📱 ChatGPT can now control iMessage on Mac

OpenAI has launched a new feature allowing ChatGPT to control Apple's iMessage service on Mac. This capability lets the AI read, write, and search user text messages directly from the Apple Messages app. The integration raises significant privacy questions given Apple's strong stance on user data protection. OpenAI insists the feature requires explicit user consent and runs locally on the Mac. This move also puts pressure on Apple's planned Siri AI capabilities. 🤖

🧠 Scientists build brain mini-organs with specific brain areas

Scientists successfully engineered lab-grown human brain tissue with defined regional identities, creating cortical organoids mimicking the front or back of the developing brain. This breakthrough was achieved by researchers at the University of California, Irvine, as detailed in a study published in Cell Stem Cell. The team used carefully selected chemical signals early in the organoid's growth to steer its characteristics. This new model helps study how the human brain develops and how disorders disrupt this organization. Further research can now investigate conditions like fragile X syndrome with greater spatial detail. 🧠

🧑‍⚖️ Punjab shutdown called for Bandi Singh release

The Qaumi Insaaf Morcha has called for a seven-hour shutdown across Punjab today to demand the release of Sikh prisoners. This protest is taking place in Punjab, with the Morcha demanding parole for Jagtar Singh Hawara. The shutdown is scheduled from 7 am to 2 pm on August 21, 2026, affecting transport and markets. The broader demand covers prisoners linked to militancy from the 1980s and 1990s. Essential services and airport travel remain exempt from the disruption. 🧑‍⚖️

🗣️ Dalit women need space to speak for themselves

Writer Kalyani Thakur Charal asserts that Dalit women must be allowed to voice their experiences freely. This issue is seen in the context of caste dynamics within Indian literature. Dalit women face double oppression from patriarchy and caste-based social structures. Their writing is crucial for bringing marginalized voices and social wounds to the surface. Therefore, she feels society needs the political presence of women from all sections. ✊

📜 Punjab's new law tightens grip on sacrilege

The Governor of Punjab assented to the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act in April 2026. This law criminalizes sacrilege against the Guru Granth Sahib, impacting Sikh faith in Punjab. The act closes a decade of agitation following 2015 desecrations and a 2015 police firing incident. The statute punishes both physical damage and disrespectful words, blurring the line between sacrilege and blasphemy. This legislation sits awkwardly against India's constitutional declaration of secularism. 🧐

🦟 Mumbai corporators demand BMC mosquito control data

BMC corporators have officially demanded a detailed breakdown of the civic body’s fogging and mosquito-control activities throughout Mumbai. This concern was raised during the BMC Standing Committee meeting on Thursday, specifically while discussing a pest-control plan for B Ward. The proposal involved appointing M/s Abhey Labor Co-op Society Ltd. for nocturnal spraying from May 13 to October 12, 2016. MNS leader Yashwant Killedar and other corporators questioned the availability of fogging machines and adequate chemicals to fight diseases. Additional Municipal Commissioner Prajakta Lavangare assured that a detailed report would be sought for the next meeting. 🦟

🚢 Indian Captain in UK over Russian Ghost Fleet Ship

The wife of Indian captain Ajay Pant claimed he was made a scapegoat after his arrest in the UK. He was aboard the tanker Smyrtos, which was intercepted by British commandos in the English Channel on June 14. Pant, 38, faces charges for sanctions offences related to the vessel carrying 98,000 tonnes of oil. This case is set to be a legal test for how Western nations prosecute seafarers in geopolitical conflicts. His trial is scheduled to commence on December 15, potentially setting a new legal precedent. 🚢

🧐 NCERT panel selection sparks controversy over affiliations

A 20-member panel for the new NCERT Political Science textbook was formed through a broad assessment of qualifications and expertise. Four members have faced scrutiny due to past RSS or ABVP associations in India. The selection process involved university academics, NCERT faculty, teachers, and external experts. Officials stated that academic merit was the core criterion, not ideological preference. The panel's work is part of the broader curricular restructuring under the National Education Policy. 📚

✈️ Cessna crashes near Alaska radar station, 8 killed

Eight people died after a twin-engine Cessna charter plane crashed on land in western Alaska. The aircraft, operated by Security Aviation, was flying from Anchorage to Cape Newenham. The crash occurred on Thursday, involving two pilots and six passengers. The wreckage was found near the Cape Newenham Airport, which serves the Long Range Radar Station. Authorities are currently investigating the incident and gathering more information.

✈️ Cessna plane crashes in remote Alaska

A twin-engine Cessna charter plane carrying eight people crashed near a remote radar site in western Alaska on Thursday. The aircraft, operated by Security Aviation, was traveling from Anchorage towards Cape Newenham. The plane contained two pilots and six passengers when the incident occurred. It landed on land close to Cape Newenham Airport, which is an Air Force airstrip. The NTSB and Alaska State Troopers are currently responding to the crash site.

📜 Gandhi's daily notes hit world auction record

A collection of 688 autographed reflections by Mahatma Gandhi sold for a massive Rs 16.2 crore. This historic sale took place at Saffronart, organized in Mumbai, for the Anand T Hingorani collection. The notes, written over two years following Vidya’s death, detailed truths and ahimsa. These intimate messages offer rare insight into Gandhi’s private life and thought process. The buyer remains undisclosed, but the manuscript will stay within India. 🇮🇳