Trump says US will intervene if Iran starts killing protesters: ‘Locked and loaded’
President Donald Trump warned early Friday that the U.S. would intervene if Iran started killing protesters. Writing on Truth Social, the president said if Iran shoots 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,” Trump said. Trump’s warning comes as demonstrations triggered by Iran’s deteriorating economy expand beyond the capital and raise concerns about a potential heavy-handed crackdown by security forces. At least seven people — including protesters and members of Iran’s security services — have been reported killed during clashes, according to international reporting. IRANIAN PROTESTERS CLASH WITH SECURITY FORCES AS TEAR GAS FILLS TEHRAN STREETS AMID NATIONWIDE UNREST Ali Larijani, a former parliament speaker who serves as the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, pushed back on Trump’s post, writing on X that, “With the statements by Israeli officials and Donald Trump, what has been going on behind the scenes is now clear. We distinguish between the stance of the protesting shopkeepers and the actions of disruptive actors, and Trump should know that U.S. interference in this internal matter would mean destabilizing the entire region and destroying America’s interests.” “The American people should know — Trump started this adventurism. They should be mindful of their soldiers’ safety,” Larijani added. The threat came after Iran launched an attack on Al-Udeid, the American airbase in Qatar, in June 2025. The base is home to 10,000 American forces and is the U.S.’s largest military installation in the Middle East. Located southwest of Doha, it serves as a hub for logistical operations for the U.S. mission to fight ISIS in Iraq and Syria. At the time, Iran vowed to retaliate against the U.S. after American B-2 bombers dropped 14 bunker buster bombs on three Iranian nuclear sites. In the recent Iranian demonstrations, some of the most severe violence has been reported in western Iran, where videos circulating online appeared to show fires burning in streets and the sound of gunfire during nighttime protests. “We are to blame… Do not look for America or anyone else to blame. We must serve properly so that people are satisfied with us…. It is us who have to find a solution to these problems,” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Thursday, according to Reuters. The unrest marks Iran’s most significant protests since 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody sparked nationwide demonstrations. Officials say the current protests have not yet reached the same scale or intensity, but they have spread to multiple regions and include chants directed at Iran’s theocratic leadership. Iran’s civilian government under reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian has signaled a willingness to engage with protesters, but the administration faces limited options as the country’s economy continues to deteriorate. Iran’s currency has sharply depreciated, with roughly 1.4 million rials now required to buy a single U.S. dollar, intensifying public anger and eroding confidence in the government. TRUMP HINTS AT REGIME CHANGE IN IRAN WHILE DECLARING ‘MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN’ AFTER US STRIKES State television reported the arrests of several people accused of exploiting the unrest, including individuals it described as monarchists and others allegedly linked to Europe-based groups. Authorities also claimed security forces seized smuggled weapons during related operations, though details remain limited. The demonstrations come amid heightened regional tensions following a 12-day conflict with Israel in June, during which the United States bombed Iranian nuclear sites. Iranian officials have since said the country is no longer enriching uranium, attempting to signal openness to renewed negotiations over its nuclear program to ease sanctions. However, talks have yet to resume, as both Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have warned Tehran against reconstituting its nuclear capabilities — adding further pressure on Iran’s leadership as protests continue.
‘We will not wait’: Mamdani kicks off housing plans after inaugural party
New York, United States – Sprawling crowds, a seven-block-long party and chants to “tax the rich” in the world’s wealthiest city marked Zohran Mamdani’s public inauguration as New York City mayor on Thursday, as the metropolis welcomed a new year with a new leadership. Political inaugurations are usually more stolid affairs. But, as he had in his campaign for the mayoralty, Mamdani flipped the script with his swearing-in events. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list In act one, just after midnight, as the ball dropped in Times Square to ring in 2026, Mamdani took the oath of office in a small ceremony on the steps of the landmark New York City Hall subway station. New York State Attorney General Letitia James administered the oath as Mamdani stood beside his wife, Rama Duwaji, on a staircase inside the transit hub, which has not been used for passenger service since 1945. He used a historic Quran borrowed from the New York Public Library for his swearing in, and a second one that belonged to his grandfather. The public celebration arrived later, on New Year’s Day, when Mamdani repeated the oath on the steps of City Hall before a crowd that spilled across the surrounding plaza and into the streets. Despite the blistering cold, tens of thousands of supporters streamed into Lower Manhattan to watch the new mayor – along with the city’s comptroller, Mark Levine, and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams – formally assume office. National political heavyweights, including Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, flanked the city’s new leadership and delivered speeches outlining the progressive movement’s governing ambitions in New York and the national reverberations the race has already sent to lawmakers across the country. Advertisement “The most important lesson that can be learned today is that when working people stand, when they don’t let them [the ultra-wealthy] divide us up, there is nothing that we cannot accomplish,” Sanders said before swearing in Mamdani. While guests and the press gathered inside the City Hall grounds, the city staged a seven-block-long public block party – a new twist on the traditionally ticketed inauguration format. In addition to a closed event capped at a few thousand attendees, anyone willing to RSVP and endure the frigid air and blustering winds after a night of snowfall could try their luck at getting in. And many did, bundled New Yorkers shuffled through security checkpoints, hoping to glimpse the swearing-in of a 34-year-old democratic socialist now charged with running the largest city in the United States, streaming on large monitors stationed throughout the surrounding area outside City Hall. Some supporters told Al Jazeera they waited in line for hours, and many never made it through the checkpoints in time. While crowds cheered and horns blasted in solidarity from a distance, a handful of protesters lingered behind police barricades. The block party in and of itself was symbolic in its effort to reach more New Yorkers who have normally been left out of the political process, Democratic strategist Nomiki Konst told Al Jazeera. “It was a way of opening up something that hasn’t been accessible for anybody, you know, that wasn’t part of the inner circle of New York politics and media,” Konst told Al Jazeera. “It was an opportunity to give back to the people who helped him get into office.” New Yorkers gathered in a first-of-its-kind inauguration open to the general public [Andy Hirschfeld] A message of unity and affordability Mamdani, Williams and Levine spoke about unity for all New Yorkers, delivering remarks in English, Spanish, Hebrew and Greek, and appearing alongside faith leaders of several different faiths, including Islam, Christianity and Judaism. “We have three swearings-in. One by a leader using a Quran, one by a leader using a Christian Bible, and one using a Hebrew Bible. I am proud to live in a city where this is possible,” Levine said after taking the oath of office. Mamdani echoed that sentiment. “We will draw this city closer together. We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism. If our campaign demonstrated that the people of New York yearn for solidarity, then let this government foster it,” Mamdani said in his address. Advertisement “We will deliver nothing less as we work each day to make this city belong to more of its people than it did the day before.” But the core message, voiced repeatedly by Mamdani, Levine, Williams, Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez, was the same one that defined the campaign: that the ultra wealthy should pay higher taxes. “Demanding that the wealthy and large corporations start paying their fair share of taxes is not radical. It is exactly the right thing to do,” Sanders said, as supporters chanted, “Tax the rich.” One of Mamdani’s core promises was to raise the corporate tax rate in New York City from 7.25 percent to 11.5 percent, equivalent to that of neighbouring New Jersey, as well as a 2 percent increase in taxes on those who make more than $1m a year. Any tax plan would need the approval of the governor to move forward. “This movement came out of eight-and-a-half million somewheres – taxi cab depots and Amazon warehouses, DSA [Democratic Socialists of America] meetings and curbside domino games. The powers that be had looked away from these places for quite some time – if they’d known about them at all – so they dismissed them as nowhere. But in our city, where every corner of these five boroughs holds power, there is no nowhere and there is no no one,” Mamdani said. Housing policy has been central to that affordability message for Mamdani. One of his signature campaign promises was to freeze the rent on the city’s rental stabilised apartments, which represent about half of the city’s rental housing stock. “Those in rent-stabilised homes will no longer dread the latest rent hike – because we will freeze the rent,” Mamdani said in his remarks. Only hours later, Mamdani introduced
Kim Jong Un’s potential heir makes public visit to N Korean founder’s tomb
Kim Ju Ae’s first public visit to the Kumsusan Mausoleum added to speculation she may become the next in line. Published On 2 Jan 20262 Jan 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s daughter, Ju Ae, who is widely speculated to be his potential successor, made her first public visit to the Kumsusan Mausoleum in Pyongyang alongside her parents, state media images show. Photographs released by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Friday captured the family paying respects to Ju Ae’s grandfather and great-grandfather, Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung, the founder of the North Korean state. Analysts say that propaganda surrounding the Kim family’s “Paektu bloodline” has allowed its members to dominate daily life in the isolated country and maintain power for decades. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Over the past three years, Ju Ae has appeared more frequently in state media, prompting speculation from analysts and South Korea’s intelligence services that she may be positioned as the country’s fourth-generation leader. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his daughter Ju Ae inspect a training of the Korean People’s Army at an undisclosed location in North Korea [File: KCNA via KNS/AFP] Photographs show Ju Ae accompanying her father, mother Ri Sol Ju, and senior officials on the visit on January 1, standing between her parents in the main hall of the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun. Ju Ae was first publicly introduced in 2022 when she accompanied her father to the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile. Believed to have been born in the early 2010s, she also took part in this year’s New Year celebrations, and in September made her first public overseas visit, travelling to Beijing with her father. Advertisement The visit to the mausoleum coincided with key dates and anniversaries, reinforcing the dynastic narrative of the nuclear-armed state. North Korean media have referred to her as “the beloved child” and a “great person of guidance” – or “hyangdo” in Korean – a term traditionally reserved for top leaders and their designated successors. Prior to 2022, Ju Ae’s existence had only been indirectly confirmed by former NBA player Dennis Rodman, who visited the North in 2013. North Korea’s leaders have never formally announced their successors, instead signalling transitions gradually through public appearances and expanding official responsibilities. Meanwhile, Kim Jong Un has pledged to further increase production of missiles and artillery shells, describing them as a “war deterrent” amid heightened military readiness from the United States and South Korea. Adblock test (Why?)
Flights from Aden airport in Yemen halted amid latest tensions
STC separatists accuse Saudi Arabia of requiring flights to UAE to land in Jeddah; Saudi source rejects claim. By News Agencies Published On 2 Jan 20262 Jan 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Flights from Aden international airport in Yemen were halted on Thursday amid continuing tensions between the Southern Transitional Council (STC) separatist group and the Saudi Arabia-backed internationally recognised government in Yemen. Reuters news agency reported that all flights were suspended at the airport on Thursday, although further details of flight operations and possible resumptions remained unclear. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list The STC has formally been a part of the Saudi-led coalition that, since 2015, has been fighting the Houthi takeover of large parts of Yemen. But the STC also seeks to carve out a separate nation in southern Yemen, and in December, expanded its military operations in Hadramout and al-Mahra provinces that border Saudi Arabia, setting off a rapid escalation in tensions. Saudi Arabia has accused the United Arab Emirates – also a part of the anti-Houthi coalition – of arming the STC and of encouraging the separatist group to expand into Hadramout and al-Mahra, which Riyadh has said threatens its national security. The UAE has denied those allegations, insisting that it supports Saudi Arabia’s security. However, while the UAE has since agreed to demands from Yemen’s Riyadh-backed Presidential Leadership Council and Saudi Arabia to withdraw its troops from Yemen, the STC has refused to pull back from Hadramout and al-Mahra. On Thursday, the STC-aligned Transport Ministry within the internationally recognised government claimed that the stoppage at the airport was a result of Saudi Arabia imposing new requirements mandating that flights to and from Aden airport undergo inspection in Jeddah. Advertisement The ministry said it was “shocked” by the move, adding that Saudi authorities later clarified the restriction only applied to flights operating between Aden and the United Arab Emirates. A Saudi source denied to the Reuters news agency that it was involved in restricting flights, saying Yemen’s internationally recognised government, led by the Presidential Leadership Council, was behind the requirement for UAE-bound flights. Yemeni presidential adviser, Thabet al-Ahmadi, confirmed to Al Jazeera that it had imposed a requirement that applied to one flight route departing from Aden airport. He said the move was meant to prevent STC money smuggling. Al-Ahmadi said the government did not support a complete halt to flights, adding it wanted to ensure air traffic continued unimpeded. Earlier this week, the UAE announced it was voluntarily withdrawing its remaining “counterterrorism” forces from Yemen. That came after Riyadh struck what it claimed to be a UAE-linked weapons shipment in the southern port city of Mukalla. On Wednesday, Rashad al-Alimi, the head of the internationally recognised government in Yemen, warned that any moves by the STC to further entrench their position in the provinces would have severe consequences. The STC has, however, remained defiant, saying it would remain in the provinces. However, STC spokesperson Mohammed al-Naqeeb said the group was coordinating its movements with the Homeland Shield forces, which had been the main security force in the provinces prior to the STC offensive. The Homeland Shield is affiliated with the Yemeni government and the Saudi-led coalition. Yemen has been embroiled in a civil war since Houthi forces took control of the capital Sanaa in 2014. The group continues to control large swaths of the country’s northwest, with the STC and government contesting the southern and eastern flanks. Adblock test (Why?)
Delhi NCR Weather Update:Air quality slips to ‘very poor’ category, thick fog affects flight operations, airlines issue advisories
The low visibility disrupted flight operations with airlines Air India and IndiGo issuing travel advisories. Predicting dense fog in Delhi-NCR, Air India issued an advisory on January 1, citing that flight services might be impacted the next day.
Good news for commuters: Uttar Pradesh to get new state highway between THESE two districts, travel time to cut by…; Check details here
The PWD has proposed an 81.41 km Aligarh-Sambhal state highway via Sasni to cut travel time and ease congestion. Linking NH-509 and NH-32, the route will upgrade narrow district roads, benefit Aligarh, Hathras and Sambhal, and improve regional connectivity.
SBA suspends nearly 7,000 Minnesota borrowers over suspected $400M pandemic loan fraud
The Small Business Administration (SBA) announced Thursday that it suspended 6,900 Minnesota borrowers after uncovering what it says is widespread suspected fraud. SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler said the agency reviewed thousands of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) loans approved in Minnesota, and identified nearly $400 million in potentially fraudulent loans tied to borrowers in Minnesota. “These individuals will be banned from all SBA loan programs, including disaster loans, going forward,” Loeffler wrote on X. Loeffler said the agency will refer appropriate cases to federal law enforcement for prosecution and repayment. TRUMP TARGETS MINNESOTA FRAUD ALLEGATIONS, SAYS ‘WE’RE GOING TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT’ “After years, the American people will finally begin to see the criminals who stole from law-abiding taxpayers held accountable — and this is just the first state,” she stated. The suspected fraudulent activity included 7,900 PPP and EIDL loans approved during the COVID-19 pandemic, Loeffler said. The announcement comes as Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and his administration face scrutiny over billions of dollars in social services fraud. MINNESOTA FRAUD COMMITTEE CHAIR CLAIMS WALZ ‘TURNED A BLIND EYE’ TO FRAUD WARNINGS FOR YEARS Loeffler sent a letter Tuesday to Walz on Dec. 23, telling him that her agency will “halt” more than $5.5 million in annual support to resource partners in the state “until further notice.” “I am notifying you that effective immediately and until further notice, the SBA is halting the disbursement of federal funds to SBA resource partners operating in the state of Minnesota, totaling over $5.5 million in annual support,” Loeffler wrote. The SBA said that at least $2.5 million in PPP and EIDL funds issued during the pandemic era were connected to a Somali fraud scheme based in Minneapolis. HHS CUTS OFF MINNESOTA CHILD CARE PAYMENTS OVER ALLEGED DAYCARE FRAUD SCHEME Loeffler told Walz that $430 million in PPP funds tied to roughly 13,000 loans were flagged as potentially fraudulent but still funded anyway, including some that were forgiven during the Biden administration. “The volume and concentration of potential fraud is staggering, matched in its egregiousness only by your response to those who attempted to stop it,” she wrote. Fox News Digital has reached out to Walz’ office for comment. Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
Hours after taking office, NYC Mayor Mamdani targets landlords, moves to intervene in private bankruptcy case
Sworn in at midnight and again hours later publicly, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani used his first day in office Thursday to hit the ground running with new executive orders targeting city landlords and housing development. And he said the city will take what he called “precedent-setting action” to intervene in a private landlord bankruptcy case he said was tied to 93 buildings. “Today is the start of a new era for New York City,” Mamdani said. “It is inauguration day. It is also the day that the rent is due.” Speaking at a Brooklyn apartment building, Mamdani framed the moves as an early test of whether city government will directly confront landlords over housing conditions and step into court cases that could determine whether tenants remain in their homes. Mamdani said New Yorkers who attended his inauguration were returning to apartments where, he said, “bad landlords do not make repairs,” rents rise and residents deal with issues like cockroaches and a lack of heat. ZOHRAN MAMDANI WILL BE FIRST MAYOR TO BE SWORN IN ON QURAN DURING NEW YORK CITY INAUGURATION The mayor said the new administration “will not wait to deliver action” and “will stand up on behalf of the tenants of this city.” Mamdani announced three housing-related executive orders, starting with the revival of the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants, which he said will focus on resolving complaints and holding landlords accountable for hazardous conditions. “We will make sure that 311 violations are resolved,” Mamdani said, adding that the administration will hold “slumlords” accountable for “hazardous and dangerous threats” to tenant well-being. MAMDANI TAPS CONTROVERSIAL LAWYER WHO DEFENDED AL QAEDA TERRORIST FOR TOP ROLE: ‘POWERFUL ADVOCATE’ Mamdani said the second executive order creates a LIFT task force, or a land-inventory effort designed to leverage city-owned land and accelerate housing development. He said the task force will review city-owned properties and identify sites suitable for housing development no later than July 1. The third executive order creates a SPEED task force, which Mamdani said stands for Streamlining Procedures to Expedite Equitable Development. He said the task force will work to remove permitting barriers that slow housing construction. Both task forces will be overseen by Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning Lila Joseph, he said. “These are sweeping measures, but it is just the beginning of a comprehensive effort to champion the cause of tenants,” Mamdani said. FLASHBACK: INSIDE THE POLITICAL MOVEMENT THAT PUT A SOCIALIST IN CHARGE OF NEW YORK CITY Earlier in the day, Mamdani signed executive order No. 1, which revoked all prior mayoral executive orders under former Mayor Eric Adams issued on or after Sept. 26, 2024, unless they were specifically reissued by Mamdani’s administration. Mamdani signed a second executive order setting the structure of his administration, including five deputy mayors and their oversight responsibilities. The mayor made the announcement at 85 Clarkson Ave., a rent-stabilized building he said is owned by Pinnacle Realty, which he described as a “notorious landlord.” Mamdani said tenants in the building have dealt with issues, including roaches and a lack of heat. Mamdani said the building is one of 93 properties connect to the same landlord, and the portfolio is in bankruptcy proceedings. MAMDANI PICKS EDUCATOR WHO WORKED TO DISMANTLE GIFTED & TALENTED PROGRAM AS NYC SCHOOLS CHANCELLOR The mayor said the buildings will be auctioned to a different landlord he claimed ranks No. 6 on New York City’s worst landlord list, adding the buildings collectively have more than 5,000 open hazardous violations and 14,000 complaints. “This is an untenable situation,” Mamdani said. “So, today we are announcing that we will be taking action in the bankruptcy case and stepping in to represent the interests of the city and the interests of the tenants.” Mamdani said he directed his nominee for corporation counsel, Steve Banks, to take what he called “precedent-setting action” in the case. “We are a creditor and interested party,” Mamdani said, adding that the city is owed money and will fight for “safe and habitable homes” while working to “mitigate the significant risk of displacement” that tenants face. A tenant speaker at the event described unsafe conditions in Pinnacle buildings and said a section of hardwood floor in the speaker’s mother’s apartment had remained unrepaired for seven years. “When they filed for bankruptcy this spring, Pinnacle gambled on making our housing less affordable and our lives more miserable,” the speaker said. The mayor said the moves mark the start of a more aggressive use of executive power on housing issues, beginning on his first day in office. Mamdani’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Bernie Sanders ditches iconic mittens look while swearing in socialist Zohran Mamdani as NYC mayor
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., appeared without the iconic mittens that helped make him a viral sensation during former President Joe Biden’s 2021 inauguration when he administered the oath of office for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani at City Hall Thursday. The moment came as Sanders swore in Mamdani, who described himself in his inaugural address as a “democratic socialist,” telling supporters, “I was elected as a democratic socialist, and I will govern as a democratic socialist.” Sanders’ appearance marked a visual departure from the image that made him a global pop culture figure four years ago, when photos of the Vermont senator bundled in a winter coat and handmade mittens spread rapidly across social media during Biden’s inauguration. Before administering the oath, Sanders delivered a lengthy address praising Mamdani’s campaign and agenda, framing the election as a rejection of political establishments. ZOHRAN MAMDANI WILL BE FIRST MAYOR TO BE SWORN IN ON QURAN DURING NEW YORK CITY INAUGURATION He told the crowd that volunteers “took on the Democratic establishment, the Republican establishment, the president of the United States and some enormously wealthy oligarchs.” Sanders also defended policies Mamdani’s opponents had labeled “radical” or “communistic,” arguing that proposals such as affordable housing, free childcare, free bus transportation and taxing the wealthy were “not radical” but necessary in “the richest country in the history of the world.” Sanders formally administered the oath of office shortly after 2:40 p.m., prompting chants of “Zohran” from the crowd gathered at City Hall. SOCIALIST NYC MAYOR MAMDANI INAUGURATED ALONGSIDE BERNIE SANDERS AND AOC ON NEW YEAR’S DAY Mamdani pledged to pursue policies, including freezing rents for stabilized apartments, delivering universal childcare, making buses free and increasing taxes on wealthy New Yorkers, saying City Hall would “govern expansively and audaciously.” Sanders’ attire drew widespread attention in 2021, when images of him sitting alone wearing brown chevron mittens with his arms and legs crossed became one of the most widely shared visuals of Biden’s inauguration, spawning memes, merchandise and fundraising efforts. During Thursday’s inauguration ceremony, a similarly cross-legged Sanders showed up sitting patiently in the audience during the performance of the socialist anthem “Bread and Roses” by Lucy Dacus. On Tuesday, Sanders appeared in standard winter gloves, a blue beanie and a puffy green coat instead. The wool and fleece mittens were handmade by Vermont schoolteacher Jen Ellis, who later reflected on the viral moment in a 2022 interview with Vermont Edition, saying she donated about $2 million to Vermont charities through mitten-related fundraising after the internet sensation.
After Al Hind Air, FlyExpress, this UP-based airlines to start operations in India in…, check details
After IndiGo crisis, the Union Aviation Ministry has given nod to three new airlines to start operations in India soon. Apart from Al Hind Air and FlyExpress, Shankh Airline will reportedly start flight operations before mid-January, said Chairman Shravan Kumar Vishwakarma.