Pramod Thomas is a senior correspondent with Asian Media Group since 2020, bringing 19 years of journalism experience across business, politics, sports, communities, and international relations. His career spans both traditional and digital media platforms, with eight years specifically focused on digital journalism. This blend of experience positions him well to navigate the evolving media landscape and deliver content across various formats. He has worked with national and international media organisations, giving him a broad perspective on global news trends and reporting standards.
INDIA on Tuesday (30) denied a media report which alleged involvement of a spy agency official in the assassination plot of Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the US, stating it makes 'unwarranted and unsubstantiated imputations on a serious matter'."
The Washington Post newspaper on Monday (29) reported that an official identified as Vikram Yadav was involved in the plot and the move was approved by the then Indian spy agency chief Samant Goel.
Yadav is an official with the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), the foreign intelligence agency of India.
In response to media queries on the report, Randhir Jaiswal, the official spokesperson of India's ministry of external affairs (MEA), said, “The report in question makes unwarranted and unsubstantiated imputations on a serious matter.
“There is an ongoing investigation of the high-level committee set up by the Government of India to look into the security concerns shared by the US government on networks of organised criminals, terrorists and others. Speculative and irresponsible comments on it are not helpful."
Pannun is one of the main leaders of the Khalistan movement and the legal advisor and spokesperson for Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), which aims to promote the idea of a separate Sikh state. The Indian government has declared Pannun a terrorist.
The newspaper report said, “That India would pursue lethal operations in North America has stunned western security officials. Yadav’s identity and affiliation, which have not previously been reported, provide the most explicit evidence to date that the assassination plan — ultimately thwarted by US authorities — was directed from within the Indian spy service.
“Higher-ranking RAW officials have also been implicated, according to current and former western security officials, as part of a sprawling investigation by the CIA, FBI and other agencies that has mapped potential links to (prime minister Narendra Modi) Modi’s inner circle,” it said.
The report said that it is investigating a global surge in such campaigns of cross-border repression, as well as the global forces leading India and other nations to employ tactics normally associated with the world’s most repressive governments.
For this story, Post reporters conducted dozens of interviews with officials, experts and targeted individuals in New Delhi, Washington, Ottawa, London, Prague and Berlin, it said.
“In reports that have been closely held within the American government, US intelligence agencies have assessed that the operation targeting Pannun was approved by the RAW chief at the time, Samant Goel,” the daily claimed.
“That finding is consistent with accounts provided to The Washington Post by former senior Indian security officials who had knowledge of the operation and said Goel was under extreme pressure to eliminate the alleged threat of Sikh extremists overseas.
“US spy agencies have more tentatively assessed that Modi’s national security adviser, Ajit Doval, was probably aware of RAW’s plans to kill Sikh activists, but officials emphasised that no smoking gun proof has emerged,” it said.
Quoting officials, The Washington Post said, the foiled assassination was part of an escalating campaign of aggression by RAW against the Indian diaspora in Asia, Europe and North America.
The alleged plot to kill Pannun in the US coincided with the June 18 fatal shooting of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey in Canada’s British Columbia province in June last year. That operation was also linked to Yadav, according to Western officials.
Both plots took place amid a wave of violence in Pakistan, where at least 11 Sikh or Kashmiri separatists living in exile and labelled terrorists by the Modi government have been killed over the past two years, the report said.
Senior Indian government officials named in the report did not respond to it seeking comment, the daily said.
The report added that the Biden administration has refrained from making charges against Yadav.
Responding to the report, the White House press secretary asserted that India is an important strategic partner of the US and “we are pursuing an ambitious agenda to expand our cooperation in several areas”.
Jean-Pierre said, “We’ve been really consistent about that and have laid that out multiple times, whether it’s a meeting here with the prime minister or a meeting abroad.” “This is a serious matter and we’re taking that very very seriously. The Government of India has been very clear with us that they are taking this seriously and will investigate.
“We expect accountability from the government based on that. But we are going to continue to raise our concerns. That’s not going to stop. We’re going to continue to raise our concerns directly, with the Indian government."
The issue is a delicate one for both India and the Biden administration in the US as they try to build closer ties in the face of shared concerns about China's growing power.
News of the US plot came two months after Canada said it was looking at credible allegations potentially linking Indian agents to the June murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, another Sikh separatist, in a Vancouver suburb.
US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said the administration plans to change the H1B programme, widely used by Indian IT professionals, as well as the Green Card process. (Representational image: iStock)
DHS proposes new rules to limit stay for foreign students and media personnel in the US
F visa “duration of status” system could be replaced with fixed terms
Trump team plans changes to H1B and Green Card processes
Proposal comes amid US-India tensions over tariffs on Russian oil
THE TRUMP administration has proposed new rules to limit how long foreign students and media personnel can stay in the United States.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement on Wednesday that if finalised, the rule would restrict the stay of certain visa holders, including students.
Change to “duration of status” rule
Since 1978, foreign students on F visas have been admitted to the US for an unspecified period known as “duration of status”. Unlike other visas, this designation allows students to remain in the country indefinitely without further screening, according to DHS.
The administration said some students have used this policy to stay in the country as “forever” students by continuously enrolling in higher education programmes.
“For too long, past administrations have allowed foreign students and other visa holders to remain in the US virtually indefinitely, posing safety risks, costing untold amounts of taxpayer dollars, and disadvantaging US citizens,” a DHS spokesperson said.
“This new proposed rule would end that abuse once and for all by limiting the amount of time certain visa holders are allowed to remain in the US,” the spokesperson added.
Visa limits for foreign media
Foreign media personnel working in the US on an I visa currently receive a five-year visa that can be extended multiple times. Under the proposed rule, the initial admission period would be up to 240 days.
They could seek an extension of up to another 240 days, but not longer than the duration of their temporary assignment.
Four-year cap for students and exchange visitors
Under the plan, foreign students and exchange visitors would be allowed to stay for the length of their programme, but not longer than four years.
Extending stays would require applying to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), giving DHS the authority to reassess visa holders before approving additional time.
This proposal was originally introduced by the Trump administration in 2020 but withdrawn in 2021 under President Biden.
Planned changes to H1B and Green Card
Separately, US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said the administration plans to change the H1B programme, widely used by Indian IT professionals, as well as the Green Card process.
“I'm involved in changing the H1B programme. We're going to change that programme, because that's terrible,” Lutnick told Fox News on Tuesday.
He added that changes are also being planned for the Green Card system that provides permanent residency in the US.
Strain in US-India ties
The proposal comes amid tensions between the US and India after the Trump administration imposed 50 per cent tariffs on Indian purchases of Russian oil, effective from Wednesday.
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Company describes as the most significant redesign in its 175-year history
Royal Mail is rolling out 3,500 redesigned solar-powered postboxes.
The upgrade allows customers to post small parcels via a digital drawer.
The move marks the biggest redesign in the company’s 175-year history.
Rollout begins in Edinburgh, Nottingham, Sheffield and Manchester after successful pilots.
Royal Mail launches major redesign
Royal Mail is set to introduce 3,500 solar-powered postboxes across the UK, in what the company describes as the most significant redesign in its 175-year history. The new-look boxes, fitted with solar panels and digital technology, are designed to accommodate small parcels as well as letters.
How the new postboxes work
The redesigned boxes feature solar panels on top, aligned southwards for maximum sunlight. A barcode scanner beneath the slot activates a drop-down drawer, which can fit parcels up to the size of a shoebox. Customers will be able to access the service via the Royal Mail app, request proof of posting and track their parcels.
Pilot scheme success
The initiative follows a pilot in Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire, where two different designs were trialled. One version included a fully black lid, but Royal Mail has opted to retain the traditional red finish with a white-topped grid of solar panels to preserve brand identity.
Responding to market pressures
Royal Mail is pushing to expand its parcel services as competition from delivery firms such as Evri and Yodel intensifies. The rise in online shopping and second-hand marketplaces has driven higher demand for parcel delivery and returns, fuelling the need for more convenient services.
“We are all sending and returning more parcels than ever before,” said Jack Clarkson, Managing Director at Royal Mail. “This trend will only continue as online shopping shows no signs of slowing.”
Industry challenges
Despite innovation, Royal Mail continues to face difficulties. The company, which was acquired by a Czech billionaire in December, has been fined for failing to meet delivery targets and recently announced it would cut costs by delivering second-class letters on alternate weekdays, excluding Saturdays.
Other European postal services are already scaling back, with Denmark’s PostNord ending letter deliveries altogether. Royal Mail hopes its redesigned postboxes will help retain market share amid growing competition and changing customer habits.
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Pandit is the third senior Starmer aide to leave after chief of staff Sue Gray in October and director of communications Matthew Doyle in March..(Photo: Getty Images)
PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer is set to replace his principal private secretary Nin Pandit, who has held the role for ten months.
Pandit is the third senior aide to leave after chief of staff Sue Gray in October and director of communications Matthew Doyle in March.
Her appointment was announced in the same No 10 statement that confirmed Gray’s departure.
The BBC reports that the prime minister had concerns over Pandit’s performance, though No 10 disputes this and said he continues to have confidence in her.
It is expected she will move to another government role. No 10 confirmed she remains in post but did not say if her exit is imminent.
The principal private secretary is a key role in the civil service, acting as the prime minister’s gatekeeper and controlling the flow of information, diary, and access.
The PPS usually works alongside the chief of staff near the prime minister’s office.
Before taking up the role, Pandit headed the No 10 policy unit under Rishi Sunak and was previously chief of staff to the NHS England chief executive.
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Matt and Maria Raine filed the case in the Superior Court of California on Tuesday
Matt and Maria Raine have filed a lawsuit against OpenAI following the death of their 16-year-old son, Adam.
The suit claims ChatGPT validated the teenager’s suicidal thoughts and failed to intervene appropriately.
OpenAI expressed sympathy and said it is reviewing the case.
The company admitted its systems have not always behaved as intended in sensitive situations.
A California couple has launched legal action against OpenAI, alleging its chatbot ChatGPT played a role in their teenage son’s suicide.
Matt and Maria Raine filed the case in the Superior Court of California on Tuesday, accusing the company of negligence and wrongful death. Their 16-year-old son, Adam, died in April 2025. It is the first known lawsuit of its kind against the artificial intelligence firm.
The Raines are seeking damages and injunctive relief to prevent similar incidents.
Teen’s reliance on ChatGPT
According to court filings, Adam began using ChatGPT in September 2024 for schoolwork and to explore interests including music and Japanese comics. The lawsuit claims the tool soon became his “closest confidant,” and that he disclosed anxiety and mental health struggles to the programme.
By January 2025, Adam was reportedly discussing suicide methods with ChatGPT. He also uploaded photos showing signs of self-harm. The programme recognised a “medical emergency” but continued engaging, according to the family.
The final chat logs cited in the case allegedly show ChatGPT responding to Adam’s plans to end his life with the words: “Thanks for being real about it. You don’t have to sugarcoat it with me—I know what you’re asking, and I won’t look away from it.”
Adam was found dead later that day.
OpenAI’s response
OpenAI said it was reviewing the filing and offered condolences to the Raine family.
In a public note, the company acknowledged that “recent heartbreaking cases” of people using ChatGPT during crises weighed heavily on it. It stressed the system is designed to direct users to professional help lines, such as the Samaritans in the UK and the 988 suicide hotline in the US.
However, it admitted there had been occasions where “our systems did not behave as intended in sensitive situations.”
Allegations against Sam Altman and staff
The lawsuit names OpenAI’s co-founder and chief executive Sam Altman as a defendant, along with unnamed engineers, managers and employees. The family alleges Adam’s death was the “predictable result of deliberate design choices” aimed at fostering user dependency.
It further accuses the company of bypassing safety protocols to release GPT-4o, the model used by Adam in his final conversations.
Broader concerns over AI and mental health
This case follows wider warnings about the risks of AI in sensitive contexts.
Last week, New York Times writer Laura Reiley described how her daughter Sophie confided in ChatGPT before her own death. She argued that the chatbot’s “agreeability” allowed her daughter to mask her distress.
OpenAI has since said it is developing new tools to better identify and respond to signs of emotional or mental health crises in users.
US tech billionaire Elon Musk has said he will help fund legal cases against officials he believes turned a blind eye to child sexual abuse. His intervention follows a private investigation revealing that such abuse has occurred in 85 local authorities across Britain, reported the Telegraph.
Musk posted on X that he wants to “fund legal actions against corrupt officials who aided and abetted the rape of Britain,” referencing findings from an unofficial inquiry. He encouraged victims and their families to get in touch directly through the platform.
This private investigation, known as the Rape Gang Inquiry and led by former MP Rupert Lowe, claimed to have found evidence of child sexual exploitation in councils from Aberdeen City to Norwich, spanning many decades—some dating back to the 1960s.
The inquiry revealed it has received hundreds of accounts from survivors and whistle-blowers and logged thousands of Freedom of Information requests.
Lowe stressed the urgency for action, noting a growing frustration among survivors with the lack of results, despite promises of a public inquiry by the current government. “The message from survivors is clear: get on with it,” he said.
Musk’s involvement has added global attention to the scandal. While the government had previously resisted calls for a new inquiry, a long-awaited official investigation was launched in June, led by Baroness Louise Casey, with statutory powers to compel witnesses.
This follows years of systemic failure exposed by earlier inquiries—most notably the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, which described widespread exploitation and shortcomings in institutional responses. Even so, many of its recommendations remain unimplemented.
Musk has also used X to heavily criticise current and former officials, including safeguarding minister Jess Phillips and prime minister Keir Starmer. He accused them of complicity or indifference, including calling Phillips a “rape genocide apologist” and asserting that Starmer, as former director of Public Prosecutions, failed to act.
British officials have dismissed these claims as distortion and misinformation. Critics worry that Musk’s involvement may stoke political polarisation, especially given his ties to right-wing groups and his previous incendiary posts on the platform. Nonetheless, for survivors seeking justice, his support could offer a valuable route to the courts.
As the official inquiry continues, Musk has offered to fund legal cases against officials accused of failing victims. Meanwhile, survivors and families are awaiting action to ensure the investigations deliver accountability.