President Donald Trump may have made the decision to launch the war that damaged voter support for the Republican Party and contributed to a devastating midterm defeat. However, the historic losses have intensified efforts within the party to find someone else to hold accountable: Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. The House could vote as early as next week on whether to impeach the Pentagon chief.
Google has extended its voluntary employee exit programme to several countries as the tech giant looks to manage costs while increasing investments in artificial intelligence. According to Reuters, the company expanded the buyout offers in June to employees in Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Switzerland. However, the news agency could not establish how many workers have accepted the offers.
"In 2025, some of our teams introduced a voluntary exit program with severance," a Google spokesperson said in a statement quoted by Reuters.
Delhi wakes up to "hazardous" air quality on Thursday morning (Nov 5), with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) at 482 at 8:01 am, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. Seven monitoring stations in the national capital recorded AQI levels above 400, which falls in the severe category. Punjabi Bagh logged the highest reading at 446, followed by Narela at 434, Rohini at 431, RK Puram at 416, Bawana at 412, North Campus (Delhi University) at 408 and Patparganj at 405.
Stay with us for the latest news, breaking updates and developments as they unfold.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Democratic victory in the US midterm elections gave Ukraine "hope" of increased support from Washington. He spoke in an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF after visiting Madrid on Thursday and Berlin on Tuesday.
The remarks come amid US-led efforts to revive peace negotiations that have raised concerns in Kyiv over the future of American support. Talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States are due to resume in the United Arab Emirates on November 10 and 11 under US mediation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday urged Latin American leaders to help Ukraine obtain urgently needed equipment to repair its power infrastructure damaged by Russian attacks. "Every power plant in Ukraine has been damaged in one way or another by attacks," he told a summit in Madrid, adding that repair crews were working around the clock. "We need equipment that works with our power grid, and we need it fast," he said, citing potential supplies of transformers from Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Colombia, and power cables from Chile.
US First Lady Melania Trump called for a new, "more enduring" ceasefire in Ukraine as she hosted officials from the war-torn country and its invader, Russia, at the White House on Thursday. Trump earlier helped negotiate a six-day ceasefire in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, which ended on Sunday.
"I hope Oleshky inspires greater peace. Every significant transformation begins with a small spark," she told reporters. She said she had written personal letters to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Karnataka government has issued orders enhancing the Dearness Allowance (DA) for state government employees and pensioners. The DA has been increased from 15.75 per cent to 18 per cent of basic pay, with a retrospective effect from July 1, 2026.
The same enhancement has been extended to retired employees and family pensioners. "At a time when the cost of living continues to rise, it is our responsibility to safeguard the financial well-being and dignity of those who serve and have served our State," the government said in a statement.
Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan has said his party is open to allying the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections but made it clear that if a consensus is not reached, the party will field its own candidates on all 403 seats. Speaking to reporters, Paswan said formal discussions regarding seat-sharing have not yet begun, but he hopes for a positive outcome within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
"Formal discussions regarding an alliance have not yet begun. If a consensus is reached within an alliance - which is what we hope for - and things proceed accordingly, that would be a positive development. However, I want to be very clear: I am part of an alliance at the central level," he said. Highlighting his party's track record, Paswan noted that LJP (RV) has contested both as an alliance partner and independently depending on the political landscape.
Around 600,000 people had taken to the streets by 5:00 pm (1600 GMT) Thursday to protest the cost of living in Paris and across France, the interior ministry said. The ministry earlier in the afternoon had put the figure at 270,000 people at 180 rallies nationwide, not including the capital.
IT giant Meta has reportedly joined Microsoft and Google in offering voluntary exits to employees with hefty severance packages. The development comes amid the widespread layoffs across tech companies in the past few months, with several firms offering voluntary exit options to staff.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei has rejected claims by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas that Iran was interfering in the Yemen conflict, accusing the bloc of contributing to human rights violations through sanctions and blockades, IRNA news agency is reporting.
The US and Israeli militaries have drawn up plans for renewed strikes on Iran, according to the New York Times. The United States is ready to resume major combat operations against the country when ordered by Trump, NYT reported.
The Joint List alliance of Arab-led parties says it will back Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot to form a new government after last week’s election.
US president Donald Trump on Thursday expressed uncertainty about vice president JD Vance running in the 2028 presidential election after the midterm results favoured Democrats in Congress, fuelling speculation about Vance's political ambitions.
A Delhi court on Thursday sentenced five members of the Bharat Bhushan gang to life imprisonment under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) for their involvement in a series of armed robberies, extortion and other offences across Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), observing that their conduct posed a threat to society and left little scope for reformation.
The Eiffel Tower in Paris was closed to the public on Thursday amid weeks of protests that have rocked France. The shutdown was prompted by a nationwide strike that disrupted several services, including schools and train operations, according to the monument's official website.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Thursday announced an anti-Special Intensive Revision (SIR) protest in Kochi, Kerala, on November 7, renewing the call for the cancellation of the voter roll revision exercise. The protest, titled “Jantar Mantar at Kochi”, will be held at Rajendra Maidan from 4 pm, CJP said in a post on the social media platform X.
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Thursday hit out at JD Vance after the US vice president blamed the war on Iran for the Republican Party's losses in the midterm elections.
At 1 p.m. local time (7 a.m. ET), 270,000 people were taking part in nearly 200 demonstrations across France in the nationwide day of action organized by labor unions, according to the Interior Ministry.
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda on Thursday reviewed the progress of construction and operationalisation of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir. During the review, the minister assessed infrastructure development, procurement of medical equipment and furniture, recruitment of faculty and other personnel, and preparedness for commencement of medical and academic activities.
He was informed that construction is nearing completion, with all major buildings done. Nadda emphasised that AIIMS Awantipora is a priority project and directed agencies to maintain momentum and complete remaining construction works by March 2027. The Phase-I buildings, including the OPD Registration Block, OPD Block, residential buildings and designated hostels, have been completed, with handover processes underway.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met and interacted with members of the Indian contingent that participated in the Asian Para Games 2026 in Japan, congratulating the para-athletes for their historic performance and record medal haul of 114 medals.
The interaction was held at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex in New Delhi, where Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya also joined. India concluded its campaign with a record 114 medals, including 30 gold, 35 silver and 49 bronze, marking its best-ever performance at the continental event and surpassing the previous tally of 108 from the last edition. A total of 168 para-athletes represented India at the 2026 Games, compared to 309 at Hangzhou.
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor on Thursday met Vietnam's newly appointed Ambassador to India, Trinh Minh Manh, ahead of the 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Manila, highlighting diplomatic engagements before the regional gathering in the Philippines later this month.
In a post on X, Gor shared details of the meeting and expressed appreciation for the interaction ahead of the upcoming summit. "Great meeting the new Ambassador from Vietnam to India. Enjoyed my discussion with @VNinINDIA Ambassador Trinh Minh Manh ahead of the upcoming ASEAN Summit," he said.
Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday demanded that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which he said is against the law and the spirit of the Constitution, be scrapped immediately and that the Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, resign.
Speaking at a protest organised by KPCC at Freedom Park in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah warned that any attempt to weaken the democratic system and infringe on the voting rights of eligible voters cannot be tolerated. He said the fight is being waged across the country with two main demands: scrapping of SIR and the CEC's resignation. "This is not just an issue related to revision of electoral rolls, but a crucial fight for protection of the Constitution, democracy and voters' rights," he said.
India's expanding renewable energy capacity could save the country nearly $240 billion in cumulative coal and natural gas import spending by 2030, strengthening energy security and cutting exposure to swings in international fuel prices, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).
In its 'India Renewable Energy Market Report 2026', the agency said renewable electricity had already reduced cumulative spending on coal and gas imports by more than $100 billion between 2011 and 2025.
"Assuming fuel prices remain broadly consistent with average levels observed during 2024-2025, cumulative savings could approach USD 240 billion by 2030," the IEA said.
Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reaffirmed her plan to return to Dhaka in December, even as a death sentence awaits her on arrival from India. "If death is my destiny, I would rather die on the soil of my own country, among my own people," she told The Associated Press. "So, I will return to Bangladesh. That decision has not changed."
Hasina fled to New Delhi in 2024 after a mass student-led uprising toppled her government; in 2025 a Bangladeshi special tribunal handed her a death sentence for crimes against humanity over a crackdown that, per UN data cited by AP, killed nearly 1,400 people. She has denied wrongdoing and rejected the verdict. "I know that I may be arrested when I return. I may be imprisoned, tortured or even killed. I am fully aware of those possibilities. But I cannot spend the rest of my life watching my people suffer from a distance," she said.
Hasina also alleged at least 20,000 Awami League members had been killed since August 2024 and voiced concern over the growing influence of hard-line groups in Bangladesh. Asked whether she expected foreign governments to press for her safe return, she said: "I do not need the blessing of a foreign power to return to my own country."
NATO officials met on Thursday with representatives from France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States to discuss ways to end the war in Ukraine, a NATO spokesperson said.
"Following up on discussions in Miami and Oslo, NATO representatives will meet with representatives from France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States today in Brussels to discuss the way forward on bringing about a just and sustainable end to the war in Ukraine," said NATO Spokesperson Allison Hart.
Ukraine's lead negotiator, Rustem Umerov, said talks hosted by the European Commission would continue for a second day in Brussels, focused on post-war reconstruction, funding for 2027 and security guarantees backed by Kyiv's Western allies.
Thailand has banned a book about the country, with its exiled editor saying the move stems from its coverage of the Thai monarchy, a subject shielded from criticism by a strict defamation law critics say is used to silence dissent.
The second edition of the "Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Thailand," published in English in August, was edited by Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a prominent academic and royal critic based in Japan. It includes chapters on the monarchy in the 21st century and the state's use of the lese-majeste law.
The 2019 first edition was not banned, Pavin said, adding that the update was meant to "reflect changes in Thai politics" since the 2020 youth-led pro-democracy protests that featured unprecedented calls to reform the monarchy and the military.
"Topics like this are why they decided to ban it," he said. "Thailand's democracy is backsliding, and book bans are a clear indicator of that." An order signed by National Police Chief Samran Nualma said the book carries articles that "adversely affect national security and might cause unrest in the country," and gave police authority to seize and destroy it.
Those found guilty of importing or distributing the book face up to three years in prison, a maximum fine of 60,000 baht ($1,800), or both.
Delhi is reportedly exploring another round of artificial rain to tackle worsening air pollution, with the government prepared to consider cloud seeding if air quality deteriorates further after Diwali and Chhath Puja. The national capital recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 367 on Thursday, placing it in the ‘very poor’ category. Several neighbourhoods reported severe pollution levels, with Jahangirpuri recording an AQI of 459. IIT Delhi and Punjabi Bagh followed at 445 each.
France’s national blood service has reported a cyber-attack in which hackers accessed refrigeration control systems and raised temperatures at three storage facilities holding vital blood products.
The French Blood Establishment (EFS) said the attack took place overnight on Monday. Hackers reportedly increased temperature and defrosting thresholds to “very high levels”. However, alarm systems alerted technicians in time, preventing the stored products from being compromised.
The affected facilities were operated by EFS contractors. Plasma bags used for transfusions and medicine manufacturing were shifted to other locations as a precaution.
The incident comes amid a wider wave of cyber-attacks targeting refrigeration systems across Europe. Supermarkets in nearly a dozen countries, including Germany, Italy, Romania and the UK, have reported disruptions, with some refrigerators reaching temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius.
French authorities, including the national cybersecurity agency ANSSI and the health ministry, have been alerted. The motive behind the attacks remains unknown, and no group has claimed responsibility.
Eleven personnel of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and Fire Services, who went missing after two rescue boats overturned in a rain-swollen lake in Telangana’s Khammam district, have been rescued safely, officials said on Thursday (Nov 5). The personnel were part of an operation to save 10 fishermen stranded in Bethupalli tank in Sattupalli mandal. Five of them were rescued late Wednesday night, while the remaining six were brought to safety in the early hours of Thursday.
The US consulate in Hong Kong said Thursday that it "strongly condemns" the additional 10-year prison sentence given to democracy activist Joshua Wong.
"The United States strongly condemns the Hong Kong High Court's sentencing of Joshua Wong to an additional 10 years of imprisonment and calls for his immediate release," AFP quoted a consulate spokesperson as saying.
China issued a warning on Thursday against "irresponsible" remarks on Hong Kong's judicial affairs, shortly after the United States condemned the sentencing of pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong.
"Relevant parties should earnestly respect China's sovereignty, respect Hong Kong's legal system, stop making irresponsible remarks regarding the trial of HKSAR judicial cases," foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a news briefing, using the city's official acronym.
Abdul El-Sayed became the first Muslim Senator after the US midterm elections, as Democrats gained control of Congress. His wife, Dr Sarah Jukaku, joined him in the celebrations. She is of Indian origin, belonging to the southern state of Karnataka. Meanwhile, El-Sayed is the son of Egyptian immigrants. A viral video from a podcast shows him talking about his marriage and his India connection. He shared that at a family function, one of his uncles asked him about choosing an Indian woman.
In the wake of an inconclusive general election, Israel's President Isaac Herzog has commenced the second day of crucial political consultations with newly elected Knesset factions to determine which leader is best positioned to form the nation's next government.
These formal discussions, which commenced the previous evening with smaller parliamentary factions, including Religious Zionism, Shas, Yisrael Beytenu and Zehut, are being broadcast live from the presidential compound in Jerusalem, according to a report published by The Times of Israel.
The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on two Indian nationals accused of running a large maritime fraud network that helped Iran's shadow fleet of oil tankers evade international restrictions.
The US Treasury Department identified the accused as Suniel Kumar Sharma and his wife, Jaspreet Preeti Shahid, who allegedly operated the network from Chandigarh. The sanctions also target two other Indian citizens who head businesses run by the couple, along with nine entities linked to Sharma.
Above a maze of tents in a crowded displacement camp in Gaza, homemade wind turbines made from scrap metal and salvaged debris spin in the sea breeze, bringing electricity to struggling Palestinians.
In the southern Khan Yunis camp, Kamal Al-Dabary, a former engineering student, has put his skills to work for families who, like most Gazans, live in displacement with no direct access to the tiny territory's shattered power grid.
According to the World Bank, more than 90 percent of Gaza's power generation and distribution capacity was destroyed in April 2026, much of it in Israeli strikes that devastated homes and infrastructure.
Sitting on the ground, Dabary tinkered with electrical wires, metal parts and basic tools on a plastic table.
US First Lady Melania Trump will host officials from Moscow and Kyiv at the White House on Thursday, ahead of talks in Abu Dhabi aimed at ending the Ukraine war.
The talks have revived hopes for peace, as Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine grinds through its fifth year, and a recent rapprochement between presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin has raised concerns the United States could turn its back on Kyiv.
Moscow's adviser for international economic cooperation, Kirill Dmitriev, and human rights ombudsman Yana Lantratova plan to meet Melania Trump on Thursday "provided that all logistical arrangements work out", Russia's state-owned TASS news agency reported Wednesday, citing Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Joshua Wong, one of the most prominent faces of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement, has been sentenced to another 10 years in prison for “foreign collusion,” under controversial national security law. Already serving a sentence in another case, the 30-year-old activist is now expected to remain behind bars until late 2036. Wong gained international recognition for leading protests against Beijing's growing control over Hong Kong. His activism also made him the subject of a Netflix documentary and brought him appearances on magazine covers across the world. Born in 1996 to middle-class Christian parents, Wong grew up in Hong Kong shortly before the territory was handed over by Britain to China in 1997.
He entered activism at the age of 13, when he joined protests against a proposed high-speed rail link connecting Hong Kong with mainland China. His campaign against a proposed national education curriculum in 2012 brought him wider attention. Wong helped mobilise around 120,000 protesters who blocked the government headquarters, eventually forcing authorities to withdraw the plan. He later became known for promoting non-violent protests, civil disobedience, strikes and boycotts.
India has launched a $1.5-billion scheme to develop 92 gigawatt-hours of energy storage capacity as it seeks to accelerate its shift towards renewable energy, the government said Wednesday.
India is the third-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases and remains deeply dependent on polluting coal to meet its soaring energy demand.
Energy demand in India, home to more than 1.4 billion people, is expected to continue rising rapidly even as the government pursues its goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.
The scheme, which runs from 2026-27 to 2030-31, will support 60 gigawatt-hours of pumped hydro storage, 30 GWh of battery storage, and two GWh using emerging technologies, the government said.
Paraguay’s opposition has launched an impeachment bid against President Santiago Pena following a banking crisis that has left nearly three million customers unable to access their money after the Central Bank took control of digital lender Ueno. Thirty-five lawmakers submitted impeachment articles in the 80-member lower house on Wednesday (Nov 4), accusing Pena of misconduct, conflicts of interest and alleged irregularities in the handling of the bank's collapse.
They have sought an extraordinary congressional session on Thursday to debate the motion. The opposition needs at least 53 votes in the lower house for the proceedings to advance. The motion would then require approval from 30 of the 45 senators. Pena's ruling Colorado Party holds a majority in both chambers, making the outcome uncertain.
Native American women won historic victories in Tuesday's (Nov 3) US midterm elections, with Deb Haaland elected governor of New Mexico and Peggy Flanagan elected to the US Senate from Minnesota. Haaland, a member of Laguna Pueblo, is the first Native American woman elected governor of a US state. Flanagan, who is Ojibway and a member of White Earth Nation, is the first Native American woman elected to the Senate. Both wins came as Democrats took control of both chambers of Congress. This also comes as the country celebrates Native American Month to commemorate the community's achievements.
Google has extended its voluntary employee exit programme to several countries as the tech giant looks to manage costs while increasing investments in artificial intelligence. According to Reuters, the company expanded the buyout offers in June to employees in Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Switzerland. However, the news agency could not establish how many workers have accepted the offers. "In 2025, some of our teams introduced a voluntary exit program with severance," a Google spokesperson said in a statement quoted by Reuters.