🕉️ Madurai temple gears up for historic consecration

Devotees are gathering in large numbers for the historic consecration of the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple. This event is taking place in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, ahead of the ceremony on September 17, 2026. The preparations have been meticulously executed under Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay's direct orders. Authorities have set up filtering systems based on pass colours to manage the massive crowd influx. General attendees without passes will be allowed entry after the official ceremony concludes at 10 a.m. 🙏

📰 Journalist killed over Dera chief rape claims

A journalist, Ram Chander Chhatrapati, was tragically killed in October 2002 after exposing rape allegations against Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim. The attack happened outside his home in Sirsa, Haryana, and the assailants were followers of the influential religious organization. Ram Chander Chhatrapati died one month later at the age of 52 while covering these serious claims. Though convicted in 2019, the Punjab and Haryana High Court overturned the conviction in March, prompting his son Anshul to appeal to the Supreme Court. ⚖️

🏛️ Govt questions Rahul's UPI fee criticism

The government questioned Rahul Gandhi's criticism regarding the UPI charge levied on merchants exceeding ₹2,000. This happened on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, in the Lok Sabha, where a parliamentary standing committee had already supported the move. The committee's report, adopted on August 12, included support from five Congress MPs like P Chidambaram. The functionary questioned why Gandhi opposed a policy backed by his own MPs. Moving forward, the government is pushing for the timely notification and operationalization of this tiered MDR framework. 📱

🌊 Tamil Nadu bans Ganesh immersion in water by 2027

The Tamil Nadu government has promised the National Green Tribunal that Ganesh idol immersion will cease in Chennai's Foreshore Estate and Neelankarai beaches starting next year. Furthermore, the state aims to stop all idol immersion in natural water bodies by 2027, adhering to court directives. The assurance followed a petition citing environmental damage from plaster and chemicals polluting water quality. While shifting idols from two Chennai beaches is planned, logistical challenges regarding law and order were raised. The tribunal has directed the government to file an affidavit detailing these measures. 🌊

🌕 Giant moon crater found after 2024 impact

Scientists discovered a massive, steep-sided crater on the moon, bigger than the Roman Colosseum, following a powerful impact two years ago. This crater, measuring about 728 feet across and 141 feet deep, was spotted by NASA’s LRO in May 2024. Such a large event is estimated to happen only once every 132 years, offering crucial data for NASA's future moon base. Researchers are now assessing the risk of ejected material impacting the planned structures. This discovery suggests the moon's surface changes much faster than previously understood.

📈 India Inc ready for tariff hits, but not forever

CII president Ramakrishnan Mukundan stated that US tariffs on Indian goods cannot be a permanent trade feature. This comes as the US considers secondary tariffs up to 100% on countries buying Russian oil, impacting India. Indian goods bought $103.8 billion in 2025, with tariffs fluctuating sharply since April 2025. Mukundan stressed the need for sustained government engagement to restore stability in this massive export market. Moving forward, industry needs to build resilience by diversifying supply chains and forging global tech partnerships. 🤝

🎬 Mandakini reveals unpaid work in early Bollywood 🎬

Veteran actor Mandakini disclosed that she was not compensated for around 16 to 17 films early in her career. This happened while working in the Hindi film industry, recalling very informal contracts during that time. She mentioned that sometimes payment was settled later, or not at all, for these projects. These unpaid instances occurred because some films were left incomplete or were never released to the public. Moving forward, she noted she ultimately received payment for most of her roles.

🔬 SKKU masters complex molecule building with new catalysts

Researchers at Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) developed two novel asymmetric catalytic methods for complex molecule synthesis. The team utilized chiral organic catalysts to enable two different carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions with high selectivity. These studies, published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition in 2026, successfully built complex ring structures from simple starting materials. This precise control over molecular structure is vital for creating pharmaceuticals and natural products. The methods promise wider applications for efficient synthesis of valuable compounds. 🔬

😔 Sobhita Dhulipala slams community self-doubt

Actor Sobhita Dhulipala agreed with an Instagram influencer who claimed Telugu people are their own enemies. She shared her experience of leaving Visakhapatnam for Mumbai at 16 due to a judgemental environment. The influencer noted that community members often fail to support each other's ventures. Sobhita expressed hope that the Telugu community will grow a spine and change its mindset. She hopes things have improved in the community since she made those observations.

📈 UPI's zero-MDR model was unsustainable, says ex-DFS secretary

The zero-MDR model for UPI was reassessed due to rising transaction volumes and a gap between ecosystem costs and government support. Banks incurred costs for merchant onboarding without return under the old system. From October 15, a 0.4% MDR will apply to person-to-merchant transactions above ₹2,000, capped at ₹300. This change addresses sustainability concerns formally raised to the government. The new framework ensures funding for infrastructure while keeping small merchant payments free. 📈

📈 Nifty breaks losing streak, market sees mixed signals

Nifty 50 and BSE Sensex both rose slightly, ending the two-day losing streak. The US market saw stocks drop after the Fed signaled more rate hikes to fight inflation. Global commodity prices showed mixed signs, with oil falling due to supply easing. Nifty Midcap 150 also ended higher, with Patanjali Foods being a top gainer. Investors are watching for further trends as Asian and European markets react to the rate moves. 📈