Saudi Arabia carried out air strikes on UAE-backed separatist forces in southern Yemen on Friday, killing at least seven people, according to local officials. The raids hit a camp used by the Southern Transitional Council in Hadramawt. The attack followed a 24-hour deadline by the Yemeni government asking the UAE to leave the country. Saudi Arabia supports Yemen’s recognised government, while the UAE backs the STC, which seeks control of parts of the south. The STC had recently taken several military sites in the region. Riyadh said its forces would continue operations until the separatists withdraw from Hadramawt and Mahra. The UAE has rejected claims that it is sending weapons to the group. (PC: India Today)

A Buddha Air turboprop aircraft veered off the runway while landing at Bhadrapur airport in Nepal on Friday, the airline said. The ATR 72-500 was flying from Kathmandu with 51 passengers and four crew members. No one was injured in the incident. The plane overshot the runway by around 200 metres and came to a stop near a small stream, suffering minor damage. The airline said technical and relief teams were sent from Kathmandu to inspect the aircraft and assist passengers. Authorities are reviewing the incident to understand what led to the runway overrun. Flights at the airport were briefly disrupted after the landing. (PC: NDTV)

The FBI said it stopped a New Year’s Eve attack plan in North Carolina and charged 18-year-old Christan Sturdivant in the case. Officials said the Mint Hill resident was inspired by ISIS and planned knife and hammer attacks on civilians and police. Agents searched his home and found a handwritten note titled “New Year Attack 2026,” which listed plans to stab several people at a local grocery store. Sturdivant was taken into custody on Wednesday and ordered to remain in jail after a court hearing on Friday. He is charged with trying to provide material support to a foreign terrorist group. Investigators said the probe began after posts praising ISIS appeared on social media. (PC:HT)

Swiss officials said a deadly fire at a ski resort bar may have started when sparklers fixed to champagne bottles came close to the ceiling. The blaze killed 40 people and injured 119 others. Valais attorney general Beatrice Pilloud said several causes are still under review. Police have formally identified 113 injured people so far, including 71 Swiss citizens, 14 French, and 11 Italians. Identification of those who died is still under way. Regional president Mathias Reynard said the wait for answers is very hard for families. Hospitals in Geneva said some patients being treated for severe burns are as young as 15.

U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran against violently suppressing nationwide protests, saying the United States is “locked and loaded and ready to go” and would intervene if Iranian forces shoot and kill peaceful demonstrators. His statement on Truth Social comes amid the largest unrest in Iran in three years over economic hardship, inflation and a collapsing currency, which has led to several deaths. Iranian officials, including advisers to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, rejected U.S. interference as a “red line,” warning it could destabilize the region. Tensions between Washington and Tehran have sharply escalated as both sides exchange threats. (PC: India Today)

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has written a personal letter to activist Umar Khalid, who is in jail in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots case. The undated note was shared online by Khalid’s partner, Banojyotsna Lahiri. In the message, Mamdani said he often thinks of Khalid’s words about not letting bitterness take over. Khalid was arrested in September 2020 under the Unlawful Activities Act and has been in Tihar jail since then. He was recently given short bail to attend his sister’s wedding. Khalid’s father is reported to have met Mamdani in the United States last month. (PC: X)

Lab tests have found that polluted drinking water caused a vomiting and diarrhoea outbreak in Indore, killing nine people and sickening over 1,400, officials said. The cases were reported from Bhagirathpura area. Health officers said a leak in the main supply pipe allowed waste to enter the water line. A toilet was built above the damaged section, they added. Authorities have started checking the full pipeline and sent more samples for tests. Clean water was restored on Thursday, but residents were told to boil it first. The National Human Rights Commission has sought a report from the state government on the deaths. (PC: India Today)

Search teams are still looking for victims after a major fire at a bar in Switzerland on New Year’s Eve. About 40 people were killed and at least 115 were injured, officials said. Many families are waiting for news as authorities warn that identification may take days or even weeks. Around 60 people are being treated at Sion hospital, with others in nearby centres. Several patients are in critical condition. Swiss President Guy Parmelin said the blaze was among the worst tragedies in the country. Investigators have not confirmed the cause. Some witnesses believe flames spread from candles placed on a champagne bottle. (PC: BBC)

Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as New York City’s 112th mayor just after midnight on the steps of City Hall. He told a large crowd that voters had changed politics in the city. Quoting a supporter in Urdu, he said, “People’s hearts have changed.” Mamdani pledged to serve all residents, including those who did not vote for him. He said New York should belong to people of every language, faith, and background. On his first day, he signed orders to revive the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants and set up two task forces to speed up housing projects and cut permit delays. (PC: India Today)

At least seven people were reported dead in clashes between protesters and security forces in several Iranian cities this week. The protests began in Tehran on December 27 after shopkeepers went on strike over high prices and weak growth. They later spread to towns in Lorestan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, and Isfahan provinces. State media said a Basij member was killed in Kouhdasht. Police arrested dozens of people in Tehran and other areas. Videos showed crowds shouting slogans such as “Mullahs must leave Iran.” President Masoud Pezeshkian said people have real economic demands and urged steps to improve living conditions. (PC: India Today)