World

South Korea saw 21,958 babies born in October, marking the 16th consecutive monthly increase but the slowest growth this year. Despite rising births and marriages, population declined as deaths outnumbered births, continuing the overall downward trend since 2019

Tennis legend Venus Williams married Danish-Italian model and actor Andrea Preti in Palm Beach, Florida, over the weekend. Williams, 45, recently became the second-oldest woman to win a tour-level singles match and plans to compete in her 33rd WTA season

Sharif Omar Hadi accused Bangladesh’s interim government of orchestrating his brother’s killing to disrupt February 2026 elections. Inqilab Moncho demanded a speedy trial within 30 working days and threatened protests, citing rising violence against minorities, media, and cultural institutions

Toronto police are investigating the murder of 30-year-old Indian woman Himanshi Khurana and have issued a first-degree murder warrant for 32-year-old Abdul Ghafoori. The Indian High Commission condemned the incident and pledged support to the victim’s family

US Border Patrol arrested 30 Indian nationals among 49 illegal immigrants operating semitrucks with commercial licenses in California. The crackdown, including Operation Highway Sentinel, targets safety violations after fatal accidents caused by unlicensed or illegally residing drivers, authorities said

A private jet carrying Libya’s top military chief and four officers crashed near Ankara, Turkey, killing all onboard. The delegation was returning from defence talks. Turkish authorities cited a technical malfunction, and investigations are underway by both nations

Bangladesh police arrested 663 people and seized firearms nationwide under Operation Devil Hunt Phase-2, aimed at restoring law and order ahead of elections. The intensified crackdown has drawn political criticism amid rising violence and allegations of targeting opposition members

Bangladesh’s interim government pledged full responsibility for the family of Hindu worker Dipu Das, lynched on blasphemy charges, reaffirming rule of law and condemning mob violence as inexcusable amid arrests, protests and renewed unrest across the country 

A total of 127 US lawmakers have urged the Trump administration to withdraw proposed changes to the public charge rule, warning that it would create uncertainty in legal immigration. The move could particularly affect H-1B holders and Indian nationals awaiting employment-based green cards.

ISRO successfully launched the US communication satellite BlueBird Block-2 aboard its LVM3-M6 rocket from Sriharikota as part of a commercial mission. The satellite will support a global Low Earth Orbit constellation enabling direct-to-mobile 4G and 5G connectivity worldwide.

India defeated Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the second Women’s T20I at Visakhapatnam, taking a 2-0 lead in the series. Shafali Verma’s unbeaten 69 and strong spin bowling from Sneh Rana, Vaishnavi Sharma and Shree Charani sealed the win

Alpine SG Pipers defeated Triveni Continental Kings to win the Global Chess League title in Mumbai. Anish Giri and R Praggnanandhaa starred in the final, while Firouzja and Hou Yifan earned individual honours. PBG Alaskan Knights finished third

India’s Deepti Sharma has reached the top of the ICC Women’s T20I Bowling Rankings, while South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt reclaimed the No 1 spot in ODI batting. Jemimah Rodrigues and several other players also made notable gains in the latest update

The rapidly deteriorating situation in Bangladesh poses multiple challenges to India, including growing insecurity and infiltration along the 4,000-kilometre border

The Trump Administration has announced sweeping reforms to the H-1B visa system, replacing the random lottery with a weighted selection process that favours higher-skilled and higher-paid foreign workers. The new rules will take effect from February 27 and apply to the fiscal year 2027 H-1B cap season.

Intelligence agencies in New Delhi have warned of a deliberate ISI-backed plan to provoke India into military action against Bangladesh. Following Sheikh Hasina’s ouster in August 2024 and the rise of Muhammad Yunus as caretaker leader, the country has witnessed daily violence and persecution of minorities.

In Pakistan's Karak district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, unidentified assailants attacked a police van, killing five officers. Authorities launched a search operation, while Chief Minister Sohail Afridi condemned the attack, linking it to TTP activity after the ceasefire ended in November 2022

From December 27, Australian search engines must blur pornographic and violent images for under-18 users, implement age verification measures, and downrank harmful content. The rules aim to protect children, applying to both logged-in accounts and AI-generated search results

Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma was summoned by Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs over concerns about the security of Bangladeshi missions in India, including New Delhi and Kolkata, and was asked to ensure strengthened protection for these diplomatic missions

Donald Trump reiterated claims of averting an India-Pakistan war, saying Pakistan’s leadership credited him with saving millions of lives. India rejects mediation claims, saying a May 10 ceasefire followed four days of fighting after Operation Sindoor triggered by Pahalgam attack

Indian-American New York Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar condemned the lynching of 25-year-old Hindu man Dipu Chandra Das in Bangladesh, warning of a wider pattern of violence against religious minorities and urging global solidarity for human rights and religious freedom

At least five people were killed when a Mexican Navy plane on a medical mission crashed near Galveston, Texas. The aircraft carried Navy officers, civilians and a child patient. US authorities have launched a search and investigation as foggy conditions persist.

India will face Sri Lanka in the second WT20I in Visakhapatnam after an eight-wicket win in the opener. Harmanpreet Kaur stressed on improving fielding, while Jemimah Rodrigues and Vaishnavi Sharma impressed as India aim to continue their dominance

Ganges Grandmasters defeated Fyers American Gambits 12-3 in the Global Chess League, keeping their final hopes alive. Anand drew with Nakamura, while Keymer, Sadhwani and Tsolakidou won their games. Mumba Masters lost 10-9 to Continental Kings and exited the race