📈 USD/JPY stuck in a tight range, waiting for BoJ moves

The USD/JPY pair held steady around 159.31 on Thursday, as investors keenly watch the Bank of Japan's monetary policy outlook. Markets now estimate an 87% chance of a 25-basis-point BoJ rate hike in September, a big jump from 23% before July. Former BoJ member Seiji Adachi suggested a hike as early as next month, warning of inflation if rates stay the same. Attention is now fixed on Deputy Governor Ryozo Himino's speech for fresh signals regarding the hike timing. Technically, a breakout above 159.60 could lead to gains toward 161.20. 📈

🏏 India stuck at 5th in WTC race after draw

India and Sri Lanka shared four points each after the final Test in Colombo ended in a draw. Sonal Dinusha scored a century in each innings to secure this result for the hosts. This draw caused India's PCT to drop to 51.51, leaving them firmly in the fifth spot on the WTC table. A win would have boosted India's PCT to 63.33 and moved them up to fourth place. India will now move to white-ball cricket next, facing a Test in mid-November during the New Zealand tour.

🇹🇷 Turkey holds back on Syrian strikes for now

Turkey is maintaining restraint regarding Israeli strikes on Syria until after the October general election. The country's officials in Ankara indicated that they do not want to aid Prime Minister Netanyahu's current campaign efforts. The strikes occurred near the Abu al-Duhur military airbase, about 70km from the Turkish border. Ankara views Netanyahu's escalation as a desperate move amid intense domestic pressure in Israel. Turkish leaders are instead aligning closely with Washington, leveraging ties with Donald Trump. 🕊️

⚠️ China warns Nepal barrier lake might burst soon

A fresh flood threat is looming near the Nepal-China border due to a large barrier lake. Chinese authorities issued the warning following devastating flash floods and mudslides in the Nepal-Tibet border region. The warning indicates the lake could breach within the next 72 hours, sending a water surge downstream. This potential breach could further complicate the ongoing rescue and relief operations. Authorities are closely monitoring the lake and rivers while teams search for survivors. ⚠️

📉 Nifty, Sensex Dip; Hyundai Gears Up Big Expansion

Stock markets saw volatility as the Nifty closed 116 points lower at 24,090, and Sensex dropped 250 points near 77,200. Amid this, Hyundai plans to launch or refresh over 100 models by 2030 to compete with rivals like Toyota. The market is taking a breather post-earnings season, according to Abhishek Basumallik, noting private bank strength. Meanwhile, a shortage of swine flu medication was reported in Delhi NCR due to low past inventories. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal also highlighted a 7 lakh crore rupee investment commitment to strengthen India-Japan ties.

❤️ Inhaler overuse jacks up heart attack risk

Overuse of reliever inhalers is linked to higher risks of cardiovascular disease in asthma and COPD patients. This finding comes from a study involving over 280,000 patients in Belgium. Specifically, using three or more inhalers yearly increased death risk compared to using two or fewer. This overuse often signals poor disease control, allowing underlying inflammation to progress unchecked. The team plans to investigate if stricter maintenance treatment can prevent this risky dependency.

🤝 Modi and Putin set for SCO summit talks

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the SCO summit. This meeting will take place in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, as part of Modi's visit starting August 29. The talks are expected to cover key bilateral, regional, and global issues, focusing heavily on trade and economic cooperation. Earlier, Putin assured India of continued energy and fertilizer supplies despite the West Asia crisis. Modi will also visit Uzbekistan from August 29-30 before heading to Kyrgyzstan for the summit.

🚨 Filmmaker Pavan Sadineni booked over abuse claims

Telugu filmmaker Pavan Sadineni has been booked by the Golconda Police following a woman's serious complaint. The allegations involve sexual abuse, physical assault, and cheating on marriage promises in Golconda. The case was registered on August 7, 2026, and the filmmaker was subsequently sent to judicial custody. The woman claimed he lied about his marital status while promising financial and career support. Police have registered the case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and are investigating.

🌊 Ex-Minister's DIL Missing in Nepal Floods

Sarmistha Bhowmik Roy, wife of former MLA Subhranshu Roy, is missing after flash floods hit Nepal. She had traveled alone to Nepal on August 21, and contact was lost since the night of August 25. The disaster, which also affected a 32-member Kolkata group near the Nepal-Tibet border, has resulted in around 270 reported deaths. Nepalese officials suggest a tremor triggered a glacial outburst causing the sudden flooding in central Nepal. Rescue efforts are severely hampered due to damaged infrastructure and disrupted communications.

📱 iPhone 17 reigns as best-selling phone in Q2 📱

The iPhone 17 became the world's best-selling smartphone during Q2 2026, capturing 6% of global unit sales. This success was achieved by Apple in the global market, where they secured five models in the top 10 alongside Samsung. Counterpoint Research noted this performance occurred despite an 11% year-on-year decline in the overall smartphone market. The strong showing suggests consumers appreciate the standard model's value before the iPhone 18 arrives. Apple's continued strength in the premium segment sets a high bar for the upcoming iPhone 18 launch.

🧠 Apple bets Mac hardware for local AI boom

Apple is pushing its new Mac mini and Mac Studio as powerful local AI computing machines. These devices are positioned to run AI models on-device instead of relying solely on the cloud. The Mac mini, featuring M6 or M5 Pro chips, starts at Rs 99,900 and launches September 22. The Mac Studio, with M5 Max/Ultra, targets professionals, starting at Rs 2,79,900. Apple aims for Macs to be a key part of a mixed cloud, edge, and local AI stack. 💻