Swiss face arduous task of identifying victims of deadly bar fire
World | Updated: Jan 02, 2026
- Fire at Crans-Montana bar kills 40, injures 115 on New Year's Eve
- Severe burns delay ID; DNA and dental samples needed.
- Authorities believe the blaze was accidental, possibly sparked by candles
'Much longer than a year': Trump signals extended US control over Venezuela
World | Updated: Jan 09, 2026
- Trump says US oversight of Venezuela will last "much longer" than a year
- Trump claims his own judgment is the only limit to his global power
- US plans to refine and sell 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil
NASA, in rare move, cuts space station mission short after astronaut's medical issue
World | Updated: Jan 09, 2026
- NASA cutting ISS mission short after astronaut's medical issue
- Crew of four to return to Earth earlier than planned
- First NASA medical evacuation from the space station
X app could be banned in Britain over AI chatbot row: Report
World | Updated: Jan 09, 2026
- UK may ban X app over AI Grok generating illegal child abuse images
- PM Starmer urges Ofcom to consider all options, including blocking X in Britain
- Ofcom warns it could investigate and block X if illegal images aren't removed
Russia pounds Ukraine in a nationwide missile assault; Zelenskiy’s hometown among the hardest hit | Watch
World | Updated: Jan 09, 2026
- Russia launched airstrikes across Ukraine, hitting energy and residential sites
- Kryvyi Rih, Zelenskiy's hometown, suffered power and heating outages
- Attacks coincide with Kyiv-Washington postwar security talks
Indian Gold ETFs see $1.25 billion inflows in December, highest ever
World | Updated: Jan 09, 2026
- Indian gold ETFs had record $1.25B inflows in Dec 2025, up 231%.
- India ranked second globally in gold ETF inflows for December, after the US
- Global gold ETF inflows hit $89 billion in 2025, the highest on record
Vance calls killing of Minneapolis woman by an ICE officer 'a tragedy of her own making'
World | Updated: Jan 09, 2026
- VP JD Vance blamed Renee Good's death on a "left-wing network" and the media
- Vance defended the ICE officer, calling Good "brainwashed" and ideologically victimized.
- Trump officials deemed the shooting justified, dismissing Democrats' criticism.
Take Trump’s Greenland push seriously or the US ‘will have to do something about it’: JD Vance to Europe
World | Updated: Jan 09, 2026
- US VP Vance urges Europe to take Trump's Greenland stance seriously for security
- US considers options to acquire Greenland, including possible military use
- Trump claims NATO relies on US and pushed allies to raise defense spending
Treasury's Bessent says Iran facing precarious moment, economy in trouble
World | Updated: Jan 09, 2026
- Iran faces high inflation and economic woes due to US sanctions
- US warns Iran against violent crackdown on anti-regime protests
- Protests spread nationwide over currency plunge and rising inflation
Asian stocks to rise before payrolls, oil jumps
World | Updated: Jan 09, 2026
- Asian equities set to open higher after mixed Wall Street session and oil jump
- Investors await US payroll data and Supreme Court ruling on Trump’s tariffs
- Small-cap US stocks outperform tech giants as investors rotate holdings
Meta hires former DOGE, Trump election lawyer as lobbyist
World | Updated: Jan 09, 2026
- Meta hired ex-Trump and Musk lawyer Bill McGinley as a lobbyist in 2025
- McGinley lobbied on tech and trade issues, reporting talks with key US agencies
- Meta has strengthened ties with Trump, hiring several GOP figures and allies
Iran goes dark online as protests hit day 12, deaths mount and Trump warns Tehran: 'We’ll hit them very hard'
World | Updated: Jan 09, 2026
- Iran faces 12 days of nationwide protests over inflation and currency collapse
- At least 45 protesters killed, over 2,000 arrested amid violent crackdown
- Internet blackout imposed, limiting communication and protest coordination
‘Many-time strike’: Trump warns of more US strikes in Nigeria if Christians are killed
World | Updated: Jan 09, 2026
- Trump warns of more US strikes in Nigeria if Christians continue to be killed
- Nigeria denies systematic Christian persecution, claims militants target all groups.
- US carried out a joint strike in Nigeria targeting Islamic State militants
Denmark, Greenland envoys meet White House officials over Trump's call for 'takeover'
World | Updated: Jan 09, 2026
- Denmark and Greenland urge US to drop Trump's push to acquire Greenland
- Greenland officials stress self-determination and mutual respect in talks
- US officials claim Greenland is vital for missile defense and Arctic security
Macron confirms India visit next month as Paris–Delhi alliance shifts focus to AI and rare earths
World | Updated: Jan 09, 2026
- Macron to visit India next month for AI and strategic cooperation talks
- India to host AI Impact Summit 2026, first global AI summit in the Global South
- France and India to broaden partnership to tech and rare earth minerals
Vance says US will ensure Venezuela’s new government 'listens' to Washington after covert operation
World | Updated: Jan 09, 2026
- US now openly directs Venezuela's political and security policies after covert ops
- Vance links Venezuela move to broader US strategy against Latin American cartels
- US warns European allies to secure Greenland or risk American intervention
Venezuela rebukes Trump’s oil claims, warns against 'energy greed'
World | Updated: Jan 09, 2026
- Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez on Thursday accused US President Donald Trump of pursuing “energy greed,” pushing back against his claims that Washington will control Venezuela’s oil production, sales and revenues for years.
- Speaking before the Venezuelan Parliament, Rodríguez rejected what she called false US allegations on drug trafficking and human rights violations under her predecessor Nicolás Maduro, and framed the dispute as a struggle over sovereignty in the wake of his ouster.
- “We are an energy powerhouse,” Rodríguez said. “It has brought us tremendous problems, because the energy greed of the North wants the resources of our country.”
- Trump claims long-term control over oil
- Rodríguez’s remarks followed Trump’s statements that the US is receiving full cooperation from Venezuela’s new leadership and will maintain control over the country and its oil reserves.
- Trump said Venezuela would send between 30 million and 50 million barrels of crude to the United States, sold at market prices, with proceeds managed under US oversight. He described the arrangement as a “win-win” and said Washington would oversee the global distribution of Venezuelan oil, returning part of the revenues to Caracas.
- “In other words, Venezuela is committing to doing business with the United States of America as their principal partner,” Trump said.
- Caracas rejects one-sided deal
- Rodríguez ruled out any unilateral arrangement, saying Venezuela is open only to energy relationships “where all parties benefit” and where cooperation is defined by commercial agreements.
- She also defended the decision to reopen oil trade with the US despite years of strained relations, arguing that commerce with Washington is “not unusual or irregular,” even after the US-backed effort to remove Maduro left what she described as a “stain” on bilateral ties.
- Tanker seizures and tighter US oversight
- The dispute comes as US forces have seized two Venezuelan oil tankers operating under sanctions. US authorities have also announced plans to oversee all future sales of Venezuelan crude and manage the country’s global petroleum transactions, marking a significant escalation in Washington’s role in Venezuela’s oil sector.
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said proceeds from Venezuelan oil sales would first be deposited into US-controlled accounts at internationally recognised banks.
- “All proceeds from the sale of Venezuelan crude oil and products will first settle in US-controlled accounts,” she said, adding that funds would later be disbursed “for the benefit of the American people and the Venezuelan people” at the discretion of the US government.
'If they start killing people, we’ll hit them very hard': Trump issues stark warning as Iran protests spread
World | Updated: Jan 09, 2026
- Trump warns Iran of forceful US response if protesters are killed
- Iran faces largest protests in years amid economic crisis and internet blackout
- At least 45 killed in clashes; opposition urges Iranians to continue protests
'Only my morality can stop me': Trump claims sweeping war powers, says he doesn’t 'need international law'
World | Updated: Jan 09, 2026
- Trump claims his authority is limited by "own morality," not international law.
- He prioritizes national strength, dismissing multilateral treaty constraints.
- Trump claims recent actions show strong leadership and exceptional freedom.
'I have a decision': Trump says he’s picked the next Fed chair, but won’t name names
World | Updated: Jan 09, 2026
- Trump has decided on his Fed chair nominee but hasn't revealed the name yet
- Trump seeks nominee favoring lower borrowing costs, raising independence concerns
- Four candidates are under consideration, with a decision expected this month
How Trump shook up defense stocks this week
World | Updated: Jan 09, 2026
- Trump criticized defense firms for slow output, excessive dividends, and buybacks.
- He proposed a $1.5T defense budget for 2027, up from $901B in 2026.
- Defense stocks fell after criticism but rebounded on budget increase prospects
Imran Khan's supporter killed in crackdown in Pak's Punjab province, party claims
World | Updated: Jan 09, 2026
- PTI supporter dies in Lahore police raid; party alleges police brutality.
- Dozens of PTI and TTAP members arrested in Punjab ahead of planned protests
- Punjab police deny role in PTI worker Rashid Yousef Jan's arrest and death.
US withdraws from Green Climate Fund, says will not fund 'radical organisations'
World | Updated: Jan 09, 2026
- US withdraws from Green Climate Fund and 66 international organisations
- Trump administration cites energy policy and economic growth for withdrawal
- India-led International Solar Alliance to continue its solar energy mission
Trump aides discuss paying Greenlanders up to $100,000 each to back a break from Denmark
World | Updated: Jan 09, 2026
- US officials discussed paying Greenlanders to encourage secession from Denmark
- Payments may range from $10K to $100K per person, totaling up to $6 billion.
- European leaders insist only Greenland and Denmark can decide their future
UN predicts world economic growth to slip to 2.7% in 2026
World | Updated: Jan 08, 2026
- Global growth to slow to 2.7% in 2026, rising to 2.9% in 2027 per UN report
- US growth seen at 1.9% in 2025, rising to 2.2% by 2027 with policy support
- India's growth forecast at 6.6% in 2026, 6.7% in 2027, driven by consumption
Three Indians on board as US seizes Venezuela-linked tanker Bella 1/Marinera in Atlantic
World | Updated: Jan 08, 2026
- US seized Russian-linked oil tanker Marinera in North Atlantic over sanctions
- Crew included 17 Ukrainians, 6 Georgians, 3 Indians, 2 Russians, and others
- UK provided operational support to US military during the interdiction
Bangladesh restores direct Dhaka–Karachi flights after 12 years
World | Updated: Jan 08, 2026
- Biman Bangladesh Airlines to resume direct Dhaka-Karachi flights from January 29
- Service operates twice weekly, reducing travel time to about five hours
- Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority has approved the route relaunch
US issues highest travel warning for over 20 countries: What it means | Check full list
World | Updated: Jan 08, 2026
The US has issued a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for over 20 countries, including Afghanistan, Russia, and Iran, due to extreme safety risks and limited US government assistance. Americans in these countries are urged to leave if possible.
US Senate votes to advance measure curbing Trump's Venezuela war powers
World | Updated: Jan 08, 2026
- The vote on a procedural measure to advance the war powers resolution was 52 to 47, as a handful of Trump's fellow Republicans voted with every Democrat in favor of moving ahead.
Russia responds to oil tanker capture, urges US to comply with international shipping laws: 'America was informed about...'
World | Updated: Jan 08, 2026
- Russia demands US release seized Marinera oil tanker and crew, citing maritime law.
- Russia: US actions violate international navigation norms
- Crew includes Russians, Indian, Georgians, Ukrainians; Russia seeks humane treatment.