Indonesia's Gen Z-led student protests are challenging what demonstrators see as growing political power centralisation. Students have taken to the streets to voice concerns over government policies, democratic institutions and the concentration of political authority.

Indonesian students challenge power centralisation

Rescue pug Jinny Lu has been crowned the winner of the 50th World's Ugliest Dog Contest, taking home the title along with a $5,000 prize. The lovable rescue pup stole the spotlight with her unique looks and personality.

Contest celebrates unique-looking pets

The U.S. national debt stands at $39.9 trillion and is on track to surpass the historic $40 trillion milestone. This acceleration happens months ahead of previous forecasts, driven by high interest rates, rising debt-servicing costs, and lost revenue from invalidated tariffs, outpacing the administration's federal spending-cut goals.


US debt nears $40 tn despite Trump’s spending cut push 

U.S. President Donald Trump sparked widespread diplomatic shockwaves after issuing a severe military threat against Oman, warning he would "bomb the s* out of them" if the Gulf nation interferes with Washington's position or blockades regarding the Strait of Hormuz. The escalation occurs as a crucial 60-day U.S.–Iran memorandum of understanding expired on Monday with no breakthrough.

US President Donald Trump threatens to bomb US ally Oman

Ukraine's parliament returned from its summer recess amid uncertainty over the country's defence and foreign ministry leadership. Acting ministers Yevhenii Khmara and Andrii Sybiha had been running the two ministries, but President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has now submitted their nominations for permanent appointments, with parliament expected to vote on August 19.


Ukraine yet to vote on new defence minister

China's Unitree has unveiled a new high-speed humanoid robot dubbed “Superman,” just days before becoming the first general-purpose robotics company to list on mainland China's stock market. The company, the world's largest humanoid robot maker by sales, raised 6.1 billion yuan ($905 million) in its Shanghai IPO.

China: Unitree robot hits a top speed 12.66 metres per second

#gravitas a Jerusalem synagogue has been vandalised again, in an attack that Israeli police are reportedly investigating as a possible hate crime. 

 Jerusalem's reformist synagogue targeted for showing gay pride flag 

Earth has experienced a notable run of strong earthquakes in 2026. But scientists say the number of major earthquakes remains within the normal range, and there is no evidence of a new global earthquake season. Now scientists are using repeating earthquakes to study a part of earth nobody can directly see: the SOLID inner core more than 5,000 kilometres beneath the surface. Their analysis suggests the inner core, which once moved slightly faster than the surrounding layers, slowed around 2010 and began moving more slowly relative to the surface. It has not literally reversed its spin.  

The finding could help scientists understand tiny changes in the length of a day and the complex processes inside the planet that are connected to earth's magnetic field.  

Is the world experiencing more earthquakes now than before? | Earth's inner core is moving

#gravitas a new study says artificial intelligence can often work out where a photo was taken just by looking at the image.  A study by Mcafee found that AI models correctly identified the city and country in 87 to 91 percent of more than 21,000 travel photos.  AI did not need GPS information, location tags, captions, file names or hidden metadata; it looked for clues such as major buildings, road markings, shop signs, skylines and even food stalls. 

AI may help others track your location through social media 

US President Donald Trump has praised India’s electoral system as a model for American voting reform, bringing the world's largest democracy into the centre of a highly contentious political debate in Washington.

In a post on Truth Social, President Trump highlighted India's strict voter identification playbook to renew his demand for mandatory photo ID laws across the United States. He signed an executive order aiming to reform the US election system by citing India and Brazil's use of biometric voter verification.


Trump lauds India's election system, rising anger in India at S.I.R. Exclusion

Why should India's youth suffer due to the corruption and inefficiency of a few? It's time to clean up the system and ensure that employability and employment match.

Protests in India raise a key question: why should job aspirants suffer?

Bangladesh's opposition parties are mounting pressure on the ruling BNP government as it completes six months in office. Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party have accused the government of failing to tackle power and gas shortages, rising commodity prices and economic stagnation, while pointing to weak domestic investment and sluggish exports.

Opposition slams Bangladesh govt on energy, economic failures

Pakistan's Supreme Court has ordered the immediate transfer of former PM Imran Khan to a hospital for medical treatment, rejecting the government's objections. Khan, who has been jailed in Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail since August 2023, must be moved within 48 hours and will remain at Shifa International Hospital until September 16. The order comes amid persistent rumours over Khan's deteriorating health

Hospital order for Imran Khan, what is the reality of ex Pak-PM's health?

Ukraine's parliament returned from its summer recess amid uncertainty over the country's defence and foreign ministry leadership. Acting ministers Yevhenii Khmara and Andrii Sybiha had been running the two ministries, but President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has now submitted their nominations for permanent appointments, with parliament expected to vote on August 19.

Amid war with Russia, Ukraine parliament has not finalised defence minister  

UK PM Andy Burnham exchanged messages with a person posing as Trump’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles. The contact was reportedly brief and flagged to authorities after Burnham became suspicious.


Impersonator convinces UK PM he is speaking to Susie Wiles

Russia and Japan are once again at odds after Vladimir Putin visited the disputed Kuril Islands, known in Japan as the Northern Territories. Tokyo swiftly renewed its territorial claim and lodged a protest, while Japanese politician Sanae Takaichi criticised the visit. The islands have remained a major point of contention since the Soviet Union seized them at the end of World War II, preventing the two countries from signing a formal peace treaty.

Russia-Japan spar over disputed islands, Japan envoy summoned

A shocking murder case from Bengaluru has stunned the city. Police allege that a woman, with the help of her lover, killed her husband and young son following a dispute that reportedly began over sleeping arrangements at home. Investigators are probing the sequence of events and the motives behind the crime. The case has sparked widespread attention due to the disturbing allegations and tragic loss of life.

Bengaluru murder shocker: Bengaluru woman 'kills' husband, son with lover's help 

The U.S. national debt stands at $39.9 trillion and is on track to surpass the historic $40 trillion milestone. This acceleration happens months ahead of previous forecasts, driven by high interest rates, rising debt-servicing costs, and lost revenue from invalidated tariffs, outpacing the administration's federal spending-cut goals.

US debt nears $40 tn despite Trump’s spending cut push

Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey features a striking historical anachronism: a Viking longship standing in for Odysseus's Bronze Age Greek vessel. Rather than relying on digital effects, Nolan reportedly used a real, ocean-faring Viking ship replica to bring the ancient epic to life on screen.

Viking ship crew recounts epic voyage for Nolan’s film

U.S. President Donald Trump sparked widespread diplomatic shockwaves after issuing a severe military threat against Oman, warning he would "bomb the s* out of them" if the Gulf nation interferes with Washington's position or blockades regarding the Strait of Hormuz. The escalation occurs as a crucial 60-day U.S.–Iran memorandum of understanding expired on Monday with no breakthrough.


Trump's envoy Kushner says Iran-US holding 'positive talks'

A string of powerful earthquakes across the world has renewed fears about seismic activity, with magnitude-7 or stronger quakes striking Venezuela, Japan, Mexico, Colombia and Indonesia this summer. At the same time, recent studies show Earth's solid iron inner core has slowed its rotation and is moving backward relative to the planet's surface — a natural cycle that is not considered a sign of an impending global disaster.

Quakes hit Indonesia, Venezuela, but experts see no global surge

The Iran war is putting fresh pressure on U.S. military stockpiles, with Washington facing the challenge of replenishing weapons and munitions after sustained operations in West Asia. As Ukraine and other U.S. allies continue to require military supplies, the strain is raising questions over America's ability to rapidly rebuild its stocks.

West Asia to Ukraine, allies await new stocks

World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency venture linked to U.S. President Donald Trump and his family, is partnering with Hong Kong-based AI platform WorldClaw. The deal is drawing scrutiny because WorldClaw offers access to AI models developed by Chinese technology firms that have faced U.S. national security and intellectual property concerns.

Trump-linked crypto firm works with Hong Kong AI platform

Nigeria’s cocoa farmers are facing a new hurdle to accessing the European market.

EU rules put Nigeria’s cocoa trade at risk

Manchester City midfielder Rodri has arrived in Barcelona ahead of his €76.5 million move to the Catalan giants. The 30-year-old midfielder called the transfer a “dream come true” and is set to complete the move after undergoing his medical.

Rodri arrives in Barcelona to complete transfer to Spanish champs

Meta is facing mounting regulatory pressure in India after high-level talks with MeitY officials. The government has warned that Meta could risk its “safe harbour” legal protections if it fails to curb unlawful content, including child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and deepfakes, putting greater scrutiny on the tech giant's content moderation practices.


META faces tougher India content rules

Spider-Man: Brand New Day has made box office history, crossing the $2 billion mark worldwide in just three weeks. Starring Tom Holland and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the Marvel blockbuster is now the eighth film ever to achieve the milestone and the first solo superhero movie to do so. The film joins an elite club that includes Avatar, Avengers: Endgame, Titanic, Avatar: The Way of Water, Ne Zha 2, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and Avengers: Infinity War. The achievement further cements Spider-Man's place among Hollywood's most successful franchises.


Spider-Man: Brand New Day crosses $2 billion, joins elite box office club

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a 636-page chargesheet in the high-profile Twisha Sharma death case, naming her husband Samarth Singh and mother-in-law Giribala Singh as accused. The report reportedly includes Twisha's final message sent moments before her death: "Let me die in peace right now." Investigators have charged the accused with dowry harassment and abetment to suicide, while a court-ordered AIIMS medical board concluded that Twisha died by suicidal hanging and found no signs of assault or struggle. The case continues to draw national attention, with Twisha's family maintaining that she was murdered.


Twisha Sharma Case: CBI alleges mental cruelty by husband, mother-in-law 

Several people have reportedly been injured in an explosion in a western district of the Afghan capital Kabul. Reports on Monday said that a blast took place at a school in the Dasht-e-Barchi neighbourhood at around 4:30pm local time. 

Kabul Bomb Blast: students among at least 52 injured

Kuril Island row: Putin's Kuril visit fuels Russia-Japan tensions

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Indonesian students challenge power centralisation

Contest celebrates unique-looking pets

US debt nears $40 tn despite Trump’s spending cut push

US President Donald Trump threatens to bomb US ally Oman

Ukraine yet to vote on new defence minister

China: Unitree robot hits a top speed 12.66 metres per second

Jerusalem's reformist synagogue targeted for showing gay pride flag

Is the world experiencing more earthquakes now than before? | Earth's inner core is moving

AI may help others track your location through social media

Trump lauds India's election system, rising anger in India at S.I.R. Exclusion

Protests in India raise a key question: why should job aspirants suffer?

Opposition slams Bangladesh govt on energy, economic failures

Hospital order for Imran Khan, what is the reality of ex Pak-PM's health?

Amid war with Russia, Ukraine parliament has not finalised defence minister

Impersonator convinces UK PM he is speaking to Susie Wiles

Russia-Japan spar over disputed islands, Japan envoy summoned

Bengaluru murder shocker: Bengaluru woman 'kills' husband, son with lover's help

US debt nears $40 tn despite Trump’s spending cut push

Viking ship crew recounts epic voyage for Nolan’s film

Trump's envoy Kushner says Iran-US holding 'positive talks'

Quakes hit Indonesia, Venezuela, but experts see no global surge

West Asia to Ukraine, allies await new stocks

Trump-linked crypto firm works with Hong Kong AI platform

EU rules put Nigeria’s cocoa trade at risk

Rodri arrives in Barcelona to complete transfer to Spanish champs

META faces tougher India content rules