- Syria to dismantle Assad-era socialism, says foreign minister Financial Times
- Syria foreign minister says removing sanctions ‘key’ to restoring stability Al Jazeera English
- Davos-Syria's economy will be open for foreign investment, foreign minister says Reuters
- Syrian FM says scrapping sanctions ‘key’ to country’s stability The Times of Israel
- ‘We need Syria to be a place of peace and development,’ FM Al-Shaibani tells WEF Arab News
UK borrowing jumps unexpectedly, adding to pressure on Rachel Reeves
Increase to £17.8bn is well above City forecasts and is highest December figure for four years
UK government borrowing jumped unexpectedly to £17.8bn last month, piling pressure on Rachel Reeves to plan budget cuts before a spending review in the summer.
The figure was about a quarter higher than the City had forecast and was up by £10.1bn more than in the same month a year earlier, making it the highest December borrowing for four years.
Continue reading...Trump rewrites the violence of January 6 and ‘legitimates future ones’
If criminal charges were meant to deter acts of violence, the pardons of over 1,500 people do the opposite, say experts
Donald Trump spent the four years after the January 6 insurrection attempting to rewrite the violence and chaos he inspired as his supporters stormed the US Capitol.
On the first day of his second term as president, he took the rewriting to its final step by issuing pardons and reducing sentences for those involved in the insurrection, including the leaders of far-right militias and those who battled with police that day.
Continue reading...US homeowners in disaster-prone states face soaring insurance costs
Climate crisis is making it harder for insurance companies to operate, with many pausing or withdrawing policies
Homeowners in the United States are facing an enormous financial crunch due to the climate crisis, with many struggling to find insurance or even dropping premiums that are soaring due to a mounting toll of wildfires, hurricanes and other disasters, new federal government data shows.
The figures, the most comprehensive numbers ever released by the US treasury department on the issue, show insurance premiums are increasing quickly across the country, with people living amid the greatest climate-driven risks experiencing the steepest rises of all. In the four years to 2022, people living in the top 20% riskiest places for such perils paid, on average, 82% more than those in the 20% lowest climate risk zip codes.
Continue reading...China stocks and renminbi hit by Donald Trump’s 10% tariff threat – Financial Times
- China stocks and renminbi hit by Donald Trump’s 10% tariff threat Financial Times
- Trump plans 10% tariffs on Chinese imports on Feb. 1 Fox Business
- What will cost you more if Trump places a 10% tariff on all Chinese goods CNN
- Trump threatens 10% tariff on China and considers EU levy The Guardian
- Trump delivers fresh tariff threats against EU and China Reuters
Kyle Clifford admits murdering Carol Hunt and daughters in crossbow killings
Former soldier, 26, also pleads guilty to false imprisonment and possession of a crossbow and a butcher’s knife
A former soldier has pleaded guilty to murdering three women with a crossbow at their home in Hertfordshire last year.
Kyle Clifford, 26, admitted killing Carol Hunt and her daughters Hannah and Louise in Bushey on 9 July.
Continue reading...Burning wood for power not necessary for UK’s energy goals, analysis finds
Experts say UK should stop biomass burning as electricity sector decarbonisation by 2030 can be achieved without it
The UK should stop burning wood to generate power because it is not needed to meet the government’s target of decarbonising the electricity sector by 2030, according to analysis.
Ed Miliband, the energy security and net zero secretary, is expected to make a decision soon on whether to allow billions of pounds in new public subsidies for biomass burning, despite fierce opposition from green groups.
Continue reading...More than 2,400 aid trucks enter Gaza under ceasefire with no major looting, UN says – The Times of Israel
- More than 2,400 aid trucks enter Gaza under ceasefire with no major looting, UN says The Times of Israel
- Aid Is Rushing Into Gaza While the Cease-Fire Holds The Wall Street Journal
- Aid pours into Gaza as ceasefire enters fourth day NBC News
- Ceasefire between Israel and Hamas holds as aid is brought into Gaza CBS News
- Today's top news: Occupied Palestinian Territory, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Colombia OCHA
‘When I’m not Trump, I’m just Mike’: UK impersonator enjoys re-election boom
Mike Osman, aka ‘Donald Trumped’, from Southampton, says he is expecting busiest year of career
A British Donald Trump impersonator is looking forward to an “unstoppable” four years, thanking the American president for providing him with a pension pot for his retirement.
Southampton-based Mike Osman, a 65-year-old comedian, said his income had increased by between 30 and 40% since Trump was re-elected and he was expecting to have the busiest year of his career.
Continue reading...Fighting Alongside Russia, North Koreans Wage Their Own War – The New York Times
- Fighting Alongside Russia, North Koreans Wage Their Own War The New York Times
- Around 1K North Korean Soldiers Killed Fighting for Russia – BBC The Moscow Times
- The United States expects the DPRK to send reinforcements to the Kursk region Militarnyi
- Russia's Entire North Korean Force May Be Wiped Out by April: ISW Newsweek
- Will Casualties in Ukraine Lead to Change in North Korea? The Diplomat
Families fear for Cuban prisoners after Trump reneges on release deal
US president reinstates Cuba on terror list despite Biden deal to release prisoners jailed over demonstrations
The families of Cuban protesters jailed in anti-government demonstrations are waiting anxiously to see if the government will continue with a planned prisoner release after Donald Trump reneged on a deal made last week by Joe Biden.
Activists from the human rights group Justicia 11J believe around 150 prisoners have been released so far of the 553 agreed with the Catholic church.
Continue reading...Russian attack drones are killing civilians for target practice, Ukraine says – NPR
- Russian attack drones are killing civilians for target practice, Ukraine says NPR
- Russian pilots appear to be hunting Ukrainian civilians The Economist
- Russian troops strike at Mylove in Kherson region, damaging houses, indestructibility point Ukrinform
- Russia hunting civilians with deadly attack drones in Kherson killing seven Daily Express US
- Ukrainian Attack on Occupied Kherson Kills At Least 2, Moscow-Backed Governor Says The Moscow Times
Thousands await stinky plant’s rare bloom
A livestream of a "corpse flower" due to bloom in Sydney's botanic gardens has captivated the internet.
China and US partners are moving closer as Trump returns to the White House – The Associated Press
- China and US partners are moving closer as Trump returns to the White House The Associated Press
- Trump’s Hint at Deal Making Gives China a Little Breathing Room The New York Times
- Soybeans on steroids: Trump’s grand bargain with China? CNBC
- China sees room to avert trade war with Donald Trump despite tariff threat Financial Times
- Have Trump’s tariff threats helped China boost its exports? Al Jazeera English
South Korea to remove concrete walls near runways after deadly Jeju Air crash – BBC.com
- South Korea to remove concrete walls near runways after deadly Jeju Air crash BBC.com
- South Korea to remove concrete embankment blamed for exacerbating deadly plane crash Reuters
- South Korea to Change Airport Design After Deadly Jeju Air Crash Bloomberg
- South Korea to remove concrete barrier after Jeju Air crash DW (English)
- South Korea's Deadly Plane Crash Has Created More Questions Than Answers Jalopnik
Tariffs on imports only way to get fairness, says Trump
The new president accused Beijing of sending fentanyl to Mexico and Canada which ends up in the US.
Trump targets Spain with tariffs in BRICS blunder – EURACTIV
- Trump targets Spain with tariffs in BRICS blunder EURACTIV
- Trump mistakes Spain for a member of the BRICS bloc and repeats the threat of massive tariffs The Associated Press
- Trump Starts Presidency by Failing Basic Geography Question Yahoo! Voices
- Donald Trump Feels The Heat From A Rising BRICS+, Threatens 100% Tariff NDTV
- Trump flunks Foreign Relations 101 by calling Spain a BRICS nation MSNBC
Ten Palestinians killed as Israeli forces launch major operation in Jenin
Israel's prime minister says the "extensive" operation aims to "defeat terrorism" in the West Bank city.
Micheál Martin to be installed as taoiseach for second time
The Irish parliament is set to return after Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael set up a coalition government.
Cat becomes accidental frequent flyer after being left on a plane by mistake
Mittens made three trips in 24 hours between New Zealand and Australia after she was not spotted in cargo hold
A Maine Coon cat named Mittens became an accidental jetsetter this month when her cage was overlooked in a plane cargo hold and she made three trips in 24 hours between New Zealand and Australia.
Mittens, eight, was booked for one-way travel with her family from Christchurch, New Zealand to their new home in Melbourne, Australia on 13 January. Her owner, Margo Neas, said on Wednesday that she waited for Mittens to be unloaded from the plane’s freight area, but three hours passed with no sign of the cat.
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