India has filed an appeal against the death penalty handed to eight former Indian Navy personnel by a Qatari court last month. The officers were arrested in Qatar in 2021 while working for a private firm providing services to Qatar's military. India said it is shocked by the verdict and has appealed, though case details remain confidential. MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India is in touch with the officers' families and will provide legal and consular support. The officers include decorated commanders who captained major Indian warships.

The Winter Session of Parliament will commence on December 4 and continue till December 22, spanning 15 sittings over 19 days. Announcing the dates, Minister Pralhad Joshi said he looks forward to discussions during the Amrit Kaal. The session was deferred from November due to ongoing assembly elections in 5 states, whose results will be declared on December 3. This will be the first full session in the new Parliament building. Key bills to replace the IPC, CrPC and Evidence Act are likely to be taken up. The bill on CEC and EC appointment may also be considered amid past opposition over granting cabinet secretary-level status. The government will seek to pass pending legislation in this last session of the year.

Israel has demanded immediate action against photojournalists who were allegedly present and photographed the October 7 Hamas attack on the Gaza border. Israel accused the journalists of being "accomplices in crimes against humanity" by joining in covering Hamas' acts. The Government Press Office sent an urgent letter seeking clarification from media bureaus employing the photographers. Israel cited a report identifying six photojournalists present during the attack working for Reuters, AP and NYT. Reuters denied having prior knowledge, stating its photographers arrived after the attack began. Israel insists the journalists violated ethics by being present during the terror attack.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak welcomed members of the Hindu community to Downing Street on Monday ahead of Diwali. Photos shared by the PM's office showed Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty lighting diyas surrounded by guests. The event celebrated the triumph of light over darkness before Diwali on November 12. Sunak also spoke to Indian PM Narendra Modi, congratulating India's cricket performance and hoping for better luck for England in January tests. The leaders discussed progress on the UK-India free trade agreement negotiations.

The anonymous chat platform Omegle has officially shut down after 14 years. Omegle matched random users for one-on-one conversations when it launched in 2009. Founder Leif K-Brooks cited substantial costs of managing Omegle and addressing misuse as reasons for the shutdown. Omegle faced scrutiny over enabling online abuse. K-Brooks acknowledged the platform's vulnerabilities but highlighted its positive impact in fostering connections. He thanked responsible users. Despite its unique role, operating Omegle was ultimately unsustainable. The website now displays a tombstone reading "Omegle 2009-2023." Users are reminiscing under the trending hashtag #RIPOmegle. (Image Source: Omegle)

The Indian rupee is forecast to trade near recent record lows against the dollar over the next few months according to a Reuters poll of strategists. Despite India's fast economic growth, the rupee hit 83.29/$ this month. Thanks to RBI dollar interventions, the rupee has fared better than Asian peers, only down 0.6% this year. However, analysts don't expect significant gains yet. Over 30% still expect new lows by January. The rupee is seen recovering slightly to 82.50/$ in 6 months and 82.00/$ in a year as major central banks end tightening. With reversed capital flows next year, RBI intervention is expected to decrease after $23 billion spent in 4 months defending the rupee.

African-American singer Mary Millben praised Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the "best leader" for India and the India-US relationship. In the lead up to India's 2024 election, Millben said Modi stands for women and global economic stability. She called for a courageous woman in Bihar to run for Chief Minister after Nitish Kumar's controversial remarks about women's education and population control. Millben, who observed a Karwa Chauth fast, has previously praised India's traditions and said she closely follows Indian affairs because she loves India. She believes Modi is the leader India needs.

The World Health Organization warned that Gaza faces increased risk of infectious diseases spreading due to Israeli airstrikes disrupting health services. Fuel shortages have caused desalination plants to shut down, risking bacterial infections from contaminated water. 18 of 35 hospitals in Gaza have closed due to lack of electricity and supplies, overburdening remaining facilities. Solid waste collection has been disrupted, increasing insects and rodents that transmit disease. Shortages of food, water, and medicine compound the crisis. Though Israel has allowed some aid, it refuses fuel deliveries. With weakened health systems amid overcrowding, the WHO said worrying disease trends are already emerging in Gaza.

France is hosting a Gaza aid conference where officials are discussing a potential 1-3 day ceasefire in Gaza in exchange for the release of over 240 hostages held by Hamas, but no agreement has been reached yet. Israel's PM Netanyahu insists there will be no ceasefire 'until hostages are freed', while Hamas says no release until ceasefire. Emmanuel Macron said a "humanitarian pause" and ceasefire are urgently needed in Gaza to protect civilians. While Israel's allies avoided ceasefire calls but instead called for “humanitarian pauses”, Macron went further stating that "civilians must be protected" which is "indispensable and non-negotiable." UN aid chief Martin Griffiths said, “The United Nations cannot be part of a unilateral proposal to push Palestinians into so-called safe zones.” Doctors Without Borders chief, Isabelle Defourny, called southern Gaza safe a "fake zones" with 30% of Gazans dead there. UN rights chief Volker Turk criticized Israel's "unlawful evacuations." Belgium's deputy PM Petra De Sutter called for EU sanctions on Israel over "inhumane" bombings.

The IDF opened another evacuation corridor in northern Gaza for civilians to flee south for 6 hours today after 50,000 used the safe passage yesterday. IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee warned residents not to listen to Hamas leaders residing abroad and to move south for safety via the corridor on Salah a-Din Street. Previous days saw the corridor open for only 4 hours compared to the 6 hours announced for today. In the fightings that occurred in the last 24 hours, The IDF said it killed a senior Hamas commander responsible for anti-tank missile operations in Gaza. Ibrahim Abu-Maghsib who directed "numerous" missile launches at Israelis. Separately, the navy struck Hamas missile sites in Gaza. Troops uncovered a Hamas drone manufacturing facility and weapons depot in a residential building next to a Gaza City school. The IDF said it recovered drones, bomb-making equipment, and explosives at the site near children's bedrooms.