Sending you midweek smiles this beautiful Wednesday morning!

🤫 Geek Goss 🤭

#VercelPythonFramework - That’s right - a new Python Framework seems to be on the cards. This time from Vercel. As if we didn’t have enough frameworks already - there’s one more to learn now. And you know Job Descriptions will already start asking for 10+ years of experience in this framework that came just now!

#Reddit…NoWaitItsX - X (formerly twitter) is planning on adding down votes - like Reddit. But not like Reddit apparently. I guess they are having an existential crisis over at X.

#GoogleIsNoLongerGreen - Google’s greenhouse gas emissions have jumped 48% in the past five years. Guess Google is no longer interested in saving the planet and is hell bent on giving you controversial summaries for their search results.

#FigmaAIDesigner - So, Figma's "Make Design" AI was caught red-handed mimicking Apple's Weather app! After some social media drama and finger-pointing, Figma’s CEO had to pull the plug on the feature. Talk about a design scandal!

#DevOpsOnVentilator - The Devops Foundation is sounding the alarm on the shrinking number of quality performers in this domain. Apparently while many claim to know it, the percentage of people that can actually deploy code to production in a single day is very close to single digits.

#NSFWAdsOnYoutube - YouTube is at it again with those naughty ads! Despite Google's big talk about cracking down, those cheeky NSFW ads keep sneaking through. Reddit's buzzing with the latest drama—seems like YouTube's got more work to do!

⌛ The Past 24 hours

Unacademy Lays Off 250 Employees Amid Restructuring Efforts

Indian edtech giant Unacademy has laid off 250 employees, adding to the 2,000 job cuts since late 2022. The move aims to steer the company towards profitability as it navigates post-pandemic challenges. Unacademy is also exploring a potential merger with K12 Techno.

Apple Unveils India-Specific Features for iOS 18

Apple introduces India-exclusive features in iOS 18, including Hindi support for the Translation app, multilingual Siri, Indian numerals on Lock Screen, and a multilingual keyboard for iPhone 12 and newer models. These enhancements aim to enrich the iPhone experience for Indian users.

RBI Joins ASEAN in Project Nexus for Cross-Border Retail Payments

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) collaborates with four ASEAN countries in Project Nexus to facilitate instant cross-border retail payments. The initiative aims to interlink India's UPI with the payment systems of Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand, enhancing international payment efficiency by 2026.

Zomato to Challenge Rs 9.5 Crore GST Demand from Karnataka Authorities

Zomato faces a Rs 9.45 crore GST demand from Karnataka's tax authorities for excess input tax credit in FY 2019-20. The company plans to challenge the order, believing it has a strong case. This follows multiple tax disputes for Zomato and reflects increased regulatory scrutiny in the food delivery sector.

Meta Revises Policy on Moderating Arabic Word "Shaheed"

Meta updates its moderation policy, ending the "blanket ban" on the Arabic word "shaheed." The change, influenced by the Oversight Board, ensures posts are only removed if "shaheed" is linked with violating content. This aims to reduce unfair censorship of Arabic-speaking users.

Major Xbox Live Outage Disrupts Gaming Over Holiday Week

Microsoft is facing a major Xbox Live outage, affecting sign-ins and access to games and apps. The issue remains unresolved with no timeline for a fix. The outage impacts gamers during the US Independence Day holiday week.

👩🏾‍💻 Bit Boutique

Docmost | Docmost is an open source collaborative documentation and wiki software. It is an open-source alternative to the likes of Confluence and Notion.

Solid Toast | Customizable Toast Notifications for SolidJS

YoctoColors | The smallest and fastest command-line coloring package on the internet

📢 In case you missed it

• Canva’s Hackathon is now live! You need to use their SDK and API to create apps using AI. Prizes worth $50,000 are at play

• A QA conference is being held in Bengaluru on the 12th and 13th

💼 Job Board

🎲 Miscellaneous

React Native Developers Advised to Use Frameworks Like Expo

Meta recommends using frameworks like Expo for React Native app development to streamline production processes. These frameworks offer essential tools and APIs for building production-ready apps, simplifying tasks like upgrading native code and managing dependencies. Existing apps can migrate to Expo for enhanced developer experience.

How to get promoted: Lessons from an ex-Amazon VP

Ethan Evans, ex-Amazon VP, shares key strategies for promotions. Understand your career gap, seek feedback, build trust through consistent performance, and gain scope by proposing initiatives. Networking and adapting to your manager's style can further enhance your chances for advancement.

Things Databases Don't Do - But Should

Databases often miss key functionalities like schema version control, tenant awareness, soft deletes, and native developer APIs. These features are essential for modern applications, yet developers repeatedly implement them. Future databases should aim to include these capabilities to enhance efficiency and ease of use.

CSS Introduces Inline Conditional if() for Dynamic Styling

The CSS Working Group has resolved to add the if() inline conditional to CSS, enhancing its dynamic capabilities. This feature allows conditional styling based on custom properties, media queries, and supports conditions, offering more flexibility for developers. Though it won't be available in browsers for a few years, this addition marks a significant advancement in CSS functionality.