LIVE Updates | Latest India & World News Today: INDIA bloc protest against Election Commission; Harmanpreet Kaur quits captaincy, and more

US President Donald Trump said he will no longer use taxpayer money to fund a series of promotional TV ads, announcing that he will instead pay for them with funds raised for MAGA, Inc., the pro-Trump super PAC

A commercial vessel carrying three Indian nationals was attacked in the Black Sea, leaving two foreign nationals dead and several crew members injured, the Embassy of India in Romania said on Monday. All three Indian crew members were reported safe after the incident. One of them suffered injuries and was receiving medical treatment in Romania, the Indian mission said, adding that it was in contact with the hospital authorities and providing all possible assistance.

Israel was ready to intercept and shoot down the flydubai aircraft after the captain was attacked in the cockpit, CBS News reported, citing two Israeli sources with knowledge of the matter.

Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has not only become a popular figure in India, but now has the attention of the world too, with a New York Times report dubbing him a “Rock Star”. “In India, a Food Safety Inspector Is a Rock Star,” read the NYT headline dated October 4, 2026. Sharing clips of both, Mundhe said that “good governance is not about making headlines” but “about making a difference”.

United States President Donald Trump issued a stern warning that Tehran would “suffer greatly” if found responsible for security threats that prompted Washington to relocate military aircraft from Britain, whilst simultaneously affirming that he remained receptive to direct talks with Iranian leadership.
Addressing journalists prior to his departure aboard Marine One, President Trump responded to queries concerning Middle Eastern tensions, energy markets, US bomber repositioning, and an incident involving Flydubai.

Union Minister for Environment Bhupender Yadav arrived in Nadi, Fiji, on Tuesday to take part in the Pre-COP discussions co-hosted by Australia and Fiji. This gathering precedes the COP31 conference under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), scheduled to take place in Turkey next month.

Former Bangladesh Foreign Minister and Bangladesh Awami League Joint General Secretary Mohammed Hasan Mahmud has alleged that Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), was involved in the political developments that led to the ouster of the government in Bangladesh in 2024.

Speaking about the current political situation in Bangladesh, Mahmud stated that the interim government that followed the August 2024 political upheaval, as well as the present government, had moved towards closer ties with Pakistan. 
He alleged that there were indications of Pakistani intelligence involvement behind the events of August 5, 2024, and claimed that the ISI had links to what he described as atrocities against political opponents.
Mahmud called for a “national reconsideration” of Bangladesh’s political direction, saying that the politics of hatred, denial and confrontation must end. 

Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh held talks with Admiral Samuel Paparo, Commander of the United States Pacific Command, in New Delhi on Tuesday, with both nations exploring avenues to further bolster bilateral defence and strategic ties while exchanging viewpoints concerning regional and global affairs.
 

Following the meeting, sharing an update on X, the Ministry of Defence stated, “Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh met with Admiral Samuel Paparo, Commander of the US Pacific Command, who is on a visit to India. During the meeting, both sides discussed strengthening India-US defence and strategic cooperation and exchanged views on regional and global issues.” 

The mass arrests of attendees at a small left-wing party’s meeting in Dhaka on September 26 is the latest incident in the Bangladesh authorities’ ongoing assault on civil and political rights, Human Rights Watch (HRW), a US-based human rights organisation, said in a statement on Tuesday.

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday declared that the Opposition "will spare no one" involved in undermining the nation's democratic institutions, as he lashed out at Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar for being "scared" to meet nearly 300 parliamentarians stopped outside Nirvachan Sadan.
 

Speaking to reporters, Rahul Gandhi questioned the state of Indian democracy if constitutional authorities refuse to engage with elected representatives.
"A short while ago, nearly 300 Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs came here. We wanted to meet Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and his two colleagues. The police stopped us here. We are the nation's representatives; we represent the voice of the country. I don't know why 300 MPs were stopped, and after that, they have made us sit here. The Election Commission is barely 50 yards away, but they are not letting us go... We will spare no one," Rahul Gandhi said. Reaffirming the Opposition's resolve to challenge the ruling establishment, the Lok Sabha LoP asserted that the opposition was standing at the EC's door to save democracy.

Australia's conservative opposition has unveiled plans for what it calls the country's "biggest cut to immigration" in history, with the Coalition proposing to slash net overseas migration to 100,000 a year for its first two years in government. The proposal could have significant implications for Indians, who have recently emerged as Australia's largest overseas-born population and remain the country's biggest source of temporary skilled migrants.

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Italian PM Giorgia Meloni has applied to trademark her voice with the EUIPO to protect against AI-generated deepfakes. This will give her a potential new legal tool against unauthorised voice cloning. 

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">#WATCH | Delhi | During the INDIA bloc protest, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was detained by police for a short while and was later released https://t.co/oqiOikTkvp</p>— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://x.com/ANI/status/2107363740719128968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

South Korea has launched an investigation after more than seven financial institutions reported customer data breaches in the past week. President Lee Jae Myung said there were signs AI may have been used in some attacks and warned that advancing technology could make hacking easier. More than 68,000 people have reportedly been affected. 

LoP, Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi previously waved the Tricolour as he climbed atop a police barrier during the INDIA bloc MPs' protest against the Election Commission of India. Reports suggest that he has since then been detained. Updates awaited.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">#WATCH | Delhi | LoP, Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi waves the Tricolour as he climbs atop a police barrier during INDIA bloc MPs' protest against the Election Commission of India https://t.co/vOETGpjXFH</p>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://x.com/ANI/status/2107359211072205086?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Oil prices settled lower on Monday (Oct 05) as traders weighed a planned release of emergency crude and diesel stocks by the Group of Seven against renewed attacks around the Strait of Hormuz and continuing risks to Middle East supplies. December Brent crude futures fell 1.9 per cent to $100.32 a barrel, while December West Texas Intermediate futures dropped 1.8 per cent to $89.43 a barrel. Brent has now settled lower in three of the past five sessions, while WTI has declined for two consecutive days, according to FactSet data.

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A massive overnight attack involving 650 drones targeted Moscow and its surrounding region, according to Russian authorities. One 20-year-old man was killed in a village outside the capital, and several homes were damaged, while six people were reportedly wounded.

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were detained during the INDIA bloc's protest march towards the Election Commission in New Delhi on Tuesday, according to reports. The march was stopped by security personnel near the NITI Aayog office, where Rahul and Priyanka joined other opposition leaders in a sit-in. 

The INDIA bloc is demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and opposing the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Rahul Gandhi had earlier posted, “Gyanesh, it’s done, bro. Time to resign.”

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a swipe at Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar as the INDIA bloc began a protest march towards the Election Commission in New Delhi. Gandhi wrote on X, “Gyanesh, it’s done, bro. Time to resign.” Opposition leaders have demanded Kumar's resignation and the scrapping of the Special Intensive Revision process. 

Polling began on Tuesday (Oct 6) morning for by-elections to five Assembly constituencies across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry, along with the Nagaon Lok Sabha seat in Assam. The elections are being closely watched as a test for several ruling and opposition parties following the 2026 Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. Voting is taking place in Nandigram and Rejinagar in West Bengal, Madurantakam and Dharapuram in Tamil Nadu, Thattanchavady in Puducherry and Nagaon in Assam.

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OpenAI has apologised to Australian lawmakers over its handling of a hacking incident involving a rogue model that accessed a government health statistics website. Chief strategy officer Jason Kwon said the company should have handled the response better. "We are sorry. We know we have work to do to rebuild trust with the Australian people. We are committed to doing that work," said Kwon.
The incident has intensified scrutiny of AI safety as Australia considers its role as a major data-centre hub.  

On World Animal Day, Anant M. Ambani has announced 'Champions of Care', a Vantara initiative bringing together more than 50 animal welfare organisations from across India.

The initiative, as per reports, aims to strengthen veterinary care, rescue, shelter, feeding and long-term support for community animals, with an estimated reach of around two million animals annually.

Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany is poised to preside over a state assembly for the first time after winning nearly 44 per cent of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt. Lawmakers are expected to elect AfD candidate Tobias Rausch as speaker. The development comes amid protests and concerns over cooperation with the party, which is classified as a confirmed extremist organisation in the state.

Harmanpreet Kaur has stepped down as captain of the Indian women's cricket team across all formats. She announced her decision on Instagram on Tuesday, days after leading India to gold at the Asian Games 2026. Kaur said the decision was difficult and reflected years of memories, sacrifices and responsibility. She said she would continue playing for Indian cricket.