US President Donald Trump announced a punitive 10% tariff on imports from several European countries including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland, beginning February 1, 2026, in response to their opposition to his push to gain control of Greenland. He warned the tariff will increase to 25% on June 1 if no agreement is reached on the “complete and total purchase” of the Arctic island, framing it as crucial for national and global security and utilising trade policy to exert geopolitical leverage. (PC: India Today)

 Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei publicly acknowledged that “several thousand” people have been killed during weeks of anti-government protests that erupted nationwide, marking one of the deadliest periods of unrest in the country’s recent history. He blamed the United States and Israel, accusing them of orchestrating violence and instability, and labelled U.S. President Donald Trump a “criminal” for encouraging dissent. Khamenei warned that those he holds responsible will face consequences, while rejecting foreign intervention and framing protests as part of a broader plot against Iran. (PC: AFP)

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, presented her Peace Prize medal to U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House as a symbolic gesture of gratitude. Trump accepted the medal and plans to keep it. However, the Norwegian Nobel Committee clarified that while laureates can physically give away or sell their medals, the actual Nobel Peace Prize and its title remain permanently linked to the original recipient and cannot be shared, transferred, or revoked. The award’s honour stays recorded in history with Machado regardless of the medal’s current holder. (PC: Reuters)

The US Justice Department is investigating Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey over alleged attempts to block immigration enforcement. The probe follows protests in Minneapolis after Renee Nicole Good was shot dead by an ICE agent last week. (PC: Getty Images)   Walz called the inquiry “authoritarian”. Frey said he would not be intimidated. A federal judge has limited ICE tactics against peaceful protesters. President Donald Trump accused local leaders of losing control, but said he would not deploy troops for now.

An audio clip shared online has renewed focus on the case of Sarabjeet Kaur, an Indian woman who travelled to Pakistan for a Sikh pilgrimage and later married a Pakistani man. In the unauthenticated clip, Kaur says she is being harassed and wants to return to India. She claims her condition in Pakistan is “not good” and says she cannot live without her children. Kaur went missing after the pilgrimage in November last year. Police later said she married Nasir Hussain in Sheikhupura. Authorities have placed her in a government shelter home in Lahore. The audio clip has not been independently verified. (PC: NDTV)

Protests in Iran appeared to ease this week amid a prolonged internet blackout and reports of a heavy crackdown. Rights groups said at least 3,000 protesters were killed, while some estimates placed the toll above 5,000. Despite the lull, a senior cleric called for harsh action against detainees. Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami urged that “armed protesters should be put to death,” according to state media. US President Donald Trump said executions had been halted, claiming it helped calm tensions. Internet services remain largely shut, though limited international calls have resumed in parts of the country. (PC: HT)

Boards barring the entry of non-Hindus were put up at Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar on Friday. The boards were installed by the Ganga Sabha, which manages the ghat. Sabha president Nitin Gautam said areas falling within Kumbh limits should remain restricted to non-Hindus, citing a 1916 agreement. The Kumbh is scheduled in early 2027. The state government said the matter is under review. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said consultations are ongoing with religious groups. Opposition leaders criticised the move, calling it against constitutional principles.

The Trump administration has named senior US and international figures to a new “Board of Peace” to oversee Gaza’s post-war transition. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and former UK prime minister Tony Blair are among the founding members, the White House said. President Donald Trump will chair the board, which is part of a 20-point plan to end the war between Israel and Hamas. The board is expected to temporarily oversee Gaza’s administration and reconstruction. Further members will be announced in coming weeks. (PC: BBC)

US President Donald Trump thanked Iran's leadership Friday for cancelling planned executions of over 800 protesters, posting "I greatly respect the fact" on Truth Social. Trump earlier stated killings from Iran's protest crackdown appeared subsiding, citing "very important sources" indicating no mass executions planned, though he didn't rule out US military intervention. The protests, Iran's most serious domestic challenge since 1979, have caused conflicting death toll reports: Iranian authorities claim 2,000 deaths since December 28, rights groups report over 3,500, with some estimates reaching 20,000. Iran's Foreign Minister called higher figures "exaggeration" and "misinformation." Trump dismissed Gulf officials' claims that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman dissuaded his attack plans.

US President Donald Trump threatened tariffs against countries refusing to support US control of Greenland, stating "we need Greenland for national security." Following punitive measures on Russian oil buyers and Iran trade partners, Trump's latest economic weapon targets Greenland opposition. Recent Washington talks between US, Denmark, and Greenland officials revealed "fundamental disagreement," though they established a high-level working group. Denmark responded by increasing Greenland's military presence, with France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and Britain sending symbolic troop deployments. Trump argues US control prevents Russian or Chinese footholds on the mineral-rich island claims Denmark and Greenland reject. Analysts warn the combination of tariff threats and military posturing risks straining transatlantic relations and NATO unity.