Crucial peace talks between Hamas and Israel will begin in Egypt on Monday, aiming to end the Gaza war. The US and Israel are pushing for the quick release of hostages under a 20-point peace plan. Hamas has agreed to some parts of the plan but wants more discussions. Israeli air strikes continued in Gaza on Sunday, killing at least 65 people, despite US calls to stop bombing. Leaders from Egypt, the US, and Qatar will attend the talks. The discussions are seen as a major chance to reach a ceasefire after nearly two years of conflict. (PC: Reuters)

The Union Health Ministry held an emergency meeting after 14 children died in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan from a toxic cough syrup named Coldrif. Tests showed the syrup contained diethylene glycol, a harmful chemical. Officials ordered stricter checks on drug manufacturing and warned non-compliant companies of licence cancellation. States were told to avoid unnecessary cough syrup prescriptions for children. Experts called the contamination “criminal negligence.” The Tamil Nadu-based manufacturer’s licence has been cancelled, and legal action has begun. Health authorities are now testing more samples and tightening safety rules to prevent future tragedies. (PC: NDTV)

Former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez was arrested at a hospital in Indianapolis after being stabbed in a downtown incident. Police said Sanchez faces three charges — battery, unlawful entry of a vehicle, and public intoxication. The stabbing happened near Senate Avenue and West Washington Street around 12:30 a.m. on October 4. Locals expressed shock over the incident. Sanchez, now a Fox Sports commentator, was in the city for Sunday’s Colts vs. Raiders game. He retired from the NFL in 2019 and is married to actress Perry Mattfeld. (PC: AP)

The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to inspect all Boeing 787 aircraft in India. This comes after an Air India Dreamliner from Amritsar to Birmingham was grounded in the UK when its emergency turbine deployed mid-descent. The pilots’ body said a fault in the Bus Power Control Unit might have triggered the issue. FIP warned of possible electrical faults in Boeing 787s and cited the June 12 Air India crash in Ahmedabad that killed 260 people. Boeing has not responded to either incident. (PC: India Today)

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar announced that the Bihar Assembly elections will be held before November 22, when the current term ends. Speaking in Patna, he said new steps have been taken to improve the voting process, including faster voter ID delivery within 15 days and mobile deposit facilities at polling booths. The CEC said the voters’ list was “purified” after 22 years through a Special Intensive Revision. He urged people to vote with the same enthusiasm as Chhath Puja. The Election Commission will soon decide on the number of phases for the polls. (PC: The Telegraph )

Dozens have died and hundreds remain trapped as heavy rain, snow, and landslides hit India’s Darjeeling, Nepal, and the Mount Everest region. At least 17 people were killed in Darjeeling and over 40 in Nepal, officials said. Nearly 1,000 people were stranded on the Tibetan side of Everest after a massive blizzard. Two iron bridges collapsed in North Bengal following 300 mm of rainfall in 12 hours. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said several districts, including Kalimpong and Jalpaiguri, were flooded. Bhutan also reported floods near the Amochu river, where Indian troops helped rescue stranded families. (PC: HT))

India women’s cricket team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, continued their no-handshake policy during the toss before their ICC Women’s World Cup match against Pakistan in Colombo. Pakistan captain Fatima Sana won the toss and chose to bowl first. The two captains did not greet or shake hands, reflecting India’s continued stance seen earlier in the men’s Asia Cup. Reports say the policy was approved by the Indian government due to political and security reasons. The match was held under tight security as tensions remain high between the two nations following the Pahalgam attack earlier this year. (PC: India Today)

Five people, including a 15-year-old girl, were killed after Russia launched more than 50 missiles and 500 drones across Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said. The strikes hit several regions, including Lviv, Zaporizhzhia, Chernihiv, and Sumy, leaving over 73,000 people without electricity. Four members of one family died in Lapaivka near Lviv. Poland scrambled fighter jets as missiles neared its airspace, and NATO aircraft were also deployed. Zelensky urged faster air defense support, saying, “We need more protection.” Ukraine’s energy ministry confirmed power plant damage, and emergency outages were reported as winter nears. (PC: BBC)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed optimism that the release of all hostages held in Gaza will be announced in the coming days. This statement comes as Israel continues to negotiate with Hamas following a significant hostage crisis that has seen citizens of multiple nations taken. The hostages' release is seen as a crucial step toward easing tensions in the region, although the specifics of the negotiations remain unclear. Netanyahu’s comments offer a glimmer of hope for the families awaiting the return of their loved ones. (PC: Reuters)  

Alakh Pandey, the founder of the popular ed-tech platform Physics Wallah, has experienced a meteoric rise in wealth, surpassing Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. This comes as the company has scaled rapidly, becoming a "unicorn" — a startup valued at over $1 billion. Despite reporting losses, Physics Wallah’s growth trajectory continues to impress, largely driven by its YouTube-based educational model and expanding user base. The platform's success is a testament to the booming ed-tech sector, especially in the wake of pandemic-driven shifts toward online learning.