Iran’s Embassy in India used a Bollywood meme on X to mock the United Nations, contrasting how the global body is portrayed in books with what Iran presented as its limitations in reality. The first panel featured Doctor Strange, the Marvel superhero and neurosurgeon with magical powers and multiple arms, labelled “UN according to school books.” The second showed Thakur Baldev Singh from the 1975 classic Sholay, played by Sanjeev Kumar, captioned “UN in reality.” The post reflects Iran’s wider use of pop culture and internet humour in digital diplomacy. The embassy did not specify any particular UN resolution or crisis in the post. The meme appeared amid the ongoing war.

Two Indian nationals, 33-year-old Swapnadip Roy and 37-year-old Vicky Ramancha, were indicted by a US federal grand jury for allegedly smuggling and selling counterfeit Ozempic obtained from unauthorised sources in China to US distributors. According to court documents, the alleged scheme operated from July 2023 to April 2024, using fake packaging, inserts, pen labels and needles to mimic genuine Ozempic. Roy was extradited from Italy and pleaded not guilty. The DOJ said the scheme continued after the FDA seized counterfeit products in December 2023 and issued a warning. The defendants face conspiracy, smuggling and counterfeit-drug charges and, if convicted, could each receive up to 71 years in prison. Authorities warned counterfeit medicines pose significant health risks. (PC: X)

US Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has criticised a debate on Indian immigration, describing it as “racist, xenophobic, and fundamentally un-American”. The Illinois Democrat said Indian Americans are as American as any other citizens and should not be treated as outsiders because of their ancestry. The controversy followed a podcast episode titled “The Indian Question”, released on September 26, which discussed Indian immigration, H-1B visas, cultural integration and American identity. The debate comes amid growing tensions over skilled-worker visas and concerns about jobs. A recent report also found a sharp rise in anti-South Asian hate speech on social media in the United States. (PC: The Times of India)

India has strongly rejected Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s remarks on Jammu and Kashmir during his address to the United Nations General Assembly. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal called the comments “unwarranted references” and said the issue concerns India’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. He asserted that no external party has “locus standi” on the matter. Erdogan has previously raised Kashmir at international forums, while India has consistently opposed external involvement in the issue. The remarks came during the UN General Assembly session in New York. India’s response reiterates that Jammu and Kashmir is a matter involving its sovereignty and territorial integrity and rejects any external role in the matter. (PC: AP)

Pakistan has denied airspace clearance to a Russian cargo flight carrying nuclear fuel for Bangladesh’s Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, delaying the scheduled delivery for Unit 2. The shipment was expected to arrive on September 24. Bangladesh’s Science and Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam said Pakistan did not provide clearance, while the exact reason initially remained unclear. Pakistan’s High Commission in Dhaka later cited technical and procedural issues. Russia’s state-owned nuclear company Rosatom has rescheduled the delivery through an alternative route. Fuel shipments are expected to resume in October and continue until December. The delay comes as Bangladesh faces a serious power crisis. (PC: India Today)

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the world is adjusting to a changing global order shaped by US-China ties. He said Washington and Beijing remain competitors despite areas of agreement. “There are limits to what the two of them can agree upon,” Jaishankar said. He said countries are seeking new partners and ways to reduce risks. Jaishankar also said the world is moving towards greater multipolarity. On India-China ties, he said relations are “better” than in 2025 and 2024. He linked the improvement to reduced border tensions. He said the border situation remains important for normal bilateral relations.

Direct flights between New Delhi and Ulaanbaatar have started, cutting travel time between India and Mongolia to around five hours. The first flight arrived at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Monday morning. The route will operate once a week, every Monday, and will be run by Mongolia’s Hunnu Air. Earlier, travellers needed to take connecting flights through cities such as Hong Kong, Beijing or Incheon. The new service is expected to support tourism, medical travel and business. It could also boost trade by allowing faster cargo movement. Both countries offer free visas and e-visas to their citizens.  

Indian applicants faced an average wait of 346 days for US non-immigrant visa interviews in 2025, according to a US Government Accountability Office report. India received 1.45 million applications, handled by only 68 consular officers. The high demand and limited staff have caused long delays. B1/B2 visa applicants face the longest waits. Current estimates range from about 6.5 months in Kolkata to 12 months in Hyderabad. Mumbai has a wait of around 11.5 months, while New Delhi has about 10 months. The standard visitor visa fee is $185. A new $250 Visa Integrity Fee may also apply.  

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India-US relations have faced “bumps” over trade talks, tariffs and differences on terrorism. Speaking in New York, Jaishankar said India’s concerns about terrorism must be better understood by its partners, including the US. He said a lack of “understanding or appreciation” could affect bilateral ties. Jaishankar also said trade talks were complicated by India’s large number of small producers and changes in US tariff rules. He stressed India’s policy of maintaining ties with several countries. His comments came days after he criticised Pakistan at the United Nations, calling it a “serial practitioner of terrorism.”  

Wildlife SOS, whose two functionaries are in custody in a Madhya Pradesh leopard-poaching case, is also allegedly linked to the purchase of an elephant from Nepal, according to Wildlife Crime Control Bureau records cited by The Indian Express. The Madhya Pradesh State Tiger Strike Force arrested the two employees last month over their alleged involvement in poaching 10 leopards in the Shivpuri-Morena landscape. The investigation concerns an alleged elephant trade from four years ago, based on records reviewed by authorities. The Indian Express reported that authorities are examining the elephant’s origins and movement as part of the probe. Wildlife SOS CEO Kartick Satyanarayan is also due to join the leopard-poaching investigation. (PC: The Indian Express)