A Flydubai Boeing 737 MAX flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after sending distress signals, triggering fears of a possible hijacking. The incident prompted Israeli authorities to scramble fighter jets and hold security consultations. The aircraft landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, and everyone on board was reported safe. According to Israeli media reports citing security officials, the incident was linked to a dispute between the plane’s two pilots, rather than a hijacking. The situation raised initial security concerns as authorities responded to the emergency. (PC: HT)

Nearly one-fifth of children worldwide without access to school sanitation in 2025 were in India, according to a WHO-UNICEF report. The report said around 5 crore Indian children lacked sanitation services at school, out of 24.4 crore globally. Nigeria followed with 3.4 crore children, while Ethiopia had 2.6 crore. India reduced the number of schools without sanitation services by 14 per cent during the period assessed. Around 2 crore Indian children also lacked school hygiene services, while 1.2 crore lacked drinking-water services. The report said India is among 28 countries on track for universal basic drinking-water coverage in schools by 2030. (PC: India Today)

Leaders of 19 opposition parties under the INDIA bloc began a meeting at the Constitution Club in New Delhi on Wednesday to discuss electoral issues and their next course of action. The agenda includes the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, concerns over electronic voting machines (EVMs) and a proposed motion seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi are among the key leaders attending the meeting. The parties are also discussing ways to coordinate their response to the issues and explore joint action in Parliament. (PC: X)

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday rejected the bail pleas of activist Umar Khalid and former Jawaharlal Nehru University student Sharjeel Imam in the larger conspiracy case linked to the February 2020 Northeast Delhi riots. Khalid had approached the High Court for regular bail for the third time. His earlier pleas were rejected in October 2022 and September 2025, with the Supreme Court upholding both decisions. Both men face charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) over their alleged roles in the riots conspiracy. The violence in February 2020 left 53 people dead and over 700 injured. (PC: The Indian Express)

India’s Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai won the gold medal in the trap mixed team event at the Asian Games 2026 on Wednesday, September 30. The Indian pair set an Asian record by scoring 34 out of 40 targets in the final. Qatar secured silver with 32 points. The victory marked Neeru’s third medal at the Games and her second gold, following her win in the women’s individual trap event on Tuesday. Despite missing three of her first five shots, Neeru recovered strongly. Chenai, 36, also delivered a gold medal for India in the mixed team competition. (PC: India Today)

Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan has reacted with surprise to BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj’s challenge to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over Vande Mataram. The actor commented, “Huh? Is this real. Wow,” on an Instagram post shared by Congress social media leader Ruchira Chaturvedi. In August, Swaraj challenged Gandhi to sing the complete national song after he urged women to “smash the patriarchy” at an event in Pune. Swaraj questioned the connection between Gandhi’s remarks and the song. She also referred to the Congress Working Committee’s 1937 decision to sing only the first two stanzas at national gatherings. 

US President Donald Trump hosted leading technology executives at the White House on Tuesday to discuss artificial intelligence and its potential risks. Leaders from OpenAI, Google, Meta, Nvidia, Anthropic and SpaceX signed a voluntary AI safety agreement. Under the pact, companies will be responsible for protecting their systems, fixing problems and working with independent auditors to assess safety. Trump also announced plans to establish a board to oversee AI safety but did not name its members. However, some experts questioned the agreement’s effectiveness, saying it lacks clear accountability measures and penalties for companies that fail to meet safety commitments. (PC: BBC)

The Indian Coast Guard and Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) have seized around 526 kg of drugs worth over ₹3,000 crore from an Iranian boat in the Arabian Sea. Five Pakistani nationals aboard the vessel were detained during the operation on September 25. The seized consignment included heroin and methamphetamine, according to reports. The boat was intercepted west of Lakshadweep following intelligence inputs and surveillance by sea and air. The vessel, its crew and the seized drugs were later taken to Mumbai for further investigation. Authorities are examining the consignment’s origin, intended destination and possible links to an international smuggling network.

India won two gold medals in archery on Day 11 of the Asian Games 2026 on Wednesday. The women’s compound team defeated China 238-234 in the final to defend its title and match the world record. India’s compound mixed team also won gold after beating South Korea in the final, securing a place at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Boxer Priya Ghanghas settled for bronze after losing her women’s 60kg semifinal. India’s women’s squash team also assured itself of a medal after beating Singapore 2-0. Lovlina Borgohain qualified for the boxing final, adding to India’s medal hopes.

A top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant was killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam district on Tuesday. The militant was identified by security officials as Mohammad Asif, alias Hashim Moosa, who was wanted in connection with several attacks in the region. The operation, named Operation Korag, was carried out jointly by the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) near Yousmarg. According to the Army, militants opened fire after troops challenged their movement. Security forces later recovered Moosa’s body along with weapons and other materials. The operation was ongoing. (PC: X)