Robert Redford, the iconic Hollywood actor, Oscar-winning director, and environmental activist, passed away peacefully in his sleep at the age of 89 on September 16, 2025, at his home in the mountains near Provo, Utah. Known for classic films like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting, and All the President's Men, Redford was also a champion of independent film, founding the Sundance Institute and Festival. His legacy includes not only his cinematic achievements but also his passionate advocacy for the environment and the independent film community.
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INS Kadmatt is a modern anti-submarine warfare (ASW) corvette of the Indian Navy, designed and built in India under Project 28. It is the second of four indigenous ASW corvettes constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers in Kolkata, and was commissioned into service on January 7, 2016.
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Kerala will host the two-day "Blue Tides: Kerala-European Union Blue Economy Conclave 2025" at Thiruvananthapuram from September 18, bringing together over 500 delegates from India and 17 European countries. The event focuses on sustainable ocean-based economic growth, fostering partnerships in marine logistics, fisheries, renewable energy, aquaculture, coastal tourism, and green technologies, positioning Kerala as a resilient coastal economy and gateway for global cooperation in the blue economy.
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Justice B. Sudershan Reddy led the Supreme Court bench in the landmark 2011 Nandini Sundar vs. State of Chhattisgarh case, which declared the Salwa Judum militia unconstitutional for violating fundamental rights under Articles 14 and 21 of the Indian Constitution. The judgment emphasized that the State cannot outsource its monopoly of violence to untrained civilian militias, protecting rule of law, human dignity, and equality before the law. This ruling remains a significant constitutional safeguard against state-sponsored vigilantism and unlawful use of force.
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India and the US resumed bilateral trade talks in New Delhi on September 16, 2025, aimed at reviving the stalled trade agreement discussions after the US imposed punitive 50% tariffs on Indian goods due to India's purchase of Russian oil. These talks, led by Indian negotiator Rajesh Agrawal and US trade representative Brendan Lynch, mark the first in-person engagement since the tariffs, with both sides exploring possibilities to overcome divergences, especially on market access and tariffs, to finalize a mutually beneficial deal.
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Tesla's board proposed a historic compensation package for CEO Elon Musk in September 2025, potentially worth up to $1 trillion over the next decade. This package is performance-based, contingent on Musk achieving ambitious milestones including increasing Tesla’s market capitalization from $1.1 trillion to $8.5 trillion, delivering 20 million vehicles, deploying 1 million robotaxis, and launching 1 million Optimus humanoid robots by 2035. If realized, Musk would become the world's first trillionaire.
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Hyderabad is rapidly emerging as a strong rival to Bengaluru for India’s top tech jobs, especially in senior roles related to data engineering, AI, and R&D. Median salaries for software engineering and research roles are rising faster in Hyderabad due to an influx of experienced hires. Global tech giants like Google, Amazon, Apple, and Meta are expanding their senior teams and new offices in Hyderabad, attracted by its better lifestyle, liveability, and growing tech ecosystem, which is diversifying India's tech landscape beyond Bengaluru.
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In July 2025, the Supreme Court of India, in the Sukdeb Saha vs. State of Andhra Pradesh case, held mental health as an integral part of the Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution. The judgment arose from the case of a 17-year-old NEET aspirant who died by suicide, leading to the Court issuing 15 binding guidelines for educational institutions and coaching centers to safeguard student mental well-being and prevent suicides. This landmark verdict places legal responsibility on schools and the State to create safe, supportive environments for students, mandating measures such as mental health policies, qualified counselors, anti-bullying rules, and regular monitoring.
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The UNICEF Child Nutrition Report 2025 highlights a sharp global rise in childhood obesity, now surpassing underweight cases among school-age children and adolescents. In South Asia, including India, overweight prevalence in 5-19-year-olds has increased nearly fivefold since 2000, driven by aggressive marketing and widespread consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs). The report calls for stronger policies like mandatory nutrition labeling and food subsidies for healthier options to combat this growing public health challenge.
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BYD, China's leading electric vehicle maker, suffered a massive $45 billion stock market wipeout in 2025 after its shares fell over 30% from a recent high due to a sharp 30% plunge in its June-quarter profit. The steep decline was driven by an intense price war in China’s EV market, with BYD aggressively discounting to gain market share, while rivals like Geely and Leapmotor gained ground. The Chinese government has also stepped in to curb excessive price cutting that harms the industry’s health. BYD lowered its 2025 vehicle delivery target from 5.5 million to 4.6 million units, facing challenges from an aging product lineup and tighter regulations.
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On September 15, 2025, Alphabet, Google's parent company, joined the elite $3 trillion market capitalization club for the first time. The stock surged over 4%, driven by renewed optimism from a favorable U.S. antitrust court ruling allowing Alphabet to retain control over its Chrome browser and Android OS, and strong growth in its artificial intelligence products, notably the Gemini AI model. Alphabet now stands alongside tech giants like Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia in this exclusive valuation group.
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In 2001, K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), then a TDP leader, resigned from his position to launch the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), a new regional party advocating for a separate Telangana state. Citing discrimination against the region's people, his move formally revived the decades-old statehood agitation, which eventually led to the formation of Telangana.
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In a historic first, Hyderabad hosted the 32nd National Games from December 13-22, 2002. The prestigious event, inaugurated by then-President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, saw the government invest Rs 184 crore in state-of-the-art sports infrastructure. The successful organization of the games was widely acclaimed, cementing the city’s reputation as a major sports hub and setting a benchmark for future events.
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In 2006, then U.S. President George W. Bush visited Hyderabad to highlight U.S.-India cooperation in agriculture and business. During his trip, he announced the establishment of a new U.S. Consulate in the city, a move that was seen as a major step to strengthen regional ties and attract investment.
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