Upstract News

Vladimir Putin backs a Russian government proposal to tax and regulate mining of cryptocurrencies, rejecting the central bank’s proposal to ban it completely

Sky News

😷 Face masks are no longer a legal requirement in England - but some businesses are still requesting they are worn. Sky News explains how the rules have changed, and what is still required 👇

USA TODAY

Students will put down the pencils and grab their laptops because the SAT, one of the nation’s most commonly used college-entrance exams, is going digital. USA TODAY reporter @CQuintanaDC has more:

The Hill

Senate set for muted battle over Breyer successor

The Telegraph

📉 Car production fell to the lowest level since 1956 last year as the computer chip shortage and the closure of Honda’s Swindon factory took their toll

The Mirror

Care home restrictions have been rolled back 🙏

Forbes

‘Abandon Cold War Mentality’: China Urges Calm On Ukraine-Russia Tensions, Asks U.S. To ‘Stop Interfering’ In Beijing Olympics

Google Trends

Real-Time

Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball, Penn State University, Big Ten Conference, Penn State Nittany Lions men's basketball, Basketball, Rob Phinisee

Indiana's starters combined for 60 of its 74 points in its 74-57 win over Penn State on Wednesday and the Hoosiers held on after taking a huge first-half lead.

Australian Open, Iga Świątek, Danielle Collins, Tennis, Alizé Cornet, Kaia Kanepi, Women's Tennis Association

Elite tennis handicapper Gavin Mair just released his Australian Open 2022 picks for Iga Swiatek vs. Danielle Collins.

The Holocaust, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Auschwitz concentration camp

Thursday marks the 77th anniversary of the liberation of Nazi Germany's Auschwitz concentration camp. Days prior to International Holocaust Remembrance Day, intended to honor the 6 million Jews and other victims of the Holocaust, anti-vaccine activist ...

Biden to 'stand by' pledge to nominate Black woman to supreme court, says Jen Psaki

What is the fate of the filibuster?

Acosta pitches ‘the Bull-shevik factory’ as new Fox nickname

Fear, uncertainty grip Ukraine as Russian threat looms

More

Spillover of the Syrian civil war
- Jordanian troops kill 27 "armed smugglers" after they tried to cross the border from Syria with a large quantity of amphetamines. Several other smugglers, who were "supported by other armed groups", were wounded, according to the military. (Reuters)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
  - The government's Plan B restrictions, including mandatory face masks on public transport and in shops, and NHS COVID passports for large events are lifted in England as cases of COVID-19 continue to fall. (Sky News)

Law and crime

Five people are killed and five more injured by a mass shooting at a Yuzhmash production facility in Dnipro, Ukraine, after a member of the Ukrainian National Guard opens fire. (The Straits Times)

International relations

The United States Dept. of State confirmed Iranian regime has threatened Brian Hook. (International)

January 26

Armed conflicts and attacks

2021–2022 Russo-Ukrainian crisis
- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announces the United States has given a written response to Russia, aimed at de-escalation of tensions between Ukraine and Russia. The response, coordinated with European allies and Ukraine, addresses Russia's demands and actions. (CNN)
Syrian civil war
- Battle of al-Hasakah
  - The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces recapture a prison in al-Hasakah from Islamic State. (Al Jazeera)
Mali War
- The Malian junta demands that Denmark withdraw its forces from the country, saying they were never given authorization to participate in the ongoing European-led peacekeeping operations. (AP)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
    - Germany reports a record 164,000 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours. (Al-Arabiya)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Hungary
    - Hungary reports a record 20,174 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 1,471,276. (Daily News Hungary)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Poland
    - Poland reports a record 53,420 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 4,637,776. (Polskie Radio)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Russia
    - Russia reports a record for the sixth consecutive day of 74,692 new COVID-19 cases, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 11.3 million. (The Moscow Times)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil
  - Brazil reports a record 224,567 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 24.5 million. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea
  - South Korea reports a record for the second consecutive day of 13,102 new COVID-19 cases, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 762,983. (The Korea Herald)

International relations

Canada–Ukraine relations
- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces the extension of Operation Unifier for three years. Sixty more troops will also be deployed to Ukraine in the coming days. Trudeau's government also announces a shipment of non-lethal equipment and intelligence sharing. (France 24)

Law and crime

LGBT rights in France
- The National Assembly votes to criminalize conversion therapy, with violators facing three years in prison and up to €45,000 in fines. The bill will now be sent to President Emmanuel Macron to be signed into law. (BBC News)