US authorities are reportedly preparing to resolve major fraud and bribery-related cases against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani and the Adani Group, according to Bloomberg and Reuters reports. The US Department of Justice may drop criminal charges linked to an alleged bribery scheme involving solar energy contracts, while the US Securities and Exchange Commission is reportedly negotiating a civil settlement that could include financial penalties. The investigations began in 2024 over accusations that Adani executives concealed alleged payments to Indian officials while raising funds from US investors. Adani representatives have denied wrongdoing, and no final official announcement has yet been made. (PC: ANI)

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday issued a stern warning to Pakistan over terrorism, declaring that India would retaliate decisively against any future provocation. Addressing a gathering in Nagaur after unveiling a statue of Rajput ruler Rao Duda, Singh said Operation Sindoor had delivered a strong message to Pakistan. Referring to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, he accused Pakistan-backed terrorists of targeting victims based on religion and said India had responded forcefully. Singh reiterated India’s “zero tolerance” policy on terrorism, citing the 2016 surgical strikes and 2019 Balakot airstrikes as examples of the country’s evolving security doctrine and military response strategy. (PC: X)

Eric Schmitt sparked controversy after criticising the US H-1B visa system and referencing Hyderabad’s Chilkur Balaji Temple, popularly known as the “Visa Temple.” In a series of posts on X, Schmitt alleged programmes like H-1B, L-1, F-1 and OPT suppress American wages and favour foreign workers, particularly Indians. He claimed the “Visa Cartel” uses networks that disadvantage US graduates and accused major technology firms of routing jobs through immigration pipelines. Schmitt also alleged Indian visa applicants circulate confidential interview questions among themselves. His remarks triggered online backlash, with critics accusing him of stereotyping Indians and targeting a religious site associated with visa aspirations among students and IT professionals.

The BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting began in New Delhi amid rising tensions over the ongoing Iran war, highlighting divisions within the expanded bloc. India called for safe and uninterrupted maritime trade routes, especially through the Strait of Hormuz, as global oil and shipping concerns grow. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged BRICS nations to condemn the US and Israel over attacks on Iran, while tensions between Iran and the UAE complicated efforts for a unified statement. The two-day summit is expected to shape discussions for the upcoming BRICS leaders’ summit in September and test the bloc’s unity during a major global crisis. (PC: EPA)

Indian-origin philanthropist Anil Kochhar surprised 176 graduating students at North Carolina State University by announcing he would pay off all their final-year education loans. The emotional announcement came during the Wilson College of Textiles graduation ceremony in Raleigh and drew a standing ovation from students and families. Kochhar said the gesture honoured his late father, Prakash Chand Kochhar, who came from Punjab to study at the university in 1946. Students said the support would change their lives and reduce financial pressure. Kochhar urged graduates to pursue their dreams freely and build meaningful futures without the burden of debt. (PC: X)

An Indian cargo ship, Haji Ali, sank off the coast of Oman after a suspected drone or missile strike early Wednesday, raising fresh concerns over maritime safety in the Strait of Hormuz. The Gujarat-registered vessel was carrying livestock from Somalia to Sharjah when it caught fire near Limah, Oman. All 14 Indian crew members escaped in lifeboats and were rescued safely by the Oman Coast Guard. India called the attack “unacceptable” and urged protection of civilian shipping routes. The incident comes amid rising regional tensions linked to the Iran-US conflict and marks the second Gujarat-linked vessel loss within a week. (PC: India Today)

Two Punjabi-origin men living in Canada, Damanjeet Singh, 22, and Pardaman Singh, 30, were arrested after a Surrey Police Service probe into an extortion-linked shooting at a residence on Surrey’s 87A Avenue. Officers responding to reports of gunfire on April 22 found damage to a home and vehicle, though no injuries occurred. Investigators later identified a suspect vehicle and conducted searches with support from multiple agencies, including the Canada Border Services Agency. Both accused face firearm-related charges and remain in custody. Police said both are foreign nationals and released their photographs while seeking public assistance in uncovering wider criminal networks tied to violent extortion targeting South Asian communities across British Columbia. (PC: The Tribune)

An India-bound LPG tanker successfully crossed the strategic Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday amid escalating tensions between the US and Iran, officials said. The Marshall Islands-flagged vessel ‘Symi’ passed through the sensitive maritime route, while another LPG carrier, the Vietnam-flagged ‘NV Sunshine’, was expected to cross by Thursday. The tanker is carrying nearly 46,000 tonnes of cooking gas and is headed towards New Mangaluru Port with 24 crew members onboard. The vessels are among 41 tankers identified by India’s shipping ministry for priority evacuation monitoring during the regional conflict. Officials also said 13 Indian-flagged vessels remain inside the conflict zone as maritime security concerns continue to rise. (PC: AP)

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday for the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting hosted by S. Jaishankar, as the ongoing Iran conflict cast a shadow over the two-day summit. Araghchi travelled aboard an Iranian aircraft named “Minab168”, referencing the 168 girls killed in a missile strike in Minab during the US-Israel conflict, a symbol frequently invoked by Tehran. Iran has been urging BRICS nations to adopt a stronger position against the US-Israel military campaign, though divisions within the bloc remain visible. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will attend, while China’s Wang Yi will skip the meeting.

The National Investigation Agency on Wednesday arrested alleged Hizb-ul-Mujahideen-linked narco-terror operative Iqbal Singh after securing his extradition from Portugal through coordinated diplomatic and legal efforts. According to the NIA, Singh was a key conspirator and handler of an India-based narco-terror module involved in smuggling heroin from Pakistan to finance terror activities. The extradition was facilitated by the Central Bureau of Investigation in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Union Home Ministry. Singh, who had fled India in 2020, was brought to New Delhi and taken into NIA custody in connection with a major Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terror-financing case.