Gavin Blackburn

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 January 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 January 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 January 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 January 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 January 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 January 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 January 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 January 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 January 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 January 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 January 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 January 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 January 2026

USA

US announces sanctions on Iranian officials over protest crackdown

The Treasury announcement comes a day after Trump that he’d been told "on good authority" that plans for executions in Iran have stopped.

15 January 2026

United Kingdom

Tory leader sacks arch-rival after 'plot' to defect to Reform UK

In the past 12 months, the Conservatives have suffered a string of defections to hard-right Reform UK, including some former Cabinet ministers.

15 January 2026

Spain

Turkish Airlines plane makes emergency landing in Spain after threat

The Airbus A321, which was carrying 148 passengers and seven crew, was directed to a designated area for inspection after it landed at around 11:00 am.

15 January 2026

Venezuela

Venezuela's acting president vows to release more political prisoners

Delcy Rodríguez served as Maduro's vice president since 2018, running Venezuela's feared intelligence service and managing its crucial oil industry.

14 January 2026

Gaza

Gaza is entering second phase of Trump's ceasefire plan, Witkoff says

Under the first phase of the three-phase deal, Hamas released all but one hostage it was holding in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians who were held in Israeli prisons.

14 January 2026

Iran

At least 3,428 killed in Iranian crackdown on protesters, NGO says

Meanwhile, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Iran was ready to respond "decisively" to its enemies, accusing the US and Israel of being behind the protests.

14 January 2026

USA

US suspends migrant visa processing for 75 countries, White House says

The Department of Homeland Security last month said that the Trump administration has deported more than 605,000 people and that 2.5 million others left on their own.

14 January 2026