🎬 Malayalam film HALF hits TIFF's Midnight Madness

The Malayalam film HALF was screened under the Midnight Madness section at the Toronto International Film Festival on Friday. This marked the first Malayalam film to be featured in that specific section at TIFF. The film garnered an enthusiastic response from the attending audience members. Director Samjad and lead actor Ranjith Sajeev were present for the post-screening Q&A session. Appreciation was given to Cinematographer Pappinu's visuals and Very Tri Yulisman's action choreography.

🚢 US military strikes vessel in Caribbean

The US military claimed it conducted a lethal strike on a vessel in the Caribbean, targeting suspected drug-trafficking operatives. This action took place on September 19, executed by Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere under Southern Command. The operation resulted in the confirmed deaths of four 'narco-terrorists'. This is part of a larger campaign started last year against such groups. The total reported deaths from these strikes have reached at least 231 people. 🚢

🎯 Asian Games 2026 shooting updates: Sonam close to final

Sonam Maskar is strongly positioned to qualify for the 10m air rifle final at the Asian Games 2026. She is competing in Aichi, Japan, where Elavenil Valarivan will lead the Indian attack on Sunday. Current standings show Sonam with an aggregate score of 634.1, while Vidarsa Vinod is reportedly out of the final. The event features a field of 60 members, with Wang Zifei holding the Qualification World Record. Elavenil Valarivan is set to start in the next round of the competition. 🎯

📜 Delhi residents facing document hurdles

A 63-year-old woman in Delhi struggled with bureaucratic red tape during a Special Intensive Revision hearing. She was required to bring multiple documents, including a bank passbook, despite already having her citizen papers. Officials were reportedly unhelpful, leaving her frustrated and exhausted during the process. This exercise aims to clean voter rolls, which has already led to the removal of over 13 crore people nationwide. Final voter lists are set to be published on November 4th after these hearings conclude.

🚨 Granite King's dark secret exposed

R. Veeramani, a celebrated granite industry figure, is now under investigation for sexual assault against minor girls. The case began with a complaint filed on October 6, 2025, by an NGO activist in Anna Nagar, Chennai. Initially, police dropped the case in February 2026, but a Special Court ordered further inquiry in July 2026. Subsequently, Greater Chennai Police arrested Veeramani, Shanthi, and Mahendran Simhan after recovering original footage. The police have since identified multiple victims, including a 12-year-old survivor.

🏅 India's Asian Games Kickoff: Mixed Results

India's sporting journey at the Asian Games 2026 began with mixed outcomes across various events. The men’s soft tennis team reached the quarter-finals but ultimately lost to Indonesia. Quimcy Dsouza progressed to the semi-finals in teqball, where she faces Japan on Sunday. The Indian contingent will compete in 10 sports over the next two weeks in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Badminton and hockey campaigns are scheduled to start on Sunday.

😮 Trump extends H-1B visa fee to $100k

Donald Trump has extended the H-1B visa fee to a significant $100,000. This change directly impacts Indian workers who rely on this visa category. The extension is set to take effect from a specific date, though the article does not specify one. This move comes amid ongoing discussions about immigration policies in the US. The future implications for the Indian tech workforce remain a major point of discussion. 😮

🛡️ Houthi missile scare in Saudi capital Riyadh

Saudi Arabia reported that the Houthis tried to hit Riyadh with a ballistic missile, which was successfully intercepted. The attack was directed at the capital, marking the first reported strike since the Iran-backed group ramped up fighting. Coalition forces also stopped attacks on Yanbu, Taif, Baysh, and Farasan on Saturday. The Houthis claimed they aimed at sensitive spots in Riyadh and Aramco facilities in Yanbu. Saudi Arabia is now reportedly low on missile interceptors and asking for air defense help from several countries. 🇸🇦

🏃‍♀️ Mum's barefoot race sparks debate on India's education system 🏃‍♀️

A 47-year-old widow, Ramabai Ranveer, ran a 3km sprint barefoot to win prize money for her daughters' education. She competed in a community run in August in Maharashtra, western India. She secured a 3,000-rupee prize in the women's 30-60 category, while her elder daughter placed second. This act highlights the extreme sacrifices many Indian families make for their children's schooling. Experts suggest this points to weak implementation of existing government education schemes.

🤖 Hackers exploit Claude to breach OpenAI systems

Hackers managed to break into OpenAI's systems by cleverly using Anthropic’s Claude AI. The security breach was reported to have occurred recently, targeting OpenAI’s infrastructure. Specific details regarding the scale or exact date of the intrusion were not immediately disclosed. This incident highlights potential vulnerabilities in large language model integrations across different tech giants. Authorities are now investigating how the cross-platform AI was leveraged for unauthorized access. 🤖

📱 Phone launches and new tech drops this week

Oppo confirmed the launch of its Find X10 series, including the Find X10 Pro Max, in China on September 22. Samsung announced its M16 OLED material, which is expected to appear on the Galaxy S27 Pro and S27 Ultra in early 2027. Honor's Magic9 series will feature multiple variants, with the Super Edition packing an 11,000mAh battery. iQOO 16 launches on September 29 in China boasting Samsung M16 OLED and a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Extreme. Various other brands, like Vivo and Xiaomi, have also revealed upcoming features and specifications.