✨ Spotting the Perseid Meteor Shower in the UAE

The Perseid meteor shower will streak across the skies over the Middle East and North Africa starting on August 12th. Viewers in the UAE and Syria, among others, have a prime opportunity to witness these shooting stars. The shower peaks between 2am and 4am UTC on August 13th, with varied local timings across the region. This event coincides with a new moon, reducing lunar glare for better viewing conditions. Observers should head to dark, rural spots away from city lights for the best chance to see these meteors. 🌠

🏀 Miller slams critics on WNBA trans debate

Hall of Famer Cheryl Miller strongly dismissed recent comments made by Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White regarding WNBA transgender participation. She voiced these opinions while speaking to TMZ Sports at LAX, stating outside voices are creating unnecessary negativity around the women's game. Kanter Freedom claimed he qualifies based on self-identification, while White demanded equal treatment for professional basketball. Miller insisted the focus must remain on the WNBA season and playoffs, not mid-season debates. She believes the transgender policy issue needs careful discussion during the offseason. 🏀

🏏 GT ditches Hardik Pandya's return demand

Gujarat Titans rejected Hardik Pandya’s attempt to rejoin the squad with captaincy as a key condition. The Mumbai Indians captain was in talks with GT, but his demand proved to be a dealbreaker for Shubman Gill's team. Pandya, who captained MI since 2024, has seen lukewarm reception from fans and the team. Now, MI is exploring trade options, with KKR and CSK showing interest. His future remains uncertain as no concrete trade has been finalized yet. 🏏

📉 Oracle hints at more layoffs amid AI push

Oracle is planning a fresh round of job cuts this month, despite climbing revenue, as AI data center spending escalates. The company aims to reduce payroll before its second quarter begins on September 1, following the shedding of 21,000 roles in the last fiscal year. These potential cuts could hit double-digit percentages across some teams, reminiscent of 6 am emails affecting staff in the US, India, Canada, and Mexico. Oracle spent $55.7 billion on infrastructure last fiscal year while managing significant debt. The company continues to restructure as AI adoption drives workforce adjustments. 💻

🏞️ US ditches 100 dams, reconnecting massive river miles

The United States removed 100 outdated dams across 30 states in 2025, reconnecting over 4,893 river miles. Pennsylvania led the charge with 14 removals, adding to its total of 433 since 1912. Ecology was the main driver, cited in 59 projects, while failing structures accounted for 37. This work allows wildlife habitats to recover and restores natural river flow. American Rivers now aims to remove 30,000 dams by the year 2050. 🏞️

🛡️ Microsoft drops 400+ security patches, one zero-day active

Microsoft released its August 2026 Patch Tuesday addressing over 400 vulnerabilities this month. The security updates targeted issues across various systems, including a zero-day exploit, CVE-2026-68820. These fixes were rolled out on August 2026, following reports of active exploitation by North Korean attackers. The patches address risks like privilege escalation and remote code execution across Windows platforms. Security experts advise organizations to triage these updates carefully instead of rushing implementation. 🛡️

🏈 Trump names Giants favorite for Super Bowl 2027

Donald Trump named the New York Giants as a favorite for Super Bowl 2027 during the 2026 Patriot Games Finale in Geneva, Ohio. He also mentioned Drake Maye and Matthew Stafford among the contenders for that year. The announcement followed a prior controversy involving Jaxson Dart back in late May 2026. This previous incident involved Dart introducing Trump at a campaign event, leading to discussions about social issues. Now, Trump is watching these teams as the NFL season approaches.

📶 Airtel's daily data plans now start at 2GB

Bharti Airtel has revamped its prepaid portfolio, upgrading daily data allowances for users. The entry-level plan is now Rs 349, providing 2GB of data per day along with Unlimited 5G. This new Rs 349 plan comes with 28 days of validity and includes unlimited local and STD calls. Previously offered 1GB and 1.5GB options have been removed from the lineup. After exhausting the daily quota, data speeds will drop to up to 64 Kbps. 📶

🧐 Gates' daughter's shopping app accused of shady sales tricks

Internal records suggest Phoebe Gates' shopping startup, Phia, knew about 'cookie stuffing' long before claiming it was a bug. This happened at the company, co-founded by Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, in December. Public statements on July 8 claimed discovery within 24 hours, but internal chats showed awareness much earlier. The practice, which automatically injected tracking cookies, generated about 51% of June's claimed revenue. Phia now disputes the internal revenue estimates following the feature deactivation. 💸

🤖 Nvidia vs Cloud Giants: The Chip War Heats Up 🔥

Nvidia's relationship with cloud giants like Amazon and Google is changing as they eye independence from the chip maker. Nvidia partnered with major investors to mobilize over $500bn for AI infrastructure outside hyperscalers. By 2030, custom chips are projected to hit 49% of the market, up from 38%, while Nvidia keeps 40%. Cloud giants develop custom silicon to cut costs, as Nvidia chips account for three-quarters of a server rack's cost. Nvidia counters that its versatile GPUs are better for new, diverse AI tasks.

🐦 Science uncovers how the first bird flew

A new study has detailed the biological mechanisms that allowed the first bird to achieve flight. Researchers published these findings in the journal Developmental Biology. The research covered evolutionary timelines spanning millions of years, providing detailed anatomical insights. This work sheds light on the complex transition from ground-dwelling creatures to aerial life. Future studies will likely build upon this foundational knowledge of avian evolution. 🐦