Sri Rajarajeshwari Peetham has announced the schedule and spiritual framework for its Kailash Manasarovar Yatra 2026, while also outlining the broader scope of religious and ritual activities conducted by the organization across multiple countries. The yatra, scheduled from July 20 to August 4, 2026, is positioned as one of the organization’s major pilgrimages, distinct from its year-round spiritual programs carried out globally. The Kailash Manasarovar Yatra will take pilgrims th

Hundreds of U.S. troops have begun evacuating from a major air base in Qatar as part of a coordinated precautionary effort amid rising tensions with Iran. The move comes as the U.S. administration considers a range of military and diplomatic options in response to Iran’s crackdown on nationwide protests, raising concerns about potential retaliation against American forces stationed across the region. Service members at Al Udeid Air Base are being relocated to other military installa

Senior officials from the United States, Greenland, and Denmark are set to hold critical talks at the White House on Wednesday as tensions escalate over Washington’s renewed push to bring the Arctic island under U.S. control. The meeting comes amid increasingly forceful rhetoric from President Donald Trump, raising fresh concerns about transatlantic relations and the future cohesion of NATO. Greenland Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt and Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmuss

The Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday issued a renewed travel advisory advising Indian citizens to refrain from travelling to Iran, citing the deteriorating security situation amid widespread anti-government protests across the country. The warning comes as unrest in Iran enters its third consecutive week, with the capital city of Tehran remaining one of the focal points of the demonstrations. In an official statement, the ministry said that Indian nationals are being “onc

The United States State Department is preparing to pause visa processing for applicants from approximately 75 countries beginning January 21, according to an internal departmental directive. The measure instructs consular officers to deny visa applications under existing immigration law while the department conducts a broad reassessment of screening and vetting standards. The pause is described as indefinite, with only very limited exceptions expected during the review period. The c

At least 22 people were killed and more than 30 others injured after a construction crane collapsed onto a passenger train in northeast Thailand on Wednesday morning, derailing multiple coaches and triggering a fire, local authorities said. The incident occurred during peak travel hours, turning a routine commute into one of the deadliest rail disasters the country has seen in recent years. Police officials confirmed that the accident took place at around 9:00 am local time in Nakho

Global K-pop sensation BTS has officially announced its highly anticipated return to live performances with a massive world tour scheduled across 2026 and 2027. This will be the group’s first major tour in several years, drawing excitement from fans worldwide and marking the largest tour of their career. The tour will include more than 70 stops across multiple continents, with Chicago confirmed as one of the major North American dates, highlighting the group’s enduring global appeal.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said he held a constructive and wide-ranging discussion with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, focusing on key areas of bilateral and strategic cooperation between the two countries. The conversation reflected the ongoing engagement between New Delhi and Washington as both sides continue to strengthen ties across multiple sectors of mutual interest. In a message shared on social media platform X, Jaishankar described the interaction as a “good conversation,” noting that the talks covered important subjects including trade, critical minerals, nuclear cooperation, defence collaboration and energy security. These areas have emerged as central pillars of the evolving India-US partnership, particularly in the context of shifting global economic and geopolitical dynamics. The discussion on trade and economic engagement comes at a time when both countries are exploring ways to deepen supply chain resilience and expand market access. Cooperation on critical minerals has gained added importance amid global efforts to secure resources essential for advanced manufacturing, clean energy technologies and strategic industries. Nuclear cooperation and defence ties were also part of the agenda, underscoring the growing convergence in security interests and technological collaboration. Energy cooperation featured prominently in the talks, reflecting shared priorities related to energy security, sustainability and long-term growth. India and the United States have increasingly worked together on conventional and clean energy initiatives, including efforts to address climate challenges while meeting rising energy demands. Jaishankar said both sides agreed to remain in close touch on these and other issues, signalling continuity in diplomatic engagement and policy coordination. The exchange highlights the emphasis placed by both governments on maintaining regular dialogue to address global challenges, regional stability and economic opportunities. The conversation forms part of ongoing diplomatic efforts to reinforce the strategic partnership between India and the United States, which continues to expand across political, economic and security domains.

Ueli Kestenholz, a former Olympic bronze medalist and one of Switzerland’s most influential figures in competitive snowboarding, has died following an avalanche accident in the Swiss Alps. He was 50. The Swiss Ski Federation confirmed Kestenholz’s death on Tuesday, stating that the former Olympic athlete was fatally injured after being caught in an avalanche on Sunday in the Lötschental valley in southern Switzerland. Kestenholz had been snowboarding on an eastern slope in the

Microblogging platform X, formerly known as Twitter, experienced a widespread global outage on Tuesday, January 13, disrupting access for users across several regions. The platform, which hosts a wide range of content spanning news, entertainment, sports, and general discussion, saw users report significant difficulty in accessing both its mobile application and website. Complaints began surfacing as users encountered loading issues, delayed responses, and intermittent service interruptions.

A tragic road accident in the eastern Kazakhstan city of Oskemen has resulted in the death of an Indian student and left two others injured, according to confirmation from the Indian Embassy in the country. The incident involved a group of Indian medical students enrolled at Semey Medical University who were returning from an excursion to the Altai Mountains, a well-known destination in the region. The accident has deeply affected the Indian student community and raised renewed concerns over stu

NEW YORK — Nurses across New York City returned to picket lines Tuesday for the second day of what union leaders describe as the largest nurses strike in the city’s history, as contract negotiations with major hospital systems remain unresolved. The strike, which began early Monday, involves an estimated 15,000 nurses from hospitals within the Mount Sinai, Montefiore and NewYork-Presbyterian networks. Picketing resumed outside multiple hospital facilities Tuesday morning, though

The United States sharply criticised Russia on Monday, January 12, for its use of a nuclear-capable Oreshnik ballistic missile in Ukraine, describing the launch as a dangerous and unjustified escalation of the ongoing conflict. The condemnation was delivered during an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council convened to address the latest developments in the war. Addressing the council, US Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Tammy Bruce said Russia’s decision t

Apple is preparing to introduce a major upgrade to its digital assistant through a multiyear partnership with Google that will bring advanced AI capabilities to Siri using Gemini models. This collaboration represents a significant evolution in Apple’s artificial intelligence strategy, enabling more natural conversations, improved contextual understanding, and deeper integration across devices. The enhanced version of Siri is expected to arrive later this year and marks Apple’s most prominent

Thousands of nurses across several major hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after labor negotiations failed to produce a new contract before the deadline. The walkout, which began early January 12, involves nurses from Mount Sinai Hospital and two affiliated campuses, as well as staff at New York-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx. Union officials say the action represents one of the largest nursing strikes in the city’s history, both in scale and i

Australia has moved India into its highest-risk category for student visa applicants, a decision that will result in stricter scrutiny and longer processing timelines for thousands of prospective students. The change, implemented under Australia’s Simplified Student Visa Framework, takes effect from January 8, 2026, and represents an out-of-cycle reclassification driven by concerns over emerging integrity risks in the student visa system. Under the revised framework, India has bee

Veteran character actor T.K. Carter, whose career spanned nearly five decades across film, television, and voice acting, has died at the age of 69. Carter was best known to audiences for his role as Nauls in John Carpenter’s 1982 cult-classic horror film The Thing, a performance that secured his place in genre cinema history and continues to resonate with fans decades later. Authorities discovered Carter’s body on Friday at his home in Duarte, California, after a welfare check w

Melissa Gilbert publicly reflected on the lasting impact of child exploitation in the entertainment industry weeks before her husband, actor and director Timothy Busfield, became the subject of an arrest warrant linked to allegations of sexual misconduct involving minors in New Mexico. According to an arrest warrant issued by the Albuquerque Police Department on January 9, authorities allege that Busfield, 68, engaged in unlawful sexual contact with two 11-year-old twin boys. The identities of the minors have not been released. One of the children reportedly told investigators that the alleged conduct began when he was seven years old. The warrant outlines two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. The warrant was issued following a lengthy investigation that began in November 2024, after a physician at the University of New Mexico Hospital contacted law enforcement regarding possible sexual abuse. Investigators were informed that the boys were child actors who had met Busfield while working on the television series The Cleaning Lady, where he served as a director during its production run from 2022 through 2025. The children’s parents told police that medical professionals raised concerns that the boys may have been groomed. At the time, officials determined the case did not meet the criteria for further action. The matter resurfaced in October 2025, when the children’s mother filed a formal police report and contacted Child Protective Services, stating that both boys disclosed abuse allegedly occurring between November 2022 and spring 2024. She was later informed that without evidence of physical injury, additional steps could not be taken at that stage. During interviews with investigators, Busfield reportedly denied the allegations and suggested the parents were motivated by frustration after their children were replaced by another actor. Shortly thereafter, he was notified by a studio that an internal inquiry had been initiated following a complaint. The warrant also notes that Busfield had been accused of sexual assault in a separate matter in 1994, though no charges were filed at that time. Weeks before the warrant became public, Gilbert, 61, shared a personal message on social media reflecting on her own experiences as a minor working in television. In the post, she described revisiting images from her teenage years and confronting the reality that she had been expected to portray romantic scenes with significantly older co-stars. Writing through a modern lens, Gilbert emphasized that she was a child at the time and expressed gratitude that trusted adults were present to protect her, while acknowledging that many young performers are not afforded similar safeguards. Her comments were part of a broader response to public discourse surrounding the minimization of child sexual exploitation. Gilbert cautioned against language that downplays abuse and urged greater care when discussing crimes involving minors. Gilbert and Busfield have been married since 2013 and have spoken publicly about their long relationship, which began after reconnecting in 2012. In April of last year, Gilbert marked their wedding anniversary with a social media tribute highlighting their family life and creative partnership. Representatives for both Gilbert and Busfield have not issued public statements regarding the arrest warrant. The investigation remains ongoing, and no arrest had been made as of the warrant’s issuance. Authorities have emphasized that the allegations are claims and that Busfield is entitled to due process as the legal proceedings move forward. Law enforcement officials continue to encourage anyone with information related to child abuse to report concerns to appropriate authorities, noting that early reporting can be critical in protecting vulnerable individuals.

A small passenger aircraft operating an IndiaOne Air service crashed in Odisha on Saturday, prompting an immediate emergency response from local authorities and aviation officials. The aircraft, a nine-seater, was en route from Rourkela to Bhubaneswar when it went down in a rural area approximately 10 to 15 kilometres from Rourkela. The incident has raised concerns over flight safety and led to the launch of a formal investigation to determine the cause of the crash. According to pr

Several airlines operating from the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Qatar suspended flights to Iran on Friday as widespread protests and communication disruptions continued to affect the country, leading to growing uncertainty across the regional aviation sector. The cancellations affected key routes linking major Gulf and Turkish hubs with Iranian cities, underscoring the broader impact of the unrest on international travel. According to information published on the Dubai Airports