Month: January 2026

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has warned that temperatures in Karachi may drop to single digits over the weekend, with the city likely to experience cold and dry conditions accompanied by occasional winds, Dawn reported.

Karachi experienced its second spell of winter rainfall on Thursday afternoon under the influence of a westerly wave, which resulted in light to moderate showers across several areas. Strong post-rain winds swept through the city, further lowering the perceived temperature and intensifying the cold spell.

According to the PMD’s weather outlook, the minimum temperature in the city was forecast at 8.5 degrees Celsius on Saturday and is expected to decline further to between 7°C and 9°C on Sunday. The minimum temperature is projected to increase slightly on Monday night, ranging between 8°C and 10°C, Dawn reported.

Meanwhile, maximum temperatures in Karachi are expected to remain between 19°C and 21°C on Saturday and Sunday, before rising to between 20°C and 22°C on Monday.

The Met Office has forecast that morning humidity levels over the next three days are likely to range between 40 and 55 per cent, while night-time humidity may fall sharply to between 10 and 25 per cent. Northeast to easterly winds are expected to persist until Monday, the PMD noted, according to Dawn.

Separately, the PMD on Friday forecast additional rain and snowfall in several parts of the country from Sunday night through Tuesday, with a drop in daytime temperatures expected during the period.

As per the Met Office, a westerly wave is likely to enter the western regions of the country on January 25 (Sunday) and strengthen over the upper parts on January 26 (Monday). Under its influence, rain, wind and thunderstorms accompanied by snowfall are expected across most areas of Balochistan on Sunday night and Monday.

Upper Sindh, including Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad and Dadu, is also likely to receive rainfall on Monday. Rain, wind and thunderstorms with snowfall, including heavy snowfall at isolated locations, are expected in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB) and Pakistan-occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoJK). The weather system is also forecast to impact several areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, Dawn reported.

The forecasts come amid severe winter conditions that have disrupted normal life across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, PoGB and PoJK, where heavy snowfall, avalanches and landslides have blocked roads, stranded travellers, and affected electricity supply and relief operations.

On Friday, nine members of a family were killed after a snow avalanche buried their house in Chitral. (ANI)

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Saturday rejected any claim of going against the party line on any issue, saying that he has “at no stage violated any of the Congress’ positions in Parliament.”

He said that there has been only one instance of “public disagreement on principle,” which occurred after the Pahalgam terror attack and the response with Operation Sindoor, for which he remains unapologetic.

“After the terror attack, which killed 26 people, the Congress leader had said that the act “cannot go unpunished, there has to be a kinetic response. I have at no stage violated any of the Congress’ positions in Parliament; the only issue on which there has been public disagreement on principle is about Operation Sindoor, where I did take a very strong stand, and I remain unapologetic about that,” Tharoor said.

Tharoor’s comments come on the backdrop of speculation over him being “upset” for being ignored by party leaders, particularly by Rahul Gandhi, at a party event in Kochi on January 19. Tharoor had attended the ‘mahapanchayat’ party event, where Rahul Gandhi was present too. However, as Gandhi entered the stage, along with KC Venugopal, multiple party leaders were greeted directly; however, a direct greeting to Tharoor was not given.

While detailing his stance, which had led to public disagreements with other party leaders, Tharoor added, “After Pahalgam happened, I myself, as an observer and commentator, I had written a column in the Indian Express, which I think I gave the title ‘After Pahalgam’, they gave it a title ‘Hit Hard, Hit Smart’. I said in that article – this cannot go unpunished; there has to be a kinetic response.”

Following the Kochi event, it was reported that Tharoor had skipped an All India Congress Committee (AICC) meet due to his prior engagement at the Kerala Literature Fest.

However, Tharoor reportedly did attend the Prime Minister’s event in Thiruvananthapuram, where PM Modi inaugurated multiple Bharat trains.

The (AICC) meeting was attended by multiple party leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, party General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal, Rahul Gandhi, Jairam Ramesh, Deepa Dasmunshi, Meira Kumar and others in Delhi.

Congress leaders have refuted any claim of anger between the leadership and Tharoor, saying that he had informed them about his commitments earlier.

“He spoke to the leaders about that, and I guess the leaders have given him permission to be there. This is not about him skipping the meeting. It is an important literary festival in Kerala that he attends every year. This is about our pathway ahead,” said party leader Shafi Parambil.

“It is also very important for the party and for us, so he is releasing that (his book), that is why he sent us a message. Party is his priority, he was just in an event with Rahul,” said Deepa Dasmunshi, AICC General Secretary.

When asked if Tharoor is ‘angry’ with the leadership, she added, “No, no, nothing like that. Tharoor is very happy with the Congress party and the central leadership; there is no difference of opinion on this.”

Tharoor had also been part of the multi-party delegation on Operation Sindoor, which went to different countries to put forward India’s stance following the Pahalgam terror attack.

At that time, Tharoor had been criticised by his party leaders for the delegation, given that other prominent leaders, like Rahul Gandhi, Jairam Ramesh, Kharge, and others, had not been invited to be part of it. (ANI)

Businessman Robert Vadra on Saturday said the Enforcement Directorate is being used by the government as a tool to divert attention from real issues.

The remarks of Vadra came following the Rouse Avenue Court granting time to the Enforcement Directorate to argue on consideration of a supplementary charge sheet filed against businessman Robert Vadra in the Sanjay Bhandari money laundering case.

Robert Vadra told ANI, “I have nothing to say. The timing says it all. Whenever Parliament is about to open, and the government is expected to answer uncomfortable questions raised by the opposition, the ED is used as a tool to divert attention from the real, compromising issues.”

The Enforcement Directorate had filed a supplementary charge sheet against Vadra in the ED case linked with arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari.

The court pulled the ED for not filing the list of unrelied documents of the case. The court has directed ED to file the document by the next date of hearing.

The next hearing date is February 26.

Rouse Avenue Court on Saturday granted time to the ED to argue on the consideration of a supplementary charge sheet filed against Robert Vadra in a money laundering case linked to arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari.

Special Judge Sushant Changotra listed the matter for consideration on February 26. The court pulled up the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for not filing a consolidated list of unrelied documents.

The court granted time to file documents and arguements after hearing submissions from special public prosecutor (SPP) Naveen Kumar Matta, assisted by Advocate Faizan Khan.

The court directed the ED to file a document on or before the next date of hearing.

The Enforcement Directorate in December 2025 filed its second supplementary prosecution complaint in the money-laundering case linked to UK-based defence dealer Sanjay Bhandari, formally naming businessman Robert Vadra as an accused. Vadra was granted anticipatory bail in the case by the Delhi Court in 2019.

According to reports, Vadra’s role has come under scrutiny as part of the larger investigation into Bhandari, who is alleged to have facilitated questionable financial transactions and benefited through dealings.

Vadra had appeared before the agency in July this year, where his statement was recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The businessman is under ED investigation in three separate money laundering cases, two of which relate to alleged irregularities in land transactions. The agency has been probing whether funds generated through these deals were routed through offshore entities linked to Bhandari.

Sanjay Bhandari, considered a known to Vadra, fled to London in 2016 shortly after the Income-Tax Department conducted searches at his premises in Delhi. He was recently declared a Fugitive Economic Offender (FEO) by a Delhi trial court.

However, Bhandari challenged the order before the Delhi High Court. In August, the High Court reserved its verdict on his plea contesting the trial court’s decision under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018. (ANI)

While tourists are rejoicing over fresh snowfall in Himachal Pradesh, local residents, farmers, and orchardists are pinning long-term hopes on a good tourism season and a productive agricultural year.

However, heavy snowfall has also caused widespread disruption, with transportation severely affected across several districts.

Due to snowfall in the upper reaches of Shimla, Kullu, Lahaul-Spiti, Chamba, and Kinnaur districts, more than 600 roads have been blocked, creating difficulties for both locals and visitors. Efforts are underway to restore connectivity.

Speaking to ANI, Himachal Pradesh PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh said that the snowfall came after a long dry spell and has brought relief to farmers and orchardists.

“After a very long dry spell, this snowfall has occurred in our state, which has brought happiness among farmers and orchardists. However, snowfall also leads to road blockages. I am in constant touch with departmental officials. JCBs and Poclain machines are continuously engaged in clearing roads in hilly areas,” he said.

The minister added that higher reaches have received 2.5 to 3 feet of snow, while high-altitude areas have recorded up to 4 feet, making road clearance time-consuming.

“As per the latest information, around 600 small and big roads have been affected, including link roads and major district roads. We are making all efforts to open them at the earliest,” Singh told ANI.

Appealing to tourists, Vikramaditya Singh urged patience and cooperation. “I request all tourists visiting Himachal Pradesh to maintain the beauty of the state and not panic if there are temporary difficulties. The administration, police, PWD, and all concerned departments are working round the clock to ensure people reach safe places,” he said.

He further informed that snow-clearing machines have been deployed extensively, including within Shimla Municipal Corporation areas, and that 350 to 400 machines have been kept on standby across divisions.

“Snow blowers have also been deployed. There may be some inconvenience, but road clearance after snowfall takes time. I request everyone to maintain patience,” he added.

Meanwhile, tourists on the ground shared mixed experiences. Mohit Kumar, a tourist from Delhi, told ANI that heavy snow has brought traffic to a halt. “There is a lot of snow in Shimla. Vehicles are not moving, so we are walking to Mall Road. Traffic is moving very slowly, but we are still enjoying it,” he said.

Another tourist, Vijay Kumar, said that excessive snowfall and black ice have made driving risky. “Due to heavy snowfall, black ice has formed and vehicles have stopped moving. People are walking to Mall Road. There is a bit of difficulty, but the weather is pleasant, and this is the best time for tourists,” he told ANI.

A taxi driver from Kalka, Ratan Lal, highlighted the challenges faced by transport operators. “I have been stuck near Shimla crossing since 8:30 am. Due to snow, vehicles are not moving ahead. There is a complete traffic jam, and it may take another two to two-and-a-half hours. It is very difficult,” he said.

As snowfall continues to charm visitors and raise hopes for locals, authorities remain engaged in restoring normalcy across the hill state. (ANI)

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Prince Harry condemned the remarks by US President Donald Trump about sending troops to the Afghan frontlines, CNN reported.

Their reactions came after Trump, in an interview with Fox News, spoke about the US involvement in NATO and said that Washington received little in return when compared to its contributions. “Will they be there if we ever needed them?” Trump asked, “I’m not sure of that.”

With regards to NATO members sending troops to Afghanistan, CNN reported that Trump said, “We’ve never needed them. We have never really asked anything of them. You know, they’ll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan, or this or that. And they did – they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines,” he said.

In a video message on X, the UK PM paid tributes to the 457 armed forces personnel who lost their lives in Afghanistan and recalled their courage, bravery and sacrifice and several of those injured with life-changing injuries.

“I consider President Trump’s remarks to be insulting and frankly appalling”, he said.

A key principle of the NATO alliance is Article 5, under which all members agree to come to the defence of any member state if it is attacked. Article 5 has been invoked once, by the United States after the September 11, 2001, terror attacks.

CNN reported that around 3,500 allied troops died in the conflict, of whom 2456 were Americans and 457 were British.

The Duke of Sussex, who served in the British Army with two tours of Afghanistan, issued a strong statement via his spokesperson on January 23 in response to Trump, People reported.

As per People, Harry said, “In 2001, NATO invoked Article 5 for the first–and only–time in history. It meant that every allied nation was obliged to stand with the United States in Afghanistan, in pursuit of our shared security. Allies answered that call. I served there. I made lifelong friends there. And I lost friends there”.

He further said, “Thousands of lives were changed forever. Mothers and fathers buried sons and daughters. Children were left without a parent. Families are left carrying the cost…Those sacrifices deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect, as we all remain united and loyal to the defence of diplomacy and peace.”

CNN reported that when asked to respond to Starmer’s comments, the White House shrugged off his criticism and insisted Trump was correct.

“President Trump is absolutely right – the United States of America has done more for NATO than any other country in the alliance has done combined,” Taylor Rogers, a White House spokeswoman, said as per CNN. (ANI)

A strong and united National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is Tamil Nadu’s preferred option, compared to the “corruption and dynasty politics” of the Dravidra Munnetra Kazhagham (DMK), Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday.

“A strong and united NDA is Tamil Nadu’s preferred option. People want good governance, not the corruption and dynasty politics of DMK!” PM Modi wrote, while he gave highlights of his Friday program on X.

PM Modi, during his rally, hit out at the ruling DMK-led alliance in the poll-bound Tamil Nadu, saying the countdown for its exit has begun and a BJP-NDA government will be formed in the state. Taking several jibes at the DMK, he said that the party has betrayed the trust of the people and alleged that it is involved in corruption. He said people are calling the “DMK government the CMC (corruption, mafia, crime) government”.

“You gave DMK a full majority twice, but they broke the trust of the people of Tamil Nadu. DMK made heaps of promises but delivered zero work. People are now calling the DMK government the CMC government. CMC government means a government that promotes ‘Corruption, Mafia, and Crime’. The people of Tamil Nadu have now made up their minds to uproot both DMK and CMC. Here, a BJP-NDA double-engine government is certain to come to power,” he highlighted.

He alleged that Tamil Nadu has a government that lacks “democratic values and accountability”.

However, Chief Minister MK Stalin also clapped back, taking a dig at the BJP’s slogan of “double engine government”, labelling it as “Dappa engine”, stating that it “won’t run” in Tamil Nadu.

“The ‘Double Engine’ that the Prime Minister speaks of as ‘Dappa Engine’ won’t run in Tamil Nadu!” Stalin said in a post on X.

Responding to PM Modi’s remarks in Madurantakam, Stalin claimed that the states without the BJP’s “double engine” government are the ones “soaring high” in development. (ANI)

The air quality in the national capital showed significant improvement after the city witnessed rain showers over the past 24 hours, with the air quality index recorded at 242, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) at 10 am on Saturday.

The sudden change in weather and the unexpected drought provided marginal relief from pollution.

After the Friday showers, the national capital and surrounding areas woke up to a thick layer of fog, with dense fog gripping parts of Delhi-NCR.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi-NCR on Saturday will generally have a cloudy sky, moderate morning fog, and strong surface winds (10-20 kmph).

A 5-6°C drop in minimum temperatures is expected over the next three days, followed by a rise thereafter. Consequently, minimum temperatures are likely to be normal (-1.5°C to 1.5°C) during the next 3 days, above normal (1.6°C to 3.0°C) on 27 & 29. Temperature expected to be appreciably below normal (-3.1°C to -5.0°C) on 23 and 24 January 2026. Partly cloudy skies on 25 & 26 January 2026, and generally cloudy skies on 23, 24, 27, and 29, with shallow to moderate fog likely during the morning hours for the next 06 days.

As per AQI classification, a reading between 0 and 50 is ‘good’, 51 to 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 to 200 ‘moderate’, 201 to 300 ‘poor’, 301 to 400 ‘very poor’ and 401 to 500 ‘severe’.

Meanwhile, the Sub-Committee on the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) revoked all Stage III actions across Delhi-NCR with immediate effect, January 22, in view of the improvement in air quality and forecast trends. (ANI)

US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) slammed Canada for rejecting his proposed “Golden Dome” missile defence project over Greenland, warning that Beijing could “eat them up” within a year as the northern neighbour chooses closer ties with China over US-backed security.

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/115946254061477406

On Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Canada is against The Golden Dome being built over Greenland, even though The Golden Dome would protect Canada. Instead, they voted in favour of doing business with China, who will ‘eat them up’ within the first year!”

Trump’s outburst comes amid escalating tensions between the US and its northern neighbour, following recent remarks by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos.

On Wednesday, during his address at the 56th Annual Summit of the WEF, Trump criticised Carney, asserting that Canada should be more “grateful” to the US for the “freebies” it receives, including security protections.

“Canada gets a lot of freebies from us, by the way. They should also be grateful, but they’re not. I saw your Prime Minister yesterday; he wasn’t so grateful. They should be grateful to us,” Trump said, adding that his plan to build a “Golden Dome” missile defence system will also provide protection to Canada.

“Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements,” Trump said, underscoring the strategic and security role of the US in protecting its northern neighbour.

Trump’s remarks were aimed at Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who, in his WEF address, highlighted “an era of great power rivalry, where the rules-based order is fading,” and also opposed tariff coercion, in a veiled reference to Washington’s use of the financial tool to acquire Greenland.

On January 17, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a new trade agreement with China. Carney said that the deal would open markets for Canadian businesses and workers.

In a post on X, Carney said, “We’ve secured a new trade agreement with China — unlocking more than $7 billion in export markets for Canadian workers and businesses.”

In a statement by the Canadian Prime Minister’s Office said, “In a more divided and uncertain world, Canada is building a stronger, more independent, and more resilient economy. To that end, Canada’s new government is working with urgency and determination to diversify trade partnerships and catalyse massive new levels of investment. As the world’s second-largest economy, China presents enormous opportunities for Canada in this mission.”

Canada has agreed to cut its 100 per cent tariff on Chinese electric cars in return for lower tariffs on Canadian farm products, CBS News reported.

Carney said there would be an initial annual cap of 49,000 vehicles on Chinese EV exports to Canada, growing to about 70,000 over five years. China will reduce its total tariff on canola seeds, a major Canadian export, from 84 per cent to about 15 per cent, as per CBS News.

Carney said China has become a more predictable partner to deal with than the US.

“Our relationship has progressed in recent months with China. It is more predictable and you see results coming from that,” Carney said, as quoted by CBS News.

Canada faces 35 per cent levy on its goods. Canada is affected by the blanket 50 per cent levy on imported metals and 25 per cent on non-US automobiles.

Meanwhile, China and US arm-twisted each other with threats of 100 per cent tariffs but after US President Donald Trump and Xi Jinping’s meeting, the tariffs were exempted on a portion of Chinese products until November 10, 2026. (ANI)

Dharamshala turned breathtakingly white after receiving heavy snowfall on Friday, with vehicles and houses covered in a thick blanket of snow.

Tourists and residents showcased excitement over the picturesque scene, bundling up to enjoy the cold.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Dharamshala recorded a minimum temperature of 5.2°C, while Manali recorded a maximum temperature of 9.8°C and a minimum of -0.4°C.

A tourist from Chandigarh expressed delight over the snowfall in Dharamshala and emphasised the need to prepare for extreme cold for people travelling to the area, saying, “We are enjoying it right now…bring everything you can, such as shoes and all; it is only going to come in handy.”

Earlier, as many as 535 roads, including four National Highways, were closed across Himachal Pradesh due to heavy snowfall while large-scale snow clearance operations were underway, the Public Works Department (PWD) said on Friday.

According to an official brief from the State Disaster Management Authority, a review meeting on snow clearance was chaired by the Engineer-in-Chief, HPPWD, through video conference with all Chief Engineers, Superintending Engineers and Executive Engineers, directing them to ensure time-bound restoration of roads in snow-affected areas.

The PWD said 264 machines, including 78 departmental JCBs, 128 hired JCBs, 18 robots, 10 dozers and 30 tippers, have been deployed for snow clearance operations across the state. Officers posted in snow-affected areas and proceeding on leave were also directed to immediately report back to duty.

The estimated loss due to snowfall has been pegged at ₹6.03 crore, the department said.

In Shimla city and surrounding areas, heavy machinery was deployed on key routes, including the Tutikandi-Mehli, Mehli-Fagu, Fagu-Narkanda and Theog-Kotkhai-Hatkoti National Highway stretches, along with major city roads such as Sanjauli, Lakkar Bazaar, Chhota Shimla, Kasumpti and Shimla-Mandi Road. (ANI)

Actor and self-proclaimed film critic Kamaal R. Khan, aka KRK, has been arrested by the Mumbai Police after being questioned in connection with a firing incident in Mumbai’s Oshiwara area.

According to the Mumbai Police, the incident took place earlier this week in a residential building in Oshiwara.

After the firing was reported, police reviewed CCTV footage from the area and spoke to several people. During the investigation, KRK was initially taken into custody for questioning.

According to the police, the actor was detained in the case after admitting during questioning that the firing was done with his licensed gun.

Kamaal will be produced before the court today, after which the police will seek his custody to carry out further investigation. (ANI)