🏏 Root asks team to be 'good humans' before Pakistan clash

Joe Root called on his teammates to be good human beings at the start of his second captaincy reign. This comes after off-field issues marred past tours, including an incident involving Harry Brook in Wellington and a 4-1 loss to Australia. The team faced chaos last summer, leading to a 2-1 series loss to New Zealand and Stokes' retirement. Stephen Fleming is replacing McCullum, while Marcus Trescothick will handle the Test side against Pakistan. Root believes the focus should now be on fine-tuning the squad to evolve past past challenges.

🛑 Anti-graft site bribes.fyi shuts down forever

The Indian anti-corruption website, bribes.fyi, has announced it is shutting down indefinitely for good. This platform, launched by Aryan Nishad in New Delhi, was voluntarily sunsetted as a precautionary measure to prevent misuse. The site had previously received over 600 reports on bribes, with over five million requests in the last 48 hours. Nishad and his colleague had been working to strengthen the site's legal structure. The site will permanently delete all recorded data after its status page remains live for a short time.

📱 iPhone 18 Pro: 7 upgrades that matter

The iPhone 18 Pro series is rumored to launch in India soon, bringing major spec upgrades over the iPhone 17 Pro. This new lineup will feature a 2nm A20 Pro chip, a C2 modem, and significant camera enhancements. Potential hardware boosts include a larger battery, up to 5,425mAh on the Pro Max, and variable aperture cameras. These changes aim to improve efficiency, performance, and connectivity beyond standard cellular networks. The release could happen around September 9th, with Apple also rumored to introduce a foldable iPhone. 🚀

🇮🇳 Isha Koppikar: Proud 'andhbhakt' for changing India

Actor Isha Koppikar posted a video on her Instagram on Tuesday declaring her love for the evolving country. She stated that her devotion is towards India itself, not any specific political party, while in India. She urged people to shift focus from asking what the country has done for them to contributing to it. Koppikar emphasized that patriotism means taking action to improve the nation, not just stating love for it. She concluded by proudly embracing the 'andhbhakt' label while remaining critical when necessary. 🇮🇳

🛠️ Microsoft fixes File Explorer and context menu

Microsoft is rolling out major changes to File Explorer and the context menu to fix quality issues and boost user flexibility. These updates are available in the Experimental Windows Insider Channel for users. The changes aim to reduce bloat, making the menu less cluttered and faster for users. Key functions like Cut, Copy, Paste, and Rename can remain inline if the user prefers. Microsoft has also added options to bring back the familiar Windows 10 context menu feel.

🚨 Mumbai Police File Trial Against Hafiz Saeed & Co.

Mumbai Police have initiated an in absentia trial against Hafiz Saeed and five other individuals. The case pertains to the horrific 26/11 terrorist attacks that took place. The charges involve serious crimes committed on November 26th. This action is part of the ongoing effort to bring justice for the victims of the attacks. Authorities are set to proceed with the legal proceedings soon. 🚨

🌾 Tobacco Board Boosts Welfare Loans for Growers

The Tobacco Board has significantly increased interest-free loan amounts under its Growers’ Welfare Scheme for various needs. This update, detailed in a circular dated July 22, 2026, applies to all Regional Managers and Auction Superintendents in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Specific increases include raising the death grant to ₹1,00,000 for natural death and boosting barn repair loans up to ₹1,00,000 for heavy damage. Furthermore, loans for major illness, daughters' marriage, and education have also seen enhancements. The scheme also mandates specific recovery periods and instalment schedules for these new loan amounts.

😥 Job loss forces Jharkhand man to offer divorce

A government employee in Jharkhand, Sandeep, was blocked from his office on Tuesday after the government cancelled the JSSC-CGL 2024 exam. Sandeep, who worked in the Vigilance Department in Ranchi, told his wife she could end the relationship due to job insecurity. This cancellation affects nearly 2,000 selected candidates who feared losing their secure government positions. The decision followed weeks of student protests over alleged irregularities in the recruitment process. Affected candidates are now considering legal action to protect their appointments. 😥

🌊 TN Minister Vows No Compromise on Environment

Tamil Nadu's Environment Minister, V.K. Rajeev, stated that the state government will not compromise on protecting the environment and local livelihoods. This came in response to a motion regarding development wells by HOECL in Cuddalore district. Currently, HOECL has drilled four development wells and one exploratory well, with plans for four more. The EIA Terms of Reference were issued on August 21, 2025, requiring CRZ permission and public opinion gathering. HOECL applied via PARIVESH in July 2026, and the application is with the Cuddalore District Coastal Zone Management Authority. 🌊

🏛️ Karnataka news dump: Court wins, ED raids, school sickness

The Karnataka High Court overturned the Governor's suspension of KPSC Chairperson Shivashankarappa S. Sahukar, reinstating him immediately. This decision came after the court ruled the suspension was legally flawed as the Governor acted without Cabinet advice. Meanwhile, ED officials raided 21 premises across Karnataka and Ahmedabad regarding Veterinary Officer recruitment issues. Additionally, over 500 students fell ill at Clarence High School in Bengaluru, leading to a temporary online shift. ORR companies also expressed strong concerns to the GBA about planned white-topping work in October 2026. 🤒

🚨 Mumbai Police start trial against 26/11 accused

Mumbai Police have initiated an 'in absentia' trial against six absconding Pakistani accused linked to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. The key accused include Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, and others, all of whom are fugitives. This major legal action follows the 2008 attacks where 166 people died and 300 were injured in Mumbai. Formal proceedings will start after the court receives the official report on the proclamation issued against the suspects. If convicted, these accused will face immediate sentencing upon their arrival in India. 🇮🇳