A new documentary claims that British intelligence intercepts led Canada to allege India’s role in the killing of pro-Khalistan leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023. Bloomberg Originals’ Inside the Deaths that Rocked India’s Relations with the West reports that the UK’s spy agency GCHQ intercepted calls discussing three targets — Nijjar, Avtar Singh Khanda, and Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The intelligence was reportedly shared secretly with Canada under the Five Eyes network. India has repeatedly dismissed the allegations as “absurd” and “politically motivated.” The UK-based Sikh Federation has asked its government to clarify what it knew about the intercepts.

A secret unit within Pakistan’s ISI, called “S1” or “Subversion 1”, has been training terrorists to carry out attacks in India for over 25 years, intelligence sources told NDTV. The unit, based in Islamabad, is headed by a Pakistani Army Colonel and funded largely through drug money. Trainers from S1 are experts in explosives and small arms and have links with terror groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. Sources said S1 members disguise themselves to blend in at training camps. The unit is believed to have played a role in attacks from the 1993 Mumbai blasts to recent incidents in Kashmir. (PC: Reuters)

Indian security agencies secured the arrests of two high-profile gangsters currently operating abroad: Venkatesh Garg was arrested in the US state of Georgia, and Bhanu Rana was picked up in the United States. Both have multiple criminal cases filed in India and are linked to major organised crime networks, including gangs recruiting youth from northern states. Authorities say deportation processes are underway to bring them back to India to face prosecution. (PC: NDTV)

An Indian-American employee of the Illinois Department of Transportation was stopped by three masked agents and questioned about his immigration status and whether he knew New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The man, a US citizen, was working on a road project when the agents approached him. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker condemned the incident, calling it racial profiling and “harassment of state employees.” The Department of Homeland Security denied the agents were from ICE or CBP. The episode sparked fear in nearby schools and concern over growing immigration raids across the Chicago area this week. (PC: India Today)

Indian authorities confirmed the arrests of two of India’s most-wanted gangsters abroad. Venkatesh Garg, accused in multiple murders and extortion cases, was captured in Georgia. Bhanu Rana, a key member of the Bishnoi gang involved in grenade attacks and arms trafficking, was arrested in the United States. Both fugitives had been evading capture for years while orchestrating crimes from overseas. Coordination between Indian and international law enforcement led to their arrests. Authorities are now completing legal formalities for their deportation to India, marking a major victory against organized crime networks. (PC: NDTV)

Saikat Chakrabarti, a 39-year-old Indian-origin Democrat, is preparing to contest for the San Francisco congressional seat after Nancy Pelosi’s retirement. A Harvard graduate and former chief of staff to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Chakrabarti is known for his progressive views and digital-driven campaigns. Inspired by Zohran Mamdani’s New York mayoral win, he said, “Organised people beat organised money.” Born to Bengali parents in Texas, he co-founded Justice Democrats and advocates a wealth tax to support working families. If elected, Chakrabarti will become the sixth Indian-American in the US Congress, representing a new wave of progressive Democratic leaders. (PC: India Today)

A new Bloomberg documentary claims British intelligence helped Canada link India to the killing of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June 2023. The report says the UK’s GCHQ intercepted calls discussing three targets — Nijjar, Avtar Singh Khanda, and Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The information was shared with Canada under the ‘Five Eyes’ alliance and kept highly confidential. The Sikh Federation UK has asked why this intelligence was not shared earlier. India has rejected all allegations as false and politically motivated. Relations between India and Canada have slowly improved after diplomatic tensions last year. (PC: The Hindu)

In a recent interview, former CIA counter-proliferation officer Richard Barlow alleged that India and Israel had planned a covert operation in the early 1980s to bomb Pakistan’s Kahuta Research Laboratories uranium-enrichment facility. According to Barlow, the operation was aimed at halting Pakistan’s nuclear weapons development. He criticized Indira Gandhi’s refusal to approve the plan, calling it “a shame”. Barlow said his information came from intelligence circles though he was not directly involved in the planning. 

Five Indian nationals working on an electrification project were abducted by armed men on Thursday near Kobri in western Mali, according to company and security sources. The country, governed by a military junta, has seen a surge in unrest led by jihadist groups linked to Jama'at Nusrat al‑Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) and Islamic State – Sahel Province (ISSP). No organisation has claimed responsibility for the kidnappings. Other Indian workers employed by the same company have been evacuated to the capital, Bamako. Government officials are monitoring the situation closely amid growing ransom concerns. (PC: AFP)

Nearly 700 flights were delayed at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on Friday due to a technical fault in the Air Traffic Control's Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS). The malfunction, which began Thursday evening, forced controllers to manually prepare flight plans, causing widespread disruptions. All airline operations were impacted, with 97% of flights delayed. The average departure delay reached 62 minutes. Major airlines including IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air issued advisories. The disruption cascaded to Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and other airports. International flights to Rome and London faced delays exceeding two hours. IndiGo shares dropped 2% while SpiceJet fell 1%. Long queues formed at terminals as passengers awaited updates.