US Supreme Court to weigh transgender athlete bans

The US Supreme Court on Tuesday wades into the hot-button issue of transgender athletes in girls’ and women’s sports.

Alonso leaves Real Madrid, Arbeloa appointed as coach

Real Madrid said on Monday coach Xabi Alonso has left the Spanish giants by mutual consent, to be replaced by Alvaro Arbeloa.

Elephant kills 20 in Indian state as rescue efforts continue

At least 20 people have been killed by a wild elephant in nine days in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand, officials have said, adding that the animal is yet to be captured.

Meta blocks 550,000 accounts under Australia’s social media ban

About 550,000 accounts were blocked by Meta during the first days of Australia’s landmark social media ban for kids.

Back-to-back PSLV rocket setbacks for ISRO, 16 satellites lost In space

India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) mission on Monday encountered an anomaly after launch, with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) confirming that a deviation was observed during the rocket’s third stage.

Donald Trump declares himself as ’Acting President of Venezuela’, posts on Truth Social

In his Truth Social post, US President Donald Trump recognises himself as the ’Acting President of Venezuela’. Credit: Screen grab/Reuters

Chalamet beats DiCaprio to Golden Globes glory

Chalamet, 30, continued his pursuit of greatness, and an Oscar, by beating stars including Leonardo DiCaprio and George Clooney to the award for best actor in a musical or comedy for table tennis caper Marty Supreme.

Malaysia and Indonesia block Musk’s Grok over sexually explicit deepfakes

Malaysia and Indonesia have blocked access to Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot Grok over its ability to produce sexually explicit deepfakes.

Trump tells Cuba to ’make a deal, before it is too late’

Donald Trump has urged Cuba to ’’make a deal’’ or face consequences, warning that the flow of Venezuelan oil and money would now stop.

Maersk explores more ethanol use for green fuel to cut reliance on China, FT reports

Danish shipping company Maersk (MAERSKb.CO), opens new tab is looking at increasing its use of ethanol as a fuel, which could reduce its dependence on China and boost the industry’s decarbonisation efforts, the Financial Times reported on Sunday, citing an interview with CEO Vincent Clerc.

China widens attack on Japan nuclear ‘threats’ as ties sour

China is ramping up objections to what it sees as Japan’s desire to acquire nuclear weapons, despite Tokyo’s long-standing renunciation of such arms, deepening another fissure in the two neighbors’ increasingly tense ties.

US warns Americans to leave Venezuela immediately

The U.S. government issued a new security alert Saturday urging Americans in Venezuela to leave the country immediately, citing security concerns and the U.S. government’s inability to provide emergency assistance, according to the U.S. Embassy Caracas.

Bob Weir, Grateful Dead co-founder, dies aged 78

Bob Weir, the guitarist who co-founded the Grateful Dead, has died aged 78. Weir, a cornerstone of the California psychedelic rock group and many of its offshoots, passed away after a battle with cancer and lung issues, according to a post on his Instagram.

Venezuela-style strike on Taiwan’s leader could prove tricky for China

Some Chinese online users are calling for a lightning Venezuela-style snatch of Taiwan’s leaders in a prelude to taking over the island, but analysts, scholars and security officials say China’s modernising military is still far from ready.

Bessent says Australia, India invited to G7 meeting on critical minerals

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Australia and several other countries would join a meeting of finance ministers from the Group of Seven advanced economies that he is hosting in Washington on Monday to discuss critical minerals.

US warns Iran amid growing antigovernment demonstrations and clashes

United States President Donald Trump says Iran is in “big trouble” and again warned he could order military strikes as videos showed antigovernment protests raging across the country, and authorities blacked out the internet to restrain growing unrest.

Trump seeks $100bn for Venezuela oil, but Exxon boss says country ’uninvestable’

US President Donald Trump has asked for at least $100bn (£75bn) in oil industry spending for Venezuela, but received a lukewarm response at the White House as one executive warned the South American country was currently ’’uninvestable’’.

Trump says US needs to ’own’ Greenland to prevent Russia and China from taking it

President Donald Trump says the US needs to ’’own’’ Greenland to prevent Russia and China from doing so.

US seizes another oil tanker linked to Venezuela, officials say

US forces have seized another tanker in the Caribbean Sea, officials said, as Washington continues its efforts to control exports of Venezuelan oil.

Protests in Iran cause widespread flight cancelations

Major airlines have canceled dozens of flights to and from Iranian cities as a result of widespread protests throughout Iran, fueled by economic hardship.

India plans to scrap curbs on Chinese firms bidding for government contracts

India’s finance ministry plans to scrap five-year-old restrictions on Chinese firms bidding for government contracts, two government sources said, as New Delhi seeks to revive commercial ties in an environment of reduced border tensions.

Germany to push for Type 214 submarine sale to India

The German Government and naval shipbuilder TKMS are planning to enter into discussions with counterparts in India regarding the latter country’s potential acquisition of six new diesel-electric submarines.

Pakistan: When the state does not fight terrorism, but manages It

ObituariesThere are moments when evidence speaks louder than official denials, and dossiers, despite their technical language, reveal a deeper political truth. In the case of Pakistan, the material that has emerged does not document isolated incidents but outlines a coherent model of state patronage, in which tolerance, political cover, and material support function as mechanisms for the “sanitization” of violence.

Venezuela’s interior minister says 100 people died in U.S. attack

(This Jan 7 story has been refiled to fix the last name of Venezuela’s interim president to Rodriguez, from Rodriquez, in paragraph 4)

Oxford University Press apologises over 20-year-old book about Indian warrior king

The Indian arm of Oxford University Press (OUP) has issued an apology over the controversial portrayal of a Hindu warrior king in a book published more than two decades ago.

The arrest of the Venezuelan President and the erosion of global norms

In an unprecedented action that has sent shockwaves through the international system, the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro marks a decisive rupture in the norms that have governed state sovereignty and diplomatic conduct for decades.

Release of Indian actor Vijay’s film Jana Nayagan postponed, disappointing fans in Singapore

The worldwide release of Indian film star Vijay’s much-anticipated movie Jana Nayagan has been postponed, disappointing fans in Singapore who had queued for advance tickets to what is widely thought to be the actor’s final film.

Bangladesh to resume direct flights with Pakistan after a decade gap

Bangladesh’s flag carrier will resume direct flights between Dhaka and Pakistan’s largest city Karachi from January 29, restoring non-stop air connectivity between the two countries after over a decade, officials said on Wednesday (January 7, 2026).

India strengthens access to justice with legal aid and Pro Bono

Access to justice has emerged as a defining pillar of India’s constitutional democracy, with legal aid and pro bono services increasingly structured as enforceable rights rather than discretionary support.

Alleged cybercrime kingpin arrested and extradited to China, Cambodia says

A prominent tycoon wanted by United States federal prosecutors for allegedly running one of Asia’s largest transnational criminal networks has been arrested and extradited to China, Cambodian authorities said Wednesday.