23-1-2026 US GDP

‘Repatriate the gold’: German economists advise withdrawal from US vaults
Shift in relations and unpredictability of Donald Trump make it ‘risky to store so much gold in the US’, say experts
Germany holds the world’s second biggest national gold reserves after the US, of which approximately €164bn (£142bn) worth – 1,236 tonnes – is stored in New York. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/24/repatriate-the-gold-german-economists-advise-withdrawal-from-us-vaults

“Protection” racket? US must have rights to Greenland’s resources as it defends its territory — vice presidentnt JD Vance added that US President Donald Trump is working on the details of a Greenland deal https://tass.com/world/2075791

​ US-brokered Russia-Ukraine talks close with no breakthrough
On eve of day two of talks in UAE capital, Russian attacks cut off about 1.2 million from power in sub-zero temperatures.​ https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/24/us-brokered-talks-on-ukraine-close-with-no-breakthrough

Iran’s Unrest: The Confrontation That Failed to Ignite
What began as economic protests in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar was quickly exploited and transformed into something far more dangerous. Within six days, international actors received communications from Iranian Kurdish separatist groups requesting logistical support. This included field hospitals and medical and emergency supplies.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian attempted to contain the unrest through dialogue and economic changes. Yet, intelligence reports reflected an organized, multi-layered protest map unfolding. Bazaar protest leaders soon recognized that the street had slipped into chaos. They formally withdrew and informed authorities that they bore no responsibility for the events. Reformist opposition figures further highlighted that the country was being driven into a trap…
..The state moved quickly against rebellious groups in cities and provinces. Armed groups operating inside urban centers were confronted directly. Calm during daylight hours under heavy deployment was followed by intensive night operations. Police units flooded major intersections and residential quarters, backed by undercover teams and rapid-response forces. Any act of arson, armed attack, or sabotage triggered immediate pursuit and arrest.
In parallel, authorities launched a comprehensive cyber operation to track the networks distributing footage across domestic and international platforms. They then imposed a near-total communications blackout. Internet access was restricted to a narrow group of authorized users. Anyone broadcasting from inside Iran without clearance was treated as part of a foreign information operation.
The turning point came in Kermanshah. Iranian security services detected suspicious activity along the country’s western borders. They uncovered an activated plan combining mass protests with armed assaults on state institutions. Police stations, civil administration offices, and emergency services were targeted. The objective was to create a high level of chaos and then seize control of the province’s civil and security administration centers.
Washington could not calculate Tehran’s response to any military attack. The risk was a regional fire.
Authorities classified the operation as a foreign-backed military rebellion. US President Donald Trump publicly called on protesters to escalate and seize government centers. When he said that “help is on its way,” he was not speaking rhetorically. The plan on the table was a combined military operation — air and ground — focused on Kermanshah. Its purpose was to dismantle Iran’s command structure in the province, impose an aerial blockade, and allow insurgent forces to consolidate control.
Money was used to mobilize citizens. Teenagers received between $3 and $5 to burn pictures of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, while elderly men were paid similar amounts to overturn and set fire to garbage bins. Authorities noted the participation of female operatives in violent acts, including surprise shootings, before disappearing into alleyways. Other groups prepared and threw Molotov cocktails at vehicles and shops. Large quantities of weapons were later seized, including pistols and hunting rifles used in attacks on security forces…
..Israeli intelligence operating inside Iran and from Iraqi Kurdistan informed Washington that Tehran was regaining control rapidly and that the protest infrastructure was collapsing… By that stage, the United States was not prepared for a full-scale confrontation. At best, limited strikes were considered to provide cover for insurgent advances. But Iran’s internal containment neutralized that option…
..Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, and Turkey entered emergency consultations with the US administration, warning that the confrontation could spiral beyond control. All four countries refused to allow their territory, airspace, or bases to be used in any attack on Iran… These countries knew they would be first in the line of fire. This forced the US administration to search for alternatives to any potential military campaign. With no clear military pathway and no certainty over Tehran’s response, Washington was left with few viable options.
The war was not abandoned; it was postponed. https://en.al-akhbar.com/news/iran-s-unrest–the-confrontation-that-failed-to-ignite

​ Iran Threatens to ‘Sink’ USS Abraham Lincoln as U.S. Carrier Strike Group Enters Gulf Waters, Is Iran Capable of Sinking It?​
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the carrier’s arrival as a “deliberate provocation,” while IRGC Commander-in-Chief Hossein Salami declared that Iranian forces have their “finger on the trigger.” In statements broadcast on state media, Salami warned that any U.S. strike would trigger an “all-out war” and claimed Iran could destroy American warships with missiles “faster than the enemy can react.”
​ Central to Iran’s messaging is the Fattah-1 missile, unveiled in 2023 and repeatedly showcased since then as a hypersonic system capable of speeds exceeding Mach 13. Iranian officials claim the weapon employs a maneuverable reentry vehicle, allowing it to evade interception by U.S. naval air defenses and strike high-value targets at sea.​ https://www.thedefensenews.com/news-details/Iran-Threatens-to-Sink-USS-Abraham-Lincoln-as-US-Carrier-Strike-Group-Enters-Gulf-Waters-Is-Iran-Capable-of-Sinking-It/

Another Gaza baby freezes to death on Netanyahu’s watch – Not a ceasefire Day 106​ https://israelpalestinenews.org/another-gaza-baby-freezes-to-death-on-netanyahus-watch-not-a-ceasefire-day-106/

Civil society organizations in Gaza: 18,500 patients and wounded in need of urgent medical evacuation​ https://english.palinfo.com/news/2026/01/24/356471/

That deep Venezuelan tar is very hard and expensive to get out. Only a Fraction of Venezuela’s Oil Is Economically Recoverable https://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/Only-a-Fraction-of-Venezuelas-Oil-Is-Economically-Recoverable.html

The US stole Venezuelan oil from all previously seized tankers.​ https://en.topwar.ru/276914-ssha-ukrali-venesujelskuju-neft-so-vseh-zahvachennyh-ranee-tankerov.html

Trump administration weighs naval blockade to halt Cuban oil imports – “Energy is the chokehold to kill” the Cuban regime, said a person familiar with the discussions. https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/23/trump-administration-weighs-naval-blockade-to-halt-cuban-oil-imports-00744708

New filtration technology could be gamechanger in removal of Pfas ‘forever chemicals’
Researchers found a new way to filter and destroy Pfas chemicals at 100 times the rate of current systems https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jan/23/pfas-forever-chemicals-filtration