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.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will begin a six-day, five-nation diplomatic tour from May 15, covering the United Arab Emirates, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy, with energy security, defence cooperation and emerging technologies dominating the agenda. During the UAE visit, India and the UAE are expected to sign major MoUs on LPG and Strategic Petroleum Reserves. Talks with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will also focus on regional stability. In Europe, discussions will centre on semiconductors, AI, green transition, defence co-production, maritime security and counter-terrorism, while the Norway visit marks the first by an Indian Prime Minister in over four decades.

Air India has suspended and reduced several international flights from June as rising jet fuel prices and Pakistani airspace restrictions sharply increase operating costs. The Tata-owned airline has reportedly suspended services from Delhi to Chicago, Newark, Singapore and Shanghai, while reducing frequencies to San Francisco, Paris and Toronto.   The airline is facing mounting pressure after global jet fuel prices surged amid the West Asia conflict and tensions around the Strait of Hormuz. Longer flight routes due to Pakistani airspace closure have also increased fuel use, crew expenses and travel time. Air India has warned that more international routes could be cut if costs remain elevated and profitability continues to decline. (PC: India Today)

A viral Instagram video by Pakistani content creator and journalist Sana Qadir sparked controversy after she claimed to have easily stepped into India near the Ganda Singh Border Crossing in Kasur, Pakistan. In the clip, Qadir pointed to a nearby construction site and claimed it was on the Indian side before crossing a temporary boundary and asserting she had entered India. The video triggered online concern, with some questioning border security. However, many netizens quickly debunked her claims, pointing out that the actual border gate remained behind her throughout the recording, indicating she never left Pakistani territory. Critics accused her of spreading misinformation and misleading viewers for viral attention.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi will visit India on May 14-15 to participate in the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting hosted under India’s chairmanship amid the ongoing West Asia conflict. The Iranian Embassy confirmed that Araghchi will hold discussions with S. Jaishankar and other participating ministers on regional stability, multilateral cooperation and economic resilience. The meeting is being viewed as a significant step in strengthening India-Iran ties and serves as a precursor to the 18th BRICS Summit scheduled in New Delhi in September. Meanwhile, Wang Yi will skip the meeting due to Donald Trump’s state visit to Beijing, with China represented by Ambassador Xi Feihong instead.

India and Russia are in advanced talks to sign a preliminary agreement on critical minerals focused on exploration, processing and technological collaboration. According to sources familiar with the discussions, the proposed deal will primarily cover lithium and rare earths while also facilitating corporate investments between the two countries. The agreement could reportedly be signed within two months. India is seeking to reduce dependence on China, which dominates global critical mineral supplies and processing technology, while securing overseas resources for its energy transition and infrastructure growth. New Delhi has already signed similar agreements with Argentina, Australia and Japan, and is also negotiating with Peru and Chile. India may also revisit Rosatom’s lithium project in Mali if conditions stabilise. (PC: Shutterstock)