Seven Democratic senators pressed President Trump to hold firm on Taiwan's defense as Xi Jinping visits the US and a $14 billion arms package hangs in limbo. A group of seven US senators on Tuesday called on President Donald Trump to keep firm on Taiwan's defense and resist Chinese pressure to soften American support, issuing their appeal just before Trump's scheduled talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in Washington. All Democrats, the lawmakers warned that Trump must not allow Beijing to gain the upper hand during the visit. "We can't let President Xi leave stronger than when he arrived. That is not diplomacy, it's weakness," the senators wrote in a joint statement. Xi is in the US until Friday on a trip that includes his first stop in New York in 11 years. According to reports, arms sales to Taiwan, artificial intelligence and the war in Iran are among the topics the two leaders plan to raise. The statement was signed by Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Jeanne Shaheen, Defense Appropriations ranking member Chris Coons, Appropriations Vice Chairwoman Patty Murray, Armed Services ranking member Jack Reed, Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner, Elizabeth Warren and Andy Kim. The senators described Beijing as a rising danger, saying "the People's Republic of China presents a greater threat to American security and prosperity than ever before." They pushed Trump to cut off China's access to advanced chips and manufacturing gear, to demand that Beijing stop backing Russian President Vladimir Putin's campaign in Ukraine, and to challenge Xi over Chinese support for Iran. They also faulted the administration's approach to Taipei directly. "The Chinese military continues its pressure campaign against our vital democratic partner Taiwan as President Trump has retreated from longstanding security commitments," the statement said. The $14 billion package on hold The timing matters because of two weapons deals. In December last year, Trump signed off on an $11 billion package for Taiwan, the biggest single approval on record. But after a trip to Beijing in May, he said a further $14 billion in sales had been paused. Xi is expected to lean on Trump to shelve the deals entirely during their meeting this week. Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense signaled it intends to keep the sales moving. Deputy spokesman Chiao Fu-chun (喬福駿), speaking to reporters in Tainan during a media tour, said Taipei would stay in regular touch with Washington to carry out the transfers as scheduled. He framed regional security as a shared goal, calling stability in the Indo-Pacific a "common interest of democratic nations." "The US government and Congress have repeatedly expressed their support for Taiwan's ability to defend itself," Chiao said. "We will continue to maintain close contact with the US Department of Defense and continue to promote the implementation of arms sales according to plan." President William Lai (賴清德) has backed Trump's demand that US partners raise their own defense spending. The US remains Taiwan's leading source of weapons, though the island also builds its own hardware, including submarines, fighter aircraft and long-range missiles. At the State Department, Chinese-language spokesman Jakob Lengacher told Voice of America that US policy toward Taiwan had not shifted. He said Washington still backs Taiwan's participation in international bodies such as APEC, opposes any one-sided move to alter the "status quo" by either side of the Taiwan Strait, and remains focused on keeping the region peaceful and stable. A Coast Guard vessel bound for Manila In a separate development, the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said its vessels will sail to the Philippines in October next year, marking the first time a Taiwanese maritime law enforcement ship has made such a visit. The ships will carry the words "Taiwan Coast Guard" during the trip. The agency also confirmed it had handed over one of its retired patrol boats to the Philippines, an unusual transfer of a decommissioned vessel to a country with which Taiwan has no formal diplomatic ties. An official noted that the CGA's civilian, non-combat character makes it useful for managing sensitive situations without triggering diplomatic friction. The planned voyage stands out against a long gap in such contact. The last time a Republic of China navy ship made a comparable visit to the Philippines was in 1974, shortly before Manila severed official relations with Taipei. Taiwan arms sales, US senators Taiwan, Trump Xi Jinping meeting, Taiwan defense, China Taiwan tensions, Coast Guard Administration Philippines, William Lai, US Taiwan policy

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A practical seven-day Sri Lanka route linking Kandy's Temple of the Tooth, the scenic hill-country train and the palm-fringed beaches of the south coast. Sri Lanka packs an improbable amount into a small teardrop island: a sacred hill capital, cloud-wrapped tea estates threaded by one of the world's great train rides, and a warm southern coast lined with fishing harbours and old fort walls. A week is enough to trace a single clean arc - Kandy, then the hill country, then the beaches - without spending your holiday packing and unpacking. Here is how to make those seven days count. Why this route works Most first-timers try to see everything and end up on the road for hours. This itinerary moves in one direction and downhill: fly into Colombo, head straight to Kandy in the central highlands, ride the train south-east into tea country, then drop to the south coast for the last stretch. Each leg has its own character - culture, then scenery, then sand - and the transitions themselves, especially the train, are part of the trip rather than dead time. Kandy and the highlands Kandy, the last royal capital, sits around a man-made lake ringed by forested hills. Its heart is the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa), which enshrines a tooth of the Buddha; time your visit for one of the daily *puja* ceremonies, when drummers play and the inner chamber opens. Walk the lake loop at dusk, browse the covered market, and set aside a half day for the Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya, famous for its avenue of towering palms and a giant Javan fig. If you have an extra morning, the Buddhist cave complex and hilltop views around the area reward an early start before the heat builds. The hill country train The Kandy-Ella railway is the reason many people come to Sri Lanka at all. The line climbs through Nanu Oya (the stop for Nuwara Eliya, a misty former British hill station) and grinds slowly past emerald tea terraces, waterfalls and eucalyptus forest. Sit on the right-hand side heading south for the best valley views, and don't be shy about standing in an open doorway where locals ride the breeze. Base yourself in Ella for a night or two: hike the gentle Little Adam's Peak at sunrise, walk out to the photogenic Nine Arch Bridge to watch a train curve across it, and refuel on *kottu roti* - chopped flatbread stir-fried with vegetables, egg and spice - at a roadside spot in town. The southern beaches From the hills it is a few hours down to the coast, where the pace slows further. Anchor yourself around Galle, whose Dutch-era Galle Fort is a walled headland of cobbled lanes, cafés and ramparts made for a sunset stroll. Nearby beaches each have a flavour: Unawatuna for easy swimming, Weligama for beginner surf lessons and the iconic stilt fishermen, and Mirissa as the launch point for morning whale-watching trips in season, when blue whales and sperm whales pass offshore. For something quieter, continue east to the wide, sleepy sands around Tangalle. Best time to visit Sri Lanka has two monsoons, so the coasts trade seasons. For this west-and-south route, the drier, sunnier window generally runs from roughly December to March, which also lines up with prime whale-watching off Mirissa. The hill country is cool and can be misty year-round - pack a light layer for Nuwara Eliya and Ella even when the coast is hot. Shoulder months on either side of the peak season often mean fewer crowds and greener tea slopes. Getting there and around Most visitors fly into Bandaranaike International Airport near Colombo, well connected to India, the Gulf and Southeast Asia. From there, a hired car with driver is the most flexible way to link Colombo, Kandy and the coast, while the scenic middle leg is best done by train - book hill-country tickets in advance, as reserved seats sell out. Tuk-tuks handle short hops in every town, and app-based ride hailing works in the bigger centres. Local tips Order rice and curry at least once as locals eat it - a spread of small vegetable, lentil and coconut *sambol* dishes around a mound of rice - and try hoppers (bowl-shaped fermented pancakes) for breakfast, ideally with an egg cracked into the centre. Carry a scarf or sarong to cover shoulders and knees at temples, where you'll also remove shoes and hats. Finally, resist over-scheduling: the train runs on island time, and the best moments here - a doorway view, a fort-wall sunset, a plate of kottu - tend to be the unhurried ones. Sri Lanka itinerary, Kandy travel guide, Kandy to Ella train, Sri Lanka hill country, southern Sri Lanka beaches, Nine Arch Bridge, Galle Fort, one week in Sri Lanka

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The ITAT Mumbai bench allowed a woman's Section 54F claim after she bought a Rs 7.5 crore Juhu property from her husband's firm using share-sale gains. The Mumbai bench of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal has allowed a woman surnamed Motwani to keep a capital gains tax exemption of roughly Rs 6.92 crore, ruling on July 17, 2026 that her purchase of a Mumbai flat from her own husband's business did not amount to a scheme to dodge tax. The decision overturned the Income Tax Department's view that the deal was a "colourable device" arranged to cut the family's tax bill. The dispute traces back to assessment year 2021-22, when the woman sold unlisted equity shares and declared long-term capital gains of about Rs 8.31 crore. In June 2021 she paid Rs 7.5 crore for a residential property on Juhu Tara Road in Mumbai and claimed relief under Section 54F of the Income-tax Act, 1961, seeking to shield around Rs 6.92 crore of those gains from tax. One fact drew the Assessing Officer's attention. The flat belonged to her husband and was sold through HP Trading, his sole proprietorship. Completing the assessment on December 30, 2022 under Section 143(3) read with Section 144B, the officer refused the exemption and added the Rs 6.92 crore back to her taxable income. The department's family-arrangement theory The Assessing Officer tied the wife's claim to what happened on her husband's side of the transaction. He had booked short-term capital gains of roughly Rs 4.85 crore on the sale and later offset close to Rs 3.56 crore of that against business losses. Read together, the officer argued, the two moves let the couple rotate funds within the household: she secured a large exemption on the purchase, while he wiped out much of his taxable gain using his losses. The woman gave a different account. She told the authorities she had bought the flat as a long-term investment and a cushion for the future, with the option of letting it out, not as a home. She said she continues to live on her husband's ancestral property. Why the tribunal ruled for the taxpayer The tribunal focused on whether the department had shown the deal to be a sham or a pre-planned tax dodge, and found it had not. The paperwork held up: there was a registered transfer deed, stamp duty had been paid, the price had actually changed hands, and the woman had explained where the money came from. The timing undercut the department's central claim. The property changed hands in June 2021, but the business loss the officer leaned on only arose on March 31, 2022. Since that loss did not yet exist when the flat was bought, the tribunal held it could not reasonably have been foreseen, making it hard to argue the two events were choreographed from the start. On the objection that the seller was her spouse, the tribunal was direct: nothing in the law stops a taxpayer from buying a home from a family member and claiming Section 54F, as long as the provision's other conditions are met. Finding those conditions satisfied, the ITAT struck down the disallowance of about Rs 6.92 crore and allowed the claim. Chartered accountant Suresh Surana, speaking to ET, said the woman had sold unquoted shares in AY 2021-22 for gains near Rs 8.31 crore and then put Rs 7.5 crore into the Juhu flat bought from HP Trading. "A genuine transaction cannot be disregarded merely because it takes place between related parties or results in a tax benefit," he said. "Legitimate tax planning carried out within the framework of law cannot, by itself, be treated as tax evasion or a colourable device." What Section 54F offers Section 54F lets an individual or a Hindu Undivided Family avoid tax on long-term gains when the profit comes from selling a capital asset that is not a residential house, provided the money is put into a new home. The replacement property must be in India. Its successor provision, Section 86 of the Income-tax Act, 2025, carries the same relief forward. The rules set firm deadlines. The buyer must acquire the new house within one year before, or two years after, selling the original asset, and any self-built property must be finished within three years. The benefit is also lost if the gains are ploughed into two separate residential properties rather than one. Section 54F exemption, ITAT Mumbai ruling, long-term capital gains tax, colourable device, unlisted shares LTCG, Juhu Tara Road property, Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, tax planning India

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PM Andy Burnham backs scrapping the 1985 ban on drinking in view of the pitch, as Scotland and the WSL run alcohol trials. Prime Minister Andy Burnham used a trip to the United Nations in New York to restate his view that supporters should be allowed to drink alcohol in their seats at football grounds, telling reporters on 24 September 2026 that the current restriction should go. A lifelong Everton fan, Burnham said the four-decade-old rule treats football crowds unfairly compared with spectators at other sports and events. "I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination," Burnham said, arguing that supporters are singled out. He has held the position for years and repeated it when the topic came up unexpectedly during the UN visit. Despite the prime minister's stance, there is no indication the government plans to change the law. Last year, MPs voted down a Conservative amendment to the Football Governance Bill that would have obliged ministers to open a formal consultation on ending the rule. That vote came before Burnham returned to Downing Street, leaving open the question of whether the issue might resurface under his leadership. The 1985 Act and where it applies Restrictions on drinking at grounds in England and Wales date to the Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc.) Act, passed in 1985 to tackle the crowd violence that had grown through the 1970s and early 1980s. Under the law, clubs may sell beer, but supporters cannot drink it anywhere with a view of the pitch. The rule covers every division from the Premier League down to the National League. The line falls just below that level. Supporters of clubs in the National League North and South, and in the tiers beneath, are permitted to drink pitchside. The gap means fans at some smaller grounds enjoy freedoms denied to those watching top-flight matches. Scotland operates a tighter regime. A law introduced in 1981 confined alcohol sales to hospitality areas, keeping it away from ordinary supporters. The measure followed disorder at the 1980 Scottish Cup final between Rangers and Celtic at Hampden, when the match ended in a riot. Trials in Scotland and the women's game That long-standing position has begun to soften. A pilot scheme launched last season allowed several Scottish clubs to sell alcohol in marked-off, supervised zones inside their stadiums. The experiment began at lower-league grounds before reaching the Premiership. The national side has also taken part. Scotland offered alcohol at friendlies against Japan and Curacao earlier this year, and the arrangement now covers the fixtures against Switzerland on 29 September and Slovenia the following month. England's women's game has moved further still. After two seasons of trials that organisers judged a success, WSL Football scrapped the rule barring drinking in the stands across the Women's Super League. The competition was able to act on its own because the women's game sits outside the scope of the 1985 Act, giving its organiser the authority to decide. Support within English football's leadership remains uncertain. Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said in August that the competition had not "got a specific view" on the matter and that officials "would need to give it some really careful thought." His comments suggested no rush toward a decision at the top of the men's game. Whether supporters themselves want the change is a further open question, and one that goes beyond safety concerns. The Scottish and WSL trials offer early evidence, but the men's professional game in England and Wales continues to operate under the framework put in place in 1985. Andy Burnham football alcohol, Sporting Events Control of Alcohol Act, drinking at football matches, Premier League alcohol ban, Scotland alcohol pilot, Women's Super League alcohol trial, Football Governance Bill, Richard Masters

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Why They Want Paper Ballots and What the Supreme Court Has Said New Delhi: The debate over Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) has returned to the national spotlight after a group of lawyers led by Supreme Court advocate Mahmood Pracha launched a campaign demanding that India return to the paper-ballot system. The lawyers' group recently approached the Election Commission of India and submitted a memorandum raising concerns about the existing EVM-based election system. The protesters are demanding that EVMs be removed from elections and that future elections be conducted using paper ballots. The development has renewed a long-running debate over election transparency, voter confidence, EVMs, Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), vote verification and the role of technology in India's electoral system. However, it is important to distinguish between a protest by a group of lawyers and a nationwide lawyers' strike. Current reports describe a protest campaign rather than a nationwide stoppage of court work. Lawyers Submit Memorandum to Election Commission According to reports published in September 2026, a group of lawyers reached the Election Commission's office and submitted a memorandum opposing the use of EVMs. Mahmood Pracha was reported to have led the group and spoken to the media outside the Election Commission. The lawyers' principal demand is the return of paper ballots for elections. They have also called for greater transparency and an open discussion involving Election Commission officials, engineers and technical experts on questions concerning EVMs. The protesters have said that their campaign is focused on the election system rather than any individual. What Are the Lawyers Demanding? The main demand of the protesting lawyers is: EVMs should be removed from the election process and paper ballots should be brought back. Their broader concerns include: Greater transparency in elections Stronger verification of votes Greater public confidence in the electoral process Discussion of EVM-related technical questions Greater scrutiny of election procedures A physical ballot system that can be directly counted These are the demands and arguments of the protesting group. They should not be presented as a finding by the Supreme Court that EVMs are fraudulent or that election results have been manipulated. Is There a Nationwide Lawyers' Strike? This is an important distinction for news reports. The current reports describe a group of lawyers protesting against EVMs. They do not establish that all lawyers in India have gone on strike or that courts across the country have stopped functioning because of the EVM issue. The protest should therefore be described as a lawyers' EVM campaign, protest or demonstration, unless a particular Bar Association separately announces a strike or court boycott. The Supreme Court has previously dealt with the broader issue of lawyers' strikes and court boycotts. In Ex-Capt. Harish Uppal v. Union of India, the Court held that lawyers do not have a general right to strike or boycott court proceedings. That legal position is separate from a peaceful demonstration concerning election policy. What Is Mahmood Pracha Saying? According to the reports, Pracha has argued that the Election Commission should consider removing EVMs and restoring paper ballots. He has also called for an open discussion involving election officials, engineers and technical experts. The protesters' argument centres on the principle that voters should have confidence that their votes have been properly recorded and counted. The campaign also raises wider questions about election transparency and the public's ability to independently understand and verify the voting process. September 17 Protest and October 10 Plan Reports said the campaign included a planned march in Delhi on September 17, 2026, followed by a proposed larger protest at Jantar Mantar from October 10. The organisers have described the October action as an indefinite protest unless their demands are addressed. The exact form and duration of any future demonstration can depend on administrative permissions and subsequent developments. Why Are Lawyers Opposing EVMs? The protesters' central concern is verification and public confidence. With an electronic voting system, a voter presses a button on the Ballot Unit and the vote is electronically recorded. VVPAT provides a paper trail associated with that vote. Those opposing EVMs argue that a paper ballot provides a physical voting record that can be directly handled and counted. They therefore believe returning to paper ballots would provide another form of transparency in the election process. However, this remains a policy position of the protesters, rather than an established judicial finding that India's EVM system is unreliable. What Is VVPAT? VVPAT stands for Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail. It is designed to provide a paper record corresponding to a vote cast through an EVM. After a voter presses the appropriate button, the VVPAT system generates a paper slip containing the relevant information. The voter can briefly view the slip through the designated viewing window before it falls into a sealed compartment. The purpose of VVPAT is to provide a physical trail that can be used for verification under election procedures. What Has the Supreme Court Said About EVMs? The Supreme Court considered petitions challenging aspects of India's EVM-VVPAT system in its April 2024 judgment. The petitions included requests for a return to paper ballots and demands for 100% counting of VVPAT slips in addition to electronic counting. The Supreme Court did not order India to return to paper ballots or require 100% VVPAT counting in every election. The Court retained the existing EVM-VVPAT framework while issuing directions concerning verification and safeguards. This is an important distinction when reporting the current lawyers' campaign. The fact that lawyers are now demanding paper ballots does not mean that the Supreme Court has ordered an EVM ban. Did the Supreme Court Declare EVMs Fraudulent? No such conclusion should be attributed to the 2024 judgment. The Court considered concerns about possible manipulation and the need for voter confidence, but the judgment did not establish that India's EVM system had been proven to manipulate election results. Therefore, news reports should distinguish between: Allegation:A protester or organisation raises concerns about EVMs. Demand:The protesters want paper ballots. Judicial finding:What the Supreme Court actually decided. Official position:What the Election Commission says about its procedures and safeguards. These are four different things. Why Is the Paper Ballot Debate Important? Paper ballots and electronic voting involve different administrative systems. A paper-ballot system produces a physical ballot that can be counted manually. However, large elections also require the printing, transportation, storage, security and counting of large quantities of ballot papers. EVMs were introduced to electronically record votes and facilitate election administration and counting. The debate therefore involves several competing considerations, including: Verification Security Transparency Counting procedures Cost and logistics Voter confidence Accessibility Election administration The current lawyers' campaign places particular emphasis on the first three issues. What Does the EVM-VVPAT Debate Really Mean? The controversy is not simply about a machine. At its centre is a larger question: How should a democratic election provide both secure voting and public confidence in the accuracy of the result? Those supporting the existing system point to EVM-VVPAT safeguards and established election procedures. Those campaigning against EVMs argue that paper ballots would provide a more directly observable physical record. The two positions should be reported separately rather than presenting either side's argument as an established fact. Is There an EVM Ban in India? No nationwide EVM ban is currently in force. EVMs remain part of India's electoral system. The current lawyers' movement is demanding that this system be changed and that paper ballots be restored. Their protest therefore represents a demand for a change in election policy, not an existing nationwide EVM ban. What Happens Next? The proposed October 10 protest at Jantar Mantar could bring the EVM issue back into national public discussion. The response of the Election Commission and any future court proceedings will also be important. Possible areas of discussion include: EVM verification VVPAT counting Paper ballots Election transparency Voter privacy Technical safeguards Preservation and verification of election records Whether the campaign expands beyond the current group of lawyers will depend on future participation and developments. EVM Protest: Key Facts Issue Current information Main issue Use of EVMs in elections Lawyers' demand Return to paper ballots Protest leader reported Supreme Court advocate Mahmood Pracha Election Commission Lawyers' group submitted a memorandum September 17 Reported Delhi protest/march October 10 Proposed Jantar Mantar protest Nationwide lawyers' strike Not established by current reports VVPAT Provides a paper trail associated with an EVM vote Supreme Court 2024 Did not order a return to paper ballots 100% VVPAT counting Not ordered for every election Nationwide EVM ban No Main debate Transparency, verification and voter confidence Conclusion The latest EVM controversy has brought election technology and paper ballots back into public debate. A group of lawyers led by Mahmood Pracha is demanding that EVMs be removed from India's electoral process and that paper ballots be restored. The group has approached the Election Commission and announced further protest plans. At the same time, India's existing election system continues to use EVMs along with VVPAT, and the Supreme Court's 2024 judgment did not order a return to paper ballots. The key issue going forward will be how India balances electoral security, transparency, independent verification and public confidence. For readers and voters, it is important to distinguish between a political or legal demand to change the voting system, a protest against EVMs, and an actual legal decision to prohibit their use. The EVM debate is continuing, and further developments around the proposed protests, Election Commission response and any new legal proceedings could shape the next stage of the discussion.

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Ex-England striker Andy Carroll reveals in his autobiography 'Owning It' that he was sexually assaulted in 2021 by a man later jailed for three years. Former England striker Andy Carroll has said publicly for the first time that he was sexually assaulted by a man at his home in 2021, during his second stint with Newcastle United. The 37-year-old, who was automatically given anonymity as a victim of sexual assault, chose to disclose what happened in his new autobiography, 'Owning It'. Carroll writes that the man responsible was convicted of sexual offences, sentenced to three years in prison and added to the sex offender register. The player, who was capped nine times by England and spent time in the Premier League with Liverpool, West Ham, West Brom and Reading, gave evidence at the trial. He describes the court process as humiliating, embarrassing and horrendous. According to Carroll, the attacker was a friend of a former partner. She was away at the time, and the man had come to the house to watch a boxing match and was due to stay the night. Carroll says the assault happened while he was asleep. He threw the man out and then knocked him unconscious when the man tried to get back inside. Carroll called the police afterwards. He recounts breaking down in tears in the arms of his children's nanny in the aftermath. Deciding to speak The decision to put the account in the book came late. Carroll says he settled on including it "at the very last minute" after long conversations with his girlfriend, hairstylist Lou Teasdale. He admits he dodged his publisher for a stretch, to the point that they may have thought he was backing out of the project altogether. "I was sexually assaulted, there I said it," Carroll writes. "Scary to even think about and only a few people knew about it before now." He adds that opening up frightens him but has shaped who he is "as much as any of the good stuff," and that speaking out will be worth it if it helps even one other person. Carroll also describes the lasting toll. He says the experience touched every part of his life, occupied his thoughts daily and made it hard to concentrate on anything, football included. The trauma, he writes, has not left him. Back on the pitch Carroll has since moved into the non-league game. He joined National League South side Dagenham & Redbridge in July 2025 as a player and co-owner, and has turned out six times for the club this season. His arrival at the Daggers came around the same time as the involvement of online figure KSI. Over his career Carroll also played abroad, featuring for French clubs Amiens and Bordeaux, before returning to the English pyramid. The move into ownership marks a new chapter for a striker who broke through at his boyhood club on Tyneside. Anyone affected by the issues raised in Carroll's account can find help through support services such as the BBC Action Line. Andy Carroll, Andy Carroll sexual assault, Owning It autobiography, Newcastle United, Dagenham & Redbridge, England striker, sexual assault survivor, Lou Teasdale

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A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal will drench West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand and more, the IMD warns, with orange and yellow alerts in place. A deep depression sitting over the Bay of Bengal is set to soak large stretches of India on Friday, with the India Meteorological Department flagging heavy to very heavy rain across Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Jharkhand carries an orange alert for the coming 24 hours. Forecasters expect Ranchi, Khunti, Gumla, Simdega and West Singhbhum to bear the brunt, with heavy to very heavy showers possible. A yellow alert covers 11 additional districts in the state. In West Bengal, the system is likely to drive intense rain through Saturday morning. Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar have been marked for very heavy downpours. Odisha faces widespread rain, with pockets of very heavy showers. The IMD extended similar warnings to Bihar, Telangana, Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam, where a few places could record extremely heavy rain. Thunder, lightning and gusty winds are forecast alongside the wet spell. Uttar Pradesh stands out among the affected states. Eastern districts may see very heavy showers on Friday and Saturday, while western parts are also lined up for heavy rain. East Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh are each in line for heavy rain, and some areas could tip into very heavy totals accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds. East Rajasthan is expected to stay wet up to September 27. The northeast will not escape. Assam and Meghalaya are set for widespread rain, while the remaining states in the region may catch scattered showers. Southern India draws milder warnings. Kerala should see widespread rain, and Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal are likely to get scattered showers. Rayalaseema could pick up rain with thunderstorms. The capital region faces a lighter picture. Delhi, Haryana and Chandigarh may get scattered rain starting Friday, a spell that could run until September 29. No heavy rain warning has been issued for Delhi-NCR on Friday. The IMD said the active rain phase is expected to persist over parts of central, eastern and southern India in the days ahead. Bay of Bengal depression, IMD rain alert, West Bengal heavy rain, Jharkhand orange alert, Odisha rainfall, India monsoon, Delhi weather

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Trump's Board of Peace announced a $2.45bn Gaza recovery plan at the UN General Assembly, funding 66 programmes as reconstruction stalls. US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace has set out a $2.45bn (£1.85bn) plan to begin repairing Gaza, announcing the figure at a board meeting held on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York. The money is to be split among 66 separate programmes and spent over a six-month window, targeting housing, diesel-powered electricity and the clearing of waste, alongside other pressing shortages. Board members acknowledged the sum falls far short of what is needed. Donors have promised roughly $18bn, but only $280m has actually been transferred. The board puts the price of rebuilding Gaza in full at about $71bn spread across the coming decade, and it offered no timetable for when physical reconstruction might start. The announcement lands almost a year after Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire, and with Trump's wider plan to end the war largely frozen. The central obstacle remains the question of Hamas's weapons. The group has said it will surrender its arms in return for a staged Israeli pullback from the 60% of the territory its forces still hold. Israel has taken the opposite position, demanding that Hamas disarm completely before any withdrawal takes place. While the two sides remain locked in disagreement, fighting has not stopped. Israeli strikes hit Gaza on an almost daily basis, and conditions for the 2.1 million residents remain severe. Kushner concedes 'delays on different things' Jared Kushner, who sits on the Gaza Executive Board and is Trump's son-in-law, was candid about the programme's slow pace, telling the meeting it had run into "different delays on different things, for whatever reason". He framed the gathering as a signal of intent rather than a report of results. "The goal of today was really just to show you that we're really fully committed to doing it," he said. US envoy Steve Witkoff, also in New York, struck a more upbeat note, pointing to what he called "real progress" over the past year. "All of the hostages are home. There is a ceasefire, imperfect as it may be, but it still exists," he said. "Humanitarian efforts have achieved historic results, with billions of dollars donated and pledged to meet urgent needs and support the long work of recovery." Beyond raising money, the board faces a stack of unresolved problems: protecting the people who would carry out the work inside Gaza, rebuilding the territory's internal administration, and bridging the gap between Israeli and Palestinian officials. Speaking at a separate briefing on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said several governments had come forward with financial commitments and that the board was "looking for more that will participate in that". Ordnance and tunnels before rebuilding Michael Eisenberg, an Israeli-American member of the Board of Peace, laid out the practical steps he expects to come first. Speaking to the BBC's Newshour, he said the ground has to be made safe before anything can be built. "Because it's a war zone, you need to remove unexploded ordnance. And then there are still hundreds of kilometres of tunnels underneath Gaza which need to be destroyed as well," he said. Only after that, he added, could residents turn to "housing, or better sanitation, or other things". Warnings about the fragility of the truce have already come from within the board itself. In August, its high representative for Gaza, Nickolay Mladenov, took aim at both Israel's continued air strikes and the conduct of Hamas. He cautioned that if the ceasefire agreed last October were to fall apart, it would mark "a point of no return" for the region. The human cost since the truce took hold underscores those concerns. According to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, at least 1,408 Palestinians, among them more than 300 children, have died in Israeli attacks in the period since the ceasefire began. For now, the $2.45bn package represents an opening move rather than a rebuilding effort under way. With pledges outpacing actual payments by a wide margin, no start date fixed, and the core dispute over Hamas's disarmament unresolved, the board's central message was one of commitment rather than concrete progress on the ground. Gaza recovery plan, Board of Peace, Trump Gaza, Jared Kushner, Gaza reconstruction, Hamas disarmament, UN General Assembly, Gaza ceasefire

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Plan a trip to Istanbul, Turkiye with this guide to Hagia Sophia, the Grand Bazaar, Bosphorus cruises, when to go, how to arrive and where to stay. Straddling two continents across the Bosphorus strait, Istanbul is the only major city on Earth that sits in both Europe and Asia - and it feels every bit as layered as that suggests. Once Byzantine Constantinople and then the seat of Ottoman sultans, Turkiye's largest city stacks empires on top of one another: Roman cisterns beneath cobbled lanes, imperial mosques above a shoreline of ferry horns and simit sellers. For a first-time traveller from India or anywhere else, it is a rare destination where world-famous monuments, a legendary covered market and a scenic boat ride all sit within a single, walkable core. Why go Istanbul rewards the senses more than the checklist. Mornings begin with the call to prayer echoing between minarets; afternoons drift into the smoke of grilled fish sandwiches by the Galata Bridge; evenings glow over tea gardens with the strait shimmering below. It is deeply historic yet unmistakably alive - a place where you can trace 1,500 years of art in the morning and lose yourself in a buzzing bazaar by lunch. Add warm hospitality, an easy visa process for many nationalities and short flight times from South Asia and the Gulf, and it makes an ideal introduction to where Europe and Asia meet. Top things to see and do Start in the historic Sultanahmet peninsula. Hagia Sophia, built as a cathedral in the 6th century and later a mosque, remains the city's defining structure, its vast dome and shimmering gold mosaics still breathtaking after fifteen centuries. Directly opposite stands the Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Mosque), famous for the cascade of domes and the İznik tiles that give it its name. Nearby, the Basilica Cistern hides an eerie underground forest of columns, and Topkapı Palace opens up the private world of the Ottoman sultans, with harem chambers and treasury rooms overlooking the water. Then dive into the Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı), one of the world's oldest and largest covered markets, a labyrinth of thousands of shops selling carpets, lanterns, ceramics and gold. For spice, tea and Turkish delight, the nearby Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar) is smaller and more fragrant. Save an afternoon or sunset for a Bosphorus cruise: public ferries and tour boats glide past waterfront palaces, wooden yalı mansions and the two continents on either bank. Cross to the trendy Kadıköy district on the Asian side, or walk up to the Galata Tower in Beyoğlu for the best panorama of the old city. Fuel it all with a proper Turkish breakfast, a döner or köfte, and fresh baklava. Best time to visit Spring (April to May) and autumn (September to October) are the sweet spots, with mild temperatures, thinner crowds and long, comfortable days for walking. Summer brings heat and peak tourist numbers, while winter is cool and sometimes snowy, though it lends the mosques and rooftops a quiet, atmospheric beauty. If you can, avoid the very middle of summer for outdoor sightseeing; shoulder seasons make the queues and the climate far kinder. Getting there Istanbul is superbly connected. The main Istanbul Airport (IST) on the European side is a major global hub with direct flights from Delhi, Mumbai and many Gulf cities, while Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) serves the Asian side. From IST, the metro and airport buses (HAVAIST) reach the centre, though a taxi or transfer is easiest with luggage. Once in town, buy an İstanbulkart, the rechargeable transit card that works on trams, metros, buses and the scenic ferries - the tram down to Sultanahmet is the simplest way to reach the big sights. Where to stay Sultanahmet puts you within walking distance of Hagia Sophia and the bazaars, ideal for first-timers and short trips. For a livelier, more contemporary base of cafes, rooftop bars and nightlife, choose Beyoğlu around İstiklal Avenue and Galata. Design-conscious travellers often prefer Karaköy or Cihangir for their boutique hotels and neighbourhood feel, while Kadıköy on the Asian side offers a local, less touristy stay with excellent food. Local tips Bargaining is expected in the Grand Bazaar - do it with a smile, and compare a few stalls before buying. Keep small change and consider carrying a scarf, as women should cover their heads and everyone removes shoes when entering mosques; visit outside prayer times to explore freely. Finally, skip the pricey dinner-cruise tourist boats at least once and ride an ordinary commuter ferry across the Bosphorus with a glass of Turkish tea - it is one of the great, cheap travel experiences anywhere in the world. Istanbul travel guide, Hagia Sophia, Grand Bazaar Istanbul, Bosphorus cruise, things to do in Istanbul, best time to visit Istanbul, Sultanahmet, Turkiye travel

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A practical Sentosa Island guide for families: theme parks, beaches, cable cars, best time to visit, how to get there and smart local tips. Just off Singapore's southern coast, Sentosa is a small island that packs in more attractions per square kilometre than almost anywhere in Asia. Once a fishing outpost and military base, it has been reinvented as a resort island where roller coasters, white-sand beaches, aquariums and hilltop gardens sit within a short walk or monorail ride of one another. For families flying in from India or anywhere else, it works as a full-day adventure or a relaxed two- or three-day base - no car required, and almost everything is reachable on foot, by shuttle or on the island's free internal transport. Why Sentosa is worth a day (or three) The appeal is variety in a tight, easy-to-navigate space. You can ride a virtual-reality coaster in the morning, snorkel-free among reef fish at an oceanarium by lunch, and watch the sun drop over the Singapore Strait from a beach bar by evening. Everything is clean, signposted in English and built with strollers and grandparents in mind. Unlike sprawling mainland trips, Sentosa lets a family cover a lot without long transfers, which makes it ideal for young children and mixed-age groups travelling together. Top things to see and do Universal Studios Singapore is the headline act - a compact but thrilling theme park at Resorts World Sentosa with zones themed around Hollywood, Ancient Egypt, Sci-Fi City and the fairy-tale world of Far Far Away. The duelling Battlestar Galactica coasters and the Transformers ride are crowd favourites. Next door, the S.E.A. Aquarium walks you through one of the world's largest oceanarium tanks, where manta rays and sharks glide overhead. For a soaking, Adventure Cove Waterpark offers slides plus a lazy river that drifts past a real reef. Inland, Skyline Luge Sentosa lets you steer a gravity go-kart down winding tracks - genuinely fun for all ages - while Mega Adventure's zipline sends you out over the treetops toward the sand. Don't miss the panoramic ride up the Singapore Cable Car from Mount Faber, and the leafy walking trails and lookout points of Imbiah for a quieter, greener side of the island. Beaches and slow afternoons Sentosa's three main beaches - Siloso, Palawan and Tanjong - form a soft golden crescent along the southern edge. Siloso is the liveliest, lined with beach clubs, volleyball nets and bars. Palawan Beach is the family pick, with calm shallow water and a rope-suspension bridge out to a small islet marketed as the southernmost point of continental Asia. Tanjong is the mellow, low-key stretch for a book and a nap. A free beach shuttle links all three, so you can hop between them without a long walk in the heat. Best time to visit Singapore is warm and humid year-round, so there's no bad season - only patterns. The drier, slightly less rainy months tend to fall between February and April, making them comfortable for beach time and outdoor rides. The wetter monsoon stretch around November to January brings short, heavy afternoon downpours, but indoor attractions like the aquarium keep the day going. To dodge the biggest crowds, avoid Singapore school holidays and major public holidays, and arrive at theme parks close to opening time. Getting there Sentosa sits minutes from downtown Singapore. The most scenic route is the Singapore Cable Car from Mount Faber. The easiest is the Sentosa Express monorail, which departs from VivoCity mall (connected to HarbourFront MRT station) and glides straight onto the island. Walkers can cross the pedestrian Sentosa Boardwalk, a sheltered, gently landscaped path from VivoCity. If you're flying into Changi Airport, HarbourFront is a straightforward MRT connection with one interchange. Where to stay Sentosa itself has resort hotels clustered around Resorts World and along the beaches, ranging from family-friendly properties to spa retreats - handy if you want to be steps from the parks. For more choice and better value, base yourself near HarbourFront on the mainland, where hotels sit above VivoCity and the monorail, putting Sentosa a five-minute ride away while keeping the city's hawker food and shopping within reach. Local tips Buy attraction tickets online in advance - bundles across multiple attractions usually cost less than separate gate entries, and you'll skip queues. Bring a refillable water bottle and reef-safe sunscreen; the humidity is relentless. For lunch beyond the theme-park counters, cross back to VivoCity's food court or head to the nearby hawker centres for Hainanese chicken rice, laksa and chilli crab at a fraction of resort prices. Finally, cap the night with the free light-and-fountain show near Palawan Beach before catching the last monorail out. Sentosa Island guide, Sentosa things to do, Universal Studios Singapore, Sentosa beaches, Sentosa family attractions, how to get to Sentosa, Singapore travel, Sentosa cable car

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Plan a trip to Darjeeling, West Bengal - the heritage toy train, hillside tea estates, Kanchenjunga sunrises, momos and the best season to visit. Perched at around 2,000 metres in the eastern Himalayas, Darjeeling is where West Bengal tilts up toward the snow line. The town spills down a ridge in tiers of tin roofs, colonial churches and market lanes, all of it wrapped in tea gardens and, on clear mornings, watched over by the third-highest mountain on Earth. It is a place built for slow travel: a mug of first-flush tea, a rattling narrow-gauge train, and the long wait for the clouds to part. Why Darjeeling earns the journey The name is shorthand for tea, but the appeal is broader. This was the British Raj's favourite summer escape, and the legacy shows in the Planters' Club, Gothic-spired St. Andrew's Church and the promenade of Chowrasta, the flat hilltop square where locals gather at dusk. Above all, Darjeeling offers a rare, intimate view of Kanchenjunga (8,586m), whose serrated white ridge floats above the town when the weather cooperates. Add the UNESCO-listed railway and a working tea industry you can walk into, and you have a hill station that rewards curiosity as much as rest. Top things to see and do Ride the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the 'toy train' that has hauled passengers up the mountain since 1881 and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The steam-hauled joy ride from Darjeeling to Ghum - India's highest railway station - loops through the famous Batasia Loop, where the track spirals around a war memorial with the mountains behind. For sunrise, join the pre-dawn convoy to Tiger Hill, southeast of town, where Kanchenjunga catches the first light and, on exceptionally clear days, you can pick out Everest far to the west. Back in town, tour a tea estate such as Happy Valley, one of the oldest gardens, to see plucking and processing up close. Visit the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and the adjoining Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, home to red pandas and snow leopards, both on the same leafy campus. Round it off with the Peace Pagoda and the working Buddhist monasteries at Ghum, and a cable-car ride on the Darjeeling Ropeway over the valley's tea slopes. Best time to visit Darjeeling has three broad seasons. Spring (March to May) is arguably the sweetest: mild days, blooming rhododendrons and the prized first-flush tea being picked. Autumn (October to November), just after the monsoon, delivers the crispest air and the highest odds of an unobstructed Kanchenjunga. Winter (December to February) is cold and sometimes foggy but quiet and atmospheric. Avoid the monsoon (roughly June to September), when heavy rain and landslides can close hill roads and keep the peaks hidden for days. Whenever you come, pack a warm layer - mountain evenings are chilly year-round. Getting there Darjeeling has no airport or mainline station of its own; you arrive via the plains and climb. The nearest airport is Bagdogra (IXB), near Siliguri, with flights from Kolkata, Delhi and other Indian cities. The nearest major railhead is New Jalpaiguri (NJP), also at Siliguri, served by trains including the Darjeeling Mail from Kolkata. From either point it is a scenic three-to-four-hour drive up the mountain by shared jeep or taxi, following the Hill Cart Road alongside the toy-train tracks. Purists can board the narrow-gauge train for part of the ascent, though the full ride is slow - treat it as the experience, not the commute. Where to stay Base yourself near Chowrasta and the Mall, walkable to cafes, viewpoints and the market, and closed to most traffic. Options range from heritage properties like the Windamere on Observatory Hill, all fireplaces and colonial charm, to mid-range hillside guesthouses and budget lodges tucked into the lanes below. For something quieter and more scenic, several tea-estate bungalows and homestays on the outskirts let you wake up surrounded by the gardens, though you'll rely on a car for town. Local tips Eat like the hills do: momos (steamed dumplings) with fiery chilli sauce and a bowl of thukpa noodle soup are staples, and the local bakeries turn out surprisingly good cakes and cheese. Buy tea directly from an estate or a reputable town shop, and ask whether you're getting first flush, second flush or autumnal - they taste genuinely different. Mornings offer the clearest mountain views, so plan sightseeing early and save shopping for the afternoon cloud. Finally, altitude and steep lanes make the town more tiring than it looks; give yourself a day to acclimatise and walk slowly, the way Darjeeling intends. Darjeeling travel guide, Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Darjeeling tea estates, Tiger Hill sunrise, West Bengal hill station, Kanchenjunga views, things to do in Darjeeling, how to reach Darjeeling

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Darden posted a slight earnings miss for the quarter ended Aug. 30 as Olive Garden's sales rose just 1.1% and LongHorn Steakhouse led with 6.2% growth. Darden Restaurants fell short of Wall Street forecasts for both profit and sales in its latest quarter, the company said Thursday, as its flagship Olive Garden chain posted only modest sales gains. The stock dropped as much as 5% before the opening bell, then trimmed the decline to roughly 2% by mid-morning after executives sought to calm investors during the earnings call. For the fiscal first quarter, which ended Aug. 30, the company earned $233.4 million, or $2.04 a share. That was down from $257.8 million, or $2.19 a share, in the same period a year earlier. Net sales climbed 5.1% to $3.20 billion. Comparable-restaurant sales across the group rose 3.1%, with every division posting growth. Chief Executive Rick Cardenas pointed to a pair of temporary drags on demand. Diner unease over cyclospora, a foodborne illness linked to fresh produce this summer, and a soccer World Cup that kept some customers at home both bit into sales during the period. Cardenas said trends have picked up in September, and he told analysts that prices for important commodities such as beef should ease in the back half of the fiscal year. Chief Financial Officer Raj Vennam said the tournament alone cut the company's comparable sales by 80 basis points, or 0.8%, early in the quarter. LongHorn overtakes Olive Garden LongHorn Steakhouse was again the standout, with same-store sales up 6.2%. The steak chain has now surpassed Olive Garden as the group's fastest grower, though it still brings in a smaller portion of total revenue. Olive Garden itself managed a 1.1% rise. It remains the largest brand in the portfolio by both location count and sales, but its momentum has faded as customers grow more selective about where they spend. The chain also felt the summer's produce scare. Cardenas said the brand had been ready to promote one of its best-known draws - its bottomless soup, salad and breadsticks - but shelved that marketing push after public worry about lettuce spread. That campaign has been pushed into the current quarter instead. To lift traffic, Olive Garden plans to focus on weekday lunch, a slower part of the day. Cardenas said the team is developing "several opportunities" built around value to draw more midday diners. Fine dining and Yard House Darden's upscale segment, home to The Capital Grille and Ruth's Chris, recorded same-store sales growth of 1.6%. Executives said guest counts at those restaurants remain under pre-pandemic marks, though the direction is improving, and the fine-dining brands have raised prices less aggressively than the rest of the company. "We are seeing that business spending is still low," Cardenas said, adding that private dining is beginning to expand. The remaining brands, bundled into an "other business" unit, grew comparable sales 3.8%. Within that group, Yard House jumped 10%, the single Darden chain to gain from the World Cup rather than lose from it. Cardenas called the beer-focused concept a "high potential growth brand" and said it became the company's third billion-dollar brand as of last week. Yard House is set to open 13 new locations in the fiscal year. Darden Restaurants, Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Yard House, Rick Cardenas, restaurant earnings, same-store sales, cyclospora outbreak

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