📉 USD dips, CAD gains strength in forex moves

Net-long exposure to the US dollar is decreasing, though the pace hasn't been as fast as expected in recent reports. Traders are reluctant to drop the dollar despite the US Treasury's buyback plan, according to COT data up to last Tuesday's close. The Japanese yen managed a rare win against the US dollar last week, influenced by Treasury yield movements. Meanwhile, the Australian dollar rallied for its eighth straight week, nearing an 11-week high. Over the past month, the dollar has lost ground against the Pound, Euro, AUD, NZD, and CAD.

📺 Two dramas hit record ratings last night

Both "Spooky in Love" and "Love on the Menu" achieved new all-time high viewership numbers last night. On August 23, tvN's "Spooky in Love" concluded with an average nationwide rating of 7.9 percent according to Nielsen Korea. Meanwhile, KBS 2TV's "Love on the Menu" reached a nationwide average of 16.4 percent in its latest episode. This marked the highest ratings for both shows during their runs. The success celebrated the hard work of the respective casts and crews.

🔥 Iran pushes regional bloc vs US pressure

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf criticized US economic strategies while sanctions intensified. He mocked Washington officials, specifically Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, on August 24, 2026. Iran claims regional neighbors are supporting a new security order bypassing US influence. Tehran plans to deepen trade ties using national currencies to avoid unjust sanctions. The goal is linking security arrangements with regional economic cooperation, like around the Strait of Hormuz.

📺 Daya reveals internal politics pulled CID off air

Dayanand Shetty disclosed that the popular crime show CID was taken off air due to internal politics within the channel. This issue reportedly started in 2016 when the channel wanted to change producers, which the actors strongly objected to. The show originally premiered in 1998 and concluded its run in 2018 before being revived in 2024. Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar actively supported the cast, even calling Sony America to protest the cancellation. This highlights the show's massive impact, as fans flooded comments when a new crime show was announced. 🎬

📈 5 stocks to buy per Sumeet Bagadia

Benchmark indices like Sensex and Nifty 50 closed largely unchanged on Friday, August 21, amid high crude oil prices and stalled US-Iran negotiations. Sumeet Bagadia, Executive Director at Choice Broking, recommended five breakout shares to buy on Monday, August 24. The recommended stocks include Hindustan Zinc, Netweb Technologies India, Icici Prudential Life Insurance Comp, Prime Focus Limited, and Power Grid Corporation of India. For instance, Hindustan Zinc is advised to buy at ₹595 with a target of ₹636 and stop loss at ₹574. These recommendations follow the indices' mixed performance and ongoing market analysis. 📈

🤒 Coach on Kuldeep's absence: No faking illness

India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak stated that Kuldeep Yadav was benched from the second Test against Sri Lanka due to a viral fever. He clarified that there was no need for the management to 'fake' an illness to exclude him from the eleven. Kuldeep genuinely had viral fever when he left Galle, making him unfit for selection at that time. The management opted to debut off-spinner Saransh Jain due to the left-handers in the Sri Lankan lineup. Kotak noted that Kuldeep has recovered reasonably well after his illness.

🏅 Chess Stars Vidit and Divya get Arjuna Award

The National Sports Awards 2025 were announced on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, recognizing top achievers in various sports. Grandmasters Vidit Gujrathi and Divya Deshmukh were named among the 17 recipients for the prestigious Arjuna Award. This marks the lowest number of awardees since 2017 across disciplines like badminton and kabaddi. Their recognition highlights the growing prominence of Indian chess on the global stage. They are expected to continue inspiring Indian sports enthusiasts in the future. 🏆

📉 Asian shares pause before big news drops

Asian stock markets remained stable before key economic announcements were released. Investors were watching closely in various Asian financial hubs. The market held steady ahead of Nvidia's earnings report and news regarding Iran sanctions. This quiet period reflects anticipation surrounding major corporate and geopolitical developments. Traders are now awaiting the full impact of these upcoming reports on stock performance.

🛠️ Google rolls out fixes for search glitches

Google successfully patched two separate bugs within the Google Search platform over the weekend. The first issue prevented favicons from appearing in search snippets, affecting numerous websites. The second problem caused a two-day gap in the Google Search Console crawl stats report, starting around August 14th or 15th. Rajan Patel confirmed the favicon fix was expected within 12 hours on August 22nd. The crawl stats bug was finally resolved on Sunday, August 23rd at about 5 pm ET.

⚠️ Chlorine leak causes breathing issues in Nagpur's Godni

A chlorine leak from a tanker at a water plant near Collector’s Colony in Godni affected several families over the night of Sunday and Monday. Mankapur police officials confirmed that multiple residents were admitted to Mayo Hospital and private hospitals due to breathing problems. The exact number of people impacted remains unverified as authorities are still assessing the situation. The air near the tanker still smelled strongly of chlorine when reporters visited on Monday morning. Police state the situation is currently under control, though stray dogs were reportedly seen dying in the area.

🚀 Modi: India can quickly dominate global space sector 🚀

Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that India can rapidly establish itself as a global leader in the space sector. This comment was made during an interaction with CEOs and founders of 20 private space firms. Government data shows private startups increased from one in 2014 to 440 currently, with a target to grow the sector's share to $40-45 billion. Modi urged global talent and investment by promoting India's cost-competitiveness and vast talent pool. The sector is set for expansion with ambitious plans from startups focusing on orbital debris removal and space manufacturing.