FirstFT: US foiled plot to kill Sikh separatist on American soil

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Good morning. US authorities thwarted a conspiracy to assassinate a Sikh separatist on American soil and issued a warning to India’s government over concerns it was involved in the plot, according to multiple people familiar with the case.

The target of the plot was Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, an American and Canadian citizen who is general counsel for Sikhs for Justice, a US-based group that is part of a movement pushing for an independent Sikh state called “Khalistan”.

The people familiar with the case did not say whether the protest to New Delhi led the plotters to abandon their plan, or whether the FBI intervened and foiled a scheme already in motion.

The US informed some allies about the plot following the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian Sikh separatist killed in Vancouver in June. In September, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there were “credible allegations” linking New Delhi to Nijjar’s fatal shooting.

The Biden administration views India as a critical part of a broader strategy to counter China, and has faced criticism from human rights groups for its efforts to deepen relations with New Delhi. The full story has more on Washington’s handling of the sensitive case.

And here’s what else I’m keeping tabs on today:

Five more top stories

1. Ousted OpenAI chief Sam Altman will return to run the company he co-founded under the supervision of a new board. Altman’s reinstatement provides a resolution to a crisis that pitted almost all of the company’s employees and investors against the four-person board. Get the details on this dramatic reversal.

2. Joe Biden spent a large amount of diplomatic and political capital in recent weeks to broker an agreement between Israel and Hamas to stop the war for four days to allow the release of some hostages. If the deal holds, it will mark a turning point in Washington’s push to stabilise and contain the war. Here’s an inside look at Biden’s “excruciating” effort to secure the agreement.

3. Chinese police have arrested the founder of Tencent-backed game-streaming site DouYu on suspicion of operating a casino. The FT previously reported that DouYu chief Chen Shaojie had been taken away way by authorities in October after a probe of alleged porn and gambling on the streaming service. The troubles of another well-known Chinese executive is a setback to Beijing’s attempts to reassure entrepreneurs.

4. North Korea has claimed to have successfully launched a military spy satellite into orbit for the first time, two months after Russian president Vladimir Putin pledged to support Kim Jong Un’s space ambitions. An operational spy satellite would strengthen North Korea’s ability to conduct a pre-emptive strike and monitor potential incoming threats from the US and South Korea.

5. Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders is on course to win the most votes in parliamentary elections held yesterday that were dominated by debate around rising immigration in the Netherlands. Wilders’ victory, if confirmed, will send shockwaves through the EU, which has been struggling to absorb a fresh wave of migrants from Africa and Asia.

Explainer

After 45 days of devastating war, Israel and Hamas have agreed a hostage deal and a pause in hostilities. FT reporters explain the meaning of an agreement that marks a significant diplomatic breakthrough but leaves more to be done and many captives behind.

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Additional contributions from George Russell and Gordon Smith