Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke on Thursday offered to publicly show his Boston University degree if Prime Minister Narendra Modi did the same, amid renewed questions about his educational credentials. The challenge followed a podcast claim that there was no record of Dipke graduating from the US university. Dipke has rejected the allegations, saying his education was funded through a Boston University scholarship and an education loan. He earlier showed his scholarship letter in an interview. Questions over his education and funding had also surfaced after an RTI activist sought scrutiny of his family’s finances and education expenses. (PC: X)

Lollapalooza India will return to Mumbai’s Mahalaxmi Racecourse on January 23 and 24, 2027, for its fifth edition, with Olivia Dean, Limp Bizkit, KATSEYE, Fontaines D.C. and 5 Seconds of Summer among the headline acts. The two-day festival will feature four stages and artistes across pop, rock, electronic, hip-hop, jazz, R&B and folk. Other international performers include St. Vincent and Steve Angello. The Indian lineup includes Aditya Gadhvi, Anuv Jain, Ricky Kej with Stewart Copeland, Indian Ocean and The Manganiyar Seduction, alongside several independent and emerging artistes.

Highly skilled Indian professionals seeking US employment-based Green Cards could face waits of up to 179 years, according to a National Foundation for American Policy assessment. The employment-based immigration backlog has crossed 1.2 million applicants, with nearly one million Indians accounting for about 79% of the backlog. Indian applicants face the longest delays because of annual limits and country-specific caps on employment-based visas. The EB-2 backlog for Indian advanced-degree professionals has grown sharply, while other categories also face long waits. The report highlights growing pressure on the US immigration system and the severe impact of existing limits on Indian professionals seeking permanent residency.

India’s reported interest in joining a sixth-generation fighter programme could bring advanced technology and strategic partnerships, but an NDTV opinion article warns that pursuing too many projects could overstretch its resources. The Indian Air Force is already developing Tejas Mk2, a 114-aircraft MRFA programme, and the fifth-generation AMCA. India has approached Europe’s GCAP and FCAS partnerships, though FCAS’s core fighter collaboration has collapsed. The article identifies advanced fighter-engine technology as India’s biggest challenge, with engine development estimated at $10 billion. It argues that India needs a clear air-power roadmap rather than multiple programmes competing for limited industrial and financial resources. (PC: NDTV)

A magnitude 5 earthquake struck Tibet on Thursday, days after catastrophic flash floods caused widespread devastation in the region bordering Nepal. The German Research Centre for Geosciences said the quake occurred at a depth of 10 km, with no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The August 26 disaster was triggered by a glacier collapse in Tibet and sent floods and debris through towns and valleys. At least 1,252 people are confirmed dead and more than 4,200 remain missing in Nepal, while Tibet’s death toll stands at 21, with 541 people missing. Rescue operations continue in the devastated mountain region. (PC: India Today)

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Thursday announced plans to develop a world-class Olympic City and a dedicated motorsports city in Chennai. The Olympic City, to be developed by the Tamil Nadu Sports Development Authority, will feature advanced sports arenas, a High Performance Training Centre, Sports Science and Sports Medicine centres, and accommodation for athletes and coaches. Vijay said the facility would help Tamil Nadu athletes prepare for the Olympics and other international events. The proposed motorsports city will host Formula 1-4 races. The announcement comes amid national efforts to strengthen motorsports and bring Formula 1 back to India by 2028. (PC: News18)

ISRO will launch the GSLV-F17 rocket carrying EOS-5, India’s first Earth-observation imaging satellite for geosynchronous orbit, at 2:55 am on September 4 from Sriharikota. The mission comes after back-to-back PSLV setbacks in 2025 and 2026, with that launch vehicle currently grounded. GSLV-F17, nicknamed ISRO’s “naughty boy” because of its turbulent early record, will attempt to provide a major boost to the space agency. The 2,367kg EOS-5 will operate about 36,000km above India, providing continuous monitoring of weather, disasters, environmental changes, infrastructure and strategic regions. It also revives the objective lost with the EOS-03 mission in 2021. (PC: NDTV)

PayPal has reportedly laid off around 600 employees in India, about 10% of its workforce, amid a global restructuring. According to reports, the cuts affected teams in Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad across technology, engineering, operations, payments and finance. Some employees said they were informed during a group call on August 31 and immediately lost access to company systems. Reports said affected workers were offered job assistance and promised one month’s salary as severance. A separate report claimed up to 25% of PayPal’s Indian workforce, or about 1,500 employees, could eventually be affected. PayPal is reportedly planning 20% global job cuts.   (PC: India Today)

Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of attacking the Saudi-owned supertanker Sidr in the Strait of Hormuz, killing two Filipino sailors. Saudi shipping company Bahri said the vessel was involved in a security incident late Monday while transiting the waterway. Maritime security firms reported that Sidr and the South Korean-owned Senegal Prosperity, each carrying two million barrels of Saudi crude, were struck by unknown projectiles near Oman’s Musandam Peninsula. Iran has not directly responded to the allegation and said two tankers caught fire after hitting mines on an unauthorised route. The incident came amid escalating US-Iranian military exchanges. (PC: BBC)

Rohit Sharma was reportedly ready to retire after a selection committee member told him in July that the panel had decided to move on and asked if he could announce his exit after the Lord’s ODI against England. The report said Rohit was angry but agreed. However, the former India captain scored 138 at Lord’s, temporarily halting retirement speculation, though the century did not guarantee his place for the 2027 ODI World Cup. His future, along with those of Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja, will be discussed at Thursday’s BCCI meeting in Mumbai as India begins preparations for next year’s World Cup in Africa. (PC: HT)