US President Donald Trump has criticised the UK’s plan to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, calling it “an act of great stupidity”. He made the comments in a post on Truth Social. The deal would see the UK hand over sovereignty while leasing the Diego Garcia military base for 99 years. Trump said the base is vital to US security. He linked the issue to his interest in US control of Greenland. The US administration earlier supported the plan. In May, Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it a major achievement. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the lease would cost £101m a year. (PC: BBC)

Spain has declared three days of national mourning after a high-speed train crash killed at least 40 people in the southern region of Andalusia. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said a full investigation would determine why two trains collided near Adamuz, close to Córdoba. The crash happened on Sunday evening when a Madrid-bound train derailed and struck an oncoming service. More than 120 people were injured, with several still in intensive care. Transport Minister Óscar Puente said the cause remains unclear. High-speed rail services on the route remain suspended. (PC: BBC)

Iran's death toll amid ongoing protests has climbed to 4,029, including 3,786 demonstrators, 180 security forces, 28 children, and 35 non-protesters, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported Tuesday. Hackers disrupted Iranian state TV, airing clips of exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi urging security forces to join protesters. Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan issued a three-day ultimatum for "rioters" to surrender, promising leniency for those "deceived" into joining demonstrations. Protests erupted December 28 over economic struggles and regime opposition. Analysts warn of nuclear risks amid chaos. President Trump drew red lines against protester killings and mass executions, while USS Abraham Lincoln heads toward the Middle East, escalating tensions. (PC: Reuters)

Legendary Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani passed away at 93 at his Rome home, surrounded by family. His foundation confirmed the death Monday, with funeral services scheduled for Friday, January 23, at Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri. Born in 1932 in Voghera, Garavani trained in Paris before establishing his Rome fashion house in 1959. His breakthrough came with refined red evening gowns in a striking scarlet hue, immortalized as "Valentino red." During the 1970s, he moved among New York's elite creative circle, including Andy Warhol and Diana Vreeland. By the 1990s, his designs graced international runways, worn by supermodels like Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell, leaving a five-decade legacy of timeless elegance. (PC: X)

Pakistan's Chief of Defence Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, stated the country stands at a juncture where it can achieve its founding purpose. Speaking at Junaid Safdar's wedding reception attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and senior officials, Munir emphasized Pakistan was created in the name of Islam and now enjoys special status among Islamic nations. A Hafiz-e-Quran, Munir has reshaped Pakistan's armed forces with religious symbolism, framing military roles as defending Islam. He invoked the Two-Nation Theory, emphasizing irreconcilable Muslim-Hindu differences. Munir referenced defence agreements with Saudi Arabia and Turkey, meetings with Trump, and economic improvements, suggesting Pakistan's growing Islamic ummah influence despite recent military setbacks. (PC: India Today)

At least seven people were killed and 13 injured in an explosion targeting a hotel in Kabul's commercial Shahr-e-Naw neighborhood on Sunday. The Italian NGO Emergency, operating a hospital in Afghanistan's capital, confirmed receiving 20 casualties, with seven dead on arrival. Interior Ministry spokesperson Abdul Mateen Qani acknowledged the incident, stating preliminary reports indicated fatalities and injuries, with detailed information to follow. Shahr-e-Naw, considered one of Kabul's most secure areas, houses large office buildings, shopping complexes, and embassies. No group has claimed responsibility for the blast. The attack represents a significant security breach in what is typically regarded as one of the safest districts in the Afghan capital. 

Russia and China criticized President Donald Trump's repeated statements about acquiring Greenland on Monday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov suggested Trump would "go down in history" if Greenland's accession were realized, while Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun accused Washington of using a "so-called China threat" to pursue selfish interests. Trump insisted US control of Greenland is vital for global security, despite existing American military presence and defense agreements with Denmark. European leaders condemned Trump's tariff threats as "blackmail," with the EU scheduling an emergency summit. Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen rejected external pressure, asserting the territory's democratic right to self-determination. Trump previously proposed purchasing Greenland during his first presidential term.

An explosion at a hotel in central Kabul killed and injured several people on Monday, Afghan officials said. The blast occurred in the Shahr-e-Naw area, a busy commercial zone with offices, shopping centres and diplomatic missions. Interior Ministry spokesperson Abdul Mateen Qani said early reports confirmed multiple casualties, but exact figures were not available. Kabul police spokesperson Khalid Zadran said the hotel was the target of the explosion. Security forces rushed to the area and cordoned it off as investigations began. No group has claimed responsibility so far. Authorities said more details would be shared after the situation is fully assessed.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday said US President Donald Trump’s threats linked to Greenland were “completely wrong”. Starmer said the future of Greenland must be decided by its people and the Denmark government. Trump has warned of tariffs on the UK and other countries that oppose his proposal to take control of Greenland. Starmer described the issue as serious but played down the prospect of retaliation. He said a trade war would not benefit any side. Trump has argued that US control of Greenland is needed for security reasons. (PC: BBC)

US President Donald Trump linked his push for control of Greenland to not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, according to messages confirmed by US media. In a text to Norway’s prime minister, Trump said he no longer felt bound to focus only on peace and argued that US security required full control of Greenland. Norway’s Jonas Gahr Støre said the prize is awarded by an independent committee, not the government. Trump has repeatedly said the US should acquire Greenland and has warned of tariffs and other steps if allies oppose the idea. European leaders have rejected the proposal and called for de-escalation. (PC: BBC)