The detention of Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act, 1980, faces Supreme Court scrutiny after his wife, Gitanjali Angmo, filed a petition alleging serious procedural violations. She argued that the detention relied on outdated FIRs, many not naming Wangchuk, and that the grounds were not provided within the legal time frame under Sections 8 and 11 of the NSA. The plea also claims the detaining authority failed to apply an independent mind. A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N.V. Anjaria has sought the Union Government’s response to these allegations. (PC: X)

Soon after arriving in South Korea on his Asia tour, U.S. President Donald Trump declared that a long-delayed trade deal with India is “only a question of time”, indicating progress in talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The discussion had been stalled by differences over Indian purchases of Russian oil and high U.S. tariffs on Indian goods. A breakthrough reportedly includes the U.S. reducing tariffs to 16 % and India agreeing to scale back its Russian oil imports. At the same time, Trump repeated his controversial claim of brokering the May 10 India-Pakistan ceasefire, a version New Delhi disputes. (PC: NDTV)

Nvidia has become the first company ever to reach a market value of $5 trillion, driven by global demand for artificial intelligence chips. The milestone came just three months after it crossed $4 trillion, showing its rapid rise in the AI era. Nvidia’s success has made CEO Jensen Huang one of the world’s richest and most powerful tech leaders. The company’s new chip orders worth $500 billion and plans to build seven US supercomputers boosted investor confidence. Nvidia now surpasses the entire cryptocurrency market’s value and rivals the size of half of Europe’s Stoxx 600 index.

At least 104 Palestinians, including 46 children, were killed in Israeli airstrikes across Gaza on Tuesday night, Gaza’s health ministry said. Israel said the strikes targeted “dozens of terror sites” after a Hamas attack killed an Israeli soldier in Rafah. Hamas denied involvement and accused Israel of breaking the ceasefire. Explosions were reported across Gaza City, Beit Lahia, and Khan Younis. Israel’s defence minister said Hamas “crossed a red line,” while Prime Minister Netanyahu ordered “forceful strikes.” US President Donald Trump said the ceasefire remains but added Israel should “hit back” when its troops are attacked. (PC: BBC)

Diana Pundole, a 32-year-old racer from Pune, has made history as the first Indian woman to join Ferrari’s prestigious global racing championship. She will compete in the Ferrari Club Challenge Middle East, driving the Ferrari 296 Challenge across tracks in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia from November to April. Pundole began her racing journey in 2018 under the JK Tyre Women in Motorsport program and went on to win India’s national saloon car title in 2024, inspiring a new generation of women in motorsport. (PC: X)    

Singer Diljit Dosanjh has received a threat from the banned Sikh separatist group Sikh For Justice (SFJ) ahead of his November 1 concert in Australia. The group accused Dosanjh of “insulting” the 1984 Sikh riot victims by touching Amitabh Bachchan’s feet, alleging Bachchan had incited anti-Sikh violence with the slogan “Khoon Ka Badla Khoon.” SFJ demanded the concert’s cancellation, linking Dosanjh’s gesture to “disrespect of Sikh martyrs.” The Indian government has banned SFJ under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for its pro-Khalistan agenda and separatist activities.  

Jamaica woke up to widespread destruction after Hurricane Melissa, the strongest storm in its history, hit the island with winds of 298 km/h. About 75% of the country is without power, and several towns are flooded. Montego Bay was split in two by rising waters, while western areas like St Elizabeth were left under water. Homes, hospitals, and farms have been badly damaged. Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared a national disaster and warned of “devastating impacts.” Communication lines are down, and rescue teams are struggling to reach trapped families as fears of casualties grow.

Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma has achieved the top spot in the ICC ODI batting rankings for the first time in his career at the age of 38, becoming the oldest player ever to hold this position. Rohit climbed two places to reach 781 rating points, surpassing Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran and teammate Shubman Gill. His remarkable performance in the recent Australia series, where he scored 202 runs in three innings including an unbeaten century, propelled him to this milestone. Fans and experts hailed the feat as a testament to his enduring excellence. (PC: Getty Images)

In Rio de Janeiro, at least 64 people—including four police officers—were killed during a massive police operation targeting the Comando Vermelho drug gang. Around 2,500 officers, supported by helicopters, armored vehicles, and drones, stormed two major favelas in what authorities described as a “war against narcoterrorism.” The raid, the deadliest in Brazil’s history, turned neighborhoods into battle zones as gangs retaliated with drone explosives. Human rights groups and the UN condemned the operation’s brutality, warning that such militarized crackdowns risk worsening violence and civilian suffering.   

The first T20I between India and Australia in Canberra was abandoned due to heavy rain after just 9.4 overs. India were 97 for 1 when play stopped. Captain Suryakumar Yadav returned to form, scoring a quick 39 off 24 balls with three fours and two sixes. Vice-captain Shubman Gill supported him well, while Abhishek Sharma added a brisk 19 before getting out. Rain halted the game twice before it was finally called off. Fans were left disappointed, but Suryakumar’s fluent batting gave India positives ahead of the next match in the five-game series. (PC: India Today)