Good afternoon,

Today’s news: Globally, updates from the US, Russia, and India. Locally, Field Marshal Asim Munir yet to be formally appointed as CDF, Parliament greenlights a minorities rights commission, and AJK rolls out health cards and student union revival plans.

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Around The World

No compromise. Russian President Vladimir Putin and US negotiators appear to have failed to achieve a breakthrough on securing a Ukraine peace deal, with no compromise reached over territorial concessions for Ukraine. It comes as NATO foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels to discuss the ongoing peace talks. Earlier, Putin had said Europe's peace deal demands were not acceptable, and added that "We are not going to fight with Europe, but if Europe wants to fight with us, we are ready right now."

Additionally, Putin will be in India this week for a summit aimed at deepening economic, defence, and energy ties, a visit that will also test New Delhi’s efforts to balance relations with Moscow and Washington. Putin and Modi review progress on bilateral ties, discuss issues of mutual interest, and sign interdepartmental and business agreements. India has continued to buy discounted Russian oil, despite warnings from the US that this is partly keeping Moscow’s revenues afloat to fund the Ukraine war. 

On the outs. The Trump administration is pausing all immigration applications, such as requests for green cards for people from 19 countries banned from travel earlier this year, as part of sweeping immigration changes in the wake of the shooting of two National Guard troops. The pause puts on hold a wide range of immigration-related decisions, including naturalizations for immigrants from those 19 countries that the Trump administration has described as high-risk. 

Meanwhile, Federal authorities are preparing a targeted immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota that would primarily focus on Somali immigrants living unlawfully in the US. The move comes as President Trump again on Tuesday escalated rhetoric about Minnesota’s sizable Somali community, saying he did not want immigrants from Somalia in the US because “they contribute nothing.”

Pain in the app. India’s telecom ministry has directed smartphone manufacturers to pre-install a government cybersecurity app, “Sanchar Saathi,” on all new devices within 90 days and prevent users from deleting it, raising concerns of data privacy and user consent in one of the largest handset markets in the world. 

The Ministry of Communications’ order asked smartphone makers to pre-install the government’s app on all new devices, while the order also requires manufacturers to push the app onto older models through a software update. The ministry claims the app, aimed at regulating cyber fraud, is essential for telecom security. However, privacy advocates argue that this move infringes on user privacy and consent.

Pakistan

Notification-gate. No formal notification has yet been issued appointing Field Marshal Asim Munir as Pakistan’s first Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), despite expectations that it would coincide with the abolition of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC)  post on November 27. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar has said the announcement will come soon, noting that Munir is already “holding the office in all respects”.

The CDF role, created under the 27th Constitutional Amendment, is now a constitutionally established post that places the Chief of Defence Forces — who also serves as Army Chief — as the highest military authority across the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Other major steps are also pending, including appointing a four-star commander for the newly formed National Strategic Command, which will take over nuclear oversight, and amending the National Command Authority Act to align it with the reorganized defence framework.

PASSively positive. The parliament has passed a bill to form a National Commission for Minorities’ Rights, despite opposition concerns that it might affect the 1984 anti-Ahmadiyya ordinance. The bill aims to protect non-Muslim minorities such as Christians, Hindus, Parsis, and Sikhs, and was presented by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar. He clarified that the law will not impact Ahmadiyya-related provisions as “the Constitution and the state had declared Ahmadis as non-Muslims, but they did not accept this and therefore did not fall within the ambit of the bill.” The commission will have 18 members from various minority groups and provinces, appointed through a parliamentary process. 

Eyes on Khan. Imran Khan’s sister Uzma Khanum met the jailed former prime minister at Adiala prison on Tuesday, saying he is in “good health,” though confined mostly to his room with limited outdoor access and no communication. The visit came after PTI protests over restricted access to Khan, who has been imprisoned since August 2023 on multiple charges, with the party alleging solitary confinement and rights violations, claims denied by authorities. 

Healthy priorities. The AJK cabinet has approved a universal health card scheme, restoration of student unions, and a wide-ranging reform package covering administrative, fiscal, and development measures. Key decisions include providing Rs 2.9bn equity to Bank of AJK for scheduled-bank status, establishing women police stations, fixing administrative departments at 20, introducing uniform power tariffs, waiving Rs139m in electricity dues, and creating education boards in Muzaffarabad and Rawalakot. The cabinet also approved solid waste management projects, procurement of C&W machinery, and multiple development schemes, including two 500kW hydropower projects and the Gulpur bridge in Kotli.

What Else Is Happening?

😷More than 200,000 cases of acute respiratory illnesses were recorded in six state-run hospitals in Delhi between 2022 and 2024. Delhi's average AQI has crossed the "severe" 400 mark many times over the past decade, levels that can harm even healthy people and pose serious risks to those with existing illnesses.

🇫🇮 Finland will close its embassies in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Myanmar in 2026, citing operational and strategic reasons linked to political changes and limited economic ties. The move is part of a global restructuring to prioritise key markets, with Finland shifting toward stronger commercial hubs like the US.

🛍️Prada announced on Tuesday that it has acquired Versace, bringing two major Italian luxury fashion houses under one roof. The $1.38bn deal is well below the roughly $2bn that Versace's former parent company, Capri Holdings, paid for the brand in 2018.