Todays top 15 news across the world for 2 January 2026 brings a detailed mix of national, state, business, world and sports updates, from India’s first Vande Bharat Sleeper train and a sharp hike in commercial LPG cylinder prices to a new identity for the statistics ministry, India and Pakistan’s annual nuclear‑sites list exchange, the IMD’s warning of a colder January ahead and India Women’s first ever ICC World Cup title. [web:398][web:386][web:387]
🇮🇳 India’s First Vande Bharat Sleeper Train to Run Between Kolkata and Guwahati
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that India’s first Vande Bharat Sleeper train will start an overnight service between Kolkata’s Howrah station and Guwahati in Assam within the next 15 to 20 days, offering faster travel with lower fares compared to flights on this busy eastern corridor. The Leverage Edu school‑assembly brief explains that the fully air‑conditioned train will feature modern sleeper coaches, improved safety systems and better catering, and is expected to greatly benefit students, migrant workers and tourists who frequently travel between West Bengal and the North‑East. [web:398]
Source:
Leverage Edu – School Assembly News Headlines: 2 January 2026 (National News #1)
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🇮🇳 Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor Takes Over as Vice Chief of Air Staff
Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor assumed charge as the new Vice Chief of the Air Staff on 1 January 2026, becoming the second‑highest ranking officer in the Indian Air Force as the service accelerates induction of Rafale fighters, C‑295 transport aircraft and indigenous combat drones. Assembly explainers note that Kapoor, an alumnus of the National Defence Academy with extensive flying and command experience, will play a key role in modernisation plans and operational preparedness, particularly as India works to strengthen air defence in the northern and eastern sectors. [web:398]
Source:
Leverage Edu – Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor Becomes Vice Chief of Air Staff
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🇮🇳 India and Pakistan Exchange Lists of Nuclear Installations Under 1988 Pact
Continuing a three‑decade‑old confidence‑building measure, India and Pakistan exchanged lists of nuclear facilities and installations on 1 January 2026 under their 1988 non‑attack agreement, which bars both sides from targeting each other’s nuclear sites in the event of war. India Today’s school‑assembly bulletin notes that the annual ritual, carried out through diplomatic channels in New Delhi and Islamabad, has been maintained even during periods of high tension and is seen as an important safeguard to prevent misunderstandings in South Asia’s nuclear environment. [web:398][web:397]
Sources:
India Today – School Assembly News Headlines, January 2 (India–Pakistan nuclear list);
Leverage Edu – National News for 2 January 2026
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🇮🇳 Commercial LPG Cylinder Price Hiked by ₹111; Domestic Rates Unchanged
NDTV’s January‑2 assembly bulletin reports that oil marketing companies increased the price of 19‑kg commercial LPG cylinders by ₹111 from the start of the month, raising input costs for hotels, restaurants and small businesses that rely on bulk cooking gas. However, domestic LPG rates for household consumers remain unchanged for now, which means that while families will not immediately see higher cylinder bills, the hospitality sector could pass on some of the burden through slightly higher food prices if the elevated rates persist. [web:386]
Source:
NDTV – School Assembly News Headlines (January 02, 2026)
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🇮🇳 Delhi Air Quality “Very Poor”; Mumbai Sees Unusual New Year Rain
The NDTV bulletin notes that Delhi’s air quality remained in the “very poor” category on 1 January with the Air Quality Index hovering well above 300 in several monitoring stations, prompting health advisories for children and the elderly to limit outdoor activity. In a contrasting weather development, Mumbai recorded unusual New Year rain accompanied by thunderstorms, attributed by meteorologists to a western disturbance and moisture inflow, offering temporary relief from pollution but also catching many residents off guard during late‑night celebrations. [web:386]
Source:
NDTV – Delhi AQI Update & Mumbai Rain in January‑2 Assembly Bulletin
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🇮🇳 MoSPI Unveils New Logo and Mascot to Highlight Role of Official Data
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) launched a new institutional logo and a mascot to better communicate the importance of official data in India’s development story and improve public engagement with statistics. Leverage Edu explains that the redesigned identity aims to make the ministry more recognisable to citizens, reinforce trust in government surveys and inspire students to take greater interest in data‑driven decision‑making, as accurate statistics underpin policies ranging from welfare schemes to infrastructure planning. [web:398]
Source:
Leverage Edu – Business / Start‑ups News: MoSPI’s New Logo and Mascot
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🇮🇳 IMD Warns of Colder‑Than‑Usual January After 68.9% Rainfall Deficit in December
Weather headlines for the school assembly highlight that India Meteorological Department data show December 2025 rainfall was 68.9% below normal, making it one of the driest Decembers in recent years and increasing the likelihood of repeated cold waves in January. According to Leverage Edu’s summary, IMD has warned that many northern and central states may experience lower‑than‑average minimum temperatures and more frequent fog episodes through the first half of January, and has advised people to take precautions against cold‑related illnesses. [web:398]
Source:
Leverage Edu – Weather News: December Rainfall Deficit and January Cold‑Wave Outlook
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🇮🇳 Indian Government Welfare Review Continues with Focus on Targeting
Business and policy round‑ups linked to January‑2 assemblies mention that the Indian government welfare review is continuing into the New Year, with ministries analysing programme data to identify overlaps between schemes and to redirect resources more precisely to genuinely vulnerable groups. Officials are said to be using updated socio‑economic surveys, Aadhaar‑linked payment records and district‑level dashboards to spot leakages and ghost beneficiaries, while also planning grievance mechanisms so that poor families wrongly left out during this data clean‑up can appeal and regain access to food, pension and health‑insurance benefits. [web:408][web:402]
Sources:
FreeJobAlert – School Assembly News Headlines Today 2nd January 2026 (policy notes);
Prajasatta – School Assembly News Headlines 02 January 2026 (economic and social‑sector items)
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🏏 India Women’s Cricket Team Clinch Maiden ICC Women’s World Cup Title
Leverage Edu’s sports section celebrates that India Women’s Cricket Team have won their first ever ICC Women’s World Cup title after a dramatic campaign that saw them recover from early defeats to dominate the knockout stages. The summary notes that India produced a disciplined bowling performance in the final and chased down a moderate target thanks to a calm partnership under pressure, with analysts calling the victory a watershed moment likely to boost investment, sponsorships and grassroots participation in women’s cricket across the country. [web:398]
Source:
Leverage Edu – Sports News: India Women Win Maiden ICC Women’s World Cup
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🏑 SG Pipers Edge JSW Soorma in Women’s Hockey League Thriller
In the Women’s Hockey League played in Ranchi, SG Pipers defeated JSW Soorma Hockey Club 1‑0 in a tight contest, with India star Navneet Kaur scoring the decisive goal that gave Pipers an early advantage in the standings. Leverage Edu writes that the league is providing valuable match time and exposure to domestic players around the New Year, helping selectors assess talent depth ahead of national camps and upcoming international fixtures for the women’s hockey side. [web:398]
Source:
Leverage Edu – Sports: SG Pipers vs JSW Soorma Match Report
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🏏 Babar Azam Criticised by Australia Legend Despite BBL Half‑Century
Sunday Guardian’s sports headlines mention that Pakistan captain Babar Azam faced criticism from a former Australian great even after scoring a half‑century in the Big Bash League, with the legend reportedly describing his strike‑rate as insufficient for modern T20 standards. The commentary has sparked debate among fans, some arguing that Babar anchors innings in a different role while others agree that Pakistan’s batting talisman may need to accelerate more aggressively if he wants to remain among the most feared T20 batters. [web:387][web:412]
Sources:
Sunday Guardian – Sports News Today (January 2);
Sunday Guardian Sports News Today January 2 archive
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