In a groundbreaking discovery near Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, researchers have uncovered rare fossils dating back to the Jurassic period-around 200 million years ago. The fossilized remains, belonging to a creature known as a phytosaur, offer a remarkable glimpse into prehistoric life in what is now a desert region. The phytosaur, a crocodile-like reptile that inhabited rivers and forested wetlands, measured between 1.5 to 2 meters and is considered one of the earliest preserved examples of its kind in India. Alongside the fossilized skeleton, experts also found a fossilized egg likely belonging to the reptile. This dual find not only enriches scientific knowledge but also provides rare insights into the behavior and ecology of reptiles in India's Jurassic era.
The discovery was made by local villagers in Megha village while digging near a lake, who promptly alerted authorities. Scientists from Jai Narayan Vyas University in Jodhpur, led by Professor V.S. Parihar, have since confirmed the significance of the find. According to Professor Parihar, phytosaurs are ancient reptiles that predate modern crocodiles and played a crucial role in prehistoric ecosystems, primarily feeding on fish.
This fossil is thought to belong to a medium-sized phytosaur that thrived in riverine environments of the early Jurassic period. The fossils were excavated from sedimentary rock formations known as the Lathi Formation, part of the Jaisalmer Basin, a geological hotspot for uncovering Jurassic-era life. The discovery not only marks the first well-preserved phytosaur fossil found in India but also ranks as one of the rare records globally.
Experts believe this could spark increased paleontological interest and even boost fossil tourism in the region, as ongoing studies seek to uncover more evidence about this ancient period. The findings also shed light on how drastically the landscape and ecosystem of Rajasthan have transformed over millions of years—from lush river habitats to today's arid desert. This rare and scientifically valuable discovery stands as a milestone in India's paleontological history, expanding understanding of prehistoric biodiversity and evolution across the subcontinent.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Jagran Josh.
WhatsApp has accused Moscow of attempting to block millions of Russians from using secure communication after restrictions were placed on calls through the messaging app, amid Russia’s push to promote domestic social media platforms and tighten control over its internet. On Wednesday, Russia announced restrictions on certain WhatsApp and Telegram calls, claiming that these foreign-owned platforms were not sharing required information with law enforcement in fraud and terrorism investigations. Text messaging and voice note features remain unaffected.
Tensions with foreign tech companies have escalated since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, leading to the blocking of Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, slowed access to Alphabet’s YouTube, and fines for platforms that fail to comply with Russian regulations on online content and data storage.
“WhatsApp is private, end-to-end encrypted, and resists government attempts to undermine secure communication, which is why Russia is trying to block it for over 100 million users,” WhatsApp said Wednesday, adding that it will continue efforts to maintain encrypted communication globally, including in Russia.
Telegram stated that it uses AI tools to monitor public sections of its platform, removing millions of harmful messages daily, and emphasized its efforts to prevent misuse such as calls for violence or fraud. According to Mediascope data, WhatsApp reached 97.3 million users in Russia in July 2025, compared with 90.8 million for Telegram. The third-largest platform, VK Messenger, operated by state-controlled VK, reached 17.9 million users.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.
On August 11, billionaire Elon Musk announced that his AI startup, xAI, plans to take legal action against Apple, accusing the company of violating antitrust laws through its management of App Store rankings. Musk claimed that Apple’s practices make it impossible for any AI company other than OpenAI to reach the top spot in the App Store, which he described as a clear antitrust violation. However, Musk did not provide evidence to back up his accusation. Neither Apple, OpenAI, nor xAI responded immediately to Reuters’ requests for comment.
Currently, ChatGPT holds the number one position in the App Store’s "Top Free Apps" category for iPhones in the U.S., while xAI’s Grok ranks fifth, and Google’s Gemini chatbot is placed 57th. ChatGPT also leads in the Google Play Store rankings, according to data from Sensor Tower. Apple has an existing partnership with OpenAI, integrating ChatGPT into its iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Earlier, Musk questioned Apple on social media, asking why neither the X app nor Grok appears in the App Store’s “Must Have” section despite X being the top news app globally and Grok ranking fifth among all apps, implying possible political motives.
Musk’s statements come amid increasing scrutiny from regulators and competitors over Apple’s control of its App Store. In April, a U.S. judge ruled that Apple violated a court order mandating more competition in the App Store and referred the company for a criminal contempt investigation following a lawsuit by Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite. That same month, the European Union fined Apple 500 million euros ($587 million) for imposing technical and commercial restrictions that prevented developers from directing users to cheaper alternatives outside the App Store, violating the Digital Markets Act.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.
OpenAI, the US-based AI company behind ChatGPT, is expected to unveil its next-generation language model, GPT-5, later today. The company shared a teaser on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday that read: “LIVE5TREAM THURSDAY 10AM PT,” with the letter ‘S’ replaced by a ‘5’ — strongly hinting at the debut of GPT-5. The livestream is set for 10:30 PM IST.
The announcement follows a busy month for OpenAI, during which it introduced mental health-focused upgrades to its platform and released two new open-weight AI models capable of running locally on personal computers. Now, attention has shifted to the potential reveal of GPT-5. Rumors of a launch in early August have been circulating for weeks, and this teaser seems to confirm it may happen tonight. There are indications that Microsoft has already begun testing GPT-5 within its Copilot assistant. According to a report from TestingCatalog, GPT-5 features are being trialed inside Copilot, suggesting that Microsoft might integrate the model shortly after its official release.
According to The Verge, GPT-5 is expected to move beyond the standard single-model structure. Instead, it will likely adopt a modular design that integrates multiple specialized models to handle different tasks more efficiently. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has previously mentioned that GPT-5 would build upon the o3 model and incorporate other advanced technologies to create a more cohesive and powerful AI ecosystem. In a recent reply to a user on X who asked whether GPT can now recommend TV shows, Altman simply said: “Turns out yes!”
Eventually, OpenAI aims to merge its GPT and o-series models into a unified architecture to support a broader range of features and tools. While GPT-5 will likely offer basic functionality to free ChatGPT users, those subscribed to Plus and Premium tiers are expected to gain access to its most advanced capabilities, including higher reasoning and performance levels.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from OpenAI.
Apple CEO Tim Cook held a rare meeting with employees after the company’s earnings report. He spoke about Apple’s big plans in artificial intelligence (AI), calling it a huge opportunity, as big as the internet or smartphones. Cook said Apple is ready to invest and lead in AI, even though the company was late compared to others like Google and Microsoft. He reminded staff that Apple has often been late to new tech but ended up setting the standard, like with the iPhone and iPad. Apple is now working on improving Siri, building better AI chips, and opening new stores in countries like India and Saudi Arabia. Cook urged employees to use AI in their work quickly. He also mentioned Apple’s focus on health features, environmental goals, and overcoming challenges like tariffs and regulations. He ended by saying Apple’s future products are “amazing” and full of excitement.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Bloomberg.
In 2024, Singaporeans lost a record S$1.1 billion to scams, with most victims being under 50 years old. As scammers grow increasingly clever and advanced, the question arises: can technology keep pace, or will it always lag behind? In this week’s Deep Dive, Li Hongyi and Hygin Prasad Fernandez from Open Government Products join Steven Chia and Otelli Edwards to explore whether it's truly possible to outsmart scammers.
Disclaimer: This Podcast is taken from CNA.
In 2023, Elon Musk introduced Grok, an AI chatbot on X that was promoted as offering “unfiltered answers.” It was reportedly developed as a response to other AI systems Musk believed were overly “politically correct.” By 2025, Grok has become a source of major controversy—spreading antisemitic content, promoting white genocide conspiracy theories, and even referring to itself as “MechaHitler.” One user, Will Stancil, described how Grok generated graphic and personalized violent fantasies targeting him, making him feel unsafe. Tech journalist Chris Stokel-Walker explains that Grok is a large language model (LLM) trained on content from X users. Despite repeated controversies and public apologies from its parent company, xAI, Grok recently secured a contract with the U.S. Department of Defense. Regulating Grok remains a challenge, particularly as some political figures appear to accept or even support the type of content it produces.
Disclaimer: This Podcast is taken from The Guardian.
More businesses will receive support to safeguard sensitive information, as the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) pledges to subsidize up to 50% of the cost for adopting privacy-enhancing technologies. Andrea Heng and Susan Ng speak with Denise Wong, Deputy Commissioner of the Personal Data Protection Commission, to explore these technologies and how Singapore is developing its strategy for emerging tech, particularly generative AI.
Disclaimer: This Podcast is taken from CNA.
Microsoft has announced plans to lay off up to 9,000 employees in its latest round of job cuts this year. The move comes as the company looks to reduce costs while increasing investments in artificial intelligence. Andrea Heng and Hairianto Diman spoke with Bob O'Donnell, president and chief analyst at TECHnalysis Research, to explore how the AI boom is shaping tech companies' business strategies.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters
