World News

China’s first snowfall blanketed cities in white as blizzards spread across regions, while a new “snow vacation” policy gave students winter breaks and boosted tourism bookings in northern provinces.

Netflix’s $83 billion bid for Warner Bros. Discovery signals a Hollywood power shift

A mega-deal that could reshape streaming, theatrical distribution and the balance of influence across the entertainment industry.

Why Germany is debating a ban on the far-right AfD party, and what its constitution allows

Can Germany legally ban the AfD? Inside a high-stakes fight over extremism, democracy and lessons from Nazism.

Why Trump’s tariffs may have reached their ‘high-water mark’, and what companies are asking for now

A growing wave of exemption requests is testing the limits of the administration’s trade strategy.

Battlefield momentum shifts as Trump team pushes Ukraine peace plan

Russia’s slow advance and Ukraine’s stretched forces are beginning to shape the tone and timing of negotiations.

Washington’s muted stance leaves Japan uneasy amid escalating China tensions

A diplomatic rift grows as Tokyo publicly seeks stronger US backing over its Taiwan-related remarks.

Deadly car bomb hits police station in Michoacan amid rising cartel violence

An explosion outside a Coahuayana police station killed three and injured six. Community police and local residents were targeted as Mexico increases federal troop deployments amid escalating cartel attacks.

Why top Microsoft investor voted against CEO Satya Nadella

Norway’s $2 trillion sovereign wealth fund voted against Satya Nadella’s role as Microsoft chair and his pay package, but shareholders overwhelmingly approved his $96.5 million compensation.

Earthquake of magnitude 4.1 strikes Nepal

In a post on X, NCS noted that the earthquake occurred at 8:13 AM at a depth of 5 kilometres

China locks radar on Japanese jets near Okinawa; Tokyo lodges strong protest

Japan lodged a protest with China after a Chinese J-15 fighter jet locked its radar on Japanese F-15s near Okinawa. No airspace breach or damage occurred, but tensions between the nations rise.

SpaceX to offer insider shares at record-setting $800 billion valuation

SpaceX is also exploring a possible initial public offering as soon as late next year

Quad condemns Red Fort attack, pledges stronger counter-terrorism cooperation

The third Quad Counter Terrorism Working Group meeting in New Delhi saw India, Japan, Australia, and the US condemn terrorism, including the Red Fort attack, and strengthen counterterrorism cooperation for 2026.

IT staffing firm under fire for excluding US workers, hiring only H-1B visa holders

LanceSoft, an IT staffing firm, faced backlash after a job posting restricted applications to H-1B visa holders, excluding US citizens and green card holders, raising discrimination concerns, reported Washington Free Beacon.

Apple rocked by executive departures, with chip chief at risk of leaving next

In just the past week, Apple’s heads of artificial intelligence and interface design stepped down.

Hegseth defends Trump’s authority to strike drug cartel boats, compares campaign to war on terror

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth defended deadly strikes on suspected drug cartel boats, asserting President Donald Trump’s authority to act militarily, dismissing legal concerns and likening the campaign to the war on terror.

Jerome Powell on track for Fed rate cut despite some dissent

The Fed delivered a second straight reduction in October driven by the summer’s sudden deterioration in the US labor market

Pakistan’s ‘flattery’ and ‘bribery’ derailed US–India relations: former Pentagon official

Former Pentagon official Michael Rubin says Donald Trump’s policies have weakened US-India ties, pushing New Delhi closer to Russia, as Vladimir Putin pledges uninterrupted fuel supplies despite Western criticism.

Pakistani woman moves to Delhi High Court seeking permission to enter India to join her husband

A Pakistani woman has asked the Delhi High Court to restore her visa so she can rejoin her Indian husband after restrictions imposed following the Pahalgam attack.

Pak woman appeals to PM Modi, alleges India-based husband plotting second marriage

A Karachi-based Pakistani woman has sought PM Modi’s intervention after alleging that her India-based husband abandoned her and is planning a second marriage in Delhi.

Khaleda Zia’s medical board halts London travel plan over health concerns

Doctors say it is unsafe for the former Bangladesh prime minister to travel abroad at this stage.

Gunmen kill 11, including a three-year-old, in South Africa hostel shooting

Three gunmen opened fire at an illegal shebeen in Pretoria, leaving 11 dead and 14 injured, amid South Africa’s ongoing gang and alcohol-fuelled violence.

Ex-Pentagon adviser says ‘not Putin, but Trump deserves credit for uniting India-Russia’

Michael Rubin claims US “hypocrisy” and Trump’s actions have driven New Delhi and Moscow into a stronger strategic partnership.

Tharoor calls Putin dinner 'warm and engaging' as Congress questions guest list exclusion

Shashi Tharoor described the Rashtrapati Bhavan banquet for Vladimir Putin as a “warm and engaging” evening, even as Congress objected to the exclusion of its top leadership from the event.

Pak minister Khawaja Asif slams Imran Khan, says he would ‘don a dupatta to mimic leaders’

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has accused Imran Khan and PTI of promoting an anti-state narrative while defending ISPR’s criticism of the former prime minister.

US lawmaker warns of H-1B hiring while ‘hundreds of thousands’ of Americans lose tech jobs

Senator Ruben Gallego has urged tighter oversight of H-1B hiring, warning that tech giants continue recruiting foreign workers even as they cut American jobs.

Jaishankar on Sheikh Hasina’s India stay: ‘She can stay as long as she wants’

Jaishankar said Sheikh Hasina can decide her future in India, while stressing the need for a fair democratic process in Bangladesh.

Trump’s approval rating slips as economic anxiety intensifies

Americans across political lines express growing frustration with costs and the outlook for their household finances.

UK universities halt admissions from Pakistan, Bangladesh amid visa misuse crackdown

Several UK universities have suspended or restricted admissions from Pakistan and Bangladesh after rising visa refusals and asylum claims, as the Home Office tightens compliance rules to curb student visa misuse.

24-year-old Indian student Sahaja Reddy Udumala dies in Albany house fire

Sahaja Reddy Udumala, a Master’s student in New York, succumbed to severe burn injuries after a devastating house fire, prompting a fundraiser to support her family.

How Trump’s new national security strategy puts profit ahead of promoting democracy

A slimmed-down vision of US interests puts business deals, migration control and “restraint” at the centre of American power.

US Supreme Court to weigh Trump’s attempt to curb birthright citizenship

A long-simmering conservative challenge to the 14th amendment is headed to the justices, with millions of families watching.

How Netflix outplayed Hollywood’s power brokers to seize Warner Bros

A behind-the-scenes bidding war has transformed Netflix from outsider disruptor to the new centre of the entertainment universe — leaving David Ellison sidelined and old-guard Hollywood stunned.

Asim Munir should be arrested, Pakistan designated 'state sponsor of terror': Ex-Pentagon official

Rubin also called for Pakistan army chief Asim Munir's arrest while objecting to his White House visit in June.

Elon Musk’s favourite amplifier: How Mario Nawfal turned online attention into power

A digital entrepreneur turns Musk’s repeated endorsements into unprecedented reach, political influence and a fast-growing media empire.

Dubai’s Ciel Dubai Marina: How an irregular plot of land created the world’s tallest hotel

Dubai’s skyline has a new record-breaker: Ciel Dubai Marina, now the world’s tallest hotel at 377 metres. What surprises architects and visitors alike is that its extraordinary height was never planned, emerging instead from a cramped, irregular plot that forced the tower skyward.

Why the Heliconia plant stood out at the Modi-Putin meet

A vivid Heliconia plant placed behind Narendra Modi and Vladimir Putin during their recent bilateral meeting drew unusual public attention. Far from mere décor, the tropical flower carried symbolic cues of renewal, prosperity and harmony — adding a subtle diplomatic layer to the high-profile talks.

Putin’s alleged secret daughter Luiza Rozova says she is “really sorry” for his war in Ukraine

Luiza Rozova, widely rumoured to be Vladimir Putin’s secret daughter, has publicly said she is “really sorry” for Russia’s war in Ukraine after a powerful street confrontation with a Ukrainian journalist in Paris, bringing rare, uncomfortable attention to the Russian leader’s private family.

Google Photos called Black woman a ‘gorilla’: AI racism row reignites as user says “not racist, just stupid”

A resurfaced Google Photos screenshot showing a Black woman’s picture auto-labelled as “gorilla” – and a user downplaying it as “not racist, just stupid” – has reignited debate over racist AI errors, algorithmic bias and how tech companies choose to fix such failures.

Austrian man charged after girlfriend allegedly left to freeze to death on Grossglockner

Austrian prosecutors have charged a 36-year-old climber with grossly negligent manslaughter after he allegedly abandoned his inexperienced girlfriend during a winter ascent of Grossglockner, leaving her to freeze to death in brutal alpine conditions that rescuers say she could not have survived alone.

Indians among 171 arrested in UK crackdown on illegal delivery riders

Indians were among 171 delivery riders arrested during a UK-wide enforcement operation targeting illegal working, as authorities intensified deportations and expanded checks across the gig economy.

Pakistani, Afghan forces trade fire along Chaman border: Report

While Pakistani officials said that Afghan forces had fired mortar shells on the Badani area, Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid claimed it was Pakistan that launched an attack on Spin Boldak, alleging that their forces were responding.

‘Real progress depends on Russia’: US and Ukraine enter third day of talks

US and Ukrainian officials held a third day of talks in Miami, saying meaningful progress toward ending the war depends on Russia’s willingness to de-escalate and commit to a lasting peace.

Donald Trump holds first in-person meeting with Mexico’s Sheinbaum at World Cup

President Donald Trump held his first in-person meeting with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, focusing on the 2026 World Cup, trade, and tariffs, while immigration issues receded amid improved border control and deportation efforts.

Pro-Khalistan links: UK imposes sanctions on British Sikh businessman over Babbar Khalsa ties

The UK imposed sanctions on British businessman Gurpreet Singh Rehal and Babbar Akali Lehar under its Domestic Counter-Terrorism Regime, freezing assets and blocking support for pro-Khalistan militant group Babbar Khalsa.

Is Trump abandoning global leadership in his new security strategy?

Trump’s 2025 National Security Strategy shifts US focus from global dominance to regional priorities, emphasising Latin America, migration control, and Europe’s critique, while maintaining strategic vigilance over China and Taiwan.

DC pipe bomb suspect 'disappointed' by Trump’s 2020 election loss, says prosecutor

Brian Cole Jr., arrested for planting pipe bombs outside the RNC and DNC in 2021, told investigators he was “disappointed” over Trump’s 2020 election loss and influenced by related conspiracy theories.

Putin’s tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat: What Russian President wrote in visitors’ book

Visiting India, Vladimir Putin paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, praising his legacy of peace and a multipolar world, as India and Russia advanced economic cooperation at their summit.

Australia hits Afghan Taliban officials with sanctions, travel bans

Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the officials were involved "in the oppression of women and girls and in undermining good governance or the rule of law" in the Taliban-run country.

EU fines Musk’s X €120m over transparency breaches under digital rules

The European Union fined Elon Musk’s X €120 million under its Digital Services Act for transparency violations, triggering sharp US criticism and reopening tensions over digital regulation and free speech.