A growing dispute between US President Donald Trump and major American media organisations, protests at IIT Bombay following the death of a student, and India's medal campaign at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan are among the major developments making headlines on Tuesday. In the United States, tensions between the Trump administration and several major media organisations have intensified over access to the White House. CNN, MS NOW and Politico have challenged restrictions on their access in a federal lawsuit, arguing that the issue raises wider questions about press freedom and journalists' ability to cover the US president. The dispute widened after ABC, CBS, Fox News and NBC withdrew from a shared television coverage pool for Trump's events. Trump has repeatedly criticised media organisations over their coverage of his administration, while the affected news outlets have maintained that independent reporting is essential to their role.
In India, IIT Bombay continues to face scrutiny following the death of second-year BTech student Sahil Wakode on September 18. The incident, which followed an examination-related episode, has prompted protests by students and renewed discussion about academic procedures, student welfare and institutional accountability. Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, who was the invigilator during the examination, was removed from his administrative position as Dean of Administrative Affairs, although he continues to remain a faculty member. Students have said their protests should not be viewed as support for cheating or academic misconduct and have instead called for greater attention to institutional processes and student welfare. Wakode's family has also raised allegations of caste discrimination, which remain subject to investigation.
India's campaign at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, is another major focus. Indian athletes are competing across disciplines including shooting, badminton, boxing, kabaddi, hockey and cricket as the country seeks to increase its medal tally. The women's cricket team is particularly in focus as India takes on Sri Lanka in the final. India had won the women's cricket gold medal at the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou and will be looking to secure another strong result in the continental tournament.
Shooting has already emerged as an important contributor to India's medal campaign, with Indian shooters securing podium finishes during the opening days of the Games. More medal opportunities are expected as competition continues across different events. The three developments highlight major stories across international affairs, education and sport. The US media dispute is likely to remain under legal and political scrutiny, while developments at IIT Bombay are being closely watched as investigations continue. At the same time, India's athletes will be looking to build on their early performances as the Asian Games progress.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Hindustan Times.
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project is bringing a new railway technology to India with the introduction of movable crossings, also called swing-nose crossings. The system is being deployed on the high-speed corridor to support safe and dependable train operations at speeds of up to 320 kmph.
The technology represents a significant change from the fixed crossings generally used on conventional Indian railway routes. In a fixed crossing, there is a small gap at the crossing nose where the rails meet. At very high speeds, particularly above 250-300 kmph, trains passing over this section can experience greater wheel-rail forces.
These forces can contribute to increased vibration, structure-borne noise and wear on both railway components and train wheels. Irregularities in the track can further affect wheel movement as trains pass through the turnout. The movable crossing is designed to overcome this limitation. Instead of leaving a gap in the rail path, the crossing nose moves into position along with the switch rails. This creates a continuous running surface for the wheels and allows them to remain properly guided throughout the turnout.
For passengers, the technology is expected to result in smoother train movement with less vibration and interior noise. From an infrastructure perspective, reducing repeated impact forces could also help limit wear on rails, turnouts and rolling-stock components. The high-speed turnouts will use two independent point machines to control the system. One point machine operates and locks the switch rails, while the second controls and locks the movable crossing nose. The two machines function together through the railway's signalling and control system.
When a route is selected, the signalling interlocking system commands both components to move into their required positions. The train movement is authorised only after the system confirms that the switch rails and movable crossing have reached the correct positions and are securely locked. This arrangement provides an additional level of operational security because the continuous rail path must be correctly established and mechanically secured at both critical points before a train can pass through the turnout.
The point machines themselves are designed to meet demanding high-speed railway requirements. They need accurate movement control, precise positioning and strong locking mechanisms capable of handling the forces generated during high-speed train operations. Multiple detection and verification mechanisms are also incorporated into the system. These checks confirm the final position and locking status of both the switch rails and movable crossing. The interlocking system will release the route only after the required confirmations have been received. The adoption of movable crossings and dual point-machine technology is therefore an important part of the MAHSR infrastructure, supporting the corridor's requirements for safety, smoother rides, reduced equipment wear and reliable operations at speeds of up to 320 kmph.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from NHSRCL.
Alibaba Group is stepping up its artificial intelligence ambitions with plans for a significantly larger AI model and a new generation of processors, as Chinese technology companies accelerate efforts to build domestic alternatives to advanced Nvidia chips. At its annual Apsara conference in Hangzhou on Tuesday, Alibaba said its AI research team is working toward models that could eventually reach between 5 trillion and 10 trillion parameters. The announcement helped lift the company's Hong Kong-listed shares by about 5%, taking them to their highest level in roughly a month.
The planned model would be considerably larger than Alibaba's current flagship Qwen 3.8 Max, which has around 2.4 trillion parameters. Parameters are commonly used as a broad indicator of the scale of an AI model, although model size alone does not determine its overall performance. Alibaba said its next-generation Qwen 4 model is already being trained, while future versions such as Qwen 4.5 and Qwen 5 could expand toward the 5-trillion-to-10-trillion-parameter range. The company expects these larger systems to handle increasingly complicated tasks that require longer sequences of reasoning and planning.
Alibaba CEO Eddie Wu said the company's Qwen team is also making progress in developing AI systems capable of identifying their own weaknesses, conducting experiments and producing training data with less direct human involvement. The broader goal, he said, is to move toward artificial superintelligence, referring to systems that could eventually exceed human capabilities in a wide range of tasks.
Alongside the model announcement, Alibaba introduced the Zhenwu V900, a new AI processor developed by its T-Head semiconductor division. Wu said the chip offers roughly three times the performance of its predecessor, the M890. The new processor is designed to work in large clusters, with Alibaba saying configurations could eventually connect as many as 500,000 chips for training and running highly demanding AI models. Mass production and commercial availability are expected to begin in the first quarter of 2027.
The chip announcement comes as Chinese technology companies face growing pressure to develop their own advanced computing hardware. US restrictions on the export of sophisticated AI processors to China have increased the importance of domestic semiconductor development for the country's technology sector.
Alibaba's strategy extends beyond AI models and chips. The company is also expanding the computing infrastructure required to train and operate increasingly powerful systems. Wu said Alibaba Cloud aims to increase its worldwide data-centre capacity to more than 20 gigawatts by 2032. According to the company, demand from customers for AI computing services remains particularly strong and is contributing to faster growth in Alibaba Cloud's business. However, supply-chain limitations could restrict how quickly the company can expand its infrastructure.
Alibaba also plans to begin deploying its AI supernodes at commercial scale during the current quarter. The company views these systems as part of the infrastructure needed to support increasingly large AI workloads. Wu compared the current development of AI coding tools with the early use of electricity, describing it as an important early application rather than the ultimate breakthrough that AI could deliver.
The announcements highlight Alibaba's attempt to build a broad AI ecosystem covering chips, foundation models, cloud computing and data-centre infrastructure. As competition intensifies in China's AI industry, the company's ability to scale these technologies will be closely watched by investors and technology companies alike.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.
The Karnataka Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FDA) has cancelled 16 drug licences and suspended eight others as authorities step up action against an alleged counterfeit medicine network in the state. The action follows a raid conducted on August 18 at an allegedly unauthorised facility near Kurubarakeranahalli in Bidadi. Officials said medicines, expired drugs, packaging material and equipment were recovered during the operation, with the total value of the seized material estimated at around ₹5.05 crore.
According to officials, the investigation began after the FDA's Drug Enforcement Wing received information about the facility. Investigators suspect that lower-cost medicines sourced from outside Karnataka were being repackaged and relabelled as higher-value medicines. The raid reportedly resulted in the seizure of thousands of medicine vials, along with expired stocks and equipment allegedly used in the repackaging process. Authorities are examining the seized products to determine their composition, quality, sterility and potency.
The FDA has also widened its investigation to pharmacies, wholesalers and other businesses that may have handled the suspected medicines. Officials have cancelled the licences of several establishments and suspended eight others as part of the ongoing probe. Authorities have blocked the identified medicine batches on the FDA portal and sent samples to government laboratories for testing. The laboratory results are expected to help investigators determine whether the medicines contained the ingredients stated on their labels and met prescribed quality standards.
A criminal case has been registered under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. A Special Investigation Team is also examining the suspected supply chain to establish the source of the medicines and identify those involved in their alleged manufacture, repackaging, storage and distribution. Karnataka authorities have indicated that the investigation may extend beyond the state if links to an interstate supply network are established.
The case has also prompted scrutiny of medicine distribution channels, particularly because some of the products under investigation are injectable medicines. Authorities have advised consumers to buy medicines only from licensed pharmacies and retain purchase bills so that products can be traced if concerns arise. The investigation remains underway, with further action expected after laboratory reports and supply-chain inquiries are completed.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from deccan herald.
The 18th edition of the India-Mongolia joint military exercise Nomadic Elephant began on September 21 at the Foreign Training Node in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand. The exercise will run until October 3, with 45 personnel each from the Indian Army and Mongolian Armed Forces participating. The annual drill focuses on strengthening joint capabilities for counter-insurgency operations in semi-urban and mountainous terrain under a United Nations mandate. Training will cover cordon-and-search operations, room intervention drills, special heliborne operations, cyber security, drones and counter-drone systems. The exercise also aims to improve interoperability, exchange operational practices and strengthen coordination between the two forces. The previous edition was held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, in May-June 2025. The latest exercise is expected to further reinforce the longstanding defence partnership and mutual trust between India and Mongolia.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.
Friends of exiled Russian opposition activist Igor Rogov were stunned when he was accused of having ties to the Kremlin. They struggled to believe that the young campaigner they knew could have secretly been working as an undercover agent.
Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from The Guardian.
As AI leaders worldwide call for a more measured pace of development, what could a potential slowdown mean for companies such as Plaud, which is expanding its presence in Singapore? Could tighter controls or a shift in the global AI landscape affect the company’s growth plans in the country? Daniel Martin explores these questions in a conversation with Megumi Yoshinaga, Head of APAC Marketing at Plaud.
Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.
Oil markets are coming under renewed strain after attacks disrupted Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline, an important alternative route to the Strait of Hormuz. With Brent and WTI crude prices climbing above US$100 per barrel and fuel costs continuing to rise, concerns are growing over the resilience of global oil supplies. Susan Ng speaks with Jaime Brito, Executive Director of Refining and Oil Markets at Dow Jones Energy, about the potential impact of a prolonged disruption on Singapore and wider Asian markets.
Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.
Singaporean rap pioneer and entertainer Sheikh Haikel looks back on his decades-long journey in the entertainment industry, recalling key moments that defined his career and discussing the legacy he wants to leave behind. After being diagnosed with stage four colon cancer, Haikel also shares how deeply moved he has been by the support from fans, friends and fellow artists across the region. In this interview with Hairianto Diman and Elakeyaa Selvaraji, he speaks candidly about his career, personal journey and recent health battle.
Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.
