Indonesia takes action against mining firms after floods devastate population of world’s rarest ape 23. January 2026 (06:00) Conservationists hail the ‘desperately needed’ measures and urge greater protection after up to 11% of endangered Tapanuli orangutans wiped outThe floods and landslides that tore through Indonesia’s fragile Batang Toru ecosystem in November 2024 – killing up to 11% of the world’s Tapanuli orangutan population – prompted widespread scrutiny of the extractive companies operating in the area at the time of the ecological catastrophe.For weeks, investigators searched for evidence that the companies may have damaged the Batang Toru and Garoga watersheds before the disaster, which washed torrents of mud and logs into villages, claiming the lives of more than 1,100 people. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
The Australian dollar is (oddly) rising – what does ‘sell America’ sentiment have to do with it? 23. January 2026 (05:51) So much for the ‘Trump trade’ – investors are moving money out of US assets amid tariff disputes, attacks on the Federal Reserve and concerns over government debt levelsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastWhen Donald Trump threatened tariffs on European allies during the Greenland dispute, the Australian dollar increased in value against its US counterpart.The movement was odd, given the Australian currency typically falls during periods of global unease. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US, Ukraine and Russia delegations head to Abu Dhabi for their first trilateral talks of the war 23. January 2026 (04:51) Friday’s meeting in Abu Dhabi comes after talks between Russian president Vladimir Putin, US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared KushnerUkraine, Russia and the US are set to hold three-way talks in Abu Dhabi on Friday, marking the first time that the three countries have sat down together since Russia invaded in 2022.The meeting was confirmed in the early hours of Friday morning after talks at the Kremlin between the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, the US envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Kremlin diplomatic adviser Yuri Ushakov told reporters those talks were “useful in every respect”, adding that it was “agreed that the first meeting of a trilateral working group on security issues will take place today in Abu Dhabi”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
TikTok announces it has finalized deal to establish US entity, sidestepping ban 23. January 2026 (03:36) Majority US-owned venture includes Larry Ellison’s Oracle, private-equity group Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi’s MGXTikTok announced on Thursday that it had closed a deal to establish a new US entity, allowing it to sidestep a ban and ending a long legal battle.The deal finalized by ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese owner, sets up a majority American-owned venture, with investors including Larry Ellison’s Oracle, the private-equity group Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi’s MGX owning 80.1% of the new entity, while ByteDance will own 19.9%. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump withdraws invitation for Canada to join his global ‘board of peace’ 23. January 2026 (03:28) While leaders of many liberal democracies declined to sign on, Mark Carney had, before Davos, accepted in principleDonald Trump withdrew on Thursday an invitation for Canada to join his “board of peace” initiative aimed at resolving global conflicts.“Please let this Letter serve to represent that the Board of Peace is withdrawing its invitation to you regarding Canada’s joining, what will be, the most prestigious Board of Leaders ever assembled, at any time,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post directed at the Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US health insurance executives testify before Congress about increasing costs of healthcare 23. January 2026 (03:18) CEO of UnitedHealth Group said his company will return profits earned from Affordable Care Act plans to customersExecutives from five of the country’s largest health insurance companies appeared before Congress on Thursday as lawmakers examined why healthcare has become increasingly harder for Americans to afford.In one effort to address the affordability crisis, the CEO of UnitedHealth Group, Stephen Hemsley, announced that the nation’s largest insurance company will rebate profits made this year from its Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans to customers, while adding it was a relatively small participant in the ACA individual market. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Intense heat across south-east Australia could shatter temperature records in coming days 23. January 2026 (03:11) High to extreme fire danger expected across several states as inland parts of SA, Victoria, NSW and Queensland may have more than five days above 40CFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAll-time temperature records could tumble in Victoria and New South Wales over coming days, as a dome of intense heat pushed into south-east Australia, bringing extreme to catastrophic fire conditions.Starting from Saturday, the Bureau of Meteorology has forecast a prolonged period of intense heat across South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and southern Queensland. Some inland areas could experience more than five days above 40C. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Man accused of plot to murder US border patrol’s Bovino found not guilty 23. January 2026 (02:43) Acquittal of Juan Espinoza Martinez in Chicago marks latest major federal prosecution to fall apart in courtA man accused of a murder-for-hire plot targeting a top US border patrol leader was found not guilty on Thursday in Chicago, the latest high-profile prosecution by the Department of Justice to fall apart in court.The government alleged that Juan Espinoza Martinez, 37, had offered a $10,000 bounty over Snapchat in October for the killing of Gregory Bovino, the border patrol official who has spearheaded aggressive immigration operations in cities across the country. Defense lawyers argued Espinoza Martinez was sharing an innocuous social media message that did not constitute a threat. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Japan pauses restart of world’s largest nuclear power plant one day after it went online 23. January 2026 (01:19) Operator says it does now know when the problem at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in Niigata province will be solved, after an alarm sounded during start-upThe restart of the world’s largest nuclear power plant was suspended in Japan on Thursday just a day after it went online for the first time in about 14 years, with the operator saying it does not know when the problem will be solved.The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in Niigata province had been closed since the 2011 Fukushima disaster, but operations to relaunch it began on Wednesday after it received the final green light from the nuclear regulator. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
MPs ask Serious Fraud Office to investigate UK home insulation sector 23. January 2026 (01:01) More than 30,000 households left with defects after ‘catastrophic failure’ of Tory government schemesMembers of parliament have called for the Serious Fraud Office to investigate the UK’s home insulation sector, after thousands of householders suffered ruined homes, big financial losses and months of disruption from the “clear and catastrophic failure” of two Conservative government schemes.More than 30,000 households were left with defects, some of them severe, including mould, water ingress and damage to the fabric of walls, with about 3,000 dwellings so badly damaged they presented immediate health and safety risks to occupants. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
