News Dabba for 19 January 2026: Five stories for a balanced news diet

Indie Journal brings you the daily updates that the internet is talking about through various news websites. Here's a glance through some of the National and International news updates, from UAE President's India visit, Bengaluru civic polls on ballot papers, to deadly fighting in Syria.

UAE President Al Nahyan arrives in Delhi amid Middle East tensions, to hold talks with PM Modi: Hindustan Times

UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in New Delhi for an official visit on Monday, Hindustan Times reports. Al Nahyan was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Delhi airport. The West Asian leader's visit to India comes amid heightened tensions in West Asia, the report says. Read the full report here.

Bengaluru civic polls to be held on ballot papers amid EVM debate

The Karnataka Election Commission has indicated that the Greater Bengaluru Authority elections are likely to be held after May 25 and will be conducted using ballot papers. NDTV reports that this comes amid continued objections raised by the Congress party at both the state and national levels over the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), which were used in the previous Bengaluru civic polls. Karnataka Chief Election Commissioner GS Sangreshi clarified the commission's stand on the electoral process and the use of ballot papers.H e said, "These GBA polls will be conducted through ballot papers. The Supreme Court has also said there is nothing wrong with using ballot papers. In GBA also, there is a provision to use it." Read the full report here.

Deadly fighting breaks out in Syria after SDF-government ceasefire, Al Jazeera

Syria’s army and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) report gun battles are underway a day after  both signed a ceasefire to end weeks of deadly fighting that displaced tens of thousands of people, Al Jazeera reports. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa plans to meet SDF chief Mazloum Abdi (also known as Mazloum Kobani) on Monday after the Kurdish commander missed a sit-down a day earlier because of “bad weather”. The report says that the SDF is now expected to fully integrate its fighters into the regular army as well as place public infrastructure and services into the hands of the federal government. Read the full report here.

IMF predicts big drop in India’s FY27 GDP growth: Indian Express

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has predicted a big drop in India’s GDP growth next year, Indian Express reports, forecasting that it will decline to 6.4% from its estimate of 7.3 percent for 2025-26, the multilateral agency said on Monday, days after the World Bank retained its own forecast at 6.5 percent. “Growth is projected to moderate to 6.4% in 2026 and 2027 as cyclical and temporary factors wane,” the IMF said in an update to its World Economic Outlook report. Nonetheless, the IMF’s latest forecast of 6.4 percent GDP growth in 2026-27 is 20 basis points (bps) higher than its previous projection of 6.2% that was made in October. Read the full report here.

High-speed train crash in Spain kills at least 39, BBC reports

At least 39 people have died in a train collision in southern Spain and dozens more have been injured in the country's worst rail crash in more than a decade, BBC reports. Carriages on a Madrid-bound train derailed and crossed over to the opposite tracks, colliding with an oncoming train in Adamuz on Sunday evening. The report says that four hundred passengers and staff were onboard both trains, the rail networks said. Emergency services treated 122 people, with 43, including four children, still in hospital. Of those, 12 adults and one child are in intensive care. Read the full report here.