India appears to be increasing crude oil imports from Venezuela while gradually diversifying away from Russian supplies amid mounting pressure from the United States and global sanctions dynamics. Reports indicate Indian refiners are exploring cheaper Venezuelan heavy crude as geopolitical tensions, sanctions uncertainty, and disruptions in West Asian supply routes reshape energy trade patterns. Venezuela recently emerged as one of India’s top crude suppliers, driven by demand from major refiners seeking stable and cost-effective alternatives. However, Indian officials maintain that energy purchases remain guided by commercial interests and national energy security rather than external political pressure. (PC: PTI)

Tulsi Gabbard has resigned as Director of National Intelligence in President Donald Trump’s administration amid growing tensions over U.S. policy toward Iran. While Gabbard officially cited her husband Abraham Williams’ rare bone cancer diagnosis as the reason for stepping down, reports suggest disagreements with the White House over Iran’s nuclear threat assessment and military strategy also contributed to her exit. Her resignation follows increasing internal conflicts within the administration during the ongoing Iran crisis. Trump praised Gabbard’s service and announced that Deputy DNI Aaron Lukas would serve as acting intelligence chief until a replacement is appointed. (PC: Wikipedia)

Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport has intensified health surveillance amid global concerns over the Ebola outbreak in parts of Africa. Authorities introduced thermal screening, barricaded monitoring zones, and mandatory health checks for passengers arriving from or transiting through high-risk nations including Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan. Travelers showing symptoms such as fever, fatigue, vomiting, or unexplained bleeding have been instructed to report immediately to airport health officials. The move follows the World Health Organization’s declaration of the outbreak as a global health emergency. Indian health authorities have also directed airports nationwide to strengthen preparedness, isolation facilities, and rapid response systems to prevent any possible spread. (PC: X)

In a major development in the death case of 33-year-old actor-model Twisha Sharma, her husband Samarth Singh was arrested after remaining missing for 10 days following her death in Bhopal. Singh appeared before a Jabalpur court to surrender but was directed to present himself in Bhopal, where police took him into custody. Twisha was found hanging at her matrimonial home on May 12, sparking allegations of dowry harassment and emotional abuse by her family against Singh and his mother, retired judge Giribala Singh. Amid public outrage, the Madhya Pradesh government has recommended a CBI probe, while the High Court ordered a second post-mortem by AIIMS Delhi. 

The viral rise of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has triggered fresh political controversy after several BJP leaders alleged that a large portion of the collective’s followers were based in Pakistan and that founder Abhijeet Dipke was linked to Pakistan’s ISI. The allegations gained traction online after being amplified by BJP Yuva Morcha general secretary Tajinder Bagga and other party spokespersons. CJP, launched barely a week ago, rapidly crossed 20 million Instagram followers, overtaking the BJP’s following on the platform and emerging as a major Gen-Z digital protest movement. Founder Abhijeet Dipke has spent recent days responding to accusations and clarifying claims circulating across social media platforms. (PC: India Today)

The Union government informed the Supreme Court of India that 217 Indian nationals had joined the Russian Armed Forces during the Ukraine conflict, with 139 now released from their contractual service agreements. Appearing before a Bench led by Surya Kant, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati stated that 49 Indians had died in the conflict while six remain missing. The disclosure came during proceedings related to Indian citizens recruited into the Russian military amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. The Centre’s submission highlights the scale of Indian involvement in the conflict and continuing concerns over recruitment, repatriation and the status of those still unaccounted for. (PC: X)

Punjab Police have arrested Pathankot resident Baljit Singh in an alleged espionage case involving an internet-based CCTV camera installed near NH-44 to monitor Indian Army and paramilitary movement towards Jammu and Kashmir. Investigators suspect the live feed was shared with Pakistan-linked handlers through overseas contacts operating from Dubai. Police said the camera was strategically positioned near a key military transit corridor and functioned as a low-cost surveillance tool using commercially available internet-enabled technology. Officials alleged Singh received around Rs 40,000 for the operation and confessed during questioning. Authorities are now examining his communication records, financial links and possible connections to a wider espionage network targeting sensitive defence movement corridors across northern border states in India.

A new batch of declassified UFO files released by the US Department of War has reignited interest in unexplained aerial phenomena and historic space mission accounts. The documents include audio from the 1969 Apollo 12 mission, where astronauts Pete Conrad, Richard Gordon, and Alan Bean described seeing mysterious “streaks of light” while in deep space. The release also features over 220 files, videos, and reports involving glowing orbs, unidentified aircraft movements, and military encounters worldwide. While the Pentagon says many incidents remain unresolved, NASA previously attributed some Apollo-era visual phenomena to internal eye-related effects rather than extraterrestrial activity. (PC: NASA)

India will host the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi on May 26, with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar leading discussions with counterparts from the United States, Japan, and Australia. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to visit India for the talks, marking his first India trip in the role. The meeting will focus on Indo-Pacific security, maritime cooperation, critical technologies, energy security, and strengthening supply chains. Quad nations are also expected to review progress on ongoing initiatives and discuss regional and global developments amid rising geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific region. (PC: ANI)

The rapid rise of the satirical Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has left founder Abhijeet Dipke’s parents deeply anxious, fearing legal trouble and possible arrest amid the outfit’s growing political visibility. Speaking from Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Bhagwan and Anita Dipke said they do not want their son entering politics and have lost sleep over his sudden fame. Anita Dipke said she wanted Abhijeet to focus on building a career instead. The party, formed after controversy surrounding Chief Justice of India Surya Kant’s remarks on unemployed youth, has gained massive traction online, crossing 19 million Instagram followers. After its X account was withheld in India, a new handle, “Cockroach is Back”, quickly gained thousands of followers.