Indian-origin couple Anuradha and Vikas Sinha have donated $20 million to the University of North Texas to establish a new College of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Analytics. The university said the college will be named the Anuradha and Vikas Sinha College of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Analytics. It will bring together programmes and research in AI, data analytics, cybersecurity, health informatics and information science. The donation will also fund six permanent endowments supporting scholarships, professorships, entrepreneurship, research and emerging technologies. Vikas Sinha, who earned his doctorate from UNT in 2023, said their gift reflects their experience as immigrants and students. (PC: India Today)

Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit India this weekend for the Brics summit, marking his first trip to the country in seven years. The visit follows years of cautious efforts by Xi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to improve relations strained by the deadly 2020 Himalayan border clashes. Bilateral trade reached a record $155 billion last year, rising 12.4%, while trade increased another 23% in the first seven months of this year. The two countries have also resumed border patrols, direct flights and trade at three Himalayan crossings. Despite the thaw, mistrust and strategic differences remain significant. (PC: Financial Times)

Speculation is growing over whether former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will contest the October 6 bypolls from one of two Bengal seats—Nandigram or Rejinagar. Nandigram was vacated by BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, who defeated Banerjee there in 2021. Rejinagar was vacated by Humayun Kabir. Political observers see Nandigram as the safer option, while Rejinagar, with a 65% Muslim population, could also favour Banerjee. TMC insiders have suggested an alliance with Congress. However, the party faces uncertainty over retaining its “twin flowers” symbol amid a rival faction’s claim to being the “real Trinamool”. The BJP plans to contest both seats. (PC: NDTV)

Apple unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and its first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, at its “Surprise and Shine” event at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, on September 9. The launch marked CEO John Ternus’ first major iPhone event since taking over from Tim Cook. Apple said the iPhone 18 Pro brings major advances in intelligence, performance, battery and camera capabilities, while adding glacier and burgundy colour options. The foldable iPhone Duo is described as Apple’s thinnest iPhone when unfolded. Apple also introduced the Apple Reference Image standard to help verify image authenticity and support AI-image identification.

A slab of an under-construction building collapsed in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar on Wednesday, leaving more than 10 workers feared trapped under the debris, police said. The collapse occurred in the Kudasan area, where rescue operations were launched by teams from the fire department. Five injured workers have been rescued and taken to a hospital for treatment, officials said. Gandhinagar Fire Officer Rajesh Patel said teams were working at the site and further details were awaited. Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi also reached the spot and inspected the collapsed structure as rescue efforts continued. (PC: India Today)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran’s Islamic Republic was “very close” to collapse, while Tehran’s Revolutionary Guards outlined conditions for ending the war with the United States. The IRGC demanded an end to US military action and threats, an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, an end to the Yemen blockade, release of $24 billion in frozen Iranian assets and a pledge not to interfere with Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities. Meanwhile, escalating attacks pushed Brent crude above $100 a barrel, amid growing fears over energy supplies. Fighting has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which previously carried roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies. US strikes on Iranian tankers and Houthi attacks on Saudi oil facilities further heightened market concerns. (PC: X)

India faces a delicate diplomatic challenge at the BRICS 2026 summit as Iran and the UAE arrive with sharply opposing positions over the West Asia conflict. Iran wants BRICS to condemn US-Israeli actions and support its sovereignty, while the UAE is prioritising maritime security and protection of commercial shipping in the Gulf. India, which is hosting the September 12-13 summit, aims to secure a joint Delhi Declaration without allowing the dispute to overshadow BRICS’ economic agenda. New Delhi is pushing language focused on sovereignty, freedom of navigation, de-escalation and regional stability without naming countries or assigning blame. The stakes are high for India because disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz could raise oil prices and affect imports, trade, remittances and Indian workers. (PC: News18)

Bangladesh is facing a devastating measles outbreak that has reportedly killed more than 1,000 children since March, according to health officials. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) recorded 1,002 deaths and 187,484 measles infections among children, making the outbreak one of the country’s deadliest in decades. The crisis has highlighted gaps in vaccination coverage, leaving children who missed immunisation particularly vulnerable to the highly contagious disease. The outbreak is also placing growing pressure on Bangladesh’s healthcare system. The scale of infections and deaths has renewed concerns over declining or incomplete vaccine coverage and the continuing threat posed by preventable diseases. Authorities face the challenge of containing transmission while protecting vulnerable children from further deaths. (PC: X/@DailySabah)

Pakistan may activate the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement to defend Saudi Arabia against Houthi attacks, potentially conducting airstrikes against the Iran-backed group in Yemen. The agreement, signed last month, includes a collective-defence clause that Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khwaja Asif indicated could be triggered if fighting in Yemen spills into Saudi territory. Reports suggest Pakistani airstrikes on Houthi positions could take place soon and be publicly announced afterward. However, Islamabad may distinguish between defending Saudi territory and supporting a broader Saudi military offensive inside Yemen. This could make the situation the first major test of the pact’s collective-defence commitment. The potential intervention comes after Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia reportedly caused casualties and fires at oil facilities. (PC: Reuters)

Oil prices crossed the $100-a-barrel mark on Wednesday as fresh attacks on Middle Eastern oil facilities and tankers intensified concerns over global supplies. Brent crude rose 2.57% to $100.40 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) gained 2.10% to $94.98, marking Brent’s return above $100 for the first time in nearly six weeks. The surge followed a US military strike on five Iranian tankers after attempted missile attacks on a Navy warship, alongside Houthi attacks that set Saudi oil facilities on fire. The conflict escalated further after Iran launched missiles toward US targets in Jordan, with the Revolutionary Guards claiming attacks on two US destroyers and a US base. (PC: Reuters)