🏛️ DMK MLA's comments against CM sent to Privileges Committee

The Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly decided to refer remarks made by DMK MLA G.V. Markandayan against CM C Joseph Vijay to the Privileges Committee. This action followed an intervention by Energy Resources and Law Minister R. Nirmalkumar during the Budget debate on Friday. The MLA's comments, which were deemed to demean the House's dignity, were noted after a letter was submitted. Despite opposition from DMK members, the Speaker stated the matter would be referred once the committee is formed. The Speaker affirmed that if outside statements tarnish the Assembly's dignity, action will be taken. 🧐

⛽ OMCs say E20 petrol passes strict quality checks

State-run Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) confirmed that nationwide testing of E20 petrol shows no signs of high chloride contamination or moisture. Over 100 petrol samples from refineries had chloride levels at or below one ppm, while 80 distilleries' ethanol samples were below 3 ppm. These findings counter claims of fuel contamination, with the Ministry of Petroleum starting daily tests on about 2,000 samples. The Centre has intensified monitoring across the supply chain, including 90,000 retail outlets checking tanks 8-12 times daily. This rigorous oversight aims to ensure the consistently high quality of the fuel across India.

🏏 Litchfield's masterclass keeps Sunrisers alive

Sunrisers Leeds won by nine wickets after Birmingham Phoenix struggled to post a competitive score. The match took place at Edgbaston, eliminating not just Phoenix but also London Spirit and MI London. Phoenix was restricted to 107 for 9, while Sunrisers posted 111 for 1 on August 7, 2026. Phoebe Litchfield's fast-scored fifty and batting brilliance were key to the victory and competition survival. The game ended with Litchfield unbeaten on 71 off 33 balls. 🏏

🩺 Pregnancy Issues Link to Heart Disease Risk

Adverse pregnancy outcomes have been identified as a significant predictor for cardiovascular disease mortality. This link was found among a cohort of participants studied by researchers. The study tracked data spanning several years, providing robust evidence for this association. It suggests that complications during gestation can impact long-term heart health outcomes. Further research is needed to develop targeted preventative strategies for high-risk groups. 🩺

🔬 Solar eclipse study checks health impact on wearbles

A project called SOLARIS will analyze the health effects of a total solar eclipse happening on August 12th. Researchers are conducting this study in Catalonia, Spain, recruiting participants who use smartwatches and fitness trackers. The study will track heart rate and breathing for two days before, during, and two days after the eclipse. This helps generate scientific knowledge linking natural phenomena, emotions, and human health. The data collection is secure, and applications for the Android and iPhone app are currently open. 🧐

🌾 Udhayanidhi asks for loan waiver timeline for farmers

Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin pressed the State government to set a timeline for the promised crop loan waiver. He raised this during the Legislative Assembly session in Chennai concerning the Cauvery water dispute. Farmers are protesting across the State, and the government had previously announced a ₹134 crore package. Udhayanidhi emphasized the need for a specific drought relief package for the Cauvery delta farmers. He further urged declaring the delta districts drought-hit to address their needs.

🗺️ Google pulls Earth AI after users made dodgy images

Google quietly discontinued its Earth AI feature less than a day after its rollout. This happened after users generated some taboo imagery within the platform. The feature allowed overlaying AI scenes onto real satellite imagery, with initial safeguards in place. Users quickly misused it to create false images for disinformation, such as fabricated conflict scenes. Google is now rolling back the feature while implementing stronger guardrails. 😥

✈️ India wants roadmap for joining French fighter jet project

A Parliamentary Standing Committee has requested a detailed roadmap from the Ministry of Defence regarding India's sixth-generation fighter aircraft plans. The committee welcomed the MoD's efforts to co-join the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme led by France. This was detailed in the 25th Report tabled on Friday, August 7, 2026. The committee stressed that technical upgrades are a top priority to meet the current security scenario. Therefore, the Ministry is advised to chart a trajectory for developing and acquiring 6G aircraft.

🤖 D.Mon arrives for Overwatch Season 4

Overwatch Season 4 is kicking off on Aug. 11th with the debut of new tank hero D.Mon. She joins the roster as a mech pilot from South Korea's Meka Squad, having been in lore since 2018. D.Mon features agile, sci-fi sword and shield gameplay, contrasting with D.Va's ballistic style. Her ultimate ability, Limit Break, grants overhealth and amplified damage to enemies hit. Players will need to master her cooldowns to effectively use her mobility in rush compositions.

🚨 18-year-old Linux bug grants full root access

A newly found Linux kernel vulnerability, SCTPhantom (CVE-2026-64564), lets attackers gain full root access and escape containers. This flaw is a use-after-free bug in SCTP's Dynamic Address Reconfiguration, tracing back to 2007. Researchers successfully demonstrated exploitation on Ubuntu 24.04 and Debian 13, achieving root in every test case. The vulnerability scores 8.5 (High severity) because of its low attack complexity and high impact. Sysadmins must patch to fixed versions immediately to secure SCTP-enabled kernels.

🏏 Sunrisers Leeds crush Birmingham Phoenix at Edgbaston

Sunrisers Leeds secured a dominant nine-wicket victory over Birmingham Phoenix at Edgbaston in The Hundred women's competition. Phoebe Litchfield's unbeaten 71 off 33 balls powered Sunrisers past the target of 108 with 31 balls to spare. Litchfield hit the fastest half-century ever in the competition, reaching it in just 20 deliveries. This win means MI London and London Spirit are out of the knock-out race for the tournament. Sunrisers now sit in fourth place and are close to the last knock-out spot as all teams have played six matches. 🏏