Politics

U.S. intelligence described Cuba's economy as severely strained, citing blackouts and the loss of Venezuelan oil support; the CIA assessments were inconclusive on whether the economic pressure will topple the government.

Sir Richard Dearlove said the United States should obtain Greenland, urging Denmark to lease the territory to the US for 100 years to strengthen European security. UK and other European leaders have said Greenland’s future should be decided by Denmark and the island itself.

Karl Turner broke the Labour whip to oppose Justice Secretary David Lammy's 'swift courts' plan to limit some jury trials; the government has not yet brought forward legislation.

Federal records say an ICE agent was dragged by a car during a June arrest attempt and required more than 50 stitches; federal officials say a later shooting was self-defence while state officials dispute that account.

A verified GoFundMe for Renee Nicole Good, who was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, raised more than $1.5m from roughly 38,500 donors and was closed with funds to be placed in a trust. Undetermined at this time.

Medics reported that hospitals are overwhelmed as protests in Iran enter a second week; rights groups say dozens have been killed and more than 2,311 people arrested.

U.S. officials have discussed offering lump-sum payments to Greenland residents as part of deliberations about encouraging separation from Denmark and possible alignment with the United States; reported figures ranged from $10,000 to $100,000 per person and logistics remain unclear.

The NGO Blue and White Monitoring reported at least 60 people were arrested in Nicaragua for celebrating or expressing support after the capture of Venezuela's president Nicolás Maduro; 49 people reportedly remained in detention while nine were released.

Labour has set a Commons vote for 20 January on a remedial order to amend the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023; the order would remove immunity provisions and lift the bar on Troubles-related civil claims after a Belfast High Court found parts of the Act incompatible with the ECHR.

President Trump told US media he will begin land strikes against drug cartels in Mexico and said the only limit on action is his personal morality. Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum has said she rejects US military intervention.

Hundreds of protests against immigration enforcement are planned across the United States after federal officers shot people in Minneapolis and Portland, and the Department of Homeland Security says it is continuing a large enforcement operation in the Twin Cities.

Surveillance footage reportedly shows Renee Good's SUV stopping in a Minneapolis street for about four minutes before ICE agent Jonathan Ross fired at her; Good was fatally wounded.

North Korea says it tracked and shot down a drone near Kaesong that it claims came from South Korea; Seoul denies operating the flight and has no record of it. South Korea said it will hold a national security meeting to review the claim.

Syria's government announced a ceasefire in Aleppo after three days of clashes with Kurdish fighters and more than 140,000 people were displaced; the Kurdish-led SDF has not publicly confirmed the truce.

Officials say the two people shot by a US immigration agent in Portland had ties to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua; federal authorities say the agent fired after the driver tried to run him over, and both are conscious in hospital and recovering.

The president endorsed his vice-president's allegation that Renee Good belonged to a 'leftwing network' of paid agitators; video of the Minneapolis incident captured a bystander repeatedly shouting 'shame', and reporting says many other recorded incidents show similar reactions.

The UK will allocate £200 million to prepare British troops for possible deployment to Ukraine if a ceasefire occurs, Defence Secretary John Healey said after visiting Kyiv.

Documents show officers from a December Louisiana operation known as “Catahoula Crunch” have been reassigned to Minneapolis as part of a larger Department of Homeland Security enforcement deployment, and DHS said it does not disclose operational details.

Cuba announced that 32 Cuban military and police officers were killed during a U.S. operation in Venezuela and declared two days of mourning.

Activists say demonstrations triggered by economic hardship have reached cities and rural areas across Iran; rights groups report at least 38 people killed and more than 2,200 detained.

The article reports that three prisoners in England are on hunger strike and that Heba Muraisi has been without food for about 69 days, surpassing Bobby Sands’ 66-day strike; officials say the government is following rules and procedures and the next step is undetermined at this time.

A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration cannot block federal child care and related program funds from flowing to California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota and New York for at least 14 days while the states' legal challenge proceeds.

South Yorkshire Police says it misidentified two teenage victims after a December crash and has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct; the force says families are being offered specialist support.

The US Department of Agriculture announced it has suspended millions in federal awards to Minnesota effective immediately after Secretary Brooke Rollins said the agency uncovered what she described as massive fraud; the USDA said the pause will remain until sufficient proof is provided that the fraud has stopped.

An internal Metropolitan Police review found vetting was weakened between 2013 and 2023, leaving thousands of officers and staff with missing or uncertain checks; the Home Office says more than 5,000 were recruited without the right checks and about 17,000 could not be confirmed. The home secretary has commissioned an inspection by HM chief inspector of constabulary.

Switzerland observed a national day of mourning for 40 people killed in the New Year bar fire, including a minute’s silence and a remembrance ceremony attended by national leaders; prosecutors have begun questioning the bar’s owners on negligence charges.

Dulce Consuelo Díaz Morales was released after 25 days in ICE custody while her lawyers say they presented a U.S. birth certificate; federal officials dispute her citizenship and the legal case remains open.

Officials say an ICE agent who was dragged during a June arrest attempt later shot and killed Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis; her death has prompted protests and officials describe the agent's actions as self‑defense.

A disagreement has arisen in Manhattan federal court over whether Bruce Fein may join Nicolás Maduro's legal team, and a judge has been asked to clarify who represents Maduro.

The Home Secretary is reported to plan removing government support for some asylum seekers and to begin evictions from hotels in the spring; further hotel closures are expected by April.