Royal Navy shipbuilder in limbo owing to cash shortage at Liberty Steel plant 18. January 2026 (08:00) Call for UK state to step in after Gupta-owned Dalzell works in Scotland unable to produce metal for three new warshipsA shipbuilder for the Royal Navy faces an uncertain wait for the steel to build three warships because of a shortage of cash at the Scottish steel mill that has won the contract.Liberty Steel Dalzell in Scotland has been unable to start production in earnest because there is “no cashflow to buy slab”, despite an order to supply 34,000 tonnes of metal plates to build fleet solid support (FSS) ships for the navy, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Inventor says robo-vaccination machine could be used to combat bovine TB 18. January 2026 (08:00) Tony Cholerton created Robovacc to inoculate a timid tiger at London zoo – but says it could administer jabs to badgersIt began with the tiger who wouldn’t come to tea. Cinta was so shy that she refused to feed when keepers at London zoo were around, and staff wondered how they would ever administer the young animal’s vaccinations without traumatising her.So Tony Cholerton, a zookeeper who had been a motorcycle engineer for many years, invented Robovacc – a machine to quickly administer vital jabs without the presence of people. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Disappointed’ Jewish leaders call for compromise on hate speech laws after Labor backs down on bill 18. January 2026 (07:37) Executive Council of Australia Jewry implores Anthony Albanese and Sussan Ley to thrash out deal after government splits contentious billGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastJewish leaders have warned Labor and the Coalition their community remains at risk from the promotion of antisemitic hatred, urging a last-minute compromise to secure tough new hate speech laws ahead of a special sitting of parliament.After Anthony Albanese agreed to split draft laws made in the wake of the Bondi Beach terror attack, new gun control measures, immigration powers and a scheme to designate extremist organisations are set to pass with the support of the Greens. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Davos 2026: the last-chance saloon to save the old world order? 18. January 2026 (07:00) Donald Trump will lead the largest US delegation ever at the World Economic Forum, as others plan a fightback against his policies“A Spirit of Dialogue”: the theme for this year’s World Economic Forum, the gathering of the global elite in the sparkling Alpine air of Davos, seems a heroic stretch, when star guest Donald Trump has spent the past year smashing up the world order.The president will touch down alongside the snowcapped Swiss mountains with the largest US delegation ever seen at the WEF, including the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, the treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, the commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, and the special envoy Steve Witkoff. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Syrian army surges into Kurdish-held towns in ‘betrayal’ shattering prospects of accord 18. January 2026 (06:44) Government extends grip on north after stalled efforts under Ahmed al-Sharaa to reach accommodation with Kurds and fold their forces into national army Syria’s army has taken control of swathes of the country’s north, dislodging Kurdish forces from territory over which they held effective autonomy for more than a decade.State media said on Saturday that the army took over the northern city of Tabqa and its adjacent dam, as well as the major Freedom dam, formerly known as the Baath, west of the Syrian city of Raqaa. It came despite US calls to halt the advance. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘He hoped Trump’s help would arrive’: why protesters in Iran feel betrayed 18. January 2026 (06:00) Many believed a US president would – for the first time – rescue them but now people can only despair after mass arrests and brutalityWhen Donald Trump, said he would “rescue” protesters if Iranian authorities started shooting, Siavash Shirzad believed the US president.The 38-year-old father had seen protests rise up before, only to be brutally crushed by authorities.
But this was the first time in his life that the president of the United States had promised to help demonstrators. Reassured, Shirzad took to the streets, ignoring his family’s warnings and joining the growing crowds. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Thousands of Greenlanders march against Trump’s takeover threat 18. January 2026 (00:49) Island’s PM joins demonstration chanting ‘Greenland is not for sale’ while rallies held across Danish realmTrump threatens 25% tariff on European allies until Denmark sells Greenland to USThousands of Greenlanders carefully marched across snow and ice to take a stand against Donald Trump on Saturday. They held signs of protest, waved their national flag and chanted “Greenland is not for sale” in the face of increasing threats of an American takeover.Just as they finished their trek from the small downtown of Greenland’s capital city, Nuuk, to the US consulate, the news broke that Trump had announced he would charge a 10% tariff on eight European countries from February over their opposition to US control of Greenland. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Australia news live: woman dead in powerful storm as landslide and flood warnings issued for Sydney 17. January 2026 (23:56) Woman killed by tree branch as NSW SES records more than 800 calls for help. Follow updates liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA woman died during the storms on Saturday afternoon when a tree branch fell on her car on Macquarie Pass, south of Wollongong.NSW Police said:The woman was a driver in the vehicle when the incident happened.Within that concentrated area is where you could get some of those more severe thunderstorm cells that we saw, for example, on the Central Coast. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump’s tariff threat is an attempt to divide Europe and quash opposition over Greenland 17. January 2026 (20:51) Using one of his favourite weapons to win an argument, the president underlines the unstable nature of any deal with TrumpDonald Trump’s threat to impose fresh tariffs on eight European countries – UK, Norway and six EU member states – is a wrecking ball to the carefully stitched deals he concluded with those countries last summer.It also disregards the fact that individual member states do not have individual trade deals with the US. All EU international trade deals are conducted centrally through Brussels, as was the case with last summer’s deal. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Keir Starmer says Trump’s threat to impose tariffs over Greenland ‘completely wrong’ 17. January 2026 (20:29) Prime minister and opposition politicians condemn threat to impose 10% tariff unless deal reached to buy the Arctic islandKeir Starmer has said Donald Trump’s decision to impose 10% tariffs on the UK and seven other European countries over Greenland was “completely wrong”.The US president said the levies would apply from 1 February to Nato members – including the UK, France and Germany – who have deployed troops to the arctic island in response to growing uncertainty over its future. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
