🎮 Game over or level up?

Good morning. Fun fact: Today, August 21st, 1911, the Mona Lisa vanished.

A handyman slipped the painting out of the Louvre, tucked it under his smock, and walked straight out the door.

For more than two years, the world’s most famous smile was missing sparking rumors that Picasso had swiped it, until it finally turned up in Italy 🖼️ 

Ruchirr Sharma & Shatakshi Sharmaa  

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• 🎮 Game over or level up?

• 🤖 Pixel power

• Bite-sized summaries

  • 💼 Trump’s bond blitz

  • ⛽ Russia eyes LNG push to India

• 🧑‍🍳 What else is cookin’?

MARKETS

🇮🇳 India

• Indian equities recorded a mixed day. The rally was led by IT, FMCG, and realty stocks, with Infosys jumping 4%. Broad market sentiment was positive, supported by strong domestic inflows despite global trade concerns.

🌍️ International

• US markets declined as tech stocks dragged indices lower. Tech stocks faced profit-taking ahead of Fed Chair Powell’s speech at Jackson Hole.

BILL

🎮 Game over or level up?

India’s freshly minted Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, has government and industry alike pressing pause. On one hand, the legislation positions itself as a bold move to curb addiction and fraud tightening the screws on real-money gaming (RMG) by banning its practice, blocking financial mechanisms, and threatening violators with penalties up to three years in prison and fines up to ₹1 crore. It also bans advertisements and prohibits banks or payment gateways from facilitating RMG transactions.

At the same time, the bill seeks to elevate e-sports, with provisions to promote “social games” and skill-based competitive gaming. It proposes the creation of a National e-Sports Authority to regulate and drive growth in that space, signaling a clear government bet on e-sports as a safer, more productive digital pastime.

But not everyone’s cheering. The gaming industry warns that an outright ban on real-money games, a key revenue engine, is nothing short of a “death knell.” It could cost the government ₹20,000 crore in annual tax revenue, push players toward unsafe offshore platforms, and threaten the survival of startups and thousands of jobs.

Critics argue that the bill masquerades as “regulation” but is closer to outright prohibition stifling innovation, ignoring the monetization ecosystem of casual gaming, and potentially fueling a black-market rebound. In their view, a more nuanced regulatory framework could have balanced consumer protection with economic growth.

At its core, the bill mirrors a familiar pattern: rather than crafting fine-tuned regulation, it risks smothering a nascent industry under a heavy moral hammer - just as India’s digital economy is hitting its stride. What are your thoughts?

Read more: Economic Times

TECHNOLOGY

🤖 Pixel power

At its annual “Made by Google” event in New York, Alphabet unveiled the Pixel 10 lineup four new models including the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold along with refreshed smart accessories. Expect modest hardware tweaks, like a telephoto lens added to the base model and the debut of pixelsnap, Google’s magnetic charging system akin to Apple’s MagSafe. All phones are powered by Google’s new Tensor G5 chip, with prices kept steady: the base model starts at $799, and the foldable hits $1,799.

But hardware was overshadowed by Google doubling down on AI-powered experiences. The camera app debuts a “Camera Coach” to guide better shots, while a proactive assistant surfaces context-aware prompts like flight details when calling an airline.

Despite the flashing lights and star-studded crowd including Jimmy Fallon - the Pixel series still enjoys only a sliver of global smartphone market share at around 1.1%, with even a slight dip in the U.S.

Google also introduced the Pixel Watch 4, budget-friendly Pixel Buds 2a, and a minor refresh to Pixel Buds Pro 2, reinforcing its vision of a connected AI-enabled ecosystem.

In essence, this year’s launch wasn’t about flashy new hardware it was all about pushing the “AI-first” narrative, with subtle updates meant to spotlight smarter, more intuitive user experiences over ground-breaking new specs.

Quick Takes:

• 📱 Pixel 10 series: four new models, modest hardware changes, prices unchanged.

• 🧠 AI front and center: camera coaching + proactive prompts highlight shift from specs to smarts.

• 📉 Market share reality: Pixel clings to ~1.1% globally—AI push is a play to break through.

• ⌚🎧 Ecosystem play: new Pixel Watch 4, budget Buds 2a, and Pro refresh keep accessories rolling.

Read more: Reuters

GENERAL OVERVIEW

🗞️ Bite-sized summaries

💼 Trump’s bond blitz - President Trump has quietly bought over $100 million in company, state, and municipal bonds since his second term began in January, according to an August 12 financial disclosure from the U.S. Office of Government Ethics. The filings reveal more than 600 transactions, with corporate bond stakes in firms like Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo, Meta, Qualcomm, Home Depot, T-Mobile USA, and UnitedHealth Group. He also purchased municipal debt from cities, counties, school districts, utility districts, and more. With holdings spanning sectors that may be impacted by federal policy decisions, this investment surge stirs renewed conflict-of-interest concerns, even as he maintains his business interests are held in a child-managed trust.

⛽ Russia eyes LNG push to India - Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov this week highlighted a growing opportunity: exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) to India. His comments underscore Moscow’s interest in expanding energy ties even as the U.S. imposes fresh pressure like a 25% tariff on Indian goods in response to its continued purchases of Russian oil. Manturov also flagged plans to deepen cooperation in nuclear energy, signaling that Russia is looking far beyond oil in strengthening strategic ties with New Delhi. This comes amid broader efforts—led by both nations—to navigate geopolitical shifts and bolster energy security by diversifying supply relationships.

HEADLINES

🧑‍🍳 What else is cookin’?

What’s happening in India (and around the world 🌍️)

• Why Pakistan can't leave China for Trump?

• GoM to propose GST exemption on health and life insurance premiums

• In The Ba***ds Of Bollywood preview, Aryan Khan hits Bahut hard with punches and drama.