Khamenei signaled a tougher security response, drawing a line between protesters and so-called rioters.

Deaths and violence are escalating, including a grenade blast and attacks on security forces.

Protests span more than 100 locations across 22 provinces, driven by a collapsing economy.

U.S.-Iran tensions are rising, after President Trump warned against killing protesters.

Attackers stormed the village, opened fire, and burned homes and the local market.

Residents report higher casualties, with some estimates exceeding 40 and missing persons still unaccounted for.

Security forces have yet to secure the area, leaving survivors too afraid to recover bodies.

The raid follows a recent pattern of violence in the region, including the November abduction of over 300 schoolchildren.

Fire spread across a city-block-sized site, prompting evacuations of nearby residents.

One firefighter was injured and hospitalized; no other injuries reported.

Fire was 70% contained by late evening, with deep-seated flames still burning inside.

The building was mostly wood with plastic construction materials, cause remains under investigation.

Russia formally asked the US to stop chasing the Bella 1, an oil tanker originally bound for Venezuela that has evaded US custody for nearly two weeks and recently appeared on Russia’s ship registry under a new name. The pursuit comes amid Trump’s broader pressure campaign on Venezuela, including a blockade and prior tanker seizures, raising legal and diplomatic tensions. Read More

British and French warplanes targeted an underground Islamic State weapons facility north of Palmyra, Syria, using guided bombs in a joint strike Saturday, with initial reports indicating the target was successfully hit. The action is part of the U.S.-led coalition’s ongoing campaign against IS, which still maintains 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq. Read More

Judge Hannah Dugan resigned after being convicted of obstruction for helping an immigrant evade federal officers, ending GOP plans to pursue her impeachment. The resignation comes amid a high-profile case tied to President Trump’s immigration crackdown and federal scrutiny of her courtroom actions. Read More

Myanmar’s military government granted amnesty to more than 6,100 prisoners and reduced sentences for others to mark the country’s 78th independence anniversary, while political detainees like Aung San Suu Kyi remain in custody. The releases exclude those convicted of serious crimes and come amid a military-run election criticized as a legitimacy facade. Read More

A woman hiking alone on Crosier Mountain, Colorado, on New Year’s Day died from wounds consistent with a mountain lion attack, the first suspected fatal attack in the state since 1999. Officials tracked and killed two lions in the area, while a man who survived a November encounter on the same trail fears it was the same predator. Read More

About 20,000 nurses at 15 hospitals in New York City and Long Island issued 10-day strike notices, threatening to walk off January 12 over staffing and healthcare benefits. The potential strike would be the largest in city history and includes major hospitals like Mount Sinai, NewYork-Presbyterian, and Montefiore. Read More

Venezuela sits on 303 billion barrels of crude, roughly a fifth of global reserves, but produces only 1 million barrels per day, down from 3.5 million in 2013.

Infrastructure is severely degraded. PDVSA pipelines are decades old, and fully restoring production could cost $58 billion and take years.

Heavy, sour crude is strategically valuable. It fuels diesel, asphalt, and industrial equipment — products US light crude cannot efficiently produce.

Market impact may be limited in the short term. Global oil supply is sufficient, and Venezuela’s output cannot be scaled immediately.

US intervention could reshape energy geopolitics. A restored Venezuelan oil sector could benefit Western companies and provide a nearby source of heavy crude.

Scammers are selling photos, AI-generated images, and other media online using Bardot’s likeness.

The foundation said these offers are unauthorized and threatened legal action against offenders.

Bardot, a French cinema icon and animal rights activist, died last Sunday and will be buried privately in Saint-Tropez.

All seven members — RM, Jin, Jimin, V, Suga, Jung Kook, and j-hope — have finished their service, with Suga released last June.

BTS teased a world tour and a new group album slated for spring 2026.

The comeback marks their first album since 2022’s “Proof” and first studio release since 2020’s “Be.”

X-Rays Publicized, 1896 – Germany’s Die Presse announces Wilhelm Röntgen’s discovery of X-rays, highlighting their potential to revolutionize medical diagnostics and ushering in a new era of imaging technology.

Manned Space Shuttle Approved, 1972 – U.S. President Richard Nixon signs legislation directing NASA to begin development of a manned space shuttle, setting the stage for decades of reusable spaceflight.

Ray Davies Shot, 2004 – Kinks singer-songwriter Ray Davies, 59, is shot in the leg while pursuing a mugger in New Orleans, Louisiana, highlighting the hazards of urban crime even for high-profile musicians.