A one-horned rhinoceros calf was born on January 1 at Jaldapara National Park in West Bengal, officials said. The newborn was first seen by forest staff on patrolling elephants during routine rounds. Jaldapara is home to India’s second-largest rhino population after Kaziranga in Assam. Forest officers said the calf will be closely tracked as part of the park’s regular monitoring system. Each birth is recorded to ensure the safety of the mother and the young animal. The park follows strict rules to guard rhinos from harm and illegal activity. Authorities said such births show that habitat care and protection work in the reserve is helping the species survive. 

Lab tests have found that polluted drinking water caused a vomiting and diarrhoea outbreak in Indore, killing nine people and sickening over 1,400, officials said. The cases were reported from Bhagirathpura area. Health officers said a leak in the main supply pipe allowed waste to enter the water line. A toilet was built above the damaged section, they added. Authorities have started checking the full pipeline and sent more samples for tests. Clean water was restored on Thursday, but residents were told to boil it first. The National Human Rights Commission has sought a report from the state government on the deaths. (PC: India Today)

The Centre has issued draft rules that set minimum work days for gig and platform workers to qualify for social security benefits. The labour ministry said workers must be engaged for at least 90 days in a financial year with one aggregator. Those working with more than one platform will need 120 days in total. A worker will be treated as engaged on any day they earn income, no matter the amount. If a person works for three aggregators on one day, it will count as three days. The notice came just before a New Year’s Eve strike by gig workers over pay and conditions. (PC: HT)

Search teams are still looking for victims after a major fire at a bar in Switzerland on New Year’s Eve. About 40 people were killed and at least 115 were injured, officials said. Many families are waiting for news as authorities warn that identification may take days or even weeks. Around 60 people are being treated at Sion hospital, with others in nearby centres. Several patients are in critical condition. Swiss President Guy Parmelin said the blaze was among the worst tragedies in the country. Investigators have not confirmed the cause. Some witnesses believe flames spread from candles placed on a champagne bottle. (PC: BBC)

Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as New York City’s 112th mayor just after midnight on the steps of City Hall. He told a large crowd that voters had changed politics in the city. Quoting a supporter in Urdu, he said, “People’s hearts have changed.” Mamdani pledged to serve all residents, including those who did not vote for him. He said New York should belong to people of every language, faith, and background. On his first day, he signed orders to revive the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants and set up two task forces to speed up housing projects and cut permit delays. (PC: India Today)

At least seven people were reported dead in clashes between protesters and security forces in several Iranian cities this week. The protests began in Tehran on December 27 after shopkeepers went on strike over high prices and weak growth. They later spread to towns in Lorestan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, and Isfahan provinces. State media said a Basij member was killed in Kouhdasht. Police arrested dozens of people in Tehran and other areas. Videos showed crowds shouting slogans such as “Mullahs must leave Iran.” President Masoud Pezeshkian said people have real economic demands and urged steps to improve living conditions. (PC: India Today)

A deadly fire in Germany claimed the life of Thokala Hruthik Reddy, a 22‑25‑year‑old student from Malkapur village in Jangaon district, Telangana, who had gone abroad for higher studies. The blaze broke out in his apartment in Magdeburg late on New Year’s Eve, leaving thick smoke and flames with no clear escape route. In a desperate attempt to flee, Hruthik reportedly jumped from the building, suffering grievous head injuries. He was rushed to a hospital, but died during treatment. His family and community are mourning the tragic loss as arrangements begin to repatriate his mortal remains to India. (PC: India Today)

Myanmar’s 2026 election, orchestrated by the military since the 2021 coup, is widely condemned as a sham designed to entrench junta control. While authorities claim it restores civilian rule, heavy restrictions on freedoms, pervasive surveillance, and widespread intimidation dominate daily life, especially in Yangon. Popular parties like Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy remain banned, leaving voters with little choice. Citizens face pressure to participate amid ongoing civil conflict and economic hardship. Observers argue that true democracy remains impossible under the junta, with genuine political change dependent on sustained resistance and international pressure. (PC: AFP)

Delhi’s Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced that the national capital recorded its best air quality in eight years in 2025, with significant declines in particulate pollution compared to 2024. PM2.5 levels dropped from 104 µg/m³ to 96, and PM10 from 212 µg/m³ to 197, while the city logged nearly 200 days with an AQI under 200, including 79 days in the ‘good’ or ‘satisfactory’ range. Only eight ‘severe’ pollution days were recorded, the lowest in recent years. The government credited science-led interventions on vehicular emissions, dust, industry and waste management for the improvements. (PC: PTI)

Widespread protests have erupted across Iran as shopkeepers, traders and university students demonstrate against sharp inflation, economic stagnation and the plunging rial currency. At least seven people have been killed in clashes between security forces and demonstrators since the unrest began, with reports of several buildings — including administrative structures and bazaars — severely damaged amid stone-throwing and confrontations. The demonstrations, which started in Tehran and spread to other cities, reflect deep frustration with soaring prices and deteriorating living standards, intensified by long-standing sanctions and economic mismanagement. Authorities have made multiple arrests as tensions continue. (PC: AFP)