Nashik’s Devargaon village has a population of less than 3,000. On Tuesday, most of it was glued to television sets to watch one man live out his dream in Tokyo. Survesh Kushare, 30, had two goals in mind as he competed at the high jump event in the World Athletics Championships: to target a top-five finish in a star-studded field and go for his personal best. He narrowly missed the first goal, finishing sixth. However, he recorded a personal best leap of 2.28 m to become the first Indian high jumper to qualify for the World Championship final. For a man who trained with makeshift pits made from corn husks, Kushare has come a long way.Today, all eyes shift to javelin ace Neeraj Chopra. The Olympic champion faces a fierce contest against Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, who edged him out for Paris gold, and Germany’s Julian Weber, now part of the 90m club. Chopra struggled to breach the high 80s in his last competition, but can he break through today? Stay tuned!On that note, let’s get to the rest of today’s edition. Big StoryPrime Minister Narendra Modi turns 75 today! And perhaps the most significant greetings came from US President Donald Trump, who dialled up Modi for the first time since the bilateral chill set in last month. Trump and Modi took to social media to confirm their call. While Trump thanked “Narendra” for his “support on ending” the Russia-Ukraine war, Modi emphasised India’s “support” for Trump’s “initiatives towards a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict”.For context: The call came on a day of long talks between both sides for a trade deal. The discussions were later described as “positive“. India is facing steep US-imposed 50 per cent tariffs, which include a 25 per cent penalty for importing Russian oil. So far, the Indian government has resisted US pressure. Notably, Russian oil deliveries remained robust at Indian ports in the first half of September. However, it is the late September and October data that will provide clarity on the impact of Trump’s tariffs on oil imports.PM @ 75: Modi’s rise from humble beginnings represents a “devolution of power” to historically marginalised communities. Under him, India witnessed the OBC-isation of politics. And now, as he prepares to “leave behind a legacy”, columnist Neerja Chowdhury writes that he has his task cut out: “to safeguard and celebrate diversity and dissent”. Read.Story continues below this ad Express InvestigationNearly 700 cases were filed in the aftermath of the 2020 Delhi riots, including charges such as rioting, arson and unlawful assembly. As of August 2025, verdicts had been pronounced in 116 of them, with 97 resulting in acquittals and 19 in convictions. The latest Express Investigation analysed 93 of the acquittals, for which we could access the records, and found that in at least 17 cases (that’s nearly one in five cases), local courts have flagged serious impropriety in the police’s investigation. This included “fictitious” witnesses, “fabricated” evidence, and “artificial claims” by a constable, among others. Read the full investigation here. From the Front PageShortchanged? The West Bengal government has decided to revoke all incentives granted to industries since 1993, effective retrospectively, to make State finances “available for various social welfare schemes”. It has restricted industrial units from claiming or enforcing past arrears or dues in relation to these incentives, which included subsidies on taxes, land purchase, electricity, etc. Industry majors such as UltraTech Cement, Electrosteel Casting Limited and Nuvoco Vistas, among others, have appealed the decision in the High Court. Must ReadCorrection: A UNESCO team is preparing to visit Uttar Pradesh’s Sarnath, the site of Lord Buddha’s first sermon, after India nominated it for the World Heritage List. In the run-up to the visit, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) plans to install a “corrected” plaque at the location to credit the family of an erstwhile Benares ruler for its preservation instead of the British. Read all about it.Rain fury: Extreme rainfall or cloudbursts have left Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh ravaged with landslides, flash floods and swollen riverbanks, resulting in large-scale destruction and losses. While these events are not uncommon, the frequency and intensity have increased over recent years. Anjali Marar explains why.Story continues below this adThinking matter: Gravity is ubiquitous, but it didn’t enter the human consciousness until the 17th century, when Isaac Newton observed a falling apple. Though gravity governs everything — from our everyday lives to cosmic movements — why does it remain one of the biggest puzzles of physics? Read Shravan Hanasoge’s weekly column.⏳ And Finally…BCCI finally has a new sponsor. In August, the fantasy sports platform Dream 11 was forced to exit the sponsorship deal after the government introduced a law regulating online gaming. The baton has been handed over to Apollo Tyres, which struck a record Rs 579 crore three-year deal with the BCCI.Before you go, do tune in to today’s ‘3 Things’ podcast episode. The lineup: The Supreme Court’s interim order on the Waqf Act, a passport scam in the Sundarbans, and a row over medical colleges in Andhra Pradesh.That’s all for today, folks! Until tomorrow,Sonal GuptaStory continues below this ad Business As Usual by EP Unny