Editorji is a popular short video news and information platform based in India. It was founded in 2018 by Vikram Chandra, one of India’s leading journalists, and has risen to prominence in the digital news space in a relatively short span of time. The platform is primarily designed for mobile devices, with applications available for Android and iOS.

ABOUT US:

about us editorji

Latest Video News: Editorji provides the latest news video headlines, latest videos clip from India and the World. Get all breaking news videos on Entertainment, Business, Coronavirus, Elections, Politics and more.

Latest Video News, Breaking News, Bollywood, Political, Sports, Business News | Editorji

+91 11 4035 6666 / info@editorji.com
3rd floor, Plot B, Khasara no 360, Sultanpur, New Delhi, Delhi 110030
<a title="mail to us" href="mailto:info@editorji.com">Send Feedback</a>
<a title="Contact Us" href="mailto:info@editorji.com">Contact Us</a>

REACH US

Contact for any questions, suggestions, comments, feedback or advertisement on Editorji.com, we are always looking forward to hearing from you.

Contact Us for Feedback, Suggestions and Advertising 

Editorji content is better experienced in our app.

US President Donald Trump announced the creation of a Gaza “Board of Peace” as part of phase two of a US-backed plan to end the war, with an international force and technocratic governance proposed.

Trump announces 'board of peace' formed for Gaza

US President Donald Trump announced the creation of a Gaza &ldquo;Board of Peace&rdquo; as part of phase two of a US-backed plan to end the war, with an international force and technocratic governance proposed.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced the formation of a Gaza "board of peace," a key phase two element of a US-backed plan to end the war in the Palestinian territory.
"It is my Great Honor to announce that THE BOARD OF PEACE has been formed," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, adding that the members of the body will be announced "shortly."
"I can say with certainty that it is the Greatest and Most Prestigious Board ever assembled at any time, any place," Trump said.
The board's creation comes shortly after the announcement of a 15-member Palestinian technocratic committee, charged with managing the day-to-day governance of post-war Gaza.
The committee will work under the supervision of the board of peace, which Trump said Thursday he will lead as its chair.
The plan also calls for the deployment of an International Stabilisation Force to help secure Gaza and train vetted Palestinian police units.
"The ball is now in the court of the mediators, the American guarantor and the international community to empower the committee," Bassem Naim, a senior Hamas leader, said in a statement on Thursday.
The US-backed Gaza peace plan first came into force on October 10, facilitating the return of all the hostages held by Hamas and an end to the fighting between the Palestinian militant group and Israel in the besieged territory.
The plan's second phase is now underway, though clouded by ongoing allegations of aid shortages and violence.
Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry has said Israeli forces have killed 451 people since the ceasefire ostensibly took effect.
For Palestinians, the central issue remains Israel's full military withdrawal from the Gaza Strip -- a step included in the plan's framework but for which no detailed timetable has been announced.
Hamas, meanwhile, has refused to publicly commit to a full disarmament, a non-negotiable demand from Israel.
In a Truth Social post Wednesday, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff said Washington expects Hamas to "comply fully with its obligations."
Hamas is preparing to hold internal elections to rebuild its leadership, which has been decimated by Israeli killings during the war in Gaza.
That vote is expected "in the first months of 2026," a Hamas leader told AFP Monday.
Trump shared Witkoff's post Thursday, adding "These Palestinian leaders are unwaveringly committed to a PEACEFUL future!" in reference to the transitional government he selects.
"With the support of Egypt, Turkey and Qatar, we will secure a COMPREHENSIVE Demilitarization Agreement with Hamas, including the surrender of ALL weapons, and the dismantling of EVERY tunnel," Trump said.

US and Iranian officials clashed at the UN Security Council as Washington warned Tehran over its deadly crackdown on protests, while Iranian dissidents urged global action and new sanctions were announced.

US warns Iran that 'all options are on the table' in emergency UN meeting

US and Iranian officials clashed at the UN Security Council as Washington warned Tehran over its deadly crackdown on protests, while Iranian dissidents urged global action and new sanctions were announced.

After weeks of escalating tension, US and Iranian officials faced each other Thursday at the UN Security Council, where America's envoy renewed threats against the Islamic Republic despite President Donald Trump's efforts to lower the temperature between the two adversaries.
The US was joined by Iranian dissidents in rebuking the government's bloody crackdown on nationwide protests that activists say has killed at least 2,637 people.
&ldquo;Colleagues, let me be clear: President Trump is a man of action, not endless talk like we see at the United Nations,&rdquo; Mike Waltz, US ambassador to the UN, said in a statement. &ldquo;He has made it clear that all options are on the table to stop the slaughter. And no one should know that better than the leadership of the Iranian regime.&rdquo;
Waltz's remarks came as the prospect of US retaliation for the protesters' deaths still hung over the region, though Trump signaled a possible de-escalation, saying the killing appeared to be ending.
By Thursday, the protests challenging Iran's theocracy appeared increasingly smothered, but the state-ordered internet and communication blackout remained.
The US requested the emergency Security Council meeting and invited two Iranian dissidents, Masih Alinejad and Ahmad Batebi, to open the session with gruesome details of their experience as targets of the Islamic Republic.
In a stunning moment, Alinejad addressed the Iranian representative directly.
&ldquo;You have tried to kill me three times. I have seen my would-be assassin with my own eyes in front of my garden, in my home in Brooklyn,&rdquo; she said while the Iranian official looked directly ahead, without acknowledging her.
In October, two purported Russian mobsters were each sentenced to 25 years behind bars for hiring a hit man to kill Alinejad at her New York home three years ago on behalf of the Iranian government.
Batebi described the deep cuts the prison guards in Iran would inflict on him before pouring salt on his wounds. &ldquo;If you do not believe me, I can show you my body right now,&rdquo; he told the council.
Both dissidents called on the world body and the council to do more to hold Iran accountable for its human rights abuses.
Batebi pleaded with Trump not to &ldquo;leave&rdquo; the Iranian people alone.
&ldquo;You encouraged people to go into the streets. That was a good thing. But don't leave them alone,&rdquo; he said.
Before the meeting, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres spoke by phone for the first time since the deadly protests began last month.
Iran's semiofficial Tasnim news agency reported that Araghchi implored the top UN official to live up to the &ldquo;serious expectation&rdquo; that Iran's government and its people have of the UN's role in condemning &ldquo;illegal US interventions against Iran.&rdquo;
Meanwhile, the US announced new sanctions on Iranian officials accused of suppressing the protests, which began late last month over the country's faltering economy and the collapse of its currency.
The Group of Seven industrialized democracies and the European Union said they too were looking at new sanctions to ratchet up the pressure on Iran's theocratic government.

The United States said Iran halted 800 planned executions of protesters following warnings from President Donald Trump, as Gulf allies worked to prevent US military action against Tehran.

US says Iran halted 800 protester executions after Trump pressure

The United States said Iran halted 800 planned executions of protesters following warnings from President Donald Trump, as Gulf allies worked to prevent US military action against Tehran.

The United States on Thursday said Iran halted 800 executions of protesters under pressure from President Donald Trump, after Gulf allies appeared to pull him back from military action over Tehran's deadly crackdown on demonstrations.
Iran was shaken over the last week by some of the biggest anti-government protests in the history of the Islamic republic, although the demonstrations appear to have diminished over the last few days in the face of repression and a week-long internet blackout.
While Washington has stepped back from military action, the White House said Thursday that "all options remain on the table for the president".
"The president understands today that 800 executions that were scheduled and supposed to take place yesterday were halted," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.
She said Trump had warned Tehran of "grave consequences" if the killing of demonstrators continued.
The Treasury also announced new sanctions targeting Iranian officials on Thursday, with Tehran already under crippling restrictions over its nuclear programme that contributed to the economic woes that sparked protests.
The Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) NGO said on Wednesday that Iranian security forces had killed at least 3,428 protesters, warning that the final toll would be far higher.
Trump had said Wednesday he had received assurances from "very important sources on the other side" that executions would not go ahead, as Gulf allies scrambled to pull him back from military action.
With the belligerent rhetoric on all sides appearing to tone down for now, a senior Saudi official told AFP on Thursday that Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman led efforts to talk Trump out of an attack, fearing "grave blowbacks in the region".
The Gulf trio "led a long, frantic, diplomatic last-minute effort to convince President Trump to give Iran a chance to show good intention", the official said on condition of anonymity.
A second Gulf official confirmed the talks, adding that a message was also conveyed to Iran that attacking US regional facilities would "have consequences".
Asked about a New York Times report that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Trump against strikes, Leavitt said: "Look, it's true that the president spoke with (him), but I would never give details about their conversation without... the express approval by the president himself."
Iranian authorities have lashed out at "rioters" who they claim were backed by Israel and the US, vowing fast-track justice that activists fear will translate into a spree of executions.
 - 'No hanging today' -
In telephone talks on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan that Iran would defend itself "against any foreign threat", according to a statement.
On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia informed Iran it would not allow its airspace or territory to be used to attack the country, two sources close to the kingdom's government told AFP.
The Swiss foreign ministry, which represents US interests in Iran, said Iranian security chief Ali Larijani spoke by phone on Wednesday to senior Swiss diplomat Gabriel Luechinger.
Bern offered to "contribute to the de-escalation of the current situation", the ministry said.
Later on Thursday the country summoned Iran's ambassador to voice its "greatest concern" over the crackdown on nationwide protests, a foreign ministry official said.
The developments came hours ahead of a UN Security Council meeting on Iran later on Thursday, which was requested by the US.
Up until Wednesday, the United States was threatening military action against Iran should it carry out the death penalty against people arrested over the protests.
Attention had focused on protester Erfan Soltani, 26, in prison in Karaj outside Tehran since his arrest, and who rights groups said was due to be executed on Wednesday.
On Thursday, the Iranian judiciary said Soltani has "not been sentenced to death" and was facing charges of propaganda against Iran's Islamic system.
If he is convicted, "the punishment, according to the law, will be imprisonment".
In an interview with US network Fox News, Araghchi said there would be "no hanging today or tomorrow".
Commenting on Truth Social, Trump said: "This is good news. Hopefully, it will continue!"
 - 'Significant cost' -
Araghchi said the Iranian government was "in full control" and reported an atmosphere of calm after what he called three days of "terrorist operation".
Despite the internet shutdown, new videos from the height of the protests, with locations verified by AFP, showed bodies lined up in the Kahrizak morgue south of Tehran, as distraught relatives searched for loved ones.
Another video circulating on social media, said to be from Wednesday, showed people gathered for the funeral of a labourer killed during the protests chanting "Death to Khamenei" and "this year Seyyed Ali (Khamenei) will be overthrown".
AFP was able to verify the location of the video as Abdanan in the western province of Ilam, but not its date.
Meanwhile, the Canadian government confirmed on Thursday that one of its citizens was killed in the protest.
The unnamed Canadian "died at the hands of the Iranian authorities", Foreign Minister Anita Anand said.

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said she presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to US President Donald Trump, as she seeks his support amid shifting US policy on Venezuela.

Venezuela's Machado says she 'presented' Trump with her Nobel Peace prize

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said she presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to US President Donald Trump, as she seeks his support amid shifting US policy on Venezuela.

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said Thursday she "presented" her Nobel Peace Prize medal to Donald Trump, in a bid to win over the US president who had sidelined her since overthrowing Nicolas Maduro.
Her "wonderful gesture of mutual respect," as Trump called it Thursday, comes after the Republican said the award should have gone to him instead -- and after he refused to back Machado following the January 3 US military operation to capture Maduro.
"He deserves it, and it was a very emotional moment," Machado later told broadcaster Fox News in an interview.
Despite the gesture, Trump has backed Maduro's vice president Delcy Rodriguez over Machado -- so long as she toes Washington's line, particularly on access to Venezuela's vast oil reserves.
"I presented the president of the United States the medal of the Nobel Peace Prize," Machado told reporters outside the US capitol, where she met with lawmakers after having lunch with Trump at the White House.
Machado, 58, said it was "recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom."
It was not immediately clear if Trump actually kept the award following the closed-door meeting.
The Norwegian Nobel committee says its prizes cannot be transferred.
 - 'Not afraid' -
Trump had campaigned hard to win last year's Nobel Peace Prize for what he says are his efforts to stop eight wars.
Instead it went to Machado, who appeared in Oslo last month to collect her prize -- following a daring escape from Venezuela by boat -- and then dedicated it to Trump.
Venezuela's opposition has argued and presented evidence that Maduro stole the 2024 election from the candidate of Machado's party, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia -- claims supported by Washington.
But Trump has said that Machado does not have enough support among Venezuelans, and opted to stick with former Maduro loyalist Rodriguez.
Trump and Rodriguez had their first telephone call on Wednesday and the White House said Thursday he "likes what he's seeing" with Venezuela's interim leaders.
Rodriguez said however that Thursday her government was "not afraid" of a diplomatic clash with Washington.
"We know they are very powerful. We know they are a lethal nuclear power...we are not afraid to confront them diplomatically, through political dialogue," said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez was delivering Maduro's state of the nation address to parliament while the toppled Venezuelan leader is in a New York jail facing drug trafficking charges.
By contrast Machado, who campaigned for years to end leftist Maduro's rule, was greeted by jubilant supporters as she left the White House.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said as the lunch started that Machado was a "remarkable and brave voice for many of the people of Venezuela."
But while Leavitt said Trump was "committed to hopefully seeing elections in Venezuela one day," she would not give a timeline.
 - Sixth tanker seizure -
Since Maduro's capture, Trump has said the United States will "run" Venezuela -- exerting pressure through a naval blockade and threats of further attacks -- but has appeared content to let Rodriguez remain in power so long as oil keeps flowing.
US forces on Thursday seized a sixth oil tanker in its campaign to control the South American country's critical fossil fuel sector.
Separately, the first US-brokered sale of Venezuelan oil, worth around $500 million, has been finalized, a US official told AFP on Thursday without identifying the buyer.
Rodriguez in her speech also announced plans for legal reforms to Venezuela's oil sector -- which currently limit the involvement of foreign entities -- but did not give specific details.
Washington has also hailed the release of dozens of political prisoners in the past week, though hundreds remain behind bars.
Meanwhile the shockwaves from the lightning US raid that toppled Maduro continue to reverberate.
Cuba paid tribute on Thursday to 32 soldiers killed in the operation, some of whom had been assigned to Maduro's protection team, in a ceremony attended by revolutionary leader Raul Castro.

Iran's judiciary signals swift trials amid protests, despite U.S. warnings. Mohseni-Ejei emphasizes urgency in handling cases, while Trump threatens action against executions.

Iran Judiciary Chief Signals Swift Trials Amid Protest Clashes

Iran's judiciary accelerates trials for detained protesters amid U.S. warnings. Mohseni-Ejei stresses urgency, warning delay could reduce the impact. This follows Trump's threat of action against executions.

Iran Judiciary Eyes Quick Trials Amid Protests

Iran&rsquo;s judiciary chief indicated rapid trials and possible executions for protest detainees, despite warnings from US President Donald Trump, raising human rights concerns.

Iran on Wednesday vowed fast-track trials for people arrested over a massive wave of protests, after US President Donald Trump threatened "very strong action" if the Islamic Republic goes ahead with hangings.
International outrage has built over a crackdown on the demonstrations, which a rights group said has likely killed thousands in one of the biggest challenges yet to Iran's clerical leadership.
Iranian authorities have insisted they have regained control of the country after successive nights of mass protests, repeatedly accusing the demonstrators of carrying out "acts of terror" of the kind committed by Islamic State.
Judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said on a visit to a prison holding protest detainees that "if a person burned someone, beheaded someone and set them on fire then we must do our work quickly", in comments broadcast by state television.
Iranian news agencies also quoted him as saying the trials should be held in public and said he had spent five hours in a prison in Tehran to examine the cases.
Trump on Tuesday said in a CBS News interview that the United States would act if Iran began hanging protesters.
"We will take very strong action if they do such a thing," said the American leader, who has repeatedly threatened Iran with military intervention.
"When they start killing thousands of people -- and now you're telling me about hanging. We'll see how that's going to work out for them," Trump said.
Tehran called the American warnings a "pretext for military intervention".
Iran's UN mission posted a statement on X, vowing that Washington's "playbook" would "fail again".
"US fantasies and policy toward Iran are rooted in regime change, with sanctions, threats, engineered unrest, and chaos serving as the modus operandi to manufacture a pretext for military intervention," the post said.
Rights groups accuse the government of fatally shooting protesters and masking the scale of the crackdown with an internet blackout imposed on January 8.
"Metrics show #Iran remains offline as the country wakes to another day of digital darkness," said internet monitor Netblocks on Wednesday in a post on X, adding that the blackout had lasted 132 hours.
Some information has trickled out of Iran however. New videos on social media, with locations verified by AFP, showed bodies lined up in the Kahrizak morgue just south of the Iranian capital, with the corpses wrapped in black bags and distraught relatives searching for loved ones.
Tehran prosecutors have said Iranian authorities would press capital charges of "waging war against God" on some detainees.
 - Calls to halt executions -
The US State Department on its Farsi language X account said 26-year-old protestor Erfan Soltani had been sentenced to be executed on Wednesday.
"Erfan is the first protester to be sentenced to death, but he won't be the last," the State Department said, adding more than 10,600 Iranians had been arrested.
Rights group Amnesty International called on Iran to immediately halt all executions, including Soltani's.
Trump urged on his Truth Social platform for Iranians to "KEEP PROTESTING", adding: "I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY."
It was not immediately clear what meetings he was referring to or what the nature of the help would be.
 - 'Rising casualties' -
European nations have also signalled their anger over the crackdown, with France, Germany and the United Kingdom among the countries that summoned their Iranian ambassadors, as did the European Union.
"The rising number of casualties in Iran is horrifying," said EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, vowing further sanctions.
Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights said it had confirmed 734 people killed during the protests, including nine minors, but warned the death toll was likely far higher.
"The real number of those killed is likely in the thousands," IHR's director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam said.
Iranian state media has said dozens of members of the security forces have been killed, with their funerals turning into large pro-government rallies.
Authorities in Tehran have announced a mass funeral ceremony in the capital on Wednesday for the "martyrs" of recent days.
Amir, an Iraqi computer scientist, returned to Baghdad on Monday and described dramatic scenes in Tehran.
"On Thursday night, my friends and I saw protesters in Tehran's Sarsabz neighbourhood amid a heavy military presence. The police were firing rubber bullets," he told AFP in Iraq.
Reza Pahlavi, the US-based son of Iran's ousted shah, called on the military to stop suppressing protests.
"You are the national military of Iran, not the military of the Islamic Republic," he said in a statement.
 - 'Serious challenge' -
The government has sought to regain control of the streets with nationwide rallies that supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei hailed as proof that the protest movement was defeated, calling them a "warning" to the United States.
In power since 1989 and now aged 86, Khamenei has faced significant challenges, most recently the 12-day war in June against Israel, which forced him to go into hiding.
Analysts have cautioned that it is premature to predict the immediate demise of the theocratic system, pointing to the repressive levers the leadership controls, including the Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is charged with safeguarding the Islamic revolution.
Nicole Grajewski, professor at the Sciences Po Centre for International Studies, told AFP the protests represented a "serious challenge" to the Islamic republic, but it was unclear if they would unseat the leadership, pointing to "the sheer depth and resilience of Iran's repressive apparatus".

US President Donald Trump warns Iran of strong action over threatened hangings of protesters as rights groups allege thousands killed and Europe signals sanctions.

Trump warns of 'very strong action' if Iran hangs protesters

US President Donald Trump warns Iran of strong action over threatened hangings of protesters as rights groups allege thousands killed and Europe signals sanctions.

US President Donald Trump warned of unspecified "very strong action" if Iranian authorities go ahead with threatened hangings of some protesters, with Tehran calling American warnings a "pretext for military intervention".
International outrage has built over the crackdown that a rights group said has likely killed thousands during protests posing one of the biggest challenges yet to Iran's clerical leadership.
Iran's UN mission posted a statement on X, vowing that Washington's "playbook" would "fail again".
"US fantasies and policy toward Iran are rooted in regime change, with sanctions, threats, engineered unrest, and chaos serving as the modus operandi to manufacture a pretext for military intervention," the post said.
Iranian authorities have insisted they had regained control of the country after successive nights of mass protests nationwide since.
Rights groups accuse the government of fatally shooting protesters and masking the scale of the crackdown with an internet blackout that has now surpassed the five-day mark.
New videos on social media, with locations verified by AFP, showed bodies lined up in the Kahrizak morgue just south of the Iranian capital, with the corpses wrapped in black bags and distraught relatives searching for loved ones.
Trump -- who earlier told the protesters in Iran that "help is on its way" -- said Tuesday in a CBS News interview that the United States would act if Iran began hanging protesters.
Tehran prosecutors have said Iranian authorities would press capital charges of "moharebeh", or "waging war against God", against some suspects arrested over recent demonstrations.
"We will take very strong action if they do such a thing," said the American leader, who has repeatedly threatened Iran with military intervention.
"When they start killing thousands of people -- and now you're telling me about hanging. We'll see how that's going to work out for them," Trump said.
The US State Department on its Farsi language X account said 26-year-old protestor Erfan Soltani had been sentenced to be executed on Wednesday.
"Erfan is the first protester to be sentenced to death, but he won't be the last," the State Department said, adding more than 10,600 Iranians had been arrested.
Rights group Amnesty International called on Iran to immediately halt all executions, including Soltani's.
Trump urged on his Truth Social platform for Iranians to "KEEP PROTESTING", adding: "I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY."
It was not immediately clear what meetings he was referring to or what the nature of the help would be.
 - 'Rising casualties' -
European nations also signalled their anger over the crackdown, with France, Germany and the United Kingdom among the countries that summoned their Iranian ambassadors, as did the European Union.
"The rising number of casualties in Iran is horrifying," said EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, vowing further sanctions against those responsible.
Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights said it had confirmed 734 people killed during the protests, including nine minors, but warned the death toll was likely far higher.
"The real number of those killed is likely in the thousands," IHR's director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam said.
Iranian state media has said dozens of members of the security forces have been killed, with their funerals turning into large pro-government rallies.
Authorities in Tehran have announced a mass funeral ceremony in the capital on Wednesday for the "martyrs" of recent days.
Amir, an Iraqi computer scientist, returned to Baghdad on Monday and described dramatic scenes in Tehran.
"On Thursday night, my friends and I saw protesters in Tehran's Sarsabz neighbourhood amid a heavy military presence. The police were firing rubber bullets," he told AFP in Iraq.
Reza Pahlavi, the US-based son of Iran's ousted shah, called on the military to stop suppressing protests.
"You are the national military of Iran, not the military of the Islamic Republic," he said in a statement.
 - 'Serious challenge -
The government on Monday sought to regain control of the streets with mass nationwide rallies that supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei hailed as proof that the protest movement was defeated, calling them a "warning" to the United States.
In power since 1989 and now aged 86, Khamenei has faced significant challenges, most recently the 12-day war in June against Israel, which forced him to go into hiding.
Analysts have cautioned that it is premature to predict the immediate demise of the theocratic system, pointing to the repressive levers the leadership controls, including the Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is charged with safeguarding the Islamic revolution.
Nicole Grajewski, professor at the Sciences Po Centre for International Studies, told AFP the protests represented a "serious challenge" to the Islamic republic, but it was unclear if they would unseat the leadership, pointing to "the sheer depth and resilience of Iran's repressive apparatus".

US President Donald Trump responds with an obscene gesture to a heckler during a visit to a Ford auto plant in Michigan, sparking controversy as a video circulates online.

Watch: Heckler shouts 'pedophile protector', Trump responds with middle finger

US President Donald Trump responds with an obscene gesture to a heckler during a visit to a Ford auto plant in Michigan, sparking controversy as a video circulates online.

US President Donald Trump was caught on camera Tuesday responding obscenely to a heckler during a visit to an auto plant in Michigan, according to a video circulating on social media.
During a tour of the Ford F-150 factory in Detroit, Michigan, Trump is seen on an elevated walkway overlooking the factory floor dressed in a long black overcoat.
After some shouting, Trump appeared to point at the heckler on the factory floor, scowling and saying a few choice words, before raising a middle finger.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
WATCH: Trump shows his middle finger and appears to say "fuck you" after Ford worker yells "pedophile protector" - TMZ <a href="https://t.co/aFsDmrvkr7">pic.twitter.com/aFsDmrvkr7</a>
&mdash; BNO News (@BNONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/BNONews/status/2011188488171888665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 13, 2026</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The heckler has not been identified, but White House spokesman Steven Cheung told AFP they got what they deserved.
"A lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage, and the President gave an appropriate and unambiguous response," Cheung said.
The heckler seemed to shout, in part, "pedophile protector," TMZ reported.
The 79-year-old Republican's second term has been dogged by demands to release the files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who was once a friend to Trump and the jet set.
Epstein, a financier, was awaiting trial for allegedly trafficking underage girls when he died in a New York jail cell in 2019 -- a death officially ruled a suicide but long the subject of conspiracy theories amplified by Trump's supporters.
Trump approved bipartisan legislation to release the files, but his Department of Justice has failed to meet the December 19 deadline to release them all.
Earlier this month, justice officials said it was still reviewing more than two million documents for release.

Government sources say US President Donald Trump’s threat of a 25% tariff on countries trading with Iran will have minimal impact on India due to limited bilateral trade.

Minimal risk for India from Trump's 25 per cent Iran-linked tariffs: Govt sources

Government sources say US President Donald Trump&rsquo;s threat of a 25% tariff on countries trading with Iran will have minimal impact on India due to limited bilateral trade.

US President Donald Trump's fresh threat of a 25 per cent tariff on any country doing business with Iran is likely to have a "minimal impact" on India, government sources said on Tuesday.
As Iran continued to witness massive anti-government protests, Trump said on Tuesday that the 25 per cent tariff will be slapped on countries having trade with Tehran and it will become "effective immediately". The death toll in the nationwide protests in Iran increased to over 2,000, according to activists.
"Effective immediately, any country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a tariff of 25 per cent on any and all business being done with the United States of America. This Order is final and conclusive," Trump said on social media.
There was no clarity on implementation of the tariff as no formal notification has been issued by the Trump administration on it yet, people aware of the matter said.
In August, Trump slapped a 50 per cent tariff on India including a 25 per cent additional duties for India's purchase of Russian crude oil. If India comes under the fresh tariff regime, then the duties on Indian goods are expected to increase beyond 50 per cent.
For India, Iran does not even figure in the top 50 global trading partners, the sources cited above said. Last year, India's trade with Iran was USD 1.6 billion, which is approximately 0.15 per cent of India's total trade, they said.
India's trade value with Iran is expected to go down further in the current financial year due to external economic factors, the sources said. India's current trade with Iran is bare minimum and it primarily involves food items and pharmaceuticals.
India stopped importing oil from Iran in May 2019 because of sanctions imposed by Trump in his first term.
Iran's total imports in 2024 were worth almost USD 68 billion, and the country's leading import partners were the UAE (USD 21 billion or 30 per cent of Tehran's imports), China (USD 17 billion or 26 per cent), Turkiye (USD 11 billion or 16 per cent), and the European Union (USD 6 billion or 9 per cent).
India is a development partner in Iran's Chabahar port project. The two sides have a 10-year agreement on the development of a terminal at the port. The Trump administration granted a six-month exemption from US sanctions applicable from October 2024 for the Chabahar port.

Denmark’s foreign minister visits the White House to defuse tensions after US President Donald Trump renewed threats to seize Greenland, drawing strong resistance from Denmark and Greenland.

Danish foreign minister heads to White House for high-stakes Greenland talks

Denmark&rsquo;s foreign minister visits the White House to defuse tensions after US President Donald Trump renewed threats to seize Greenland, drawing strong resistance from Denmark and Greenland.

Denmark's top diplomat visits the White House on Wednesday in a high-stakes attempt to lower the temperature on Greenland, which US President Donald Trump has vowed to seize from the longtime ally.
Since returning to office nearly a year ago, Trump has mused about taking over the vast, strategic and sparsely populated Arctic island, and he has sounded emboldened since ordering a deadly January 3 attack in Venezuela that removed its president.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen had sought the talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The meeting will take place at the White House, after Vice President JD Vance requested to join.
On requesting the meeting, Lokke said he was hoping to "clear up certain misunderstandings." But it remains to be seen if the Trump administration also sees a misunderstanding and if it wants to climb down.
Trump, when asked Tuesday about Greenland's leader saying that the island prefers to remain an autonomous territory of Denmark, said: "Well that's their problem."
"Don't know anything about him, but that's going to be a big problem for him," Trump said.
Trump, a real-estate developer, said on Friday that he wanted Greenland "whether they like it or not" and "if we don't do it the easy way, we're going to do it the hard way."
According to Trump, the United States needs Greenland due to the threat of a takeover by Russia or China.
The two rival powers have both stepped up activity in the Arctic, where ice is melting due to climate change, but neither claims Greenland.
With an echo of America's 19th-century self-conception of possessing a "Manifest Destiny" to expand, Trump has spoken of the need for the United States to grow.
Incorporating Greenland, which has 57,000 people, would catapult the United States past China and Canada to be the world's second largest country in land mass after Russia.
 - Is cooperation possible? -
Vance in March paid an uninvited visit to Greenland. He stayed only at Pituffik, the longstanding US base on the island, and did not mingle with local residents.
Vance is known for his hard edge, which was on display when he berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly during a White House meeting in February.
It has not been announced if the Greenland meeting will be open to the press. If not, it would reduce chances of a similar, televised confrontation.
"If the US continues with, 'We have to have Greenland at all cost,' it could be a very short meeting," said Penny Naas, a senior vice president at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, a Washington think tank.
"If there is a slight nuance to it, it could lead to a different conversation," she said.
Greenland's top diplomat Vivian Motzfeldt will join the talks. Her government as well as Denmark have been firm against Trump's designs.
"One thing must be clear to everyone: Greenland does not want to be owned by the United States. Greenland does not want to be governed by the United States. Greenland does not want to be part of the United States," Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said at a press conference ahead of the White House talks.
He was speaking alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who said it had not been easy to stand up to "completely unacceptable pressure from our closest ally."
Denmark has rejected US claims it is not protecting Greenland from Russia and China, recalling that it has invested almost 90 billion kroner ($14 billion) to beef up its military presence in the Arctic.
Denmark is a founding member of NATO and its military joined the United States in the wars in Afghanistan and, controversially, Iraq.
Shortly after the White House talks, a senior delegation from the US Congress -- mostly Democrats, but with one Republican -- will visit Copenhagen to offer solidarity.
"President Trump's continued threats toward Greenland are unnecessary and would only weaken our NATO alliance," said Dick Durbin, the number-two Senate Democrat.

Greenland’s prime minister says the Arctic island would remain with Denmark over the United States, ahead of high-stakes White House talks amid renewed takeover threats by Donald Trump.

'We choose Denmark,' says Greenland ahead of White House talks

Greenland&rsquo;s prime minister says the Arctic island would remain with Denmark over the United States, ahead of high-stakes White House talks amid renewed takeover threats by Donald Trump.

Greenland would choose to remain Danish over a US takeover, its leader said Tuesday, ahead of crunch White House talks on the future of the Arctic island which President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened.
Trump has been talking up the idea of buying or annexing the autonomous territory for years, and further stoked tensions this week by saying the United States would take it "one way or the other".
"We are now facing a geopolitical crisis, and if we have to choose between the United States and Denmark here and now, we choose Denmark," Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said at a press conference.
"One thing must be clear to everyone: Greenland does not want to be owned by the United States. Greenland does not want to be governed by the United States. Greenland does not want to be part of the United States."
He was speaking alongside Danish leader Mette Frederiksen, who said it had not been easy to stand up to what she slammed as "completely unacceptable pressure from our closest ally".
"However, there are many indications that the most challenging part is ahead of us," Frederiksen said.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and his Greenlandic counterpart Vivian Motzfeldt are to meet US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday to discuss Greenland's future.
Lokke said they had requested a meeting with Rubio, and Vance had asked to take part and host it at the White House.
Vance made an uninvited visit to the island in March where he criticised Denmark for what he said was a lack of commitment to Greenland and security in the Arctic, and called it a "bad ally".
The comments enraged Copenhagen, which has been an ardent trans-Atlantic supporter and which has sent troops to fight US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
 - 'Misunderstandings' -
For Nuuk and Copenhagen, Wednesday's meeting at the White House is aimed at ironing out "misunderstandings".
These relate to Greenland's defence, Chinese and Russian military presence in the Arctic, and the relationship between Greenland and Copenhagen, which together with the Faroe Islands make up the Kingdom of Denmark.
"To the uninformed American listener, the ongoing (independence) talks between Denmark and Greenland might have been construed as if Greenland's secession from Denmark was imminent," said Greenland specialist Mikaela Engell.
For these listeners, "I can understand that, in this situation, it would be better for the Americans to take hold of that strategic place", the former Danish representative on the island told AFP.
But this "discussion has been going on for years and years and it has never meant that Greenland was on its way out the door", she stressed.
Denmark's foreign minister said the reason Copenhagen and Nuuk had requested Wednesday's meeting was "to move the entire discussion... into a meeting room, where you can look each other in the eye and talk through these issues".
Greenland's location is highly strategic, lying on the shortest route for missiles between Russia and the United States. It is therefore a crucial part of the US anti-missile shield.
Washington has accused Copenhagen of doing little to protect Greenland from what it perceives as a growing Arctic threat from Russia and China, though analysts suggest Beijing is a small player in the region.
Denmark's government has rejected US claims, recalling that it has invested almost 90 billion kroner ($14 billion) to beef up its military presence in the Arctic.
The Danish prime minister on Tuesday called for stronger cooperation with the US and NATO to improve the region's security.
She also called for NATO to defend Greenland, and said that security guarantees would be "the best defence against Chinese or Russian threats in the Arctic".
Diplomats at NATO say some Alliance members have floated the idea of launching a new mission in the region, although no concrete proposals are yet on the table.
Rutte said on Monday that NATO was working on "the next steps" to bolster Arctic security.
Greenland's foreign minister and Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen are to meet NATO's Secretary General Mark Rutte on January 19 to discuss the issue.
"We are now moving forward with the whole issue of a more permanent, larger presence in Greenland from the Danish defence forces but also with the participation of other countries," Lund Poulsen told reporters.

President Donald Trump cautioned that the United States could face trillions in losses if the Supreme Court rules some of his tariffs illegal, calling it a “complete mess” for the economy.

Trump warns US would be 'screwed' if Supreme Court overturns tariffs

President Donald Trump cautioned that the United States could face trillions in losses if the Supreme Court rules some of his tariffs illegal, calling it a &ldquo;complete mess&rdquo; for the economy.

President Donald Trump said Monday that the United States would be "screwed" if the Supreme Court rules that some of his tariffs are illegal.
Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said hundreds of billions of dollars would have to be paid back to US companies if the top court rules against his flagship economic policy.
"And that doesn't include the amount of 'payback' that Countries and Companies would require for the investments they are making... for the purpose of being able to avoid the payment of Tariffs," he said.
"When these Investments are added, we are talking about Trillions of Dollars!" he said. "It would be a complete mess, and almost impossible for our Country to pay."
"In other words, if the Supreme Court rules against the United States of America on this National Security bonanza, WE'RE SCREWED!" Trump said.
<iframe class="truthsocial-embed" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0;" src="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/115883475463948362/embed" width="600" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
&nbsp;
The Supreme Court plans to release opinions on Wednesday and the tariffs case, which was argued in November, could potentially be among the rulings it hands down.
During oral arguments in the case, the justices appeared deeply skeptical of Trump's use of emergency powers to impose "reciprocal" tariffs on nearly every US trade partner and levies targeting Mexico, Canada and China over their alleged roles in illicit drug flows.
Several of the six conservative justices, along with the three liberals, questioned whether the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) that Trump invoked confers the authority to impose tariffs.
The court's decision does not concern sector-specific tariffs Trump separately imposed, including on steel, aluminum and automobiles.
Trump has brought the average effective US tariff rate to its highest since the 1930s, and has repeatedly warned of calamity if the duties are overturned.

US President Donald Trump imposes a 25% tariff on nations doing business with Iran, potentially impacting major trade partners like India, China, and the UAE, amid growing US-Iran tensions.

Trump announces 25% tariff on 'any country' trading with Iran, move could impact India, China, UAE

US President Donald Trump imposes a 25% tariff on nations doing business with Iran, potentially impacting major trade partners like India, China, and the UAE, amid growing US-Iran tensions.

US President Donald Trump announced that any country &ldquo;doing business" with Iran will have to pay a 25 per cent tariff on its trade with Washington, a move that could impact Tehran&rsquo;s major trading partners such as India, China and the UAE.
"Effective immediately, any Country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a Tariff of 25 per cent on any and all business being done with the United States of America. This Order is final and conclusive,&rdquo; Trump said in a post on Truth Social Monday.
Among Iran&rsquo;s major trading partners are China, Turkey, India, the UAE, Pakistan and Armenia.
The announcement by Trump could impact India, which has been among Iran&rsquo;s five largest trade partners in recent years.
The US has already imposed 50 per cent tariffs on India, among the highest in the world, including 25 per cent for Delhi&rsquo;s purchases of Russian energy.
According to the Indian Embassy in Tehran, major Indian exports to Iran include rice, tea, sugar, pharmaceuticals, manmade staple fibres, electrical machinery and artificial jewellery, while major Indian imports from Iran consist of dry fruits, inorganic/organic chemicals and glassware.
According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), an online data visualisation and distribution platform, exports from India to Iran in 2023 totalled 1.19 billion dollars, while imports into India totalled 1.02 billion dollars.
During 2023, the top exports from India to Iran were rice (USD 734M), Soybean Meal (USD 96.8M), and Bananas (USD 52M). Top exports from Iran to India included Acyclic alcohol derivatives (halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated) (USD 309M).
&ldquo;India and Iran share a millennia-long history of interactions. The contemporary relationship draws upon the strength of these historical and civilisational ties, and continues to grow further marked by high-level exchanges, commercial and connectivity cooperation, cultural and robust people-to-people ties,&rdquo; the Indian Embassy in Tehran has said.
A key aspect of India-Iran ties is the joint development of the Chabahar port. Located in the Sistan-Balochistan province on Iran&rsquo;s energy-rich southern coast, the Chabahar port is being developed by India and Iran to boost connectivity and trade ties.
In May 2015, India and Iran signed an MoU on &lsquo;Partnership of India in the Development Plan of Chabahar Port&rsquo;.
This was followed by the signing of a Trilateral Agreement in May 2016 between India, Iran and Afghanistan to establish the International Transport and Transit Corridor (Chabahar Agreement).
India is participating in the development of the first phase of the Shahid Beheshti Terminal, Chabahar Port in cooperation with Iran, the Ministry of External Affairs has said.
In December 2018, an Indian company, India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) through its wholly owned subsidiary, India Ports Global Chabahar Free Zone (IPGCFZ), took over the operations of Chabahar Port.
In May 2024, IPGL signed a ten-year contract with the Ports and Maritime Organisation (PMO) of the Islamic Republic of Iran for equipping and operating the Shahid Beheshti Terminal of Chabahar Port.

US President Donald Trump reiterated that he stopped the conflict between India and Pakistan, claiming credit for ending eight wars and criticizing former President Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize.

Trump Claims Credit for Preventing India-Pakistan Conflict

Trump's India-Pakistan Peace Effort

US President Donald Trump reiterated that he stopped the conflict between India and Pakistan, claiming credit for ending eight wars and criticizing former President Obama&rsquo;s Nobel Peace Prize.

US President Donald Trump repeated his claim that he has solved the conflict between India and Pakistan, saying he ended eight wars but still did not get the Nobel Peace Prize.
"I ended eight wars. I &mdash; If you look at those wars, these were tough wars to end, too. And let me tell you, India and Pakistan were going at it. As you know, they were going at it...But that was one of eight. But we ended eight strong wars. Some have been going on for more than 30 years,&rdquo; Trump said in an interview to The New York Times last week.
He asserted that no one else has ended eight wars and repeated his criticism of former President Barack Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009.
"I've ended &mdash; remember this, I&rsquo;ve ended eight wars. Nobody else has ever done that. I&rsquo;ve ended eight wars and didn&rsquo;t get the Nobel Peace Prize. Pretty amazing. Obama got it. He was there for a few weeks, and he got it. He didn&rsquo;t even know why he got it. They asked him, why did he get it? He was unable to answer the question,&rdquo; he said.
This was the third time in as many days last week that Trump claimed credit for stopping the conflict between India and Pakistan, an assertion he has now made about 80 times since May 10 last year, when he announced on social media that India and Pakistan agreed to a &ldquo;full and immediate&rdquo; ceasefire after a &ldquo;long night&rdquo; of talks mediated by Washington.
India has consistently denied any third-party intervention.
During a meeting in the White House on Friday with oil and gas executives to discuss plans for the Venezuelan oil reserves, Trump said, &ldquo;Look, whether people like Trump or don't like Trump, I settled eight wars, big ones. Some going on for 36 years, 32 years, 31 years, 28 years, 25 years, some just getting ready to start like India and Pakistan, where already eight jets were shot out of the air, and I got it done in rapid order without nuclear weapons.&rdquo;
Trump also said that Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif, who had visited the White House last year, credited him for saving millions of lives by stopping the conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
The Pakistani leader "made a very public statement. He said that President Trump saved a minimum of 10 million lives, having to do with Pakistan and India, and that was going to be raging,&rdquo; he said.
Earlier, in an interview with Fox News on Thursday, Trump said he stopped the war between India and Pakistan, the two nuclear powers "ready to go at it big&rdquo; as he again claimed that eight planes were shot down in the conflict.
He said one should get a Nobel Prize for stopping each war.
&ldquo;Because some of these wars were going on for 30 years. India and Pakistan were ready to go at it big. And these are two nuclear countries. I got that one stopped. Eight planes were shot down. They were really at it, and I got it stopped. It was a big one,&rdquo; Trump had said.

Stars including Mark Ruffalo, Wanda Sykes, Jean Smart, and Natasha Lyonne wore “BE GOOD” and “ICE OUT” pins at the Golden Globes to honor Renee Good, highlighting immigration enforcement issues and sparking political activism at the ceremony.

Golden Globes: Celebrities Wear Anti-ICE Pins for Renee Good

Stars Support Justice for Renee Good

Stars including Mark Ruffalo, Wanda Sykes, Jean Smart, and Natasha Lyonne wore &ldquo;BE GOOD&rdquo; and &ldquo;ICE OUT&rdquo; pins at the Golden Globes to honor Renee Good, highlighting immigration enforcement issues and sparking political activism at the ceremony.

Some celebrities donned anti-ICE pins at the Golden Globes on Sunday in tribute to Renee Good, who was shot and killed in her car by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer this week in Minneapolis.
The black-and-white pins displayed slogans like &ldquo;BE GOOD&rdquo; and &ldquo;ICE OUT&rdquo;, introducing a political angle into the awards show after last year's relatively apolitical ceremony.
Mark Ruffalo, Wanda Sykes, Jean Smart and Natasha Lyonne wore the pins on the red carpet, and other celebrities were expected to have them on display as well.
Since the shooting Wednesday, protests have broken out across the country, calling for accountability for Good's death as well as a separate shooting in Portland where Border Patrol agents wounded two people.
Some protests have resulted in clashes with law enforcement, especially in Minneapolis, where ICE is carrying out its largest immigration enforcement operation to date.
&ldquo;We need every part of civil society, society to speak up,&rdquo; said Nelini Stamp of Working Families Power, one of the organisers for the anti-ICE pins. &ldquo;We need our artists. We need our entertainers. We need the folks who reflect society.&rdquo;
Congress members have vowed an assertive response, and an FBI investigation into Good's killing is ongoing. The Trump administration has doubled down in defending the ICE officer's actions, maintaining that he was acting in self-defense and thought Good would hit him with her car.
Just a week before Good was killed, an off-duty ICE officer fatally shot and killed 43-year-old Keith Porter in Los Angeles. His death sparked protests in the Los Angeles area, calling for the officer responsible to be arrested.
The idea for the &ldquo;ICE OUT&rdquo; pins began with a late-night text exchange earlier this week between Stamp and Jess Morales Rocketto, the executive director of a Latino advocacy group called Maremoto.
They know that high-profile cultural moments can introduce millions of viewers to social issues. This is the third year of Golden Globes activism for Morales Rocketto, who has previously rallied Hollywood to protest the Trump administration's family separation policies.
Stamp said she always thinks of the 1973 Oscars, when Sacheen Littlefeather took Marlon Brando's place and declined his award to protest American entertainment's portrayal of Native Americans.
So, the two organisers began calling up the celebrities and influencers they knew, who in turn brought their campaign to the more prominent figures in their circles. That initial outreach included labour activist Ai-jen Poo, who walked the Golden Globes' red carpet in 2018 with Meryl Streep to highlight the Time's Up movement.
&ldquo;There is a longstanding tradition of people who create art taking a stand for justice in moments,&rdquo; Stamp said. &ldquo;We're going to continue that tradition.&rdquo;
Allies of their movement have been attending the &ldquo;fancy events&rdquo; that take place in the days leading up to the Golden Globes, according to Stamp. They're passing out the pins at parties and distributing them to neighbors who will be attending tonight's ceremony.
&ldquo;They put it in their purse and they're like, Hey would you wear this? It's so grassroots,&rdquo; Morales Rocketto said.
The organisers pledged to continue the campaign throughout awards season to ensure the public knows the names of Good and others killed by ICE agents in shootings.

US President Donald Trump says Iran’s leadership reached out to negotiate as protests intensify and rights groups warn of a growing death toll during the nationwide crackdown.

Trump says US military studying 'very strong options' for Iran

US President Donald Trump says Iran&rsquo;s leadership reached out to negotiate as protests intensify and rights groups warn of a growing death toll during the nationwide crackdown.

US President Donald Trump said Sunday that Iran's leadership had called him seeking "to negotiate" after he repeatedly threatened to intervene militarily if Tehran killed protesters.
For two weeks, Iran has been rocked by a protest movement that has swelled in spite of a crackdown rights groups warn has become a "massacre".
Initially sparked by anger over the rising cost of living, the demonstrations have evolved into a serious challenge of the theocratic system in place since the 1979 revolution.
Information has continued to trickle out of Iran despite a days-long internet shutdown, with videos filtering out of capital Tehran and other cities over the past three nights showing large demonstrations.
As reports emerge of a growing protest death toll, and images show bodies piled outside a morgue, Trump said Tehran indicated its willingness to talk.
"The leaders of Iran called" yesterday, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, adding that "a meeting is being set up... They want to negotiate."
He added, however, that "we may have to act before a meeting".
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | On the situation in Iran, US President Donald Trump says, "It looks like (the line has been crossed)... Some people, who were not supposed to be killed, have been killed... If you talk about leaders, I don't know if they are leaders or just rule through violence... But&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/TKTMi0FUAj">pic.twitter.com/TKTMi0FUAj</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2010546108125282326?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The US-based Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) said it had received "eyewitness accounts and credible reports indicating that hundreds of protesters have been killed across Iran during the current internet shutdown".
"A massacre is unfolding," it said.
The Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights (IHR) said it confirmed the killing of at least 192 protesters but that the actual toll could be much higher.
"Unverified reports indicate that at least several hundreds, and according to some sources, more than 2,000 people may have been killed," said IHR.
More than 2,600 protesters have been arrested, IHR estimates.
A video circulating on Sunday showed dozens of bodies accumulating outside a morgue south of Tehran.
The footage, geolocated by AFP to Kahrizak, showed bodies wrapped in black bags, with what appeared to be grieving relatives searching for loved ones.
 - Near paralysis -
In Tehran, an AFP journalist described a city in a state of near paralysis.
The price of meat has nearly doubled since the start of the protests, and many shops are closed. Those that do open must close at around 4:00 or 5:00 pm, when security forces deploy en masse.
There were fewer videos showing protests on social media Sunday, but it was not clear to what extent that was due to the internet shutdown.
One widely shared video showed protesters again gathering in the Pounak district of Tehran shouting slogans in favour of the ousted monarchy.
The protests have become one of the biggest challenges to the rule of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, coming in the wake of Israel's 12-day war against the Islamic republic in June, which was backed by the United States.
State TV has aired images of burning buildings, including a mosque, as well as funeral processions for security personnel.
But after three days of mass actions, state outlets were at pains to present a picture of calm returning, broadcasting images of smooth-flowing traffic on Sunday. Tehran Governor Mohammad-Sadegh Motamedian insisted in televised comments that "the number of protests is decreasing".
The Iranian government on Sunday declared three days of national mourning for "martyrs" including members of the security forces killed.
President Masoud Pezeshkian also urged Iranians to join a "national resistance march" Monday to denounce the violence.
In response to Trump's repeated threats to intervene, Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Iran would hit back, calling US military and shipping "legitimate targets" in comments broadcast by state TV.
 - 'Stand with the people' -
Reza Pahlavi, the US-based son of Iran's ousted shah, who has emerged as an anti-government figurehead, said he was prepared to return to the country and lead a democratic transition.
"I'm already planning on that," he told Fox News on Sunday.
He later urged Iran's security forces and government workers to join the demonstrators.
"Employees of state institutions, as well as members of the armed and security forces, have a choice: stand with the people and become allies of the nation, or choose complicity with the murderers of the people," he said in a social media post.
He also urged protesters to replace the flags outside of Iranian embassies.
"The time has come for them to be adorned with Iran's national flag," he said.
The ceremonial, pre-revolution flag has become an emblem of the global rallies that have mushroomed in support of Iran's demonstrators.
In London, protesters managed over the weekend to swap out the Iranian embassy flag, hoisting in its place the tri-colored banner used under the last shah.

US President Donald Trump posts an image labeling himself as “Acting President of Venezuela,” following US action against Nicolas Maduro and claims of overseeing a transition.

Trump describes himself as 'Acting President of Venezuela' in Truth Social post

US President Donald Trump posts an image labeling himself as &ldquo;Acting President of Venezuela,&rdquo; following US action against Nicolas Maduro and claims of overseeing a transition.

US President Donald Trump has posted a photo of himself on his social media site Truth Social with his designation listed as "Acting President of Venezuela."
The post on Truth Social on Sunday has Trump's official portrait and then the designation &ldquo;Acting President of Venezuela, &ldquo;Incumbent January 2026.&rdquo;
It also has his designation as the 45th and 47th President of the United States, who assumed office on January 20, 2025.
<iframe class="truthsocial-embed" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0;" src="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/115879509461234235/embed" width="600" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
&nbsp;
Earlier this month, the US carried out a &ldquo;large-scale" strike against Venezuela, capturing the country&rsquo;s leader, Nicolas Maduro, who, along with his wife Cilia Flores, was flown to New York, where they were indicted on narco-terrorism conspiracy charges.
Trump has said that the US will "run Venezuela "until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition. We can't take a chance that someone else takes over Venezuela who doesn't have the interests of Venezuelans in mind."
Venezuela's vice president and oil minister, Delcy Rodriguez, was formally sworn in as the country's interim president last week.
Trump had said that the interim authorities in Venezuela will be turning over between 30 and 50 million barrels of &ldquo;high-quality, sanctioned oil&rdquo; to the US, which will be sold at its market price.
"That money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States! I have asked Energy Secretary Chris Wright to execute this plan immediately. It will be taken by storage ships and brought directly to unloading docks in the United States."

US President Donald Trump warns Cuba to negotiate with the United States or face total cutoff of Venezuelan oil and financial aid, as Havana rejects the ultimatum.

Trump vows to cut off Cuba's oil after toppling Venezuelan ally Maduro

US President Donald Trump warns Cuba to negotiate with the United States or face total cutoff of Venezuelan oil and financial aid, as Havana rejects the ultimatum.

US President Donald Trump urged Cuba on Sunday to "make a deal" soon, pledging to cut off all oil and money flowing to the communist-run island after the toppling of Havana's key ally, Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
The threatening social media post drew an angry retort from Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, who said "no one" would tell his country what to do.
Washington has imposed economy-crippling sanctions on its island neighbor for decades, but Trump has ramped up the pressure in recent days.
US special forces seized Maduro and his wife last week in a lightning raid that left dozens of the ousted Venezuelan president's security personnel dead -- many of whom were Cuban.
Though Maduro's allies have become interim leaders, Trump has claimed the United States now actually controls Venezuela, through a US naval blockade of its vital oil sector.
"THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA - ZERO!" Trump said Sunday morning on his Truth Social platform. "I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE."
Trump provided no details about what potential deal he referred to, or what such an arrangement would achieve.
He said "Cuba lived, for many years, on large amounts of OIL and MONEY from Venezuela. In return, Cuba provided 'Security Services' for the last two Venezuelan dictators, BUT NOT ANYMORE!"
"Most of those Cubans are DEAD from last week's U.S.A. attack, and Venezuela doesn't need protection anymore from the thugs and extortionists who held them hostage for so many years."
A week ago, Trump stated that "Cuba is ready to fall," noting that the island's economic crisis was worsening and it would be difficult for Havana to "hold out" without receiving heavily subsidized Venezuelan oil.
Earlier on Sunday, the president reposted a message that jokingly suggested US Secretary of State Marco Rubio -- a child of Cuban immigrants who concurrently holds the posts of national security advisor, acting head of the US archives, and acting international aid administrator -- could also become the president of Cuba.
Trump shared that post with the comment: "Sounds good to me!"
Cuba's president rebuffed Trump's threatening language, saying the Caribbean island's residents were "ready to defend the homeland to the last drop of blood."
"Cuba is a free, independent and sovereign nation. No one tells us what to do," Diaz-Canel wrote on X.
Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez also weighed in to stress that Cuba is within its rights to import fuel from any willing exporter, "without interference or subordination to the unilateral coercive measures of the United States."
 - 'Talk, talk, talk' -
A Cold War-era US trade embargo has cinched Cuba's economy beginning in 1962, and since 2000 Havana increasingly has relied on Venezuelan oil provided as part of a deal struck with Maduro's predecessor, the firebrand leftist Hugo Chavez.
On Sunday in the streets of Havana, retiree Mercedes Simon seemed to dismiss the US leader's latest bluster.
"Trump is not going to touch Cuba," the 65-year-old told AFP. "All the presidents talk, talk, talk" about Cuba, for decades, "but they don't act."
Marcos Sanchez, a 21-year-old working in the restaurant business, said the two countries should find common ground, "without resorting to violence."
Trump's provocative language on Cuba comes as the emboldened American leader has hinted he has other countries in his sights after capturing Maduro.
Trump, who had openly sought last year's Nobel Peace Prize, has recently threatened Colombia, Mexico, Iran and Greenland.
Some Republican US lawmakers on Sunday lauded Trump for his aggressive comments on Cuba, including congressman Mario Diaz-Balart from Florida.
"The tyranny in Cuba will not survive the second term of President Trump," Diaz-Balart posted in Spanish on X, "and Cuba will finally be free after decades of misery, tragedy, and pain."

US President Donald Trump announced he has cancelled a planned second wave of attacks on Venezuela, citing improved cooperation and the release of a large number of political prisoners as a gesture toward peace.

Trump says 'cancelled' second wave of attacks on Venezuela after prisoner release

US President Donald Trump announced he has cancelled a planned second wave of attacks on Venezuela, citing improved cooperation and the release of a large number of political prisoners as a gesture toward peace.

US President Donald Trump said on Friday he cancelled a second wave of attacks on Venezuela after it began releasing "large numbers" of political prisoners this week.
"Venezuela is releasing large numbers of political prisoners as a sign of "Seeking Peace."... Because of this cooperation, I have cancelled the previously expected second Wave of Attacks," he said on his Truth platform.
"At least 100 Billion Dollars will be invested by BIG OIL, all of whom I will be meeting with today at The White House," he added.

The US Senate voted 52‑47 to advance a bipartisan war powers resolution limiting President Donald Trump’s authority to conduct further military operations against Venezuela without congressional approval.

US Senate rebukes Trump on Venezuela in war powers vote

The US Senate voted 52‑47 to advance a bipartisan war powers resolution limiting President Donald Trump&rsquo;s authority to conduct further military operations against Venezuela without congressional approval.

The U.S. Senate took a significant step on Thursday toward restricting President Donald Trump&rsquo;s authority to conduct military operations against Venezuela without congressional approval, marking a rare show of opposition to the Republican leader.
A procedural vote to advance the war powers resolution passed 52 to 47, with five Republican senators joining all Democrats in support. One Republican senator did not vote.
The vote comes days after U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Nicol&aacute;s Maduro in a dramatic military raid in Caracas. It followed briefings from senior cabinet members to all members of Congress about the administration&rsquo;s Venezuela policy, reflecting a shift in the Senate&rsquo;s approach.
Lawmakers supporting the resolution emphasized that the Constitution gives Congress, not the president, the power to send troops to war. However, the measure faces steep hurdles before becoming law. Even if it passes the Senate, it must also clear the Republican-led House of Representatives and secure two-thirds majorities in both chambers to overcome an expected Trump veto.
Trump&rsquo;s allies in the Senate had blocked two previous attempts last year to advance similar resolutions, during a period of increasing military pressure on Venezuela, including attacks on boats in the southern Caribbean and eastern Pacific. In November, a resolution was narrowly blocked 51‑49, after senior Trump advisors assured lawmakers that the administration did not intend to change Venezuela&rsquo;s government or conduct strikes on its territory.
Following Maduro&rsquo;s capture, some lawmakers accused the administration of misleading Congress, with concerns expressed by Democrats publicly and some Republicans privately. The episode, along with Trump&rsquo;s rhetoric, has also raised questions about possible military action involving Greenland, an Arctic territory of Denmark, or against Colombia, Cuba, or Iran.
Thursday&rsquo;s vote now clears the way for full Senate debate and a vote on the resolution&rsquo;s final passage next week.

Congress targets Prime Minister Modi after US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated India-US trade deal stalled because Modi did not call Trump, with Jairam Ramesh using Bollywood-style taunts to highlight the delay.

Congress Criticizes PM Modi Over Missed US-India Trade Deal

Congress Hits Modi Over Trade Deal Miss

Congress targets Prime Minister Modi after US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated India-US trade deal stalled because Modi did not call Trump, with Jairam Ramesh using Bollywood-style taunts to highlight the delay.

The Congress on Friday took a Bollywood-tinged swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi after US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated that the trade deal with India did not happen because PM Modi did not call US President Donald Trump.
Posting a video of Lutnick's remarks, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "Hug hug na raha, post post na raha." In his Bollywood-tinged taunt aimed at Modi, Ramesh added, "Kya se kya ho gaya, bewafa teri dosti mein."
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Hug हग ना रहा Post पोस्ट ना रहा क्या से क्या हो गया बेवफ़ा तेरे दोस्ती में <a href="https://t.co/ofy0ML28bx">pic.twitter.com/ofy0ML28bx</a>
&mdash; Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jairam_Ramesh/status/2009500939829563612?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2026</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
While this was a play on the hit number with similar lyrics from the Dev Anand-starrer film 'Guide' (1965), the other was a play on the song 'Dost dost na raha' from the 1964 film "Sangam" by Raj Kapoor.
The swipe came after Lutnick said the trade deal with India did not happen because Prime Minister Modi did not call Trump. In an interview with the All-in Podcast on Thursday, Lutnick detailed how the India-US trade deal has not happened till now.
"I'll tell you a story about India. I did the first deal with the UK, and we told the UK that they had to get it done by two Fridays from now. That the train was going to leave the station by two Fridays, because I have a lot of other countries doing things, and you know, if someone else is first, they're first. President Trump does deals like a staircase," Lutnick said.
"(The) first stair gets the best deal. You can't get the best deal after the first guy," he said. Lutnick said Trump does things that way because that way it incents you to come to the table.
He recalled that after the UK deal, everyone asked Trump which country will be next and while the president talked about a variety of countries, he named India a couple of times publicly.
"And we were talking (with) India, and we told India, you have three Fridays. Well, they have to get it done," he said.
Lutnick said that while he would negotiate the contracts with the countries and set the whole deal up, "But let's be clear, it's his (Trump) deal. He is the closer. He does the deal. So I said You got to have Modi, it's all set up, you have to have Modi call the President. They (India) were uncomfortable doing it, so Modi didn't call."
Lutnick said after that Friday, the US announced trade deals with Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. He added that Washington was negotiating with other countries and assumed India was going to be done before them.
"I have negotiated them at a higher rate. So now the problem is the deals came out at a higher rate. And then India calls back and says, 'Oh, okay, we are ready'. I said, 'ready for what, it was like three weeks later'," he said.
"I go, 'Are you ready for the train that left the station three weeks ago?' So what happened is they just there's sometimes there's that seesaw, and people are just on the wrong side of the seesaw," the trade secretary said.
"So what happened is India just was on the wrong side of the seesaw, and it was just they couldn't get it done," Lutnick said, imitating a seesaw with his hands. "And so what happened is all these other countries kept doing deals, and they're (India) just further in the back of the line," he said.
Lutnick's remarks came a few days after Trump said that Modi knew he was unhappy with India's purchases of Russian oil and that Washington could raise tariffs on New Delhi "very quickly".
The threat by the US president came at a time when the two countries were negotiating a bilateral trade agreement. So far, six rounds of negotiations have been held for that. The pact includes a framework deal to resolve the 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods entering the US.

donald trump

Categories