⚽ Man Utd signs Carlos Baleba from Brighton for £70m

Manchester United has secured Cameroon midfielder Carlos Baleba from Brighton in a £70m transfer deal. The 22-year-old joined Old Trafford after the club strengthened its midfield with Santos and Tielemans. The initial fee is £65m, with a potential £5m in add-ons, and Baleba signs a five-year contract. United pursued Baleba after being stopped by Brighton's high valuation last year. He is recovering from an ankle injury and is expected to solve United's lack of physicality.

📻 FiiO drops retro-modern tube amp EA13

FiiO has unveiled the EA13, a full-size vacuum tube amplifier blending vintage appeal with modern features. This device is built for enthusiasts and features six tubes, including two Sylvania NOS PCF80 preamplifier tubes. It delivers 28 watts per channel at 8 ohms and comes with four RCA line-level inputs. The amplifier showcases classic valve engineering in a CNC-machined aluminium chassis for a tactile finish. The EA13 is currently available with a price tag of £769 / $769 / €665. 🎧

🙏 Villagers find missing students near Vijayapura school

Village residents successfully traced two boys who had wandered away from Morarji Desai Residential School in Takkalaki, Vijayapura district. The students were found walking on a mud road near the village outskirts and admitted they had lost their way. After school staff were unavailable, villagers contacted the Basavana Bagewadi Police. Police Inspector Gurshant Dashyal then reached the location and returned the students to the school staff. Some villagers and parents later protested the school officials for negligence regarding their duties.

📜 Kerala officially changes its name to Keralam

The Union Home Ministry has officially notified 'Keralam' as the new name for the state, effective this Tuesday. This change was made in a gazette notification issued on Tuesday by the Central government. The Act, passed by the Lok Sabha on August 11 and Rajya Sabha the next day, sets August 25, 2026, as the date of implementation. This follows the Kerala Assembly's resolution in 2024 urging the Centre to enact the name change. The Act involves constitutional amendments to officially rename the state. 📜

🇨🇳 Xi Jinping might hit Delhi BRICS summit

China's President Xi Jinping is potentially set to attend the BRICS summit next month. He is expected to be present in Delhi with a sizable delegation accompanying him. The meeting is scheduled for next month, though exact dates have not been confirmed yet. This summit is a major gathering for BRICS member nations to discuss global economics and geopolitics. Further details regarding the itinerary and delegation size are anticipated soon.

🏛️ Karnataka bans political affiliation in student polls

Karnataka is implementing rules to bar political affiliations in upcoming student elections across the state. This decision was announced by Minister for Medical Education Sharan Prakash Patil during a press conference on Tuesday. The first phase of these elections will be held in PU colleges and degree colleges, with the second phase covering universities. The context involves setting parameters so students focus only on education issues, not party ideologies. A formal Government Order detailing all provisions is expected to be released within the next 15 days. 🎓

⛽ Oil prices dip amid Iran talks hope 📉

Oil prices fell to $89 per barrel as hopes for negotiation in Iran resurfaced despite rising US sanctions pressure. This development occurred while the US Navy's blockade severely restricted Iran's crude exports in the Gulf of Oman. August crude exports were minimal, averaging around 0.3 million b/d compared to the 2025 average of 1.7 million b/d. The US Treasury Secretary revealed 'economic D-Day' measures, threatening partners without specifying timelines for compliance. Moving forward, market watchers are focused on the potential for a negotiated settlement amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.

🕌 Bangladesh eyeing Mecca pact, testing global ties 🕌

Bangladesh might consider joining the Mecca pact, a defense agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan. This potential move is being explored by the country, with an invitation reportedly extended by Saudi Arabia to Dhaka. The pact, modeled after NATO's concept, pledges mutual defense against armed attacks among the three nations. Analysts warn this could complicate Bangladesh's foreign relations, especially with India, given current tensions. Dhaka must weigh these geopolitical risks against its economic interests before making a final decision.

🌾 State asks Centre to fix fertilizer prices

The State Government has asked the Centre to rationalize the prices of DAP, complex, and urea fertilizers. This request was made at a meeting in Hyderabad, where Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao spoke. Urea consumption in Telangana jumped to 20.7 lakh tonnes in 2025-26 from 14 lakh tonnes in 2015-16. The price gap encourages overuse of subsidized urea, negatively impacting soil health. The state now seeks balanced fertilizer usage to improve crop quality. 🌾

🦇 Wayne Manor facing seizure over neglect

Mentmore Towers, the real-life Wayne Manor, is at risk of being seized by authorities. This Grade I-listed mansion is located in Buckinghamshire, and the council issued a formal repairs notice. The building needs urgent work, including three bat-emergence surveys due by August 2027. Failure to act could lead to a compulsory purchase order from Buckinghamshire Council. Heritage campaigners are urging the owners to start immediate repairs on this landmark. 🦇

🚄 India's bullet train project is gaining momentum

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared updates on the developing bullet train project across Thane and Palghar. The 135.45-km elevated section runs from Shilphata in Thane district to Zaroli village on the Maharashtra-Gujarat border. As of Tuesday, pier work is ongoing across over 100 km, with three of seven planned mountain tunnels achieving breakthrough. Three elevated stations, Thane, Virar, and Boisar, are also being constructed along this route. This progress showcases the engineering drive under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision. 🚆