The Election Commission has issued a notice to Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor for being enrolled as a voter in both Bihar and West Bengal. Reports say Kishor’s name appears in voter lists in Kolkata’s Bhabanipur constituency and Bihar’s Kargahar constituency. The poll body reminded that a person cannot be registered in more than one constituency under the Representation of the People Act, 1950. Kishor has been asked to respond within three days. His team said he became a voter in Bihar after the Bengal polls and has applied to cancel his Bengal voter card. (PC: HT)

Prince Andrew hosted Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and Harvey Weinstein at Royal Lodge in Windsor during his daughter Beatrice’s 18th birthday in 2006. The event took place two months after Epstein was wanted in the US for sex crimes. A photo verified by the BBC shows the trio in fancy dress at the royal home. The visit raises new questions about Andrew’s ties to Epstein and how he funds his lifestyle. The prince has denied any wrongdoing and said he was unaware of Epstein’s legal troubles at the time. Buckingham Palace has not commented on the matter. (PC: BBC)

Former Pakistani Ambassador Husain Haqqani sarcastically suggested Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif deserves Olympic gold for flattering Donald Trump, responding to Sharif's latest praise-filled post. Sharif lauded Trump's "instrumental role in advancing global peace" through international accords, including the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord between Cambodia-Thailand, Gaza Peace Plan, and Middle East-South Asia stability efforts. This follows Sharif's earlier praise at Egypt's Peace Summit, where he called Trump "a man of peace" and "most genuine candidate" for the Nobel Prize, noting Pakistan's previous nomination of Trump. Haqqani's tongue-in-cheek X post referenced journalist Fareed Zakaria's suggestion that Trump flattery could become an Olympic sport, highlighting Sharif's repeated admiration pattern.

Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus sparked controversy by gifting Pakistan's Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Chairman General Sahir Shamshad Mirza a book featuring a map depicting parts of northeast India as Bangladeshi territory. The presentation occurred Saturday at Dhaka's Jamuna state guest house during discussions on bilateral trade, investment, and defense cooperation. India hasn't officially responded, though the Ministry of External Affairs strongly protested a similar map in December 2024 when student adviser Mahfuz Alam posted it online. General Mirza's visit follows Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar's August trip urging Bangladesh to "clean hearts" and move past 1971 genocide memories. Yunus's office emphasized shared historical and cultural ties between the nations. (PC: The Hindu) 

Japan will nominate US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, the White House announced during Trump's Asia tour. Meeting newly elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at Tokyo's Akasaka Palace on Monday, Trump received praise for brokering peace deals between Thailand-Cambodia and the Gaza ceasefire. Takaichi called his Middle East achievement "unprecedented and historic," though official Japanese confirmation is pending. Trump, calling himself the 'President of Peace,' claims to have ended eight wars including India-Pakistan conflicts. Several nations like Israel, Pakistan, Cambodia, Thailand have formally nominated him. The leaders also signed a critical minerals deal. Trump's Asia tour includes the ASEAN summit in Malaysia and upcoming South Korea visit for APEC summit, featuring bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. (PC: X)

Israel has allowed a Hamas member to enter IDF-controlled Gaza to help find the bodies of 13 dead hostages. The person joined Red Cross and Egyptian teams in Khan Younis under Israeli supervision. Israel says Hamas broke the ceasefire deal by returning only 15 of 28 bodies. Hamas claims it needs help to locate remains buried under rubble from years of war. Families of hostages urged Israel and the US to delay the next phase of peace talks until all bodies are returned. Over 68,500 people have died in Gaza since the war began in 2023. (PC: BBC)

Jamaica is facing the full force of Hurricane Melissa, now a powerful category five storm. The hurricane is moving slowly toward the island with winds reaching 165 mph (270 km/h). Authorities fear it could be the strongest storm to ever hit Jamaica. Prime Minister Andrew Holness has ordered evacuations in parts of Kingston and other vulnerable areas. Meteorologists warn of heavy rain, flooding, and landslides as the storm nears landfall early Tuesday. Melissa has already caused four deaths in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Residents have been urged to seek shelter and stay indoors until it passes. (PC: BBC)

A US fighter jet and a Navy helicopter crashed into the South China Sea within 30 minutes of each other, the US Pacific Fleet said. The F/A-18F Super Hornet’s two pilots ejected safely, and three crew members from the MH-60R Sea Hawk were also rescued. All five are safe and in stable condition. The cause of the crashes is under investigation. President Donald Trump said the incidents may have been caused by “bad fuel.” The USS Nimitz, from which both aircraft operated, was returning home after deployment in the Middle East before its planned decommissioning. (PC: NDTV)

Jordan’s King Abdullah II has cautioned that deploying international troops to enforce peace in Gaza would be highly risky and counterproductive. In an interview with the BBC, he stated that no country would want to send its forces into such a volatile and politically charged environment. The King urged a renewed focus on achieving a two-state solution, emphasizing that true peace can only come through justice and independence for Palestinians. His comments come amid ongoing discussions about post-war governance in Gaza and efforts to stabilize the region following months of conflict. (PC: BBC)    

Ahead of the upcoming meeting between Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the United States has softened its trade stance toward China. US officials confirmed that the earlier threat of imposing a 100% tariff on Chinese imports has been withdrawn, signaling a shift toward negotiation instead of confrontation. The two sides are reportedly working on a broader trade deal covering issues like TikTok’s ownership, rare-earth material exports, and China’s increased purchase of American agricultural products such as soybeans. The development marks a potential easing of trade tensions and a step toward restoring economic stability between the two nations. (PC: AFP)