HISTORIC HOUSE VOTE OUSTS MCCARTHY AS SPEAKER OF THE US HOUSE

In an unprecedented and historic showdown, Speaker Kevin McCarthy has been removed from his position, marking the first time in US history that such an event has occurred. This remarkable turn of events was instigated by a group of hard-right conservatives, creating chaos within the House and the Republican leadership.

The motion to vacate the speaker's position was initiated by McCarthy's chief rival, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida. This move brought together conservative Republican critics of the speaker and numerous Democrats who argued that McCarthy was unfit for leadership. The tension in the chamber was palpable as the presiding officer closed the vote, resulting in a 216-210 majority in favor of declaring the speaker's office vacant.

Following this historic vote, Rep. Patrick McHenry, a close ally of McCarthy, was appointed speaker pro tempore to serve temporarily until a new speaker could be selected. Subsequently, the House adjourned for a recess to allow lawmakers to convene and discuss the future course of action.

This momentous turn of events represents a significant blow to McCarthy, a seasoned politician. It stemmed from mounting grievances and was triggered by his recent decision to collaborate with Democrats in order to keep the federal government operational, rather than risk a government shutdown.

BIDEN REASSURES ALLIES ON UKRAINE AID AMID CONGRESSIONAL FUNDING DEBATE

President Biden recently engaged in discussions with 11 world leaders, including key allies such as Canada, Italy, Japan, the UK, Poland, and Romania, as well as European Union representatives and NATO leadership. The primary objective of these talks was to reaffirm the United States' unwavering commitment to supporting Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia.

While the specifics of the discussions were not disclosed, the call followed the passage of a 45-day stopgap spending bill by Congress, which notably did not include new funding for Ukraine. This development raised concerns about the willingness of certain Republican lawmakers to finance Ukraine's war efforts, despite bipartisan support for such aid.

Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, stressed the consistent bipartisan backing for assisting Ukraine. Nevertheless, a failure by Congress to allocate additional funds for Ukraine could hinder the supply of crucial weaponry to the battlefield, which has been instrumental in deterring Russian forces. While the administration can continue to provide weapons using existing resources, this capacity is not sustainable over the long term.

TRIO WINS PHYSICS NOBEL FOR CASTING LIGHT ON ELECTRONS

French scientist Pierre Agostini, Hungarian-Austrian Ferenc Krausz, and French-Swedish Anne L'Huillier have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their groundbreaking work involving ultra-fast light flashes to study electrons within atoms and molecules. Their pioneering technique uses attosecond pulses, an incredibly short unit of time, to enable the observation of rapid movements and changes that were previously impossible to track. This research has promising applications in fields such as electronics and medical diagnostics.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences compared their approach to capturing the rapid wing flaps of a hummingbird, which appear as a blur to the human eye but can be analyzed with high-speed photography. Eva Olsson, chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics, emphasized the significance of attosecond physics in understanding electron-related mechanisms.

Anne L'Huillier's discovery in 1987 of various light overtones when transmitting infrared laser light through noble gases laid the foundation for this groundbreaking research. In the early 2000s, Pierre Agostini and Ferenc Krausz's experiments enabled the isolation of light pulses lasting just a few hundred attoseconds.

Pierre Agostini is a professor at Ohio State University, while Ferenc Krausz serves as a director at the Max Planck Institute in Germany. Anne L'Huillier, only the fifth woman to receive the Physics Prize since 1901, is a professor at Lund University in Sweden.

During a press conference, Anne L'Huillier encouraged young women aspiring to careers in science to pursue their interests, emphasizing, "Go for it."

TWIN EARTHQUAKES IN NEPAL INJURE 11, TRIGGER LANDSLIDE

Kathmandu : Two earthquakes rocked western Nepal on Tuesday, injuring 11 people, damaging homes and triggering a landslide that blocked a major highway, authorities said. The landslide after the quakes of magnitude 6.3 and 5.3 in the district of Bajhang, bordering India, blocked the road to the southern plains, interior ministry official Rama Acharya said.

The quakes, centred in Talkot and Chainpur, struck at an interval of about 30minutes. They were felt were as far away as the Indian capital of New Delhi, where people rushed out of houses and office blocks. There were no immediate reports of damage.

Police official Bharat Bahadur Shah said 11 people — seven women and four men — were injured and were being treated in hospital. One woman was missing after being hit by another landslip triggered by the quake, he said. One of the injured people was hit by a falling object, said Narayan Pandey, the top district official.

DUTCH EXPERT’S PAK QUAKE ‘PREDICTION’ CAUSES STORM ONLINE

Islamabad : A Dutch research organisation’s warning that Pakistan may soon see a strong earthquake has not only gone viral on social media, but even the authorities appear to be taking it seriously, according to Dawn. However, despite the fact that the scientific community said it was impossible to anticipate earthquakes in this way, reports from Iranian media outlets imply that the prediction is also being taken seriously on the other side of the border. A large earthquake with a Richter magnitude of six or higher is expected to strike Pakistan over the next 48 hours, according to Hoogerbeets, a Dutch researcher. Previously, he warned of a significant earthquake in Turkey and Syria in February that killed over 50,000 people that month.

PAKISTAN SETS DEADLINE FOR AFGHAN NATIONALS TO LEAVE AMID IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN

The Pakistan government has issued a one-month ultimatum for "illegal immigrants" (Afghan nationals) to exit the country by November 1, with strict repercussions, including potential forcible eviction, to follow. This move has raised concerns about worsening relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, as Kabul has expressed reservations about Pakistan's recent crackdown on Afghans within its borders. During September, there was a significant increase in the detention of Afghan refugees, leading to at least 700 arrests in Karachi alone, along with hundreds more in various cities. The government cited illegal immigration and rising crime as the driving forces behind this crackdown.

Interim Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti announced this decision after a high-level meeting, warning that the government would seize the properties of illegal immigrants who remained in Pakistan past the November 1 deadline. A special task force will be formed to target such properties and businesses, and DNA testing may be employed to identify individuals with Pakistani identity cards despite their non-Pakistani status. Additionally, a universal helpline number and a web portal for anonymous informants will be launched, along with the possibility of offering rewards for useful information.

Bugti asserted that some Afghan nationals have been involved in funding and facilitating terrorist activities, pointing out that 14 out of 24 suicide bombings in Pakistan this year were carried out by Afghan nationals. According to the latest UN figures, approximately 1.3 million Afghans are registered refugees in Pakistan, with an additional 880,000 holding legal status to remain in the country.

SL PREZ REJECTS INT’L PROBE INTO EASTER BLASTS, SLAMS WEST DOUBLE STANDARDS

Colombo : Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has ruled out having an international-aided independent probe into the 2019 Easter bombings by a local Islamist extremist group as he slammed the Western media for its double standards. Nine suicide bombers belonging to the local Islamist extremist group National Thawheed Jamaat linked to ISIS carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three Catholic churches and as many luxury hotels on April 21, 2019, killing nearly 270 people, including 11 Indians, and injuring over 500.

In September, UK’s Channel 4 television station aired a documentary titled ‘Sri Lanka’s Easter Bombings — Dispatches’, alleging the involvement and complicity of certain government officials, including intelligence service chief major general Suresh Sallay, in orchestrating the 2019 Easter suicide bombings.

It called the attacks a “crafted act” aimed at forcing a political change in favour of the then-powerful Rajapaksa brothers. During a fiery interview with the German state-owned broadcaster DW against the backdrop of Channel 4’s allegations, Wickremesinghe said Sri Lanka will not have any international inquiry into the Easter blasts. “It is out,” he said.

14-YEAR-OLD OPENS FIRE IN BANGKOK MALL, LEAVES 2 DEAD

A 14-year-old boy was arrested on Tuesday after a shooting at a packed Bangkok mall that left two persons dead and five wounded, and sent hundreds of panicked shoppers running in terror into the streets.

Police officials said the suspect was in custody but he is a mental patient and too confused to undergo questioning.

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT VOTES TO JOIN ICC, STRAINING TIES WITH RUSSIA

Armenia's Parliament voted to join the International Criminal Court (ICC) in a move that has further strained its relationship with ally Russia. This decision followed the ICC's issuance of an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin related to events in Ukraine. Russia considered Armenia's ICC membership bid an "unfriendly step" and summoned Armenia's Ambassador in response.

Countries that have ratified the Rome Statute establishing the ICC are obligated to arrest Putin if he sets foot on their soil. Although Armenia sought to assure Russia that Putin wouldn't be arrested on its territory, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the decision as "incorrect" and expressed concern, noting that it would raise "additional questions" in Moscow. Peskov emphasized the need for diplomatic discussions.

Armenian officials argued that their decision to join the ICC was prompted by Azerbaijan's aggression against their country and not related to Russia. The Armenian Parliament voted 60-22 in favor of ratifying the Rome Statute, with the decision now heading to Armenia's President for the preparation of a ratification document, which will be deposited with the UN secretary-general. The decision will come into force 60 days after ratification, impacting Armenia's already strained relations with Russia.