🏞️ Singapore revives old lake as flood defense 💧

Singapore rebuilt the vanished 1920s Alkaff Lake within the new Bidadari Park housing estate. This 1.8-hectare lake was inspired by the former Alkaff Gardens which opened in 1929. During heavy rain, it can hold up to 40,000 cubic metres of water, equivalent to 16 Olympic pools. This design helps reduce flood risk while also providing a habitat for local wildlife. The lake functions as a recreational space on dry days and essential infrastructure during storms.

⚛️ Quantum vacuum boosts superconductivity in thin materials

Researchers have engineered the quantum vacuum to significantly enhance superconductivity within ultrathin materials. This breakthrough was achieved by a team at Nanowerk in their latest study. The experiment details involve precise manipulation of quantum fields on materials with thicknesses under a certain limit. This finding pushes the boundaries of condensed matter physics, offering new avenues for advanced electronic devices. Future research will focus on scaling this effect for practical technological applications. ⚛️

⚖️ SC reverses order, allowing Maran to summon Telecom Secretary

The Supreme Court set aside a Madras High Court order on Friday, August 21, 2026. This decision allows DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran to summon the Union Telecom Secretary, Amit Agarwal, as a defence witness. The bench restored the Trial Court's original order after the CBI challenged the High Court's March 25 directive. This relates to allegations of setting up illegal telephone exchanges when Maran was the Union Minister. Maran now has the option to summon the Secretary as a defence witness if he wishes.

🤖 LTX-2.5 drops open-weight video generation model

LTX-2.5 is a 22-billion-parameter open-weight world model capable of generating synced video and audio from various inputs. This model was developed by LTX, a spinout from Lightricks, for applications like robotics simulation. It supports resolutions up to native 4K HDR and clip lengths between six to 20 seconds. The architecture uses a dual-stream diffusion transformer to generate media cohesively, reducing local computing needs. It is now available as open weights on Hugging Face for developer use. 🎬

⚖️ Justice Chandran dissents on relaxing 3-year practice rule

Justice K Vinod Chandran dissented against the Supreme Court's judgment that reduced the three-year practice requirement to one year for Civil Judge (Junior Division) recruitment. This disagreement was raised while describing the courtroom as the most profound classroom for learning law. He argued that reducing experience would foster careerists instead of competent jurists capable of enriching the system. Justice Chandran also criticized the proposed two-year training, suggesting it would strain the exchequer and delay judicial vacancies. He concluded that there was no ground to review the earlier judgment restoring the required experience. ⚖️

🙅‍♀️ Kareena Kapoor Khan not pregnant, team confirms

Speculation arose online after a video sighting suggested Kareena Kapoor Khan might be expecting her third child. Her team has officially confirmed that Bebo is not pregnant, dispelling the recent rumors. Kareena and Saif recently returned from a beach holiday around Saif's 56th birthday on August 16. Previously, Kareena had mentioned to Saif that she did not want any more children. Saif is set to reunite with Akshay Kumar in the film 'Haiwaan'.

🎬 Animal Park shooting delayed until late 2027

Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Animal Park filming will start six months after the release of his movie Spirit. This update was confirmed by Pranay Reddy Vanga during an NTV Telugu conversation. Spirit, starring Prabhas, is set for a March 5, 2027, release date. Animal Park will pick up the story where Animal left off, featuring Ranbir Kapoor in dual roles. Ranbir also has multiple major projects lined up in 2027, including Ramayana: Part 1 and Love & War. 🎬

😠 Smriti Irani slams Rahul Gandhi's protest antics 😠

BJP General Secretary Smriti Irani questioned Rahul Gandhi's commitment to the FIR demand regarding pellet gun use during the youth protest in New Delhi. She pointed to videos circulating online showing Gandhi tossing toffees and laughing at the police station dharna. Irani asserted that investigations are underway concerning the protest march and Supreme Court committees. She further accused Gandhi of trying to tarnish the reputation of the armed forces for political gain. She also countered claims of being 'youth' by pointing out Gandhi's age and the youth in the forces.

💖 Victoria's Secret's 'Very Sexy' lands in India

Victoria's Secret has launched a new era of its 'Very Sexy' collection in India, featuring signature silhouettes and elevated details. Triptii Dimri is leading this new chapter for the brand in India. The refreshed collection, unveiled on August 21st, highlights pieces like the Shine Strap Push-Up Bra. Triptii Dimri stated the collection represents confidence and is incredibly wearable for women. This launch at Ambience Mall, Delhi, marks the next phase for the iconic line in the country.

📄 New USCIS forms drop for students and green card folks

USCIS is introducing revised versions of several key immigration forms starting September 15th and September 18th. These changes affect international students, H-1B spouses, and green card applicants across the US. On September 15, new I-539 and I-765 forms launch, while the updated I-485 arrives three days later. The I-539 change removes the Duration of Status system for F-1 and J-1 visa holders. Applicants must use the new forms for filing to avoid rejection.

😠 India removes structures outside Pakistan High Commission

Authorities removed unauthorized structures and queue-management barriers outside the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi on Friday. This action followed Pakistan's removal of structures in front of the Indian High Commission despite India's objections. The Ministry of External Affairs stated this was a proportionate response to the earlier action. On Thursday, traffic bollards and barricades around the diplomatic compound were also taken down. The debris visible showed sections of the outer structures completely demolished. 😠