Stories for January 2026

Saturday, January 31st 2026 - 23:28 UTC
U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker frees luxury cruise ship trapped in Antarctic sea ice

A high-end expedition cruise vessel, the Scenic Eclipse II, received assistance from the heavy icebreaker USCGC Polar Star after becoming beset by dense sea ice in the Ross Sea in mid-January, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Saturday, January 31st 2026 - 01:03 UTC
Falklands 1690, when English Captain John Strong made the first recorded landing

The Falkland Islands derive their name from Falkland Sound, the name given to the waterway between the two main islands, East and West Falkland by Captain John Strong, who spent several days in the Islands on his ship Welfare in January 1690.
Friday, January 30th 2026 - 23:39 UTC
Venezuela’s interim leader Delcy Rodríguez announces proposed general amnesty for political prisoners

Delcy Rodríguez said on Friday she will push a “general amnesty law” covering political prisoners and instructed that the draft be sent to the Asamblea Nacional de Venezuela, where it is expected to be debated and approved next week. The announcement was delivered at an event held at Tribunal Supremo de Justicia de Venezuela, as reported by El País.
Friday, January 30th 2026 - 18:50 UTC
Trump taps Kevin Warsh to lead the Federal Reserve, setting up a high-stakes confirmation fight

Donald Trump said on Friday he will nominate Kevin Warsh, a former Federal Reserve governor, to become the next chair of the U.S. central bank, replacing Jerome Powell when Powell’s term as chair expires in May. The announcement, delivered via Truth Social, follows months of speculation over who would inherit the world’s most consequential monetary-policy job.
Friday, January 30th 2026 - 14:29 UTC
Montevideo to host Spain’s ASPA helicopter aerobatic display marking 100 years of the Plus Ultra flight

Uruguay’s Air Force (FAU) says Montevideo will host an aerobatic helicopter display by Spanish Air Force's Patrulla ASPA on Sunday, 1 February, as part of the centenary commemorations of the historic Plus Ultra flight. The free event is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. along Rambla Presidente Wilson, in Montevideo.
Friday, January 30th 2026 - 14:16 UTC
Falklands, Tussac restoration project to protect peatlands

Dr. Nicholas Midgley, a senior lecturer and his team from Nottingham Trent University have been in the Falkland Islands for the last three weeks investigating coastal peatland and tussac’s significance for agriculture and wildlife.
Friday, January 30th 2026 - 09:30 UTC
Argentina’s central bank extends dollar-buying streak, pushing reserves to a Milei-era high

Argentina’s central bank (BCRA) posted another net purchase in the foreign-exchange market on Thursday, buying US$52 million and logging a 19-session streak of net buying, according to figures reported by local media. Over that run, the bank accumulated US$1.134 billion, while gross reserves rose to US$46.24 billion, the highest level since 2021 and the strongest reading since President Javier Milei took office.
Friday, January 30th 2026 - 07:08 UTC
French legislation will replace concept of ‘conjugal duty’ with ‘sexual autonomy’

The French Senate is ready to discuss and approve legislation aimed at removing any legal basis for the idea that marriage creates an obligation to ‘conjugal duty’ and engage in sexual relations.
Friday, January 30th 2026 - 05:35 UTC
Uruguay’s Orsi heads to China with large delegation to deepen trade and strategic ties

Uruguayan President Yamandú Orsi has departed for China at the head of a roughly 150-strong delegation, framing the trip as a bid to “increase commercial and economic development” with Uruguay’s top trading partner. Before leaving, Orsi formally handed executive authority to Vice President Carolina Cosse, while the mission’s schedule in Beijing and Shanghai blends top-level political meetings with trade promotion and academic cooperation.
Friday, January 30th 2026 - 05:16 UTC
Trump threatens tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba, tightening pressure on Mexico

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order that opens the door to imposing tariffs on imports from countries deemed to be supplying crude oil to Cuba, a move designed to raise the external cost of keeping Havana’s energy lifeline open and further constrain fuel flows to the island.