The tanker, the Olina, is on multiple countries' sanctions list and is "suspected of carrying embargoed oil", US officials say.

There's a lot of bad ideas set to create literal waste and be a waste of money CES 2026  From disposable electric candy to voice-activated refrigerators without physical handles, CES was crammed full of enshittified, intrusive, insecure, and wasteful technology this year – just like it is every year. …

Jacob Frey criticizes Trump administration’s response to shooting death of Renee Nicole GoodOfficials in Minneapolis on Friday accused federal authorities of “hiding the facts” over the killing of a US citizen by an officer with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, and demanded the inclusion of state investigators in the FBI inquiry.Jacob Frey, the Minnesota city’s Democratic mayor, criticized the Trump administration’s response to the shooting, speaking at a press conference two days after the death of Renee Nicole Good in her car in a confrontation with federal officers amid protests and community scrutiny during an immigration crackdown. Continue reading...

The 85-year-old Welsh singer warns scammers are trying to "trap and abuse" vulnerable people.

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Action against Venezuela and sabre-rattling towards Greenland point to risks in US president’s approach to the Fed

Number of private wealth-management companies for rich individuals has grown in the US over the past decade

“One Battle After Another,” “Sinners,” “Hamnet,” “Frankenstein” and “Marty Supreme” have now been recognized by all three major guilds.

New nuclear capacity won’t show up until around 2030 Meta is writing more checks for nuclear investment, even though the new capacity tied to those deals is unlikely to come online until around 2030. The company says it will need the new power to run its hyperscale datacenters.…

Internet blackout continues as government tries to quell wave of unrest

Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense,” published 250 years ago this week, ignited the drive for American independence. That was hardly the end of his strange and winding story.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calls protesters ‘vandals’ and ‘saboteurs’ and blames the US for instigating the unrestIran’s supreme leader has vowed that authorities will “not back down” in the face of a rapidly growing protest movement, setting the stage for an intensified violent crackdown on the second day of a nationwide internet shutdown.Protests have raged in cities and towns across the country in recent days, posing a threat to the authority of the regime, which has been significantly weakened since the last large protest movement in the country in 2022. Another round of demonstrations was called for Friday night. Continue reading...

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...

Road, rail and air travel disrupted as Storm Goretti brings wind, rain and snow to the UK and parts of EuropeTell us: how have you been affected by Storm Goretti?Officials in the West Midlands have warned of the “worst snowfall in a decade” as parts of England and Wales prepare to be hit with 5-10cm of snow on Friday, and up to 15-25cm in some areas.In a statement on Wednesday, Stoke-on-Trent city council reassured residents it had not run out of grit after “misinformation” began to circulate. It said:We are now facing the worst snowfall we have faced in 10 years. The Met Office has predicted that we could have 3.5 inches of snow and temperatures as low as minus 4C on Thursday into Friday morning. As a result, we are carefully managing our resources and stock of salt.Unfortunately, we have been made aware of some misinformation circulating regarding the council’s salt supplies and gritting operations. It simply isn’t true that we have run out of grit.The current cold snap is now expected to last at least until this weekend according to Met Office forecasts, and we know that prolonged exposure to low temperatures can have a severe impact on people’s health, especially if they’re older or have serious health conditions.That’s why we’re urging people to check in on friends, family and neighbours who may be more vulnerable to the cold and make sure that they’re able to keep themselves warm while this period of cold lasts. Continue reading...

Jacob Frey urges federal authorities to not ‘hide from the facts’ of ICE’s fatal shooting of Renee Nicole GoodTrump unleashes torrent of untruths after fatal ICE shootingFederal officers blocked medics from scene of ICE shooting, witnesses sayPope Leo XIV has denounced how nations are using force to assert their dominion worldwide, saying they are “completely undermining” peace and the post-Second World War international legal order, AP reported.In his most substantial critique of US, Russian and other military incursions in sovereign countries, Leo told ambassadors who represent their countries’ interests at the Holy See that “war is back in vogue and a zeal for war is spreading”. Continue reading...

Met Office issues rare red warning as winter storm causes power cuts, travel disruption and school closuresStorm Goretti – latest updatesSnow and ice are expected to grip much of the UK over the weekend as parts of the country continue to reel from the effects of Storm Goretti, which left thousands of people facing power cuts, school closures and travel chaos.The storm brought winds of nearly 100mph after forecasters issued a rare red warning for “dangerous, stormy” winds in the south-west. Continue reading...

Officials found human skulls, headless torsos and other corpse parts in car and home of Jonathan Gerlach, 34A Pennsylvania man suspected of desecrating a historic cemetery in his state is facing hundreds of charges pertaining to grave robbery after authorities recently found more than 100 pieces of human remains in his possession, prompting one official to call the case “the most horrific thing”.Jonathan Gerlach, 34, had human skulls, bones, mummified feet, headless torsos and other corpse parts – including in his car, home and storage locker – after his arrest on Tuesday, according to a sworn police statement reported by NBC News. Continue reading...

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...

Joe Keery, aka musician Djo, aka Stranger Things' Steve Harrington, is number one in the UK charts.

Jacques Moretti is being held as a potential flight risk, Swiss media reports say.

The US Treasury Secretary said the US no longer held pesos in its exchange stabilisation fund.

Majority of countries approve agreement with South American bloc despite opposition from European farmers

Estate of bankrupt car parts maker alleges ‘unlawful scheme to defraud creditors out of billions of dollars’

Yellow weather warnings for most of the UK remain until Saturday afternoon, with a further warning for some parts on Sunday.

“Malcolm in the Middle”? “Scrubs”? Patrick Dempsey? In 2026, everything old is comfortable again.

The French president's failure to assemble a blocking minority against the Mercosur deal underscores how his domestic weakness is undermining his clout in Brussels. By contrast, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Germany have secured an important victory.

The agreement represents a push for deeper global cooperation, in contrast to the United States turning to coercion in its dealings with other countries.

As protests against the Islamic regime intensify, the son of the overthrown Shah seeks to rally support from abroad

Eric and Wendy Schmidt are backing a start-up-like approach to building a giant space telescope and powerful ground observatories.

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...

Revived attempt to create a $260bn megamerger underscores the desperate need for copper

Doug Mills, winner of three Pulitzers, sits, crawls and hoists cameras high in the air to bring viewers fresh perspectives. He was at it again this week during our marathon interview with President Trump.

Meme reversion

US president shared a graphic that included unpublished statistics 12 hours before the critical data release

The phenomenon was seen by thousands, from Birmingham city centre to parts of Staffordshire.

Federal authorities, who have launched an immigration enforcement blitz in Minnesota, said they will re-examine thousands of refugee cases in the state.

Technology editor Zoe Kleinman explains the row over changes made by X to it's Grok AI image edits, after the UK government called it "insulting".

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The Department of Homeland Security says the incident began with the traffic stop of a Venezuelan gang member.

Manchester United interim boss Darren Fletcher says he there have been no conversations with club chiefs over his future since he replaced sacked Ruben Amorim.

Many of the old challenges remain but there are a number of reasons why this time a deal of some kind could be possibleMining firms Rio Tinto and Glencore restart $260bn merger talksHere we go again. A combination of Rio Tinto and Glencore has been talked about for years and the duo held aborted negotiations at the end of 2024. With the global mining industry in deal-making mode – frenzies come along every 15 years or so – the idea of RioGlen or GlenTinto was due another whirl. On Friday, the two FTSE 100 companies said they were in “preliminary discussions” about a “possible combination of some or all of their businesses”. A full-blown tie-up would be worth about $260bn (£120bn), including debt.Many of the old challenges to a deal haven’t gone away. Glencore’s roots lie in trading commodities; Rio is a traditional pure miner, so the fit is culturally imperfect. Does Rio, which got out of coal as long ago as 2018 under investor pressure, really want to go back in by adding Glencore’s significant assets in that area? Reports suggested it is prepared to do so. But, if not, should coal be hived off beforehand? Should Glencore’s trading operation go with it? Continue reading...

Late Thursday, Mr. Musk’s chatbot, Grok, limited requests for A.I.-generated images on X to paid subscribers of the social media site amid an outcry from victims and regulators.

Data forecasting made easy

America is accelerating the shift towards a Hobbesian order

It comes after government urged Ofcom to use all its powers – up to and including an effective ban – against X.

The 45-year-old, from Italy, moved seats to sit beside the woman during the night-time journey to Edinburgh.

Our weekly podcast on democracy in America. This week, Donald Trump asserts his power in the Americas.

A decade after it premiered as a miniseries, the glamorous John le Carré spy thriller starring Tom Hiddleston returns on Amazon

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US president shifts tone on interim government as he takes a more conciliatory approach to opposition

The unemployment rate fell in December, but job growth across 2025 was the lowest in five years.

Donald Trump is bypassing the Fed with his latest effort to get borrowing costs down for US homebuyers

Buenos Aires hands back $2.5bn it drew under swap line ahead of pivotal election in October

Anti-government protests in Iran have continued for the 13th consecutive day.

“This is a story about how a tool can be used to try to affect politics and in particular to minimize women, denigrate them and push them out of the conversation.”

Start-up limits use of image generation system to paid users following spread of deepfakes and child sex abuse material

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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...

Military opens window for civilians to leave as Kurdish groups turn down demand their fighters withdraw from city Syria’s army says it will renew attacks against a Kurdish-majority district of Aleppo where clashes have raged this week, after Kurdish groups rejected Damascus’s ceasefire terms that demanded their fighters withdraw from the city.The army said it would target military sites used by Kurdish fighters in the Sheikh Maqsoud district, announcing the opening of a humanitarian corridor from 4pm (1300 GMT) to 6pm on Friday for civilians to leave. Continue reading...

Companies wary of administration’s strategy and want security and legal guarantees

After days of fierce protest, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused protesters of trying to “please” President Trump. Iranian authorities signaled further crackdowns on the demonstrations.

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Bolívar has fallen nearly 20% on black market, after US capture of President Maduro

New photos from Afghanistan show a Taliban law banning images of people and animals is now being enforced across most of the country, resulting in seafood censored from menus, blacked-out museum displays, and covered mannequins.

Trixie plus a carefully configured MATE setup, and absolutely nothing else The Desktop Classic System is a rather unusual hand-built flavor of Debian featuring a meticulously configured spatial desktop layout and a pleasingly 20th-century look and feel.…

Italian Prime Minister seeks to defend government’s record in annual press conference ahead of next year’s election

The MoD believes it requires an extra £28bn over the next four years, according to reports.

Suggestion comes as Washington has sought to drive a wedge between Nuuk and Copenhagen

Tottenham captain Cristian Romero is given an additional one-match suspension and fined £50,000 for his behaviour during his side's Premier League defeat to Liverpool last month.

The Television frontman died in 2023, leaving behind boxes of music and notebooks that are now headed to the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

The turbocharged events of the last week - and the new US National Security Strategy - raise pressing questions about the new world order, and what it means for Europe

Jacques Moretti was detained on Friday, a national day of mourning, because prosecutors considered him a flight riskPope Leo also chooses to express a view on the recent events in Venezuela, calling for world governments – I think he means US president Donald Trump in particular – to “respect the will” of the Venezuelan people.Goes without saying that it’s particularly important coming from the first US pope.“I wish to repeat my urgent appeal that peaceful political solutions to the current situation should be sought, keeping in mind the common good of the peoples and not the defence of partisan interests.”“This pertains, in particular to Venezuela. In light of recent developments in this regard, I renew my appeal to respect the will of the Venezuelan people and to safeguard the human and civil rights of all ensuring a future of stability and concord.”“The Holy See strongly reiterates the pressing need for an immediate ceasefire and for dialogue motivated by a sincere search for ways leading to peace.I make an urgent appeal to the international community, not to waver in its commitment to pursuing just and lasting solutions that will protect the most vulnerable and restore hope to the afflicted peoples.” Continue reading...

White House is meanwhile facing questions about an apparent embargo breach over Trump’s social media postHiring held firm in the US last month, official data showed, amid uncertainty over the strength and direction of the world’s largest economy.Employers added 50,000 jobs to the US labor force last month, capping the weakest year of growth since the pandemic, according to data released from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday. Continue reading...

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Sergey Brin is joining his Google co-founder, Larry Page, in reducing ties to the state where they built their fortunes.

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A recent Eurobarometer study finds support for the euro remains high across the EU, with pollsters claiming the currency has made doing business in different EU countries easier.

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...

Jacques Moretti, co-owner of a bar where 40 people died in a fire on New Year's Day, has been arrested a Swiss prosecutor has said.

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...

Paul Nurse tells FT that national science academy should avoid ‘making judgments’ about ‘character’ of fellows

No naming that tune and no album covers Microsoft is celebrating the resurgence of interest in physical media in the only way it knows how… by halting the Windows Media Player metadata service.…

Iranian authorities appear to be unusually restrained in reacting to mass protests, a possible result of Donald Trump's threat to intervene.

Basketball player accused of aiding cybercrime gang extradition blocked in exchange for Swiss NGO consultant France has released an alleged ransomware crook wanted by the US in exchange for a conflict researcher imprisoned in Russia.…

The row illuminates the role of art in divisive times

America’s child-care gender gap is narrowing rapidly

This month’s picks include an elliptical Mexican anthology film, an experimental biopic of the writer Suzanne Césaire and more.

Public sector reform should be easiest for Labour to do, precisely because it is Labour

Data compiled by news non-profit the Trace shows 29 incidents as of 9 January, including 16 shootingsFederal immigration agents have been involved in a sharp rise in shootings in recent months, coinciding with the Trump administration’s expanded immigration enforcement efforts.Under Trump’s crackdown, immigration officers have been connected to 16 shootings, according to data compiled by the Trace, a non-profit newsroom focused on gun violence in the US. Continue reading...

The attack seemed intended to send a message to Europe as it strongly backs Kyiv in the peace talks.

Russia struck a target in the Ukrainian city of Lviv overnight with its powerful Oreshnik hypersonic missile, just 40 miles from the border with NATO-member Poland.

The two miners have held talks before but conditions have rarely looked more favourable

A man, woman and child remain unaccounted for, authorities say, but forecasters say conditions eased across the state on Friday nightFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Victorian premier warned that the state faced “dangerous and difficult” hours as a wind change impacted bushfires across the state, with three people still unaccounted for and properties destroyed.On Friday evening, Jacinta Allan called on Victorians to follow emergency advice as “fires continue to unfold, right across the state”. Continue reading...

Liam Rosenior says he will be his own man and ignore the "noise" around his appointment as Chelsea manager.

A nine-year-old girl died from a single stab wound to her chest at home, an inquest has heard.

The shooting during a traffic stop, a day after the killing of a woman in Minneapolis by an ICE agent, generated angry denunciations by local officials.

Jacob Tierney says the "sex forward" gay drama, which is released in the UK on Saturday, features elements of romance that don't get taken seriously enough.

Max-severity OneView hole joins a PowerPoint bug that should've been retired years ago CISA has added a pair of security holes to its actively exploited list, warning that attackers are now abusing a maximum-severity bug in HPE's OneView management software and a years-old flaw in Microsoft Office.…

An exclusive look at how we designed our cover

Not even citizens are safe in Trump’s America.

State-backed attackers are using QR codes to slip past enterprise security and help themselves to cloud logins, the FBI says North Korean government hackers are turning QR codes into credential-stealing weapons, the FBI has warned, as Pyongyang's spies find new ways to duck enterprise security and help themselves to cloud logins.…

Bukayo Saka agrees a new long-term contract with Arsenal.

The man targeted a variety of locations, including including Guy's and St Thomas' hospital.

We asked experts the potential risks and benefits of turning over your health data to an AI tool.

The odds of one cow producing five calves is believed to be several million to one.

Delcy Rodríguez called building a socialist state her “personal revenge”. Now Donald Trump wants to “run” her country

US president also threatens land strikes on drug cartels in Latin America and says he will meet Venezuelan opposition leader soonUS politics live – latest updatesDonald Trump has claimed that he cancelled a second wave of attacks on Venezuela because it was cooperating with the US on oil infrastructure and had released political prisoners.The US president said early on Friday that he cancelled planned military action in recognition that the authorities in Caracas had released “large numbers” of prisoners and were “seeking peace”. Continue reading...

Authentication is basically solved. Authorization is another thing entirely... CrowdStrike has signed a $740 million deal to buy identity security startup SGNL. The move underscores the growing threat of identity-based attacks as companies struggle to secure skyrocketing numbers of non-human identities, including AI agents.…

Star fund manager says he is ‘acutely disappointed’ and feels ‘the opposite of pride’ about returns for investors

The Olina tanker was boarded and taken into U.S. custody early Friday in the Caribbean Sea

The pontiff used an annual address to ambassadors to the Vatican to condemn countries that prioritized violence over diplomacy to achieve their goals.

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...

Mercedes-Benz CLA has won the 2026 European Car of the Year award at the Brussels Motor Show. The German brand last collected the prestigious title in 1974.

Martin Lewis explains how building up overdraft debt compares to credit card debt.

Amid corruption scandals and relentless Russian attacks, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is conducting major personnel changes at high levels in Ukraine. Here’s a look at who’s in, who’s out, who’s up, and who’s down – and why.

When the Clooney family were granted French citizenship, the news made headlines around the world. The US president weighed in on their choice, sparking a war of words; we learn more about the transatlantic row pitting Hollywood against la vie en France. Also, a new film about the British featherweight who became a giant of boxing brings "Prince" Naseem Hamed's life and career to the big screen. Plus we take a closer look at the frozen landscape that helped Claude Monet refine his painting technique during a very cold snap. 

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The billionaire and philanthropist has made a nearly $8 billion payment to the private foundation of his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates, new tax filings show.

Employment growth for the world's largest economy eased significantly last year.

The attack was just the second time that Moscow had launched the nuclear-capable intermediate-range ballistic weapon.

The crackdown on protesters in Iran has prompted an outcry among European leaders, with High Representative Kaja Kallas denouncing Tehran for its "disproportionate" and "heavy-handed" response.

From intelligence sources to intricate mission plans, some details are becoming clearer - but many questions remain unanswered.

Love grows between a restless travel writer and a contented homebody in this occasionally cute, instantly forgettable romantic comedy.

Analysts say production will top out this decade while global electrification keeps ramping Concerns are mounting over copper supplies, with a fresh study warning that demand will likely outstrip production within a decade, threatening to constrain global technological advancement.…

Big Four join mid-tier companies and industry bodies to lobby against FRC’s policy

Experts agree on a few easy tips for our modern times.

Medical issue forces mission curtailment and leaves station short-handed NASA is bringing the Crew-11 astronauts back to Earth early after one encountered a medical issue that could not be dealt with aboard the orbiting outpost.…

Pre-planned ‘Brics Plus’ exercises follow surge in tensions over US military operations in Venezuela and Atlantic

For the central bank to lower interest rates again, officials will likely need to see more notable signs that unemployment is rising.

Mario Miralles spent decades acquiring the spruce and maple for string instruments worthy of Yo-Yo Ma and Gustavo Dudamel. Then he was forced to evacuate.

Calumn Donaghey arrived to check-in at the Oxford Road hotel only to be rejected for being homeless.

The legislative session that began this week poses a significant test of the most closely watched collaboration in state and city politics.

A woman who was forced into having sex with "multiple" men over three decades has spoken out as her abuser was jailed for life.

Trump is factoring in denaturalization as part of his immigration crackdown.

As dysfunction reigns, the party shows yet again that its greatest obstacle to winning government is not Labor but itselfGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThis should be the Victorian Liberal party’s year. They head into November’s election with a new, energetic and articulate leader in Jess Wilson, who has vowed to drag her party to the centre and reconnect with voters it has lost in recent years.Across the aisle stands a weary third-term Labor government, burdened by the state’s debt – forecast to hit $192bn by 2028-29 – and the baggage of more than a decade in power. No Victorian Labor government has ever secured a fourth term – a fact that should give the Liberals cause for optimism. Continue reading...

Technological devices are getting more powerful — and certainly more expensive. Smartphones, in particular, are leading the way: high-end models easily exceed a thousand euros, yet they are typically used for just over two years. But a shift is underway, driven by the refurbished market.

It's been 9 years since the Tom Hiddleston-Olivia Colman thriller aired its first season. Here's a refresher before Season 2 arrives.

Study of man often featured in works by the Flemish master reveals hidden painting of woman beneath model’s beardIs it a bald elderly man with a big bushy beard and a wine-addled stare? Or a friendly young woman with flowing locks and a crown of braids?To Belgian art dealer Klaas Muller, an answer to that question mattered less than the fact that this particular take on the duck-rabbit optical illusion was painted by one Peter Paul Rubens. Continue reading...

Ahmed Chalabi had far more resources and backing than Reza Pahlavi—and still failed spectacularly in Iraq. Iranians deserve better than fantasies of pretenders in exile.

Israeli strikes across Gaza killed at least 13 people, including four children, health officials have said.

World number one Luke Littler signs a record sponsorship deal for a darts player worth a reported £20m.

Kyiv dismisses as ‘absurd’ Moscow’s attempt to portray missile launch as retaliation for supposed attempted drone strike on Putin residenceRussia’s military has fired its new hypersonic Oreshnik missile at a target in Ukraine during a massive overnight strike.Ukraine confirmed the attack, saying it took place in the west of the country near the EU border. Moscow said the launch of the intermediate-range ballistic missile was retaliation for a supposed attempted Ukrainian drone attack on Vladimir Putin’s residence late last month – an allegation Kyiv and Washington have said is false. Continue reading...

The motivation for generating this kind of fake content can be to generate clicks, which can be monetised if it goes viral. Europe’s farmer protests have also been weaponised as part of Russian propaganda operations.

Russia used its new Oreshnik missile to strike Lviv, while Kyiv was targeted in a combined attack involving drones, cruise, and ballistic missiles. Officials say infrastructure and residential areas were hit. At least four people were killed and more than 20 wounded.

'Because the AI slop people aren't going to document their patches as such' Today, it is hard to escape LLM bots and the endless slop they emit, but the Linux kernel might be largely safe... for now.…

England wicketkeeper Matt Prior calls for a "much bigger conversation" around cricket's drinking culture.

Huntress analysis suggests VM escape bugs were already weaponized in the wild Chinese-linked cybercriminals were sitting on a working VMware ESXi hypervisor escape kit more than a year before the bugs it relied on were made public.…

Spanish police have arrested dozens of members of an international criminal gang on suspicion of fraud, ⁠money laundering and document forgery, Europol said on Friday.

China built a dominant strategic position in the region as the leading lender and trading partner. It is watching President Trump’s next moves closely.

RFE/RL’s Radio Farda has interviewed Jack Goldstone, one of the world's leading scholars of revolutions and social change, about the antiestablishment protests in Iran.

The president is claiming borderless license to turn on his perceived enemies, both foreign and domestic.

Rodney Johnston recorded the abuse as the victim was coerced into sex with 100 men, a court hears.

Grok-generated nonconsensual images are flooding Elon Musk’s X, triggering international investigations and legal pressure.

The movie Rosemead is inspired by the real case of a mother who murdered her schizophrenic son.

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The confrontations over the last four months have left two people dead and prompted criticism of federal agencies for allowing officers to open fire on moving vehicles.

They are among big names missing out at the Baftas, which can often indicate who will win at the Oscars.

The presenter describes her dad as a "generous man" who instilled a "lifelong love of sport" in her.

As demand for luxury watches has rocketed, the business has become beset by skulduggery

Whether you’re a casual moviegoer or an avid buff, our reviewers think these films are worth knowing about.

The software wasn't actually renamed, but you couldn't be blamed for being confused Opinion  Wait? What? I was just cruising along the information superhighway – yes, I'm old, deal with it – when I spotted a Y Combinator story announcing, "Microsoft Office renamed to 'Microsoft 365 Copilot app'." Excuse me!? I looked closer and found that, sure enough, it certainly looked like Microsoft had renamed Office to the God-awful "Microsoft 365 Copilot."…

Tracy Letts’s eerily topical, decades-old play about a woman’s descent into a world of conspiracy theories makes its nerve-rattling Broadway debut.

BBC News Persian profiles the former crown prince who is once again seeking a role in shaping his country's future.

Galloping inflation, a currency crisis and anger at the regime have fueled demonstrations across the country.

“My own mind. It’s the only thing that can stop me,” he told Times reporters.

A TikTok creator who killed a grandmother while driving a car with faulty brakes has been jailed for nine years.

The message is part of a video series which has seen Catherine reflect on the importance of nature to her, during her recovery from cancer treatment.

The 22-year-old pop phenom’s father is John Herndon of the post-rock band Tortoise. They chatted about songwriting, nepotism and what they’ve taught each other.

Our daily political update, featuring the stories that matter

Extremophile bacteria could help turn Martian dirt into building material for human habitats Tough microbes able to survive extreme environments on Earth could be the key to constructing buildings to allow humans to survive on Mars, according to a research paper.…

The amounts of money, time and political uncertainty trouble executives at large Western oil companies, who plan to meet with President Trump on Friday.

Also on the daily podcast: how China will flex its muscles abroad in 2026 and remembering a physicist whose life was cut short 

Dozens of protesters have been killed in a brutal government crackdown on ongoing antiestablishment demonstrations in Iran. RFE/RL's Radio Farda has profiled some of those killed, which include children.

Shops, pharmacies and music venues want any climbdown on business rates for pubs to apply to them too.

EU member states on Friday gave the green light to the signing of the Mercosur agreement, paving the way for a vast trade bloc taking in more than 700 million people across Europe and Latin America. France, however, plans to continue its fight against the deal in the European Parliament.

Who's coming back, who's new, and what will happen when the steamy HBO Max hockey drama returns.

The U.S. intervention has alarmed the region—and created a perverse strategic dilemma.

AI offers emotional support, but without oversight and change, that can cost lives.

President Donald Trump has for years had his eyes set on the island, which he has repeatedly threatened to annex. Why does he want it?

The queue might move on, but the software never did Bork!Bork!Bork!  Today's bork - on a UK border control wait-time screen - is doubly unfortunate. Tired passengers get no clue how long until someone checks their passport, and of all organizations that should keep security certs current, the one responsible for keeping out criminals tops the list.…

My first fight with a robot started badly.

Federal officers don’t have “absolute immunity,” but prosecuting them isn’t easy.

“365 buttons” has blown up on social media, with a new year’s resolution unwittingly becoming a viral meme, which in turn has birthed 2026’s first essential catchphrase. Euronews Culture are here to guide you through it.

The titles on this list explore violence, from the perspectives of both villain and victim

Image generation paywalled on X after ministers and regulators start asking awkward questions Grok has yanked its image-generation toy out of the hands of most X users after the UK government openly weighed a ban over the AI feature that "undressed" people on command.…

Attempting to reorganize the world around spheres of influence is a recipe for disaster. Trump’s Venezuela intervention has brought us a big step closer.

In many ways, their new relationship tale, “Is This Thing On?,” relies on their shared history over 25 years.

Matthias Pintscher’s first opera in 20 years invites audiences to find their own meaning in a macabre 19th-century tale.

The BritBox show “Riot Women” follows an all-female band navigating the challenges of middle age — a subject that its creator, Sally Wainwright, knows well.

This month’s picks include a film sequel to a beloved franchise and a documentary about the plight of polar bears.

Jennifer Harlan, an editor at The New York Times Book Review, recommends three books to read before their film adaptation releases this year.

Her press-on nails in the movie tell a deeper story.

This blood-splattered survival film about a rabies-infected chimpanzee is powered by unabashedly simple pleasures.

For the Ryan Coogler-directed vampire tale, “this character is what pushed me to sort of truly live in myself,” the actress said.

Swoony reads will transport you from the doldrums of winter to a Caribbean resort, a Hamptons beach, the streets of Paris and more.

A Labour MP who broke ranks to oppose the government's plans to restrict jury trials has said he is not expecting to lose the party whip - but he does "not care" if he does.

The Princess of Wales has said her video series on nature has been "deeply personal" and has helped her "discover what it means to be alive".

Initial £7M estimate proves optimistic after multiple contract uplifts The Bank of England has trebled the amount it is spending on its Oracle systems integrator amid efforts to migrate business applications to the cloud.…

If cooperation or Greenlandic independence fails, a preventive EU troop deployment could avert a US confrontation on the island, German Green MEP Sergey Lagodinsky argues in an opinion article for Euronews.

Iran is witnessing the largest antiestablishment protests since the latest round of demonstrations erupted on December 28. As the protests snowball, the tactics of the protesters are also shifting.

Speaking to Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Thursday, the President threatened land strikes, naming Mexico as a potential target, without elaboration.

Heatwave warnings in place for nearly all states and territories as Sydney braces for 43C forecast on SaturdayFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA heatwave engulfing much of Australia pushed Melbourne’s mercury past 42C, as authorities urged Victorians to stay indoors on Friday. The extreme heat is forecast to descend on Sydney on Saturday.Anthony Albanese met officials in Canberra for a briefing on the extreme conditions and said these were “difficult times” for the country. Continue reading...

In Tehran this week, young adults told the Guardian about collapsing living standards, the mass anti-government protests and their hopes for the futureMahsa is single and lives with her family. She has a page online where she sells her clothes and had arranged for a prominent influencer to run a major promotion for her. But because of the current situation, the influencer returned the money, and her sales and page activity came to a halt. Continue reading...

The US president sent a letter to the Hungarian PM, confirming his willingness to visit Hungary and wishing Orbán "best of luck" with the key election in April.

In a timid statement signed by 26 member states, Brussels has called for respect for international law in Venezuela but avoided condemning the US operation. We break in down.

Helen Garner and Miles Franklin winner Michelle de Kretser among 47 people who have pulled out of annual writers’ festival to protest Abdel-Fattah’s axingFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Adelaide festival has pulled down part of its website as dozens of speakers said they were boycotting writers’ week, after Palestinian Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah was dumped from the lineup with the board citing “cultural sensitivity” concerns in the wake of the Bondi terror attack.The page promoting the schedule of authors, journalists, academics and commentators was “unpublished” on Friday following widespread condemnation of the board’s decision to remove Abdel-Fattah. Continue reading...

The South London house will be restored and used for creative and skills workshops for young people.

Deal would create world’s largest mining company and come almost a year after previous discussions failedNils Pratley: Glencore and Rio Tinto are at it again – and the markets smell actionRio Tinto and Glencore have restarted talks over a merger that would create the world’s largest mining company.The talks come almost a year after previous discussions between the two mining companies collapsed. If a deal is agreed, it would create a global mining business with an enterprise value of more than $260bn (£193bn). Continue reading...

After the Hanukkah massacre in Australia, the rabbi and the Muslim hero who saved lives made a visit to New York that was part religious pilgrimage, part media outreach.

Mekado Murphy, the assistant film editor for The New York Times, moonlights as the newspaper’s unofficial roller coaster correspondent.

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“Why is Kristi Noem always in some sort of cosplay outfit?” Seth Meyers asked on Thursday.

As you should, when being told the only remedy is deleting everything and starting again On Call  2025 has ended and a new year is upon us, but The Register will continue opening Friday mornings with a fresh installment of On Call – the reader-contributed column that tells your tales of tech support.…

Jim Jarmusch's Golden Lion winner sees the director return to the anthology film format to better grapple with strained family relationships and explore the unknowability of those we think are closest to us.

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Nobody really needs an AI toothbrush that sends their gums to the cloud Opinion  Another Consumer Electronics Show has rolled through Las Vegas, and this year vendors scrawled “AI-enabled” on all the kit they hope will find its way into your home – while airbrushing away its immaturity and downsides.…

Russia fired a new nuclear-capable ballistic missile with multiple warheads at western Ukraine as part of a barrage of missiles and drones that pounded Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv where at least 4 were killed and dozens wounded.

When Prince Naseem Hamed met actor Pierce Brosnan in the lead-up to a new film, it brought back thoughts of a reconciliation with trainer Brendan Ingle that never happened.

Driven by soaring prices, inflation, and a plunging currency, Iranians have taken to the streets in what is the biggest threat to the Islamic regime in years. Journalists from RFE/RL’s Iranian service, Radio Farda, bring you the latest developments, analysis, and reporting from on the ground.

PhD student Jade Scott, a labs assessor at the university, is appearing in series four of the show.

He became a literary legend but as a schoolboy the young Dylan Thomas has been found to have copied poems.

Gustavo Petro tells the BBC's Ione Wells that the United States is treating other nations as part of a US "empire", after Trump threatened Colombia with military action.

It follows an ongoing backlash against the use of X's AI Grok to digitally remove clothing from images.

Case brought by Muslim leaders and MP follows failed 2024 bid and seen as part of global anti-women’s rights backlashA group of religious leaders and an MP in the Gambia have launched efforts to overturn a ban on female genital mutilation at the country’s supreme court.The court case, due to resume this month, comes after two babies bled to death after undergoing FGM in the Gambia last year. Almameh Gibba, an MP and one of the plaintiffs, tabled a bill to decriminalise FGM that was rejected by the country’s parliament in 2024. Continue reading...

Bassem Abudagga losing hope after being told wife must go to visa application centre, of which none remain in GazaA Palestinian academic has failed in his latest attempt to be reunited with his family in the UK after the Home Office concluded their case was not urgent and it was more appropriate for his two children to remain with their mother in a tent in Gaza.Bassem Abudagga was also told in a letter from Home Office officials that no reason had been found that was “sufficiently compelling” to defer a requirement that his wife attend a visa application centre (VAC) in Gaza so she could provide fingerprints to satisfy the conditions for evacuation. Continue reading...

Donald Trump's pursuit of an American sphere of influence has left Europeans scrambling to deal with a fast-moving geopolitical shift.

Opposition leader María Corina Machado hails move to tackle ‘injustice’ as Spain’s foreign ministry confirms release of five Spanish nationalsFive days after the US seized Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela has announced it is releasing an “important number” of detainees in what the congressional president characterised as a gesture to “consolidate peace”.Former opposition candidate Enrique Márquez was among those released from prison, according to an opposition statement. “It’s all over now,” Márquez said in a video taken by a local journalist who accompanied him and his wife, as well as another opposition member Biagio Pilieri, who was also released. Continue reading...

The Oregon incident, which sent two to the hospital, comes a day after a fatal shooting in Minneapolis by an ICE officer, which sparked protests.

Outages hit Russia and Ukraine, too The authors of a hypothetical manual containing procedures repressive governments can use to stay in power despite restive populations would surely devote its first chapter to turning off the internet, an action the government of Iran appears to have taken in the last 24 hours.…

Grab some popcorn for the Xi vs Zuck bout, which may not be the biggest fight on the card Chinese authorities have signalled they’ll likely probe Meta’s planned acquisition of made-in-China AI platform Manus.…

In video verified by BBC Persian, protesters in Iran can be heard chanting anti-government slogans.

Doctor Robby is back for one final shift before he goes on sabbatical. What could possibly go wrong?

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Nice idea, because its own cloudy services keep wobbling Analytics outfit Snowflake is buying telemetry data platform Observe to help its customers discover and mitigate IT issues before they cause downtime. It announced the deal on the same day its own services experienced a “major outage.”…

How a clever new curveball in 'The Traitors' Season 4 makes for one of the game's best reveals yet.

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Dark copyright evasion magic makes light work of developers' guardrails Machine learning models, particularly commercial ones, generally do not list the data developers used to train them. Yet what models contain and whether that material can be elicited with a particular prompt remain matters of financial and legal consequence, not to mention ethics and privacy.…

Coming from a "broken background", Skye Newman's visceral, powerful pop has made her one to watch.

He documented the punk and post-punk music scene in the East Village, leading an independent film movement that was proudly unprofessional.

Companies are trying to wean staff off Excel spreadsheets to centralise control of their data.

A BBC investigation finds building issues across city schools after a firm contracted to carry out repairs went into liquidation.

Memory pricing expected to surge another 60% in Q1 with relief years away While end customers grapple with crushing memory prices, we imagine Samsung execs are breaking out the Champagne. This week the memory titan forecast fourth-quarter operating profit would roughly triple as the South Korean electronics cabal rides the AI wave into the New Year.…

He let reporters in on a call with Colombia’s president. He complained about Zohran Mamdani. He called JD Vance and Marco Rubio “kids.” Inside an unpredictable evening with President Trump.

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Videos shared with RFE/RL's Radio Farda on January 8 show mass protests taking place across the Iranian capital. Meanwhile, observers were reporting Internet outages across the country, blocking citizens from sharing information about the ongoing unrest.

Russia has freed imprisoned French researcher Laurent Vinatier in exchange for a Russian basketball player held in France and wanted in the United States for alleged ties to a computer hacking group.

“Witnessing Humanity” at the Met, with more than 100 artworks, and a gaze both inward and outward, is the artist’s first New York survey.

The restrictions, signed into law by Gov. Philip D. Murphy on Thursday as one of his final acts in office, will take effect during the 2026-2027 school year.

Several festivals run across New York this month, but none are as big and eclectic as Under the Radar, founded in 2005. Here are our picks for what to see.

Across Washington, many are struggling with what to call it

At the premiere of Season 2 in Los Angeles, the cast and crew of HBO Max’s hyper-realistic medical drama learned the show would be renewed.

It's for less consequential health-related matters, where being wrong won't kill customers Could a bot take the place of your doctor? According to OpenAI, which launched ChatGPT Health this week, an LLM should be available to answer your questions and even examine your health records. But it should stop short of diagnosis or treatment.…

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General Motors said it was writing down the value of battery and electric vehicle factories after changes in federal policy undercut demand.

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Beijing could green-light sales to select customers as soon as this quarter Nvidia's H200 GPUs could begin trickling into China as soon as this quarter, but there's a catch. Due to all the geopolitical turmoil that's ravaged US-China trade relations over the past year, buyers may need to pay up front for the coveted AI accelerators. And they won't get a refund if China decides to block the imports!…

A US citizen has been fatally shot by an immigration agent in Minnestota.

“Carving Out History” offers the career highlights of Emma Stebbins, from the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park — a powerful symbol of hope and healing in “Angels in America” — to a standout sculpture of the woman she loved.

Vance said it was a “lie” to describe Renee Good as “some innocent woman"

Trump is pulling the U.S. out of 66 international organizations. Experts weigh in on the climate impacts.

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Tensions have flared in Minneapolis in the wake of a federal immigration agent shooting and killing a 37-year-old woman.

Graham, the great modern dance choreographer, named him her heir, setting off a bitter legal battle between him and the troupe she founded.

The films of Paul Thomas Anderson and Ryan Coogler have been competing all season. Also in the running are Guillermo del Toro, Josh Safdie and Chloé Zhao.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday on X that Paris will oppose the Mercosur trade deal in a crucial vote in Brussels on Friday. If a qualified majority of member states back the agreement, as expected, it would mark a major setback for the French leader.

The hospitality industry had called for a rethink of planned changes to the way the tax based on property is calculated.

The incident is threatening to inflame a deeply contentious debate over immigration enforcement.

Researchers point to a grocers’ favourite

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Love Google AI Overviews? Now they're in your inbox We hope you like more AI in your Gmail inbox, because Google is "bringing Gmail into the Gemini era." It'll be on by default, but the good news is that you can disable it. …

Everything you need to know about the new doctors and nurses on the highly-anticipated second season of 'The Pitt.'

How much attention did you pay to what happened in the world over the past seven days?

No reports of active exploitation … yet Cisco patched a bug in its Identity Services Engine (ISE) and ISE Passive Identity Connector (ISE-PIC) products that allows remote attackers with admin-level privileges to access sensitive information - and warned that a public, proof-of-concept exploit for the flaw exists online.…

They also hallucinate when writing ransomware code Interview  With everyone from would-be developers to six-year-old kids jumping on the vibe coding bandwagon, it shouldn't be surprising that criminals like automated coding tools too.…

The Half of a Yellow Sun and We Should All Be Feminists writer's twin boys were born in 2024.

The former French President was in Lyon on Thursday to sign his latest book at a Fnac shop. On the sidelines of his visit, the CGT trade union, which is critical of management's political choices, organised a rally outside the store.

A US immigration agent shot dead Renee Good in the city of Minneapolis.