American YouTuber Tyler Oliveira said he fell sick in India even though he ate only at five-star hotels. He claimed he got four types of salmonella due to poor hygiene. Indians online criticised him for defaming the country. One Indian influencer, Twinkle Stanly, said some foreigners visit poor areas and then blame India unfairly. Oliveira replied, saying speaking about bad hygiene is not racism. He also shared medical proof. Many social media users hit back, saying food safety problems happen in hotels worldwide. Some felt he used one bad experience to unfairly judge India’s hospitality and living standards. (PC: Instagram)

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar told Parliament that there was “no call between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump” during Operation Sindoor. He also said there was “no linkage with trade and what was going on.” The operation began on May 7 after 26 civilians were killed in a terror attack in Pahalgam. Indian forces struck nine terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The strikes ended on May 10 after Pakistan requested a ceasefire. Jaishankar clarified that Donald Trump had no role. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the operation was paused, not ended, and warned of a strong response to any fresh attacks. (PC: PTI)

India’s Parliament launched a 16-hour debate on Operation Sindoor, the military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar are leading the government’s defense, while Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge spearhead the Opposition’s critique. Key issues include alleged intelligence lapses, the effectiveness of India’s retaliation, and Donald Trump’s claim of brokering a ceasefire in exchange for trade deals. PM Narendra Modi is expected to intervene. The debate also features voices from seven-party delegations that visited 30 countries post-operation to explain India’s stance.

In a major breakthrough, Indian Army’s Special Forces neutralized Hashim Musa, the mastermind behind the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, during an intense encounter in the Harwan–Dachigam forests near Srinagar. Musa, a former Pakistani SSG commando turned Lashkar-e-Taiba handler, was tracked through intelligence inputs and overground worker interrogations. He had infiltrated India in 2023 and was linked to multiple attacks across Baramulla, Ganderbal, and Rajouri. The operation, part of Operation Mahadev, also eliminated two other foreign terrorists. Security forces recovered M4 rifles, AK-47s, and grenades. Musa’s death marks a significant blow to Pakistan-backed terror networks operating in Jammu & Kashmir. (PC: Instagram)

Türkiye has successfully tested its most powerful non-nuclear bombs GAZAP and NEB-2 Ghost each weighing 970 kg and deployable from F-16 fighter jets. GAZAP features a thermobaric warhead and disperses 10,000 particles across hundreds of square meters. NEB-2 is a next-gen bunker-buster capable of penetrating 90 meters underground, causing landslides and gas leaks. Both were showcased at the IDEF 2025 defense expo in Istanbul. Türkiye’s rapid defense advancements, including the Tayfun Block-4 hypersonic missile, signal growing self-reliance. Concerns rise in India over potential exports to Pakistan, given Türkiye’s strong military ties with Islamabad and its stance on Kashmir.

India is intensifying diplomatic efforts with South Africa, Botswana, and Kenya to secure the next batch of African cheetahs for its ambitious reintroduction project. While Botswana has committed to sending four cheetahs, delays persist due to political shifts in South Africa and broad negotiations with Kenya. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is coordinating logistics, with plans to relocate cheetahs from Kuno National Park to Gandhisagar Wildlife Sanctuary. So far, 20 cheetahs have been translocated, eight from Namibia and 12 from South Africa. Despite setbacks, India remains committed to expanding its cheetah population, with 26 currently in Kuno, including 17 cubs born locally. (PC: Smithsonian Magazine & The Times of India)

Indian security forces may have cornered three foreign terrorists linked to the April 22 Pahalgam massacre during Operation Mahadev, launched in the Dachigam forests of Jammu & Kashmir. Intelligence sources suggest a high probability that the attackers believed to be affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba are among those neutralized. The April attack claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists, and was executed by terrorists who had scouted multiple locations before striking Baisaran Valley. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) continues its probe, citing Pakistan-based coordination and advanced jungle warfare tactics. The operation marks a major breakthrough in India’s counterterror efforts and could close a months-long manhunt. (PC: Moneycontrol & India Today)

American YouTuber Tyler Oliveira claimed he contracted four types of Salmonella during his India trip, despite eating exclusively at five-star hotels. Responding to criticism of Western tourists “romanticizing poverty,” Oliveira argued that even luxury travel isn’t immune to India’s sanitation challenges. He blamed contaminated eggs sourced from a chicken farm near a trash heap and shared medical reports to support his claim. While some defended his concerns, others accused him of defaming India and generalizing based on anecdotal evidence. The incident reignited discussions on public health, civic infrastructure, and the fine line between cultural critique and insensitivity. (PC: X)

Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami, strongly defended India’s continued oil imports from Russia, stating that New Delhi cannot be expected to “switch off its economy” over geopolitical concerns. In an interview with Times Radio, Doraiswami highlighted India’s displacement from traditional energy markets and rising costs, noting that the country imports over 80% of its energy. He also pointed out Western double standards, where European nations continue buying rare earths and energy from suppliers they criticize India for engaging with. Doraiswami emphasized India’s long-standing security ties with Russia and reiterated PM Modi’s stance, “This is not an era of war.” (PC: The Print)

Prabhu Visha, an Indian resident in the Netherlands, shared a viral video expressing admiration for Dutch civic responsiveness. After noticing minor bumps near his home, he received a detailed government letter explaining the repair timeline and rationale. Though the road seemed perfect to him, Visha was moved by the authorities’ attention to vulnerable groups like pregnant women, cyclists with children, and the elderly. He praised the inclusive and transparent approach, contrasting it with his experience in India. The video, showing him skating on the smooth road, struck a chord online, sparking praise for Dutch governance and calls for similar public service standards globally.