Politics

Protests in Iran have entered their second week with activists reporting at least 116 dead and about 2,600 detained, while authorities have cut internet and international phone services.

U.S. forces captured and removed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and many Venezuelan migrants in Latin America — nearly 7 million by R4V counts, plus about 1 million in the United States — say they are cautious about returning home.

The final Kurdish fighters withdrew from Aleppo under a ceasefire announced after international mediation; buses were reported leaving the Sheikh Maqsoud neighbourhood.

The Met Office has several warnings across Scotland, including an amber snow warning until 2pm on Sunday for areas from north of Glasgow toward Aberdeen; the Scottish Government's Resilience Room met with ministers and agencies to coordinate the response for a multi‑hazard weekend.

Thousands of widows in western Kenya report losing homes and land after their husbands die; Siaya County assembly has passed a Widows Protection Bill that would criminalize forced disinheritance and forced remarriage if the governor signs it.

Aung San Suu Kyi has been held in military detention since the 2021 coup and is not on the ballot; the junta is running a three-phase election, with the second phase beginning Sunday.

Voters cast ballots in the second stage of a military-run election that the UN, many Western countries and rights groups have described as not free or credible; a final voting round is scheduled for 25 January.

Kyiv's power grid was heavily damaged in a recent Russian strike, leaving many residents in unheated apartments while engineers work to restore power, and the UN has scheduled an emergency meeting on Monday about the ballistic missile attack.

The UK Ministry of Defence is seeking firms to develop three test 'Nightfall' missiles for Ukraine under a £9 million contract, and the missiles are reported to have a range of more than 300 miles.

Myanmar held the second phase of its three-part general election, with voting in 100 townships amid ongoing armed conflict; a final round is scheduled for Jan. 25.

Activists and some medical staff report hundreds of deaths amid widespread anti-government protests, and Iran has cut internet and phone services; the prosecutor-general has suggested protesters could face the death penalty.

Women in Iran have publicly removed their veils as part of ongoing protests, and the article reports that authorities restricted internet access amid efforts to limit dissent.

Venezuela's government pledged to free a significant number of detainees, but advocacy group Foro Penal reported 11 people released and about 809 still imprisoned as families gathered outside prisons for a third day.

Reza Pahlavi, an exiled Iranian crown prince, urged the UK Government to support protesters seeking change in Iran; the article says his team has set up a secure QR channel to allow members of the security forces to pledge support. Large demonstrations have been reported since December 28 and authorities have restricted internet and phone services.

The Mail on Sunday reports documents suggesting Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood was briefed on plans to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters eight days before the decision was confirmed; the Home Office says the Inspectorate of Constabulary has been asked to investigate and Ms Mahmood has been urged to make a statement to Parliament.

Reports say President Donald Trump asked US special forces to prepare a plan concerning Greenland, and senior US military leaders are reported to be resisting on legal grounds; subsequent actions are undetermined at this time.

Nicaragua’s Interior Ministry announced that dozens held in the national prison system are being returned home, and the U.S. had been pressing Managua while saying more than 60 people remain detained; it was not immediately clear who was released or under what conditions.

U.S. officials say they carried out another round of strikes in Syria against Islamic State targets in response to an ambush last month that killed two U.S. soldiers and an American interpreter.

The U.S. military reported it carried out multiple strikes across Syria targeting the Islamic State as part of an operation launched after a December attack that killed U.S. personnel. About 1,000 U.S. troops remain deployed in Syria.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reshared an unverified social-media account claiming a sonic weapon was used during the operation, and Nicolás Maduro and his wife are in U.S. custody with a next court date set for March 17.

David Lammy said US Vice‑President JD Vance agreed that manipulated, sexualised images produced by the Grok AI were 'entirely unacceptable'. Ofcom has urgently contacted X and xAI and is carrying out an expedited assessment of their response.

Nigel Farage criticised Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s approach to defence funding and said it had left the UK diminished internationally. He cited a recent warning that the Ministry of Defence faces a reported £28 billion shortfall to 2030.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper praised people protesting in Iran and urged authorities not to use violence; Scotland Yard reported two arrests after a protest at the Iranian embassy in London.

Trump posted on Truth Social that the United States 'stands ready to help' Iranians seeking freedom, and media reports say scores of demonstrators have been killed during recent protests.

President Trump signed an executive order intended to keep Venezuelan oil revenues held by the United States from being used in private judicial claims, and the order cites the National Emergencies Act and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act as its legal basis.

The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting after the Kremlin confirmed it fired an Oreshnik missile at Ukraine, which Kyiv says can carry nuclear warheads.

Authorities say a suspect attacked three homes in West Point, Mississippi, killing six people including a seven-year-old girl; a 24-year-old suspect was arrested and booked on a first-degree murder charge.

David Lammy said US vice-president JD Vance agreed it was unacceptable for X's Grok chatbot to produce sexualised AI images of women and children; X reported changes to Grok's settings and Ofcom has opened an expedited assessment.

Steve Kerr criticised the US government after Renee Nicole Good, 37, was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis; officials and witnesses have offered conflicting accounts and investigations are ongoing.

A demonstrator removed Iran's national flag from the embassy balcony in central London during an anti-regime protest, and the Metropolitan Police said two people were arrested.