🤒 Coach on Kuldeep's absence: No faking illness

India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak stated that Kuldeep Yadav was benched from the second Test against Sri Lanka due to a viral fever. He clarified that there was no need for the management to 'fake' an illness to exclude him from the eleven. Kuldeep genuinely had viral fever when he left Galle, making him unfit for selection at that time. The management opted to debut off-spinner Saransh Jain due to the left-handers in the Sri Lankan lineup. Kotak noted that Kuldeep has recovered reasonably well after his illness.

🏅 Chess Stars Vidit and Divya get Arjuna Award

The National Sports Awards 2025 were announced on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, recognizing top achievers in various sports. Grandmasters Vidit Gujrathi and Divya Deshmukh were named among the 17 recipients for the prestigious Arjuna Award. This marks the lowest number of awardees since 2017 across disciplines like badminton and kabaddi. Their recognition highlights the growing prominence of Indian chess on the global stage. They are expected to continue inspiring Indian sports enthusiasts in the future. 🏆

📉 Asian shares pause before big news drops

Asian stock markets remained stable before key economic announcements were released. Investors were watching closely in various Asian financial hubs. The market held steady ahead of Nvidia's earnings report and news regarding Iran sanctions. This quiet period reflects anticipation surrounding major corporate and geopolitical developments. Traders are now awaiting the full impact of these upcoming reports on stock performance.

🛠️ Google rolls out fixes for search glitches

Google successfully patched two separate bugs within the Google Search platform over the weekend. The first issue prevented favicons from appearing in search snippets, affecting numerous websites. The second problem caused a two-day gap in the Google Search Console crawl stats report, starting around August 14th or 15th. Rajan Patel confirmed the favicon fix was expected within 12 hours on August 22nd. The crawl stats bug was finally resolved on Sunday, August 23rd at about 5 pm ET.

⚠️ Chlorine leak causes breathing issues in Nagpur's Godni

A chlorine leak from a tanker at a water plant near Collector’s Colony in Godni affected several families over the night of Sunday and Monday. Mankapur police officials confirmed that multiple residents were admitted to Mayo Hospital and private hospitals due to breathing problems. The exact number of people impacted remains unverified as authorities are still assessing the situation. The air near the tanker still smelled strongly of chlorine when reporters visited on Monday morning. Police state the situation is currently under control, though stray dogs were reportedly seen dying in the area.

🚀 Modi: India can quickly dominate global space sector 🚀

Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that India can rapidly establish itself as a global leader in the space sector. This comment was made during an interaction with CEOs and founders of 20 private space firms. Government data shows private startups increased from one in 2014 to 440 currently, with a target to grow the sector's share to $40-45 billion. Modi urged global talent and investment by promoting India's cost-competitiveness and vast talent pool. The sector is set for expansion with ambitious plans from startups focusing on orbital debris removal and space manufacturing.

😥 Batwara 1947 struggles to hit ₹40 crore milestone

The period drama 'Batwara 1947' is facing a tough run at the box office. It stars Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta and is currently running in Indian cinemas. After 10 days, the film has collected ₹36.80 crore net in India, with a worldwide gross of ₹52.52 crore. This performance is worrying given the film's reported budget of ₹120 crore. The movie needs a significant recovery to avoid a flop verdict. 📉

💥 Borderlands 4 drops two big DLCs on Sept 10

2K announced that two new Borderlands 4 DLCs will launch simultaneously on September 10, alongside a major update increasing the level cap. 'Story Pack 2: FL4K and the Last Resort' introduces new mechanics on Providence, while 'Bounty Pack 5: Amara and the Vile Shadows' focuses on saving Kairos and Elpis. Players can unlock new gear and cosmetic items by completing missions in both packs. Additionally, the 'Version 1.10 Free Title Update' raises the character level cap by 10 levels for everyone. Borderlands 4 remains available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC Steam, and Epic Games Store.

🩺 Brain death clarity: New guidelines drop 🧠

New National Guidelines on Brainstem Death Certification have been released to bring uniformity to the process. This update applies across India, clarifying that brainstem death signifies death regardless of organ donation. The guidelines were published on August 24, 2026, to reduce ambiguity for families and doctors. This change allows doctors to declare death based on irreversible brainstem destruction, rather than waiting for the heart to stop. It aims to facilitate timely organ donation for patients awaiting transplants.

💣 Southern Thailand hit by bombings and arson spree

A wave of attacks, including bombings and arson, hit southern Thailand's three border provinces starting Saturday evening, August 22, 2026. The incidents took place across Yala, Narathiwat, and Pattani districts. Preliminary reports tallied 34 incidents as of 9:42 pm, categorized into arson, bombings, shots fired, and property damage. Attacks primarily targeted public utilities and government property across the affected areas. Security forces have increased surveillance while investigators continue to examine the sites for further details. 💣

🧐 Trump's Kim strategy shakes US trust in Asia

Donald Trump's engagement with Kim Jong Un has increased global skepticism about US reliability in Asia. This diplomatic approach has raised concerns among allies across the region. Specifically, doubts have deepened as the geopolitical climate remains tense. The strategy tests US commitment amid significant regional security challenges. Future moves by the US administration will heavily influence Asian partnerships. 🧐