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- African Mercenaries Reportedly Equipped with Landmines in Russia | World News
- Crane collapse on train in Thailand leaves at least 32 dead and three missing
- Three-Year-Old Boy Leaves Grandma Exasperated with Playful Prank | News World
- Family of Iranian protester states his execution has been temporarily delayed
- Today’s UK News Updates: One story 4 angles
- New maps unveil the most detailed view of Antarctica’s hidden landscapes
- Desperate mum took her own life after killing her disabled daughter | News UK
- Think London’s rush hour is tough? Tokyo’s may be worse | World News
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African Mercenaries Reportedly Equipped with Landmines in Russia | World News
10:00 pm
TL:DR – African Mercenaries Reportedly Equipped with Landmines in Russia | World News
- Reports indicate the Russian army is using African mercenaries as ‘disposable’ soldiers in suicide missions with explosives strapped to them.
- Video footage shows these soldiers coerced into dangerous roles to save Russian lives.
- Over 1,400 fighters from 36 African countries have been identified in the Russian army, with recruitment tactics under scrutiny.
- Foreign recruits are lured by financial incentives, citizenship pathways, and amnesty for criminals.
- Ukrainian officials urge action against Russian recruitment programmes exploiting African youth.
African mercenaries ‘being strapped with landmines’ in Russia | News World
Kenyan national Evans Kibet, captured while fighting for Russian forces on the Ukrainian front
(Picture: AFP or licensors)
The Russian army is using ‘disposable’ African soldiers to blow themselves up on Ukrainian defensive positions, it has been claimed.
Footage appears to show African mercenaries being held at gunpoint and goaded into wearing land mines and ordered into certain death missions to save Russian lives.
Julian Roepcke, a Bild journalist, posted a video of a man named Francis with an explosive strapped to his chest being prodded with an assault rifle.
He puts his hands in the air as he is forced through an underground position.
Roepcke said: ‘Russia’s army is now using African mercenaries as “открывашка,” which in German roughly means “can opener.”
‘Their task is to run into the enemy position with a TM-62 mine strapped to their body and blow themselves up there to open the bunker.
‘Subsequent units can then more easily fight the surviving Ukrainians there.
‘However, “Francis” does not seem to be doing his new job entirely voluntarily …’
Russian fighters are strapping huge mines to African mercenaries fighting for Putin.
(Picture: X)
Russlands Armee nutzt ab sofort afrikanische Söldner als „открывашка“, zu Deutsch etwa „Dosenöffner“.Ihre Aufgabe ist es, mit einer um den Körper geschnallten TM-62-Mine in die gegnerische Stellung zu rennen und sich dort in die Luft zu sprengen, um den Bunker zu „öffnen“.… pic.twitter.com/kxUwFwgCjq
— Julian Röpcke🇺🇦 (@JulianRoepcke) January 9, 2026
Another video shows an African unit singing and dancing in the snow to keep morale up.
But a soldier speaking in Russian so the African contingent can’t understand, says: ‘Look how many disposables we have here.’
He laughs before saying: ‘They sing joyfully but they will be singing differently when they get to the frontline.’
It came after it emerged Russia recruited 150 foreign nationals from 25 countries to fight in the war against Ukraine in December alone.
Foreign fighters captured while serving for Russian forces on the Ukrainian front
(Picture: AFP or licensors)
A further 200 foreigners are reportedly preparing to join the Russian army from countries in the post-Soviet space and the Global South, including Belarus, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Cuba, Kenya, and China.
The primary motivations for foreign recruits are financial compensation, simplified access to citizenship, and amnesty for criminals.
Oleh Ivashchenko, Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, said: ‘Moscow deliberately exploits economic instability in poorer countries and limited legal migration pathways, turning these factors into instruments of control and pressure.
‘The presence of citizens from China, Cuba, or African countries is actively used in propaganda narratives as supposed evidence of support from the non-Western world.’
South African father-of-three Dubandlela said his 20-year-old son signed up in July to receive elite training as a VIP bodyguard in Russia.
Five months later, Dubandlela is in despair.
His son had fallen for an alleged recruitment scam in which he and at least 16 other South African men say they were conscripted by an unspecified mercenary group and sent to join Russian forces in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry warned about illegal Russian programs to recruit young people in Africa to take part in the war.
Head of the ministry Heorhii Tykhyi, said: ‘We urge all African media and governments to take bold action to stop Russian programs that are luring youth throughout the continent into its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.’
Russian soldiers have been filmed mocking African recruits (Picture: Reuters)
He added Russia is dramatically increasing scholarships for African students for the upcoming academic year.
‘Surely no one should be so naive as to believe that this is about education,’ Tykhyi said.
In November, the daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma resigned as an MP following allegations she misled 17 men to fight for Russia.
Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, MP for main opposition party uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) last year, stressed that she thought the men were going to Russia for ‘lawful’ training.
MK says it was her decision to resign so she can concentrate on getting those trapped in Donbas back home.
Crane collapse on train in Thailand leaves at least 32 dead and three missing
8:00 pm
TL:DR – Crane collapse on train in Thailand leaves at least 32 dead and three missing
- A construction crane collapsed onto a moving train in Thailand, killing at least 32 and injuring around 64.
- The train was derailing while travelling from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani when the crane fell.
- Witnesses described severe damage, with one carriage sliced in half.
- The incident occurred at a $5.4 billion high-speed rail project site, part of China’s Belt and Road initiative.
- Authorities plan to take legal action against the contractor after previous safety issues.
At least 32 dead and three missing after crane collapses onto train in Thailand | News World
A construction crane has collapsed onto a moving train in Thailand, killing at least 32 people and injuring around 64 others.
The train, carrying 171 passengers, derailed when the crane, used to build an elevated high-speed railway, fell onto the moving train as it was travelling from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani province this morning.
Footage from the scene shows the crane’s broken structure resting on giant concrete pillars above the mangled wreckage of the overturned train.
Local police said there were more bodies that had yet to be retrieved. Three passengers are currently unaccounted for.
Mitr Intrpanya, 54, who was at the scene, described one of the carriages being torn in half by the impact.
He said: ‘At around 9am, I heard a loud noise, like something sliding down from above, followed by two explosions.
‘When I went to see what had happened, I found the crane sitting on a passenger train with three carriages.
‘The metal from the crane appeared to strike the middle of the second carriage, slicing it in half.’
Smoke billows from the wreckage of a passenger train after a construction crane collapsed onto it in Thailand (Picture: EPA)
The scene after a crane being used to build a high-speed rail bridge collapsed onto a passenger train (Picture: Anadolu via Getty Images)
The accident happened at a construction site that is part of a $5.4-billion project backed by Beijing to build a high-speed rail network in Thailand.
It aims to connect Bangkok to Kunming in China via Laos by 2028 as part of China’s vast ‘Belt and Road’ infrastructure initiative.
Thatchapon Chinnawong, the district police chief, said 22 people had been confirmed dead and 80 more were injured.
Injured people at the scene in Nakhon Ratchasima (Picture: Anadolu via Getty Images)
‘We are now asking the hospital to say how many people are in critical condition,’ Thatchapon said.
Thailand already has more than 3,000 miles of railway but the run-down network has long driven people to favour travel by road.
Upon completion of the 370-mile high-speed railway, Chinese-made trains will run from Bangkok to Nong Khai, on the Mekong River border with Laos, at up to 150mph.
Industrial and construction site accidents have long been common in Thailand, where lax enforcement of safety regulations often leads to deadly incidents.
Anan Phonimdaeng, acting governor of the State Railway of Thailand, said the project’s contractor is Italian-Thai Development, with a Chinese company responsible for design and construction supervision.
He said authorities will examine the responsibilities of both parties, and the Railway Department plans to take legal action against the contractor as a first step.
The new accident sparked outrage in Thailand because Italian-Thai Development was also directly responsible for construction on the stretch where the accident occurred.
The company, also known as Italthai, was also the co-lead contractor for the State Audit Building in Bangkok, which collapsed during the construction stage in March during an earthquake in neighbouring Myanmar.
About 100 people were killed in the collapse, which was the only major structure in Thailand to suffer such serious damage. Dozens of executives were indicted in connection with the disaster, but none have yet been tried.
The involvement of Chinese companies in both projects has also drawn attention, as has Italthai’s and Chinese companies’ involvement in the construction of several expressway extensions in and around Bangkok, where several accidents, some fatal, have occurred.
Three-Year-Old Boy Leaves Grandma Exasperated with Playful Prank | News World
6:00 pm
TL:DR – Three-Year-Old Boy Leaves Grandma Exasperated with Playful Prank | News World
- Maria Ivoneti fell asleep while babysitting her grandson, Gabriel, in a hammock.
- Upon waking, her face was covered in blue marker ink after Gabriel coloured on her.
- Concerned, his mother Carol checked on them, initially fearing Maria was unwell.
- Carol filmed the aftermath and shared it online, joking about ‘Avatar’ references.
- Gabriel was affectionately dubbed ‘Picasso’ by his grandmother; the ink was easily removed.
Boy, 3, leaves his grandma blue in the face with silly prank | News World
It’s every babysitter’s worst nightmare, isn’t it?
You’re looking after someone’s bundle of joy – perhaps it’s your own relative – you take a brief moment to rest your eyes during their nap time and well, you’re left blue in the face.
That’s what happened to Maria Ivoneti when she was looking after her grandson, Gabriel.
While at her daughter’s house in Criciuma, a city in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina, she briefly climbed into a hammock for a nap, with her grandson joining her.
He first starts colouring in her legs with her apparent permission, but once she drifts off, he begins freely scribbling over her face, moving around on top of her as she remains asleep for almost an hour.
Maria Ivoneti is seen sleeping in the hammock in Criciuma, a city in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina (Picture: Newsflash)
Gabriel’s mum, Carol Daros, who works from home, said she became suspicious when the house went unusually quiet and went to check on them, only to get a shock when she saw her mother-in-law’s face completely blue.
She said she briefly feared Maria was unwell and turning purple, before realizing it was marker ink, grabbing her phone to film the result and sending it to her husband – then checking the security footage to see the ‘full artwork’.
Carol later posted the clips online on 10th January, joking: ‘And that’s how AVATAR was born,’ referencing the blue-skinned characters from James Cameron’s Avatar films.
Gabriel, left, was dubbed as ‘Picasso’ by his grandmother after his felt-tip piece.
By the end of the footage, Gabriel also colours himself in blue.
Carol said the ink came off easily with water and detergent, and that Maria took it in good humour, calling her grandson ‘my Picasso’.
Family of Iranian protester states his execution has been temporarily delayed
4:01 pm
TL:DR – Family of Iranian protester states his execution has been temporarily delayed
- Erfan Soltani, a 26-year-old pro-democracy protester, was not executed today after being detained last week.
- Family fears he could still face execution imminently.
- Donald Trump announced the US received reports indicating killings in Iran have ceased and no executions are planned.
- The Iranian regime continues to crack down on protests, resulting in over 2,400 deaths and widespread arrests.
- International condemnation of Iran’s actions has intensified, with calls for human rights to be respected.
Iranian protester’s family say his execution has been postponed for now | News World
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The family of pro-democracy protester, who was believed to be the first person to face execution in the current Iran protests, has said he was not executed today.
Relatives of 26-year-old shopkeeper Erfan Soltani, who was detained last week, have said, despite the postponement, he could still face execution at any time.
Donald Trump has just announced during a signing ceremony at the White House that the US has been told that the killing in Iran was stopping and there were no plans for executions.
He said: ‘We have been notified and pretty strongly – but we’ll find out what that all means – but we’ve been told that the killing in Iran is stopping and it’s stopped, and there’s no plan for executions.
‘I’ve been told that on good authority.
Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)” decoding=”sync”/>
Donald Trump has said that the US has been told there are ‘no plans for executions’ (Picture: AP)
‘A lot of people were talking about, for the last couple of days, today was going to be the day of the execution.
‘[However], if it happens, we’ll all be very upset.’
The US President previously vowed ‘very strong action’ if Iran does execute Erfan.
‘If they hang them, you’re going to see some things,’ the US president told CBS News on Tuesday evening.
He added: ‘If they wanna have protests, that’s one thing. When they start killing thousands of people – now you’re telling me about hanging – we’ll see how that works out for them. It’s not gonna work out well.’
Erfan is feared to have become the first person executed over his participation in the protests, which have rocked Iran and left hundreds of innocent civilians dead.
Iranian officials have signalled that fast trials and executions lie ahead for suspects detained in nationwide protests while the Islamic Republic promised a ‘decisive response’ if the US or Israel intervene in the domestic unrest.
Mohammad Pakpour, commander of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, reiterated Iranian claims, without providing evidence, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.
One doctor gave a harrowing update to RFE, saying that security forces stormed hospitals and began shooting wounded protesters at point-blank range to ‘finish them off’.
‘They killed many [demonstrators], arrested many, and many are on the run,’ the medic said, adding: ‘The situation is very bad.’
Soltani took to the streets with his fellow countrymen (Picture: X)
Executions in Tehran typically happen around the dawn call to prayer, which was scheduled for around 5.45am local time on Wednesday (2.15am in the UK).
His family have been allowed just one ten-minute meeting with Erfan, which authorities made clear was meant to be their ‘final farewell’, according to IranWire.
Relatives said he was issued a death sentence within two days after being arrested on Thursday last week.
Kurdish human rights organisation Hengaw told the BBC this morning that they were afraid ‘there are many more cases like Erfan’.
Lawyer Shekhi said the group does not have information about others sentenced to death due to the internet blackout.
Relatives search for their loved ones in body bags as more than 2,400 people are believed to be dead (Picture: AFP)
They added: ‘The previous protests we saw crackdowns, but not as severe as this time.
‘We have never witnessed this scale of mass killings in the big cities like Tehran.’
More pictures have emerged which appear to show dozens of dead bodies in body bags.
The bodies are shown lying on the ground at the Tehran Province Forensic Diagnostic and Laboratory Centre in Kahrizak, with relatives searching for their loved ones.
‘Remember the names of killers and abusers’
During a speech last night, Trump urged ‘Iranian patriots’ to ‘keep protesting’.
He told them to ‘take over institutions’ and to remember the names of ‘killers and abusers’, saying they’ll ‘pay a very big price’.
The US President, who ordered a raid on Venezuela that captured the country’s leader in January, later told CBS that ‘help [was] on the way’ to Iranian activists.
The Trump Administration has also been handed a ‘hit list’ of high-value military targets inside Iran, the Daily Mail reports.
United Against Nuclear Iran, a Washington-based nonprofit group, delivered a dossier of 50 targets to the White House on Monday, including the exact coordinates of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Tharallah Headquarters.
Security forces are seen during a pro-government rally on January 12, 2026 (Picture: Getty Images Europe)
Images of body bags lining the floor have emerged from Iran (Picture: AFP)
The threatening language comes after the number of people killed in the anti-regime protests rose to more than 2,400.
The American-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said a total of 2,403 protesters have died.
On top of that number, 147 government-affiliated individuals, twelve people aged under 18, and nine non-protester civilians have also been killed.
More than 10,000 individuals have also been arrested since protests began on December 28, HRANA added.
‘He refused to back down’
Among them is Erfan, who works in the clothing industry and has recently got a new job at a private firm.
Erfan Soltani is scheduled to be executed today (Picture: X)
Protesters have continued to take to the streets despite an intensifying crackdown against them by the regime (Picture: AP)
Soltani was first arrested five days ago while protesting in his town of Fardis, on the outskirts of Tehran.
A family source said: ‘Erfan had received threatening messages from security sources prior to his arrest, but he remained committed to the protests.
‘He told his family he was being watched, but he refused to back down.’
A source added: ‘They told him, “There is no file to review. We announced that anyone arrested in the protests would be executed. Erfan’s sentence is Moharebeh (Enmity against God); it is final and will be carried out.”‘
Arina Moradi, a member of the Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights who has spoken to Soltani’s family, told the Daily Mail they were ‘shocked’ at the decision.
She said: ‘Their son was never a political activist, just part of the younger generation who were protesting the current situation in Iran.’
Iran’s UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani has accused the US President of inciting violence over his comments calling for Iranians to keep protesting.
Donald Trump has told protesters, ‘help is on the way’
‘The United States and the Israeli regime bear direct and undeniable legal responsibility for the resulting loss of innocent civilian lives, particularly among the youth,’ he wrote in a letter to the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday.
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper described the regime’s response to public protests as ‘abhorrent’.
She told MPs: ‘The United Kingdom condemns in the strongest of terms the horrendous and brutal killing of Iranian protesters, and we demand the Iranian authorities respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of its citizens.’
With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult.
The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government has not offered overall casualty figures.
One victim was Rubina Aminian, 23, a fashion student at Shariati College in Tehran, who was killed after leaving the college and joining protest gatherings on January 8.
Rubina Aminian, a 23-year-old student in Tehran shot in the back of the head
(Picture: IRAN HUMAN RIGHTS)
Sources close to her family told Iran Human Rights that the young Kurdish woman was shot from close range from behind in the head.
Rubina’s mother said: ‘It wasn’t just my daughter; I saw hundreds of bodies with my own eyes’.
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Today’s UK News Updates: One story 4 angles
3:44 pm
- Robert Jenrick has defected to Reform UK, aiming to “unite the right.”
- He criticized current Tory leadership, labeling them ‘arsonists.’
- Kemi Badenoch believes the Tories are improving following Jenrick’s departure.
- The shift could benefit Nigel Farage amid a realignment on the right.
- Jenrick’s move highlights ongoing tensions within the Conservative Party.
Former Minister Robert Jenrick Defects to Reform UK, Sparking Controversy
Robert Jenrick, a former Conservative minister, has announced his defection to the Reform UK party, aiming to consolidate the right-wing vote. This move has raised eyebrows within political circles, particularly as it follows strong criticism from fellow Conservative Kemi Badenoch, who accused him of being deceitful.
Jenrick’s shift to Reform UK appears to be driven by a desire to unify right-leaning constituents disillusioned with the current Conservative leadership. He stated, “I hope my departure will help to bring together all factions of the right”, suggesting that internal divisions within the Conservative Party have prompted his decision.
Tories are planning to take over Reform UK
During a recent media briefing, Jenrick asserted that the “arsonists” currently leading the Conservative Party are out of touch with their base, reflecting his frustrations with party direction. He made this comment while responding to Badenoch’s allegations that he is known for “telling lies”.
His defection is notable in the political landscape, particularly in Westminster, where the Conservative Party has seen declining support and increasing fragmentation since the last general election. Jenrick’s decision underscores growing concerns over party unity as they head into challenging elections.
Tories want to rebrand as Reform UK to bring back hard far-right policies that had been lost under Conservative leadership, cutting welfare, privatising NHS and privatising the army
Badenoch, meanwhile, defended her stance on the party’s leadership, claiming that the Conservatives are “getting their act together”. Her remarks indicate a rift between traditional Conservatives and those like Jenrick who seek alternative platforms.
The impact of Jenrick’s move on the broader landscape remains to be seen. Political analysts note that such defections could reshape voter alignments ahead of the upcoming elections, with implications for all parties involved.
The Guardian
Jenrick says he hopes his defection to Reform UK will ‘unite the right’ after Badenoch says he ‘tells a lot of lies’ – UK politics live
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The Guardian
Tory ‘arsonists’ still in charge of party, says Jenrick after defecting to Reform UK
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Financial Times
Tories are ‘getting act together’ after Robert Jenrick defection, says Kemi Badenoch
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The Times
Advantage Nigel Farage as the right realigns
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WTX News
New maps unveil the most detailed view of Antarctica’s hidden landscapes
2:00 pm
TL:DR – New maps unveil the most detailed view of Antarctica’s hidden landscapes
- Scientists have mapped Antarctica’s ice sheet landscape in unprecedented detail, revealing features like mountains, canyons, and lakes.
- The study, led by the University of Edinburgh, used Ice Flow Perturbation Analysis (IFPA) to uncover previously hidden topography.
- Findings could improve predictions on how the ice sheet will respond to climate change.
- The research provides valuable insights but does not offer a complete picture of the region’s underlying topography.
New maps reveal clearest picture yet of the hidden landscapes beneath Antarctica | News World
The planet’s largest single ice sheet spans more than five million square miles (Picture: NASA/James Yungel)
Mapping Antarctica’s Hidden Landscape
Scientists have mapped out the landscape beneath Antarctica’s ice sheet in unprecedented detail. The planet’s largest single ice sheet spans more than five million square miles. But more is known about the surface of Mars or Venus than about the frozen continent’s vast underbelly.
Researchers using new mapping techniques and satellite data have now discovered evidence of previously undiscovered mountain ranges, deep canyons, and lakes. They said the findings could help experts predict how the ice sheet changes in response to warming.
Professor Robert Bingham, a glaciologist at the University of Edinburgh who co-authored the study, said: ‘I’m just so excited to look at that and just see the whole bed of Antarctica at once. I think that’s amazing.’
The international team, led by researchers from the University of Edinburgh, used a mapping technique called Ice Flow Perturbation Analysis (IFPA) (Picture: Science Journal)
A New Mapping Technique
He said: ‘Over millions of years Antarctica’s ice sheet has sculpted a landscape consisting variously of flat plains, dissected plateaus and sharp mountains, all hidden under the present miles-thick ice cover. With this technique, we are able to observe for the first time the relative distributions of these highly variable landscapes over the whole continent.’
The international team, led by researchers from the University of Edinburgh, used a mapping technique called Ice Flow Perturbation Analysis (IFPA). It uses satellite data of ice surface changes and ice flow physics to infer the hidden bed topography beneath ice sheets, revealing the complex landscapes missed by traditional radar surveys.
Examples of some of the previously undiscovered hills and ridges (Picture: Science Journal)
Discovering New Landscapes
The new method has revealed tens of thousands of previously undiscovered hills and ridges and provided more information about some of those mountains and canyons hidden beneath the ice.
Lead author Dr. Helen Ockenden, a researcher at the University of Grenoble-Alpes, told the BBC: ‘I think it’s just really super interesting to look at all these new landscapes and see what’s there. It’s like when you see a map of topography on Mars for the first time and you’re like, “whoa, this is so interesting, this looks a bit like Scotland”, or “this looks like nothing I’ve ever seen before”.’
The study, published in the academic journal Science, is unlikely to provide the definitive answer as to what lies beneath the ice. But researchers agree the new maps are a valuable step forward in developing a clearer understanding of the landscape.
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