Around 80 Indian employees of US-based digital banking firm Bluevine were reportedly laid off during a five-minute Google Meet call, according to a post by an affected worker. The employee said the customer support team had been asked to work from home for “operational reasons” before management called them into the meeting at around 9.30 pm during their shift. They were then told that the entire Indian customer service team had been terminated. The employee said the company cited concerns over the team’s expected output. The claims were shared on Reddit and have not been independently verified. Bluevine has not been quoted in the report. (PC: NDTV)

US drone maker Powerus has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Pakistan Army, including an initial order for power systems, co-founder Brett Velicovich told Reuters. He declined to disclose the value or technology involved, citing security sensitivities. Powerus is set to merge with Aureus Greenway Holdings, a publicly traded firm backed by Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump, with the deal expected to close in early October. CEO Andrew Fox dismissed any link between the company's growth and the Trump sons, saying contracts are awarded on merit. A Trump Jr spokesperson said he is a passive investor. (PC: India Today)

Tata Sons' board has approved a fresh five-year term for N Chandrasekaran as executive chairman, reversing his August decision not to seek renewal, the Economic Times reported. The three-hour Mumbai board meeting also cleared the process to list the group holding company, after the RBI rejected Tata Sons' bid to stay private and ordered an immediate listing. Noel Tata, chairman of Tata Trusts, voted against Chandrasekaran's reappointment, but the majority of the board backed the decision. Chandrasekaran, chairman since 2017, was due to step down in February 2027. Tata Group shares, led by Tata Chemicals, rallied on the news. (PC: HT)

Saudi Aramco has stopped supplying crude oil to some Indian refiners until further notice, the Economic Times reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The halt comes as global crude prices surge past $105 a barrel, adding pressure on Indian refiners already facing higher shipping costs and supply disruptions. Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline was reportedly shut after an attack, while discounts on Russian crude have narrowed, reducing its price advantage for India. Aramco continues selling some cargoes in the spot market, meaning limited Saudi crude may still reach India, though supply will likely be less predictable and costlier. (PC: News18)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated SEMICON India 2026 at Yashobhoomi in New Delhi, positioning the country as a reliable destination for global chip manufacturing. "The world needs new and trusted locations for chip manufacturing and India is preparing itself for this," Modi said. He added that 12 semiconductor projects have been approved so far, with more expected in the next phase. The fifth edition of the event, themed "Silicon to Systems: Building the Ecosystem," has drawn over 600 exhibitors and delegates from 40-plus countries. Applied Materials announced a $5 billion investment under its Vision 2035 plan on the sidelines. (PC: The Indian Express)

West Bengal IPS officer Bushra Bano, Additional Superintendent of Police in Kharagpur, was transferred on September 14, just two-and-a-half months into her posting. The transfer order cited "public interest" as the reason, and she has now been posted as Deputy Commandant of the 4th Battalion, State Armed Police. The move follows a complaint from a group called Hindu Legal Fund, which objected to Bano's use of "Assalamualaikum," "Inshallah" and "Jazakallah" in a motivational video for civil service aspirants. Opposition leaders, including Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi, have questioned the timing and alleged discrimination. The government has not linked the transfer to the controversy. (PC: NDTV)

An Indian Navy warship, INS Kolkata, and Pakistan Navy vessel PNS Hunain collided in the North Arabian Sea on Tuesday. India said the incident occurred during a routine surveillance mission, while Pakistan disputed India’s account and protested the presence of the Indian vessel in its Exclusive Economic Zone. INS Kolkata, a 7,400-tonne guided-missile destroyer, is significantly larger than the 2,600-tonne PNS Hunain, an offshore patrol vessel. The Pakistani ship suffered damage and returned to harbour, while India said INS Kolkata continued its mission without structural damage. The collision has also triggered diplomatic protests from both countries. (PC: India Today)

Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump have extended birthday wishes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as India faces fresh pressure from Washington over its Russian oil purchases. Putin praised Modi’s contribution to strengthening the “special and privileged” India-Russia strategic partnership and highlighted his authority on the global stage. Trump’s birthday message was conveyed through the US Embassy, which wished Modi health and happiness. The greetings came as the US House passed a Russia sanctions bill that could allow tariffs of up to 100% on countries continuing to buy Russian oil.

OpenAI has revealed six previously unreported cases in which its AI models showed concerning behaviour, including hiding mistakes, fabricating information and generating ways to bypass restrictions. The ChatGPT-maker also announced a new framework to track, investigate and publicly disclose such incidents. OpenAI said developers will be able to flag potential cases of “misalignment” for review, with disclosure favoured even when the seriousness of an incident is uncertain. The announcement comes amid growing concerns about AI safety. OpenAI faced criticism in July after saying advanced models had hacked AI platform Hugging Face during a security test after losing control of them. (PC: BBC)

India on Thursday said it was monitoring developments after the US Congress passed a Russia sanctions bill that gives President Donald Trump the authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries buying Russian oil and gas. India and China are among the major buyers potentially affected by the measure. The Ministry of External Affairs said India remains committed to ensuring energy security for its 1.4 billion people through diversified sourcing and changing market conditions. New Delhi said it had raised its concerns with US officials over the possible impact on bilateral ties and global energy markets, while stressing that it would take necessary steps to protect its trade and economic interests.