Expectations grow for interest rate hike next week after Australia’s inflation jumps to 3.8% 28. January 2026 (02:07) Rapidly rising consumer prices led to annual inflation growing from 3.4% to 3.8%Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastInflation jumped to 3.8% in the year to December, from 3.4% in the month before, as strong underlying price growth added to the chance of a Reserve Bank rate hike on Tuesday.The latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics suggested that Australian households once again face a fight to bring rapidly rising consumer prices back under control. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Stephen Colbert announces date of final episode of The Late Show 28. January 2026 (01:51) CBS announced in July that Late Show would end in May, more than 30 years after 1993 debut under David LettermanThe final episode of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert will air on 21 May, the host has announced.Colbert, who has hosted the show since 2015, revealed the date on Monday during a taping of NBC’s Late Night With Seth Meyers to air on Tuesday night. Colbert will appear on Meyers’s show as a guest. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Doomsday Clock at 85 seconds to midnight amid threats from climate crisis and AI 28. January 2026 (01:43) Planet closer to destruction as Russia, China and US become more aggressive and nationalistic, says advocacy groupEarth is closer than it has ever been to destruction as Russia, China, the US and other countries become “increasingly aggressive, adversarial, and nationalistic”, a science-oriented advocacy group said on Tuesday as it advanced its Doomsday Clock to 85 seconds until midnight.The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientist members had an initial demonstration on Friday and then announced their results on Tuesday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
French former senator found guilty of drugging MP with intent to sexually assault her 28. January 2026 (01:02) Joël Guerriau sentenced to four years in prison after spiking lawmaker’s champagne with ecstasyA French court has found a former senator guilty of drugging a female lawmaker with ecstasy with intent to sexually assault her.Joël Guerriau, 68, was sentenced to four years in prison on Tuesday, of which 18 months must be behind bars.In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support for rape and sexual abuse on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, or 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Seven out of 10 UK mothers feel overloaded, research reveals 28. January 2026 (01:01) Study also says almost half have a mental health issue such as anxiety or depressionHow bad is maternal health in Europe, and how can we fix it?Seven out of 10 mothers in the UK feel overloaded and almost half have a mental health issue such as anxiety or depression, new research has revealed.The survey of mothers’ experiences in 12 European countries also found that most of those in Britain still do the majority of household tasks and caregiving work alone, and that the UK was among the worst for motherhood disadvantaging a woman’s career.71% of UK mothers feel overloaded – 4% more than the 67% European average47% of UK mothers suffer from mental health issues, including burnout, compared with 50% in Europe as a whole31% of UK respondents felt motherhood had a negative effect on their career, higher than the 27% average, with Ireland the highest on 36% Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Two-year-old pots two Guinness World Records with snooker trick shots 28. January 2026 (01:01) Manchester toddler Jude Owens becomes youngest person to perform bank shot and double pot just weeks apart A two-year-old has become the holder of two Guinness World Records by becoming the youngest person to perform a pair of trick shots in snooker.Manchester toddler Jude Owens successfully performed a pool bank shot at two years and 302 days old on 12 October last year. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Coinbase adverts banned in UK for suggesting crypto could ease cost of living crisis 28. January 2026 (01:01) Advertising Standards Authority says firm advised by George Osborne ‘trivialised risks of cryptocurrency’A cryptocurrency company advised by George Osborne has been banned from showing a set of adverts that suggested using its services could be a solution to the cost of living crisis.Coinbase, which appointed the former Conservative chancellor to chair its global advisory council last year, has been told by the UK’s advertising watchdog that its adverts were “irresponsible” and “trivialised the risks of cryptocurrency”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Minnesota raids continue as DHS report indicates two agents fired guns at Pretti 28. January 2026 (00:37) Report emerges as Trump signals he may reduce the surge of ICE and other federal agents in the stateAs federal immigration crackdowns in Minnesota continued on Tuesday, an initial report to Congress from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) obtained by various news outlets indicates that two officers fired their guns at Alex Pretti during his fatal shooting.The report emerged as Donald Trump signals he may begin reducing the surge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agents in the state. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Australia news live: minister refutes ‘troubling’ claim by Bragg that Muslims bear responsibility for Bondi shooting; bushfire smoke over Sydney 27. January 2026 (23:48) Pat Conroy says Muslim community are ‘incredibly valued Australians’. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe minister for defence industry, Pat Conroy, has refuted claims made by shadow frontbencher Andrew Bragg about the Muslim community.Earlier Bragg accused Australia’s Muslim community of needing to “take some responsibility” for the Bondi terror attack and for the federal government to make sure funding doesn’t go to “hate preachers”.We’ve been very clear these acts were committed by people who believed an extreme perversion of Islam and to try and hold the entire Islamic community responsible for these acts, I think, is anti to social cohesion. It’s incredibly unfair, and it’s not a recipe for taking this country forward.Some of the earliest people condemning the vile attacks in Bondi were leaders of our Muslim Australian community, and we’ll continue to support their right to practise in peace. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Very low bar’: analysts say Starmer faces slim pickings in China 27. January 2026 (23:30) Experts say business with China is always a double-edged sword let alone when its overheated economy can offer only marginal gainsStarmer vows to remain ‘clear-eyed’ over national security as he flies to ChinaKeir Starmer’s trip to China is billed as an attempt to revitalise diplomatic relations but eight years after Theresa May paved the way for a never-materialised “ambitious” post-Brexit deal, the prospect of the prime minister landing any meaningful trade deal is slim, experts have warned.The visit to Beijing, involving a delegation of British companies led by Starmer, the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, and the business secretary, Peter Kyle, is the first since May’s 2018 visit, and will revolve around joint trade and investment efforts. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
