Eleven Indian sailors were among 12 crew members injured on Tuesday when a projectile struck the Panama-flagged vessel MT On Peace as it passed through the Strait of Hormuz off Oman's coast, the Ministry of External Affairs said. With help from Omani authorities, the injured were evacuated and are being treated in Khasab, Oman. Of the ship's 19 crew members, 17 are Indians. India condemned the attack, thanked Oman and called for an immediate end to attacks on shipping. The ministry said commerce through international waterways must be restored at the earliest. Attacks on vessels in the region have risen in recent weeks after Iran-US peace talks collapsed. (PC: India Today)

Bestselling author and former politician Jeffrey Archer has died aged 86, his publisher HarperCollins said. It said he died "suddenly and peacefully at home" on Monday, between writing sessions. Archer sold more than 300 million books over five decades, including Kane and Abel and the Clifton Chronicles. A former Conservative MP and peer, he was jailed in 2001 for perjury and perverting the course of justice, and was released in 2003. His final novel, Adam and Eve, came out on Tuesday. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch called his death "devastating news", while Sir John Major said he lived "one of the most remarkable lives of our age". He is survived by his wife Mary and two sons. (PC: BBC)

Denmark tops the Women, Peace and Security Index 2025/26 for women's inclusion, justice and security, while India sits 131st among 181 countries with a score of 0.607. The index credits Nordic nations with strong public institutions, social welfare systems and lower levels of violence against women. They also lead in education, workforce participation, financial inclusion, legal protections and political representation. For India, reports flag women's safety, political leadership, jobs and legal outcomes as the gaps. The lesson from the top is clear: women's wellbeing depends on stable institutions and equal opportunity, not on any single law. (PC: X)

Second Lady Usha Vance nearly fell on Monday while stepping off the vice presidential helicopter at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, carrying her infant son Alec strapped to her chest. She caught herself on the railing before reaching the ground. Viewers of the footage said officers nearby did not rush to help, and many asked why no one stepped in. Vice President JD Vance left the aircraft after her, holding one of their daughters. Reports say she told officers she nearly fell. Mother and child appeared unhurt. The family was travelling to Alaska for a Republican rally. 

A delegation of former civil servants and social activists on Monday submitted a chargesheet and impeachment notice against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him of "proved misbehaviour" and seeking his removal under Article 324(5) of the Constitution. The group alleged he took decisions in the Election Commission's name without full consideration by the commission. Other charges include unauthorised changes to Form 6, misuse of ECINET, mass disenfranchisement through the Special Intensive Revision, partisan conduct and breach of statutory duty. Signatories include Najeeb Jung, G K Pillai and Yogendra Yadav. The allegations do not by themselves establish any wrongdoing by Kumar. (PC HT)

New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a statewide disaster emergency on Monday over a growing measles outbreak, the first such declaration by a US state since cases began surging in 2025. The state has reported 108 cases this year through October 3. Of these, 92 have appeared since July 15 in under-vaccinated rural communities across 18 counties. Seven cases are in New York City and 101 are elsewhere in the state.   The order lets pharmacists vaccinate children as young as two and allows registered nurses to order measles tests. All MMR doses must now be reported within 72 hours. The emergency runs through November 4. (PC: CNN)

Delhi ACP Vivek Bhagat’s promotion to additional deputy commissioner of police has been put on hold after he requested that he not take charge until an inquiry into a journalist’s sexual harassment complaint is completed. Bhagat was named in a complaint filed by a female journalist who alleged that he touched her inappropriately and pushed her during a protest at Jantar Mantar. The complaint was submitted at Parliament Street police station, but no FIR has been registered so far. Police have sent the complaint, along with 2 other allegations involving journalists, to the Crime Branch for an impartial inquiry. (PC: HT)

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi climbed a police barricade and waved the national flag during an INDIA bloc protest march towards the Election Commission headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday. Opposition MPs were demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were detained after police stopped the march and were later seen moving towards the ECI office. Several opposition leaders and supporters raised slogans against the poll panel. The Supreme Court has issued notices to the ECI and Gyanesh Kumar while hearing a petition linked to the issue.

Omani co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami allegedly told investigators he acted in “revenge for Gaza” and wanted to “die as a martyr” during an attempted attack on an Israel-bound flydubai flight. Israeli media reported that Shin Bet agents joined his interrogation in the UAE as authorities investigate his background and possible extremist links. Al-Hammami, 29, studied engineering at RMIT University in Melbourne but did not complete his qualification. He also spent six months in New Zealand from November 2018 to May 2019 for flight training. Authorities in both Australia and New Zealand are reviewing his activities and connections during his time there. (PC: X)

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday attempted to enter Akashvani Bhawan after police stopped an INDIA bloc march towards the Election Commission headquarters. The leaders, along with Mallikarjun Kharge, Abhishek Banerjee and other opposition MPs, were briefly detained after being stopped near Parliament Street. The protesters demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing concerns over changes to Form 6 during the electoral roll revision. The Supreme Court had said it had not approved any modified version of Form 6 and would examine the Election Commission’s records. Opposition parties said they would intensify their campaign.