US President Donald Trump has waived key provisions of a law that threatened tariffs of up to 100% on countries buying Russian oil, offering temporary relief to India. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump wants 60 days to assess the economic impact of sanctions and tariffs on global and US markets. Rubio acknowledged that India has diversified its energy sources but remains heavily dependent on Russian supplies. The waiver comes amid global energy disruptions linked to conflicts involving Iran and Russia’s war in Ukraine. Washington has not ruled out further action after reviewing the economic impact. (PC: News18)

France faced widespread damage on Sunday after protests over rising fuel prices, living costs and poor public services turned violent in several cities. Around 550,000 people joined Saturday’s demonstrations, most of which were peaceful, while police arrested about 1,800 people. Rioters set vehicles and buildings on fire, looted shops and clashed with police in Paris, Marseille and Lille. More than 500 police officers, gendarmes and firefighters were injured, the interior ministry said. The Retail and Trade Federation reported damage to around 1,500 shops and retailers. Fires also damaged public buildings in Lyon and Limoges. (PC: BBC)

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke said the group would restrategise its protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar after members Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka are released from custody. The protests concern alleged irregularities in the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.   “Once Saurav and Ashu come, we will gather, restrategise, and determine how to move forward,” Dipke said. He alleged that recent arrests and detentions were intended to intimidate the group and said it would not back down. Dipke was granted conditional bail on Saturday. Das and Ranka remain in judicial custody after breaching the de-notified Jantar Mantar protest site. (PC: X)

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said India cannot shift away from Russian energy overnight, explaining Washington’s decision to waive certain sanctions and tariff provisions. US President Donald Trump has allowed a 60-day review to assess the economic impact of imposing sanctions on Russia and tariffs on countries buying its energy. The measures could have exposed India and other major buyers to tariffs of up to 100% on goods exported to the US. Rubio described India as an important American partner and said global energy pressures must be considered before deciding the next steps. The waiver offers temporary relief to India.

Protests over rising living costs and declining public services turned violent across France on Saturday, with more than 1,200 people arrested and 150 police officers injured. Around 550,000 people took to the streets nationwide, including 110,000 in Paris, according to the Interior Ministry. Demonstrators and masked groups clashed with police, while shops were looted and buildings set ablaze in several cities. In Limoges, a fire severely damaged the historic town hall, while Lyon’s tourist office also caught fire. President Emmanuel Macron condemned the violence and vowed legal action against those responsible. The protests began over school conditions before expanding into wider economic grievances. 

A delegation of European diplomats was attacked by masked Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, prompting Belgium to demand accountability. The diplomats, from Belgium, France, Poland and the Catholic Church, were visiting the Christian village of Taybeh near Ramallah to assess repeated settler attacks on Palestinians during the olive harvest. Belgium said a consulate car’s window was smashed, while French mayor Bernard Baudoux was reportedly assaulted. Israel’s military condemned the violence and launched an investigation. However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office urged caution, saying the available footage did not establish the full sequence of events or individual responsibility. (PC: BBC)

Noida Police have registered a case against 2 identified X users and other unidentified accounts for allegedly spreading false claims that YouTuber Dhruv Rathee had been arrested. The posts circulated on October 16, claiming that Rathee was taken into custody over his videos. Police clarified that he had not been arrested by Noida Police and described the claims as false and misleading. The case was registered at Sector 39 police station under Sections 197 and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 67 of the Information Technology Act. Police said the posts could create panic and disturb law and order, and urged users to verify information before sharing it. (PC: X)

Police have arrested 7 people, including members of the organising committee, after a stampede at Kolkata’s Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal killed 19 people and injured around 25 on Saturday evening. The incident occurred around 7:40 pm on October 17 amid heavy crowds and rain. Eyewitnesses cited narrow entry and exit gates and poor lighting as possible concerns. The pandal was closed, and a case was registered to investigate the tragedy. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced compensation of Rs 25 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 5 lakh for each injured person. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced financial assistance. (PC: X, India Today)

US Vice-President JD Vance has defended his controversial description of H-1B visa workers as “foreign indentured servants”, while acknowledging that his wording may have been imperfect. Referring to his Indian in-laws, Vance said he respected immigrants who contribute to the United States. However, he argued that companies should prioritise American workers when suitable candidates are available. His remarks follow the suspension of several companies from the employment-based green card process, including Infosys, TCS, Wipro and Microsoft. India’s Foreign Ministry criticised his earlier description as “unwarranted and deeply offensive”, highlighting Indian professionals’ contributions to the US economy. (PC: News18)

Protests have erupted across several countries as people express anger over rising living costs, housing prices, education funding and public services. In France, demonstrations over fuel prices and education cuts have drawn large crowds, while Belgium has seen student protests over rising university fees. Thousands marched in Portugal over low wages and unaffordable housing. Italy and Albania have also witnessed protests over economic pressures and education conditions. In the United States, rallies targeted President Donald Trump, while demonstrations in India focused on alleged voter-list irregularities. The protests reflect growing public frustration with government policies and economic inequality. (PC: NDTV)