Indian Railways will launch its first Vande Bharat Sleeper train between Guwahati and Kolkata later this month. Officials said the service will be open only to the general public and no VIP or emergency quota will be allowed. Railway passes will not be valid on the train. Only confirmed tickets will be issued and RAC will not be permitted. Passengers will get upgraded bedrolls with better blankets and covers. The train will have staff in uniform and serve local cuisine. It will carry 823 berths across AC 1, AC 2 and AC 3 coaches and include safety systems like Kavach and emergency talk-back. (PC: NDTV)

The United Arab Emirates has ended state funding for students seeking to study at British universities, citing fears of Islamist radicalisation on UK campuses. The move followed Britain’s refusal to ban the Muslim Brotherhood, which the UAE lists as a terrorist group. Emirati officials removed UK institutions from the list of overseas universities eligible for scholarships and official degree recognition. Officials said they do not want their students to be “radicalised on campus”. Students may still study in Britain using private funds. UK data show UAE student visas fell 27 percent by September 2025 and 55 percent compared with 2022. Both sides say overall ties remain strong. (PC: India Today)

New US ambassador to India Sergio Gor said New Delhi remains an “essential partner” for Washington despite trade tensions. He said the friendship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump is “very real”. Gor took charge on Monday and will present his credentials to President Droupadi Murmu this week. Speaking in New Delhi, he said both sides are in talks on trade and the US plans to invite India to join Pax Silica next month. His remarks come as Trump has warned of more tariffs over India’s purchase of Russian oil. India currently faces a 50 percent US tariff rate. (PC: HT)

Timothée Chalamet won the Golden Globe for best actor in a musical or comedy for Marty Supreme at the 83rd awards in Beverly Hills. He beat Leonardo DiCaprio and George Clooney in the category. It was his first Globe win after five nominations. DiCaprio’s film One Battle After Another led the night with four awards, including best film and best director. Jessie Buckley won best drama actress for Hamnet, which also took best drama film. Other winners included Teyana Taylor, Rose Byrne, Stellan Skarsgård and Wagner Moura. TV honours went to Adolescence, with Owen Cooper winning best supporting actor. (PC: BBC)

Australia has moved India to its highest risk group for student visas and will apply stricter checks from January 8, 2026. India was shifted from Evidence Level 2 to Evidence Level 3 under the Simplified Student Visa Framework. Officials said the change is to manage “emerging integrity issues” and protect genuine students. Indian applicants will now face deeper review of bank records, extra proof of English skills, and more background checks. Visa officers may contact colleges and referees. Processing time may rise from about three weeks to as much as eight weeks. Nearly 140,000 Indian students study in Australia. (PC: Economic Times)

A 26-year-old merchant navy officer from Himachal Pradesh has been detained after US forces seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic. Rikshit Chauhan from Kangra district was among three Indian crew members on the vessel Marinera, earlier called Bella 1. The ship was intercepted on January 7 after a long chase that began in the Caribbean. Chauhan was due to return home next month for his wedding on February 19. His family said they last spoke to him hours before the seizure. His mother appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his safe return. India’s foreign ministry said it is checking details of the detained Indians. (PC: NDTV)

US President Donald Trump posted a digitally altered image on social media that calls him the “Acting President of Venezuela.” The image showed a fake Wikipedia page with that title under his name. His post came after a US operation captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife earlier this month in Caracas. Venezuelan authorities said Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez took over as acting president under the country’s constitution. Trump’s claim is not recognised by Venezuela’s legal system or any official body. He also shared a post saying Marco Rubio could be “President of Cuba,” saying “Sounds good to me.” The situation has drawn global attention and debate. (PC: X)

Isro’s PSLV-C62 mission failed on January 12 after a problem during the third stage of flight, leading to the loss of all 16 satellites. The PSLV-DL rocket lifted off from Sriharikota at 10:17 am and worked normally through the first two stages. After the third stage ignited, mission control lost telemetry and the vehicle could not reach its planned 505 km orbit. Isro chief V. Narayanan said a “disturbance in roll rates and a deviation in flight path” was noticed. The mission carried DRDO’s EOS-N1 satellite and 15 other payloads. A failure analysis probe has begun. 

US President Donald Trump said the military is reviewing “very strong options” in Iran as deadly protests entered a third week. The Human Rights Activist News Agency said it had verified nearly 500 protester deaths and 48 security deaths. It also reported more than 10,600 detentions. Trump said Iranian officials had called him “to negotiate”, but added the US “may have to act before a meeting”. Iranian leaders called protesters “vandals” and urged supporters to join rallies. They also announced three days of mourning for people killed in what they called a national battle. Internet access in Iran remains restricted, limiting independent reporting.

A dog has won a major acting prize at the 9th Astra Film Awards. Indy, a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, took the Best Performance in a Horror or Thriller category for the 2025 film Good Boy. The award was given by the Hollywood Creative Alliance. Actors Ethan Hawke and Alison Brie were among the nominees. Alfie Williams, Sally Hawkins and Sophie Thatcher were also in the race. The film shows a dog trying to protect the person it loves while facing danger it cannot understand. Writer and director Ben Leonberg accepted the prize by video and said, “Indy is honored to accept this award.” (PC: X)