New City & Guilds owners tripled bosses’ pay amid £22m cost-cutting drive 20. January 2026 (07:00) Total pay of the qualification body’s top six executives has risen by 240% to £6.2m since charity sold itThe new owners of the vocational training body City & Guilds appear to have more than tripled the pay of its top six executives right at the moment the company is cutting £22m of costs and shrinking its UK workforce.The large increases to salary and bonuses have emerged during a scandal over the sale of the qualification awards business by its former owner, the UK charity City & Guilds London Institute (CGLI), to the international certification company PeopleCert. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
UK aviation reforms could sideline public input over flight paths, campaigners warn 20. January 2026 (07:00) Plans to speed up airspace changes for Heathrow expansion could mean industry influences decisions on noise and routesAviation campaigners have warned that communities risk being locked out of decisions about new flight paths as the government accelerates reforms that will allow a third runway at Heathrow to go ahead.Airspace around the UK will be reconfigured as part of a long-running modernisation process to allow planes to fly more efficiently and minimise delays, and the London airport has said progress in this area is essential for its expansion. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Chinese tourists shun Japan in wake of Taiwan invasion row 20. January 2026 (05:58) Number of high-spending Chinese tourists visiting Japan halved last month after PM said an invasion of Taiwan could spark Japanese military involvementChinese tourism to Japan almost halved in December amid a bitter diplomatic row between Beijing and Tokyo over the security of Taiwan.The number of tourists from mainland China dropped by about 45% from the same month a year earlier to about 330,000, Japan’s transport ministry said on Tuesday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
PM condemns ‘antisemitic hate incident’ after Nazi slogans allegedly yelled at Jewish boys in Melbourne 20. January 2026 (05:10) Police investigate after Nazi slogans allegedly yelled at group of boys in St Kilda East on Monday nightFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe prime minister has condemned an “antisemitic hate incident” on Monday evening as “Nazi slogans” were allegedly yelled at school-age boys in a popular Jewish neighbourhood in Melbourne.In a statement, police said investigators were told up to five boys were on Glen Eira Road in St Kilda East about 9.50pm on Monday night when a white ute drove past.Anyone who witnessed the incident or with footage is being urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report at crimestoppersvic.com.au Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Ebike ‘swarms’ descend on roads and parks across Australia as meet-ups gather pace 20. January 2026 (05:02) Electric bikes have gained cult status among young people while irking some in the community and raising safety concernsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastDozens of ebike riders roll over the undulating green of a north Sydney golf course sparking concerns not only for the condition of the fairways but also for the safety of the people meeting for mass “rideouts”.On Friday, after the estimated 60 young people rode through the green of the Long Reef Golf Club, the incident was reported to New South Wales police. A spokesperson said officers conducted a patrol, but the bikers had already “left the scene”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
After four shark attacks in 48 hours, NSW authorities urge beachgoers ‘just go to a pool’ 20. January 2026 (02:40) Surfer taken to hospital with minor injuries after shark attack at Point Plomer beach on mid-north coastFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA surfer has been taken to hospital after being bitten by a shark off the coast of a New South Wales national park campground, the state’s fourth incident in 48 hours.The local health district said the man, 39, was in hospital in a stable condition with minor injuries. The attack took place near the Point Plomer campground, less than 20km up the coast from Port Macquarie, on Tuesday morning. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Make America Go Away’: spoof Maga caps soar in popularity amid Greenland crisis 20. January 2026 (02:16) Red caps are becoming a symbol of protest in Denmark as Donald Trump ratchets up the pressure on GreenlandRed baseball caps spoofing Donald Trump’s Maga hats have become a symbol of Danish and Greenlandic defiance against the US president’s threat to seize the frozen territory.The caps reading “Make America Go Away” – parodying Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan – have gained popularity, along with several variants on social media and at public protests, including a weekend demonstration held in freezing weather in Copenhagen. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Intense geomagnetic storms could make auroras visible in southern US 20. January 2026 (01:51) Major disturbance in the Earth’s magnetic field may make northern lights visible far more south than usualThe aurora could be visible across Canada and much of the northern tier of US states on Monday night, and possibly even further south, following a major disturbance in the Earth’s magnetic field, a forecast shows.The forecast, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s space weather prediction center, comes amid intense geomagnetic and solar radiation storms, said Shawn Dahl, service coordinator at the center. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘The struggle continues’: MLK Day celebrated amid tense political climate 20. January 2026 (01:30) Holiday marked with parades and services but tempered by anxieties over racial and social equality under TrumpMartin Luther King Jr Day was marked with parades and services across the US on Monday. But the celebration for the achievements of the slain 60s civil rights leader was tempered by contemporary anxieties over racial and social equality and Trump administration’s crackdown in Minneapolis.At a rally in Harlem, the Rev Al Sharpton referred to Renee Good, the 37-year-old mother of three who was killed by an immigration officer in Minneapolis earlier this month. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘We’re really close’: Labor’s hate speech laws expected to pass as negotiations with opposition continue 20. January 2026 (01:09) Liberal MPs likely to vote for watered-down hate speech provisions and new powers to legally designate extremist organisationsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLabor says moves to legislate “the strongest hate speech laws that Australia’s ever had” are close to success, with Liberal MPs expected to support tough new proposals in parliament on Tuesday.Late-night and early morning negotiations have continued in Canberra as the second day of a special sitting gets under way. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
