TODAY NEWS ON January 05, 2026
U.S. strikes Venezuela: Maduro in U.S. custody, V-P Delcy Rodriguez named interim President
The Constitutional Chamber of Venezuela’s Supreme Court ordered on Saturday (January 3, 2026) that Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez assume the role of acting President of the country in the absence of Nicolás Maduro, who was detained early Saturday (January 3, 2026) morning in an operation by U.S. forces. Hours after an “stunning” military operation that plucked the Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from power and removed him from the country, President Donald Trump said on Saturday (January 3, 2026) that the U.S. would run Venezuela at least temporarily and tap its vast oil reserves to sell to other nations. The plane carrying the deposed leader and his wife arrived in New York, where they are to face “narco-terrorism” conspiracy charges.
Trump’s list of nations whose immigrants receive welfare in U.S. does not mention India
U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday (January 4, 2025) posted a list of several countries, including Pakistan, Bhutan, China, Bangladesh and Nepal, to highlight rates of welfare and assistance received by immigrants from those countries in the U.S., a compilation that does not include India. The ‘Immigrant Welfare Recipient Rates by Country of Origin’ list includes about 120 nations and territories around the world.
Maduro to appear before U.S. judge on January 5
Venezuela’s deposed President Nicolas Maduro is scheduled to appear before a federal judge in New York at noon on Monday (January 5, 2026), to be formally notified about the charges against him, the court said. His lawyers are expected to contest the legality of his arrest, arguing that he is immune from prosecution as a sovereign head of foreign state, which is a bedrock principle of international and U.S. law.
Bangladesh ‘not to travel’ to India for T20 World Cup
With less than five weeks remaining for the tournament opener, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced that it will “not travel to India” for next month’s Men’s T20 World Cup and has formally requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) to “consider relocating Bangladesh’s matches outside India”. The announcement came a day after the BCCI directed Kolkata Knight Riders to part ways with Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman ahead of the IPL 2026 season.
Making strong efforts to host the 2036 Olympics: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (January 4, 2025) asserted that India is preparing with full strength to host the 2036 Olympic Games, and declared his government was committed to providing “more and more players greater opportunities to compete” by hosting mega sporting events in the country.
External Affairs Minister begins 6-day visit to France, Luxembourg
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Sunday (January 4, 2025) began a six-day visit to France and Luxembourg to hold talks on bilateral and global issues of mutual interests. In Paris, he will meet the French leadership and hold talks with Foreign Minister Jean Noel Barrot, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Centre will allow multiple airports in major cities, says Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu
The Union Government will allow the functioning of two or more airports in major cities in view of increased air passenger traffic across the country, Union Minister for Civil Aviation Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu has said. “The Centre will review the existing policy that bars the functioning of two airports within 150 km radius,” he said after the successful first test flight at the Alluri Sitharama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram on Sunday (January 4, 2026).
Centre relaxes norms for start-ups to avail funds from DSIR
The Centre on Sunday (January 4, 2026) relaxed norms for deep-tech start-ups to avail financial assistance from the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR). Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh announced the removal of the three-year viability criteria for deep-tech start-ups to avail financial assistance of up to ₹1 crore under the Industrial Research and Development Promotion Programme (IRDPP) of the department.
Stone-pelting during religious procession in Bengaluru’s J.J. Nagar; case registered
Tension prevailed in parts of J.J. Nagar on Sunday (January 4, 2026) night after a stone-pelting incident allegedly took place during a religious procession near V.S. Garden in the J.J. Nagar police station limits. According to the police, the incident occurred around 8 p.m. when devotees were pulling the deity’s chariot as part of a procession that began from the Om Shakti temple.
Goa nightclub fire victims’ kin seek death sentence for co-owners
Families of the 25 people killed in the massive fire at a nightclub in Goa staged a protest at Jantar Mantar on Sunday (January 4, 2026), demanding justice and a death sentence for those responsible for the tragedy. Raising slogans such as “hang the killers”, around 50 relatives of the victims gathered at the protest site, holding photographs of their loved ones who died in the blaze at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora village of north Goa on December 6.
Denmark PM Frederiksen urges Trump to stop threats to take over Greenland
Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Sunday (January 4, 2025) urged U.S. President Donald Trump to stop threatening to take over Greenland, after he reiterated his wish to do so in an interview with The Atlantic magazine. “It makes absolutely no sense to talk about the U.S. needing to take over Greenland. The U.S. has no right to annex any of the three countries in the Danish Kingdom,” she said.
India’s Russian oil imports at 6-month high in November 2025, U.S. imports jump too
India’s Russian oil imports rose to a six-month high in terms of both volume and value in November 2025, with the latest official data showing its share in India’s overall oil imports rising to 35%. This comes at a time when there has been little progress in finalising a tariff deal with the U.S. However, at the same time, India has also increased its purchases of American oil, which jumped to a seven-month high in November 2025, with the U.S. accounting for nearly 13% of India’s oil imports that month.
Concerned about well-being of the people of Venezuela: India
A day after the United States military forcibly took away President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores from Venezuela’s capital Caracas, India has expressed its concern for the “well-being of the people of Venezuela” and called for dialogue to ensure peace and stability in the region. The Ministry of External Affairs had earlier issued a travel advisory for Indian citizens calling upon them to stay safe as resource-rich Venezuela deals with the current political crisis after the forcible extraction of President Maduro.
Swiss investigators identify 24 people killed in bar blaze
Authorities investigating a New Year’s blaze in the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana have identified 24 of the 40 people killed, including 11 minors and six foreign nationals, police said on Sunday (January 4, 2026). Local police, who had already identified eight Swiss victims, announced they had identified 10 more Swiss nationals — four women and six men aged 14 to 31, as well as two 16-year-old Italians, a 39-year-old Frenchman, a 16-year-old dual national of Italy and United Arab Emirates, an 18-year-old Romanian and an 18-year-old Turk.
Iran’s leader says ‘rioters must be put in their place,’ as protest death toll reaches at least 15
Iran’s Supreme Leader insisted Saturday (January 3, 2026) that “rioters must be put in their place” after a week of protests that have shaken the Islamic Republic, likely giving security forces a green light to aggressively put down the demonstrations. The first comments by 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei come as violence surrounding the demonstrations sparked by Iran’s ailing economy has killed at least 15 people, according to human rights activists.
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