🏏 England vs Pakistan Test Series: Full Details Dropped

England has named their squad for the opening two Tests against Pakistan, marking a shift after the Bazball era concluded. Joe Root will captain the side, with Marcus Trescothick acting as interim head coach for the series. The first Test kicks off on August 19 at Headingley, followed by matches at Lord's and Edgbaston. This series lets England test their form under new leadership and squad dynamics. Fans in India can catch the entire series live streaming on the FanCode app. 🏏

💡 Wild plan for Earth's survival after the Sun dies

A researcher has proposed a radical strategy to enable Earth to survive the eventual demise of our Sun. This ambitious concept involves significant technological intervention across our planet. The survival timeline being discussed extends up to 9 quadrillion years from the Sun's expected end. The proposal addresses the long-term existential threat posed by stellar evolution and planetary cooling. Scientists will continue to study this scenario to gauge its feasibility and potential risks. 💡

🧐 Centre grills Meta on Indian law compliance

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology questioned Meta's global team regarding Instagram's algorithms and adherence to Indian laws. The meeting took place on Thursday with IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, following a restriction on PM Modi's Facebook post. Meta admitted to 'serious issues' concerning deepfakes and CSAM, assuring corrective action. Officials stressed that platforms must follow Indian constitutional frameworks, not US or European ones. The government will continue pushing for sustained improvements over the next few days. 🧐

⚽ Arsenal misses out on Vinicius Jr. saga

Arsenal had shown interest in signing Vinicius Junior this summer, but his move is unlikely to happen. The Brazilian star is set to sign a new contract with Real Madrid, solidifying his future at the Spanish club. This news forces Arsenal to look at other targets, like Julian Alvarez or Yan Diomande. Diomande, for instance, is heading to Real Madrid for a club-record fee of €135million. Arsenal needs to be realistic as the transfer window closes on September 1st. 😅

✈️ France submits detailed proposal for 114 Rafale jets

France has submitted its detailed technical and commercial proposal for the 114 Rafale jet deal to India. This major deal involves large-scale local manufacturing and production of the multi-role combat aircraft in India. The proposal response is currently being studied by the Acquisition Wing of the Defence Ministry and the Indian Air Force as of August 6, 2026. Indian sides will closely analyze the inclusion of indigenous content and Astra missile variants as per their demands. This deal is expected to offer opportunities worth around Rs 1.6 lakh crore to Indian industry players.

🔬 Toxic metals still in city road dust

Scientists found that road dust in seven eastern US cities contains toxic metals from old factories and decades-old pesticides. Researchers sampled dust in Trenton, Wilmington, Richmond, Raleigh, Greensboro, Charleston, and Augusta during August 2025. One-third of the hazardous metal pollution originated from older sources like coal combustion. Children face a significantly higher exposure risk compared to adults across all surveyed areas. This research highlights the need to monitor legacy contaminants near urban communities. 🧐

🔬 Organs customize their internal body clocks

LMU researchers discovered how different organs adapt the same internal clock machinery for their unique needs. The study was led by Maria Robles and Fatih Aygenli at LMU, publishing in Nature Cell Biology. They found that protein interactions with DNA differ across tissues like the liver, kidney, and lung. Specifically, they identified PROX1, HNF1B, and HOXA5 as factors tailoring the clock to organ-specific functions. This could lead to better, organ-targeted treatments for diseases linked to circadian disruption. 🧬

🏏 Curran eyeing Test comeback for Pakistan series

Sam Curran was close to the squad for the Pakistan Test series due to fitness concerns. The selector, Marcus North, stated he is a player of interest since Ben Stokes' retirement. He missed the first two Tests, but could be an option for the third Test on September 9. His backroom staff is working with him to ensure he is physically ready for future roles. Curran's all-round skills make him a valuable asset for the team's balance.

🏦 Only 3 Co-ops meet RBI's big deposit mark

The RBI's draft guidelines for 'on-tap' UCB licensing have set a high deposit threshold. Currently, Buldana Urban Co-operative Credit Society, Lokmanya Multipurpose Co-operative Society, and Repco Bank are the only three meeting the Rs 10,000 crore deposit criterion. These societies must also meet net worth of Rs 300 crore and CRAR of at least 12%. The framework also demands strict governance and 'fit and proper' director criteria. Licenses will only be granted after comprehensive regulatory scrutiny on a case-by-case basis.

💰 Tiger Shroff's Salary Jumps to Double Digits

Tiger Shroff is actively reshaping his acting career with upcoming projects. The actor has signed on for Remo D’Souza's next film for a massive sum of Rs. 10 crores. This amount marks his biggest payday in the post-COVID era, significantly raising his fee from single digits. He is also reportedly negotiating two more films with fees between Rs. 10 crore and Rs. 12 crore. Lag Ja Gale is slated for a May 15, 2027 release, while the D'Souza film is shooting now and expected to wrap by September end. 🎬

⚖️ More judges won't fix court backlog, says MP

Rajya Sabha MP Haris Beeran called the Supreme Court Amendment Bill, 2026, a cosmetic change that won't reduce case pendency. Beeran highlighted that increasing judges from 34 to 38 is insufficient without structural reforms across courts. He proposed increasing the retirement age for judges and boosting their salaries to Rs 20 Lakh a month. Beeran also criticized the lack of transparency in judicial appointments, which he feels involves the Central Government. Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy added that the center only appoints judges aligning with its political ideologies. ⚖️