The X Premium subscriber will receive a portion of the advertising earnings.
On Saturday, Elon Musk announced that to be eligible for ad revenue share from X Corp (Twitter), one must be an X Premium (Blue) subscriber. X Corp had previously halted payments to creators, stating that they needed more time to review everything for the next payout.
ad money will be kept by X Corp if creators are not X Premium (Blue) subscribers
Elon Musk clarified that ad money will be kept by X Corp if creators are not X Premium (Blue) subscribers. However, he mentioned that the ad revenue-sharing program is open to everyone, but only X Premium (Blue) subscribers will receive payouts.
X Corp had initially introduced the ad revenue-sharing program in February, and some creators with Blue badges were paid in the first round of payments. However, due to the program’s overwhelming popularity and a high volume of sign-ups, the company needed additional time to review and process the next payout. They expressed their intention to pay all eligible accounts as soon as possible.
It’s important to note that X Corp retains the right to modify or cancel the revenue-sharing program at any time, citing business, financial, or legal reasons.
Spain makes it to the quarterfinals at the FIFA Women’s World Cup
Aitana Bonmati played a crucial role, scoring two goals and providing two assists, as Spain secured a dominant 5-1 victory over Switzerland, advancing to the quarterfinals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time in their history.
Bonmati opened the scoring early in the match, but Switzerland equalized with an own goal by Laia Codina. Alba Redondo restored Spain’s lead, and Bonmati scored her second goal to make it 3-1. Codina redeemed herself with a goal for Spain’s fourth before halftime, and Jennifer Hermoso added another goal in the second half.
After Spain’s disappointing 4-0 defeat to Japan in the group stage, Aitana Bonmati was determined to give her best in the World Cup campaign. She emphasized her focus on winning, regardless of how they play, and expressed the team’s determination to compete, defend well, and build from there.
Actress Mrunal Thakur, known for her recent appearance in the streaming anthology ‘Lust Stories 2,’ is celebrating the first anniversary of her Telugu debut film ‘Sita Ramam‘ on Saturday. The film received immense love and praise from both the audience and critics, establishing Mrunal’s strong presence in the Southern film industry.
To mark the occasion, Mrunal shared a heartwarming video on her social media that showcases behind-the-scenes moments from the film, reflecting on the happiness, joy, and emotions the movie brought to the forefront.
She thanked them for making her journey in the Telugu film industry.
In her caption, Mrunal expressed her gratitude to the audience, acknowledging their overwhelming love and acceptance of her as a Telugu Ammai (Telugu girl). She thanked them for making her journey in the Telugu film industry so special and promised to continue entertaining them with diverse and compelling characters for years to come.
Mrunal also expressed her appreciation for director Hanu Raghavapudi, who helped her bring out the best version of her character, Sita, in the film. She didn’t miss the opportunity to praise her co-star, Dulquer Salmaan, mentioning how memorable he made the whole experience for her. She thanked everyone involved for the love, fun, and memories they created during the making of ‘Sita Ramam.’
Overall, Mrunal Thakur celebrated the first anniversary of her Telugu debut film with heartfelt gratitude and excitement for her future endeavors in the industry.
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was arrested on Saturday from his residence in Lahore’s Zaman Park, shortly after being convicted in the Toshakhana case. A district and sessions court found the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman guilty in the case, sentencing him to three years in prison and imposing a fine of 100,000 PKR.
The case was related to the alleged misdeclaration of gifts received from the state gift repository. Khan had challenged the case in various forums, including the Supreme Court and Islamabad High Court (IHC), but his pleas were rejected.
The trial court had summoned Khan for a hearing in the Toshakhana case after the IHC ruled that the case was maintainable. On Friday, the IHC also declined Khan’s request to transfer the case to another court and ordered Judge Humayun Dilawar to continue hearing the case.
As a result of the court’s judgment, Imran Khan was taken into custody to serve his three-year prison sentence.
In connection with the PFI investigation, ED seized assets worth Rs. 2.53 crore
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has recently seized immovable properties worth Rs 2.53 crore in the Popular Front of India (PFI) and other cases. The attached properties include four unsold villas and 6.75 acres of vacant land from the Munnar Villa Vista Project.
The investigation by the ED was initiated based on an FIR
The investigation by the Enforcement Directorate was initiated based on an FIR and charge sheet filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Kochi, before the Special Court for Trial of NIA Cases in Ernakulam, Kerala. The FIR and charge sheet accused a group of PFI/SDPI activists of conspiring to provide training in explosives and weapons and organizing a terrorist camp in Kannur district.
The Enforcement Directorate probe revealed that PFI leaders and members associated with overseas entities were using the Munnar Villa Vista Project to launder money collected from foreign countries and within India to finance PFI’s radical activities. The project was developed through a company named Munnar Villa Vista Pvt. Ltd. (MVVPL).
The investigation further uncovered the infusion of unaccounted cash into the project, cash subscriptions of MVVPL shares in the names of ghost shareholders, transfers of MVVPL shares without consideration, and bogus transfers to other companies without any genuine transactions. The seized assets of the crime amounting to Rs. 21.9 crore were identified during the investigation.
A Prosecution Complaint was filed before the Special Court of PMLA cases in Lucknow on May 6, and the trial is currently underway. The Enforcement Directorate’s actions are part of their efforts to curb money laundering activities and address the misuse of funds for illegal purposes by PFI and its related entities.
Re-releasing Surya S/o Krishnan received a spectacular reaction
Suriya holds a special place among Telugu audiences in the Kollywood film industry. His movie “24” had remarkable collections in the Telugu states, surpassing those in Tamilnadu. Now, the cult classic “Surya S/o Krishnan” (Vaaranam Aayiram) has been re-released, and the response has been nothing short of phenomenal. The celebratory atmosphere in theaters is creating a buzz on social media, and the re-release is generating a festive vibe similar to any other Telugu hero’s film. This demonstrates the tremendous following and popularity Suriya enjoys in the Telugu-speaking regions.
Suriya S/o Krishnan” (Vaaranam Aayiram) has been re-released
Directed by the renowned filmmaker Gautam Vasudev Menon, the movie features Sameera Reddy, Simran, and Divya Spandana as the female leads. The film’s fantastic album was composed by Harris Jayaraj. The re-release has undoubtedly provided a significant boost to Suriya’s popularity and reaffirms his strong fan base in Telugu cinema.
The full duration of Bholaa Shankar’s film, which features Chiranjeevi
Chiranjeevi‘s highly anticipated movie “Bholaa Shankar” is all set for its theatrical release after clearing all necessary hurdles. Recently, the film obtained a U/A certificate from the censor board. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) approved the movie with a runtime of 160 minutes, equivalent to 2 hours and 40 minutes.
The movie boasts an impressive cast
Although “Bholaa Shankar” is a remake of Ajith’s “Vedhalam,” director Meher Ramesh has reportedly introduced significant changes to the Telugu version, making it distinct from the original. Tamanaah, the leading lady of the film, mentioned in an interview about these alterations.
The movie boasts an impressive cast, with Keerthy Suresh portraying Chiranjeevi’s sister and Sushanth playing Keerthy’s love interest. The buzz around the film has been building up, and advance bookings have already begun worldwide, including in Hyderabad.
To build excitement further, the filmmakers have planned a grand pre-release event scheduled for this Sunday. Fans and audiences are eagerly looking forward to witnessing Chiranjeevi’s stellar performance in “Bholaa Shankar.”
India and the West Indies were penalized for continuing a slow over-rate
India and West Indies were fined for maintaining a slow over-rate during the first T20I match at the Brian Lara Cricket Stadium in Trinidad and Tobago. India was fined five percent of their match fee for being one overs short of the required over-rate, while West Indies were fined 10 percent for being two overs short. The sanctions were imposed by Richie Richardson, the ICC Elite Panel Match Referee, after considering time allowances.
fined for maintaining a slow over-rate during the first T20I match
According to Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct, players are fined five percent of their match fee for each over their team fails to bowl within the allotted time, with a maximum cap of 50 percent of the match fee. Both Hardik Pandya and Rovman Powell accepted the charges and proposed sanctions without the need for a formal hearing.
During the match, West Indies faced a slowdown in the middle overs, going from 54/2 after the first six overs to 96/3 by the end of 14 overs. India’s spin trio of Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Axar Patel took three wickets in their combined nine overs.
West Indies managed to reach 149/6 on a slow pitch, thanks to Powell’s 48 off 32 balls, while India’s Tilak Varma impressed with 39 off 22 balls in his debut. However, Jason Holder’s all-round performance of 2-19, including a double-wicket maiden, helped West Indies secure victory, with Romario Shepherd defending 10 runs in the last over to restrict India to 145-9 in 20 overs.
With this win, West Indies now lead the five-game series 1-0 and will face India in the second T20I at the Providence Stadium in Guyana on Sunday.
Two people were discovered dead in the Rio Grande near the US-Mexico border.
Two people were found dead in the southern part of the Rio Grande River, which forms the border between the US-Mexico. One body was discovered stuck in the southern lines of the floating barriers recently installed by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) in the US state. The DPS believes the individual drowned upstream and floated into the buoys. Another body was found separately in the area of the buoys by the Beta Group of Piedras Negras, Mexico. The cause of death and nationality of this person is still unknown.
the border between the US-Mexico
The Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the buoys, considering them a violation of their sovereignty and expressing concerns about the impact on the human rights and safety of migrants. The identities of the deceased individuals have not been determined.
The Texas government had planned to install a floating water barrier, consisting of buoys, to deter migrants from crossing the border in heavily trafficked areas of the river after the end of Title 42 in May. The Joe Biden administration filed a lawsuit against Texas and its Governor Greg Abbott, alleging a violation of the Rivers and Harbors Appropriation Act by building structures in US waters without permission from the Army Corps of Engineers.
Import limitations for computers and tablets to ensure a reliable hardware
The Indian government has reassured consumers about the recent notification to restrict imports of PCs, laptops, and tablets. Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, stated that the objective of this move is to ensure trusted hardware and systems and to promote domestic manufacturing in these product categories. India is witnessing rapid growth in the digital products market, including laptops and servers, and the government aims to reduce buy-from-abroad dependence and encourage domestic production.
government aims to reduce buy-from-abroad dependence and encourage domestic production.
The Minister clarified that this decision is not about imposing a “license raj” but rather about regulating buying from abroad to ensure the use of trusted and verifiable systems in the country’s tech ecosystem, both through imports and domestically manufactured products. He emphasized the importance of maintaining trusted and verified systems for the country’s growing digital economy.
Domestic manufacturers welcomed the government’s decision, considering it a progressive move that can boost indigenous electronics manufacturing in the country and align with the “Make in India” vision. The import restrictions are expected to encourage the expansion of capacity for manufacturing laptops and other devices by companies like Optiemus Electronics Ltd and Videotex. This move is seen as fostering an environment for research and development (R&D) and promoting the growth of the electronics manufacturing ecosystem within the country.
After Rahul receives relaxation from the SC, Wayanad sparks in celebration
Celebrations erupted in Wayanad after the Supreme Court stayed the conviction of Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case. The case dates back to the 2019 Lok Sabha election campaign when Gandhi made a comment linking the surname “Modi” with thieves, implicitly connecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fugitive businessmen Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi. The lower court in Surat convicted Gandhi on March 23.
Wayanad had shown strong support for Gandhi
Congress supporters in Wayanad took to the streets to express their joy, and the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee instructed all district units to celebrate the apex court’s verdict. Wayanad had shown strong support for Gandhi during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, and his disqualification deeply impacted his supporters.
With the Supreme Court’s decision, there is anticipation for Rahul Gandhi’s Lok Sabha membership to be restored. His victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Wayanad had a massive margin of over four lakh votes. The party headquarters in the capital city also witnessed crowds gathering as top leaders, including veteran legislator Ramesh Chennithala, were expected to arrive, and sweets were distributed to celebrate the verdict. The restoration of Gandhi’s parliamentary membership is being closely watched, considering a similar situation faced by Lakshadweep NCP MP Mohammed Faizal in the past.
Amazing Ring Nebula photos from the Webb telescope
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has captured stunning new images of the Ring Nebula, also known as Messier 57, a planetary nebula formed from dying stars expelling their outer layers into space. The images, released by an international team of astronomers, showcase the nebula’s intricate and ethereal beauty with unprecedented detail, revealing its donut-like structure of glowing gas. Located approximately 2,600 light-years away in the constellation Lyra, the Ring Nebula has been a well-known object visible all summer long.
The images taken by JWST’s NIRcam on August 4, 2022, display the main ring of the nebula surrounded by a faint halo and various delicate structures. The interior of the ring is filled with hot gas, with the central star, which ejected the material, visible at its core, with a temperature exceeding 100,000 degrees. The nebula was ejected only about 4,000 years ago, and the team also observed several hundred linear features pointing toward the central star, the origin of which remains uncertain.
The nebula’s complexity and variety of shapes, including glowing rings, expanding bubbles, and wispy clouds, are what make planetary nebulae truly awe-inspiring. The JWST images reveal large numbers of small clumps within the ring, containing molecular hydrogen and behaving like comets the size of planets. These clumps, about 20,000 in number, are much cooler and denser than the rest of the nebula, representing about half of all the gas in the region.
The central star, the brightest in the image, is extremely hot and is in the final stages of its life. It has used up all its fuel and is cooling down, destined to become a white dwarf, an inert remnant of a star. The JWST’s high-resolution images also allow astronomers to study the inner region around the central white dwarf in exquisite detail, shedding light on the processes behind planetary nebulae’ formation and evolution.
In summary, the James Webb Space Telescope’s latest images of the Ring Nebula offer a mesmerizing and unprecedented view of the celestial wonder, providing valuable insights into the life cycle of dying stars and the formation of planetary nebulae.
Gukesh, 17, becomes the top-ranked chess player in India
17-year-old Dommaraju Gukesh achieved a remarkable feat in the first round of the FIDE World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan. By winning two games in his second-round match against GM Misratdin Iskandarov, he surpassed Viswanathan Anand in Live Rating, becoming the highest-ranked Indian chess player in the world.
His victory in the first round elevated his live rating to 2755.9, surpassing Anand’s rating of 2754
His victory in the first round elevated his live rating to 2755.9, surpassing Anand’s rating of 2754. This made him the second Indian player, after Pentala Harikrishna in March 2016, to overtake Anand in live ratings as India’s No.1 chess player. Anand has held this position for an impressive 37 years since 1986. Although Harikrishna briefly held the top spot for just one day, Anand reclaimed it by winning his game the following day.
This achievement marks the first time since 1986 that an Indian player has surpassed Vishy Anand in the ‘published’ FIDE Rankings. Considering Anand’s reduced participation in recent years, there are good chances that Gukesh will maintain his position as India’s No.1 player for an extended period.
Gukesh’s accomplishments have been exceptional, becoming the youngest player ever to reach a 2750 rating in the world, breaking the record previously held by Magnus Carlsen. He must now maintain his rating above 2754 when FIDE publishes the rankings on September 1.
Notably, Gukesh became the youngest Indian Grandmaster at the age of 12 years, 7 months, and 17 days in March 2019. While he missed becoming the youngest GM in the world by just 17 days, Sergey Karjakin held that record. However, in 2022, both Gukesh and Karjakin were surpassed by an American player of Indian origin, Abhimanyu Mishra, who achieved the title at the age of 12 years, 4 months, and 25 days.
Gukesh’s rapid rise in the rankings continued, and as of the last published rankings on August 1, he was rated 11th in the world with a rating of 2751. In October 2022, at the age of 16, Gukesh accomplished another impressive feat by becoming the youngest player ever to defeat then-world champion Magnus Carlsen in a game at the Aimchess Rapid Tournament.
In the current Live Ratings, Gukesh holds the 9th rank in the world with a rating of 2755.9, while Anand is placed 10th with a rating of 2754.
Train derails in New York City, leaving 13 people hurt
A passenger train derailed in New York City, resulting in at least 13 people being injured. The incident occurred on a Long Island Rail Road train heading towards Hempstead, east of Jamaica Station at 175th Street and 95th Avenue in Queens borough, around 11:12 a.m. on Thursday, as reported by a Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) official.
efforts are being made to resume train services as quickly as possible
All eight cars of the train derailed, according to MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber’s statement during an evening press briefing. The injured passengers suffered from leg and back injuries, but none were in critical condition.
Video footage showed firefighters transferring passengers from the derailed train to a rescue train using a small platform connecting the two. New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed that the top priority is the safety of all passengers and railroad workers, and efforts are being made to resume train services as quickly as possible.
The cause of the derailment is yet to be determined, and MTA officials anticipate service disruptions to continue until Friday morning.
Anurag Thakur criticizes Opposition regarding the Manipur situation
Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Anurag Thakur, launched a fresh attack on the Opposition, accusing them of avoiding a discussion on the Manipur issue. Thakur expressed disappointment that the discussion on Manipur had not taken place earlier in the Parliament session and accused the Opposition, led by the Congress, of misleading the country.
Thakur expressed disappointment that the discussion on Manipur
The Opposition has been demanding a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the violence in Manipur. However, the ruling BJP has accused them of politicizing the matter. Recently, AAP MP Raghav Chadha and RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha submitted a notice to suspend business in the Rajya Sabha to address the situation in Manipur.
The state has been facing ethnic clashes since May 3, resulting in a significant loss of lives and displacement of thousands of people who sought refuge in relief camps.
Several initiatives have been taken by the Centre to promote organ donations
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya stated that the government has taken various measures to promote organ donations in India. He made these remarks during the 13th Indian Organ Donation Day (IODD) ceremony held to honor donor families for their decision to donate organs, raise awareness about deceased organ donation, and recognize the efforts of medical professionals in the field of organ donation and transplantation.
Mandaviya emphasized that there is no greater service to humanity than giving life to another person through the donation of organs. He highlighted the significant increase in organ donors over the years, with around 5,000 people coming forward in 2013, and now, there are over 15,000 organ donors annually.
The government has implemented several changes to facilitate the donation, of organs including extending the leave duration for organ donors from 30 days to 60 days, removing the age limitations of 65 years, and streamlining the donation of organs process. Mandaviya also assured that the government is committed to introducing more policies and reforms to popularize the donation of organs in the country.
During the ceremony, the minister expressed appreciation for the contribution of donor families in saving lives and encouraged others to promote awareness about the donation of organs.
Roblox has over one million downloads on Meta Quest
Roblox, a popular online gaming platform, recently launched an open beta for Quest 2 and Pro devices, available via App Lab. Within the first five days of its launch, the open beta on Meta Quest devices has surpassed one million downloads, as announced by Roblox CEO David Baszucki.
During the open beta of Meta Quest, users aged 13 and older can access Roblox, but they currently cannot purchase Robux, the in-game currency. However, they can still buy items in the game.
Meta (formerly known as Facebook) sees this open beta as an opportunity for the Roblox developer community to optimize their existing games for Quest and create new ones for virtual reality (VR). It also allows developers to gather input and feedback from the Quest community to refine their VR experiences. This experimentation and learning process will continue until it is fully released on the Meta Quest Store.
Its cross-platform capabilities enable users to connect, play, and socialize with friends across various devices, including Xbox, iOS, Android, and desktop. Parents can utilize existing Meta Quest parental supervision tools to ensure a level of safety and supervision for their children while using it.
As equity markets fall, the rupee is under pressure
The Indian rupee continued to weaken, falling below 82.75 against the US dollar, a decrease of 18 paise. The rise in the dollar index to above $102.50 put additional pressure on the currency as investors sold off risky assets. This resulted in major corrections in Indian benchmark indices, with around a 2.50% decline in the last two days, contributing to the rupee’s decline.
The rise in the dollar index to above $102.50 put additional pressure
Jateen Trivedi, VP Research Analyst at LKP Securities, predicts that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) may intervene near the 83.00 level. Important data, including US jobless claims, PMI, unemployment, and non-farm payroll, expected in the next two days, will influence the Fed’s approach and play a crucial role in determining the rupee’s movement. Trivedi suggests that the rupee’s trading range can be expected between 82.60 and 82.95.
Shantanu Bhargava, Managing Director and Head of Discretionary Investment Services at Waterfield Advisors highlights that Morgan Stanley has upgraded its views on India’s markets to overweight due to a combination of long-term structural factors and near-term strengths. India’s growth rate of 6.1% in the latest quarter exceeded market expectations, making it the fastest-growing major economy. The service sector, construction, and agriculture saw faster growth than anticipated. Additionally, India is experiencing a period of macroeconomic stability, with a better current account deficit, adequate reserves, and manageable inflation.
Google News now supports two more Indian languages
On Thursday, Google announced that it is introducing two new Indian languages, Gujarati and Punjabi, to its Google News platform. This move is aimed at supporting the Indian language news ecosystem and expanding the availability of content in regional languages. The addition of these two languages will bring the total number of supported languages on Google in India to 10.
The languages currently available on Google News in India include Bengali, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, and Telugu.
Google emphasized its commitment to making information accessible to people around the world in their preferred languages.
In addition to this, Google also revealed that its Google News Initiative (GNI) Indian Languages Programme, which was introduced earlier this year, has received an overwhelming response. It received over 600 applications from news publishers across India. Out of these, more than 300 publishers have been selected to participate in the program. The selected publishers will receive support to modernize their digital platforms and enhance the user experience on the web, mobile, and app.
Moeen Ali has confirmed that he will not be joining England on their Test tour of India
Moeen Ali, the experienced off-spin all-rounder, has confirmed that he will not be participating in England’s Test tour of India next year, despite head coach Brendon McCullum’s plea for him to join the team. Moeen had come out of Test retirement in September 2021 after Jack Leach’s injury ruled him out of the Ashes due to a stress fracture in his back. He played four matches in the thrilling Ashes series before deciding to retire from Tests again after England’s victory against Australia in The Oval Test.
Moeen stated that the team management knew about his decision from the beginning, especially when the Indian venues for the tour were announced. Despite McCullum‘s attempts to convince him, Moeen remained firm in his decision and expressed that he has no intention of going to India. He is content with his decision and is glad to finish on a positive note and be part of a memorable day.
England’s next Test assignment after drawing the Ashes 2-2 is a five-match series in India, scheduled from January 25 to March 11 next year. The venues for the series are Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Rajkot, Ranchi, and Dharamshala. However, Moeen Ali has chosen not to be a part of this tour.
