Rishabh Pant has returned to India’s Test squad for the upcoming series against South Africa, the BCCI announced on Wednesday. Pant, who was injured during the England tour, recently made a successful comeback in the India A vs South Africa A series, where he led the team to victory. He will serve as vice-captain under skipper Shubman Gill, with Dhruv Jurel as the second wicketkeeper. Axar Patel also returns to the squad, while Prasidh Krishna misses out. India’s squad includes Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, and Mohammed Siraj. The two-Test series will mark Pant’s first major comeback after his long injury break. (PC: India Today)

The NISAR satellite — a joint mission between Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and NASA — will be formally declared operational on 7 November 2025, ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan announced. Launched on 30 July 2025 weighing 2,400 kg, NISAR carries both L-Band and S-Band synthetic aperture radar sensors, enabling global land and ice-surface imaging every 12 days—even through clouds and at night. ISRO confirms data calibration is complete and a conclave is scheduled where NISAR’s science-phase commencement will be declared. 

Filmmaker Mira Nair shared her first reaction to son Zohran Mamdani’s historic win in the New York mayoral election by resharing Zoya Akhtar’s Instagram story. Akhtar had written, “Zohran you beauty,” with emojis of hearts and fireworks, celebrating the 34-year-old’s victory. Mamdani, son of Nair and historian Mahmood Mamdani, defeated former governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa to become the city’s youngest and first Indian-origin mayor. In his victory speech, Mamdani called it a “mandate for change.” Nair’s proud reshare quickly went viral, with fans and film industry colleagues congratulating her on her son’s political success. (PC: X)

At least 11 people were killed and over 20 injured when a local passenger train rammed into a stationary cargo train near Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh on November 4, 2025. The collision caused one passenger coach to mount a freight wagon, trapping several travelers inside. Rescue teams used metal cutters to extract victims as authorities rushed emergency aid to the site. Railway officials have ordered an investigation into the cause, citing possible signal failure, while compensation was announced for victims. Normal rail services resumed after hours of disruption across the busy route. (PC: AP)

The Kerala High Court ruled that a Muslim man cannot register his second marriage without hearing his first wife. The court said the first wife “cannot be a silent spectator” while her husband registers another marriage. If the first wife objects, the registrar must stop the process and send the case to court. The ruling came after a plea by Muhammed Shareef and his second wife seeking marriage registration. The court dismissed the plea as the first wife was not included. It clarified that marriage officials can hear objections and refer disputes to a civil court. (PC: India Today)

India said Zohran Mamdani’s election as New York City Mayor is an “internal matter” of the United States. Official sources said India wishes him well but noted his campaign remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indian politics. They called his comments a “desperate attempt” to influence Indian diaspora voters. Sources added that while Mamdani’s win shows the success of Indian immigrants, he now faces the challenge of governing and meeting promises on housing. During his campaign, Mamdani said he criticized Modi’s vision for India, stressing his belief in pluralism and inclusivity. (PC: The Hindu)

Rahul Gandhi claimed that during the 2024 Haryana assembly elections, roughly 25 lakh “fake” votes—about 12 % of the state’s electorate—were cast. As a key example, he presented slides alleging the same photo of a Brazilian model appeared 22 times under different names and across 10 polling booths in Haryana. The Election Commission of India (ECI) dismissed the claims, pointing out that no appeals were filed challenging the rolls and querying how the Congress leader could link duplicates directly to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). 

Fourteen Indian Hindu pilgrims were denied entry into Pakistan while attempting to join Guru Nanak Jayanti celebrations at Nankana Sahib, Guru Nanak’s birthplace. Pakistani immigration officials reportedly told them, “You are Hindu, not Sikh,” preventing their participation. The group, originally Sindhi Hindus now settled in India, was among around 2,100 pilgrims cleared by India’s Home Ministry and issued visas by Pakistan. Additionally, nearly 300 others were stopped on the Indian side for incomplete documentation. The incident has drawn criticism for violating religious harmony and freedom of pilgrimage between the two nations.

Zohran Mamdani ended his victory speech by walking off to the Bollywood hit Dhoom Machale. The moment went viral, with many praising him for showing pride in his South Asian roots. During his speech, Mamdani said, “We have toppled a political dynasty,” before the crowd cheered and the song played. Supporters called it a symbol of change and celebration. Some users said it showed cultural pride, while others used it to attack racism. Soon after, US President Donald Trump wrote “...AND SO IT BEGINS!” on Truth Social, seen as a response to Mamdani’s remarks about corruption and tax breaks.

The White House said India and the United States will continue their trade talks. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump is “very positive” about ties with India and often speaks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She said Trump last spoke to Modi during Diwali celebrations at the Oval Office. Leavitt added that trade teams from both sides are holding “very serious discussions.” Trump had earlier hinted at a new trade deal after tensions rose over higher tariffs on Indian goods. The talks are expected to focus on easing trade barriers and strengthening economic ties between the two nations. (PC: NDTV)