Authored by: K Shiva
Zohran Mamdani Sworn in as NYC Mayor: Zohran Mamdani, 34, was sworn in as the Mayor of New York City in a private ceremony held in an abandoned subway station shortly after midnight. He is the son of filmmaker Mira Nair and professor Mahmood Mamdani.
Tragedy at Swiss Ski Resort: A massive fire at the "Le Constellation" bar in the upscale Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana during New Year's Eve celebrations resulted in nearly 40 deaths and over 100 injuries. Preliminary reports suggest the fire may have been caused by a bottle with lit "birthday candles" held too close to a wooden ceiling.
Drone Attack in Kherson: A drone attack on a cafe in Russia-held Kherson killed 24 people.
India's First Bullet Train: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed that India’s first bullet train is slated to become operational on August 15, 2027. The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor will open in phases, starting with the Surat to Bilimora section.
AI Skilling Challenge: President Droupadi Murmu launched the "Skill the Nation" challenge to promote advanced AI skills and build a future-ready workforce.
New Tobacco Tax Regime: Effective February 1, 2026, beedis will be moved to the 18% GST slab, while all other tobacco products will be in the 40% bracket. The GST compensation cess will also be discontinued from this date.
FASTag Relief: Starting February 1, the "Know Your Vehicle" (KYV) process for new FASTag issuances for cars, jeeps, and vans will be discontinued to improve user convenience.
Nuclear & Prisoner Lists Exchanged: India and Pakistan exchanged lists of nuclear installations and facilities as part of a bilateral pact. They also exchanged lists of prisoners; Pakistan currently holds 257 Indian prisoners.
Vande Bharat Sleeper Train: The first Vande Bharat sleeper train, capable of speeds up to 180 kmph, will ply between Guwahati and Kolkata starting later this month.
Andhra Pradesh Land Reform: In a "New Year gift," the AP government removed five categories of land, including private patta lands and lands allotted to defence personnel/freedom fighters, from the prohibited Section 22A list.
Power Tariff Relief (AP): The AP government decided to absorb the entire true-up burden of ₹4,497.89 crore for the 2019-24 period, ensuring no additional financial burden on consumers.
Telangana Assembly Session: The State Assembly resumes on January 2 amid high tension over Krishna River water sharing and irrigation projects.
Subsidised Wheat Flour (AP): The AP government launched a pilot project to distribute high-quality stone-ground wheat flour (chakki atta) at a subsidised price of ₹20 per kg through ration shops.
Administrative Reshuffle (AP): Annamayya district officially began functioning with Madanapalle as its headquarters from January 1, 2026.
Tragic Accident at Antarvedi: A New Year's celebration turned tragic when a jeep plunged into the sea at the Antarvedi beach confluence in BR Ambedkar Konaseema district, resulting in the death of a 55-year-old man.
Nandyal Poisoning Case: In a shocking incident in Thudumaladinne village, a construction worker allegedly poisoned his three children with pesticide-laced soft drinks before ending his own life.
Road Safety Month: National Road Safety Month (Jan 1–31) was inaugurated in both states. In Telangana, Minister Ponnam Prabhakar released awareness materials under the slogan "Sadak Suraksha, Jeevan Suraksha".
Drunk Driving Stats: Hyderabad reported a 5% decline in drunk driving cases on New Year's Eve, with 2,731 motorists booked.
Chess Victory: The Alpine SG Pipers won the third season of the Global Chess League (GCL) in Mumbai, coached by Pravin Thipsay.
TOPS Update: Wrestler Reetika Hooda was dropped from the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) core group following a failed dope test, while compound archers like Jyothi Surekha Vennam and Abhishek Verma were promoted.
Table Tennis: The WTT Youth Contender and WTT Feeder Series began in Vadodara with 334 players from 10 countries.
ISL Uncertainty: 13 Indian Super League clubs have conditioned their participation in the 2025-26 season on the waiver of participation fees by the AIFF.
Tollywood Pay Hikes: Allu Arjun reportedly received ₹300 crore for Pushpa 2: The Rule, making him one of the highest-paid actors in Indian cinema. Other stars like Prabhas and Mahesh Babu command between ₹100–200 crore.
Script Craft Festival: Actor Prabhas unveiled "The Script Craft International Short Film Festival" to provide a platform for aspiring filmmakers.
New Release: The indie-style film Psych Siddhartha was released on January 1, 2026.
Indore Water Crisis: Approximately 1,400 people fell ill in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, due to contaminated drinking water supplied by the municipal corporation.
Organ Donation Record: Andhra Pradesh's "Jeevandan" initiative facilitated a record 301 transplants in the past year from 93 brain-dead donors.
Liquor Sales Surge: AP recorded liquor sales worth ₹2,767 crore in December 2025, with Vizag topping the districts (₹178.6 crore).
Gaganyaan 2026: ISRO is preparing for its first uncrewed orbital test (G1 mission) tentatively in March 2026, which will carry a humanoid robot named Vyommitra.
Artemis II: NASA’s mission to send humans beyond the Moon for the first time in over 50 years is scheduled for no earlier than February 5, 2026.
TTD Record: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) distributed a decade-high 13.52 crore laddus in 2025.
Pattadar Passbook Drive: A week-long drive to distribute newly designed Pattadar passbooks with the state emblem begins on January 2, 2026.
IIM Lucknow Vacancy: Applications are invited for 42 non-faculty contractual posts.
Skill Training: The Central Institute of Tool Design (CITD) in Hyderabad announced admissions for various industrial training and internship programs, including AI application development and CNC programming.
36th Vijayawada Book Festival: Inaugurated today (January 2) by Supreme Court Judge Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha at the GMC Stadium. The 11-day festival features 315 stalls.
DRDO Foundation Day: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited DRDO HQ on its 68th Foundation Day and highlighted the "Sudarshan Chakra" air defence initiative.