OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said people are justified in being afraid of the risks posed by rapidly advancing artificial intelligence, but urged the public to trust AI companies to act responsibly. Speaking at a Salesforce conference in San Francisco, Altman said OpenAI and other firms should keep safety and alignment ahead of AI capabilities and slow down or stop if they cannot. His comments come as concerns grow over potential AI risks and calls for stronger regulation. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang backed industry-led safety decisions, while Senator Bernie Sanders and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon argued that greater government oversight is needed. (PC: BBC)

Yemen’s Houthi movement on Wednesday rejected Saudi Arabia’s claim that it launched a drone towards Mecca, calling the allegation “fabrications and lies.” Saudi Arabia said its air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca on Tuesday evening before it entered the holy city’s restricted airspace. Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki described the incident as the second alleged Houthi attempt to target Mecca, following a ballistic missile launch in 2017. The Houthis denied targeting Mecca or other Islamic holy sites, saying their operations are directed at Saudi military bases and oil facilities. (PC: X)

Two earthquakes struck Nepal’s northwestern Mugu district early Wednesday, September 16, with the tremors occurring within about three hours. According to Nepal’s National Seismological Centre, the first earthquake measured 4.5 on the Richter scale and was recorded at 1:51 am, with its epicentre in the Kalai area of Mugu. A second quake, measuring 4.2, struck the same area at 4:28 am. Tremors were also felt in neighbouring Dolpa and Jumla districts. There were no immediate reports of deaths, injuries or major damage following the earthquakes. Authorities are continuing to monitor the affected areas for possible aftershocks.

All remaining support acts on Ed Sheeran’s US tour have withdrawn after rapper Macklemore was dropped from the lineup over his pro-Palestinian remarks during concerts in New Jersey. Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Irish folk band Beoga announced their departures. Macklemore had performed his song “Hind’s Hall” at MetLife Stadium on September 4 and told the crowd he wanted to say “Free Palestine”, while footage showing destruction in Gaza played on screen. Sheeran said Macklemore’s removal was the promoter’s decision and not his own. The decision followed pressure from venues and criticism from some Jewish organisations over Macklemore’s comments. (PC: BBC)

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has said it cannot restore access to some cloud facilities in Bahrain and the UAE after they were damaged during Iranian strikes earlier this year. In Bahrain, damage affected multiple availability zones and was beyond what AWS’s regional systems were designed to withstand. In the UAE, AWS said resources and data hosted exclusively in one availability zone cannot be restored, while recovery work continues elsewhere. The company is helping affected customers move workloads and restore backups in other regions. AWS said it is replacing damaged infrastructure in the UAE and will provide another Bahrain update in early 2027. (PC: India Today)

The US House of Representatives has advanced a Russia sanctions bill that could allow President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on India and other major buyers of Russian oil and gas. The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 cleared a procedural vote by 214-211 after two Democrats joined Republicans. The bill had already passed the Senate with an 86-11 vote in August. A final House vote is expected on Wednesday. If passed, the legislation would give the US president authority to impose higher tariffs on countries buying Russian energy, including India. (PC: NDTV)

Yemen’s Houthis have claimed they shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet over Marib province using a locally made surface-to-air missile. Saudi Arabia has not confirmed the reported loss. The claim came hours after Saudi air defences said they intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered the holy city’s restricted airspace. The Houthis have denied targeting Mecca or other Islamic holy sites. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree also claimed Saudi aircraft had carried out more than 450 airstrikes in Yemen over the past week. The claims about the fighter jet could not be independently verified. (PC: X)

India has exported around 500 tonnes of Hilsa to Bangladesh over the past two months, reversing the traditional trade flow between the two neighbours. The consignments have mainly come from Gujarat and were shipped through Bharuch port, while some supplies moved through the Howrah wholesale fish market in West Bengal. Another 150–200 tonnes could be exported in the coming weeks, according to fish traders. The unusual shift comes as Bangladesh faces lower Hilsa production this year, increasing demand for supplies from India. Traditionally, Bangladesh has exported Hilsa to India, particularly ahead of the Durga Puja festival. (PC: The Indian Express)

New Zealand’s Parliament has passed legislation to implement its Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India, bringing the trade pact closer to taking effect. The bill passed 93-29, with support from the opposition Labour Party. Under the agreement, tariffs on around 95% of New Zealand exports to India will eventually be eliminated or significantly reduced, while all Indian goods will get duty-free access to New Zealand. More than half of the covered New Zealand products will become duty-free from the first day. New Zealand has also committed to invest NZ$20 billion in India over the next 15 years. The agreement was signed in April. (PC: HT)

A Pakistani naval unit collided with an Indian Navy vessel at sea, prompting India to summon Pakistan’s top diplomat in New Delhi on Wednesday. The Ministry of External Affairs lodged a strong protest over what it described as the Pakistani naval units’ “unacceptable and unprofessional” conduct. The incident took place in international waters, according to reports. India has asked Islamabad to take note of the incident and ensure such conduct is not repeated. The details of the collision, including any damage or injuries, remain unclear as authorities have not released further information. The incident is still developing. (PC: India Today)