🥇 Asian Games 2026 kicks off in Japan 🇯🇵

The 20th Asian Games officially commenced in Nagoya, Japan, with an opening ceremony held on Saturday, September 19, 2026. The Indian contingent participated, led by Manu Bhaker and Pawan Sehrawat as flagbearers. Despite a record 106 medals in Hangzhou 2023, accommodation issues plague the current event with over 17,000 participants. Manu Bhaker urged athletes to focus on competition instead of organizational chaos. Veteran shuttler H.S. Prannoy hinted this could be his last Asian Games before eyeing LA 2028.

🗳️ ABVP sweeps DUSU polls; Shokeen wins VP spot

The RSS-affiliated ABVP won three out of four central panel posts in the Delhi University Students’ Union election. ABVP secured the president, secretary, and joint secretary positions in New Delhi. Yash Dabas won the presidency with 24,576 votes, while independent Deepanshu Shokeen took the VP role with 30,615 votes. ABVP stressed its focus on conducting safety audits across all hostels and PGs as a primary concern. The final composition of the DUSU central panel for the 2026-27 session remains pending final counts.

💳 UPI Payments: Free for Users, New Rules for Merchants

A new Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) framework has been introduced for UPI transactions. This framework applies to merchants processing payments exceeding ₹2,000. Users will continue to benefit from zero transaction charges on UPI payments. The changes aim to regulate the fee structure for businesses accepting digital payments. Further details regarding the implementation timeline are expected soon.

🚀 India's software exports hit $221.4B, US remains top market 📈

India's software services exports jumped by 8.2% to $221.4 billion in the fiscal year 2025-26. The US continued to be the biggest destination, securing a 54.1% share of these exports. The RBI survey revealed that off-site services made up almost 92% of the total exports. Computer services remained the largest segment, accounting for 69.3% of the total exports. Moving forward, the US dollar maintained its dominance in invoicing for these international sales.

⚖️ DU polls break rules, ABVP takes early lead

The Delhi High Court scheduled a hearing on September 17 regarding Lyngdoh guideline violations during the DUSU elections. Yash Dabas of ABVP is currently leading the race for DUSU president against NSUI's Vijay Shankar Meena. The elections are set for the 2026-27 session, with spending caps of ₹5,000 being widely ignored. Candidates bypassed rules by using mass-produced prints instead of allowed handmade posters. The polls are heavily influenced by campus safety issues following a recent building collapse. ⚖️

🚨 India targets cough syrup misuse with red labels

India is planning to enforce strict rules on cough syrup packaging to discourage use in kids under four. This move is being considered by the DCGI in response to safety concerns and inappropriate prescribing practices. The proposal involves a prominent red warning and visuals of school-age children on the bottles. This follows global incidents where contaminated syrups caused child deaths in The Gambia and Uzbekistan. The regulation aims to protect infants while the pharmaceutical industry calls for ingredient-specific rules.

⚖️ Kerala Home Dept reviewing ED case opinion on Pinarayi Vijayan

The government received the Advocate General’s legal opinion regarding the ED’s request to register a corruption case against Pinarayi Vijayan and his family. This action stems from the ED’s probe into an alleged CMRL bribery case, involving fraudulent payments of Rs 2.78 crore. The Home Department is currently examining this opinion, with further steps to be decided after consulting the Chief Minister. Decisions on further action are expected on Monday or Tuesday due to current holidays. Meanwhile, CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby claimed the ED action specifically targets the CPI(M).

🏏 Australia eyes sweep as green energy rises

Australia is looking to dominate the upcoming cricket series with a focus on green initiatives. The national team, in collaboration with local stakeholders, is preparing for matches across various Australian venues. Key dates include the start of the series on October 15th, with initial matches scheduled for October 20th. This push aligns with the country's broader commitment to sustainable sports practices and environmental goals. The ultimate goal is to secure a clean sweep of the entire series. 🏏

🔥 Hanuman Ansh crushes box office; aims for record haul

Hanuman Ansh is having a historic theatrical run, netting Rs 4.75-5 crore on its 7th Friday at the Indian box office. The film is currently performing in India, showcasing massive momentum deep into its run. Its 7th week collection is set to become the all-time highest within the next two days. The devotional drama's cumulative box office collections currently stand at approximately Rs 236 crore nett. This performance puts the film on track to hit a Rs 300 crore nett final collection. 🚀

☀️ Maharashtra rolls out huge solar pump plan

Maharashtra is significantly boosting its adoption of solar energy for agriculture. This initiative involves the installation of 7.47 lakh solar pumps across the state. The deployment targets the fiscal year 2023-24 to modernize irrigation practices. This shift aims to reduce dependence on traditional, non-renewable power sources for farming. Further expansion plans are expected to continue throughout the coming years. ☀️

🏏 Cricket team faces kit and stay hiccups for Asian Games

The Indian men's cricket team is facing delays before heading to the Asian Games in Japan. The contingent, led by Shreyas Iyer, is waiting for correctly sized kits after issues between the BCCI and JSW Inspire. While most sizing problems are fixed, a few players are still waiting for replacements before the Sunday departure. The IOA stated this could happen because the team needs two different jerseys for the trip. Furthermore, the BCCI arranged separate hotel stays due to issues with the IOA's allocated accommodation. 🏏