September 22nd, 2026 (Tuesday)

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Andy Richter (0:30)

Hi, I'm Andy Richter. I might not have won the Mirror Ball last season.

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That was so fun.

Andy Richter (0:35)

But I did win the best gig ever. Hosting the Dancing with the Stars official podcast.

Get ready for all the inside scoop from the cast. All right, well, let's get to work. Behind the scenes secrets and more from every episode.

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That was smoldering.

Andy Richter (0:49)

It's gonna be iconic.

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All my dreams are coming true.

Andy Richter (0:52)

Dancing with the Stars official podcast. New episodes every Thursday on Disney Plus and Hulu and wherever you get your podcasts.

Karan Rao (1:00)

Imagine writing a sophisticated algorithm to catch voter fraud and then it actually flags the country Haas' top election commissioner as a suspicious entry.

Ayesha Mehta (1:10)

Yeah, that's wild.

Karan Rao (1:12)

That is exactly the kind of bizarre administrative irony we're unpacking today. Hey there, Ayesha Mehta and Karan Rao here.

Ayesha Mehta (1:19)

Hello, everyone, ready to get right into it.

Karan Rao (1:21)

So today is Monday, September 21, 2026, and we've got, well, a massive stack of sources to go through. Today we're looking at a bank strike that could freeze your accounts for five days, surprising protests, uniting rival US. TV networks, and yeah, that automated algorithm handing out electoral notices to top officials.

Ayesha Mehta (1:41)

Definitely a busy news day.

Karan Rao (1:43)

Right. So our mission in this deep dive is to basically break down the facts from today's sources, cut through the noise, and help you understand the mechanics of what is really going on. So let's just jump right in.

Ayesha Mehta (1:52)

First up, IIT Bombay removes Dean amidst student death investigation.

Karan Rao (1:57)

Right. So what are the actual facts coming out of the New Indian Express on this one?

Ayesha Mehta (2:01)

Well, IIT Bombay has removed Professor Suryanarayanadula from his position as Dean of Administrative Affairs, though he does actually remain a faculty member.

Karan Rao (2:10)

Okay.

Ayesha Mehta (2:11)

This all follows the tragic death of a 22-year-old B.Tech student, Sahil Wakod. He was found hanging in his hostel room just hours after an allegation that he used a phone to access ChatGPT during a mid-semester exam.

Karan Rao (2:25)

Oh, wow. That is incredibly sad.

Ayesha Mehta (2:27)

Yeah. The Mumbai police registered a case under the SCST Act and abetment of suicide.

Karan Rao (2:34)

So you've got these completely conflicting narratives here, right? On one side, you have the family and various student groups, alleging institutional harassment and caste discrimination.

Ayesha Mehta (2:43)

Exactly. And for context, the SCST Act is a powerful legal framework designed to protect marginalized communities, which is exactly where the core friction in this story lies. The family wants him completely suspended, not just removed as dean.

Karan Rao (2:57)

But then looking at the source material, the institutional response is entirely different. You've got faculty forums across IIT Bombay, Madras and Delhi releasing statements actively defending the professor.

Ayesha Mehta (3:08)

Yeah, they're leaning heavily on a procedural defense. They argue he simply followed the Senate approved exam rules regarding mobile phone use.

The IIT Delhi faculty forum even took it a step further. They warned that penalizing a professor for reporting an alleged exam violation could fundamentally undermine academic integrity everywhere.

Karan Rao (3:28)

So it's this direct collision between student welfare protocols and enforcing rigid academic rules. And now the Mumbai Police Crime Branch has to navigate this narrative.

Ayesha Mehta (3:38)

Exactly.

Karan Rao (3:38)

Moving to our next story. Jay Shankar holds bilateral meetings at UN Assembly.

Ayesha Mehta (3:43)

NDTV is reporting that External Affairs Minister S. Jay Shankar is currently at the 81st UN General Assembly in New York.

Karan Rao (3:51)

And his itinerary is just packed, isn't it?

Ayesha Mehta (3:53)

It really is. I mean, he sat down with the French Foreign Minister to discuss Ukraine, the Gulf crisis, and reforming the UN Security Council.

Karan Rao (4:00)

Big topics.

Ayesha Mehta (4:00)

Very. And then he met with Ecuador to expand Latin American ties in energy, pharma and mobility. Plus, he held meetings with his counterparts from Slovakia and Hungary.

Karan Rao (4:10)

All before his main address on September 26th.

Ayesha Mehta (4:13)

Right.