Hollyoaks icon ‘back from the dead’ as major star stages very unexpected return
Exciting! [Continue Reading]
Why is China’s Xi Jinping putting the political heat back on illegal villas and resorts?
Chinese President Xi Jinping has refocused national anti-corruption efforts on illegal villas and “private resorts”, luxury developments that have come to symbolise excess and graft over the past two decades. According to newly released excerpts of a speech, Xi singled out the developments for special mention at the central urban work conference in July, highlighting them as examples of the need to improve governance, combat corruption and promote sustainable urban development. “[Officials must]... [Continue Reading]
Enoch Burke outside Westmeath school for second day
Enoch Burke has arrived outside Wilson's Hospital School in Co Westmeath for a second day in a row. [Continue Reading]
Alcaraz-Sinner tennis rivalry is all the hype before Australian Open 2026
Alcaraz and Sinner give a glimpse of their relationship and enthrall fans in South Korea before the Grand Slam season. [Continue Reading]
South Korean Court Sentences Former President to Five Years
A South Korean court has sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison following his conviction on charges related to the declaration of martial law in December 2024. This ruling, delivered by a three-judge panel at the Seoul Central District Court, marks a significant legal milestone amid a series of trials awaiting Yoon. Yoon was found guilty of fabricating an official document to retrospectively validate his brief martial law declared during a tumultuous period of political unrest. The court determined that he illegally employed his presidential bodyguards to prevent law enforcement from executing a court-issued arrest warrant.... [Continue Reading]
Canada to remove 100% tariffs on Chinese EV imports: prime minister
Canada will remove the additional 100 per cent in tariffs it had imposed on Chinese electric vehicle (EV) imports, Prime Minister Mark Carney said during a state visit to Beijing. In place of the higher duties, Carney said, Canada will cap import volume and apply a standard tariff rate of 6.1 per cent to shipments within the 49,000-unit limit. More to follow... [Continue Reading]
Will eliminating fraud clear the US national deficit as Trump claims?
US president says 'massive' fraud has caused budget imbalance, but calculations do not support this. [Continue Reading]
What Did the White House and Denmark Agree to on Greenland? It Depends Whom You Ask.
The White House and Denmark contradicted each other in public about what they had agreed to this week as President Trump continued to demand U.S. ownership of Greenland. [Continue Reading]
What happened at emergency UN Security Council on Iran protests
The UN Security Council has held an emergency meeting in the wake of protests in Iran and US threats to intervene. [Continue Reading]
South Korean Court Sentences Former President to Five Years
A court in South Korea has sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison for multiple offenses related to his declaration of martial law in December 2024. This ruling marks the initial outcome from a total of eight trials linked to his controversial measures during a turbulent period in the nation's political landscape. Yoon's conviction, handed down by a three-judge panel at the Seoul Central District Court, is predominantly over charges of fabricating documents to justify his brief and ultimately unsuccessful imposition of martial law, which he declared amid escalating tensions with the opposition. The judges also... [Continue Reading]
S Korea's Yoon jailed for five years over martial law bid
A South Korean court has sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison on charges that included obstructing attempts by authorities to arrest him following his failed bid to impose martial law in December 2024. [Continue Reading]
Shadow minister replacing Robert Jenrick says Tories ‘let down’ the country in government – UK politics live
The new shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy said he was ‘sorry’ for how the Conservatives ‘handled certain things in those last few years’ in powerHello and welcome to the UK politics live blog with me, Tom Ambrose.This morning we start with follow-up and reaction to Robert Jenrick’s dramatic sacking from the Tories and subsequent – if not depressingly unsurprising – defection to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party.I’ve said as a Conservative I’m sorry for the way the party has handled certain things in those last few years and I’ve been very open about that since I was elected for the... [Continue Reading]
ITV drops all 13 episodes of gripping crime drama that’s ‘perfect unwind TV’
‘Some secrets won't stay buried.’ [Continue Reading]
China dominates global humanoid robot market with over 80% of installations
China accounted for more than four out of five humanoid robot installations globally in 2025, driven by domestic start-ups AgiBot and Unitree Robotics, as mass production and commercialisation accelerated, according to a report by Counterpoint Research. A total of 16,000 humanoid robots were installed globally in 2025, mainly for data collection and research, as well as in the logistics, manufacturing, and automotive sectors, according to Counterpoint data released on Wednesday. The market was... [Continue Reading]
AI-driven digital manipulation ‘tested’ Dutch election integrity, researchers warn
There was intense digital interference during last year's Dutch parliamentary elections, with generative AI political content playing an increasing role and producing vast engagement, according to the Dutch Hybrid Election Integrity Observatory. [Continue Reading]
'Cautiously optimistic' or 'no progress'? - players divided on Slam demands
As players demand greater reward from the Grand Slams, some are optimistic about progress. Others are not so sure. [Continue Reading]
South Korean church’s ‘special force’ targets young Australians amid crackdown at home
A controversial church facing possible disbandment over religious-political collusion in South Korea is aggressively expanding its presence across Australia by targeting young people at universities and shopping centres, according to a former member who has accused the group of weaponising fear to shield it from criticism. The Shincheonji Church of Jesus, founded in 1984 by Lee Man-hee, who claims to be the second coming of Jesus Christ, has an estimated 200,000 followers in the East Asian... [Continue Reading]
Taiwan and US seal deal to lower tariffs, boost chip investment
Washington seeks improved access to strategic chip industry of island nation, over which China claims sovereignty. [Continue Reading]
Sydney awaits ‘soggiest weekend of summer’ as Victorian authorities defend flash flood warnings
Floods predicted for NSW south coast after severe storms dumped 180mm in six hours on Victoria’s Lorne and Wye River, washing cars into the sea on the Great Ocean RoadFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAuthorities have defended the timing of warnings for holidaymakers along Victoria’s surf coast who were hit by an “unprecedented” downpour on Thursday, as Sydney awaited its “soggiest weekend of summer” to date.Weatherzone forecasters predicted 20mm of rainfall was possible in Sydney on both Saturday and Sunday, which would be a record for the... [Continue Reading]
Canada’s Carney hails ‘strategic partnership’ in talks with China’s Xi
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney seeking to reset ties with Beijing amid global tensions and US tariffs. [Continue Reading]
Australia declares child social media ban victory as 4.7m accounts closed
The figures are the first to show the scale of the landmark ban since it was enacted in December. [Continue Reading]
Police shoot dead man armed with bow and arrow in NSW
The incident at Gunnedah near Tamworth is the third fatality involving police in the state this yearGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA man armed with a bow and arrow has been shot dead by police in New South Wales as they carried out a welfare check – the third fatality involving officers this year.Authorities attended the man’s house in Gunnedah near Tamworth on Friday at 1.40pm after receiving a call about concerns for his welfare. Continue reading... [Continue Reading]
China’s 7,000-year-old sunmao woodwork leads to world’s most efficient DNA editing tool
How to beat the United States in gene editing? A research team from Peking University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences had struggled with this question for three years, with no results. Then they decided to draw inspiration from an ancient woodwork tradition and cut DNA like wood. It led to a gene-editing tool with unprecedented efficiency. In the Chinese mortise-and-tenon joint technique known as sunmao, no nails or glue are used. Instead, a protruding “tenon” on one piece fits securely into... [Continue Reading]
TikTok to tighten age checks in Europe
TikTok will start rolling out new age-detection technology across Europe in the coming weeks, it said, as the ByteDance-owned platform faces regulatory pressure to better identify and remove accounts belonging to children under 13. [Continue Reading]
US declares phase two of Gaza ceasefire, but what did phase one deliver?
The US has announced 'phase two' in Gaza, but most phase one points never materialised on the ground. [Continue Reading]
Khamenei regime will not be able to keep control of Iran, says dissenting film-maker
Jafar Panahi, director of Palme d’Or winner It Was Just an Accident, says Iranian leaders want to destroy countryThe Khamenei regime will not be able to maintain control over Iranian society after the violent suppression of the latest wave of protests, one of the country’s leading film-makers has predicted.“It is impossible for this government to sustain itself in this situation,” the director Jafar Panahi told the Guardian. “They know it too. They know that it will be impossible to rule over people. Perhaps their only goal right now is to bring the country to the verge of complete collapse and... [Continue Reading]
Michael Carrick warned that two Man Utd stars will be ‘exposed’ by Man City
'You know they're going to get exposed in one-against-ones.' [Continue Reading]
‘Easy way or hard’: Trump issues new demand for Hamas demilitarisation
US raising pressure on Hamas to disarm as phase 2 of ceasefire deal launches while Israel yet to act on withdrawal, aid. [Continue Reading]
Taiwan Strikes Trade Deal with Trump, Vows More U.S. Chip Factories
The Trump administration agreed to lower tariffs on Taiwanese goods, while Taiwan said it would invest more in U.S. manufacturing. [Continue Reading]
Canada Breaks With U.S. to Slash Tariffs on Some Chinese Electric Vehicles
China will in turn cut its own tariffs on Canadian canola products. The countries’ leaders met in Beijing on Friday and hailed a new strategic partnership. [Continue Reading]
Malaysia rules 15-year-old fit to stand trial in 2025 school murder of Yap Shing Xuen
The 15-year-old male student accused of murdering his schoolmate at a school in Malaysia’s Selangor state has been declared fit to stand trial, following a psychiatric evaluation. His lawyer, Kitson Foong, informed the press that he conveyed the report’s findings to the Magistrate’s Court during closed-door proceedings on January 16. The court subsequently ruled that the accused is fit to stand trial and enter his defense. According to the lawyer, the psychiatric report also recommended the teen... [Continue Reading]
Minister to meet X representatives to discuss Grok images
Minister of State with responsibility for ArtificiaI Intelligence Niamh Smyth is due to meet representatives of the social media platform X today to discuss its measures to tackle the generation of sexualised images of women and children by its AI chatbot Grok. [Continue Reading]
TikTok to strengthen age-verification technology across EU
Move comes as calls for Australia-style social media ban for under-16s grow around worldTikTok will begin to roll out new age-verification technology across the EU in the coming weeks, as calls for an Australia-style social media ban for under-16s grow in countries including the UK.ByteDance-owned TikTok, and other major platforms popular with young people such as YouTube, are coming under increasing pressure to better identify and remove accounts belonging to children. Continue reading... [Continue Reading]
Hong Kong’s finance chief warns of market volatility, pledges support for families
Hong Kong’s capital market is likely to experience significant fluctuations this year owing to intensifying geopolitical risks, the city’s finance chief has warned, stressing the need for caution in financial management. Six weeks before the government unveils its annual budget, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po pledged to consider whether there is scope to adjust child allowance to encourage more births, after a Post report revealed that Hong Kong’s registered births hit a record low last... [Continue Reading]
Hollyoaks confirms race to save Ste as Lucas takes shocking revenge
The race is on. [Continue Reading]
Watch: Leavitt calls Irish journalist 'left-wing hack'
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called an Irish journalist a "left-wing hack" during a heated exchange at a press briefing yesterday. [Continue Reading]
Traitors fans fume at Faithfuls and say ‘only one deserves to win’
‘The best in the castle.’ [Continue Reading]
Death of Filipino worker in southern NSW referred to AFP
A NSW coroner has referred the death of a young worker to the AFP for further investigation. [Continue Reading]
A Tale of Two Meetings: Trump Chooses Oil Over Democracy
Two conversations this week confirmed that President Trump backs the remnants of Nicolás Maduro’s regime over the Venezuelan opposition seeking to hold elections. [Continue Reading]
Julio Iglesias denies sexual abuse claims of two former female employees
Women allege Spanish singer subjected them ‘to inappropriate touching, insults and humiliation … in atmosphere of control’The Spanish singer Julio Iglesias has broken his silence over allegations that he sexually abused two women who worked in his Caribbean mansions, saying he has never “abused, coerced or disrespected any woman”.The 82-year-old entertainer, whose career spans six decades, had been accused by two female former employees who allege they had been sexually assaulted and subjected “to inappropriate touching, insults and humiliation … in an atmosphere of control and constant harassment”. Continue reading... [Continue Reading]
Photos: Power outages leave people in freezing conditions in Kyiv
People enduring freezing apartments and snow-covered streets due to limited power in Ukraine's war-stricken capital. [Continue Reading]
'Focus on petrol: Trump never talked about democracy nor the Venezuelan people'
François Picard welcomes Venezuelan author Vicente Ulive‑Schnell who offers a thoughtful assessment of recent geopolitical developments in Venezuela, following the US military operation, and the realities of Venezuelans under sustained political repression and economic hardship. As Washington engages with both opposition figures and representatives of the Maduro government, it is questionable at best whether external pressure and shifting international priorities genuinely translate into a path to democracy for the Venezuelan people. [Continue Reading]
Live: Bad blood to boil over as Tszyu takes on Zerafa
Nikita Tszyu and Michael Zerafa are set to end years of bitter rivalry in a hotly anticipated middleweight fight at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, with former NRL hard man Nelson Asofa-Solomona making his boxing debut. Follow live. [Continue Reading]
Ex-South Korean Leader Gets Prison Term in First Ruling Over Martial Law
A court handed down five years in prison to former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is facing multiple trials stemming from his short-lived imposition of martial law. [Continue Reading]
China warns of ‘honey trap’ risks in defence sector after official jailed for espionage
Chinese state security authorities recently warned of “honey trap” risks in the defence and technology sectors, citing a case in which a public official was blackmailed into surrendering state secrets following a trip abroad. A social media account affiliated with the National Administration of State Secrets Protection published an article on Wednesday stating that personnel in the military industry were becoming targets of honey traps by foreign intelligence agencies and provided details of a... [Continue Reading]
'Mental strength therapy' - Joshua returns to gym
British heavyweight Anthony Joshua returns to the gym following the recent car crash which killed two of his close friends and team members. [Continue Reading]
South Korea’s former president found guilty in martial law case
A South Korean court has sentenced former president Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in jail. [Continue Reading]
Japanese and Italian PMs discuss defence and trade in Tokyo on Meloni's birthday
Japan and Italy upgraded their relationship to a special strategic partnership, emphasizing economic and energy security and marking 160 years of diplomatic ties. [Continue Reading]
Venezuelan Nobel Peace Prize winner gives her medal to Donald Trump
Trump has made it clear in the past he hopes to receive the award one day. [Continue Reading]
‘He’s literally my baby’: Meet the cat dads in touch with their feline side
Statistics show there are now almost as many male cat owners as female. [Continue Reading]