External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said emerging and middle powers must carefully navigate the growing rivalry between the United States and China. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, he described the situation as a “Goldilocks scenario”, where the rivalry should be neither excessively confrontational nor overly cooperative, but maintained at the “right temperature.” He said countries are increasingly pursuing diversification, de-risking and resilient supply chains while developing cooperation based on shared interests. Jaishankar argued that complete agreement between countries is no longer necessary; sufficient areas of convergence can enable cooperation. He also highlighted multi-alignment as an increasingly important strategy in today’s interconnected world. (PC: X)

An Indian Navy sailor, 31-year-old Pradeep Mukherjee, was arrested on October 3 by the Andhra Pradesh Police Counter Intelligence (CI) cell at INS Agrani in Coimbatore for allegedly transmitting classified maritime intelligence to a Pakistani intelligence operative. Mukherjee, a West Bengal native who joined the Navy in 2014, was posted with the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam. Officials said a female Pakistani operative allegedly contacted him through social media and developed an online relationship to obtain sensitive information about naval assets, fleet movements and the operational framework of the Visakhapatnam naval base. Investigators detected suspicious digital activity before placing him under surveillance. 

India's women's hockey team ended a 44-year wait for Asian Games gold, beating China 1-0 in Nagoya. The last gold came in 1982 at Delhi's Shivaji Stadium, under captain Eliza Nelson and coach Balkrishan Singh. Back then, players competed on uneven grass, goalkeepers wore cane and cotton pads, and the squad lived in a hall sharing one washroom. Today, Savita Punia leads a pan-India side, with Lalremsiami scoring the winner, backed by modern gear, video analysis and coach Sjoerd Marijne's tactical vision. Unbeaten in the tournament, India have also booked a place at the LA 2028 Olympics, bridging two generations. (PC: India Today)

The Kerala Home Department has ordered the reopening of a Vigilance probe into alleged corruption in a 2006 road project, when Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar was the state's Public Works Department secretary. Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala ordered the reinvestigation. The case began after Malaysian engineer Lee See Been, chief project manager of the World Bank-funded Kerala State Transport Project, died by suicide. His purported note allegedly named Kumar, accusing him of seeking a bribe to clear payments to PATI-BEL, an Indo-Malaysian venture. The earlier Vigilance inquiry was closed without a conclusion. The move revives a 20-year-old allegation against the current CEC. 

India finished the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with 85 medals, including 21 golds, its second-best Asiad haul after 106 medals and 28 golds in Hangzhou 2023. Only eight of those 28 golds were defended. Cricket (men and women), kabaddi (men and women), men's hockey and three compound archery team events retained their titles. All 13 solo and pair golds were lost, including Tajinderpal Singh Toor's shot put crown, which slipped by 17 cm. Nine of the 20 lost golds were near misses. Positives came from 13 fresh champions, including 17-year-old archer Kumkum Mohod and trap shooter Neeru Dhanda, who won India's first individual gold at these Games. (PC: X)

The Press Club of India said it was "shocked and dismayed" by Delhi Police's treatment of journalists at Saturday's Jantar Mantar protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Three women journalists alleged sexual harassment by police personnel. One said ACP Vivek Bhagat groped her, and that no FIR was registered despite a three-hour wait at Parliament Street police station. The Press Club said "behaviour of this kind cannot be normalised in a democracy," and also criticised the internet ban near the protest site. Delhi Police has transferred the complaints to the crime branch. Left leaders, including Brinda Karat, demanded an FIR against the ACP. (PC: X)

India's matches against Pakistan in cricket and hockey drew the biggest audiences in Asian Games history, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) said on Sunday. India beat Pakistan 4-3 in the men's hockey semifinal, then won gold against Malaysia. A day later, India defeated Pakistan by 19 runs in the cricket final to retain its Asiad title. OCA's Tayyab Ikram gave no viewership figures. Defending the Aichi-Nagoya Games despite complaints over accommodation and transport, the OCA said 212 Asian Games records fell and sponsorship revenue rose 19% compared with Hangzhou 2023. Organisers admitted challenges but called the Games safe and successful. (PC: X)

Australian authorities have begun investigating the Flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking the captain on a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight, after sources said he had once lived in Australia. The man was reportedly issued a student visa in 2014 and studied there between 2015 and 2017. ABC reported the visa was cancelled in 2019. The Australian Federal Police, with state police and the security agency, said it is examining his "links to Australia" and will give an update "at the appropriate time". Counter-terrorism officials will look at whether he was radicalised there, ABC reported. UAE prosecutors are separately probing motives behind the September 30 attack. (PC: BBC)

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray led a joint march in Mumbai on Sunday demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The Virat Garjana Morcha began at Metro Cinema and moved towards the BMC headquarters, with Congress and NCP (SP) leaders joining. The protesters allege irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Raj Thackeray demanded that SIR be cancelled in Maharashtra and elections be held on ballot papers. Uddhav Thackeray alleged large-scale deletions of voters nationwide. The march came two days after a Cockroach Janta Party protest in the city. (PC: India Today)

Flydubai captain Smit Machchhar has recalled the moment his co-pilot attacked him in the cockpit of flight FZ1073. Speaking to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the 39-year-old said the Omani co-pilot stood up to pray, and he looked ahead out of respect. "Suddenly, after about four or five minutes, there was a big blow to the back of my head," he said. He first feared the aircraft was damaged, then realised the blows came from inside the cockpit. Though injured, he reached the door's twist knob and opened it, letting crew and passengers intervene and save all 174 on board. (PC: X)