Monday, January 26th, 2026
UK holds off joining Gaza Peace Board
News Desk LONDON: Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has said the UK will not yet be signing up to US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace over concerns about Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s possible participation. Cooper told the BBC the UK had been invited to join the board but “won’t be one of the signatories today” at a ceremony at the World Economic Forum in Davos. The board, which gives Trump wide decision-making powers as chairman, is being billed by the US as a new international organisation for resolving conflicts. CooperRead More
Indonesia receives Rafale jets
DNA JAKARTA: Indonesia has received three Rafale fighter jets from France in the first deliveries from a multi-billion dollar defence deal between the two countries, a defence ministry official told Reuters on Monday, marking a major upgrade to the country’s ageing military hardware. Jakarta, France’s main arms client in Southeast Asia, has placed orders for as many as 42 Rafales, built by Dassault Aviation, as well as French frigates and submarines, as the archipelago steps up defence spending under President Prabowo Subianto, a former special forces commander. “The aircraft haveRead More
Republic Day of India celebrated in Islamabad
ISLAMABAD, JAN 26 (DNA) – A diplomatic reception was hosted to mark the 77th Republic Day of India. The event, held at the Indian mission, saw participation from representatives of several South Asian nations. The reception was attended by Charge d’Affaires of India, Ms. Geetika Srivastava, alongside the Ambassadors and High Commissioners of fellow SAARC countries, including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and the Maldives. The diplomats participated in a ceremonial cake-cutting to commemorate the occasion. A large number of guests from various walks of life, including members of the local IndianRead More
UAE will not allow attacks on Iran from its soil: foreign ministry
ABU DHABI, JAN 26: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will not allow attacks on Iran to be launched from its territory, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday. Last week, President Donald Trump said a US “armada” was heading toward the Gulf and that Washington was watching Iran closely after the protests subsided in the country. The foreign ministry said in a statement it “has reaffirmed the United Arab Emirates’ commitment to not allowing its airspace, territory or waters to be used in any hostile military actions againstRead More
Cambodia-Thailand situation on the table at ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat
PHNOM PENH, Jan 26: Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, will attend the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat and Related Meetings in the Philippines, where the current situation between Cambodia and Thailand will also be raised, according to a press release from the foreign ministry. A January 26 ministry press release explained that the meeting, themed “Navigating Our Future, Together”, will be held in Cebu. This marks the first meeting since the Philippines assumed the ASEAN chairmanship from Malaysia. The meeting will review the progressRead More
Pakistan, Myanmar vow stronger ties via sustained diplomatic engagement
ISLAMABAD, JAN 26: Pakistan and Myanmar on Monday moved to reinvigorate their bilateral relationship, reaffirming their commitment to deepen multi-sectoral cooperation through sustained and structured engagement after a prolonged gap in high-level exchanges. The two nations have expressed their commitment to expand cooperation across diverse sectors, including religious tourism, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, trade, economy, science, and academic linkages, with a view to promoting shared prosperity. The resolve was expressed during delegation-level talks and a joint press stakeout by Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and UnionRead More