Thousands of people gathered in London for the first-ever Ganga aarti on the River Thames. The event was organised by Chinmaya Mission UK as part of its 75th anniversary celebrations. The ceremony was held at Greenwich near the Old Royal Naval College. It included prayers, music, chanting and large oil lamps. Swami Swaroopananda led the aarti and spoke about unity, love and harmony. Organisers said the event honoured the Ganga and highlighted the importance of protecting nature. The ceremony was held fully on land. Nothing was placed or released into the Thames. The event may become an annual tradition.  

US President Donald Trump claimed Russia and Ukraine have agreed to stop attacking each other’s energy infrastructure, although neither side has confirmed the understanding. Trump made the claim Monday on his social media platform, saying Ukraine agreed not to target Russian energy facilities and Moscow agreed to do likewise. His statement came a day after he urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop targeting Russian oil refineries and diesel infrastructure. Trump argued such strikes were contributing to a shortage and pushing diesel prices higher. He said halting attacks on energy targets could help ease pressure on global diesel supplies. The claim follows concern over rising diesel prices in the United States. 

US tech stocks fell after AI company leaders called for a slower pace of AI development. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said development should slow to reduce the risk of serious problems. Elon Musk agreed, while OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said current safety standards are not ready for much faster progress. The Nasdaq fell 1.2% in early trading. The S&P 500 dropped 0.7%, while the Dow Jones fell 0.27%. Hewlett Packard shares fell 10%, while Intel and Sandisk dropped 7%. Nvidia fell 3%. US President Donald Trump rejected calls for stronger AI guardrails and said the US must stay ahead of China.  

A US military attaché based at the American Embassy in London has been sent back to the United States amid allegations involving child abuse material. According to reports, British authorities were alerted after such material was allegedly found on the official’s devices. The US informed UK authorities before the attaché left Britain on a commercial flight. The move has sparked anger among some British politicians. Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty accused the US of “protecting pedophiles”. The British government said foreign diplomats must follow UK laws. The US Embassy said it took swift action and is cooperating with British authorities while the investigation continues. (PC: AFP via Getty Images)  

Pakistan has raised the bounty for information leading to the arrest of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar to 7 million Pakistani rupees, around Rs 24 lakh. The move comes weeks before the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) meeting in Paris from October 26 to 30. Azhar remains on Pakistan’s official list of most-wanted terrorists. Islamabad has claimed for years that he is not in Pakistan and fled to Afghanistan. Azhar, 58, founded Jaish-e-Mohammed, which has been linked to several major attacks in India. He is also listed as an international terrorist by the United Nations Security Council.  

The CBI FIR in the Disha Salian death case includes provisions related to murder, gang rape, criminal conspiracy, destruction of evidence and giving false information. It lists several prominent names, including former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya Thackeray, whose roles are to be investigated. Other names include Rohan Rai, Dino Morea, Sooraj Pancholi, Rhea and Showik Chakraborty, Sachin Waze and former police commissioner Param Bir Singh. The FIR also mentions police officers, forensic officials, doctors, security guards and other individuals. However, no person has been named as an accused so far, and the FIR calls for their roles to be investigated. (PC: X)

Pakistan has raised the reward for information leading to the arrest of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar to PKR 7 million, or about ₹24 lakh. Despite Islamabad’s repeated claims that Azhar is not in Pakistan and fled to Afghanistan, his name remains on the Federal Investigation Agency’s 2026 list of most-wanted terrorists. The 58-year-old founded the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed after being released by India following the 1999 IC-814 hijacking. The UN has designated Azhar an international terrorist. JeM has been linked to several major attacks in India, including the 2001 Parliament attack, Pathankot attack and 2019 Pulwama bombing.

A Russian drone struck the engine of a train at Yahodyn near Ukraine’s border with Poland, shortly after former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and senior European security officials had travelled through the area on another train. No casualties were reported, and passengers on the hit train were evacuated. Ukraine’s state railway company said the drone may have targeted the diplomatic train, while Russia said it had struck railway infrastructure. The attack occurred about 2 km from the Polish border, prompting an emergency meeting in Poland. European leaders warned that Russia’s attacks are increasingly moving closer to NATO territory. (PC: BBC)

A historic Ganga Aarti was held on the River Thames in the United Kingdom, marking the first such ceremony on the iconic London river. The event brought a traditional Indian spiritual ritual to a major landmark in Britain, highlighting the cultural and spiritual ties between India and the UK. The ceremony featured prayers and offerings to the river, drawing attention to the deep significance of the Ganga in Indian culture. Organisers and participants described the event as a symbolic moment that connected Indian heritage with the Thames, while showcasing the country’s traditions to people in the UK. (PC: The Hindu)

Daily tanker charter rates for shipments to India have surged 150% in about two weeks to around $250,000, as worsening tensions around the Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz disrupt oil shipping. Rates were around $100,000 earlier, according to people familiar with the developments. Bunker fuel prices have also climbed 50% to $900 a tonne, while insurance costs have risen 20%. The disruption is a major concern for India, which imports around 30% of its oil and gas from West Asia. India’s crude import bill reached $63.37 billion between April and July, up 56% year-on-year. (PC: HT)