A UAE-based steel company has moved to buy Britain’s third-largest steel producer, just months after it was declared “hopelessly insolvent” and fell into the hands of official receivers.
Sky News has learnt that Arabian Gulf Steel Industries (AGSI), headquartered in Abu Dhabi, is one of a number of smaller parties that have lodged an offer to take control of the Speciality Steels UK (SSUK) business, which until last summer was owned by metals tycoon Sanjeev Gupta’s Liberty Steel empire.
The business collapsed into compulsory liquidation in August, leading to a scramble in Whitehall to find a buyer for it as part of efforts to preserve the UK’s steelmaking capabilities.
The SSUK business operates sites in Rotherham and Stocksbridge in South Yorkshire and employed around 1,500 people across its operations when it collapsed last summer.
This weekend, it was unclear how advanced any discussions were between AGSI and the official receiver, while the terms of any proposal were also unclear.
One source suggested that AGSI may be keen to receive financial assistance from the UK National Wealth Fund to support the takeover of SSUK and to restart steelmaking at its sites in Yorkshire.
the epitome of net zero steel.”
AGSI describes itself on its website as “the epitome of net zero steel” and has pledged to produce five million tonnes of steel by 2030, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by more than 95% compared to traditional steelmaking processes.
Asma Hussain, the founder and chief executive, privately owns and runs the company.
AGSI did not respond to an emailed request for comment, but a source expressed scepticism that it would ultimately acquire the Liberty Speciality Steels business.
In recent months, several other parties have also expressed interest in purchasing the operation.
Mr Gupta himself has secured backing from third parties, including BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, although the chances of him being selected to buy back the business appear extremely slim.
A spokesman for the Insolvency Service said, “We can confirm that the official receiver is putting forward bids for the sale of Speciality Steel UK.
“The sale process is ongoing with the aim of completing it as quickly as possible.”
In response to Sky News enquiries, a government spokesperson said, “We are committed to a bright and sustainable future for steelmaking and steelmaking jobs in the UK.
“The independent official receiver is carrying out its duties as liquidator, while we also ensure that employees and local communities are supported.”
The sale process for SSUK comes during a period of wider uncertainty for the British steel sector, against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump’s tariff regime and the metal’s continued global glut.
In November, Sky News revealed that ministers were appointing bankers to Evercore to review options for the industry.
Business Secretary Peter Kyle and UK Government Investments (UKGI), the Whitehall agency that manages taxpayers’ interests in a number of companies, including the Post Office and Channel 4, are expected to consider whether to merge some of the remaining companies in the sector.
These would include British Steel, the Scunthorpe-based manufacturer, which is legally owned by China’s Jinghe Group but was seized by the government last April amid threats to close its remaining blast furnaces.
So far the government has spent millions of pounds on running British Steel.
The government’s move prevented the immediate loss of more than 3,000 jobs, although questions remain about the company’s viability as a standalone entity.
“We will continue to work with Xinghe to find practical, realistic solutions for the future of British Steel,” Industry Minister Chris McDonald said in a statement to parliament in November.
“Our long-term ambition for the company will require co-investment with the private sector to enable modernisation and decarbonisation, safeguarding taxpayers’ money and maintaining steelmaking in Scunthorpe.”
In 2024, ministers agreed to provide £500m of grant funding to the Indian company Tata Steel to install an electric arc furnace at its Port Talbot steelworks in Wales.
The new facility is expected to open in 2027 but has been strongly opposed by trade unions, angry that the new funding was effectively used to make thousands of redundancies at the plant.
Ofcom says it is conducting an urgent assessment of X in response, with the support of Technology Secretary Liz Kendall.
But the chairs of parliament’s technology and media committees have said they are concerned that “gaps” in the Online Security Act could hinder the media regulator’s ability to deal with the case.
Axe has now limited the use of the AI imaging function to those who pay a monthly fee, with Downing Street labelling the change “disrespectful” to victims of sexual violence.
The BBC has seen several examples of free AI tools stripping women and putting them in sexual situations without their consent.
Kendall said on Friday that he expected to receive an update from Ofcom within a few days and that the government would also fully support the decision to block X in the UK.
Musk reposted several messages on the site overnight, criticising the government’s rebuke of Groke— one of which showed AI-generated images of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in a bikini.
“They just want to suppress freedom of expression,” Musk wrote.
the mother of one of Elon Musk’s children,
Ashley St Clair, the mother of one of Elon Musk’s children, told BBC NewsHour on Friday that Groke had made sexually explicit photos of her as a child.
The conservative influencer said that, despite telling Grok that she did not consent to sexualised images, her image was “stripped” so that she appeared “basically naked and bent over.”
St Clair accused the social media site of “not doing enough” to deal with illegal content, including child sexual abuse imagery, while filing a lawsuit against Musk for sole custody of their child in 2025.
“This can be stopped by just messaging an engineer,” he said.
As of Friday morning, Grok was telling users to change images uploaded to
An Ofcom spokesperson said on Friday: “We immediately contacted X on Monday and set a deadline of today to explain our position, to which we have received a response.”
We are urgently conducting a rapid assessment and will provide further updates soon.
Ofcom’s powers under the Online Safety Act include being able to seek a court order to prevent third parties from helping X raise money or entering the UK if the firm refuses to comply.
But Dame Chi Onwurah, chair of the innovation and technology committee, said she was “concerned and confused” about how the matter “is actually being addressed” and has written to Ofcom and Kendal for clarification.
Dame Chee said it was “unclear” under the Online Safety Act whether the creation of such images using AI was illegal, as was the responsibility of social media sites for what is shared on their platforms.
“This Act should make something really harmful to so many people clearly illegal, and the responsibility for X should be clear,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
Caroline Dinenage, chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, similarly said she had “real fears that there is a gap in regulation”.
“There are doubts about whether the Online Safety Act actually has the power to regulate the functionality – meaning the ability of generative AI to discredit someone,” he told BBC Breakfast.
The use of Grok to generate non-consensual sexual images has been condemned by politicians on all sides:
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer referred to it as “disgraceful” and “disgusting”.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said it was “appalling in every way” and that X “needs to go further” than the changes made to Grok on Friday, but he said banning the platform would be an attack on free speech.
The Liberal Democrats called for access to X to be temporarily restricted in the UK while the social media site was investigated.
Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he agreed with Starmer that the material was “absolutely disgusting.”
“This is once again an example of social media not showing social responsibility,” Albanese said. He said Australia’s Digital Security Commissioner is monitoring the situation.
“Australians and, indeed, global citizens deserve better.”
Meanwhile, Grok was temporarily suspended in Indonesia on Saturday. The country’s digital minister said, “Sexual deepfakes without consent [were] ‘serious violations of human rights, dignity and security of citizens in the digital sphere.'”
Grand Theft Auto VI is unquestionably the most anticipated video game of 2026.
The long-awaited sequel from developer Rockstar Games is expected to be released in November—13 years after the record-breaking GTA V.
The game was scheduled to be released in autumn 2025 but was pushed to May 2026 before it gets delayed again.
Rockstar said the extra time would help the team “finish the game with the excellence you expect and deserve.”
Once launched, players will return to Vice City, a Miami-flavoured metropolis in the fictional kingdom of Leonida.
The Bonnie and Clyde-style story will follow the criminal couple Jason Duvall and Lucia Cimino – the first playable female characters in the series’ history.
image: Jason Duvall. Image: Rockstar Games
image: Lucia Camino. Image: Rockstar Games
GTA has consistently satirised American culture, despite some aspects of the country’s politics over the past decade appearing inappropriate in the game.
GTA VI is sure to continue the series’ tradition of satire, and based on the footage released so far, it appears that no expense has been spared in regard to bringing the sun-soaked streets of Vice City to life.
image: Grand Theft Auto VI returns to Vice City. Image: Rockstar Games
image: Image: Rockstar Games
image: Image: Rockstar Games
Dundee, Scotland is the birthplace of the GTA series, making it one of the industry’s largest franchises.
It is one of the best-selling video games of all time.
GTA V became the fastest entertainment product in history to earn $1 billion (in its first three days) and has since sold over 220 million copies worldwide – making it the second best-selling video game of all time, behind Minecraft.
GTA VI is also expected to be popular worldwide and achieve giant sales.
image: Image: Rockstar Games
image: Image: Rockstar Games
image: Image: Rockstar Games
Should past trends continue, GTA Online is poised to generate significant revenue.
The persistent online world offers endless opportunities for monetization— gamers are tempted to spend money on new vehicles, weapons, properties, businesses, and cosmetic upgrades.
Expert research analyst Michael Pachter previously told Sky News that he believes Rockstar and its parent company, Take-Two Interactive Software, would be able to charge $100 (about £75) for just the base game with little complaint.
However, the GTA series boasts two winning elements that some other games don’t have – brand power and fan loyalty.
image: Raul Bautista. Image: Rockstar Games
image: Brian Hader. Image: Rockstar Games
If other AAA (Triple-A) game publishers attempt to follow suit and raise their starting prices, they may find that any accepted GTA increase is the exception rather than the rule.
As the career criminal and former bank robber Trevor Phillips, a character from GTA V, famously said, “I said something good, not expensive.”
fable
image: The long-awaited Fable reboot is expected to drop sometime in 2026. Image: Microsoft
After a delay from its initial 2025 release window, we expect the long-awaited Fable reboot to release sometime in 2026.
It will be the first new installment in the action-RPG franchise since Fable: The Journey in 2012.
The series has been on hiatus since Microsoft cancelled Fable Legends and subsequently closed down original developers Lionhead Studios in 2016.
Playground Games, the parent company behind the successful Forza Horizon series, is developing a reboot for Xbox Game Studios.
Still based on the fantasy world of Albion, the series will be updated with contemporary gameplay mechanics and visuals to attract a new generation of players.
According to the footage released so far, fans can expect a classic fantasy adventure full of “life and death stuff.”
The storybook-style world features beautiful horseback rides, magical creatures, playful dialogue, and player-driven choices.
As well as the action-heavy combat, Fable’s signature chicken-kicking option appears to be alive and well.
While not much is known about our hero, British comedians Richard Ayoade and Matt King will play a legend and a once-great champion turned guru, respectively.
The game will release on Xbox Series X/S as well as PC and will be playable from day one through Games Pass.
Given that the IP (intellectual property) is owned by Microsoft, it’s unlikely that the game will be arriving on PS5 any time soon after its initial release.
007 first light
image: 007 First Light is a James Bond origin story. Photo: IO Interactive
007 First Light is a James Bond origin story that follows a resourceful recruit during his time on the MI6 training program before becoming the world-famous spy we know and love.
The action-adventure game is scheduled to be released in May – having been pushed back from March – and is inspired by the novels and short stories by Ian Fleming.
The origin story is expected to follow Bond as he sets out on a mission that will give him a licence to kill.
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It is the first Bond game since 007 Legends in 2012.
The franchise went on an extended hiatus in 2013 after Aeon Productions and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer revoked the non-exclusive licence to make James Bond video games held by previous publisher Activision.
image: Photo: IO Interactive
image: Photo: IO Interactive
IO Interactive, known for developing the Hitman and Kane & Lynch franchises, is behind 007 First Light.
Expect a heart-pounding mix of close combat, car chases, secret murders, glamorous locations, gadgets galore, and appearances from M, Q, and Miss Moneypenny.
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At The Game Awards 2025, renowned musician Lenny Kravitz was introduced as Bond villain Bawma.
The “unexpected and charismatic” antagonist is described as someone who “rose up from nothing, broke free, and created his own Aleph Empire.”.
image: Photo: IO Interactive
image: Photo: IO Interactive
The game should whet fans’ appetites ahead of Bond 26 – which Denis Villeneuve is set to direct and will mark a new era of 007 films following the conclusion of Daniel Craig’s performance.
Capcom takes us back to Raccoon City with Resident Evil: Requiem.
The survival horror game is due to be released in February, with the developers promising a “heart-stopping experience that will chill you to the core”.
image: Photo: Capcom
image: Photo: Capcom
Fans will be introduced to a new leading lady – FBI intelligence analyst Grace Ashcroft, who is the daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft from the Resident Evil Outbreak games.
Grace’s nightmare begins when she is sent to investigate a mysterious death at an abandoned hotel where her mother was murdered eight years ago.
As Grace investigates the team’s person of interest – Victor Gideon – she crosses paths with veteran Agent Leon S. Kennedy.
The fan favourite returns to the series as a playable character, with both Grace and Leon forced to confront their past to uncover the truth behind the Raccoon City incident that changed the world forever.
The game follows on from Resident Evil Village, with players once again expected to face the coming horrors through combat, puzzle-solving, and resource management.
Previous antagonist Lady Dimitrescu proved to be a hit on social media, so the next relentless stalker monster has big shoes to fill.
Greenland’s prime minister has told Donald Trump, “We don’t want to be American,” after the US president warned he could take the island “the easy way or the hard way”.
In a joint statement with Greenland’s top politicians, Jens-Frederik Nielsen said, “We don’t want to be Americans, we don’t want to be Danes, we want to be Greenlanders.”
Greenland’s prime minister has strongly rebuked Trump’s threats. Credit: EPATrump said he needs the Danish island for national security reasons Credit: AlamyDanish and European NATO forces take part in an exercise in Nuuk, Greenland Credit: AP
It comes after the US commander-in-chief said on Friday he was “going to do something about Greenland, whether they like it or not.”
Faced with Trump’s insistence that Greenland is a “national security priority”, Nielsen said, “Greenland’s future must be decided by the people of Greenland.”
He added, “As leaders of the Greenlandic party, we would like to once again emphasise our desire that the United States’ contempt for our country end.
“No other country can interfere in this. We have to decide the future of our country ourselves – without pressure to make hasty decisions, without delay, and without interference from other countries.”
ice-cold
Trump tells Denmark on Greenland: ‘We can do it the easy way or the hard way.’
Deal or no deal?
Greenlanders reveal what they really think about Trump’s plan
Trump said the US needs the strategically important island; otherwise, ‘Russia or China will take it over.’
“Because if we don’t do that, Russia or China will take over Greenland – and we won’t have Russia or China as our neighbours.”
The President said, “I would like to make a deal the easy way. However, if we choose not to take the easy route, we will have to confront the challenges head-on.”
Trump has repeatedly made it clear in recent days that he wants Greenland for the U.S. — saying he needs the Danish island “from a national security standpoint”.
Speaking on Friday, he said, “I’m a fan of Denmark…but, you know, the fact that they had a boat land 500 years ago doesn’t mean they own that land.”
The threat comes despite Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warning that any US military move on Greenland would signal “the end of the NATO alliance”.
Trump replied, “If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have NATO right now.”
It follows reports that Trump is considering sending a $100,000 lump sum to Greenlanders.
US officials have reportedly discussed paying between $10,000 (£7,443) and $100,000 (£74,437) to try to lure the islanders to freedom.
This sensational proposal will cost the US $5.7 billion to win over the local people.
Washington is “actively” discussing a possible proposal to buy the semi-autonomous Danish territory, and this is one of the solutions under consideration.
Trump said he wants the islands, but he wants the land regardless.
He has refused military action on the island.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned against invasion Credit: AFPUS Vice President JD Vance visits the US military’s Pituffik Space Base in Greenland Credit: AFP
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told US lawmakers that Dawn was looking for a peaceful way to take over the island – and reduce the threat of invasion.
Rubio is scheduled to meet with Danish officials next week to discuss the future of the island.
Danish politicians are now clamouring for help and have urged their European counterparts to provide military support.
France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Britain and Denmark have all united to support the Danish autonomous region.
Conservative MP Rasmus Jarlov said Copenhagen should welcome Allied troops “if the cost of a military invasion would be too high for the Americans”.
“We must make it clear that this will be an armed conflict,” said leftist leader Pelle Dragstad.
He warned that Trump should never be allowed to “just land a helicopter in Nuuk and fly the American flag.”
Denmark confirmed that it would “shoot first and ask questions later.”. If Trump invaded Greenland,
The strict commitment is part of Copenhagen’s military constitution – and it states that soldiers must open fire “immediately” in the event of an attack.
We’re going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not
donald trump
A 1952 rule says soldiers must defend against attackers without waiting for orders – Copenhagen said the law “remains in force.”.
The US already has more than 100 military personnel permanently stationed at its Pituffik base on the northwestern tip of Greenland.
The US has operated the facility since World War II.
Under existing agreements with Denmark, the US is empowered to bring as many troops as it wants to Greenland.
Experts have said it would be worryingly easy for the US to capture the strategically important Arctic island.
US Vice President JD Vance has warned European leaders to “take on the president of the United States of America seriously”.
The majority of the island’s 57,000-strong population wants Greenland to eventually become an independent nation.
And 85 per cent of people surveyed last year refused to become a part of America.
Polling also shows that only 7 per cent support the idea of a US military invasion of American territory.
Four ways Trump could take Greenland
By Harvey Geh
Here are four ways Donald Trump could take over Greenland.
Attack: Trump would have no problem using the world’s strongest military to occupy a poorly defended target like Greenland. Denmark could also surrender before the battle to avoid the risk of complete collapse of NATO. But any attack would still be vulnerable to several problems, including extreme weather conditions and long supply lines.
Pressure: The threat of military intervention alone may be enough to force Copenhagen to capitulate and cede the important island. But aside from imminent threats, Trump could buy Greenland outright from the Danes. Previous US administrations have tried this at least three times in the past, the first instance dating back to 1867.
Free association: Washington is reportedly already working on plans to sign an “agreement of free association” with Greenland. The deal would mirror the US’s existing arrangements with countries such as Palau, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands. In these relationships, the US military has free rein over these areas in exchange for duty-free trade. However, achieving such an agreement would require Greenland to first gain independence from Denmark.
By prolonging the status quo, Greenland could benefit from the influences of both Denmark and Trump without actually gaining independence or becoming subservient to the US. If Washington agrees to a stronger military presence and mineral-mining contracts on the island, they may call off further plans to take it over completely.
French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer have declared that Greenland ‘belongs to the people’ Credit: EPATrump has repeatedly refused to rule out military action to take Greenland for the US. Credit: Alamycity center in the capital city Credit: Paul Edwards
New mobile phone footage shows the moments surrounding the death of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, filmed by the ICE agent who shot her.
The video, re-shared on Twitter by US Vice President JD Vance, shows Ms Goode and her wife in a confrontation with an ICE officer.
image: Good’s wife argued with the ICE agent, also during filming, as he walked around the car.
He walks around the car when Ms Good tells him, “It’s okay, buddy, I’m not mad at you.”
Ms Good’s wife then taunted the officer, asking him twice if he “wanted to come to us?”
She then says, “I say you bring yourself some lunch, big boy.”
image: Renee Nicole Good can be seen at the wheel before shooting.
Another ICE agent then approaches Ms Good, who is driving, and says, “Get out of this fucking car.”
Ms Good first reverses her car before moving forward and getting closer to the officer. It is unclear whether the car hit the officer or whether he narrowly escaped injury.
The reaction to the video shows how strong the views are
The video is only 47 seconds long, a close-up perspective, but it has opened up even more questions about how and why Renee Nicole Good died.
It is tragic in that it shows the face and demeanour of a 37-year-old woman in the moments before she died, filmed by the man who shot her.
But I don’t think the footage provides any certainty about those crucial last few seconds, during which Good drives his car, spins the wheel, accelerates, and then is shot three times by the officer.
What is clear is that there is communication between the pair in the run-up. Good appears to be relatively calm when she says, “It’s okay, buddy, I’m not mad at you.”
Audio from the phone camera gets distorted at a critical moment. There is a sound that may indicate a collision between the car and the officer, but again, this is not certain.
He definitely stays on his feet and, at the end, appears to say, “Fucking bitch.”
The reaction to this video shows how deeply held views are on both sides of the political aisle. The Vice President says this proves the officer’s “life was in danger”. Democrats say he was “assassinated”.
Rushing to conclusions in this country is not the time to wait for a thorough investigation and that can be very dangerous.
At this point, the agent screams in shock and is shot several times.
As Ms Good’s car goes off the road before colliding with parked cars, the agent is seen muttering “fucking bitch”. Sky News has decided not to broadcast the abuse in the video.
image: An ICE officer can be seen filming in a reflection.
Speaking immediately after the incident, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin claimed that the deceased was shot when he tried to “weaponise” his vehicle and allegedly attempted to run over an officer.
At a press conference, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called those claims “nonsense”.
Donald Trump accused Ms Good of “badly” berating an officer, sparking outrage from some in the US.
image: Another ICE agent is seen approaching the vehicle, saying, “Get out of this fucking car.”
While the city council in Minneapolis said Ms Good “was taking care of her neighbours this morning, and her life was taken away today at the hands of the federal government.”
Speaking today, Trump said, “We will always protect ICE.”
What is ice?
ICE is the federal US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency responsible for homeland security investigations and removal operations against people living in the country illegally by the US.
Its operations have expanded significantly as part of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
Sky News has previously witnessed officers removing people from the streets and placing them into vehicles in various locations, including Washington DC.
The shootings came on the second day of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown on the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
DHS previously said it had launched the largest immigration enforcement operation the agency has ever undertaken in Minnesota, with 2,000 federal agents and officers expected to arrive in the Minneapolis area to crack down on fraudulent charges involving Somali residents.
image: Trump accused Ms Good of “badly” roughing up an officer.
Non-league Macclesfield pulled off one of the biggest-ever FA Cup upsets as they knocked out holders Crystal Palace in a remarkable 2-1 win at the third-round stage.
The Silkmen, reformed in 2020 after Macclesfield Town was wound up, sit 117 places below Palace in the pyramid but outfought and outthought a flat Eagles side to make new history for a club rising from the ashes of the old.
Captain Paul Dawson headed Macclesfield in front two minutes in.
All-action captain Paul Dawson headed Macclesfield in front two minutes before half-time, and Palace failed to muster a response before Isaac Buckley-Ricketts doubled the lead on the hour.
Yeremy Pino’s 90th-minute free-kick set up a nervy finish through six minutes of time added on but eight months after lifting the FA Cup to win their first major trophy, Palace surrendered it with a tame performance as Macclesfield fans poured onto the pitch to celebrate a famous victory.
Image: Goalscorer Paul Dawson celebrates with supporters following Macclesfield’s shock 2-1 win against Crystal Palace
It was the first time the holders had lost to non-league opposition since Palace themselves beat Wolves back in 1909 while in the Southern League.
The occasion was a day of celebration for Macclesfield, a club still coming to terms with the death of their 21-year-old forward Ethan McLeod, killed in a car accident as he returned from their match at Bedford Town on December 16.
John Rooney’s side paid tribute to McLeod with a performance full of spirit against a Palace side showing six changes but still including England internationals Marc Guehi and Adam Wharton.
The 13th minute saw Palace’s first sight of goal, but Pino’s effort was well wide. Christantus Uche was much closer, with a wicked dipping shot in the 28th minute, but Max Dearnley barely had a save to make, and Macclesfield’s belief grew.
Josh Kay had just sent a shot wide when he was brought down by Kaden Rodney, and from the resulting free kick, Dawson became the latest man to expose Palace’s vulnerability from set pieces.
Image: Isaac Buckley-Ricketts celebrates after doubling Macclesfield’s lead against cup holders Crystal Palace
The skipper had been sporting a bandage from the very early stages after a clash of heads. Sam Heathcote helped him rearrange the dressing as they waited for Luke Duffy to send in the free kick, and seconds later he planted his header in the far corner.
Oliver Glasner responded with three half-time changes as Tyrick Mitchell, Will Hughes and Brennan Johnson came on but Palace still looked lethargic going forward and increasingly nervous in defence.
After they cleared a threatening shot from Buckley-Ricketts, Guehi sold Walter Benitez a shot with a back header, and D’Mani Mellor almost profited. James Edmondson then fired a free kick wide.
Palace could not settle and found themselves 2-0 down after an hour. It was a total mess. Mellor was screaming for a penalty when he fell under Chris Richards’ challenge. Two attempted Palace clearances were blocked.
Lewis Fensome tried to bend in a shot but when that was deflected, Buckley-Ricketts stretched out a leg and the ball trickled past the wrong-footed Benitez.
Palace belatedly roused themselves. Uche dragged a shot narrowly wide, then had a header disallowed for an offside in the build-up.
Wharton’s shot was then deflected wide but Macclesfield were standing up well to the pressure until Mellor fouled Guehi on the edge of the box late on and Pino beat Dearnley with the free kick. It was too little, too late.
Macclesfield were the better team;
“Palace was nowhere near good enough. Macclesfield were the better team; they were outstanding.
“Palace was an embarrassment. They thought they could just turn up at Macclesfield. It’s nothing to do with the pitch; it’s about whether you can go and compete. Macclesfield wanted it more than Palace.”
Videos of protests in Iran were reportedly shown online on Friday night, despite threats from the country’s authorities to crack down on demonstrators after shutting down the internet and cutting telephone lines to the outside world. The protesters appear to be encouraged by repeated declarations of support from the Trump administration and the country’s exiled crown prince, who on Saturday called on them to pressure security forces and seize towns and cities.
An outside rights group that relies on information from contacts inside Iran says at least 65 people have been killed in the protests, which started in Tehran in late December. What began as anger over Iran’s poor economy quickly spread, however, and turned into the most significant challenge to the government in years.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused President Trump of having “hands stained with the blood of Iranians” in comments broadcast on Iranian state TV on Friday, as supporters gathered before him chanted “Death to America!” and raised slogans.
“Protesters are destroying our streets to please the president of the United States,” Khamenei, 86, told the crowd at his compound in Tehran. “This is because he promised to assist them.” They should instead focus on the situation in their country.”
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei comments on nationwide protests on Iranian state television in the capital, Tehran, on January 9, 2026.
State media later labelled the protesters “terrorists”, setting the stage for a potentially violent crackdown — despite Mr Trump’s pledge to support peaceful protesters, with force if necessary, similar to how Iran has responded to other major protests in recent years.
Trump issues new warning to Iran’s leaders
Trump has repeatedly pledged to attack Iran if protesters are killed, a threat that has taken on greater significance following the US military strike that captured former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. On Friday, the president hinted that a potential US attack would not involve placing troops on the ground, but rather, it would involve delivering a forceful blow where it is most needed.
“Iran is in big trouble,” Trump said. “I feel like people are taking over some cities that just a few weeks ago no one thought would really be possible.”
He further said, “I tell the Iranian leaders that you better not start shooting because we will also start shooting.”
In a brief social media post published early Saturday morning in Washington, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, “The United States supports the brave people of Iran.”
The Iranian regime has warned that protesters will be punished “without any leniency”
Iran’s judiciary chief, Gholamhosein Mohseni-Ezei, vowed separately that punishment for protesters would be “decisive, maximal, and without any legal leniency.”
At least 65 people had been killed in Iran as of Friday, the 13th day of unrest, including at least 14 members of security forces, according to the Washington, DC-based Human Rights Activist News Agency, which was founded by anti-regime activists. At least 180 cities recorded protests, and the authorities arrested over 2,300 people.
In a screenshot from a social media video released on January 9, 2026, protesters are seen near burning vehicles amid anti-government unrest in Tehran, Iran.
Iranian authorities shut down the internet Thursday night as protests escalated, apparently as people heeded a call from the exiled crown prince, a vocal opposition figure, for Iranians to speak out against the regime.
According to an update posted online Saturday morning by the monitoring organisation. netblocks “Metrics show that the nationwide internet blackout will continue for up to 36 hours, severely limiting the ability of Iranians to check on the safety of friends and loved ones.”
That communications blackout has made it incredibly difficult to get a clear picture of the scale of the overall protests — and Iranian authorities’ response to them. Some other reports put the death toll from the unrest much higher; for example, Time quoted a Tehran doctor as saying that at least 217 people were killed.
Iranian officials have acknowledged some deaths, primarily from security forces.
A doctor and medic from two hospitals in Iran informed CBS News partner BBC News that their facilities were overflowing with injuries. The doctor said an eye hospital in Tehran had gone into crisis mode, while the BBC also received a message from a doctor at another hospital who said there were not enough surgeons at the facility to handle the influx of patients. The doctor claimed that many were injured Bullet injuries to head and eyes.
Asked by CBS News how seriously he believed Iran’s autocratic rulers were taking Mr Trump’s warning not to kill protesters, Maziar Bahari, editor of the IranWire news website, said he was sure it “really scared a lot of Iranian officials and may have influenced their actions in terms of how to confront protesters.”
“But at the same time … it has inspired many protesters to come out, because they know that the leaders of the world’s main superpower are supporting their cause,” said Bahari, who spent months in Iranian prisons after being arrested during a previous round of mass unrest in 2009.
“What’s happening in Iran right now is what many people have called a revolution,” Bahari told CBS News’ Haley Ott. “And we can see various signs of revolution in Iran in the movement. But revolution usually requires a leader. But we don’t have that leader.”
But while decades of tight media controls and the deliberate sidelining of dissident voices at home have deprived Iran of a clear opposition leader inside the country’s borders, many in the vast Iranian diaspora remain hopeful that the country’s ousted royal family could make a comeback.
Online videos contradict state media
Saturday marked the start of the workweek in Iran, but many schools and universities reportedly held online classes, Iranian state TV reported. It is believed that internal Iranian government websites are currently operational.
State TV repeatedly played a driving, martial orchestral arrangement from Iranian composer Majid Entezami’s “Epic of Khorramshahr” while showing pro-government demonstrations. The song, which aired repeatedly during the 12-day war between Israel and Iran last year, honours the liberation of the city of Khorramshahr by Iran in 1982 during the Iran–Iraq War. Videos of women protesting against Mahsa Amini’s death in 2022 also featured the song.
Meanwhile, state television reported that “peace remained in most cities of the country overnight,”, with “no reports of any gatherings or chaos in Tehran and most of the provinces.” This was directly contradicted by an online video verified by The Associated Press that showed a demonstration in the Sadat Abad area of Tehran. Thousands of people gathered in the street, and one man chanted, “Death to Khamenei!” It can be heard raising slogans.
This frame from a video taken by a person not employed by The Associated Press and obtained by AP outside Iran shows people during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.
The semi-official Fars news agency, considered close to Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and one of the few media outlets able to publish to the outside world, released surveillance camera footage of what it said was from demonstrations in Isfahan. The footage showed a protester brandishing a long gun, while others ignited the government compound and hurled gasoline bombs.
State TV-affiliated Young Journalists Club reported that protesters killed three members of the Guard’s all-volunteer Basij force in the city of Gachsaran. It was also reported that a security officer was stabbed to death in Hamadan province, a police officer was killed in the port city of Bandar Abbas, and another was killed in Gilan, as well as one person killed in Mashhad.
State television also aired footage of hundreds of people attending a funeral service in Qom, a Shiite seminary town south of Tehran.
Iran’s theocracy cut the country off from the internet and international telephone calls on Thursday, although it allowed some state-owned and semi-official media to publish. Qatar’s state-funded Al Jazeera news network reported live from Iran, but they appeared to be the only major foreign outlet able to operate.
The head of Iran’s exiled royal family predicts their return is “very close”
Many analysts see Iran’s exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi as the driving force behind the momentum of this round of protests. On Saturday, he called on Iranians not only to continue taking to the streets but also to try to take over towns and cities by putting pressure on the authorities.,
“Our goal is no longer just to take to the streets. The goal is to prepare to occupy city centres,” Pahlavi said in his letter. Latest video message posted on social media “There were calls for more demonstrations on Saturday and Sunday.”
In an optimistic tone, Pahlavi announced that he was “preparing to return to his homeland”, suggesting that the day he would be able to do so was “very close”.
A demonstrator holds a placard of Reza Pahlavi, Iranian opposition leader and son of the last Shah of Iran, during a demonstration against the Iranian regime’s crackdown on protests in central Paris, France, on January 4, 2026.
But Pahlavi has lived in exile for nearly 50 years, and although he has long tried to establish himself as a leader-in-waiting, it is unclear how much real support he has inside the country.
His father, Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, was widely despised inside Iran when he fled into exile in 1979 amid street protests because of the Islamic revolution that brought the current regime to power. Protesters have chanted slogans in support of the Shah at some protests, but it is unclear whether this is support for Pahlavi or a desire to return to times before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Loan charities say they are receiving a large number of calls as people worry that their financial situation has become unbearable.
The first week of January is usually the busiest time of year for the helpline, following a particularly expensive period.
Advice charity StepChange said Monday was busier than any single day last year, and credit counselling service Money Wellness said a fifth of those accessing its year-end services did so between 22:00 and 03:00.
working to get rid of debt.
Dave Murphy is working to get rid of debt and said the demands from creditors could be overwhelming, but he urged anyone struggling to make sure they seek help – for their financial and mental well-being.
Money Wellness, which runs free debt and money advice services, said thousands of people had accessed its services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Online extended support allows people to access information outside of normal hours, including overnight.
Its head of advice, Sabrina McCullough, said, “The numbers we are seeing over Christmas and New Year are unprecedented.
“People often feel pressure to celebrate the holidays even when money is tight, and our data shows that many people come to us late at night when they feel most anxious.”
pressure of priority bills
StepChange’s website received 3,958 visitors on Christmas Day and a combined 15,401 visitors on New Year’s Eve and January 1.
Many people might have been exploring their options, but at the beginning of the month calls started coming in large numbers and at a rapid pace. Although not at the levels of the energy crisis a few years ago, there was a significant increase in call numbers last year.
The Money Advice Trust, which runs the national dateline, said the first working days in January saw more calls than last year.
Monday was its busiest day in its history, with 1,365 calls.
Concerns are particularly acute for people struggling to pay priority bills such as council tax and rent.
The cold weather could also put extra pressure on vulnerable households, with energy suppliers already owed £4.4bn after a period of high prices, although the government cold weather pay has been triggered in many areas.
The charity is urging anyone whose debt has become unmanageable to seek help as soon as possible rather than making matters worse by ignoring the situation.
This is a perspective shared by Dave, who has managed to climb out of difficulty.
A few years ago, he found that his previously manageable credit card debt had become a problem when he was unexpectedly made redundant while going through a divorce.
Dave has turned his financial situation around after getting help from StepChange
“Those were two quite dramatic things in six months,” said Dave, who has previously spoken to the BBC about his debt issues.
“The debt was around £20,000 to £25,000 at its peak. It became so overwhelming. You feel like you’re frustrating creditors because you want to do what they want you to – but you’re scared, you’re living on rent, and sometimes you struggle to make ends meet each day.
“Once you get stuck in a cycle, it’s really difficult to get out of it.”
He is now working in the insurance sector; his debts are manageable and being repaid, and he says he wants to help others “to show that you can deal with these things.”
Data published by the Bank of England earlier this week fuelled concerns that it is becoming harder for some households to manage everyday costs without borrowing.
The data showed that credit card borrowing before Christmas grew at the fastest annual rate in almost two years.
The annual growth rate for credit card lending rose to 12.1% in November from 10.9% the previous month – the highest figure since January 2024, when it was 12.5%.
Joe Keery has had a hugely successful double life as an actor and musician.
Stranger Things star Joe Keery, aka Joe, has reached number one in the UK, while several 1980s tracks used on the soundtrack have returned to the charts following the show’s conclusion.
Carey plays Steve Harrington on the Netflix show and goes by the name Joe when releasing music.
Their song End of the Beginning was originally released in 2022 and previously peaked at number four in the UK in 2024 but has now finally reached the top position.
Prince’s Purple Rain, Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill and The Police’s Every Breath You Take, all of which featured on the hit show’s soundtrack, also feature in this week’s top 20.
Netflix
Keery and Gaten Matarazzo play Dustin in the fifth season of Stranger Things.
Joe’s song isn’t actually on the Stranger Things soundtrack, but it became a viral trend on TikTok as fans edited the last episode using The End of the Beginning.
The UK Official Charts Company reports that a total of 5.4 million people streamed the song in the UK this week.
It is also the song’s biggest worldwide hit to date, with over 55 million plays globally on Spotify in the last week.
It overtook Taylor Swift’s The Fate of Ophelia to take over Spotify’s global top spot on January 2, the day after the final episode of the fifth and final season of Stranger Things dropped on Netflix.
The show has also had a major impact on our other listening choices.
Stranger Things soundtrack songs in the UK top 40
getty images
12 – Prince (pictured), Purple Rain (1984)
14 – Kate Bush, Running Up That Hill (1985)
17 – The Police, Every Breath You Take (1983)
20 – Fleetwood Mac, Landslide (1975)
26 – Diana Ross, Upside Down (1980)
27 – Tiffany, I Think We’re Alone Now (1988)
34 – David Bowie, Heroes (1977)
40 – The Clash, Should I Stay or Should I Go (1982)
All of the above songs are included in season five except The Police’s Every Breath You Take, which was in season two, and The Clash’s Should I Stay or Should I Go, which was in season one.
Most have been inspired by a combination of their performances on the show and TikTok, and their revival fits into a broader trend of older songs resurfacing on social media and streaming.
“TikTok has a habit of capitalising on nostalgia as a way to keep audiences engaged,” said Sarah Klobov, of music data trackers Chartmetrics.
“For older generations, familiar catalogue hits stick with them because they feel sentimental.
“However, for younger users, the release date may not matter because they are hearing everything for the first time. These older tracks ultimately attract a broader audience.”
getty images
The Police’s Every Breath You Take was the best-selling single in the US in 1983
Despite not appearing in the latest Stranger Things season, The Police song has recently received particularly renewed popularity around the world.
It was played more than any other older song last week, reaching number eight on Spotify’s weekly global chart with over 25 million streams.
This is up from a previous peak of number 21 on the Spotify weekly chart in mid-November.
Stranger Things isn’t the only phenomenon bringing old songs back into the charts – Zara Larsson’s 2016 hit Lush Life is back in the Official UK Singles Chart at number eight thanks to a TikTok dance trend.
‘We are united in this shared suffering’: Day of mourning for victims of New Year’s Eve fire in Switzerland
The tragedy united people in Crans-Montana and brought the country to a pause.
On Friday, just down the road from the bar where 40 young people died in a New Year’s Eve fire, church bells rang in memory of them.
Mourners marched across Switzerland to mark the national day of mourning.
Then, moments after the final notes of a special memorial service had faded, news came that one of the bar’s owners had been detained.
Swiss prosecutors said French national Jacques Moretti was a potential flight risk. He and his wife Jessica, also French, are suspected of negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm and negligent arson.
Many of the victims’ families had demanded such action from the beginning: more than a week after the fire, anger continues to grow in the community.
At the main ceremony in Martigny, further down the valley, survivors joined relatives of the dead. Some people came from the hospital for the memorial. People were holding white roses in their laps and holding each other’s hands for support.
A young woman named Mary told the audience, “The images we encountered were unbearable. Scenes worse than a nightmare. Screaming in the icy cold, the smell of burning. It was the apocalypse.”
She was in a bar opposite Le Constellation when the fire broke out and suddenly found herself helping the injured as they ran away from the flames.
She said she would never forget what she saw.
Listening in the front row were the presidents of France and Italy, whose citizens were among those killed and injured in the fire. Both countries have started their own investigations.
Back in Rome, Italy’s prime minister vowed to ensure all those responsible were identified.
Giorgia Meloni said, “This was not an accident. This was the result of a lot of people who didn’t do their jobs.”
She wants to know why the music was not stopped as soon as the fire broke out.
“Why didn’t anyone tell the youth to get out? Why didn’t the council do a proper investigation? There are lots of reasons.”
People in Crans-Montana have the same questions and more.
For now, the only two formal suspects are Jacques and Jessica Moretti, co-owners of Le Constellation. Prosecutors called the couple Friday morning. He is being investigated for causing death and injury by negligence but has not been charged.
Now Jacques Moretti has been remanded to custody. In a statement, the Public Ministry said the move was taken following a “new assessment of the flight risk”.
“I constantly think about the victims and the people who are struggling,” his wife said in front of TV cameras after hours of questioning at the ministry.
This was his first public comment since the fire.
“This is an unimaginable tragedy. It happened in our facility, and I would like to apologise.”
Nine days later, Le Constellation is still obscured from view behind the white plastic sheet. A lone policeman stands guard, his face constantly covered with snow.
What happened inside the building’s basement slowly becomes clear – and it is the story of a disaster that should never have happened.
Mobile phone footage shows a sparkler tied to a champagne bottle hitting the ceiling and bursting into flames. Covered with soundproof foam that was never safety tested, it ignites quickly.
When the crowd finally runs in panic for the exit, there is a scuffle on the stairs. It seems the emergency doors were closed.
But another video from six years ago shows the risk was well known. In the footage, a waiter can be heard warning that the material on the roof is flammable.
“Be careful of the foam,” the voice yells, as people wave the same sparklers.
But the questions here aren’t just for owners.
This week local officials in Crans made the shocking admission that they had not carried out mandatory safety checks of bars for five years.
He did not give any explanation.
“Inside that bar was hell.
There were temperatures exceeding 1,000 degrees. There was no way to escape,” Italy’s ambassador to Switzerland, Gian Lorenzo Coronado, told the BBC, citing a long list of security violations.
Six Italians were killed as a result.
The ambassador stressed, “Italy wants justice, the Italian government wants justice and the Italian people certainly want justice. The families want justice.”
This also includes people with life-changing injuries.
The first major influx of patients occurred at the regional hospital in Sion. Tensions were further heightened by the fact that many of the doctors’ own children were partying in Crans for the New Year.
“They were all afraid that the next stretcher would bring their own child,” recalls hospital director Eric Bonvin.
The most serious cases were taken to specialist burn centres in Switzerland and elsewhere in Europe, where some still remain in critical condition.
All face a long, difficult road to recovery that doctors liken to “rebirth”, as many of their young patients suffer severe facial burns.
Professor Bonvin says, “First of all, the body needs to be protected, like a foetus in the mother’s womb. This is what is happening now for many people. Then they have to re-enter the world and find their identity.”
“It’s going to take a lot of hard work and resilience.”
Add to this the pain of survival.
Bonvin explains, “They came and at first they felt lucky to be alive. But some people now feel this guilt, wondering why they are here but not with their friend or brother.”
“This is a delicate moment.”
In the central crucifix, a pile of tribute to the dead is still growing, protected from the elements by a canvas.
On Friday, many people left their fresh flowers and stood for a moment in front of the ruins of the bar. Remembering, in silence.
