Wigan lottery winner, 80, helped build counterfeit drugs empire, court told 29. January 2026 (09:54) John Eric Spiby is one of four jailed for being part of gang running operation worth up to £288mA man who won £2.4m on the national lottery helped build a multimillion pound drug empire that involved manufacturing counterfeit tablets on an industrial scale, a court has heard.John Eric Spiby, 80, was the leader of a drugs operation worth up to £288m that centred on his “quiet, rural” home near Wigan, Bolton crown court was told. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
School suspension in England only to be for pupils’ most serious misbehaviour 29. January 2026 (09:00) Policy intended to keep more children sanctioned for non-violent bad behaviour in school in ‘internal exclusion’ unitsSuspending pupils from school will be reserved for the most serious cases of bad behaviour including violence, according to the latest government guidance to be issued to schools in England.The Department for Education (DfE) is to announce a consultation on behaviour policy to be included in the forthcoming schools white paper that is intended to keep more children sanctioned for non-violent misbehaviour in schools in units known as “internal exclusion”, rather than sending them home. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
A cabal of male Liberals signals Ley’s reign is ending. But the day of a colleague’s memorial is obscene timing 29. January 2026 (08:57) As images of a secret meeting were splashed all over the media, it became clear the internal plot to oust the leader has descended into political melodramaThe images of a cabal of rightwing Liberal men gathering for clandestine talks to overthrow the party’s first female leader – hours before a memorial service for a late former colleague, no less – confirmed two things.First, the internal plot to oust Sussan Ley has descended into a political melodrama. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
The Polanski effect? These charts reveal how much the Greens have advanced 29. January 2026 (08:37) The Green party has made gains under its leader – but there is also uncertainty aheadThe Greens talk of a “Polanski effect” – a surge of momentum and visibility since Zack Polanski became leader, as the party gains attention in an increasingly fragmented political landscape.The polls offer the clearest signal so far of whether that narrative is borne out in public support. But they are not the only thing to consider and experts say the reality is hard to be certain about. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Survey of over-50s women finds almost two in three struggle with mental health 29. January 2026 (08:00) Of those affected by midlife challenges such as menopause, nine in 10 do not seek help, therapists’ organisation saysAlmost two in three women over 50 in the UK struggle with their mental health as they deal with menopause, relationship breakdowns and changes to their appearance, a survey has found.Brain fog, parents dying, children leaving home and financial pressures can also trigger difficulties such as sleeping problems, feeling anxious or overwhelmed, and a loss of zest for life. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US robotaxis undergo training for London’s quirks before planned rollout this year 29. January 2026 (08:00) Waymo cars have been earning their stripes by getting used to zebra crossings while awaiting a government green lightAmerican robotaxis due to be unleashed on London’s streets before the end of the year have been quietly undergoing training to understand the city’s quirks, not least the zebra crossings, their promoters said on Thursday as they showed off one of the UK-specific driverless cars for the first time.The US self-driving ride-hailing company Waymo has a fleet of about 24 cars in London, each rigged with cameras, radar and lidar (light detection and ranging) censors. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
The return of inflation may poison Labor’s second-term agenda and scare more voters to the fringes 29. January 2026 (07:58) As economic grievance grows in the electorate, an interest rate hike is the last thing our fraught politics needsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastCost of living has been bubbling along as the number-one issue for Australian households, and now it threatens to hijack the Albanese government’s second-term agenda.The return of high and rising inflation is not only a blow to workers who were finally starting to see some real growth in their wages through 2025. It also risks further polarising and antagonising our already fraught politics. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Inquiry calls for ban on ‘globalise the intifada’ in NSW – but only when used to incite hatred and violence 29. January 2026 (07:50) Opposition ‘deeply unimpressed’ with recommendation that ‘adds nothing except confusion’, shadow attorney general saysGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA New South Wales parliamentary inquiry has recommended banning the phrase “globalise the intifada” when it is used to incite hatred, harassment, intimidation or violence, but won’t call for banning the statement outright or recommend a ban on phrases such as “from the river to sea”.The Labor MP Edmond Atalla, the chair of the inquiry, confirmed the draft recommendations to Guardian Australia ahead of a final closed meeting on Thursday, at which the Labor-led committee voted to table the report almost entirely unchanged. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Albanese defends Isaac Herzog’s Australia visit as federal MP joins calls to rescind invitation 29. January 2026 (07:30) Independent MP Sophie Scamps joins Labor’s Friends of Palestine group and Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi in objecting to Israeli president’s visitFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAnthony Albanese has defended the government’s invitation to Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, to visit, after another federal MP joined calls to cancel the visit after the Bondi terror attack.Herzog’s arrival in February will be met by a “major security response” in Sydney and planned protests nationwide from pro-Palestinian groups demonstrating against the civilian death toll from Israel’s war on Gaza. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
China executes 11 people linked to Myanmar scam operation 29. January 2026 (06:50) Beijing has stepped up cooperation with south-east Asian nations to crack down on the multibillion-dollar industryChina on Thursday executed 11 people linked to Myanmar criminal gangs, including “key members” involved in scam operations, state media reported.Scam compounds have flourished in Myanmar’s lawless borderlands, part of a multibillion-dollar illicit industry. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
