🥃 Political heat over extra ₹10 on liquor bottles

A heated debate erupted in the Assembly regarding an extra ₹10 collected at Tasmac liquor shops. Minister K. Vignesh stated that DMK officials forced staff to collect this extra amount, claiming it was needed for shop upkeep. This dispute was raised by DMK's K.N. Nehru during the proceedings on Monday, August 31, 2026. Law Minister C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar noted this small fee represents 10% of ₹50,000 crore. The government plans to create an e-Kalaal application for licensing and a methanol control policy soon. 🥃

🛡️ Saudi, Turkey, Pakistan form defence pact secretariat

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have officially agreed to establish a secretariat under their newly formed joint defence pact. This agreement was reached involving representatives from all three nations, focusing on enhancing regional security cooperation. Key details include the pact aiming to strengthen mutual defence capabilities starting from early 2024. The alliance is being formed amidst shifting geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East region. Future plans involve regular high-level meetings to coordinate joint security operations. 🛡️

⚖️ High Court to hear appeal on marriage schemes

The Telangana High Court will hear the state government's appeal against a judge's order stopping the Kalyana Lakshmi and Shaadi Mubarak schemes. This appeal was filed against an interim direction passed on August 12. That order had paused financial aid for unmarried women in SC, ST, BC, minority, and PwD groups under the two schemes. The initial stay came after a writ petition by advocate Vijay Gopal questioned the schemes' constitutional validity. Subsequently, the judge lifted the stay on GO Ms. No. 4 after an implead petition from MIM MLAs.

🥃 Tejashwi blasts Bihar govt over hooch tragedy

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav strongly criticized the Bihar government regarding a suspected hooch tragedy. This incident happened in Bedhna village, Barh police station, Patna district on Sunday, August 30. Four individuals died after allegedly consuming spurious liquor on August 30, 2026. Yadav claimed the law and order situation has collapsed, demanding a full investigation into the matter. This is part of a trend, as nearly 200 people have died in hooch tragedies since Bihar became a dry state in April 2016. 🥃

📱 Foldable iPhone pencil idea hits roadblocks

Apple explored developing a smaller stylus accessory for its upcoming foldable iPhone. Mark Gurman reported that Apple built and tested this prototype for the potential iPhone Ultra. This development was a big shift since Apple Pencil has mainly been tied to iPads for years. The primary hurdle seems to be the fragility of foldable screens under stylus pressure. Consequently, the pencil accessory is currently unlikely to be released to consumers. 📱

🏭 India targets second chip fab by 2031 with big investment

India has launched Semicon 2.0 with a ₹1.28 trillion budget to fund a second commercial silicon fabrication plant by 2031. The IT ministry is inviting global companies to build this in New Delhi as part of becoming a semiconductor hub. Applicants must deploy at least ₹20,000 crore ($2.1 billion) in their own capital to qualify for the second fab. This strategy shows confidence that a growing supply chain will attract investors despite lower state hand-outs. The government is also pushing for India's first display-chip plant under this new program. 🏭

✨ Sri Gouri Priya's latest look is stunning

Sri Gouri Priya, known from Chennai Love Story, is currently promoting two major films, VISA and Bro Code. She recently shared a set of gorgeous pictures on social media while taking a break from her schedule. In the photos, she wore a black gown with gold sequin embroidery and a flowy skirt. The look was complemented by a sleek ponytail and minimal gold jewelry against an olive-green background. Her ongoing projects suggest her popularity will continue to grow in the coming months.

⚖️ HC stops potency test in IPS trainee sexual harassment case

The Telangana High Court directed police not to proceed with an impotency test for IPS trainee Uday Krishna Reddy. The judge heard the criminal petition filed by the trainee against the testing order. This case involves allegations of sexually harassing a female IPS trainee at the national police academy. A local court had previously allowed the investigating officer to conduct the potency test on August 17. The matter has been adjourned by the court until Tuesday for further hearing.

📢 Revanth demands KCR's resignation as LoP

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy called for protests demanding BRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao's resignation as Leader of the Opposition. This demand was made by Reddy at the Moosarambagh bridge inauguration in Hyderabad, Telangana. He suggested six days of dharnas starting Tuesday and a major protest on September 6, ahead of the Assembly starting on September 7. Reddy alleged KCR hasn't been in public life for 1,000 days and took ₹ 1.24 crore salary during this time. He stated he is ready to debate the performance of both governments during this period.

🩺 AI spots heart disease in under two seconds

Doctors have developed a 'superhuman' AI tool capable of spotting heart disease from ECGs in under two seconds. This technology was presented at the European Society of Cardiology annual congress in Munich. In a US trial of 67,000 patients, the AI identified up to 81% of heart failure cases and 90% of heart valve disease. This speeds up early diagnosis, allowing high-risk patients to skip long wait times for ultrasounds. The next step involves designing handheld AI-led ECG readers for healthcare professionals. 🩺

🐛 Worms find shortcuts in narrow passages

Research indicates that worms navigate narrow paths more quickly compared to wider ones. Scientists observed this behavior in various worm species across their natural habitats. The findings were documented during studies conducted over a period of six months. This discovery has potential implications for designing more efficient robotic systems. Future research will focus on applying these principles to real-world automation challenges.