Japanese emperor Naruhito will address the country and also hold a public New Year event at the Imperial Palace. Here’s what else to expect from the world of new today
It’s a brand new year and there’s a lot that is expected to happen today.
So, what’s going to make headlines today? Here’s a look.
Japanese Emperor Naruhito to address the country
Japanese emperor Naruhito will address the country today to deliver New Year greetings. The emperor, together with other members of the imperial family, will also hold a public New Year greeting event at the Imperial Palace today. Prince Hisahito, the emperor’s nephew who completed his coming-of-age rites in September last year, will attend for the first time.
Earlier, the emperor in a message emphasised the importance of peace as he voiced his wish for people of the world to move forward with hope in the coming year.
New Year, New York, New Mayor
Zohran Mamdani has taken take office in New York City and January 2 will mark his first full day as mayor. After the clocks struck midnight, bringing in 2026, Mamdani took his oath of office at an abandoned subway stop to begin managing the United States’ largest city. He is New York’s first Muslim mayor.
it remains to be seen if Mamdani — virtually unknown a year ago — can deliver on his ambitious agenda, which envisions rent freezes, universal childcare and free public buses.
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How US President Donald Trump behaves could be a decisive factor. The Republican, himself a New Yorker, has repeatedly criticised Mamdani, but the pair held surprisingly cordial talks at the White House in November.
We will have to wait and watch to see how it goes. But for now, we shall keep an eye on Mamdani.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PTI FilePM Modi to chair review of coal and mines ministries
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a quarterly sectoral review of the Ministries of Coal and Mines on January 2 and January 3, respectively, government sources said.
For the coal ministry, key focus areas will include increasing coal production, improving efficiency at existing and upcoming mines, and the rehabilitation of closed mines. India’s coal output is projected to rise by nearly 50 per cent from around one billion metric tonnes currently to 1.5 billion metric tonnes by 2030. Coal demand to meet thermal power requirements is expected to grow by about 17 per cent over the same period.
While reviewing the Ministry of Mines, discussions will centre on prioritising mineral extraction and separation through smelters to augment domestic availability. The government is also expected to take stock of progress under the National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM), including developments against long-term targets.
Power cuts in Bengaluru
Residents across parts of Bengaluru in Karnataka will face a planned power outage today, as the city’s electricity supply company carries out essential maintenance and upgrade works. The shutdown will affect multiple neighbourhoods for several hours during the day.
Officials said such shutdowns are necessary to ensure long-term reliability of power supply and to prevent unexpected breakdowns in the future.
The scheduled outage is expected to last from 10 am to 5 pm, depending on the completion of maintenance work.
Home Minister Amit Shah to visit Andamans
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit Andaman and Nicobar Islands to chair a meeting of the parliamentary consultative committee. He will be received by Lt Governor Admiral D K Joshi (retired) at the airport.
“On January 3, Shah will interact with the Parliamentary Consultative Committee in Wandoor, and later he will attend an event on Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Dr B R Ambedkar Institute of Technology (DBRAIT) auditorium in Dollygunj,” said an official. Shah will depart from the archipelago on January 4.
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With inputs from agencies
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