The Oropouche virus also known as 'Sloth Fever', previously limited to the Amazon basin, has spread to five countries in the Americas, infecting over 8,000 people since 2024. Genetic changes may have increased its potency, leading to two confirmed deaths in Brazil and potential harm to two unborn children. The virus, transmitted by biting insects, has also been detected in travelers returning to the US and Europe from Brazil and Cuba. In response, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a health advisory alert to doctors, warning of the virus's rapid expansion beyond its usual range.

Debuting after a six-year hiatus, British Paralympic archer Jodie Grinham, seven months pregnant, competed in the women's individual compound open, achieving a personal best score of 693 and finishing fourth. She also secured a second-place finish in the mixed team compound open ranking round alongside Nathan MacQueen. Following a brief health scare earlier in the week, where her baby's movement caused concern, Grinham's doctors confirmed the baby's health and advised rest after competition. Grinham will resume competition on Saturday in the elimination round, welcoming a rest day on Friday to fine-tune her performance.

The Indian government has approved a $276 million investment by Singapore Airlines in Air India, clearing the final hurdle for the merger with Vistara. The deal, expected to be completed by year-end, will combine the planes, staff, and routes of both airlines, with Singapore Airlines holding a 25.1% stake in the enlarged Air India Group. This investment is part of Air India's restructuring efforts, and marks a significant step towards creating a stronger, more competitive airline group in the Indian aviation sector. The Tata Group, joint owner of Vistara, will also benefit from the merger.

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a three-day ceasefire in Gaza to facilitate the polio vaccination of approximately 640,000 children. The World Health Organization (WHO) has coordinated the effort, scheduling the vaccinations to begin on Sunday. To ensure a safe environment, three separate ceasefires will be implemented in designated zones, each lasting from 6 am to 3 pm local time. This temporary pause in fighting aims to protect the vulnerable population from the threat of polio, and the WHO's efforts have led to a rare moment of cooperation between the conflicting parties.

Indian shares hit record highs on Friday, with the NSE Nifty 50 reaching 25,257 and the S&P BSE Sensex climbing to 82,637, both marking all-time peaks. The surge was supported by strong regional market performance and positive U.S. economic data that eased growth concerns. The Nifty index extended its winning streak to 11 sessions, the longest in nearly 17 years, fueled by expectations of a U.S. interest rate cut in September. Domestic institutional investors (DII) bought $6.14 billion worth of shares in August, offsetting foreign portfolio investor outflows. Asian markets also gained, with MSCI's broadest Asia-Pacific index rising 0.7% following Wall Street's rally.

Great Britain's swimming team secured first two gold medals at the Paralympics in Paris, with Poppy Maskill and Tully Kearney emerging victorious. Maskill set a new world record in the women's S14 100m butterfly with a time of 1:03 minutes, breaking the previous record by 0.33 seconds. This marked ParalympicsGB's first gold medal at the Paris Games. Additionally, the team won three silver medals, including one in swimming and two in velodrome events, as well as a bronze medal in table tennis, showcasing a strong start to the competition.

Chetan Patil, a structural consultant from Kolhapur, was arrested in connection with the collapse of a 35-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Sindhudurg, Maharashtra. The statue, located at Rajkot fort in Malvan, collapsed on August 26, less than nine months after its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Patil was apprehended by a joint team from the Kolhapur crime branch and Malvan police. He was named in the FIR but denied responsibility for the statue itself, stating that he only worked on its platform, while a Thane-based company managed the statue's construction. The collapse has sparked concerns over the quality of the project.

Yemen's Houthis have released a video showing their fighters boarding and detonating explosives on the oil tanker Sounion in the Red Sea. The Greek-flagged vessel, carrying nearly 1 million barrels of crude oil, was attacked earlier this month. The Houthis claim the ship violated their blockade against Israel-bound vessels. The group has been targeting alleged Israel-linked ships to pressure Israel to end the Gaza war, which has killed over 40,600 Palestinians. The attack raises concerns about a potential major oil spill and environmental catastrophe, as well as navigation risks in the region.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast the formation of Cyclone 'Asna' over the Arabian Sea on Friday, a rare occurrence in August. This will be the first cyclone in the month since 1976, with only three such storms recorded in the region since 1891. Cyclone Asna is expected to move from the Saurashtra-Kutch area of Gujarat towards the Oman coast, following a similar trajectory to the 1976 cyclone, which formed over Odisha and weakened near Oman. The IMD has issued a warning for the rare August storm, which is expected to impact the region in the coming days.

A 31-year-old trainee doctor was brutally raped and murdered inside Kolkata's RG Kar hospital on August 9. Hours later, the hospital's Assistant Superintendent informed the victim's parents of her death in a series of three phone calls. Initially, the official stated that their daughter was "not well" and requested their immediate presence at the hospital. Subsequent calls suggested that the victim had died by suicide, sparking allegations of a hospital cover-up. The incident has raised concerns about patient safety and accountability within the healthcare institution. An investigation into the matter is currently underway.