US-Russia sanctions bill could impact India
India-United States ties could face renewed pressure as American lawmakers consider legislation allowing President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on countries buying Russian energy.
The bill cleared a House procedural vote on Sept 16 and awaits a final vote, reported India Today.
India, a major Russian oil buyer, could be affected, although Washington removed an earlier Russia-related tariff on Indian imports in February.
Nearly five million hit by Bihar floods
Nearly five million people have been affected by severe flooding in Bihar following heavy rain, officials said on Sept 15.
All seven major rivers in the flood-prone state were flowing above danger levels, reported Reuters.
Authorities are distributing food, drinking water and medicines, while Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said Rs7,000 (S$100) each had been transferred to more than 827,000 affected families.
Two women killed in fresh Manipur violence
Two women were killed near their home in Manipur’s Tamenglong district, taking the civilian death toll from three weeks of renewed ethnic violence to 10, police said.
Authorities believe the attack was linked to recent clashes involving Naga and Kuki groups, reported NDTV.
More than 250 people have been killed in ethnic violence in Manipur since fighting between Meitei and Kuki communities erupted in 2023.
India, Pakistan trade blame over naval collision
India and Pakistan summoned each other’s diplomats after naval vessels from the two countries collided in the Arabian Sea on Sept 15, reported Reuters.
India said a Pakistani ship approached its warship at high speed and manoeuvred unsafely in international waters. Pakistan accused the Indian vessel of aggressive manoeuvres near its ship during a naval exercise.
New Delhi said the collision caused no major damage.
India exports hilsa to Bangladesh as trade flow reverses
India has exported about 500 tonnes of hilsa to Bangladesh over the past two months, reversing the traditional flow of the prized fish between the neighbours.
Traders said another 150 to 200 tonnes could follow amid lower hilsa production in Bangladesh, reported NDTV.
Most supplies are coming from Gujarat, where roe-rich hilsa has limited local demand but is particularly popular among buyers in Chattogram and Sylhet.
Meta to report child safety cases directly
Meta will begin reporting child safety cases directly to Indian authorities following a BBC investigation into paid advertisements promoting child sexual abuse material on Instagram.
The Indian government subsequently ordered Meta to remove such advertisements and content.
Meta said cases would now be reported directly to the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal managed by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre under the Home Ministry.
Google faces questions over 500,000 fake Gmail accounts
Gujarat police plan to question Google after uncovering more than 500,000 fake Gmail accounts allegedly used to send hoax bomb threats to government offices, reported Reuters.
Two people were arrested after investigators discovered 513,847 Gmail IDs and passwords reportedly used since 2022.
Police described the scale as unprecedented and said they would ask Google to strengthen safeguards to prevent existing protections from being bypassed.
Bag mix-up leads to explosives discovery
A passenger who accidentally picked up the wrong bag at Vijayawada’s Pandit Nehru Bus Station discovered nearly 5kg of explosives inside, reported NDTV.
The Andhra Pradesh Police said the bag contained about 46 gelatin sticks and 50 electronic detonators. The passenger immediately alerted authorities.
Investigators suspect the explosives may have been intended for a stone quarry and are examining CCTV footage and passenger records to identify the owner.
Karnataka MLA’s niece removed from medical post
A Karnataka Congress MLA’s niece has been removed as a medical officer at a government-run Namma Clinic after allegedly drawing a monthly salary exceeding Rs70,000 while pursuing postgraduate studies.
Dr Ankita Yaragal, niece of Bagalkot MLA Umesh Meti, had reportedly been absent since March.
Authorities have launched an inquiry and said salary paid during any unauthorised dual engagement could be recovered, reported NDTV.
Court reinstates judge who resigned over son’s care
The Orissa High Court has ordered the reinstatement of judicial officer Ipsita Mohanty, ruling that her 2022 resignation was not voluntary but made under duress.
Ms Ipsita had unsuccessfully sought a transfer to Bhubaneswar so her 15-year-old son, who has severe autism and neurological conditions, could receive specialised treatment, reported the Hindustan Times.
The court ordered her restoration with continuity of service.
70% of urban Indians want early retirement
Seven in 10 urban Indians would prefer to retire before the traditional age of 58 to 60 if financially secure, according to an Axis Max Life Insurance study covering 4,134 households.
Half of those seeking early retirement want to stop working before 50. However, only 11 per cent believe their retirement savings would last a lifetime, highlighting a significant preparedness gap.
Aaditya Thackeray denies link to Disha Salian case
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray has denied any connection with celebrity manager Disha Salian following a fresh Central Bureau of Investigation First Information Report relating to her 2020 death, reported the Hindustan Times.
Mr Thackeray said he had “never met or known” Ms Disha and described attempts to link him to the case as character assassination.
The FIR followed a complaint by Ms Disha’s father alleging she was murdered and the crime covered up.
