The high-level committee on 'One Nation, One Election' held its first meeting on Saturday. Headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind, the eight-member panel decided to seek views of political parties and the Law Commission on synchronized polls. The meeting was attended by Home Minister Amit Shah, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and others. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury declined to be part of the committee. The panel will examine required amendments to the Constitution and laws to enable holding simultaneous elections. It will submit recommendations at the earliest on holding concurrent polls for Lok Sabha, state assemblies and local bodies.

The Indian Space Research Organisation is awaiting signals as it attempts to revive the Chandrayaan-3 mission's Vikram lander and Pragyan rover from sleep mode. ISRO Director (SAC) Nilesh Desai said the revival is automatic and can't be controlled from Earth. Solar-charged systems should transmit signals after lunar sunrise on Sept 22. But no contact yet as efforts continue. Revival chances are 50-50 based on electronics surviving the cold. The mission accomplished its objectives already. Further moon surface experiments are possible if revived. ISRO anxiously awaits any communication from the dormant lunar lander and rover.

A dossier reveals that murdered Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was involved in crime since the 1980s with local goons, later fleeing to Canada in 1996. He allegedly visited Pakistan in 2012 for terror training on a forged passport. Nijjar was initiated into gangs by Gurnek Singh alias Neka, associated with KCF militants, and later worked closely with KTF chief Jagtar Tara as per the dossier. Nijjar allegedly ordered several killings and attacks in Punjab while in Canada, raising funds for terror activities through associates involved in drugs and arms smuggling. He worked with Arshdeep Gill to target Dera Sacha Sauda and kill the father-son duo in Bathinda. The Canadian Prime Minister has accused Indian government agents of involvement in Nijjar's killing, sparking a diplomatic crisis.

US Ambassador to Canada, David Cohen, has confirmed the existence of "shared intelligence among Five Eyes partners" that informed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations of a potential link between the Indian government and the murder of a Canadian citizen. The "Five Eyes" network comprises the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand and is an intelligence alliance focused on surveillance and signals intelligence. Cohen's statement supports the basis for Trudeau's claims, which has led to severe diplomatic tensions between Canada and India.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has called for reforms to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and endorsed India and Japan as permanent members. Speaking at the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Wong emphasized the need for greater representation from Africa, Latin America, and Asia. She advocated for permanent seats for India and Japan while urging constraints on the use of veto power by permanent members. Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have also supported India's bid for a permanent UNSC seat, highlighting the ongoing discussions regarding UNSC reforms. [Image Courtesy: Money Sharma/AFP/Getty]

An eight-year-old Indian-origin girl, Aditi Shankar, has become the first person in the UK's NHS history to undergo a transplant without the need for lifelong drugs. Suffering from a rare genetic condition, she received a stem cell transplant from her mother and a kidney donation. This groundbreaking treatment, conducted at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, means that her new kidney functions without the ongoing requirement for immunosuppressant drugs to prevent rejection. The success of this procedure may pave the way for similar treatments for seriously ill children and adults with kidney failure, although it carries higher risks than standard kidney transplants. [Image Courtesy: @GreatOrmondSt]

The 19th Asian Games commenced on September 23 in Hangzhou, China with a glittering opening ceremony. India's 655-member contingent, its largest ever at the Asiad, was led by flagbearers Lovlina Borgohain and Harmanpreet Singh. PM Modi tweeted wishes for the Indian team, saying the country's passion for sports shines through. Borgohain, who won Olympic bronze in boxing at Tokyo, is the reigning world champion in her weight class. Meanwhile, hockey team captain Harmanpreet is India's top drag-flicker, tasked with leading the squad's gold medal charge to secure Olympic qualification. The strong Indian contingent aims to build on the country's best-ever Asian Games showing of 69 medals four years ago.

Justice Gautam Patel of the Bombay High Court criticized popular Indian films like 'Singham' that glorify 'hero cops' taking law into their own hands, calling it a dangerous message that undermines due process. Speaking at an event for Police Reforms Day, he said the cinematic image of police officers dispensing quick justice encourages the public's impatience with legal procedures. Justice Patel argued that while such shortcut 'justice' is celebrated in movies, it actually subverts the rule of law. He emphasized that individual liberty should not be sacrificed for speed, underscoring the need for broader reforms beyond just policing. (Image Courtesy: Ajay Devgan on X)

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is reportedly weighing a ban on cigarette sales to young people, taking a page from New Zealand's recent tobacco crackdown. As part of a consumer campaign ahead of elections, Sunak may progressively raise the legal smoking age to ensure those currently 15 and under can never buy cigarettes by 2026. This reflects proposals from a previous government review on phasing out youth smoking. Additionally, single-use vapes may face a ban over youth addiction worries. However, smokers' rights group Forest has criticized the potential youth smoking ban, sparking debate.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for an international cricket stadium in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi on Saturday. The stadium will be the third international facility in Uttar Pradesh after Kanpur and Lucknow. PM Modi says nowadays even parents realise the importance of sports. “Jo khelega, wahi khilega,” says Modi. He highlighted the stadium's benefits for local youth and sports development. He also addressed a rally of women supporters in Varanasi, speaking about the recently passed women's reservation bill that reserves parliamentary seats for women. Modi inaugurated 16 new residential schools in the city earlier in the day.