Why the EU is wary of targeting US services in a trade clash

As Washington renews tariff threats, Europe is weighing retaliation. Hitting US services would hurt the US the most, but it comes with high risks.

South Korea court sentences ex-PM Han to 23-year jail term in case related to martial law

SEOUL, Jan 21 - A South Korean court on Wednesday sentenced former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to 23 years in jail for charges including engaging in a key action of insurrection concerning ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law in December 2024.

Study debunks Trump’s claim foreigners pay his tariffs

US President Donald Trump has long insisted, in the face of decades of research by economists, that foreign producers are the only ones who are paying for his tariffs on imported goods. However, a major new study released Monday by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, an

Azerbaijan says it agreed to join Trump's 'Board of Peace'

MOSCOW, Jan 21 - Azerbaijan said on on Wednesday that it had accepted an invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump to join his \"Board of Peace\".

Demand for second-hand school uniform store surges

The council-run store in the Queensgate Centre supports about 100 families a week, organisers say.

India beefing up space-based surveillance after border conflict

India encountered surveillance blind spots during a border conflict in 2025 with neighbour Pakistan.

Forest fires break out in Sumatra, Kalimantan despite ongoing rainy season

In Aceh, at least nine hectares of land had caught ablaze.

Community warm space a 'lifeline' for the lonely

The Somerset centre is described as a 'vital safety net' offering people a warm and safe venue.

China needs to invest bigger at home to sustain prosperity

China’s economy met the government’s official growth target in 2025, with official figures showing real gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by 5%. Exports played an outsized role in delivering this headline growth. Despite a simmering trade war with the United States, China

India’s Supreme Court hears case over Aravalli hills definition amid mining, environmental concerns

At the centre of the dispute is a proposed redefinition of the ecologically sensitive Aravalli range, which activists warn could allow swathes of the hills to be opened up for mining and construction.

Grief after a pet’s death can be as long-lasting as losing a human loved one, study finds

A UK study found that some pet owners develop prolonged grief disorder after the death of a pet, with symptoms mirroring those seen after human bereavement.

‘The Silicon Gaze’: ChatGPT rankings skew toward rich Western nations, research shows

ChatGPT’s viewpoints are shaped by the predominantly Western, white, male developers and platform owners who built it, a study finds.

Half of world’s CO2 emissions come from just 32 fossil fuel firms, study shows

Critics accuse leading firms of sabotaging climate action but say data increasingly being used to hold them to account Just 32 fossil fuel companies were responsible for half the global carbon dioxide emissions driving the climate crisis in 2024, down from 36 a year earlier , a

Plantwatch: Neighbouring plants warn each other about incoming stress

A study of Arabidopsis thaliana plants found that plants growing together activated genes to protect themselves, while isolated plants did not Plants growing close to each other can warn each other about stresses in their lives. Thale cress ( Arabidopsis thaliana ) plants were

The world has entered an era of ‘global water bankruptcy’, UN warns. What does it actually mean?

Decades of human activity have left “irreversible damage” to the planet’s water supply, a new report warns.

'Make America Go Away' caps see popularity surge amid Greenland spat

A subversive symbol of Greenlanders' political opposition to US President Donald Trump has appeared online: red caps with the words 'Make America Go Away'.

Latest news bulletin | January 21st, 2026 – Morning

Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond this January 21st, 2026 - latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel.

Uzbekistan develops new rail links to strengthen Eurasian transit role

New international corridors and fleet upgrades are expanding cross-border rail connectivity, supporting trade flows between Europe, Asia and South Asia, while modernisation and electrification aim to improve passenger and freight services.

Carbon taxes revenue tripled between 2017 and 2023

Between 2017 and 2023, the revenue from carbon dioxide related taxes in the EU increased strongly, growing from €15 billion to €51 billion. Carbon (dioxide) taxes are levied on the carbon content of fossil fuels. Their share in the overall energy taxes increased from 6.0% in

South Korea court finds ex-PM Han Duck-soo guilty of key action of insurrection over martial law

He failed to hold a lawful Cabinet meeting needed for martial law under South Korean rules, a judge said.

Killer of Japanese leader Shinzo Abe sentenced to life in prison

Tetsuya Yamagami pleaded guilty to shooting the former prime minister with a homemade gun in 2022, an act he tied to struggles with the Unification Church.

US ally hedging a rational response to end of Pax Americana

The Washington foreign policy establishment is in predictable panic mode. America’s allies are hedging their bets, diversifying their partnerships, and preparing for what strategists delicately call “US unpredictability.” The December 2025 National Security Strategy—with its

How an Islamist party is gaining ground in Bangladesh, worrying moderates

DHAKA, Jan 21 - Long vilified for opposing independence and barred from electoral politics for over a decade, Bangladesh's biggest Islamist party is reinventing itself and attracting new support ahead of parliamentary polls next month, unsettling moderates and minority

With monitors and lawsuits, Pakistanis fight for clean air

IQAir classified Pakistan as the third most-polluted country in the world in 2024.

Surging in polls, Thailand’s reformist opposition tests new election playbook

Two surveys released in mid-January showed the People’s Party as the overwhelming favourite.

Surging in polls, Thailand's reformist opposition tests new election playbook

BANGKOK, Jan 21 - Three years ago, a party of reform-minded progressives swept Thailand's election in the wake of mass anti-establishment protests only to be blocked from taking power and forced to disband.

Kesha Supports Kim Petras Amid Label Strife: ‘I Spent Many Years Fighting for the Rights to Myself’

Earlier on Tuesday, Petras "formally requested" to be dropped from her label and claimed it had stalled the release of her album

Thailand's election in numbers

BANGKOK, Jan 21 - Thailand will hold a general election on February 8 in a showdown between three big parties that could lead to its fourth prime minister in less than three years.

TR-49 review: a cryptic narrative deduction game with teeth

TR-49 is a cryptic narrative deduction game that's all about cracking codes and unraveling a political mystery.

Strategic sex: Alaska's beluga whales swap mates for long-term survival

In the icy waters of Alaska's Bristol Bay, a new study reveals how a small population of beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) survive the long haul through a surprising strategy: they mate with multiple partners over several years. The combination of long-term genetics,

Gunman jailed for life in killing of Japan ex-PM Abe

Tetsuya Yamagami, 45, faced charges including murder and firearms control law violations, and admitted to murder.

India to withdraw diplomats' families from Bangladesh, source says

NEW DELHI, Jan 21 - India will withdraw its diplomats' families and dependents from Bangladesh in the face of security threats as tension rises ahead of a February 12 general election, an Indian official said on Wednesday.

Stanford scientists found a way to regrow cartilage and stop arthritis

Scientists at Stanford Medicine have discovered a treatment that can reverse cartilage loss in aging joints and even prevent arthritis after knee injuries. By blocking a protein linked to aging, the therapy restored healthy, shock-absorbing cartilage in old mice and injured

Trump says 'you'll find out' how far he'll go to seize Greenland ahead of departure for Davos

US President Donald Trump made an unexpected appearance at the White House briefing room ahead of his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, as tensions rise over Greenland and threats loom of a deepening trade war between the US and Europe.

Patients tried everything for depression then this implant changed their lives

Researchers report that vagus nerve stimulation helped many people with long-standing, treatment-resistant depression feel better—and stay better—for at least two years. Most participants had lived with depression for decades and had exhausted nearly every other option. Those

North produces enough nuclear material a year for 10 to 20 weapons: South Korea president

One person killed in Barcelona train crash, days after deadly train collision in Adamuz

The crash in Catalonia in northeastern Spain came just two days after a separate deadly train collision killed at least 42 people in the country's south and injured dozens more.

Turkey's Erdogan says discusses Syria, Gaza with Trump in "very good" call

WASHINGTON, Jan 20 - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan discussed developments in Syria and Gaza in a call with U.S. President Donald Trump, his office said on Wednesday, as Syria's Turkey-backed government announced a ceasefire with U.S.-allied Kurdish forces after days of

Regent of Indonesia’s Pati regency arrested for suspected graft offences

The regent, Sudewo, is accused of extorting between 125 million rupiah (US$7,400) and 150 million rupiah from each village official seeking appointment to public posts. “However, his subordinates who coordinated the extortion asked for 165 million rupiah, of which they pocketed

Philippines to restore access to Grok after developer commits to safety fixes

The Philippines had blocked Grok amid concerns about its ability to generate sexualised images.

Indonesia revokes gold mine, plantation permits after floods

The permits span a wide range of land uses and cover more than a million hectares.

Air Force One to land at Joint Base Andrews after crew finds 'minor electrical issue'

Air Force One on Tuesday, en route to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, will land at Joint Base Andrews after crew members identified "a minor electrical issue." White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the issue was found after takeoff and, out

Why is Emmanuel Macron wearing sunglasses indoors at Davos?

The French leader drew attention for his rebuke of Trump's tariff threat - and also his choice of eyewear.

Trump signs executive order barring Wall Street investors from buying single-family homes

President Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order stopping Wall Street investors from buying and owning single-family homes, amid his push to focus on affordability ahead of the November midterm elections. "Buying and owning a home has long been considered the pinnacle of

Tourist helicopter goes missing near volcano in Japan

A pilot and two passengers were on board the aircraft when it disappeared in cloudy weather, police say.

One of the best (and oddest) blockbuster shooters of 2019 is $4 on Steam at the moment

Control is going for next-to-nothing ahead of its sequel.

Mother climbs down wall of building to rescue kids from burning home in South Korea

Fire authorities said it was highly unusual for a civilian to succeed in such an attempt.

Trump signals possible role for Machado as U.S. tightens Venezuela oil crackdown

United States President Donald Trump said Venezuela opposition leader María Corina Machado could “maybe” be brought into the transition process “in some way,” marking a notable shift in tone as Washington balances political messaging with day-to-day coordination in Caracas