4 people were killed and at least 20 injured in a mass shooting early Sunday at Willie’s Bar and Grill on St. Helena Island in South Carolina, United States. The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office said deputies arrived to find several people with gunshot wounds, while others ran to nearby buildings for safety. Four victims remain in critical condition at local hospitals. The identities of the victims have not been released. U.S. Representative Nancy Mace expressed heartbreak over the tragedy, calling it a “devastating act of violence.” Authorities are investigating the cause of the shooting and searching for suspects. (PC: Representative Image/ AFP)

State-run Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL) will unveil the prototype of its new light-weight Bharat tank by late 2026. The Chennai-based company said the design and development phase will finish by the end of 2025. Weighing around 25 tonnes, the Bharat tank will have strong firepower and high mobility, making it ideal for use in border and high-altitude areas. The project supports the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat goal for self-reliance in defence. AVNL, which already makes Arjun, Bhishma, and Ajeya tanks, showcased five advanced models at the recent AeroDefCon 2025 in Chennai. (PC: The Week)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has received an invitation from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to attend the Gaza Peace Summit in Sharm El Sheikh, co-chaired by US President Donald Trump. The Ministry of External Affairs said Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh will represent India. Leaders from over 20 countries, including the UK, France, Italy, and Spain, will join the summit to push for peace in Gaza. The meeting follows Israel’s ceasefire and hostage release deal. However, Hamas has refused to join the talks, objecting to disarmament terms in Trump’s peace plan. (PC: X/@BJP4India)

Israel has confirmed that 20 hostages held in Gaza will be released early on Monday as part of Donald Trump’s peace plan. Government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian said all hostages will be handed over to the Red Cross and taken to Israeli-controlled areas before reuniting with their families. In return, Israel will release 250 convicted Palestinians and 1,700 detainees once all hostages are confirmed safe. Medical teams are ready to treat any rescued hostages needing care. The ceasefire remains in place, and aid trucks have begun entering Gaza to deliver food and supplies to civilians. (PC: Reuters)

6Smriti Mandhana made history on Sunday by becoming the first cricketer ever to score 1000 runs in a calendar year in women’s ODIs. She reached the milestone during India’s match against Australia in Visakhapatnam by hitting a six off Sophie Molineux. Mandhana broke former Australian batter Belinda Clark’s 1997 record of 970 runs. The Indian opener has scored over 1000 runs in 18 matches this year. She is also close to completing 5000 runs in her ODI career, which only four women have achieved so far. Mandhana is currently ranked the world’s No. 1 ODI batter. (PC: AFP)

The Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) raided over 30 places across the state to stop the illegal trade of codeine-based cough syrups. In Lucknow, officials seized syrups worth ₹3 lakh and arrested a man named Deepak Manwani. He had brought the syrups from Gujarat, Delhi, and Himachal Pradesh and sold them locally at high prices. Manwani also admitted sending supplies to Nepal and Bangladesh. FSDA said more arrests are likely. The raids follow recent child deaths in Madhya Pradesh linked to toxic cough syrups, prompting tighter action across states. (PC: ANI Video Grab)

The NDA has finalised its seat-sharing plan for the Bihar Assembly elections. The BJP and Nitish Kumar’s JDU will contest 101 seats each out of 243. Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will get 29 seats after long talks. Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Morcha and Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustan Awam Morcha will get six seats each. Paswan had demanded up to 45 seats but settled after meetings with BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, his party had won all five seats it contested, strengthening its bargaining power. (PC: NDTV)

On October 11, 2025, intense clashes erupted between Pakistani and Afghan forces along their shared border, marking one of the deadliest confrontations in recent years. Pakistan's military reported the deaths of 23 soldiers and claimed to have killed over 200 Taliban fighters. In retaliation, Afghanistan's Taliban government stated that 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed and 30 wounded, while nine Taliban fighters also lost their lives. The Taliban accused Pakistan of repeated violations of Afghan territory and airspace, leading to the retaliatory operations. Both sides have captured and destroyed border posts, and Pakistan has closed key crossings, including Torkham and Chaman. The situation remains volatile, with both nations issuing stern warnings and accusing each other of aggression. (PC: HT)  

Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi faced backlash for excluding women journalists from a press conference in New Delhi on October 10. The Editors Guild of India and the Indian Women’s Press Corps condemned the exclusion as discriminatory. In response, Muttaqi clarified that the omission was due to a "technical issue" and invited women journalists to a subsequent inclusive press conference on October 12. The Indian government distanced itself from the event, stating it had no involvement in organizing the earlier press meet. (PC: India Today)  

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has finalised its seat-sharing arrangement for the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. Both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)] will contest 101 seats each, while smaller allies — LJP (Ram Vilas), HAM, and Rashtriya Lok Manch — will share the remaining 41 seats. JD(U) leader Sanjay Kumar Jha stated that the discussions were held amicably, reflecting the alliance’s unity. The NDA aims to consolidate its position and return Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to power with a strong electoral mandate.