Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to US President Donald Trump during a White House meeting. Machado said the gesture recognised Trump’s support for Venezuela’s freedom struggle. Trump thanked her publicly and called the meeting an honour. The Nobel Committee later reiterated that a prize cannot be transferred, though a medal may change hands. Trump did not endorse Machado as Venezuela’s new leader and continues to engage with acting authorities in Caracas. Machado said dialogue with Washington would continue and described the meeting as historic for Venezuelans. (PC: BBC)

European troops began arriving in Greenland as Denmark increased its military presence amid tensions with the United States over the Arctic island’s future. France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands sent or pledged small troop deployments to show support for Denmark. Germany said it would deploy a 13-member reconnaissance team. Danish officials said the move aimed to strengthen security cooperation with allies. U.S. officials described talks on Greenland as technical discussions on a possible acquisition, while Denmark and Greenland rejected any transfer of sovereignty. Greenland’s leaders said dialogue would continue, stressing the island is not for sale. (PC: X)

Iran halted 800 planned executions of protesters after direct warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump, the White House confirmed, as Tehran faces international outrage over its deadly crackdown on nationwide anti-government demonstrations. The halt in executions came after Trump communicated to Iranian authorities that “grave consequences” would follow if killings continued, adding that all options remain on the table, including possible military action. The protests, triggered by economic hardship and political repression, have led to a severe internet blackout and thousands of deaths according to rights groups. Iran denies plans for executions despite conflicting reports on trials and repression. (PC: India Today)

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado presented U.S. President Donald Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize medal during a White House meeting, calling it a “wonderful gesture of mutual respect” and recognizing his support for Venezuelan freedom. Trump publicly thanked Machado for the symbolic gift, though the Norwegian Nobel Institute stressed that the award cannot be officially transferred and Trump is not a Nobel laureate. Machado, who won the 2025 Peace Prize for promoting democracy in Venezuela, made the gesture amid ongoing political uncertainty and Trump’s mixed stance toward her leadership prospects. (PC: NDTV)

Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman mounted a last-minute diplomatic effort to prevent US military strikes on Iran, a senior Saudi official told Agence France-Presse Thursday. The Gulf trio led what was described as "a long, frantic, diplomatic last-minute effort" urging President Donald Trump to give Tehran time to de-escalate amid tensions over protest crackdowns. The Saudi official warned an attack would trigger "grave blowbacks" and create "an uncontrollable situation in the region." Iran's envoy to Pakistan claimed Trump conveyed he didn't intend to attack and urged restraint. Trump later stated he received assurances from "very important sources" that Iran wouldn't execute demonstrators, reducing immediate tensions. Officials called it "a sleepless night to defuse more bombs." (PC: X)

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney praised warming China relations during his four-day Beijing visit, the first by a Canadian PM since 2017 hailing President Xi Jinping's leadership and declaring nations are charting new cooperation amid global division. Carney signed a trade and economic roadmap Thursday covering energy, agriculture, and investments, with both countries committing to maintaining open communication channels. The visit follows months of re-engagement after ties soured under Justin Trudeau, fueled by Trump's tariffs on Canadian goods and suggestions Canada become America's 51st state. Tensions over Canada's 2024 electric vehicle tariffs remain unresolved, prompting Chinese retaliatory tariffs on $2.6 billion in Canadian agricultural products. Energy cooperation discussions include oil, gas development, and natural uranium trade. (PC: AP)

The United States imposed fresh sanctions Thursday on senior Iranian security officials over violent protest crackdowns, targeting Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme Council for National Security, as the central figure coordinating state security responses. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced sanctions at President Trump's direction, supporting Iranian people's freedom demands. Sanctions include senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders and law enforcement officials accused of firing live ammunition at protesters. The Treasury also targeted shadow banking networks laundering petroleum revenue through sanctioned institutions like Bank Melli and Shahr Bank. Rights groups report 3,400 killed in crackdowns since December protests over economic hardship. Trump threatened military responses if detained protesters face execution, though diplomatic efforts by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman eased tensions. (PC: Reuters)

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer mocked the Conservative Party during Wednesday's parliamentary debate, saying they had "more positions in 14 years than the Kama Sutra," while defending his government's decision to drop mandatory digital ID cards for workers. Starmer emphasized Labour remains committed to cracking down on illegal employment through digital, mandatory checks, though the specific ID form remains flexible. He highlighted Conservative instability, noting they had five prime ministers, six chancellors, eight home secretaries, and sixteen housing ministers over fourteen years, leaving the country "screwed." The digital ID proposal, introduced September 2024, faced widespread opposition over privacy concerns. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called it "rubbish policy," while Reform UK's Nigel Farage celebrated it as a "victory for individual liberty."

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on January 15 that he had been assured by “very important sources” in Tehran that the killing of protesters in Iran has stopped and that planned executions will not take place, though the U.S. has not independently verified these claims. Trump, who had previously warned of possible military action over the violent crackdown on nationwide protests, said he would “watch and see” before deciding on further steps. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi echoed that “hanging is out of the question,” denying any execution plans. The move appeared to ease immediate fears of escalation, even as the broader unrest and international scrutiny continue. (PC: Reuters)

Three years after what is believed to be Canada’s largest gold heist — the disappearance of 400 kg (about 6,600 bars) of .9999-pure gold and C$2.5 million in cash from Toronto Pearson International Airport in April 2023 — investigators are closing in on a key suspect. Peel Regional Police have arrested one accused, Arsalan Chaudhary, at Toronto airport, and charged him in the cross-border probe dubbed Project 24K. Canadian authorities have issued a warrant and extradition request for Simran Preet Panesar, a former Air Canada manager who was found living near Chandigarh with his family. (PC: HT)