India’s bid for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council received support from the Visegrád Group (V4) countries including Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic during their first ministers’ meeting with India on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York. Slovak Minister Juraj Blanár said the four countries agreed India, as part of the Global South and an Indo-Pacific power, should become a permanent member. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called the meeting a “new historic occasion”. India and the V4 agreed to strengthen political, technology, defence and people-to-people ties, hold foreign ministers’ meetings and create a business forum. Discussions covered space, research, education, Ukraine and Gulf developments.

Pakistan secured the women’s cricket bronze medal at the 2026 Asian Games after defeating Bangladesh by 31 runs in the third-place playoff on Tuesday. Pakistan posted 145/8 in 20 overs, with captain Fatima Sana leading the scoring with an unbeaten 45 off 30 balls. Gull Feroza added 31 off 23, while Aliya Riaz contributed 25. Bangladesh struggled during their chase and finished on 114/7. Shamima Akter top-scored with an unbeaten 46 off 45 deliveries, while captain Nigar Sultana made 25. Pakistan’s Umm-e-Hani was the key bowler, taking three wickets for 10 runs in four overs. The result earned Pakistan their first women’s cricket medal at these Asian Games. India and Sri Lanka will contest the gold medal.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in New York on Monday to attend the 81st United Nations General Assembly, marking his first US visit since the start of the US-Iran war. The visit comes amid heightened tensions in West Asia and widening regional conflict involving the Houthis. The United States approved visas for Iran’s core delegation, including Araghchi and President Masoud Pezeshkian, while imposing movement and purchasing restrictions. Araghchi briefly stopped in Doha for consultations with Qatari officials on regional developments before reaching New York. Pezeshkian is scheduled to travel to New York on Tuesday and address the General Assembly. Araghchi is leading Iran’s diplomatic delegation during the high-level UN meetings.

Pakistan police arrested Aleema Khan on Sunday, then detained her sisters Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi on Monday, all for 30 days under the Maintenance of Public Order law. They were shifted to Kot Lakhpat jail. The arrests come ahead of PTI's planned march on Islamabad on September 27 to demand the release of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan. PTI called the arrests a blatant abuse of authority. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi warned the party against going ahead with the march. The government has deployed tens of thousands of police and placed shipping containers as barriers across Islamabad and Punjab. (PC: X)

Cricketer Vipraj Nigam, who could make his India debut against Japan in Tuesday's one-off T20I, is accused of sexual assault under the pretext of marriage. The woman who filed the complaint sat outside his home for hours on Sunday, saying she wanted to meet him. Nigam is in Japan with India's Asian Games squad, called up to replace injured spinner Varun Chakaravarthy. His father spoke to her by phone and said they would talk after a week. She told Jagran she did not want a dispute. Nigam had earlier filed a complaint against her, alleging threats. (PC: X)

ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox News and CNN, the five networks that make up the White House television pool, have stopped their coverage in support of CNN. The decision follows President Donald Trump's move to bar journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House over the weekend. In a September 21 email, Fox News bureau chief Bryan Boughton, who chairs the pool, said there would be no replacement pool. As a result, no TV crew will travel with Trump to New York for the UN General Assembly on Monday. The three outlets have also filed a federal lawsuit, citing First Amendment and due process violations.

India Women will play Sri Lanka in the Asian Games 2026 cricket final on Tuesday, with a chance to defend the gold medal won in Hangzhou. The match starts at 10:30 AM IST. Both teams are unbeaten. Shafali Verma hit the first century in Asian Games history, an unbeaten 100 off 49 balls, in the semi-final against Bangladesh, which India won by 114 runs. Shree Charani has taken six wickets. For Sri Lanka, captain Chamari Athapaththu has scored 146 runs and taken six wickets. India lead the head-to-head 26-5. Sony LIV will stream the match.

Three suspects have been arrested in Bihar’s Jamui district after videos allegedly showing two Class 10 students being harassed went viral on social media. The incident occurred on September 19, when the girl and her male friend were reportedly returning from coaching classes after visiting Madwa hillock. Police said an FIR was registered under the POCSO Act and relevant BNS provisions, and an SIT headed by SDPO Deepti Monali was formed. Around seven people have been identified from the video, with raids continuing for arrests. The State Women’s Commission sought a report from authorities. Police also initiated steps to remove the videos, while officials warned against sharing material that identifies minors.

US President Donald Trump criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after their discussions, claiming Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to end the Russia-Ukraine war while Zelenskyy wants to prolong it. Trump said he was seeking peace rather than a decade-long conflict and claimed 2,000 people died last week. He also said Russia had lost control of its diesel industry because Ukrainian strikes damaged refineries, calling for the war to end. Zelenskyy gave a positive account, saying Trump had agreed to meet him in New York and that diplomatic momentum was building. He said peace remained Ukraine’s top priority, with discussions focused on de-escalation, energy security, food security and protecting human life.

Five major US television networks ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox News and CNN have suspended White House pool coverage after the White House restricted access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico. The networks normally rotate responsibility for providing shared video coverage of presidential events, but decided not to send a replacement crew after CNN was prevented from carrying out its scheduled pool duties. Fox News bureau chief Bryan Boughton, the pool chair, informed members that no replacement pool would be established. The decision means the usual broadcast television feed will be unavailable for many Trump events today. CNN, MS NOW and Politico have filed a federal lawsuit challenging the restrictions. (PC: AFP)