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Sunday, February 22, 2026
TopicPassport

Topic: Passport

Embassy of Westarctica: The unreal life of a fake diplomat & his grand illusion in Ghaziabad

This week, UP STF raided Harsh Vardhan Jain’s rented bungalow in Ghaziabad, which he'd been successfully passing off as embassy of ‘Seborgia, Poulbia, Lodonia and Westarctica’ for 8 yrs.

Months after mass deportations by Trump 2.0, ED raids in Punjab, Haryana find dunki rackets still thriving

ED raided 7 locations in Punjab & Haryana. It found several illegalities including firms operating under pseudo names. Some firms ran legal business as well as ‘dunki route’ syndicate.

Foreign Ministry recognises J&K Police for ‘outstanding contributions’ to passport verification services

J&K Police finalised 134,219 passport application verifications between April 2024 & March 2025, considered an 'exceptional disposal rate'.

What Madras HC said slamming practice of seeking husband’s nod for a woman to apply for passport

Ruling that a woman doesn't need her husband’s signature or permission in any form for passport application, court underlined that she doesn't lose her individuality after marriage.

Vanuatu, the land of golden passports—where fugitives like Lalit Modi can buy citizenship for a crore

In 2020, revenue from its ‘golden passport’ scheme was Vanuatu’s single-largest source of income. Revocation of Lalit Modi’s citizenship has brought country of islands into spotlight.

MEA marks 12th Passport Seva Divas with 3-day conference for regional officers

Ministry of External Affairs said it provided 1.65 crore passport-related services to citizens in 2023.

Siddaramaiah urges Centre to revoke Revanna’s diplomatic passport, MEA says ‘request being processed’

Accused of having sexually assaulted multiple women, MP Prajwal Revanna fled to Germany in April. BJP, in turn, has accused state govt of not taking adequate action when he was in India.

Prajwal Revanna case: What is a diplomatic passport, how is it revoked & what rules apply

Diplomatic passport allows its holder visa-free entry to various countries that have special agreements with India. Germany, where Hassan MP travelled to, is one such country.

Pakistani passport ranks lower than North Korea’s. Twitter says Thank you, Imran Khan

Some suggested that action taken against human rights activists is the reason for Pakistan's low ranking on the Henley Passport Index.

On Camera

Nick Jonas wearing a mangalsutra is validation for many Indians. He’s our favourite jiju

Nick Jonas is not trying to modernise the mangalsutra, but his gesture shows that choices can be equal. If commitment must be flaunted, it need not be gendered.

In the West, there’s anxiety. In India, optimism—Rishi Sunak says India poised to be leader in AI

On Wednesday, the former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was speaking in New Delhi at a Carnegie & Observer Research Foundation event on AI.

In a first, Indian small arms maker to bid for UK Project Grayburn to replace British Army’s SA80 rifles

Bengaluru-based SSS Defence has made public its bid for a major foreign military contract, targeting UK’s ambitious SA80 successor programme with its home-tested weapons.

No country is ever fully sovereign. Cold War era taught India its real meaning

India’s fraught neighbourhood places multiple constraints on its strategic choices. It leaves no time to take a deep breath, lean back and reset.