'Banker of the Climate Crisis': Lawsuit Targets ING in the Netherlands. (www.commondreams.org)
President Biden Signs Stopgap Bill, Averts Government Shutdown (businesswisehub.com)
Iran Can Build 'Several' Nukes With Current Uranium Stockpiles, UN Says (themessenger.com)
Iran can likely build several atomic bombs with its current stockpiles of enriched uranium, the head of the United Nations’ nuclear agency said Thursday....
Will new criminal bills turn India into a police state ahead of 2024 vote? (www.aljazeera.com)
Late last month India’s parliament passed two sets of controversial legislation in the biggest overhaul of the criminal justice system and telecom laws that critics say could greatly increase police powers and facilitate mass surveillance....
South Korea says number of North Korean defectors nearly triples in 2023, including ‘elite’ diplomats | CNN (www.cnn.com)
Brazil backs Beijing's 'One China policy,' foreign minister Wang Yi says (www.reuters.com)
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday welcomed Brazil’s support for Beijing’s “One China policy” that states Taiwan is an inseparable part of China, a move that strengthens bilateral ties with South America’s largest country....
Iran emerges from the shadows to broaden the proxy war with Israel (www.bloomberg.com)
The shape-shifting conflict in the Middle East saw Iran openly go on the offensive for the first time since the war in Gaza began, as Tehran’s latest round of existential brinkmanship with Israel spread further from the tiny Mediterranean enclave....
UK Braces for Storm Isha: Authorities Issue Warnings of Intense Winds and Pounding Rainfall Starting This Sunday - Business Wise Hub (businesswisehub.com)
Israel Intensifies Raids Against Palestinians in West Bank (www.wsj.com)
Early on Friday, Israeli security forces ended a two-day raid in Tulkarem, a West Bank city straddling the wall separating Palestinian communities and Israel that hasn’t been known as a hotbed of militancy in recent years, leaving at least eight Palestinians dead....
Estonia expels Russian head of church (kyivindependent.com)
The Estonian government did not extend the residence permit of Metropolitan Yevgeniy of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, forcing him to leave by Feb. 6, the ERR public broadcaster reported on Jan. 18....
Alarm as Israeli forces move closer to crowded areas in southern Gaza (www.theguardian.com)
As Israeli forces have moved further into southern Gaza, airstrikes and close-combat fighting are approaching areas crowded with more than a million people seeking refuge from the destruction across the rest of the territory....
NATO admiral warns of potential all-out war with Russia (thehill.com)
Top NATO official Adm. Rob Bauer warned Thursday that a larger war with Russia and other adversaries is a real threat amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine....
Japan’s lunar lander is on the moon, but its status is unclear (www.cnn.com)
Houthi official promises safe passage for Russian, Chinese ships through Red sea (www.newindianexpress.com)
Iran's desire for 'a seat at the table' felt in Davos (www.reuters.com)
The Iranians want a seat at the table," a senior source with direct knowledge of Tehran’s thinking told Reuters, explaining its actions were meant to give Iran a voice and not allow the U.S. and Israel to dictate the outcome.(…)...
How a Judge in India Prevented Americans From Seeing a Blockbuster Report (www.politico.com)
Poland Is ‘Next’ After Russia Wins Ukraine War, Putin Ally Says - The Messenger (themessenger.com)
Map reveals where measles cases are surging across the UK (www.independent.co.uk)
There have been 216 cases in the West Midlands since October 2023, with 80 per cent in Birmingham...