Iran has warned US President Donald Trump that any attack on Tehran would be treated as an “all-out war,” after he said American warships were heading toward the region. A senior Iranian official said Iran would use “everything at its disposal” to respond to what it sees as a constant military threat from the US. Trump described the deployment as a large naval force moving toward Iran. Reports said the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, three destroyers armed with missiles, and US fighter jets have been sent to the Middle East. Iranian officials said the country is on high alert but did not detail any planned response. (PC: India Today)

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticised US President Donald Trump over comments suggesting British and NATO troops were not on the front lines in Afghanistan. Starmer said the remarks were “insulting and frankly appalling” and caused pain to veterans and families of the fallen. He said he would apologise if he had made such comments. Trump repeated his view in an interview, saying NATO troops stayed “a little off the frontlines.” Downing Street said Trump was wrong to downplay the role of UK forces. Officials noted British troops served in sustained combat operations alongside allies. The UK lost 457 soldiers in Afghanistan, with many more wounded. (PC: Sky News)

US President Donald Trump has claimed that NATO forces stayed away from the front lines during the Afghanistan war. Official data and military records contradict this. After the 9/11 attacks, NATO invoked Article 5 and deployed troops alongside the US from 2001. NATO troop numbers peaked at about 140,000 in 2011. While the US lost the most soldiers overall, several European nations suffered heavy losses relative to their population size. The UK lost 457 troops, Canada 159, France 90 and Germany 62. NATO forces operated in high-conflict regions such as Kandahar and Helmand, where British, Canadian and Danish troops faced intense combat. (PC: India Today)

Prince Harry has spoken out after US President Donald Trump said Nato allies stayed away from front-line fighting in Afghanistan. Trump’s remarks triggered strong reactions in the UK, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer calling them insulting and unacceptable. Harry, who served two tours in Afghanistan with the British Army, said the sacrifices made by Nato troops deserve to be discussed truthfully and with respect. Britain joined the US-led mission in 2001 after Nato invoked its collective defence clause following the 9/11 attacks. The conflict claimed the lives of 457 British service personnel. The White House later defended US support for Nato and Europe’s security role. (PC: BBC)

US President Donald Trump unveiled his Board of Peace initiative at the World Economic Forum in Davos, claiming "everybody" wants to join. Trump chairs the Executive Council alongside Tony Blair, Jared Kushner, Marco Rubio, Steve Witkoff, Marc Rowan, Ajay Banga, and Robert Gabriel. While 59 countries are involved in Middle East peace efforts, 35 have agreed to join, with 20 formally becoming members including Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Pakistan, Turkey, and several European nations like Hungary, Belgium, and Bulgaria. However, major European powers icncluding France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Slovenia declined participation. Countries can serve three-year terms or secure permanent seats by contributing $1 billion to a peace-building fund. (PC: AP)

Organisers of the London protest submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Keir Starmer outlining four key demands over alleged persecution of minorities in Bangladesh. These include suspending UK aid and trade, initiating parliamentary debate, pursuing Magnitsky-style sanctions against perpetrators, and appointing a UK special envoy to monitor the situation. The Bangladesh Hindu Association stressed the protest was not against any nation or faith but against injustice. Organisers said continued advocacy and international pressure are essential to protect minority communities and ensure accountability. (PC: Reuters)

The United States has officially left the World Health Organization (WHO) on January 22, 2026. The decision was started by President Donald Trump when he returned to office in 2025. The U.S. government said the WHO did not handle the COVID-19 pandemic properly and needs major reforms. With this move, the U.S. has stopped all funding and is no longer part of WHO meetings or programs. The exit also leaves about $260 million in unpaid dues. Health experts around the world worry this step may weaken global efforts to track diseases and respond quickly to health emergencies. (PC: Reuters)

US President Donald Trump said a “big force” is going toward Iran, but he would “rather not see anything happen” as tensions with Tehran escalate. Speaking after the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump stressed that the US is closely monitoring Iran while remaining prepared for any scenario. The deployment reportedly includes an aircraft carrier strike group, signaling a show of strength amid ongoing unrest in Iran and global concerns over regional stability. Trump also indicated openness to dialogue with Iranian leadership despite the military buildup. (PC: AP)

Several UK political leaders attended a London protest on January 21, voicing concern over alleged atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh. Dignitaries including Baroness Sandeep Verma, Lord Dolar Popat, MPs Navendu Mishra, Luke Murphy, Jim Dickson and Andrew Mitchell expressed solidarity with the Bangladeshi Hindu diaspora. Speakers described the situation as ethnic cleansing and assured efforts to raise the matter within the UK government. The protest highlighted incidents such as targeted killings, arrests of religious leaders and mob violence, urging Britain to take a stronger diplomatic stance.

A five-year-old boy, Liam Conejo Ramos, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, as he arrived home from preschool with his father. School officials allege ICE instructed the child to knock on the family’s door to check for other occupants—an act they describe as using the boy “as bait” during the operation. Both Liam and his father were taken to a detention facility in Texas; the family has an active asylum case and no deportation order. ICE and the Department of Homeland Security maintain the child was not their target and that an officer remained with him for safety. The incident has provoked widespread criticism and concern over the treatment of immigrant families and children. (PC: Reuters)