Morning Digest: U.S., Iran separately talk with mediators in latest bid to end war; Sahil Wakode’s parents stage hunger strike at Azad Maidan, demand professor’s arrest; and more

Motorbikes drive past Iranian missiles and banners showing portraits of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, center, and the late armed forces commanders and nuclear scientists, who were killed in Israeli and U.S. strikes, displayed in a military exhibition commemorating the anniversary of the start of the 1980-88 Iraq-Iran war at Baharestan Square, in Tehran, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026. File | Photo Credit: AP U.S., Iran separately talk with mediators in latest bid to end warU.S. and Iranian officials spoke separately with ​mediators on Monday (September 28, 2026) as part of a renewed effort to ⁠end seven months of war, according to officials of both countries. Any further talks are expected to focus on an amended version of a seven-day proposal that Iran presented last ‌week on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, an official briefed on the negotiations told Reuters.Sahil Wakode’s parents stage hunger strike at Azad Maidan, demand professor’s arrestThe parents of IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode, who died by suicide earlier this month, staged a hunger strike at Azad Maidan on Monday (September 28, 2026) demanding the arrest of Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, who has been named in the FIR registered in connection with their son’s death.Sharad Pawar puts a stop to merger speculation, says he won’t join anyoneNationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) leader Sharad Pawar on Tuesday (September 28, 2026) put an end to speculation over the possibility of a merger between the NCP and NCP(SP). His party would not join anyone, but others were welcome to join his party, Mr. Sharad Pawar said, adding that he would continue working to strengthen the party. This has put paid to speculation over whether the party would join the NCP and support the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Mr. Pawar’s party colleagues welcomed his statement.Delhi University students march for women’s safety as police step up school, college auditsAt least 3,000 women students from Delhi University (DU) marched through North Campus on Monday (September 28), demanding safer public and institutional spaces, a week after a 17-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by three men posing as policemen at Astha Kunj Park. SEBI clears Vinod Adani and settles Gautam Adani in MPS violations caseThe Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has cleared Vinod Adani, elder brother of Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani, of allegations relating to violation of minimum public shareholding (MPS) norms and Prohibition of Fraudulent and Unfair Trade Practices (PFUTP) regulations.India has over 80 days fuel reserves: PuriIndia has fuel reserves to meet more than 80 days of its requirements, Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said at the curtain raiser of India Energy Week 2027 in Kolkata on Monday.Rahul Gandhi visits JJ cluster in Bela Estate, questions deletion of voters’ names from SIR draft rollLeader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday visited a jhuggi-jhopri (JJ) cluster on the Yamuna floodplains in the Bela Estate polling area, where the names of 728 of the 729 voters were left out of the draft electoral roll under the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) exercise in Delhi.Iran denies link to suspected bomb plot at U.K. airbase used by U.S.Iran on Monday (September 28, 2026) denied involvement in a suspected bomb plot at a U.K. airbase used by the United States, as counter-terror police said five men in their mid-20s arrested nearby were all London-based Britons.U.S. prosecutors reopen Cornell gang rape case after outcryU.S. prosecutors reopened an investigation on Monday (September 28, 2026) into an alleged gang rape at Cornell University following claims the elite college failed to properly punish the men involved.SpaceX puts Starship megarocket in orbit for first timeElon Musk’s Starship megarocket reached orbit for the first time on Monday (September 28, 2026) after blasting off from Texas, in a major milestone for SpaceX’s plans, including trips to the Moon and Mars. Published - September 29, 2026 06:38 am IST