World
Len Deighton, the man who brought the “office memo” to the spy novel, has passed away. From his groundbreaking debut to his masterful military histories and culinary writing, Deighton proved that the most compelling stories aren’t found in gadgets and martinis, but in the gritty, human complexities of real life.
In a star-studded room usually known for glitz, the 2026 Oscars took a somber, meaningful turn. By awarding the top prize to the father-daughter dystopian drama One Battle After Another, the Academy embraced a “mood of urgency,” favoring stories that mirror our current social ruptures over traditional Hollywood blockbusters.
With global oil supplies under threat and the Strait of Hormuz effectively a battleground, the Indian Navy has deployed over six warships to escort its fuel tankers to safety. Following direct talks between PM Modi and the Iranian leadership, Indian ships are among the few granted passage, providing a vital boost to India’s domestic energy security as fuel prices surge worldwide.
In a holiday-season flavored but hard-sounding telephone conversation, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was called by former US President Donald Trump earlier this week, wishing him Diwali greetings and discussing some serious matters like how the two nations trade and why India imports oil from Russia.
Other recent developments in India have been to dramatically enhance diplomatic and strategic relations with Afghanistan under Taliban leadership through upgrading its technical mission to Kabul into a full-fledged embassy and to participate in higher levels of bilateral relations. Such is happening in the context of poor relations between Taliban and Pakistan which gives India a strategic chance of re-engaging Afghanistan without officially acknowledging the Taliban government.
In the state visit of Indian President Narendra Modi to Mongolia, the countries signed ten significant agreements updating a 70-year history of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The agreements were signed following the delegation-level discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House, with a strengthened strategic coverage of the countries in the energy, defence, cultural, and digital sectors.
In Afghanistan, the slim chance that women might find their voice in the media is rapidly disappearing. The Taliban, now ruling since 2021, have progressively reinforced restrictions on women and now their latest order has hit at the very core of freedom of expression. Women journalists, who were once the face of Afghan television and newspapers, are being muzzled, their faces removed from newsrooms and airwaves.
The Israeli administration has approved a ceasefire agreement with Hamas, representing a crucial move towards concluding the conflict in Gaza. This deal, facilitated by US President Donald Trump, seeks to provide relief to the beleaguered Gaza Strip and enable the release of Israeli captives held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
France is experiencing its worst political crisis in years after Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu unexpectedly resigned on Monday, just 26 days into his term and hours after announcing his cabinet. His decision came after intense criticism and threats from parliamentary factions to vote against his new government. This situation has raised concerns about the country’s governance and its growing economic troubles.
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