😔 Congo's Ebola cases hit over 5,000 mark

Confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo have now surpassed 5,000, according to government data released late Tuesday. This 17th epidemic has become the largest in the country's history, with the death toll reaching 2,378 over the weekend. The latest report logged 5,021 cases, making it the second-worst global outbreak after the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic. The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo species, which lacks approved vaccines or treatments. Weak infrastructure and community resistance are hindering containment efforts moving forward. 😔

🤖 US research powers China's robot dog surge 🤖

US military-funded research contributed significantly to the advancements seen in China's robot dog sector. This technological exchange involved researchers and companies across the US and China. Specifically, Unitree's $1,600 Go2 robot was released in 2023, and the company sold over 18,000 quadruped robots last year. The US Army's funding helped improve key features like motor placement, which China then scaled effectively. This shows a gap where US research is strong, but Chinese mass production is highly efficient.

📉 Sensex, Nifty Dip Amid Oil Price Jumps

Stock benchmarks Sensex and Nifty closed lower on Wednesday, August 19, due to rising crude oil prices. This downturn occurred after the US-Iran ceasefire ended without a diplomatic resolution. Specifically, Sensex lost 325.78 points to hit 76,909.68, while Nifty dropped 76.60 points to close at 24,078.30. IT stocks saw gains, snapping a three-day losing streak, while metal, banks, and FMCG sectors declined. Investors are now watching for further developments regarding energy supply disruptions. 📉

😠 Teen plots grandfather's murder for designer stuff

A 13-year-old girl and three teenage boys allegedly planned the murder of her 67-year-old grandfather in Alappuzha district, Kerala. The group intended to use the stolen money to buy an iPhone for the girl and a motorbike for her boyfriend. They targeted around 4.5 sovereigns of gold ornaments during the incident on Saturday night. The motive was also linked to the victim imposing restrictions on the girl's phone use and friendships. The accused will be produced before the Juvenile Justice Board soon. 😠

🎮 New Games Drop on Xbox Game Pass Today

Three new games are available for download across different tiers of Xbox Game Pass starting today, August 19th. This update is rolling out across various levels of the subscription service for Xbox users. The new additions include titles across different genres and difficulty levels. These new games join the extensive library already available to subscribers. Players can check the official Xbox store for the complete list and access details.

🏏 England bowls first with all-seam attack at Headingley

England won the toss and decided to field first against Pakistan on a slightly overcast day at Headingley. Captain Joe Root attributed this choice to the overhead conditions and top moisture in the pitch. The match features four specialist seamers for England, including Jofra Archer, while Pakistan fields with left-arm spinner Ali Usman. Pakistan has not won a Test series in England since 1996, contrasting with England's recent struggles. The upcoming Test sees both teams fielding strong batting lineups.

✈️ Vietnam Airlines flight scares at Munich Airport

A Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787-9 experienced a frightening take-off at Munich Airport after its speed unexpectedly dropped twice. The flight, VN34, was carrying 271 passengers and 16 crew members when it departed Munich on August 15. The aircraft ultimately took off using almost the entire runway, leaving only 91 metres remaining. Post-take-off, the crew reported tail strike and tyre pressure warnings, leading to a return flight. All 287 people on board were reported safe despite substantial damage upon landing.

🔥 Kangana slams 'body count' culture in relationships

Kangana Ranaut reacted strongly to recent spouse killing cases across India, blaming 'western culture' for relationship detachment. The actress pointed out a rise in such incidents in India over the last few months. She warned against normalizing values where relationships are reduced to mere 'body counts' or ghosting. Ranaut urged people to wake up and not let this culture desensitize them to human connections. She concluded by sharing a picture of a blue drum to emphasize her strong stance. 💀

📱 Galaxy S26 FE specs drop in massive leak

A major leak has surfaced, revealing almost all details of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S26 FE smartphone. The phone will be available in Blueberry, Graphite, and Pistachio color options, featuring a flat display and aluminum frame. Key specs include a 6.7-inch AMOLED display, a 50MP main camera, and the Exynos 2500 chipset. It will boast a 4,900mAh battery with 45W wired charging and an IP68 rating. If the timeline holds, the Galaxy S26 FE could be unveiled as early as next month. 📱

🚀 Sophie Adenot completes first spacewalk on ISS

ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot successfully completed US EVA-97 on Tuesday, August 18, at 20:52 CEST. This marked her debut spacewalk and the first by a French woman in this activity. During the 6-hour, 23-minute EVA, she and NASA astronaut Anil Menon worked on removing the Space-To-Ground antenna 2 (SGANT-2). The antenna had been malfunctioning since November 2025, causing communication issues. They ended up securing a tie-down instead of installing the spare, with the next spacewalk set for August 25.

🏏 Suthar's 10-wicket haul seals India's Test win

India defeated Sri Lanka by 165 runs in the first Test match held at Galle. Left-arm spinner Manav Suthar achieved a memorable 10-wicket haul in the game for India. The match concluded on Wednesday, marking India's 600th Test, securing a 1-0 series lead. Despite Sonal Dinusha's efforts, Sri Lanka failed to chase the target of 372 set by India. The teams will now proceed to Colombo for the second Test match starting on Sunday. 🏏