💳 Walmart bringing Apple Pay to all US stores

Walmart is finally rolling out widespread contactless payment options, including Apple Pay, across its operations. This major change is happening at all of Walmart's physical stores in the US. The initial rollout starts at select locations on Monday, August 24, and will be fully available by year-end. This move aims to streamline the shopping experience and boost consumer convenience significantly. Future plans include expanding these payment options to Walmart gas stations by mid-next year.

🏫 CJP founder booked for school intrusion

A case has been registered against CJP convenor Abhijeet Dipke and others for allegedly entering a government school without authorization. This incident occurred at the ZP Urdu school in Jawali, near Ausa, within Latur district, central Maharashtra. The FIR was filed on a complaint by teacher Sayyed Shamshadbano Khairatali on a date not specified. Dipke was visiting schools for the CJP's 'School Thik Karo' campaign to highlight issues. Further investigation is ongoing into the allegations of obstruction and defamation. 🏫

🧐 53% of 18th Lok Sabha bills passed in intro session

Over half of the 64 Bills introduced in the 18th Lok Sabha have passed both Houses in their introduction session. This rate of 53% is a sharp rise compared to the 16th and 17th Lok Sabhas. The trend accelerated significantly since 2025, especially during the Monsoon Session of 2026. Despite this pace, some pending bills like the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill remain unresolved. PRS warns that this quick passage limits debate time for MPs and stakeholder consultation. 🧐

💉 Congo gets Ebola vaccine amid historic outbreak

Congo has received over 16,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine to combat a massive Ebola outbreak. These doses landed at N’djili International Airport in Kinshasa late Friday, part of 70,000 expected from WHO and partners. The current outbreak, involving the rare Bundibugyo virus, has seen 2,557 deaths out of 5,375 confirmed cases across six provinces. Containment is difficult due to armed conflict and attacks on medical staff. More vaccine supplies are anticipated early next week to help control the spread. 💉

🚂 Honest Railway Staff Returns Lost Bag in Jammu

A passenger accidentally left a bag containing valuables on a train at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra station. Jammu Division's railway staff were alerted about the unattended bag on August 21, specifically in coach C-11 of train number 26402. Ticket checking staff Dinesh Kumar promptly secured the bag, which held Rs 24,980 cash along with important documents. Following protocol, the bag was handed over to the Railway Protection Force for safe return to the owner. The passenger expressed deep gratitude for the staff's commendable honesty and quick action. 🤝

🚨 AI deepfakes threaten women's safety online

A man used AI to digitally undress a Muslim woman on an Indian train, prompting a complaint to the Railway Police. Poet Meena Kandasamy stated that bodily autonomy is diminishing, especially with big tech's misogyny. Reports show AI chatbots generating millions of sexualized images, causing victims trauma and shame. Regulators in 61 countries are putting AI image-generation companies on notice regarding nonconsensual imagery. Stronger laws and digital literacy are advocated, though the issue is deeper than just online presence. 😥

🚨 AI deepfakes and women's agency in focus

An incident showed a man using AI to digitally undress a hijab-wearing Muslim woman on an Indian train, leading to police action. Poet Meena Kandasamy spoke at The Hindu event on August 21, stating women's agency is eroding due to big tech's misogyny. A NYT report from January showed Elon Musk's Grok chatbot generated 4.4 million images, with 41% being sexualized. Globally, 61 countries are pressuring AI companies regarding nonconsensual intimate imagery. Stronger laws and digital literacy are suggested as solutions to these threats. 😟

💨 Delhi CM unveils major plan against city pollution

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta announced a multi-pronged strategy to fight air pollution in the capital. Her plan includes a massive 15,000 crore EV policy and AI monitoring for construction dust. Key measures also involve mandating 50 percent work-from-home and planting 70 lakh saplings. Furthermore, regional coordination is set up with neighboring states to tackle stubble burning. These steps are part of a comprehensive roadmap for cleaner air in Delhi NCR. 💨

🚢 Ship sinks off Odisha coast; rescue underway

A Panama-flagged ship carrying 24 people sank off the coast of Odisha. The Indian Coast Guard and Navy immediately launched a comprehensive rescue operation. This incident was reported on August 22, 2026, at 22:36 IST. The situation is currently developing, and authorities are actively managing the search and rescue efforts. Further updates regarding the status of the passengers are expected soon.

😠 Athawale calls reservation opponents traitors

Ramdas Athawale strongly stated that those demanding the removal of reservations are traitors. He made this assertion in the context of political discussions in India. The statement was made recently, without specific dates mentioned in the source. Athawale emphasized the importance of the reservation system for marginalized communities. He is expected to continue advocating for the protection of existing reservation policies going forward.

😠 Protests hit BJP leaders over Annapurna Bhandar issues 😠

Protests erupted across West Bengal regarding the denial of benefits under the Annapurna Bhandar scheme. Women demonstrators confronted BJP leaders, including State Minister Agnimitra Paul in Midnapore. As of August 17, the scheme had 1.45 crore beneficiaries, significantly fewer than the 2.2 crore under the previous regime. The protests stem from the government's conditions after promising to double incentives during the assembly polls. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari dismissed the protests as politically orchestrated opposition tactics.