World

Lebanese army needs more support to strengthen capacities: UN

17 Jan 2026 | 9:10 AM

United Nations, Jan 17 (UNI) There continues to be a need for the Lebanese armed forces to get more resources and financial support to strengthen its capacities to secure the country's southern border, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix said Friday.

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12 arrested as demonstrations continue in U.S. Minneapolis

17 Jan 2026 | 8:49 AM

Los Angeles, Jan 17 (UNI) Twelve people were arrested Thursday night during demonstrations over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Minneapolis, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, authorities said Friday.

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White House names members of Gaza peace board chaired by Trump

17 Jan 2026 | 8:03 AM

Washington, Jan 17 (UNI) The White House on Friday officially announced the names of the members of the Board of Peace for Gaza in a statement.

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IAEA says localised ceasefire enables repairs at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant

17 Jan 2026 | 7:54 AM

Vienna, Jan 17 (UNI) A localised ceasefire agreed by Russia and Ukraine will enable repairs to begin on the damaged backup power line to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a statement on Friday.

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Venezuela's acting president announces cabinet reshuffle

17 Jan 2026 | 7:46 AM

Caracas, Jan 17 (UNI) Venezuela's Acting President Delcy Rodriguez on Friday announced three changes to her cabinet.

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U.S. reports over 18 mln flu cases for current season

17 Jan 2026 | 7:26 AM

Los Angeles, Jan 17 (UNI) The United States has recorded at least 18 million influenza illnesses, 230,000 hospitalizations and 9,300 deaths so far during the current flu season, according to the latest estimates released Friday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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Russia welcomes 'positive shift' in tone from Europe over willingness for diplomatic re-engagement

17 Jan 2026 | 1:25 AM

Moscow, Jan 16 (UNI) Russia has welcomed what it described as a "positive shift" in tone from several Western European leaders over the need for dialogue with Moscow, with the Kremlin saying recent comments mark a notable departure from years of outright rejection of talks.

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Bangladesh Islami Andolan to run solo for upcoming polls, post its break from NCP – Jamaat alliance

17 Jan 2026 | 1:22 AM

Dhaka, Jan 16 (UNI) After its departure from the now 10-bloc political alliance of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and Jamaat e Islami yesterday, the country's hardline religious party, the Islami Andolan Bangladesh (IAB) has announced to go solo for the upcoming polls, and will be contesting independently across all 268 constituencies for the 13th national elections.

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Trump warns of tariffs on nations not backing his Greenland plan

16 Jan 2026 | 11:48 PM

Washington, Jan. 16 (UNI) U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he may impose tariffs on countries that do not support his plan for the United States to "obtain" Greenland, according to media reports.
"I may put a tariff on countries if they don't go along with Greenland, because we need Greenland for national security," Trump said at a White House health-related event.

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Israel, U.S. launch strategic partnership on AI

16 Jan 2026 | 11:46 PM

Jerusalem, Jan. 16 (UNI):Israel and the United States on Friday launched here a strategic partnership on artificial intelligence (AI) to boost cooperation in research, development, and securing technology supply chains, according to the Israeli Prime Minister's Office.
The partnership falls within a broader U.S.-led framework known as Pax Silica, designed to boost joint efforts among U.S. allies in AI development and supply chain security.

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UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper pushes back against French, Italian calls for diplomatic re-engagement with Russia

16 Jan 2026 | 10:47 PM

London/Moscow, Jan 16 (UNI) UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has pushed back against calls from French and Italian leaders for European countries to consider re-engaging diplomatically with Moscow, saying there is still no sign that Russia is serious about ending the war in Ukraine.

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Iran witnessed its most brutal form of state repression since 1979: Activists

16 Jan 2026 | 8:38 PM

Tehran, Jan 16 (UNI) As Iran battles a near-total communications blackout and one of the harshest waves of state crackdowns since the 1979 Islamic revolution, three people living in different cities have given accounts of the sheer brutality of the repression by security personnel that has left cities shocked, bloody, grieving, and engulfed in fear.

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Iran tightening grip on internet connectivity

16 Jan 2026 | 7:54 PM

Tehran, Jan 16 (UNI) Tightening its chokehold on internet connectivity, Iran has moved into enacting what digital rights activists describe as the final phase of its sweeping, nationwide curbs on internet access, and place the country's entire communications infrastructure under total state control, according to the advocacy group Filterban.

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Inqilab Moncho announces plans to conduct large scale 'Hadi' rally next week

16 Jan 2026 | 6:12 PM

Dhaka, Jan 16 (UNI) Bangladesh's youth-based activist platform Inqilab Moncho has announced plans to hold a large-scale "Hadi Rally" within the next week, demanding justice for the killing of its former spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi.

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Pakistan TTAP chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai gets appointed as opposition leader in National Assembly

16 Jan 2026 | 5:51 PM

Islamabad, Jan 16 (UNI) Popular Pakistan Pashtun leader and chief of the multi-party opposition coalition Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP), Mehmood Khan Achakzai has been appointed leader of the opposition in the National Assembly on Friday, following a months-long delay.

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