🎖️ Gujarat cuts Panchayat Tax for military families

Gujarat has amended its rules to exempt residential houses from Panchayat Tax for specific beneficiaries. This benefit applies to serving defence personnel, their spouses, former soldiers, and war widows within a Gram Panchayat. The provision is limited to one residential house per eligible person and is designed to reduce their tax burden. The move expresses respect for the service and sacrifices made by the defence personnel and their families. These final rules, notified in 2026, followed a draft published in December 2025.

📉 Haiwaan's slow start amidst big movie hype

Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan's movie, Haiwaan, faced a sluggish start at the box office. The film opened in India with Rs 3 crore nett across 7,224 shows in various locations. Its worldwide gross reached approximately Rs 4.60 crore on its debut day. This opening is lower than similar films like Bhool Bhulaiyaa and Ta Ra Rum Pum. It faces strong competition from Hanuman Ansh and Mirzapur The Movie currently dominating theatres.

💰 Social Security COLA might hit 3.5-3.6% in 2027

Social Security beneficiaries could see a 3.5% to 3.6% Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) in 2027. Analysts suggest this boost could be the highest in three years for millions of Americans. The official announcement is pending September inflation data, which the SSA will release in October. Groups like AARP forecast a 3.6% increase, potentially adding around $75 monthly. This decision relies on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W).

🚂 IRCTC hits 20-lakh ticket booking record 🚆

IRCTC recorded an all-time high of 20,06,353 ticket bookings on September 7, breaking the 20-lakh single-day mark. This massive booking surge happened across India, signaling high demand before the festive season. On September 8, bookings were 19,50,699, a 6% rise over last year's peak of 18,40,203. To manage this, IRCTC deployed new servers and cracked down on bots, reducing suspicious traffic by 55% to 65%. Third-party platforms still drive about 28% of the total online bookings.

⚛️ Rosatom pitches nuclear tech to India at BRICS

Rosatom announced they are ready to offer modern nuclear solutions to India during the BRICS Summit sidelines. Kirill Komarov stated this readiness on September 12, 2026, at the summit. The offers range from large-capacity power units to small modular reactors (SMRs). Furthermore, Rosatom is also seeking cooperation regarding critical minerals with India. This move aims to significantly expand the existing nuclear partnership between the two nations. 🤝

✈️ China Southern resumes Guangzhou-Delhi flights for Brics

China Southern Airlines is restarting regular passenger flights between Guangzhou and New Delhi starting September 21. This resumption is happening ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to India for the Brics summit. The airline plans to boost its total South Asia routes to over 100 flights weekly across eight round-trip services. These direct air links had been suspended for six years due to the Covid-19 pandemic and geopolitical tensions. Further cooperation talks are expected between Xi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the summit. ✈️

🌊 River cleaner Bittu Tabahi picks next state

Bittu Tabahi, who single-handedly cleaned the Ajnar River in Madhya Pradesh, is now looking at wider pollution issues across India. He shared this update after receiving a job offer from The Ocean Cleanup, an organization founded by Dutch environmentalist Boyan Slat. The 20-year-old man is now asking his followers which state he should visit next to continue his clean-up mission. His initial solo efforts on the heavily polluted river gained major online attention, showcasing significant transformation. Now, comments are flooding in with suggestions for states like Bihar, Uttarakhand, and Maharashtra. 🌊

🏏 Padikkal: Captaincy just boosts my batting 🔥

Padikkal stated that taking on captaincy only further enhances his batting skills. He recently scored a career-best 232 against Uttarakhand in the semi-final in Lucknow. Previously, he scored a fourth-innings 120* for Karnataka in Mohali during the league-stage fixture. He views leadership as an enjoyable aspect, building on his experience from last year's Karnataka tenure. Moving forward, B Sai Sudharsan is appointed as his deputy for the upcoming Australia A series.

🏏 Warriors dominate TKR for eighth season win

The Guyana Amazon Warriors secured their eighth victory this season by defeating Trinbago Knight Riders by six wickets on Friday, September 11. This match took place in Guyana, where the Warriors restricted the Knight Riders to a score of 126. The Knight Riders had a decent start but were controlled by spinners, leading to their last-place finish. The Warriors chased the target comfortably, thanks to a strong partnership from Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer. Shai Hope finished with an unbeaten 42 runs, sealing the win for the Warriors.

🍦 Canada's tariff war boosts local biz across the board 🍦

Canada's tariff war with the US is unexpectedly giving a boost to various local Canadian businesses. This effect is visible in sectors ranging from ice cream to defence manufacturing across Canada. New Canadian levies cover nearly C$28 billion of American goods, impacting trade starting around March 2025. This has spurred a 'buy Canadian' wave, helping companies like Chapman’s ice cream and Ontario wineries. Companies like Wuxly are also seeing growth as they target European markets instead of the US. 🛡️

⚠️ Putin warns Europe: Send troops to Ukraine, risk war

Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a stern warning to European nations regarding their support for Ukraine. Speaking in New Delhi during the 2026 BRICS Summit, he stated that sending troops to Kyiv would signify 'war with Russia.' Putin asserted that Russia poses no threat to European countries, referencing post-WWII agreements. The conflict with Ukraine started in February 2022 and is now in its fifth year. The US has also been involved, attempting mediation talks between the two nations. 🇷🇺