Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has rejected reports that two Iranian diplomats were “kicked out” of the United States after the UN General Assembly, saying Tehran’s delegation members left as scheduled. In a post on X, Araghchi called the reported expulsion “fake” and accused those celebrating it of showing “desperation and defeat.” He was responding to an Axios report that two Iranian delegates remained in New York despite a US State Department order to leave after the UNGA. According to Axios, US authorities reiterated the demand after discovering the diplomats still in the city. One left Friday night and the other Saturday morning. The conflicting accounts come amid renewed uncertainty over diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India has moved beyond advocating dialogue to becoming more directly involved in efforts to help resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Speaking at the Munich Leaders’ Meeting in New Delhi, he said India is holding conversations with both Moscow and Kyiv on Black Sea shipping safety, grain exports, energy exports and “non-attack possibilities”. Jaishankar reiterated that India wants an end to the conflict through dialogue, diplomacy and negotiations. His remarks came days after Russian President Vladimir Putin said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has “good ideas” for a mutually acceptable solution, while Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Kyiv received separate ceasefire proposals from India and three other countries. Jaishankar also discussed India-Russia ties and changing global competition.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the global landscape is marked by a “radical repositioning of the United States,” describing it as a “posture of choice” in which America has deliberately become “a lonelier power.” Speaking at the Munich Leaders Meeting in Delhi, he identified China’s growing influence as another major feature of the changing global order. Jaishankar said strategic competition was no longer limited to the US and China, with countries increasingly weaponising whatever leverage they possess, even as economic and political interdependence deepens. On the Iran conflict, he said India’s primary concerns were disruptions to energy supplies, trade and mobility. He called for uninterrupted flows and an outcome consistent with international law.

Investigators said flydubai co-pilot Hammam al-Hammani planned to secretly kill Captain Smit Machchhar, take control of the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight and carry out a 9/11-style attack. According to the investigation, the 29-year-old Omani national intended to shut down the aircraft’s engines and crash the plane either into a skyscraper in Tel Aviv or onto another aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport. Al-Hammani attacked Machchhar mid-air and allegedly attempted to hijack the flight. He is currently in custody in the UAE. An initial Israeli investigation found that al-Hammani acted alone, CBS News reported. The findings suggest the attack was allegedly planned rather than a spontaneous cockpit confrontation, with investigators examining the co-pilot’s intended target and actions. (PC: X)

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported an incident involving a tanker about 60 nautical miles south of Yemen’s Mocha, where its crew saw multiple explosions nearby. The crew were safe, with no environmental impact reported. The incident followed claims by Iran-aligned Houthis that they had targeted an Aramco facility in Riyadh using ballistic missiles and drones. Two other tankers were reportedly struck over the weekend near Oman and the Strait of Hormuz. The developments have raised concerns over threats to key oil routes, with analysts warning that an intensification of the conflict could affect global energy prices and inflation. The September 30 security crisis and continuing regional tensions have heightened concerns over maritime energy supplies. (PC: AP)

Supreme Court Justice Ujjal Bhuyan on Sunday said any process that disenfranchises millions of Indian citizens would be “intrinsically arbitrary” and strike at the heart of the Constitution. Speaking at NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad, he said the Constitution does not create 2 classes of citizens—those with voting rights and those without them. Justice Bhuyan said mass denial of voting rights would violate Articles 14 and 326 and described the right to vote as central to the constitutional structure. He also said voter names should not be deleted without notice and a hearing. His remarks came amid controversy over the Election Commission’s SIR exercise. (PC: NDTV)

The Flydubai cockpit attack has raised fresh questions over aviation security after reports that the UAE had shared the flight crew list with Israel before the Dubai-Tel Aviv journey. Omani co-pilot Hammam al-Hammami allegedly attacked Indian Captain Smit Machchhar with a crash axe and tried to take control of the aircraft carrying nearly 180 people. Reports said al-Hammami had previously been barred from flying in Oman over concerns about his alleged extremist views. Israeli officials said security checks raised no concerns about anyone onboard. The incident has prompted scrutiny over how al-Hammami cleared multiple security checks and was allowed to operate a flight to Israel. (PC: News18)

AISA national president Neha Bora was detained during a protest march near Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Sunday, as demonstrators demanded CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. AISA alleged that Bora was taken away in a private vehicle without an official number plate and without a woman police officer present. The organisation also claimed she was later released without her phone and bag. Delhi Police denied the allegations, saying Bora was taken in a government vehicle with 2 female police personnel and was later released. The protest saw clashes between demonstrators and police as security forces tried to stop protesters from crossing barricades. AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj was also detained. (PC: HT)

The Green Party of England and Wales has adopted a motion declaring Zionism a form of racism and supporting a single democratic Palestinian state across historic Palestine. The motion passed 1,022–813 at the party’s annual conference in Brighton on Sunday. It defines Zionism as an ideology supporting an ethnonationalist Jewish state and says it privileges one ethnic group over others. Green Party leader Zack Polanski backed the motion but had supported amendments seeking changes to its wording. Jewish groups criticised the policy, raising concerns about antisemitism and Jewish self-determination. Israel’s Foreign Ministry also condemned the decision, calling it beyond legitimate political debate. (PC: India Today)

An Omani co-pilot who allegedly attacked flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar mid-flight may have shut down the Boeing 737’s engines after his reported plan to crash the aircraft in Tel Aviv failed, Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported. The co-pilot, Hammam al-Hammami, allegedly attacked Machchhar with a crash axe before attempting to take control of the aircraft. The plane then rapidly lost altitude, while cabin emergency lights suggested a possible loss of main power. Investigators are reportedly examining whether the co-pilot moved the engine fuel switches from “Run” to “Cutoff”. Passengers and off-duty pilots eventually overpowered him, allowing the aircraft to land safely in Saudi Arabia. (PC: X)