News in 60 Words

Iran abused mobile networks’ vulnerabilities to locate U.S. military in the Middle East, report says

Startups • Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai

"The Iranian government exploited vulnerabilities in the global telecoms infrastructure, specifically Signaling System 7 (SS7) protocols and advertising technology, to track U.S. military personnel. According to The Financial Times, this surveillance allowed Iran to locate forces in Iraq, Bahrain, and other Middle Eastern nations. These tracking efforts facilitated targeted strikes that resulted in several injuries during the build-up to and early stages of the Iran War.".

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Many remarkable novels remain overlooked despite offering depth and emotional impact comparable to bestsellers. Five such "hidden gems" include Rene Denfeld's poetic *The Enchanted*, Tove Jansson's reflective *The Summer Book*, and John Williams' precise *Stoner*. Additionally, Kent Haruf's *Our Souls at Night* explores companionship, while G. B. Edwards' *The Book of Ebenezer Le Page* reflects on memory. These works provide rewarding reading experiences beyond mainstream lists.

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Startups • Amanda Silberling

An author tested the RingConn 3 health tracker, choosing it over the Oura Ring for its lower price and lack of subscription fees. While the device was aesthetically pleasing and comfortable, its health tracking proved disappointing. It struggled with workout detection and failed to predict a severe migraine despite its specialized headache detection feature. Consequently, the user returned the ring within the two-week window for a full refund.

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Startups • Rebecca Bellan

"U.S. startup Reflection AI has signed a $1 billion compute deal with European infrastructure firm Nebius to access Nvidia chips. Founded by former Google DeepMind researchers and valued at $8 billion, Reflection focuses on open-weight models amid growing concerns over closed-source AI and government restrictions. This partnership follows a similar agreement with SpaceX, highlighting the intense race among AI developers to secure critical hardware for model training.".

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Startups • Rebecca Bellan

Open-weight AI models, particularly from Chinese firms, are gaining significant market share over closed frontier models. Data from Hugging Face and OpenRouter show a shift toward cheaper, customizable alternatives that avoid provider lock-in. While some executives warn that open weights pose security risks, others argue that transparency and distributed power are essential for safety and preventing a few companies from controlling the AI ecosystem.

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Startups • Zack Whittaker

Telegram's t.me domain recently went offline after the registrar, DomainME, placed it on "serverhold" to comply with U.S. Treasury OFAC sanctions. The suspension likely occurred because a sanctioned VPN provider's Telegram group link was included in the Treasury's listing. While the outage prevented users from accessing shortlinks for public groups, the domain has since been restored. Telegram's alternative domain, telegram.me, remained operational throughout the incident.

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Startups • Sarah Perez

Spotify has introduced a new AI-powered interactive conversation feature for Premium users in the U.S., Ireland, and Sweden. This beta tool allows users to use voice or text to discover music, explore their listening history, and manage their queues. Utilizing a blend of proprietary and third-party AI models, the feature expands Spotify's AI capabilities beyond the AI DJ to enhance how users navigate its extensive audio catalog.

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Startups • Ivan Mehta

Email client Superhuman has launched an updated auto-draft feature that uses frontier models from Anthropic and OpenAI to create personalized email replies. By analyzing a user's previous conversations and tone, the tool generates multiple draft variations to reduce manual editing. Co-founder Rahul Vohra reports significant adoption during testing. Additionally, the company is developing Superhuman Go, a cross-platform assistant designed to maintain context across various applications.

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Byju Raveendran’s legal team clarified that a Singapore High Court's recent decision only denied a temporary stay of a civil contempt order, rather than rejecting his substantive appeal. The team emphasized that the appeal remains pending and the proceedings concern document-disclosure obligations, not criminal fraud. This legal battle is part of broader financial distress and insolvency proceedings facing the once-valued edtech giant across multiple jurisdictions.

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June is an ideal month for reflection and resetting goals through reading. Five recommended books offer diverse perspectives: Mel Robbins' *The Let Them Theory* focuses on letting go of control, while Jonathan Haidt's *The Anxious Generation* examines digital stress. Cal Newport's *Slow Productivity* addresses burnout, complemented by emotionally rich fiction from Sally Rooney's *Intermezzo* and Kaveh Akbar's *Martyr!*, providing a balanced mix of growth and storytelling.

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"Swara Baby Products, India's largest baby diaper contract manufacturer, has filed for a Rs 1000 crore IPO. Promoted by FirstCry's parent company, Brainbees Solution Ltd, Swara produces diapers for brands like Babyhug, Little’s, and Himalaya. While global leaders dominate the market through in-house production, contract manufacturing is growing as private labels and D2C brands seek flexible, capital-efficient models to increase their market presence.".

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"Drone technology firm ideaForge Technology has raised Rs 500 crore through a qualified institutional placement to fund growth and strengthen working capital. The company issued over 6.2 million shares to various domestic and international institutional investors. These funds will accelerate innovation in combat drones, logistics platforms, and autonomous mission systems, enhancing the company's ability to provide sovereign unmanned systems for national security and critical infrastructure globally.".

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Chief Minister D K Shivakumar announced that Karnataka will establish India's first government-driven Artificial Intelligence University and an AI Hub incubation center. Speaking at Google I/O Connect India 2026, he emphasized the state's goal to become a global leader in responsible AI innovation. The initiative aims to enhance governance, healthcare, and agriculture while strengthening Karnataka's position as a technology hub through strategic partnerships with companies like Google.

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Nasscom warns that India risks developing an AI-reliant workforce rather than an AI-native one if fundamental engineering expertise declines. A recent report reveals that while two-thirds of early-career tech professionals are AI-proficient, only 23 percent are AI-native. To bridge this gap, Nasscom urges academia and industry to redesign mentorship and assessments, focusing on engineering judgment and independent problem-solving as AI automates routine coding tasks.

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Karnataka Minister Krishna Byre Gowda aims to revitalize Bengaluru, addressing critical issues like traffic and infrastructure caused by rapid growth. With vehicles now matching the city's 1.5 crore population, the government's roadmap includes expanding the Namma Metro to 500 kilometers, adding 4,500 buses, and building suburban rail. Gowda focuses on systemic reform and accountability, targeting a complete city transformation before Bengaluru's 500th anniversary in 2037.

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Elevation Capital has launched a $500 million fund, Fund IX, specifically targeting early-stage AI startups in India. Focusing on Seed and Series A investments, the firm aims to support Indian founders in creating global category leaders. Citing India's massive online population and high AI adoption rates, Elevation Capital believes the region is uniquely positioned to innovate in healthcare, education, and financial services for a global market.

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BSNL is offering a rugged satellite phone service, likely using the IsatPhone 2, priced at ₹1,34,166. Designed for remote areas and disaster zones, the device bypasses mobile towers by connecting directly to satellites. It supports encrypted voice calls, SMS, and GPS tracking for professionals in defence, mining, and emergency response. Users must obtain Department of Telecommunications approval and pay monthly service fees for this niche communication tool.

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Startups • Lauren Forristal

Pinwheel has launched Pinwheel Home, a Wi-Fi-enabled landline designed for children ages 5 to 10. Aiming to reduce screen time and social media distractions, the device focuses solely on voice calls. Parents can manage contacts and schedules via a dedicated portal. Available in Spark and Classic models starting at $68, the phone offers a screen-free alternative to smartphones, with calling plans starting at $6.99 monthly.

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At MSME Sparks 2026, Hexalog CEO Dibyanshu Tripathi emphasized that reliable logistics are crucial for Indian MSMEs scaling globally. While these businesses contribute 45% of India's exports, they often struggle with customs and compliance. Tripathi argued that technology must bridge information and access gaps to ensure consistent delivery. He advised first-time exporters to focus on single markets and carefully plan for international costs and regulatory risks.

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IRCTC dominates India's railway booking market, controlling 89% of reserved tickets. While catering generates the highest revenue, the digital ticketing platform provides superior profit margins due to low operational costs. By acting as a commercial gateway, IRCTC leverages its ticketing ecosystem to sell ancillary services. In FY2025-26, the company reported ₹5,215 crore in revenue and ₹1,393 crore in profit, capitalizing on its strategic position.

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Categories

Iran abused mobile networks’ vulnerabilities to locate U.S. military in the Middle East, report says

5 Lesser-known novels that deserve a wider audience

I’m de-influencing you from buying the RingConn 3 (even though it’s pretty)

Reflection inks $1B compute deal with Nebius

The real AI race may no longer be at the frontier

Telegram’s shortlink domain is back online after day-long suspension

Spotify expands its AI push with a ChatGPT-like music assistant

Superhuman’s new auto-draft feature almost makes me like AI replies

Byju Raveendran says Singapore appeal remains pending as legal team disputes reports on contempt case

5 Must-read books to add to your reading list in June 2026

What diaper brands Babyhug, Little’s, and Himalaya have in common

ideaForge raises Rs 500 Cr via QIP

Karnataka CM announces first govt-driven AI University

As AI automates routine tasks, Nasscom flags decline in deep engineering skills

Bengaluru at 500: Krishna Byre Gowda's plan to fix the city

Elevation Capital launches $500M fund with focus on Indian AI startups

BSNL launches satellite phone service in India: How it works

Pinwheel launches a retro-inspired landline phone for kids

Why supply chains will power India’s next wave of MSME exporters

IRCTC doesn't run a single train, and still earns crore-level profits every quarter