Latest News India and World LIVE: Modi speaks to Flydubai pilot, Tennessee botched execution and more

Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya congratulated boxer Lovlina Borgohain and archers Dhiraj Bommadevara and Kumkum Anil Mohod after their medal wins at the Asian Games 2026.
Lovlina clinched gold in the women’s 75kg boxing final on her 29th birthday, defeating China’s Bao Ziyi 5-0. The victory gave India its first-ever gold medal in the category.
Mandaviya congratulated Lovlina in a post on X, calling it a historic achievement and saying the nation was proud of her. He also praised Dhiraj and Kumkum for winning India’s first-ever silver in the recurve mixed team event.
Lovlina secured a unanimous victory with effective counter-punching against Bao, who pressed forward throughout the bout. Meanwhile, the Indian archery pair fought back after losing the first two sets but eventually went down 3-5 to China in the final.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated India’s recurve archers after the women’s team won gold and the mixed team secured silver at the Asian Games 2026 on Friday.
Kumkum Mohod, Ankita Bhakat and Kirti Sharma defeated South Korea 5-3 in the women’s recurve team final, earning India its first-ever medal in the event at the continental showpiece. Modi said the victory would inspire young archers across the country.
In the mixed team final, Dhiraj Bommadevara and Kumkum Anil Mohod lost 3-5 to China’s Zhu Jingyi and Li Mengqi, settling for silver. The result also meant India missed the automatic Los Angeles 2028 Olympic qualification quota linked to the event, which went to China.
The women’s final saw 17-year-old Kumkum deliver crucial 10s in the closing stages to help seal the historic win.

The government has extended the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) scheme by three months until December 31, 2026, keeping existing rates and value caps unchanged.
The extension covers exports by Domestic Tariff Area units, Advance Authorisation holders, Special Economic Zone (SEZ) units and Export Oriented Units (EOUs), the Department of Commerce said.
The scheme reimburses exporters for embedded central, state and local duties, taxes and levies that are not refunded through other mechanisms. The extension comes amid uncertain global demand, higher logistics costs and geopolitical disruptions.
Operational since January 2021, RoDTEP covers more than 10,700 tariff lines. Government data showed cumulative disbursements had crossed Rs 57,976 crore by March 31, 2025. The latest extension follows its continuation from April 1 to September 30, 2026.

Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot who was stabbed by his co-pilot during a Flydubai flight but, despite that, saved 180 lives with his bravery, is recovering well at a hospital in Abu Dhabi and remains in good spirits. The health update came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Machchhar and heard him recount his experience during the horrific cockpit attack. According to a health update shared previously by India's Ambassador to the UAE, Deepak Mittal, who met the captain and his family at the hospital, Machchhar remains in good spirits. “He was talking, he was chatting, a bit of discomfort, but I think he's under good medical care here in the UAE,” Mittal told Prasar Bharati.

Read more here

Ministers, climate negotiators and leaders are due to meet in Fiji from October 5 to 8 for Pacific climate talks ahead of the UN-backed COP31 summit in Turkey in November.
Pacific nations are urging countries to uphold the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C, expand climate finance and address the impact of rising seas on island communities.
Delegates will also visit Tuvalu, where rising sea levels threaten low-lying land and infrastructure. A UN report cited in the briefing estimates developing countries need $310 billion to $365 billion annually for climate adaptation, while available funding stood at $26 billion in 2023.
Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo said: "Sea-level rise is not a future threat, it is a present reality."

Taiwan received its first two US-made F-16V fighter jets on Friday as it upgrades its air force amid tensions with China. The aircraft are part of an $8 billion deal for 66 jets approved during US President Donald Trump’s first term.
The fighters landed at an air force base in Taitung after earlier delivery delays. Taiwan’s defence minister said more aircraft would arrive before the end of the year, without specifying how many.
Taipei is also awaiting US approval for a separate $14 billion arms package, which Trump has paused amid Chinese objections. The proposed package includes the Patriot air defence system.

Two major bridges in Kyiv were closed or restricted on Friday after Russian drone strikes damaged the Southern Bridge, Ukrainian authorities said.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the Southern Bridge, which connects the city’s east and west across the Dnipro river, was "completely closed" in both directions. The Paton Bridge was restricted to one-way traffic, though there were no reports it had been hit.
The Southern Bridge was struck twice, according to the mayor, prompting structural checks and traffic disruption. Separately, a strike on a residential building in the Darnytsky district killed one person and wounded at least two, emergency services said.

Israel’s flag carrier El Al cancelled two planned repatriation flights from Dubai on Friday after Emirati authorities did not grant landing permission. The flights were intended to bring Israelis home following flydubai’s suspension of services to Tel Aviv after an alleged in-flight attack.
"As soon as approval is received from the authorities, we are prepared to carry out the special flights to Dubai and return the Israelis home as soon as possible," El Al said.
The airline said its regular Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flights remain scheduled from Sunday, but seats are fully booked into the coming week. The cancellations come during the busy Sukkot holiday travel period.

Starbucks opened its first two stores this week in ​Xinjiang's capital, Urumqi, including one at the city centre's grand bazaar ​and a second at its international airport. John Moolenaar, chairman of the ⁠Select Committee on China of the House of Representatives, called on Starbucks ​to "immediately reverse course and close its stores."

Members of SFI and DYFI protest against the Election Commission and SIR exercise at Jantar Mantar in Delhi; AAP leaders are also protesting in Central Delhi, raising the issue of SIR.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://x.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Delhi | As CPI(M), SFI and DYFI protest against the Election Commission near Jantar Mantar, CPI(M) General Secretary MA Baby says, &quot;Gyanesh Kumar should be arrested for the criminal activity of cutting people&#39;s votes.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/hYxKybZYjc">pic.twitter.com/hYxKybZYjc</a></p>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://x.com/ANI/status/2105904512259277080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

In January 2026 US captured former Venezuela president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores and took them home to face federal narco-terrorism and drug-trafficking charges. The US attack on Venezuela capital Caracas and the capture of Maduro was not an instantaneous plan by President Donald Trump and the US state machinery, but involved months of planning. In fact Trump had a secret meeting with Elon Musk, about seven months after the Tesla chief left his role in the Trump administration at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

READ MORE

PM Modi spoke with Captain Smit Machchhar through a video call and praised his courage, presence of mind and composure. PM said the entire country is praying for Smit.

Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya congratulated boxer Lovlina Borgohain and archers Dhiraj Bommadevara and Kumkum Anil Mohod after their medal wins at the Asian Games 2026.
Lovlina clinched gold in the women’s 75kg boxing final on her 29th birthday, defeating China’s Bao Ziyi 5-0. The victory gave India its first-ever gold medal in the category.
Mandaviya congratulated Lovlina in a post on X, calling it a historic achievement and saying the nation was proud of her. He also praised Dhiraj and Kumkum for winning India’s first-ever silver in the recurve mixed team event.
Lovlina secured a unanimous victory with effective counter-punching against Bao, who pressed forward throughout the bout. Meanwhile, the Indian archery pair fought back after losing the first two sets but eventually went down 3-5 to China in the final.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated India’s recurve archers after the women’s team won gold and the mixed team secured silver at the Asian Games 2026 on Friday.
Kumkum Mohod, Ankita Bhakat and Kirti Sharma defeated South Korea 5-3 in the women’s recurve team final, earning India its first-ever medal in the event at the continental showpiece. Modi said the victory would inspire young archers across the country.
In the mixed team final, Dhiraj Bommadevara and Kumkum Anil Mohod lost 3-5 to China’s Zhu Jingyi and Li Mengqi, settling for silver. The result also meant India missed the automatic Los Angeles 2028 Olympic qualification quota linked to the event, which went to China.
The women’s final saw 17-year-old Kumkum deliver crucial 10s in the closing stages to help seal the historic win.

The government has extended the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) scheme by three months until December 31, 2026, keeping existing rates and value caps unchanged.
The extension covers exports by Domestic Tariff Area units, Advance Authorisation holders, Special Economic Zone (SEZ) units and Export Oriented Units (EOUs), the Department of Commerce said.
The scheme reimburses exporters for embedded central, state and local duties, taxes and levies that are not refunded through other mechanisms. The extension comes amid uncertain global demand, higher logistics costs and geopolitical disruptions.
Operational since January 2021, RoDTEP covers more than 10,700 tariff lines. Government data showed cumulative disbursements had crossed Rs 57,976 crore by March 31, 2025. The latest extension follows its continuation from April 1 to September 30, 2026.

Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot who was stabbed by his co-pilot during a Flydubai flight but, despite that, saved 180 lives with his bravery, is recovering well at a hospital in Abu Dhabi and remains in good spirits. The health update came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Machchhar and heard him recount his experience during the horrific cockpit attack. According to a health update shared previously by India's Ambassador to the UAE, Deepak Mittal, who met the captain and his family at the hospital, Machchhar remains in good spirits. “He was talking, he was chatting, a bit of discomfort, but I think he's under good medical care here in the UAE,” Mittal told Prasar Bharati.

Read more here

Ministers, climate negotiators and leaders are due to meet in Fiji from October 5 to 8 for Pacific climate talks ahead of the UN-backed COP31 summit in Turkey in November.
Pacific nations are urging countries to uphold the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C, expand climate finance and address the impact of rising seas on island communities.
Delegates will also visit Tuvalu, where rising sea levels threaten low-lying land and infrastructure. A UN report cited in the briefing estimates developing countries need $310 billion to $365 billion annually for climate adaptation, while available funding stood at $26 billion in 2023.
Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo said: "Sea-level rise is not a future threat, it is a present reality."

Taiwan received its first two US-made F-16V fighter jets on Friday as it upgrades its air force amid tensions with China. The aircraft are part of an $8 billion deal for 66 jets approved during US President Donald Trump’s first term.
The fighters landed at an air force base in Taitung after earlier delivery delays. Taiwan’s defence minister said more aircraft would arrive before the end of the year, without specifying how many.
Taipei is also awaiting US approval for a separate $14 billion arms package, which Trump has paused amid Chinese objections. The proposed package includes the Patriot air defence system.

Two major bridges in Kyiv were closed or restricted on Friday after Russian drone strikes damaged the Southern Bridge, Ukrainian authorities said.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the Southern Bridge, which connects the city’s east and west across the Dnipro river, was "completely closed" in both directions. The Paton Bridge was restricted to one-way traffic, though there were no reports it had been hit.
The Southern Bridge was struck twice, according to the mayor, prompting structural checks and traffic disruption. Separately, a strike on a residential building in the Darnytsky district killed one person and wounded at least two, emergency services said.

Israel’s flag carrier El Al cancelled two planned repatriation flights from Dubai on Friday after Emirati authorities did not grant landing permission. The flights were intended to bring Israelis home following flydubai’s suspension of services to Tel Aviv after an alleged in-flight attack.
"As soon as approval is received from the authorities, we are prepared to carry out the special flights to Dubai and return the Israelis home as soon as possible," El Al said.
The airline said its regular Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flights remain scheduled from Sunday, but seats are fully booked into the coming week. The cancellations come during the busy Sukkot holiday travel period.

Starbucks opened its first two stores this week in ​Xinjiang's capital, Urumqi, including one at the city centre's grand bazaar ​and a second at its international airport. John Moolenaar, chairman of the ⁠Select Committee on China of the House of Representatives, called on Starbucks ​to "immediately reverse course and close its stores."

Members of SFI and DYFI protest against the Election Commission and SIR exercise at Jantar Mantar in Delhi; AAP leaders are also protesting in Central Delhi, raising the issue of SIR.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://x.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Delhi | As CPI(M), SFI and DYFI protest against the Election Commission near Jantar Mantar, CPI(M) General Secretary MA Baby says, &quot;Gyanesh Kumar should be arrested for the criminal activity of cutting people&#39;s votes.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/hYxKybZYjc">pic.twitter.com/hYxKybZYjc</a></p>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://x.com/ANI/status/2105904512259277080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

In January 2026 US captured former Venezuela president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores and took them home to face federal narco-terrorism and drug-trafficking charges. The US attack on Venezuela capital Caracas and the capture of Maduro was not an instantaneous plan by President Donald Trump and the US state machinery, but involved months of planning. In fact Trump had a secret meeting with Elon Musk, about seven months after the Tesla chief left his role in the Trump administration at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

READ MORE

PM Modi spoke with Captain Smit Machchhar through a video call and praised his courage, presence of mind and composure. PM said the entire country is praying for Smit.

Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya congratulated boxer Lovlina Borgohain and archers Dhiraj Bommadevara and Kumkum Anil Mohod after their medal wins at the Asian Games 2026.
Lovlina clinched gold in the women’s 75kg boxing final on her 29th birthday, defeating China’s Bao Ziyi 5-0. The victory gave India its first-ever gold medal in the category.
Mandaviya congratulated Lovlina in a post on X, calling it a historic achievement and saying the nation was proud of her. He also praised Dhiraj and Kumkum for winning India’s first-ever silver in the recurve mixed team event.
Lovlina secured a unanimous victory with effective counter-punching against Bao, who pressed forward throughout the bout. Meanwhile, the Indian archery pair fought back after losing the first two sets but eventually went down 3-5 to China in the final.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated India’s recurve archers after the women’s team won gold and the mixed team secured silver at the Asian Games 2026 on Friday.
Kumkum Mohod, Ankita Bhakat and Kirti Sharma defeated South Korea 5-3 in the women’s recurve team final, earning India its first-ever medal in the event at the continental showpiece. Modi said the victory would inspire young archers across the country.
In the mixed team final, Dhiraj Bommadevara and Kumkum Anil Mohod lost 3-5 to China’s Zhu Jingyi and Li Mengqi, settling for silver. The result also meant India missed the automatic Los Angeles 2028 Olympic qualification quota linked to the event, which went to China.
The women’s final saw 17-year-old Kumkum deliver crucial 10s in the closing stages to help seal the historic win.

The government has extended the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) scheme by three months until December 31, 2026, keeping existing rates and value caps unchanged.
The extension covers exports by Domestic Tariff Area units, Advance Authorisation holders, Special Economic Zone (SEZ) units and Export Oriented Units (EOUs), the Department of Commerce said.
The scheme reimburses exporters for embedded central, state and local duties, taxes and levies that are not refunded through other mechanisms. The extension comes amid uncertain global demand, higher logistics costs and geopolitical disruptions.
Operational since January 2021, RoDTEP covers more than 10,700 tariff lines. Government data showed cumulative disbursements had crossed Rs 57,976 crore by March 31, 2025. The latest extension follows its continuation from April 1 to September 30, 2026.

Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot who was stabbed by his co-pilot during a Flydubai flight but, despite that, saved 180 lives with his bravery, is recovering well at a hospital in Abu Dhabi and remains in good spirits. The health update came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Machchhar and heard him recount his experience during the horrific cockpit attack. According to a health update shared previously by India's Ambassador to the UAE, Deepak Mittal, who met the captain and his family at the hospital, Machchhar remains in good spirits. “He was talking, he was chatting, a bit of discomfort, but I think he's under good medical care here in the UAE,” Mittal told Prasar Bharati.

Read more here

Ministers, climate negotiators and leaders are due to meet in Fiji from October 5 to 8 for Pacific climate talks ahead of the UN-backed COP31 summit in Turkey in November.
Pacific nations are urging countries to uphold the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C, expand climate finance and address the impact of rising seas on island communities.
Delegates will also visit Tuvalu, where rising sea levels threaten low-lying land and infrastructure. A UN report cited in the briefing estimates developing countries need $310 billion to $365 billion annually for climate adaptation, while available funding stood at $26 billion in 2023.
Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo said: "Sea-level rise is not a future threat, it is a present reality."

Taiwan received its first two US-made F-16V fighter jets on Friday as it upgrades its air force amid tensions with China. The aircraft are part of an $8 billion deal for 66 jets approved during US President Donald Trump’s first term.
The fighters landed at an air force base in Taitung after earlier delivery delays. Taiwan’s defence minister said more aircraft would arrive before the end of the year, without specifying how many.
Taipei is also awaiting US approval for a separate $14 billion arms package, which Trump has paused amid Chinese objections. The proposed package includes the Patriot air defence system.

Two major bridges in Kyiv were closed or restricted on Friday after Russian drone strikes damaged the Southern Bridge, Ukrainian authorities said.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the Southern Bridge, which connects the city’s east and west across the Dnipro river, was "completely closed" in both directions. The Paton Bridge was restricted to one-way traffic, though there were no reports it had been hit.
The Southern Bridge was struck twice, according to the mayor, prompting structural checks and traffic disruption. Separately, a strike on a residential building in the Darnytsky district killed one person and wounded at least two, emergency services said.

Israel’s flag carrier El Al cancelled two planned repatriation flights from Dubai on Friday after Emirati authorities did not grant landing permission. The flights were intended to bring Israelis home following flydubai’s suspension of services to Tel Aviv after an alleged in-flight attack.
"As soon as approval is received from the authorities, we are prepared to carry out the special flights to Dubai and return the Israelis home as soon as possible," El Al said.
The airline said its regular Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flights remain scheduled from Sunday, but seats are fully booked into the coming week. The cancellations come during the busy Sukkot holiday travel period.

Starbucks opened its first two stores this week in ​Xinjiang's capital, Urumqi, including one at the city centre's grand bazaar ​and a second at its international airport. John Moolenaar, chairman of the ⁠Select Committee on China of the House of Representatives, called on Starbucks ​to "immediately reverse course and close its stores."

Members of SFI and DYFI protest against the Election Commission and SIR exercise at Jantar Mantar in Delhi; AAP leaders are also protesting in Central Delhi, raising the issue of SIR.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://x.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Delhi | As CPI(M), SFI and DYFI protest against the Election Commission near Jantar Mantar, CPI(M) General Secretary MA Baby says, &quot;Gyanesh Kumar should be arrested for the criminal activity of cutting people&#39;s votes.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/hYxKybZYjc">pic.twitter.com/hYxKybZYjc</a></p>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://x.com/ANI/status/2105904512259277080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

In January 2026 US captured former Venezuela president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores and took them home to face federal narco-terrorism and drug-trafficking charges. The US attack on Venezuela capital Caracas and the capture of Maduro was not an instantaneous plan by President Donald Trump and the US state machinery, but involved months of planning. In fact Trump had a secret meeting with Elon Musk, about seven months after the Tesla chief left his role in the Trump administration at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

READ MORE

PM Modi spoke with Captain Smit Machchhar through a video call and praised his courage, presence of mind and composure. PM said the entire country is praying for Smit.

Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya congratulated boxer Lovlina Borgohain and archers Dhiraj Bommadevara and Kumkum Anil Mohod after their medal wins at the Asian Games 2026.
Lovlina clinched gold in the women’s 75kg boxing final on her 29th birthday, defeating China’s Bao Ziyi 5-0. The victory gave India its first-ever gold medal in the category.
Mandaviya congratulated Lovlina in a post on X, calling it a historic achievement and saying the nation was proud of her. He also praised Dhiraj and Kumkum for winning India’s first-ever silver in the recurve mixed team event.
Lovlina secured a unanimous victory with effective counter-punching against Bao, who pressed forward throughout the bout. Meanwhile, the Indian archery pair fought back after losing the first two sets but eventually went down 3-5 to China in the final.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated India’s recurve archers after the women’s team won gold and the mixed team secured silver at the Asian Games 2026 on Friday.
Kumkum Mohod, Ankita Bhakat and Kirti Sharma defeated South Korea 5-3 in the women’s recurve team final, earning India its first-ever medal in the event at the continental showpiece. Modi said the victory would inspire young archers across the country.
In the mixed team final, Dhiraj Bommadevara and Kumkum Anil Mohod lost 3-5 to China’s Zhu Jingyi and Li Mengqi, settling for silver. The result also meant India missed the automatic Los Angeles 2028 Olympic qualification quota linked to the event, which went to China.
The women’s final saw 17-year-old Kumkum deliver crucial 10s in the closing stages to help seal the historic win.

The government has extended the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) scheme by three months until December 31, 2026, keeping existing rates and value caps unchanged.
The extension covers exports by Domestic Tariff Area units, Advance Authorisation holders, Special Economic Zone (SEZ) units and Export Oriented Units (EOUs), the Department of Commerce said.
The scheme reimburses exporters for embedded central, state and local duties, taxes and levies that are not refunded through other mechanisms. The extension comes amid uncertain global demand, higher logistics costs and geopolitical disruptions.
Operational since January 2021, RoDTEP covers more than 10,700 tariff lines. Government data showed cumulative disbursements had crossed Rs 57,976 crore by March 31, 2025. The latest extension follows its continuation from April 1 to September 30, 2026.

Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot who was stabbed by his co-pilot during a Flydubai flight but, despite that, saved 180 lives with his bravery, is recovering well at a hospital in Abu Dhabi and remains in good spirits. The health update came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Machchhar and heard him recount his experience during the horrific cockpit attack. According to a health update shared previously by India's Ambassador to the UAE, Deepak Mittal, who met the captain and his family at the hospital, Machchhar remains in good spirits. “He was talking, he was chatting, a bit of discomfort, but I think he's under good medical care here in the UAE,” Mittal told Prasar Bharati.

Read more here

Ministers, climate negotiators and leaders are due to meet in Fiji from October 5 to 8 for Pacific climate talks ahead of the UN-backed COP31 summit in Turkey in November.
Pacific nations are urging countries to uphold the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C, expand climate finance and address the impact of rising seas on island communities.
Delegates will also visit Tuvalu, where rising sea levels threaten low-lying land and infrastructure. A UN report cited in the briefing estimates developing countries need $310 billion to $365 billion annually for climate adaptation, while available funding stood at $26 billion in 2023.
Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo said: "Sea-level rise is not a future threat, it is a present reality."

Taiwan received its first two US-made F-16V fighter jets on Friday as it upgrades its air force amid tensions with China. The aircraft are part of an $8 billion deal for 66 jets approved during US President Donald Trump’s first term.
The fighters landed at an air force base in Taitung after earlier delivery delays. Taiwan’s defence minister said more aircraft would arrive before the end of the year, without specifying how many.
Taipei is also awaiting US approval for a separate $14 billion arms package, which Trump has paused amid Chinese objections. The proposed package includes the Patriot air defence system.

Two major bridges in Kyiv were closed or restricted on Friday after Russian drone strikes damaged the Southern Bridge, Ukrainian authorities said.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the Southern Bridge, which connects the city’s east and west across the Dnipro river, was "completely closed" in both directions. The Paton Bridge was restricted to one-way traffic, though there were no reports it had been hit.
The Southern Bridge was struck twice, according to the mayor, prompting structural checks and traffic disruption. Separately, a strike on a residential building in the Darnytsky district killed one person and wounded at least two, emergency services said.

Israel’s flag carrier El Al cancelled two planned repatriation flights from Dubai on Friday after Emirati authorities did not grant landing permission. The flights were intended to bring Israelis home following flydubai’s suspension of services to Tel Aviv after an alleged in-flight attack.
"As soon as approval is received from the authorities, we are prepared to carry out the special flights to Dubai and return the Israelis home as soon as possible," El Al said.
The airline said its regular Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flights remain scheduled from Sunday, but seats are fully booked into the coming week. The cancellations come during the busy Sukkot holiday travel period.

Starbucks opened its first two stores this week in ​Xinjiang's capital, Urumqi, including one at the city centre's grand bazaar ​and a second at its international airport. John Moolenaar, chairman of the ⁠Select Committee on China of the House of Representatives, called on Starbucks ​to "immediately reverse course and close its stores."

Members of SFI and DYFI protest against the Election Commission and SIR exercise at Jantar Mantar in Delhi; AAP leaders are also protesting in Central Delhi, raising the issue of SIR.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://x.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Delhi | As CPI(M), SFI and DYFI protest against the Election Commission near Jantar Mantar, CPI(M) General Secretary MA Baby says, &quot;Gyanesh Kumar should be arrested for the criminal activity of cutting people&#39;s votes.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/hYxKybZYjc">pic.twitter.com/hYxKybZYjc</a></p>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://x.com/ANI/status/2105904512259277080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

In January 2026 US captured former Venezuela president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores and took them home to face federal narco-terrorism and drug-trafficking charges. The US attack on Venezuela capital Caracas and the capture of Maduro was not an instantaneous plan by President Donald Trump and the US state machinery, but involved months of planning. In fact Trump had a secret meeting with Elon Musk, about seven months after the Tesla chief left his role in the Trump administration at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

READ MORE

PM Modi spoke with Captain Smit Machchhar through a video call and praised his courage, presence of mind and composure. PM said the entire country is praying for Smit.