Democratic lawmakers accuse Trump of letting white-collar criminals ‘off the hook’ 23. January 2026 (14:21) Elizabeth Warren and others call for inquiry into Trump for diverting tax evasion resources to immigration crackdownSenator Elizabeth Warren and fellow Democrats have accused Donald Trump of letting white collar criminals “off the hook” by diverting crucial resources to his sweeping immigration crackdown.In a letter to federal watchdogs, the Democrats demand an investigation into the US president for shifting more than 25,000 personnel away from investigating fraud, tax evasion and money laundering in favour of his immigration enforcement agenda. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Heathrow scraps 100ml limit on liquids in cabin bags after tech upgrade 23. January 2026 (14:20) Airport tells outbound travellers they may bring containers that hold up to 2 litres and keep devices in bags as it rolls out latest CT scannersDavos live – latest updatesHeathrow has released travellers from the tyranny of tiny toiletries after the UK’s biggest airport finally scrapped the 100ml limit on liquids in cabin bags.The long-awaited rollout of a £1bn tech upgrade, with new scanners, means travellers no longer need to remove liquids or electronics from their hand luggage, or juggle plastic bags at security, and each container can hold up to two litres. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
British crown was world’s largest buyer of enslaved people by 1807, book reveals 23. January 2026 (14:12) Exclusive: Author of The Crown’s Silence tells how navy and monarchy protected slave trade for hundreds of yearsThe British crown and the navy expanded and protected the trade in enslaved African people for hundreds of years, unprecedented research into the monarchy’s historical ties to slavery has found.The Crown’s Silence, a book by the historian Brooke Newman, follows the Guardian’s 2023 Cost of the crown report, which explored the British monarchy’s hidden ties to transatlantic slavery. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump says US ‘armada’ heading to Middle East as Iran death toll passes 5,000 23. January 2026 (14:07) US president says ‘we have a lot of ships’ going in that direction and that Washington is watching Iran closelyDonald Trump has said a US “armada” is heading towards the Middle East and that the US is monitoring Iran closely, as activists put the death toll from Tehran’s bloody crackdown on protesters at 5,002.Speaking on Air Force One as he returned from the World Economic Forum in Davos overnight, he said: “We have a lot of ships going that direction, just in case. I’d rather not see anything happen, but we’re watching them very closely … we have an armada ... heading in that direction, and maybe we won’t have to use it.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump’s ‘pay-to-play’ politics fuel a ‘new gilded age’, experts say 23. January 2026 (14:00) Major donors reap influence and material benefits, ethics experts argue, as money and governance intertwineDonald Trump’s “pay-to-play” governing and fundraising style is helping forge a new gilded age where many super rich donors to Trump’s Maga Inc Pac and other top Trump causes are reaping big political and financial gains, including lax regulations, federal contracts and other benefits, say scholars and analysts.The transactional style of the US president has been a financial boon to cryptocurrency, AI and fossil fuel interests, among others, which have showered seven- and eight-figure donations on Trump’s Super Pac, inaugural committee and pet projects such as his oft-touted mammoth White House ballroom. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
New filtration technology could be game-changer in removal of Pfas ‘forever chemicals’ 23. January 2026 (14:00) Researchers found a new way to filter and destroy Pfas chemicals at 100 times the rate of current systemsNew filtration technology developed by Rice University may absorb some Pfas “forever chemicals” at 100 times the rate than previously possible, which could dramatically improve pollution control and speed remediations.Researchers also say they have also found a way to destroy Pfas, though both technologies face a steep challenge in being deployed on an industrial scale. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Privatisation not the problem for England’s water, says author of review 23. January 2026 (14:00) Architect of government’s water plan says nationalisation might not fix everything and the current system can workThe privatisation of water in England is not the reason for its failings, the architect of the government’s water plan has said, as he warned there was no one “simple solution” such as nationalisation.Sir Jon Cunliffe, a former Bank of England deputy governor who was involved in reforming banking regulation after the 2008 financial crisis, was enlisted by the Labour government to write a report on the water industry. He was tasked with addressing problems such as the sewage scandal, frequent tap water outages and lack of preparedness for drought. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Disaster averted at Davos but world ever vulnerable to capricious Trump’s whims 23. January 2026 (14:00) President backed away from threats over Greenland but allies dare not regard avoidance of catastrophe as anything more than a respiteSo deeply embedded in the realm of reality television is Donald Trump’s presidency that trying to apply any orthodox diplomatic measures of win or loss to his rumbustious appearance in Davos this week seems superfluous.With his compulsive addiction to high-octane political drama, Trump had already achieved the improbable even before his arrival on Wednesday; transforming the normally somnolent Swiss Alpine resort into a unlikely setting for a high-noon confrontation with the US’s supposed European allies over Greenland. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Nine bedrooms, seven untimely deaths: can ‘cursed’ Venice palace finally attract a buyer? 23. January 2026 (13:55) Palazzo Ca’ Dario, empty for years, has failed to find a new owner, with local legends suggesting it is jinxedIt ought to be an estate agent’s dream. Primely positioned on the banks of the Grand Canal in Venice, just steps away from the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, the storied Palazzo Ca’ Dario has shimmered on the water since the late 15th century, its elegant early Venetian Renaissance facade among the city’s most distinctive.Named after its first owner, Giovanni Dario, a diplomat hailed a hero after securing a peace treaty with the Ottoman empire, over the centuries the palazzo has been home to nobles, merchants and even British rock music royalty. In 1908, it was painted by Claude Monet during his trip to Venice and one year later was cited by Henry James in his travelogue Italian Hours. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Leaked video shows Venezuela regime’s desperate struggle to control message 23. January 2026 (13:00) Interim leader Delcy Rodríguez told influencers of US threat to kill leaders if they did not cooperate after capture of MaduroThe communications minister holds a phone up to a microphone before a gathering of regime-friendly influencers.On speakerphone is Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, who claims that when US forces captured the dictator Nicolás Maduro, she and other members of his cabinet were given 15 minutes to decide whether to comply with Washington’s demands – “or they would kill us.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
