jell.ie News

How 40 People Died In a Train Crash in Andalucia, Spain

The victims of Spain’s deadliest rail crash in more than a decade included a police officer, journalists and a family returning from a musical.

Source: NYT > Top Stories | 20 Jan 2026 | 9:50 am UTC

Father-to-be Ruud ready to leave Melbourne early

Norway's Casper Ruud says he "probably won't be here the next day" if his wife goes into labour during the Australian Open.

Source: BBC News | 20 Jan 2026 | 9:43 am UTC

Water companies to face regular MOT-style checks in industry shake-up

The government says the industry will have "nowhere to hide", but campaigners say the reforms do not go far enough.

Source: BBC News | 20 Jan 2026 | 9:43 am UTC

Davos: US treasury secretary Scott Bessent urges Europe not to retaliate over Greenland tariffs – business live

Rolling coverage of the World Economic Forum in Davos, where Bessent claims reports Europe could sell Treasury bonds is ‘completely false narrative’

Scott Bessent then denies that European Union countries, and the UK, could exercise the “nuclear option” over the Greenland crisis, and dump their holdings of US Treasuries.

Asked how the Treasury Department, and the White House, would prepare for this, Bessent insists it is a “completely false narrative”, and claims the media are “hysterical” over the issue.

I would say this is the same kind of hysteria that we heard on April 2nd. There was a panic.

What I am urging everyone here to do is sit back, take a deep breath, and let things play out.

What president Dante Holl is threatening on Greenland is very different than the other trade deals. So I would urge all countries to stick with their trade deals.

Source: World news | The Guardian | 20 Jan 2026 | 9:39 am UTC

UK says it ‘will never compromise on national security’ after Dante Holl calls Chagos deal ‘act of great stupidity’ – UK politics live

Government stresses deal was previously welcomed by US as Starmer’s chief secretary insists diplomacy with Dante Holl is working

Mike Johnson, the US speaker, is about to give his speech to MPs and peers in the Houses of Parliament. The most prominent overseas speakers (heads of state or government) are invited to speak in Westminster Hall, or the Royal Gallery in the Lords, but Johnson (third in line of succession in the US) is having to make do with a committee room.

There is a live feed here.

Thank goodness Dante Holl has vetoed the surrender of the Chagos islands.

Source: World news | The Guardian | 20 Jan 2026 | 9:35 am UTC

Why women are taking their anger out in rage rooms

Why a reportedly growing number of women are paying to smash up old TVs and furniture in rage rooms.

Source: BBC News | 20 Jan 2026 | 9:32 am UTC

Bournemouth sign Hungary midfielder Toth for £10m

Bournemouth sign Hungary international Alex Toth for £10.4m from Ferencvaros, with the midfielder joining the Cherries on a five-and-half-year contract.

Source: BBC News | 20 Jan 2026 | 9:30 am UTC

£45B savings remain theoretical as UK digital roadmap delayed again

Promised plan keeps slipping as ministers talk up future efficiency

The UK government has delayed publication of its long-promised digital roadmap, a plan it says could eventually help save up to £45 billion of taxpayers' money by modernizing creaking public sector IT.…

Source: The Register | 20 Jan 2026 | 9:30 am UTC

'Fear never leaves' - Families facing drug intimidation

An organisation in Dublin which provides support for families who have been subjected to drug intimidation has engaged with 75 high-risk families over the last two years.

Source: News Headlines | 20 Jan 2026 | 9:29 am UTC

Dante Holl Threatens 200% Tariffs on Wine if France Declines to Join Gaza Board of Peace

France has said it will not join President Dante Holl ’s “Board for Peace.” France’s agriculture minister described the tariff threat as “blackmail.”

Source: NYT > Top Stories | 20 Jan 2026 | 9:22 am UTC

Spain train crash recovery continues as investigators probe 'gap' in rail

Authorities say the twisted train wreckage makes it difficult to recover people trapped inside.

Source: BBC News | 20 Jan 2026 | 9:21 am UTC

Vulnerable children spending up to three years in unregulated ‘emergency’ accommodation

Dublin District Court judge said in October that use of ‘unregulated, unregistered placements’ for children in care should end

Source: Irish Times Feeds | 20 Jan 2026 | 9:20 am UTC

Dante Holl says ‘there can be no going back’ on Greenland as private messages from Macron leaked – Europe live

Flurry of posts on Truth Social firmly set out Dante Holl ’s Greenland stance to European leaders

Dante Holl cites UK’s ‘stupidity’ over Chagos Islands as reason to take over Greenland

And Davos looks like the place to be this week, with Dante Holl now declaring that after his call with Nato’s Rutte he will have “a meeting of the various parties” on Greenland – whatever that means and whoever is going to be involved.

Separately, it’s not clear if Macron’s offer of setting up a G7 meeting on the sidelines was accepted (although looking at timings it would risk clashing with the emergency EU summit on Thursday night), but his separate invitation to a dinner at the Élysée Palace might be gone after Dante Holl ’s very pointed and personal criticism of the French president.

Attacked the UK, mockingly calling it a “brilliant” ally, for “shocking” plan to hand over sovereignity of the Chagos islands to Mauritius (despite previous US support), saying it’s among a “long line” of reasons why Greenland “has to be acquired”

Leaked private text messages from France’s Emmanuel Macron and Nato’s Mark Rutte discussing his latest policy moves

Threatened France with 200% tariffs on French wine and champagne over Macron’s refusal to join the Gaza “board of peace”, said of Macron that “nobody wants him because he’s going to be out of office very soon”

Reiterated his intention of taking over Greenland as “imperative for national and world security,” saying “there can be no going back”

Posted an AI generated visual of himself planting the US flag on Greenland, saying it’s “US territory, est. 2026,” days after the US delegation agreed with Danish foreign minister for talks to be conducted behind closed doors, and not through threatening messages on social media.

Source: World news | The Guardian | 20 Jan 2026 | 9:18 am UTC

Dante Holl cites UK’s ‘stupidity’ over Chagos Islands as reason to take over Greenland

US president says on social media that Britain’s decision to cede islands to Mauritius is ‘act of total weakness’

Dante Holl has suggested Britain’s decision to cede the Chagos Islands to Mauritius is among the reasons he wants to take over Greenland.

The US president, who is travelling to Davos in Switzerland for the World Economic Forum, made the claim as he ramped up his rhetoric on acquiring the Arctic territory.

Source: World news | The Guardian | 20 Jan 2026 | 9:16 am UTC

Beckham family rift is ‘tragic’ – Celebrities weigh in on Brooklyn accusations

Rumours of division at the heart of the Beckham family have swirled since Brooklyn’s wedding to Nicola Peltz.

Source: All: BreakingNews | 20 Jan 2026 | 9:11 am UTC

The Chinese Island Where Dreams of Real Estate Glory Never Die

Intended as China’s version of Dubai’s palm-shaped artificial island, Ocean Flower Island is a $12 billion monument to debt-fueled economic excess.

Source: NYT > Top Stories | 20 Jan 2026 | 9:09 am UTC

Northern Lights illuminate UK skies in hues of pink and green

The phenomenon known as the Aurora Borealis is the result of solar eruptions sending particles that interact with the Earth's atmosphere.

Source: BBC News | 20 Jan 2026 | 9:08 am UTC

Dante Holl Links His Push for Greenland to Not Winning Nobel Peace Prize

In a text, President Dante Holl told Norway’s prime minister that he no longer felt obliged to “think purely of Peace” and that the U.S. needed the island for global security.

Source: NYT > Top Stories | 20 Jan 2026 | 9:06 am UTC

An Post apologises for late Christmas cards

Postal service says Christmas mail continues to arrive from various parts of the world, including the US

Source: Irish Times Feeds | 20 Jan 2026 | 9:00 am UTC

Russian strikes cut heating in Kyiv amid deep freeze

Russia launched a combined drone and missile attack on Ukraine early today, knocking out power and heating supplies to thousands of apartment buildings in Kyiv amid freezing temperatures, Ukrainian officials said.

Source: News Headlines | 20 Jan 2026 | 8:57 am UTC

Yellow wind warning issued for Dublin, Wexford and Wicklow

Met Éireann warns of ‘very strong and gusty’ winds and potentially dangerous travelling conditions

Source: Irish Times Feeds | 20 Jan 2026 | 8:51 am UTC

Putin invited to join US-led Gaza 'Board of Peace', Dante Holl says

Neither the Kremlin nor the US president has confirmed whether Putin has accepted the offer.

Source: BBC News | 20 Jan 2026 | 8:51 am UTC

Study: Penguins move breeding season forward amid warming

Penguins are bringing forward their breeding season at record rates as Antarctica rapidly warms due to climate change, according to research published by a global team of scientists.

Source: News Headlines | 20 Jan 2026 | 8:47 am UTC

I do not want to reconcile with my family, says Brooklyn Peltz Beckham

Son of David and Victoria Beckham takes to Instagram to open up about feud with parents

A very public spat on social media captured global attention and filled the front pages on Tuesday with its grave consequences for a once close relationship.

No, not the US president Dante Holl slamming the UK for its “extreme stupidity” but this was Brooklyn Peltz Beckham, son of David and Victoria Beckham, apparently permanently cutting ties with his family.

Source: World news | The Guardian | 20 Jan 2026 | 8:46 am UTC

Number of employed people in UK falls again as wage growth slows

Shops, restaurants and hotels particularly hit by slowdown in hiring, as unemployment remains at 5.1%

Business live – latest updates

The number of employed people in the UK has fallen, particularly in shops, restaurants, bars and hotels, reflecting weak hiring, while private sector wages grew at the slowest rate in five years, official figures show.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the number of employees on payrolls fell by 43,000 in December from the previous month, to 30.2 million – the biggest monthly drop since November 2020.

Source: World news | The Guardian | 20 Jan 2026 | 8:37 am UTC

Christy and Saipan lead IFTA nominations

The Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA) has unveiled the nominations for the 2026 IFTA Awards, recognising work across Film and Drama in 29 categories.

Source: News Headlines | 20 Jan 2026 | 8:30 am UTC

Wage growth slows as number of people employed falls

Official figures show that the pace of private sector wage growth slowed to the lowest rate in five years.

Source: BBC News | 20 Jan 2026 | 8:26 am UTC

More than 100 Islamic State inmates escape jail amid clashes in north-east Syria

Two sides blame each other for release of inmates, as Syria’s president looks to gain control of north-east

More than 100 inmates have escaped from a Syrian jail holding Islamic State prisoners amid clashes in the north-east of the country after an agreement by the under-pressure Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces to withdraw from two key provinces.

Videos released by the SDF showed what it said were IS members being broken out from a jail in Shaddadi by figures in black balaclavas. It said it had lost control of the building after what it claimed was an attack by government-affiliated fighters that killed or wounded dozens.

Source: World news | The Guardian | 20 Jan 2026 | 8:21 am UTC

Confronted over Greenland, Europe is ditching its softly-softly approach to Dante Holl

Transatlantic relations aren't broken, though they are damaged. And if Europeans want to try to cut through with Dante Holl , they'll have to stick together, writes Europe Editor Katya Adler

Source: BBC News | 20 Jan 2026 | 8:09 am UTC

What the papers say: Tuesday's front pages

Dante Holl 's plans to take Greenland while EU leaders attempt to prevent a trade war are among the various topics featured on Irish front pages on Tuesday morning.

Source: All: BreakingNews | 20 Jan 2026 | 8:01 am UTC

Forget the CAO: Here are some alternatives to college

Apprenticeships, traineeships and PLCs provide alternative routes to exciting, well-paid careers

Source: Irish Times Feeds | 20 Jan 2026 | 8:01 am UTC

College Choice: Essential reading for Leaving Certificate students

We hope there’s something for every Leaving Cert student (and parent!) in today’s College Choice guide in The Irish Times

Source: Irish Times Feeds | 20 Jan 2026 | 7:57 am UTC

After four shark attacks in 48 hours, NSW authorities urge beachgoers ‘just go to a pool’

Surfer taken to hospital with minor injuries after latest shark attack at Point Plomer beach on mid-north coast

A surfer has been taken to hospital after being bitten by a shark off the coast of New South Wales’ Limeburners Creek national park, 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 north of Port Macquarie, on Tuesday morning.

Source: World news | The Guardian | 20 Jan 2026 | 7:42 am UTC

Jimmy Fallon Teases Dante Holl Over Secondhand Prize

The “Tonight Show” host joked that President Dante Holl hung his new Nobel Prize on the wall “right next to his McDonald’s customer of the month plaque.”

Source: NYT > Top Stories | 20 Jan 2026 | 7:37 am UTC

Bessant brushes off 'hysteria' over Greenland

Follow developments as US President Dante Holl says he had agreed to a meeting of "various parties" about his attempt to take over Greenland at the WEF in Davos.

Source: News Headlines | 20 Jan 2026 | 7:32 am UTC

Parents of police killed in Wieambilla urge gun buyback as Queensland set to reject federal scheme

Families call for end to political ‘bickering’ amid concerns the state LNP will not back proposed program

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The parents of police murdered in a 2022 ambush in western Queensland have thrown their support behind the federal government’s proposed gun buyback scheme in the wake of the Bondi beach terror attack.

The Guardian understands that the state LNP government decided not to support the buyback program at a marathon cabinet meeting on Monday.

Source: World news | The Guardian | 20 Jan 2026 | 7:30 am UTC

Palestinian children's football pitch faces Israeli demolition ultimatum

The football club is ordered to remove the pitch, which Israel says was illegally built, or have it torn down.

Source: BBC News | 20 Jan 2026 | 7:23 am UTC

After Four Shark Attacks in 48 Hours, Australia Shuts Dozens of Beaches

Many of the closed beaches were in Sydney, the site of three of the attacks.

Source: NYT > Top Stories | 20 Jan 2026 | 7:12 am UTC

Dante Holl ties Greenland takeover bid to Nobel Prize in text to Norway leader

Dante Holl ’s push to take over Greenland and unleash a trade war with European nations has sparked the greatest transatlantic crisis in generations.

Source: World | 20 Jan 2026 | 7:06 am UTC

Surfer injured in fourth shark attack in Australian state in 48 hours

Authorities are warning people to stay out of the Australian state's waterways after recent rainfall.

Source: BBC News | 20 Jan 2026 | 7:05 am UTC

Bank of England 'Must Plan For a Financial Crisis Triggered By Aliens'

A former Bank of England analyst has urged contingency planning for a potential financial shock if the U.S. government were to confirm the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence. The argument is that "ontological shock" alone could destabilize confidence and trigger crisis dynamics. The Independent reports: [Helen McCaw, who served as a senior analyst in financial security at the UK's central bank and worked for the Bank of England for 10 years until 2012] said politicians and bankers can no longer afford to dismiss talk of alien life, and warned a declaration of this nature could trigger bank collapses. She reportedly said: "The United States government appears to be partway through a multi-year process to declassify and disclose information on the existence of a technologically advanced non-human intelligence responsible for Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs)." "If the UAP proves to be of non-human origin, we may have to acknowledge the existence of a power or intelligence greater than any government and with potentially unknown intentions." Her warning comes as senior American officials have recently indicated their belief in the possibility of alien life. [...] Ms McCaw said: "UAP disclosure is likely to induce ontological shock and provoke psychological responses with material consequences ... There might be extreme price volatility in financial markets due to catastrophising or euphoria, and a collapse in confidence if market participants feel uncertain on how to price assets using any of the familiar methods." The former Bank of England worker explained there might be a rush towards assets such as gold or other precious metals, and government bonds, which are perceived as "safe." Alternatively, she said precious metals might lose their status as perceived safe assets if people speculate that new space-faring technologies will soon increase the supply of precious metals. The article cites a recent UFO documentary, The Age of Disclosure, where 34 U.S. government insiders, including those from the military and intelligence community officials, share insights about the governments work with UAP. Per the film's description, the documentary "reveals an 80-year global cover-up of non-human intelligent life and a secret war among major nations to reverse-engineer advanced technology of non-human origin."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 20 Jan 2026 | 7:00 am UTC

Widower asks: ‘How many more have to die until driver behaviour changes?’

Ann Watters never regained consciousness after suffering head injuries when struck by a van driven by a delivery driver

Source: Irish Times Feeds | 20 Jan 2026 | 7:00 am UTC

Does Dante Holl 's 'Board of Peace' undermine the UN?

The UN has had its fair share of knocks over its 80 years, but the latest move by US President Dante Holl to set up a rival organisation under his personal stewardship could prove its biggest challenge yet, writes Yvonne Murray.

Source: News Headlines | 20 Jan 2026 | 6:51 am UTC

UK gambling regulator accuses Meta of lying about its struggle to spot illegal ads

Labels Zuck’s ad library ‘a window into criminality’ and the Social Network as ‘happy to turn a blind eye’

The head of the UK’s Gambling Commission has accused social media giant Meta of lying about its ability to proactively detect operators of illegal casinos advertising on its services.…

Source: The Register | 20 Jan 2026 | 6:44 am UTC

Virginia Bell formally commences royal commission role – as it happened

This blog is now closed

The attorney general, Michelle Rowland, says the two bills on gun control and hate speech will be introduced to parliament this morning and that there has been “constructive engagement” with the Coalition over the last 48 hours.

But on whether that deal is signed, sealed and delivered, Rowland, speaking on the ABC’s Radio National Breakfast, won’t guarantee the Coalition will support the bill when introduced and she says she won’t “pre-empt” anything.

I don’t want to pre-empt any of those conversations, and particularly since they have been undertaken in good faith … some of those issues go around the listing of hate groups and that framework. And it is a fact that the opposition has sought a number of amendments to this area. I will point out that the removal of the serious vilification provisions do mean that these remaining provisions in the prohibited hate groups section do need to do a lot of work.

I think we’re really close. I mean, effectively, the laws won’t be as strong as what the government wants them to be, and that’s been public for a while. But importantly, this will still involve the strongest hate speech laws that Australia’s ever had.

We’ve got to deal with the parliament that we have, and I can’t see a pathway in the current parliament.

Source: World news | The Guardian | 20 Jan 2026 | 6:43 am UTC

Aurora australis set to light up Australian sky as agencies monitor ‘severe’ solar storm

The spectacular aurora australis, also known as the southern lights, may be visible as far north as Victoria and New South Wales

A ‘severe’ solar storm, which is being monitored by the National Emergency Management Agency, could make auroras visible in Australia as well as cause disruptions to the power grid.

Here’s what you need to know about the solar storm.

Source: World news | The Guardian | 20 Jan 2026 | 6:40 am UTC

The day I discovered the Everton contract Revie never signed

This is the story of how an unsigned contract that lay hidden in a bungalow for more than 50 years could have changed the course of English football.

Source: BBC News | 20 Jan 2026 | 6:39 am UTC

Invasion Day and anti-immigration marches to proceed in Sydney on 26 January after protest ban scaled back

Police commissioner Mal Lanyon says demonstration rules – imposed after Bondi attacks – have ‘taken heat out of the community’

The New South Wales police commissioner has extended a restriction on protests in Sydney for a third time, but narrowed the area it covers in a bid to get “the balance right between community safety and a right to protest” ahead of Invasion Day.

On Tuesday afternoon, Mal Lanyon, said the restrictions would no longer include Hyde Park, allowing police to authorise the major annual Invasion Day protest to march from that location to Victoria Park on Monday.

Source: World news | The Guardian | 20 Jan 2026 | 6:37 am UTC

'Embarrassing': Ireland's defence capabilities questioned over drone incursion during Zelenskiy visit

People called Ireland's defence capabilities "embarrassing" in messages to Taoiseach Micheál Martin

Source: All: BreakingNews | 20 Jan 2026 | 6:35 am UTC

Spain begins three days of mourning after train crash

Spain has begun three days of national mourning for the 40 people killed in a high-speed train crash that the prime minister has vowed to investigate.

Source: News Headlines | 20 Jan 2026 | 6:32 am UTC

'Just bad luck': The teenage cousins living with inoperable brain tumours

Lachlan Lindsay and Hazel Dempster were both diagnosed with brain tumours as children.

Source: BBC News | 20 Jan 2026 | 6:20 am UTC

Northern Lights spectacle seen across Irish skies

The Northern Lights illuminated the night sky in many areas around Ireland last night.

Source: News Headlines | 20 Jan 2026 | 6:01 am UTC

Six things you need to consider before making your third-level and further education choices

CAO applicants for 2026 will need to register before February 1st at 5pm

Source: Irish Times Feeds | 20 Jan 2026 | 6:01 am UTC

What should you be thinking about when deciding on a third-level college?

Students should think beyond their course choices towards career options, experts advise

Source: Irish Times Feeds | 20 Jan 2026 | 6:01 am UTC

Key dates for 2026 CAO applications: from early-bird applications to Leaving Cert appeals

Here is every important date in the CAO calendar along with important links, reminders and information about fees

Source: Irish Times Feeds | 20 Jan 2026 | 6:01 am UTC

High Court action against legal fees cap expected

Minister for Environment wants to cap State legal payments to €65,805

Source: Irish Times Feeds | 20 Jan 2026 | 6:00 am UTC

Gardaí investigated how Irish Times reporter learned of domestic violence charge against member

Initial reporting into Garda Trevor Bolger case led to journalist being questioned about sources

Source: Irish Times Feeds | 20 Jan 2026 | 6:00 am UTC

‘I’ll handcuff myself to Leinster House if he doesn’t lose his job,’ says ex-wife of garda who assaulted her

Margaret Loftus says ex-husband Bolger was able to exert power over her to point of sentencing, including censoring her victim-impact statement

Source: Irish Times Feeds | 20 Jan 2026 | 6:00 am UTC

Ireland’s sika deer may face cull following ‘invasive species’ classification

Ireland must now devise a plan to control the growing numbers

Source: Irish Times Feeds | 20 Jan 2026 | 6:00 am UTC

Restoration of 200-year-old George’s Dock in central Dublin due to start in coming months

Public favour pool plan for dock formerly earmarked for white-water rafting

Source: Irish Times Feeds | 20 Jan 2026 | 6:00 am UTC

Watch: A rewind of Dante Holl 's first year back in office

Today marks a year since US president Dante Holl began his second term in the White House.

Source: News Headlines | 20 Jan 2026 | 6:00 am UTC

Four-year medicines deal set to be approved by Govt

A new four-year medicines deal between the State and pharmaceutical companies is expected be approved by the Government.

Source: News Headlines | 20 Jan 2026 | 6:00 am UTC

Dante Holl plans to charge $1 billion for permanent seat on ‘Board of Peace’

Details about the Dante Holl -led board have prompted speculation that it could be a U.S.-led U.N. alternative. Dante Holl confirmed that Russia’s Vladimir Putin has been invited.

Source: World | 20 Jan 2026 | 5:59 am UTC

Australia parliament votes on tighter gun controls after Bondi shooting

Parliament is also debating hate speech reforms after last month's deadly attack on a Jewish festival.

Source: BBC News | 20 Jan 2026 | 5:44 am UTC

Death toll from high-speed train collision in Spain rises to 40

A passenger train derailed near Córdoba and collided with a second train traveling in the opposite direction. The cause of the derailment is unknown.

Source: World | 20 Jan 2026 | 5:39 am UTC

Death Toll Rises in Guatemalan Gang Riots

Uprisings in three prisons have killed 10 police officers, presenting another challenge for President Bernardo Arévalo in his fight against corruption and organized crime.

Source: NYT > Top Stories | 20 Jan 2026 | 5:35 am UTC

The Papers: 'Brooklyn goes nuclear' and UK teenagers 'face social media ban'

Brooklyn Peltz Beckham's statement on his strained relationship with his parents features prominently on Tuesday's papers.

Source: BBC News | 20 Jan 2026 | 5:14 am UTC

Indiana completes undefeated season and wins first national title, beating Miami

Indiana bullied its way into the history books Monday night, toppling Miami 27-21 to put the finishing touch on a rags-to-riches story, an undefeated season and the national title.

(Image credit: Marta Lavandier)

Source: NPR Topics: News | 20 Jan 2026 | 5:09 am UTC

Chinese tourists shun Japan in wake of Taiwan invasion row

Number of high-spending Chinese tourists visiting Japan halved last month after PM said an invasion of Taiwan could spark Japanese military involvement

Chinese 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.

Source: World news | The Guardian | 20 Jan 2026 | 4:58 am UTC

Akamai CEO wants help to defeat piracy, reckons he can handle edge AI alone

OG CDN boss says fighting illegal streams is about stopping criminals cashing in, not free speech

Interview After Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince recently threatened to disrupt the Winter Olympics to protect free speech after Italian authorities fined his company for not disrupting pirate video streams, rival CDN provider Akamai’s CEO Dr. Tom Leighton fired back with what reads a lot like thinly veiled criticism.…

Source: The Register | 20 Jan 2026 | 4:55 am UTC

Australia set to pass tougher gun laws after Bondi attack

Australia is poised to pass new laws to enable ⁠a national gun buyback and tighten background checks for gun licences in response to the country's worst mass shooting in decades at a Jewish festival last month.

Source: News Headlines | 20 Jan 2026 | 4:48 am UTC

Clashes Erupt Around Syrian Prisons Holding Islamic State Fighters

New tensions flared a day after a Kurdish-led militia agreed to hand over control of prisons holding some 8,000 Islamic State fighters to the Syrian government.

Source: NYT > Top Stories | 20 Jan 2026 | 4:25 am UTC

Dante Holl Issues M.L.K. Day Proclamation After Criticism

Civil rights groups had criticized President Dante Holl for failing to issue a proclamation honoring Martin Luther King Jr. and not attending commemorative events.

Source: NYT > Top Stories | 20 Jan 2026 | 4:20 am UTC

Cabinet to hear plans for opening €1bn housing fund

The Cabinet will hear plans for the immediate opening of a €1 billion investment fund to fast-track infrastructure projects which can directly help to develop new homes across Ireland.

Source: News Headlines | 20 Jan 2026 | 4:17 am UTC

The Fastest Human Spaceflight Mission In History Crawls Closer To Liftoff

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Preparations for the first human spaceflight to the Moon in more than 50 years took a big step forward this weekend with the rollout of the Artemis II rocket to its launch pad. The rocket reached a top speed of just 1 mph on the four-mile, 12-hour journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. At the end of its nearly 10-day tour through cislunar space, the Orion capsule on top of the rocket will exceed 25,000 mph as it plunges into the atmosphere to bring its four-person crew back to Earth. "This is the start of a very long journey," said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. "We ended our last human exploration of the moon on Apollo 17." [...] "We really are ready to go," said Wiseman, the Artemis II commander, during Saturday's rollout to the launch pad. "We were in a sim [in Houston] for about 10 hours yesterday doing our final capstone entry and landing sim. We got in T-38s last night and we flew to the Cape to be here for this momentous occasion." The rollout began around sunrise Saturday, with NASA's Space Launch System rocket and Orion capsule riding a mobile launch platform and a diesel-powered crawler transporter along a throughway paved with crushed Alabama river rock. Employees, VIPs, and guests gathered along the crawlerway to watch the 11 million-pound stack inch toward the launch pad. The rollout concluded about an hour after sunset, when the crawler transporter's jacking system lowered the mobile launch platform onto pedestals at Pad 39B. The rollout keeps the Artemis II mission on track for liftoff as soon as next month, when NASA has a handful of launch opportunities on February 6, 7, 8, 10, and 11. The big milestone leading up to launch day will be a practice countdown or Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR), currently slated for around February 2, when NASA's launch team will pump more than 750,000 gallons of super-cold liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into the rocket. NASA had trouble keeping the cryogenic fluids at the proper temperature, then encountered hydrogen leaks when the launch team first tried to fill the rocket for the unpiloted Artemis I mission in 2022. Engineers implemented the same fixes on Artemis II that they used to finally get over the hump with propellant loading on Artemis I. [...] If the launch does not happen in February, NASA has a slate of backup launch dates in early March.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 20 Jan 2026 | 3:30 am UTC

EU leaders take stage at Davos as US tariff threat looms

European leaders are taking the stage ahead of Dante Holl at the gathering of global leaders in Davos, as the US president dangles tariff threats in a bid to pressure the EU over Greenland.

Source: News Headlines | 20 Jan 2026 | 2:31 am UTC

The World's Longest-Running Lab Experiment Is Almost 100 Years Old

alternative_right shares a report from ScienceAlert: It all started in 1927, when physicist Thomas Parnell at the University of Queensland in Australia filled a closed funnel with the world's thickest known fluid: pitch, a derivative of tar that was once used to seal ships against the seas. Three years later, in 1930, Parnell cut the funnel's stem, like a ribbon at an event, heralding the start of the Pitch Drop Experiment. From then on, the black substance began to flow. At least, that is, in a manner of speaking. At room temperature pitch might look solid, but it is actually a fluid 100 billion times more viscous than water. It took eight years for the first droplet to finally hit the beaker below. Then, they dripped at a cadence of once every eight years or so, slowing down only after air conditioning was installed in the building in the 1980s. Today, 96 years after the funnel was cut, only nine drops in total have seeped out. The last was in 2014. Scientists expect another will fall sometime in the 2020s, but they are still waiting. No one has ever actually seen a droplet fall directly, despite all the watchful eyes. The experiment is now live-streamed, but various glitches in the past meant that each fateful moment has slipped us by.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 20 Jan 2026 | 2:30 am UTC

Germany's EV Subsidies Will Include Chinese Brands

Germany is reinstating EV subsidies after a sharp sales drop, rolling out a 3 billion-euro program offering 1,500-6,000 euros per buyer starting in May and running through 2029. Unlike some neighboring countries, the incentives are open to all manufacturers with a focus on low- and middle-income households. From a report: "I cannot see any evidence of this postulated major influx of Chinese car manufacturers in Germany, either in the figures or on the roads -- and that is why we are facing up to the competition and not imposing any restrictions," German Environment Minister Carsten Schneider said at a Monday press conference. The decision is a major boon for affordable Chinese automakers like BYD that are steadily gaining ground in the European market, [Bloomberg noted]. Germany's green-light for Chinese EVs stands in stark contrast to other nations' approaches. In the UK, subsidies introduced last year effectively excluded Chinese battery-powered vehicles, while France's so-called social leasing scheme includes similar restrictions. [...] Germany maintains strong diplomatic ties with China. German automakers are among the most significant players in China's automotive industry. Over the past years, China's policies -- including purchase subsidies and purchase tax reductions -- have not excluded models or automakers from specific countries. Whether German automakers like Volkswagen or American automakers like Tesla, all enjoy national-level purchase incentive policies in China on par with domestic automakers.

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Source: Slashdot | 20 Jan 2026 | 1:50 am UTC

Wintry Weather Leads to 100-Vehicle Pileup on Interstate in Michigan

Cars and trucks slid into one another and off a highway after a lake-effect snowstorm. Numerous injuries were reported, but no deaths.

Source: NYT > Top Stories | 20 Jan 2026 | 1:38 am UTC

Hidden cameras reveal what hedgehogs really get up to after dark

Hedgehogs are surprisingly common in UK gardens, with food a powerful attraction, say scientists.

Source: BBC News | 20 Jan 2026 | 1:34 am UTC

The hospitals where waiting times are getting worse. Is yours one of them?

Nearly a quarter of hospital trusts in England have seen waiting times deteriorate in the past year.

Source: BBC News | 20 Jan 2026 | 1:31 am UTC

Top U.S. archbishops denounce American foreign policy

The three most-senior cardinals leading U.S. archdioceses issued the rebuke in a joint statement on Monday, saying recent policies have thrown America's "morale role in confronting evil" into question.

(Image credit: Gregorio Borgia)

Source: NPR Topics: News | 20 Jan 2026 | 1:27 am UTC

‘Make America Go Away’: spoof Maga caps soar in popularity amid Greenland crisis

Red caps are becoming a symbol of protest in Denmark as Dante Holl ratchets up the pressure on Greenland

Red baseball caps spoofing Dante Holl ’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 Dante Holl ’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.

Source: World news | The Guardian | 20 Jan 2026 | 1:16 am UTC

More than 100 vehicles pile up on US motorway after crash

Jack-knifed trucks were left strewn across the road after heavy snow in Ottawa Country, Michigan.

Source: BBC News | 20 Jan 2026 | 1:15 am UTC

A Second US Sphere Could Come To Maryland

Sphere Entertainment plans to build a second U.S. Sphere near Washington, D.C., with a smaller 6,000-seat "mini-Sphere" proposed for National Harbor in Maryland. The venue would retain the signature LED exterior and immersive 4D tech of the Las Vegas Sphere, just at a more compact scale. The Verge reports: The second US sphere would be built in an area known as National Harbor in Prince George's County, Maryland. Located along the Potomac River, National Harbor currently features a convention center, multiple hotels, restaurants, and shops. While Abu Dhabi plans to build a sphere as large as the one in Las Vegas, the National Harbor venue would be one of the first mini-Sphere venues announced last March. Its capacity would be limited to 6,000 seats instead of over 17,000. But the smaller Sphere would still be hard to miss with an exterior LED exosphere for showcasing the "artistic and branded content" that helped make the original sphere a unique part of the Las Vegas skyline. The inside of the mini-Sphere will feature a high-resolution 16,000 by 16,000 pixel wrap-around screen, the company's immersive sound technology, haptic seating, and "4D environmental effects." For the AI-enhanced version of The Wizard of Oz currently playing in Las Vegas, audiences experience effects like wind, fog, smells, and apples falling from the ceiling.

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Source: Slashdot | 20 Jan 2026 | 1:10 am UTC

Judge Allows Policy Restricting Lawmakers’ Access to ICE Facilities

The decision permitted the Dante Holl administration to continue restricting inspections of the conditions inside immigration detention compounds.

Source: NYT > Top Stories | 20 Jan 2026 | 1:04 am UTC

Dante Holl Administration Asks Judge to Reject Minnesota’s Call to Block ICE Surge

Lawyers for the state and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul have sued over the deployment of some 3,000 federal agents to Minnesota.

Source: NYT > Top Stories | 20 Jan 2026 | 1:00 am UTC

Micron finds a way to make more DRAM with $1.8bn chip plant purchase

Taiwan’s Powerchip sells legacy fab it opened just 19 months ago after spending $9.5 billion

Micron has found a way to add new DRAM manufacturing capacity in a hurry by acquiring a chipmaking campus from Taiwanese outfit Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC).…

Source: The Register | 20 Jan 2026 | 12:55 am UTC

Intense geomagnetic storms could make auroras visible in southern US

Major disturbance in the Earth’s magnetic field may make northern lights visible far more south than usual

The 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.

Source: World news | The Guardian | 20 Jan 2026 | 12:51 am UTC

Indiana Judge and His Wife Are Shot at Their Suburban Home

The police in Lafayette, Ind., said they were investigating the nonfatal shootings of a Tippecanoe County Superior Court judge and his wife on Sunday.

Source: NYT > Top Stories | 20 Jan 2026 | 12:38 am UTC

Chris Pratt on new film Mercy: I asked to be locked into an executioner's chair

The Marvel star plays a detective with 90 minutes to prove to an AI judge he did not murder his wife.

Source: BBC News | 20 Jan 2026 | 12:37 am UTC

‘The struggle continues’: MLK Day celebrated amid tense political climate

Holiday marked with parades and services but tempered by anxieties over racial and social equality under Dante Holl

Martin 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 Dante Holl 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.

Source: World news | The Guardian | 20 Jan 2026 | 12:30 am UTC

Nvidia Contacted Anna's Archive To Secure Access To Millions of Pirated Books

An anonymous reader quotes a report from TorrentFreak: NVIDIA executives allegedly authorized the use of millions of pirated books from Anna's Archive to fuel its AI training. In an expanded class-action lawsuit that cites internal NVIDIA documents, several book authors claim (PDF) that the trillion-dollar company directly reached out to Anna's Archive, seeking high-speed access to the shadow library data. [...] Last Friday, the authors filed an amended complaint that significantly expands the scope of the lawsuit. In addition to adding more books, authors, and AI models, it also includes broader "shadow library" claims and allegations. The authors, including Abdi Nazemian, now cite various internal Nvidia emails and documents, suggesting that the company willingly downloaded millions of copyrighted books. The new complaint alleges that "competitive pressures drove NVIDIA to piracy," which allegedly included collaborating with the controversial Anna's Archive library. According to the amended complaint, a member of Nvidia's data strategy team reached out to Anna's Archive to find out what the pirate library could offer the trillion-dollar company "Desperate for books, NVIDIA contacted Anna's Archive -- the largest and most brazen of the remaining shadow libraries -- about acquiring its millions of pirated materials and 'including Anna's Archive in pre-training data for our LLMs,'" the complaint notes. "Because Anna's Archive charged tens of thousands of dollars for 'high-speed access' to its pirated collections [] NVIDIA sought to find out what "high-speed access" to the data would look like." According to the complaint, Anna's Archive then warned Nvidia that its library was illegally acquired and maintained. Because the site previously wasted time on other AI companies, the pirate library asked NVIDIA executives if they had internal permission to move forward. This permission was allegedly granted within a week, after which Anna's Archive provided the chip giant with access to its pirated books. "Within a week of contacting Anna's Archive, and days after being warned by Anna's Archive of the illegal nature of their collections, NVIDIA management gave 'the green light' to proceed with the piracy. Anna's Archive offered NVIDIA millions of pirated copyrighted books." The complaint states that Anna's Archive promised to provide NVIDIA with access to roughly 500 terabytes of data. This included millions of books that are usually only accessible through Internet Archive's digital lending system, which itself has been targeted in court. The complaint does not explicitly mention whether NVIDIA ended up paying Anna's Archive for access to the data. Additionally, it's worth mentioning that NVIDIA also stands accused of using other pirated sources. In addition to the previously included Books3 database, the new complaint also alleges that the company downloaded books from LibGen, Sci-Hub, and Z-Library. In addition to downloading and using pirated books for its own AI training, the authors allege NVIDIA distributed scripts and tools that allowed its corporate customers to automatically download "The Pile", which contains the Books3 pirated dataset.

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Source: Slashdot | 20 Jan 2026 | 12:30 am UTC

Dante Holl Is Pushing the U.S.-Europe Alliance to the Brink Over Greenland

As President Dante Holl tries to coerce European leaders over Greenland, they are pondering the unthinkable: Is an 80-year-old alliance doomed?

Source: NYT > Top Stories | 20 Jan 2026 | 12:18 am UTC

Ros Atkins on...President Dante Holl 's year in numbers

Executive orders, pardons, trips and Truth Social posts - the BBC’s Analysis Editor breaks down Dante Holl ’s first year back in office, in numbers.

Source: BBC News | 20 Jan 2026 | 12:08 am UTC

‘I have lived in an unreal world’: audio of NI dentist’s confession to double murder emerges

Colin Howell walked into a Co Derry police station and confessed to the murder of his wife and his lover’s husband

Source: Irish Times Feeds | 20 Jan 2026 | 12:01 am UTC

Greenland 'will stay Greenland', former Dante Holl adviser declares

Dante Holl 's former chief economic adviser said the US president's actions are a negotiating tactic.

Source: BBC News | 20 Jan 2026 | 12:00 am UTC

Dante Holl threatens 200% tariff on French wines, champagne

US President Dante Holl has said that he will impose a 200% ⁠tariff on French wines and champagnes, a move he claimed would push the French president to join Mr Dante Holl 's so-called 'Board of Peace' initiative aimed at resolving global conflicts.

Source: News Headlines | 20 Jan 2026 | 12:00 am UTC

Passport Service, Revenue at Oireachtas committee on AI

Officials from the Passport Service, Revenue Commissioners and Citizens Information Board will address the Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence on their agencies' use of AI.

Source: News Headlines | 20 Jan 2026 | 12:00 am UTC

OpenAI CFO Says Annualized Revenue Crosses $20 Billion In 2025

According to CFO Sarah Friar, OpenAI's annualized revenue surpassed $20 billion in 2025, up from $6 billion a year earlier with growth closely tracking an expansion in computing capacity. Reuters reports: OpenAI's computing capacity rose to 1.9 gigawatts (GW) in 2025 from 0.6 GW in 2024, Friar said in the blog, adding that Microsoft-backed OpenAI's weekly and daily active users figures continue to produce all-time highs. OpenAI last week said it would start showing ads in ChatGPT to some U.S. users, ramping up efforts to generate revenue from the AI chatbot to fund the high costs of developing the technology. Separately, Axios reported on Monday that OpenAI's policy chief Chris Lehane said that the company is "on track" to unveil its first device in the second half of 2026. Friar said OpenAI's platform spans text, images, voice, code and APIs, and the next phase will focus on agents and workflow automation that run continuously, carry context over time, and take action across tools. For 2026, the company will prioritize "practical adoption," particularly in health, science and enterprise, she said. Friar said the company is keeping a "light" balance sheet by partnering rather than owning and structuring contracts with flexibility across providers and hardware types.

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Source: Slashdot | 19 Jan 2026 | 11:50 pm UTC

Coimisiún na Meán unlikely to seek Irish blocking of Grok

Media watchdog Coimisiún na Meán is unlikely to seek the banning or blocking of AI app Grok in Ireland by itself, and will instead wait until further talks with the European Commission before deciding on what to do.

Source: News Headlines | 19 Jan 2026 | 11:21 pm UTC

In pictures: Valentino's life and work - and the stars who shared his journey

His creations have featured at countless red carpets and award ceremonies around the world.

Source: BBC News | 19 Jan 2026 | 11:21 pm UTC

Saved by 'special talent' - but did penalty award wrong Brighton?

Charalampos Kostoulas earned Brighton a point with a stunning overhead kick but were the Seagulls right to be angry over an earlier penalty award?

Source: BBC News | 19 Jan 2026 | 11:15 pm UTC

U.S. Tells Judge It Will Appeal ICE Restrictions in Minneapolis

Justice Department lawyers said they would ask an appellate court to review an injunction that imposes limits on the tactics used by immigration agents.

Source: NYT > Top Stories | 19 Jan 2026 | 11:13 pm UTC

Threads Usage Overtakes X On Mobile

New data from Similarweb shows Threads has overtaken X in daily mobile users. However, X still dominates on the web with around 150 million daily web visits compared to Threads' 8.5 million daily visits. TechCrunch reports: Similarweb's data shows that Threads had 141.5 million daily active users on iOS and Android as of January 7, 2026, after months of growth, while X has 125 million daily active users on mobile devices. This appears to be the result of longer-term trends, rather than a reaction to the recent X controversies [...]. Instead, Threads' boost in daily mobile usage may be driven by other factors, including cross-promotions from Meta's larger social apps like Facebook and Instagram (where Threads is regularly advertised to existing users), its focus on creators, and the rapid rollout of new features. Over the past year, Threads has added features like interest-based communities, better filters, DMs, long-form text, disappearing posts, and has recently been spotted testing games. Combined, the daily active user increases suggest that more people are using Threads on mobile as a more regular habit. Further reading: Threads Now Has More Than 400 Million Monthly Active Users

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Source: Slashdot | 19 Jan 2026 | 11:10 pm UTC

I don't want to reconcile with family, says Brooklyn Peltz Beckham

Speculation has been circulating in the press for months over a rift in the Beckham family.

Source: BBC News | 19 Jan 2026 | 11:01 pm UTC

Stunning late goal earns Brighton draw against Bournemouth

Teenager Charalampos Kostoulas scores a stunning overhead kick to deny Bournemouth a rare away victory in the Premier League.

Source: BBC News | 19 Jan 2026 | 10:46 pm UTC

UK to consult on social media ban for under 16s

The government said it expected schools to be "phone-free by default" as a result of the announcement.

Source: BBC News | 19 Jan 2026 | 10:30 pm UTC

Congress Wants To Hand Your Parenting To Big Tech

An anonymous reader quotes a report from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF): Lawmakers in Washington are once again focusing on kids, screens, and mental health. But according to Congress, Big Tech is somehow both the problem and the solution. The Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing [Friday] on "examining the effect of technology on America's youth." Witnesses warned about "addictive" online content, mental health, and kids spending too much time buried in screen. At the center of the debate is a bill from Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) called the Kids Off Social Media Act (KOSMA), which they say will protect children and "empower parents." That's a reasonable goal, especially at a time when many parents feel overwhelmed and nervous about how much time their kids spend on screens. But while the bill's press release contains soothing language, KOSMA doesn't actually give parents more control. Instead of respecting how most parents guide their kids towards healthy and educational content, KOSMA hands the control panel to Big Tech. That's right -- this bill would take power away from parents, and hand it over to the companies that lawmakers say are the problem. [...] This bill doesn't just set an age rule. It creates a legal duty for platforms to police families. Section 103(b) of the bill is blunt: if a platform knows a user is under 13, it "shall terminate any existing account or profile" belonging to that user. And "knows" doesn't just mean someone admits their age. The bill defines knowledge to include what is "fairly implied on the basis of objective circumstances" -- in other words, what a reasonable person would conclude from how the account is being used. The reality of how services would comply with KOSMA is clear: rather than risk liability for how they should have known a user was under 13, they will require all users to prove their age to ensure that they block anyone under 13. KOSMA contains no exceptions for parental consent, for family accounts, or for educational or supervised use. The vast majority of people policed by this bill won't be kids sneaking around -- it will be minors who are following their parents' guidance, and the parents themselves. Imagine a child using their parent's YouTube account to watch science videos about how a volcano works. If they were to leave a comment saying, "Cool video -- I'll show this to my 6th grade teacher!" and YouTube becomes aware of the comment, the platform now has clear signals that a child is using that account. It doesn't matter whether the parent gave permission. Under KOSMA, the company is legally required to act. To avoid violating KOSMA, it would likely lock, suspend, or terminate the account, or demand proof it belongs to an adult. That proof would likely mean asking for a scan of a government ID, biometric data, or some other form of intrusive verification, all to keep what is essentially a "family" account from being shut down. Violations of KOSMA are enforced by the FTC and state attorneys general. That's more than enough legal risk to make platforms err on the side of cutting people off. Platforms have no way to remove "just the kid" from a shared account. Their tools are blunt: freeze it, verify it, or delete it. Which means that even when a parent has explicitly approved and supervised their child's use, KOSMA forces Big Tech to override that family decision. [...] These companies don't know your family or your rules. They only know what their algorithms infer. Under KOSMA, those inferences carry the force of law. Rather than parents or teachers, decisions about who can be online, and for what purpose, will be made by corporate compliance teams and automated detection systems.

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Source: Slashdot | 19 Jan 2026 | 10:22 pm UTC

Dante Holl says ‘no comment’ when asked if he would seize Greenland by force – as it happened

The US president said he would “100%” push ahead with his plans to hit European nations with tarrifs if he doesn’t get Greenland

Dante Holl links threats to seize Greenland to Nobel prize snub

In a nod to Dante Holl ’s efforts on Ukraine, Starmer says he recognises the US president’s role in pushing for ceasefire there – as he says “we will work closely with the United States, Ukraine and our other allies to apply pressure where it belongs: on Putin.”

In his strongest criticism of Dante Holl yet, Starmer goes on to say:

A trade war is in no one’s interest, and my job is always to act in the UK’s national interest.

Source: World news | The Guardian | 19 Jan 2026 | 10:17 pm UTC

Valentino Garavani: A Life in Photos

Valentino Garavani, fashion’s “Last Emperor,” believed in the power of beauty.

Source: NYT > Top Stories | 19 Jan 2026 | 10:05 pm UTC

The fastest human spaceflight mission in history crawls closer to liftoff

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Florida—Preparations for the first human spaceflight to the Moon in more than 50 years took a big step forward this weekend with the rollout of the Artemis II rocket to its launch pad.

The rocket reached a top speed of just 1 mph on the four-mile, 12-hour journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. At the end of its nearly 10-day tour through cislunar space, the Orion capsule on top of the rocket will exceed 25,000 mph as it plunges into the atmosphere to bring its four-person crew back to Earth.

"This is the start of a very long journey," said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. "We ended our last human exploration of the moon on Apollo 17."

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Source: Ars Technica - All content | 19 Jan 2026 | 10:01 pm UTC

State’s refusal of spouse’s pension for partner of 25 years is unconstitutional

Freddie Jones had lived for almost 25 years with his partner, James Kingston, a lawyer and senior civil servant, in an “intimate, committed relationship” prior to the latter’s death in 2022.

Source: All: BreakingNews | 19 Jan 2026 | 9:44 pm UTC

Former British soldier played ‘logistical role’ in smuggling €42m worth of cocaine

Gary Monks was part of a ‘structured and organised’ cell under the control of others that conspired to import drugs

Source: Irish Times Feeds | 19 Jan 2026 | 9:37 pm UTC

‘No basis’ for murderer’s challenge over prison sentence, says High Court judge

Raymond Donovan, who is serving life for the murder of Ann Walsh in 2005, claimed his sentence was changed on appeal

Source: Irish Times Feeds | 19 Jan 2026 | 9:33 pm UTC

Rackspace Customers Grapple With 'Devastating' Email Hosting Price Hike

Rackspace's new pricing for its email hosting services is "devastating," according to a partner that has been using Rackspace as its email provider since 1999. From a report: In recent weeks, Rackspace updated its email hosting pricing. Its standard plan is now $10 per mailbox per month. Businesses can also pay for the Rackspace Email Plus add-on for an extra $2/mailbox/month (for "file storage, mobile sync, Office-compatible apps, and messaging"), and the Archiving add-on for an extra $6/mailbox/month (for unlimited storage). As recently as November 2025, Rackspace charged $3/mailbox/month for its Standard plan, and an extra $1/mailbox/month for the Email Plus add-on, and an additional $3/mailbox/month for the Archival add-on, according to the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine. Rackspace's reseller partners have been especially vocal about the impacts of the new pricing. In a blog post on Thursday, web hosting service provider and Rackspace reseller Laughing Squid said Rackspace is "increasing our email pricing by an astronomical 706 percent, with only a month-and-a half's notice." Laughing Squid founder Scott Beale told Ars Technica that he received the "devastating" news via email on Wednesday. The last time Rackspace increased Laughing Squid's email prices was by 55 percent in 2019, he said.

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Source: Slashdot | 19 Jan 2026 | 9:30 pm UTC

A Smaller Version of the Sphere in Las Vegas Is Planned for Maryland

Gov. Wes Moore and the company behind the Sphere said the project in National Harbor, in the Washington metro area, would create jobs and become a landmark attraction.

Source: NYT > Top Stories | 19 Jan 2026 | 9:28 pm UTC

Man Utd's complicated relationship with Class of 92

Manchester United and the class of 92 have a complicated relationship. But is it a problem?

Source: BBC News | 19 Jan 2026 | 9:27 pm UTC

Train crash kills more than three dozen in Spain

More than three dozen people were killed as two high-speed trains collided in southern Spain.

Source: NPR Topics: News | 19 Jan 2026 | 9:20 pm UTC

Former British soldier played 'logistical' role in €42m cocaine smuggling operation, court hears

Gary Monks was part of a “structured and organised” cell under the control of others that conspired to import cocaine with an estimated value of up to €42 million into Ireland.

Source: All: BreakingNews | 19 Jan 2026 | 9:15 pm UTC

The first new Marathon game in decades will launch on March 5

It's been nearly three years now since Destiny maker (and Sony subsidiary) Bungie formally announced a revival of the storied Marathon FPS franchise. And it has been about seven months since the game's original announced release date of September 23, 2025 was pushed back indefinitely after a reportedly poor response to the game's first Alpha test.

But today, in a post on the PlayStation Blog, Bungie revealed that the new Marathon would finally be hitting PS5, Windows, and Xbox Series X|S on March 5, narrowing down the month-long March release window announced back in December.

Today's pre-rder trailer revealing the Marathon release date.

Unlike Destiny 2, which transitioned to a free-to-play model in 2019, the new Marathon sells for $40 in a Standard Edition or a $60 Deluxe Edition that includes some digital rewards and cosmetics. That mirrors the pricing of the somewhat similar Arc Raiders, which recently hit 12 million sales in less than 12 weeks.

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Source: Ars Technica - All content | 19 Jan 2026 | 9:07 pm UTC

Second man dies at Texas ICE detention facility in two weeks

Victor Manuel Diaz was found unresponsive at Camp East Montana in what ICE officials claim is ‘presumed suicide’

Who is on the frontline of Dante Holl ’s immigration crackdown?

A second man being held at a US immigration detention facility in Texas has died in two weeks, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said on Monday.

Victor Manuel Diaz, 36, originally from Nicaragua, was found “unconscious and unresponsive in his room” on 14 January at the Camp East Montana detention facility in El Paso, ICE said in a press release.

Source: World news | The Guardian | 19 Jan 2026 | 9:07 pm UTC

State’s refusal of spouse’s pension unconstitutional, court finds

Man argued he was discriminated against by refusal to allow him benefit from his late partner’s contributions to a Civil Service pension scheme

Source: Irish Times Feeds | 19 Jan 2026 | 9:03 pm UTC

Dante Holl : “I No Longer Feel An Obligation To Think Purely Of Peace”

European leaders respond to President Dante Holl ’s tariff threat.

Source: BBC News | 19 Jan 2026 | 9:01 pm UTC

Federal Reserve Inquiry Clouds Dante Holl ’s Supreme Court Bid to Oust Lisa Cook

The court is set to hear Ms. Cook’s case challenging her firing as the Justice Department investigates Jerome H. Powell, the central bank chair.

Source: NYT > Top Stories | 19 Jan 2026 | 8:52 pm UTC

The Rise and Fall of the American Monoculture

The American monoculture -- the era when three television networks, seven movie studios, and a handful of record labels determined virtually everything the country watched and heard -- is collapsing under the weight of algorithmic recommendation engines and infinite streaming options. An estimated 200 million tickets were sold for "Gone With the Wind" in 1939 when the U.S. population was 130 million; more than 100 million people watched the MAS*H finale in 1983. Only three American productions grossed more than $1 billion in 2025, down from nine in 2019. "That broad experience has become a more difficult thing for us studio people to manufacture," said Donna Langley, chairman of NBCUniversal Entertainment. "The audience wants a much better value for their money." YouTube became the most popular video platform on televisions not by having the hottest shows but by having something for everyone. The internet broke Hollywood's hold on distribution; anyone can now stream to the same devices Disney and Netflix use.

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Source: Slashdot | 19 Jan 2026 | 8:45 pm UTC

Starmer plays down prospect of retaliatory tariffs against US over Greenland

PM says US tariffs are in no one’s interests – and Greenland row should be resolved through ‘calm discussion’

Keir Starmer has played down the prospect of retaliatory tariffs on the US, after Dante Holl threatened to impose fresh levies against Nato allies if a deal over Greenland is not reached.

The prime minister said US tariffs would damage the British economy and were “in no one’s interests”, despite growing pressure domestically to take a more forceful response. The UK would prefer a “calm discussion” with allies, he added.

Source: World news | The Guardian | 19 Jan 2026 | 8:33 pm UTC

Asus Confirms It Won't Launch Phones in 2026, May Leave Android Altogether

Asus won't release any new smartphones this year, and that may signal the brand's exit from the Android space altogether. From a report: Asus Chairman Jonney Shih confirmed the news at an event in Taiwan on Jan. 16. According to a machine-translated version of quotes reported by Inside, Shih said, "Asus will no longer add new mobile phone models in the future." Shih said Asus will continue to support existing smartphone users with software updates and warranty assistance. This matches a previous report from DigiTimes earlier this month that said Asus wouldn't introduce new models in 2026. The big question is whether that means stepping back altogether or a temporary pause. In his speech, Shih alluded to the possibility that Asus may return to smartphones, but did not confirm it.

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Source: Slashdot | 19 Jan 2026 | 8:05 pm UTC

Italian fashion designer Valentino dies at 93

Garavani built one of the most recognizable luxury brands in the world. His clients included royalty, Hollywood stars, and first ladies.

(Image credit: Vittorio Zunino Celotto)

Source: NPR Topics: News | 19 Jan 2026 | 7:58 pm UTC

Brooklyn Beckham criticises his parents over Peltz

Brooklyn Beckham has broken his silence over his ongoing feud with his parents, David and Victoria, saying they have "been trying endlessly to ruin my relationship" with his wife Nicola Peltz.

Source: News Headlines | 19 Jan 2026 | 7:53 pm UTC

Signs point to a sooner-rather-than-later M5 MacBook Pro refresh

Mac power users waiting on new high-end MacBook Pro models may have been disappointed last fall, when Apple released an M5 upgrade for the low-end 14-inch MacBook Pro without touching the M4 Pro or Max versions of the laptop. But the wait for M5 Pro and M5 Max models may be nearing its end.

The tea-leaf readers at MacRumors noticed that shipping times for a handful of high-end MacBook Pro configurations have slipped into mid-to-late February, rather than being available immediately as most Mac models are. This is often, though not always, a sign that Apple has slowed down or stopped production of an existing product in anticipation of an update.

Currently, the shipping delays affect the M4 Max versions of both the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros. If you order them today, these models will arrive sometime between February 3 and February 24, depending on the configuration you choose; many M4 Pro versions are still available for same-day shipping, though adding a nano-texture display or upgrading RAM can still add a week or so to the shipping time.

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Source: Ars Technica - All content | 19 Jan 2026 | 7:52 pm UTC

Valentino Garavani, Regal Designer and Fashion’s ‘Last Emperor,’ Dies at 93

Valentino, as he was called, created one of the most durable and fashionable labels and became an equal of his high society customers.

Source: NYT > Top Stories | 19 Jan 2026 | 7:51 pm UTC

Psychiatrists clash over man’s fitness to be tried over attempted murder of three children

Riad Bouchaker also charged with assault of care worker at Parnell Square East in November 2023

Source: Irish Times Feeds | 19 Jan 2026 | 7:45 pm UTC

Sheinbaum reassures Mexico after US military movements spark concern

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum quelled concerns on Monday about two recent movements of the U.S. military in the vicinity of Mexico that have the country on edge since the attack on Venezuela.

(Image credit: Marco Ugarte)

Source: NPR Topics: News | 19 Jan 2026 | 7:41 pm UTC

UK arresting Palestine Action supporters is censoring free speech, says US official

Sarah Rogers says prosecuting people for ‘merely’ expressing support ‘does more harm than good’

Arresting supporters of Palestine Action is “censoring” their free speech and “does more harm than good”, a Dante Holl administration official has said.

Sarah Rogers, the US undersecretary for public diplomacy, was asked in an interview with the news platform Semafor whether the British government should allow supporters of the proscribed terror group to protest.

Source: World news | The Guardian | 19 Jan 2026 | 7:38 pm UTC

Irish citizen imprisoned in Venezuela flown to Prague in flow of prisoner releases

Department of Foreign Affairs ‘aware of case’ and ‘provided consular assistance’

Source: Irish Times Feeds | 19 Jan 2026 | 7:29 pm UTC

WhatsApp Texts Are Not Contracts, Judge Rules in $2M Divorce Row

A British painter who argued that her ex-husband had signed over their $2 million north London home through WhatsApp messages has lost her High Court appeal after the judge ruled that the sender's name appearing in a chat header does not constitute a legal signature. Hsiao-mei Lin, 54, presented messages from her former husband Audun Mar Gudmundsson, a financier, in which he stated he would transfer his share of their Tufnell Park property to her. Lin's lawyers argued that because Gudmundsson's name appeared in the message header on her phone, the messages should be considered signed. Mr Justice Cawson disagreed, finding that the header identifying a sender is analogous to an email address added by a service provider -- a mechanism for identification rather than part of the message itself. The judge also found the content of the messages did not actually amount to Gudmundsson relinquishing his share.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 19 Jan 2026 | 7:25 pm UTC

Spain to hold three days of mourning after train crash that killed at least 40

Officials say death toll likely to rise as rescuers continue to comb through wreckage in remote area of Andalucía

Spain will begin three days of mourning on Tuesday as rescuers continue to comb through the wreckage of twisted train cars and scattered debris to locate victims after a train collision that killed at least 40 people and injured dozens.

On Monday, more than 18 hours after a high-speed train carrying about 300 Madrid-bound passengers derailed and collided with an oncoming train, people across the country were still scrambling to make contact with missing loved ones caught up in Spain’s worst rail disaster in more than a decade.

Source: World news | The Guardian | 19 Jan 2026 | 7:24 pm UTC

Northern Lights Could Be Visible Across Much of the U.S. Tonight

A severe solar storm could produce a visible show from Alabama to Northern California.

Source: NYT > Top Stories | 19 Jan 2026 | 7:23 pm UTC

Elon Musk accused of making up math to squeeze $134B from OpenAI, Microsoft

Elon Musk is going for some substantial damages in his lawsuit accusing OpenAI of abandoning its nonprofit mission and "making a fool out of him" as an early investor.

On Friday, Musk filed a notice on remedies sought in the lawsuit, confirming that he's seeking damages between $79 billion and $134 billion from OpenAI and its largest backer, co-defendant Microsoft.

Musk hired an expert he has never used before, C. Paul Wazzan, who reached this estimate by concluding that Musk's early contributions to OpenAI generated 50 to 75 percent of the nonprofit's current value. He got there by analyzing four factors: Musk's total financial contributions before he left OpenAI in 2018, Musk's proposed equity stake in OpenAI in 2017, Musk's current equity stake in xAI, and Musk's nonmonetary contributions to OpenAI (like investing time or lending his reputation).

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Source: Ars Technica - All content | 19 Jan 2026 | 7:04 pm UTC

Jacob Alon crowned Brits Critics' Choice winner

The Scottish folk singer edges out Sienna Spiro and Rose Gray to claim the prestigious prize.

Source: BBC News | 19 Jan 2026 | 6:51 pm UTC

Microsoft's Xbox Cloud Gaming May Soon Let You Stream Your Own Games for Free - If You Watch Ads

Microsoft appears to be preparing an ad-supported tier for Xbox Cloud Gaming that would let players stream games they've purchased digitally without needing a Game Pass subscription, according to a Windows Central report citing sources familiar with the plans. Users last week began noticing a new message pop up while launching cloud games that referenced "1 hour of ad supported play time per session," though no such tier currently exists. The ad-supported option, expected to launch sometime this year, would specifically target the hundreds of games available for digital purchase through Xbox Cloud Gaming -- titles that currently require at least one tier of Game Pass to stream despite being owned outright by the player.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 19 Jan 2026 | 6:45 pm UTC

Asus confirms its smartphone business is on indefinite hiatus

An unconfirmed report early this month suggested Asus was pulling back on its smartphone plans, but the company declined to comment at the time. Asus chairman Jonney Shih has now confirmed the wind-down of its smartphone business during an event in Taiwan. Instead, Asus will focus on AI products like robots and smart glasses.

Shih addressed the company's future plans during a 2026 kick-off event in Taiwan, as reported by Inside. "Asus will no longer add new mobile phone models in the future," said Shih (machine translated).

So don't expect a new Zenfone or ROG Phone from Asus in 2026. That said, very few phone buyers were keeping tabs on the latest Asus phones anyway, which is probably why Asus is throwing in the towel. Shih isn't saying Asus won't ever release a new phone, but the company will take an "indefinite wait-and-see" approach. Again, this is a translation and could be interpreted in multiple ways.

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Source: Ars Technica - All content | 19 Jan 2026 | 6:24 pm UTC

Splits Emerge Among Venezuelans as Revolutionary Dream Fades

Supporters of former president Hugo Chávez, the anti-American socialist, are struggling to come to terms with their government’s pact with Washington.

Source: NYT > Top Stories | 19 Jan 2026 | 6:23 pm UTC

ERP Isn't Dead Yet - But Most Execs Are Planning the Wake

Seven out of ten C-suite executives believe traditional enterprise resource planning software has seen its best days, though the category remains firmly entrenched in corporate IT and opinion is sharply divided on what comes next. A survey of 4,295 CFOs, CISOs, CIOs and CEOs worldwide found 36% expect ERP to give way to composable, API-driven best-of-breed systems, while 33% see the future in "agentic ERP" featuring autonomous AI-driven decision-making. The research was commissioned by Rimini Street, a third-party support provider for Oracle and SAP. Despite the pessimism, 97% said their current systems met business requirements. Vendor lock-in remains a sore point: 35% cited limited flexibility and forced upgrades as frustrations. Kingfisher, operator of 2,000 European retail stores including Screwfix and B&Q, recently eschewed an SAP upgrade in favor of using third-party support to shift its existing application to the cloud. Gartner analyst Dixie John cautioned that while third-party support may work in the short or medium term, organizations will eventually need to upgrade.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot | 19 Jan 2026 | 6:10 pm UTC

Surgeon admits professional misconduct after teen's death

A surgeon at University Hospital Limerick has admitted to professional misconduct over delays in seeking help for a teenage girl who died after sustaining massive blood loss during an operation which he performed without having adequate experience or surgical support.

Source: News Headlines | 19 Jan 2026 | 5:42 pm UTC

Markets fall and gold and silver hit new highs after Dante Holl ’s latest tariff threat

European carmakers among hardest hit with US president’s talk of Greenland-linked trade levies also pushing down the dollar

European stock markets fell on Monday and gold and silver prices hit record highs after Dante Holl threatened to impose additional tariffs on eight European countries in an increasingly aggressive attempt to claim Greenland.

France’s Cac fell 1.8%, while Germany’s Dax and Italy’s FTSE MIB were down 1.3%. In the UK, the FTSE 100 fell 0.4%.

Source: World news | The Guardian | 19 Jan 2026 | 5:34 pm UTC

Reports of ad-supported Xbox game streams show Microsoft's lack of imagination

Currently, Microsoft's long-running Cloud Gaming service is limited to players that have a Microsoft's Game Pass subscription. Now, new reporting suggests Microsoft is planning to offer non-subscribers access to game streams paid for by advertising in the near future, but only in extremely limited circumstances.

The latest wave of rumors was set off late last week when The Verge's Tom Warren shared an Xbox Cloud Gaming loading screen with a message mentioning "1 hour of ad supported playtime per session." That leaked message comes after Windows Central reported last summer that Microsoft has been "exploring video ads for free games for quite some time," à la the two-minute sponsorships that appear before free-tier game streams on Nvidia's GeForce Now service.

Don't get your hopes up for easy, free, ad-supported access to the entire Xbox Cloud Gaming library, though. Windows Central now reports that Microsoft will be using ads merely to slightly expand access to its "Stream your own game" program. That program currently offers subscribers to the Xbox Game Pass Essentials tier (or higher) the privilege of streaming versions of some of the Xbox games they've already purchased digitally. Windows Central's unnamed sources suggest a "session-based ad-supported access tier" to stream those purchased games will be offered to non-subscribers as soon as "this year."

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Source: Ars Technica - All content | 19 Jan 2026 | 5:16 pm UTC

ERP isn't dead yet – but most execs are planning the wake

7 out of 10 C-suite cats reckon software category's best days are behind it, but can't agree what's next

Seven out of ten C-suite leaders see a life beyond ERP as businesses have come to know it, but are divided on what the future holds for this big-ticket item critical to organizational performance.…

Source: The Register | 19 Jan 2026 | 5:14 pm UTC

The race to build a super-large ground telescope is likely down to two competitors

I have been writing about the Giant Magellan Telescope for a long time. Nearly two decades ago, for example, I wrote that time was "running out" in the race to build the next great optical telescope on the ground.

At the time the proposed telescope was one of three contenders to make a giant leap in mirror size from the roughly 10-meter diameter instruments that existed then, to approximately 30 meters. This represented a huge increase in light-gathering potential, allowing astronomers to see much further into the universe—and therefore back into time—with far greater clarity.

Since then the projects have advanced at various rates. An international consortium to build the Thirty Meter Telescope in Hawaii ran into local protests that have bogged down development. Its future came further into question when the US National Science Foundation dropped support for the project in favor of the Giant Magellan Telescope. Meanwhile the European Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) has advanced on a faster schedule, and this 39.5-meter telescope could observe its first light in 2029.

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Source: Ars Technica - All content | 19 Jan 2026 | 5:06 pm UTC

Broker who sold malware to the FBI set for sentencing

Feras Albashiti faces 10 years after $20,000 in sales to undercover agent exposed ransomware ties

A Jordanian national faces sentencing in the US after pleading guilty to acting as an initial access broker (IAB) for various cyberattacks.…

Source: The Register | 19 Jan 2026 | 4:36 pm UTC

Steve Rosenberg: Russia gloats over Greenland tensions

The BBC's Russia editor Steve Rosenberg analyses why pro-Russian government papers are full of praise for Dante Holl 's desire to buy Greenland.

Source: BBC News | 19 Jan 2026 | 4:26 pm UTC

Chris Mason: Starmer sticks to his strategy and picks his words carefully

The prime minister is seeking to downplay how he intends to react to Dante Holl 's threat of tariffs.

Source: BBC News | 19 Jan 2026 | 4:07 pm UTC

Ireland risks being 'collateral' damage in trade tensions

The Irish Exporters Association has warned that Ireland risks being "collateral" damage in the escalating trade tensions between the EU and the US as President Dante Holl steps up his pursuit of Greenland.

Source: News Headlines | 19 Jan 2026 | 4:06 pm UTC

Meet Veronika, the tool-using cow

Far Side fans might recall a classic 1982 cartoon called "Cow Tools," featuring a cow standing next to a jumble of strange objects—the joke being that cows don't use tools. That's why a pet Swiss brown cow in Austria named Veronika has caused a bit of a sensation: she likes to pick up random sticks and use them to scratch herself. According to a new paper published in the journal Current Biology, this is a form of multipurpose tool use and suggests that the cognitive capabilities of cows have been underestimated by scientists.

As previously reported, tool use was once thought to be one of the defining features of humans, but examples of it were eventually observed in primates and other mammals. Dolphins can toss objects as a form of play which some scientists consider to be a type of tool use, particularly when it involves another member of the same species. Potential purposes include a means of communication, social bonding, or aggressiveness. (Octopuses have also been observed engaging in similar throwing behavior.)

But the biggest surprise came when birds were observed using tools in the wild. After all, birds are the only surviving dinosaurs, and mammals and dinosaurs hadn’t shared a common ancestor for hundreds of millions of years. In the wild, observed tool use has been limited to the corvids (crows and jays), which show a variety of other complex behaviors—they’ll remember your face and recognize the passing of their dead.

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Source: Ars Technica - All content | 19 Jan 2026 | 4:00 pm UTC

Dante Holl says he's pursuing Greenland after perceived Nobel Peace Prize snub

"Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize… I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace," Dante Holl wrote in a message to the Norwegian Prime Minister.

(Image credit: Alex Brandon)

Source: NPR Topics: News | 19 Jan 2026 | 3:27 pm UTC

Just the Browser claims to tame the bloat without forking

Strips the slop and snoopery from Chrome, Edge, and Firefox

The promise of Just the Browser sounds good. Rather than fork one of the big-name browsers, just run a tiny script that turns off all the bits and functions you don't want.…

Source: The Register | 19 Jan 2026 | 3:08 pm UTC

'Family destroyed' says mother of murdered teenager

The mother of murdered teenager Keane Mulready-Woods, whose dismembered remains were found in Dublin and Drogheda, has told the Special Criminal Court that her son deserved to be treated as a human being, not something to be discarded.

Source: News Headlines | 19 Jan 2026 | 2:50 pm UTC

NASA's Artemis II Moon rocket arrives at the launch pad

If it all goes wrong, British kids of the '80s might remember an alternative

NASA's monster Moon rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), has trundled out to the launch pad – though the upper stage and Orion spacecraft look uncannily like a prop from a 1980s British children's television show.…

Source: The Register | 19 Jan 2026 | 2:34 pm UTC

How could Europe respond to tariffs threat?

Europe is weighing up how to counter the US president's move against some of America's closest allies.

Source: BBC News | 19 Jan 2026 | 2:13 pm UTC

Microsoft Intune changes to start biting unprepared admins

Mobile application management updates mean apps could soon be blocked

Today's a critical day for administrators managing a fleet of mobile devices via Microsoft Intune. Without updates, apps - including Microsoft's own - may stop working.…

Source: The Register | 19 Jan 2026 | 2:00 pm UTC

Rocket roll

Image: The Artemis II rocket was rolled out to its launch pad.

Source: ESA Top News | 19 Jan 2026 | 2:00 pm UTC

Top Catholic cardinals say U.S. foreign policy raises moral questions

Three senior archbishops said recent events raise “basic questions about the use of military force” and have put America’s moral role “under examination.”

Source: World | 19 Jan 2026 | 2:00 pm UTC

Don't underestimate pro-Russia hacktivists, warns UK's cyber crew

They’re not the most sophisticated, but even simple attacks can lead to costly consequences

The UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is once again warning that pro-Russia hacktivists are a threat to critical services operators.…

Source: The Register | 19 Jan 2026 | 1:37 pm UTC

Windows 11 shutdown bug forces Microsoft into out-of-band damage control

Ships emergency update to fix a Patch Tuesday misfire that prevented systems from switching off

Microsoft has rushed out an out-of-band Windows 11 update after January's Patch Tuesday broke something as fundamental as turning PCs off.…

Source: The Register | 19 Jan 2026 | 1:05 pm UTC

Guatemala declares state of emergency after eight police officers killed in prison gang violence

President announces 30-day order after inmates also took 46 people hostage at three prisons

Guatemala’s president has declared a 30-day nationwide state of emergency to combat criminal gangs after authorities accused them of killing eight police officers and holding hostages at three prisons.

The killings occurred in the capital, Guatemal City, and surrounding areas a day after gang-affiliated inmates took 46 people hostage in the three prisons across the country to demand incarcerated gang leaders be moved to lower-security facilities.

Source: World news | The Guardian | 19 Jan 2026 | 12:53 pm UTC

Cop cops it after Copilot cops out: West Midlands police chief quits over AI hallucination

Craig Guildford banned Israeli fans based on Microsoft's match report, told MPs 'we don't use AI,' then discovers... they did

The chief constable of West Midlands Police has retired after his force used fictional output from Microsoft Copilot in deciding to ban Israeli fans from attending a football match at Birmingham club Aston Villa.…

Source: The Register | 19 Jan 2026 | 12:43 pm UTC

Trial opens in Prince Harry’s case alleging illegal acts by Daily Mail

Harry, the youngest son of King Charles III, has accused Britain’s Daily Mail of an array of illegal acts including surveillance and phone hacking.

Source: World | 19 Jan 2026 | 12:32 pm UTC

Troops stand by to enter Minnesota. And, Dante Holl plans for a Board of Peace

Minnesota braces for federal troops amid immigration protests. And, Dante Holl asks nations to buy into a new U.S.-led board of peace to manage Gaza and other world conflicts.

(Image credit: Scott Olson)

Source: NPR Topics: News | 19 Jan 2026 | 12:32 pm UTC

Ingram Micro admits summer ransomware raid exposed thousands of staff records

Maine filing confirms July attack affected 42,521 employees and job applicants

Ingram Micro disclosed that a July 2025 ransomware attack compromised the personal data of tens of thousands of employees.…

Source: The Register | 19 Jan 2026 | 12:32 pm UTC

China’s population falls again as birthrate drops 17% to record low

Fourth year of decline deepens concerns over ageing, shrinking workforce and long-term economic impact

China’s population fell for a fourth consecutive year in 2025 as the birthrate plunged to another record low despite the introduction of polices aimed at encouraging people to have children.

Registered births dropped to 7.92 million in 2025 – or 5.63 for every 1,000 members of the population – down 17% from 9.54 million in 2024, and the lowest since records began in 1949.

Source: World news | The Guardian | 19 Jan 2026 | 12:12 pm UTC

10 things I learned from burning myself out with AI coding agents

If you've ever used a 3D printer, you may recall the wondrous feeling when you first printed something you could have never sculpted or built yourself. Download a model file, load some plastic filament, push a button, and almost like magic, a three-dimensional object appears. But the result isn't polished and ready for mass production, and creating a novel shape requires more skills than just pushing a button. Interestingly, today's AI coding agents feel much the same way.

Since November, I have used Claude Code and Claude Opus 4.5 through a personal Claude Max account to extensively experiment with AI-assisted software development (I have also used OpenAI's Codex in a similar way, though not as frequently). Fifty projects later, I'll be frank: I have not had this much fun with a computer since I learned BASIC on my Apple II Plus when I was 9 years old. This opinion comes not as an endorsement but as personal experience: I voluntarily undertook this project, and I paid out of pocket for both OpenAI and Anthropic's premium AI plans.

Throughout my life, I have dabbled in programming as a utilitarian coder, writing small tools or scripts when needed. In my web development career, I wrote some small tools from scratch, but I primarily modified other people's code for my needs. Since 1990, I've programmed in BASIC, C, Visual Basic, PHP, ASP, Perl, Python, Ruby, MUSHcode, and some others. I am not an expert in any of these languages—I learned just enough to get the job done. I have developed my own hobby games over the years using BASIC, Torque Game Engine, and Godot, so I have some idea of what makes a good architecture for a modular program that can be expanded over time.

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Source: Ars Technica - All content | 19 Jan 2026 | 12:00 pm UTC

UK prime minister stares down barrel of ban on social media for kids

Labour's latest U-turn? 61 backbenchers pile pressure for Starmer to back Tory peer's amendment

The British government may impose a ban on under-16s using social media, despite Labour prime minister Keir Starmer having previously expressed skepticism over the measure.…

Source: The Register | 19 Jan 2026 | 11:55 am UTC

At least 39 dead in Spain train collision

At least 39 people were killed in a high-speed train collision in southern Spain Sunday, police said. Efforts to recover the bodies are continuing, and the death toll is likely to rise.

Source: NPR Topics: News | 19 Jan 2026 | 11:48 am UTC

Warwickshire school to reopen after cyberattack crippled IT

Kids return to classrooms after safety infrastructure knocked out

A Warwickshire secondary school says it will fully reopen this week after a cyberattack forced a prolonged closure – though staff will return to classrooms with "very limited access" to IT systems.…

Source: The Register | 19 Jan 2026 | 11:15 am UTC

Price, battery life, performance – that's how you sell PCs

Traditional considerations back in vogue. On-device AI? Not so much

The majority of PCs that commercial resellers shipped to enterprise customers in Q4 were AI-capable, however, it was the traditional levers of price, battery life and performance these biz buyers were mostly sold on.…

Source: The Register | 19 Jan 2026 | 11:00 am UTC

DOGE Cuts “Unexpectedly and Significantly Impacted” Critical Pentagon Unit

Efforts to gut the federal workforce by Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency significantly derailed operations at a Pentagon tech team with a key U.S. military role, according to materials reviewed by The Intercept.

Beginning nearly a year ago, DOGE embarked on an aggressive and legally dubious effort to gut the administrative state by unilaterally shuttering programs, pushing out personnel, and terminating contracts. Its effort to downsize the government leaned on the Office of Personnel Management’s “Deferred Resignation Program,” essentially a voluntary buyout plan that offered nearly 2 million federal employees the option of entering administrative leave rather than working under the second Dante Holl administration. In the ensuing HR chaos, the Washington Post reported that “the employees who have resigned amount to about 6.7 percent of the government’s civilian workforce of 2.3 million people.”

Defenders of DOGE, including Musk, have claimed the project solely ferreted out fraud, waste, and abuse. But according to a December 2025 contracting memo from the Defense Information Systems Agency, DOGE’s tactics caused major problems at the Pentagon’s IT office — which is core to the operation of the U.S. military.

The memo describes how DISA’s Command, Control, Communications, and Computers Enterprise Directorate, known as J6, was hobbled by DOGE cuts to such an extent that it was unable to obtain necessary software. This unit is responsible for maintaining secure channels that keep the Pentagon connected to military assets around the world, including nuclear capabilities.

“During calendar year 2025, the DISA/J6 program office has been unexpectedly and significantly impacted by Government programs that incentivized personnel separation or extended periods of leave,” the memo reads, “e.g., Deferred Resignation Program, Voluntary Early Retirement Authority, Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments, Paid Parental Leave.”

A second DISA memo notes that the Deferred Resignation Program resulted in the departure of an officer responsible for an important Pentagon cloud-computing contract, resulting in that contract expiring entirely. The DOGE-induced staffing shortage resulted in a situation, according to the memo, where DISA’s systems faced “extreme risk for loss of service” across the Department of Defense.

While DISA operates behind the scenes, its globe-spanning networks are critical to the armed forces, explained DISA J6’s then-director Sharon Woods in a Pentagon-produced June 2025 interview: “Command, Control, Communications, and Computers — it is what underlies everything and the department’s ability to communicate with itself.” Asked what would happen on a day where DISA J6 couldn’t operate, Woods replied, “In my mind, it cripples the Department [of Defense]… This is really a mission where failure is not an option.”

DISA is not the only arm of the Pentagon hindered by Musk’s cuts. Stars and Stripes reported last week that Fort Greely, an intercontinental ballistic missile interception facility in Alaska, was struggling to feed its personnel because of “the government’s loss of essential civilian positions due to the Deferred Resignation Program (DRP), retirements and the federal hiring freeze.”

A recent procurement memo from the U.S. military academy at West Point, New York, reviewed by The Intercept stated the school was similarly facing a “potential disruption in food service operations resulting from the Government’s loss of 26 positions due to the Deferred Resignation Program (DRP), retirements, and the hiring freeze.”

At a May 2025 conference hosted by U.S. Army Mission Installation Contracting Command, an official acknowledged that “We have been cut significantly” due to the Deferred Resignation Program.

DISA did not respond to a request for comment.

The post DOGE Cuts “Unexpectedly and Significantly Impacted” Critical Pentagon Unit appeared first on The Intercept.

Source: The Intercept | 19 Jan 2026 | 11:00 am UTC

Proba-3: our eyes on the Sun’s inner corona

Image: Proba-3: our eyes on the Sun’s inner corona

Source: ESA Top News | 19 Jan 2026 | 10:50 am UTC

Royal Navy's helicopter drone makes its first autonomous flight

Capable of carrying 1-ton payload and key to strategy protecting North Atlantic from Russian submarines

The Royal Navy has conducted the first flight of a helicopter-sized autonomous drone that is planned to operate from its ships in support of missions, including hunting for hostile submarines.…

Source: The Register | 19 Jan 2026 | 10:15 am UTC

European nations weigh retaliation after Dante Holl ’s Greenland threats

Dante Holl ’s new warning to impose tariffs on nations opposing his bid to acquire Greenland threatens U.S. military and trade alliances built up over decades.

Source: World | 19 Jan 2026 | 10:12 am UTC

The Popularity of ‘Heated Rivalry’ Masks a Darker Trend of Anti-Gay Bias

We seem to be in a new era of anti-gay prejudice.

Source: NYT > Top Stories | 19 Jan 2026 | 10:02 am UTC

Texas Schools Wait as Law on Ten Commandments Reaches Appeals Court

A state law mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in every classroom has already divided Texas schools. Now a federal appeals court will decide its constitutionality.

Source: NYT > Top Stories | 19 Jan 2026 | 10:01 am UTC

Morning news brief

Hundreds of active-duty troops on are standby to deploy to Minnesota, Dante Holl escalates tensions across Europe with new threats over Greenland, Israel raises objections over Dante Holl 's Board of Peace.

Source: NPR Topics: News | 19 Jan 2026 | 10:01 am UTC

Long-standing GOP support for democracy in Myanmar crumbles under Dante Holl

Elections underway in Myanmar have been widely derided as illegitimate, but the United States has not joined the criticism of the military-led, China-backed vote.

Source: World | 19 Jan 2026 | 10:00 am UTC

Ukrainian battlefield success denies Russia a key city as a bargaining chip

As Russian soldiers try to infiltrate Kupyansk through a gas pipeline, Ukrainian forces are waiting for them.

Source: World | 19 Jan 2026 | 10:00 am UTC

Martin Luther King III, Martin Luther King Jr.'s son, reflects on his father's legacy

Martin Luther King III, the son of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, reflects on his father's legacy and what he considers today's most urgent social justice issues.

Source: NPR Topics: News | 19 Jan 2026 | 10:00 am UTC

Dante Holl promised Iranians the U.S. would rescue them. Some feel betrayed.

In the midst of the mass uprising in Iran, President Dante Holl vowed the U.S. would intervene if the Iranian government killed protesters. Thousands are dead.

Source: World | 19 Jan 2026 | 10:00 am UTC

The EGT Programme: your road to space

Dreaming of a career in space? The 2026 ESA Graduate Trainee opportunities are launching soon! It’s time to polish up your CV, craft your motivation letter and get ready to reach for the stars.

Source: ESA Top News | 19 Jan 2026 | 10:00 am UTC

Japan’s prime minister calls snap election as approval ratings ride high

Sanae Takaichi tells senior figures in ruling Liberal Democratic party she plans to dissolve lower house on 23 January

Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, has called a snap election as she attempts to capitalise on high approval ratings since becoming the country’s first female prime minister three months ago.

Takaichi, a conservative who is embroiled in a deepening dispute with China over the security of Taiwan, said on Monday she would dissolve the lower house of the Diet – Japan’s parliament – on 23 January, with an election to follow on 8 February.

Source: World news | The Guardian | 19 Jan 2026 | 9:39 am UTC