💰 Paytm founder sells $513 mn in block trade

Vijay Shekhar Sharma's Resilient Asset Management B.V. plans to sell shares worth up to $513 million in One 97 Communications Ltd. This holding company, registered in the Netherlands, holds over 10% stake in Paytm's parent entity. The transaction involves offering up to 19.2 million shares, representing 3% of the total equity, with an upsizing option for an additional 12.7 million shares. This stake sale follows Elevation Capital's partial exit and comes as the Paytm board dropped plans for a bonus share issue. The economic value received by Resilient will be retained by Antfin under their existing OCD agreement.

🔥 Jharkhand SSC secretary questioned amid exam controversy

The Jharkhand SSC secretary, Sudhir Gupta, was questioned by the CID following the cancellation of JSSC-CGL and other key recruitment exams. This happened in Ranchi after students concluded their hunger strike demanding better educational reforms. The cancellation, announced by the government, affected over 2,000 potential jobs. The controversy stems from allegations of irregularities in the exam process. Students plan to continue the fight for a leak-proof examination system going forward. ✊

🧐 UK PM allegedly fooled by US White House fake

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham reportedly messaged someone posing as White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. This incident was reported on Monday, following warnings from US authorities about AI impersonation. The exchange involved only a few messages, which were deemed insignificant by sources. Burnham eventually grew suspicious and alerted the relevant authorities about the situation. The British Embassy informed the White House, which confirmed no device hacking occurred. 🧐

🇮🇳 BJP vs Congress on Vande Mataram Song

A heated political debate has erupted concerning the song Vande Mataram. This clash involves the BJP and Congress over its significance in India's political landscape. The controversy has brought Sonia Gandhi and Congress leadership into fresh confrontation with the BJP. The core issue questions if the song is a shared national ode or a political battleground. Further analysis is expected to shed light on this ongoing political friction.

🧐 Journalist's devices seized over LIC-Adani posts

Gujarat Police conducted simultaneous raids, seizing electronic devices of journalist Ravi Nair, his son, and a colleague in Kerala and Delhi. The action stems from an FIR filed by Adani Ports alleging Nair posted false information about LIC's investments in the Adani Group. This was after the Gujarat High Court refused to quash the FIR on August 11. The Washington Post report detailed LIC's $3.9 billion investment in Adani amid challenges. Nair is now challenging the FIR in the High Court, arguing a simple denial isn't grounds for prosecution. 🧐

🛠️ GitHub outage knocks out Copilot for devs

GitHub experienced a major outage affecting thousands of users and causing significant productivity losses. The disruption started around 9:40 AM ET and impacted API requests, pull requests, and webhooks. On August 17, 2026, GitHub identified the problematic component and began corrective actions. The service was eventually reported as "operating normally" by 4:35 PM ET, signaling recovery. Developers are still being monitored as service is fully restored. 🛠️

⚖️ UP judge hands 22 death sentences in four months

A judge in Uttar Pradesh sentenced 22 people to death across 10 cases over four months. This happened in Muzaffarnagar, covering offences like kidnapping, murder, and robbery. These verdicts were delivered between April 6 and August 13, 2026. The judge, Ravi Kumar Diwakar, gained prior national attention for ordering the Gyanvapi survey in 2022. All death sentences require high court confirmation before execution. ⚖️

💥 Avengers: Doomsday pre-sales outpace Spider-Man

Avengers: Doomsday presales are reportedly leading Spider-Man: Brand New Day by a huge 65% in the first two days. This massive MCU film features the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and X-Men fighting Doctor Doom. Spider-Man: Brand New Day debuted with $360 million domestically, while Avengers: Doomsday releases on December 18, 2026. The early sales suggest Avengers: Doomsday could set a new domestic opening weekend record for the Avengers. This boost comes after Spider-Man's huge success, giving the franchise a big lift.

👀 Man City still eyeing Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez

Manchester City is still interested in Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez despite missing the initial transfer deadline. The Blues had set a £120m asking price for the Argentina international, giving City until 5pm last Friday to submit an offer. With the transfer window entering its final fortnight, City may face a higher fee if they pursue him before September 1. The situation is complicated by Fernandez facing boos from the Stamford Bridge crowd. City's interest is fueled by the potential departure of Rodri, who is heading to Barcelona.

📱 Poco and Oppo phones get a price bump in India

Poco X8 Pro Series and Oppo K13 Turbo Pro prices have increased in India by up to Rs 7,000. This price hike affects the Poco X8 Pro, Poco X8 Pro Max, and Oppo K13 Turbo Pro models listed on Flipkart. The increases range from Rs 4,000 for the Oppo K13 Turbo Pro to Rs 7,000 for the Poco X8 Pro variants. These changes are happening amid rising costs for memory and storage components in the tech industry. Consumers are advised to check current discounts before making a purchase. 📱

🚨 Jharkhand cancels JSSC-CGL exam amidst probe

Chief Minister Hemant Soren announced the cancellation of the JSSC-CGL Exam on Monday, August 17, 2026. This decision was made during an emergency four-hour Cabinet meeting in Jharkhand. The cancellation also covers all exams conducted by TSR Data Processing Private Limited (TDPL) since 2014. An inquiry will be formed by senior IAS officer Amitabh Kaushal to address errors found during ongoing SIT and CID investigations. The government promises complete transparency while addressing student concerns over alleged irregularities.