Trump, Hegseth cite raids, deployments in push for deterrence

IANS | January 30, 2026 7:11 AM

Washington, Jan 30 (IANS) President Donald Trump and his Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the administration is reasserting US military deterrence, citing strikes, deployments and aggressive action against drug traffickers and pirates.

US defence strategy signals sharp shift, experts say

IANS | January 30, 2026 7:05 AM

Washington, Jan 30 (IANS) The Trump Administration’s new US National Defense Strategy marks “one of the most significant departures” in US defence priorities since World War II, experts said, describing a turn toward homeland and Western Hemisphere missions and tougher expectations for allies.

Trump launches Great American Recovery plan

IANS | January 30, 2026 6:54 AM

Washington, Jan 30 (IANS) US President Donald Trump signed a sweeping executive order launching what he called the Great American Recovery Initiative, a national effort aimed at combating addiction and substance abuse by coordinating federal, state, local, and private-sector resources.

Trump revives 'clean coal' pitch, targets wind energy

IANS | January 30, 2026 6:50 AM

Washington, Jan 30 (IANS) President Donald Trump and Energy Secretary Chris Wright said coal, natural gas, and nuclear power protected the US electricity grid during a severe cold snap, while criticising wind and solar generation.

Trump says Putin agreed to pause Kyiv strikes

IANS | January 30, 2026 6:36 AM

Washington, Jan 30 (IANS) US President Donald Trump said that Russia agreed not to fire on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities for a week during extreme cold, as his envoy described what he called new momentum in talks since Geneva.

US indicts suspect in Canada border smuggling case

IANS | January 30, 2026 6:31 AM

Washington, Jan 30 (IANS) A federal grand jury in upstate New York has indicted a 22-year-old suspect for allegedly running a human smuggling operation that brought migrants from Canada into the United States across the northern border, US authorities said.

Trump declares Cuba national security threat, orders tariff regime

IANS | January 30, 2026 6:25 AM

Washington, Jan 30 (IANS) US President Donald Trump on declared a national emergency over what he described as an “unusual and extraordinary threat” posed by the Government of Cuba, ordering the creation of a new tariff system that could penalise countries supplying oil to the island.

Rights body flags human rights abuses in Bangladesh under Yunus govt

IANS | January 29, 2026 9:44 PM

Dhaka, Jan 29 (IANS) Human rights body Amnesty International’s Secretary General, Agnes Callamard, has written to the Chief Advisor of Bangladesh’s interim government, Muhammad Yunus, expressing concerns over the Bangladeshi authorities’ continued misuse of anti-terror legislation against journalists, and their failure to safeguard the rights to life, personal security, and freedom of expression and association.

Pakistan: Education system for girls falters after Grade 5 amid state failures

IANS | January 29, 2026 9:39 PM

Islamabad, Jan 29 (IANS) Pakistan’s education system falters at the transition from primary to secondary education, where a girl completing Grade 5 encounters “an invisible wall”. With distant middle schools, unsafe transport, male-dominated teaching staff and hesitant families, girls are left behind after primary school, while the state failed to act, a report said on Thursday.

Bangladesh stands at complex crossroads with politicisation of religion

IANS | January 29, 2026 9:28 PM

Dhaka, Jan 29 (IANS) As campaigning for Bangladesh’s February 12 election got underway, certain political parties are openly claiming that voting against them would be equivalent to voting against Islam — a common pattern used to brand opponents as “anti-religion,” when political legitimacy is questioned, a report said on Thursday.