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Two Iranian drones targeted the Iraqi Kurdistan prime minister's office and the home of the autonomous region's intelligence chief overnight, authorities said Monday. "Following an investigation by the Kurdistan Counter-Terrorism Unit, my personal office and the home of the head of the Security and Intelligence Agency were targeted by Iranian drone attacks earlier today," Kurdistan Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said, in a post on X. "This is a dangerous escalation and a direct threat to the security and stability of the Kurdistan region."

Thousands of people rallied across Pakistan to protest soaring inflation and the rising cost of living. Demonstrators voiced anger over higher prices and growing economic pressure on households, highlighting the deepening concerns over Pakistan’s inflation crisis.

US envoy Jared Kushner held a rare direct meeting with Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya in Egypt, pushing the group to take real, tangible steps toward disarmament under Trump's 15-point Gaza peace plan. Hamas reaffirmed its commitment, though it's asking the Board of Peace to "compel" Israel to accept the plan too, since PM Netanyahu rejected the roadmap just last week, calling it "unacceptable." Kushner is set to meet Netanyahu next to discuss what Israel must do in return.

Russia and Ukraine have exchanged a fresh wave of intense strikes, leaving casualties and widespread destruction on both sides. A prominent market in Kyiv was reportedly gutted in Russian strikes, while Ukraine claimed to have targeted a missile fuel production facility in Russia's Rostov region.

The Recording Academy is reconsidering its new Asian pop category just two months after announcing the award. The move comes weeks after BTS said they would not submit music for the 2027 Grammys, citing concerns about the awards' limitations.

Trump threatens Oman over the Strait of Hormuz as the US-Iran ceasefire deadline nears, escalating tensions over Iran, shipping and regional security

The Indian Ministry of Defence has signed a $203 million (₹1,943 crore) contract with US-based General Atomics to lease two MQ-9B SeaGuardian HALE drones for 30 months to boost Indian Navy surveillance in the Indian Ocean Region.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a nationwide free online coaching initiative for competitive exam aspirants during his Independence Day address. The initiative aims to make exam preparation more accessible and reduce the financial burden of coaching on low- and middle-income families.

Crypto wallet provider SafePal has disclosed a data breach involving unauthorized access to the order information of about 39,798 customers. The exposed data reportedly included personal details such as names, addresses and purchase information.

Ravindra Jadeja reached 350 Test wickets against Sri Lanka in Galle, joining Kapil Dev in the elite group of players with more than 4,000 Test runs and 350 wickets.

Nitesh Tiwari's much-anticipated "Ramayana" is set for a major international leap, releasing in China this November under the title "Ramayana: The Legend of the Prince." Sony Pictures will distribute the film, marking a big moment nearly a decade after Tiwari's "Dangal" won over Chinese audiences. The Chinese version will reportedly run 33 minutes shorter to comply with local content regulations. Starring Ranbir Kapoor as Ram, Yash as Ravana, and Sai Pallavi as Sita, "Ramayana: Part 1" releases November 6 internationally, and November 8 in India around Diwali.

Donald Trump calls the Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan Mecca Joint Defence Agreement a “big, bold” first step as India examines its regional security implications.

Shahzad Bhatti faces multiple Indian investigations over alleged terror links, online radicalisation, the Bishnoi connection and a cross-border network

Israel’s far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has called for Israeli forces to kill 30-40 people in Gaza every night and advocated Jewish settlements and Palestinian displacement. Iran condemned the remarks

Government departments are setting up Quick Response Teams (QRTs) to tackle misinformation on social media, with officials aiming for a response within just two hours of spotting fake or misleading content. Departments like power, agriculture, and commerce have already formed their teams, which will monitor digital platforms for content that's factually incorrect, manipulated, or taken out of context, and coordinate with the PIB's fact-check unit.

Support for Hamas continues to decline in the West Bank (33%) and Gaza (18%). Palestinians show little trust in the Board of Peace, while 32% prefer NCAG to retain governing responsibility.

Prime Video on Monday announced the release date of Babita Singh Reporting. Starring Barun Sobti, Nimisha Sajayan and Anshumaan Pushkar, the film revolves around a suspended police officer who investigates the murder of her childhood friend.

The rise of cheap, commercially available drone technology has fundamentally altered the calculus of conflict. Capabilities that once demanded expensive missile systems or manned aircraft can now be replicated with a few thousand dollars of off-the-shelf hardware.

Malaysia is turning to an unexpected solution to cool its booming AI data centres: palm oil. With nearly 40% of Southeast Asia's planned data centre capacity set to land in Malaysia, the country's water supply is under serious strain, with cooling systems currently using millions of litres a day. Researchers at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board have developed "Sawit EcoTherm," a palm-based liquid that could replace water-intensive cooling entirely.