Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up to launch its heaviest ever communications satellite, CMS‑03 (also referred to as GSAT-7R) for the Indian Navy on November 2 2025. The mission will lift off aboard the heavy-lift LVM3 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, and is expected to markedly strengthen naval communications and surveillance capabilities across the Indian Ocean region. (PC: ANI)

JDU leader and former MLA Anant Singh, contesting from Mokama, was arrested for the murder of Dular Chand Yadav, a Jan Suraaj Party worker. Yadav was attacked while campaigning for his nephew, leading to fatal injuries from blunt-force trauma to the heart and lungs. Two others linked to Singh were also arrested. The incident sparked political tension in Bihar, prompting police transfers in Patna district. The case has drawn sharp criticism from Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj movement, which accused ruling party members of abusing power. (PC: NDTV)

Australian woman Bree Steele, based in Mumbai, praised her Indian Uber driver in a viral Instagram video after a heartwarming experience during Chhath Puja traffic. Her 15-minute commute stretched to nearly two hours due to festival celebrations. Stuck for 30 minutes, the driver brought her complimentary water, refusing payment and saying, "You are our guest." He later returned with kebabs and canned drinks to ensure they wouldn't go hungry. Steele called Indian Uber drivers "next-level icons," recalling past memorable encounters including one who drove through floodwaters to reach the airport and another who retrieved her fallen shoe. Her post resonated widely, with social media users celebrating the driver's warmth and generosity during festive chaos.

At least nine devotees died in a stampede Saturday at the privately-run Venkateswara Swamy temple in Kasibugga, Andhra Pradesh's Srikakulam district, during Ekadashi celebrations. Nearly 25,000 devotees arrived at the temple with capacity for only 2,000-3,000, without prior coordination with authorities. The stampede occurred when crowds surged as gates opened, causing a railing to collapse near steps on the elevated first-floor temple. With only one entry-exit point, devotees fell from six feet height, toppling onto others. Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha noted the combination of Ekadasi and Karthika Masam on Saturday caused unusually large turnout. The government emphasized the temple wasn't under Endowments Department management. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu ordered relief measures and proper medical care.

India's Armed Forces will launch Exercise Trishul, a massive tri-service joint exercise on the western front, from November 3-13. The first major drill post-Operation Sindoor will feature INS Vikrant and its Carrier Battle Group, 20-25 Navy warships including INS Jalashwa, 40 Air Force jets (Rafales, Su-30 MKIs), and over 25,000 Army personnel from two corps. The Navy-led multi-domain exercise spans from the Arabian Sea to airspace, including cyber and space domains. Joint command centers are established in Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Mumbai. Coast Guard and BSF will participate. The exercise coincides with Pakistan's firing drills in the Arabian Sea, with Pakistan issuing NAVAREA warnings and NOTAMs for air routes.

A viral video showing an Uber driver allegedly refusing service to a passenger, claiming he was "too fat," and threatening to pull a gun has sparked widespread outrage. Twitch streamer Michael, who has over 60,000 subscribers and streams Call of Duty under username @Fatty, posted the incident on X (formerly Twitter), where it garnered over 50 million views. In the recording, Michael confronts the driver about the refusal, stating "I'm not too big for your car," before the driver asks, "Do you want me to pull my gun on you?" Michael then exits the vehicle. An Uber spokesperson told the New York Post the company terminated the driver's platform access, emphasizing users' right to feel welcome, safe, and respected.

India's Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) clarified Saturday that Indian immigration authorities had "no role to play" after Nepali public health professional Shambhawi Adhikari alleged she was stopped and deported from Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. Adhikari, traveling from Kathmandu to Berlin for the World Health Summit, claimed on Facebook she was stopped while transiting, saying she was "doubted" because she held a Nepali passport from a "small country" and "seen as a potential risk." The MHA stated the incident has been "wrongly portrayed as bias/discrimination against Nepali citizens," asserting that Qatar Airways, not Indian immigration officials, turned the passenger away. The clarification comes days after the incident sparked social media controversy. (PC: OPIndia & The Hindu)

The Maldives implemented a nationwide generational tobacco ban Saturday, prohibiting anyone born on or after January 1, 2007, from purchasing, using, or being sold tobacco products. The measure, announced by President Mohamed Muizzu's Cabinet on April 13, makes the Maldives the only nation with such restrictions. The ban applies to residents and tourists visiting the luxury island nation's 1,191 coral islets. The Maldives previously raised the legal smoking age from 18 to 21 in November 2024 and banned e-cigarette and vaping device imports on November 15, 2024. Violations carry penalties: 50,000 rufiyaa ($3,200) for selling tobacco to minors and 5,000 rufiyaa ($320) for using vaping devices. (PC: Men's Health)

India's men's cricket team sent heartfelt messages to the Women's team ahead of their ICC Women's World Cup final against South Africa in Mumbai on November 2. Head coach Gautam Gambhir, currently in Australia for the T20I series, led the wishes: "Be fearless, don't be scared of making mistakes, you've already made the entire country proud." T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Sanju Samson, and Shubman Gill also contributed encouraging messages. India seeks their first ICC trophy after heartbreaks in 2017 and 2023. The team's stunning semi-final victory over Australia, featuring Jemimah Rodrigues' unbeaten 127 and Harmanpreet Kaur's 89, has ignited hopes for a historic win.

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif claimed Saturday that India wants to keep Islamabad engaged on "two fronts", eastern and western borders following Pakistan's recent ceasefire with Afghanistan after October clashes. Asif repeatedly accused Afghanistan of acting as India's "proxy," alleging Delhi has waged proxy warfare since the Ashraf Ghani era. The ceasefire followed peace talks in Istanbul mediated by Qatar and Turkey on Thursday. Asif warned Pakistan is prepared for a "two-front war," referencing recent Afghan border clashes coinciding with Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi's India visit, and May's Operation Sindoor when India retaliated against the April 22 Pahalgam attack, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.