The body of former Bangladesh Air Force Flight Lieutenant Tahsif Souri was recovered from the Turag River in Dhaka on Wednesday, a day after he went missing. River police recovered the body near Tongi Bandar Ghat after receiving information through Bangladesh’s national emergency helpline, 999. Souri came to public attention over a video reportedly showing former prime minister Sheikh Hasina leaving Bangladesh by aircraft on August 5, 2024. He was said to have recorded the footage. His identity was established using his mobile phone and wristwatch. The body was sent to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital for an autopsy. Police said the cause of death remains undetermined. (PC: The Daily Star)

Spain has begun 3 days of national mourning after a train collision killed at least 68 people and injured dozens on Wednesday. The crash occurred near Urda in Toledo when a Renfe high-speed train struck a stationary Iryo train carrying 147 passengers. The Renfe train had 397 passengers on board, and several carriages fell down an embankment after the impact. Emergency teams worked overnight to recover victims and identify the dead. Authorities are investigating the cause, including reports of a system failure and a decision to allow trains to move. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed condolences to grieving families. (PC: BBC)

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has criticised veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah after he voiced support for protesting students at Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi. Rijiju called Shah a “dangerous urban Naxal” and a “subversive intellectual” in a post on X. The remarks followed a video in which Shah wore a badge reading “Dimagi Naxal” and questioned the Centre’s handling of student protests and educational institutions. He also referred to protests at Jawaharlal Nehru University and the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute. Jamia students are demanding a clear timeline for student union elections, which have not been held since 2006. (PC: NDTV)

Israeli police have rejected allegations of election fraud made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, saying there is no supporting evidence. Likud accused Arab parties of irregularities and demanded investigations by the police, Shin Bet and Central Elections Committee. With around 91% of votes counted, Netanyahu’s bloc was leading with 53–54 seats, while the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot had 48. Arab-led parties, the Joint List and Ra’am, held a combined 19 seats. However, neither bloc had secured the 61 seats needed for a parliamentary majority. Counting of double-envelope ballots is continuing, with final results expected by October 30. (PC: HT)

Nearly Rs 35 crore has allegedly gone missing from savings accounts and fixed deposits at a Punjab National Bank (PNB) branch in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Several customers claim that money was transferred without their consent and that they received no transaction alerts. The affected accounts include funds received as compensation for acquired land. One farmer said his account balance fell from around Rs 88 lakh to just Rs 1 lakh. Another customer reported that Rs 39 lakh had disappeared. Following complaints, PNB suspended several employees, including the branch manager. Police have registered a case, and investigations are underway. (PC: News18)

Nallamala Akshitha, a 25-year-old woman from Telangana, died of a suspected cardiac arrest in Albany, New York, on Friday. She had recently completed her Master of Science (MS) degree and secured a job, according to reports. Akshitha had moved to the United States around 4 years ago for higher studies. She was reportedly walking outside her residence after dinner when she suddenly collapsed. Her brother, Akshay, later found her unconscious and rushed her to a nearby hospital with help from neighbours. Doctors declared her dead on arrival. Her family in Khammam district is arranging to bring her remains to India. (PC: India Today)

Cristiano Ronaldo defeated Lionel Messi in the inaugural Ballon d’Or of All Time (B.O.A.T.) fan vote, winning recognition for his 2008 season at Manchester United. Introduced to mark the Ballon d’Or’s 70th anniversary, the poll invited fans to select the greatest Ballon d’Or-winning season from 10 players who had won the award at least twice. However, the final rankings became a contest between Ronaldo and Messi, with the two footballers occupying all 10 positions. Several celebrated players, including Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini, Marco van Basten, Franz Beckenbauer and Ronaldo Nazario, failed to make the final rankings. Ronaldo scored 42 goals in 2008, helping Manchester United win both the Premier League and Champions League. (PC: AP)

US Vice President JD Vance has reportedly reached out to senior Iranian security official Mohsen Rezaei to explore the possibility of renewed negotiations as President Donald Trump considers further military action against Iran. According to The Wall Street Journal, Vance sent a letter to Rezaei at Trump’s direction. The outreach reportedly aims to determine whether Washington and Tehran can find common ground to avert a possible intense US attack in the coming weeks. Exchanges between officials have focused on establishing a framework for negotiations rather than presenting specific peace proposals. However, both Trump and Rezaei have shown limited interest in talks, with Trump recently hinting at possible strikes. (PC: Reuters)

The Congress won the Nagpur seat in Maharashtra’s MLC elections, surprising the BJP after ruling party leaders had mocked the opposition for failing to win seats. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had questioned how many seats Congress won across 28 MLC constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and Karnataka, highlighting that ballot papers were used. The Nagpur victory gave Congress an opportunity to target Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, with the party alleging Fadnavis deleted a boastful social media post. Overall, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) secured three of the five seats contested in Maharashtra, providing the alliance with a boost amid the political exchange.

Defeated Brazilian presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro declared himself the country’s rightful president after arriving in the United States, alleging electoral fraud in the runoff won by incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. In a statement posted on X, Bolsonaro accused opponents of stealing the election and said he would lead the opposition from abroad. US President Donald Trump called Brazil’s election “very strange” but said he would not intervene in Bolsonaro’s claim. Lula, who secured 51.8% of the vote, criticised Bolsonaro’s departure as “shameful.” Bolsonaro faces investigations into alleged corruption and money laundering, including a reported $24 million financing arrangement linked to an unreleased film about his father, Jair Bolsonaro.