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Aljazeera

January 2026

How much control will the US have over Venezuela’s oil?

On Thursday, the government in Caracas announced a massive overhaul of the petroleum sector

Iranian official says progress made on talks as US-Iran tensions persist

Ali Larijani, the head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said in a social media post on Saturday that, “unlike the artificial media war atmosphere, the formation of a structure for negotiations is progressing”

Abbas Araghchiiranian diplomat, Minister of Foreign Affairs (born 1962)
CENTCOM is also requesting ‘professionalism’ from a national military the U.S. Government has listed as a ‘terrorist organization’, all while recognizing the right of that same ‘terrorist organization’ to conduct military drills!”
The presence of outside forces in our region has always caused the exact opposite of what is declared: promoting escalation instead of de-escalation”.
Any unsafe and unprofessional behavior near US forces, regional partners or commercial vessels increases risks of collision, escalation, and destabilization,
He also stressed the need for concerted efforts to spare the peoples of the region the consequences of escalation and to continue coordination with brotherly and friendly countries to address differences through diplomatic means,

Iraq Shia bloc reiterates support for al-Maliki despite Trump’s threats

Iraq’s main Shia alliance, which holds a parliamentary majority, has reiterated its support for reinstating Nouri al-Maliki as prime minister, despite United States President Donald Trump threatening to end US support to the country

US judge declines to halt immigration surge in Minnesota amid protests

Jacob Freyminneapolis Mayor
This decision doesn’t change what people here have lived through — fear, disruption, and harm caused by a federal operation that never belonged in Minneapolis in the first place,
Johnsonsaturday, city councillor
It feels more like the federal government is here to [lay] siege [to] Minnesota than to protect us.”
Johnsonsaturday, city councillor
I’m receiving calls … from community members are struggling just to be able to do [everyday] things,

Tributes pour in for beloved actress Catherine O’Hara

Macaulay Culkinhome Alone co-star
Mama. I thought we had time. I wanted more,
What a gift to have gotten to dance in the warm glow of Catherine O’Hara’s brilliance for all those years,
Seth Rogenthe Studio co-star
Home Alone was the movie that made me want to make movies. Getting to work with her was a true honour,
I had the honor of knowing and working with the great Catherine O’Hara for over fifty years,

Appropriating the death count: Manufacturing consent for an attack on Iran

Ever since the crackdown on protests in Iran between January 8 and 10, there has been contention on what the true death toll of those bloody events is

Explosion in Iran’s Bandar Abbas caused by gas leak, official says

Mohammad Amin Lyaghatfire chief
The initial cause of the building accident in Bandar Abbas was a gas leak and buildup, leading to an explosion. This is the initial theory,

Milan protests decry ‘creeping fascism’ of ICE role at Winter Olympics

The protest in Piazza XXV Aprile, a square named for the date of Italy’s liberation from Nazi fascism in 1945, drew people from the left-leaning Democratic Party, the CGIL trade union confederation and the ANPI organisations that protect the memory of Italy’s partisan resistance during World War II, along with many other people

Real Madrid vs Rayo Vallecano: La Liga — teams, start, lineups

Álvaro Arbeloareal Madrid coach
Look, we’re working to find the consistency we want in our game and at all levels, and I think right now it’s neither a time for disappointment nor a time for euphoria,
Álvaro Arbeloareal Madrid coach
I always want to have the best players on the pitch, and the more minutes they can be available to the team for me, the better,

Pakistan beat Australia to seal cricket series in T20 World Cup warm-up

Australia were routed for 108 in 15.4 overs, giving Pakistan their biggest T20I victory over Australia, eclipsing the 66-run win in Abu Dhabi in 2018

Salman Ali Aghacaptain
We want to play in the same way, forget the 2-0 scoreline and come again with the same intensity and go to the World Cup with the same energy,

Sabalenka ‘really upset’ at blowing Australian Open final chances

Even in this final I feel like I played great. I was fighting. I did my best, and today she was a better player,
Aryna Sabalenkatop seed
She made some winners. I made a couple of unforced errors,
I was really upset with myself because, once again, I had opportunities. I played great until a certain point, and then I couldn’t resist that aggression that she had,

President Diaz-Canel slams Trump’s bid to ‘suffocate’ Cuba’s economy

The only thing that’s missing here in Cuba…is for bombs to start falling,
This new measure demonstrates the fascist, criminal, and genocidal nature of a cabal that has hijacked the interests of the American people for purely personal gain,
Claudia Sheinbaumpresident
Our interest is that the Cuban people don’t suffer,
My food is going bad. We haven’t had electricity since 6am,
You can’t sleep. You have to buy food every day. There’s no solution to the power situation,

‘Like judgement day’: Sudanese doctor recounts escape from el-Fasher

The picture that’s emerging is appalling,
I didn’t want to tell them I was a doctor, because they exploited doctors,
Mohamed Ibrahimdr.
We moved from house to house, from wall to wall under nonstop bombardment. Bullets were flying from all directions,
All around we saw people running and falling to the ground in front of us,

Officials defend conditions at pre-Olympic race after Vonn crash

Lindsey Vonn crashed out of a World Cup downhill on Friday that was hazardous to her Olympic medal hopes, though judged safe by race officials and team coaches

Peter Gerdolworld Cup race director
The coach just said he left her on the start list,... because he thinks that it could be (possible). Some of the athletes always want to race; this is clear, it is their job.”
Patrice Morisodswiss tv commentator
If we cancel such a race then we don’t have ski sport.”
Peter Gerdolworld Cup race director
It was probably good light in the spot where she completely missed the line and did the mistake,
Paul Kristoficcoach
I feel for those guys, they have a tough job,
In view of the championships next year, we will definitely work on this,