The US House of Representatives has advanced legislation targeting Russia and Iran, clearing a procedural hurdle before a final vote expected on September 16. The bill, known as the Lindsey O. Graham Russia and Iran Sanctions Act of 2026, could give President Donald Trump authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries, including India, that purchase Russian oil and gas. The measure passed the procedural vote 214–211. Its advancement does not mean the bill has become law. The proposed sanctions could create significant implications for India-US trade and India’s purchases of Russian energy. (PC: Reuters)

Lionel Messi is set to wear Argentina’s jersey for one final time after being included in the preliminary 26-member squad for a friendly against Benin in Buenos Aires on October 6. Messi had confirmed his international retirement shortly after Argentina lost the 2026 FIFA World Cup final to Spain. Argentina Football Association (AFA) said Messi accepted its invitation to receive the farewell he deserves and confirmed that members of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad, along with their families, will also be invited. Argentina will play Bolivia in Cordoba on September 30 and Burkina Faso at Buenos Aires’ Estadio Monumental on October 3 before facing Benin. Messi’s final international appearance came in the 2026 World Cup final. (PC: X)

Saudi Arabia is seeking wider regional support as Houthi attacks escalate, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meeting Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi in Cairo. The two sides stressed protecting navigation in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb, while Egypt did not announce military support but could provide diplomatic backing among Arab countries. Separately, Saudi Arabia’s 1,200-km East-West oil pipeline was damaged in an attack Riyadh blamed on an Iran-aligned Iraqi group. The pipeline offers an alternative to the disrupted Strait of Hormuz; a prolonged shutdown could affect 4% of global oil supply, according to traders cited by Reuters. Meanwhile, Houthis reportedly gained territory around Bab el-Mandeb, while Saudi strikes intensified in Yemen. (PC: Reuters)

Saudi Arabia on Wednesday accused Yemen-based Houthis of targeting Mecca, Islam’s holiest city, after its air force intercepted a drone heading toward the city. Major General Turki Al-Malki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition against the Houthis, said the drone was intercepted at 6:50 pm on Tuesday before entering Mecca’s prohibited airspace. The accusation comes amid heightened West Asia tensions, with the Houthis intensifying attacks on Saudi Arabia and choking the Bab al-Mandeb strait, the southern entrance to the Red Sea. The Houthis, who have declared a blockade of Saudi Arabia, denied attacking Mecca, calling the allegation “a worn-out lie”. The 57-member OIC condemned the attack and expressed support for Saudi measures to deter the Houthis.

New Zealand’s Parliament has approved legislation implementing the free trade agreement (FTA) with India, clearing the way for the removal or substantial reduction of tariffs on nearly 95 per cent of New Zealand’s exports to India. The bill passed 93–29, with the opposition Labour Party supporting it. The agreement, signed by both countries on April 27, is likely to take effect from October 19, according to an official. More than half of covered products will become duty-free when the pact begins. New Zealand Trade Minister Todd McClay said exporters would see benefits that are “immediate and substantial”. The agreement aims to strengthen bilateral trade and investment ties between the two countries. (PC: X)

Hundreds of fans gathered outside London’s tallest building, The Shard, on Tuesday to see Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, but his event was cancelled after the Metropolitan Police intervened over safety concerns. A member of Vijay’s team announced that the programme was being called off because permission had not been granted due to safety concerns. The cancellation disappointed fans, some of whom had queued for hours. Vijay is leading a state delegation to the UK to attract investments into Tamil Nadu. His office said the delegation had signed multiple memoranda of understanding involving around Rs 12,300 crore in investments, expected to generate more than 9,400 high-value jobs. Vijay is scheduled to return to India Wednesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised India’s concerns with Chinese President Xi Jinping during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Modi stressed that both sides should show sensitivity to each other’s core concerns and be guided by “three mutuals”: mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity. The Chinese readout quoted Modi as saying India’s position on Tibet and Taiwan had not changed and that New Delhi does not allow anti-China activities on its soil. India’s position on Tibet and Taiwan has remained consistent under successive governments, despite no longer publicly articulating its One China policy since 2010.

The US House of Representatives has advanced a bill that would authorise President Donald Trump to impose 100 per cent tariffs on India and other countries buying oil and gas from Russia, while extending existing sanctions on Iran. The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 cleared a procedural hurdle on Tuesday evening after two Democratic lawmakers joined Republicans in supporting it. The measure is expected to face a final House vote on Wednesday. A resolution advancing the bill, alongside other legislation, passed 214-211, surprising House Democratic leadership. The measure increases pressure on Russia while creating potential trade risks for India, a major buyer of Russian energy supplies.

The southwest monsoon still has some punch left, with the India Meteorological Department tracking a fresh low-pressure area forming over the Bay of Bengal around September 12-16. The system is expected to bring active to vigorous rain across West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, with parts of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana also likely to see showers. Rainfall intensity is expected to taper off after September 16, with weather activity gradually withdrawing from western, northern and central India after September 18, even as the formal monsoon retreat date approaches. (PC: India Today)

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi accused the Modi government of caving to pressure from American payment companies after the finance ministry's latest UPI notification. He said the rule capping the no-charge protection at transactions up to Rs 2,000 opens the door to fees on merchant payments above that limit through MDR. Gandhi argued that although such transactions are only 5% by volume, they make up nearly 65% of UPI's total value, and any merchant fee would ultimately be passed on to customers. "Compromised PM Modi is once again surrendering to American pressure," he said.