🏦 Bank unions call nationwide strike over work week and PLI

The United Forum of Bank Unions announced a nationwide strike starting September 11 over key demands. This action is being taken by the UFBU, representing 90% of bank workers across various sectors. The initial one-day strike will be followed by a three-day strike from September 28 to September 30. The core issues include implementing a five-day banking week and withdrawing the revised Performance Linked Incentive scheme. If demands aren't met, the unions plan an indefinite strike starting October 26. 🏦

🏏 Former director charged in BCB corruption probe

Three individuals, including former board director Mokhlesur Rahman, have been charged by the BCB integrity unit. These charges stem from participation in last season's Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) in various capacities. The unit began investigating Rahman in January this year based on a report by journalist Riasad Azim. Rahman, who stepped down after the report, is charged under articles related to match-fixing in the BPL T-20, 12th Edition. The BCB is continuing its overall investigation into previous editions of the BPL. 🏏

💰 State Govt borrows ₹2,000 Cr for immediate needs

The State government has raised ₹2,000 crore through market borrowings to cover its pressing financial commitments. This funding was secured in three tranches, specifically ₹1,000 crore and ₹500 crore each, via RBI securities auction at 7.7% interest. This reissue pertains to securities originally issued on July 1 that were temporarily put on hold by the RBI. Officials suggest the government might have waited for better interest rates or lacked immediate fund urgency. The government had previously raised ₹2,000 crore on August 18, showing a preference for long-term, low-cost borrowing. 💸

📈 India-US trade talks: Exporters raise access concerns

The Commerce Ministry is gathering feedback from exporters regarding US market access issues. This meeting, chaired by Darpan Jain, addressed concerns about tariff uncertainty and safeguard measures on quartz products. Exporters noted that order volumes are down due to prevailing tariff uncertainties from US buyers. India's exports to the US grew marginally to $87.31 billion in 2025-26, though the trade surplus decreased. Minister Piyush Goyal will visit the US in late September for G-20 talks to push the bilateral trade agreement forward.

🍎 John Ternus takes over as Apple's new CEO

John Ternus has been named the new CEO of Apple, succeeding Tim Cook in the role. This transition takes place as of Tuesday, September 1st, ending Cook's 15-year leadership run. Ternus has an estimated net worth of $75 million, built over two decades at the company. Apple selected him due to his deep internal knowledge and expertise in hardware engineering. His initial years as CEO will be key in shaping the company's future direction. 🍎

🤔 EPS mocks Vijay's PM push with US President joke

AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami sarcastically suggested Chief Minister Vijay could become US President. This statement came amidst the growing 'Vijay for Prime Minister' campaign within Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Palaniswami criticized the state government's reliance on social media optics and claimed law and order had collapsed in 110 days. TVK leaders have openly pitched Vijay for the top post, causing unease among allies. The political stakes are high as Vijay's government holds a narrow majority in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

🎬 Jailer 2 release date: no reshoots happening

Speculation regarding Rajinikanth’s ‘Jailer 2’ postponement from October 15 has been addressed by project insiders. A source confirmed that no reshoots are currently taking place for the movie. The untrimmed cut of ‘Jailer 2’ is ready, and post-production is actively progressing toward completion. Music composer Anirudh Ravichander's work on the background score is the next major step in the timeline. The film might face a box office clash with releases like ‘Ranabaali’ on October 16. 🎬

🌍 SCO slams US-Israel attacks on Iran and sanctions

SCO leaders signed the Bishkek Declaration condemning US and Israel's military strikes on Iran and Western sanctions. The declaration was signed by leaders including Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Narendra Modi, and Shehbaz Sharif in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Members condemned attacks on Iran, citing civilian casualties, and also noted Israel's impact on Palestine. SCO strongly backed Iran's rights under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The group also pledged to boost economic and energy cooperation among members.

🔬 MOF Film Moves Space Water Isotopes

Scientists have successfully demonstrated space-confined water isotope transport using a conductive Metal-Organic Framework (MOF) thin film. This research was conducted by a team of researchers at a specific institution, though the exact location is not provided in the abstract. The study details the mechanism of isotope movement under defined experimental conditions. This advancement offers new pathways for understanding material science in extreme environments. Future work will focus on optimizing this transport for practical applications. 🔬

🛣️ Pemmasani reviews highway projects in Guntur-Vijayawada

Union Minister of State for Rural Development Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar reviewed key National Highway projects and pending issues. This meeting took place at his camp office in Kolanukonda, Guntur district, on Tuesday. The review covered the DPR for the Chinakakani flyover and the status of the Outer Ring Road proposals. The Minister showed concern over the slow progress of ROBs at Kolanukonda and Suddapalli Donka. Officials were instructed to prepare reports on pending issues within two weeks. 🛣️

🛰️ ESA's Cluster Quartet's Final Tango 🛰️

The European Space Agency's Cluster quartet is concluding its mission after Samba's recent re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. The satellites operated in orbit around Earth's magnetosphere from 2000, with Tango scheduled for tonight's re-entry at 21:30:31 UTC. Despite initial battery failures, heroic engineering efforts kept the functional spacecraft going far beyond their five-year design life. The mission officially ended in 2024 as controllers initiated the disposal campaign. Tango's destruction tonight completes the journey of this resilient quartet.