*) Biden lays out US foreign policy plan

US President Joe Biden has outlined his foreign policy vision in a speech at the State Department.

His main points were to end US support in Yemen's war, putting China and Russia on notice, and raising the cap for refugees allowed into the US.

He says his administration will begin rebuilding alliances and re-engaging the world.

*) UK begins trial to test mixing of vaccines against variants

The UK has launched a trial to mix existing vaccines to fight thousands of mutations of the virus.

People taking part in the trial will get the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab first, followed by the Pfizer-BioNTech shot.

Researchers say at least 4,000 variants exist, including the fast-spreading UK, South African and Brazilian strains.

*) Health workers start anti-coup protests in virus-hit Myanmar

Medical workers across Myanmar began a civil disobedience protest against Monday's military coup.

Wearing red ribbons, the medics declared they won't work for the army government.

Myanmar's fragile health system is now facing the perfect storm of the pandemic and the coup.

*) US House punishes extremist Republican over conspiratorial views

Extremist QAnon supporting Republican House Member, Marjorie Taylor Greene, has been kicked off her two committee assignments.

The Democratic-controlled chamber voted in favour of the motion, along with a few Republicans who crossed party lines.

Before the vote, Greene expressed regret for some of her statements, but stopped short of issuing an apology.

And finally...

*) Strict measures for slimmed-down Super Bowl

The stage is set for Sunday’s NFL Super Bowl being held in Florida's Tampa, where Tampa Bay Buccaneers will take on Kansas City Chiefs.

This year’s slimmed down event will have high-level security measures and strict protocol because of the pandemic.

Capacity for the game has been slashed by two thirds, with inoculated health workers getting 7,500 tickets, 14,500 being sold via a lottery and 2,000 seats for VIP suites.

*) Canada designates the Proud Boys as a terrorist entity

The Canadian government has designated the Proud Boys group as a terrorist entity noting they played a pivotal role in the insurrection at the US Capitol.

The Proud Boys is a far-right, male chauvinist extremist group known for engaging in violent clashes at political rallies, and Canada is the first country to designate them as a terrorist entity.

During a September presidential debate, Donald Trump urged them to “stand back and stand by” when asked to condemn them by a moderator.

*) EU sends top envoy to Moscow as Navalny controversy grows

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell jets to the Kremlin over the jailing of Alexey Navalny and a crackdown on protesters.

The visit has drawn criticism from some European capitals worried Moscow will spin it as evidence Brussels is keen to return to business as normal.

the former Spanish foreign minister said: "It is when things are not going well that you must engage."

*)Facebook disrupted in Myanmar as UN chief warns coup must fail

Facebook services in Myanmar have been disrupted, days after the army seized power.

The Facebook disruption came as Myanmar saw its first street protest against this week's army coup, images on social media showed.

Myanmar plunged back into direct military rule when soldiers detained de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, later charging her over possession of illegal walkie-talkies.

*) UK, EU to intensify efforts to fix North Ireland's post-Brexit woes

Britain and the European Union have agreed to work "intensively" to resolve post-Brexit problems plaguing Northern Ireland, after border checks on goods were suspended this week.

The commitment was made at talks between senior UK minister Michael Gove, EU Commission Vice-president Maros Sefcovic and Northern Irish leaders.

It follows British demands for "rapid action" from the bloc and Prime Minister Boris Johnson renewing criticism of its role in the province.

And finally...

*) With ‘Mank’ and ‘The Crown,’ Netflix dominates Globes noms

After a year where the pandemic nearly emptied cinemas, Netflix has dominated nominations for the 78th Golden Globe Awards.

David Fincher's “Mank" lead film nominees with six nods and “The Crown” topped all television series.

Netflix led with a commanding 42 nominations, with 22 coming in film categories and 20 in television. No other studio came close.

*) Russian court jails Kremlin critic Navalny, sparking Western outcry

A Moscow court jailed the Kremlin's most prominent critic, Alexey Navalny, for nearly three years, triggering fierce condemnation from the West and calls for his release.

Britain, France, Germany, the United States and the European Union denounced the ruling.

Navalny's supporters called for more demonstrations over the decision, after thousands joined nationwide protests against his arrest over the last two weekends.

*) US says Myanmar military takeover constitutes coup, reviewing aid

The US will conduct a review of its foreign assistance to Myanmar after determining that the military takeover this week constituted a coup.

President Joe Biden has threatened new sanctions against the generals who seized power in Myanmar.

At the request of the White House, top US military officer Army General Mark Milley attempted to call Myanmar’s military following the coup but he was unable to connect, a US official said.

*) 71 homes destroyed as Australia bushfire rages near locked-down Perth

At least 71 homes have been destroyed in a bushfire raging out of control near Australia's fourth-biggest city, Perth, authorities said.

As the blaze moved towards more densely populated areas, Western Australian fire commissioner Darren Klemm urged residents to act swiftly to escape the potentially deadly blaze.

No deaths or serious injuries have been reported so far.

*) EU nations cautious over AstraZeneca on people over 55

Belgium said it won’t administer the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine to people over 55, questioning its effectiveness.

Health authorities in France, Germany and other countries have raised concerns that the company didn’t test the vaccine in enough older people to prove it works for them.

“We don’t have enough info to be sure to say that it is good for the elderly,” Belgian Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke said.

And finally...

*) Jeff Bezos to step down as Amazon CEO

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos says he would stand aside later this year as chief executive of the company.

Bezos said he will transition to the role of executive chair in the third quarter, handing over the CEO role to Andy Jassy, who heads Amazon Web Services.

In a letter to Amazon employees, Bezos said he would "stay engaged in important Amazon initiatives" but will pivot towards philanthropic initiatives.

*) Myanmar coup mastermind on US blacklist

The man in charge of Myanmar is on a US blacklist for serious human rights abuses against Rohingya Muslims.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who masterminded Monday's coup, is also known for leading troops into the northwestern Rakhine region.

The army is accused of conducted ethnic cleansing operations by burning people in their homes and committing other atrocities that displaced 700,000 Rohingya.

The UN fears the coup will worsen the plight of some 600,000 Rohingya Muslims still in the country.

*) Iran hints at way to bridge nuclear deal impasse

Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarf is proposing a solution which will see the 2015 nuclear deal restored.

Speaking to CNN, he said EU officials can help choreograph the actions that Washington and Tehran need to take.

This comes as both parties say they are open to diplomacy, yet hesitant to take the first step.

*) US to resume deportations of asylum seekers

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency is set to resume the deportations of asylum seekers.

That's after a Trump-appointed Texas judge ruled against the 100-day suspension ordered by President Joe Biden.

This marks the first action in a legal decision taken by Trump loyalists, intended to obstruct the Biden administration's agenda.

*) Al Shabab terrorists killed after hotel attack

A huge snowstorm has brought chaos to the US East Coast.

The National Weather Service issued storm warnings from Virginia to Maine, as heavy snow mixed with wind gusts of up to 80km/h spurred blizzard-like conditions along the eastern seaboard.

New York declared a state of emergency and almost all flights were cancelled at airports in New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington.

And finally...

*) SpaceX aims for a civilian trip into orbit

SpaceX is aiming to launch an all-civilian mission into Earth's orbit later this year.

The trip is being led by tech billionaire Jared Isaacman, who plans to raffle off the remaining three spots to the public.

All crew members will receive commercial astronaut training by SpaceX on the Falcon 9 launch vehicle and Dragon spacecraft.

*) Myanmar military seize power via bloodless coup

Myanmar’s military has taken control of the country after staging a bloodless coup.

The nation's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior figures from the ruling party have been arrested.

The army was in a power-sharing agreement with the civilian government, but claimed voter fraud in recent elections which gave San Suu Kyi another term.

The commander of the armed forces, Min Aung Hlaing is now in charge.

*) South Africa receives first batch of vaccines

The first 1 million Covid-19 vaccine doses are being delivered to South Africa.

The country has recorded the most coronavirus infections and deaths on the African continent with more than 1.4 million cases and over 41,000 deaths.

There is now a more virulent strain of the disease in the country that is desperate to begin rolling out the vaccine.

*) Russian police arrest over 5,000 in Pro-Navalny rallies

Russian authorities have arrested more than 5,000 people at nationwide anti-government rallies.

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in support of opposition leader Alexey Navalny for a second consecutive weekend, despite the Kremlin’s efforts to curb protests.

Supporters of Navalny are demanding his release from jail.

*) Al Shabab terrorists killed after hotel attack

Al Shabab terrorists who attacked a hotel in Somalia's capital Mogadishu, have been shot and killed by security forces.

Police say the heavily-armed gunman stormed the Afrik Hotel after a suicide car bombing at the hotel's entrance.

At least nine people were killed and several others injured in the bombing.

And finally...

*) Captain Tom Moore being treated for Covid-19

The UK's favourite centenarian fundraiser, Captain Tom Moore, has been hospitalised after testing positive for COVID-19.

The 100-year-old veteran of World War II was given a knighthood after raising millions of pounds for the National Health Service.

According to his daughter, Sir Tom was being treated for pneumonia before testing positive for Covid-19.

*) US ready to prosecute Pakistani man acquitted of Daniel Pearl's murder

The US is prepared to prosecute the man acquitted by Pakistan's top court for the murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the decision to acquit Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh "is an affront to terrorism victims everywhere."

He said Washington expects Pakistan to review its legal options to "ensure justice is served."

*) Novavax Covid-19 vaccine 89 percent effective in UK trial

Novavax says its coronavirus vaccine has shown 89.3 percent efficacy in preventing Covid-19 in a trial conducted in the UK.

The company said the vaccine is nearly as effective in protecting against UK’s more highly contagious variant.

A mid-stage trial in South Africa shows it did not work as well against the variant there, with 60 percent efficacy among people who did not have HIV.

*) Class action lawsuit filed against Robinhood online brokerage

GameStop and AMC Entertainment are at the centre of a market battle between small investors and Wall Street.

Amateur investors massively drove up GameStop and others' shares in a plan coordinated on Reddit, squeezing hedge funds that bet on the struggling firms to tank.

Hours later, Robinhood, the trading app where individual investors were buying shares, halted trading of the viral stocks.

Now Robinhood is in the line of fire from angry customers, and politicians, and is facing a class-action lawsuit.

*) Biden signs orders reversing Trump policies on Obamacare, abortion funding

US President Joe Biden has reopened the online health insurance marketplace for people who cannot obtain coverage through their employers.

The new special enrollment period will begin on February 15 and run through May 15.

His administration will also review policies that curb abortion counselling, and make it harder for people to access Medicaid.

And finally...

*) Cicely Tyson, groundbreaking award-winning actor, dead at 96

Cicely Tyson, the pioneering Black actor who gained an Oscar nomination for her role in “Sounder,” has died at age 96.

Tyson's death was announced by her family who did not provide additional details.

She gained fame in the early 70s when Black women were starting to get starring roles.

*) Biden pauses Trump policies as Blinken takes diplomatic helm

The Biden administration has paused or “put under review” a wide range of Trump-era foreign policies.

The administration placed temporary holds on several big-ticket arms sales to the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he’s looking urgently at a terrorism designation against Yemen’s Houthis and a review on US-Russia relations.

*) New protests as Polish court seals divisive abortion ruling

New anti-government protests have broken out in Polish cities after the country's top court confirmed it will further tighten the nation’s anti-abortion law.

Termination of pregnancy will now be allowed only if the woman's health is threatened or if the pregnancy is the result of a criminal act.

Thousands gathered outside the court building in Warsaw responding to calls for fresh protests by women’s groups.

*) Amnesty raps France over weapons used against Lebanon protesters

Amnesty International has urged Paris to halt weapons sales to Lebanon, saying the French arms were used to quell peaceful demonstrations.

French-manufactured rubber bullets, tear gas grenades and launchers have been used repeatedly since the start of an anti-government protest in Lebanon.

Amnesty said its findings were based on analysis of more than 100 videos of protests in Beirut, as well testimonies and medical records collected by researchers on the ground.

*) Brazil's Covid-19 response worst, New Zealand's best – study

Brazil's handling of the coronavirus pandemic has been ranked the world's worst, while New Zealand topped the class.

Sydney's Lowy Institute assessed almost 100 countries on six criteria, including confirmed cases, deaths and testing metrics.

Aside from New Zealand – Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand, Cyprus, Rwanda, Iceland, Australia, Latvia and Sri Lanka made the top 10 for their responses.

And finally…

*) Oscar-winning, 'irreplaceable' Cloris Leachman dies at 94

Cloris Leachman, an Oscar-winner for her portrayal of a lonely housewife in ‘The Last Picture Show,’ has died at 94.

Leachman died in her sleep of natural causes at her home in California with her daughter Dinah Englund at her side.

Messages of condolences from fans and colleagues poured out on social media.

*) UN accuses Yemen govt of money-laundering

A new UN report is accusing Yemen's government of corruption by running a sophisticated money laundering scheme.

The report, filed with the UN's Security Council, says the Central Bank of Yemen laundered nearly $500 million which was intended to strengthen food security.

The report also says the Houthis diverted some $1.8 billion of state money in 2019 to fund their war efforts.

*) US senators sworn in to prepare for impeachment trial

US senators were sworn in preparation for Donald Trump's impeachment trial.

Republicans immediately challenged the proceedings, which they say is unconstitutional, as Trump is no longer in power.

Trump is charged with inciting an insurrection on Capitol Hill earlier this month that ended in 5 deaths. The trial is expected to start in two weeks.

*) Biden signs executive orders for racial equity

US President Joe Biden has signed executive orders to promote racial equity and help end systemic racism and xenophobia.

Biden signed four executive orders:

1. Ending the government's use of private prisons

2. Bolstering anti-discrimination enforcement in housing

3. Underscoring a commitment to Native-American tribal sovereignty

4. Condemning discrimination against Asian Americans and Americans of Pacific Island descent that has risen during pandemic

*) Over 100,000 dead from Covid-19 in UK

The UK is now the first in Europe to record more than 100,000 deaths from Covid-19.

It follows a surge in cases last month after restrictions on social mixing were relaxed for Christmas.

The UK now joins the US, Brazil, India and Mexico with the highest coronavirus death tolls.

And finally…

*) US Army loosen restrictions on female hairstyles and grooming

Female US soldiers can let their hair down, and flash a little nail colour under new rules being approved by the Army.

Army leaders are loosening restrictions on various grooming and hairstyle rules.

The changes, which also expand allowances for earrings, hair highlights and dyes, are particularly responsive to women of various ethnicities.

The new regulations take effect in late February.

*) Trump impeachment article goes to Senate

An article of impeachment against Donald Trump has been delivered to the US Senate.

The House of Representatives has charged Trump with inciting the deadly insurrection at the Capitol earlier this month.

The trial is scheduled to start in two weeks as leaders of both parties agreed to a short delay to give Trump's team and House prosecutors time to prepare.

*) McConnell offers support for power sharing with Democrats

US Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell says he's in support of a power-sharing agreement with Democrats.

Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and McConnell are at odds over Republican demands that Democrats promise to protect the filibuster, which requires a 60-vote supermajority to advance most legislation.

*) Second night of riots in Netherlands over curfew

Rioters looted shops and ransacked supplies for a second day as they again clashed with police in several cities across the Netherlands.

Protests and riots began after the government announced a new daytime curfew, the first since World War II.

The lockdown will be in effect until February 10.

*) Anger grows over virus lockdown in Lebanon

At least 30 people were injured in Lebanon's Tripoli after anti-curfew protesters clashed with security forces.

The protests were triggered by a total lockdown put in place to curb the spread of Covid-19.

The country of 6 million has seen over 280,000 cases and 2,404 deaths from the virus.

And finally…

*) New Patagonian dinosaur may be largest yet

Paleontologists in Argentina say they've found what could be the largest dinosaur to have ever roamed the planet.

The Titan-o-saur was a plant-eating dinosaur about 35 metres long which existed around 98 million years ago.

Experts realised the significance after piecing the vertebrae and pieces of bone together.

*) Netherlands anti-curfew protests spark clashes with police, looting

Anti-lockdown protests turned to riots in the Netherlands, prompting police to use tear gas, water cannons and dogs to disperse thousands.

At least 55 were arrested after chaos erupted in the country's main cities against the implementation of a new daytime curfew, the first since World War II.

It was the worst violence to hit the country since the pandemic began. The lockdown will be in effect until 10 February.

*) Taiwan reports second day of incursions by Chinese air force

Taiwan has reported a second day of incursions into its airspace by 12 Chinese Air Force fighters jets.

China claims Taiwan as its territory and has increased military activity near the island in recent months.

Meanwhile, the US military has sent the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier into the South China Sea for what it says is to ensure freedom of the seas.

*) Portugal president wins election

Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has won a second term in office after winning an election with 61 percent of the vote.

Rebelo de Sousa, a centre-right moderate, will serve a five-year term that will be his last due to term limits.

Socialist candidate Ana Gomes came second with 13 percent but close behind in third was Andre Ventura, a newly arrived right-wing populist who won 12 percent.

*) Thousands evacuated as storm makes landfall in Mozambique

Mozambique is reeling from Cyclone Eloise, which made landfall early on Saturday.

Nearly 7,000 people have been displaced, while some 130,000 hectares of crops destroyed by heavy downpours.

Forecasters are warning of widespread flooding and strong winds as the storm heads inland.

And finally…

*) SpaceX sets another world record

SpaceX has set another world record.

A Falcon 9 rocket carried 143 satellites into orbit on a jam-packed rideshare.

That's the most satellites launched by a single rocket.

The devices are owned by several companies, each paying at least a million dollars to send their tech into space.