Netherlands Synthetic drug ring smashed in 'largest-ever' operation, Europol says Authorities dismantled 24 industrial-scale labs and seized around 1,000 tonnes of chemicals used to make street drugs such as MDMA, amphetamine and meth. 21/01/2026
United Kingdom China says Britain had 'obligation' to approve London mega embassy The 20,000-square-metre site is set to become the largest embassy complex in the UK by area and one of the largest in the centre of a Western capital. 21/01/2026
USA Israel's PM Netanyahu accepts Trump invitation to join Board of Peace The board was originally envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing the Gaza ceasefire plan but appears to have changed into a body tasked with solving conflicts more broadly. 21/01/2026
Greenland Newsom urges Europe to grow 'backbone' and 'punch' back at Trump The US president, who will address the annual gathering of global elites on Wednesday, has put the transatlantic alliance to the test with his demand to take over Greenland. 20/01/2026
Ukraine Almost half of Kyiv without heat as Russia hits Ukraine's power grid Russia has been pounding Ukraine's energy system since the start of the war, in what Kyiv says is an attempt to sap morale and weaken Ukrainians' resistance. 20/01/2026
Afghanistan IS claims attack on Kabul restaurant that killed at least seven The IS claim included a threat against Chinese nationals in Afghanistan, linking the attack to China's alleged mistreatment of Uyghur Muslims in the western province of Xinjiang. 20/01/2026
Israel Israel begins demolition of UNRWA headquarters in east Jerusalem Israel has repeatedly accused UNRWA of providing cover for Hamas militants, claiming that some of its employees took part in the group's 7 October 2023 attack on Israel. 20/01/2026
Spain Spain begins three days of national mourning after deadly train crash Officials are continuing to investigate the causes of the incident that Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente has called "strange" since it occurred on a straight line and neither train was speeding. 20/01/2026
Iran Rising executions in Iran suggest use as tool of intimidation, UN says At least 47% of executions carried out in Iran in 2025 had been related to drug offences, the UN human rights office said. 19/01/2026
Norway Norway’s military preparing for property requisitions in wartime The letters have no practical impact in peacetime other than to let owners know that the military may take over their goods in the event of a conflict, the statement said. 19/01/2026
South Africa At least 13 children killed in school bus crash in South Africa Preliminary reports indicate 11 schoolchildren died at the scene, with two others succumbing to their injuries later in hospital. 19/01/2026
Czech Republic One dead and four wounded in Czech town hall shooting, police say The shooting took place at the Chřibská town hall and police said the suspect was fatally shot and there was no further danger to the public. 19/01/2026
Iran Hackers target Iran state TV's broadcast to show exiled crown prince The death toll exceeds that of any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades and recalls the chaos surrounding the 1979 Islamic Revolution. 19/01/2026
Norway Trump says he is no longer thinking 'purely of peace' after Nobel snub Trump has boasted about ending eight wars, styling himself as "the president of peace" and therefore deserving of the Nobel honour but those claims have been exaggerated. 19/01/2026
Pakistan Death toll in Karachi shopping plaza fire rises to 23, officials say On Sunday night, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said families had reported about 46 people missing, prompting authorities to launch a search operation. 19/01/2026
Spain Death toll in Spain train collision rises to at least 39, police say Spain has the largest high-speed rail network in Europe for trains moving over 250 kph, with more than 3,100 kilometres of track, according to the European Union. 18/01/2026
Greenland EU troops in Greenland will not impact Trump's plans, White House says Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, speaking after leaving the White House, said a US takeover of Greenland was "absolutely not necessary." 15/01/2026
Netherlands Explosion in the Netherlands injures at least four and causes damage Officials called on the local population to stay away from the area, as emergency services rushed to the scene. 15/01/2026
USA UN chief attacks world leaders putting cooperation on 'deathwatch' Guterres also used his wide-ranging remarks to urge action against the abuse of artificial intelligence and to call for efforts to fight inequality. 15/01/2026
USA US seizes sixth sanctioned tanker in effort to control Venezuela's oil Trump met with executives oil companies last week to discuss his goal of investing €86 billion in Venezuela to repair and upgrade its oil production and distribution. 15/01/2026