Russia strikes Druzhba oil pipeline for first time

"Russian forces have struck an infrastructure facility in the town of Brody in Lviv Oblast. 

The site is linked to the Druzhba oil pipeline.
Details: According to earlier reports, oil products caught fire in Brody, Lviv Oblast, on 27 January following the Russian attack, causing heavy smoke.
Brody City Council reported the fire. After the strike, schools in the town cancelled classes and residents were urged to stay at home and, if possible, not to go outside." NV

Tensions rise in Africa’s youngest nation

"South Sudan’s army has ordered civilians and personnel from the UN mission (UNMISS) and humanitarian organizations to evacuate three counties in Jonglei, the country’s largest state, as it prepares for an operation targeting opposition forces.

Jonglei has experienced the fiercest fighting in Africa’s youngest country in recent months, with clashes between the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO) described by the UN as the most intense since 2017.
SPLA-IO forces, aligned to South Sudan’s suspended Vice President Riek Machar, captured the town of Pajut in northern Jonglei in mid-January, bringing the state capital Bor into closer range of their offensive.
In a statement on Sunday, SSPDF spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang announced the “imminent” launch of ‘Operation Enduring Peace’ and directed all civilians in SPLA-IO-held areas of Uror, Nyirol, and Akobo to immediately evacuate to nearby government-controlled areas for their safety." AfricaNews

Australia swelters in a record heat wave

"Parts of Australia

sweltered in record temperatures of close to 122 degrees Fahrenheit on
Tuesday as the country sweated through a prolonged heat wave.
The rural towns of Hopetoun and Walpeup in Victoria state registered preliminary highs of 48.9 C (120 F), which if confirmed overnight would top records set on the day in 2009 when 173 people were killed in the state’s devastating Black Saturday bushfires." msn

'Colossal destruction' – Russian drone strike on Odesa -- many may be under rubble

"A massive Russian drone attack on Odesa in southern Ukraine struck several apartment and university buildings, killing at least one person, injuring dozens of others, and leaving an unknown number still stuck under rubble, officials said on Jan. 27.
Russia sent a swarm of 50 drones into the city in an attack that began shortly after 2:00 AM. The explosions injured 23, of which nine have been hospitalized, Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper wrote on Jan. 27. The strikes damaged dozens of residential buildings, a preschool, and a church.

"[Emergency workers have pulled out 14 people, among them one child. It is tentatively known that people may still be stuck under the rubble," Kiper wrote.
Odesa Mayor Serhiy Lysak wrote on Telegram on Jan. 27 that emergency workers had recovered the first known fatality from the attack after hours of excavations.
"The destruction is colossal, and repair work will require extended time to return equipment to working condition," energy provider DTEK wrote, identifying its facilities as among those under attack.
Lysak specified in a separate Telegram post that 43 buildings and 122 apartment units fell under the drone attack in Odesa's Prymorskiy Neighborhood, the downtown area near the Black Sea that includes much of the city's famous port. Three other buildings were damaged in the neighborhood of Perespylsky, which includes the rest of the main ports." KI

5.7 Earthquake near Ponorogo, Indonesia

"A magnitude 5.7 earthquake occurred near 19 km SSW of Ponorogo, Indonesia at 01:20 AM UTC. This intermediate earthquake originated at a depth of 127.0 kilometers below the Earth's surface. 19 people reported feeling this earthquake to the USGS. The earthquake was detected by 115 seismic monitoring stations operated by the USGS." QP

4.3 earthquake reported near Lake JB Thomas, Texas

"You might have been asleep while it happened, but the first earthquake greater than
magnitude 4.0 for 2026 has shaken West Texas.
TexNet reported a magnitude 4.3 earthquake at 4:22 a.m. Monday, Jan. 26, located about 2.5 miles east of Lake J.B. Thomas and about 14 miles southwest of Snyder. The depth was about 23,400 feet below the surface.
The 4.3-magnitude temblor wasn’t the only earthquake in the area. As of noon Monday, it was the first in a cluster of 13 quakes; the others ranged between magnitude 0.9 and 1.9, according to TexNet." msn

France and EU clash over UK missiles for Ukraine

"France has clashed with several EU nations over a proposal that would allow Ukraine to use

an EU-backed loan to buy British Storm Shadow missiles, The Telegraph reported on Monday, citing diplomatic sources. Paris has consistently pushed for preferential treatment for the EU’s military industry on procurements destined for Kiev.
The outlet noted that Paris is the center of the EU’s drive for “strategic autonomy” amid concerns about overreliance on US defense after a rift with Washington over its push to acquire Greenland.
Under the current design of the €90 billion loan, spending on weapons would follow a four-layer procurement cascade that prioritizes Ukrainian producers first, then EU defense firms, followed by partner countries such as the UK, with suppliers outside Europe – including the US – treated as a last resort.... the aim of Britain and its partners was to keep the system “open enough for the UK” to ensure that reaching the third layer of the cascade “is not so hard.” RT

103 clashes on frontline over past day

"Over the past day, there were 103 combat engagements between the Ukrainian Defense Forces and Russian troops.
According to updated information, Russian forces carried out 99 airstrikes on Ukrainian territory, dropping 227 guided aerial bombs. They also deployed 7,462 kamikaze drones and carried out 3,838 shellings of Ukrainian positions and settlements, including 74 strikes with multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS).

The invaders targeted settlements including Velykomykhailivka in the Dnipropetrovsk region, and Zaliznychne, Verkhnia Tersa, Charivne, Kopani, Rizdvianka, Vozdvyzhivka, Yurkivka, and Tavriiske in the Zaporizhzhia region.
Over the past day, Ukraine’s missile troops and artillery struck a concentration area of enemy personnel, three UAV command points, an MLRS, and an enemy command post.
In the Northern Slobozhanshchyna and Kursk sectors, the enemy launched six airstrikes, dropping 11 guided bombs dropped, and 77 shellings of Ukrainian positions and settlements, including one MLRS strike.
In the Southern Slobozhanshchyna sector, Russians attempted five assaults near Prylipka, Vovchansk, Dvorichanske, and toward Lyman.
In the Kupiansk sector, two Russian attacks were repelled near Petropavlivka.
In the Lyman sector, there were three attacks; enemy tried to advance toward Drobysheve and Lyman.
In the Sloviansk sector, Russians carried out two attacks near Platonivka and toward Yampil.
In the Kramatorsk sector, one engagement occurred near Chasiv Yar.
In the Kostiantynivka sector, the enemy launched 15 attacks near Kostiantynivka, Ivanopillia, Shcherbynivka, Pleshchiivka, Kleban-Byk, Rusyn Yar, Sofiivka, and toward Stepanivka.
In the Pokrovsk sector, Ukrainian defenders stopped 33 assault and offensive actions near Nove Shakhove, Rodynske, Pokrovsk, Kotlyne, Molodetske, Filiia, and toward Shevchenko, Bilytske, and Hryshyne.
In the Oleksandrivka sector, Russians conducted four attacks near Zelenyi Hai and toward Nove Zaporizhzhia." Ukrin