Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan was awarded an honorary doctorate by Jawaharlal Nehru University on Tuesday, becoming the first woman recipient of the honor. Hassan was recognized for fostering India-Tanzania ties, promoting economic diplomacy and achieving regional integration. In her acceptance speech, Hassan reminisced about falling in love with India during her first visit in 1998. She said India has always been a stalwart against colonialism and that the countries can champion positive change together. The event was attended by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Hassan is the first foreign university to confer an honorary degree to the Tanzanian president. (Image Courtesy: JNU on X)

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held talks with King Abdullah II of Jordan on Monday, where he provided an update on Canada's situation with India. Trudeau underscored the importance of respecting the rule of law and diplomatic norms, similar to his call with UAE's president on Sunday. This marks another instance of Trudeau commenting on the tensions between Canada and India, after sparking irritation with a social media post stressing the importance of upholding the rule of law. Trudeau's remarks have been seen as provocative by India amidst the ongoing crisis between the two countries.

Three Indian-origin men in the UK have been jailed for 10 years each for kidnapping a woman in Leicester last year. Ajay Doppalapudi, Vahar Manchala and Rana Yellambai coerced the victim into their car while she was out, driving her to an isolated area where she later escaped. The prosecution said the drunk and vulnerable victim became frightened as she was taken to a secluded spot. The men were identified through CCTV footage and arrested. The police called them predators looking to take advantage of a woman. The brave victim's account was vital in ensuring justice. Two men were also charged with sexual assault and penetration.

  Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan held a bilateral meeting in New Delhi, elevating the Indo-Tanzania relationship to a 'strategic partnership.' During the meeting, the leaders signed six agreements, focusing on digital transformation, culture, sports, maritime industries, and white shipping information sharing. Both nations plan to expand bilateral trade using local currencies, fostering cooperation in areas like maritime security, defense, trade, and investment. India offered collaboration in space technologies and digital infrastructure, including Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and Aadhar. Modi welcomed Tanzania's decision to join the Global Biofuels Alliance initiated by India at the G20 Summit.

The largest Hindu temple in the United States was inaugurated on Sunday, October 8 in Robbinsville, New Jersey. The BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham temple spans 126 acres and is considered the biggest Hindu temple outside of India in modern times. Crafted from Italian marble and Bulgarian limestone, the intricately carved temple was hand-built over 4.7 million volunteer hours. PM Modi hailed the "spiritually significant" occasion in a letter. The monumental temple provides an immersive experience, transporting visitors to India. Volunteers call it a masterpiece of architecture, built with dedication over 11 years. As a cultural landmark, it serves the region's Hindu community and offers a mesmerizing glimpse of India's heritage.

The Hamas rocket attack on Israel and brutal counterstrike has put India in a difficult diplomatic position as it splits global opinion. This comes as India aims for greater Middle East ties, as seen in PM Modi's "deeply shocked" response condemning attacks and standing with Israel. No official MEA statement yet beyond retweets. Modi's stance signals support for Israel juxtaposing China and Pakistan's blame on Israeli actions in Palestine. The flare-up also puts Saudi Arabia in a spot amid its normalization efforts with Israel mediated by the US. Saudi Arabia has called to immediately halt violence and referenced depriving Palestinian rights, hinting it won't overlook Palestinian interests for normalization. While India's position on the Israel-Palestine conflict has shifted over time since independence, the current violence threatens India's major regional outreach efforts and pressures it to take sides, something New Delhi has avoided in the past given its trade and strategic interests.

Chinese-born activist Jennifer Zeng suggests that Chinese Communist Party agents might be responsible for the assassination of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, ANI reports. Zeng claimed in her blog that the CCP orchestrated the killing to create discord between India and the West as part of their "Ignition Plan." Zeng alleged a secret meeting in Seattle, USA, involving high-ranking CCP officials and agents tasked with disrupting India-West relations. The assassins, with silenced guns and adopting Indian-accented English, allegedly executed the plan. Fresh provocation on the issue came when Canadian PM Trudeau raised concerns about alleged Indian involvement with the UAE President on a call, further straining India-Canada relations. [Image: Jennifer Zeng X handle]

In a fresh provocation, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau said he spoke to UAE's President about the India-Canada diplomatic row and upholding the 'rule of law'. This is amid a snowballing crisis over Canada's allegations linking Indian agents to the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Trudeau also discussed the Israel-Hamas conflict in the same call. Earlier, Trudeau raised the row with UK PM Rishi Sunak, who hoped for de-escalation while reaffirming respect for the 'rule of law'. Tensions escalated after Trudeau claimed Canada was pursuing credible allegations tying Indian agents to Nijjar's murder. India called the allegations absurd and motivated.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar informed a parliamentary panel that India's visa suspension for Canadians is temporary, considering diplomats' security. News18 Sources said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told the Parliamentary Consultative Committee for External Affairs that the Indian government had made several request for extradition of such extremist forces, but Canada has been largely unresponsive. Under free speech guise, supporting terrorism is unacceptable per India's stance, he added. The remarks come as ties with Canada plummeted over PM Trudeau's allegations of India's role in a Khalistani's murder. Jaishankar conveyed India acted against visa services due to Canada's inaction on extradition requests amid the diplomatic row.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed shock at the Hamas militant attack on Israel that killed at least 22 people. In a message of solidarity, PM Modi extended condolences and prayers, stating India stands with Israel during this difficult time. His remarks came after Gaza-based Hamas launched over 5000 rockets into Israel, leading the country to declare a 'state of war'. Modi's message underscores India's strong ties with Israel amid the escalating conflict sparked by the surprise assault. As Israel vows decisive retaliation, the PM's comments signal India's support to its key strategic partner facing its worst violence in years.