Starmer rules out EU financial services alignment talks 09. January 2026 (14:32) City firms welcome clarity as government signals it will not reopen Brussels-era rules, despite closer cooperation elsewhereBusiness live – latest updatesUK politics live – latest updatesKeir Starmer will exclude financial services from negotiations on closer alignment with the EU, prompting a sigh of relief from Brexit-weary City lobbyists.A government spokesperson said officials would continue to explore cooperation “where it is in our economy’s interest”, but it is understood there will be no push for City firms to return to the Brussels rulebook. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Iran’s supreme leader signals harsher crackdown as protest movement swells 09. January 2026 (14:18) Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calls protesters ‘vandals’ and ‘saboteurs’ and blames the US for instigating the unrestIran’s supreme leader has vowed that authorities will “not back down” in the face of growing protests, blaming the US for instigating demonstrations that started over economic conditions and have since expanded to calls for political reform.In his first speech since the protests started 13 days ago, the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, signalled on Friday that a greater crackdown was coming. He described protesters as “vandals” and “saboteurs”, and accused them of working on behalf of foreign agendas. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
No 10 condemns ‘insulting’ move by X to restrict Grok AI image tool 09. January 2026 (14:15) Spokesperson says limiting access to paying subscribers just makes ability to generate unlawful images a premium serviceUK politics live – latest updatesDowning Street has condemned the move by X to restrict its AI image creation tool to paying subscribers as insulting, saying it simply made the ability to generate explicit and unlawful images a premium service.There has been widespread anger after the image tool for Grok, the AI element of X, was used to manipulate thousands of images of women and sometimes children to remove their clothing or put them in sexual positions. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Princess of Wales says nature ‘helped me heal’ in 44th birthday video 09. January 2026 (14:15) Catherine says she feels ‘deeply grateful’ in final instalment of Mother Nature series, a year on from cancer treatmentThe Princess of Wales has marked her 44th birthday with a short video in which she says she has spent winter reflecting on how “deeply grateful” she is and how nature helps to heal.In the video, entitled Winter and the final instalment of her quarterly Mother Nature series, Catherine says: “Even in the coldest, darkest season, winter has a way of bringing us stillness, patience and quiet consideration.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Public urged to grow unusual plants to safeguard diversity of UK blooms 09. January 2026 (14:00) Plant Heritage says gardening trends mean many species in danger of disappearing as they are no longer offered for saleMore than half of garden plants previously grown in the UK are no longer offered for sale as flower fashions and modern gardening trends have reduced the diversity of blooms.Plant Heritage is asking the public to choose unusual plants for their gardens, and maybe even start their own national collections of rare blooms, in order to stop some cultivated plants from dying out. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Doge cuts cost US taxpayers $10bn to cover workers’ paid leave, analysis finds 09. January 2026 (14:00) Analysis estimates Trump administration ‘wasted’ billions to compensate over 154,000 federal employees on leaveThe Trump administration “wasted” $10bn on paid leave, or paying workers to stay home, as part of the “department of government efficiency’s” assault on the federal workforce, a new analysis by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (Peer) estimates.In a letter sent to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), Peer estimates that more than 154,000 employees were put on paid leave in 2025, making up nearly 7% of the federal civilian workforce. That costs taxpayers approximately $10bn in compensation for workers who were staying home and not working. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump claims to have cancelled ‘previously expected’ second wave of attacks on Venezuela – US politics live 09. January 2026 (11:49) US president says move was reaction to Caracas releasing large numbers of political prisoners as ‘sign of seeking peace’The US Supreme Court could issue a ruling later in the day determining whether Trump can invoke the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs without the approval of Congress.Although it is unclear whether the Supreme Court will issue a ruling, it has scheduled Friday as a “decision day” for releasing opinions, fuelling speculation that the tariff case could be decided this afternoon. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Syria announces ceasefire in Aleppo after three days of clashes with Kurds 09. January 2026 (11:14) US envoy welcomes pause in hostilities in contested region although it is unclear whether deal will holdSyria’s government has announced a ceasefire after three days of clashes with Kurdish fighters in Aleppo, which has led to more than 140,000 people being displaced.The pause in the fighting, which was the most intense in the country for more than six months, came into effect at 3am local time (midnight GMT). Under the terms of the ceasefire, Kurdish militants were to leave the three contested neighbourhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafieh and Bani Zaid, where clashes were happening. They would be provided safe passage to the north-east of the country, which is controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and be allowed to take light arms with them. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
One awards battle after another: A-listers face off at this year’s Golden Globes 09. January 2026 (11:03) Big names from Leonardo DiCaprio to Timothée Chalamet are aiming for a win at Hollywood’s most important Oscars precursorHollywood’s A-list will assemble this weekend for the 83rd Golden Globes ceremony, a night that will reveal where this year’s Oscars race is headed.Stars including Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothée Chalamet, Jennifer Lawrence, Emma Stone, Michael B Jordan and Ariana Grande are among those nominated for film awards while small screen nominees include Helen Mirren, Jenna Ortega, Jude Law and Glen Powell. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘We are not for sale’: chair of Greenland’s top labor union rebukes Trump’s call for annexation 09. January 2026 (11:00) Exclusive: SIK leader Jess Berthelsen rejects Trump claim that the US needs Greenland for ‘national security’Greenland “will not be annexed”, the longtime leader of its largest labor union has declared, refuting Donald Trump’s claims that the Arctic territory’s current status poses a national security threat to the US.In an interview with the Guardian, Jess Berthelsen, chair of SIK, Greenland’s national trade union confederation, said people in the territory do not recognize the US president’s allegations that Russian and Chinese ships are scattered throughout its waters. “We can’t see it, we can’t recognize it and we can’t understand it,” he said. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
