shortage through 2028. 🐒

🏏 ICC Seeks Bids for 2027 Cricket World Cup Marketing

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has opened the bidding process for its marketing and PR mandate for the 2027 Men's Cricket World Cup. This major global tournament is set to take place in 2027. The ICC is looking for agencies to handle promotional and public relations aspects of the event. The contract will cover extensive branding and media outreach for the biggest cricket spectacle. Successful bidders will partner with the ICC to drive engagement for the tournament.

🚨 Husband Molests Guest, Then Rapes Daughter

A woman in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, left her home after her husband molested her friend staying with them. The situation escalated when the husband subsequently raped their four-year-old daughter. The 32-year-old accused was arrested under the POCSO Act after the incident on August 7, 2026. The friend accused the husband of lewd advances, causing the wife to leave with her children. A medical examination at Gandhinagar Civil Hospital confirmed the sexual assault. 💔

🏥 Simple doorstep system slashes maternal deaths in MP

Health workers struggled to reach vulnerable pregnant women in remote Shahdol district, Madhya Pradesh. IAS officer Shivam Prajapati and his team noticed the gap was in follow-up, not supplies. They launched 'Maa Ka Haal' in January 2026, ensuring home visits and calls for 5,380 high-risk women. This low-tech, high-touch monitoring led to maternal deaths halving from 14 to 7. The district plans to sustain this intense monitoring year-round for better health outcomes. 🏥

🌱 Deloitte drops new framework for sustainability ROI

Deloitte unveiled a new framework to measure the business value of sustainability investments. This was presented at the Mint Sustainability Summit by Shubhranshu Patnaik and Shailesh Tyagi. The framework moves companies beyond mere compliance to assess long-term enterprise value. It captures both tangible gains like energy savings and intangible benefits such as brand value. Companies should integrate this into their strategy to better handle future risks. 📈

🏠 Bengal CM renames housing scheme, aids 10 lakh people

West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari renamed the housing scheme from ‘Banglar Bari’ to ‘Paschim Banga Awas’ on August 6, 2026. He announced the release of the final financial installment to over 10 lakh beneficiaries in Howrah, West Bengal. Specifically, 10,20,379 beneficiaries received ₹60,000 each, totaling over ₹6,000 crore. This scheme assists rural poor families who were previously identified under the TMC regime. The first installment for new applicants will be released after the Durga Puja festival in October.

🔥 Protests' torn clothes flagged as sexual content on Insta

Reels featuring protesters whose clothes were torn have been flagged by Instagram as sexual content. This content, which heavily shaped Gen Z's social media trends, is now being removed from the platform. The moderation action is due to the platform's guidelines regarding explicit material. These visual narratives were part of recent social movements. Users are now seeing these impactful videos vanish from their feeds.

🧐 Trump's Shadow in India's UPI Levy Talk

A potential new transaction levy on UPI payments in India has drawn attention to international political dynamics. This discussion involves government proposals and ongoing financial policy debates within India. Specific details regarding the levy structure and implementation timeline are still under review by regulatory bodies. The shadow of Donald Trump's past political influence is being discussed in relation to these financial policy shifts. Future developments will depend on the final decisions made by the Indian government committees. 🧐

🚨 Seven students expelled for hostel assault in Odisha

Seven Class X students were expelled from a government residential school in Rayagada district for allegedly assaulting junior students. This incident occurred at a residential school run by the Odisha ST & SC Development Department in Rivalkana, Kolnara block. Preliminary checks revealed the late-night assault took place on August 2, 2026, involving six other students. The episode exposed deeper systemic issues, noting only five teachers manage 265 students there. Authorities are now addressing this while acknowledging the large network of 1765 institutions across Odisha.

💧 Punjab tackling groundwater depletion with massive revival drive

Punjab's Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema announced efforts to reverse decades of groundwater depletion across the state. This progress is being driven by large-scale canal revival and groundwater recharge initiatives undertaken by the state government. As of August 6, 2026, 16,000 kilometers of watercourses have been revived, releasing 39,049 cusecs of water into canals. This has led to groundwater levels rising by 3 to 5 meters in several blocks, boosting crop yields by 1 to 2 quintals per acre. Furthermore, 510 groundwater recharge schemes, including 192 pond-based ones, have been implemented to manage rainwater effectively.