RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, speaking at the Universal Oneness Celebration in New York, urged Indian-Americans to remain loyal to the country where they live and work. Calling India their “janma bhumi” and America their “karma bhumi,” he said the diaspora should first fulfil its responsibilities to American society before voluntarily contributing to India. Bhagwat also emphasised India’s tradition of unity in diversity, saying different identities should be respected and protected. Addressing concerns about minorities, he said Hinduism does not support excluding Muslims or other communities. His remarks came amid opposition to his US visit from some groups. (PC: PTI)

India has rescued 108 nationals from flood-hit Nepal and re-established contact with 50 others who were earlier untraceable, the Ministry of External Affairs said. However, more than 275 Indian nationals and 128 persons of Indian origin remain missing. The MEA said 598 Indians had safely crossed into Nepal from China over the past two days, while around 900 others stranded in China were safe and contactable. India is coordinating rescue and relief operations with Nepal and China, with round-the-clock control rooms and emergency helplines operating. Authorities are also facilitating the return of Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims.  

Nepal Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle has praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India’s support after devastating floods killed more than 600 people in Nepal. Calling Modi “exceptionally generous”, Wagle said New Delhi had indicated it would provide substantial assistance for Nepal’s reconstruction. Since Wednesday, India has sent 57.6 tonnes of relief supplies and deployed an 11-member team of medical and tunnel rescue experts following a request from Kathmandu. Nepal has also mobilised more than 11,000 security personnel for rescue operations. Authorities are now focusing on saving stranded people, restoring connectivity and delivering relief to areas cut off by damaged roads. (PC: NDTV)

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has said that a Hindu Rashtra does not mean excluding Muslims from India, adding that a Hindu who believes Muslims should have no place in the country may not truly understand Hindutva. Speaking at the One World, One Humanity event in New York, Bhagwat recalled a 2018 conversation with members of the Muslim community, who asked whether Hindus wanted to drive Muslims out of India. He said his answer was no, calling such an idea contrary to Hindutva. Bhagwat had made similar remarks earlier, saying a Hindu Rashtra could not exist without Muslims. (PC: India Today)

Infosys Public Services CEO Lax Gopisetty is currently unreachable after devastating floods struck Nepal, where he was visiting in a personal capacity, the IT company said on Friday.   The floods have killed at least 626 people, while 2,426 others remain unaccounted for, according to Nepal’s disaster management authority. More than 4,400 people have been rescued.   Infosys said it was working with relevant agencies to establish contact with Gopisetty and remained in close touch with his family, providing all necessary support.   The company said its immediate priority was Gopisetty’s safety and wellbeing amid the massive disaster. (PC: business line)

Indian AI scientist Anima Anandkumar has been named among TIME’s 100 most influential people in artificial intelligence for 2026. An IIT Madras alumna, Anandkumar is known for her work on AI systems that model the physical world, with applications in weather forecasting, medicine, quantum computing and nuclear fusion. Her research has helped make weather predictions thousands of times faster. She has also served on the UN Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board. Anandkumar has worked at NVIDIA and is a professor at the California Institute of Technology, where she continues research on AI for scientific discovery. (PC: wikipedia)

Bodies of victims from Nepal's devastating flash floods have washed up more than 100 miles away in neighbouring India, as rescue teams battle rain, fog and rapidly decomposing remains. Eight bodies were recovered in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, while another was found around 250 miles downstream in Nepal's Lumbini province. The combined death toll in Nepal and Tibet has risen to 633, with nearly 3,000 people still missing, including at least 540 foreigners. Authorities are collecting DNA samples before quickly burying decomposed bodies. Search operations were again suspended on Saturday due to bad weather.  

4 Indian nationals have been rescued from the Rasuwa hydropower project in flood-hit Nepal, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said on Saturday. The rescue comes as search operations continue for 287 Indians still missing after the devastating floods near Nepal’s border with China.   The death toll in Nepal has risen to 675, according to the country’s disaster management authority. Floods have destroyed roads and bridges, making rescue operations difficult. India has sent an 11-member medical and tunnel rescue team to Kathmandu to assist Nepalese authorities as relief efforts continue. (PC: X)

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani celebrated Raksha Bandhan with the Indian and South Asian community at India Home, a community centre for South Asian seniors. Photos shared by Mamdani showed an elderly woman tying a rakhi on his wrist.   Calling the festival’s thread a symbol of a promise to “protect, support and stand by one another,” Mamdani said the spirit should extend across New York. He added that the city should continue working towards becoming safer and more affordable for all residents. (PC: X)

Hyderabad-origin tech professional Nikitha Godishala, 27, was found dead with stab wounds in Maryland, US, after being reported missing on New Year’s Eve 2025. US investigators accused her former boyfriend and roommate, Arjun Sharma, 26, of killing her and fleeing to India. Sharma allegedly left the US after reporting Nikitha missing and later came under Indian authorities’ radar during a cheating investigation filed in Telangana. Hyderabad Police, assisted by Agra authorities, traced and arrested him from a flat in Agra, eight months after the killing. US authorities had issued murder warrants, and extradition proceedings are now underway. (PC: NDTV)