CCTV footage shows a masked man in a black hoodie walking up to AAP leader Lucky Oberoi’s car and firing multiple shots at close range in Jalandhar’s Model Town area. The incident took place outside a gurdwara on Friday morning. Police said Oberoi, 38, was sitting in his SUV when the attacker opened fire and then fled. Window glass of the vehicle was shattered. Another parked car was also damaged. Oberoi was taken to hospital in critical condition and later declared dead. An ACP said he had “sustained critical injuries and could not be revived.” Police secured the area and started an investigation.

A 25-year-old bank employee died after falling into an open pit in west Delhi’s Janakpuri while riding his motorcycle late at night, police said. The pit was dug by the Delhi Jal Board on Joginder Singh Marg. Police received a call at 8:03 am and recovered the man and the bike from the site. He was taken to hospital and declared dead. He was identified as Kamal Dhayani, a Vikaspuri resident. A case has been registered under BNS sections. Minister Ashish Sood said, “Instructions for investigation of the incident have been issued, and the guilty will be given strict punishment.” The Delhi government has ordered a probe. (PC: HT)

A new white paper released in London says the Indian diaspora has played a major role in building modern Britain, from post-war recovery to today’s digital economy. The report was launched by Here & Now 365 founder Manish Tiwari with the Aston India Centre at Aston University. It maps four waves of Indian migration to the UK since Independence, covering labour, business, public services, and technology sectors. The study says Indian-born professionals now make up about 15% of the UK’s technology workforce. It adds that Britain’s tech industry ranks second globally after the US and China, with strong Indian participation. Manish Tiwari said, “Indian migrants helped rebuild Britain after the war, powered its digital revolution, and strengthened its health and care systems in times of crisis.” Aston University noted the diaspora “supports public services and powers innovation” while strengthening UK–India economic links. 

H5N1 avian influenza has been detected in Chennai following the sudden death of hundreds of crows across the city. Officials tested bird samples from Adyar and confirmed Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. The state issued a public advisory and began containment steps. Residents have been told not to touch dead birds and to inform authorities about new cases. Officials ordered safe disposal of carcasses through burning or deep burial. The Union Animal Husbandry Ministry asked Tamil Nadu to apply a “One-Health approach” linking animal, human, and wildlife departments. The ministry said the situation “demands urgent attention” and called for wider field surveillance. (PC: India Today)

Millions of newly released US Justice Department files linked to Jeffrey Epstein have sparked online claims about cannibalism and baby eating. Social media posts pointed to selected lines mentioning “cannibal” and unusual email phrases about “babies” and “cream cheese.” Fact-checking site Snopes reviewed the records and said the words appear in the files but do not prove the viral accusations. Snopes said “cannibal” appears 52 times and “cannibalism” six times, mostly in unverified statements. One anonymous witness in a 2019 interview made extreme ritual abuse claims but gave no proof. The documents do not show verified evidence that Epstein or his associates ate babies. (PC: HT)

The Pakistan Cricket Board may invoke the Force Majeure clause after pulling out of the T20 World Cup match against India in Colombo, according to sources. PCB is expected to tell the ICC that it acted on government instructions and will attach an official boycott post as proof. The ICC has warned of possible sanctions, including fines and other action. BCCI officials said the Force Majeure claim is a “weak argument.” One official said Pakistan still played India in the Under-19 World Cup the same day. He added that Pakistan’s prime minister is the board’s patron, showing close government links. (PC: The Indian Express)

Senior officials from the United States and Iran are due to begin direct talks in Oman as tensions rise over the risk of military conflict. The US team will be led by special envoy Steve Witkoff, while Iran’s delegation will be headed by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The talks aim to reduce tensions and build a path for wider negotiations. Washington wants limits on Iran’s nuclear work, missiles and regional armed groups. Tehran says discussions will focus only on its nuclear programme. President Donald Trump has warned Iran of bombing if no deal is reached, saying its leadership “should be very worried.” Iran has warned it will respond with force. (PC: BBC)

Protests were held in the UK and parts of Europe against Pakistan’s Kashmir Solidarity Day events, with demonstrators calling them a propaganda exercise. Rallies took place outside the Pakistan consulate in Bradford and in London and Brussels. Groups linked to the United Kashmir People’s National Party said the day was “fraudulent solidarity” and a “Day of Betrayal.” Protesters raised slogans against land grabbing and state repression. Leaders accused Pakistani authorities of denying rights in Pakistan-administered regions. One statement said, “True solidarity is measured by actions, not slogans.” Speakers also alleged demographic changes and disinformation campaigns linked to the observance. (PC: NDTV)

Bangladesh is set to sign a trade pact with the United States on February 9, just days before national elections on February 12, according to official statements and local reports. Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman confirmed the signing date. Local media said both sides signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement, keeping terms of the deal confidential. The agreement is being finalised under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, whose term ends after the vote. Bangladesh currently faces 20% US tariffs and is seeking a cut to 15%. A garment industry leader said, “This should have been done after the election, because it carries major implications.” (PC: HT)

About half of the aircraft checked by the government for technical issues showed recurring defects, according to data presented in the Lok Sabha. The Civil Aviation Ministry said 377 of 754 planes audited since January last year had repeat snags across six airlines. IndiGo had 148 aircraft with recurring defects out of 405 reviewed. The Air India Group had 191 such aircraft out of 267 checked, including 137 of 166 Air India planes and 54 of 101 Air India Express planes. An Air India spokesperson said checks were done “out of abundance of caution.” An executive said most issues were category D items like seats and screens, not flight safety related. (PC: India Today)