An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 struck central Assam early Monday, officials said. The National Centre for Seismology recorded the tremor at 4.17 am in Morigaon district on the southern bank of the Brahmaputra. The quake was at a depth of 50 km. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage to property. People in many districts across Assam felt the shaking and moved out of their homes as a safety step. The tremor was also felt in parts of Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and West Bengal. Areas in Bhutan, China and Bangladesh also reported mild shaking. (PC: The Indian Express)

Snow and ice warnings have been upgraded as bitter cold weather grips the United Kingdom this weekend. The Met Office said heavy snow is expected in parts of Scotland, with blizzard conditions along England’s east coast. Some areas have already seen up to 10cm of snow. Amber warnings are in place across northern Scotland, while yellow alerts cover much of the UK until Monday. Road closures, power cuts, and delays to rail and air travel are likely. The UK Health Security Agency also issued cold weather alerts, warning of health risks for older people and those with medical conditions. (PC: PA)

New research shows air pollution is chemically degrading India’s historic monuments, with pollutants from vehicles, factories and power plants reacting with stone surfaces to form damaging black crusts and corrode architectural details. At the Red Fort in Delhi, sulphation processes on sandstone are turning its iconic red façade black, while erosion also threatens other sites like Humayun’s Tomb and the Taj Mahal, which has long suffered discoloration due to pollution. Experts warn that without stronger emissions control and conservation efforts, these cultural treasures will continue to lose structural integrity and aesthetic value, imperiling India’s heritage for future generations. (PC: AFP)

A severe cold wave and dense fog gripped northern and eastern India as the New Year began, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing warnings across Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Odisha, disrupting travel and daily life. Dense to very dense fog reduced visibility, affecting road, rail and air services, with numerous flight cancellations and delays reported. Widespread cold day conditions are forecast to continue, while several states extended school closures due to safety concerns amid plunging temperatures and heavy fog. Authorities have urged precautions as winter chills persist. (PC: HT)

Delhi recorded its coldest December day since 2020 as cold day conditions and dense fog covered the city on Wednesday. The maximum temperature fell to 14.2 degrees Celsius, over six degrees below normal, while the minimum settled at 6.4 degrees. Palam, Lodhi Road and Ridge stations also logged day highs near 13 degrees. Morning fog cut visibility to 50 metres at Safdarjung and Palam. The IMD said a cloudy sky with very light rain is likely on January 1 due to a system over Punjab and Haryana. Air quality stayed poor, with the AQI close to the severe range. (PC: India Today)

A strong earthquake struck off the coast near Japan’s Noda city on New Year’s Eve, the US Geological Survey said. The quake measured magnitude 6 and hit about 91 km east of Noda at a depth of 19.3 km. The epicentre was located at 40.112 degrees north and 142.889 degrees east. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The tremor came weeks after a magnitude 6.7 quake on December 12 near Iwate prefecture, when a tsunami advisory was issued. Earlier on Wednesday, a separate magnitude 3.4 quake was recorded in Tibet, Indian agencies said. (PC: HT)

Thick fog disrupted flight operations at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport for a second day on Tuesday. Officials said that by about 9.30 am, 118 flights were cancelled, over 200 were delayed, and 18 were diverted. The India Meteorological Department reported visibility of 350 metres at the airport at that time. Train services in the capital were also affected. The Airports Authority of India issued an advisory for several north India airports, warning of delays due to low visibility. Airlines, including IndiGo, asked passengers to stay in touch for updates and to allow extra time at airports as fog continues. (PC: HT)

Dense winter fog and severely reduced visibility across Delhi and northern India have significantly disrupted flight operations at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport and other airports, forcing pilots to rely on advanced CAT III landing systems. Multiple flights were delayed, cancelled, or diverted, leaving many passengers stranded and prompting urgent advisories from IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Air India to check flight statuses before travelling. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for very dense fog, while airlines activated special measures including rebooking options and refund flexibility to help travellers cope with the weather-related chaos. (PC: HT)

The India Meteorological Department has placed Delhi under an orange alert for dense fog on December 29. Night and morning fog is likely across Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and west Uttar Pradesh till December 31. East Uttar Pradesh may see low visibility till January 1. IMD also warned of cold day and cold wave conditions in parts of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Punjab and Haryana. Several cities, including Amritsar, Agra and Gwalior, reported near zero visibility. A fresh western disturbance is expected from December 30 and may bring rain or snow to the western Himalayas and nearby plains. (PC: HT)

A strong winter storm disrupted travel across New York City and the northeast United States during a busy holiday weekend. About four inches of snow fell in New York on Saturday. At least 1,500 flights were cancelled or delayed since Friday night, flight tracking data showed. JFK, Newark and LaGuardia airports issued snow warnings and said more delays were possible. New York and New Jersey declared states of emergency. The storm also affected travel in Florida, San Francisco and Orlando. In California, heavy snowfall triggered avalanches. Two ski patrollers were injured at Mammoth Mountain, and a backcountry skier was rescued near Mount Rose. (PC: HT)