US to increase weapons deployment to counter North Korea

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday said the United States will increase its deployment of advanced weapons such as fighter jets and bombers to the Korean Peninsula as it strengthens joint training and operational planning with South Korea in response to a growing North Korean nuclear threat. Austin made the comments in Seoul after he and South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-Sup agreed to further expand their combined military exercises, including a resumption of live-fire demonstrations, and continue a “timely and coordinated” deployment of U.S. strategic assets to the region, according to their offices.

Nigeria sees cash shortage amid push for redesigned currency

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria’s push to replace its paper money with newly designed currency notes has created a shortage of cash, leaving people unable to buy what they need and forcing businesses to close across the West African nation, experts and business groups said. The Central Bank of Nigeria says the redesigned denominations of 200 (43 U.S. cents), 500 ($1.08) and 1,000 naira ($2.17) notes and new limits on large cash withdrawals would help curb money laundering and make digital payments the norm in Africa’s biggest economy.

French officials say 1.27 million protested pension reforms

PARIS (AP) — An estimated 1.27 million people took to the streets of French cities, towns and villages Tuesday, according to the Interior Ministry, in new massive protests against the government’s key pension reform plans. The turnout exceeded participation in a previous round of strikes and protests against the proposed retirement age increase, in a significant victory for labor unions. The eight unions organizing the protests promptly announced that they would organize new demonstrations on Feb. 7 and Feb. 11.

Endangered rhino poaching nearly doubled in Namibia in 2022

WINDHOEK, Namibia (AP) — Rhino poaching in Namibia increased dramatically last year, with nearly twice as many of the critically endangered animals killed than the year before, the country’s environment ministry says. The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism released figures on Monday showing that 87 rhinos were poached in 2022, up from 45 in 2021. It was “a serious concern,” the ministry said. Of the 87 rhinos poached last year, 61 were black rhinos and 26 white rhinos, the ministry said.