Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has alleged that the BJP and the Election Commission acted together in the dispute over the Trinamool Congress's name and election symbol, saying the two had "joined forces to split the party". The Commission has previously frozen names and symbols in intra-party disputes, which are decided under the Election Symbols Order, 1968, and can be challenged in court.
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BSP chief Mayawati has criticised the Centre's decision to levy a 0.4% fee on UPI payments above ₹2,000 made to merchants from October 15, calling it a "capitalist profiteering attitude" that burdens ordinary people. The Finance Ministry says customers will pay nothing and that the charge, known as MDR, applies only within the merchant payment ecosystem.
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A Sikh truck driver was stabbed multiple times at a rest area in southern Wyoming and remains hospitalised, while 45-year-old Andrew Kris Bzdak has been charged with attempted first-degree murder. Indian-American lawmakers condemned the attack, with one linking it to a wider climate of hostility towards Sikh and South Asian Americans; investigators have not established a motive or any connection to a deleted Department of Homeland Security post criticised for stereotyping.
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A UN-backed fact-finding mission says it found reasonable grounds to believe US forces committed war crimes in Iran, citing strikes on a primary school in Minab that killed about 150 people and on a sports complex and residential area in Lamerd that killed 22. The report, which is not binding, also accuses the Iranian government of gross human rights violations and crimes against humanity. Washington has rejected the findings, calling the Iranian regime the only party that has committed war crimes, while the Pentagon says its own investigation is ongoing.
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Apple has begun selling the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max in India, with long queues forming outside its online store and six retail outlets. Prices start at Rs 1,64,900 and Rs 1,79,900 respectively, while the foldable iPhone Duo will open for pre-orders on October 16.
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Malaysia's King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar has granted jailed former prime minister Najib Razak a conditional pardon, allowing him to serve the rest of his corruption sentence under house arrest until August 2028 if he pays a 50 million ringgit fine. It is the first use of house arrest as royal clemency in Malaysia and is expected to renew debate over royal powers and the rule of law.
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The Uttarakhand government has clarified that the proposed procurement of 1,320 MW thermal power follows prescribed rules, competitive bidding, and regulatory approval. Principal Secretary (Energy) R Meenakshi Sundaram rejected allegations of favoritism, stating the aim is to meet the state's long-term power needs. The tender allows flexibility in plant location to optimize costs, with final selection based on total tariff.
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In-person early voting for the US midterm elections opened on September 18, 2026, with Virginia and a few other states the first to begin. The November 3 vote will decide whether Republicans keep control of the House and Senate, amid public concern over the cost of living, the war in Iran and redrawn congressional maps. Election officials say they are confident the process will be accurate and secure.
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Project Cheetah has completed four years, with India's cheetah population now at 52, including 32 cubs born in the country. Officials cite cub survival, breeding success and the movement of cheetahs into open forest as key milestones, and say the next phase will focus on expanding habitat and building a long-term metapopulation.
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Reports said the convoy of former Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu was attacked in Punjab. Key details of the incident remain unconfirmed and an official account was awaited, even as the episode has renewed attention on the safety of political figures in the state.
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At least 15 students of Zilla Parishad High School in Pedda Loni, Sangareddy district, fell ill after lunch on Thursday. They are stable and under observation, while a teacher who ate the same food was shifted to the Government Hospital in Sangareddy. Preliminary information suggests the food was brought from outside and was not part of the mid-day meal programme.
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A Telugu book on Dr BR Ambedkar, 'Kalpitha Nayakudu', has sparked protests across Telangana, with Dalit and Ambedkarite organisations demanding the author's arrest and a halt to its publication. The Telangana government has told the High Court that author Hamara Prasad has been arrested in a case over the book's alleged defamatory content.
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Pakistan's cabinet has approved a three-month austerity package to cut fuel consumption as global oil prices rise amid conflict in West Asia. The measures halve fuel allocations for government vehicles, restrict market and restaurant hours, and ban official foreign travel, dinners and new vehicle purchases.
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The Kumbabishekam of the Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple in Madurai was performed on Thursday after 17 years, drawing thousands of devotees to the temple and the surrounding streets. Holy water was poured over the kalasams atop the gopurams amid chants in Tamil and Sanskrit, and renovation works costing ₹32.29 crore were completed ahead of the ceremony.
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Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has flagged markups of up to 2,800 per cent on hospital consumables such as IV sets, syringes and nebulisers, saying the gap between procurement prices and printed MRP is not explainable. The FDA has referred the matter to the NPPA and recommended bringing these items under price control, while noting it cannot act where products are sold at or below MRP.
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Cooking gas distributors are studying the impact of NPCI's proposed flat ₹5 MDR on digital transactions above ₹2,000, effective October 15. While commercial LPG sales are clearly covered, distributors are unsure whether pooled UPI remittances from home deliveries will also attract the fee, and plan to seek a government exemption citing thin margins.
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Tata Trusts, the largest shareholder in Tata Sons, has opposed a public listing of the group's holding company, saying it would change the character of an institution built on a model of national service through business. The Reserve Bank of India, however, requires a listing because Tata Sons is classified as an Upper Layer NBFC, and it recently rejected the company's application to surrender its registration.
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The Congress has asked the Modi government to clarify its position after the U.S. House of Representatives passed a law allowing tariffs of up to 100% on countries buying Russian oil and gas. Party leaders K.C. Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala called the move an affront to Indian sovereignty, while the Ministry of External Affairs said India remains committed to protecting its energy security.
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Telangana has inaugurated the State Climate Centre for Cities under the CITIIS Programme 2.0, a nodal body that will handle climate data, risk studies and municipal climate action plans. The government also launched the Telangana Urban Climate Atlas, a digital platform mapping climate risks, vulnerabilities and emissions across cities.
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The Lokayukta Police have arrested Dharwad tahsildar Sachchidanand Kachanur on allegations of accepting a ₹50 lakh bribe linked to changes in the title records of a 33-acre plot at Yerikoppa village. A Dharwad court has remanded him in judicial custody till October 1. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has demanded a judicial inquiry and alleged that Congress leaders were present at the spot, a claim the Lokayukta Police has not commented on.
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Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange called off his 20-day hunger strike on September 17, 2026, after a Maharashtra government delegation met him in Beed district and briefed him on the steps taken so far. He has given the State three months to act on his demand for official recognition of historical gazettes that would help Marathas prove Kunbi lineage, warning of a march to Mumbai if the assurance is not honoured.
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High Courts across India are burdened with over 65 lakh pending cases, with nearly 15 lakh cases pending for more than a decade. A daily wage worker from Rajasthan has been waiting for 22 years for his petition to be heard. The Supreme Court often cannot direct High Courts to expedite cases due to their constitutional independence, leaving litigants to wait indefinitely.
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The Union government has petitioned the Supreme Court over a judgement and asked the Central Administrative Tribunal to modify its 19 August order, in a fresh round of legal manoeuvring over the creamy layer principle for OBC reservation. Details of the judgement and the tribunal order are not yet clear from available reports. The outcome will shape how creamy layer verification applies in the case at hand.
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The government has reduced the export duty on petrol, diesel and aviation turbine fuel in its latest fortnightly review. Effective September 16, 2026, the levy on petrol is ₹0.50 per litre, on diesel ₹20 per litre, and on ATF ₹15 per litre. The excise duty on petrol and diesel for domestic consumption remains unchanged.
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The US House of Representatives has passed a Bill that would let President Donald Trump impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries buying Russian oil and gas, a measure that could hit India hard. The Bill now goes to the President, even as New Delhi and Washington negotiate a preliminary trade deal. It passed 262-159, with opponents warning the law hands the President sweeping tariff powers.
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Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh has said that e-waste accumulated in government offices could fetch around Rs 10,000 crore a year if disposed of through organised channels. He made the remarks while launching a monitoring portal for Special Campaign 6, a cleanliness and pendency-reduction drive across departments. The figure is an indicative estimate of realisable value, not a budgeted receipt.
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India has rejected the Pakistan-China Boundary Joint Commission, saying it has no legal basis to decide on matters concerning Indian territory. The External Affairs Ministry reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral parts of India and that the 1963 China-Pakistan boundary agreement remains illegal and invalid.
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An encounter broke out in the forested Majalta area of Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district after suspected terrorists opened heavy fire to break a security cordon on Thursday morning. The joint operation by the Army, police and CRPF began on Wednesday night following inputs about the movement of suspected terrorists. Officials said the exchange of fire was continuing, with reinforcements rushed to the spot, and no casualties have been confirmed so far.
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The Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple in Madurai held its kumbabishekam on Thursday, the first consecration at the temple in 17 years, with thousands of devotees gathering to witness the ritual. The ceremony was performed around 7.40 a.m., with police and district officials making extensive crowd-management arrangements, including a colour-coded pass system and designated entry and exit points.
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A special NIA court in Jagdalpur has awarded the death penalty to all 10 convicts in the 2013 Jhiram Valley Maoist attack, which killed 27 people, including senior Congress leaders. The Congress has demanded a probe into the alleged conspiracy behind the attack, while Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai welcomed the verdict as a victory for justice.
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Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu told banks at the 236th State Level Bankers' Committee meeting to expand lending to all sectors, flagging that some lenders were far behind their targets. He sought large-scale loans for rooftop solar under the PM Surya Ghar scheme, adequate credit for tenant farmers, and action on the small share of self-help group women who have defaulted.
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