The Guardian

NSW premier said councils will have the power to cut off utilities if operators ignore planning laws and cease-use notices. Follow the latest updates liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastVictoria premier returns to Bendigo home after evacuating during firesThe Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has posted a video on social media returning to her home in Bendigo, after she was among thousands forced to evacuate on Friday evening due to bushfires.You can see here that the fire is still in the landscape across Mount Alexander, and just on the other side of that ridge line is

Lawyers for Abu Zubaydah accused British intelligence services of providing questions to his CIA interrogatorsThe UK has settled out of court by paying a “substantial sum” to a Guantánamo Bay detainee who was suing the government for its alleged complicity in his rendition and torture, according to the inmate’s legal team.Lawyers for Abu Zubaydah have accused the British intelligence services of providing questions to his CIA interrogators to put to him while they were torturing him at a string of CIA “black sites” around the world where he was held between 2002 and 2006. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/11/uk-pays-substantial-sum-to-tortured-guantanamo-bay-detainee

Tehran issues warning after Donald Trump says US stands ready to help amid crackdown on demonstrationsIran has warned the US not to attack over protests that have rocked the country, as Donald Trump weighed the options for a response from Washington, with the reported death toll from the demonstrations soaring to the hundreds.At least 538 people have been killed in the violence surrounding demonstrations, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRNA), including 490 protesters. The group reported that more than 10,600 people were arrested by Iranian authorities. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/11/iran-arrests-protest-leaders-as-crackdown-intensifies-amid-threat-of-us-intervention Author : William Christou

55-year-old worker died during overnight shiftTemperatures plunged to -12C in Cortina d’AmpezzoA guard at a construction site near a 2026 Winter Olympic venue in the mountain resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo died during a freezing overnight shift, authorities have confirmed. Italy’s infrastructure minister, Matteo Salvini, called for a full investigation into the circumstances of the 55-year-old worker’s death.Italian media reported that the death occurred on Thursday while the worker was on duty at a construction site near Cortina’s ice arena. Temperatures that night plunged to -12C (10.4F). Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jan/11/guard-winter-olympic-construction-site-freezing-death Author : AP Publish date : 2026-01-11 16:43:00

Survey by online health directory Cleanbill finds more than 1,000 clinics switched from private or mixed billing to full bulk billing since start of 2025Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGP bulk-billing rates have rebounded following incentives introduced by the federal government in November, analysis by the online health directory Cleanbill shows.The national analysis, published on Monday, found the proportion of fully bulk-billing clinics almost doubled to 40.2% by the end of 2025, from 20.7% the year before. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jan/12/almost-twice-as-many-australian-gp-clinics-bulk-billing-since-medicare-incentive-changes-analysis-suggests Author : Melissa Davey Medical editor Publish date : 2026-01-11 14:00:00 Copyright

Heidi Alexander calls for end to violence while Tory leader says she would ‘not have an issue’ with regime changeThe UK wants to see a peaceful transition of power in Iran, a cabinet minister has said, after Donald Trump said he could support protesters with military force.As the US weighs the option of military strikes, Heidi Alexander, the transport secretary, said she would not be drawn on America’s foreign policy towards Iran, where protests have been met with a violent police response. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jan/11/uk-wants-peaceful-transition-of-power-in-iran-says-uk-minister Author : Rowena Mason Whitehall editor Publish date : 2026-01-11 11:20:00 Copyright

Opposition leader says a future Conservative government would ban phones in schools, as teachers’ union also backs social media banGeraldine McKelvie is a senior correspondent at the GuardianOne of the UK’s biggest teaching unions has called on the government to ban social media for under-16s over concerns about mental health and concentration.Teachers are dealing every day with the fallout of a social media landscape not originally designed and not suitable for children. Social media companies have shown time and again that they will not act responsibly unless they are forced to do so.If we are serious about safeguarding children, protecting

Resignations follow withdrawal of more than 70 participants in writers’ week after Palestinian Australian author disinvitedGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Adelaide festival is facing an unprecedented leadership crisis after three board members resigned this weekend.The journalist Daniela Ritorto, the Adelaide businesswoman Donny Walford and the lawyer Nick Linke have stepped down since the board’s controversial decision to dump the Palestinian Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah from the 2026 writers’ week program. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2026/jan/11/three-board-members-resign-from-adelaide-festival-as-randa-abdel-fattah-sends-legal-notice-ntwnfb Author : Kelly Burke Publish date : 2026-01-11 06:31:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

State department says armed ‘colectivos’ appear to be setting up roadblocks and searching vehicles for AmericansThe United States has urged its citizens to leave Venezuela immediately amid reports that armed paramilitaries are trying to track down US citizens, one week after the capture of the South American country’s president, Nicolás Maduro.In a security alert sent out on Saturday, the state department said there were reports of armed members of pro-regime militias, known as colectivos, setting up roadblocks and searching vehicles for evidence that the occupants were US citizens or supporters of the country. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/10/us-citizens-venezuela-paramilitaries Author

Rhythm guitarist helped guide the legendary jam band through decades of change and successVeteran rock musician Bob Weir, the Grateful Dead’s rhythm guitarist who helped guide the legendary jam band through decades of change and success, has died at age 78, according to a statement posted to his verified Instagram account on Friday.He was diagnosed with cancer in July and “succumbed to underlying lung issues” surrounded by loved ones, the statement said. It did not mention when or where he died. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/10/bob-weir-grateful-dead-dies-78 Author : Reuters Publish date : 2026-01-11 01:01:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs

Officials expect charge against Daricka Moore, 24, to be elevated to capital murder, with death penalty consideredAuthorities in Clay county, Mississippi, say a man has been taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder following the fatal shootings of six people, including a child, on Friday night.Daricka Moore, 24, is accused of killing multiple relatives as well as a local pastor before his arrest, according to Clay county sheriff Eddie Scott, who addressed the case during a Saturday news conference. Officials said the charge against Moore, who lives in the county, is expected to be elevated to capital murder, and

Adam Johnson served 75 days in prison before being pardoned by Donald Trump in January 2025A Florida man who was convicted then pardoned by Donald Trump after he grabbed then House speaker Nancy Pelosi’s lectern and posed for photographs with it during the US Capitol riot is running for county office.Adam Johnson filed to run as a Republican for an at-large seat on the Manatee county commission on Tuesday. That was the fifth anniversary of the January 6 riot, when he was photographed smiling and waving as he carried Pelosi’s lectern after the pro-Trump mob’s attack in 2021. Continue reading...

St Louis zoo identified the stray simians as vervet monkeys, but it’s not known where they came fromSome residents in St Louis, Missouri, spotted monkeys roaming their streets this week in a situation that feels like the movie Jumanji came to life.A handful monkeys were spotted in north St Louis by residents on Friday. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/10/st-louis-missouri-monkeys Author : Eric Berger Publish date : 2026-01-10 17:42:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

The New York mayor’s popular moves on rent and free childcare defied rightwing predictions of a far-left hellscapeRightwing politicians and media issued grave warnings about Zohran Mamdani.The election of the democratic socialist would, according to some, cause a spike in crime, and a reduction in freedom, prompting rich people to flee the city and leading to, in the words of one conservative thinktank, “collapse, dependency, and political repression” in the manner of “Venezuela” and “Cuba”. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/10/zohran-mamdani-new-york-10-days Author : Adam Gabbatt Publish date : 2026-01-10 15:00:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

ICE already receives less oversight for use-of-force incidents than local police departments, and hotly guards its policiesThe fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis has cast a spotlight on ICE’s use-of-force policies, and whether the federal agent who shot her will face an impartial investigation or consequences for his actions.The agency already receives less oversight for use-of-force incidents than local police departments, and has long resisted efforts to disclose its use-of-force policies. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/10/will-ice-agent-face-consequences-renee-nicole-good Author : Roque Planas Publish date : 2026-01-10 13:00:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Experts note the blackout is unprecedented in its extent but also selective, allowing some government communicationsIran’s internet shutdown, now in place for 36 hours as the authorities seek to quell escalating anti-government protests, represents a “new high-water mark” in terms of its sophistication and severity, say experts – and could last a long time.As the blackout kicked in, 90% of internet traffic to Iran evaporated. International calls to the country appeared blocked and domestic mobile phones had no service, said Amir Rashidi, an Iranian digital rights expert. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/10/irans-internet-shutdown-is-strikingly-sophisticated-and-may-last-some-time Author : Aisha Down Publish date :

Move comes after governments and regulators from Europe to Asia have condemned the AI tool and some have opened inquiries into sexualised contentIndonesia temporarily blocked Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot on Saturday due to the risk of AI-generated pornographic content, becoming the first country to deny access to the AI tool.The move comes after governments, researchers and regulators from Europe to Asia have condemned and some have opened inquiries into sexualised content on the app. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/10/indonesia-blocks-musks-grok-chatbot-due-to-risk-of-pornographic-content Author : Guardian staff and agencies Publish date : 2026-01-10 07:52:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Richest 1% took 10 days while wealthiest 0.1% needed just three days to exhaust annual carbon budget, study showsThe world’s richest 1% have used up their fair share of carbon emissions just 10 days into 2026, analysis has found.Meanwhile, the richest 0.1% took just three days to exhaust their annual carbon budget, according to the research by Oxfam. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jan/10/world-richest-used-fair-share-emissions-2026-oxfam Author : Rosie Peters-McDonald Publish date : 2026-01-10 05:00:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

President’s assertion that only a paid agitator would scream at ICE agents contradicted by hundreds of video recordsAt the White House on Friday, Donald Trump endorsed his vice-president’s baseless claim that Renee Good, the 37-year-old woman killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on Wednesday, was part of a shadowy “leftwing network” trying “to incite violence” against federal agents.Asked by a Fox News correspondent to expand on JD Vance’s comments about Good, the president said that the vice-president “is generally very accurate” and then cited what he referred to as evidence that at least one person in Good’s vicinity when

As dysfunction reigns, the party shows yet again that its greatest obstacle to winning government is not Labor but itselfGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThis should be the Victorian Liberal party’s year. They head into November’s election with a new, energetic and articulate leader in Jess Wilson, who has vowed to drag her party to the centre and reconnect with voters it has lost in recent years.Across the aisle stands a weary third-term Labor government, burdened by the state’s debt – forecast to hit $192bn by 2028-29 – and the baggage of more than a

Total fire ban in place for whole of Victoria as bushfires burn, while Sydney prepares for the brunt of the heatwave‘If you have been told to leave, go’: Victorian premier declares state of disaster in multiple areas as bushfires burn out of controlCFA volunteer Simon fought the fire that destroyed his own home: ‘I knew eventually it would get to us’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNew South Wales is moving to send additional firefighting teams to Victoria after a request for assistance, the Premier says.There’s over 90 firefighters from New South Wales in Victoria. At

Some wet years and recent winter storms have helped bring the state out of drought after years of insufficient rainfallCalifornia is completely drought-free for the first time in a quarter of a century, a significant development in a state that endured grueling years with insufficient rainfall.Over the last 25 years, drought conditions in California have intensified the state’s wildfire crisis and created challenges in its massive agricultural sector. But a few wet years, and a recent spate of winter storms, helped bring the state out of drought. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/09/california-completely-drought-free Author : Dani Anguiano Publish date :

Military opens window for civilians to leave as Kurdish groups turn down demand their fighters withdraw from city Syria’s army says it will renew attacks against a Kurdish-majority district of Aleppo where clashes have raged this week, after Kurdish groups rejected Damascus’s ceasefire terms that demanded their fighters withdraw from the city.The army said it would target military sites used by Kurdish fighters in the Sheikh Maqsoud district, announcing the opening of a humanitarian corridor from 4pm (1300 GMT) to 6pm on Friday for civilians to leave. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/09/syria-announces-ceasefire-aleppo-clashes-kurds Author : William Christou Publish date :

Results of research offer hope to older women – but it will be several years at least before technique is approvedIt is a rollercoaster of emotional extremes that will be familiar to many who have gone through IVF treatment: hope and joy turns to despair and back again. This is especially true for women over the age of 35 years, when IVF success rates decline steeply and for whom the only real way to improve the odds is to keep trying.While IVF has undergone huge progress in the past decades, including the advent of genetic testing, egg freezing and techniques

US president says move was reaction to Caracas releasing large numbers of political prisoners as ‘sign of seeking peace’A day after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed a 37-year-old US citizen in Minneapolis, Democrats on Capitol Hill are demanding restraints on the agency Donald Trump has empowered to carry out his mass deportation campaign – and some are threatening to use the next funding deadline to force those changes.Democrats sharply condemned the Trump administration over the killing of Renee Nicole Good, demanding accountability after the president; JD Vancethe vice-president; and the secretary of homeland security, Kristi Noem