US-Venezuela Conflict: Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino, in a video statement on Saturday (IST), reportedly said that the country has been subjected to the “most criminal military aggression” by the United States. This comes hours after several large explosions were heard early Saturday in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela.
According to Reuters, the Venezuelan Defense Minister also stated that his nation will resist the presence of foreign troops.
Also Check- Venezuela-US Strike Live Updates: US Embassy Issues Advisory For Americans
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Venezuelan people have been subjected to the most criminal military aggression by the government of the United States, Venezuela Defence Minister pic.twitter.com/M7QnJKvWHu— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) January 3, 2026
Whereabouts of President Maduro And His Wife
Venezuela Vice President Delcy Rodríguez on Saturday stated that the whereabouts of the country’s President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are unknown following the US attacks in Caracas, Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira in the early hours of the morning, local time.
According to IANS, leading Venezuelan daily El Nacional reported that Rodríguez, in a telephone interview with Venezolana de Television, demanded proof of life for Maduro and Flores from the US government.
“Delcy Rodríguez called on the population to become active in a civic-military fusion to defend the country,” the newspaper reported.
US-Venezuela Tensions
Quoting sources consulted by Fox News, El Nacional reported that the nighttime US military operation involved a large deployment of Chinook helicopters and other special forces assets.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump claimed that the Venezuelan President and his wife had been “captured” and “flown out” of the country.
Taking to his social media platform ‘Truth Social’, Trump said, “The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country.”
He mentioned that this operation was conducted in conjunction with U.S. law enforcement, and further details will be provided during a news conference at 11 am (local time) at Mar-a-Lago.
The American media reported that Maduro was captured by a unit of the special and elite forces of the US Army’s Delta Force.
More than 100 people have had to shelter in a shrine on a mountain top in Japan after heavy snowfall cut off access by road.
Around 130 people were forced to spend the night in the halls and lobbies of the Mitsumine Shrine in the Saitama prefecture on Friday after the roads around it were closed due to safety concerns, public broadcaster NHK reports.
The local authority confirmed the occupants of around 50 cars had stayed in the shrine building, and said no one had fallen ill.
Japan is experiencing heavy snowfall at present, with up to 40cm forecast to fall in some parts on Saturday.
Up to 80cm of snow has fallen in some parts of the country in the past 72 hours, data from the Japan Meteorological Agency shows, with more predicted to fall as a cold front persists.
Several accidents around the Mitsumine Shrine including cars slipping had prompted the road closure, NHK reported, citing local police.
Up to 4cm of snow has fallen in the region, while temperatures as low as -15C have made for icy conditions.
Located 1,110m (3,640 ft) above sea level in the mountains near the city of Chichibu, the Mitsumine Shrine is a popular centre for Shinto worship and is dedicated to Izanami and Izanagi, the divine couple credited with creating the Japanese islands.
The shrine is said to have been founded in the 1st Century by Prince Yamato Takeru no Mikoto, son of Emperor Keikō.
Chhattisgarh Naxal Encounter: Twelve Naxalites were killed in an encounter between the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Naxalites in the forests of Kistaram area of Sukma district of Chhattisgarh on Saturday morning. Automatic weapons were recovered from the encounter site.
According to Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan, security forces are continuing search operations in the area, and vigilance has been heightened across the region.
Meanwhile, based on intelligence about the presence of armed Maoists in the southern area of Bijapur district, security forces launched a search operation. The District Reserve Guard team was on operation in South Bastar region. Intermittent firing between DRG and Maoists started around 5 am.
The bodies of two Maoists have been recovered from the encounter site so far during the search operation. Bastar Range IG P. Sundarraj confirmed this.
A few days ago, Union Home Minister Amit Shah made the government’s stand on Naxalism very clear and unambiguous through social media. He said there was no confusion about the government’s policy.
The government’s doors are open to those who want to surrender the path of violence and surrender, and they will be welcomed.
Amit Shah also clarified that those who continue to use guns to enforce their will will face strict action by the security forces.
He once again appealed to those following the path of Naxalism to lay down arms, shun violence and join the mainstream of the country.
Also Read:- From Trump’s threat to Iran’s counterattack, 10 points to understand about protests
The Home Minister reiterated in his message that the Central Government is in no mood to make any compromise with Naxalism. He said that the government is fully committed and moving forward with the goal of eradicating Naxalism from the country before March 31, 2026.
The Colorado city of Denver was lit up by enormous fire on Friday evening, with over 100 firefighters on the scene to battle the blaze.
Fire department officials said there were initial concerns that the “five-alarm fire” could spread to other nearby homes or businesses, but first responders were able to keep the flames contained.
No injuries have been reported as a result of the fire, which occurred at an apartment block that was still under construction.
Donald Trump’s warning that the US will intervene if peaceful protesters are killed was “reckless and dangerous”, Iran’s foreign minister has said.
Abbas Araghchi’s comments came after the US president said Washington “will come to their rescue” of demonstrators taking part in protests over Iran’s economy, writing in a brief social media post: “We are locked and loaded and ready to go.”
Araghchi indicated Iran’s armed forces were on standby and “know exactly where to aim” in the event of an attack.
At least eight people are reported to have died during the week-long protests, as of Saturday morning.
Trump wrote on Friday: “If Iran shots [sic] and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue.”
The US president did not specify what action Washington might take. Previously, it has carried out strikes on Iran’s nuclear siteswhich elicited a retaliatory strike on a US base in Qatar.
“Given President Trump’s deployment of the National Guard within US borders, he of all people should know that criminal attacks on public property cannot be tolerated,” Araghchi wrote on X.
Iran would “forcefully reject any interference in their internal affairs”, he added.
Meanwhile, an Iranian police spokesman said officers would not allow what he called “enemies” to turn “unrest into chaos”.
Protests have spread to a number of cities and towns with running battles reported between security forces and demonstrators.
The protests began in Tehran, with shopkeepers angered by another sharp fall in the value of the Iranian currency, the rial, against the US dollar on the open market.
By Tuesday, university students were involved and the protests had spread to several cities, with people chanting against the country’s clerical rulers.
Two people died in clashes between protesters and security forces in the south-western city of Lordegan, according to the semi-official Fars news agency and the human rights group Hengaw, which said they were protesters, naming them as Ahmad Jalil and Sajjad Valamanesh.
Three people were killed in Azna, while and another died in Kouhdasht, all in the west of the country, Fars reported. It did not specify whether they were demonstrators or security forces personnel.
One death was reported in Fuladshahr, central Iran, and another casualty in Marvdasht, in the south.
BBC has not been able to independently verify the deaths.
The demonstrations have been the most widespread since an uprising in 2022 sparked by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a young woman accused by morality police of not wearing her veil properly, but they have not been on the same scale.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said he will listen to the “legitimate demands” of the protesters.
But the country’s Prosecutor General Mohammad Movahedi-Azad warned that any attempt to create instability would be met with a “decisive response”.
Iran’s UN Ambassador Amir-Saeid Iravani called on the UN Security Council to condemn Trump’s statement in letter to the secretary-general and president of the Security Council on Friday, news agency Reuters reported.
“Iran will exercise its rights decisively and proportionately. The United States of America bears full responsibility for any consequences arising from these unlawful threats and any ensuing escalation,” he wrote in the letter.
Several explosions were reported in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas on Saturday, with the cause still unclear. Witnesses also reported hearing aircraft flying over the city, BNO reported.
BREAKING: Dozens of explosions heard in Caracas, Venezuela from suspected U.S. airstrikes. – BNOpic.twitter.com/RmIw2JiDIU— AZ Intel (@AZ_Intel_) January 3, 2026
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As per the reports, sounds of explosions were still being heard around 2:15 am.
Partial disruptions to telecommunication services were reported in the capital city following sounds of explosions, reports Xinhua news agency.
This comes as US President Donald Trump has, on several occasions, warned about the possibility of ground operations in Venezuela as part of his strategy to oust President Nicolas Maduro, intensifying sanctions, augmenting military presence in the area, and accusing ships of drug trafficking in both the Caribbean and Pacific.
Recently, the US administration announced sanctions against 10 entities and individuals based in Iran and Venezuela, accusing Tehran of supplying conventional weapons to Caracas and threatening US interests across the Western Hemisphere, including the US homeland.
In separate statements, the US Department of State and the US Department of the Treasury said a Venezuelan company targeted by the sanctions had been involved in the sale of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian-designed combat unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).
Other sanctioned entities and individuals were accused of supporting procurement networks linked to Iran’s drone and ballistic missile programs, said the statements.
“The entities and individuals designated today demonstrate Iran is actively proliferating its combat UAVs and continues to procure missile-related items in violation of UN restrictions,” State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said.
He added that the Trump administration will take action to curb Iran’s ballistic missile program, block its development of other conventional and asymmetric weapons, and prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
“We will continue to take swift action to deprive those who enable Iran’s military-industrial complex access to the US financial system,” said Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley.
A political debate has emerged after letters from the United States surfaced in support of Umar Khalid, who is currently in jail in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots case. The letters, written by US-based political figures, have drawn attention to what critics describe as ideological backing for the jailed accused from overseas.
Two letters in particular have come under scrutiny. One was written by Zohran Mamdani, the Mayor of New York City and a prominent figure in left-leaning political circles in the US, while the other was signed by eight US lawmakers. According to the claims made, both letters raise similar concerns, differing mainly in their wording.
Zohran Mamdani’s Personal Letter to Umar Khalid Raises Eyebrows
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Focus has largely centred on Mamdani’s letter, addressed directly to Umar Khalid. The four-line letter, written in December 2025, refers to Khalid as “dear” and states that Mamdani remembers his words, was glad to meet his parents, and remains concerned about him. This has prompted questions about why a political leader based nearly 13,000 kilometres away would write to an accused in the Delhi riots case and what connection exists between the two.
Khalid’s family has responded to the letter, and it has been pointed out that his family visited the United States in December 2025. It has been claimed that during this visit, attempts were made to project a narrative alleging injustice against a Muslim youth in India and to suggest that justice was being denied.
Eight US Lawmakers Demand Bail, Time-Bound Trial for Khalid
The second letter, signed by eight US lawmakers, expressed concern over Khalid being in jail for nearly five years and called for him to be granted bail. The lawmakers said the case should be heard in accordance with international legal standards and demanded a time-bound trial and a fair investigation.
Critics Slam Overseas ‘Ideological Backing’ Amid Riots Charges
Criticism surrounding the letters has focused on the fact that Umar Khalid is an accused in the Delhi riots case and faces allegations of instigating violence during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, as well as being part of a larger conspiracy. It has been stated that courts have already described him as an accused in a criminal conspiracy based on available evidence.
Questions have also been raised over what critics describe as selective concern, with allegations that while support is being extended to Khalid, there has been silence on violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.
It has further been argued that by writing such letters, Mamdani and the US lawmakers are questioning India’s judicial system. Reference has been made to the fact that Indian courts have granted bail to other accused in the Delhi riots cases, while Khalid remains in custody due to the seriousness of the charges against him.
At least two people have died after a powerful earthquake hit southern and central Mexico on Friday.
CBS, the BBC’s news partner in America, reported that as of Friday evening local time, two people were killed and several injured.
The epicentre of the 6.5 magnitude earthquake was near the popular tourist town of Acapulco, near San Marcos in the southwestern state of Guerrero.
A woman, 50, is believed to have died in Guerrero, state governor Evelyn Salgado said, while Clara Brugada, Mexico City’s mayor, confirmed the death of a 60-year-old man. She also said 12 people were injured. Brugada said aftershocks from Friday’s earthquake continued to be felt.
She urged locals to “remain calm” and “always keep the Life Backpack ready”.
She was referring to the emergency backpack Mexico’s National Disaster Prevention Center encourages residents to prepare to “help survive the first hours of disaster”. Items should include a flashlight, radio, water, non-perishable foods, warm clothing and a photocopy of all important documents, it says.
Two structures were being evaluated for risk of collapse, said Brugada. “And as a preventive measure, 34 buildings and 5 homes are being inspected.”
After hearing the Mexican Seismic Alert System early Friday, residents and tourists rushed into the streets of Mexico City and Acapulco.
The seismic system was put into place following the deadly 1985 earthquake that claimed more than 10,000 lives.
President Claudia Sheinbaum was holding her first press conference of the year when the earthquake struck.
In a video capturing the moment, Sheinbaum is heard saying “it’s shaking” as an earthquake alert system rings in the background. The president tells the media to “all get out calmly”. Additional video footage video shows buildings shaking in Mexico City and cars trembling in Acapulco, Guerrero.
The separatist Southern Transitional Council’s forces launched offensives in eastern Yemen last month
Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry has called for Yemen’s southern factions to attend a “dialogue” in Riyadh, after a dramatic turn of events in the south brought Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates into unprecedented direct confrontation.
Both Gulf powers have intervened on behalf of Yemen’s internationally recognised government in the country’s long-running civil war, but a fracturing of the alliance has seen them backing different rival groups on the ground.
One of the groupsis now pushing to declare the independence of a breakaway state in southern Yemen.
On Friday, the UAE-backed force declared that a “war” had begun, accusing Saudi-backed ground forces of launching an attack alongside air strikes by the Saudi air force.
In a statement posted to social media, the Saudi ministry urged “a comprehensive conference in Riyadh to bring together all southern factions to discuss just solutions to the southern cause”. Riyadh said the Yemeni government had issued the invitation for talks.
Yemen’s civil war broke out in 2014 and has plunged the already impoverished country into years of deadly violence and one of the world’s worst hunger crises.
At the start of the war, the Iran-backed rebel Houthi movement took control of most of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, from the government. The conflict escalated in 2015, when a coalition of Arab states including Saudi Arabia and the UAE launched a military campaign to restore the government’s rule.
A ceasefire has de-escalated the conflict with the Houthis in recent years and led to a freezing of the front lines.
But the Saudi-backed ruling coalition – the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), formed in 2022 and designed to unite various anti-Houthi factions – has frayed.
At the same time, the vast majority of southern Yemen has been taken by UAE-backed separatists, the Southern Transitional Council (STC), which is formally part of the coalition.
Reuters
Saudi Arabia warned the UAE that offensives in eastern Yemen constituted threats to its security
The infighting escalated on 2 December, when the STC – which seeks an independent state in the south – launched a large-scale military offensive in the east of the country and rapidly took control of territory from government forces. The STC’s advances included the oil-rich Hadramawt province that borders Saudi Arabia.
The STC said the offensive was necessary to “restore stability” in the south. But it was denounced as a “rebellion” by the head of the PLC, Rashad al-Alimi, who said the STC’s separatist push threatened to fracture Yemen and plunge the region into chaos.
Tensions have further escalated with air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition. On Friday, seven people were killed in an air strike on an STC military camp in Hadramawt, an STC official said.
That followed air strikes on Tuesday on the southern port of Mukalla, where the coalition accused the UAE of delivering two ships loaded with military equipment to the separatists over the weekend. No casualties were reported but images of burnt-out vehicles shared on social media after the strikes suggested the strikes directly targeted the UAE hardware.
AFP
The Saudi-led coalition air strike on Mukalla destroyed a number of military vehicles and pick-up trucks
The UAE foreign ministry denied the allegations, saying the shipment did not contain weapons and that the vehicles were to be used by Emirati forces in the country.
Following Tuesday’s strikes, the head of Yemen’s Presidential Council said it had cancelled a joint defence treaty with the UAE and ordered all its forces to leave the country within 24 hours.
The Saudi foreign ministry backed the call for the Emirati forces to leave, accusing the UAE of pressuring the STC to launch the offensive in the east, which has reached Saudi Arabia’s borders. The ministry warned that Saudi Arabia’s national security was a “red line”.
The UAE denied it was behind the STC’s recent military campaign but, in a move that was unexpected to many, hours later it conceded to the demand and agreed to withdraw its forces from Yemen.
The UAE’s motivations in supporting the STC in Yemen are seen as helping it secure access to key sea ports and challenging an Islamist party that sits in the government.
But even if the UAE fully removes its physical presence in Yemen, it “won’t change anything” and does not signify a backdown of the STC forces it supports, says Farea al-Muslimi, a researcher at Chatham House.
“The UAE hasn’t had a significant troop presence in Yemen since 2019. It has relied on special forces and mostly its network of proxies working directly on the ground,” says Mr Muslimi.
EPA
More than 19 million people require humanitarian assistance in Yemen
In the newly contested areas like Hadramawt, the prospect of a wider conflagration of fighting is alarming families.
“Some people are thinking of going to villages or staying with relatives if things get worse. But most people don’t really have the option to leave the city,” says Mohamed from Mukalla.
“Most people are going out less [and] have stored some goods like flour and rice. Everyone is following the news closely, moment by moment.”
Years of devastating conflict have ravaged Yemen’s economy. The country’s roughly 40 million people have endured what aid agencies say is the world’s third worst hunger crisis – one that has repeatedly threatened to reach famine levels. In 2021, the UN estimated that 377,000 people had died as a result of the conflict and its impact on hunger and healthcare, of which 259,000 were said to be children under the age of five.
While the current conflict is being framed from the outside as an emerging proxy war between two Gulf powers, close watchers of Yemeni politics have seen the recent escalations by the STC as a long time coming.
The STC’s ambitions have risen after its recent expansion of control over nearly all of the south of the country, Yemeni affairs journalist Anwar al-Ansi told BBC Arabic.
“[STC chief Aidarous] Al-Zubaidi has been the most consistent person inside Yemen, consistently demanding independence for southern Yemen. So, no, I don’t think he will give up,” says Mr Muslimi.
Reuters
The Southern Transitional Council wants an independent state in south Yemen
Speaking to the BBC, Anwar al-Tamimi, a spokesperson for the STC confirmed their aspirations.
“Our intentions have always been clear for years and that is to establish an independent state, we haven’t tried to fool anyone,” he said.
“It’s the right of the people of the south to choose their fate, unfortunately many in the region have tried to stand in our way.”
He denied independence would be a threat to Saudi Arabia’s national security.
“We will have stability and won’t be a source of terrorism that threatens them,” he said.
Whether these assurances will be enough to prevent Saudi-backed forces attempting to reclaim their grip on southern Yemen is unclear.
“The UAE and Saudi Arabia cannot and will not be able to agree in Yemen. They have a very different logic on the ground,” says Mr Muslimi. “Saudi has 1,500km of border with Yemen while the UAE has zero.
“Imagine having the UK and France going directly into a war with each other – that is the same way I think about the UAE and Saudi Arabia. They are rich and powerful countries with lots of weapons and it’s very bad for the whole region.”
In a desperate attempt to resurrect a failed narrative, Pakistan has once again turned to social media to circulate misleading and unverified satellite images, falsely claiming strikes on Indian military facilities in Punjab, including areas around Amritsar, during Operation Sindoor.
The claims, now being amplified by Pakistan-based handles, are not supported by facts.
Independent verification of the locations shown in these images confirmed that no destruction or damage is visible at the alleged targets. Indian military facilities cited in the posts remain intact, with no signs of blast impact, structural damage, or secondary effects that would be expected from a strike.
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The timing of this disinformation effort has raised serious questions. During the actual conflict in May, Pakistan was unable to produce any credible satellite imagery to substantiate its claims. The sudden appearance of these visuals seven months later, without verifiable timestamps, satellite-source details, or corroboration, suggests a post-facto attempt to manufacture evidence rather than present genuine documentation.
This is not the first instance of exaggerated claims linked to the conflict. During and immediately after the operation, Pakistani social media narratives included assertions of imaginary “victory ratios” and vague references to striking India’s strategic “centre of gravity”. None of these claims were backed by independently verifiable data and failed to gain credibility internationally.
Open-source analysts who reviewed the newly circulated images have pointed out selective framing and absence of damage indicators, such as craters, debris patterns, scorch marks, or infrastructure collapse. Comparative imagery of the same locations shows no observable change, directly contradicting the strike narrative.
Despite these findings, the misleading visuals continue to be circulated, indicating a deliberate disinformation campaign rather than an analytical disagreement. Experts note that such tactics are often aimed at shaping domestic perception, compensating for the lack of verifiable success during actual hostilities, and attempting to introduce doubt among less informed audiences abroad.
The facts, however, remain unchanged. There is no credible evidence to support claims of Pakistani strikes on Indian military facilities in Punjab during Operation Sindoor. The latest social media push relies on unverified imagery and recycled propaganda, which does not withstand independent scrutiny.
(Reported by Anuvesh Rath)
ALSO READ | No Place To Hide: India’s Ramjet Artillery Capable Of Blowing Pakistan’s Rear Commands To Pieces
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Friday said it had thwarted a potential terrorist attack planned for New Year’s Eve in North Carolina, arresting an 18-year-old who was allegedly inspired by the Islamic State (ISIS).
The FBI said the suspect, identified as Christian Sturdivant, had allegedly planned a violent attack targeting a grocery store in Mint Hill. The agency added that the accused was directly inspired by ISIS propaganda.
In a post on X, FBI said, “The FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack on New Year’s Eve in North Carolina. The subject was directly inspired to act by ISIS. A federal criminal complaint alleges 18-year-old Christian Sturdivant planned a violent attack at a grocery store in Mint Hill. SAC Barnacle praised the swift action of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, the @NYPDnews, @USAO_WDNC, @TheJusticeDept, and the Mint Hill Police Department to protect our community and Defend the Homeland.”
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The #FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack on New Year’s Eve in North Carolina. The subject was directly inspired to act by ISIS. A federal criminal complaint alleges 18-year-old Christian Sturdivant planned a violent attack at a grocery store in Mint Hill. SAC Barnacle… pic.twitter.com/njn7XBQTAC
— FBI Charlotte (@FBICharlotte) January 2, 2026
According to officials, the accused had been planning the attack for nearly a year and was planning to target a grocery store and a fast-food outlet in Mint Hill using knives and hammers while wearing protective gear on New Year’s Eve. Officials added that a search of the accused’s home later found weapons, handwritten notes and other materials linked to the planned attack.
US Attorney Russ Ferguson said in a statement, “He (Sturdivant) has been planning this attack for about a year, but he’s been planning an attack uh for far longer than that. He was planning this attack in support of ISIS, and we have charged them with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. That organization being of course ISIS.”
Officials said the accused was preparing for jihad and that innocent people were at risk of being killed, adding that authorities were very fortunate to have prevented the attack.
“The FBI executed a search warrant at his home and they found the instrumentalities of the attack. They found hammers, knives hidden under his bed. They found notes for how he was going to carry out this attack. It was a very well-planned, thoughtful attack that he had planned and that was fortunately foiled here. He was preparing for jihad and innocent people were going to die and we’re very, very fortunate they did not,” Ferguson added.
Today Weather, Aaj Nu Havaman, Today’s Weather: Severe cold is falling in most of the states across the country. Snowfall and rain in the Himalayan states are creating problems in the neighboring states as well. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning of dense to very dense fog, cold wave and cold day in several states of North India for the next few days.
According to IMD, heavy fog is likely to prevail over Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha for the next 4-5 days. Cold wave is also likely in Himachal, Bihar, Punjab, Delhi, UP and Rajasthan for the next 6-7 days.
Warning to fishermen
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea from January 2 to 7, 2026 in the Bay of Bengal and parts of the Arabian Sea, where strong winds and adverse sea conditions are likely.
The IMD has warned that dense fog may disrupt road, rail and air traffic. People are advised to use fog lights while driving and get updates from concerned agencies before travelling.
How will the weather be in Delhi-NCR?
With the beginning of the new year, the capital is getting very cold. According to the Meteorological Department, the skies will be mostly clear on January 3. Fog will prevail in many areas and dense fog will prevail in some areas in the morning. In the morning, westerly winds will blow, the speed of which will reach 10 km per hour.
What will the weather be like in Uttar Pradesh?
Severe cold conditions prevailed in Uttar Pradesh on Friday. Most of the districts of the state did not experience sunshine today. According to the Meteorological Department, there is a possibility of fog in Uttar Pradesh tomorrow morning and night. A cold wave is likely to prevail in the state from January 6 to 9, the coldest on Saturday.
How will the weather be in Bihar?
Delhi and Uttar Pradesh including Bihar in North India are getting very cold. Dense to very dense fog is likely during night and morning hours. The state is likely to experience cold on January 4 and 5, but the cold will intensify on January 3.
Also Read:- People kept shouting and the system kept sleeping.. Many people died due to contaminated water in Indore, read inside story
What will the weather be like in Uttarakhand?
According to the Met department, snowfall is likely in many parts of Uttarakhand. Dense fog is likely during night and morning hours. The minimum temperature will be between 0 to -5 degrees Celsius, causing severe chill in the hilly areas.
Speaking to a cheering crowd of thousands at his inauguration, Mamdani pledged to “govern expansively and audaciously”
On the first freezing winter day of 2026, surrounded by thousands of cheering New Yorkers and progressive Democratic allies, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani pledged to tell a “new story of our city”.
“City Hall will deliver an agenda of safety, affordability, and abundance – where government looks and lives like the people it represents,” he told the crowd in his inaugural address.
It was the same message that propelled the 34-year-old Democratic socialist to an unexpected electoral victory in November. His pitch to lead the most expensive US city included big changes, such as universal childcare, free public buses and city-run grocery stores.
But the mayor is likely to encounter several challenges in trying to deliver on these promises, and he’ll need to keep on board other important political stakeholders – beginning on his first full day in office.
“He’ll put all of his political and other might behind getting these things accomplished,” said Patrick Egan, a professor of politics and public policy at New York University. But, he said, New York City is “a big place, it’s a complicated place, and so, all bets are off about whether these things can happen or not”.
1. Paying for policy promises
Mamdani’s promises
Mamdani’s lofty policy platform has centred on cost-of-living issues, including freezing rent hikes for subsidised housing units and providing universal free childcare.
He will be able to accomplish some of his policy goals on his own and without significant expense, government experts said. For instance, if he wants to freeze rents for subsidised housing, he can appoint people aligned with this policy on the city’s rent control board.
But finding the funding to make other goals a reality when the state and city face budget shortfalls will prove complicated, government experts said.
“If he wants to provide free bus service and free child care, these kinds of things cost money,” said Robert Shapiro, a professor of international and public affairs at Columbia University. “The big roadblock for the things he’d like to do are the state of the New York, the financial capacity of the state and the political willingness of the governor.”
Mamdani has said some funding would come from new taxes. He believes taxes on the wealthy could raise as much as $9bn (£6.6bn), with pledges to raise the corporate tax rate from 7.25% to 11.5%.
But Mamdani needs the support of the state government to make tax changes.
The more moderate Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul endorsed him in the race last year as well as some of his affordability goals. But Hochul, who is making her own political calculations as she runs for re-election this year, has already indicated she may not support Mamdani’s broader tax plan.
2. Avoiding White House intervention
Watch: What Trump and Mamdani have said about each other
For weeks leading up to the New York City mayoral election, President Donald Trump took to social media and news briefings to attack Mamdani, a rising Democratic star, as a “communist” mayor who threatened the future of the largest US city.
Trump threatened to withhold billions of federal dollars to the city if Mamdani was elected.
But the first meeting between the future mayor and the president last November proved much more amicable than expected. The two men frequently smiled at each other and shared praise, with Trump telling Mamdani he was “confident that he can do a very good job”.
Still, the two politicians’ diametrically opposed policy positions could lead to conflict as Mamdani takes over City Hall. Immigration may be a point of tension.
For now, New York has not been a target of Trump’s efforts to send in National Guard troops, as he has done in Democratic-led cities across the US in response to anti-immigration protests.
But the Trump administration did ramp up immigration raids in New York as part of its enforcement efforts in several cities.
Meanwhile, the mayor pledged in his victory speech that New York would “remain a city of immigrants, a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants, and … led by an immigrant”.
3. Getting business leaders on board
Supporting small businesses
Mamdani’s shock victory in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary in June sent Wall Street leaders into a frenzy.
Some business leaders threatened to leave the city, while others spent millions behind the scenes to try to coalesce support around other mayoral candidates.
But as Mamdani maintained his status as the race frontrunner, some of these attitudes began to shift. The now-mayor reached out to his opponents in the business world to hear their concerns.
Mamdani pledged to meet with leaders including JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, who later said he would offer his help if Mamdani was elected.
Mamdani also met with real estate developer Jeffrey Gural, who described him as “personable” and “smart”.
Still, Gural and others in the business community continue to express their concerns that the 34-year-old lacks the experience to lead the nation’s largest city – and that his plans to raise taxes on corporations and wealthy people will drive some of them to leave New York.
Mr Egan said it remains to be seen whether a “spirit of cooperation” will persist between business leaders and Mamdani as he forges ahead with an agenda that is ideologically at odds with some of their goals.
“Any mayor of New York needs cooperation from business leaders, and in particular finance and real estate that play big roles here in New York City,” he said.
4. Addressing public safety
A new public safety plan
As mayor, Mamdani will face a perennial challenge for New York City leaders, tackling crime and maintaining a sense of safety for New Yorkers.
Like many big cities, New York saw an uptick in crime during the Covid pandemic, though in 2025, the rate of homocides and shootings in the city fell to a near-record low.
This decline in crime gives Mamdani “a bit of wiggle room to think creatively” about public safety in New York, including improving social services and support, Mr Egan said.
Mamdani has promised to create a Department of Community Safety that would invest in mental health programmes and crisis response as well as deploy outreach workers to subway stations across the city.
Outgoing Mayor Eric Adams’ administration also sent outreach workers to subway stations and established other housing and mental health programmes. But some experts and community leaders say those efforts failed to adequately address homelessness and mental health crises.
Democratic strategist Howard Wolfson, a counselor to former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, said he and others will judge Mamdani first and foremost on how the city is policed, and how shoplifting and quality of life crimes are handled.
Mamdani won over some business leaders and members of the public with his decision to ask Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who served in Adams’ administration, to stay on as police chief.
“Public safety is really kind of the prerequisite for success or failure,” Mr Wolfson previously told the BBC. “I think if people feel safe here, they can tolerate an awful lot of other challenges. And if they don’t, then there’s not a lot of other challenges that they will be willing to tolerate.”
