World

Survey finds nine in 10 lower-income Australian families worry about affording school essentials

Research from The Smith Family has found nine in 10 lower-income Australian families are worried about affording back-to-school essentials as inflation continues to bite. The annual survey interviewed more than 1,100 lower-income parents and carers whose children are supported by The Smith Family and found it was the third

World

Cold War pact gives U.S. broad military access to Greenland, analysts say

President Trump has again floated buying Greenland and at times suggested the United States could take the island, saying, "We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security." Analysts and officials note, however, that a little-known Cold War agreement already grants the United States sweeping military access in

Culture

Dan Berk and Robert Olsen to Helm Action Film 'Limited Edition' With Ludacris

Movieweb reports that Novocaine directing duo Dan Berk and Robert Olsen will write and direct an action feature titled Limited Edition, with Fast & Furious star Ludacris attached. The project is in development at Universal Pictures and 87North as part of the pair's long-standing first-look deal with the

Politics

Ronny Chieng Jokes About Trump ‘DoorDash-ing’ Maduro After New York Arraignment

Ronny Chieng, host of The Daily Show, quipped on Tuesday about Donald Trump ‘‘DoorDash-ing’ Nicolás Maduro to Brooklyn after the Venezuelan president and his wife appeared in a New York court. Maduro and his wife, Cilia, pleaded not guilty to federal charges of narco-terrorism and conspiring to import cocaine, the

World

Prince Harry unlikely to see King Charles during U.K. court visit

People reports that Prince Harry is unlikely to see his father, King Charles, when he returns to the U.K. later this month for the opening of his High Court trial in his legal claim against Associated Newspapers over alleged illegal information gathering. Harry, 41, is expected to return to

Politics

Starmer says MPs will get Commons vote before UK peacekeepers go to Ukraine

Independent.co reports that Sir Keir Starmer said MPs will get a vote in the House of Commons before the UK deploys peacekeeping troops on the ground in Ukraine. He would not be drawn on the number the UK could send. Britain and France signed an agreement committing to boots

Tech

Nine essential tasks to run after setting up a Windows 11 PC

ZDNET's Kyle Kucharski provides a nine‑point checklist of actions to take after setting up a new or reset Windows 11 PC to secure, update and tidy the system. He recommends signing in with a Microsoft account rather than a local account for security benefits: you can enable

Politics

Trump calls Venezuela operation the 'Donroe Doctrine' and invokes Monroe doctrine

Time reports that after a U.S. operation that seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, President Donald Trump announced a new label for his foreign policy approach, calling it the "Donroe Doctrine" and casting the action as a revival of the Monroe Doctrine while speaking to reporters at Mar-a-Lago.

Culture

Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box $88.30 at Amazon

The Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box is on sale for $88.30 at Amazon, a reduction from a listed $106.89 that the product page shows as a $18.59 saving. Mashable notes the price is close to current market value compared with listings on TCGplayer,

Culture

Artists protest Flanders plan to dismantle Antwerp’s M HKA and move collection

Prominent artists and the directors of Antwerp’s Museum of Contemporary Art (M HKA) have criticised a Flanders regional plan to dismantle the country’s oldest contemporary art museum and transfer its collection to Ghent’s Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art (Smak). At a press conference in Antwerp the M

Crypto

Shiba Inu’s 30% New‑Year Rally Tied to Meme‑Sector Beta; Q1 Breakout Conditional

Beincrypto reports Shiba Inu opened 2026 with a near-30% rally in the first week of the year and was almost 48% higher from December 31 lows. On-chain data in the report shows the move tracked a broader meme-coin surge rather than targeted accumulation: the meme coin sector rose about 23%

World

France says it is co-ordinating with European partners over possible US move on Greenland

France has said it is working with allies on how to react if the US were to invade Greenland, amid mounting tension over Donald Trump’s escalating threats to take over the Arctic territory. The French foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, said the subject would be discussed at a meeting with

World

Europe Cautious as U.S. Intervention in Venezuela and Greenland Threats Loom

European leaders met in Paris with senior American negotiators to discuss how to secure a peace settlement in Ukraine even as many are privately alarmed by President Trump’s military intervention in Venezuela and his threats over Greenland. Officials said the talks produced progress on security assurances for a postwar

Culture

Critical Role’s The Mighty Nein emerges as Prime Video’s darker fantasy standout

According to Collider, The Mighty Nein, an animated fantasy series from Critical Role, has become a standout on Amazon Prime Video. The 2025 series, influenced by classic fantasy, has released eight episodes and features voice talent including Matt Mercer, Laura Bailey and Ashley Johnson. Its ensemble — two Tieflings, a half-orc,

Sports

Michael Owen assesses Man Utd’s plan to win Premier League by 2028

Michael Owen has delivered his verdict on Manchester United’s target to win the Premier League by 2028, Goal reported, as the club searches for a permanent manager following Ruben Amorim’s exit. Amorim was relieved of his duties after a 63-game, 14-month stint, a decision announced on January 5,

Culture

Ten short tracks spotlight Dexter Gordon’s tenor sax artistry

The New York Times published a feature presenting 10 short selections that aim to showcase the playing of Dexter Gordon, the tall, debonair tenor saxophonist known as the “Sophisticated Giant.” The piece and its contributors describe Gordon’s sound as having a seemingly effortless power and a profound sincerity; on

Culture

David Harbour exits Tony Gilroy's Behemoth! amid Stranger Things aftermath

Movieweb reports that, according to Variety, David Harbour has dropped out of Behemoth!, the new film written and directed by Tony Gilroy for Searchlight Pictures, forcing the production to recast the role he was set to play. Variety says Harbour left to rest after the exhausting process of making the

Tech

Lenovo and Motorola introduce Qira AI assistant and Motorola's Project Maxwell pin at CES

Lenovo and Motorola announced Qira, a new AI assistant that will run across their device ecosystems, and Motorola showed Project Maxwell, a proof-of-concept AI wearable, at CES. Lenovo described Qira as a personal ambient intelligence system that works on smartphones, wearables, PCs, tablets and more, performing tasks across devices and

Culture

Brian Henson says working on Labyrinth strengthened his creative bond with his father

According to People, Brian Henson, 62, says working on his father Jim Henson’s 1986 fantasy film Labyrinth helped deepen their relationship; Henson served as the puppeteer coordinator, trained local puppeteers and provided the voice for one of the goblins in the film starring David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly. Henson

Tech

Soundcore Space Q45 headphones drop to $99.99 at Amazon

As of Jan. 7, the Soundcore Space Q45 headphones are listed at Amazon for $99.99, $50 off their $149.99 list price. Amazon's price cut is described as a limited-time deal. The offer applies to the Soundcore by Anker Space Q45 model and brings the headphones below

Culture

15 Xbox Series S/X games to play in 2026, from blockbusters to indie gems

The Guardian has picked 15 games it recommends for Xbox Series S and X owners in 2026, saying the consoles “still have plenty to offer” despite approaching their twilight years. The selection spans big-budget hits and lesser-known indies. Highlights include Alan Wake 2 — in which the cursed author is trapped

Business

Licensed online casino options in Ireland and top five picks

The world of online gambling is expanding in Ireland after new regulations came into law this year, the Independent.co reports, and Irish players now have several safe, licensed casino options with licences from the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) as well as offshore regulators such as the Malta

World

Trump says US oil firms will tap Venezuela reserves after Maduro's capture

Hours after Nicolás Maduro was captured by US special forces in Venezuela and indicted on drugs, weapons and “narco-terrorism” charges, US president Donald Trump spoke about plans for the country’s oil industry. Trump said Venezuela’s oil reserves, reputedly the world’s largest, are “set to be pumped by

Politics

Author says IDEA helped her learn to walk as the program’s federal oversight faces upheaval

According to Time, Victoria Mejicanos writes that she learned to walk because of services provided under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and warns the law’s programs face an uncertain future as the Trump administration works to dismantle the Department of Education and move IDEA to the Department

World

Trump Says Venezuela Will Transfer 30–50 Million Barrels of Oil to U.S.

President Trump said on Tuesday that Venezuela would begin sending oil to the United States after American forces captured President Nicolás Maduro, a claim the Venezuelan government has not commented on. Mr. Trump said the shipment would total 30 million to 50 million barrels — about two months’ worth of production