Author: Ben Waine

Jannik Sinner has been at the centre of one of the most compelling matches at the 2026 Australian Open, where the Italian world number two’s semi-final clash with Novak Djokovic has evolved into a gripping five-set duel under the roof of Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena. The contest has pitted Sinner’s relentless power and tactical precision against Djokovic’s legendary resilience in what has become a defining moment of this year’s tournament. Sinner entered the match as the defending champion and one of the sport’s most consistent performers on hard courts. At 24, he has already established himself among the elite of…

Poundland is continuing to close stores across the UK in early 2026 as part of a wider restructuring programme, underlining the sustained pressure facing Britain’s high streets. The closures follow a change in ownership last year and come amid falling footfall, rising operating costs and changing consumer behaviour. The discount retailer, long regarded as a fixture of town centres and shopping parades, is reducing its physical footprint after a prolonged period of financial underperformance. While the company says the move is designed to secure long term stability, the impact is being felt by employees, shoppers and local economies. Background to…

Hundreds of millions of Apple iPhone users have been urged to take immediate action to protect their devices from sophisticated security threats, including restarting and updating their software without delay. The warning, circulating across tech news and security circles this month, highlights growing concern over active vulnerabilities in older versions of Apple’s iOS software and underscores the role of both updates and occasional reboots in maintaining device security. The latest alert follows reports from industry commentators that many iPhones remain on outdated software even months after fixes were released, leaving them potentially exposed to spyware attacks. Security specialists say that…

As the 31 January self-assessment deadline for the 2024–25 tax year nears, tens of thousands of UK households with rooftop solar panels are being urged to review their tax obligations to avoid automatic penalties from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). What many solar owners assume is a straightforward way to cut energy bills and earn a modest income from selling surplus electricity back to the grid is, for a growing number, a tax compliance issue with real financial consequences. How solar panels can trigger a tax requirement Under the government-backed Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) scheme, households with photovoltaic (PV) solar…

England’s Under-19 side delivered a composed and mature performance to defeat Pakistan U-19 by 37 runs in a Group B fixture at the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026, underlining their credentials as early contenders in the tournament. Played at the Takashinga Sports Club in Harare, the contest brought together two of youth cricket’s most storied programmes. England’s victory was built on a combination of disciplined batting, intelligent bowling and sharp fielding, reflecting a level of control that proved decisive over the course of the 100 overs. England Build a Platform Through Composure Batting first after winning the toss, England U-19…

LONDON, 16 January 2026, The social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, experienced a significant global outage on Friday that left tens of thousands of users unable to access the service, according to outage tracking data. The disruption affected users across multiple regions, including the United Kingdom, the United States and India, underscoring ongoing reliability concerns for the platform under its current ownership. The incident began late morning UK time and was reported by Downdetector, a widely used third-party outage monitoring service that collates user problem reports. At the peak, Downdetector recorded tens of thousands of reports globally, with…

Marc Guéhi, the England international centre-back and captain of Marc Guéhi, is at the centre of one of the most significant defensive moves in this January’s transfer window. After rising through the English footballing ranks and establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s most reliable defenders, Guéhi appears set to leave Crystal Palace for Manchester City as part of a deal that has now entered its final stages, sources say. At 25, Guéhi’s career has been marked by rapid progression and a growing reputation at both club and international level. Born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, in 2000, he moved…

Conservative Party politics entered a new phase of turmoil on 15 January 2026 as Kemi Badenoch, leader of the main Opposition, dramatically dismissed Robert Jenrick MP from his position as Shadow Justice Secretary and suspended him from the party. The decision, announced in the early hours of Thursday, was justified by Badenoch as a necessary measure to prevent what she described as a clandestine attempt by Jenrick to defect from the Conservative Party in a way designed to inflict “maximum damage” on his colleagues and the party’s prospects. Jenrick, the Member of Parliament for Newark, had been a prominent figure…

Apple has confirmed the existence of a sophisticated class of cyber attacks capable of forcing iPhone devices to restart repeatedly, a tactic that security researchers say can disrupt protections designed to safeguard user data. While the company has acknowledged the threat, it has also conceded that there is currently no direct fix available for most users, raising fresh concerns about the limits of mobile security even on tightly controlled platforms. The issue, first detailed by security researchers and later confirmed by Apple, centres on targeted attacks that exploit system behaviour rather than traditional software vulnerabilities. By triggering repeated restarts, attackers…

Liverpool FC booked their place in the fourth round of the Emirates FA Cup with a 4–1 win over Barnsley FC at Anfield, though the scoreline only partially reflected the nature of a tie that demanded patience and control from the Premier League side. In front of a lively home crowd, Liverpool combined moments of attacking quality with spells of vulnerability before eventually asserting their superiority late on. The third-round tie, played against a Barnsley side sitting well below Liverpool in the English football pyramid, served as a reminder of the FA Cup’s capacity to test even elite teams. While…