Global World News Digest
Multi-Source Editorial Roundup • Tuesday, 27 January 2026
US to send ICE agents to Winter Olympics, prompting Italian anger
The US federal agency says it will not play an immigration role at February’s event in Milan-Cortina.
‘We all know someone who was killed’ – Iran protesters tell BBC of brutal crackdown
Young Iranians able tell the BBC how they saw friends and other people die as security forces crushed protests earlier this month.
Former French senator found guilty of drugging MP
Joel Guerriau received a four-year prison sentence, 18 months of which are to be served behind bars.
Spain plans to give half a million undocumented migrants legal status
The process will be available to foreign nationals without a criminal record who can prove they lived in Spain for five months prior to 31 December 2025.
Families sue US over deadly boat strike off Venezuela coast
Relatives of Chad Joseph and Rishi Samaroo – among six killed on 14 October – say the Trinidadian men were returning home when their vessel was hit.
‘Crying horse’ toys go viral in China ahead of Lunar New Year
Shop owners say the frowning toys – originally made in error – are resonating with young workers.
India and EU announce ‘mother of all trade deals’
The long-awaited deal comes as both Delhi and Brussels contend with economic and geopolitical pressure from the US.
Firefighters battle ’emergency level’ blazes in Australia heatwave
Firefighters in Victoria are battling at least six major fires amid a record-breaking heatwave.
Canadian PM Carney denies walking back Davos speech in phone call with Trump
The Canadian prime minister confirmed that he and the US president spoke by phone after Trump threatened 100% tariffs on Canada.
Sweden aims to lower age of criminal responsibility to 13 as gangs recruit children
Critics say the proposal could see even younger children becoming offenders as well as breaching children’s rights.
TikTok US pushes back on claims it is censoring content
Thousands of people claim political content is being suppressed after the US operation was spun off.
Rwanda takes legal action against UK over axed migrant deal
The African nation argues it is owed payments but Downing Street says it will fight the case.
One Battle After Another leads Bafta nominations
The political thriller has 14 nominations, with Sinners, Hamnet and Marty Supreme also recognised.
Trump raises US tariffs on South Korea imports to 25%
Trump has accused Seoul of “not living up” to a trade deal that was reached last year.
Philippines’ Duterte fit to face ICC proceedings, judges say
The 80-year-old is accused of crimes of humanity over his bloody war on drugs that left thousands killed.
Deadly US winter storm leaves flights delayed and thousands without power
At least a dozen people have died in multiple US states possibly due to the storm, officials have said.
Japan court orders compensation for migrants lured to North Korea
The plaintiffs said North Korea was marketed to them as “paradise on Earth”.
Nipah virus outbreak in India triggers Asia airport screenings
Airports in Thailand and Nepal have begun screening passengers from West Bengal.
‘Major step’: French MPs vote in favour of bill to ban social media for under-15s
If the bill passes the upper house it could take effect by the start of France’s new school year in September.
Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp to trial premium subscriptions
Under the plan, access to the Meta platforms’ core services would remain free.
China has purged its highest-ranked military general. Why?
Zhang Youxia had been seen as a close ally of China’s leader, Xi Jinping.
Trump abandons attack mode as Minneapolis shooting backlash grows
The White House has shifted how it talks about Alex Pretti’s killing as more Republicans express concern over the deadly encounter.
Who was Alex Pretti, the intensive care nurse shot dead in Minneapolis?
He has been described as an avid outdoorsman who loved mountain biking.
Can India be a player in the computer chip industry?
India is investing hundreds of millions of dollars in building up a computer chip industry.
TikTok settles just before social media addiction trial to begin
Defendants include Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook, and YouTube parent Google.
NRA and other US gun activists push back at Trump officials over Minneapolis shooting
The gun-lobby group, typically aligned with Trump, criticises a suggestion that those who carry guns risk being lawfully shot.
Murder and MI5: How an extraordinary battle erupted over what the state keeps secret
Can the state, especially when it is implicated in killing, be trusted as the arbiter of what should remain confidential?
‘I spent £2,000 on one event’: Why Gen Z is obsessed with Hyrox
How young millennials and Generation Z – people in their twenties to early forties – have become obsessed with this fitness craze.
As the world inches back to a pre-WW2 order, the ‘middle powers’ face a grave new challenge
With economic stagnation and extremes of inequality comes corrosion of trust in democratic institutions. So Trump may be a symptom, not a cause, of what Carney called a “rupture” with the post-WW2 order.
What we know about fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis
Trump officials says federal agents shot in self-defence, as Pretti’s parents accuse them of “sickening lies”.