Top news of the day on September 19, 2025

India expects Saudi Arabia to keep in mind mutual interests, sensitivities: MEA on Saudi-Pakistan pact

India on Friday (September 19, 2025) said it expects Saudi Arabia to keep in mind “mutual interests and sensitivities” in the wake of Riyadh sealing a strategic defence pact with Pakistan. The agreement states that “any aggression against either of the two countries shall be considered as an aggression against both”.“India and Saudi Arabia have a wide-ranging strategic partnership that has deepened considerably in the last few years,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.“We expect that our strategic partnership will keep in mind mutual interests and sensitivities,” he said.

‘Look to the Preamble’, Supreme Court replies to plea against Banu Mushtaq inaugurating Mysuru Dasara

The Supreme Court on Friday (September 19, 2025) reminded a petitioner, who did not want a “Muslim” Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the historical Mysuru Dasara festivities at Chamundeshwari temple, about the Preamble which enshrines secularism, liberty of thought and faith, equality and fraternity as ideals cardinal to national unity. Dismissing the petition, a Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta asked petitioner, Bengaluru resident H.S. Gaurav, whether he had read the Preamble to the Indian Constitution.

Assam’s popular singer Zubeen Garg dies while scuba diving in Singapore

Popular singer from Assam and youth heartthrob Zubeen Garg died while scuba diving in Singapore on Friday (September 19, 2025), organisers of a festival in the Southeast Asian country said .He was 52, and is survived by his wife. Garg sustained injuries during scuba diving, and was rushed to a hospital, where he died at the intensive care unit while undergoing treatment. He had gone to Singapore to participate in the three-day North East Festival which was scheduled to begin on Friday.

More than 75% of rural monthly expenditure will face nil or 5% rate under GST 2.0

More than 75% of the items rural Indians spend money on will face either a nil rate of Goods and Services Tax (GST) or 5% once the new rates come into effect on September 22, according to an analysis published by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI). For urban Indians, this proportion will be 66%. The report, prepared by Thought Arbitrage Research Institute (TARI) for the FICCI Committee Against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying the Economy (CASCADE), noted that this situation was a significant improvement over the current GST rate structure.

European Commission proposes new sanctions package against Russia

The European Commission said on Friday (September 19, 2025) it has presented a fresh package of sanctions against Russia for approval by member states, as the bloc seeks to speed up the pressure on Moscow over the war on Ukraine. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, who was to outline details of the package later on Friday (September 19, 2025), anticipated this week that it would target crypto and banks, and seek to speed up the phase-out of Russian fossil fuel imports.

Telangana man ‘shot dead’ by police in U.S., family requests MEA to help in bringing back mortal remains

A 29-year-old man from Mahbubnagar district of Telangana was allegedly shot dead by police in Santa Clara, California, following a scuffle with his roommate, his family members said on Thursday (September 18, 2025).

ECI and CEO Karnataka trying to mislead people on Aland probe: Priyank Kharge

Karnataka Minister and Congress leader Priyank Kharge and Aland MLA B.R. Patil alleged that the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the office of Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Karnataka, are ‘trying to mislead the people’ on the investigation into the alleged voter fraud in Aland in 2023, following the press conference by Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on September 18.