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Follow our live build-up, with toss and team news, ahead of the crucial group stage match in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

Jan. 31 (UPI) — The Iranian military intends to conduct two days of live-fire naval drills in the Strait of Hormuz, starting on Sunday, despite warnings against it from the U.S. military.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is conducting the drills amid civic unrest and U.S. President Donald Trump deploying a “massive armada” to the area, led by the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln.

“U.S. forces acknowledge Iran’s right to operate professionally in international airspace and waters. Any unsafe and unprofessional behavior near U.S. forces, regional partners or commercial vessels increases risks of collision, escalation, and destabilization,” CENTCOM officials said in a statement on Saturday.

“CENTCOM will ensure the safety of U.S. personnel, ships, and aircraft operating in the Middle East. We will not tolerate unsafe IRGC actions, including overflight of U.S. military vessels engaged in flight operations, low-altitude or armed overflight of U.S. military assets when intentions are unclear, high-speed boat approaches on a collision course with U.S. military vessels, or weapons trained at U.S. forces,” CENTCOM said.

The Strait of Hormuz connects the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, with Iran situated along its northern shore and Oman and the United Arab Emirates along its southern shoreline.

More than 100 merchant vessels per day sail through the strait, which makes it an “essential trade corridor” that supports the region’s economy, CENTCOM said, as reported by Fox News.

The deployment comes as the Trump administration considers potential military intervention in the Iranian unrest.

Various estimates place the number of protestors and other civilians killed at between 6,000 and more than 30,000 since protests began on Dec. 28.

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman attended a private briefing in Washington, D.C., on Friday and warned that Iran would grow stronger if the United States does not act in Iran is warranted if military action is warranted, Axios reported.

Trump has threatened to target Iran’s leadership with military strikes if widespread killings of protesters continued, but he delayed any strikes after Saudi leaders cautioned against it.

Salman’s comments on Friday indicate a change among Saudi Arabia’s leadership regarding potential military action in Iran.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday accused the U.S. military of trying to dictate how the Iranian military conducts “target practice on their own turf.”

“Freedom of navigation and safe passage of commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz are of vital importance for Iran, as much as it is for our neighbors,” Araghchi added.

“The presence of outside forces in our region has always caused the exact opposite of what is declared: promoting escalation instead of de-escalation,” he said.

The pending military exercise also is scheduled after Iranian state media reported an explosion damaged a nine-story residential building and killed a young girl and injured 14 in Bandar Abbas, which is an Iranian port city located on the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s Fars News Agency denied reports that IRGC Navy leader Brigadier Gen. Alireza Tangsiri died in the blast, which local officials said likely was caused by a gas leak.

“The initial cause of the building accident in Bandar Abbas was a gas leak and buildup, leading to an explosion,” Bandar Abbas Fire Chief Mohammad Amin Lyaghat told Iranian state media. He called the explanation an “initial theory.”

Jan. 31 (UPI) — Israel on Saturday launched airstrikes at targets in Gaza, with Palestinian authorities reporting that at least 30 were killed in the attacks.

The strikes come after Israel accused Hamas of violating a shaky cease-fire in Gaza ahead of the expected reopening of the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza.

The strikes hit an apartment building, tent camp and a police station, hospital officials told the Los Angeles Times.

Ten officers and detainees were killed in the police station strike in Sheikh Radwan neighborhood outside Gaza City. Officials are searching the rubble for bodies and said the number of dead could increase, The Guardian reported.

The outlet added that three children and two women were killed in the apartment building in Gaza City, in addition to seven who died in strikes in the Khan Younis tent camp.

In a statement, Israel said the strikes were in response to militants leaving a tunnel in Rafah, which is controlled by Israel and would constitute a violation of the cease-fire.

The latest outbreak of violence comes one day before the land crossing between Gaza and Egypt in Rafah is due to reopen, part of the multi-part cease-fire that Israel and Hamas agreed to last October.

Israeli officials said the crossing would be open to a “limited” number of people and that all individuals entering or exiting Gaza will be required to obtain a security clearance from Israel in coordination with Egypt, NBC News reported.

Hospitals and ambulances in Egypt already have been preparing to receive sick and injured Palestinians from Gaza when the crossing opens on Sunday morning.

Despite the both Israel and Gaza accusing each other of violating the cease-fire, an Israeli official told The New York Times that Israel will not alter plans to open the Rafah border crossing.

Jan. 31 (UPI) — Danish military veterans and others staged a protest march against U.S. President Donald Trump‘s recent comments regarding NATO members and Greenland.

Trump criticized the amount of support the United States received from NATO allies during recent conflicts, and many veterans and others in Denmark took to the streets on Saturday to show their displeasure.

One protester, Danish Lance Cpl. Soren Teigen, said only the president is responsible for the comments.

“I don’t blame American soldiers in any way — we’ve fought side by side, and we still do,” Teigen told The New York Times. “But when the president says something like this, of course it hurts.”

Trump earlier accused NATO allies of shying away from fighting after sending their troops to Afghanistan but allegedly keeping them away from the front lines.

Officials with Danish Veterans & Veteran Support took exception to the president’s comments.

“Denmark has always stood side by side with the USA, and we have shown up in the world’s crisis zones when the USA has asked us to,” the group said in a prepared statement.

“We feel let down and ridiculed by the Trump administration, which is deliberately disregarding Denmark’s combat side by side with the USA,” it added.

Many veterans and other Danes also are unhappy with the president’s efforts to annex or otherwise control Greenland.

Hundreds of Danish military veterans on Saturday quietly marched to outside the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen, where some placed 44 small Danish flags in planters located nearby.

The flags are to commemorate the 44 Danish military personnel who died in Afghanistan.

U.S. Embassy staff members were unaware of the flags’ meaning and initially removed them, which further upset many Danes.

Upon learning what the flags represented, the embassy staff left alone any that remained or were replaced.

The 2023 World Baseball Classic ended with a matchup between then-Angels teammates, Shohei Ohtani on the mound against Mike Trout. In a showdown between two MVPs, Ohtani struck out Trout on a 3-2 slider, giving Japan its third WBC championship.

There will not be similar dramatics for this edition. During DodgersFest on Saturday, manager Dave Roberts cleared up one key question heading into spring training and the tournament.

“[Ohtani’s] not gonna pitch in the WBC, but he will be ramping up his arm to get ready for the season,” he said, adding that the player made the call.

“I wasn’t surprised,” Roberts said. “I can’t even say I was relieved. Understanding what he did last year, understanding what he had to go through, to then how best to prepare himself for ’26 to do both, it just seemed like the right decision.”

Ohtani said in November he would participate in the WBC but did not signal at the time whether he would pitch. When Team Japan’s roster was announced Monday, manager Hirokazu Ibata did not say if Ohtani would pitch, only saying they would get a better sense in spring training.

While speaking with reporters before Roberts, Ohtani said he wasn’t sure if he would pitch during the tournament.

“In terms of the World Baseball Classic, I just have to see how my body feels, continue to feel the progression and see what happens so I’m gonna be fully prepared as a DH,” he said.

The expectation going into the season had been he would be able to pitch without restrictions from the start for the Dodgers.

“I’m not going to manage him differently as far as each outing,” Roberts said. “There’s certainly going to be extra time, it’s not a five-day, six-day rotation. So there’s going to be rest in between. But outside of that, it’s not going to be the two-inning, three-inning [start], he’s just going to be used as a normal pitcher.”

In the 2023 WBC, Ohtani won tournament most valuable player with a .435 batting average and 1.86 ERA, helping Japan to the title. Five months later, Ohtani was pulled from a start at Angel Stadium against the Cincinnati Reds for what ultimately was revealed to be a torn UCL.

Ohtani had his second career Tommy John surgery in September and did not return to pitching until last June with the Dodgers.

During his first year on the mound for the Dodgers, Ohtani finished the regular season with a 2.87 ERA in 47 innings. In the playoffs, Ohtani posted a 4.43 earned run average in 20.1 innings over four starts — including one in Game 4 of the NLCS in which he struck out 10 batters while hitting three home runs, a performance Roberts called “probably the greatest postseason performance of all time” and earned him the series MVP.

MLB players like Ohtani and Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto are expected to join Team Japan for exhibition games on March 2. Japan will open WBC play on March 6 against Taiwan.

Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki, who will be returning to the starting rotation after missing most of last year’s regular season because of a shoulder injury, said on Saturday that the Dodgers made him unavailable for the WBC. Sasaki was on Team Japan in 2023, starting two games — including a dramatic semifinal win over Mexico.

BUENO AIRES, Jan. 30 (UPI) — The Argentine government authorized private companies to import and sell liquefied natural gas — a move that removes the state from those operations and accelerates the privatization of Enarsa, the country’s public energy company.

The decision was formalized through a decree signed by President Javier Milei and published in the Official Gazette this week. The decree also extends through December 2027 a state of emergency in natural gas transportation and distribution, underscoring continued strain on the system.

Enarsa has historically handled production, transportation and marketing of oil, natural gas and electricity in Argentina. With the new policy, the government begins dismantling that role and shifting functions long overseen by the state to the private sector.

The decision addresses a long-standing structural problem. According to the Secretariat of Energy, Argentina lacks sufficient pipeline capacity to move all gas from producing areas to major urban centers.

That limitation becomes acute in winter. As heating demand rises, domestic supply falls short and the country must import liquefied natural gas by ship.

Until now, the state managed that process. Enarsa bought LNG on the international market at high prices and sold it domestically at well below cost, with the gap covered by taxpayer-funded subsidies.

“This change is part of the decision to move forward with privatizing Enarsa’s assets and activities and to remove the state from its role as an entrepreneur and intermediary in the energy market,” the Energy Secretariat said.

Officials said the state should focus on regulating the market, ensuring clear rules, promoting competition and guaranteeing supply rather than directly buying and selling gas.

Under the new framework, Enarsa will stop importing and marketing LNG, and private operators will take over under a competitive scheme.

The system eliminates the implicit subsidy that existed until now and transfers the entire operation to the private sector, subject to competition rules and state oversight.

To implement the plan, the government will sell access to the Escobar terminal on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. It is the country’s only operational facility where imported LNG is regasified for distribution.

The Secretariat of Energy will set the tender conditions. If no bids are received or the process fails, Enarsa may intervene temporarily to avoid supply disruptions.

Because only one terminal is operating, the government also said it will set a maximum gas price for the upcoming winter to prevent abuse of a dominant position.

Juan José Carbajales, a former undersecretary of hydrocarbons, told UPI that privatization basically means giving a private company the job of buying LNG shipments and then selling that gas inside Argentina.

He said the operation is purely commercial and does not include physical management of the Escobar terminal.

“The scheme will be based on requests the awardee receives from power generators and gas distributors, and sales will be capped by a maximum price set by the Energy Secretariat at least for the next two periods,” Carbajales said.

He said the decision reflects the government’s view that the function failed under state management — a stance rooted in broader distrust of public-sector economic activity, in this case Enarsa.

He said the position is ideological and supported by the so-called Bases Law, which prioritizes private initiative in the economy.

The former official added that large budget allocations to Enarsa did not prove a system failure, but rather a political decision by successive administrations to channel residential gas subsidies by buying fuel at international prices and selling it domestically at far lower levels.

He said the measure also aligns with reforms in the electricity market aimed at gradually returning to a system of free contracting between supply and demand.

Carbajales warned gas prices in Argentina could rise if international conditions push LNG costs higher.

“Although the government will cap that value for two years, uncertainty will remain about what happens once the ceiling is lifted,” he said.

The authorization for private companies to import natural gas is part of a broader privatization agenda promoted by Milei. Since taking office in December 2023, his administration has moved to sell or prepare for sale several state-owned companies.

Jan. 30 (UPI) — Six British ministers of Parliament, including two peers, no longer are sanctioned by China, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Friday.

Starmer confirmed the sanctions — imposed over criticisms of China’s treatment of its Muslim-minority Uyghur population — immediately were lifted amid warming relations between China and Britain. He made the announcement during a diplomatic trip to Beijing.

“I raised that issue whilst I was here,” Starmer said while interviewed in China. “The Chinese are absolutely clear in their response: The restrictions no longer apply.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping said all British members of Parliament were welcome in China, Starmer told the BBC.

The sanctions included a now-lifted travel ban. Starmer said their removal affirms the effectiveness of his diplomatic approach to the matter.

The prime minister also said he hopes Xi will attend the 2027 G20 summit scheduled to take place in Britain.

China imposed the sanctions on nine Britons, including five Conservative Party ministers and two members of the House of Lords, in 2021 after they raised concerns about human rights violations by China against Uyghurs, a Muslim population in northwest China.

China’s population is more than 90% Han, while Uyghurs account for less than 1% of its people.

The affected MPs and peers said they find “no comfort” in the lifting of sanctions.

Sanctions remain in place for others, and the ministers said they “will not be silenced” on the matter.

China has pressured foreign governments to forcibly return Uyghurs and others to China, “where they are subject to torture and enforced disappearances,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in March.

German football federation confirms it met to discuss a boycott of the FIFA 2026 World Cup, which is co-hosted by the US.

The German football federation has ruled out a boycott of the World Cup despite calls from within to send a message to United States President Donald Trump.

“We believe in the unifying power of sport and the global impact that a FIFA World Cup can have, the federation said in a statement issued late on Friday. “Our goal is to strengthen this positive force – not to prevent it.”

The federation, known as the DFB, said its executive committee met and discussed the option of a boycott of the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, a consideration first proposed last week by DFB Vice President Oke Gottlich.

Gottlich, who is also the president of Bundesliga club St Pauli, referred to Trump’s recent actions and statements and said it was time to “seriously consider” a boycott.

In what appears to be a public rebuke to Gottlich, however, the DFB said “debates on sports policy should be conducted internally and not in public”.

The DFB said a boycott “is not currently under consideration. The DFB is in contact with representatives from politics, security, business, and sports in preparation for the tournament” from June 11-July 19.

Trump has sown discord in Europe with his takeover bid for Greenland and threats to impose tariffs on European countries that opposed it, while US actions in Venezuela and at home in dealing with protests in American cities have also raised alarm.

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter last week advised fans to stay away from the tournament.

When president, however, Blatter opposed calls to boycott the 2018 World Cup in Russia over concerns about Ukraine.

“Football can not be boycotted in any country,” he said at the time.

Ahead of this summer’s tournament, fans have concerns about high ticket prices, while travel bans imposed by the Trump administration could also prohibit supporters from some competing nations from attending.

Germany’s team, at least, will be there.

“We want to compete fairly against the other qualified teams next summer,” the DFB said. “And we want fans worldwide to celebrate a peaceful festival of football in the stadiums and at fan zones – just as we experienced at the 2024 European Championship in our own country.”

Pakistan thump Australia by 90 runs in Lahore in second T20 of tour to seal three-match T20 series 2-0.

Skipper Salman Ali Agha hit his highest score in the shortest format before Pakistan’s spinners routed Australia by 90 runs in the second Twenty20 International in Lahore on Saturday.

Agha hit a 40-ball 76 and Usman Khan smashed a 36-ball 53 as Pakistan made 198-5, their highest-ever T20I total against Australia.

This was enough for Pakistan’s spin quintet, who shared all 10 wickets between them with Abrar Ahmed returning the best figures of 3-14 and Shadab Khan finishing with 3-26.

Australia were routed for 108 in 15.4 overs, giving Pakistan their biggest T20I victory over Australia, eclipsing the 66-run win in Abu Dhabi in 2018.

“It has to be a perfect game,” said Agha. “We batted well and then were outstanding with the ball. Fielding was outstanding.”

The victory gives Pakistan an unbeatable 2-0 lead after they won the first match by 22 runs, also in Lahore, on Friday.

“We want to play in the same way, forget the 2-0 scoreline and come again with the same intensity and go to the World Cup with the same energy,” said Agha of the event starting in India and Sri Lanka from February 7.

This is Pakistan’s first T20I series win over Australia since 2018. The final match is on Sunday, also in Lahore.

Despite skipper Mitchell Marsh coming back after resting on Friday, the visiting batters had little answer to Pakistan’s spin assault.

Ahmed dismissed Marsh for 18, Josh Inglis for five and Matthew Short for 27.

Cameron Green top-scored with a 20-ball 35 before spinner Usman Tariq dismissed him on his way to figures of 2-16.

Marsh admitted Pakistan were better.

“Pakistan outplayed us,” said Marsh. “Hopefully, we can improve and come back tomorrow. They put us under great pressure in batting; it was probably a 160-170 wicket so they scored a big total.”

Earlier, Agha and Usman led Pakistan to a fighting total after they won the toss and batted.

Agha built the innings with Saim Ayub (11-ball 23) during a second-wicket stand of 55 as Pakistan scored 72 runs in the power play.

Agha’s previous highest in all T20 cricket was 68 not out.

After Babar Azam failed with a five-ball two, Usman helped Agha add another quickfire 49 for the fourth wicket before Sean Abbott broke the stand.

Agha smashed four sixes and eight fours in his sixth Twenty20 half-century.

Pakistan added a good 61 runs in the last five overs with Usman knocking two sixes and four fours in his second T20I half-century, while Shadab’s knock had two sixes and a four.

The Usman-Shadab fifth-wicket stand yielded 63 runs off just 39 balls.

Shadab finished with an unbeaten 20-ball 28.

Pacer Xavier Bartlett and spinner Matthew Kuhnemann were expensive, conceding 92 runs between them in their eight overs.

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

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) — 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.”

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.

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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In “Vanished,” premiering Friday on MGM+, Kaley Cuoco plays Alice, an archaeologist, a fact she repeats whenever she’s asked about herself, without particularly seeming like one, apart from passing mentions of Byzantine caves and “one of the earliest examples of Christian worship” to make her sound professional. Sam Claflin plays Tom, who works for a charity organization dealing with Syrian refugees in Jordan; in a flashback we get to see them meet cute on a dusty Jordanian road, where he has a flat tire and no spare. Alice gives him a lift to camp; they banter and flirt after a fashion. He does something heroic within her sight.

They have been long-distance dating for four years, meeting up, as Alice describes it, “in hotels all over the world” where they “actually want to have sex with each other all the time.” Currently they are in Paris (in a $500-a-night joint — I looked it up). But Alice, now working in Albania, has been offered a job as an assistant professor of archaeology at Princeton, which would allow her to settle down with Tom in a school-provided apartment and “build a life that’s mine, not just uncovering other people’s.” After an uncomfortable moment, he signs on, saying, “I love you, Alice Monroe.”

Would you trust him? Despite the script’s insistence otherwise, Cuoco and Claflin have no more chemistry than figures on facing pages in a clothing catalog. Fortunately for the viewer, Tom disappears early from the action — ergo “Vanished.” The couple are traveling by train down to Arles, where another hotel awaits them, when Tom leaves the car to take a call and never returns; nor can he be found anywhere on the train.

This happily makes room for the more interesting Helene (multiple César Award winner Karin Viard), a helpful Frenchwoman who steps in as a translator when Alice attempts to get an officious conductor to open a door to a room he insists is for employees only, and rules are rules. (Is he just being, you know, French, or is something up?)

They meet again when Alice gets off the train not in Arles but Marseilles; after she has no more luck with police inspector Drax (Simon Abkarian), who insists a person isn’t missing until 48 hours have elapsed, than with the conductor, she’ll turn to Helene again, who has the advantage of being an investigative reporter. (She’s also been made diabetic, which has no effect on the action other than halting it now and again so she can give herself, rather dramatically, a quick shot of insulin. Like Drax begging off because he’s late meeting his wife for an Alain Delon double feature, it’s a tacked on bit of business meant to suggest character.) Together they’ll ferret out and follow clues, as Alice comes to realize that it takes more than the occasional gauzy romantic getaway to really know a person, and Helene gets closer to nailing a big story.

Directed by Barnaby Thompson, whose credits are mostly in producing (“Wayne’s World,” “Spice World”), and written by his son, Preston — together they made the 2020 film “Pixie” — the series begins with a flash forward in which Alice flees for her life out an upper-story window, signifying action ahead. And indeed, there will be, leading to a climactic scene I don’t suppose was meant to make me laugh, but did, magnifying as it does one of the confrontational cliches of modern cinema. Many of the series’ notions and plot points (though not that particular one) may be found in the works of Alfred Hitchcock — who, you may remember, made a film called “The Lady Vanishes,” from a train yet — though they have been given new clothes to wear. But where Hitchcock never waited long to show you when a character wasn’t what they seemed, that information is held on here nearly to the end, with some added twists along the way to keep you confused.

Cuoco (unusually brunet here), has been good in many things, most notably her funny, winning turn as Penny across 12 seasons of “The Big Bang Theory” and more recently as the hallucinating alcoholic heroine of the “The Flight Attendant,” but she feels out of joint here. She’s not well served by the pedestrian direction and dialogue, but comes across as a person playing a person, rather than as the person she’s playing. Perhaps by virtue of their accents, the French actors feel more real; France, as usual, looks great.

Three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen was knocked out by Damon Heta on the opening night of the World Masters in Milton Keynes.

The 36-year-old Dutchman – who won the Masters five times in a row between 2015 and 2019 – lost 3-1 to Australian number one Heta, who checked out 101 to seal his victory.

World Championship runner-up Gian van Veen was solid on his Masters debut, progressing 3-1 past Ryan Joyce despite losing the first set, while former world champion Gerwyn Price racked up a three-dart average of 108.51 to defeat in-form James Hurrell.

Jonny Clayton – last year’s beaten Masters finalist – saw off Wessel Nijman 3-1, with Nathan Aspinall defeating Shane McGuirk by the same scoreline.

Defending Masters champion Luke Humphries and world champion Luke Littler – the world number one – both enter the tournament on Friday.

Jan. 29 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s Ministry of Economy and Finance on Wednesday designated 11 new public institutions, bringing the total to 342, while postponing a decision on whether to classify the Financial Supervisory Service as a public institution until next year.

The decision was made at a meeting of the Public Institution Management Committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yoon-cheol at the Government Complex Seoul.

The newly designated institutions met statutory criteria, including receiving government support exceeding 50% of total revenue, the ministry said.

They include the Korea Customs Information Service, Gadeokdo New Airport Construction Corporation, Child Support Enforcement Agency, National Incheon Maritime Museum, Korea Sports & Leisure, Korea Statistics Promotion Agency, Spatial Information Industry Promotion Agency, Korea Water Technology Certification Agency, National Agricultural Museum, Central Social Service Agency and the National Disaster Relief Association.

The ministry said designation of the Financial Supervisory Service was deferred to prioritize substantive operational reforms over formal classification. Officials cited concerns that adding public institution oversight could overlap with existing supervisory structures and undermine the watchdog’s autonomy and expertise.

As conditions for reconsideration, the government ordered the Financial Supervisory Service to strengthen democratic oversight by its supervising ministry, including mandatory consultation on personnel and organizational changes, expanded management disclosure through ALIO, and full implementation of the Financial Consumer Protection Improvement Roadmap announced last year.

The Public Institution Management Committee plans to review progress on those measures and reassess the watchdog’s designation status in 2027.

Koo said that while public institution designation could enhance transparency and public accountability, it could also create inefficiencies if layered on top of the existing supervision system.

“There is concern that overlapping management structures could weaken autonomy and professional expertise,” Koo said.

Separately, the ministry said it will disclose, for the first time since enactment of the Public Institutions Act in 2007, a list of entities that met designation criteria but were not classified as public institutions, along with the reasons.

The committee also approved changes to designation categories for the Korea Broadcasting Advertising Corporation and the Korea Legal Protection and Welfare Foundation.

Koo said the expanded disclosures are intended to make public institution management more transparent and easier for citizens to understand, while strengthening trust in the public sector.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260129010013790