- Aug 24
Kit Harington replaces Nicholas Hoult as Gilderoy Lockhart in HBO's Harry Potter series
The Game of Thrones actor steps into the Defence Against the Dark Arts role for season two after Hoult withdrew over filming schedule conflicts.
- Aug 24
HBO Max series Lanterns expands DC mystery with Sinestro reveal and 48-hour alien ultimatum
The second episode of Lanterns splits Hal Jordan and John Stewart across two investigations, culminating in a confrontation with the imprisoned villain Sinestro and a 48-hour extraterrestrial ultimatum in Nebraska.
- Aug 24
South Africa beats New Zealand 33-26 in Cape Town to level four-test series
South Africa held off a late New Zealand fightback to win 33-26 in Cape Town on Saturday, levelling the four-match series at 1-1 in front of 56,589 spectators.
- Aug 24
Óscar Puente outlines PSOE succession timeline and leaves door open for party leadership
Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente has not ruled out seeking the PSOE leadership in four to five years, projecting that Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will step aside after the 2027 to 2031 legislative term.
- Aug 23
Scott Jamieson wins Nexo Championship in Scotland for first European Tour title in 14 years
Scott Jamieson shot a 5-under-par 67 on Sunday to capture the Nexo Championship at Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeenshire, finishing at 11-under to end a 14-year title drought.
- Aug 23
Indonesian teenager fighting Kalimantan wildfires in Superman costume named Forest Hero
An Indonesian teenager who fights peatland blazes in Central Kalimantan wearing a Superman costume has received the official title of Hero of the Forest from the country's forestry minister.
- Aug 22
New Zealand beats South Africa 33-16 at Ellis Park to take series lead
The All Blacks scored five tries to one against South Africa at Ellis Park, ending the Springboks' 12-test winning streak and reclaiming the world number one ranking in the opening match of their four-test tour.
- Aug 19
China's Tiangong Ultra clocks 8.86-second 100 metres at Beijing robot games
China's Tiangong Ultra humanoid robot ran 100 metres in 8.86 seconds at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, surpassing Usain Bolt's record before colliding with a protective mat.
- Aug 17
HBO's 'Lanterns' premiere ends with Hal Jordan's frozen corpse and a 10-year time jump twist
HBO's Green Lantern series 'Lanterns' debuted its first episode on August 17, 2026, pairing Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan with Aaron Pierre's John Stewart in a Nebraska murder mystery before a flash-forward revealed Hal's frozen corpse with a bullet hole in his forehead.
- Aug 16
Five teens die in wrong-way M9 crash as Irish police warn of social media driving trend
Five teenage boys died and four people were hospitalised after a stolen BMW driven the wrong way on the M9 in County Kildare collided head-on with a family car early Sunday, prompting Irish police to warn of a social media trend.
- Aug 16
Roger Federer loses billionaire status as On Holding shares drop 19%
Roger Federer's net worth fell to $952.4 million on August 11 after On Holding shares dropped 19%, erasing $52 million and ending the tennis legend's brief tenure in the Forbes billionaire club.
- Aug 16
Cardinals rookie Joshua Báez becomes first player to hit three home runs in MLB debut, beats Cubs 8-4
Joshua Báez became the first player in major league history to hit three home runs in his first three at-bats, powering the St. Louis Cardinals to an 8-4 win over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Saturday.
- Aug 14
HBO's 'Lanterns' premieres August 16 to strong reviews despite back-half pivot concerns
DC Studios' eight-episode Green Lantern series 'Lanterns' premieres August 16 on HBO and HBO Max, with critics praising Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre's chemistry while noting a tonal shift after episode five.
- Aug 13
Nicholas Hoult cast as Gilderoy Lockhart in HBO's Harry Potter season two
British actor Nicholas Hoult will play Gilderoy Lockhart in the second season of HBO's Harry Potter TV series, adapting 'The Chamber of Secrets.' Season 1 premieres December 25, 2026 on HBO Max.
- Aug 12
Russell Westbrook retires after 18 NBA seasons with record 209 triple-doubles
Former NBA MVP Russell Westbrook announced his retirement on Wednesday at age 37, leaving as the all-time leader in triple-doubles with 209 and a legacy as one of basketball's fiercest competitors across seven franchises.
- Aug 12
Lakers sold for record $12.5B to Kushner and Iger as Walter exits after 10 months
Mark Walter agreed to sell the Los Angeles Lakers to Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger at a $12.5 billion valuation, the most expensive sports team sale ever, just 10 months after acquiring the franchise from the Buss family.
- Aug 10
Bezos-led consortium nears deal for one-third stake in Liverpool FC at £4.4 billion valuation
A consortium including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin is close to acquiring about one-third of Liverpool FC in a deal valuing the club at roughly £4.4 billion, Sky News reported on 10 August.
- Aug 10
The Odyssey surpasses $1.1 billion, becoming Christopher Nolan's highest-grossing film and claiming the IMAX all-time record
Christopher Nolan's adaptation of Homer's epic has grossed $1.104 billion globally in under a month, surpassing The Dark Knight Rises as the director's top-earning film and setting an IMAX record with $289 million.
- Aug 8
Maradona's 'Hand of God' ball goes to auction with $10 million estimate
The ball from Diego Maradona's infamous 'Hand of God' goal at the 1986 World Cup will be auctioned by Heritage Auctions from August 21 to 23, with a starting bid of $2.5 million and an estimate exceeding $10 million.
- Aug 6
Swiss prosecutors reject Italy as civil plaintiff in Crans-Montana fire investigation
Sion's prosecutor has turned down Italy's request to stand as civil plaintiff in the Crans-Montana bar fire investigation, ruling that Italian citizenship of victims and state assistance costs do not confer injured-party status. Rome has filed an appeal.
