The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will convene an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss the recent military operation by the United States (US) in Venezuela and the capture of deposed dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife, news agency ANI reported. According to UNSC presidency, the session is scheduled for 10 am local time under the agenda item ‘Threats to international peace and security’. “The presidency intends to hold the emergency meeting on Monday morning at 10 a.m. (1500 GMT),” said Khadija Ahmed, spokeswoman for the Somali Permanent Mission to the UN, as quoted by Xinhua. Somalia is currently serving as the rotating president of the 15-member UNSC, which comprises five permanent members and 10 non-permanent ones, for the month of January. Colombian President Gustavo Petro was the first world leader to call for an emergency UNSC session following the US strikes on Venezuela, during which Washington captured Maduro and his wife on Saturday and removed them from the country. “As members of the United Nations Security Council, we seek to convene the Council. The Government of Colombia rejects the aggression against the sovereignty of Venezuela and of Latin America. Internal conflicts between people are resolved by those same people in peace. That is the principle of the self-determination of peoples, which forms the foundation of the United Nations system,” Petro said in a post on X. Nicolas Maduro captured: Vice-President Rodriguez assumes acting presidency On Saturday, US President Donald Trump stated that Washington had carried out a “large-scale strike against Venezuela” and that the deposed dictator Maduro and his wife had been captured and taken out of the country. Trump also shared a photograph on Truth Social showing Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima following his capture. Video footage later released by the White House-affiliated Rapid Response showed Maduro in handcuffs during a staged perp walk. In the footage, he was seen wishing law enforcement authorities “Happy New Year” and “Good Night” as he was led into custody. Following the operation, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep alarm over the situation in Venezuela, warning that the developments could have far-reaching implications for the wider region, ANI reported. In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, Guterres said that, irrespective of the situation in Venezuela, such actions set a dangerous precedent and underscored the need for full respect for international law by all parties, including adherence to the UN Charter. Meanwhile, developments in Caracas followed swiftly after Maduro’s removal. Venezuela’s Supreme Court ordered Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez to assume the powers and duties of acting president, ANI reported, citing CNN. The order, announced late Saturday night (local time), stated that Maduro is in a “material and temporary impossibility to exercise his functions”. (With ANI inputs)
04 January,2026 06:25 PM IST | New York | mid-day online correspondentPresident Donald Trump on Saturday (local time) said that Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, who were captured in Caracas during a US military operation, have been indicted on charges of alleged "drug trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracies" in the Southern District of New York, and will face trial. He said that American forces, working with law enforcement agencies, captured Maduro and his wife in a night-time operation. While addressing a press conference in Florida, Trump said, "No nation in the world could achieve what America achieved yesterday or frankly, in just a short period of time. All Venezuelan military capacities were rendered powerless as the men and women of our military, working with US law enforcement, successfully captured Maduro in the dead of night." Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured in Venezuela's Caracas and flown out of their country in a joint operation that also included Intelligence and US law enforcement agencies. "It was dark, and it was deadly, but he was captured along with his wife, Cilia Flores, both of whom now face American justice. Maduro and Flores have been indicted in the Southern District of New York," he said. Trump said that Maduro and his wife "will soon face the full might of American justice and stand trial on American soil" for their alleged role in drug trafficking, adding that they are currently being taken to New York, with authorities to decide later whether the trial will be held in New York or Florida. "We will make the people of Venezuela rich, independent, and safe. The illegitimate dictator Maduro was the kingpin of a vast criminal network responsible for trafficking colossal amounts of deadly and illicit drugs into the United States. Maduro and his wife will soon face the full might of American justice and stand trial on American soil. Right now, they're on a ship that will be heading to, ultimately, New York. And then a decision will be made, I assume, between New York and Miami or Florida," he said. According to an unsealed indictment shared by Attorney General Pamela Bondi on X, Maduro and Flores face multiple counts of statutory allegations related to "drug trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracies". The capture of Maduro comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Venezuela. Earlier, Trump released the first picture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on board the US Warship Iwo Jima. In a post on Truth Social on Saturday, US President Trump said, "Nicolas Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima." 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
04 January,2026 12:47 PM IST | Palm Beach | ANIIran's supreme leader insisted Saturday 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. The protests show no sign of stopping and follow US President Donald Trump warning Iran on Friday that if Tehran 'violently kills peaceful protesters,' the United States 'will come to their rescue.' While it remains unclear how and if Trump will intervene, his comments sparked an immediate, angry response, with officials within the theocracy threatening to target American troops in the Mideast. They also take on new importance after Trump said Saturday that the US military captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a longtime ally of Tehran. 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 protests have yet to be as widespread and intense as those surrounding the death of Amini, who was detained over not wearing her hijab, or headscarf, to the liking of authorities. Khamenei makes first comments on protests State television aired remarks by Khamenei to an audience in Tehran that sought to separate the concerns of protesting Iranians upset about the rial's collapse from 'rioters.' 'We talk to protesters, the officials must talk to them,' Khamenei said. 'But there is no benefit to talking to rioters. Rioters must be put in their place.' He also reiterated a claim constantly made by officials in Iran that foreign powers like Israel or the United States were pushing the protests, without offering any evidence. He also blamed 'the enemy' for Iran's collapsing rial. 'A bunch of people incited or hired by the enemy are getting behind the tradesmen and shopkeepers and chanting slogans against Islam, Iran and the Islamic Republic," he said. "This is what matters most.' Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard ranks include the all-volunteer Basij force, whose motorcycling-riding members have violently put down protests like the 2009 Green Movement and the 2022 demonstrations. The Guard answers only to Khamenei. Hard-line officials within the country are believed to have been pushing for a more-aggressive response to the demonstrations as President Masoud Pezeshkian has sought talks to address protesters' demands. But bloody security crackdowns often follow such protests. Protests over a gasoline price hike in 2019 reportedly saw over 300 people killed. A crackdown on the Amini protests of 2022, which lasted for months, killed more than 500 people and saw over 22,000 detained. 'Iran has no organized domestic opposition; protesters are likely acting spontaneously,' the Eurasia Group said in an analysis Friday. 'While protests could continue or grow larger (particularly as Iran's economic outlook remains dire), the regime retains a large security apparatus and would likely suppress such dissent without losing control of the country.' Deaths overnight in protests Two deaths overnight into Saturday involved a new level of violence. In Qom, home to the country's major Shiite seminaries, a grenade exploded, killing a man there, the state-owned IRAN newspaper reported. It quoted security officials alleging the man was carrying the grenade to attack people in the city, some 130 kilometers (80 miles) south of the capital, Tehran. Online videos from Qom purportedly showed fires in the street overnight. The second death happened in the town of Harsin, some 370 kilometers (230 miles) southwest of Tehran. There, the newspaper said, a member of the Basij, the all-volunteer arm of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, died in a gun and knife attack in the town in Kermanshah province. Demonstrations have reached over 170 locations in 25 of Iran's 31 provinces, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported early Sunday. The death toll had reached at least 15 killed, it added, with over 580 arrests. The group, which relies on an activist network inside of Iran for its reporting, has been accurate in past unrest. The state-run IRNA news agency separately reported on what it described as violence in Malekshahi County in Iran's Ilam province, some 515 kilometers (320 miles) southwest of Tehran. It offered no specific details. Hengaw, a Kurdish human rights group, and the Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights put the death toll at four in the violence there. Both groups accused Iranian security forces of opening fire on demonstrators. The semiofficial Fars news agency, believed to be close to the Revolutionary Guard, alleged without offering evidence that demonstrators carried firearms and grenades. Firearms are more prevalent in western Iran, along the border with Iraq, but there's been no clear evidence provided by the government to support allegations of demonstrators being armed. The protests, taking root in economic issues, have heard demonstrators chant against Iran's theocracy as well. Tehran has had little luck in propping up its economy in the months since its June war with Israel in which the US also bombed Iranian nuclear sites in Iran. Iran recently said it was 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 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
04 January,2026 12:40 PM IST | Dubai | APNorth Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles toward the sea on Sunday, South Korea's military said, the latest weapons demonstration by the North ahead of its upcoming ruling party congress. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement it detected several ballistic missile launches from North Korea's capital region around 7:50 am. It said the missiles were fired in a direction toward North Korea's eastern waters but gave no further details like how far they travelled. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said it has bolstered its surveillance posture and is closely exchanging information with the US and Japan on North Korea missile launches. Japan's defence ministry said it also spotted suspected missile launches by North Korea. There were no immediate reports of any damages. Experts say North Korea is likely ramping up weapons tests to show off its achievements in the defence sector ahead of the Workers' Party congress, the first of its kind in five years. Observers are watching the congress to see whether North Korea will set a new policy on the US and respond to its calls to resume long-stalled talks. North Korea hasn't announced when it will hold the congress, but South Korea's spy service said it will likely occur in January or February. The launch also came hours before South Korea's president, Lee Jae Myung, leaves for China for a summit with President Xi Jinping. During the four-day trip, Lee's office said he would request China to make 'a constructive role' in efforts to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula. Earlier this week, North Korea said it fired long-range strategic cruise missiles into the sea. Earlier North Korea released photos showing apparent progress in the construction of its first nuclear-powered submarine. 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
04 January,2026 12:33 PM IST | Seoul | APThe US government struck Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, at least seven times at 3.00 am VET on Saturday. Multiple explosions rang out, and low-flying aircraft swept through Caracas as Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s government immediately accused the US of attacking civilian and military installations. US President Donald Trump said in an interview on Saturday morning that the United States will be making decisions on what is next for Venezuela after capturing the Latin American country’s president and flying him out of the country. “We’ll be involved in it very much” as to who will govern the country, Trump said. “We can’t take a chance in letting somebody else run and just take over what he left, or left off,” Trump said. Maduro has been charged with narco-terrorism in the US. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. PIC/PTI “A couple of guys were hit, but they came back and they’re supposed to be in pretty good shape. We got it all back. One of them was hit pretty hard, a helicopter, but we got it back. We had to do it because it’s a war,” Trump responded about US’s casualties in the attacks. The Venezuelan government called it an “imperialist attack” and urged citizens to take to the streets. Meanwhile, Venezuelan ruling party leader Nahum Fernandez said that Maduro and his wife were at their home within the Fort Tiuna military installation when they were captured. “That’s where they bombed,” he said. “And, there, they carried out what we could call a kidnapping of the President and the First Lady of the country.” EU, Russia, Colombia critique US’s move EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas wrote on X, “Under all circumstances, the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected. We call for restraint.” President Gustavo Petro of Colombia, one of Trump’s fiercest critics, said the Colombian government convened a national security meeting before dawn Saturday and sent security forces to the border in preparation for a potential “massive influx of refugees” from neighbouring Venezuela. He said he’d also call on the UN Security Council to consider “the aggression against the sovereignty of Venezuela and of Latin America. Without sovereignty, there is no nation,” Petro wrote on social media. Nahum Fernandez, leader of Venezuelan ruling party, United Socialist Party of Venezuela Russia’s Foreign Ministry condemned what it called a US “act of armed aggression” against Venezuela in a statement posted on its Telegram channel on Saturday. “Venezuela must be guaranteed the right to determine its own destiny without any destructive, let alone military, outside intervention,” the statement said. Cuba, a supporter of the Maduro government, called for the international community to respond to what president Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez called “the criminal attack.” Iran’s Foreign Ministry also condemned the strikes. 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
04 January,2026 08:12 AM IST | Caracas | AgenciesKhokon Chandra Das, the Hindu man in Bangladesh who was attacked with sharp weapons and set afire, died today after battling for life in a Dhaka hospital, his family said. Khokon Das ran a medicine and mobile banking business in his village, 150 km from Dhaka. The attack happened on his way home after closing his shop on Wednesday, December 31, 2025. He managed to jump into a pond which helped douse the flames that nearly engulfed his head and face. The attackers fled after that. Locals took him to a nearby hospital first, before doctors decided to send him to a bigger hospital in Dhaka. “We have no dispute with anyone on any issue. We don’t understand why my husband was suddenly targeted,” Seema Das, Khokon Das’s wife, said. Khokon Das’s name is now on a growing list of Hindus in the crisis-hit, Muslim-majority nation who have been brutally attacked and murdered allegedly on religious grounds. The Bangladesh government said in a statement that it remained committed to protecting minorities. 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
04 January,2026 08:06 AM IST | Dhaka | AgenciesBorn on July 21, 1944, in Toronto, Andrew A, Quentin B and Joel C Meloff are triplets that were born within 45 seconds of each other. Their parents, Suzanne Lyons and Rick Meloff, decided to give them three initials — A,B,C as their middle names in their order of birth. This idea was suggested by the nurses to distinguish between them. The triplets looked so identical that even the boys could not distinguish between each other in a picture until they turned 12. Their names made everyone turn their heads, and as Quentin admits, it made for a great topic of discussion for a first date. It was difficult for them to tell each other apart in pictures. PIC/MIRROR.CO.UK Quentin shares that when his mother used to go for the ultrasounds, the nurses would refer to the children as ‘A-B-C’, which eventually led to the nurses giving them these middle names. However, they also ran into troubles such as getting stopped at the border control for not having a proper middle name, and officials being convinced that Quentin was lying. So, Quentin took the easy way out and dropped the legacy — he removed his middle name from passport. The trio has surprisingly also made a debut onscreen, where they have worked with Mark Ruffalo in the TV show Due South. Having cool middle names does make you famous (and suspicious) after all. Puff of shame Chinese shopping centre installs washroom doors that become transparent if cigarette smoke is detected After having several failed plans that could have stopped men from smoking in restrooms, Shuibei International Center in China came up with the master of all plans. If one walks into the restroom, they can read a sign that says “Smoking makes the glass transparent.” The doors have a chemical that can turn them clear on detection of smoke. PIC/ODDITYCENTRAL While previous plans to stop people from smoking include imposing fines, as well as banning people from the shopping centre for some time, this trick should definitely do the work. This plan would scare possible offenders, especially because anyone could record or photograph them in the situation that they might be in. The doors have a special silver halide compound that can react and instantly change from frosted to clear glass on the detection of smoke. The men better stick to minding their business and not begin puffing away in there. However, no one knows what would happen if the system accidentally malfunctioned, which would be worse. Show-stopping style PIC/INSTAGRAM@COWTOWNDANES A dog owner listened to her impulses and asked her dog groomer to give her pet some ear tassels, even if there was a looming possibility of her pooch looking hideous after the makeover. She further combined the ear tassel look with a haircut that she accidentally called a mohawk instead of a mullet., It made her dog look like a punk rockstar more than a cute little pup. But hey, if the vibe has to be rockin’, there’s no stoppin’. Tees Maar Khan Born on December 29, 1995, in England, a British domestic shorthair tortoiseshell cat named Flossie turned 30 in 2025, extending her Guinness World Record as the oldest living cat on Earth. “I knew from the start that Flossie was a special cat, but I didn’t imagine I’d share my home with a world-record holder,” says her current guardian. High tech toothbrush Japanese scientists of the Waseda University Robotics Laboratory, have created a toothbrush that can clean your teeth easily. Called “g.eN”, it is powered by a small motor that allows it to clean in every direction. All automatic! The best part? It also comes in various operating modes, making it suitable for everyone. Not her ‘jigar’ ka tukda When a South Korean man was diagnosed with a rare liver disease, the doctors told him that his wife was a suitable donor. His hopes were crushed when she said no because of her fear of needles. He filed a case against her, accusing her of “malicious abandonment.” The wife won the case. Guess who’s sleeping on the couch. Worst nightmare, as predicted PIC/INSTAGRAM@charliekirk1776 Google unveiled its Year in Search, a round-up of events, people, and moments that had the most amount of searches in the year. As predicted by most, Charlie Kirk ranked first, sharing the stage with the Netflix film Kpop Demon Hunters, followed by Labubus. Something bizarre was up.
04 January,2026 08:02 AM IST | China | A CorrespondentSeveral countries across the globe, including Russia, Iran and Cuba, on Saturday severely criticised the US military attack on Venezuela, calling it a "flagrant violation" of the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Moscow described the US action as "deeply concerning" and condemnable. "The pretexts used to justify such actions are untenable. Ideological hostility has triumphed over businesslike pragmatism and a willingness to build relationships of trust and predictability," read a statement issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry. Moscow insisted that that all partners who may have grievances against each other should seek solutions through dialogue and prevent further escalation. "Latin America must remain the zone of peace it declared itself to be in 2014. And Venezuela must be guaranteed the right to determine its own destiny without any destructive, let alone military, outside intervention. We reaffirm our solidarity with the Venezuelan people and our support for the course of their Bolivarian leadership, aimed at protecting the national interests and sovereignty of the country," the statement added. Russia also backed the statement by the Venezuelan authorities and the leadership of Latin American countries on the urgent convening of a meeting of the UN Security Council. Meanwhile, Xinhua news agency reported, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel also on Saturday condemned what he described as the "criminal attack" by the United States against Venezuela, demanding an urgent response from the international community. In a social media post, the president said that Latin America was being brutally assaulted, and called it "state terrorism against the brave people of Venezuela and against Our America." Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez also condemned the ongoing US military aggression against Venezuela on Saturday. In a message posted on social media, the diplomat said the bombings and military actions against Caracas and other localities in the country are cowardly acts against a nation that has not attacked the United States or any other country. Iran's Foreign Ministry also strongly condemned the US military attack on Venezuela, calling it a "flagrant violation" of the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity. In a statement, the ministry described the attack as an "act of aggression" and a clear breach of the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter and international law prohibiting the use of force against sovereign states. Earlier on Saturday, the United States launched a large-scale strike on Venezuela, during which Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were "captured and flown out of Venezuela," according to a post by US President Donald Trump on his Truth Social account. Iran reaffirmed Venezuela's right to defend its national sovereignty, territorial integrity and right to self-determination, and urged the international community to fulfill its legal and moral responsibility by immediately halting what it described as a US "invasion" of the country. The remarks come amid rising tensions between Iran and the United States. On Friday, Tehran said it would "forcefully reject" any interference in its internal affairs after Trump warned that Washington would act if Iran "kills peaceful protesters." Protests have erupted since Sunday in several Iranian cities over the sharp depreciation of the national currency, the rial. 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
03 January,2026 11:18 PM IST | Moscow | IANSThe United States hit Venezuela with a large-scale strike early Saturday and said President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were captured and flown out of the country after months of stepped-up pressure by Washington an extraordinary nighttime operation announced by President Donald Trump on social media hours after the attack. Multiple explosions rang out, and low-flying aircraft swept through Caracas, the capital, as Maduro's government immediately accused the US of attacking civilian and military installations. The Venezuelan government called it an imperialist attack and urged citizens to take to the streets. Trump announced the developments on Truth Social shortly after 4:30 am ET and said he would host a news conference at 11 am ET. The US indicted Maduro on narcoterrorism charges in 2020 The Justice Department, during Trump's first term in office, charged in several indictments that Maduro had effectively converted Venezuela into a criminal enterprise at the service of drug traffickers and terrorist groups as he and his allies stole billions from the South American country. The coordinated unsealing of indictments against 14 officials and government-connected individuals, and rewards of USD 55 million for Maduro and four others, attacked all the key planks of what then-Attorney General William Barr called the corrupt Venezuelan regime, including the Maduro-dominated judiciary and the powerful armed forces. One indictment by prosecutors in New York accused Maduro and socialist party boss Diosdado Cabello, head of the rubber-stamping constitutional assembly, of conspiring with Colombian rebels and members of the military to flood the United States with cocaine and use the drug trade as a weapon against America. State Department officials say the tyrant is gone' US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau says the military action and seizure of Maduro marks a new dawn for Venezuela, saying that the tyrant is gone.He posted on X hours after the strike. His boss, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, reposted a post from July that said Maduro is NOT the President of Venezuela and his regime is NOT the legitimate government. Maduro will be tried in the US Utah Sen. Mike Lee said Rubio informed him that he anticipates no further action in Venezuela now that Maduro is in US custody, the lawmaker posted on social media. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, posted on X that he had spoken with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who briefed him on the strike. Rubio told Lee that Maduro has been arrested by US personnel to stand trial on criminal charges in the United States. The White House did not immediately respond to queries on where Maduro and his wife were being flown to. Maduro was indicted in March 2020 on narco-terrorism conspiracy charges in the Southern District of New York. Colombia prepares to receive refugees from Venezuela President Gustavo Petro of Colombia, one of Trump's fiercest critics, said the Colombian government convened a national security meeting before dawn Saturday and sent security forces to the border in preparation for a potential massive influx of refugees from neighbouring Venezuela.He said he'd also call on the UN Security Council to consider the aggression against the sovereignty of Venezuela and of Latin America.Without sovereignty, there is no nation, Petro wrote on social media. Russia calls US action an act of armed aggression' Russia's Foreign Ministry condemned what it called a US act of armed aggression against Venezuela in a statement posted on its Telegram channel Saturday.Venezuela must be guaranteed the right to determine its own destiny without any destructive, let alone military, outside intervention, the statement said. The ministry called for dialogue to prevent further escalation and said it reaffirmed its solidarity with the Venezuelan people and government, adding that Russia supports calls for an emergency UN Security Council meeting. State Department urges Americans in Venezuela to shelter in place The State Department issued a new travel alert early Saturday, warning Americans in Venezuela to shelter in place due to the situation. US Embassy Bogota is aware of reports of explosions in and around Caracas, Venezuela, it said without elaboration. The US Embassy in Bogota, Colombia, warns US citizens not to travel to Venezuela. US citizens in Venezuela should shelter in place. The embassy in Bogota has been shuttered since March 2019 but operates remotely. Secretary of State Marco Rubio retweeted Trump's announcement without comment, but his deputy, Christopher Landau, posted Trump's statement, adding that it marked a new dawn for Venezuela! The tyrant is gone. He will nowfinallyface justice for his crimes, Landau said. 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
03 January,2026 05:25 PM IST | Washington | APAn Air India pilot was arrested at Vancouver International Airport last week as he was preparing for a flight, with Canada's transportation agency warning the airline that it faced loss of its flight authorisations if it did not comply with rules about alcohol consumption. Transport Canada said in a statement Friday that the incident took place on December 23, and it would engage with Air India and Indian aviation authorities to ensure "appropriate followup actions" were taken. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said the arrest occurred after a "report of concern" involving an airline crew member. Police said an investigation is ongoing and no further information would be released. A spokeswoman for the airport said the pilot had been preparing for Air India's scheduled daily flight from Vancouver to Delhi, which was delayed for several hours but later departed safely. Flight tracking website FlightRadar24 shows that the December 23 Air India flight from Vancouver to Delhi via Vienna was scheduled to depart at 3 pm but did not leave YVR until 10:02 pm. Air India did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Transport Canada said in its statement that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of India had primary responsibility for regulatory oversight of Air India. The statement said Canadian aviation regulations prohibited pilots or any other crew members from acting within 12 hours of drinking alcohol or while under its influence. It said airlines could not assign crew who were unfit for duty. "Non-compliance with these regulations may result in the suspension or cancellation of a Canadian Aviation Document under the Aeronautics Act," it said. Airlines could also face judicial and other penalties, the statement said. 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
03 January,2026 11:57 AM IST | Vancouver | AP | PTIAn Indian-origin cab driver who picked up a couple, including a pregnant woman, as passengers, delivered three people safely to a hospital on a cold winter night, with the female giving birth on board, local media reported. Hardeep Singh Toor, a Calgary taxi driver, answered a late-night dispatch call last Saturday for what he was told was an urgent ride to a hospital. Toor realised the urgency of the situation as soon as he saw the couple in distress. With temperatures around minus 23 degrees Celsius, stormy weather and slippery roads, he said his only focus was getting them to the hospital as quickly and safely as possible. Just blocks away from the hospital, Peter Lougheed Centre, Toor noticed that the kicking and screaming had stopped in the backseat. The baby was born in the back seat with the building already in sight. “I did not stop. I was thinking I should get there as soon as possible,” Toor said. As soon as they reached the hospital, staff rushed to help the couple and the newborn baby. 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
03 January,2026 11:56 AM IST | Toronto | AgenciesADVERTISEMENT
