President Droupadi Murmu extended Durga Puja greetings to citizens and Indians abroad, emphasizing women's respect and rights. She highlighted the festival's cultural, spiritual, and faith-based significance, noting that worshipping Maa Durga in nine forms inspires truth, justice, and compassion. The President stressed that Durga Puja promotes equality, tolerance, and love values. Murmu urged everyone to pledge support for women's rights and respect, stating, "On this auspicious occasion, let us pledge to make every possible effort to ensure respect for women and to uphold their rightful place in society." Her message connected the religious symbolism of the goddess with contemporary social imperatives for gender equality and women's empowerment nationwide. (PC: X)

The Ministry of Home Affairs stated Monday that the government remains "always open for dialogue" with the Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance on Ladakh matters. This follows LAB's announcement to boycott talks with MHA's High Powered Committee until normalcy returns to Ladakh, which is under indefinite curfew following last week's unrest. The MHA emphasized that the dialogue mechanism established through the HPC has "yielded good results" and expressed confidence that continuous engagement would produce desired outcomes soon. The ministry reiterated its willingness to welcome discussions with LAB and KDA through the High Powered Committee or any alternative platform, maintaining commitment to resolving regional concerns through peaceful negotiations. (PC: X)

Haifa's Mayor Yona Yahav announced Monday that the city's school history books are being corrected to credit Indian troops, not British forces, for liberating the city from Ottoman rule in 1918. Indian cavalry regiments like Mysore, Hyderabad, and Jodhpur Lancers executed the last great cavalry campaign in history, clearing Mt. Carmel's rocky slopes. Over 74,000 Indian troops died in WWI, including 4,000 in West Asia. History textbooks now teach this story from grades 3-5. India commemorates September 23 as Haifa Day annually. Memorials exist in Haifa, Jerusalem, and Ramle, with 900 Indian soldiers interred there. Teen Murti Chowk was renamed Teen Murti Haifa Chowk in 2018 honoring this sacrifice. (PC: India Today)

Canada has officially designated the Bishnoi Gang as a terrorist entity under the Criminal Code, citing violent operations nationwide. Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree stated groups using fear, violence, and extortion must be held accountable. The transnational criminal organization, operating primarily from India with presence in Canadian diaspora communities, engages in murder, shootings, arson, and extortion. The listing enables authorities to freeze assets, prosecute members, and restrict financing and recruitment. Lawrence Bishnoi, currently jailed in Gujarat's Sabarmati Central Jail, leads the gang linked to high-profile crimes including Sidhu Moosewala's murder and threats to Salman Khan. The gang gained prominence after Hardeep Singh Nijjar's 2023 killing, straining India-Canada relations. (PC: NDTV)

President Donald Trump confirmed Monday that the US will impose a 100% tariff on all movies made outside America, claiming foreign countries "stole" the film business "like candy from a baby." Trump framed the issue as both economic and a national security threat, calling it "messaging and propaganda." The announcement formalizes his May signal when he authorized the Commerce Department and USTR to impose duties on foreign films. Trump insists tariffs will "level the playing field" and bring production home. However, industry experts warn this could harm Hollywood, as major studios like Disney, Paramount, and Warner Bros frequently shoot abroad. Entertainment stocks dipped following the announcement, with Netflix falling 1.4%. (PC: Hindustan Times)

Deepika Padukone and Farah Khan have unfollowed each other on Instagram, sparking speculation about a major fallout between the longtime friends. Farah, who launched Deepika in Om Shanti Om, has also unfollowed Ranveer Singh. This comes after Farah made multiple comments about Deepika's alleged 8-hour workday demands in her YouTube vlogs. Farah jokingly stated Deepika "only shoots for 8 hours now" and doesn't have time for her show. The timing coincides with Deepika's removal from Kalki 2 and Spirit, reportedly due to her demands including eight-hour shifts, high salary, and profit-sharing. While no official confirmation exists, their Instagram activity suggests relationship troubles between the collaborators. (PC: X)

Indian spinner Varun Chakravarthy brought humor to India's Asia Cup 2025 victory by posting Instagram images of himself with a coffee mug as a trophy substitute. The posts showed him mimicking athletes' celebratory poses, clutching the mug in bed and presenting close-up shots. This viral gesture referenced the missing official trophy after India refused to accept it from ACC president and PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi during the presentation ceremony. India won their ninth Asia Cup title with a five-wicket victory over Pakistan in Dubai. Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav's spin bowling dismantled Pakistan for 146, before Tilak Varma's unbeaten 69 guided India's chase, completing the triumph without official silverware.

Pakistan Cricket Board Chief Mohsin Naqvi criticized India after their Asia Cup final defeat, claiming India "disgraced the spirit of the game." This followed PM Modi's congratulatory post referencing "Operation Sindoor," prompting Naqvi to respond that dragging war into sports showed desperation. India won the Asia Cup final by five wickets in Dubai on Sunday. Post-match drama ensued when the presentation was delayed 90 minutes. Indian players refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi, who serves as Pakistan's Interior Minister. Naqvi subsequently walked away with the trophy and medals, while Indian players posed with an imaginary trophy. Indian fans booed Naqvi and Pakistani players throughout the ceremony. (PC: Reuters & News 18)

Iran executed Bahman Choubi-asl on Monday, identified as one of Israel's most significant spies within the country. Authorities claim he worked for Mossad, attempting to breach Iranian data centers and obtain government databases. The Supreme Court upheld his death sentence on "corruption on earth" charges. This execution follows a pattern of increased crackdowns, with at least 10 similar executions in recent months. Earlier in September, Babak Shahbazi was hanged for espionage, having allegedly passed military and security intelligence to Mossad. In August, Roozbeh Vadi, an Atomic Energy Organisation employee, was executed for leaking nuclear facility information. These executions reflect heightened tensions since June's direct Israel-Iran confrontations involving Mossad operations inside Iranian territory. (PC: Al Jazeera)

India beat Pakistan to lift the Asia Cup 2025 but refused to take the trophy from Pakistan Cricket Board chief Mohsin Naqvi. The Indian players stood firm after recent cross-border tensions, rejecting Naqvi’s role in the ceremony. Naqvi then walked away with the trophy, sparking anger from fans and BCCI. Yet India celebrated with full spirit. Captain Suryakumar Yadav said his team and staff are the “real trophies.” Players danced, laughed, and shared fun moments online, proving no act could steal their joy. BCCI confirmed it will protest against Naqvi’s actions at the ICC conference.