Reform UK accused of betraying election pledges after council tax rises 09. January 2026 (18:53) Four out of five councils controlled by party have proposed 5% council tax rises, the maximum permitted by lawNigel Farage’s Reform UK has been accused of betraying election promises to cut council tax after several councils it controls said they planned to increase rates close to the maximum allowed.They include Kent county council – the party’s flagship local authority and one viewed by it as the “shop window” for what a Reform-led government would look like – which has proposed an increase of 3.99%. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Growing protests in Iran do not necessarily herald a return to monarchy 09. January 2026 (18:46) Despite significant support for the shah, Iranian society may be looking for any ‘escape from a dead end’Supporters of Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s deposed shah, were claiming the crowds out in the streets of Iran were a direct response to his call to action. They described it as a referendum on his leadership and that the response showed he had won.Yet the issue of an alternative leadership for Iran remains unresolved. Many Iranians, eager to end the 47-year-long rule of the clerics, still view a return to monarchical rule with suspicion. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
University of Glasgow rector cleared of misconduct by medical watchdog over alleged antisemitism 09. January 2026 (17:42) Palestine activist and doctor Ghassan Abu-Sitta also cleared over alleged support for Hamas in case brought by GMCThe rector of the University of Glasgow has been cleared of misconduct by a medical watchdog over alleged antisemitism and support for Hamas.Dr Ghassan Abu-Sitta, a plastic surgeon and prominent Palestinian activist, appeared via video link on Friday before a fitness to practise panel of the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in Manchester, where a case of misconduct against him was rejected. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US military forces seize fifth tanker in effort to control Venezuelan oil 09. January 2026 (17:21) Pre-dawn assault on the Olina oil tanker was carried out by US marines and navy sailors in the Caribbean near TrinidadUS politics live – latest updatesThe US early on Friday boarded another oil tanker, the US military said, as part of efforts to target sanctions-busting vessels traveling to and from Venezuela.US forces were seen in video footage that officials posted online landing on the ship’s deck as the vessel named Olina was seized in the Caribbean near Trinidad. It is the fifth interdiction of such ships in recent weeks, separately from the series of previous US operations since the start of the fall to strike suspected drug boats off the coast of Venezuela. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘An incomprehensible nightmare’: grief turns to anger over Swiss bar fire as Le Constellation owner arrested 09. January 2026 (17:18) Jacques Moretti arrested on Friday as lawyers representing families of victims say investigators are not moving fast enoughLike many young people across Switzerland, Kenzo Ronnow, a university student in Lausanne, slept in on 1 January after celebrating the new year.But as he scrolled through his phone soon after waking, he saw the lead story of a foreign news website was about Switzerland. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘She will go down as one of the best’: the rise of Jessie Buckley 09. January 2026 (17:00) From talent shows to the big screen, the actor’s performance in Hamnet has made her a leading awards contenderHamnet, Chloé Zhao’s film adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s bestselling novel about William Shakespeare and his wife, Agnes (or Anne) Hathaway, is a tender meditation on love and grief. Charting the couple’s anguish over the death of their 11-year-old son – said to have inspired the play Hamlet – it has moved audiences to tears and united critics in their praise.The film’s emotional force is carried by the Irish actor and singer Jessie Buckley, who portrays Hathaway (opposite Paul Mescal’s Shakespeare) with a rawness and intimacy that has already earned her a Critics’ Circle award for best actress, and marked her out as a leading contender for the Golden Globes, Baftas and Oscars. The Guardian film critic Peter Bradshaw called her “unselfconsciously beguiling”, while Rolling Stone predicted audiences “will be talking about Jessie Buckley’s performance for years”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
EU states back controversial Mercosur deal with Latin American countries 09. January 2026 (16:22) Agreement after 25 years of negotiations prompts farmers to block roads in Paris, Brussels and WarsawEuropean Union member states have backed the biggest ever free trade agreement with a group of Latin American countries, ending 25 years of negotiations but stoking further tensions with farmers and environmentalists around the bloc.The contentious Mercosur deal with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, prompted immediate protests in Poland, France, Greece and Belgium, with farmers blocking key roads in Paris, Brussels and Warsaw. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Charity watchdog opens inquiry into City & Guilds’ sale of business arm 09. January 2026 (16:14) Bosses at body that trained chef Jamie Oliver were awarded million-pound bonuses after sale to private firmBusiness live – latest updatesThe Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry into City & Guilds’ sale of its qualification awards business to a private company last year.The announcement has been made after the Guardian revealed last month how City & Guilds bosses were handed million-pound bonuses after the charity privatised its business arm. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Germany braces for more heavy snowfall as Storm Goretti hits northern Europe 09. January 2026 (16:13) France and Germany battered by strong winds and plunging temperatures, as schools closed and travel disruptedGermany is expecting heavy snowfalls of up to 20cm after record winds of more than 210kph left almost 400,000 homes in France without electricity, as Storm Goretti battered north-western Europe.No major or widespread damage to property was reported in France on Friday but one man was seriously hurt after slipping from his roof while trying to replace fallen tiles and 27 others suffered minor injuries, several requiring hospital treatment. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Robots that can do laundry and more, plus unrolling laptops: the standout tech from CES 2026 09. January 2026 (15:30) Robot vacuums that can climb stairs and device for BlackBerry lovers also on display at annual Las Vegas tech showThis year will be filled with robots that can fold your laundry, pick up objects and climb stairs, fridges that you can command to open by voice, laptops with screens that can follow you around the room on motorised hinges and the reimagining of the BlackBerry phone.Those are the predictions from the annual CES tech show in Las Vegas that took place this week. The sprawling event aims to showcase cutting-edge technology developed by startups and big brands. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
