Live Wire
India Introduces Fees on Larger UPI Merchant Payments
From October 15, selected UPI merchant payments above ₹2,000 will attract a 0.4% MDR, capped at ₹300. Consumers and person-to-person transfers remain free, while the government says 96% of merchant transactions will still face no charge.
Mecca Put on Alert as Saudi Arabia Intercepts Houthi Drone
Saudi Arabia says it destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered restricted airspace over Islam’s holiest city. The Houthis deny targeting Mecca, but the incident marks a dangerous escalation as fighting spreads from Yemen toward Saudi territory and critical Red Sea routes.
India Faces New 100% Tariff Threat in US Russia Sanctions Bill
A US House amendment has explicitly named India among countries that could face tariffs of up to 100% over purchases of Russian energy. The duties have not been imposed, and a rival amendment would remove the tariff power entirely, but Washington’s pressure on New Delhi is clearly rising.
America Has Weapons in Space: The Pentagon Just Confirmed a New Reality
The United States has publicly confirmed for the first time that it has “space control weapons” already deployed in orbit. Their capabilities remain classified, but the admission marks a major shift as Washington, China and Russia move deeper into an accelerating military contest above Earth.
Delhi High Court Refuses Immediate Stay in ANI’s Copyright Fight With OpenAI
The Delhi High Court has refused ANI’s request for an immediate stay against OpenAI, leaving a landmark July ruling on AI training intact for now. But the appeal could still reshape whether AI companies in India can use copyrighted journalism without licences.
How Three Foreign Nationals Flew Out of India Without Clearing Immigration
Three Italian nationals flew from Delhi to Munich without completing mandatory departure immigration after arriving on an Air India flight from Amritsar. The breach has exposed multiple failures in passenger handling and triggered a government investigation into how they slipped through.
NATO Shoots Down Drone Over Lithuania After Incursion From Belarus
A NATO fighter has shot down an unidentified drone over Lithuania after it apparently crossed in from Belarus. Its operator remains unknown, but the incident adds to a growing series of drone incursions testing NATO's air defences along its increasingly tense eastern flank.
Houthis Turn to AI in Attempt to Develop Advanced Missiles
A cell in Houthi-controlled Yemen used Claude AI to help develop guided rockets and ballistic missile technology. One rocket was even test-fired before apparently failing. The case shows how AI could put advanced engineering knowledge into the hands of armed groups.
China Calls Push to Slow AI a ‘Cold War’ Tactic Aimed at Containing Beijing
Calls to slow AI development are colliding with the US-China rivalry. A Chinese state-backed newspaper says the safety push risks becoming a “Cold War” strategy to contain Beijing, exposing a deeper problem: neither superpower wants to slow down first.
India and Philippines Take Their Defence Partnership to the Next Level
India and the Philippines are moving beyond the BrahMos missile deal. From military training and maritime security to defence production and technology, the two countries are building a much wider strategic partnership in the Indo-Pacific.
Is the United Kingdom Beginning to Come Apart?
The United Kingdom is facing growing pressure from within. With pro-independence parties now governing Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, their leaders are joining forces to demand the right to decide their own futures. Is the Union beginning to come apart?
French Police Probe Possible Sabotage After Train Derailment Injures 44
A passenger train carrying 186 people derailed in Normandy, injuring 44. Investigators are examining possible sabotage after a separate piece of rail was found on the track, though French prosecutors say the cause has not yet been established.