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Cuba’s President Miguel Diaz-Canel has denounced what he called an attempt by his United States counterpart, Donald Trump, to “suffocate” the sanctions-hit country’s economy.

Trump signed an executive order on Thursday threatening additional tariffs on countries that sell oil to Cuba, the latest move in Washington’s campaign of pressure on Havana. The order alleged that the government of communist-run Cuba was an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to US national security.

In a social media post on Friday, Diaz-Canel said that under “a false and baseless pretext”, Trump plans “to suffocate” Cuba’s economy by slapping tariffs “on countries that sovereignly trade oil” with it.

“This new measure reveals the fascist, criminal and genocidal nature of a clique that has hijacked the interests of the American people for purely personal ends,” he said, in an apparent allusion to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a Cuban American and a known anti-Cuban government hawk.

Cuba, which is suffering rolling electricity blackouts blamed on fuel shortages, was cut off from critical supplies of Venezuelan oil after the US abducted Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in a bloody military night raid on the capital, Caracas, earlier this month. At least 32 members of Cuba’s armed forces and intelligence agencies were killed in the January 3 attack.

The US has since taken effective control of Venezuela’s oil sector, and Trump, a Republican, has issued threats against other left-wing governments in the region, promising to stop oil shipments previously sent to Cuba.

Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez on Friday declared an “international emergency” in response to Trump’s move, which he said constitutes “an unusual and extraordinary threat”.

Venezuela’s government also condemned the measure in a statement on Friday, saying it violates international law and the principles of global commerce.

Reporting from Cuba’s capital, Al Jazeera’s Ed Augustin said Trump’s announcement “is a massive psychological blow”, noting that analysts describe it as the “most powerful economic blow the United States has ever dealt the island”.

Days after Maduro’s abduction and transfer to the US, Trump urged Cuba to make a deal “before it is too late,” without specifying what kind of agreement he was referring to.

In a post on social media, Trump suggested Rubio could become the president of Cuba. “Sounds good to me!” he wrote on his Truth Social platform.

‘There’s no solution’

In Havana, residents expressed anger at Trump’s tariff threat, which will only make life harder for Cubans already struggling with an increase in US sanctions.

“My food is going bad. We haven’t had electricity since 6am,” Yenia Leon told Al Jazeera. “You can’t sleep. You have to buy food every day. There’s no solution to the power situation,” she said.

“This is a war,” Lazaro Alfonso, an 89-year-old retired graphic designer, told The Associated Press news agency, describing Trump as the “sheriff of the world” and saying he feels like he is living in the Wild West, where anything goes.

Alfonso, who lived through the severe economic depression in the 1990s known as the “Special Period” following cuts in Soviet aid, said the current situation in Cuba is worse, given the severe blackouts, a lack of basic goods and a scarcity of fuel.

“The only thing that’s missing here in Cuba … is for bombs to start falling,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she would seek alternatives to continue helping Cuba after Trump’s announcement following a decision this week to temporarily halt oil shipments to the island amid heightened rhetoric from Trump.

Mexico became a key supplier of fuel to Cuba, along with Russia, after the US sanctions on Venezuela paralysed the delivery of crude oil to the island.

Sheinbaum said cutting off oil shipments to Cuba could trigger a “far-reaching humanitarian crisis” on the island, affecting transportation, hospitals and access to food. She did not say whether Mexico would cut shipments of oil or refined products to Cuba, which ‌she said accounted for 1 percent of Mexico’s production.

“Our interest is that the Cuban people don’t suffer,” Sheinbaum said, adding that she had instructed her foreign minister to contact the US ‌State Department to better understand the scope of the executive order.

Mexico supplied 44 percent of Cuban oil imports and Venezuela exported 33 percent until last month, while some 10 percent of Cuban oil is sourced from Russia. Some oil is also sourced from Algeria, according to The Financial Times figures.

In November last year, a senior United Nations expert said the long-running US sanctions on Cuba must be lifted as they are “causing significant effects across all aspects of life”.

The US imposed a near-total trade embargo on Cuba in 1962, with the goal of toppling the government put in place by Fidel Castro after he took power in a 1959 revolution. Castro himself was the target of numerous assassination attempts by the US’s Central Intelligence Agency, or CIA.

Alena Douhan, special rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on human rights, said the “extensive regime of economic, trade and financial restrictions” against Cuba marks the longest-running unilateral sanctions policy in US history.

She noted that there are shortages of food, medicine, electricity, water, essential machinery and spare parts in Cuba, while a growing emigration of skilled workers, including medical staff, engineers and teachers, is further straining the country.

The accumulative effect has “severe consequences for the enjoyment of human rights, including the rights to life, food, health and development”, Douhan said.

Jan. 30 (UPI) — Four Nigerien military personnel were injured and 20 attackers were killed during an attack on the Diori Hamani International Airport near Niger’s capital city, Niamey.

The attack started late Wednesday night and lasted for about 30 minutes, during which loud explosions and sustained gunfire could be heard, the BBC reported.

Niger’s Defense Ministry said 11 were arrested after the attack ended, and a French national was among the 20 attackers who were killed.

The Islamic State group on Friday claimed responsibility for coordinating the attack that it said targeted a military base used by Niger’s army.

The Islamic State’s Amaq information wing said “major damage” was done to the airport but did not cite any casualty figures.

Video footage recorded during the attack and witness statements indicate Niger’s air-defense system engaged incoming projectiles.

The airport resumed its normal operations Thursday, and Nigerien officials credited Russian military personnel with helping to fend off the attackers.

Gen. Abdourahamane Tiani, who seized power in Niger during a July 2023 military coup, appeared on state-run television, blaming the presidents of France, Benin and the Ivory Coast for the attack. Tiani did not cite any evidence to support the allegation, but he said retaliation was forthcoming.

“We have heard them bark,” Tiani said. “They should be ready to hear us roar.”

Niger recently experienced diminished relations with France and neighboring nations, which he accused of being French proxies.

Tiani and Nigerien officials have close ties with Russia, which helped the Nigerien military to thwart a rebellion by militants associated with al-Qaida and ISIS.

Niger maintains close relations with Mali and Burkina Faso, all of which have faced rebellions that have caused thousands of deaths and displaced millions.

The three nations formed the Alliance of Sahel States in response and engaged Russia while ending military ties with France.

Jan. 30 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s Innovation Party said Thursday that the Constitutional Court’s decision striking down the 3% vote threshold for proportional representation is a warning to the country’s two major parties and called on the Democratic Party to amend the Public Official Election Act.

The party argued that the ruling requires broader electoral reform, including abolishing two-member local council districts, expanding regional proportional representation and introducing runoff voting for mayors and governors.

Park Byeong-won, interim spokesperson for the Innovation Party, told a news conference at the National Assembly Communication Center that the court’s decision underscored violations of popular sovereignty. He said the Democratic Party, which holds a majority in the National Assembly, should take responsibility for revising the election law.

Park said the court found partially unconstitutional a provision of the Public Official Election Act that denied proportional representation seats to parties that failed to secure at least 3% of the nationwide vote. As a result, he said, parties receiving less than 3% support will be eligible for seat allocation in the 2028 general election without further legislation.

He added that the court criticized the current system as favoring the two major parties and blocking new political forces from entering the National Assembly. Park said it would be unrealistic to expect the major parties to voluntarily reform a system that benefits them and called the ruling a rebuke that lawmakers must heed.

Park said the decision highlighted the need to abolish two-member local council districts, expand regional proportional representation and introduce runoff voting for local chief executives in upcoming local elections. He said the Democratic Party should move unilaterally to amend the election law to reflect the principle of popular sovereignty.

On Wednesday, the Constitutional Court ruled 7-2 that Article 189(1) of the Public Official Election Act was unconstitutional. The provision limited proportional representation seats to parties that won at least 3% of the national vote or secured five constituency seats.

Minor parties and candidates who failed to meet the threshold in the 21st and 22nd general elections under a semi-linked proportional representation system had filed the constitutional complaint.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260130010013892

Left-arm pacer Ben Dwarshuis will replace Cummins after he failed to recover in time for the tournament.

Australian fast ‌bowler Pat Cummins has been ruled out of the ICC Twenty20 World ‍Cup after failing to recover from a nagging back injury, with Ben Dwarshuis named as his replacement in the tournament starting next month.

“With ⁠Pat needing more time to recover from his back injury, Ben is a ready replacement who offers a left-arm pace option as well as dynamic fielding and late-order hitting,” selector Tony Dodemaide said on Saturday.

“We believe his ability to swing the ball at good pace, along with clever variations, will be well-suited to the conditions we expect and ​overall structure of the squad.”

Cummins played just one of the five Ashes Tests against England, but Australia kept ⁠him in the provisional World Cup squad, hoping for his availability in the ​Super Eight stage of the tournament to be played in ‍India and Sri Lanka.

Matt Renshaw also replaced fellow batter Matthew Short but veteran Steve Smith could not break into the World Cup squad despite his strong form in the Big ‍Bash League.

The Mitchell Marsh-led side are ‌currently playing a three-match T20 series in Pakistan as part of their preparation for the World Cup.

“With the top order settled and spin-heavy conditions expected in the pool stages in Sri ‌Lanka, we also feel Matt provides extra middle-order support, with Tim David completing his return-to-play programme in the ‌early phase of the tournament,” Dodemaide said of ⁠Renshaw’s selection.

“As a left-hander, he also offers a point of difference to the middle-order batting.”

Renshaw scored 15 in his T20 debut for Australia in Thursday’s defeat in Lahore.

The former champions begin their ‌World Cup campaign against Ireland in a February 11 match in Colombo.

Australia’s squad for the T20 World Cup: Mitchell Marsh (captain), Travis Head, Xavier Bartlett, Josh Hazlewood, Cooper Connolly, Josh ‍Inglis, Tim David, Matthew Kuhnemann, Ben Dwarshuis, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Matthew Renshaw, Nathan Ellis, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

Jan. 30 (Asia Today) — Taiwan’s first domestically built conventional submarine completed its first submerged sea trial Thursday, a milestone for an eight-boat program aimed at strengthening deterrence against China.

The submarine, named Hai Kun and also known as Narwhal, conducted a shallow-water submerged navigation test and returned safely to port near the southern city of Kaohsiung, according to Taiwan’s China Shipbuilding Corp., the state-linked builder leading the project.

The company said the program has faced obstacles because of international constraints and pressure from China but described the trial as a key step before staged sea testing continues.

Beijing has long opposed Taiwan’s submarine program. A Chinese newspaper commentary described the vessel as having performance issues, reflecting Beijing’s criticism of Taipei’s defense buildup.

According to people familiar with the trial, the test focused on basic checks such as watertight integrity and underwater stability at shallow depth, with later trials expected to proceed to deeper dives and stress testing.

The diesel-electric submarine is about 70 meters long with an underwater displacement of about 2,800 tons and a crew of about 60, according to published specifications.

Taiwan launched the first boat in September 2023 and the delivery timeline has slipped from earlier targets. The first vessel is budgeted at NT$49.36 billion (about ₩2.26 trillion, about $1.57 billion), with Taiwan aiming to have at least two of the new submarines operational by 2027.

The program has drawn scrutiny in South Korea after court rulings found contractors linked to Taiwan’s submarine effort guilty of leaking torpedo-launch system design documents, a case that raised concerns about possible technology transfer.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260130010013991

Rodriguez calls for healing ‘wounds left by political confrontation’ while announcing notorious El Helicoide prison to shut down.

Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodriguez has announced an amnesty bill that could lead to the release of hundreds of prisoners, her latest major reform since the US military abducted the country’s President Nicolas Maduro and his wife earlier this month.

“We have decided to push ahead with a general amnesty law that covers the whole period of political violence from 1999 to the present day,” Rodriguez said on Friday.

Speaking at a gathering of justices, magistrates, ministers, military officials and other government leaders, the acting president said the National Assembly would take up the amnesty bill with urgency.

“May this law serve to heal the wounds left by the political confrontation fuelled by violence and extremism,” Rodriguez said in the prerecorded televised event.

“May it serve to redirect justice in our country, and may it serve to redirect coexistence among Venezuelans,” she said.

Rodriguez also announced the shutdown of El Helicoide, a notorious secret service prison in Caracas, where torture and other human rights abuses have been documented by independent organisations.

El Helicoide, she said, will be transformed into a sports, social and cultural centre for the surrounding neighbourhoods.

Rodriguez made her announcement before officials whom former prisoners and human rights watchdogs have accused of overseeing El Helicoide and other detention facilities.

The Venezuelan-based prisoners’ rights group Foro Penal estimates that 711 people are in detention in facilities across Venezuela over their political activities. Of those, 183 have been sentenced, the group said.

Foro Penal President Alfredo Romero welcomed the planned amnesty but said it must apply to all prisoners “without discrimination”.

“A general amnesty is welcome as long as its elements and conditions include all of civil society, without discrimination, that it does not become a cloak of impunity, and that it contributes to dismantling the repressive apparatus of political persecution,” Romero wrote in a post on social media.

Foro Penal has calculated that some 302 prisoners have been released by Rodriguez’s government in the aftermath of the abduction of Maduro by the US.

The organisation later released a video clip on social media of what is said showed the moment that human rights worker Eduardo Torres was released from prison on Friday night, following his detention since May 2025.

Translation: Our colleague from @proveaong Eduardo Torres has been released from prison, human rights defender, former political prisoner.

Families and rights advocates have long demanded that charges and convictions against detainees who are considered political prisoners be dropped.

Government officials – who ⁠deny holding political prisoners and say those jailed have committed crimes – report that more than 600 people have been released from prison, but they have not been clear on the timeline and appear to be including prisoners released in previous years.

Jan. 30 (Asia Today) — Leaders of South Korea’s Democratic Party and conservative People Power Party shook hands Friday at the funeral of former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan and exchanged brief words about working toward “good politics,” marking their first handshake in months.

Democratic Party leader Chung Cheong-rae greeted People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk at the funeral hall at Seoul National University Hospital in central Seoul after Jang paid his respects.

Chung, who has previously avoided handshakes with political rivals, asked Jang how he was doing and remarked that he looked thinner, according to aides. Jang replied that he had lost weight and had struggled to regain it.

After the exchange, the two leaders offered each other well-wishes and said they would try to pursue better politics in line with Lee’s legacy, the aides said.

Jang visited with other senior People Power Party officials, including floor leader Song Eon-seok and policy committee chairman Jeong Jeom-sik. Conservative lawmakers and former lawmakers had continued condolence visits through Thursday, the party said. Jang had sent a funeral wreath earlier this week.

Chung declared after his election as party leader last August that he would not shake hands with the opposition, saying handshakes should be reserved for “people.” He last shook hands with rival-party leaders in September during a meeting at the presidential office, at the urging of President Lee Jae-myung.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260130010013922

Jan. 30 (Asia Today) — Despite sluggish domestic demand, South Korea’s stock market is surging, driven largely by a semiconductor supercycle led by SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics.

SK Hynix last year posted record sales exceeding 97 trillion won (about $67.6 billion) and operating profit of 47 trillion won (about $32.8 billion), with both its annual and fourth-quarter results reaching all-time highs. Notably, its fourth-quarter operating margin surpassed that of Taiwan’s leading foundry, underscoring not only for growth but also for profitability. Samsung Electronics also reported sales of 333 trillion won (about $232.2 billion) and operating profit of 43 trillion won (about $30.0 billion), up 11% and 33% year on year. Its semiconductor division alone generated 44 trillion won (about $30.7 billion) in sales and 16 trillion won (about $11.2 billion) in operating profit in the fourth quarter.

These earnings surprises were fueled by higher sales of high-value products such as high-bandwidth memory and rising memory prices. On the back of the two chipmakers, the benchmark KOSPI index climbed past 5,200 on Jan. 29. Industry forecasts suggest the semiconductor supercycle could continue this year, with combined operating profit potentially exceeding 200 trillion won (about $139.4 billion) and, in some projections, approaching 300 trillion won (about $209.2 billion) as memory shortages deepen and dominance in the high-bandwidth memory market strengthens.

What is troubling, however, is the extent to which the broader economy relies on this single engine. Although exports topped $700 billion last year, fourth-quarter growth turned negative and annual growth was limited. The semiconductor-centered IT manufacturing sector accounted for most of the country’s modest GDP expansion, implying that without semiconductors overall growth would have been far weaker.

While the semiconductor boom is expected to last at least through this year, stock markets typically price in conditions about six months ahead. The chip-led rally may therefore run into limits later this year. Beyond that point, risks loom. The automotive sector faces uncertainty from Trump-era tariffs and rapid shifts toward autonomous and next-generation mobility. Steel, petrochemicals and batteries are struggling amid oversupply driven by China-led competition.

The previous administration pledged to foster pharmaceuticals and biotechnology as next-generation core industries, but tangible progress has been limited. Building new growth engines ultimately depends on government policy resolve. A recent report by the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade noted that major powers such as the United States and China are aggressively promoting strategic industries with a wide range of policy tools, while South Korea remains comparatively passive.

Revitalizing industrial policy will require active restructuring of lagging sectors and stronger coordination across ministries. Leaving everything to private initiative is not enough. To secure sustainable growth beyond semiconductors, the government must mobilize far more policy tools to strengthen domestic production and cultivate new core industries.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260129010013700

Jan. 30 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s presidential office said Friday that financial authorities are in close communication with the U.S. Treasury Department after Washington redesignated South Korea on its foreign exchange monitoring list.

The office said the Treasury reaffirmed in its latest currency report that the recent weakening of the won was not consistent with South Korea’s economic fundamentals.

At the same time, the office said it understood the redesignation was made in a “mechanical” way based on the Treasury’s evaluation criteria.

South Korea was removed from the monitoring list in November 2023 after being listed since April 2016, but was added back in November 2024 and remained on the list in the latest report, according to the office and South Korean media reports.

The Treasury cited South Korea’s sharply larger current account surplus and its expanded goods and services surplus with the United States as reasons it continues to warrant monitoring, the report said.

In the January report, the Treasury said its monitoring list includes 10 economies: China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Germany, Ireland and Switzerland.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260130010013828

Jan. 30 (UPI) — The federal government mostly will go unfunded at least through Monday after the Senate on Friday approved a bill package to fully fund all but the Department of Homeland Security.

Five budget bills would fund the majority of the federal government through the 2026 fiscal year, which ends on Sept. 30, but Homeland Security only is funded through Feb. 13 in a sixth bill.

The two-week extension enables lawmakers to debate proposed changes regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection enforcement activities.

The six measures must be approved by the House of Representatives, which will take them up on Monday and send them to President Donald Trump for signing if House members concur with the changes made in the Senate.

The Senate voted 71-29 to approve House Resolution 7148 early Friday evening.

While the measure awaits approval in the House and eventual signing by the president, the federal government mostly will shut down at 12:01 a.m. EST on Saturday, but lawmakers expect that lull to be short and over by Tuesday.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Friday told media that he expects to fast-track the voting by suspending the House floor rules and immediately approve the budget measures, which only require a simple majority in the House versus at least 60 votes in the Senate.

The vote to suspend the rules, though, requires a two-thirds vote of House members.

The Homeland Security budget still would need to be debated and could lapse if it is not approved and signed into law by the end of the day on Feb. 13.

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., told media he does not expect Homeland Security to be funded by Feb. 13.

“I believe this is a horrible bill,” he said on Friday. “I can’t believe we’re not funding ICE.”

He said he doesn’t believe it will be funded in two weeks, either.

Congressional Democrats are demanding an end to sweeps through targeted cities, want ICE and CBP officers unmasked and wearing body cameras, and want judicial warrants instead of administrative warrants issued to target and arrest individuals.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., was unhappy that the Senate removed a provision approved by the House that would have enabled him and others to sue the Department of Justice for seizing his phone records during the Biden administration’s Operation Arctic Frost.

Graham was among eight Republican senators whose phone records were accessed by the DOJ, which he called illegal.

“Every Senator should make sure this never happens again,” he told media on Thursday.

Congressional Democrats generally were happy that the Homeland Security funding was separated from a six-bill package to fund the entire government.

They also successfully rejected an effort to reduce the maximum Pell Grant amount by $1,000 and blocked the president’s proposal to lower rental assistance funding and reduce the National Institutes of Health budget.

Democrats were especially pleased that measures approved by the Senate give the Low Income Home Energy Assistance program $20 million more in funding, while the Child Care and Development Block Grant and Head Start each get another $85 million.

A man has been arrested by police in Spain after they recovered a stolen statue of the late golfer Seve Ballesteros.

A ‌statue of the late golfer Seve Ballesteros, which ‍had vanished ‍from his hometown of Pedrena in northern Spain’s Cantabria region, was found chopped into pieces as the alleged thief prepared to sell it for its ⁠bronze, police have said.

Valued at about 30,000 euros ($35,820) ​but holding significant sentimental importance for locals and ‍fans, the statue was discovered in a storage room in Santander. It had been cut in half at the waist.

While the ‍torso and ⁠head remained intact, the arms were broken into several pieces.

A 22-year-old man with a criminal record for copper theft was arrested on Thursday, police revealed on Friday, adding that more individuals could be involved.

Police had focused their investigation on metal trading centres, suspecting the ​thieves planned to sell the bronze ‌for profit.

The 100kg (220.46-pound) statue, depicting Ballesteros in a signature pose celebrating his 1984 British Open win at St Andrews in Scotland, ‌was torn from its base in La Barqueria Park earlier this month before being ‌dragged across grass and dismembered for ⁠transport.

Created in 2009 by sculptor Salvador Garcia Ceballos, it was permanently installed in Pedrena in 2017.

Ballesteros, who won five major titles during his ‌career and became a fan favourite for his capacity for digging himself out of trouble on the golf course, ‍died in 2011 aged 54 after a battle with cancer.

Jan. 30 (UPI) — While Russia and Ukraine continue targeting each other’s energy infrastructure amid their war, the International Atomic Energy Agency leader said backup systems are critical for ensuring safety.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi on Friday told the agency’s board of governors the war in Ukraine is nearing its fifth year and poses the world’s greatest risk for a nuclear accident.

Ukraine has 15 nuclear reactors that generate about half of the nation’s electricity, and Russia has 36 operable reactors that generate up to 20% of its electricity, according to the World Nuclear Association.

The number of reactors in the two warring nations highlights the need for backup systems in those nations and all others that contain nuclear reactors to prevent accidents and ensure reliable off-site power, Grossi said.

“There must be secure off-site power from the grid for all nuclear sites,” he told the board of governors.

Grossi cited Russia’s control of the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant in southeastern Ukraine as especially troubling, saying “all efforts should be made to ensure off-site power remains available and secure at all times.”

The nuclear power plant is Europe’s largest and was reconnected to its last active power backup system on Jan. 19 after undergoing repairs amid a temporary cease-fire between the two nations.

The backup system helps to ensure the reactor is cooled and supports other important safety systems, which Grossi said must remain “available and secure at all times” to prevent a nuclear accident.

It went offline after being damaged on Jan. 2 due to military actions, which forced the facility to rely on its main power line to cool its six shutdown reactors and spent-fuel pools.

The IAEA also is monitoring the facility’s ability to operate during the winter months, including ensuring water does not freeze its respective cooling and sprinkler ponds.

Grossi also warned of a potential calamity if some or all of Ukraine’s electrical substations were to go offline.

“Damage to them undermines nuclear safety and must be avoided,” Grossi said, adding that a group of agency experts are examining 10 substations amid Russian military strikes on Ukraine’s power infrastructure.

Other nuclear facilities that pose significant concerns include Ukraine’s Chernobyl site, which recently relied on diesel-powered generators to supply backup power until repairs were completed on its damaged substation power lines.

While the IAEA and others have managed to prevent a nuclear accident amid the ongoing war, Grossi said the “best way to ensure nuclear safety and security is to bring this conflict to an end.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in China this week with a large delegation of businesspeople and cultural figures.

He received a warm welcome from Chinese President Xi Jinping.

But the visit got a frosty reception from the White House, with United States President Donald Trump calling Starmer’s trip “dangerous”.

What prompted Trump’s remarks? And how important was the British prime minister’s visit?

Presenter: Adrian Finighan

Guests:

Will Hutton – Political economist

Andy Mok – Senior research fellow at the Center for China and Globalization

Steve Tsang – Director of the China Institute at SOAS University of London

Jan. 30 (UPI) — The Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday said the Producer Price Index rose by a half percent in December, which raises concern that inflation could rise as a result.

The index measures the cost businesses pay for wholesale goods and is among the factors that potentially affect inflation and unemployment rates.

The nation’s inflation rate currently is 2.7%, while unemployment was 4.4% in December.

“On an over-year-ago basis, core final demand PPI goods rose 3.7%, which points to ongoing pipeline pressures for consumer inflation that appears to be bolstered in part by tariffs,” JPMorgan analysts said in a statement.

National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett told CNBC that the higher Producer Price Index is not matched by the Consumer Price Index, which decreased in December.

“The CPI over the last three months, the annual rate, was lower than 2,” Hassett said.

“I think that right now we’re seeing materials prices like gold and so on are up quite a bit, in part because of all the investment that’s happening for artificial intelligence and data centers and so on,” he added.

December’s half-percent rise in the Producer Price Index was more than double its 0.2% rise in November and 0.1% increase in October, the BLS said.

For the year, wholesale prices, not including foods, energy and trade services, rose by 3.5%, which is slightly less than the 3.6% increase in 2024.

“Over 40 percent of the December increase in prices for final demand services can be traced to a 4.5-percent rise in margins for machinery and equipment wholesaling,” the BLS reported.

The cost of nonferrous metals also rose by 4.5% in December.

Also posting cost increases were the “indexes for guestroom rental; food and alcohol retailing; health, beauty and optical goods retailing; portfolio management; and airline passenger services also advanced,” the bureau said.

“Prices for residential natural gas, motor vehicles, soft drinks and aircraft and aircraft equipment also increased.”

While such costs rose, others declined by significant margins, including the cost for bundled wired telecommunications access services, which declined by 4.4%.

Israel says it will reopen the Rafah crossing on Sunday after nearly two years — but only for restricted, tightly controlled movement of people. Humanitarian aid remains barred. Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud reports from Rafah as Israel retains full security control.

Jan. 30 (UPI) — Two Democratic lawmakers are demanding answers about why National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard was at an FBI raid at a Georgia election facility.

Gabbard was photographed outside the Fulton County Election Hub and Operations Center, just outside of Atlanta, when the FBI executed a “a court authorized law enforcement action” on Wednesday. FBI spokesperson Jenna Sellitto told The Hill that boxes loaded on trucks contained ballots.

Agents sought 2020 election records, Fulton County spokesperson Jessica Corbitt-Dominguez said.

“We don’t know why they took them, and we don’t know where they’re taking them to,” county board of commissioners Chair Robb Pitts told The Hill.

“Director Gabbard has a pivotal role in election security and protecting the integrity of our elections against interference, including operations targeting voting systems, databases, and election infrastructure,” a senior administration official told NBC News.

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., released a statement about Gabbard’s presence at the raid.

“There are only two explanations for why the Director of National Intelligence would show up at a federal raid tied to Donald Trump‘s obsession with losing the 2020 election,” he said. “Either Director Gabbard believes there was a legitimate foreign intelligence nexus — in which case she is in clear violation of her obligation under the law to keep the intelligence committees ‘fully and currently informed’ of relevant national security concerns — or she is once again demonstrating her utter lack of fitness for the office that she holds by injecting the nonpartisan intelligence community she is supposed to be leading into a domestic political stunt designed to legitimize conspiracy theories that undermine our democracy.”

He said it shows she is unfit for the job.

“Either is a serious breach of trust that further underscores why she is totally unqualified to hold a position that demands sound judgment, apolitical independence, and a singular focus on keeping Americans safe,” he said.

Warner and Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., who both serve on their chambers’ intelligence committees, penned a letter to Gabbard expressing concern about her appearance in Georgia and demanding that she “appear before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence immediately.”

The letter said it is “deeply concerning that you participated in this domestic law enforcement action. The Intelligence Community should be focused on foreign threats and, as you yourself have testified, when those intelligence authorities are turned inwards the results can be devastating for Americans’ privacy and civil liberties.”

They said they want her to address her reasoning and role in attending the FBI operation in Fulton County, under what legal authority she or any other IC employee were involved, and an update on any intelligence she has concerning foreign interference in U.S. elections, including the 2020 election.

“Given the politically fraught nature of elections for federal office, any federal efforts associated with combatting foreign election threats necessitate public transparency, prompt updating of Congressional intelligence committees, and clear commitment to non-partisan conduct,” the letter said.

“Your recent actions raise foundational questions about the current mission of your office, and it is critical that you brief the Committees immediately as part of your obligation to keep Congress fully and currently informed.”

Two unnamed senior officials with knowledge of the matter told NBC that Gabbard’s presence in Fulton County was not requested by the Justice Department. They said Gabbard was only observing, and her presence wasn’t illegal.

“It seems to be an attempt to make herself relevant,” one official told NBC. “It’s so strange.”

On Thursday, Trump responded to a reporter’s question about her presence in Georgia.

“She’s working very hard on trying to keep the elections safe, and she’s done a very good job,” Trump said at the Kennedy Center. “You got a signed judge’s order in Georgia, and you’re going to see some interesting things happening. They’ve been trying to get there for a long time.”

If she took part in the search, her involvement would be “wrong and potentially even illegal,” said Kevin Carrol, a former CIA officer and national security lawyer, to NBC.

“It is also inappropriate for a Cabinet-level official to take part in a law enforcement operation. Among other things, the director is now potentially a fact witness in any suppression hearing or trial related to the evidence seized by the bureau,” Carroll said.

The United States Justice Department has released a massive new tranche of investigative files related to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

At a news conference on Friday, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department was releasing more than 3 million pages of documents, as well as more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images.

He said the release means the department has met a legal requirement passed by Congress last year.

“Today’s release marks the end of a very comprehensive document identification and review process to ensure transparency to the American people and compliance with the act,” Blanche said.

But the administration of President Donald Trump has faced scrutiny over the pacing of the files’ release and redactions within the published documents.

Trump himself has been confronted with questions about his past relationship with Epstein, who cultivated a roster of influential contacts.

On Friday, Blanche dismissed rumours that the Justice Department had sought to protect powerful individuals, including Trump.

While Trump has acknowledged a years-long friendship with with the financier, he has denied any knowledge of the underage sex-trafficking ring that prosecutors say Epstein led.

“There’s this built-in assumption that somehow there’s this hidden tranche of information ‌of men that we know about, that we’re covering up, or that we’re not we’re choosing not to prosecute,” Blanche said. “That is not the case.”

The Justice Department had initially missed a December 19 deadline set by Congress to release all the files.

The publication is the result of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was published in November with bipartisan support to force the release of all federal documents pertaining to Epstein.

In response to the law, the Justice Department said it had tasked hundreds of lawyers with reviewing the records to determine what needs to be blacked out to protect the identities of sexual abuse victims.

Blanche said the department withheld any materials that could jeopardise ongoing investigations or expose potential victims.

All women in the Epstein files other than Ghislaine Maxwell — an ex-girlfriend who was also convicted of child sex trafficking — have been obscured from the videos and images being released on Friday, according to Blanche.

In the past, some of Epstein’s victims have slammed the department’s redactions and withholdings as excessive, with critics pointing out that previously published documents were among the files blacked out.

In December, the Justice Department released an initial batch of Epstein-related documents, though it fell short of the full publication mandated by November’s law.

That release, however, included previously unreleased flight logs showing that Trump flew on Epstein’s private jet in the 1990s. Those trips appeared to happen before Trump has said the pair had a falling out.

The recent releases also contain images showing prominent individuals like tech billionaire Bill Gates, former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, director Woody Allen and former US President Bill Clinton socialising with Epstein, sometimes on his private island.

To date, none of the individuals depicted in the releases have been charged with any crimes, outside of Maxwell.

Following her conviction in 2021, she is serving a 20-year prison sentence, though she has continued to deny any wrongdoing.

Epstein died from of apparent suicide in a New York jail cell in August 2019, a month after he was indicted on federal sex trafficking charges.

He had previously been convicted of state sex-offender charges in Florida in 2008 as part of a plea deal that was widely slammed for its leniency. He spent a total of 13 months in custody.

One of Epstein’s victims, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, also filed lawsuits against him, accusing him of arranging sexual encounters with politicians, business titans, academics and other influential figures while she was underage.

All of the men identified by Giuffre, who died in April 2025 in Australia, have denied the allegations.

Among the people she accused was Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, who denied the clams but settled a lawsuit filed by Giuffre for an undisclosed sum.

In October, his brother, King Charles III of the United Kingdom, stripped Mountbatten-Windsor of his royal titles as a result of the controversy.

Jan. 30 (UPI) — The Supreme Court of Panama invalidated the contract of a Hong Kong subsidiary to operate ports on the Panama Canal, ruling it is unconstitutional.

In a Thursday ruling the high court said the terms of Panama Ports Company’s contract that allowed it to operate the ports of Balboa and Cristobal violated the country’s constitution. Panama Ports Company is a subsidiary of CK Hutchinson Holding, a company based in Hong Kong.

The court said the ruling was made after “extensive deliberation.”

Panama Ports Company has been operating two of Panama’s five ports since 1997. It was founded in Hong Kong and is not owned by the Chinese government.

The company argues that the court’s ruling lacks a legal basis and “jeopardises not only PPC and its contract but also the well-being and stability of thousands of Panamanian families who depend directly and indirectly on port activity.” It said that it has invested more than $1.8 billion in the ports’ infrastructure in the nearly 30 years it has operated there.

Panama’s President Jose Raul Mulino said ports will continue to operate without interruption following Thursday’s ruling. APM Terminals Panama will operate the Balboa and Cristobal ports in the interim.

President Donald Trump has long sought control over the Panama Canal and voiced his desire to block China from operating there. Last year he threatened to seize control of the canal.

After the ruling, shares in CK Hutchinson fell by 4.6%.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Chinese companies will pursue legal action to maintain their rights to operate on the Panama Canal, calling the decision “contrary to the laws governing Panama’s approval of the relevant franchises.”

CK Hutchinson has pursued a sale of its interest in the Balboa and Cristobal ports to a group of U.S. investment firms, including BlackRock. The proposed deal is estimated to be worth more than $22 billion.

Thursday’s decision may impact those plans.

Novak Djokovic stuns reigning two-time champion Jannik Sinner to set up Australian Open final against Carlos Alcaraz.

Novak ‍Djokovic ‍channelled his halcyon days in a five-set classic to dethrone Jannik Sinner and become ⁠the oldest man to reach ​the Australian Open final ‍in the professional era at a rocking Rod Laver Arena.

Four months before his ‍39th ⁠birthday, Djokovic showed he remains unbeatable on his day as he sent the double defending champion packing with a 3-6 6-3 4-6 6-4 ​6-4 win in a 1:32am finish early on Saturday in Melbourne (14:32 GMT on Friday).

“It feels surreal to be honest, playing over four hours,” Djokovic said on ​court.

“I was reminiscing in 2012 when I played Rafa [Nadal] in the final, that was six ‍hours almost.

“The level of intensity and quality was high [against Sinner], and that was the only way to have a chance to win.

“He won the last five matches against me, he had my mobile number, so I had to change my ‍number tonight.

“Jokes aside I ⁠said at the net: ‘Thanks for allowing me at least one’. Tremendous respect, an incredible player. He pushed me to the limit, so he deserves applause for his performance.”

Djokovic will meet world number one Carlos Alcaraz in Sunday’s decider, the Spaniard having fought off Alexander Zverev in the longest Australian Open semifinal.

Eighteen years after his first Melbourne crown, Djokovic will strive for a record-extending 11th against Alcaraz and the unprecedented 25th Grand Slam title that has eluded him.

Djokovic needed incredible ​fortune to reach the semifinals, with his quarterfinal opponent, Lorenzo Musetti, retiring injured ‌after taking the first two sets.

The Serb enjoyed a walkover in the fourth round as well, when Jakub Mensik pulled out.

But it was hard work and mental toughness that got Djokovic over the line against Sinner, a player who had beaten him in ‌their previous five matches.

Victory came grudgingly.

He had to save a slew of break points in the decisive set before finally getting a look at Sinner’s ‌serve at 3-3.

Flooring the Italian in three punishing rallies, the Serb ⁠broke him to lead 4-3, raised one fist and threw an icy stare at his player’s box.

Djokovic had to save another three break points in the next service game, but sent Serbian fans into delirium when he survived them all and held with an ‌ace.

Serving for the match at 5-4, Djokovic summoned the grit and champion spirit of 20 years at the top, setting up two match points with a forehand winner down the line.

Sinner saved both, but finally fired ‍a backhand wide to concede, leaving Djokovic to throw away his racket, get down on his knees and cross his chest.

United States President Donald Trump has nominated former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh to head the US central bank when current Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s term ends in May.

The announcement on Friday caps a months-long, highly publicised search for a new chair of the Federal Reserve, widely regarded as one of the most influential economic officials in the world.

It comes amid Trump’s public pressure campaign on Powell, whom he appointed during his first term but has repeatedly condemned for not cutting interest rates at the pace the president would like.

“I have known Kevin for a long period of time, and have no doubt that he will go down as one of the GREAT Fed Chairmen, maybe the best,” Trump posted on his Truth Social site. “On top of everything else, he is ‘central casting,’ and he will never let you down.”

The statement referenced the apparent compromise Warsh represents. The 55-year-old is known to be in Trump’s orbit and has recently called for lower interest rates, although he is expected to stop short of the more aggressive easing associated with some other potential candidates for the job.

Still, he is expected to face a punishing Senate confirmation hearing, with US lawmakers likely to be particularly critical given Trump’s public comments and the Department of Justice’s decision earlier this month to open a criminal probe into Powell.

Critics, including Powell, have said Trump’s actions seek to undermine the Federal Reserve’s independence and pressure the agency to set monetary policy aligned with the president’s wishes.

What does the Federal Reserve do?

The Federal Reserve has long been seen as a stabilising force in global financial markets, due in part to its perceived independence from politics.

The Federal Reserve is tasked with combating inflation in the United States while also supporting maximum employment. It is also the nation’s top banking regulator.

The agency’s rate decisions over time influence borrowing costs throughout the economy, including for mortgages, car loans and credit cards.

In a statement, Senator Elizabeth Warren, the top Democrat on the US Senate Banking Committee, said, “This nomination is the latest step in Trump’s attempt to seize control of the Fed.”

She pointed to the investigation into Powell, as well as Trump’s effort to push out Fed Governor Lisa Cook, which is currently being challenged before the US Supreme Court.

“No Republican purporting to care about Fed independence should agree to move forward with this nomination until Trump drops his witch-hunt,” Warren said.

Republican Senator Thom Tillis, meanwhile, said he would not vote to confirm any nominee until the Department of Justice probe into Powell is ended.

“Protecting the independence of the Federal Reserve from political interference or legal intimidation is non-negotiable,” he said in a statement.

Still, some Republicans welcomed the nomination.

“No one is better suited to steer the Fed and refocus our central bank on its core statutory mandate,” Republican Senator Bill Hagerty said in a statement.

If Warsh is confirmed, it remains unclear if Powell would immediately step down or finish out his term. Traditionally, Federal Reserve Chairs step aside as soon as their replacement is appointed, but the political situation has led to speculation Powell could stay on as long as possible.

Who is Warsh?

Warsh is currently a fellow at the right-leaning Hoover Institution and a lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

He was a member of the Federal Reserve’s board from 2006 to 2011 and became the youngest Federal Reserve Governor in history when he was appointed at age 35.

He was an economic aide in George W Bush’s Republican administration and was an investment banker at Morgan Stanley. His father-in-law is Ronald Lauder, heir to the Estee Lauder cosmetics fortune and a longtime donor and confidant of Trump’s.

Warsh has historically supported higher interest rates to control inflation, but has more recently argued for lower rates.

He has been a vocal critic of current Federal Reserve leadership, calling for “regime change” and criticising Powell for engaging on issues like climate change, which Warsh has said are outside the role’s mandate.

Reporting from Washington, DC, Al Jazeera’s Kimberly Halkett said Warsh’s experience means his appointment will likely be well received by the markets.

“The consensus is that in the short term, yes, this is a nominee who will do what the president has asked,” she said.

“But what he could do long term as chair of the board is very similar, ironically, to what Jerome Powell, the current board chair, is doing right now,” she said.

“That is having independence – making decisions based on economic data and not necessarily on political whims of a president.”

South Korean stocks closed a tad higher Friday to extend their winning streak to a fourth session to a new record high as investors scooped of artificial intelligence (AI) shares despite concerns over a bubble. The local currency fell against the greenback.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) inched up 3.11 points, or 0.06 percent, to close at 5,224.3, after rising as high as to 5,321.68.

Trade volume was heavy at 852 million shares worth 34.7 trillion won (US$24.1 billion). Losers outnumbered winners 602 to 278.

Individuals bought a net 2.2 trillion won, while foreigners sold a net 1.9 trillion won. Institutions sold a net 425 billion won.

Investors continued to purchase tech shares despite concerns over a bubble, as their performance has already been proven for robust earnings amid the AI cycle.

“For the time being, AI hardware and software companies need to overcome concerns over their profitability,” Han Ji-young, a researcher at Kiwoom Securities, said.

“During the period, the market’s preference for chipmakers that sell memory products to such companies will remain strong,” Han added.

The market advance was limited after U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to raise “reciprocal” tariffs and auto duties on South Korea back to 25 percent this week.

Top-cap Samsung Electronics edged down 0.12 percent to 160,500 won, while SK hynix set a fresh high at 909,000 won, up 5.57 percent.

Brokerage houses closed bullish amid the market rally, with Mirae Asset Securities rising 4.65 percent to 42,750 won and Kiwoom Securities increasing 4.11 percent to 443,500 won.

Top mobile carrier SK Telecom rose 4.32 percent to 72,500 won on the back of improved business outlook, and its rival KT added 1.43 percent to 56,900 won.

Samsung SDI rose 0.52 percent as the company said it has won a battery supply contract without disclosing details, with the deal widely believed to be related to Tesla Inc.’s energy storage system business.

The Korean won was quoted at 1,439.5 won against the U.S. dollar at 3:30 p.m., down 13.2 won from the previous session’s close.

Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed lower. The yield on three-year Treasurys rose 3.2 basis points to 3.138 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bonds added 4.1 basis points to 3.436 percent.

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