London’s River Thames will host a traditional Ganga Aarti on September 13, 2026, bringing a centuries-old Indian spiritual tradition to the UK. The ceremony will be held at the historic Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich and is being organised by Chinmaya Mission UK in collaboration with Totally Thames. The event will feature Indian music, dance, food and community activities before culminating in the evening aarti. The ceremony aims to create a symbolic connection between the Ganga and Thames while introducing Indian cultural heritage to a wider audience. The event is open to people of all backgrounds, highlighting cultural exchange and community participation. (PC: Unsplash)

Indian criminal defence lawyer Vijay Aggarwal, who represents fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi, was reportedly detained by UK immigration authorities in London over alleged immigration and work-permit violations. Reports said British officials inspected a property in Mayfair following a landlord’s complaint, where Aggarwal was allegedly found working professionally without the required permissions. A substantial amount of cash was also reportedly discovered at the premises, though its source remained under investigation. Several junior lawyers from Aggarwal’s firm were reportedly present during the inspection. Aggarwal is known for representing Choksi in legal proceedings across jurisdictions, including India and Belgium, and challenging his extradition. He has also handled prominent corporate crime, financial fraud and 2G spectrum-related cases. (PC: X)

A 40-year-old Indian-origin man, Jagendar Kurana, has been arrested in Surrey, Canada, over the alleged sexual assault of a young woman at Bear Creek Park. Police said the woman reported on August 9 that an adult man groped her before fleeing. She was not physically injured. The suspect was described as a South Asian male, about 5'8", wearing a blue Adidas toque, black T-shirt, black pants and black flip-flops. After extensive patrols and a public appeal with photographs, police identified and arrested Kurana on August 12. The British Columbia Prosecution Service approved charges of sexual assault and sexual interference. Kurana remains in custody awaiting a bail hearing as investigations continue further. (PC: AFP)

Nine Bangladeshi nationals, including a child, were killed and six others injured after a fire broke out at a hotel on Mirza Ghalib Street in Kolkata around 2 am, according to the Fire Department. The victims had reportedly travelled to the city for medical treatment. Two fire tenders were deployed as firefighters conducted rescue and search operations at the hotel. Further details on the cause of the blaze and the identities of the victims were awaited. The report also mentioned a separate hotel fire in Tarapith, West Bengal, where at least eight people were reportedly killed after being trapped inside, with rescue operations continuing and fears that the toll could rise.

Indian-origin woman Venkata Vasamsetty, who has lived lawfully in the US for 27 years and held a Green Card since 2013, has been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). A special-needs teacher in North Carolina, Vasamsetty has no criminal record and is the mother of two US citizens and grandmother of two US citizen children, according to her family and lawyer. She was detained on August 11 during a scheduled ICE check-in in Charlotte, months after an immigration judge terminated her deportation case. Vasamsetty had travelled to India to care for her ailing parents, but her return was delayed after she contracted Covid-19. She is reportedly being held at a detention centre in Georgia. (PC: Zoe Ji Wilson/Linkedin)

An Indian woman living in Australia has claimed she was fined A$1,800, around Rs 1.3 lakh, after steam from a five-minute shower allegedly triggered her building’s fire alarm. Vamika said she did not switch on the bathroom exhaust fan because she gets cold easily. The alarm sounded shortly after her shower, prompting a building manager to enter her apartment. She later claimed the charge was linked to the fire service response. Her experience sparked an online debate over whether shower steam can trigger alarms and whether residents should bear emergency-response costs. Some users questioned the alarm’s placement and sensitivity, while others suggested residents should receive warnings or exemptions before facing charges.

India on Tuesday said its position on former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s August 5 press interaction in New Delhi “needs no repetition”, as Dhaka linked Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s proposed India visit to action on Hasina’s extradition request. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India remains committed to “positive, constructive and forward-looking relations” with Bangladesh based on mutual interests and reciprocity. He reiterated that Hasina’s extradition request is being examined through India’s established processes. Bangladesh said Hasina’s interaction had disrupted efforts to facilitate Rahman’s visit and sought action under the bilateral extradition treaty. The episode has emerged as another obstacle to improving India-Bangladesh ties, already strained since Hasina fled to India in August 2024.

An Indian-origin woman who has lived in the US for 27 years has been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), despite an immigration judge dismissing her deportation case in May. Venkata Narsamamba Vasamsetty, a green card holder since 2013 and grandmother of 2, was detained on August 11 during a scheduled ICE check-in. Authorities had previously questioned whether she abandoned her permanent residency after spending about 7 months in India in 2022 while caring for her seriously ill parents and recovering from COVID-19. Her lawyer says DHS failed to meet a court deadline, leading to the case being dismissed. Her legal team has challenged her detention. (PC: NDTV)

Indian-origin jazz musician Pritesh Walia has spoken about his 14-day detention by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement after he was allegedly accused of overstaying his visa. Walia said he was unexpectedly detained after returning to Los Angeles on August 2 and was later transferred to the Adelanto ICE Processing Centre. After being released on bond, he described the experience as frightening, saying he felt “scared, hopeless, and completely broken.” Born and raised in New Delhi, Walia began studying Indian classical music at 13 before moving to the US for higher education. He thanked his family, girlfriend, lawyer and the music community for their support.  

Bangladesh has said it does not want its friendly relations with India to deteriorate over the long-pending Teesta water-sharing dispute. Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee urged New Delhi to consider Bangladesh’s interests while protecting its own. Dhaka is also pushing a proposed Teesta River restoration and management project with Chinese support to address floods, erosion and dry-season water shortages in northern districts. Anee said Bangladesh urgently needs a water-sharing agreement but would proceed with the project regardless of whether it is called a treaty or master plan. India has said the issue should involve all relevant stakeholders, including West Bengal. (PC: IndiaToday)