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New Year
In a first, UN chief has issued his New Year's message for the year 2026 in Hindi, among other languages, calling on world leaders today to invest in development, not destruction. Antonio Guterres' New Year message has been issued in 11 languages, including in the six official UN languages of Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish as well as Hindi and Urdu. His video message on the occasion has been issued with Hindi subtitles as well. In an urgent appeal for the new year, Secretary-General Guterres called on world leaders today to get priorities straight and invest in development, not destruction. As we enter the new year, the world stands at a crossroads. Chaos and uncertainty surround us, Guterres said in his message for 2026 Monday. People everywhere are asking: Are leaders even listening? Are they ready to act? He said the scale of human suffering in the world today is staggering - over one-quarter of humanity lives in areas affected by conflict. More than 20
With New Year celebrations expected to draw heavy crowds across the capital, restaurants and clubs in Delhi are stepping up fire and crowd safety measures, including deploying extra staff and conducting frequent mock drills. The heightened vigilance comes after the Delhi Fire Service launched a citywide inspection drive of restaurants, hotels and clubs, particularly in view of the upcoming Christmas and New Year celebrations, officials said. The inspections focus on checking the functionality of fire-fighting equipment, accessibility of emergency exits and compliance with building by-laws, they said, adding that the exercise follows the Goa nightclub fire that claimed 25 lives. An advisory has been issued to all member establishments to tighten safety protocols, Manpreet Singh, treasurer of the National Restaurant Association of India, said. "We have advised our members to take all necessary precautions, including checking all equipment, ensuring exit doors are clear and functional
The Delhi Police has apprehended 966 people and seized arms, drugs, illegal liquor and vehicles during a large-scale preventive crackdown in southeast Delhi ahead of New Year celebrations, an official said on Saturday. The operation, namely Operation Aaghat 3.0, was launched to curb organised crime, street offences and the activities of habitual criminals in view of heightened public movement during year-end festivities, they said. Of the total, 331 accused were arrested under the Delhi Excise Act, NDPS Act and the Public Gambling Act, while 504 people were apprehended under various preventive provisions, the police said. As part of targeted action, police apprehended 116 listed bad characters, arrested five auto-lifters and four proclaimed offenders, officials added. During the operation, police recovered 21 country-made pistols, 20 live cartridges and 27 knives under the Arms Act. They also seized 12,258 quarters of illicit liquor, 6.01 kg of ganja and Rs 2.36 lakh from gamblers.
Istanbul police launched scores of simultaneous raids on Thursday, detaining over a hundred suspected members of the militant Islamic State group who were allegedly planning attacks against Christmas and New Year's celebrations, authorities said. A statement from the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office said police were tipped off that the extremist group had called for action -- particularly against non-Muslims -- during the celebrations. The office had issued warrants for 137 suspects, of whom 115 were detained. Officers also seized many firearms, cartridges and documents during the raids. It said 124 locations were raided. The arrests come days after the Trump administration launched widespread military strikes in neighbouring Syria to "eliminate" Islamic State fighters and weapons' sites in retaliation for an ambush blamed on the group that killed two US troops and an American civilian interpreter. Syrian security forces have also launched operations against IS in recent .
Delhi Police has intensified security arrangements across the national capital, deploying nearly 20,000 personnel to ensure law and order on Christmas and the upcoming New Year celebrations, an official said. Security has also been tightened along Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, and in areas adjoining Rajasthan, as a large influx of people is expected from neighbouring states for Christmas and year-end festivities, the official said. "Nearly 20,000 police personnel, including traffic police and paramilitary forces, have been deployed across the city to prevent hooliganism, ensure public safety and curb traffic violations," the official said. Additional pickets, barricades and deployment of paramilitary forces have been put in place at major entry points to check nuisance and unlawful activities by people entering the city, he added. The police said security will also be reinforced at 15 major entry points to Delhi, where vehicles from adjoining states are expected t
President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several Union ministers on Wednesday extended New Year greetings to the people and wished for prosperity, success and harmony. Dhankhar and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla also invoked the Constitution in their new year wishes urging everyone to remain loyal to it and nurture democratic values with resolve to keep nation first. Modi hoped the new year brings "new opportunities, success and endless joy". "Happy 2025! May this year bring everyone new opportunities, success and endless joy. May everybody be blessed with wonderful health and prosperity," he said on X. President Murmu asked the people to renew commitment to work together for creating a brighter, more inclusive and sustainable future for India and the world. "Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year! May the year 2025 bring joy, harmony and prosperity to all! On this occasion, let us renew our commitment to work together for creating a
Instead of the traditional boisterous street partying on New Year's Eve, tens of thousands of protesters led by university students gathered overnight in Belgrade and other Serbian cities to demand political reforms and justice in the Balkan country. The protesters have been actively demonstrating following the tragic collapse of a concrete canopy in the northern city of Novi Sad's central train station on November 1, which resulted in 15 fatalities. The tragedy has been attributed to corruption and substandard construction practices by the populist Serbian leadership, leading to a widespread public outcry and demands for accountability. Students from various Belgrade universities have organized the protest under the slogan There is No New Year You Still Owe Us for the Old One. The loud crowd, chanting We Want Justice, went silent at 11.52 pm with 15 minutes to honour the victims of the Novi Sad tragedy. Many were holding banners with a red handprint, which has become a symbol of
From Sydney to Vladivostok, communities around the world have begun welcoming 2025 with spectacular light shows, embraces and ice plunges. Auckland became the first major city to celebrate, as thousands thronged downtown or climbed the city's ring of volcanic peaks for a fireworks vantage point. A light display recognized Indigenous people. Countries in the South Pacific Ocean are the first to ring in the New Year, with midnight in New Zealand striking 18 hours before the ball drop in Times Square in New York. Conflict muted acknowledgements of the new year in places like the Middle East, Sudan and Ukraine. Fireworks in Sydney Fireworks blasted off the Sydney Harbor Bridge and across the bay. More than a million Australians and others gathered at iconic Sydney Harbor for the celebration. British pop star Robbie Williams led a singalong with the crowd. The celebration also featured Indigenous ceremonies and performances that acknowledged the land's first people. Asia prepares for