🌌 Milky Way merged with another galaxy early on

Astronomers found evidence that the Milky Way merged with another galaxy shortly after the Big Bang. This discovery was made using the Hubble Space Telescope while studying 39 globular clusters in our galaxy. The clusters originated from a galaxy named Low-energy-Kraken-Heracles, which had a stellar mass of about 500 million times that of the Sun. Scientists believe this significant merger took place around 12.3 billion years ago. This finding adds to the known history of galaxy mergers, such as the one with Gaia-Sausage-Enceladus 10 billion years ago.

🗣️ Kashmir cleric speaks up on Imran Khan's jail shift

Kashmir chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq called the reports of ex-PM Imran Khan being moved to jail concerning on August 21, 2026. He stated that the rights of political prisoners are universal, regardless of location or political side. The Mirwaiz emphasized that incarcerated individuals need dignity, medical care, and due process everywhere. He also highlighted that court orders must be respected and the rule of law maintained. Opposition leader Iltija Mufti echoed these concerns about the treatment of Mr. Khan. 😟

👑 How to snag the Crown Sprite in Fortnite

The Crown Sprite has dropped in Fortnite with Chapter 7 Season 4, offering a unique end-of-match bonus instead of buffs. Players can find it using new Cheat Codes across the map or by opening Rare/Relic Chests. Alternatively, securing a Victory Royale or eliminating opponents grants the Sprite automatically. Trading with friends is another option, though it requires Sprite Dust from the other player. This Sprite rewards extra Crown Wins after a Victory Royale, but requires mastering through other means. 👑

🕊️ 105-year-old murder convict permanently released by SC

The Supreme Court permanently released Rasik Mandal, a 105-year-old life convict, allowing him to spend his final days with his family. He was convicted in 1994 for a murder committed in 1988 in Malda district, West Bengal. His appeal was dismissed by the Calcutta HC in 2018 and the SC in 2019. Mandal's son filed a writ petition in 2020, leading to an interim release order on November 29, 2024. On Friday, the apex court made this order absolute, granting his permanent release. 👵

♟️ GCT Finals line-up and schedule revealed

The Grand Chess Tour Finals will feature Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, Wesley So, Fabiano Caruana, and Vincent Keymer. These top players qualified after the 2026 season concluded at the Sinquefield Cup. Praggnanandhaa leads with 35½ points, while Keymer secured the fourth spot with 28½ points. The top seed, Pragg, will face Keymer in a semifinal, with the whole event running in Saint Louis this summer. The knockout stages start on Saturday, August 22nd, and the finals wrap up on Thursday, August 27th. ♟️

⚡ SG asks CJI to check power tribunal issues

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta requested CJI Surya Kant to examine the functioning of APTEL. This came after Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis flagged bias against private power developers in a letter to PM Narendra Modi. MERC challenged APTEL's dismissal of its appeal against JSW Energy Ltd on August 19th. The dispute originally involved MSEDC and JSW over a central government notification from May 5, 2022. MERC now seeks the tribunal to remit the matter back for fresh consideration. ⚡

🧠 Travis Kelce opens up about mental health help

Travis Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end, revealed he sought professional help to manage life changes. He discussed seeing a therapist weekly to process emotions strategically. This came after a major life shift in 2010 when he tested positive for marijuana. This early help helped clarify his life priorities, leading to his 2013 draft by the Chiefs. Despite recent performance critiques, Coach Andy Reid confirmed Kelce is fit for the new season.

🧐 High school friends could shape your future biz moves

Research suggests that early friendships can significantly influence one's later career trajectory. Specifically, the connections made during high school are found to be predictive factors for entrepreneurial success. The study tracked participants over several decades to observe these long-term impacts. This indicates that social networks formed during formative years play a key role in professional development. Future research will continue to explore the nuances of these early relationship dynamics. 🧐

🔭 Black Holes Turning Off: Fading Galaxies Uncovered 🌌

Astronomers found a new group of radio galaxies exhibiting fading radio lobes. This discovery was made by studying 14 candidates in the XMM–LSS field using MeerKAT and VLA. Twelve of these were confirmed remnants, fading over 8 to 42 million years, with an average fade age of 12 million years. This suggests astronomers might have missed a population of shorter-lived galaxy remnants. The research significantly advances the understanding of galaxy life cycles and black hole jet mechanics.

🚀 China gears up for deep lunar water hunt

China is preparing to launch its advanced Chang'e-7 mission to search for frozen water in the moon's shadowed craters. This historic venture will utilize a robotic lander, rover, and a hopping probe in a cold solar system region. Separately, satellite maker Muon Space secured $250 million in Series C funding, valuing the firm at $1.5 billion. Meanwhile, 3D X-ray imaging has offered new scientific understanding of narwhal tusks. These tusks are now shown to have complex internal structures, moving beyond old myths.

📉 Trump denies telling Bessent to fix bond market

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated on Thursday that the U.S. budget deficit under President Donald Trump likely has peaked. Bessent shared this insight with CNBC’s Sara Eisen following the department's debt buyback announcement. The monthly U.S. budget deficit previously exceeded $432 billion. He emphasized that the administration is now going to be laser focused on fiscal matters. This comes amid broader economic discussions in the US and globally. 📊