While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Jan 16, 2026
· The Straits TimesVenezuela’s Machado meets Trump for ‘positive’ talks
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado met Donald Trump on Jan 15 for what the White House called “positive” talks – despite the US president sidelining her and openly coveting her Nobel Peace Prize.
Since toppling Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, Mr Trump has said that Ms Machado doesn’t have the support of the oil-rich country’s people and has instead backed Mr Maduro’s deputy, Ms Delcy Rodriguez.
In a bid to keep on Mr Trump’s good side, the 58-year-old Ms Machado has even offered to share her Nobel award with Mr Trump, and the president indicated she might give it to him when they meet.
After the meeting, Ms Machado, who campaigned for years to end leftist Mr Maduro’s rule, met jubilant supporters outside the White House.
Four Arab states urged against US-Iran escalation
Four Arab states conducted intense diplomacy with the United States and Iran this week to prevent a threatened US attack on Iran over Tehran’s use of force against protesters that they feared would have impacts across the region, a Gulf official said.
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and Egypt were involved in the diplomacy over 48 hours before US President Donald Trump signalled on Jan 15 that he had ultimately decided against an attack for now, saying the killings in Iran were easing.
The four countries had conveyed to Washington that any attack would have consequences for the wider region in terms of both security and economics that would ultimately impact the United States itself, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
Zelensky affirms Ukraine’s commitment to peace
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Jan 15 that Ukraine is not an obstacle to peace, pushing back against comments made a day earlier by US President Donald Trump.
“We also talked about diplomatic work with America – Ukraine has never been and will never be an obstacle to peace,” Mr Zelensky said in his nightly video address, referring to a telephone conversation with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
Mr Trump, interviewed by Reuters on Jan 14, said he believed Ukraine was less ready than Russia to clinch a deal. Asked why US-led negotiations had not yet resolved the nearly four-year-old war, Mr Trump responded: “Zelensky.”
‘Gigantic explosion’, fire in Dutch city, four hurt
A huge blast and fire broke out on Jan 15 in the central Dutch city of Utrecht, with several buildings collapsing and at least four people injured, according to officials.
“After the explosion, several buildings collapsed. Four people were injured. They were taken to the emergency hospital,” the local emergency services department said in a statement.
It was not immediately clear what caused the blast nor whether there were more victims.
Bomb hoax forces jet to make emergency landing
A false bomb threat delivered via an onboard mobile connection caused a Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to make an emergency landing at Barcelona’s El Prat Airport on Jan 15, Spanish police and the airline said.
A Turkish Airlines spokesperson said earlier that the plane had landed after crew detected that a passenger had created an in-flight internet hotspot which was named to include a bomb threat as the aircraft approached Barcelona.
Spain’s Guardia Civil police force said in a statement that following a thorough inspection of the aircraft after its passengers had disembarked, the alert had been deactivated and no explosives had been found.