🕉️ 81k Ganesh idols immersed in Cyberabad

Over 81,315 Ganesh idols were immersed across 53 designated points within the Cyberabad Municipal Corporation over the last six days. Civic authorities, including sanitation and traffic teams, managed the process across the area. Of the total, 66,530 idols were under three feet, while 14,785 were taller. Kukatpally Circle saw the highest count with 23,501 immersions, followed by Kompally. The CMC will continue monitoring all 53 sites to ensure cleanliness and smooth arrangements. 🕉️

💧 Mirzapur village finally gets tap water relief

Lahuriadah village in Mirzapur now receives water through household taps after facing severe scarcity. Located in the Drummondganj area of Lalganj tehsil, the village of around 1,500 people once struggled for basic drinking water. The water supply started reaching homes on August 31, 2023, with water now supplied twice daily. This change is part of the Har Ghar Nal Yojana under the Jal Jeevan Mission. Residents say this resolves the long queues and hardships they endured before. 💧

🚲 Kozhikode cycle project stalled, bikes rusting

The city cycle project aimed at green mobility in Kozhikode has stalled, leaving many bicycles unused. The project involved installing sheds in each ward with 12 bikes, designed for renting from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The initial cost was ₹1.75 crore, and it was launched in 2024 as a pilot in 10 wards. Lack of proper supervision and maintenance is cited as the main reason for the project's failure. Authorities claim low cooperation from women contributed to the project not taking off. 😔

😥 IIT-Bombay Dean Removed After Student Death Case

Professor Suryanarayana Doolla has been removed from the Dean's post at IIT-Bombay with immediate effect. This action came days after the death of student Sahil Ravindra Wakode on Friday, September 18, 2026, at the Powai campus. The institute stated that Wakode was found deceased in his hotel room, while his family alleged institutional harassment and caste discrimination. Police registered an FIR on Saturday, September 19, 2026, with a professor named as an accused. Further action will be taken following the ongoing investigation by the Crime Branch. 😥

🕊️ Dubai Ruler's Brother Passes Away at 76

Dubai announced 10 days of official mourning following the death of Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He was the younger brother of Dubai's Ruler and UAE Vice President, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, in Dubai. Sheikh Ahmed passed away at the age of 76, and the mourning period began immediately on the announcement. He held key roles like Deputy Chairman of Dubai Police and was a major figure in real estate and horse racing. The emirate will fly flags at half-mast during this period to honor his memory. 🕊️

🔭 NIT Srinagar gets advanced space observatory 🔭

J K NIT Srinagar is set to launch its campus-based observatory, making it the first NIT with such a setup. This facility, the Observatory for Astronomy and Astrophysics (NSOAA), is located in Srinagar. It features a 14-inch Celestron C14 EdgeHD Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope and will open on Tuesday. The centrepiece will enable advanced observations ranging from planets to distant galaxies, developed with IIA Bengaluru. NSOAA aims to boost experiential science education and outreach in Jammu and Kashmir.

🏊 Indian swimmers face rough patch at Asian Games 🏊

Indian swimmers experienced a tough day at the Asian Games on Monday, September 21, 2026. Srihari Nataraj finished 10th in the men's 50m backstroke final at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre. Nataraj clocked 25.52 seconds, while Vedaant Madhavan missed the men's 4x200m freestyle relay final. This comes after China's Xu Jiayu set a new Asian Games record in the same event. Vedaant will still compete in the 200m freestyle on September 23 and the 200m backstroke on September 25.

🛰️ Mars rover gives scientists a Martian peek

NASA's Curiosity rover recently sent back ground-level views of the red planet from Mont Mercou. The rover operated in Gale Crater, climbing Aeolis Mons with sedimentary rock layers dating back 3.5 billion years. It has drilled into clay-rich mudstone, finding organic molecules suggesting ancient habitable conditions. Scientists are now debating the best targets to analyze the polygons covering the Martian surface. These findings help track the mission's goals, with new data arriving for the next shift on Monday. 🛰️

🧐 HC rejects CBI probe over cash found at judge's house

The Delhi High Court dismissed a petition demanding a CBI probe into unaccounted cash found at former judge Yashwant Varma's residence. The cash was allegedly recovered in March 2025 when emergency services responded to a fire at his Delhi home. An inquiry committee in August found that unexplained bundles of Rs 500 were recovered and Varma gave misleading explanations. The petitioner sought investigation into the cash's source, ownership, and disappearance. The Supreme Court had previously dismissed a similar plea, calling it for "cheap publicity." 🧐

🌿 Vines aren't just stealing food, they're stealing genes too

Dodders, parasitic vines, have been discovered to steal not only nutrients from their hosts but also their genes. Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University in Japan found that dodders acquired a gene for making sesamin from a host plant long ago. This gene, CYP81Q, was likely horizontally transferred from another flowering plant in the order Lamiales between 50 and 32 million years ago. The transferred gene was extensively remodeled over millions of years while remaining functional in the dodder genome. This shows parasitic plants expand capabilities by acquiring and reshaping host genes. 🌿

😠 Protest clashes over sports quota teacher hiring

Violence erupted outside the Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh office in Vijayawada on Monday due to a protest over teacher hiring. The YSRCP and sports-quota teachers staged rival demonstrations at the SAAP office. The controversy involves 372 appointments made under the Mega DSC-2025 sports quota, which invited applications for 421 posts on May 1, 2025. YSRCP leaders demanded a CBI probe, alleging fake certificates were used for jobs. The government stated it is individually examining certificate eligibility and will take action if violations are found. 😠