India and China have completed the process of disengagement at these two friction points along the Line of Actual Control, setting the stage for resumption of patrolling in the Depsang Plains and Demchok areas of eastern Ladakh. It marks the first step of a three-step process - disengagement, de-escalation and de-induction of troops on the India-China border areas. The buildup of troops and the standoff along the LAC followed alleged Chinese incursions in eastern Ladakh in May 2020, that severely dented bilateral ties. It also led to the Galwan Valley clashes - the first fatal confrontation between the two sides since 1975, in which both sides suffered casualties.

October 21, India and China reached an agreement on patrolling arrangements. The announcement on the agreement was made by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in New Delhi, setting the stage for a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, capital of Tatarstan in Russia's southwest. Beijing later confirmed the agreement.

North Korea test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time in almost a year, demonstrating a potential advancement in its ability to launch long-range nuclear attacks on the mainland. US The launch was likely meant to meant grab American attention days ahead of the US election and respond to condemnation over the North's reported troop dispatch to Russia to support its war against Ukraine. Some experts speculated Russia might have provided technological assistance to North Korea over the launch.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un observed the launch, calling it "an appropriate military action" to show North Korea's resolve to respond to its enemies' moves that have threatened the North's safety, according to the North's state media. Kim said the enemies' "various adventuristic military manoeuvres" highlighted the importance of North Korea's nuclear capability. He reaffirmed that North Korea will never abandon its policy of bolstering its nuclear forces.

The US economy grew at a healthy 2.8% annual rate from July through September, with consumers helping drive growth despite the weight of still-high interest rates. Wednesday's report from the Commerce Department said the gross domestic product - the economy's total output of goods and services - did slow slightly from its 3% growth rate in the April-June quarter. But the latest figures still reflect surprising durability just as Americans assess the state of the economy in the final stretch of the presidential race.

Consumer spending, which accounts for about 70% of U.S. economic activity, accelerated to a 3.7% annual pace last quarter, up from 2.8% in the April-June period. Exports also contributed to the third quarter's growth, increasing at an 8.9% rate. On the other hand, growth in business investment slowed sharply on a drop in investment in housing and in nonresidential buildings such as offices and warehouses. But spending on equipment surged.

Health officials reported the UK's first case of mpox caused by a new strain that is driving an ongoing surge in infections in Africa. The UK Health Security Agency said the individual tested positive for clade Ib mpox after travelling to countries affected by the outbreak and had been transferred to the high-consequence infectious diseases unit at London's Royal Free hospital. The person developed flu-like symptoms after returning to the UK on an overnight flight on October 21. They later developed a rash and were swabbed for the virus after attending an emergency department in London on 27 October.

The UKHSA are now tracing the person's close contacts, who will be offered mpox tests, vaccination, and healthcare advice. Evidence suggests that mpox clade Ib causes more serious illness than mpox clade II, which sparked the 2022 global outbreak of the disease, previously known as monkeypox. Mpox can be passed on through close contact with an infected person, infected animals, or contaminated materials.