🚢 US carrier swaps out in Middle East

A new US aircraft carrier has arrived in the Middle East region. This vessel is there to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has completed an extensive deployment. The Lincoln's mission spanned a record-breaking period of operations. This deployment was part of ongoing US military commitments in the volatile region. The handover marks a routine rotation of US naval assets in the area. 🚢

🩺 Gates Foundation backs UW health research with huge grant

The Gates Foundation has made a $540.2 million, 10-year donation to the University of Washington's IHME. This massive grant will help the institute expand health data availability for global use by governments and researchers. The investment will scale the Global Burden of Disease study from 925 locations to almost 5,000. This funding supports health forecasting and tracking global health spending worldwide. Ultimately, this work aims to provide reliable evidence for better health decision-making. 🩺

🦠 DRC fights Ebola along Congo River

The Democratic Republic of the Congo launched an emergency initiative called "Congo River Without Ebola" on Thursday. This action targets the Congo River corridor to prevent wider Ebola transmission toward cities like Kinshasa and Mbandaka. The initiative includes stronger surveillance and community warning networks, starting with a three-month intensive phase. This is crucial because heavy river traffic could accelerate virus spread, according to WHO. The plan is supported by the WHO and others, backed by $9 million in UN funding. 🦠

⚖️ SC asks for CBI probe into Jharkhand exam mess

A petition has been submitted to the Supreme Court of India seeking a time-bound CBI probe into alleged irregularities during the Jharkhand JPSC preliminary exam. Activist Harisharan Devgan filed the petition, arguing for an impartial investigation over the current State CID probe. The controversy surfaced after a candidate's OMR carbon copy allegedly showed evaluation issues following the July 2, 2026 results. This led to student protests and the State government agreeing to cancel the 14th JPSC Combined Civil Services preliminary exam. The court is urged to ensure all physical and digital evidence remains secure for proper accountability.

🔬 NCSA joins iDLab to make supercomputing easier

NCSA is partnering with UCLA on a new national initiative called iDLab to simplify supercomputing access. This project aims to create a unified, browser-based environment across several NSF-supported national centers and two cloud platforms. The initiative is part of a $9 million NSF award, with NCSA integrating its Delta and DeltaAI systems. iDLab will replace complex command-line interfaces to broaden access beyond STEM fields. This move intends to provide researchers with an intuitive tool to drive innovation across disciplines. 💻

🏏 Lees bats half-century for Durham on damp Day 1

Durham captain Alex Lees scored an unbeaten 53 runs while facing Derbyshire on the opening day of the Rothesay County Championship. This match took place at the OurCoop County Ground in Derby. By the time bad light ended play, Durham was 102 for 2 after 38 overs were bowled. Lees battled tough conditions, sharing a 61-run stand with Will Rhodes, keeping the promotion-chasing team solid. The team will continue their efforts in the demanding match conditions for the rest of the day. 🏏

🌾 TN launches massive Rs 7,015 Cr push for women & farmers

Tamil Nadu announced 39 cooperative initiatives backed by a Rs 7,015 crore Singapengal credit scheme to boost women's financial power. The move, detailed by Minister V Gandhiraj on Thursday, aims to enhance financial access and modernize rural services across the state. Key allocations include Rs 5,000 crore for rural business loans and Rs 300 crore for produce pledge loans. To improve market reach, all cooperative products will get a common brand logo, Vetri. Additionally, 3,452 societies will get micro-ATMs, and 10,000 ration shops will get UPI facilities. 🧑‍🌾

🥗 Med Diet Twist for SE Asia Helps Weight Loss

Adopting a Mediterranean-style eating pattern adapted for Southeast Asian contexts can effectively aid in weight management. This dietary shift is applicable across various populations in the region. Studies indicate benefits when implemented over several months, focusing on sustainable changes. The approach emphasizes local ingredients and portion control tailored to regional preferences. Future research will explore long-term health impacts of this localized eating plan. 🥗

🎯 Manu Bhaker switches coaches after Jaspal Rana's passing

Following the sudden demise of coach Jaspal Rana two months ago, Paris Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker has started working with Serbian coach Jelena Arunovic. The Indian star is currently at the Asian Games camp in Bhopal, dedicating over eight hours daily to intensive training sessions. Jelena noted that Manu's openness to new methods has made the transition to a different working style quite easy for the athlete. At 24 years old, she is actively embracing unconventional training philosophies to aim for the 2028 LA Games. This shift shows her hunger for improvement rather than complacency as the games approach. 🎯

🔬 Vitamin supplement cuts glaucoma risk in eye pressure patients

Nicotinamide supplementation showed promise in reducing the risk of primary open-angle glaucoma in patients with raised eye pressure. A team led by Jawad Muayad studied this using 20 years of medical records from 67 US healthcare companies. The research compared 1,460 patients who took nicotinamide against a control group from March 2006 to March 2026. The study found that nicotinamide lowered the progression risk to glaucoma by two-thirds, and reduced the need for eye drops by 43%. Further research is needed to see if this supplement can become part of routine ocular hypertension care.

🌊 Overloaded boat capsizes in Nigeria, 40 bodies found

A boat overloaded with passengers capsized during a journey in Nigeria. The incident occurred off the coast of Lagos State, resulting in a major tragedy. Authorities have confirmed that at least 40 bodies have been recovered from the water. The overloading of the vessel is being cited as the primary cause of the accident. Rescue and recovery operations are ongoing as officials investigate the full extent of the disaster.