Day: January 8, 2026

Seoul | The head of South Korea’s main opposition party, the People Power Party (PPP), expressed public regret on Wednesday over former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived attempt to impose martial law, acknowledging the confusion and public distress it caused. At a press conference held at the PPP headquarters, Representative Jang Dong-hyeok formally apologized, stating that the December 3, 2024, declaration of martial law was “wrong and inappropriate” and had inflicted both inconvenience on citizens and pain to party members. Bowing his head, Jang emphasized the party’s commitment to accountability,…

Washington | U.S. President Donald Trump has reiterated that acquiring Greenland is a “national security priority” for the United States, a stance that has prompted bipartisan concern in Congress over the potential risks to NATO and international stability. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that Trump considers Greenland crucial for deterring adversaries in the Arctic region. “The Commander in Chief has the option to use the United States military at any time,” she said, adding that the President and his team are weighing multiple options to achieve what they…

Washington | United States President Donald Trump has signed a sweeping proclamation withdrawing the country from more than 60 international organisations, marking one of the most far-reaching changes to US engagement with global institutions in recent years. According to a statement issued by the White House, the decision covers 31 United Nations bodies and 35 non-UN international organisations that the administration says operate contrary to American national interests. While the government did not release a detailed list of the organisations affected, it said many of them promote policies and programmes that…

Islamabad–Dhaka | Pakistan has formally acknowledged discussions with Bangladesh on a potential defence agreement that could include the sale of JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, signalling a possible expansion of military and strategic cooperation between the two South Asian neighbours. According to reports cited by the Daily Star, senior air force leadership from both countries met in Islamabad for detailed deliberations on defence collaboration. The talks were held between Bangladesh Air Force Chief Hasan Mahmood Khan and Pakistan Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, with a focus on…

New Delhi: India and three major European nations—Germany, France and Poland—held the inaugural India–Weimar format meeting, marking a new diplomatic platform aimed at deepening strategic cooperation amid global uncertainty. The conference brought together German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, Polish Deputy Prime Minister Radosław Sikorski and India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. The first-of-its-kind engagement focused on three core issues shaping the current global order: the war in Ukraine, developments in the Indo-Pacific region, and the future trajectory of India–European Union relations. A New Framework for India–Europe…

Tehran | Iran’s senior military leadership has issued a sharp warning of possible pre-emptive action as tensions escalate between Tehran and Washington, against the backdrop of growing domestic unrest and intensifying international scrutiny. Iranian army chief Major General Amir Hatami responded strongly to what Tehran views as increasingly hostile rhetoric from external powers, including recent remarks by United States President Donald Trump suggesting that the US was “locked and loaded” to intervene if Iranian security forces moved forcefully against civilian demonstrators. According to Iranian media reports citing international outlets, Hatami made…