NASA and SpaceX have carried out the first medical evacuation from the International Space Station (ISS), bringing four astronauts home early due to an undisclosed health issue affecting one crew member. The SpaceX Crew-11 team — Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke, Kimiya Yui, and Oleg Platonov — undocked from the ISS on Jan. 14 and is set to splash down off the California coast on Jan. 15. NASA has not disclosed details of the medical condition, citing privacy, but confirmed the astronaut is stable. The mission was cut short from its original schedule to allow full medical evaluation on Earth. (PC: NASA)

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer drew Parliament's laughter and groans with a crude joke comparing Conservative leadership changes to the Kama Sutra during Prime Minister's Questions. Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch criticized Starmer's policy reversal on digital identity checks, which shifted from mandatory to optional despite previous commitments. Badenoch questioned the government's ability to govern, citing Health Secretary Wes Streeting's recent call to "get it right first time." Starmer defended the shift while attacking Conservatives over frequent leadership changes, dubbing them the "Ikea shadow cabinet." The exchange expanded to inheritance tax affecting farmers and party defections, with neither side claiming victory though the digital ID reversal increased pressure on Starmer. (PC: AP)

Canada's Royal Canadian Mounted Police claimed in a confidential report that the Lawrence Bishnoi gang operates "on behalf of the Indian government," despite being designated a terrorist organization. The three-page RCMP intelligence review, obtained by Global News, mentions alleged Indian government ties six times while tracking the gang's expanding Canadian footprint. The report describes Bishnoi's organization as involved in extortion, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, and assassinations motivated by "greed" rather than political or religious reasons. Indian Ambassador Dinesh Patnaik countered by highlighting Canada's 40-year inaction on terrorism despite India's warnings, questioning how these elements entered Canada initially. The allegations emerge as India-Canada relations tentatively recover. (PC: Reuters)

Two Indian PhD students at University of Colorado Boulder won a $200,000 (₹1.8 crore) civil rights settlement after facing discrimination over cooking Indian food. Aditya Prakash, 34, was confronted in September 2023 about palak paneer's "pungent smell" while heating lunch in a departmental microwave. His partner, Urmi Bhattacheryya, 35, supported him and was subsequently fired from her teaching assistant position without explanation. The university withheld their master's degrees and created a hostile environment. Their lawsuit argued the reaction to cultural food manifested "systemic bias" against international students. In September 2025, the university settled, paying $200,000 and conferring degrees, though barring future enrollment or employment. (PC: Instagram)

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar received a call from Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi discussing the evolving situation amid massive anti-government protests in Iran. India has issued a fresh advisory urging all nationals including students, pilgrims, businesspersons, and tourists to leave Iran immediately and avoid non-essential travel. Protests erupted in late December after the rial plunged to record lows, spreading across all 31 provinces with rights groups reporting over 2,500 deaths during the crackdown. The US has begun withdrawing personnel from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar as precaution, while Trump threatens intervention. Iran warned regional countries hosting American forces about possible retaliation if Washington strikes. (PC: PTI)

Pakistan signed an agreement with World Liberty Financial, the Trump family's crypto business, to develop cross-border digital payment systems using USD1 stablecoin. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and WLF co-founder Zachary Witkoff signed the deal in Islamabad, marking one of World Liberty's first public country partnerships. The agreement involves integrating WLF's stablecoin into Pakistan's regulated digital payments structure through collaboration with the central bank. This follows multiple meetings between Pakistani officials and Trump in 2024, drawing criticism from US officials including former National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, who accused the White House of prioritizing Trump family business interests over traditional US-India ties. The deal comes amid warming US-Pakistan relations. (PC: X/Ali Farid Khwaja)

India’s traditionally built stitched sailing vessel INSV Kaundinya has successfully concluded its historic 18-day voyage from **Porbandar, Gujarat, to Muscat, Oman, docking at Port Sultan Qaboos with celebratory greetings and a water salute. The vessel, inspired by 5th-century Indian ship designs from Ajanta Cave paintings, was constructed using ancient stitched-plank techniques, showcasing India’s rich maritime heritage and craftsmanship. Skipper Commander Vikas Sheoran led a 16-member crew, with Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council member Sanjeev Sanyal sharing progress updates on social media. The journey symbolises cultural exchange, nautical skill, and strengthening ties between India and Oman. 

Two Indian PhD students, Aditya Prakash and Urmi Bhattacheryya, secured a $200,000 (around ₹1.8 crore) civil rights settlement from the University of Colorado Boulder after alleging discrimination linked to a 2023 incident involving palak paneer. Prakash was reportedly told not to heat his lunch in a shared microwave because of its “pungent smell,” which they say led to hostile treatment, retaliation and lost opportunities. The couple filed a federal lawsuit claiming a discriminatory environment and kitchen policies biased against South Asians. The settlement also included the granting of their Master’s degrees, though the university denied liability and barred them from future enrolment or employment. (PC: India Today)

U.S. President Donald Trump declared that anything less than Greenland being “in the hands” of the United States is “unacceptable,” reigniting his controversial push to gain control over the strategic, resource-rich Arctic territory. Trump argued Greenland is vital for U.S. national security and said NATO should lead efforts to secure it, warning that Russia or China might otherwise gain influence. The remarks came just hours before White House talks hosted by Vice-President JD Vance with Danish and Greenlandic officials amid firm Danish and Greenlandic rejection of U.S. ownership and concerns over sovereignty and transatlantic relations. (PC: AP)

The festive kite-flying season in India has turned deadly as illegal “Chinese manjha” — glass-coated nylon kite string — has been linked to at least four deaths in one day and numerous serious injuries, police and hospital reports say. The sharp, banned thread slices through skin and throats of bystanders, especially motorcyclists, and poses risks to pedestrians and wildlife. Despite bans under safety laws, the dangerous string continues to be sold and used ahead of Makar Sankranti, prompting authorities to warn the public, enforce raids, and urge safer cotton alternatives to prevent further tragedies. (PC: PTI)