ASEAN does not recognise Myanmar’s elections ‘as of now’: Philippine FM
Philippine Foreign Secretary Lazaro says ASEAN member states have ‘not endorsed’ the election in military-run Myanmar. Published On 30 Jan 202630 Jan 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share The 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) does not recognise the recently held elections in military-ruled Myanmar, which a military-backed party claimed to have won earlier this week. Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro said on Thursday that ASEAN “has not endorsed the three phases of the elections that were held” in Myanmar, which concluded last weekend. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Lazaro was speaking after hosting ASEAN’s first major ministerial meetings this year in the central Philippines city of Cebu, where the Myanmar crisis was high on the agenda. Asked in a news conference if the bloc did not recognise the elections, Lazaro said “yes, as of now”. Lazaro did not elaborate on how the regional bloc’s stance towards the election and its outcome could change. Local online news organisation Rappler reports that Lazaro said that ASEAN had not yet “reached a consensus on the elections in Myanmar”. “Lazaro also points out that while the three rounds of voting have concluded, the entire process has yet to be over,” Rappler said. ASEAN’s nonrecognition of the elections will be a major blow to normalisation efforts by Myanmar’s military rulers, who seized power in 2021 and hoped to gain international recognition and a degree of legitimacy by holding the election. On Monday, the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) claimed victory in the vote. A senior USDP official was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying, “We won a majority already”, based on preliminary results. Advertisement “We are in the position to form a new government,” the official said. “As we won in the election, we will move forward.” Official results had been expected this week, while the military previously announced that parliament would be convened in March, and the new government would take up its duties in April. Critics say the elections, which excluded major opposition parties and were slated by rights groups and activists, were neither free nor fair, and amounted to an attempt to legitimise military rule. The ASEAN regional bloc, whose 11 members include Myanmar, has refused to recognise the military-ruled government’s coup in 2021 that removed the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and has since plunged the country into a grinding civil war. “Meaningful political progress in Myanmar requires a cessation of hostilities, inclusive dialogue and participation by all stakeholders,” Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said, according to The Associated Press news agency. “These preconditions are necessary for a government with legitimacy and a measure of popular support to emerge,” the minister said. The Philippines currently holds ASEAN’s annual rotating chair of the bloc, taking what would have been Myanmar’s turn after the country was suspended from chairing the meeting owing to the military’s seizure of power. Adblock test (Why?)
Trump says Russia to pause bombing Kyiv during extreme winter conditions
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy welcomed possible one-week pause after Russian attacks left homes with no heat in plummeting temperatures. Published On 30 Jan 202630 Jan 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has welcomed United States President Donald Trump’s announcement that Russia will not attack Kyiv and “various” Ukrainian towns for seven days as civilians struggle with a lack of heating amid freezing winter temperatures. In a post on social media on Thursday, Zelenskyy said that Trump’s comments earlier in the day were an “important statement” about “the possibility of providing security for Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities during this extreme winter period”. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Zelenskyy said that the pause in bombing had been discussed by negotiators during recent ceasefire talks in the United Arab Emirates, and that they “expect the agreements to be implemented”. “De-escalation steps contribute to real progress toward ending the war,” the Ukrainian leader added. Trump said earlier on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to his request not to fire on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv for a week due to severely low temperatures. “I personally asked President Putin not to fire into Kyiv and various towns for a week, and he agreed to do that,” Trump said at a cabinet meeting, citing the “extraordinary cold” in the region. The announcements came as Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on the Telegram messaging app on Thursday that 454 residential buildings remain without heating in the city, as the Ukrainian capital struggles to restore power to homes following repeated Russian bombings targeting power and heating infrastructure in recent weeks. Temperatures are forecast to drop to -23 degrees Celsius (-9.4 degrees Fahrenheit) overnight in the Ukrainian capital this week. Russia’s capital Moscow has experienced its heaviest snowfall in 200 years during the month of January, the meteorological observatory of Lomonosov Moscow State University said on Thursday, according to Russia’s state TASS news agency. Advertisement Russia and Ukraine also exchanged the bodies of soldiers killed in the war on Thursday, officials from both countries confirmed. Similar exchanges have been agreed to during previous rounds of ceasefire talks. However, a breakthrough on ending Russia’s nearly four-year war on Ukraine has remained elusive. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov continued to pour cold water on ceasefire prospects on Thursday, saying that Moscow had yet to see a 20-point ceasefire plan that he said had been “reworked” by Ukraine and its allies. Russia’s top diplomat also claimed that Ukraine had used brief pauses in fighting to “push” people to the front lines, according to TASS. Adblock test (Why?)
Fire in Nagaland’s Dzukou Valley continues to spread, Manipur’s tallest peak at risk, authorities on high alert
Around 30 trekkers were rescued on Wednesday from the Valley after they were stranded in the blaze. The trekkers were safely evacuated from the high-altitude valley, and containment operations were launched by the district administration and the SAYO to prevent the fire from spreading further.
Delhi-NCR Weather Update: National Capital wakes up to fog, AQI in ‘Poor’ category; Check IMD forecast here
Delhi woke up to foggy conditions and poor air quality on Friday as temperatures stayed below normal. The IMD warned of another western disturbance from February 2, predicting rain, falling night temperatures, and low visibility, while AQI remained poor in several areas.
Delhi Traffic Alert! Martyr’s Day 2026 road closures: Check routes to avoid today
On the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary, Delhi Traffic Police put in place traffic restrictions around routes leading to Mahatma Gandhi Smriti Sthal, Rajghat. Check key route to avoid and take here:
Texas’ power grid weathered another winter storm. Is it ready for the future?
Five years after Winter Storm Uri caused catastrophic blackouts that killed hundreds, the electric grid has changed significantly, but increasing demand means it will have to adapt even more.
After a death at an El Paso ICE facility was ruled a homicide, will prosecutors pursue a criminal case?
Because Geraldo Lunas Campos died at a military base, the El Paso District Attorney says any criminal case may fall to federal prosecutors. But criminal law experts say the state doesn’t have to defer to them.
Trump warns UK it’s ‘very dangerous’ to do business with China after Starmer’s Beijing meeting
President Donald Trump warned the U.K. Thursday against strengthening ties with China, hours after Prime Minister Keir Starmer met President Xi Jinping in Beijing to reset relations after a long period of strain. Trump’s remarks came as Starmer and Xi had called for a renewed “strategic partnership,” highlighting the pressures facing them amid global instability. Speaking to Fox News while traveling to Florida for the premiere of first lady Melania Trump’s documentary, Trump was asked about the U.K. “getting into business with China.” “Well, it’s very dangerous for them to do that,” Trump said. “And it’s even more dangerous, I think, for Canada to get into business with China.” GORDON CHANG: APPEASING CHINA WON’T SAVE EUROPE — TRUMP’S HARD POWER JUST MIGHT Trump added that China was not the solution for Western economies despite his personal relationship with Xi. “I know China very well. I know President Xi is a friend of mine, and I know him very well, but that’s a big hurdle to get over,” he said, before joking that Beijing might ban Canada from playing ice hockey. “That’s not good. Canada’s not going to like that,” he added. Trump had previously criticized Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney after Carney’s visit to China and warned then that “China will eat Canada alive.” Trump’s latest comments followed an 80-minute meeting in Beijing between Starmer and Xi in which the leaders sought to thaw relations after several years of diplomatic chill. TRUMP SLAMS UK ISLAND HANDOFF DEAL THAT COULD PUT KEY US MILITARY BASE AT RISK The Associated Press reported that neither leader mentioned Trump directly in their discussions Thursday. “In the current turbulent and ever-changing international situation, China and the United Kingdom need to strengthen dialogue and cooperation to maintain world peace and stability,” Xi told Starmer, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. Xi also warned that if major powers failed to uphold international law, the world risked sliding into a “jungle.” Starmer said cooperation on climate change and global stability was “precisely what we should be doing,” The Associated Press also reported. The outlet also reported that Starmer described the meeting as “very productive,” and mentioned progress on whisky tariffs, visa-free travel to China for British citizens and cooperation on migration. TRUMP SPEAKS WITH CHINESE PRESIDENT XI, WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL CONFIRMS As previously reported by Fox News Digital, Starmer sought Xi’s help to disrupt the supply of China-made small boat engines that the U.K. leader’s office says are used to smuggle people across the English Channel. He also raised human rights concerns and the Iran nuclear program. Starmer is the first British prime minister to visit China in eight years and the fourth U.S.-allied leader to do so this month, signaling a push by Beijing to re-engage Western partners. The visit also came as the U.K. navigates trade alignment with the U.S., defense cooperation in Arctic regions and negotiations over the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands. In November, the U.S. and China reached a deal easing some tariffs and export controls, boosting U.S. agricultural exports, curbing fentanyl precursor flows and relieving pressure on American semiconductor and shipping companies. Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.
Trump administration eases sanctions on Venezuelan oil industry after Maduro’s capture
The Trump administration announced Thursday it was easing sanctions on the Venezuelan oil industry, as the U.S. aims to ramp up production in the South American country following the capture of dictator Nicolás Maduro earlier this month. The U.S. Treasury said it is authorizing transactions involving the government of Venezuela and state-owned oil company PdVSA that are “ordinarily incident and necessary to the lifting, exportation, reexportation, sale, resale, supply, storage, marketing, purchase, delivery, or transportation of Venezuelan-origin oil, including the refining of such oil, by an established U.S. entity.” The new license includes significant carve-outs, with sanctions remaining fully intact for persons or entities in Russia, Iran, North Korea or Cuba. TRUMP SIGNALS LONG ROAD AHEAD IN VENEZUELA IN HIS BOLDEST INTERVENTIONIST MOVE YET It also excludes transactions with blocked vessels, Chinese-owned or controlled entities operating in Venezuela or the U.S., and debt swaps, gold payments, or cryptocurrency payments, including Venezuela’s petro. The announcement came as President Donald Trump pushes for the expansion of oil production in Venezuela. “We have the major oil companies going to Venezuela now, scouting it out and picking their locations, and they’ll be bringing back tremendous wealth for Venezuela and for the United States and the oil companies will do fine too.” Trump said during a cabinet meeting Thursday. RUBIO SAYS US HAS NO PLAN TO USE FORCE IN VENEZUELA — BUT WARNS ‘IMMINENT THREAT’ COULD CHANGE THAT Trump also announced during the meeting that commercial airspace over Venezuela would reopen, after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released an emergency notice earlier this month blocking civil flight operations by U.S. aircraft over the South American country. “I just spoke to the president of Venezuela and informed her that we’re going to be opening up all commercial airspace over Venezuela,” Trump said. “American citizens will be very shortly able to go to Venezuela, and they’ll be safe there and be safe. It’s under very strong control.” Earlier Thursday, Venezuela’s government approved opening the nation’s oil sector to privatization, with Acting President Delcy Rodríguez signing the reform into law — a move that reverses a core principle of the socialist movement that has ruled the country for more than two decades. Fox News Digital’s Diana Stancy and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Minnesota Attorney General Ellison denies making any ICE agreement deal with border czar Homan
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said Thursday there is no new agreement with the federal government allowing county jails to notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of inmate release dates, disputing claims made earlier by border czar Tom Homan. “I did not make, and could not have made, any agreement with him about how sheriffs share with ICE information about people in their county jails,” Ellison said in a statement. Ellison’s office said Minnesota law requires state prisons — not county jails — to notify federal authorities when a person without legal status is convicted of a felony. County jails, by contrast, are independently operated by sheriffs and counties, which decide on their own whether to cooperate with ICE release notifications or detainer requests. MINNEAPOLIS MAYOR TO VISIT DC TO PUSH FOR END OF ‘UNLAWFUL ICE OPERATIONS’ AFTER TRUMP’S BLUNT WARNING Earlier Thursday, Homan said Ellison told him that county jails may alert ICE to the release dates of criminal public safety risks. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment on the matter. Homan was sent to Minnesota Monday and vowed to remain in the state while leading ICE operations “until the problem is gone,” referring to increased unrest in Minneapolis. He made the statement during a news conference Thursday morning, his first since President Donald Trump sent him to the region. TIM WALZ ACCUSES TRUMP OF ‘ORGANIZED BRUTALITY’ IN IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN, SAYS ICE TACTICS ARE ‘UN-AMERICAN’ During that news conference, Homan also said he had a “very productive” meeting with Ellison, adding that the state’s top attorney agreed to notify ICE when local jails were releasing violent illegal aliens — a major request from federal law enforcement. “One ICE agent can arrest one bad guy when he’s behind the safety and security of a jail when he’s behind bars, and we know he doesn’t have weapons,” Homan said. “But when you release that public safety threat illegal alien back into the community, we have a job to do. We’re going to arrest him, so we’re going to find him. MINNESOTA DRAGS TRUMP’S ICE TO COURT IN EFFORT TO PAUSE IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN “So, now what happens is now we’ve got to arrest somebody on his turf where he has access to who knows what weapons,” Homan explained. “Now, we’ve got to send a whole team out.” He also demanded that the “hostile rhetoric” and threats against ICE officers stop, vowing that agents will remain in the Twin Cities to do their jobs. “President Trump wants this fixed, and I’m going to fix it with your help,” Homan said. Trump deployed Homan to Minnesota after heated clashes between anti-ICE agitators and federal agents across the Twin Cities. The unrest resulted in the deaths of two U.S. citizens, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, at the hands of law enforcement. Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.