WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM 26 ThINgS IN 2026 From Linkin Park concerts and architectural initiatives making the local global to India’s return to the Venice Biennale, 2026 promises to leave a mark in all things culture NEW DELHI, JANUARY 4, 2026 SPOTLIGHT LATE CITY 16+4 PAGES ₹7.00 Stefano Canali’s quiet luxury play (₹8 RAIPUR, ₹15 SRINAGAR) D A I L Y F R O M : A H M E D A B A D , happening today C H A N D I G A R H , D E L H I , j A I P U R , k O L k A T A , L U C k N O W , U.S. STRIKES CARACAS; MADURO AND WIFE TO FACE NARCO-TERROR CHARGES M U M B A I , N A G P U R , P A T N A , P U N E , SHADOW OVER CRICKETING TIES KKR oust Maduro captured, flown out; BCCI makesputs India Mustafizur, US to run Venezuela: Trump tour of Bangla on hold lPM NARENDRA MODI will inaugurate via video conference the 72nd National Volleyball Tournament in Varanasi. lAN ExHIBITION FEATURING the Piprahwa relics will open for public viewing at the Rai Pithora Cultural Complex in New Delhi. Devendra Pandey Will run country at least temporarily, tap its oil reserves, says US President TRACK THESE AND MORE ON www.INDIANExPrEss.cOm Mumbai, January 3 AMID THE strain in ties between Delhi and Dhaka, IPL franchise Kolkata Knight RidersconfirmedSaturdaythat it had been instructed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to release Bangladesh cricketer Mustafizur Rahman from the squad. The BCCI also put India’s September tour of Bangladesh on hold after the Bangladesh Cricket Board announced the schedule. The BCCI said it will seek government approval for the tour. At the IPL auction last month, KKR had bought the 30- Regina Garcia Cano, Konstantin Toropin & Eric Tucker MAHARASHTRA CIVIC POLLS Caracas (Venezuela), Washington, January 3 THE UNITED States captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and flew him out of the country in an extraordinary military operation early Saturdaythatpluckedasittingleader from office. President Donald Trump insisted the US government would run the country at leasttemporarilyandwouldtap Walkoverfor manyBJP-Sena nominees,SEC seeksreports Alok Deshpande & Manoj More »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Mumbai, Pune, January 3 Explosions in Venezuela capital Caracas, Saturday. REUTERS MORE REPORTS, PAGE 10 Shubhajit Roy New Delhi, January 3 THE ANNOUNCEMENT by President Donald Trump that the US had attacked Venezuelaandcaptured its President Nicolas Maduro put India in a diplomatic spot Saturday: on the one side is Trump’s unilateral move and, on the other side, is Delhi’s statedpositionthatseeksanin- A photo of President Nicolas Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima shared by President Trump on his Truth Social account “Khelo India Beach Games reflect transformative power of sports.” SHRI PRAFUL PATEL 1300 ATHLETES | 31 STATES / UTs 8 DISCIPLINES | 6 DAYS SHRI NARENDRA MODI Prime Minister VENUE: GHOGHLA BEACH, DIU kheloindiabeachgames2026 1300 + Athletes 31 States/UTs 8 Sports 6 Days Opening Ceremony of Khelo India Beach Games 2026 5th January, 2026, from 04:00 PM onwards I Ghoghla Beach, Diu Beach Vahee, Jazba Naya, Khel Vahee, Andaaz Naya In 2024, the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu initiated the Multi-Sports Beach Games in India. In the Inaugural Games, more than 1700 athletes, coaches, managers and technical officials from 28 States/Union Territories participated in 8 Beach Sports Disciplines. In 2025, Beach Games were successfully organized under the banner of the Khelo India. In the first version of KIBG, 1200 athletes from 31 States/ Union Territories participated in 8 Beach Sports. LIVE ON: DOORDARSHAN SPORTS set on fire, Hindu man dies in dHaka year-old fast bowler for Rs 9.5 crore. In recent days, it faced »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Raipur, January 3 FOURTEEN MAOISTS,including a key leader, were killed in two separate encounters by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) onSaturdaymorninginChhattisgarh’s Sukma district and neighbouring Bijapur district — a development security forces see as a major breakthrough as their anti-insurgency push enters its final stages.Theencounters,thefirst betweentheoutlawedCommunist Party of India (Maoist) and »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 NATION SHORTLYAFTERitleftPorbandar, the Indian Navy Sailing Vessel (INSV) Kaundinya’s voyagestartedona“challenging note”as“inconducive”windsin the first 48 hours and then tidal currentskeptpushingthevessel off-course. On Thursday, Day 4 of the voyage,theseacalmed,andthe »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 P7 mallvandalism: Bajrangdalmen getBail,welcome Panaji, January 3 »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Administrator, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu and Lakshadweep P 10 Jayprakash S Naidu Pavneet Singh Chadha ternational rules-based order. Delhi, which is usually conservative and wary of commenting on issues far from Indian borders, is in a bind given that many in the Global South will look to India to underline the need to respect international law, and non-intervention by foreign forces in theinternalaffairsofacountry. India and the US are still E. »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 ThE wOrlD Chhattisgarh:14 Maoistskilledin twoencounters After a choppy start, stitched ship INSV Kaundinya back on course In a bind, Delhi issues advisory, no comment WITH CANDIDATES of the rulingMahayutiallianceledbythe BJP and the Shinde Shiv Sena being elected unopposed in 68 of 69 no-contest seats across municipal corporations in the state, less than two weeks before the polls scheduled for January15,theMaharashtraState Election Commission (SEC) Saturday put the declaration of results on hold and sought reports from local officials to confirm there was no foul play. “As per rules, in case of an unopposed victory, we seek a report from the Returning Officer or the District Collector to Bangladesh cricketer Mustafizur Rahman V A D O D A R A Crew aboard INSV Kaundinya, sailing towards Oman. INDIAN NAVY