Pakistan Cricket Board chief and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Mohsin Naqvi has declined to present the Asia Cup 2025 trophy to India. He directed Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav to personally collect the trophy from the ACC office instead. The Indian team had earlier refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi, citing political tensions and objecting to his dual role as ACC head and Pakistani official. During an ACC meeting, BCCI representatives pressed Naqvi to hand it over, but he maintained the decision, saying the issue wasn’t on the agenda. India has threatened to file a formal protest with the ICC over the matter. 

U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley and Dick Durbin have jointly introduced the “H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act,” aiming to tighten foreign worker visa rules by prioritising candidates with STEM credentials and raising penalties for wage-violations. The proposal would also restrict abuses in L-1 intracompany transfers by enforcing stricter wage and displacement safeguards. Advocates say it could raise compliance costs and make visa issuance harder. The move signals heightened scrutiny of skilled immigration, but its passage remains uncertain. (PC: MSN)    

  A catastrophic collapse at the Al Khoziny Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, East Java, has left 91 students missing and 3 confirmed dead, after a structure gave way during afternoon prayers. Rescue teams continue to dig through unstable concrete, cautiously withholding heavy machinery to avoid triggering further collapse. At least six trapped survivors have shown signs of life, with supplies of oxygen, food and water being delivered through narrow gaps. Authorities point to unauthorized upper-floor construction and inadequate foundational support in the old building as likely causes.     

After violent protests in Ladakh left four dead and dozens injured, India’s Home Ministry defended police firing as “self-defense” and blamed unrest on “provocative speeches” by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk. The strong-handed response may alienate Ladakh’s Buddhist and Muslim communities, already sensitive after New Delhi ended the region’s autonomy in 2019. Observers warn that heavy policing and political rhetoric risk deepening mistrust between locals and the central government.   

The cyber crime wing of Greater Chennai Police arrested Felix Gerald, a Tamil-language YouTuber, for allegedly spreading misleading claims about the Karur rally stampede that left 41 dead. The XI Metropolitan Magistrate Court granted him conditional bail, citing insufficient justification for remanding him. Bail conditions include a ban on commenting on the incident. Gerald was picked up from his Nungambakkam home and his wife questioned the state of freedom of expression. Already, 26 social media accounts are being probed for misinformation over the tragedy.   

Nine workers died and ten others were injured when an arch collapsed at the North Chennai Thermal Power Station site in Ennore. The injured were taken to Stanley Government Hospital. Officials from TANGEDCO visited the hospital to meet the victims. Rescue teams are still working at the site, and police said the cause of the collapse is under investigation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief and announced Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia for each deceased worker’s family and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Workers were mostly migrants, and many are reported to be in serious condition.

Kolkata celebrated Maha Ashtami, the most important day of Durga Puja, with devotion and joy. Despite heavy rains, people came out in large numbers to take part in rituals. Devotees offered pushpanjali and observed fasting, while the Shondi Pujo ritual was performed with 108 lotuses and lamps offered to Goddess Durga. Cultural programs, music, and artistic pandals added color to the festival. The day was seen as the spiritual peak of the celebrations, bringing together families and communities across the city. Streets, temples, and pandals were filled with festive spirit, marking unity and devotion in Kolkata.

India has condemned the defacement of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in Tavistock Square, London, calling it “shameful” and an attack on non-violence. The Indian High Commission urged UK authorities to take “immediate action” against those responsible. The bronze statue, unveiled in 1968, was spray-painted with the words “Terrorists” and “Gandhi, Modi and Hindustani.” Police are treating the incident as racially aggravated but no arrests have been made. Cleaning teams quickly moved to restore the statue. The vandalism comes days before Gandhi’s 156th birth anniversary on October 2, observed as the International Day of Non-Violence worldwide. (PC: BBC)

US President Donald Trump Has Given Hamas 3-4 Days To Respond To His 20-Point Gaza Peace Plan. Speaking Outside The White House, Trump Warned Of A “Very Sad End” If Hamas Rejects The Proposal. The Plan Calls For An Immediate Ceasefire, Release Of Hostages, Humanitarian Aid, And Reconstruction In Gaza. Hamas Said It Will Discuss The Plan With Other Palestinian Groups Before Replying. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu And Countries Including France, Canada, India, And Russia Have Welcomed The Proposal. Since October 2023, Over 66,000 Palestinians Have Died, Mostly Women And Children. (PC: HT)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited a Durga Puja pandal in Delhi’s CR Park on Ashtami, offering prayers at the Karli Bari temple. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta accompanied him. Residents were advised to avoid certain internal roads from 3 pm to midnight due to security arrangements. BJP strategists say the visit is part of outreach to Bengali voters ahead of West Bengal Assembly elections. The party is using cultural events like Durga Puja to engage migrants and showcase Bengal’s heritage nationally. Similar programs are being held in other cities with large Bengali communities. (PC: India Today)