Stars like Paris Hilton, Beyonce, and Jamie Lee Curtis are helping families affected by the LA fires. The fires destroyed thousands of homes, killing at least 24 people. Paris Hilton lost her Malibu home and donated $100,000 to support displaced families and animal charities. Beyonce gave $2.5 million through her foundation for fire relief in Pasadena and Altadena. Eva Longoria, Jamie Lee Curtis, and others pledged $1 million each. Prince Harry and Meghan donated supplies and helped distribute food. Celebrities like Mel Gibson and Jeff Bridges also lost their homes. The Oscars and Grammys remain scheduled despite the devastation.

Rescuers in South Africa pulled 6 more bodies from a disused gold mine in Stilfontein. The miners have been trapped since a police crackdown on illegal mining began last year. Eight men were rescued on Tuesday, adding to 26 saved on Monday. Nine bodies were recovered earlier. Some videos show emaciated miners and bodies underground. Authorities have been criticised for delaying rescue efforts. A court ordered the rescue last week. Hundreds are still believed to be underground, with more than 1,000 surfacing in recent months. The rescue involves lowering a cage to bring people up from the 2km-deep shaft.

Laurene Powell Jobs, widow of late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, fell ill during her visit to the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. Staying at Swami Kailashanand Giri’s camp, she developed allergies due to the overwhelming crowd and environment. Despite her condition, the 61-year-old philanthropist, recently given the Hindu name "Kamala," is determined to take a holy dip at the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers. Powell Jobs earlier visited the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi. The Maha Kumbh, occurring after 144 years, is expected to host 450M devotees over 45 days.

A tiger from Jharkhand has entered West Bengal’s Jhargram district, prompting Bengal Forest Minister Birbaha Hansda to declare it will not be returned if captured. The big cat’s arrival follows the recent episode of tigress Zeenat, who wandered through five Bengal districts, sparking tensions between West Bengal and Odisha. Without a radio collar, experts find it challenging to trace the tiger's origin. Forest officials have identified its pugmarks in Jhargram and Purulia districts and deployed teams, including those from Sunderban Tiger Reserve, to capture it. Hansda emphasized Bengal's forests' suitability for tigers, citing ample prey and habitat availability.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s claim that India’s Modi-led government lost the 2024 election due to its Covid-19 response has sparked controversy. Speaking on Joe Rogan’s podcast, Zuckerberg suggested most governments were defeated post-pandemic. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, chair of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and IT, called the remarks disinformation and demanded an apology. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw refuted the claims, highlighting the NDA's decisive victory and achievements, including free food for 800M people and 2.2B vaccines. Vaishnaw called for facts and credibility, while Meta remains silent. Parliamentary action against the tech giant is now expected.

Negotiations for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release are progressing in Qatar, with Israel and Hamas reportedly nearing an agreement. Indirect talks, held in the same building for the first time, have led to a tentative deal framework. Hamas is set to release hostages in exchange for Israel withdrawing troops from key areas and releasing 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. US President Joe Biden and Qatar’s Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani are mediating. Despite opposition within Israel's government, optimism grows as the war continues to devastate Gaza, with over 46,500 fatalities reported. Details are being finalized to start phased peace efforts.

Dr. S. Somanath, ISRO chairman, has stepped down, leaving a legacy of extraordinary accomplishments, including Chandrayaan-3’s historic Moon landing and Aditya-L1’s solar mission launch. Despite battling cancer during critical mission phases, Somanath’s leadership ensured India’s space exploration prominence. His tenure also advanced the Gaganyaan program for human spaceflight and innovative projects like the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle. Dr. V. Narayanan, ISRO’s new chief, plans ambitious missions like Chandrayaan-4, a space station by 2028, and navigation satellites. Narayanan’s extensive experience promises to uphold ISRO’s innovative streak and international collaboration, heralding a new era in India’s space exploration.

The political row between Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal escalated after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accused the Congress leader of abusing Kejriwal during a Delhi rally. AAP Haryana president Sushil Gupta alleged Gandhi hurled insults and compared his campaign to BJP's. Gupta predicted Congress would fail again in Delhi elections. Congress refuted the claims, with leader Abhishek Dutt stating Gandhi merely called Kejriwal a "liquor mafia" linked to the liquor scam. He accused Kejriwal of making false promises and swearing falsely on his children. Delhi polls on February 5 will test AAP's dominance and Congress's comeback hopes.

Amid growing criticism of Gautam Gambhir's tenure as India's cricket coach, former England spinner Monty Panesar suggested the BCCI explore separate coaches for different formats. Gambhir, under whose leadership India lost ODI and Test series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand, is reportedly under scrutiny. Panesar highlighted challenges in Gambhir’s transition to coaching, noting his past batting struggles in Australia and England. Panesar proposed VVS Laxman as a Test coach, citing his credibility and success across conditions. Laxman’s expertise could command greater respect within the team, potentially addressing concerns over Gambhir’s effectiveness. Discussions within the BCCI are anticipated.

Six Army jawans from the Gorkha Rifles sustained injuries during a routine patrol near Khamba Fort in Rajouri, Jammu & Kashmir, on Tuesday. The accidental mine blast occurred at approximately 10:45 am. The injured personnel were promptly transported to a nearby hospital, where their condition is reported to be stable. The vehicle involved, part of the 11 Madras Light Infantry (11 MLI), was traveling from Nilam Headquarters to Balnoi Ghora Post. Authorities are investigating the incident, and further details are awaited.