📱 Samsung Galaxy Z Foldables Hit Preorder Record

Samsung's new Galaxy Z foldable lineup achieved a massive 1.44 million preorders in Korea. The record was set during a seven-day preorder period running from July 28 to Monday, across the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold 8, and Galaxy Z Flip 8. This figure beats previous records set by the Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy S26 series. Demand is reportedly fueled by the new passport-sized design and the growing shift from bar-type phones. The devices began activating on Tuesday and will launch in about 100 countries soon. 📱

🏗️ L&T bags massive ₹15,000 crore ADNOC Offshore deal

Larsen & Toubro's offshore hydrocarbon division secured a massive order valued over ₹15,000 crore from ADNOC Offshore. This major project is set to take place in West Asia, with L&T Energy Hydrocarbon Offshore leading the execution through a consortium. The deal involves developing multiple offshore facilities and upgrading existing ones. L&T will handle the core scope, including engineering, procurement, and construction work. This achievement highlights client trust in L&T's engineering excellence for complex energy infrastructure.

📢 Youth Protests Aren't One Single Gen Z Thing

The recent youth-led protests at Jantar Mantar should not be attributed to an innate trait of an entire generation. Different students experience vastly distinct worlds, making broad generalizations inaccurate. While the BJP had long managed to sideline youth as a political force, these protests showed an irreverence toward authority. The success lies in how comic energy subverts power, turning protest into a form of comedy. However, these actions are attempts to establish democracy, not happening within an existing one.

🚨 Viral video sparks questions over Punjab's anti-drug drive

A viral video allegedly showing drug supply triggered renewed scrutiny of Punjab's 'Yudh Nashian De Virudh' campaign. Bathinda Police acted swiftly after the video gained traction online. They identified the woman as Santosh Rani alias Sandeep Kumar and linked her to an existing NDPS case. This followed an arrest of Akash, where 38 grams of heroin was recovered. Authorities confirm intense anti-narcotics drives will continue to tackle drug trafficking.

📱 Fire-Boltt's first smartphone dropping soon

Flipkart announced the launch date for Fire-Boltt's debut smartphone. The brand, currently known for wearables, will unveil the device under the Boltt name in India. This launch is scheduled to happen on August 25th. The phones promise 'Honest Specifications' and 'Clean Software' at fair prices. More specific details about the device will be revealed closer to the launch date.

⚙️ Why cloud control planes are secretly complex

Zak van der Merwe discusses his career building control planes at AWS for services like EC2 and DSQL. He transitioned from managing small, physical servers in Cape Town to dealing with massive cloud scale. The control plane reconciles desired state with actual system state, making infrastructure feel invisible to users. These systems manage complex operations like spinning up VMs via API calls, much like a thermostat. The lessons learned from EC2 directly influenced the design of DSQL.

⏳ Man City stalls Rodri transfer while waiting for Barca

Manchester City is delaying transfer talks with Real Madrid for captain Rodri. This is because the Premier League giants are anticipating that Barcelona might join the race this summer. Rodri's contract expires at the end of next season, and Real Madrid is keen to sign him for their new coach Jose Mourinho. Barcelona is also linked with the move as they need a midfielder, but their priority is signing a centre forward. This strategic delay could help Man City maximize Rodri's value, estimated around €60-75 million.

🏏 Smaran Ravichandran aims for the top after stellar seasons

Smaran Ravichandran has cemented himself as a top young talent in domestic cricket through consistent performances. He excelled for Karnataka in the 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Ravichandran amassed 1534 runs in the last two Ranji Trophy seasons at an average of 73.60. He emphasized that off-season preparation is key for switching effectively between red-ball and white-ball formats. Moving forward, he is focused on achieving his India dream and improving his game. 🏏

⛳ Foreign golfers boost Kashmir's sports tourism 🏌️

Fourteen foreign golfers started playing at the Royal Springs Golf Course in Srinagar on Monday, August 3, 2026. These players came from nine different nations, including the United States and Japan, to boost sports tourism. The fifth edition of the J&K Open is running until August 7, with the prize purse increased to ₹1 crore. This initiative aims to win back foreign tourists after a dip following the 2025 Pahalgam attack. Kashmir is positioning itself as a top golf destination to attract global players.

🩺 CGMs for healthy people lack proven benefits

Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) are becoming popular even among non-diabetics, despite lacking scientific proof of health benefits. These devices were initially for Type 1 diabetes, but are now marketed for general wellness. While they help Type 2 diabetic management, researchers found no evidence of health improvement in healthy individuals. Over-interpreting normal glucose fluctuations could cause anxiety and waste healthcare resources. Therefore, these technologies should be used where proven value exists, according to the review. 🩺

🧠 Brain biology might be why weight loss is hard

New research indicates that the human brain is biologically programmed to defend stored body fat, making weight maintenance difficult for many. This mechanism evolved to protect energy during food scarcity, which now conflicts with modern high-calorie environments. When weight is lost, the body signals a survival threat, increasing hunger and reducing energy expenditure. The brain can also 'remember' previous heavier weights, attempting to restore that baseline after dieting. Future therapies might target these biological drives, but public health changes are also suggested. 🧠