Top World News

Jan 14, 2026 - World

Prominent Palestinian author’s removal from Adelaide writers’ week lineup led to unprecedented turmoil culminating in cancellation of festivalFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe South Australian premier, Peter Malinauskas, has received a legal notice from the Palestinian writer and academic at the heart of the Adelaide writers’ week maelstrom.On Wednesday, lawyers acting for Randa Abdel-Fattah served a formal concerns notice for defamation on the premier, suggesting the fallout from her cancellation from the 2026 event – which is itself is now cancelled – is far from over. Continue reading...

Jan 14, 2026 - World

How upgrades will be funded and when they might be completed is still far from clear Like a long-promised train that finally trundles into view, the green light for Northern Powerhouse Rail was better late than never. It arrived to relief rather than rejoicing from Labour mayors. They were happy, at last, to get moving.A brief recap: the world’s most expensive and long-delayed rail line, HS2, was originally due to speed passengers from London to Birmingham and north on two separate legs to Manchester and Leeds. Continue reading...

Jan 14, 2026 - World

Donald Trump may be convinced to leave Greenland alone should Europe "repackage" security measures and "put a big bow on top" of a potential deal. The president made it clear he wanted the Kingdom of Denmark's territory for security reasons but has faced resistance from NATO nations. A European Union diplomat familiar with the details of one proposed plan has suggested it could be enough to convince Trump to leave Greenland alone if other nations can make security assurances. Speaking to Politico, the unnamed insider said, "If you can smartly repackage Arctic security, blend in critical minerals, put a big bow on top, there’s a chance." They added that "this is always how things have gone" when negotiating on defense. But another diplomat says Trump will not be as easily swayed as some are hoping. The insider suggested the Make America Great Again slogan had become "a geographical concept; he wants to go down in history as the man who has made America ‘greater’ — in geographical terms".German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has since warned that, should Trump approve military action in Greenland, it would be unlike anything the organization had dealt with since its founding in 1947. Minister Pistorius said, "It would be an unprecedented situation in the history of NATO and any defense alliance. EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius and Danish Prime Minister Mette Fredriksen have both said NATO "would stop" should Trump breach its rules. A third unnamed diplomat added, "This is serious - and Europe is scared." EU countries have already been urged to "cut the cord" with Trump's administration should he pursue an invasion of Greenland. Alexander Hurst, writing in The Guardian, suggested EU leaders must stand against the new image of the US as an "active and hostile" threat to friendly nations. He wrote, "Will its leaders have the courage to tell the full truth – that the US isn’t simply abandoning its allies and destroying the international order but is now in the position of active and hostile predation by force – and more importantly, to act on it?""Donald Trump has already set the tone by saying the US will seize Greenland 'one way or the other', and no part of the triumvirate around him is trying to hide their imperial intentions any more."

Jan 14, 2026 - World

It comes after opposition leader Sussan Ley has spent weeks calling for better legislative protections to tackle antisemitism Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Coalition is set to vote against Labor’s fast-tracked legislation introduced in the wake of the Bondi terror attack, despite the opposition leader, Sussan Ley, calling for urgent legislative action for weeks.Labor would be forced to rely on support from the Greens if the opposition does not support the bill next Tuesday, as Ley flagged reservations about the bill’s drafting and the inability of public servants to explain key provisions on hate speech and religious protection. Continue reading...

Jan 14, 2026 - World

Aim is to speed up acquisition of WBD studio and streaming businesses and hold off rival Paramount bidNetflix is reportedly preparing to switch to an all-cash offer to seal its takeover of the studios and streaming businesses of Warner Bros Discovery (WBD), as it tries to speed up the deal and fend off a rival hostile bid from Paramount Skydance.The changes to Netflix’s $83bn (£62bn) offer, first reported by Bloomberg, are designed to accelerate the acquisition, which is expected to take months to conclude, and make it more palatable for WBD shareholders. Continue reading...