Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen drew parallels between the recent Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests in Delhi and the 2024 student-led movement that toppled former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, urging India to learn from Bangladesh's experience. Speaking at a press conference in Kolkata, Nasreen said the developments in her home country should serve as a warning about the consequences of prolonged unrest. Her remarks came a day after her felicitation event in Kolkata was briefly disrupted. Nasreen has recently returned to Kolkata after nearly 19 years and has also spoken in favour of free speech, equal rights for women and the implementation of a Uniform Civil Code. (PC: PTI)

Pakistan Army spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry criticised the Afghan Taliban's growing engagement with India, calling its relationship with the BJP and RSS one of "master and slave". Citing a Quranic verse, he questioned Muslims "befriending kafirs" and accused the Taliban regime of acting against Islamic values through its treatment of women, children and issuance of fatwas. His remarks followed Afghan Agriculture Minister Ataullah Omari's statement during a New Delhi visit that India felt "like our own country" and that both nations shared the "same DNA". Pakistan also reiterated allegations that Afghanistan enables anti-Pakistan activities involving India, claims that both Kabul and New Delhi have consistently denied. (PC: X)

Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen has backed the implementation of a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in India, saying equal laws are essential for ensuring justice and reducing discrimination against women. Speaking during her visit to Kolkata after nearly 19 years, Nasreen said all advanced countries have UCC-like laws and argued that Bangladesh, Pakistan and India all need a Uniform Civil Code. She highlighted that Hindu women in Bangladesh still lack equal inheritance rights, calling UCC necessary for equality and freedom. Nasreen also expressed disappointment over objections that prevented poet Joy Goswami from addressing her event, reiterating that everyone should have the right to express their views freely. (PC: The Indian Express)

The alleged busting of a Jaish-e-Mohammed-linked module in West Bengal has exposed what investigators believe is an evolving Pakistan-backed strategy to expand intelligence-gathering operations deep inside India. According to intelligence sources, the accused allegedly received instructions from Pakistan-based handlers to monitor VIP movements, infiltrate public protests and gather information for potential future operations. Investigators said communication took place through encrypted platforms, including WhatsApp, Telegram, Element X and Session. The alleged plan included procuring authentic police uniforms to infiltrate student protests at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, monitor gatherings, incite violence and create disorder. Authorities are verifying whether any operational team was formed or deployed to execute the alleged conspiracy. (PC: Zee News)

India's Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Kwatra, defended New Delhi's decision to place the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance, saying Pakistan had "destroyed the treaty's spirit long before India acted". In an opinion piece published in *Newsweek*, Kwatra wrote that the 1960 agreement was built on the principles of goodwill and friendship, but Pakistan gradually eroded those foundations through decades of its conduct. He also noted that the treaty allocated the 3 eastern rivers of the Indus basin to India. Kwatra said India's decision reflects the reality that the pact's original spirit had already been undermined. (PC: X)

Members of the Indian community in China raised concerns over anti-India content on Chinese social media, work visa difficulties, and employment restrictions for spouses during an Open House organised by the Indian Embassy in Beijing. Indian Ambassador Vikram Doraiswami said Chinese authorities are aware of the rise in anti-India content and are taking steps to address it. He added that the embassy is countering misinformation through factual communication and plans to organise more cultural events to strengthen people-to-people ties. The embassy will also improve consular services, simplify visa procedures for Chinese nationals, and hold regular Open House meetings. (PC: X)

India and China resumed cross-border trade through the historic Shipki La pass in Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur district on Saturday, ending a nearly six-year suspension imposed in 2020 following the Covid-19 pandemic and border tensions. The seasonal trade route, open until November 30, operates under a traditional barter system, with approved Indian exports including spices, tea, grains and handloom products, while Tibetan imports include pashmina, raw wool, yak hair and herbal products. A new Chhuppan Trade Mart has been inaugurated to facilitate customs and trader registration. The reopening is expected to boost local employment, transport and tourism while supporting ongoing diplomatic engagement between India and China.

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari assured exiled Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasrin of her safety during her return to Kolkata after 19 years, saying the “days of threats are over” and inviting her to visit the state whenever she wished. Speaking at an event at Rabindra Sadan, Adhikari said her security would be his responsibility and described her return as a sign that both the government and the system had changed. Nasrin, exiled from Bangladesh in 1994, left Kolkata in 2007 after violent protests over her writings. She said returning to Kolkata was her dream and added that history would remember both those who shut the door and those who opened it.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and urged that attacks on commercial shipping and seafarers be avoided. He said India condemns attacks on commercial vessels by any party. Jaishankar also expressed India's concern over the ongoing conflict in West Asia and said the country supports dialogue and diplomacy. Since the conflict began earlier this year, 16 Indian nationals, including 10 seafarers, have died in the region, while 75 others have been injured. India has also taken steps to improve support and emergency assistance for seafarers working in conflict zones.

India on Friday urged the international community to scrutinise Pakistan's actions in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). The Ministry of External Affairs said Pakistan used "ruthless force" against protesters, leaving more than 40 civilians dead since July 27. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal claimed militants once trained by Pakistan had "turned their guns inwards" against the Pakistani state. He also said people in PoJK had sought an independent investigation into the violence. "We urge that the international community should scrutinise Pakistan's actions," Jaiswal said. India also reiterated that the entire region of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.