Key Storylines
- AFRICA: More than 1,000 people gathered in the main square in Burkina Faso’s capital Ouagadougou to celebrate Monday’s coup with some burning the French flag.
- AMERICAS: The Canadian foreign ministry was hit by a cyberattack last week that is still preventing diplomats from accessing certain online services.
- ASIA: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan suffered electrical power outages in major cities after a major power line in Kazakhstan was disconnected.
- EUROPE: Russia said it is watching with great concern after the United States put 8,500 troops on alert to be ready to deploy to Europe in case of an escalation in the Ukraine crisis.
- MIDDLE EAST: Iran regained its UN voting rights after paying off its debt to the organization from assets frozen in South Korea.
- TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: Three US states and the District of Columbia sued Google over alleged deceptive location-tracking practices.
Top Story
- North Korea: Pyongyang launches cruise missiles amid tension over lifting nuclear moratorium.
- South Korean officials said North Korea fired two cruise missiles into the sea off its east coast amid rising tension over a recent series of weapons tests.
- One official said South Korean and US intelligence officials were analyzing the launches but did not provide further details. Another military official said the tests were conducted from an inland area but did not specify where.
- Pyongyang has embarked on a fresh flurry of sanctions-busting tests after Kim Jong-un re-avowed his commitment to military modernization at a key party speech.
- The last time North Korea tested this many weapons in a month were in 2019, after high-profile negotiations collapsed between Kim and Trump.
- The US called on North Korea to cease provocations, abide by international law and find ways to de-escalate tensions.
- Reuters, AP, SCMP, AFP, WSJ
Africa
- Region: Tropical storm Ana killed at least 34 people in Madagascar and two people in Mozambique while knocking out power in Malawi. (AFP)
- Burkina Faso: More than 1,000 people gathered in the main square in Ouagadougou to celebrate Monday’s coup with some burning the French flag. (BBC)
- Cameroon: At least eight people have been killed and 38 injured in a crush outside an Africa Cup of Nations football match. (BBC)
- Kenya: Travelers from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be allowed to enter the East African country after the government lifted a ban on all incoming flights. (BBC)
- Mali: The government asked Denmark to immediately withdraw troops deployed to the country as part of a French-led counter-terrorism task force. (Reuters)
Americas
- Region: US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said Mexico’s government is open to addressing US concerns about proposed legislation to strengthen state control of the power market. (Reuters)
- Canada: The foreign ministry was hit by a cyberattack last week that is still preventing diplomats from accessing certain online services. (AFP)
- Honduras: One of the two lawmakers who were named as dueling presidents of the Congress proposed a new election to end the crisis that is overshadowing the election of the country’s first woman president. (AFP)
- Nicaragua: Jailed opposition figures are suffering from serious health issues, including blackouts and loss of teeth, according to their families. (AFP)
- United States: A Navy combat jet conducting exercises in the South China Sea crashed while trying to land on the deck of an aircraft carrier, injuring seven sailors. (AP)
Asia
- Region: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan suffered electrical power outages in major cities after a major power line in Kazakhstan was disconnected. (Reuters)
- Australia: Opposition leader Anthony Albanese said that Canberra’s relationship with China will remain difficult even if his center-left Labor Party wins power at elections for the first time in almost a decade. (AP)
- Cambodia: Prime Minister Hun Sen confirmed he invited Myanmar’s junta chief to a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), on the condition he makes progress on a peace plan agreed to last year. (Reuters)
- Indonesia: Police said at least 18 people were killed during clashes between two groups at a club in the town of Sorong in West Papua province with most dying after the night spot caught fire in the violence. (AFP)
- South Korea: Health authorities reported 8,571 new cases of COVID-19, marking the first time the daily case count in the country has exceeded 8,000. (Reuters)
Europe
- Belarus: A hacktivist group launched a limited cyberattack on the national railway aimed at impeding the movement of Russian troops in the country. (AP)
- Italy: Political parties resumed talks to try to find a mutually acceptable head of state and avoid the threat of political instability after a first round of voting among lawmakers ended in stalemate. (Reuters)
- Netherlands: The government will allow restaurants, bars, and theaters to re-open despite record numbers of coronavirus infections. (Reuters)
- Russia: The Kremlin said it is watching with great concern after the United States put 8,500 troops on alert to be ready to deploy to Europe in case of an escalation in the Ukraine crisis. (Reuters)
- United Kingdom: Police will investigate alleged lockdown breaches at Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Downing Street residence after receiving evidence from an internal government probe into a series of gatherings. (Reuters)
Middle East
- Bahrain: The interior ministry said a man convicted of “terrorism-related offences” has been extradited from Serbia following an Interpol Red Notice issued at Manama’s request. (AFP)
- Iran: The Islamic Republic regained its UN voting rights after paying off its debt to the organization from assets frozen in South Korea. (DPA)
- Israel: A government panel of experts recommended expanding eligibility for an extra vaccine booster to everyone aged 18 and up. (DPA)
- Syria: UN Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator Mark Cutts said that an additional $39 million in aid would be needed for refugees affected by heavy winter in the northwest. (AP)
- Yemen: Internet services resumed in the country after a four-day power outage caused by Saudi-coalition air strikes. (AlJazeera)
Tech & Communications
- Technology: Three US states and the District of Columbia sued Google over alleged deceptive location-tracking practices. (Reuters)
World
- Cyclones: Nothing to Report.
- Hurricanes: Nothing to Report.
- Earthquakes: Nothing to Report.
- Volcanoes: Nothing to Report.
- Global Disease Outbreaks:
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 25JAN22)
- Confirmed cases: 355,269,856
- Deaths: 5,606,351
- Countries with confirmed cases: 192
- Sourcing: John Hopkins University
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global (as of 25JAN22)
Tomorrow’s Outlook (26JAN22)
- Australia: Australia Day.
- Dominican Republic: Duarte Day.
- India: Republic Day.
- Middle East: Jordan and Lebanon to sign an electricity deal to ease Lebanese power cuts.
- Uganda: Liberation Day.
- United Kingdom: COVID-19 measures to be dropped unless extended.
- United States: Visit by Taiwanese Vice President William Lai.
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