US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) warned Iran against using force on peaceful protesters and said that Washington is “locked and loaded” and will respond if Iranian authorities resort to violence, news agency ANI reported. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “If Iran shots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” His remarks come amid widespread protests in Iran over rising prices and worsening economic conditions, with demonstrations spreading across multiple provinces and, in some cases, escalating into deadly confrontations with security forces, ANI reported, citing CNN. According to Fars News Agency, protesters clashed with police, hurled stones at security personnel and set vehicles on fire. The agency alleged that some armed “disturbers” took advantage of the gatherings and claimed, without providing evidence, that authorities later seized firearms from several individuals. Earlier, at least two people were killed during clashes between dozens of protesters and police in Lordegan county in the southwestern Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, ANI reported, citing Fars. It was not immediately clear whether those killed were protesters or members of the security forces. Unverified videos circulating online appeared to show demonstrators throwing stones at uniformed police in the area. Fars further alleged that protesters targeted the governor’s office, banks and other state buildings, CNN said. Iran protests: Dozens arrested as country sees largest protests since 2022 The earliest reported fatality linked to the current unrest occurred on Wednesday night, when a member of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force was killed and 13 others injured in the city of Kuhdasht in Lorestan province, according to state-affiliated media. Fars News Agency aired footage showing a police officer receiving medical treatment after allegedly being set on fire by protesters. The Basij paramilitary force is often deployed by Iranian authorities to suppress demonstrations. Meanwhile, authorities detained at least 20 people during the protests, the prosecutor of Kuhdasht said on Thursday, according to state-run Tasnim News Agency. In Malard county, west of Tehran, officials arrested 30 individuals for “disturbing public order,” Fars reported. County official Mansour Saleki said those detained were “misusing the lawful right to protest,” adding that several of the arrested individuals had travelled from neighbouring counties. Protests were joined by shop owners, bazaar traders and university students in several Iranian cities this week, with demonstrators chanting slogans against the government over economic hardship after the national currency fell to historic lows. The latest unrest marks the largest demonstrations in Iran since the nationwide protests of 2022, which erupted following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody after she was arrested for allegedly violating the country’s headscarf rules. The US State Department said in a post on X on Wednesday that it was alarmed by reports of protesters facing “intimidation, violence and arrests” and urged Iranian authorities to halt the crackdown. “First the bazaars. Then the students. Now the entire country. Iranians stand together. Different lives, one demand: respect our voices and our rights,” the State Department said in a Farsi-language post. Though still limited in scope, the protests signal a new phase of growing public dissatisfaction in Iran, as citizens increasingly reclaim public spaces and personal freedoms through spontaneous and largely uncoordinated acts of resistance. (With ANI inputs)
02 January,2026 03:17 PM IST | Washington | mid-day online correspondentTransport Canada has flagged a serious safety concern involving Air India, after a complaint by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) alleged that an Air India captain was under the influence of alcohol before duty at Vancouver airport. In a letter dated December 24, 2025, addressed to senior Air India officials, Transport Canada stated that the incident occurred on Flight AI186 from Vancouver (CYVR) to Vienna (LOWW) on December 23, 2025. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) informed authorities that "Captain Saurabh Kumar reported for duty on Air India flight AI186 on December 23, 2025, while under the influence of alcohol, and unfit for duty". The letter further states, "Two breathalyser tests conducted by the RCMP at Vancouver International Airport confirmed this, after he was advised to leave the aircraft." Transport Canada said the incident amounts to a violation of Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs). It noted that the case involves a breach of CARs 602.02 and CARs 602.03, as well as conditions outlined in Air India's Foreign Air Operator Certificate (FAOC). Transport Canada added, "It is likely that enforcement action will be pursued by the RCMP, and by TCCA." The Canadian aviation authority has asked Air India to take corrective steps. Air India has been asked to submit its response by January 26, detailing the findings and measures taken. A day earlier, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a show-cause notice to an Air India pilot amid safety concerns on flights AI-358 and AI-357, pertaining to aircraft dispatch, Minimum Equipment List (MEL) compliance, and flight crew decision-making.DGCA, in its notice, said that the pilot accepted the aircraft despite repeated snags and system degradation. The civil aviation authority noted that there was a smell of smoke reported near a door in the AI-358 flight. DGCA in the show cause notice said, "Whereas, it has been observed that M/s Air India Limited, during the operation of Flight AI-358 (and related operations of AI-357), serious safety concerns arose pertaining to aircraft dispatch, Minimum Equipment List (MEL) compliance, and flight crew decision-making." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
02 January,2026 08:44 AM IST | Toronto | ANIWidening demonstrations sparked by Iran's ailing economy spread Thursday into the Islamic Republic's rural provinces, with at least seven people being killed in the first fatalities reported among security forces and protesters, authorities said. The deaths may mark the start of a heavier-handed response by Iran's theocracy over the demonstrations, which have slowed in the capital, Tehran, but expanded elsewhere. The fatalities, two on Wednesday and five on Thursday, occurred in four cities, largely home to Iran's Lur ethnic group. The protests have become the biggest in Iran since 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody triggered nationwide demonstrations. However, the demonstrations have yet to be countrywide and have not been as intense as those surrounding the death of Amini, who was detained over not wearing her hijab, or headscarf, to the liking of authorities. The most-intense violence appeared to strike Azna, a city in Iran's Lorestan province, some 300 kilometers (185 miles) southwest of Tehran. There, online videos purported to show objects in the street ablaze and gunfire echoing as people shouted: 'Shameless! Shameless!' The semiofficial Fars news agency reported three people had been killed. Other media, including pro-reform outlets, cited Fars for the report while state-run media did not fully acknowledge the violence there or elsewhere. It wasn't clear why there wasn't more reporting over the unrest, but journalists had faced arrest over their reporting in 2022. In Lordegan, a city in Iran's Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, online videos showed demonstrators gathered on a street, with the sound of gunfire in the background. The footage matched known features of Lordegan, some 470 kilometers (290 miles) south of Tehran. Fars, citing an anonymous official, said two people had been killed during the protests Thursday. The Washington-based Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran said two people had been killed there, identifying the dead as demonstrators. It also shared a still image of what appeared to be an Iranian police officer, wearing body armor and wielding a shotgun. In 2019, the area around Lordegan saw widespread protests and demonstrators reportedly damaged government buildings after a report said people there had been infected with HIV by contaminated needles used at a local health care clinic. In Fuladshahr in Iran's Isfahan province, state media reported on the death of a man there Thursday that activist groups attributed to the police opening fire on demonstrators. 'Protests due to economic pressures' A separate demonstration Wednesday night reportedly led to the 21-year-old volunteer in the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard's Basij force. The state-run IRNA news agency reported on the Guard member's death but did not elaborate. An Iranian news agency called the Student News Network, which is believed to be close to the Basij, directly blamed demonstrators for the Guard member's death, citing comments from Saeed Pourali, a deputy governor in Lorestan province. The Guard member 'was martyred ... at the hands of rioters during protests in this city in defense of public order,' he reportedly said. Another 13 Basij members and police officers suffered injuries, he added. 'The protests that have occurred are due to economic pressures, inflation and currency fluctuations, and are an expression of livelihood concerns," Pourali said. "The voices of citizens must be heard carefully and tactfully, but people must not allow their demands to be strained by profit-seeking individuals.' The protests took place in the city of Kouhdasht, over 400 kilometers (250 miles) southwest of Tehran. Local prosecutor Kazem Nazari said 20 people had been arrested after the protests and that calm had returned to the city, the judiciary's Mizan news agency reported. Currency fall sparks protests Iran's civilian government under reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian has been trying to signal it wants to negotiate with protesters. However, Pezeshkian has acknowledged there is not much he can do as Iran's rial currency has rapidly depreciated, with $1 now costing some 1.4 million rials. Meanwhile, state television separately reported on the arrests of seven people, including five it described as monarchists and two others it said had linked to European-based groups. State TV also said another operation saw security forces confiscate 100 smuggled pistols, without elaborating. Iran's theocracy had declared Wednesday a public holiday across much of the country, citing cold weather, likely as a bid to get people out of the capital for a long weekend. The Iranian weekend is Thursday and Friday, while Saturday marks Imam Ali's birthday, another holiday for many. The protests, taking root in economic issues, have heard demonstrators chant against Iran's theocracy as well. The country's leaders are still reeling after Israel launched a 12-day war against the country in June. The U.S. also bombed Iranian nuclear sites during the war. Iran has said it is no longer enriching uranium at any site in the country, trying to signal to the West that it remains open to potential negotiations over its atomic program to ease sanctions. However, those talks have yet to happen as U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have warned Tehran against reconstituting its atomic program. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
02 January,2026 08:41 AM IST | Dubai | APBangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on Thursday said the "SAARC spirit is alive", underlining that South Asian nations came together to share the country's "grief and sorrow" at the funeral of former prime minister Khaleda Zia. Top leaders from across South Asia, including India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, attended Zia's funeral in Dhaka on Wednesday. In a statement posted on social media, the Chief Adviser's office said Yunus was "deeply moved" by the respect shown by SAARC member states for the three-time prime minister and the world's second female Muslim head of government. During meetings with visiting South Asian leaders, Yunus repeatedly emphasised the need to revive the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), it said. 'We witnessed a true SAARC spirit at the funeral yesterday. The SAARC spirit is still alive,' he said during his meeting with Maldives Minister of Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development Ali Haider Ahmed. During his meeting with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, Yunus said SAARC was "in action" on Wednesday. "We shared our grief and sorrow together,' he told Herath. The regional grouping comprises Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Yunus also recalled his attempt to convene an informal gathering of SAARC leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. 'I wanted to hold a get-together among SAARC leaders, even if only for five minutes,' he said, expressing hope that SAARC would be revitalised as a meaningful platform for nearly two billion people in South Asia. The SAARC has remained largely inactive since 2016, with its biennial summits stalled after the last one held in Kathmandu in 2014. The 2016 SAARC Summit was to be held in Islamabad. But after the terrorist attack on an Indian Army camp in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir on September 18 that year, India expressed its inability to participate in the summit due to 'prevailing circumstances'. The summit was called off after Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan also declined to participate in the Islamabad meet. India had ruled out any immediate possibility of revival of SAARC in view of Pakistan's "toolkit" of using terrorism in different ways, including against other members of the bloc. Besides Jaishankar, Herath and Ahmed, Pakistan National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Nepal's Foreign Minister Bala Nanda Sharma also attended the funeral of Zia, who died in Dhaka on Tuesday after a prolonged illness. She was 80. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
02 January,2026 08:34 AM IST | Dhaka | PTIZohran Mamdani became mayor of New York City on Thursday, taking over one of the most unrelenting jobs in American politics with a promise to transform government on behalf of the city's striving, struggling working class. Mamdani, a Democrat, was sworn in at a decommissioned subway station below City Hall just after midnight, placing his hand on a Quran as he took his oath as the city's first Muslim mayor. After working part of the night in his new office, Mamdani then returned to City Hall in a taxi cab around midday Thursday for a grander public inauguration where U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, one of the mayor's political heroes, administered the oath for a second time. 'Beginning today, we will govern expansively and audaciously. We may not always succeed, but never will we be accused of lacking the courage to try,' Mamdani told a cheering crowd. 'To those who insist that the era of big government is over, hear me when I say this: No longer will City Hall hesitate to use its power to improve New Yorkers' lives," he said. Throngs turned out in the frigid cold for an inauguration viewing party just south of City Hall on a stretch of Broadway known as the 'Canyon of Heroes,' famous for its ticker-tape parades. Taxing the rich Throughout the ceremony, speakers hit on the theme that carried Mamdani to victory in the election: Devotion to using government power to lift up the millions of people who struggle with the city's high cost of living. Sanders insisted that doing so ' partly by raising taxes on the rich ' wouldn't be radical. 'In the richest country in the history of the world, making sure that people can live in affordable housing is not radical,' he told the crowd. 'It is the right and decent thing to do.' In opening remarks, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said Mamdani would be a mayor dedicated to the working class. 'It is the people of New York who have chosen historic, ambitious leadership in response to untenable and unprecedented times. New York, we have chosen courage over fear. We have chosen prosperity for the many over spoils for the few," she said. Mamdani was accompanied on the stage by his wife, Rama Duwaji. The previous mayor, Eric Adams, was in attendance, sitting near another former mayor, Bill de Blasio. Actor Mandy Patinkin, who recently hosted Mamdani to celebrate Hannukah, sang 'Over the Rainbow' with children from an elementary school chorus. The invocation was given by Imam Khalid Latif, the director of the Islamic Center of New York City. Poet Cornelius Eady read an original poem called 'Proof." In addition to being the city's first Muslim mayor, Mamdani is also its first of South Asian descent and the first to be born in Africa. At 34, Mamdani is also the city's youngest mayor in generations. Free child care and bus rides In a campaign that helped make 'affordability' a buzzword across the political spectrum, the democratic socialist promised to bring transformative change with policies intended to lower the cost of living in one of the world's most expensive cities. His platform included free child care, free buses, a rent freeze for about 1 million households, and a pilot of city-run grocery stores. But he will also have to face other responsibilities: handling trash and snow and rats, while getting blamed for subway delays and potholes. Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, the son of filmmaker Mira Nair and Mahmood Mamdani, an academic and author. His family moved to New York City when he was 7, with Mamdani growing up in a post-9/11 city where Muslims didn't always feel welcome. He became an American citizen in 2018. He worked on political campaigns for Democratic candidates in the city before he sought public office himself, winning a state Assembly seat in 2020 to represent a section of Queens. Mamdani and his wife, Rama Duwaji, are departing their one-bedroom, rent stabilized apartment in the outer-borough to take up residence in the stately mayoral residence in Manhattan. Mamdani inherits a city on the upswing, after years of slow recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Violent crime has dropped to pre-pandemic lows. Tourists are back. Unemployment, which soared during the pandemic years, is also back to pre-COVID levels. Yet deep concerns remain about high prices and rising rents in the city. He'll also have to deal with Republican President Donald Trump. During the mayoral race, Trump threatened to withhold federal funding from the city if Mamdani won and mused about sending National Guard troops to the city. But Trump surprised supporters and foes alike by inviting the Democrat to the White House for what ended up being a cordial meeting in November. 'I want him to do a great job and will help him do a great job,' Trump said. The progressives take on Trump Still, tensions between the two leaders are almost certain to resurface, given their deep policy disagreements, particularly over immigration. Several speakers at Thursday's inauguration criticized the Trump administration's move to deport more immigrants and expressed hope that Mamdani's City Hall would be an ally to those the president has targeted. Mamdani also faces skepticism and opposition from some members of the city's Jewish community over his criticisms of Israel's government. The new mayor and his team have spent the weeks since his election victory preparing for the transition, surrounding Mamdani with seasoned hands who have worked inside or alongside city government. That included persuading the city's police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, to remain in her position ' a move that helped calm fears in the business community that the administration might be planning radical changes in policing strategy. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
02 January,2026 08:27 AM IST | New York | APThe season's first heavy rains and snowfall ended a prolonged dry spell but triggered flash floods in several areas of Afghanistan, killing at least 17 people and injuring 11 others, a spokesman for Afghanistan's national disaster management authority said Thursday. The dead included five members of a family in a property where the roof collapsed on Thursday in Kabkan, a district in the Herat province, according to Mohammad Yousaf Saeedi, spokesman for the Herat governor. Two of the victims were children. Most of the casualties have occurred since Monday in districts hit by flooding, and the severe weather also disrupted daily life across central, northern, southern, and western regions, according to Mohammad Yousaf Hammad, a spokesman for Afghanistan's National Disaster Management Authority. Hammad said the floods also damaged infrastructure in the affected districts, killed livestock, and affected 1,800 families, worsening conditions in already vulnerable urban and rural communities. Hammad said the agency has sent assessment teams to the worst-affected areas, with surveys ongoing to determine further needs. Afghanistan, like neighboring Pakistan and India, is highly vulnerable to extreme weather events, particularly flash floods following seasonal rains. Decades of conflict, poor infrastructure, deforestation, and the intensifying effects of climate change have amplified the impact of such disasters, especially in remote areas where many homes are made of mud and offer limited protection against sudden deluges. The United Nations and other aid agencies this week warned that Afghanistan is expected to remain one of the world's largest humanitarian crises in 2026. The UN and its humanitarian partners launched a $1.7 billion appeal on Tuesday to assist nearly 18 million people in urgent need in the country. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
02 January,2026 08:21 AM IST | Kabul | APAt least 24 people were killed, and more than 50 were injured when three Ukrainian drones struck a cafe and a hotel in the Kherson region, where people were celebrating the New Year. The strike took place on Wednesday night. “Tonight, the enemy launched a targeted drone strike on a site where civilians were celebrating the New Year. Three UAVs struck a cafe and a hotel on the Black Sea coast in Khorly. According to preliminary reports, more than 50 people were injured, and 24 were killed. The numbers are being clarified,” Kherson governor Volodymyr Saldo was quoted as saying by Rossiya-24 channel. In his Telegram post, Saldo said the reconnaissance drone strike occurred just before midnight. Meanwhile, the air defence systems have intercepted and destroyed 168 Ukrainian UAVs over the regions during the New Year night, and many airports in south and central Russia were closed for hours due to the threat of drone strikes. “Twenty-five over the territory of the Krasnodar Region, 23 over the territory of the Tula Region, 16 over the territory of the Republic of Crimea; 12 over the Moscow Region, including nine UAVs flying towards capital Moscow; seven over the territory of the Kaluga Region, 24 UAVs were destroyed over the waters of the Sea of Azov,” said a statement. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
02 January,2026 06:44 AM IST | Moscow | AgenciesBulgarians began withdrawing euros for the first time on Thursday after the former communist nation joined the euro currency union as its 21st member. Cash machines in the capital, Sofia, dispensed brand new euro banknotes, replacing the lev, which will still be in use for cash payments in January. However, people will receive only euros in change. The country of nearly 6.7 million people was one of the poorest when it first became a member of the European Union in 2007. Joining the European single-currency system means deeper EU integration after its 1989 transition from a Soviet-style economy to democracy and free markets. The milestone arrives amid political instability, with the conservative-led government forced to resign in December following nationwide anti-corruption protests, and scepticism among ordinary people, fueled by fears of price rises. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
02 January,2026 06:42 AM IST | Sofia | AgenciesThe ‘Champagne Cluster’ is a cosmic system where two galaxy clusters are colliding and merging into a single, larger one. It was given its festive nickname because it was discovered on December 31, 2020, and its galaxies and superheated gas form a bubbly pattern that resembles rising champagne. The image combines X-ray data from NASA’s Chandra Observatory with optical observations from Legacy Surveys. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
02 January,2026 06:37 AM IST | Santiago | AgenciesZohran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist who rose to prominence on a campaign focused on tackling affordability in one of the most expensive cities in the United States (US), was sworn in early Thursday as New York City's 112th mayor, news agency ANI reported. At 34, Mamdani made history as the city’s first Muslim mayor, its first South Asian mayor, and the youngest person to hold the office in more than a century. “This is truly the honour and the privilege of a lifetime,” Mamdani said moments after taking the oath, ANI reported, quoting CNN. The former Queens-based state assemblyman stunned the political establishment with his victory in the Democratic primary last summer, running on a platform aimed at easing the cost-of-living burden. His campaign pledged universal childcare, a rent freeze for nearly two million rent-stabilised tenants, and making city buses “fast and free,” according to CNN. Mamdani was sworn in shortly after midnight during a private ceremony attended by his wife, artist Rama Duwaji. His parents, filmmaker Mira Nair and academic Mahmood Mamdani, were also present, ANI reported. New York State Attorney General Letitia James, whom Mamdani has previously described as a “political inspiration”, administered the oath of office. Mamdani sworn in at historic City Hall subway station The ceremony was held at the disused City Hall subway station beneath City Hall Park in Manhattan, a historic site closed to the public since 1945. The station, one of the city’s original subway stops opened in 1904, features ornate tiled arches, stained glass skylights and chandeliers, CNN reported. Speaking after the ceremony, Mamdani highlighted the symbolism of the venue, describing it as “a testament to the importance of public transit to the vitality, the health and the legacy of our city.” He also announced the appointment of veteran city planner Michael Flynn as the next commissioner of the city’s Department of Transportation. Public transport has been a cornerstone of Mamdani’s agenda. Along with proposals to make buses free, he has said his administration would expand bicycle lanes and redesign streets to better serve pedestrians. A public inauguration ceremony is scheduled for Thursday afternoon at City Hall Plaza, where thousands are expected to attend. Progressive leaders, including Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, are set to take part, with Sanders administering the public oath of office, CNN reported. Mamdani’s transition team has also planned a block party along Broadway, billed as the “Inauguration of a New Era,” with supporters gathering outside City Hall. While his agenda has energised progressive circles, it has also attracted scepticism. His proposals to tax the wealthy would require approval from the state legislature and the governor. He assumes office at a time when New York’s economy shows resilience, even as high living costs continue to strain working-class residents. Mamdani’s ascent comes as the national Democratic Party debates its future direction, with his victory intensifying discussions over whether the party should shift further left and make affordability a central issue ahead of upcoming midterm elections. (With ANI inputs)
01 January,2026 03:49 PM IST | New York | mid-day online correspondentA powerful explosion triggered a major fire at a bar in Switzerland overnight, leaving “several injured and dead” and putting severe pressure on hospitals treating burn victims, news agency ANI reported, quoting Swiss broadcaster Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF). The incident comes just weeks ahead of the World Economic Forum’s 2026 Annual Meeting, scheduled to be held from January 19 to 23 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland. The blast occurred at around 1.30 am, Valais Police Spokesperson Gaetan Lathion told the Keystone-SDA news agency. He said the cause of the explosion is still “unknown”. According to Lathion, more than 100 people were present inside the restaurant at the time, highlighting the scale of the emergency that unfolded in the early hours of the morning. Emergency services rushed to the site soon after the explosion, as authorities worked to evacuate people trapped inside the building. Given the high number of casualties, officials have set up a helpline for families and relatives of those affected. The helpline can be reached at the telephone number “084 811 21 17”. The impact of the incident was felt well beyond Crans-Montana. A doctor from the Rega air rescue service told French-language broadcaster RTS that hospitals across French-speaking Switzerland were struggling to cope with a sudden influx of patients suffering from severe burns. The doctor appealed to the public to show solidarity and avoid risky activities on January 1, in order to ease the burden on emergency medical services. As rescue operations continued, visuals circulating on social media—reportedly filmed from outside the Constellation Bar—showed flames raging inside the building as firefighters and other emergency responders converged on the scene. The footage also captured numerous emergency vehicles arriving one after another. Swiss explosion: Mass evacuation in Crans-Montana as police investigate bar blast A witness told the broadcaster that “countless” ambulances, along with several helicopters, were deployed to evacuate and transport the injured, underlining the seriousness of the injuries sustained in the blast and fire. While Swiss news outlet Blick reported that the fire may have been triggered by fireworks during a New Year’s Eve concert, Swiss police have reiterated that the cause of the explosion remains “unknown”. SRF reported that the Valais Cantonal Police have scheduled a press conference at 10 am to share further details on the incident and the ongoing investigation. The incident occurred in Crans-Montana, an upscale ski resort town located around two hours from Switzerland’s capital, Bern. (With ANI inputs)
01 January,2026 02:58 PM IST | Geneva | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
