A massive power outage affected nearly 30% of San Francisco as the city plunged into darkness for hours, paralysing the city’s infrastructure and leaving hundreds of Google-owned Waymo self-driving vehicles stranded in the middle of busy roads. People on social media posted videos and photos of Waymo vehicles in the middle of the road, affecting smooth traffic.According to a report by SFGate, Waymo was forced to suspend its operations at approximately 8 p.m. (local time) after the vehicles became unable to safely navigate intersections without functioning traffic signals.“We have temporarily suspended our ride-hailing services given the broad power outage in San Francisco,” a Waymo spokesperson was quoted as saying. “We are focused on keeping our riders safe and ensuring emergency personnel have the clear access they need to do their work,” the spokesperson added.

Social media clips show chaos at roads due to Waymo cars

Multiple videos on social media showed at least four Waymo vehicles stopped in the centre of a major intersection with their hazard lights flashing, triggering significant traffic congestion. Reportedly, in one incident, a passenger was trapped inside a stationary vehicle during the blackout until he was manually rescued.

What caused power outage in San Francisco

The blackout affected over 130,000 homes and businesses in neighbourhoods including the Richmond, Sunset, Presidio and Golden Gate Park. Officials traced that a portion of Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) substation caught fire, knocking out critical grid components, leading to “significant transit disruptions.” Not only the autonomous cars, the city’s rail lines were shuttered and municipal buses were forced to bypass multiple stops in the affected zones.PG&E confirmed on Sunday that the grid has since been stabilised and no further outages are expected. Manual traffic control and city buses are returning to standard operations, the report said.

A senior Bangladeshi journalist strongly criticised the violence that erupted in parts of Bangladesh following the death of Inqilab Moncho leader Osman Hadi, saying the unrest reflects the serious lapses in law and order and sent a troubling signal ahead of the national election.Speaking to ANI, Dhaka Tribune editor Reaz Ahmad said while public anger and grief over Hadi’s killing were understandable, elements within the crowds exploited the situation to trigger violence. “Taking that as an excuse, some fringe elements within the massive crowd expressing their grief and sympathies turned extremely violent,” he said, adding that the state should not tolerate such acts.Osman Hadi, a young political activist linked to last year’s July uprising, was shot by masked men on December 12 while travelling in a rickshaw in Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area. He sustained a gunshot wound to the head and was later airlifted to Singapore for medical treatment. He died on December 18 despite doctors’ efforts. Following his death, protests erupted across the capital as supporters demanded justice. Multiple demonstrations were reported on Friday, coinciding with the arrival of Hadi’s body in Dhaka. While several gatherings remained peaceful, some turned violent, with several media houses’ offices set ablaze and attacks on cultural institutions. Ahmad said the unrest could have been avoided with better planning by authorities. “The government would have done a better job had there been pre-emptive measures; we could definitely avoid such developments,” he told ANI, calling the attacks on two leading newspapers and cultural offices “a really bad example” for the country. The violence drew condemnation from both within Bangladesh and abroad. Ahmad said denunciations alone were insufficient and urged the government to restore full control over the situation. “The state should not tolerate it… the government has to actually take the law and order situation under complete grip,” he said.Hadi’s funeral prayers were held on Saturday and attended by a large crowd. As per his family’s wishes, he was buried beside the grave of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam.With Bangladesh’s general election scheduled for February 12, Ahmad warned that attacks on media outlets at this stage could have wider implications. He said such incidents risk creating fear among journalists and could affect press freedom during the election period.“Our election is just around the corner,” he said. “If such attacks are meant to actually infect fear among the free press advocates, to some extent the attackers thought that they had been successful.” He added that public support for free media must be reinforced by firm action from the government.Ahmad called on authorities to identify and punish those responsible for the violence, saying decisive action would help reassure journalists and ensure they can work freely in the run-up to the polls.

BHAGWANPUR (EAST MIDNAPORE): A cultural programme at a private school in East Midnapore’s Bhagwanpur descended into chaos on Saturday night after renowned Kolkata-based playback singer Lagnajita Chakraborty was allegedly heckled and physically harassed for performing a devotional song. The incident has sparked a major political controversy, with police arresting the school owner. A departmental enquiry has been ordered against the officer-in-charge of the local police station. Lagnajita, a prominent name in the Bengali music industry, had been invited to perform at the annual function of a private school. According to the formal complaint lodged by the artist, trouble began when she started singing ‘Joy Maa’, a popular track from the film Devi Chowdhurani. Witnesses claimed that in the middle of the performance, the school’s owner, identified as Mehebub Mallick, interrupted her. Lagnajita alleged in her written statement that Mallick used derogatory language and ordered her to stop the song. “When I began the ‘Joy Maa’ song, the owner, Mehebub Mallick, verbally abused me, saying, ‘Enough of this… now sing something secular.’ It wasn’t just verbal; I was subjected to physical harassment as well during the commotion,” the singer’s complaint stated. Following the alleged insult and physical intimidation, Lagnajita and her band members walked off the stage and left the venue. They proceeded directly to Bhagwanpur Police Station to record their statements. The district administration has taken a serious view of the matter. Speaking to the media, East Midnapore’s Acting Superintendent of Police, Mitun Kumar De, confirmed that an FIR has been registered. The owner has been arrested and a departmental probe has been ordered against the local OC. “The accused is in custody. We are committed to ensuring he is brought to justice,” De said. He added that the police are investigating whether there were any procedural lapses by local officers and have assured the singer of full cooperation and security.

PILIBHIT: A retired sub-inspector of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and his wife have been booked for allegedly killing a 28-year-old man over suspicion that he was having an affair with their daughter, police said on Saturday.Sukhdev Singh, the 28-year-old, was a resident of Tonadrpur village in Neuria area and had been involved in running an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) coaching centre from the premises of the accused couple — Puran Singh (62), a resident of Narayanpur village in Pilibhit’s Puranpur area, and his wife, Gurmeet Kaur.

Police said the case was registered on the complaint of the victim’s father, Harjinder Singh, a farmer, who alleged that Puran Singh suspected Sukhdev of having an illicit relationship with his daughter, which led to the killing. The daughter had recently left for Australia on a student visa on Dec 15.According to the complaint, Sukhdev had shut down his IELTS centre over a year ago. As Puran Singh and his wife did not have a son, they treated Sukhdev like a family member. On Saturday morning, Sukhdev reportedly received a phone call from Puran Singh and left home without disclosing the reason. Around 9.30 am, the family was informed that he had been shot dead. Harjinder Singh rushed to the spot and found his son’s body inside Puran Singh’s house.SHO Pawan Pandey said that “Puran Singh’s licensed pistol was used in the incident.” “The bullet pierced Sukhdev’s chest and exited, hitting a sofa in the room. Gurmeet Kaur also sustained a bullet injury to her shoulder and was admitted to a govt medical facility,” the SHO added. Meanwhile, Gurmeet Kaur gave a different account to the police, claiming that Sukhdev had taken Rs 50 lakh from her husband in instalments on the pretext of investing in a business and was avoiding repayment. She alleged that a dispute broke out over the money when Sukhdev visited their house on Saturday morning, during which he allegedly shot her with a pistol before turning the weapon on himself.Police said a forensic team collected evidence from the spot, and the bullet that injured Gurmeet Kaur would be sent for forensic examination to determine the weapon used. Based on the complaint filed by the victim’s father, a case has been registered against Puran Singh and his wife under BNS Section 103(1) (murder).

Representative image (Picture credit: ANI)

Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan has asked his supporters to prepare for nationwide protests and said he will challenge his conviction in the Islamabad High Court after he and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were sentenced to 17 years in prison in the Toshakhana-II corruption case on Saturday.Khan, who does not currently have access to his social media accounts, conveyed his message through his legal team. According to a post on X cited by Dawn, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder said he had instructed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to begin preparations for a mass street movement. “I have sent a message to [Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM] Sohail Afridi to prepare for the street movement. The entire nation will have to rise for its rights,” Khan said.Reacting to the verdict, Khan said the decision did not come as a surprise and accused the court of acting in haste. “Like the baseless decisions and sentences of the last three years, the Toshakhana-II decision is also nothing new to me,” he said, adding that the ruling was delivered “without any evidence” and that his legal team was “not even heard”, as reported by ANI.He confirmed that his lawyers had already been directed to move the high court against the sentence.PTI, in an official statement, described the verdict as “blatantly unconstitutional, illegal” and an act of political victimisation, alleging that the conviction was meant to prolong Khan’s imprisonment. Addressing a press conference, PTI secretary general Salman Akram Raja quoted Khan as saying, “I am standing firm and resolute and will not seek an apology from anyone, come what may.”The case relates to allegations that a Bulgari jewellery set, worth over PKR 71 million and received from the Saudi Crown Prince, was undervalued. Khan and Bushra Bibi were convicted under sections linked to criminal breach of trust and corruption, as per ANI.The sentencing has sparked public debate across Pakistan. Quoted by ANI, residents and journalists in Lahore and Peshawar questioned the credibility of the ruling, with some alleging political motives and a lack of evidence, saying the verdict had further weakened public trust in the justice system and democratic institutions.

File photo: Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government (Picture credit: PTI)

Ten people have been arrested in connection with the brutal killing of a 27-year-old Hindu man in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district, as authorities face mounting pressure to act against mob violence amid wider unrest in the country.Seven suspects were detained by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), while three others were arrested by the police for their alleged role in the murder of Dipu Chandra Das, who was a garment worker. The arrests were confirmed by Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government, in a post on X.“10 arrested in the Mymensingh Hindu Youth Beating Murder Case,” Yunus said, referring to the incident that took place in Bhaluka, a sub-district of Mymensingh.Those taken into custody by RAB have been identified as Md. Limon Sarkar (19), Md. Tarek Hossain (19), Md. Manik Mia (20), Ershad Ali (39), Nijum Uddin (20), Alomgir Hossain (38) and Md. Miraj Hossain Akon (46), as per ANI. Police separately arrested Md. Azmol Hasan Sagir (26), Md. Shahin Mia (19) and Md. Nazmul. Security forces carried out coordinated operations at multiple locations to track down the suspects.‘RAB and police conducted operations in various locations to apprehend the aforementioned individuals’, Yunus added.Dipu Chandra Das was beaten to death by a mob on the night of December 18 over accusations of blasphemy. His body was later set on fire, triggering outrage across the country. The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council strongly condemned the killing, describing it as a deliberate act that threatened communal harmony.In a statement cited by news agency ANI, the minority rights body said the attackers beat Das to death around 9 pm before hanging his body from a tree and setting it alight. The council demanded swift arrests and exemplary punishment for those responsible.Police officials quoted by BBC Bangla said that the victim was assaulted in the Dubalia Para area of Bhaluka and that officers recovered the body and sent it to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital for post-mortem examination.The killing took place against the backdrop of nationwide tension following the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, whose shooting earlier this month sparked protests and violence in several parts of Bangladesh. The interim government has condemned the lynching in strong terms, stating there was “no space for such violence in new Bangladesh” and warning that the perpetrators would not be spared, as per ANI.

NEW DELHI: A dense layer of smog blanketed large parts of Delhi-NCR on Sunday. According to real-time readings shared by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Air Quality Index (AQI) levels remained in the ‘very poor’ to ‘severe’ category at several locations.

India Gate and Kartavya Path recorded an AQI of ‘381’, while Anand Vihar and Ghazipur touched ‘438’. At ITO, the AQI stood at ‘405’ on Sunday morning.According to AQI categorisation, 0-50 is ‘good’, 51-100 ‘satisfactory’, 101-200 ‘moderate’, 201-300 ‘poor’, 301-400 ‘very poor’, and 401-500 ‘severe’. Footage shared from India Gate, ITO and Ghazipur showed dense grey smog limiting visibility. The haze extended across arterial stretches, including those near Kartavya Path.The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had activated all measures under Stage-IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR, reserved for the most severe air pollution episodes.According to PTI, multiple flights and trains experienced delays due to dense fog on Sunday.

IMD issues orange alert

IMD scientist RK Jenamani said winds failed to lift the fog layer, keeping temperatures low. “Similar conditions prevailed in December 2019 when the maximum temperature dipped sharply on December 17 and 18,” he said.The IMD has issued an orange alert for parts of the capital for Sunday, warning of dense to very dense fog and cold-day conditions. Visibility is expected to remain low during early morning hours, while the maximum temperature is likely to stay between 16°C and 18°C.The Met department’s classification places visibility under 50 metres as ‘very dense fog’, 50-200 metres as ‘dense fog’, and 200-500 metres as ‘moderate fog’.Minimum temperatures dipped to 6.1°C on Saturday, two degrees below normal. Night-time temperatures are forecast to hover between 7°C and 9°C through Sunday.

IndiGo issues advisory

“Early-morning fog is expected to affect visibility across Delhi and parts of northern India. During these hours, visibility can reduce suddenly, impacting flight operations. Our teams will remain fully prepared through the night, monitoring the weather minute by minute.We understand that waiting is never easy, and we truly appreciate your patience through these seasonal disruptions. Before leaving for the airport, we recommend checking the latest flight status via https://bit.ly/3ZWAQXd. If your flight is impacted, you may conveniently choose another option or claim a refund via https://goindigo.in/plan-b.html. We will remain vigilant and will do everything we can to keep your journey moving smoothly. Thank you for your patience and understanding,” the airline said in a statement.

Flight delays and cancellations

Over 500 flights were delayed and 138 cancelled at Delhi airport on Saturday. Delhi Airport initiated low-visibility procedures during the early hours as conditions deteriorated.On Saturday, Delhi registered the season’s first “cold day”, with maximum temperatures dipping sharply. Safdarjung recorded 16.9°C, five degrees below normal, while Palam logged 16.3°C. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said both stations met the conditions for declaring a cold day. Visibility dropped to 200 metres at Safdarjung from 3am, and remained between 200 and 400 metres for nearly 10 hours before marginal improvement.

Region-wide disruptions

Dense fog across northern India has affected aviation through the week. On 17 December, more than 800 flights were delayed and 200 cancelled, officials said. On Friday, over 700 delays were recorded alongside 177 cancellations, including four international services. Transport authorities have urged caution for road travel as visibility remains unpredictable during late-night and early-morning hours. Experts warn the winter months could bring prolonged episodes of dense fog and toxic smog, as emissions combine with stagnant, cold air.