🔬 Oligo drugs moving past rare diseases

Advances in chemistry and delivery are significantly reshaping therapeutic oligonucleotides as genetic medicines. These molecules are being studied by authors in a recent review published in Cell Reports Medicine. As of the writing, 21 therapeutic oligonucleotides received regulatory approval, with two later being withdrawn. Chemical modifications and delivery strategies are improving efficacy, though liver delivery remains a focus. Future work is exploring targeted delivery beyond the liver for broader applications. 🧬

🤖 Labourer's son turns small drone into defence project

Sarvesh Sharma, a computer engineering student, secured a Rs 3.5 crore grant from the Union Ministry of Defence. He is from Bahanvi village in Hamirpur, and his father is a daily-wage labourer. This funding is for developing the indigenous ‘Rudra Edge T-1 (Spectra)’ drone for Indian Army border surveillance, approved under the MoD's defence innovation programme. Sharma's journey started with an Rs 87,000 prototype that competed against 50 teams. The project is now partnered with IIT Roorkee for incubation, with a 20-month target completion period. 🚀

⚖️ Justice questions PM's 'constitutional trust'

Supreme Court Justice Dipankar Datta questioned the Union government's reliance on the constitutional trust placed in the Prime Minister. This observation was made while discussing the appointment law for Election Commissioners in India. He noted that political parties seem keen on promoting accused individuals instead of those with spotless records. The Justice referenced Dr. BR Ambedkar's initial hopes, observing that faith in parliamentary democracy has eroded. He highlighted Ambedkar's concerns that elected officials might compromise constitutional morality. 🏛️

🧐 CEC Gyanesh Kumar faces internal poll panel pushback

Gyanesh Kumar, India's 26th Chief Election Commissioner, is facing scrutiny over his tenure. Fellow commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected to his decisions on at least 14 occasions over the last 10 months. These objections concerned changes to Form 6 and centralized control over the electoral roll database. The Election Commission maintains that its final decisions, including the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), were unanimous. This increased scrutiny comes amid opposition allegations regarding voter exclusion during the SIR process.

🏛️ IIT Delhi ex defends IIT Bombay professor

A former IIT Delhi Director publicly defended IIT Bombay professor Suryanarayana Doolla amidst a controversy. V Ramgopal Rao made the statement while serving as Vice Chancellor of BITS Pilani. The incident involved Doolla being suspended on September 21 after a student's death on September 18. Rao argued that the IIT system needs to address classroom heterogeneity and suggest a five-year BTech program. This change would allow students to learn at their own pace, regardless of their entrance rank.

🔪 Son arrested in father's murder after Rs 6 lakh plot

Subrat was arrested after a servant alleged he offered Rs 6 lakh to kill his father, Vineet Minocha. The incident took place in Kalyanpur, Kanpur, involving Subrat, his wife Shalu, and others. The murder occurred on September 5th, and Subrat's arrest followed a confrontation during custody remand. Investigations revealed disputes and financial debts, suggesting a motive. Subrat was scheduled to appear before the court on the day of his arrest. 🔪

☢️ China ramps up nuclear infra across seven sites

Reports indicate China is significantly expanding its nuclear weapons infrastructure at multiple locations nationwide. This activity was spotted across seven sites, including Pingtong and Lop Nur, according to a Telegraph investigation. The Federation of American Scientists estimates China possesses around 620 nuclear warheads, with ongoing development of new ICBMs and submarines. This modernization extends beyond land missiles to include advanced submarine fleets and H-6 bombers. Analysts are debating how this growing, sophisticated arsenal might affect Beijing's stated defensive nuclear posture.

✈️ Akasa Air starts Bhogapuram-Delhi daily flights

Akasa Air is set to launch a new daily flight service connecting Bhogapuram and New Delhi starting October 25, 2026. The service will operate from the Alluri Sitharama Raju Airport at Bhogapuram. The outbound flight departs New Delhi at 5:55 a.m. and lands in Bhogapuram at 8:20 a.m. The return journey leaves Bhogapuram at 9:05 a.m. and arrives in New Delhi at 11:30 a.m. This expansion caters to growing air travel demand in North Andhra and New Delhi. ✈️

🤔 Gambhir on toughest call: dropping Samson for young talent

India head coach Gautam Gambhir admitted that dropping Sanju Samson during the England series was his toughest decision. This call involved leaving out the Player of the Tournament from the T20 World Cup triumph while in Manchester. This happened in July, and the decision was made because Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was in strong form. Gambhir explained that winning the series was the ultimate goal, requiring a platform at the top. The selection later reversed when Samson returned for the Afghanistan series. 🏏

🤖 Meta's Muse Charm: AI in your pocket

Meta revealed the Muse Charm, a pocket-watch-sized gadget bringing their Muse AI agent into the real world. This device is from Meta, based in Menlo Park, California, and is set to ship in December 2026. Zuckerberg shifted focus from the metaverse to "personal superintelligence" as the next big leap. The Charm features a 2-inch screen and 5G modem, potentially appealing to Gen Z users. 📱

🚨 Another horror video surfaces from Bihar

A new video depicting sexual harassment emerged from Samastipur, Bihar, mirroring a recent incident. A group of men on motorcycles surrounded a girl and a boy on a village road in Jagatsinghpur village. This distressing event reportedly took place when the pair had stopped to take photos. Police immediately started action after seeing the video and stated they are still searching for the accused individuals. Authorities have taken the matter seriously and vowed that no one involved will be spared. 😔