What does Israel want in Somaliland?
From proximity to Yemen's Houthis to shared interests, recognition of region marks shift to unconventional alliances. [Continue Reading]
War in Ukraine: How Kyiv copes with winter power outages
Ukraine faces another harsh winter as Russian strikes leave Kyiv without stable electricity or heating. Residents rely on emergency centres to cope with the cold. [Continue Reading]
US Congress members visit Denmark as Trump's pressure on Greenland rises
The president made the threat while a bipartisan group of US lawmakers were visiting Denmark in the hope of easing tensions over the territory. [Continue Reading]
Emmerdale ‘confirms’ two legends who will save Moira – and foil Joe’s masterplan
Her saviours loom. [Continue Reading]
I visited the London spa with ‘temperature torture’, topless therapists and 10am vodka
'It's so hot, I can feel my eyelids sweating.' [Continue Reading]
Why Israel’s recognition of Somaliland backfired
Israel’s recognition of Somaliland has backfired and reinforced Somalia’s territorial integrity. [Continue Reading]
Increasing Tensions in Middle East Amid Sports Rivalries in Seoul
Seoul, South Korea, has recently witnessed a captivating display of sportsmanship and camaraderie between two young tennis stars, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, even as geopolitical tensions escalate in the Middle East. The backdrop for this vibrant gathering in Seoul comes at a time when significant discussions surrounding disarmament and humanitarian aid are taking place in Gaza, reflecting the complex interplay between sports and international affairs. During a promotional event in Seoul, Alcaraz and Sinner captured the attention of fans and the media alike, dressed in contrasting colors reminiscent of the yin and yang philosophy. Sinner, clad in black, and... [Continue Reading]
Nintendo Switch 2 Lite console could launch sooner than expected suggests leak
New evidence suggests Nintendo is planning to launch a new model of the Switch 2 and it could arrive this year. [Continue Reading]
Salah will be welcomed back at Liverpool after AFCON, says Slot
Unsettled forward Mohamed Salah is set to return to Liverpool on Sunday, once his AFCON duty with Egypt comes to an end. [Continue Reading]
Two people aged 90 die in north London house fire
A man and woman were found in a burning house in Barnet, north London in the early hours of Friday. [Continue Reading]
C.I.A. Director Meets With Venezuela’s Interim President in Caracas
The high-profile visit, which could be seen as snubbing the opposition, comes nearly two weeks after the U.S. military seized President Nicolás Maduro in a raid. [Continue Reading]
Latest news bulletin | January 16th, 2026 – Midday
Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond this January 16th, 2026 - latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel. [Continue Reading]
TSMC buys up land in Arizona as Taiwan pledges US$500 billion US tech investment
Taiwan has committed to driving hundreds of billions of dollars of extra investment into America’s chip industry as part of a US trade deal announced on Thursday, with the island’s biggest semiconductor producer already moving to buy more land in the US state of Arizona. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) – the world’s largest contract chipmaker – confirmed on Thursday that it had bought a second tract of land in Arizona. The 365-hectare (901-acre) plot nearly doubles the... [Continue Reading]
Chinese scientists unlock possible key to dark matter after almost 90 years
Chinese scientists have made the first direct observation of a quantum effect that was proposed almost 90 years ago and could help detect dark matter, the universe’s invisible “glue”. Soviet physicist Arkady Migdal developed a theory in Leningrad in 1939 about what would happen when a neutral particle – such as dark matter – collided with an atomic nucleus. Migdal believed that the collision would cause the nucleus to recoil and trigger a secondary electronic recoil, generating a detectable... [Continue Reading]
Trump Threatens to Invoke Insurrection Act, and Grocery Prices Keep Going Up
Plus, your Friday news quiz. [Continue Reading]
Billionaires demand more babies but make parenthood unaffordable
The economic model championed by figures like Musk makes raising children economically irrational for most households. [Continue Reading]
Killer Theo’s next murder victim ‘confirmed’ after Billy’s brutal death
Who's next? [Continue Reading]
Top two executives at City & Guilds placed on leave
Pair will be absent ‘for short period’ from vocational trainer, whose charity is under investigation by Charity CommissionThe two most senior executives at City & Guilds have been put on leave shortly after a scandal over millions of pounds of bonuses triggered a Charity Commission investigation into the vocational training body.The chief executive, Kirstie Donnelly, and the chief financial officer, Abid Ismail, will be “absent from work for a short period”, as its new owner, PeopleCert, commissioned an internal investigation into events before and after its acquisition of City & Guilds’ training and qualifications business. Continue reading... [Continue Reading]
China and Canada announce tariffs relief after a high-stakes meeting between Carney and Xi
Canola oil and electric cars are at the centre of the deal agreed by Mark Carney and Xi Jinping after years of strained ties. [Continue Reading]
Bougival Accord at impasse: 'Nothing can move forward without participation of Kanak people'
Alison Sargent welcomes Dr. Andrew Smith, Historian of Modern France and Lecturer in Liberal Arts at Queen Mary University of London. Dr. Smith offers a thoughtful assessment of the Bougival agreement and its highly contested reception in New Caledonia, drawing attention to the deeper undercurrents of mistrust, political plurality, and colonial legacy that shape this pivotal moment. The accord recognises a “state” within France, yet it also embeds mechanisms of control that reignite fears among the Indigenous Kanak population of political marginalization. [Continue Reading]
Philippines, France near defence pact to boost ‘operational intimacy’ in contested waters
A visiting forces military deal to be signed between the Philippines and France has put the focus on “operational intimacy”, with observers noting that Paris has a presence in the Indo-Pacific and would serve Manila’s interests well in the contested waters of the South China Sea. The term was coined by Associated Press correspondent Jim Gomez and confirmed by French Ambassador to Manila Marie Fontanel during a freewheeling discussion on Tuesday at her residence. In a bid to balance the... [Continue Reading]
Why India is losing ground over Bangladesh and Myanmar to regional rivals
India is facing multiple geopolitical challenges in the region as Bangladesh and Myanmar show signs of drifting away from New Delhi’s orbit amid its long-standing disputes with Pakistan and China. Dhaka has been drawing closer to Islamabad following the downfall in 2024 of its former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who had close ties with Delhi during her rule, while China has continued to maintain its influence in Myanmar since the junta in Naypyidaw ousted the elected government in a coup in... [Continue Reading]
Hong Kong man in court over seditious acts, media arson threats calls it ‘mischief’
A Hong Kong man accused of threatening to burn down the offices of five local media outlets if they did not publish seditious articles has described his actions as mischief, a court has heard. West Kowloon Court on Friday granted a request by Tse Chun-pan, 43, to adjourn the hearing for two months so that his lawyers could continue negotiations with prosecutors regarding his plea. Tse, who said he was a social security officer, faces one count of knowingly publishing seditious articles and six... [Continue Reading]
Supermarket own-brand coffee crowned best in UK — better than Nescafé and Kenco
Two supermarket coffees beat competition from big brands like Douwe Egberts. [Continue Reading]
Indonesia sues six companies over environmental harm in flood zones
Environmental groups say government also holds responsibility for granting firms right to raze large tracts of land. [Continue Reading]
Incumbent President Museveni takes strong lead in Uganda election count
Museveni is credited with 76 percent in early results; violence reported with opponent Bobi Wine under house arrest. [Continue Reading]
Venezuela's opposition figurehead Machado presents Trump with Nobel Peace medal
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado gave her Nobel Peace Prize medal to US President Donald Trump on Thursday during a White House meeting, in a bid to influence his efforts to shape her country's political future. A White House official confirmed that Trump intends to keep the medal. [Continue Reading]
Washington warns Tehran 'all options are on the table' in emergency UN Security Council session
Trump remains open to military intervention if Tehran continues to exact lethal force on protesters in the ongoing nationwide demonstrations, US representatives told the UN Security Council on Thursday. [Continue Reading]
Prison rights, Elbit’s loss: How the Palestine Action hunger strike ‘won’
As critically ill activists begin re-feeding in prison, campaigners and an MP believe the government made 'concessions'. [Continue Reading]
Extreme rainfall inundates South Africa and Mozambique
Flood warning raised to highest level with roads washed away and rain forcing evacuation of Kruger national parkLarge areas of north-eastern South Africa and neighbouring Mozambique have been inundated for several days with exceptionally heavy rainfall. Some locations in South Africa recorded hundreds of millimetres of rain over the weekend, such as Graskop in Mpumalanga, where 113mm fell in 24 hours, and Phalaborwa, which recorded about 85mm of rainfall. Rain has continued to fall across the region since the weekend.The deluge has been driven by a slow-moving cut-off low pressure system that has remained anchored over the region, repeatedly drawing... [Continue Reading]
Olympic hopes double as act of defiance in war-ravaged Ukraine
At a war-ravaged sports centre in Ukraine, the hope for Olympic glory persists as athletes defy danger while training. [Continue Reading]
George RR Martin admits he has ‘abysmal’ relationship with House of the Dragon boss
The show has been plagued with troubles from the start. [Continue Reading]
Early results show Museveni in lead in Uganda election as violence reported
Muwanga Kivumbi says campaign staff shot dead after elections expected to extend President Yoweri Museveni’s ruleA senior member of the Ugandan opposition has said security forces stormed his house early on Friday morning and shot dead 10 members of his campaign team after a general election that was expected to result in President Yoweri Museveni extending his nearly four-decade grip on power.Muwanga Kivumbi, of the National Unity Platform (NUP), told Reuters the incident happened at about 3am local time when security forces “broke the front door and began shooting” inside a garage where the people were waiting for the results... [Continue Reading]
Water restored to most Kent and Sussex homes after six days’ disruption
Up to 30,000 customers of South East Water had no supply or low pressure at height of incidentWater has been restored to most homes across Kent and Sussex after almost a week of disruption.South East Water (SEW) said the outage, which began on Saturday, was the result of Storm Goretti causing burst pipes and power cuts. Continue reading... [Continue Reading]
Sir Brian May reveals why Queen will ‘never’ perform at Glastonbury
'I don't think the conversation of us doing [it] has ever taken place.' [Continue Reading]
Malaysia’s Umno chief denies he ‘sidelined’ Najib to secure his own legal freedom
The president of Malaysia’s Umno has denied abandoning disgraced ex-prime minister Najib Razak to save himself, as fissures emerge in the former ruling party over the mixed legal fortunes of two of its top leaders. Umno grass-roots members have urged President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to quit Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government in protest after the High Court blocked Najib’s bid to serve the remainder of his jail term under house arrest last month. It also handed the one-time party figurehead a... [Continue Reading]
Dear Trump, Buying Greenland Is a Bad Idea
Trump wants Greenland? Its previous colonizer has some thoughts. [Continue Reading]
The Right Is Furious With Liberal White Women
In the MAGA imagination, white women are supposed to be helpmeets, not harpies. [Continue Reading]
EastEnders and Bad Girls legend describes life as ‘fragile’ after brother’s death
Simone's brother died in 2024. [Continue Reading]
NASA prepares first crewed moon mission in more than 50 years
NASA's first moonshot with astronauts in more than a half-century is set to take place as soon as early February. The moon rocket moves to the pad this weekend at Florida's Kennedy Space Center, with a fueling test to be conducted by early next month. Until all that is completed, a launch date cannot be confirmed; the earliest the moon flyaround could take off is Feb. 6. [Continue Reading]
AFP charges three family members over alleged links to illegal tobacco, vapes
A 47-year-old woman, her son-in-law and her father are granted bail after the AFP charges them, claiming they are allegedly involved in supplying illicit tobacco and vapes. [Continue Reading]
‘Enough already’: Jenrick’s defection gets mixed reception from Reform members
Some supporters are concerned about the number of Conservatives being welcomed by their party, and fear it could alienate votersIf Reform UK was officially celebrating Robert Jenrick’s defection to Nigel Farage’s party, the reaction of the rank-and-file was an altogether more complicated one – ranging from jubilation to despair that yet another Tory was coming onboard.“Enough already! Reform uk please take note, you are going to lose members and voters if you don’t cap this craziness … We don’t want a Tory party Pt II,” was the early response from James Scott, one of a number of members expressing their... [Continue Reading]
Trump pick for South America command sidesteps China questions at Senate hearing
Days after the operation that abducted then Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, President Donald Trump’s nominee to command US forces in Latin America dodged pressure from senators to endorse a military-first plan to counter China’s growing influence in the region. Lieutenant General Francis Donovan, who is nominated to lead US Southern Command (Southcom), repeatedly declined to say whether Washington should rely mainly on force projection to push back against Beijing’s expanding footprint. The... [Continue Reading]
The U.S. says seizing Venezuelan oil hurts its foes. How dependent are they?
See how President Donald Trump’s capture of Maduro and control of Venezuela’s oil sales could affect China, Cuba and the United States. [Continue Reading]
China senses opportunity as U.S. targets Iran and Venezuela
China is trying to position itself as a stabilizing force amid U.S. actions on Venezuela and Iran — but its commitment to allies is largely pragmatic, analysts say. [Continue Reading]
China ‘hardcore grandma’ gains fame for farm fertilisation drone skills and as live-streamer
An 82-year-old woman from eastern China, affectionately known as the “hardcore grandma,” has captivated many with her remarkable skills in operating field fertilisation drones and her success as a live-streamer selling rice. Born in 1943, Dai Shuying hails from Laomei Village in Xindu Town, Tongcheng, Anhui province. In her youth, she worked as a bookkeeper and was regarded as one of the few “educated individuals” in her village, capable of reading, writing, and performing calculations. While... [Continue Reading]
With Maduro in U.S. custody, his lieutenants warm to Trump
CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with interim president Delcy Rodríguez, a U.S. official said. He is the most senior envoy to visit Venezuela since the U.S. captured Nicolás Maduro. [Continue Reading]