The Supreme Court on September 22 said people who refuse to sing Vande Mataram on genuine religious or conscientious grounds should not face criminal penalties. A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant referred to the 1987 Bijoe Emmanuel judgment, which protected three Jehovah’s Witness children who declined to sing the national anthem but stood respectfully during its rendition. The court is examining the penal consequences under the 2026 amendment to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, which extends protection to the National Song. The Centre has been asked to respond within two weeks. (PC: X)

US President Donald Trump has backed the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) as an alternative route for energy and trade amid tensions with Iran. Speaking at a meeting with Gulf Cooperation Council leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Trump said Middle East energy infrastructure should move away from Iranian checkpoints. He said the US strongly supports IMEC and other routes for moving oil. The corridor, launched in 2023, plans rail, shipping, energy and digital links connecting India, the Gulf and Europe. Trump also warned Iran of possible annihilation and said US military action last year had destroyed its nuclear programme. (PC: NDTV)

Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu won the silver medal in the women’s 49kg category at the Asian Games 2026 on Wednesday, ending India’s 28-year wait for a weightlifting medal at the event. Chanu lifted 198kg, including 87kg in the snatch and 111kg in the clean and jerk. North Korea’s Ri Song-gum won gold with a record total of 215kg, while Indonesia’s Luluk Diana Tri Wijayana took bronze with 191kg. Chanu had finished fourth at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023. Her silver also made her only the second Indian weightlifter after Karnam Malleswari to win medals across all major international competitions, including the Olympics and World Championships. (PC: X)

The United States and Iran held their first reported talks since a June ceasefire collapsed, meeting at the UN in New York through Qatari mediation. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met US envoy Steve Witkoff as both sides explored ways to end the conflict. No breakthrough was reported. Witkoff said the discussions were “constructive and promising,” while Iran called for an end to what it described as US aggression. The talks came after President Donald Trump warned he could “annihilate” Iran if no deal was reached. Iran has also linked progress to ending the war, lifting the US blockade and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. (PC: BBC)

Jay Meena created history on Wednesday by winning India’s first-ever Asian Games medal in soft tennis at the Aichi-Nagoya Games. The 26-year-old from Dewas, Madhya Pradesh, secured bronze in the men’s singles event after reaching the semifinals. Meena defeated the Philippines’ Sherwin Nuguit 4-3 in a thrilling quarter-final, fighting back after losing the opening game. In the semifinal, he lost 2-4 to Japan’s Takuya Kurosaka after making a strong comeback from three games down. Meena began his journey as a school ball boy before rising through district, state and national competitions. He was also the 2025 national singles champion. (PC: X)

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on September 22 raised concerns over recent sexual assault cases involving women and minors in Delhi and Bihar. Speaking in Wayanad, she described the incidents as “horrible” and said violence against women was becoming more frequent and increasingly violent. She urged both the Centre and state governments to take steps to ensure women can safely travel and move around in public spaces. Her remarks came after several recent cases in Delhi and the alleged harassment of two minors in Bihar’s Jamui district. Police have registered cases and taken action in the Jamui incident. (PC: The Hindu)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit the United States in December as part of a four-nation tour, according to sources cited by NDTV. Modi is expected to lead India’s delegation at the G20 Summit in Miami on December 14-15. A bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump could take place on the sidelines of the summit. The visit may also include discussions on India-US ties and the ongoing trade negotiations between the two countries. The proposed tour is expected to begin in Germany, followed by visits to the US, Canada and Belgium. The final schedule and meetings have not yet been officially confirmed. (PC: X)

Indian-origin US Army veteran Ruchir Bakshi has criticised calls to remove a 90-foot Lord Hanuman statue at the Asthalakshmi Temple in Sugar Land, Texas. Conservative YouTuber Jesse Hughes shared a picture of the statue with the caption, “When we win, we are tearing this down,” without explaining what he meant. Bakshi, who served in combat missions in Afghanistan and Iraq, said he did not wear the US military uniform to see another American community’s religion targeted. He described the remarks as a threat against Hinduism. The statue, known as the Statue of Union, was unveiled in 2024 and has faced criticism from some conservative groups. (PC: India Today)

India’s women’s skeet team won the bronze medal at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, adding another medal to the country’s strong shooting campaign. Raiza Dhillon, Maheshwari Chauhan and Parinaaz Dhaliwal formed the Indian team that finished third in the event. The medal also marked India’s sixth shooting medal of the Games. India had remained in medal contention after finishing third following the opening rounds of the team competition. The result adds to the country’s growing medal tally in shooting, which has been one of India’s leading sports at the ongoing Asian Games. (PC: X)

India has introduced revised passport rules, with changes to validity periods and application fees for different age groups. Under the new rules, a 36-page ordinary passport issued to children below 15 will remain valid for five years or until they turn 18, whichever comes first. Earlier, the age limit was 15. The revised fee structure came into effect from July 1, 2026. A 36-page adult passport now costs ₹2,500, while the 60-page version costs ₹3,500. For minors, the normal 36-page passport fee is ₹1,750. Children below eight and senior citizens above 60 continue to receive a 10% discount on fresh applications. (PC: X)