Iran is waiting for an official US response to its proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, despite President Donald Trump rejecting the offer on Saturday. Trump called the proposal “not acceptable” and claimed Tehran was seeking a deal because it was losing the conflict. Araghchi said Iran was waiting for a “definitive” response through mediators and insisted that only a negotiated solution could end the war. Oman, which is mediating between the two countries, urged all parties to continue dialogue. The vital waterway has been effectively closed since the conflict began in February. (PC: BBC)

Bank customers may face disruptions as bank unions have called a three-day nationwide strike from September 28 to 30, 2026, demanding a five-day banking week with all Saturdays off. Customers can deposit cash through Cash Deposit Machines and eligible ATM facilities during the strike. However, deposits made by visiting bank branches may be affected due to staff shortages. Cheque clearing and other services requiring bank staff or physical documents could also face delays. Banks have advised customers to use mobile banking, internet banking, UPI and ATMs. Public sector banks and regional rural banks opened branches on Sunday, September 27, to help customers complete important transactions. (PC: NDTV)

At least 10 people, including climbers and support staff, are missing after an avalanche hit the Himlung Himal base camp in Nepal’s Manang district on Sunday. Expedition organisers confirmed that two missing people were associated with Imagine Nepal Pvt Ltd, while eight belonged to Himalayan Holidays Nepal. Rescue efforts are underway, with Nepal’s Department of Tourism monitoring the situation and gathering details. Heavy snowfall and persistent rainfall across Nepal have disrupted roads, trekking routes and mountaineering expeditions. Authorities have advised trekkers and climbers to suspend activities due to worsening weather. Reaching the 7,126-metre peak may also be difficult because helicopter flights require special permits. (PC: India Today)

Violent protests broke out at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Jalandhar, Punjab, on Saturday night over an alleged rape case and a student’s death by suicide. Students damaged university property, set parts of buildings on fire and blocked the Delhi-Amritsar highway around 4 am, demanding an FIR. Jalandhar Range DIG Naveen Singla said a student was allegedly raped three days ago and police had begun the process of registering a case. Police are also investigating the reported suicide of a Telangana student around two weeks ago. The university denied the circulating claims, calling them false and baseless. (PC: HT)

India’s badminton campaign at the Asian Games 2026 ended on Sunday after PV Sindhu and Unnati Hooda lost their women’s singles quarter-finals in three games. Sindhu went down 11-21, 21-18, 21-10 to China’s Chen Yufei, while 19-year-old Hooda lost 21-16, 14-21, 21-17 to Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi. Earlier, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand lost their women’s doubles quarter-final to Malaysia’s Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan. Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto also exited the mixed doubles quarter-finals. India finished the individual badminton events without a medal, with the men’s team bronze remaining its only medal. (PC: Olympics)

The famous phrase “I eat politicians for breakfast”, associated with former Chief Election Commissioner TN Seshan, has resurfaced amid controversy over the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. Reports of disagreements over voter deletions and electoral roll data have renewed attention on past disputes within the poll panel. In 1993, Seshan challenged the appointment of two Election Commissioners, arguing that the move weakened his authority. The Supreme Court upheld the multi-member structure in 1995, ruling that the CEC could not automatically override other commissioners. In 2019, Ashok Lavasa also raised concerns over recording dissent in Model Code of Conduct complaints. (PC: X)

Indian athletes Murali Sreeshankar and David Patturaj Solomon advanced to the men’s long jump final at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Sreeshankar finished second in Group B with a best jump of 7.84 metres, while David placed third in Group A with 7.62 metres. In the women’s 400m hurdles, Vithya Ramraj and Anu Raghavan also secured places in the final after finishing second in their respective heats. Vithya recorded a season-best 55.73 seconds, while Anu clocked a personal best of 55.84 seconds. The results strengthen India’s medal hopes in athletics. (PC: X)

Six people were killed after an explosion caused a two-storey residential building to collapse in Athens’ historic Plaka district on September 25. Emergency teams recovered the bodies after more than 24 hours of searching through the rubble using thermal cameras, sensors, rescue dogs and heavy machinery. The victims included four American tourists and an elderly British-Greek couple, according to reports. Nearby buildings, shops and vehicles were also damaged, while several people were injured. Greek authorities are investigating the cause of the blast, with a possible gas leak among the factors being examined. Officials said determining what caused the building to collapse is now the priority. (PC: Reuters)

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said India is now operating in the “fifth generation of warfare,” where technology, artificial intelligence, drones, cyber capabilities and information systems are increasingly shaping military operations. Speaking at the NDTV Defence Summit 2026, Singh highlighted the changing nature of conflict and the need for India to strengthen its technological and defence capabilities. The summit brought together senior military leaders, policymakers and defence-industry representatives to discuss military preparedness, strategic autonomy and emerging technologies. Discussions also focused on AI, space, fifth-generation technologies, defence manufacturing and strategic partnerships as India adapts to an increasingly technology-driven security environment. 

US President Donald Trump has said Iran is prepared to reopen the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, claiming Tehran has little money coming into the country amid the conflict. The remarks came as Iran presented a proposal that could allow the waterway to reopen within seven days and potentially end wider hostilities, according to Iranian officials. Iran has said reopening the strait would depend on conditions including the lifting of the US blockade on Iranian ports and sanctions. The Strait of Hormuz is a major global energy transit route, making its disruption a significant concern for international oil supplies and markets.