📱 Facebook and Instagram experiencing outages in US

Meta’s platforms, Facebook and Instagram, were down for numerous users across the US on Sunday. Downdetector.com registered over 17,000 trouble reports for Facebook by 9:11 pm ET. Instagram also saw a significant spike with more than 5,000 outage reports during the incident. The tracking website compiles status reports from various user sources to monitor these service interruptions. Further details regarding the cause of these widespread glitches are still emerging. 📱

😠 Karnataka minister sparks controversy over 'tips' to officials

Karnataka minister KM Shivalinge Gowda caused a major stir by claiming that tipping government officials is acceptable for timely service. This statement was made during a public grievance event in the Hassan district. The remarks, made on September 20, 2026, led to immediate questioning from audience members. Gowda defended himself, saying officials shouldn't forcibly collect money and he wasn't encouraging bribery. The BJP joined the criticism, calling the comments an exposure of the Congress government's true nature. 😠

🎬 Friendship drama hits dance floor in 'Best of the Best'

A comedy titled 'Best of the Best' centers on childhood friends navigating a dance competition, which causes a rift between them. The film features talent from India, but is an American production, starring Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Priyanka Kedia at UCLA. The story unfolds around the inter-collegiate Best of the Best Bollywood fusion contest, set for 2026. It explores friendship issues without relying on typical immigrant stereotypes. The movie is described as fleet and energetic, moving beyond colonial hang-ups. 💃

😈 Dark web cyber war escalates with website hijack

A major cybercrime feud has ignited on the dark web. A notorious hacking group claimed responsibility for hijacking a rival's website. The incident was reported recently, involving significant digital disruption. This clash signals an escalation in underground digital warfare tactics. Authorities are expected to monitor the situation closely for further developments.

📈 Six stocks set to move after big contract wins

Six companies are poised for action on Monday, September 21, after securing major contracts across various sectors. Welspun Corp, HEG Advanced, RVNL, Knowledge Marine, Welspun Enterprises, and Refex Industries all landed significant deals. These wins include contracts worth over ₹3,300 crore, spanning Saudi Arabia, Indian Railways, and urban infrastructure. The recent orders boost the companies' order books and signal strong sectoral growth. Investors are watching these specific counters for potential market reaction next week. 💰

😨 Layoff shock sends job security on a spiral

A man shared on Reddit about a colleague being suddenly fired on the spot with no warning. This incident occurred at his company, sparking widespread debate about job security in the current market. The poster, who joined two weeks prior, is now scared about his own employment status. He noted that layoffs are happening everywhere, not just in startups or one sector. He is worried about his finances, like a six-month gym membership, if he loses his job.

🪐 Mercury is shrinking super fast, new study shows

Mercury is rapidly shrinking, a phenomenon scientists are now better able to track. This change was observed by missions like Mariner 10 and Messenger around the planet. A 2013 estimate suggested an 11 km shrinkage, but a new study now indicates the size reduction is closer to 23 km. This shrinkage is believed to be caused by the planet's cooling core and crust buckling. Studying Mercury is key because scientists suspect Mars and our Moon might also be shrinking. 🧐

🚀 NASA chief celebrates shuttle's 50th anniversary

NASA Associate Administrator and Chief Engineer Amit Kshatriya attended a panel discussion at the Intrepid Museum. The event commemorated the 50th anniversary of NASA's prototype space shuttle, Enterprise. This significant milestone marks half a century since the public debut of the spacecraft. The discussion highlighted the evolution of space exploration technology over the decades. Future plans for space missions were also touched upon during the gathering.

🤔 Tata Trusts challenges Chandrasekaran's reappointment

Tata Trusts has challenged the September 17 resolution to reappoint N Chandrasekaran as Tata Sons chairman. The challenge was made by Tata Trusts, which holds about 66 per cent of Tata Sons, against the board's decision. The trusts pointed out that the required mandatory support from its two nominee directors was not secured in the vote. This failure meant the resolution was deemed invalid from the start, according to the Trusts. Tata Sons, however, maintains that its board validly approved the reappointment despite the dispute. 🧐

🔬 Pig kidney keeps man off dialysis for nine months

A genetically engineered pig kidney successfully kept a 66-year-old man, Tim Andrews, off dialysis for a record 271 days. The US resident received the modified pig kidney on Jan 25, 2025, and lived with it for nine months. His case was announced in a Lancet paper this September, detailing his first transplant after a pig organ. This shows xenotransplantation is bridging the organ gap until human donors are available. Doctors noted his immune system wasn't sensitized to attack his eventual human donor kidney. 😮

⛽ Fuel prices unchanged across major Indian cities today

Petrol and diesel prices remained stable across major Indian cities on Monday, September 21, following the daily 6:00 AM revision by state-run OMCs. In Mumbai, the petrol price was ₹111.21 per litre, while New Delhi recorded ₹102.12 for petrol. This stability comes amid dealer protests against a new flat ₹5 UPI transaction fee for purchases over ₹2,000. Meanwhile, global oil prices stayed above $100 due to escalating tensions between Iran and the United States. The current geopolitical situation is causing concerns about global inventory depletion within 5 to 10 weeks. ⛽