Strong and shallow M6.1 earthquake hits Volcano Islands, Japan region

Strong and shallow M6.1 earthquake hits Volcano Islands, Japan region

Teo Blašković

A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.1 hit the Volcano Islands, Japan region at 16:37 UTC on January 21, 2026. The agency is reporting a depth of 25.5 km (15.8 miles). EMSC is reporting the same magnitude and depth.

The epicenter was located 937 km (582 miles) NNW of Saipan (population 48 220), 957 km (595 miles) NNW of San Jose Village, Tinian (population 15 000), and about 1 090 km (678 miles) NNW of Guam (population centers Yigo and Dededo).

The USGS issued a Green alert for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses. There is a low likelihood of casualties and damage.

Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are resistant to earthquake shaking, though vulnerable structures exist. The predominant vulnerable building types are heavy wood frame and reinforced/confined masonry construction.

Trump: Hamas will be ‘blown away very quickly’ if it doesn’t disarm very soon

Trump: Hamas will be ‘blown away very quickly’ if it doesn’t disarm very soon

Lazar Berman

“We have peace in the Middle East,” US President Donald Trump says at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

“There are some little situations like Hamas, and Hamas has agreed to give up their weapons,” he asserts, though the terror group has publicly said it will not disarm.

“They were born with a weapon in their hand, so it’s not easy to do,” he says.

“That’s what they’ve agreed to, they’re going to do it,” Trump promises. “And we’re going to know over the next two-three days, certainly the next three weeks, whether or not they’re going to do it.”

“If they don’t do it, they’ll be blown away very quickly,” he warns.

Trump claims that many of the “59 countries” interested in participating in the peacekeeping force in Gaza “want to come in and take out Hamas. They want to do whatever they can.”

More....

Putin-Witkoff Meeting Scheduled for Thursday, Kremlin Confirms

Putin-Witkoff Meeting Scheduled for Thursday, Kremlin Confirms

Sputnik

US President’s special envoy Steve Witkoff says he plans to travel on Thursday to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Reuters reports, citing Witkoff’s interview with CNBC.

"I think that, and then I am going to Moscow with Jared [Kushner]... And I will leave Thursday night and arrive in Moscow late at night," Witkoff told CNBC.

In a separate interview with Bloomberg, Witkoff said that significant progress has been made in recent weeks toward resolving the Ukrainian conflict.

"I know we have made more progress in the last six or seven weeks since Geneva than we have made ... in the last three or four years," he said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the meeting is scheduled for Thursday.

“Yes, indeed, such contacts are on the president’s schedule for tomorrow,” Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian media.

Witkoff also said that he plans to hold a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, Reuters reported, quoting Witkoff's interview with CNBC.

Witkoff and Putin last met on December 2. He visited Russia six times last year. The last time the US president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, traveled to Moscow with him.

On Tuesday, Witkoff and US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, met with Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and the Russian president’s special envoy for economic cooperation with foreign countries.

The trilateral meeting took place in the US pavilion at the Davos forum and lasted more than two hours. Witkoff described the meeting to reporters as "very positive."

Dmitriev, in turn, told reporters that the meeting was "proceeding constructively, and more and more people are recognizing the correctness of Russia's position."

What's Behind US ‘Secret Sonic Weapon’?

What's Behind US ‘Secret Sonic Weapon’?

Sputnik

US President Donald Trump recently said that the American military may have used a unique advanced “secret sonic” armament during its abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

“It’s not a secret weapon at all because it has been known for a long time,” veteran Russian military analyst Viktor Litovkin reveals in an interview with Sputnik.

Weapon “belongs to the class of non-lethal armament, which don’t kill but incapacitate a person for a certain period of time and is typically used to disperse demonstrations in the US and Europe.”

This “sonic or acoustic weapon is a high-frequency modulation of a sound wave that's inaudible to the human ear and can hit the eardrums, the nerves, the brain very hard, sometimes vomiting, fainting, and so on.”

“All of this has been known for a long time. The US’ desire to present wishful thinking as reality is simply its style. There is nothing secret about this weapon.”

The analyst doesn’t rule out that during the military operation to capture Maduro, the US used this acoustic weapon in combination with electronic warfare systems and electromagnetic pulses, which “literally burn out electronics.”

Russia, in turn, possesses a range of advanced hypersonic systems that have no analogues in the US, Litovkin recalls. These include:

Hypersonic Oreshnik system (range: up to 5,500 km, equipped with at least six warheads moving at a speed of Mach 10–11each).

Kinzhal air-launched hypersonic missile with a range of up to 2,500 km. It is impossible to intercept.

Avangard strategic hypersonic glide vehicle with a speed of up to Mach 27, meaning the system cannot be intercepted.

Israel gearing up for a ‘surprise war,’ says IDF chief

Israel gearing up for a ‘surprise war,’ says IDF chief

World Israel News Staff

Israel is undertaking preparations for a possible military strike by a hostile power, the IDF chief of staff said Monday.

Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, the commander of the Israeli military, visited the headquarters of the Home Front Command on Monday, together with Home Front Command chief Maj. Gen. Shai Kalper and additional commanders.

During the meeting, Zamir hinted that Israel could face a “surprise” attack by Iran as tensions between the two countries remain high.

“We are fully prepared defensively for every scenario,” Zamir said. “The lessons of Operation ‘Rising Lion’ have been internalized, and as part of this the IDF is also preparing for the possibility of a surprise war.”

“The combination of the Home Front Command’s capabilities together with a close partnership with local authorities and emergency organizations strengthens national resilience and ensures a response to every challenge.”

“In light of the scope of the multi-theater threats to the State of Israel, the Home Front Command stands on defense — qualified, trained, and on high alert. The Command is ready at all times to employ a wide range of capabilities to contend with an attack on the civilian home front and to save lives.”

“At the same time, the IDF is prepared to employ an unprecedentedly powerful offensive capability against any attempt to harm the State of Israel.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made similar comments at the Knesset on Monday, vowing that if attacked by Iran, Israel would hit back “with might that Iran has not seen before.”