diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a8b0b14f..4909e881 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,12 +1,51 @@
-# Public APIs [![Run tests](https://github.com/public-apis/public-apis/workflows/Run%20tests/badge.svg)](https://github.com/public-apis/public-apis/actions?query=workflow%3A%22Run+tests%22) [![Validate links](https://github.com/public-apis/public-apis/workflows/Validate%20links/badge.svg?branch=master)](https://github.com/public-apis/public-apis/actions?query=workflow%3A%22Validate+links%22)
+<div align="center">
+    <h1>Public APIs</h1>
+    <i>A collective list of free APIs for use in software and web development</i>
+</div>
 
-*A collective list of free APIs for use in software and web development.*
+<br />
 
-A public API for this project can be found [here](https://github.com/davemachado/public-api)!
+<div align="center">
+    <sup>Status</sup>
+    <br />
+    <a href="https://github.com/public-apis/public-apis/actions?query=workflow%3A%22Run+tests%22">
+        <img alt="Run tests" src="https://github.com/public-apis/public-apis/workflows/Run%20tests/badge.svg" />
+    </a>
+    <a href="https://github.com/public-apis/public-apis/actions?query=workflow%3A%22Validate+links%22">
+        <img alt="Validate links" src="https://github.com/public-apis/public-apis/workflows/Validate%20links/badge.svg?branch=master" />
+    </a>
+</div>
 
-For information on contributing to this project, please see the [contributing guide](CONTRIBUTING.md).
+<br />
 
-**NOTE: A passing build status indicates all listed APIs are available since the last update. A failing build status indicates that 1 or more services may be unavailable at the moment.**
+<div align="center">
+    <sub>The Project</sub>
+    <br />
+    <a href="CONTRIBUTING.md">Contributing Guide</a> •
+    <a href="https://github.com/davemachado/public-api">API for this project</a> •
+    <a href="https://github.com/public-apis/public-apis/issues">Issues</a> •
+    <a href="https://github.com/public-apis/public-apis/pulls">Pull Requests</a> •
+    <a href="LICENSE">License</a>
+    <br /><br />
+    <sub>Currently Active Maintainers</sub>
+    <br />
+    <a href="https://github.com/matheusfelipeog">matheusfelipeog</a> •
+    <a href="https://github.com/pawelborkar">pawelborkar</a> •
+    <a href="https://github.com/marekdano">marekdano</a> •
+    <a href="https://github.com/yannbertrand">yannbertrand</a>
+</div>
+
+<br />
+
+<div align="center">
+    <sub>Alternative sites for the project (unofficials)</sub>
+    <br />
+    <a href="https://free-apis.github.io">Free APIs</a> •
+    <a href="https://devresourc.es/tools-and-utilities/public-apis">Dev Resources</a> •
+    <a href="https://public-apis-site.vercel.app">Public APIs Site</a>
+</div>
+
+---
 
 ## Index
 
diff --git a/build/validate_links.py b/build/validate_links.py
index eb5dfa30..9bb4405b 100755
--- a/build/validate_links.py
+++ b/build/validate_links.py
@@ -5,21 +5,22 @@ import re
 import socket
 import sys
 
-ignored_links = [
-    'https://github.com/public-apis/public-apis/actions?query=workflow%3A%22Run+tests%22', 
-    'https://github.com/public-apis/public-apis/workflows/Validate%20links/badge.svg?branch=master', 
-    'https://github.com/public-apis/public-apis/actions?query=workflow%3A%22Validate+links%22',
-    'https://github.com/davemachado/public-api',
-]
 
 def parse_links(filename):
     """Returns a list of URLs from text file"""
-    with open(filename) as fp:
-        data = fp.read()
+    with open(filename, mode='r', encoding='utf-8') as fp:
+        readme = fp.read()
+        index_section = readme.find('## Index')
+        content = readme[index_section:]
+
     raw_links = re.findall(
         '((?:https?://|www\d{0,3}[.]|[a-z0-9.\-]+[.][a-z]{2,4}/)(?:[^\s()<>]+|\(([^\s()<>]+|(\([^\s()<>]+\)))*\))+(?:\(([^\s()<>]+|(\([^\s()<>]+\)))*\)|[^\s`!()\[\]{};:\'\".,<>?«»“”‘’]))',
-        data)
-    links = [raw_link[0] for raw_link in raw_links]
+        content)
+
+    links = [
+        str(raw_link[0]).rstrip('/') for raw_link in raw_links
+    ]
+
     return links
 
 def dup_links(links):
@@ -30,10 +31,6 @@ def dup_links(links):
     dupes = []
 
     for link in links:
-        link = link.rstrip('/')
-        if link in ignored_links:
-            continue
-
         if link not in seen:
             seen[link] = 1
         else: