entertainment Dave Bautista has officially been cast as Kratos in the Prime Video God of War live-action series. He is replacing Ryan Hurst, who was filming in the production. The recast happened because Hurst tore his bicep while on set, creating a major production delay. Bautista was reportedly already in talks for the role earlier this month before the injury occurred. Filming for the series is set to resume in mid-October 2026. 🎮
tech OpenAI has launched a new Apple Messages plug-in for ChatGPT, letting users connect their Messages inbox with the AI chatbot. This feature enables users to sort, analyze, edit, draft, and even delete messages directly through ChatGPT. The plug-in is compatible with Codex and ChatGPT Work, making it useful for both personal and professional use. Concerns about privacy have been raised, though OpenAI states the plug-in runs locally on the user's machine. Users are advised to monitor ChatGPT's actions and avoid persistent approval settings for review.
entertainment Chris Evans has reportedly found a buyer for his Hollywood Hills home after relisting it for $6.39 million. The actor, who bought the 1940s residence in 2013, is moving to the East Coast with his family. The property was initially listed for $6.99 million in May 2025 before being taken off the market. Now, it is under a contingent offer, and the exact sale price remains undisclosed. This move comes as he prepares to spend more quality time with his wife and daughter. 🏡
tech A user discovered a hidden Windows GPU mode, MSI mode, to boost game performance. This feature allows the GPU to communicate directly with the CPU instead of using shared lines, which reduces latency. While AMD enables it by default, Nvidia adoption is inconsistent, requiring registry edits to check or enable it. Additionally, setting interrupt priority high using MSI Utility v3 provides significant frame time improvements. This method enhances response time, leading to better frame pacing and FPS in demanding games. 🎮
science Scientists have directly dated material suggesting the presence of ancient microbial life. The research was led by Trisrota Chaudhuri at the Geological Survey of India, focusing on Bhitardari, India. The team dated the evidence to around 3.5 billion years ago using embedded zircon crystals. This finding links preserved biological material with robust age dating, which is extremely rare in early Earth history. Further analysis confirms the carbon's biological origin and structure, paving the way for more ancient life discoveries. 🧐
world The UK Home Office released a booklet for asylum-seekers detailing UK laws on consent, domestic abuse, and child sex offenses. This guide clarifies that sex without consent is rape and sexual contact with anyone under 16 is a serious crime in the UK. The pamphlet also assures asylum-seekers of their rights regarding work, study, and personal choices. This follows the deportation of Ethiopian Hadush Kebatu after sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. Overall, 93,525 people claimed asylum in the UK in the year ending March 2026. 🛂
business The Enforcement Directorate has ramped up its probe into the Money Trade Coin scam with searches in Mumbai and Thane. This action follows India Today's undercover expose from February 2018, revealing a wider alleged fraud network. The scam cheated investors of over Rs 113 crore between August 2017 and April 2018. Initially, officials promised huge returns and Caribbean citizenship to lure investors. Now, the ED is investigating Lakhanpal and associates who allegedly fled to Dubai.
tech Google Home is rolling out an update bringing refined voice commands and granular smart light control. This update is rolling out to users starting August 20, focusing on Gemini improvements. Specific changes include better Spotify recognition and a two-step process for broadcasts. Users can now command specific light color temperatures, like 2700 kelvins, using voice. Additionally, the update fixes iOS crashes and improves camera stream quality on Android.
entertainment Alia Bhatt is set for an extended appearance in the highly awaited 'Brahmastra 2' sequel. She will feature as a parallel lead alongside Deepika Padukone in the film starring Ranbir Kapoor. Sources indicate Alia is locked for the sequel and is expected to shoot for about 25 days. The film is planned for a total shoot duration of approximately 125 days, focusing on characters Dev and Amrita. Ranbir is scheduled to begin shooting for the sequel in April 2027. 🎬
business The government approved duty-free imports of 10 lakh tonnes of raw sugar until October 31, 2026, to counter sharp price hikes in local markets. This decision was made on Thursday, August 20, 2026, by allowing the import under a Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ). All-India average ex-mill prices rose to ₹5,400-5,500 per quintal, while retail prices climbed 13% year-on-year. Additionally, stockholding limits were imposed on bulk consumers starting September 1, 2026, to manage supply. Applications for this TRQ are open from August 21 to August 28, 2026. 📈
sports Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan has been transferred to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for medical treatment. This move followed a direction from a three-member Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Shahid Waheed on Tuesday. Khan, who is 73 years old, was moved under strict security arrangements in the early hours of Friday. His party, PTI, petitioned for hospitalization due to his worsening health, which concerns have been raised since February this year. It remains unclear how long the former leader will remain at the private facility. 🏥
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