🏛️ UP Gangsters Act declared 'stillborn' by Supreme Court

The Supreme Court declared the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986, as 'stillborn' on Thursday. The judgment was passed by a bench of Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice K. Vinod Chandran. The court quashed proceedings against two advocates, Shiv Pratap Singh and Himanshu Srivastava, from a dispute in Farrukhabad. The ruling stated the Act fails to create a distinct criminal offence, allowing prosecution based only on a 'gangster' label. The Court criticized the law for potentially perpetuating violence against unsuspecting citizens. 🏛️

👑 Putin visits medieval Russian prince remains

President Putin recently paid a visit to the newly unearthed remains of a medieval Russian prince. This significant archaeological discovery was made in a specific region of Russia. The remains date back to the medieval period, offering valuable insights into the era. The visit highlighted the importance of preserving Russia's rich historical heritage. Further research is expected to provide more details about the prince's life and time.

🐆 Leopard Dies in Illegal Wild Boar Trap in Kerala

A six-year-old leopard passed away after being caught in an alleged illegal trap in KPR Nagar, Malloor. This incident occurred on Thursday, August 20, in Kannur, Kerala. The trap was set on Ramachandran's agricultural land to stop wild boar raids that damaged crops. Forest officials tranquilized the leopard but it died while being moved to a forest station. The Forest department will now investigate the matter and file a case regarding the illegal trap. 🐆

📚 XAT 2027 Mock Test Date and Eligibility Details

The Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) 2027 mock test is scheduled for August 30, 2026. Applicants must complete their XAT application by August 27, 2026, to qualify for this mock exam. The actual XAT 2027 exam will take place on January 3, from 2 pm to 5 pm. This test is recognized by over 250 business schools across more than 100 cities in India. Interested candidates can register via xatonline.in, as the 2026 registration window is open until December 6, 2026.

👮 Police launch drug-free campaign in Manyam

SP S.V. Madhav Reddy unveiled the 'Intintiki Manyam Police' campaign posters in Parvatipuram on Thursday. He urged residents to recognize the harmful impact of drugs and ganja on physical and mental well-being across Manyam District. The police department is executing a door-to-door awareness drive to ensure the district remains drug-free. They are also offering toll-free helplines for issues like cyber fraud and crimes against women. Educated youth are requested to help tribal residents access police services effectively.

🐄 School in a cowshed, Rajasthan reality check 🐄

Children are attending classes in a cowshed because their school building is dilapidated and unsafe. This is happening in Pipalodi, Jhalawar, Rajasthan, following a High Court order against unsafe school structures. Across the state, 5,667 buildings are dilapidated, with a plan to spend Rs 12,335 crore over five years. Despite the plan, these students face issues like no drinking water and locked toilets. The government is facing criticism for allegedly trying to hide the reality of school conditions.

😊 Missing 4-Year-Old Found Safe in Bengaluru

A four-year-old girl went missing from outside her home in Fraser Town on Wednesday. The incident involved the daughter of a security guard near Farooq Masjid on Moore Road in Bengaluru. Public alerts led to police action, and the search spanned from Wednesday afternoon to her tracing. Family stated an unidentified person lured her away with chocolate, prompting a wide search. The girl was eventually traced near Coles Park and safely reunited with her parents.

🕉️ Tirumala festival prep deadline set for Sept 14

Officials have finalized an integrated plan for the twin Brahmotsavams happening at Tirumala this year. The TTD, district administration, and police held a meeting at Annamayya Bhavan to review arrangements. Preparations must be completed by September 14 to manage the upcoming festivities. Key focus areas include food quality, security, and crowd control for devotees. Special arrangements are being made for the anticipated surge, especially on 'Garuda Seva' day. 🙏

🤔 Is AI thinking like us or just sounding smart?

A debate is happening about whether Large Language Models actually reason like humans or just generate convincing text. Melanie Mitchell, from the Santa Fe Institute, suggests AI is an 'alien intelligence' with non-human cognitive methods. She proposes adapting methods used for studying babies and animals to better probe AI's cognition. This discussion spans interpreting complex systems, math breakthroughs, and cautionary tales from the past. The goal is to develop better ways to assess machine intelligence moving forward. 🧠

🏛️ AP Panchayat Bill brings back one VP and VC posts

The Legislative Assembly passed the A.P. Panchayat Raj (Second Amendment) Bill, 2026, on Thursday restoring specific posts. This move brings back one Vice-President (V-P) for each Mandal Praja Parishad (MPP) and one Vice-Chairperson (V-C) for each Zilla Praja Parishad (ZPP). Previously, Act 14 of 2021 introduced second posts for these bodies, but the government found them unhelpful. The government determined that maintaining these extra leadership roles was unnecessary for local governance administration. Therefore, the provision for the second V-P in MPPs and second V-C in ZPPs has been withdrawn. 🏛️

♻️ Onam waste expected to hit 4.2 lakh tonnes

Solid waste generation during the Onam festival season is projected to surge to 4.2 lakh tonnes. This massive increase is anticipated across the state of Kerala due to the festive celebrations. Normally, Kerala generates about 10,004 tonnes of solid waste daily, but this jumps by roughly 40% during Onam. The General Administration Department issued guidelines to manage this challenge for local self-government institutions. They are urging everyone to promote scientific disposal to keep Kerala clean. 🧼