Author: News Desk

Cape Canaveral, Florida: Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin is set to launch its New Glenn rocket early Monday, 13th January in a highly anticipated inaugural mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, marking a major milestone in its quest to rival Elon Musk’s SpaceX in the competitive satellite launch market. Standing at an impressive 30 stories tall, the partially reusable New Glenn rocket is scheduled for liftoff at 1:30 am ET (0630 GMT). Fuelled by methane and liquid oxygen, the rocket is poised to demonstrate Blue Origin’s capabilities after a decade-long, multi-billion-dollar development journey. The mission will also include an attempt…

Prayagraj, India: The Kumbh Mela, hailed as the world’s largest spiritual gathering, has begun in Prayagraj, India, attracting millions of devotees to the sacred confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers. The festival, held every 12 years, will run from January 13 to February 26, 2025, and is expected to draw an estimated 400 million pilgrims over 45 days, with 20 million visitors anticipated on peak days. Spiritual Significance Hindus believe bathing in the holy rivers purifies the soul, cleanses sins, and offers liberation from the cycle of birth and death. This year’s festival is considered particularly…

Paris: At least 30 people were injured after two trams collided at Strasbourg’s central station. The accident occurred in the afternoon in a tunnel leading to the station near the city’s central train station. Authorities reported chaotic scenes as smoke rose from the crash site, and alarms sounded. One tram switched tracks and collided with a stationary tram, while other reports suggest one tram was reversing at the time of the collision. Eyewitnesses described hearing a loud impact and seeing tram doors fly off. A large security perimeter was set up around the station, and emergency services urged the public…

Los Angeles: Firefighters are making an all-out effort to prevent the Palisades fire from spreading into Los Angeles’ Brentwood neighborhood, one of the city’s most exclusive areas. The fire has already scorched nearly 23,000 acres and is only 11% contained. Aerial crews have been using water and fire retardant to try to hold back the flames, which have now expanded an additional 1,000 acres and are threatening to engulf Mandeville Canyon, prompting evacuation orders for the area. The fire has already claimed at least 16 lives, with 11 deaths linked to the Eaton fire and five to the Palisades fire.…

London, UK: Passengers on Great Britain’s west coast mainline will experience significant disruptions every Sunday from January 12 to May 25, 2025, as train managers strike over a rest-day pay dispute, represented by the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT). The strikes will reduce services operated by Avanti West Coast, which runs key routes between London, Birmingham, and Glasgow. The company has urged passengers to avoid traveling on Sundays during this period and instead use tickets on other days or apply for fee-free refunds. Service Reductions Avanti West Coast has announced a “significantly reduced” timetable; London Euston:…

Los Angeles: Two major wildfires in the Los Angeles area have claimed at least 10 lives and destroyed around 10,000 homes and structures, with a third fire forcing the evacuation of thousands more residents. The Kenneth fire, which erupted in West Hills on Thursday 9th of January, comes as crews continue to battle the Palisades and Eaton fires, which have already scorched over 30,000 acres and destroyed more than 5,000 structures in each of the affected areas. Nearly 180,000 people are under evacuation orders, with another 200,000 facing warnings to leave. Over 285,000 residents are without electricity, and critical water…

Washington DC: US aviation giant Boeing has announced a $1 million donation to President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural fund, joining other major firms supporting the January 20 event. Google has made a similar contribution, alongside donations from companies like Meta, Amazon, Uber, Chevron, Ford, General Motors, and Toyota. Boeing said that, “We are pleased to continue Boeing’s bipartisan tradition of supporting US Presidential Inaugural Committees.” The company added that it has made similar donations to each of the past three presidential inauguration funds. Boeing highlighted its tradition of bipartisan support for inaugural committees and noted its ongoing work on the next…

Geneva: As winter settles in across the Northern Hemisphere, several countries have seen an increase in acute respiratory infections (ARIs). This trend is typically driven by seasonal epidemics of respiratory pathogens such as seasonal influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus (hMPV), and mycoplasma pneumoniae, says WHO in a report released earlier this week. The rise in ARI cases aligns with typical seasonal patterns, with influenza-like illness (ILI) and ARI rates surpassing baseline levels in recent weeks. About the situation Countries across Europe, Central America, the Caribbean, Western Africa, and many parts of Asia are experiencing heightened influenza activity, with…

London: The British pound has fallen to its lowest level in nine months, following a rise in UK government borrowing costs. UK 10-year borrowing costs surged to their highest level since the 2008 financial crisis, when bank borrowing nearly came to a halt, leading to fears of further tax increases or cuts in government spending. Economists have warned that these rising borrowing costs could force the government to raise taxes or reduce spending to meet its self-imposed borrowing target. A Treasury spokesperson emphasized that meeting fiscal rules is “non-negotiable” and that the government will maintain strict control over public finances.…

Los Angeles: California’s Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency as a fast-moving wildfire, fueled by high winds, sweeps through the suburbs of Los Angeles. The blaze is particularly impacting the upscale Pacific Palisades area, known for its celebrity residents. Governor Newsom urged residents of Southern California to remain vigilant, follow local emergency guidance, and take necessary precautions. The wildfire, driven by “life-threatening” winds, has prompted evacuations of approximately 30,000 people in the Pacific Palisades, located between Santa Monica and Malibu. The fire is spreading through the foothills, and its smoke can be seen from as far as…