🎬 Vishal backs Udhayanidhi despite political heat 🎬

Actor Vishal expressed strong affection for Udhayanidhi Stalin after supporting the action taken against him. This happened at the audio launch of Vishal's directorial debut, Magudam, in the context of Udhayanidhi's detention in Thanjavur. The detention occurred earlier this month following remarks perceived as aimed at actress Trisha during the Cauvery water dispute protests. Vishal stressed that while political paths might differ, their personal friendship remains unaffected by any rivalry. He also called for equal punishment for anyone making derogatory remarks about women in the fraternity.

💥 Tata Group power shift deepens after key exits

The power struggle at the Tata Group has intensified after N Chandrasekaran announced he won't seek reappointment as chairman of Tata Sons. This followed the withdrawal of Ratan Tata's associates like Vijay Singh and Mehli Mistry from key positions. The dispute centers around Tata Trusts, which owns about 66 per cent of Tata Sons. Key disagreements involve board appointments and whether Tata Sons should eventually be publicly listed. The situation adds friction between different trustee camps within the conglomerate.

🛡️ New 0-day exploit bypasses Windows Defender patch

Nightmare-Eclipse released ShieldBreak, a ninth Windows zero-day exploit targeting Microsoft’s own fix. This vulnerability affects Windows 11 25H2 and Windows Server 2025, as reported on this date. The exploit bypasses the patch for CVE-2026-50656 using CLFS log manipulation and object manager symbolic links. This proves the underlying weakness in the Malware Protection Engine remains exploitable through different techniques. Security teams must monitor for these specific activities until Microsoft issues a comprehensive fix. 🛡️

🌧️ Why aren't TTD temples doing rain rituals?

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is facing pressure to perform the 'Varuna Yagam' due to the current drought linked to El Nino. Former TTD chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy criticized the TTD administration for not conducting the ritual. He pointed out that smaller temples like Srisailam and Vijayawada had already started these rain rituals based on public feeling. Reddy stated that as the world's largest temple trust, TTD has a duty to help the global farming community. He reminded that TTD held similar rituals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

💖 Porch lunch turns into $13k friendship story

A chance meeting between homeowner Abigail Mwaungulu and Wendy's worker Dara in Palm Beach County, Florida, sparked a genuine friendship. The initial encounter, filmed and shared on TikTok, quickly went viral with over 1.5 million views. Abigail then launched a GoFundMe campaign to support Dara's dreams, which has since raised over $13,000. Dara, who walks to work, hopes to build a career helping others with this financial aid. The two women remain close friends, showing the power of simple kindness.

🛡️ Chrome patches major security flaws enabling remote attacks

Google released a new Chrome Stable Channel update to fix five high-severity security vulnerabilities affecting core browser components. This update applies to Windows and macOS at version 151.0.7922.137/.138, while Linux users get version 151.0.7922.137. The flaws span JavaScript engine, interface components, and Blink rendering engine, potentially allowing remote attacks via malicious web content. CVE-2026-19556, for instance, was reported on July 15, 2026, and earned a $500 bug bounty. Users should update immediately and organizations should review third-party extension governance. 🛡️

💸 JYP Earnings Dip, Stray Kids Absence Cited

JYP Entertainment reported a sharp decline in its second-quarter earnings, which was reportedly linked to fewer major activities by Stray Kids. The company announced preliminary consolidated results for Q2 2026, showing revenue at ₩183 billion KRW and operating profit at ₩31.0 billion KRW. Compared to Q2 2025, revenue dropped 15.1% and operating profit plunged by 41.4%. This dip highlighted Stray Kids' major financial impact on JYP's performance during that period. The company anticipates improvement as Stray Kids releases new music and heads into more touring in the latter half of 2026. 📈

🧠 Dogs totally get your mood, science confirms it!

Scientists have confirmed that dogs can recognize specific human emotions like sadness, fear, and anger. This research, published in iScience, involved eight dogs undergoing fMRI scans to measure brain activity. When shown images, the dogs reacted differently to happiness compared to negative expressions. This suggests they can distinguish between smiles and frowns, which is a major finding. Future studies aim to understand how dogs integrate these signals to understand humans better.

😥 Layoffed guy takes son to return office laptop

A laid-off professional recently brought his two-year-old son to the office to return a company laptop. This incident took place in Bengaluru, highlighting a personal moment amid professional upheaval. The man mentioned that the whole experience taught him a significant lesson about his career path. His departure from his job is part of a broader trend of corporate restructuring in the tech sector. It remains to be seen how he will navigate his next professional steps moving forward.

🎓 Intellectual disability students get 25% grace marks in tech exams

The State government has extended grace marks to students with intellectual disability taking technical exams. This applies to students with a permanent disability of 40% or more across all Controller of Technical Examinations exams. Previously, these students only received support like a scribe, not the 25% moderation available to other disability groups. The Director of Technical Education recommended this change to equalize treatment among disabled students. This benefit requires a disability certificate issued by a medical board starting August 12, 2026.

🧤 City inks Rulli for £2m cover role

Manchester City has officially signed Argentine international Geronimo Rulli in a £2m deal. He joins the Etihad club from Marseille and will be contracted until 2028. Rulli, who has won eight caps for Argentina, previously played in the 2021 Europa League final against Manchester United. He expressed excitement about joining City's high-standard environment to improve his game. This marks Rulli's second spell at the club, providing backup to Gianluigi Donnarumma.