PARIS: President Donald Trump will join dozens of leaders at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland next week, along with &quot;the largest US delegation ever&quot;, the forum&#39;s chief executive said Tuesday. &quot;We&#39;re pleased to welcome back President Trump,&quot; Borge Brende told an online press conference ahead of the Davos summit, six years after his latest appearance during his first term. At least five key secretaries including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will also attend, Brende said, as well as Steve Witkoff, Trump&#39;s special envoy for the Middle East and Ukraine. The US president addressed Davos by video last year, just days after his re-election, but it was unclear if he would be appearing this year after a year of upending the global order with a tariff blitz against allies and adversaries alike. He will be among a record 64 heads of state or government descending on the Alpine ski resort, Brende said, including six of the G7 leaders. Overall around 3,000 attendees are expected from the business world, including 850 CEOs or board chairs, as well as social, environment and labor activists.

Americas

Europe

President Donald Trump will attend the World Economic Forum in Davos alongside a record US delegation, including top cabinet officials, joining 64 world leaders and thousands of business executives at the annual summit next week.

Trump to attend World Economic Forum in Davos next week: organizers

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Hate speech and incitement against religious minorities in India escalated sharply in 2025, with Muslims and Christians overwhelmingly targeted in public gatherings, political rallies, and religious processions, according to a new study by the United States&ndash;based Center for the Study of Organized Hate.&nbsp;The report documented 1,318 in-person hate speech incidents across India in 2025, marking a 13% increase from 2024 and nearly doubling the number recorded in 2023.&nbsp;Researchers said minorities were subjected to an average of four hate speech incidents per day, underscoring what they described as the normalization of extremist rhetoric in public life.&nbsp;&ldquo;Hate Lab (IHL) documented 1,318 hate speech events targeting religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians, in 2025 across 21 states, one union territory, and the National Capital Territory of Delhi,&rdquo; the report stated.&nbsp;States governed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi&rsquo;s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), either directly or through coalition arrangements, accounted for 88% of all recorded incidents, the study found. Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Delhi emerged as the most affected regions, with hundreds of speeches explicitly demonizing minorities.&nbsp;Muslims were targeted in 98% of the incidents, while anti-Christian hate speech rose by 41% compared to 2024. The report also recorded 120 instances of calls for economic and social boycotts of minorities and more than 270 appeals to demolish or remove mosques and churches, including prominent religious sites in Uttar Pradesh.&nbsp;The escalation extended beyond rhetoric. Researchers documented 308 speeches that openly encouraged violence against minorities and 136 instances calling for Hindus to arm themselves against what speakers described as &ldquo;perceived threats.&rdquo;&nbsp;The study warned that digital platforms played a central role in amplifying hate. More than 1,200 speeches were livestreamed or uploaded to Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and X, often reaching nationwide audiences within minutes.&nbsp;The report criticized technology companies for what it called &ldquo;systemic failure&rdquo; to enforce their own hate speech policies.&nbsp;Researchers concluded that the surge reflects more than isolated extremism. They warned that the growing frequency and acceptance of hate speech points to a deliberate political strategy.&nbsp;The report described 2025 as &ldquo;a new and dangerous phase&rdquo; in which anti-minority rhetoric has become &ldquo;fully embedded into India&rsquo;s political and social landscape,&rdquo; serving to polarize society and justify discriminatory policies.&nbsp;Minorities under attack nationwideBeyond hate speech, minority communities faced repeated incidents of violence and discrimination. In Karnataka, more than 200 Muslim homes were reportedly demolished in Bengaluru&rsquo;s Waseem Layout and Fakir Colony, displacing families during a government-led operation.&nbsp;In Bihar, a Muslim clothes vendor, Athar Hussain, was allegedly lynched by a mob in Nawada district after being questioned about his religious identity. Police later detained four suspects following a complaint filed by his wife. In a separate incident at the Bihar chief minister&rsquo;s secretariat, media reports said a Muslim woman&rsquo;s hijab was forcibly removed during an official appointment ceremony.&nbsp;Christian communities also reported growing intimidation. During the Christmas season, coordinated attempts were reported to disrupt celebrations in several regions. In Raipur, Chhattisgarh, a mob of 40 to 50 men reportedly entered a shopping mall, removed Christmas decorations, questioned visitors about their religion, and vandalized property.&nbsp;The report warned that without accountability and political restraint, India&rsquo;s minorities face an increasingly hostile environment where hate speech, violence, and state inaction reinforce one another under the guise of nationalism.

Asia

In a report, US researchers warn anti-minority hate speech in India intensifies under Modi, targeting Muslims and Christians, embedding violence and discrimination into politics, governance, and public life.

Anti-minority hate surges across India under BJP government, US study finds

PARIS: More than 350 tractors parked near the French parliament building on Tuesday after driving down the Champs-Elysees avenue, as farmers protested a litany of woes, including the EU-Mercosur trade deal.&nbsp;The protests reflect a deep sense of malaise afflicting France&#39;s agricultural sector, with the planned signing of an accord between the European Union and the Mercosur bloc seen as the last straw.&nbsp;French farmers have complained about economic uncertainties and environmental rules, and have since December staged protests and set up roadblocks over the government&#39;s handling of a lumpy skin disease outbreak.&nbsp;Arriving from towns around Paris and beyond, the protesters parked their tractors not far from the National Assembly in central Paris.&nbsp;&quot;We&#39;re at the end of our tether,&quot; said one of the activists, Guillaume Moret, 56.&nbsp;&quot;We haven&#39;t made any money from our farms for three years,&quot; said the head of the FNSEA union for the Paris region.&nbsp;&quot;The peasant revolt continues,&quot; read a banner unfurled in front of the legislature.&nbsp;The FNSEA, France&#39;s leading agricultural union, and another union, Jeunes Agriculteurs, are demanding &quot;concrete and immediate action&quot; from the government.&nbsp;Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard, who came out to meet the farmers, said Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu would make a new announcement later Tuesday.&nbsp;The protesters also spoke with Yael Braun-Pivet, head of parliament&#39;s lower house.&nbsp;&nbsp;No cows at agriculture show&nbsp;&nbsp;The government last week already announced a planned 300-million-euro package to support the farmers, as well as other measures including an increase in the number of wolves that can be killed.&nbsp;In a move highlighting the atmosphere, France&#39;s biggest agricultural show will this year feature no cows, for the first time since the event&#39;s creation in 1964.&nbsp;Farmers, driven by health concerns and a sense of solidarity with breeders affected by the lumpy skin disease outbreak, have refused to present their cattle at the fair in February.&nbsp;The event&#39;s chairman, Jerome Despey, called the move a &quot;blow to the show.&quot;&nbsp;The first convoy of about 15 tractors rolled into the French capital shortly before 6:00 am (0500 GMT). Joined by dozens of others, they drove down the Champs-Elysees honking their horns.&nbsp;&quot;We won&#39;t leave without measures that allow us to catch our breath a little,&quot; said protester Guillaume Moret.&nbsp;Several days before the scheduled signing of the EU-Mercosur agreement in Paraguay on Saturday, the FNSEA union reiterated its opposition to the deal and also listed several national &quot;priorities&quot; to be defended on Tuesday.&nbsp;The union is calling on the government to address a number of issues including wolf predation and the use of fertilisers.&nbsp;Police said some 400 protesters had gathered near the parliament building. The FNSEA union put turnout at over 500 tractors and 800 farmers.&nbsp;DissatisfactionMost of the European Union&#39;s 27 nations back the Mercosur trade deal, which supporters argue is crucial to boost exports, help the continent&#39;s ailing economy and foster diplomatic ties at a time of global uncertainty.&nbsp;The deal, more than 25 years in the making, would create one of the world&#39;s largest free-trade areas, boosting commerce between the EU and the Mercosur bloc comprising Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay.&nbsp;It would see the European Union export machinery, chemicals and pharmaceuticals with lowered tariffs applied.&nbsp;But farmers in France and several other countries fear being undercut by an influx of cheap beef and other agricultural products from South America.&nbsp;Thousands of farmers in France and Ireland staged protests over the weekend.&nbsp;In France, politicians across the divide have also been up in arms against the deal, which they view as an assault on the country&#39;s influential farming sector.

Hundreds of French farmers drove tractors to Paris, protesting economic hardship, disease rules, and the EU-Mercosur trade deal they fear will undercut them, demanding immediate government action as agriculture faces deep crisis nationwide sector pressure.

Furious farmers roll hundreds of tractors into Paris in fresh protests

SAN FRANCISCO: Microsoft said Tuesday it will shoulder the full electricity costs of its US data centers to prevent American households from facing higher power bills driven by surging AI energy demand.&nbsp;US President Donald Trump first announced the initiative late Monday on Truth Social, saying his administration had been working with technology companies to ensure they &quot;pay their own way&quot; for power consumption.&nbsp;&quot;I never want Americans to pay higher Electricity bills because of Data Centers,&quot; Trump wrote.&nbsp;Ahead of midterm elections in November, the increase in electricity bills has become a hot-button issue across the country, with tech companies multiplying major data center projects to meet their AI ambitions.&nbsp;US data center electricity consumption is projected to more than triple by 2035, according to the International Energy Agency, and already covers six to eight percent of US electricity use.&nbsp;To meet the demand, utilities sometimes need to build new power plants, upgrade transmission lines, or expand grid capacity -- investments that usually get passed on to all customers through rate increases.&nbsp;Microsoft said Tuesday it will work with utilities and regulators to ensure residential customers are not charged for the massive infrastructure investments needed.&nbsp;&quot;Especially when tech companies are so profitable, we believe that it&#39;s both unfair and politically unrealistic for our industry to ask the public to shoulder added electricity costs for AI,&quot; Microsoft President Brad Smith wrote in a blog post.&nbsp;The company outlined a four-point plan, including paying higher rates that cover infrastructure costs and collaborating early with utilities on how to pay for grid expansion.&nbsp;Microsoft pointed to deals in Wyoming and Wisconsin as models, where the company has structured agreements that protect residential ratepayers.&nbsp;The move comes as the United States faces aging electricity infrastructure and supply chain bottlenecks, with new transmission projects taking seven to 10 years due to permitting delays.&nbsp;Trump said more announcements from other technology companies would follow &quot;in the coming weeks.&quot;&nbsp;Microsoft also said it will replenish more water than its data centers withdraw, responding to growing concerns that AI infrastructure is straining local water systems.&nbsp;This would be done through leak detection programs, wetland restoration, and water infrastructure upgrades, the company said.&nbsp;AI data centers run chips at extremely high temperatures that would burn out within minutes without proper cooling, usually provided by locally supplied water.

Artificial Intelligence

Microsoft will cover electricity costs for its US data centers to prevent higher household power bills as AI demand grows, following a Trump-backed initiative, pledging to fund grid upgrades and reduce water use impacts.

Microsoft says will foot AI's massive power bill

GENEVA: The World Health Organization chief warned Tuesday that Washington&#39;s decision to withdraw from the UN health agency was dangerous for the United States and the rest of the world alike. US President Donald Trump signed an executive order just hours after returning to the White House on January 20, 2025, ordering his country&#39;s exit from the WHO. With the one-year withdrawal process due to reach completion next week, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters he deeply regretted the move. &quot;Withdrawal from WHO is a loss for the United States, and it&#39;s also a loss for the rest of the world,&quot; he said, speaking from his agency&#39;s Geneva headquarters. The withdrawal, he warned, &quot;makes the US unsafe... and makes the rest of the world unsafe, so it&#39;s not really the right decision&quot;. Tedros highlighted that &quot;there are many things that are done through WHO that benefit the US... especially the health security issues&quot;. &quot;That&#39;s why I said the US cannot be safe without working with WHO,&quot; he said. &quot;I hope the US will reconsider its decision and rejoin.&quot; WHO&#39;s chief legal officer Steve Solomon said it was a bit unclear when exactly the withdrawal would be official. He explained to reporters that the WHO constitution does not include a withdrawal clause, but that Washington made arrangements in 1948 reserving the right to withdraw, under certain conditions. One condition was that it would need to give one year&#39;s notice, and the second was that it would need to &quot;meet its financial obligations to the organisation in full for the current fiscal year&quot;, he said. But currently, &quot;the US for 2024 and 2025 is in arrears on its payments&quot;, he said, without giving figures, adding that the WHO member states would need to consider: &quot;Has the condition been fulfilled?&quot; At a time when dramatic cuts to international aid budgets have hit health systems worldwide hard, Tedros stressed that &quot;funding is very important for our organisation, for WHO to really deliver&quot;. But he insisted that when calling for the US to return to the WHO fold, &quot;it&#39;s not about money&quot;. &quot;What matters most is solidarity, cooperation and for the whole world to prepare itself for any eventualities, to a common enemy like a virus, like Covid,&quot; he insisted. &quot;The best immunity is solidarity.&quot;

WHO chief Tedros says the US exit from the World Health Organization makes both America and the world less safe, warning cooperation and solidarity are essential to confront global health threats.

Withdrawal from WHO makes US, world 'unsafe': Agency chief

GENEVA: At least 100 children have been killed by Israeli airstrikes and ground forces in Gaza since the start of a tenuous ceasefire three months ago, the United Nations said on Tuesday.&nbsp;The UN children&#39;s agency UNICEF said that at least 60 boys and 40 girls had been killed in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory since early October.&nbsp;&quot;More than 100 children have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire,&quot; UNICEF spokesman James Elder told reporters in Geneva.&nbsp;&quot;That&#39;s roughly a girl or a boy killed here every day during a ceasefire,&quot; he said, speaking from Gaza City.&nbsp;&quot;These children are killed from airstrikes, drone strikes, including suicide drones. They&#39;re killed from tank shelling. They&#39;re killed from live ammunition. They&#39;re killed from quad copters.&nbsp;&quot;We are at 100 -- no doubt,&quot; he said, adding that the true number was likely higher.&nbsp;&quot;A ceasefire that slows the bombs is progress but one that still buries children is not enough.&quot;&nbsp;AFP has sought a response from the Israeli military.&nbsp;An official at Gaza&#39;s health ministry, which maintains casualty records, has reported a higher figure of 165 children killed during the tenuous ceasefire, out of a total 442 fatalities.&nbsp;&quot;Additionally, seven children have died from exposure to cold since the beginning of this year,&quot; Zaher Al-Wahidi, Director of the Computer Department at the Ministry of Health, told AFP.&nbsp;Elder stressed that the ongoing Israeli attacks came after more than two years of war which has &quot;left life for Gaza&#39;s children unimaginably hard&quot;.

Middle East

Since early October, at least 100 children, 60 boys and 40 girls, have been killed in Gaza during a tenuous ceasefire, mainly from airstrikes, drones, tanks, and live ammunition, UNICEF and Gaza’s health ministry reported.

At least 100 children killed in Gaza since ceasefire: UN

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan-origin United States cricketers Ali Khan and Shayan Jahangir have reportedly been denied Indian visas ahead of the ICC Men&rsquo;s T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to be held in India from February 7 to March 8.&nbsp;Fast bowler Ali Khan drew attention to the issue through a social media post, sharing a photo of himself with fellow USA batter Shayan Jahangir. The caption read: &ldquo;Indian visa denied but KFC for the win.&rdquo; The post quickly circulated among cricket fans, highlighting visa-related difficulties faced by players of Pakistani origin.&nbsp;<img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/459fe11f-a4c9-44c1-b9f3-93b99c992e78.png" style="width: 1000px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> Media reports suggest the issue extends beyond the USA squad. Several associate nations, including Italy, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, and the USA, reportedly have players of Pakistani descent or dual nationality who are facing problems obtaining Indian visas.&nbsp;Cricket boards of these countries have formally approached the International Cricket Council (ICC) for clarity and guidance. However, reports say they have yet to receive any assurance from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).&nbsp;The USA squad named for the tournament includes four players of Pakistani origin. Ali Khan, 35, was born in Pakistan and has represented the USA in 15 ODIs and 18 T20Is, taking 49 wickets across both formats.&nbsp;Karachi-born Shayan Jahangir, 31, has played 32 ODIs for the USA, scoring 795 runs with two centuries and three half-centuries. In T20Is, he has scored 371 runs in 19 matches at a strike rate of 134.42, including two fifties.&nbsp;Former Pakistan international Ehsan Adil, who played three Tests and six ODIs for Pakistan, is set to make his USA debut at the tournament. Another Pakistan-born player, Mohammad Mohsin from Peshawar, who featured briefly in the Pakistan Super League for Peshawar Zalmi, is also part of the squad.&nbsp;The USA will be appearing in their second ICC T20 World Cup, following a memorable campaign in 2024 when they stunned 2009 champions Pakistan in a Super Over.&nbsp;The team has been placed in Group A alongside hosts India, Pakistan, Namibia, and the Netherlands. The USA will open their campaign against India on February 7, followed by matches against Pakistan on February 10, the Netherlands on February 13, and Namibia on February 15.&nbsp;USA squad for T20 World Cup 2026 Monank Patel (captain), Jessy Singh (vice-captain), Ehsan Adil, Andries Gous, Shayan Jahangir, Shehan Jayasuriya, Aaron Jones, Nosthush Kenjige, Ali Khan, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Milind Kumar, Mohammad Mohsin, Sai Mukkamalla, Saurabh Netravalkar, Shubham Ranjane, Harmeet Singh, Rushil Ugarkar and Shadley van Schalkwyk.

Cricket

Fast bowler Ali Khan highlights the issue through a social media post, sharing a photo of himself with fellow USA batter Shayan Jahangir

Pakistan-origin US cricketers denied Indian visas for T20 World Cup

Muhammad Usman Amin

PESHAWAR: In cities like London, tea is an art of high society; in Rome, espresso punctuates the day; in Istanbul, &ccedil;ay fuels conversation. But in Peshawar, the bustling heart of Pakistan&rsquo;s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, a unique hot beverage, kahwa, defines the rhythm of daily life. More than a drink, kahwa is a social lubricant, a seal of a deal, and the first gesture of hospitality, a tradition carried along the Silk Road from East Asia centuries ago. It has survived the rise and fall of empires, remaining central to the city&rsquo;s culture and commerce. The historic Qissa Khwani Bazaar, or &ldquo;Street of Storytellers,&rdquo; is where kahwa culture thrives. Here, merchants, storytellers, and travelers once gathered, and where Fazal Karim, a local Kahwa shop owner, traces the practice back generations. &ldquo;Caravans used to come from Afghanistan back in the day&hellip; the city gates would be closed at night. To wait for them to open in the morning, people would tell stories&hellip; and during these stories, kahwa would also be served,&rdquo; he told Pakistan TV Digital. &ldquo;It became inseparable from the bazaar itself.&rdquo; Even today, travelers seek the experience. Karim recalls visits from foreign diplomats: &ldquo;Tourists come all the time to try a cup of our Kahwa. They really like the taste.&rdquo; Many kahwa houses, some dating back 170 years, continue to operate in the same locations. Jamdad Khan, another long-standing shop owner, reflects: &ldquo;This shop in Qissa Khwani Bazaar is one of the oldest; the bazaar has changed, but the shop has stayed the same.&rdquo; Stepping inside a traditional Kahwakhana is a journey through time. The air is heavy with the aroma of cardamom and wood smoke, rising from massive copper samovars that constantly bubble with boiling water. Kahwa is served in green teapots called chainaks and sipped from delicate bone china cups. Rituals of service, pouring boiling Kahwa into successive cups to rinse them before the first sip, preserve the centuries-old tradition. In the narrow bazaar alleys, young boys navigate the crowd carrying trays of kahwa, a testament to how deeply the drink permeates commerce and daily life. Tourists like Yashal are struck by the ambience: &ldquo;It genuinely feels like a second home&hellip; so many people have been here before us, in buildings that are 200&ndash;300 years old.&rdquo; The recipe is simple, green tea, cardamom, and sugar, yet its significance is profound. Fazal Karim notes its health benefits: &ldquo;Kahwa is very good for digestion after a meal. It also reduces weight.&rdquo; While Pakistan imports much of its Kahwa, local vendors praise Vietnamese Kahwa for its flavor, underscoring the city&rsquo;s pursuit of quality in every cup. Whether for taste, wellness, or connection to history, Kahwa remains the soul of Peshawar, a tradition flowing hot and strong through the city&rsquo;s streets. A reminder that even as empires rise and fall, the simple pleasure of a cup of tea endures.

Culture

Kahwa culture, centered in Peshawar’s Qissa Khwani Bazaar, blends history, hospitality, and commerce, with traditional green tea serving as a social, cultural, and culinary staple.

Peshawar’s kahwa tradition endures centuries, blending culture, hospitality and history

ISLAMABAD: Indian farmers have issued a call for protest on January 16 against what they call the anti-farmer policies of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government.The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), translated as the United Farmers&#39; Front, is a coalition of more than 40 Indian farmers&#39; unions. It has called for farmers across the country to observe an All-India Resistance Day on January 16, 2026.The protests are against new laws, such as the VB-GRAMG Act, the Seeds Bill, and the Labour Codes. The farmers are demanding a legal minimum support price and loan waivers, with planned village-level meetings and pledges to escalate their protests.Recent government legislation has been seen as favoring corporations, negatively impacting farmers&#39; livelihoods, undermining federalism, and eroding worker rights, following the earlier repeal of farm laws.The SKM plans to organize pledge ceremonies, public meetings, and large village gatherings across rural India to mobilize for intensified protests.The call aims to build on past farmer movements, uniting farmers, workers, and citizens against policies perceived as detrimental to the agricultural sector and the working class.The farmers reiterated their demand that Prime Minister Modi must shed his &ldquo;authoritarian attitude&rdquo; and &ldquo;respect democratic principles of governance.&rdquo;Acts &amp; billsThe VB-G RAM G Act (2025) replaced the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act by increasing the annual work guarantee to 125 days while shifting from a &quot;demand-driven&quot; right to a &ldquo;budget-capped&rdquo; mission. It introduces a mandatory 60-day pause on public works during harvest seasons to prevent farm labor shortages and requires states to bear a higher share of the costs.While the government promotes it as a modernized tool for rural infrastructure and AI-monitored efficiency, critics argue it weakens the legal right to employment by making funding dependent on central allocations rather than worker demand.The government&rsquo;s draft Seeds Bill 2025 is another reason for the planned protests.The farmers fear it favors multinational corporations, threatens seed sovereignty by restricting traditional seed saving/exchange, excludes community seed keepers, and lacks accessible compensation for crop failure.According to SKM, the Bill creates complex digital burdens and centralizes control, potentially increasing dependence on commercial suppliers and opening the door to genetically modified seeds. Congress calls for multi-state campaignThe Indian National Congress on January 3 announced a 45-day nationwide campaign against the repeal of the Rural Employment Guarantee Act, citing the right to work and the authority of the traditional village council. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 673px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2010666989296238606&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F3436%2F&sessionId=bd1de77d94072fb5415f4229e7965ef06fa15547&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2010666989296238606"></iframe></div></div>The campaign is already picking up pace in several states, with people congregating in large numbers.

India

Plans include organizing public meetings, ceremonies, and large village gatherings across rural India to mobilize for intensified protests 

Indian oppositon, farmers plan nation-wide protest against government

ISLAMABAD: NASA and SpaceX will return the four astronauts of the Crew-11 mission from the International Space Station (ISS) on Jan. 14, cutting short their stay aboard the space station following a medical issue involving a crew member, the US space agency said on Monday.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2010797683796070660&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=384c2a3b4c5180f70fba7affb93efc2f29ddfa48&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 667px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>NASA said the decision was taken after consultations with flight surgeons and mission managers, concluding that the astronaut would be better evaluated and treated on Earth. The agency described the move as a precautionary medical return, stressing that the crew member is in stable condition and that the spacecraft and station remain safe. &ldquo;This is the first time in the International Space Station&rsquo;s 25-year history that a mission has been ended early for medical reasons,&rdquo; a NASA spokesperson said, calling the step &ldquo;unprecedented&rdquo; but necessary to prioritize the astronaut&#39;s health. Crew-11 launched to the ISS aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft in August 2025 for a mission originally expected to last about six months. The crew includes NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Michael Fincke, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. NASA said it would not disclose the identity of the affected astronaut or details of the medical condition, citing privacy rules. Officials emphasized that there was no emergency aboard the station and that the return would follow standard procedures. The Crew Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to undock from the ISS on Jan. 14, with a splashdown off the US West Coast expected the following day, weather permitting. Recovery teams will be on standby, and NASA plans to conduct post-landing medical evaluations and briefings after the crew returns. NASA said the early departure would not significantly disrupt space station operations. Other astronauts and cosmonauts currently aboard the ISS will continue routine research and maintenance work. The agency added that it is reviewing whether adjustments are needed to the schedule for upcoming crew rotations.

Official portrait of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 to the International Space Station: from left, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov; NASA astronaut Mike Fincke; JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui; and NASA astronaut Zena Cardman. (Image: SpaceX)

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The astronauts are scheduled to depart the International Space Station on Jan. 14, weeks ahead of schedule, after doctors advised Earth-based evaluation, marking the first such health-related early return in the station’s 25-year history.

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