In today’s newsletter: A researcher with a focus on the region explains what’s behind deadly nationwide demonstrations and what a hardening of public opinion against the state might bring
Good morning. At least 648 people have been killed by Iran’s security services during nationwide demonstrations, with more than 10,600 arrested. The unrest is widely seen as the most serious challenge to Iran’s Islamic Republic in recent years.
People took to the streets for reasons ranging from rising economic hardship to long-simmering anger over political repression and civil rights. Together, they represent a hardening of public opinion against the state.
Iran | Donald Trump is “unafraid to use military force on Iran”, the White House said on Monday as the regime faced continued unrest across the country. The Iranian foreign minister claimed protests were “under total control”.
Neurodiversity | The NHS is overspending by £164m a year on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) services, with an increasing amount going to unregulated private assessments that can be unreliable, a Guardian investigation has found.
Elon Musk | The UK media watchdog has opened a formal investigation into Elon Musk’s X over the use of the Grok AI tool to manipulate images of women and children by removing their clothes.
UK politics | Nadhim Zahawi was rejected for a peerage by the Conservatives just weeks before he defected to Reform UK, Tory sources have told the Guardian. Zahawi was announced on Monday as Reform’s newest recruit despite having claimed Nigel Farage made “offensive and racist” comments about him.
Sovereignty | Chinese officials have been pushing “legal advice” on European countries, saying their own border laws require them to ban entry to Taiwanese politicians, according to more than half a dozen diplomats and officials familiar with the matter.
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Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/13/tuesday-briefing-what-has-sparked-irans-latest-wave-of-protests-and-what-might-happen-next
Author : Aamna Mohdin
Publish date : 2026-01-13 06:31:00
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