Ed Sheeran apologised to fans for making "mistakes" as he opened his first concert since Macklemore was removed from his Loop Tour over pro-Palestinian remarks on stage. Speaking in Philadelphia, Sheeran said he never wanted to be an activist musician but could no longer hide his feelings. He called the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attacks "horrific" and described the situation in Gaza as "unjustifiable". He has said his promoters, not he, decided to drop Macklemore. The row has led all his support acts to quit, and some ticket prices have fallen to $32. Protesters gathered outside, but the show went ahead largely undisturbed. (PC: BBC)

Nila Vikhe Patil, 41, has been elected to Sweden's 349-seat Riksdag from the Stockholm City constituency in the September 13 national election. She is the daughter of Maharashtra educationist Ashok Vikhe Patil and niece of state minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil. Born in Sweden, she spent her early years in Ahmednagar. A member of the Green Party for 25 years, she previously worked as a political advisor in the Swedish Prime Minister's Office. "I would like to be a voice for those who cannot vote," she told PTI. Sweden's opposition parties won 176 seats, narrowly ahead of the government bloc's 173. (PC: NDTV)

Three people were killed and one was critically injured when a BMW crashed on Mumbai's Coastal Road early Sunday, September 20. It happened around 5.20 am near Lala College and Lotus Jetty, as the car travelled from Marine Drive towards Haji Ali. The driver allegedly lost control, and the car fell off the bridge. All four occupants were rushed to Nair Hospital, where three were declared dead. Police identified two of the dead as Shanay Gajjal, 21, and Dhirya Seth, 17. Police have launched an investigation. The crash comes weeks after a case was filed against several supercars for allegedly racing inside the Coastal Road tunnel. (PC: HT)

Indian fish importers have urged Bangladesh to lift its hilsa export ban ahead of Durga Puja, but no 2026 export quota has been announced. Eighteen Bangladeshi companies have applied for permission, and Dhaka's Commerce Ministry has asked the Fisheries Ministry to assess domestic supply first. Last year, Bangladesh allowed 1,200 tonnes of hilsa to go to India. This year the flow has reversed. India has exported about 500 tonnes of hilsa to Bangladesh in two months, amid lower production there, and 150-200 tonnes more are expected. For Bengalis on both sides of the border, Padma ilish remains central to the festive table. (PC: India Today)

Elavenil Valarivan won silver in the women's 10m air rifle individual final on Day 1 of the Asian Games 2026, giving India its second medal of the Games. She had already claimed team silver in the same event with Sonam Maskar and Vidarsa Vinod. Elsewhere, Suchika Tariyal reached the women's 60kg traditional MMA semi-finals and secured India's first-ever medal in the sport. The women's hockey team thrashed Uzbekistan 19-0, with Deepika Sehrawat scoring a tournament-record eight goals. PV Sindhu began India's badminton campaign with a 21-7, 21-9 win over Kamila Smagulova. Teqball ended without a medal after two bronze-playoff defeats. (PC: NDTV)

A Sikh bus driver was assaulted and forced out of his vehicle in Madeley, Telford, England, on September 18, according to West Mercia Police. The attacker allegedly stole the bus and drove it on the wrong side of the road towards High Street, colliding with several vehicles. Police were called at around 6:37 pm and arrested a man after stopping the bus. NDTV identified the suspect as 33-year-old Yemeni national Ali Balhad; police said he faces multiple charges, including aggravated vehicle taking, assault, dangerous driving and robbery. The driver suffered minor injuries, while no other injuries were reported. 

India’s women’s table tennis team opened its Asian Games 2026 campaign with a convincing 3-0 win over Indonesia in the Group F encounter in Nagoya, Japan. Sreeja Akula gave India the lead by defeating Ni Maharani 3-1, recovering after losing the second game. Diya Chitale then strengthened India’s position with a 3-0 victory over Almaira Nebuchadnezzar, winning 11-9, 11-8, 11-5. Yashaswini Ghorpade completed the clean sweep, defeating Citra Rasmi 3-0. India is grouped with Indonesia, Pakistan and Singapore in Group F. (PC: The Hindu)

A political controversy erupted after comedian Pulkit Mani mimicked Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ event in Indore on September 19. The performance imitated Modi’s speaking style, references to foreign leaders and a coin trick, while also including a remark about his late mother. Gandhi was seen laughing during the act. The BJP strongly criticised the incident, alleging that the performance mocked Modi’s interaction with an elderly woman and made an inappropriate reference to his mother. BJP leaders, including Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami and Union Minister Prahlad Joshi, condemned the episode. (PC: HT)

Three people were killed and another was critically injured after a black BMW crashed off a bridge on Mumbai’s Coastal Road early Sunday, September 20. The accident occurred around 5:20 am as the car was travelling from Marine Drive towards Haji Ali. According to the Coastal Road Control Room, the driver reportedly lost control while speeding, causing the vehicle to fall from the bridge. All four occupants were taken to Nair Hospital, where three were declared dead. The deceased included 21-year-old Shanay Gajjal and a 17-year-old boy; another man, around 25, remained unidentified. Police have launched an inquiry. (PC: India Today)

The US war with Iran has cost at least $45.1 billion, according to figures the Pentagon provided to Congress on September 19. The estimate includes $43.6 billion in costs recorded through September 3, plus about $1.5 billion in additional fuel expenses. A large portion of the spending has gone toward costly munitions, including missile interceptors. The estimate does not include repairs to US military bases and other facilities damaged during the conflict. The Congressional Budget Office had previously estimated the cost at $38 billion through August 1 and projected additional monthly expenses of roughly $2–3 billion, depending on the intensity of fighting. (PC: Reuters)