Author: Justin M. Larson
French officials have made their first interception on the water as part of a new policy aimed at stopping small boats carrying illegal migrants to the UK.A so-called “taxi-boat” was boarded by French officers on Saturday on the Aa canal in Gravelines, which is on the Channel coast above Calais.It follows a change of tactics agreed in November following growing pressure from the UK government to step up interventions.A photograph of the aftermath of the operation obtained by the BBC shows a number of men – apparently people-smugglers – on an inflatable dinghy with the police launch alongside. The inflatable…
The aurora borealis has animated myths, art, poetry and music for thousands of years. Here are some examples. Source link
With cameras rolling, President Trump met with more than 40 international leaders in his first year back in office. Source link
Ángel Godoy was thrown into jail after writing columns that angered the government of President Nicolás Maduro. Now his family is trying to make up for lost time. Source link
Danish soldiers walk across the frozen tarmac after arriving at Nuuk airport, Greenland, on January 19, 2026. The Danish Defense will continue the increased presence with exercise activities together with a number of NATO allies in and around Greenland in 2026.Mads Claus Rasmussen | Afp | Getty ImagesU.S. President Donald Trump has dismissed the prospect of the European Union resisting his push to annex Greenland “too much,” shortly after Denmark sent additional troops to the Arctic island.Speaking ahead of his trip to Davos for the World Economic Forum, Trump repeated his desire to take the self-governing Danish territory. The issue…
NEW DELHI, INDIA – JANUARY 19: (—-EDITORIAL USE ONLY – MANDATORY CREDIT – âPRESS INFORMATION BUREAU/ HANDOUT’ – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS—-) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomes United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in New Delhi, India on January 19, 2026. (Photo by Press Information Bureau (PIB)/Anadolu via Getty Images)Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty ImagesIndia said it plans to double bilateral trade with the UAE to $200 billion by 2032, in a step toward diversifying its partnerships as a deal with the Asian country’s biggest trading partner,…
Water is a finite resource — and increasingly a national security issue, analysts told CNBC. Water demand is expected to outpace supply by as much as 40% in 2030, according to a 2023 landmark report on the economics of water. At the same time, climate change is affecting weather patterns and once water-abundant areas are running dry. As a result, more water needs to be moved around to ensure access.Freshwater is used in everything from manufacturing to agriculture, and demand is set to increase as the population grows and thirsty AI data centers are built.As water is increasingly seen as a…
Katya Adler Europe EditorBBCSomething in Europe has snapped. Donald Trump doubled down again on Monday, in his insistence that the US needs Greenland for national security reasons. Is he prepared to use force to seize it, journalists asked him? “No comment,” said the president, sending chills down the spine of Greenland’s anxious inhabitants. Again.Greenland is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark – a member of the EU and of Nato. President Trump is now leaning heavily on Denmark’s allies in both those organisations to abandon Copenhagen and let the US take control of Greenland, or face punitive taxes on all their…
Intended as China’s version of Dubai’s palm-shaped artificial island, Ocean Flower Island is a $12 billion monument to debt-fueled economic excess. Source link
Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s prime minister, during a news conference the prime minister’s office in Tokyo, Japan, on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. Takaichi officially called an early election next month and promised a temporary sales tax cut on food if she wins a fresh mandate for her new coalition. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesLess than half a year into office and Japan’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, has called a snap election, dissolving the Lower House on Jan. 23 and sending voters to the polls on Feb. 8. “I am putting my future as prime minister on this election,” Takaichi said…
Ministers are consulting on banning social media for under-16s in the UK – just weeks after a ban in Australia came into force.The government’s consultation will look at various options, including increasing the digital age of consent and restricting potentially addictive app design features such as “streaks” and “infinite scrolling”. There have been growing calls for Sir Keir Starmer to take action, and the announcement comes ahead of the Lords voting on a Conservative amendment to Labour’s Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which would force social media platforms to stop under-16s from using their platforms within a year of it…
Uprisings in three prisons have killed nine police officers, presenting another challenge for President Bernardo Arévalo in his fight against corruption and organized crime. Source link
Bird’s-eye view of central Tokyo including Tokyo Tower at sunrise hours.Vladimir Zakharov | Moment | Getty ImagesJapan’s 40-year government bond yield hit a record high on Tuesday amid a broad selloff in government bonds, as investors worried that proposed cuts to the food sales tax could worsen the country’s fiscal position.The long-dated yield rose more than five basis points to 4%, the highest level since the 40-year maturity was introduced.Yields on shorter maturities climbed sharply as well. The 10-year Japan government bond yield rose by over six basis points to 2.3%, the highest level since 1999, while yields on the…
BEIJING, CHINA – JANUARY 06: The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) building is seen on January 6, 2025 in Beijing, China. Visual China Group | Getty ImagesChina’s central bank kept its loan prime rates unchanged on Tuesday as the authorities focus on targeted support for specific sectors to bolster a slowing economy instead of broad policy easing. The People’s Bank of China held its 1-year and 5-year loan prime rates at 3% and 3.5%, respectively, keeping them unchanged for an eighth straight month. The 1-year rate influences most new and outstanding loans, while the 5-year benchmark affects mortgages.The decision came as…
Atlantide Phototravel | Corbis Documentary | Getty ImagesAsia-Pacific markets traded subdued as investors weigh renewed U.S. tariff threats tied to Greenland that have stoked concerns of a growing rift between Washington and European nations.European states are reportedly discussing counter-tariffs and broader punitive economic measures in response to fresh tariff threats from President Donald Trump, further straining relations over Greenland.Trump on Saturday announced that exports from eight European nations would start at 10% on Feb. 1 and climb to 25% by June 1 if talks fail to secure U.S. control of Greenland, a mineral-rich territory, semi-autonomous island under Denmark.Hong Kong’s Hang…
Last fall, the number of new international undergraduates fell by 25 percent compared to the previous year. That drop poses financial and competitive challenges. Source link
The creaking water industry is set for a “once-in-a-generation set of reforms”, the government has said as it proposes new legislation to overhaul the system.Nightmare situations such as taps running dry in Kent and Sussex recently would be avoided, the government says, thanks to a new proactive system that would perform “MOTs” on water companies to preempt major failures. Ministers are set to unveil a series of reforms in parliament on Tuesday as they move ahead with a major shake-up in the industry in England and Wales, including abolishing the current system of overlapping regulators.Public confidence in the old way…
Ministers are launching a consultation on banning under-16s from social media after coming under pressure from dozens of their own backbench MPs.After initially opposing such a ban, the government’s position softened in recent days, and ministers will now consult on whether to bring in an Australia-style policy. Read more: How Australia’s ban on social media for under-16s worksThe consultation will also explore ways to improve the accuracy of age assurance technology to enforce minimum age limits for certain content, assess whether the digital age of consent is too low, and examine removing or limiting certain functions that drive addictive behaviours,…
The small town of Adamuz in Spain has become the scene of a fatal rail disaster. Dozens of people died in the incident, with even more injured.The BBC’s Guy Hedgecoe visited the scene, where a large police cordon is in place.Officials said an investigation has been launched but it is not expected to determine what happened for at least a month. Source link
Numerous countries say they have been invited to join President Trump’s newly minted organization, which critics say could undermine the United Nations. Source link
Briefing ambassadors, ICC Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan said the situation in Darfur had “darkened even further,” with civilians subjected to what she described as collective torture amid a widening war between Sudan’s rival military forces.“The picture that is emerging is appalling: organised, widespread, mass criminality including mass executions,” Ms. Khan said. “Atrocities are used as a tool to assert control.”Epicentre of ‘profound suffering’Sudan has been engulfed in conflict since April 2023, when fighting erupted between former allies the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces militia (RSF).What began as a power struggle metastasised into conflicts across the country,…
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! The Apple iPhone is the most popular smartphone in the United States and one of the most widely used devices in the world. An estimated 1.6 billion people rely on iPhones every day. That massive user base also makes the platform a prime target. Over the past few weeks, Apple has been sending out warnings about a serious security flaw. New data suggests the risk could affect roughly half of all iPhone users.That puts hundreds of millions of devices in potential danger right now.Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech…
New tensions flared a day after a Kurdish-led militia agreed to hand over control of prisons holding some 8,000 Islamic State fighters to the Syrian government. Source link
Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani, known as Valentino, has died at the age of 93.One of the giants of 20th century fashion, Valentino’s creations were worn by celebrities and well-known figures including Elizabeth Taylor, Nancy Reagan, Sharon Stone, Julia Roberts and Gwyneth Paltrow.He co-founded the Valentino fashion house in 1960 and ranked alongside Giorgio Armani and Karl Lagerfeld at the top of the profession.In a statement posted on Instagram the Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti Foundation said: “He passed away peacefully in his Roman home, surrounded by the love of his family.”The foundation said Valentino will be lying in state…
