Latest news for 29 January 2026

IRAN

Speculation swirls.

Tensions remain high in Iran after President Trump warned that the “massive armada” deployed to the region is “ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary”. (Politico)

Comment: Trump says he wants Iran to agree another nuclear deal, though there are also rumours the rhetoric could be aimed at inspiring renewed protests (this time with more US forces pre-positioned).

GERMANY

Bank raid.

German police have raided the head offices of Deutsche Bank, Germany’s largest bank, in connection with a(nother) money laundering investigation. (DW)

Comment: This is hardly Deutsche Bank’s first rodeo, though this raid is extra-intriguing when you consider it’s a day before its annual results drop, and local outlets are drawing links to Russian billionaire (and former Chelsea owner) Roman Abramovich.

SOUTH KOREA

First lady jailed.

A court has sentenced former first lady Kim Keon Hee (2022-25) to 20 months in jail after finding her guilty of accepting luxury gifts from the controversial Unification Church in exchange for political favours. A ruling in her husband’s insurrection case is expected next month (he just copped five years for related charges). (Korea Times)

Comment: If the Unification Church rings a bell, you’re not wrong. Shinzo Abe’s killer identified the Japanese ex-PM’s links to the organisation as his motive.

AUSTRALIA

That’s mine.

China’s ambassador to Australia has flagged China will take unspecified measures if Australia commits to a forced sale of Darwin Port, which local authorities leased to a China-based company for 99 years in 2015. (SCMP)

Comment: With PM Albanese campaigning on retaking the port, this issue is shaping up as a challenge for the China ties he managed to stabilise after first taking power.

SPAIN

Welcome here.

Spain’s shockingly handsome prime minister has announced plans to legalise roughly 500,000 undocumented migrants by decree, bucking a regional trend. Sanchez argues it’s both humane, and good for Spain’s economy (which is grappling with an ageing population). The conservative opposition is warning it’ll overwhelm public services and encourage more unlawful immigration. (EuroNews)

MEXICO

No more oil.

Days after insisting Mexico’s oil supplies to Cuba will continue (partly for humanitarian reasons), President Sheinbaum has now confirmed Mexico is actually halting the oil shipments, though she’s denying it’s due to US pressure. (AP)

Comment: It’s hard to see how US pressure wasn’t involved, even if indirectly by eroding Cuba’s ability to pay. With Venezuela’s cheap oil shipments now over, and Mexico cutting its own spigot, Cuba’s energy crisis looks set to somehow get worse, with the WSJ reporting the US is actively seeking regime change by year-end.

SOUTH SUDAN

Renewed violence.

The UN is warning of mass violence after South Sudan announced a “spare no-one” offensive to reconquer territory in the central state of Jonglei from opposition militias, who in turn claim they’ll reach the capital of Juba by the end of February. This is starting to look a lot like a return to full civil war. (BBC)