From Japan to Kazakhstan: Long-haul destinations Indians are still travelling to despite soaring airfares

Rising flight fares and disruptions haven’t stopped Indian travellers from planning international holidays this summer, with destinations like Turkey, Japan, Australia, Vietnam and Kazakhstan continuing to draw tourists seeking unique experiences, scenic landscapes and relatively better value.

UP’s ‘One District–One Cuisine’ map leaves out kebabs, biryani
Uttar Pradesh’s new ‘One District–One Cuisine’ scheme assigns only vegetarian dishes as signature offerings across all 75 districts, excluding iconic non-vegetarian staples like galawati kebab, Kakori kebab and Awadhi biryani.

Greater Noida to get direct 8-lane link to Ganga Expressway

A new 37-km high-speed road corridor will directly connect Greater Noida to the Ganga Expressway, cutting travel time to 30–45 minutes and boosting connectivity across NCR and western Uttar Pradesh.

FIFA World Cup 2026 tourism outlook muted as hotel bookings lag

Hotels and travel operators across World Cup host cities are seeing softer-than-expected demand ahead of the tournament, with hotel prices cooling sharply after an initial surge and international travel bookings yet to show the anticipated spike.

The rise of the ‘situational traveller’ is quietly reshaping India’s hospitality industry

India’s new-age traveller no longer fits neatly into “budget” or “luxury” labels. The same person may book a social hostel for one trip and a boutique stay for the next — all depending on intent, mood and experience. Hospitality brands are now rethinking everything from pricing to design as “situational travel” turns flexibility, not category, into the industry’s biggest selling point.

NASA’s ‘Crocodile Bridge’ offers a rare glimpse into ancient Mars

NASA’s Perseverance rover has captured a sweeping 360-degree panorama of “Crocodile Bridge”, a rugged Martian rock formation believed to date back more than 3.7 billion years. Scientists say the region could hold clues to Mars’ earliest environmental conditions — and possibly whether the planet was once capable of supporting life.

AI’s new emotional support pet? This robot reacts to your mood in real time

From Roomba creator Colin Angle comes a furry AI-powered robot designed not to clean your house, but to bond with you emotionally. The prototype “Familiar” responds to tone, gestures and mood like a pet companion — signalling how the next wave of AI may feel less like software and more like something you emotionally connect with.

Before YouTube and TikTok, there was the ‘Numa Numa’ guy

Long before algorithms, influencers and creator economies took over the internet, a teenager lip-syncing to a Romanian pop song accidentally created one of the web’s first truly global viral moments. Gary Brolsma’s 2004 “Numa Numa” video didn’t just entertain millions — it quietly laid the groundwork for the reaction faces, lip-sync trends and shareable internet culture that now dominate platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

Do we really need 8 hours of sleep? What science actually says

The “8-hour sleep rule” has long been treated as universal advice, but research suggests sleep needs vary far more from person to person than most people realise. From how sleep affects brain health, immunity and emotional regulation to why sleep quality may matter more than simply clocking a number, scientists are increasingly reframing the conversation around rest — and what it actually means to sleep well.

Your dinner timing may matter more than the meal itself

From blood sugar spikes and poor sleep to rising stress levels, research suggests the clock may matter as much as the calories. As chrononutrition gains attention, scientists are finding that late-night eating can disrupt hormones, metabolism and the body’s internal rhythm — echoing what traditional Indian eating habits understood long before modern wellness trends caught up.