Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire on Wednesday after dozens were killed and many wounded in violent border clashes. The truce comes following intense fighting along their shared frontier, which saw Taliban forces release drone strike footage bombing Pakistani outposts and seizing military equipment including a Serbian-procured T-55 tank. Earlier reports indicated Taliban claimed 15 civilian deaths with over 100 injured, including 80 women and children in Spin Boldak district, while Pakistan's military reported killing approximately 50 Taliban fighters across multiple border engagements. The conflict marked the worst violence between the neighbors since Taliban's 2021 power seizure, prompting Islamabad to seek mediation from Qatar and Saudi Arabia before this ceasefire agreement.

Fresh clashes erupted along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border on Tuesday night, leaving over 50 people dead, including soldiers, Taliban fighters, and civilians. Pakistan launched airstrikes in Kandahar after claiming Afghan forces attacked its border posts. Pakistani officials said about 30 Taliban fighters died, while Afghan sources reported 15 civilian deaths and dozens injured. The violence follows last weekend’s cross-border attacks, escalating tensions between the two neighbors. Pakistan and Afghan forces have blamed each other for provocations. Qatar and Saudi Arabia intervened to halt fighting, but the border remains tense. Security forces on both sides are on high alert. (PC: HT)

Israel claimed one body handed over by Hamas doesn't match any hostage, risking the fragile Gaza ceasefire signed two days ago in Egypt. The Israeli military examined the body at the National Institute of Forensic Medicine before making this assertion. Meanwhile, Gaza forensic experts began identifying 45 Palestinian bodies Israel returned to the Red Cross without identification. Humanitarian aid resumed after a two-day break, with 400 trucks carrying food, fuel, and medical supplies entering Gaza on Wednesday. Israel transferred additional Palestinian bodies to Gaza, with three trucks arriving at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported 19 bodies brought to hospitals over 24 hours, including 16 recovered from rubble. (PC: X)

The Afghan Taliban released black-and-white drone footage showing strikes on Pakistani border outposts amid escalating deadly conflict. The video displayed a drone dropping ordnance, likely a mortar round, onto a rectangular structure identified as a Pakistani outpost, exploding on impact. Pakistan's military reported repelling attacks on two major border posts, claiming 20 Taliban fighters killed near Spin Boldak. The Afghan Taliban said 15 civilians died with dozens wounded, plus two-three fighters killed. Afghan tanks rolled toward the Pakistan border battlefield. Violence intensified after last week's Kabul explosions blamed on Pakistan. Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif stated attempts to convince Taliban to stop supporting TTP have failed.

Fresh clashes between Pakistani forces and Taliban fighters along the volatile border killed dozens overnight Tuesday, intensifying hostilities between former allies. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid claimed Pakistan initiated violence in Spin Boldak district, killing 15 civilians and injuring over 100, including 80 women and children. Taliban fighters allegedly seized Pakistani weapons and a T-55 tank procured from Serbia. Pakistan's military reported repelling attacks on two major border posts, killing approximately 30 Taliban fighters, with 20 more near Spin Boldak. With Afghanistan denying Pakistani ministers entry for talks, Islamabad requested Qatar and Saudi Arabia to mediate. This marks the worst violence since Taliban's 2021 power seizure, coinciding with Taliban foreign minister's maiden India visit.

The Israeli military said on Wednesday that one of the four bodies returned by Hamas on Tuesday is not that of a hostage. The bodies were handed over as part of the ceasefire deal brokered by US President Donald Trump. After forensic tests, Israeli officials found that one body did not match any of the known hostages. So far, Hamas has returned eight bodies and 20 living hostages. Israel urged Hamas to return all remaining deceased hostages as agreed. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would not stop its efforts until every hostage, living or dead, is brought back. (PC: HT)

Hamas publicly executed eight men in Gaza, accusing them of being criminals and collaborators with Israel. The executions, filmed and shared online, came as the group seeks to reassert control after Israeli forces withdrew. Witnesses said the men were beaten, blindfolded, and shot before crowds. Hamas claimed the victims were linked to armed clans that gained power during the war. US President Donald Trump warned Hamas to disarm soon or face forceful action. The incident has raised global concern over human rights and fears of renewed violence amid a fragile Gaza ceasefire. (PC: NDTV)

Chinese customs officers in Shandong province have seized 60,000 maps bound for export, citing “mislabelled” depictions of Taiwan and omissions of key South China Sea islands. Authorities said the maps endangered China’s national unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. The maps failed to include the nine-dash line, which outlines Beijing’s extensive claims in the South China Sea, and omitted maritime boundaries with Japan. Taiwan was mislabelled as a province, though specifics weren’t disclosed. China routinely inspects and destroys maps with “errors,” with past seizures involving Tibetan and nautical borders. The incident underscores rising regional tensions, especially after a recent maritime clash between Chinese and Philippine vessels. (PC: BBC)

Pakistan's military crackdown on Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) protesters resembles its 2007 Lal Masjid incident, raising fears of renewed violence. Armored vehicles dispersed crowds marching toward Islamabad, killing dozens. TLP chief Saad Hussain Rizvi was shot and wounded on October 14. Field Marshal Asim Munir's "hard state" approach contrasts predecessor General Bajwa's diplomacy. The 2007 Lal Masjid operation killed over 1,000 civilians, spawning Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan insurgency that claimed 70,000 lives. Pakistan faces simultaneous challenges: hostile India post-Operation Sindoor, angry Afghan Taliban, insurgencies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan, and economic crisis requiring $7-billion IMF support. TLP, Pakistan's fourth-largest party, protests Gaza situation while Munir courts US relations.

At least 16 people died in a fire at a garment factory in Dhaka’s Mirpur area, Bangladesh. The blaze started around midday and took three hours to control. Sixteen bodies were burned beyond recognition. A nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, storing materials like bleaching powder, plastic, and hydrogen peroxide, which worsened the fire. Officials said victims likely died from toxic gas inhalation. Relatives are still searching for missing workers. Authorities are investigating the factory and warehouse operations. Large fires are common in Bangladesh due to poor safety standards, and previous incidents have caused many deaths. (PC: BBC)