World

Iraq sends 12 tonnes of food aid to Gaza

13 Jan 2026 | 12:30 AM

Baghdad, Jan. 12 (UNI) Iraq on Monday sent 12 tonnes of essential food supplies to the Gaza Strip in a humanitarian airlift operation, the Iraqi Defense Ministry said.
A ministry statement said a C-130 transport aircraft departed Baghdad for El Arish Airport in Egypt, where the aid will be handed over to the Egyptian Red Crescent for delivery to Gaza.

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Direct train connects Baltic capitals, boosting regional travel

13 Jan 2026 | 12:27 AM

Riga, Jan. 12 (UNI): A new direct passenger train linking the capitals of Estonia and Latvia launched on Monday, marking a leap in cross-border connectivity and simplifying travel across the Baltic region.
Operated jointly by Estonia's state-owned carrier Elron and Latvia's Pasazieru Vilciens (PV), the service runs between Tallinn and Riga via Estonia's second-largest city, Tartu, without requiring passengers to change trains.

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Somalia revokes all pacts with UAE amid diplomatic rifts

13 Jan 2026 | 12:23 AM

Mogadishu, Jan. 12 (UNI): Somalia has terminated all existing agreements signed with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Cabinet, which met in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, cancelled all agreements signed with related government agencies, entities, and regional administrations to safeguard the nation's unity, territorial integrity, and constitutional order.

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Bangladesh's NCP rife with internal turmoil as several leaders, prominent members quit in protest to Jamaat alliance

12 Jan 2026 | 11:51 PM

Dhaka, Jan 12 (UNI) Bangladesh's newly-founded youth-led political party, the National Citizen Party (NCP), rife with internal dissent and turmoil recently saw several of its leaders and prominent members quit, in collective protest against the party's decision to ally itself with the Jamaat-e-Islami.

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US Ambassador-designate Brent T Christensen arrives in Bangladesh to formally take his post

12 Jan 2026 | 11:05 PM

Dhaka/Washington, Jan 12 (UNI) US Ambassador-designate Brent T Christensen arrived in Dhaka on January 12, formally returning to Bangladesh to take up his post, the US Embassy said in a press release.

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Iran summons European envoys over support for protests

12 Jan 2026 | 10:08 PM

Cairo, Jan. 12 (UNI) Iran's foreign ministry summoned the envoys of Britain, Germany, France and Italy on Monday after their governments expressed support for protests in the country, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.
During the meeting, Iranian officials showed the envoys "video evidence of violent acts by rioters," saying the actions went beyond peaceful demonstrations. Tehran asked the diplomats to pass the footage to their foreign ministers and urged their governments to retract official statements backing the protests, Tasnim said.

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EU says it's ready to propose harsher sanctions on Iran over brutal repression of protests

12 Jan 2026 | 9:40 PM

Brussels, Jan 12 (UNI) The European union said on Monday it was ready to propose tougher sanctions on Iran following the increasingly violent and brutal crackdown on protesters by Iranian security personnel.

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Pakistan Punjab lawmaker rejects PTI claims of releasing unrelated or manipulated videos as evidence for May 9 riots investigation

12 Jan 2026 | 9:02 PM

Lahore, Jan 12 (UNI) Punjab's Information and Culture Minister Azma Bokhari on Monday rejected claims by PTI figures that unrelated or manipulated videos had been submitted to authorities for forensic examination, during their investigation into the May 9, 2023 riots, saying the evidence placed before the court was authentic and properly verified.

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Democratic Senator warns Washington over military intervention in Iran amid protests

12 Jan 2026 | 8:41 PM

Washington, Jan 12 (UNI) Democratic Senator Tim Kaine has strongly warned Washington over any military action in Iran now, stating that such an initiative at this time would only serve to help downplay the protests, and amount to one "massive mistake," at a time when public discontent with the theocratic regime is at its highest in years.

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China urges US to immediately cease any threats against Cuba: Foreign Ministry

12 Jan 2026 | 7:52 PM

Beijing, Jan 12 (UNI) China calls on the United States to immediately cease any threats and sanctions against Cuba, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Monday.

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Trump briefed on military action in Iran amid massive crackdown on protesters

12 Jan 2026 | 7:07 PM

Washington, Jan 12 (UNI) US President Donald Trump has been briefed about the possible military options which the Pentagon could use against Iran, a senior govt official confirmed.

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Trump says weighing 'very strong options' on Iran as crackdown crosses US' 'red line'

12 Jan 2026 | 5:52 PM

Washington/Tehran, Jan 12 (UNI) US President Donald Trump has said that Washington is considering "very strong options" against Iran, warning that the Islamic Republic had crossed his personal "red line" amid reports of escalating brutality against protesters.

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PM Modi invites German Universities, thanks Chancellor for visa-free transit

12 Jan 2026 | 3:51 PM

Gandhinagar, Jan 12 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited German universities to set up campuses in India as part of a comprehensive roadmap for higher education collaboration between the two countries.

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Curfew lifted in Thailand's Southern Narathiwat Province

12 Jan 2026 | 3:43 PM

Bangkok, Jan 12 (UNI) Thailand's military announced on Monday the immediate lifting of the curfew imposed in the southern province of Narathiwat.

In an official announcement, the Narathiwat Task Force stated that the curfew was being lifted as the local security situation had been brought under control.

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Australian PM recalls parliament to introduce hate speech and gun laws

12 Jan 2026 | 3:41 PM

Canberra, Jan 12 (UNI) Australia's parliament will be recalled next week to introduce new hate speech and gun laws in response to the Bondi terror attack on December 14, according to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday.
The prime minister said at a press conference that both houses will return on January 19 and 20, earlier than the scheduled return on February 2.

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