The Indian government has raised the issue with the UK Foreign Office over an incident where Indian High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami was barred from entering a gurdwara in Scotland by radical British Sikh activists. Doraiswami was told he was "not welcome" when attempting to visit the gurdwara in Glasgow amid tensions over the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. Police were alerted when activists blocked the envoy's planned meeting with gurdwara organizers, who tried to ensure his safety. The incident came amid a massive diplomatic row between India and Canada over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil.

  India prepares to face England in a warm-up match for the ICC World Cup 2023 on September 30 at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati. Head coach Rahul Dravid anticipates a 'full-strength' lineup, although players Ruturaj Gaikwad and Tilak Varma are absent due to their Asian Games commitments. The match precedes India's World Cup opener against Australia on October 8. Guwahati's weather is predicted to be extremely hot with potential severe heat and afternoon rain. English players endured a challenging 38-hour journey to reach Guwahati, as described by Jonny Bairstow. India's expected lineup includes Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, among others, while England's lineup features Jos Buttler, Joe Root, and Ben Stokes. Ravichandran Ashwin replaces the injured Axar Patel in India's squad.

Mohamed Muizzu, a pro-China candidate, is challenging incumbent President Ibrahim Solih in the Maldives' presidential runoff election on Saturday. The 45-year-old civil engineer has vowed to strengthen ties with China if elected. Muizzu's mentor is former president Abdulla Yameen, creator of the 'India Out' campaign. As Yameen's construction minister, Muizzu approved Chinese-funded infrastructure projects. He met Chinese Communist Party officials in 2022, pledging closer China-Maldives relations if his party wins. Muizzu's campaign has focused on criticizing India's political and economic influence. He resents India's 1988 military intervention in the Maldives under Operation Cactus to prevent a coup. The runoff has geopolitical implications with Muizzu representing a shift toward China and away from India.

Indian tennis players Rohan Bopanna and Rutuja Bhosle won the gold medal in mixed doubles at the 2023 Asian Games held in Hangzhou, China on Friday. The Indian pair defeated Chinese Taipei's Tsung-hao Huang and Liang En-shuo in the final by a score of 2-6, 6-3, 10-4 at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre. After dropping the first set, Bopanna and Bhosle fought back to take the second set and dominated the champions tiebreak to clinch the gold. This marks India's first tennis gold at the 2023 Asian Games and adds to the country's growing medal count at the multi-sport even

After a brief period of calm, protests erupted again on Friday night in Imphal, Manipur over the killings of two Meitei students in July. Protesters allegedly tried to attack the residence of BJP minister L Susindro, before security forces dispersed them with tear gas and smoke bombs. Videos circulating online showed heavy police and RAF presence during the late-night unrest, which continued past midnight before the situation was brought under control. There is no clarity yet on potential injuries or whether the minister was home at the time. The killings of the missing students had sparked widespread demonstrations in Imphal in recent weeks. Amidst the continuing tensions, Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey on Friday visited the families of the two slain youths to express her condolences. (Image Courtesy: ANI)

The Madhya Pradesh police described an extensive investigation to arrest auto driver Bharat Soni for the rape of a 15-year-old girl in Ujjain. Hundreds were interrogated and over 700 CCTV cameras scanned before links to Soni emerged. 30-35 cyber investigators worked round the clock. When visiting the crime scene, Soni tried to flee before being apprehended. Police also charged another auto driver for failing to report the victim's condition after giving her a ride post-assault. Officials said legal action will be taken against those who ignored the victim begging for help.

Amid strained relations between India and Canada, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar dismissed concerns about 'Khalistan' at a Washington D.C. press conference. Jaishankar highlighted the Modi government's focus on issues affecting the Sikh community in India, labeling extremist elements a minority that do not represent the community. He criticized Canada's permissiveness towards terrorism, linking it to the deterioration in India-Canada ties. This follows Canadian PM Trudeau's allegation of Indian involvement in a Khalistani separatist's killing, a claim rejected by India. In response, India suspended visa services in Canada and cautioned citizens about anti-India activities and politically-motivated hate crimes.

A group of British Sikh activists prevented the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami, from entering a gurdwara in Scotland on Friday. The activists confronted Doraiswami outside the Gurdwara Sahib in Glasgow, accusing him of colluding with the UK government against British Sikhs. A video shows the activists arguing with gurdwara committee members before Doraiswami left in his car. The activists later stated that Indian officials are not welcome in any gurdwara in the UK, citing recent tensions and alleged targeting of British Sikhs. This marks an escalation of protests by some UK Sikh groups over Indian government policies.

A speech by North American Manipur Tribal Association's Canada chapter head Lien Gangte at the same gurdwara in Canada's Surrey, whose chief was Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar has caused controversy. In the now-deleted video from August, Gangte condemned alleged attacks on minorities in Manipur and sought Canada's help. Reports state, intelligence agencies are monitoring NAMTA's activities and links with Khalistanis. Sources say after Gangte's speech, NAMTA members met Nijjar supporters at the gurdwara, concerning agencies. Over 180 have died in the ethnic violence in Manipur that began on May 3.

The Seattle police officer who joked about the death of 23-year-old Indian student Jaahnavi Kandula after she was struck by a speeding cop car has been pulled from patrol duty. Officer Daniel Auderer dismissed implications of fault and called Kandula a "regular person" with "limited value" in bodycam footage. The department confirmed Auderer is now in a non-operational role amid reviews into officer Kevin Dave's actions in fatally hitting Kandula at 119 kmph in a 25 mph zone. The removal follows community demands and the Indian consulate terming the handling of her death "deeply troubling."