News 01/01/26

Around 40 people have died and 115 others are injured many severely after a fire at the Le Constellation Bar and Lounge in Crans Montana.

Police commander Frédéric Gisler says the priority is identifying those who died so their bodies can be returned quickly to families. He expects several foreign nationals among the victims and says officials are in contact with relatives and providing real time updates.

Forecasters have upgraded snow warnings from yellow to amber in some parts of the UK as people face a wintry start to 2026.

The Met Office has issued amber alerts for heavy snow showers in parts of Scotland. The warnings are in place from midday on Friday until midday on Saturday while yellow alerts remain elsewhere.

The largest protests in Iran for three years reached a deadly climax overnight into Thursday with several people killed.

Iranian media and a rights group report escalating violence over the country’s ailing economy. A source cited by the Fars news agency says clashes in the western city of Lordegan between police and armed protesters killed multiple people.

People buying cryptocurrency in the UK must now share account details or face penalties under changes effective from 1 January.

The move by HMRC aims to ensure all relevant tax is paid on crypto trading including capital gains. The tax authority will automatically collect information from exchanges as tougher regulation and anti insider trading measures are consulted on.

EastEnders and James Bond actor Colin Salmon says he is genuinely grateful for compassion shown by a court after avoiding a driving ban for speeding.

Salmon had nine points and received three more for driving at 24 miles per hour in a 20 zone. He avoided disqualification partly because he cares for his seriously ill wife and daughter and appeared in three Brosnan films.

A total of 41,472 migrants arrived in the UK in 2025 after crossing the Channel on small boats the second-highest annual figure on record.

The Home Office says no crossings were recorded on New Year’s Eve with the last journey on 22 December. Overall arrivals ended nine per cent below the 2022 record but were thirteen per cent higher than 2024 and forty-one per cent above 2023.

A police officer who lost his wife and two children in a house fire on Boxing Day has paid tribute to his family as three of the greatest humans to ever grace our presence.

In a statement shared by Gloucestershire Constabulary, Tom Shearman said he struggled to find words, thanking people for generosity shown to him during the darkest of hours.

Enzo Maresca has left his role as Chelsea manager with the club sitting fifth in the Premier League.

The Italian, forty five, departs less than six months after winning the Club World Cup at the end of his first season at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea said key objectives remain, and a change gives the team the best chance.

Swiss police say at least ten people have died and ten others are injured following an explosion at a ski resort bar.

Officers confirmed the blast is not being treated as terror related. The explosion and fire happened during New Year celebrations at Le Constellation Bar and Lounge in the Alpine resort of Crans Montana. A police spokesperson earlier said there were many injured and many dead as emergency services responded at the scene overnight.

The home secretary is expected to robustly defend the decision to remove Shamima Begum’s British citizenship as European judges examine the case.

The European Court of Human Rights has called for an investigation, although a government source says the decision has already been upheld by UK courts. Begum was fifteen when she travelled from east London to territory held by Islamic State, where she married a fighter. Now twenty six, she was stripped of citizenship on national security grounds, which her lawyers dispute.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says a peace agreement to end the war with Russia is ninety per cent ready.

In a New Year address, he said the remaining ten per cent would determine the fate of peace, Ukraine and Europe. Russian President Vladimir Putin told troops he believed in victory. Moscow also released claims Ukraine targeted Putin’s private home with drones, allegations Kyiv strongly denies.

Anthony Joshua has been discharged from hospital days after a car crash in Nigeria that killed two close friends.

The British Nigerian boxing star is recovering at his home, according to authorities in Lagos and Ogun states. Joshua was travelling in a black SUV when it hit a stationary truck near Lagos, killing Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami, friends died.

Sir Keir Starmer says the change promised at the twenty twenty four election will arrive in twenty twenty six.

In his New Year address, the prime minister accepted his government has not yet delivered on its manifesto pledge. He said for many life remains harder than it should be, with families lacking money for a meal out, a holiday, moments.

The US government is withdrawing the National Guard from Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland, President Donald Trump has said.

In a New Year message he warned federal forces would return if crime increased. The National Guard is a military reserve used for domestic emergencies, but in twenty twenty five it was deployed to several Democrat run cities to tackle crime.

An ombudsman says a mother suffered distress, frustration and uncertainty after Slough Borough Council failed to provide suitable education for her child with special needs.

The watchdog upheld a complaint over a lengthy delay in alternative provision after a special school placement broke down last May. The child has an education, health and care plan setting out required support needs support.