More than 5,000 people have been moved to cyclone shelters in Odisha’s Gajapati district as heavy rain continues. The evacuation was carried out as a safety measure due to the risk of landslides. The district has prepared 264 cyclone shelters and is providing dry rations and cooked food. The India Meteorological Department said the deep depression is likely to enter Odisha near Koraput on Thursday afternoon or evening. Heavy rain is expected to continue for two more days. Strong winds and high waves also caused trouble in Chilika Lake. More than 10 fishing boats sank due to rough weather.  

A US federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from barring CNN, MS NOW and Politico journalists from the White House. Judge Timothy Kelly ordered their press access restored for 14 days while the outlets challenge the ban in court. The three organisations had sued after their reporters’ White House credentials were revoked. The administration argued that the outlets’ reporting raised national security concerns and accused them of publishing false information. Kelly said the outlets were likely to succeed in showing that the administration had failed to provide adequate due process. He also questioned the national security justification cited by the administration. (PC: BBC)

Two brothers accused of gang-raping a 17-year-old girl inside Delhi’s Aastha Kunj Park allegedly went to a restaurant after the crime and later washed their clothes to remove evidence, police said. Mukesh Singh, 24, Hemant Singh, 31, and Asif, 30, were arrested on Tuesday. Police said the accused allegedly carried a firearm, knife and condoms and spent around 45 minutes looking for a target before approaching the girl and her male friend. The accused allegedly posed as policemen before attacking the minors. Police also seized phones and an unlicensed firearm and knife, while forensic teams are examining digital and other evidence. (PC: HT)

Two molestation cases involving minor girls have been reported in Bihar’s Samastipur and Muzaffarpur, days after the Jamui incident triggered widespread outrage. In Samastipur, a group of four men allegedly assaulted and molested a minor girl on September 15 after seeing her with a boy near a local embankment. A video of the incident later surfaced online. Police arrested all four accused and registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, POCSO Act and IT Act. In Muzaffarpur, police arrested a man named Lalit after he allegedly assaulted a minor girl and tried to take her away forcibly. Her family filed a complaint. (PC: India Today)

Indian wushu star Roshibina Devi won her second straight Asian Games silver medal in the women’s 60kg sanda event. She lost 0-5 in both rounds to China’s Zhang Xiaoyu in the final at the Aichi-Nagoya Games. Roshibina replaced Divyanshi Choudhary after Divyanshi suffered a serious knee injury. Roshibina defeated Indonesia’s Thania Kusumaningtyas in the semi-final and also beat Vietnam’s world champion Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy earlier in the tournament. She had also won silver at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. Her latest medal took India’s tally to 14, including one gold, six silver and seven bronze medals. Roshibina received the Arjuna Award in 2023.  

9 people were killed after an AC sleeper bus caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida late Wednesday. The bus was carrying 35 passengers and was travelling from Noida to Mahoba. Police said the fire started after a spark or blast in the bus’s AC. The flames quickly spread through the vehicle. Some passengers reported a burning smell before the fire. Nine people, including a woman, could not escape. The driver and conductor fled the spot. Police are trying to find them. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed condolences and directed officials to provide medical help to the injured.  

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a new Russia-Iran sanctions law gives President Donald Trump power to impose tariffs on countries buying Russian oil and gas. He said the tariffs could be used to influence the Russia-Ukraine war and Iran-related issues. The law allows duties of up to 100% on certain major buyers of Russian energy. Rubio spoke after meeting External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at the UN General Assembly in New York. Jaishankar said he raised India’s “interests and concerns” about the law. The legislation also allows national security waivers in individual cases.

US President Donald Trump personally welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. It was the first time a US president received a Chinese leader at the airport. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greeted Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, on the tarmac. The welcome included a 100-foot red carpet, a 21-person honour cordon and US and Chinese flags. Two B-1 bombers also flew over the base. Xi is visiting Washington for three days. He will attend a formal ceremony and state dinner. Talks are expected to cover trade, technology, Taiwan, Iran and security issues.  

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of recruiting citizens from 47 countries through “deception and tricks,” including Indians. Speaking at the UN General Assembly, he urged countries to protect their nationals and said, “Do not let Putin drag you into this war.” India’s foreign secretary Vikram Misri said 227 Indians had been recruited by Russian forces. Of them, 139 have been discharged and 51 have died. Zelensky also urged India, China and Turkey to reduce energy trade with Russia. He said cutting Russia’s oil revenue could limit Moscow’s ability to continue the war.  

Snow leopard tracking in Ladakh has been ranked the world’s fourth-best wildlife experience, scoring 85.5 out of 100 in Bailey Robinson’s Wildlife Experience Index. The index evaluated 30 wildlife encounters using six criteria: rarity, remoteness, conservation importance, exclusivity, accessibility and encounter potential. Ladakh followed mountain gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda, emperor penguin expeditions in Antarctica, and saiga antelope tracking in Kazakhstan, while ranking above Arctic polar bear expeditions. India’s Snow Leopard Population Assessment found 718 snow leopards nationwide, including 477 in Ladakh. The recognition highlights community-based conservation and responsible tourism, while increasing attention on protecting high-altitude habitats from tourism-related pressures. It underscores the importance of ensuring tourism benefits local communities. (PC: @sascha.fonseca/Instagram)