International News Roundup: Plane Crashes Claim Lives in India and Colombia, Political Tensions Rise in Iraq and Venezuela
A series of international incidents unfolded on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, ranging from deadly plane crashes in India and Colombia to political unrest in Iraq and Venezuela, and diplomatic fallout over a proposed international body.
In India, a private plane crash killed five people, including Ajit Pawar, the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra state, according to Sky News. The aircraft was traveling from Mumbai to Pawar's home city of Baramati when it crashed in an open field approximately 159 miles (254 kilometers) away, bursting into flames. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Pawar following the incident. The cause of the crash was not immediately known.
Meanwhile, in Colombia, a small passenger plane belonging to state-owned airline Satena crashed in the northeast of the country, killing all 15 people on board, including a member of congress, Euronews reported. The plane was flying from Cúcuta to Ocaña, a municipality surrounded by mountains, when it lost communication with air traffic control shortly after takeoff, according to a Satena statement. Officials from a nearby community notified authorities of the crash site, prompting a response.
Political tensions were also high in Iraq, where hundreds of protesters gathered near the U.S. embassy over what they perceived as election interference, Euronews reported. Nouri al-Maliki, Iraq's main candidate for the premiership, denounced "blatant interference" by the United States after President Donald Trump threatened to end all support to the country if al-Maliki was re-elected. "We categorically reject the blatant American interference in Iraq's internal affairs," al-Maliki stated. The U.S. has held significant sway over Iraqi politics since the 2003 invasion.
In Venezuela, the military and police pledged loyalty to interim President Delcy Rodriguez, weeks after former President Nicolas Maduro was reportedly abducted by the United States military in an operation allegedly ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump, according to Al Jazeera. Rodriguez attended a ceremony at the Military Academy of the Bolivarian Army in Caracas on Wednesday, where top figures declared their loyalty.
Adding to the international developments, Croatia announced it would not join U.S. President Donald Trump's "Board of Peace," Euronews reported. Prime Minister Andrej Plenković told reporters that "after thorough analyses, the position of the government...is that at this moment Croatia would not join the 'Board of Peace' for a number of reasons," without elaborating on the specific reasons for the decision. Trump had said last week he expected more than 50 countries to join the board, which appears to challenge the United Nations Security Council's traditional role in international conflict resolution.
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