Typhoon Kalmaegi's devastating flooding in the central Philippines has killed at least 114 people, with authorities reporting 127 missing and 82 injured. Cebu, the region's most populous island, bore the brunt with 71 deaths reported, plus 28 additional fatalities. Most victims drowned as muddy torrents swept through towns. Over 400,000 people were displaced from Cebu's 2.5 million population. Six military helicopter crew members died during relief operations. Kalmaegi, the 20th tropical cyclone hitting Philippines this year, left Thursday morning, strengthening toward Vietnam with 155 km/h winds. Local officials called the destruction "unprecedented," with residents finding homes filled with mud. Thailand also braces for impact amid warnings of flash floods.

Hollywood star Angelina Jolie made a surprise visit to Kherson, a Ukrainian frontline city facing Russian drone strikes, Ukrainian media reported Wednesday. This marks her second Ukraine visit since Russia's invasion. Photographed wearing a bulletproof vest with Ukrainian insignia, she visited children's hospitals and maternity wards. Reports claim one of her bodyguards was drafted by the Ukrainian Army mid-trip, requiring Jolie to visit the conscription office for his release. Kherson, briefly occupied by Moscow in 2022, faces daily Russian bombardment. Jolie previously visited Ukraine months after the invasion's start, meeting displaced persons in Lviv. She served as UN special envoy for refugees from 2012-2022. Her latest film, Couture, premiered at Toronto International Film Festival.

US President Donald Trump claimed America "lost sovereignty" after Democrat socialist Zohran Mamdani won New York's mayoral election. Trump warned New York will become "communist Cuba" or "socialist Venezuela," forcing residents to flee to Florida. The 34-year-old Mamdani promised government-funded programs through taxing the wealthy. Trump called Mamdani's victory speech "very angry" and said the Mayor-elect should be "respectful of Washington" for approvals. Mamdani's fiery address challenged Trump, declaring New York will be "powered and led by immigrants." He vowed to hold "bad landlords" accountable and end corruption benefiting billionaires like Trump. Trump compared Mamdani's vision to Democrats' nationwide plan, criticizing former mayor Bill De Blasio as "probably the worst mayor in history."

Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) will honor Richa Ghosh with a gold-plated bat and ball at Eden Gardens for her stellar World Cup performance. CAB President Sourav Ganguly and Jhulan Goswami will present the award recognizing her "outstanding achievements." Richa scored 235 runs at 133.52 strike rate, including a crucial 34-run cameo in the final against South Africa, reportedly playing with a fractured finger. Ganguly praised her "remarkable talent, composure, and fighting spirit." The second Siliguri cricketer after Wriddhiman Saha to represent India, Richa's trophy cabinet includes Women's World Cup, U-19 World Cup, WPL title, Asian Games gold, and Commonwealth Games silver. CAB hopes her recognition inspires more Bengal girls. (PC: NDTV Sports)

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi sparked controversy by displaying a Brazilian model's stock photo at Wednesday's press conference, claiming it appeared 22 times on Haryana electoral rolls as evidence of vote theft. The woman, identified as Larissa, clarified she's never visited India and her old modeling photo was purchased from a stock platform without her involvement. The Brazilian digital influencer and hairdresser expressed surprise as her Instagram flooded with Indian followers after the image went viral. She thanked Indian followers for their kindness while clarifying she had no political involvement. Gandhi made these allegations on the eve of Bihar Assembly polls, claiming 2024 Haryana elections were rigged favoring BJP.

India's Women's World Cup-winning cricket team will meet President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhawan today at noon, departing at 10:15 AM IST. This follows Wednesday's felicitation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his Lok Kalyan Marg residence, where the team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, wore formal attire and winner's medals. PM Modi praised their historic achievement and remarkable comeback after three consecutive league-stage defeats and social media trolling. The team presented him a signed jersey during their group interaction. The squad arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday evening amid tight security. Celebrations continued at their hotel, with Jemimah Rodrigues, Radha Yadav, and Sneh Rana dancing to dhol beats, cheered by staff and guests. (PC: X & NDTV)

Polling for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly Elections 2025 began at 7 a.m. across 18 districts, covering 121 of the 243 seats. Over 3.75 crore voters will determine the political fortunes of 1,314 candidates, including prominent leaders like Tejashwi Yadav, Tej Pratap Yadav, and deputy chief ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha. The elections mark a fierce contest between the ruling NDA and the Mahagathbandhan alliance. Analysts suggest the outcome of this phase could shape voter sentiment and coalition strategies for subsequent rounds of polling in the state. (PC: The Hindu)

Hours after Zohran Mamdani won the New York mayoral election — becoming the city’s first Muslim and first South Asian mayor — Ameet Satam, the head of Bharatiya Janata Party’s Mumbai unit, issued a sharp warning. He claimed there was an attempt to replicate similar politics in Mumbai and cautioned that "if anyone tries to impose a ‘Khan’ on Mumbai, it will not be tolerated". Satam accused the Maha Vikas Aghadi of engaging in “vote jihad” and warned that forces seeking to divide society would be resisted. (PC: AP)

Democrat Zohran Mamdani won the New York City mayoral election, becoming the city’s first Muslim mayor and youngest leader in over a century. Speaking at his first press conference, Mamdani promised to stand up for New York and said a “new era” has begun. President Donald Trump reacted, saying Americans face a choice between “communism or common sense.” The election night also saw Democratic wins in Virginia and New Jersey governor races. Meanwhile, California voters approved new congressional maps favoring Democrats. Experts say Mamdani faces major challenges ahead, with his policies and performance under close public scrutiny. (PC: X)

Bihar is set for the first phase of assembly elections tomorrow. Around 3.75 crore voters will decide the fate of 1,314 candidates across 121 seats. Key leaders contesting include RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, BJP’s Samrat Choudhary, Tej Pratap Yadav, and JD(U)’s Shravan Kumar. Voting will cover 18 districts, including Patna, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, and Nalanda. Top leaders like PM Modi and BJP chief JP Nadda have campaigned actively. Security is tight with CAPF and state police deployed. Polling will begin at 7 am and end at 6 pm, with some constituencies closing earlier at 5 pm. (PC: HT)