The move will enable asset seizures and prosecutions of Bishnoi gang, which has been accused of targeting Sikh activists abroad.
Canada has formally declared India’s Bishnoi gang a “terrorist” organisation, giving authorities the power to freeze assets, block funding, and prosecute members under “anti-terrorism” laws.
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree announced the designation on Monday, saying the gang had instilled fear within Indian diaspora communities across the country.
“Specific communities have been targeted for terror, violence and intimidation by the Bishnoi Gang. Listing this group of criminal terrorists gives us more powerful and effective tools to confront and put a stop to their crimes,” said Anandasangaree.
Ottawa stressed that “acts of violence and terror have no place in Canada, especially those that target specific communities to create a climate of fear and intimidation.”
The gang, run by jailed Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, is described by Canadian officials as a transnational criminal syndicate operating largely from India but with a presence in Canada.
Bishnoi, 32, has been imprisoned for a decade in India but is accused of directing a network of hundreds of members engaged in drug trafficking, arms smuggling, extortion, and targeted killings.
Canadian police have previously alleged that Indian intelligence services used Bishnoi associates to carry out killings and violent intimidation of supporters of the Khalistan movement, which seeks an independent state for the Sikh minority in the Indian state of Punjab, abroad.
India dismissed the claims, accusing Ottawa of failing to provide evidence and of ignoring repeated extradition requests for Bishnoi-linked suspects.
The Canadian government says the “terrorist” listing not only allows property and funds tied to the gang to be seized but also strengthens law enforcement’s ability to disrupt recruitment, financing, and international travel linked to the gang’s operations.
Political pressure has been mounting on Ottawa, with opposition leaders and provincial premiers in Alberta and British Columbia demanding tougher measures against the gang. Canada is home to more than 770,000 Sikhs, accounting for about 2 percent of Canada’s population.
‘A strong signal to India’
The Bishnoi gang’s notoriety has grown amid wider diplomatic tensions between Ottawa and New Delhi. The assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Vancouver-area gurdwara in June 2023 threw the issue into sharp relief.
Canada accused Indian officials of directing intelligence to “criminal organisations like the Lawrence Bishnoi gang” to silence critics of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government abroad – an allegation India rejected.
New Delhi insists Ottawa has ignored more than two dozen extradition requests for Bishnoi members and continues to shield individuals wanted for crimes in India.
Despite the deep rift, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s national security adviser, Nathalie Drouin, said last week that Indian officials had pledged to cooperate in ongoing investigations and agreed to refrain from cross-border repression.
Russia has expressed strong disapproval of Denmark’s plan to establish a production facility for long-range missile fuel for Ukraine, claiming it will heighten the risk of escalation and lead to more violence in Ukraine.
This facility will be run by the Ukrainian defense company Fire Point, known for its Flamingo missiles, which President Zelenskiy has called Ukraine’s most effective weapon. The production site will be located near Denmark’s Skydstrup air force base, which houses F-16 jets.
Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated that this initiative reveals Denmark’s aggressive stance towards Russia. She argued that this move undermines efforts to peacefully resolve the situation in Ukraine and reflects Denmark’s intent to profit from the ongoing conflict.
Denmark has supported Ukraine significantly since Russia’s military invasion in 2022, providing 67.6 billion Danish crowns (approximately $10.6 billion) in military aid, according to its foreign ministry. Zakharova emphasized that this development poses a threat to regional stability and demonstrates a commitment to militarization rather than diplomacy in resolving the crisis.
In a statement on Thursday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that TRF is an offshoot of the group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and has taken credit for the attack in the resort town of Pahalgam, as well as several assaults on Indian security forces.
Rubio also touted the sanctions as evidence of President Donald Trump’s firm approach to foreign policy.
“These actions taken by the Department of State demonstrates the Trump Administration’s commitment to protecting our national security interests, countering terrorism, and enforcing President Trump’s call for justice for the Pahalgam attack,” the State Department said in a statement.
TRF initially claimed responsibility for the bloody attack in Pahalgam but reversed course several days later and denied involvement.
The nationalist government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi quickly seized on the attack, blaming neighbouring Pakistan for the massacre and accusing it of supporting militant groups that carry out attacks on Indian security forces and civilians.
Several members of LeT carried out a multiday attack in Mumbai in 2008 that killed more than 160 people and injured hundreds more. In his statement, Rubio called the Pahalgam attack, in which militants targeted a popular tourist destination in Kashmir, “the deadliest attack on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks conducted by LeT”.
While Pakistan is widely considered to have supported such groups as a form of undermining India, the latter’s harsh military rule and record of human rights abuses in Kashmir have long been sources of discontent and sometimes violent resistance in the territory.
Hindu nationalists have sought greater control over Kashmir, the only Muslim-majority province under Indian rule.
After the Pahalgam attack in April, India and Pakistan exchanged a series of blows before agreeing to a truce that President Trump claimed credit for helping to broker, though India has denied US mediation.
Amy Loring, a makeup artist and influencer, says a lack of “clear” labelling on products can have “severe” consequences
Makeup and skincare ingredients should be listed in English and not Latin to protect people with allergies, campaigners say.
Cosmetic companies display ingredients in Latin, or using scientific names. But MP Becky Gittins, who has a severe nut allergy, said this was a problem as “less than 5% of our young people are educated in Latin”.
One mum, whose daughter had an allergic reaction to body wash, said cosmetics should be labelled in the same way as food.
Makeup influencer Amy Loring said the labelling system was “frustrating” but for some could be “life threatening”.
For example, sweet almond oil is Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis, peanut oil is Arachis Hypogaea, and wheat germ extract is Triticum Vulgare.
Some cosmetic brands also list their ingredients in English, but this is not a requirement.
Cosmetic companies list their ingredients using Latin-based names
Eve Huang’s daughter Elysia, 9, is allergic to cow’s milk, coconut, eggs, asparagus, mustard and tree nuts.
Elysia’s allergies are triggered not just by food but by airborne particles and skin contact.
“The Latin puts allergy sufferers at risk and it is so frustrating,” said Ms Huang, from Hornchurch in Essex.
“Why are allergens not listed in bold? Why are there no warning signs?”
Ms Huang said she recently bought Elysia a new skin-sensitive body wash. Within seconds of getting into the bath, Elysia became red and developed a hives rash all over her body.
At first, they did not realise the cause was the body wash.
Elysia did not develop anaphylaxis – a severe and life-threatening allergic reaction – but she did need to be treated.
‘Google the Latin names’
“A child should not have to take medicine simply for having a bath. A process of getting oneself clean should not make them seriously ill,” said Ms Huang.
She said birthday parties could also be “a nightmare”.
“At one party, Elysia was gifted a facial mask in the party bag and I’ve had to explain she can’t use it until I’ve ‘Googled’ the Latin names and checked whether it’s safe.”
She added: “Some brands now include English translations, which is useful. But I would like to see similar, if not the same standards, as food packaging.”
Becky Gittins, the Clwyd East MP who is behind the campaign for change, has a severe nut allergy
Gittins, the Labour MP for Clwyd East who is behind the campaign for change, has a severe nut allergy. If she were to use products containing nuts it could trigger anaphylaxis.
Gittins said at a recent trip to a spa, she had to frantically “Google” Latin terms to check for allergens.
“Even on a day that’s supposed to be relaxing, I was still mitigating risk. It is incredibly difficult,” she said.
“Less than 5% of our young people are educated in Latin at any level. Even fewer would recognise these terms when checking the back of a packet to see if they can use certain toiletries or ointments – that then becomes a big problem.”
Gittins said her allergy meant she lived with “a base level of anxiety”.
She added: “Do I live a very restricted life, or do I go out and do the things that are more risky?
“That is what we need to minimise – we need to make sure we have a much more allergy-friendly world so we can mitigate that risk.”
Amy, who has hypersensitive skin, says she thinks the current labelling system is “frustrating”
Amy Loring, a makeup artist from Cardiff who uses her Instagram page to provide skincare and cosmetics advice to thousands, said the labelling system needed to be “very clear”.
“I have hypersensitive skin and it’s very uncomfortable when you’re breaking out and have eczema over your face. There are some days I can’t put anything on my skin because it is reacting so bad,” said the 31-year-old.
“It is frustrating as a consumer when you get reactions like rosacea, redness, breakouts, and that’s just mild allergies – it can be quite severe and life-threatening.”
The Latin names of cosmetic ingredients
Almond (bitter): Prunus amygdalus amar
Avocado: Persea gratissima
Apricot: Prunus armeniaca
Banana: Musa sapientum
Brazil nut: Bertholletia excelsa
Cashew: Anacardium occidentale
Chestnut: Castanea sativa/sylva or castanea crenata
Kiwi fruit: Actinidia chinensis or actinidia deliciosa
Oat: Avena sativa or Avena strigosa
Peach: Prunus persica
Peanut oil: Arachis Hypogaea
Sesame: Sesamum indicum
Sweet almond oil: Prunus amygdalus dulcis
Walnut: Juglans regia orjuglans nigra
Wheat germ extract: Triticum vulgare
Regulations state that cosmetic ingredients must be listed clearly. If there is no outer packaging, the labelling will be on the container. If the product is very small, the ingredients may be listed on a leaflet.
While the INCI system ensures consistency across the globe, critics say it leaves many consumers in the dark.
Rachel Williams
Rachel Williams says she only learned about the Latin names in cosmetics because of social media
Rachel Williams’ son, Jacob, is allergic to peanuts, hazelnuts and almonds.
“It is difficult enough to navigate life with allergies without adding the learning of Latin on top of everything else,” said Rachel, from Swansea.
“I can’t always remember the name of certain nuts in Latin, or I doubt myself when I’m checking products. This means I have to search online every time I use a product. I would have a lot more confidence in the products if they stated all of the top 14 allergens in English.”
The CTPA has defended the use of INCI ingredient names.
Caroline Rainsford, the director of science at the CTPA, said the system provided a universal language across the globe.
“For botanical or natural extracts, we refer to the Linnaean system, which is the international system for scientifically naming plants and animals, and lots of those names will be Latin-based,” she said.
“The reason we refer to that system is to have global harmonisation.
“I can see that perhaps people would think it may be easier to have the English name but if you are on holiday and you are looking at the ingredients list, you would need to know the name of the plant in whichever country you’re in.
“Whereas if we use the INCI system, you then just need to remember that one INCI name.
“The more consistency and harmonisation we have with the ingredient list is not only great for us when we’re buying a product, it also makes life easier for companies.”
The industry has developed tools to help consumers navigate the terminology.
One such tool is the COSMILE app, which allows users to search ingredient names by scanning the label.
The app aims to offer reliable and scientifically supported information on thousands of ingredients used in cosmetic products.
A UK government spokesperson said: “Our regulations require all cosmetics to include a full list of ingredients that is clearly marked on the product label or packaging using generally accepted names.”
SAINSBURY’S is the latest supermarket to test a major change to shelf labels in stores – but it will leave shoppers divided.
One of the UK’s biggest supermarkets is trialling electronic shelf labels in a small number of branches.
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Sainsbury’s is trialling electronic shelf labels in a “small number” of storesCredit: Getty
The retailer installed the tech at three of its larger shops late last year and has been trying it out across different sections including alcohol, health and general merchandise.
Sainsbury’s has partnered with Harrison Retail to build the shelf fixings featuring the labels.
A branch in Witney, Oxfordshire, is understood to be one of the three locations where the tech is being trialled.
A spokesperson for Sainsbury’s said: “We are trialling electronic shelf-edge labels in a small number of our stores.”
Sainsbury’s shoppers are bound to be left divided over the new electronic tags though.
Fears have been raised digital labels could lead to “surge pricing”, which sees prices hiked when products are more in demand.
The labels can make it harder for shoppers to spot cut-price items too, as they’re not as visible as the paper yellow, orange or red stickers.
Sainsbury’s joins a host of other supermarkets trialling electronic shelf labels in stores.
Co-op is replacing paper product tags with electronic labels throughout its whole estate over the coming months.
The retailer said last month it had already made the change in 340 branches but would roll out the tags more widely.
It said 1,500 stores will have the labels by the end of this year and rolled out across all its nearly 2,400 shops by the end of 2026.
Electronic pricing labels are not easy to spot and look almost identical to the traditional paper labels which have existed in stores for centuries.
They feature everything a shopper would expect to see on a label such as cost, weight and unit price.
The only difference is that the information is displayed on screens instead of a paper label.
Usually, they are connected to a wireless network that allows for prices to be updated in real-time – instead of it being done manually by a store clerk.
Supermarkets say the technology will help cut down on waste and help with efficiency in stores.
