States

NPCI clarified that GST on UPI Merchant Discount Rate will not burden most small merchants, as transactions up to Rs 2,000 remain MDR-free. It said over 96 per cent of UPI merchant transactions fall below this threshold, while P2P payments remain free

Comedian Pulkit Mani announced the cancellation of his upcoming shows in Noida, Lucknow and Kanpur, citing unforeseen circumstances and repeated threats from activists. The cancellations follow controversy over his mimicry of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an event alongside Rahul Gandhi

The CRPF will commemorate the 40th anniversary of its first all-women battalion on September 25 in New Delhi. The force, which now has six women-only battalions and over 10,000 women personnel, will felicitate serving and veteran women personnel

The Supreme Court sought the Centre’s response to Carnatic vocalist TM Krishna’s plea challenging penal provisions mandating singing six stanzas of Vande Mataram. The bench said its national song status is undisputed but may examine penal consequences under fundamental rights

On World Rhino Day, Assam highlighted progress in greater one-horned rhino conservation, with nearly 80 per cent of the global population in the state and zero known poaching incidents in 2025. Kaziranga remains the species’ largest single population globally

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay launched the expanded breakfast scheme for Classes VI to VIII, benefiting 15.30 lakh additional students across 15,454 government and aided schools. The expansion received Rs 217.63 crore additional funding, taking the programme’s total budget to Rs 724 crore

Three rusted landmines were recovered and safely destroyed by Army personnel in Mendhar sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday. The mines were found near Dharana Basoni village and disposed of by a bomb disposal team without causing damage

BSP chief Mayawati criticised the Samajwadi Party’s ‘PDA Chariot’ ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, questioning its colour scheme and electoral strategy. She also accused the SP of shifting positions on social groups and highlighted BSP’s Ambedkarite ideology

Security was tightened across Srinagar as the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly’s autumn session began on Monday. Authorities introduced vehicle entry and parking restrictions around the Civil Secretariat and Assembly complex. The session will run until September 30 with seven sittings

Newly appointed CEO Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra (Retd) is set to assume full charge of Ram Temple administration in Ayodhya on Monday. His appointment follows allegations involving theft of devotees’ offerings, with the trust seeking stronger oversight of temple operations

West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla is likely to meet Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari soon to discuss industrial development and fresh investments. Bhattacharya said the group was urged to expand its presence in Bengal

  AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said his party is open to alliances with groups seeking to prevent the BJP from returning to power in Uttar Pradesh. He said AIMIM will announce any alliance after October 2 and urged stronger Muslim political representation 

Jammu and Kashmir Police arrested a 24-year-old truck driver in Kathua for allegedly using a SIM-enabled CCTV camera to monitor Army personnel and military convoys and share live footage with Pakistani intelligence handlers. Investigators are probing his contacts, payments and surveillance network

A fire partially damaged the helipad terminal at Katra in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district early Sunday. The blaze was quickly controlled, with no casualties reported. Officials suspect a short circuit and have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause 

Unidentified miscreants on motorbikes allegedly vandalised CPI-M offices across six wards in south Kolkata’s Jadavpur area and attacked the house and office of former TMC MLA Debrabrata Majumdar. CPI-M and TMC questioned police response, while allegations were made against BJP 

  The Tamil Nadu Forest Department intensified surveillance in Kannamoochi village near Mettur after suspected leopard attacks killed more than 10 goats, two calves and several dogs. Officials installed cages and camera traps, increased patrols and advised villagers to remain vigilant near forest boundaries 

SEMICON India 2026 brought together over 600 exhibitors, 300 international companies and participants from 52 countries, featuring 56 MoUs and strategic initiatives. The three-day event showcased India’s growing semiconductor ecosystem, commercial production, global partnerships, startups, skilling and the transition to Semicon 2.0

West Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh criticised the Trinamool Congress amid the Election Commission’s interim freeze on its name and symbol, alleging internal divisions had weakened the party. He also commented on court-ordered investigations, women’s safety, Syama Prasad Mukherjee and India’s oil policy

A birthday celebration turned fatal in Jammu after a dispute over cake-smearing allegedly led the birthday boy to attack his friend with a sharp-edged weapon, police said. The victim died at GMC Jammu, while police arrested the accused and his brother

The Election Commission froze the Trinamool Congress name and grass-flower symbol amid a dispute between Mamata Banerjee-Abhishek Banerjee and Ritabrata Banerjee factions. Both groups must submit three alternative names and symbols by Friday morning to contest upcoming Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls

Malayalam news channel MD Anto Augustine was arrested by Kerala Excise officials after 67 litres of liquor was allegedly recovered from his ancestral house in Wayanad. The arrest followed an SIT probe into irregularities surrounding a failed Lionel Messi football event

India reaffirmed its commitment to energy security after the US Congress passed legislation allowing tariffs of up to 100 per cent on goods from major Russian energy buyers. The MEA said India would diversify sourcing and protect its trade and economic interests 

The Odisha government has rejected the remission plea of Ravindra Pal alias Dara Singh, serving a life sentence for the 1999 murder of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons. The Supreme Court allowed him two weeks to amend his petition 

Satish Salian, father of late Disha Salian, has sent a Rs 500-crore defamation notice to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and former minister Anil Deshmukh. He sought apologies, retractions and compensation over alleged defamatory statements concerning his daughter’s case