Donald Trump’s push to reclaim Afghanistan’s Bagram Air Base ignores modern realities. Once a strategic hub near China, Bagram now symbolizes America’s costly and endless wars. Experts argue that with modern surveillance and alliances, such bases are obsolete, and retaking it would only mean reigniting conflict with the Taliban out of nostalgia, not strategy.

A planned summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the Ukraine war, has been cancelled, the Financial Times reported on Friday. The decision came after a 'tense call' between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the report said. Russia earlier sent US a memo underlining Putin's demands.

India has the lowest awareness of artificial intelligence among 25 nations, according to a Pew Research Centre survey. Only 14% of Indians said they had heard or read a lot about AI, compared to the 25-country median of 81%. Despite this, 89% trust their government to regulate AI, the highest confidence level recorded.

The first meeting in six years between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping offered little reassurance to markets. While the two sides agreed on limited tariff cuts and measures on fentanyl trade, core tensions remain unresolved. Analysts say the deal may ease pressure briefly, but lasting stability in global trade appears unlikely.

A new international report warns that Earth's natural defences against climate change, its forests, soils, and oceans, are weakening as the planet warms. These "carbon sinks" are absorbing less CO2, worsening global warming. Scientists urge urgent emission cuts and limited reliance on nature-based solutions, as rising temperatures threaten ecosystems, economies, and public health worldwide.

The US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the defence framework agreement signed by US and India is a "significant step for our two militaries". He further said the agreement is "a roadmap for deeper and even more meaningful collaboration ahead". He met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for the first time since US imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods.

Vijay Kumar Mahato from Jharkhand’s Giridih district was shot dead during a crossfire between local police and an extortion gang in Saudi Arabia on October 15. Mahato’s family stated that before dying, he sent a voice note to his wife, saying he had been hit by a bullet and was asking for help. He used to work in Saudi Arabia.

The Centre on Thursday said around 2,900 Indians living illegally in the UK and the US have been deported by the countries. Of this, the US has deported more than 2,790 Indian nationals, while around 100 Indian nationals have been deported by the UK, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. "Their credentials and nationality were verified before repatriation," said MEA.

DP World has pledged to invest an additional $5 billion in India to strengthen its integrated supply chain network, which supports both exports and domestic trade. This is in addition to the $3 billion that DP World has already invested in India over the past three decades. These investments are focused on strengthening India's infrastructure backbone and advancing multimodal connectivity.

India, US and Russia are among over 55 countries that will participate in the Milan exercise in February 2026, Indian Navy Vice Chief Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan said. He stated that the US and Russia have indicated that they will be sending their ships and some aircraft for the exercise. Japan and Australia will also participate in the exercise.

US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control has sanctioned Delhi-born couple, Vikrant Bhardwaj and Indu Rani, for allegedly smuggling thousands of illegal aliens into the US. Sanctions have been imposed on Bhardwaj Human Smuggling Organisation (Bhardwaj HSO) and 16 firms that facilitated and profited from its criminal acts. People from Europe, Asia, Middle East and South America were smuggled.

After US VP JD Vance said he hopes his Hindu wife, Usha, would convert to Christianity, an old statement of the latter surfaced in which she said she doesn't intend to convert. "The kids know that I'm not Catholic, and they have plenty of access to the Hindu tradition from books that we give them," she had said.

US President Donald Trump has slashed the cap for refugee admissions into the country to 7,500 for 2026, the lowest figure in American history. Trump argued that the new limit was "justified by humanitarian concerns." Notably, priority for the available slots will be given to White South Africans, who Trump claims are being persecuted in Black-majority South Africa.

A mother and daughter were allegedly detained and brutally tortured by Pakistani troops in Balochistan's Panjgur district, leaving them critically injured. Local sources said the daughter was also sexually assaulted. The Human Rights Council of Balochistan condemned the act as a grave human rights violation and demanded an independent probe. Authorities have not yet responded to the allegations.

Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to maintain a ceasefire until their next peace talks in Istanbul on November 6, confirmed Turkey's foreign ministry. The talks aim to ease tensions following deadly border clashes that killed over 70 people. Mediation efforts by Turkey and Qatar continue as both nations face pressure to avoid further conflict.

Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos praised PM Narendra Modi's visit to the UN-patrolled Green Line as a "strong symbolism". The Green Line divides the Republic of Cyprus from Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus. "The occupier has been there for 51 years...India, being a global leader, it was very important for the PM to see...what we have been facing," Kombos said.

The US will admit just 7,500 refugees in 2026, a record low, prioritising white South Africans, the Trump administration announced. Critics say the move undermines America's humanitarian reputation and skews refugee policy toward racial bias. Advocacy groups argue it disregards crises in countries like Afghanistan, Sudan, and Venezuela where millions still seek asylum.

The World Bank reportedly disputed Pakistan's claims of poverty reduction, saying rural areas continue to remain under worsening economic pressures. Retaining its poverty estimate at 22.2% for FY25, the Bank said far stronger growth would be required to lift poor out of poverty. It warned Pakistan's current economic model is insufficient to deliver sustainable improvements in living standards.

Family of late Virginia Giuffre, the woman who had accused Prince Andrew of sexually abusing her when she was a minor, said Giuffre 'has won' as she "brought down a British prince with her truth". Prince Andrew has been stripped off his royal title and evicted from Windsor mansion, following the allegations and his ties with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Pashtun Tahafuz Movement chief Manzoor Pashteen has accused Pakistan’s military of waging a state-backed war on Pashtuns under the guise of counterterrorism. He alleged deliberate targeting of civilians, mass displacements, and suppression of Pashtun voices across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The PTM urged unity and peaceful resistance against what it described as systematic oppression.

US VP JD Vance has claimed that his Indian-origin wife, Usha Vance, grew up in a Hindu house but not a particularly religious one. However, in an old interview while sitting beside Vance, Usha had said, "I grew up in a religious household...My parents are Hindu, and that's one of the reasons that made them such good parents."

Ukraine is facing severe cash crunch and may run out of money by February 2026 if its European partners don't continue financing it, The Economist reported. "This year the war effort will require $100-110 billion...equivalent to about half of Ukraine's GDP," report added. It stated that NATO members might have to increase spending from 0.2% to 0.4% of their GDP.

Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami, praised Indian students as "the brightest and the best" at a welcome event with King's College London. He said Indian student community, now 1,66,000 strong, is UK's largest for the third year running, and their presence "adds economic value". "We think this is also a contribution to larger India-UK relationship," he added.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold bilateral meetings with leaders of Canada and Japan after his recent meeting with US President Donald Trump in South Korea, wherein Trump reduced tariffs on China to 47%. Notably, Japan's newly-elected PM Sanae Takaichi has been openly critical of China in the past. Xi and Takaichi will reportedly discuss Japan's security ties with US.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro is struggling to access his salary after being hit with US' sanctions, his lawyer told AFP. Petro, along with his wife and one of his sons, was recently added to US Treasury's blacklist and the White House has accused him of failing to curb drug trafficking. The sanctions aim to freeze their assets in US.