A 19-year-old man, Alexandros Paporakis, has been arrested in Palatine, Illinois, for allegedly planning a mass shooting at a Hindu place of worship in nearby Aurora. Police arrested him on October 11 after his co-workers reported disturbing messages describing an alleged attack plan. Prosecutors allege he shared an eight-page manifesto containing white supremacist and neo-Nazi views, alongside threats against Indians and other communities. Investigators reportedly recovered a rifle, ammunition, tactical equipment and Nazi-related items from his home. India’s Ministry of External Affairs expressed concern over the alleged anti-Hindu plot. Paporakis faces felony charges and remains in custody pending further court proceedings. 

The United States military has reportedly developed fresh strike plans against Iran that could involve the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), known as the “Mother of All Bombs.” According to CNN, the potential targets include Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear facilities, including sites near Pickaxe Mountain. The plans emerge as President Donald Trump faces growing domestic pressure to end the increasingly unpopular conflict ahead of November’s midterm elections. However, military officials reportedly question whether the powerful non-nuclear weapon could destroy deeply buried nuclear facilities. No final decision to deploy the bomb has been confirmed, and Washington continues to consider its military options. (PC: Reuters)

The Delhi High Court on October 15, 2026, refused to stop the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), led by Abhijeet Dipke, from holding a protest at Central Park in Connaught Place on October 16. The court recorded Delhi Police’s assurance that all necessary legal measures would be taken to regulate the gathering. The protest aims to oppose the alleged electoral irregularities and the police crackdown on demonstrators demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. The case arose from concerns raised by a licensed street vendor about potential business losses and traffic disruptions during the festive season. (PC: NDTV)

Mumbai Police have directed Bollywood actor Imran Khan, an American national and nephew of actor Aamir Khan, to leave India by October 28, 2026. The notice, issued by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), alleges violations of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025. The action follows Khan’s participation in an October 10 protest at Mumbai’s August Kranti Maidan demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. Khan was briefly detained during the demonstration. His legal team is preparing to challenge the order before the Bombay High Court, arguing that his participation in the protest should not warrant his removal from India. (PC: The Hindu)

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leader Abhijeet Dipke on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of targeting protesters and Opposition leaders to protect Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Speaking at a press conference with Neha Bora and actor Prakash Raj, Dipke said demonstrators were being dragged from streets for demanding Kumar’s resignation. He also questioned the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging that 13 crore voters’ names had been deleted. These figures remain Dipke’s claims. His remarks came after CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were sent to Tihar Jail in judicial custody. (PC: India Today)

The surname Khan could overtake Smith as the most common surname among newborns in England and Wales by 2027, according to an analysis by The Telegraph of official data. In 2025, 4,102 babies were registered with the surname Smith, compared with 3,772 named Khan. The gap has narrowed sharply over the past 3 decades. The analysis found that Smith registrations have declined by an average of 4% annually, while Khan registrations have risen by 1.9%. Experts link the shift to migration patterns, changing birth rates and the growing diversity of the population. The projection depends on these trends continuing. (PC: X)

Actor Imran Khan will approach the Bombay High Court to challenge a notice directing him to leave India by October 28. His lawyers said they would seek an urgent hearing, arguing that he had not violated any conditions. The notice was issued by the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) in Mumbai under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025. The action followed Khan’s participation in an October 10 protest at Mumbai’s August Kranti Maidan, which demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Khan, a US citizen and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder, was briefly detained during the demonstration.  (PC: NDTV)

India and the United States have finalised the first phase of their proposed trade agreement, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday. The deal is now undergoing legal drafting, with officials hoping to complete the process soon. Goyal said India would operationalise the agreement after securing a competitive advantage over rival exporters. Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said negotiations were progressing positively, but signing would depend on the US finalising its tariff structure. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also said discussions were nearing a conclusion. The two countries have been negotiating the trade pact since early 2025 to improve market access and address tariff barriers. (PC: NDTV)

Indonesia has launched an experimental operation using dry ice to tackle toxic haze caused by widespread forest and peatland fires. On Thursday, aircraft scattered 1.5 tonnes of solid carbon dioxide over South Sumatra, targeting Palembang and nearby areas. Officials hope the method will help push haze into higher layers of the atmosphere. Indonesia is facing its worst wildfire season in a decade, worsened by strong El Niño-driven drought. Authorities are also using cloud seeding and deploying helicopters to fight the fires. The smoke has spread to Malaysia and Singapore, where air quality has reached unhealthy levels. (PC: BBC)

India has expressed concern over an alleged plan to carry out a mass shooting at a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois, in the United States. The Ministry of External Affairs described the reported anti-Hindu and racist nature of the plot as “particularly disturbing”. The remarks came after US police arrested 19-year-old Alexandros Paporakis on October 11. Investigators said the suspect had shared a document outlining an alleged shooting plan, along with images of weapons and tactical equipment. India urged US authorities to conduct a thorough investigation, bring those responsible to justice and take steps to protect the Indian community. (PC: India Today)