PM Modi to Host German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Maiden India Visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will welcome German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on January 12–13, marking the Chancellor’s first official visit to India since assuming office. The two-day engagement aims to deepen the India–Germany Strategic Partnership, with a focus on enhancing cooperation in trade, investment, defence, and clean energy.

Veteran Malayalam Actor Punnapra Appachan Passes Away at 77

Veteran Malayalam character actor Punnapra Appachan has died at the age of 77. He sustained serious head injuries from a fall and was undergoing treatment at hospitals in Ernakulam before being moved to Vandanam Medical College Hospital, where he ultimately succumbed to internal bleeding. His demise brings to a close a prolific acting career that spanned nearly six decades, leaving a significant imprint on Malayalam cinema.

Uttar Pradesh Inaugurates State's First Dedicated Braille Library

In a landmark move for inclusive education, Uttar Pradesh has launched its first Braille library exclusively for persons with visual impairment. Established at Dr. Shakuntala Mishra National Rehabilitation University in Lucknow, the facility is designed to enhance access to quality academic resources and foster greater independence and dignity among visually impaired learners.

India Launches Pioneering Environmental Lab to Transform Air Quality Monitoring

India has inaugurated the world's second National Environmental Standard Laboratory, a landmark development poised to revolutionize environmental governance and domestic manufacturing. Established at the CSIR–National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL) in New Delhi, the facility was unveiled by Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh during the institution's 80th Foundation Day celebrations. With this, India joins the United Kingdom as the only nation to possess such an advanced environmental calibration center.

Delcy Rodríguez Assumes Venezuelan Presidency Amid Unprecedented Crisis

In a dramatic shift of power, Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as Venezuela’s new president following the capture of former leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife by United States forces. Her sudden elevation occurs during a period of extreme geopolitical instability. Rodríguez inherits a nation confronting a fractured political landscape, a crippled economy, and the enduring legacy of the Bolivarian Revolution, a political system fundamentally defined by its resistance to external influence, particularly from the United States.