Paris court finds 10 guilty of harassing Brigitte Macron online 05. January 2026 (12:22) Teacher and publicist among those convicted of maliciously posting or sharing false claims French first lady is a manEurope live – latest updatesA Paris court has found 10 people guilty of online harassment of the French first lady, Brigitte Macron, by posting or reposting malicious comments on social media that claimed falsely that she was a man.Eight men and two women, aged 41 to 60, including a school sports teacher, an art gallery owner and a publicist, were on Monday given sentences ranging from a compulsory course in understanding online harassment to an eight-month suspended prison sentence. One man, a property developer, who was absent from the trial hearings, was given a six-month prison sentence. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump push to politicize US military ‘reminiscent of Stalin’, top general warns 05. January 2026 (12:00) Maj Gen Paul Eaton says US president’s effort to bend military to his will could have dire long-term consequencesDonald Trump and his defense secretary Pete Hegseth are mounting an aggressive push to politicise the top ranks of the US military – a push that smacks of Stalinism and could take years to repair, the former infantry chief who trained troops to invade Iraq has warned.Maj Gen Paul Eaton has sounded the alarm, saying in an interview with the Guardian that the effort to bend the higher echelons of the military to the US president’s will was unparalleled in recent history and could have long-term dire consequences. He warned that both the reputation and efficiency of the world’s most powerful fighting force was in the balance. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
UK weather: schools shut and flights cancelled amid snow and ice warnings – latest updates 05. January 2026 (11:54) Scotland bearing the brunt of the weather with up to 30cm of snow expectedThe cold weather has also led to disruption at airports, with delays and cancellations due to safety concerns.Loganair cancelled flights from Aberdeen and Inverness after heavy snowfall, while Liverpool John Lennon airport said at 8am its runway was closed due to wintry conditions and some flights were subject to delays and cancelations. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Minister rejects claims government refusing to call Maduro extradition illegal to placate Trump – UK politics live 05. January 2026 (11:49) Mike Tapp says No 10 is talking to US and close allies about legal aspect after Starmer declines to criticise Venezuela operationKeir Starmer has delivered his ‘cost of living’ message (see 9.56am) at an event at a community centre in Berkshire. According to the PA Media report, he said that the UK would be “turning a corner” in 2026 on this issue.He said:It’s really good to be able to come here and speak to you. I’m acutely aware that there are a lot of things going on in the world at the moment, particularly you will see some things this weekend.But I always remind myself that, for you and millions of people across this country, what matters more than anything is the cost of living, is actually being able to pay bills, making sure that ends meet at the end of the month, and that we’re driving down all those things that cause people a lot of anxiety when they feel they can’t pay the bills. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Oil price dips as markets assess impact of Trump’s moves in Venezuela 05. January 2026 (11:38) Crude oil falls amid fears US president’s pledge to run country and unlock vast reserves could deepen global supply glutBusiness live – latest updatesVenezuela crisis - latest updatesThe price of oil has fallen as investors digested the impact of the US capture of the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, while a former Chevron executive has said he is already seeking to raise $2bn (£1.5bn) to invest in oil projects in the country.Brent crude dropped by 0.7% to $60.33 a barrel and West Texas Intermediate crude fell 0.54% to $56.01 a barrel in early trading on Monday, after Donald Trump pledged to unlock Venezuela’s vast oil reserves. It later recovered some ground, down 0.1%. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Paris court finds 10 people guilty of cyberbullying Brigitte Macron – Europe live 05. January 2026 (11:22) Eight men and two women convicted after making malicious comments about French first lady’s gender and sexuality onlinein ParisLate last year, Brigitte Macron’s daughter has told a Paris court that false claims online that the French first lady was born a man had damaged her mother’s quality of life, leaving her worrying every day about the clothes she wears and how she stands. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Aldi reports record Christmas sales after shoppers moved to cut festive grocery bills 05. January 2026 (11:16) UK’s fourth-largest supermarket’s sales rose 3% with 5.5m bottles of fizz and 500,000 turkeys soldBusiness live – latest updatesAldi has reported record Christmas sales as cost-conscious shoppers aimed to cut their festive grocery spending.The UK arm of the German discounter said sales rose by 3% year-on-year in the four weeks to 24 December to £1.65bn, with a 5% surge of £500m in the final week. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Eighty ‘one in, one out’ asylum seekers accuse UK of degrading treatment 05. January 2026 (11:06) Detainees being held under controversial scheme say Home Office has caused them ‘severe psychological harm’UK politics live – latest updatesEighty asylum seekers detained in preparation for being returned to France under the UK government’s controversial “one in, one out” scheme have called on UN bodies to investigate their treatment. claiming they have suffered “fear, humiliation, and psychological distress” at the hands of the Home Office since arriving in the UK in small boats.The detainees have compiled a document, “Report on conditions and treatment at Harmondsworth immigration removal centre”, which claims they have been treated unjustly by the Home Office since arriving in the UK on small boats. Harmondsworth is one of two detention centres close to Heathrow airport in London. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Three children dead in Iran protests as security forces accused of ‘indiscriminate targeting’ 05. January 2026 (11:06) Escalating protests sparked by economic chaos have seen at least 20 people killed and nearly 1,000 arrested, say human rights groupsAt least three children are reported to have been killed and more than 40 minors arrested after eight days of the ongoing protests across Iran, as human rights groups accuse the regime’s security forces of “indiscriminate targeting of civilians”.The nationwide uprising sparked by the collapse of the country’s currency and rising living costs has spread to at least 78 cities and 222 locations, with demonstrators calling for the end of the regime, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRAI). Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Our minerals could be used to annex us’: why Canada doesn’t want US mining 05. January 2026 (11:00) Opposition to a controversial graphite mine in Quebec strengthened once the Pentagon became involvedThe Outaouais region on the western edge of Quebec is home to thousands of lakes, vast forests and extensive wetlands. It is also the setting of a swathe of wooded land known as La Petite-Nation, which, although not far from the cities of Montreal and Ottawa, remains relatively untouched.That, however, is to change with the arrival of a controversial graphite mine with financing from the Pentagon. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
