💳 Syrian President Makes First Visa Card Payment

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa completed his first Visa-facilitated card payment in Damascus. This transaction took place at a restaurant in Old Damascus on Wednesday, with Central Bank of Syria Governor Safwat Raslan present. Visa also confirmed a successful live international card transaction in Syria on Thursday. This milestone supports expanding digital payments and Syria's global economy connection. The move follows the US Treasury removing Syria from its state sponsors of terrorism list on Monday.

🛰️ BepiColombo starts its Mercury arrival phase live

The ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission is starting its Mercury Arrival Phase after eight years of travel. The Mercury Transfer Module (MTM) will separate from the two science orbiters on 3 September 2026 in ESA's mission control. This separation is the first step of a very demanding operational sequence for ESA. Following this, the orbiters will enter Mercury orbit in November and separate in December 2026. Science operations are scheduled to commence in April 2027. 🚀

😠 Rahul slams govt over Subhash Chandra NCLT deal

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the Narendra Modi government of creating two systems in the country. This was after the NCLT approved a resolution plan for businessman Subhash Chandra in Mumbai. The plan lets Chandra pay ₹6.5 crore against ₹22,006.57 crore in creditor claims on August 27, 2026. Gandhi argued this shows favoritism towards billionaires over common citizens. Other Congress leaders called this settlement a mockery of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016. 💸

🏛️ Congress slams NCLT's Subhash Chandra payout approval

Congress criticized the NCLT for approving Subhash Chandra's ₹6.5 crore payout to settle ₹22,006 crore debts. This happened on Thursday, August 27, 2026, in the insolvency tribunal process. This repayment translates to a nearly 99.97% haircut for lenders. Congress MP Jairam Ramesh called this a "mundan," not just a haircut, mocking the IBC, 2016. The NCLT approved the plan after dissenting creditors, like LIC Housing Finance, raised objections.

😥 Kolkata man sees his pilgrimage village wiped out by Nepal floods

A Kolkata traveller, Anindya Mukherjee, found the village where he stayed during his Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrimage almost entirely wiped out by recent floods. He was on the route roughly two and a half months ago, passing through the now-submerged Nepal route. The disaster struck the Bhotekoshi river belt in Nepal’s Rasuwa district early Wednesday, claiming at least 160 lives. West Bengal has reported 33 residents missing, and a state helpline has been opened for affected families. Rescue operations are ongoing, with the Nepal Army deploying helicopters and India assisting with relief efforts. 😥

🗣️ FO refutes claims of Munir acting as US envoy to Iran

The Foreign Office stated that claims regarding CDF Field Marshal Asim Munir visiting Iran as a US envoy are factually incorrect. He met Iranian leadership in Tehran on August 24th, alongside Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. The visit aimed at regional de-escalation and breaking the US-Iran military stalemate. The FO clarified the trip was part of Pakistan's role as a mediator, not an official US mission. Pakistan continues to support diplomatic efforts for a lasting resolution to the conflict. 🤝

✈️ Two pilots killed in Kanpur training crash

A twin-engine four-seater training aircraft crashed near Nattha Khera Ganga Barrage in Kanpur on Thursday morning. Both the instructor pilot, Sachin Bhatia, and trainee pilot, Abhishek Pujari, died instantly in the incident. The aircraft belonged to Garg Aviation, which runs a local flight training school. Police have secured the site and alerted the Directorate General of Civil Aviation for the probe. The exact circumstances that led to this tragic crash remain currently unclear.

📉 Weaker rupee could bust foreign asset tax limit

A weaker rupee might push foreign assets past the FAST-DS Rs 1 crore limit, potentially costing taxpayers a lower 60% tax benefit. This voluntary disclosure window opened on August 16 for individuals in India. The scheme allows regularization of overseas assets by paying 60% tax up to Rs 1 crore. Taxpayers are worried because the rupee's decline over years could push their holdings over the limit. Authorities are set to administer the process online until December 31, 2026. 😥

💖 Akanksha Chamola on Gaurav Khanna accepting her bisexuality

Akanksha Chamola revealed that her husband, Gaurav Khanna, accepted her bisexuality before their marriage. She shared that he found her bisexuality "very hot," which she stated is something many men find attractive. After their divorce, she clarified her commitment to being child-free, despite his desire to parent. She also noted that her bisexuality hasn't hindered her career prospects in the industry. Akanksha mentioned she might declare herself pansexual in the future.

🏅 Modi: India skips half of Olympic sports; needs upgrade

PM Narendra Modi stated that India's Olympic performance needs major improvement by participating in more events. He addressed hundreds of athletes, students, and volunteers during the Khelo India Dialogue on Thursday, August 27, 2026. He noted that India only participated in 16 out of 32 sports in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Modi emphasized that sports must be integrated into nation-building, not just about winning medals. The government previously launched a talent hunt for children aged 5 to 15 to boost participation. 🇮🇳

📈 Penny stock shows resilience in market sell-off

Globe Enterprises stock demonstrated resilience during Thursday's trading session despite a wider market sell-off. The share price saw an intraday high of ₹2.07 and a low of ₹2.04 on the NSE. This followed strong Q1 FY27 results, where revenue grew 32.7% year-on-year to ₹166.68 crore. Profitability faced pressure from rising raw material and logistics costs, though the order book exceeds ₹100 crore. The company aims for sustainable growth through capacity expansion and diversification moving forward. 📈