India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has issued a public health alert against two Pakistan-made cosmetic products: Goree Beauty Cream and Chandni Whitening Cream. Testing found both products were unauthorised for sale in India, lacked the required import registration certificates and contained heavy metals above specified limits, which could pose health risks, including toxic effects. CDSCO has advised consumers not to purchase or use the creams and directed sellers, distributors and other establishments not to sell, distribute or advertise them. Authorities have also been asked to prevent their sale. Consumers should check licence and registration details on imported cosmetics. (PC: Unsplash)

A news helicopter covering a deadly bus accident crashed into a parking lot in Los Angeles on Tuesday, killing at least three people, officials said. The helicopter was operating near the scene of an earlier SUV-and-city-bus collision that killed two people and injured six others. Video from inside the aircraft appears to capture its final moments, showing the helicopter hovering before the footage suddenly shakes as it crashes. At least one helicopter-crash victim was outside the aircraft. Another person was hospitalized, while authorities continued determining the number of people aboard. More than 50 firefighters responded, and the NTSB and FAA will investigate. 

Eighty-one-year-old Asgar Ali Vora, a former schoolmate of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has regained possession of a disputed 2,810-square-metre plot in Navghar, Bhayandar East. Vora had alleged that the land, purchased in 1989, was encroached upon and that forged documents were used to alter its ownership. He met PM Modi on September 8 and sought intervention in the long-running dispute. Days later, BJP MLA Narendra Mehta announced that he would relinquish possession of the disputed property, surrender its construction permission and withdraw a police complaint against Vora following a settlement. Maharashtra government officials also held a meeting involving both sides. (PC: India Today)

The US House of Representatives has advanced legislation targeting Russia and Iran, clearing a procedural hurdle before a final vote expected on September 16. The bill, known as the Lindsey O. Graham Russia and Iran Sanctions Act of 2026, could give President Donald Trump authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries, including India, that purchase Russian oil and gas. The measure passed the procedural vote 214–211. Its advancement does not mean the bill has become law. The proposed sanctions could create significant implications for India-US trade and India’s purchases of Russian energy. (PC: Reuters)

Lionel Messi is set to wear Argentina’s jersey for one final time after being included in the preliminary 26-member squad for a friendly against Benin in Buenos Aires on October 6. Messi had confirmed his international retirement shortly after Argentina lost the 2026 FIFA World Cup final to Spain. Argentina Football Association (AFA) said Messi accepted its invitation to receive the farewell he deserves and confirmed that members of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad, along with their families, will also be invited. Argentina will play Bolivia in Cordoba on September 30 and Burkina Faso at Buenos Aires’ Estadio Monumental on October 3 before facing Benin. Messi’s final international appearance came in the 2026 World Cup final. (PC: X)

Saudi Arabia is seeking wider regional support as Houthi attacks escalate, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meeting Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi in Cairo. The two sides stressed protecting navigation in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb, while Egypt did not announce military support but could provide diplomatic backing among Arab countries. Separately, Saudi Arabia’s 1,200-km East-West oil pipeline was damaged in an attack Riyadh blamed on an Iran-aligned Iraqi group. The pipeline offers an alternative to the disrupted Strait of Hormuz; a prolonged shutdown could affect 4% of global oil supply, according to traders cited by Reuters. Meanwhile, Houthis reportedly gained territory around Bab el-Mandeb, while Saudi strikes intensified in Yemen. (PC: Reuters)

Saudi Arabia on Wednesday accused Yemen-based Houthis of targeting Mecca, Islam’s holiest city, after its air force intercepted a drone heading toward the city. Major General Turki Al-Malki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition against the Houthis, said the drone was intercepted at 6:50 pm on Tuesday before entering Mecca’s prohibited airspace. The accusation comes amid heightened West Asia tensions, with the Houthis intensifying attacks on Saudi Arabia and choking the Bab al-Mandeb strait, the southern entrance to the Red Sea. The Houthis, who have declared a blockade of Saudi Arabia, denied attacking Mecca, calling the allegation “a worn-out lie”. The 57-member OIC condemned the attack and expressed support for Saudi measures to deter the Houthis.

New Zealand’s Parliament has approved legislation implementing the free trade agreement (FTA) with India, clearing the way for the removal or substantial reduction of tariffs on nearly 95 per cent of New Zealand’s exports to India. The bill passed 93–29, with the opposition Labour Party supporting it. The agreement, signed by both countries on April 27, is likely to take effect from October 19, according to an official. More than half of covered products will become duty-free when the pact begins. New Zealand Trade Minister Todd McClay said exporters would see benefits that are “immediate and substantial”. The agreement aims to strengthen bilateral trade and investment ties between the two countries. (PC: X)

Hundreds of fans gathered outside London’s tallest building, The Shard, on Tuesday to see Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, but his event was cancelled after the Metropolitan Police intervened over safety concerns. A member of Vijay’s team announced that the programme was being called off because permission had not been granted due to safety concerns. The cancellation disappointed fans, some of whom had queued for hours. Vijay is leading a state delegation to the UK to attract investments into Tamil Nadu. His office said the delegation had signed multiple memoranda of understanding involving around Rs 12,300 crore in investments, expected to generate more than 9,400 high-value jobs. Vijay is scheduled to return to India Wednesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised India’s concerns with Chinese President Xi Jinping during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Modi stressed that both sides should show sensitivity to each other’s core concerns and be guided by “three mutuals”: mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity. The Chinese readout quoted Modi as saying India’s position on Tibet and Taiwan had not changed and that New Delhi does not allow anti-China activities on its soil. India’s position on Tibet and Taiwan has remained consistent under successive governments, despite no longer publicly articulating its One China policy since 2010.