🛂 US might cut 60-day visa grace period for workers

The US is reviewing a proposal from DHS that could scrap the 60-day grace period for certain foreign workers after job loss. This change impacts various visas, including H-1B, L-1, and O-1 holders, and their dependents. Currently, Indian nationals made up about 71% of successful H-1B applicants in fiscal 2024. If implemented, workers might need to leave the US immediately instead of having 60 days to find a new job. The proposal is still under review by OMB, so the existing rules remain for now. 😥

🌿 New eco-hub launched in Lucknow by Jitendra Singh

Science and technology minister Jitendra Singh inaugurated the CSIR-NBRI ‘eco-educational hub’ named Prakriti Gyan Dham in Lucknow on Saturday. This unique facility, located at Maharishi Parashar Bioresource Centre (MPBC), showcases India’s rich botanical and cultural heritage. It features the Indian Heritage Garden, holding trees from places like Fatehpur and Champaran. The hub aims to bring scientific knowledge closer to society for broader access. Additionally, a new herbal formulation for male reproductive health was launched during the event. 🌿

🏚️ Smart village still stuck in mud for 11 years

Sadullapur, once earmarked as a smart village in 2015, still faces severe infrastructure issues. This village, located in Greater Noida, has 7,000 residents living with unpaved roads and no proper drainage system. Eleven years have passed since the development promises were made, and residents continue to wait for basic amenities. In response to administrative delays, some residents proposed changing the village's name to 'Bharatpur' last year. The state government has officially started the name change process, pending a no-objection certificate from GNIDA. 🏘️

💻 Why I ditched Chrome, Firefox, and Opera for Zen

A tech journalist has switched from Chrome, Opera, and Firefox to the Zen browser. This open-source Mozilla Firefox fork was released on July 11, 2024, and is available on macOS, Windows, and Linux. Zen retains Firefox's privacy features but adds unique functions like vertical tabs and Workspaces. Features like the Glance mode help manage numerous open links efficiently for heavy browsing. The journalist feels Zen's minimalist and functional setup is superior to flashier AI-native alternatives. 💻

❤️ Association asks govt for special HIV/AIDS welfare board

An association for People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) has officially asked the State government to set up a dedicated welfare board for them. This request came from the Namakkal District HIV Positive People Welfare Society. The demands include covering private college education costs and providing dedicated dialysis machines. The group also wants priority in government schemes and free land for housing. Furthermore, they seek increased monthly financial aid for those in extreme poverty.

🎭 New play based on Shantarasa's novel hits Kalaburagi

The play 'Sannagowdasani,' adapted from Nadoja Shantarasa's acclaimed novel, is set to be staged by Rangayana's repertory. This production will take place on August 10 at 6 p.m. and 11 a.m. at the Dr. S.M. Pandit Rangamandir in Kalaburagi. The event is jointly organized by the Department of Kannada and Culture and Rangayana, Kalaburagi. B. Venkata Singh, the Karnataka Information Commission Chairman, will inaugurate these performances. The play delves into the social and political dimensions of village life in the Hyderabad-Karnataka region. 🎭

🔭 Wandering black hole found outside galaxy center

Astronomers discovered a supermassive black hole acting outside the typical galactic center. This rogue black hole, estimated to be a million times the Sun's mass, was found tearing apart a star 30,000 light-years from its galaxy's core. This event was detected on November 4, 2025, by the Zwicky Transient Facility using a specialized program. The finding challenges the long-held assumption that these massive black holes always reside in galaxy centers. Future observations from the Rubin survey should help determine how this wandering black hole got there. 🌌

🚨 Auto driver booked for assault on minor in Kalaburagi

An autorickshaw driver has been booked under POCSO and Atrocities Act for allegedly abducting and sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl. The accused, Fayaz, 33, resides in Magdampur village in Chincholi taluk, Kalaburagi district. The incident reportedly took place on August 5th, when he drove her to Telangana. After an alleged assault, he dropped her near Konchavaram village the next morning. Police are actively searching to apprehend the absconding accused. 😔

🚀 SpaceX blasts off 24 Starlink satellites from California

SpaceX successfully launched a batch of 24 Starlink broadband satellites into low Earth orbit today, August 8th. The launch took place from Vandenberg Space Force Base on California's central coast. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 12:35 p.m. EDT, with its first stage landing in the Pacific Ocean. This mission contributed to Starlink's growing megaconstellation, which currently has over 10,900 active satellites. The upper stage deployed the satellites about 61 minutes after the initial liftoff.

🎉 India's experience economy set to hit $59.2B by 2030

The entertainment and live events sector is projected to reach $59.2 billion by the year 2030, up from its current $32.2 billion valuation. This prediction was made by Samit Garg, president of EEMA, at the inaugural EEMAGINE event in Chennai. Growth rates for wedding, sports, and ticketed businesses are noted at 18-20%, 20-23%, and 26% respectively. The industry is shifting from a service economy to an experience economy, now driving GDP and mass employment. The report suggests better regulatory clearances and social protection for the gig workforce moving forward. 📈

🧐 Pradhan on Gen Z protests and misleading narratives

Former Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan spoke out about the NEET paper leak controversy that led to his resignation. He stated that some people tried to mislead Gen Z during the student protests in Sambalpur. The resignation happened on July 25, following weeks of agitation related to the NEET-UG exam irregularities. Pradhan revealed he asked PM Modi to acknowledge the youth's concerns instead of letting grievances be exploited politically. He emphasized that the government acted fast, cancelling the test and conducting a re-examination on June 21. 🧐