The internet never really takes a day off, and neither do our news notifications. From 8 lakh people filling the streets of Paris for Pope Leo XIV’s mass to Best of the Best, a Netflix drama facing backlash, social media is buzzing with updates. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli announces his last World Cup, CJP leader Ashutosh Ranka is detained, and a viral moment involving Trump’s wife refusing to shake hands with Xi Jinping is also making headlines.
From viral moments and celebrity updates to sports, politics, and stories making headlines across India and around the world, here’s your quick roundup of everything everyone’s talking about. Whether it’s a story dominating X, a video going viral on Instagram, or a celebrity update taking over your feed, these are the headlines you need to know today.
1. Over 800,000 people fill Paris streets for Pope Leo XIV’s Mass
On Saturday, September 26, over 800,000 people gathered on the Champs-Élysées in Paris to hear Pope Leo XIV. During his Mass in Paris, he urged Catholics to find happiness in faith rather than material things. It was one of the biggest events of his visit to France.
Along the 2-km-long boulevard, from Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe, people chanted “Leo, Leo” and “Long live the Pope”. People stood for hours to catch a glimpse of Leo as he arrived in a popemobile.
Attendees included Brigitte Macron, the French president’s wife, Marine Le Pen, who is leading in the polls ahead of next year’s presidential election, and Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu.
2. ‘Last Plane Out of Kabul’ line puts Best of the Best in trouble
Netflix’s Best of the Best has landed in controversy after a dialogue referencing the 2021 Kabul evacuation sparked backlash online. In the film, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan’s character says, “Guys throw themselves at you like you’re the last plane out of Kabul.”
The line has drawn criticism from viewers who say it trivialises the traumatic events surrounding the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan. Thousands of people had gathered at Kabul airport trying to flee the country, with chaotic scenes, deaths and desperate attempts to board departing aircraft making headlines around the world.
The film, directed by Lena Khan and co-written by Hasan Minhaj and Prashanth Venkataramanujam, began streaming on Netflix on September 18.
3. Virat Kohli drops bombshell, “It’s the last World Cup”
Virat Kohli has revealed that the 2027 ODI World Cup will be his last World Cup for India. The announcement came ahead of India’s ODI series against the West Indies, with the veteran batter saying he is ready to give everything in his final World Cup campaign.
Kohli, who has already retired from Test and T20 international cricket, now represents India only in the 50-over format. The 2027 World Cup will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, giving Kohli a final opportunity to compete for the trophy in the format in which he has built one of the strongest records in international cricket.
4. CJP leader Ashutosh Ranka, others detained in Guwahati
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) co-convenor Ashutosh Ranka and several other party leaders and activists were detained by Assam Police in Guwahati on Sunday, shortly before the organisation’s first regional volunteers’ meeting was scheduled to begin.
According to the CJP, Ranka, Ankit Bhardwaj, Premakash Golu and other Assam-based volunteers were taken to the 10th Assam Police Battalion campus in Kahilipara. The party said 35 detainees had begun an indefinite hunger strike while in custody. The detention has triggered a political dispute, with CJP leaders questioning the police action.
5. Viral moment involving Trump’s wife and Xi Jinping takes over social media
A moment involving US First Lady Melania Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the latter’s state visit to the US has gone viral on social media. The visit included an official state arrival ceremony and engagements involving Trump, Melania Trump, Xi Jinping and Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan.
Social media users have been sharing and discussing clips from the diplomatic events, with particular attention on interactions between the two delegations. However, claims that Melania Trump specifically “refused to shake hands” with Xi should be treated carefully unless the full video and context are available.
6. Anahat Singh wins silver in women’s singles squash at Asian Games
India’s Anahat Singh clinched a silver medal in women’s singles squash at the 2026 Asian Games after losing the final to Malaysia’s Sivasangari Subramaniam. The Malaysian player won the final 11-4, 11-4, 11-7.
The result nevertheless marked a historic achievement for Anahat, as she became the first Indian woman to reach the squash singles final at the Asian Games. India’s Abhay Singh also won silver in the men’s singles event, with Malaysia claiming both individual squash gold medals.
7. Thousands march in Madrid in protest over Spain’s housing crisis
Thousands of people took to the streets of Madrid on Saturday to protest Spain’s housing crisis, demanding stronger tenant protections, measures against housing fraud and a ban on evictions when alternative accommodation is unavailable.
The latest protests were sparked by the eviction of 87-year-old María del Carmen Abascal, known as Maricarmen, from the Madrid apartment where she had lived for decades. Demonstrators marched through the city, and some later set up tents at Puerta del Sol, turning the square into a protest camp. While authorities estimated that around 25,000 people attended Saturday’s march, the Madrid Tenants’ Union put the number as high as 300,000.
From unexpected viral moments and sports updates to conversations taking over social media, these are some of the stories keeping Gen Z’s feeds busy today.
