Breaking News Live Updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a mega roadshow in Udupi during visit to Karnataka on Friday.
The prime minister is set to participate in the Laksha Kantha Gita Parayana programme—a devotional gathering of 100,000 participants, including students, monks, scholars, and citizens from various walks of life, who will recite the Srimad Bhagavad Gita in unison.
PM Modi will also inaugurate the Suvarna Teertha Mantapa, located in front of the Krishna sanctum, and dedicate the Kanaka Kavacha (golden cover) for the sacred Kanakana Kindi, a sacred window through which the saint Kanakadasa is believed to have had the divine darshan of Bhagwan Krishna. Sri Krishna Mutt, Udupi, was established over 800 years ago by Madhvacharya, the founder of the Dvaita philosophy of Vedanta.
Meanwhile, the devastating fire that tore through a sprawling residential complex in Hong Kong has left at least 94 people dead, and hundreds still missing, reported Reuters citing local news outlet Xinhua confirmed, marking the city’s deadliest blaze in nearly eight decades.
More than a full day after the inferno erupted, flames were still visible in several parts of the eight-block development, which contains almost 2,000 flats. Firefighters continued dousing the charred façades, working to smother lingering hotspots that persisted long after the main blaze had been subdued.
Officials said the fire had been completely extinguished in four of the towers, while crews had brought the situation largely under control in three more. One building in the complex escaped damage.
The cause of the catastrophe is now at the center of an expansive investigation. Authorities are examining whether renovation materials — including bamboo scaffolding and plastic mesh that covered much of the estate — may have accelerated the spread of the flames.
Hong Kong’s anti-corruption agency has also opened an inquiry into the renovation project just hours after police detained three men accused of carelessly leaving foam packaging at the site, a possible factor under scrutiny.
As rescue teams comb through the debris and emergency workers continue cooling operations, officials warn the death toll could rise further. The scale of destruction has shocked the financial hub and raised urgent questions about building safety standards in one of the world’s most densely populated cities.