Three years after Canada's largest gold heist worth over $20 million, authorities are closing in on key suspect Simran Preet Panesar, a 32-year-old former Air Canada manager now in Chandigarh. On April 17, 2023, 400 kg of pure gold disappeared from Toronto Pearson International Airport after arriving from Zurich. Panesar allegedly tracked the flight and accessed the storage facility before fleeing to India. India's Enforcement Directorate raided his Mohali house in February 2025, discovering he allegedly transferred ₹8.5 crore via hawala transactions, routing money through music industry channels for his wife's film production. Canada formally requested extradition. Nine individuals face charges; seven arrested, including recent suspect Arsalan Chaudhary at Toronto airport. (PC: Peel Police)

India issued an urgent advisory Thursday for its citizens to leave Iran, announcing immediate evacuation plans amid escalating regional tensions and safety concerns. The first evacuation flight departs Tehran for New Delhi tomorrow, carrying students from Golestan University, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, and Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association confirmed all students are registered with collected passports and personal details. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discussed the situation with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi Wednesday. The MEA advised against travel to Iran, noting approximately 10,000 Indian citizens remain there. Tensions intensified following US President Donald Trump's military action warnings over Iran's protest suppression and economic crisis, with Iran declaring readiness for war. (PC: X)

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer mocked the Conservative Party during Wednesday's parliamentary debate, saying they had "more positions in 14 years than the Kama Sutra," while defending his government's decision to drop mandatory digital ID cards for workers. Starmer emphasized Labour remains committed to cracking down on illegal employment through digital, mandatory checks, though the specific ID form remains flexible. He highlighted Conservative instability, noting they had five prime ministers, six chancellors, eight home secretaries, and sixteen housing ministers over fourteen years, leaving the country "screwed." The digital ID proposal, introduced September 2024, faced widespread opposition over privacy concerns. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called it "rubbish policy," while Reform UK's Nigel Farage celebrated it as a "victory for individual liberty."

Suspected Pakistani drones were spotted in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba and Poonch districts, marking the third such sighting this week despite Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi's stern warning to Pakistan. In Samba's Ramgarh sector, a drone was sighted near Keso Mahansan village, prompting high alert and countermeasures. Another drone-like object appeared over Degwar village in Poonch around 7:30 pm, with the Indian Army firing rounds to neutralize it. General Dwivedi stated India has Pakistan "on notice" regarding unmanned aerial vehicle activity along the Line of Control, calling it "unacceptable." During Tuesday's Director General of Military Operations level talks, India demanded Pakistan "rein in its drones." The Army chief described them as small defensive drones possibly monitoring Indian border activity. 

During the India Open badminton tournament at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi, a men’s singles match between HS Prannoy and Loh Kean Yew was halted twice after bird droppings fell onto the main court, forcing play interruptions. The unusual incident came despite the Badminton Association of India (BAI) insisting the arena was clean and pigeon-free, contradicting earlier statements and raising questions about venue maintenance. The match resumed after officials cleaned the court, with Prannoy eventually losing in three games. The episode follows broader concerns about stadium conditions tied to previous reports of animals in spectator areas and criticism from players about hygiene. 

Voting commenced on January 15, 2026, across 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including the high-profile Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), after years of delay. Around 3.48 crore voters are eligible to decide the fate of 15,931 candidates contesting 2,869 seats in urban local bodies statewide. Polling, held from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., will see results declared on January 16. Tight security has been deployed, and the contest in Mumbai has drawn particular attention given its wealth and political significance. Exit polls suggest a strong showing for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance. (PC: The Hindu)

The Government of India is set to begin evacuating Indian nationals stranded in Iran as early as January 16 due to widespread protests and deteriorating safety conditions across the country, officials said. The Indian Embassy in Tehran is physically reaching out to students and others, as internet and phone services remain unreliable, to identify who wishes to return home. Preparations are underway to fly the first batch of evacuees to Delhi, while authorities stand ready to respond swiftly to evolving security concerns. Citizens have been urged to stay in contact with the mission and exercise caution amid the crisis. (PC: AP)

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on January 15 that he had been assured by “very important sources” in Tehran that the killing of protesters in Iran has stopped and that planned executions will not take place, though the U.S. has not independently verified these claims. Trump, who had previously warned of possible military action over the violent crackdown on nationwide protests, said he would “watch and see” before deciding on further steps. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi echoed that “hanging is out of the question,” denying any execution plans. The move appeared to ease immediate fears of escalation, even as the broader unrest and international scrutiny continue. (PC: Reuters)

Three years after what is believed to be Canada’s largest gold heist — the disappearance of 400 kg (about 6,600 bars) of .9999-pure gold and C$2.5 million in cash from Toronto Pearson International Airport in April 2023 — investigators are closing in on a key suspect. Peel Regional Police have arrested one accused, Arsalan Chaudhary, at Toronto airport, and charged him in the cross-border probe dubbed Project 24K. Canadian authorities have issued a warrant and extradition request for Simran Preet Panesar, a former Air Canada manager who was found living near Chandigarh with his family. (PC: HT)

An Air India Airbus A350 operating Flight AI101 from Delhi to New York suffered engine damage on Jan 15, 2026, when a baggage container was sucked into its right engine while taxiing at Indira Gandhi International Airport in dense fog, the airline said. The flight had returned to Delhi shortly after takeoff due to an unexpected closure of Iranian airspace, and the incident occurred after landing. All passengers and crew were safe, and the aircraft has since been grounded for investigation and repairs, with possible disruptions to some A350 routes. India’s aviation regulator DGCA has launched a probe into the cause of the unusual foreign‐object ingestion.