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Kazakhstan has 15 rare earth deposits, strategically important components of electronics and clean energy technology, and eyes for closer cooperation with international partners in harnessing the ample opportunities for these deposits, according to Chairman of the National Geological Service Yerlan Galiyev. This can meet India’s growing demands for rare earth deposits from a source which is situated closer home. India has recently entered into a deal with Argentina for sourcing rare earth metals.

Maldives, a 13-year-old lost his life due to delays in crucial medical treatment. Local media reports suggest the tragedy resulted from the alleged reluctance of the Maldivian government to use Indian choppers for timely medical evacuations.

Global South. Echoing India's thought Russia wants to project BRICS as non-Western and not anti-Western concept. “BRICS is not targeted against anyone…it offers alternative instruments, which are supposed to be safe from the politicised Western architecture, including in the context of de-dollarisation.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has been talking to a number of potential investors in a bid to raise billions of dollars to set up a chip-making company, according to a report by Bloomberg. The 38-year-old entrepreneur is said to be looking to set up a network of factories to manufacture semiconductors. Also Read | Sam Altman addresses ‘nervousness’ around Artificial Intelligence: ‘It's on us to…' Notably, building a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility would require tens of billions of dollars in funding, and creating a network of such facilities will take years, Bloomberg reported.

Indian American leader and Republican leader Nikki Haley attacked former US President Donald Trump while raising concerns over his 'mental fitness' after the former President confused her with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, The Hill reported. In a video message of X, Haley said, «Last night, Trump is at a rally...and he's going on and on, mentioning me multiple times as to why I didn't take security during the Capitol riots, why I didn't handle January 6 better. I wasn't even in DC on January 6. I wasn't in office then.»

Iran-backed militants in Western Iraq targeting Al-Assad Airbase on 20 January, Saturday, claims US Central Command. Taking to microblogging site X, US CENTCOM posted, “Most of the missiles were intercepted by the base’s air defense systems while others impacted on the base. Damage assessments are ongoing.

Concord: Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley was set to campaign across New Hampshire this weekend in a final push against Republican rival Donald Trump ahead of Tuesday's nominating contest, as the former US president ramped up his verbal attacks and again targeted her Indian heritage.

President of the United Nations General Assembly Dennis Francis is undertaking an official visit to India from January 22 to 26 during which he will visit New Delhi, Jaipur and Mumbai and also meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, according to an official statement issued by his office. During his five-day trip, Francis will hold bilateral discussions with the India leadership and engage with civil society, leading think tanks, embark on field visits and participate in events related to sustainability, multilateralism, accessibility, and digital public infrastructure, among other engagements.

Joe Biden said on Friday it was still possible Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could agree to some form of Palestinian state, after the two leaders spoke for the first time in nearly a month amid tensions over the Gaza war. Their call came a day after Netanyahu said he opposes allowing Palestinian sovereignty in the wake of the conflict with Hamas, deepening Israeli divisions with key backer Washington over the conduct of Israel's offensive and what comes next. But Biden said after the call that it was not impossible Netanyahu might come round to some form of so-called two-state solution, mooted for decades as a way to end tensions in the Middle East, despite the Israeli premier's comments. «There are a number of types of two-state solutions. There's a number of countries that are members of the UN that… don't have their own militaries,» Biden told reporters.

Federal Open Market Committee is widely expected to hold interest rates steady for the fourth straight meeting when it gathers in Washington on Jan. 30 and 31. The real focus though will be on what lies ahead, at the FOMC’s March meeting and beyond.

Lok Sabha. The Indian Express cited sources as saying that the BJP offered the JD(S) three seats during the first round of talks held at the residence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. ALSO READ: Mamata Banerjee refuses to discuss Bengal seat sharing with Congress ahead of Lok Sabha polls According to the report, the BJP offered the HD Kumarawamy's party Hassan and Mandya seats.

Congress on Saturday alleged that its workers were assaulted, their vehicles vandalised and banners torn in Assam's North Lakhimpur town, through which the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra proceeded. State Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah said that on Friday night all hoardings and posters put up to welcome the Yatra in the town were torn and party members who had gone to put up the banners were beaten up. «Two vehicles used by the party to carry the displays were also damaged by miscreants, who also threatened Congress workers of dire consequences if they did not leave at once,» he alleged.

Lok Sabha polls, the BJP will run a mass connect programme between February 4 and 11, with its 30 lakh members expected to reach out to seven lakh rural polling booths and all urban booths during the period. The BJP has named its rural outreach "Gaon Chalo", with party president J P Nadda launching a workshop for its members on Saturday.

TMC on Saturday said its supremo Mamata Banerjee will take the final call on seat sharing with the Congress in West Bengal for the Lok Sabha polls this year and asserted that "unjustified bargaining" cannot be done by the state unit of the grand old party. Based on the 2021 assembly poll results in the state, in which the Congress in alliance with the CPI(M)-led Left Front had fared badly, the Trinamool Congress top leadership offered the grand old party two seats, out of 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal, in the coming general elections, its spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said. «The Congress state unit cannot do unjustified bargaining on the matter,» Ghosh said.

Congress 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' led by Rahul Gandhi on Saturday entered Arunachal Pradesh from Assam. The Congress leader was received by Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Nabam Tuki at the Gumto check gate in Papum Pare district, where the flag handover ceremony was held. The flag handover ceremony was held between Tuki and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhupen Borah in the presence of senior party leaders from both the states. Speaking on the occasion, Gandhi thanked the people for the warm welcome. Adorned with traditional Nyishi headgear, Gandhi proceeded to Doimukh along with hundreds of party workers, where he would address a public rally.

Memphis residents were urged to boil water and New Yorkers have been warned that roads could be covered with dangerous black ice this weekend as brutal cold and inclement weather continue to sweep across parts of the U.S.Bitterly frigid air spilled into the Midwest from Canada on Friday and several states were under advisories as forecasters warned that wind chills dipping to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 34 degrees Celsius) could be common through Sunday morning.

By Andrea Shalal

By Gram Slattery

By Daniel Wiessner

By Gram Slattery and James Oliphant

Pran Pratishtha ceremony, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) president Alok Kumar handed over gifts received from Kashmir, Tamil Nadu and Afghanistan to the 'Yajman' of Shri Ram Temple Anil Mishra. Speaking about those who donated saffron from Kashmir, the VHP president said that though they are from different religions they expressed their happiness at the construction of the Ram temple. «Muslim brothers and sisters from Kashmir came to meet me and expressed their happiness at the construction of Ram temple, and said that even though we follow different religions, our ancestors are the same.