Election Commission of India will hold a crucial meeting on September 10 with state chief electoral officers to discuss preparedness for nationwide Special Intensive Revision of voters' lists. This marks the third meeting under Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar since February. The pan-India SIR aims to weed out foreign illegal migrants by verifying place of birth through house-to-house verification and additional declaration forms. Voters must prove Indian birth before July 1987 or between 1987-2004, providing birth documents and parental information. The timing is significant ahead of assembly elections in West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry. The initiative follows Bihar's controversial SIR, where opposition parties claimed eligible citizens could lose voting rights due to documentation requirements and ongoing crackdowns on illegal migrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar. (PC: NDTV)

Noida Cyber Police arrested Abhinav Tyagi, a former private firm employee from Moradabad residing in Greater Noida's Bisrakh area, for creating fake GST invoices worth Rs 10 crore to fraudulently claim Rs 1.8 crore input tax credit. Working in the company's accounts section, Tyagi handled GST and tax-return portal filings and allegedly colluded with an accomplice to execute the fraud. Police seized four mobile phones, eight SIM cards, laptop, car, GST documents, and rent agreement from the accused. An FIR was registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Information Technology Act provisions. Tyagi was produced in court and sent to jail while police continue efforts to arrest his accomplice. Additional DCP Shavya Goyal confirmed the Saturday arrest details. (PC: India Lawyers)

India demolished China 7-0 in a dominant performance to reach the Asia Cup 2025 hockey final against Korea in Rajgir. Abhishek scored twice while Shilanand Lakra, Dilpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh, and Rajkumar Pal added goals. India started aggressively, unlike previous matches, taking early control through Lakra's 4th-minute opener. The hosts made 12 circle penetrations by the 20th minute while China managed none. Coach Fulton will be pleased with contributions from 11 different goalscorers throughout the tournament. Korea reached the final after a stunning 4-3 comeback victory over Malaysia, overturning a 1-3 deficit. Hyeonhong Kim scored twice for the defending champions. In the playoff, Kazakhstan finished seventh by defeating Chinese Taipei 6-4 in a ten-goal thriller. (PC: Hockey India)

Noida Police arrested a man named Ashwini from Bihar who threatened to bomb Mumbai during Ganesh Chaturdashi celebrations. The accused, living in Noida for five years, was caught in Sector-113 and handed over to Mumbai Police. He sent threats via Mumbai Police's official WhatsApp, claiming 34 "human bombs" were planted in vehicles across the city using 400kg RDX that would kill one crore people. The caller falsely identified as a member of Pakistan-based "Lashkar-e-Jihadi" group, alleging 14 terrorists had entered Mumbai. Police recovered his mobile phone and enhanced security statewide. The man initially described himself as an astrologer. The threat coincided with ongoing Ganesh Chaturthi festivities, concluding with today's Ganesh Visarjan ceremony. (PC: Hindustan Times)

Ukrainian President Zelensky firmly rejected Putin's invitation to Moscow for peace talks, calling Russia's capital a "terrorist's capital." Speaking to ABC News at a missile-damaged American manufacturing plant, Zelensky countered that Putin should come to Kyiv instead. Putin had earlier said he was "never against" meeting Zelensky and invited him to Moscow. Zelensky dismissed this as a stalling tactic, saying Putin is "playing games with the United States" and trying to postpone meetings. The exchange comes as Trump seeks to mediate a settlement, proposing trilateral summits. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sybiha noted several countries including Austria, Switzerland, and Turkey are ready to host peace talks, while German Chancellor Merz called a Putin-Zelensky meeting unlikely. (PC: X)

BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia defended India's scheduled Asia Cup clash against Pakistan on September 14 in Dubai, amid public outrage following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 tourists. Saikia cited government policy allowing participation in multinational tournaments with non-friendly countries while maintaining bilateral engagement bans. He emphasized that India must comply with ICC commitments for multinational events to avoid sanctions affecting all sports. Saikia warned that boycotting could impact athletes like Neeraj Chopra across disciplines if global sporting bodies imposed restrictions. The BCCI follows central government guidelines distinguishing between mandatory multinational participation and prohibited bilateral contests. Former cricketers and fans had called for boycotting the Pakistan match, but official policy permits such fixtures under international tournament frameworks. (PC: BCCI)

PM Modi and French President Macron had a "very good conversation" discussing bilateral cooperation and global issues, focusing on efforts to end the Ukraine war early. Modi praised progress in India-France ties across defense, technology, and space sectors, reaffirming their strategic partnership under the Horizon 2047 Roadmap. Macron accepted Modi's invitation to India's AI Impact Summit in February 2026. The discussion comes as Macron announced 26 nations pledged Ukraine security guarantees in case of ceasefire, though Trump hasn't committed US support. Meanwhile, Putin warned any foreign troops in Ukraine would be "legitimate targets" and rejected peacekeeping forces, demanding legally binding security guarantees for both Russia and Ukraine in any settlement. (PC: Wikipedia)

External Affairs Minister Jaishankar said PM Modi values the India-US partnership very much. He told reporters that Modi has a good relationship with President Trump but didn't share more details. Trump called India-US ties "very special" and said he and Modi are friends, but he criticized India for buying oil from Russia and put 50% taxes on Indian goods. Modi replied positively, calling the relationship "forward-looking." India's foreign ministry said the partnership is based on shared values and strong people connections. The relationship has survived many changes and focuses on mutual respect, even when there are disagreements. Both countries remain committed to working together despite some tensions over trade and policy differences. (PC: MSN & The Financial Express)

Canada's Finance Department has officially acknowledged for the first time that Khalistani extremist groups operate on Canadian soil and receive financial support through its 2025 Assessment of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risks report. The report classifies Khalistani groups including Babbar Khalsa International and International Sikh Youth Federation as terrorist entities under politically motivated violent extremism. These groups historically maintained extensive fundraising networks through diaspora communities, non-profit organizations, criminal activities, and cryptocurrency abuse. The admission validates India's longstanding concerns about anti-India activities that have strained bilateral relations. Tensions escalated after former PM Justin Trudeau accused India of involvement in Hardeep Singh Nijjar's murder. Relations may improve under new PM Mark Carney, who pledged to address India's concerns, though decisive action remains pending. (PC: Telegraph India)

During the Daslakshan Mahaparv, a 10-day Jain religious festival held at the 15 August Park inside Delhi’s Red Fort, a thief disguised as a Jain priest stole two ornate golden kalash (ritual urns) and other valuables worth approximately ₹1.5 crore . The stolen items included a large gold “jhari” (urn) and a gold coconut weighing around 760 grams, as well as a smaller jhari of 115 grams, studded with diamonds, emeralds, and rubies . The theft, captured on CCTV, took place when organizers were preoccupied with welcoming dignitaries, including Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, and the valuables went missing from the stage mid-program . Businessman Sudhir Jain, who brings these sacred items daily for rituals, lamented the loss and emphasized their sentimental value . Police have identified a suspect and are pursuing an arrest as the investigation continues.