🗣️ China asks Iran, US to calm down on Hormuz Strait

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Iranian FM Seyyed Abbas Araghchi in Beijing on Wednesday. China urged both Iran and the United States to exercise restraint and return to the Islamabad memorandum. Wang Yi called for effective measures to reopen the Strait of Hormuz quickly to safeguard global energy supplies. The Chinese side expressed concern that regional tensions might spill over into Yemen and the Red Sea. These talks happened just before a planned meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump.

🤸‍♀️ Pranati Nayak: India's lone gymnast for Asian Games

Pranati Nayak, a 31-year-old from West Bengal, is the only Indian gymnast selected for the 2026 Asian Games. Her journey began when she left home at age eight to pursue gymnastics, leading her to compete at the Olympics. She previously won Asian Championships bronze in 2019 and 2022, becoming the first Indian gymnast with two such medals. After an injury in 2026, she made a comeback winning silver at the FIG World Challenge Cup in Tashkent in May. Now, she focuses on the Asian Games to prove the worth of her early sacrifices. 🤸‍♀️

😠 Woman Confronts Cheating Boyfriend in Lucknow

A woman confronted her boyfriend who was with another woman at Janeshwar Mishra Park in Gomti Nagar, Lucknow. An argument erupted after she caught wind of the situation on September 16, 2026. In an intense display, she jumped onto the car bonnet and screamed at him to stop. The man continued driving, and eventually, she rolled off the front of the vehicle. Police have filed a complaint and are searching for the accused using the car's registration number.

🐗 Boar attack leaves man injured in Kozhikode

A 59-year-old man, M.K. Abdul Khader, was attacked by a wild boar while reading on his veranda in Thamarassery, Kozhikode, on Wednesday morning. The attack happened around 6 a.m., causing leg injuries that required hospitalization at Thamarassery Taluk Hospital. This incident highlights rising wild boar activity in Kozhikode's residential zones. Earlier on September 7, a couple was injured near Mukkam after a boar crossed the road. Locals note that culling efforts are slow due to a shortage of licensed shooters. 🐗

🏛️ High Court dismisses challenge to DMK whip's win

The Madras High Court rejected an election petition filed by Arul Arumugam against E.V. Velu's victory in Tiruvannamalai. The ruling was made by Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, after considering applications from Mr. Velu. Velu secured 88,273 votes, beating Arumugam's 85,818 votes, with BJP's C. Elumalai getting 34,280. The court found the petition lacked a triable issue, despite the narrow 2,455 vote margin. Currently, four election petitions have been rejected by the High Court so far this year.

🩺 Rare Kimura Disease in Diabetic Teen

Kimura disease was recently observed in an adolescent who also had Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. This case was reported in a study detailing the patient's condition in a medical journal. The co-occurrence involved T Helper 2-driven eosinophilic lymphadenopathy alongside autoimmune endocrinopathy. This rare combination highlights complex immunological interactions within the patient's system. Further research is needed to fully understand this unusual medical presentation. 🩺

📈 EPFO wage ceiling jumps to ₹25,000

The Union Cabinet approved raising the EPFO wage ceiling from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 per month. This decision involves the Ministry of Labour & Employment and impacts workers across India. It is expected to bring over 51 lakh additional employees under mandatory EPFO coverage starting now. This update accounts for wage growth and the expansion of formal employment over the years. The higher ceiling aims to improve worker retention and strengthen retirement security for more people. 💼

🚂 Railway JE CBT 2 Result 2026 is out now

The Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) has officially released the RRB Junior Engineer (JE) CBT 2 Result for 2026. Candidates who took the exam on July 2 can now check their merit list PDF on the official website. This massive recruitment drive is aiming to fill a total of 2,569 Junior Engineer positions across various zones. The cutoff marks for qualification to the Document Verification (DV) stage differ based on the vacancies in each zone. Candidates should check the regional RRB websites to download their results and future scorecards.

💸 UPI's fee structure is changing with a tiny MDR

A 0.4% Merchant Discount Rate is being introduced for certain UPI merchant transactions above Rs 2,000. This change is happening across India, impacting merchants who process higher-value digital payments. The new framework exempts peer-to-peer transfers and small merchants below a Rs 1 lakh monthly limit. This shifts the model from implicit subsidies to a more commercially financed infrastructure. The impact depends on merchant behavior and psychological effects on payment choices. 💸

😠 Rahul Gandhi slams Modi over UPI tax

Rahul Gandhi strongly criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the new Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) framework for UPI transactions. The Congress leader made these remarks in New Delhi, accusing the government of bowing to pressure from the United States. This new framework introduces a 0.4% MDR on specified merchant payments above Rs 2,000 starting October 15. The opposition alleges this is a 'Modi tax' designed to benefit the US, urging Modi to stand up against foreign influence. The government maintains this MDR is not a tax, applying only to merchants, while person-to-person UPI payments remain free.

🚗 27yo charged in Sydney over child's death

Sandeep Adhikari, a 27-year-old man, has been charged with negligent driving causing death. This incident happened in Auburn, western Sydney, where a three-year-old girl was struck by a car. The event occurred on Normanby Road on Tuesday afternoon, leading to the girl's death at Westmead Hospital. Adhikari, who is from Nepal, appeared in Burwood Local Court on Wednesday and remains on bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for October 27.