India’s Ministry of Mines plans to significantly ramp up mineral exploration from 2026 to 2031, directing the Geological Survey of India to take up 500 exploration projects, including at least 300 focused on strategic or critical minerals.

The EU’s top court ruled that Poland must accept a €68.5 million penalty linked to its non-compliance with a 2021 order to halt lignite mining at the Turów open-cast mine, and that the European Commission lawfully offset the amount against EU payments to Poland.

Bangladesh’s major parties have started campaigning for the first national election since the 2024 uprising that removed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, with voting set for February 12.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said India has stopped buying Russian oil after President Donald Trump imposed tariffs tied to purchases of Russian oil. India has called the U.S. action unfair and said its energy policy is based on national interest.

Turkey deployed an ASELSAN-made HTRS-100 air traffic control radar at Damascus International Airport, a move Western sources say could restrict Israel’s freedom of action in Syrian airspace and raise regional tensions.

The Trump administration launched a new immigration enforcement operation in Maine called “Operation Catch of the Day,” with raids beginning on January 21, according to the US Department of Homeland Security. A spokesperson suggested the move was tied to a political dispute with Maine Governor Janet Mills, accusing her and other “sanctuary” politicians of protecting “criminal illegal aliens.”

Anna’s Archive’s.org domain suspension in early January was triggered by a sealed lawsuit and temporary restraining order sought by Spotify and major record labels, not by the site’s recent Spotify scraping as the operator initially suggested.

Maharashtra’s Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme now has about 1.57 crore women receiving aid after e-KYC and eligibility checks, down from 2.43 crore at rollout. The Women and Child Development department rejected about 86 lakh beneficiaries over 17 months and plans physical verification of over 24 lakh rejected cases.

A large Russian aerial attack on Ukraine left Ukraine’s parliament and about half of Kyiv’s residential buildings without heating or power during sub-zero temperatures, with at least four deaths and 33 injuries reported across the country.

Verizon began enforcing a 365-day phone lock for devices bought through its TracFone division and several related prepaid brands, replacing the prior 60-day automatic unlock rule after the FCC waived that requirement.

A Colombian special tribunal sentenced former AUC commander Salvatore Mancuso to 40 years in prison for murders and forced disappearances committed in La Guajira between 2002 and 2006, with a possible reduction if he cooperates with transitional justice and reparations.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine fired about €80 million (around $94 million) worth of interceptor missiles in a single night to defend against a major Russian strike, highlighting the rising cost of air defense and Ukraine’s need for more systems and interceptors.