A housing provider in Maidenhead has apologised for a slew of rat-related problems in one of its properties that ‘ruined Christmas’ for residents. Jason Dunn lives in Arun House in Kidwells Close, which is run by Riverside housing association (formerly One Housing). “Our appointed pest control contractors have been carrying out visits to the affected properties and communal areas. “We are also continuing to support residents, including helping affected properties prepare for follow-up inspections. “We understand how disruptive incidents like this can be and are doing all we can to fully resolve the issue.”Riverside encourages all affected residents to contact Riverside’s 24/7 Customer Service team with any concerns.

January 09, 2026 14:05 UTC

Wong’s backers include Sunset residents who say the road closure has increased traffic on other nearby avenues and major thoroughfares. The supervisor released the draft ballot measure just days after a San Francisco judge dismissed all claims in a lawsuit seeking to overturn Prop K. Plaintiffs said the city failed to conduct an environmental review before opening the park. Park supporters say the road had to change in the near future, regardless of any ballot measure. Critics of the ballot measure also point to how there have already been two ballot measures since 2022 over the road and a lawsuit. Friends of Sunset Dunes, a group working to preserve the park and fight the ballot measure, held a forum on Wednesday night about the issue.

January 09, 2026 13:18 UTC

National Quitters Day is today, the point in January when most New Year's resolutions start to crumble. If your healthy habits are already wobbling, you're not alone—but you also don't have to give up. The American Heart Association emphasizes that community support is one of the most powerful tools for sustaining healthy habits. And Farmhouse Collective offers free healthy activities on select Fridays, including Morning Mobility (Jan. 16 and 30) and Yoga (Jan. 23). This is just a handful of opportunities, check our community calendar for more.

January 09, 2026 13:03 UTC

Downtown valet parking pilot program begins next Friday, Jan. 16, at nine locations throughout the downtown core. Valet service costs $20 per vehicle during regular hours and $30 during special events. "The City has made a commitment that valet stations and valet parking will not be at the expense of self-parkers," she said. "It will be a significant enhancement of not only the Downtown parking experience but of the Downtown Riverside experience," Penner said. Downtown businesses can purchase pre-paid validation packages for $1,800 covering 100 vehicles, or validate on a per-vehicle basis at the standard $20-$30 rate.

January 09, 2026 13:03 UTC

As we settle into 2026, we're eager to shine a spotlight on the neighbors who make our community special. Let's start the year by celebrating the people who make Riverside feel like home. Downtown's University Avenue at Main Street, where a new valet parking program aims to support local businesses and improve the visitor experience. Downtown Riverside gets valet service starting Jan. 16, with attendants parking your car in Garage 6 while you dine or catch a show. Eliud Martínez, the late UC Riverside professor who championed multiethnic literature and for whom Inlandia Institute's annual prize for Latino/a/x authors is named.

January 09, 2026 13:03 UTC

NSW Police said emergency services were called to the Spit Marina in Sydney at 3.30am following reports of a fire. Three vessels have sunk and firefighters were working through the morning to extinguish the blaze on a fourth. Four people were evacuated from the vessel

January 09, 2026 12:42 UTC

If you have a ReserveCalifornia account, keep reading for step-by-step instructions on what to do now — so you’ll be ready when summer reservations become available. Jump straight to:What happened to the California State Parks reservation website? “State Parks apologizes for the confusion and inconvenience and will work with ReserveCalifornia so future website updates and account enhancements go smoother,” Yee said. I have a ReserveCalifornia account, and I want to reserve a state parks campsite soon. You can use the password you previously used for your ReserveCalifornia account, or create a new one.

January 09, 2026 12:12 UTC

Prince Group has received investment from and formed partnerships with several multinational firms to develop and operate hotels at the site. What scams is Prince Group accused of? They also effectively cut Prince Group off from the global financial system, since most international banks avoid transactions involving US-sanctioned parties. Officials said the arrests were made at the request of Chinese authorities “within the scope of cooperation in combating transnational crime”. Despite prosecuting lower-level Prince associates, Chinese authorities had not, until January, directly addressed the US and UK allegations against Chen.

January 09, 2026 11:21 UTC

“While some people may see this and say 32 degrees is not extreme cold. For us in the Bay Area, it can be dangerous, especially for people experiencing homelessness,” Behringer said. The life-threatening drop in temperature has prompted Santa Clara County’s Office of Emergency Management to activate its cold weather response. The sites serve as temporary shelters during the cold weather, providing access to warm food and restrooms overnight before returning to normal public use during the day. HomeFirst operates overnight warming locations at sites such as the Roosevelt Community Center and the Evergreen Library.

January 09, 2026 11:20 UTC

Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court was told that Hayden Turner committed a range of offences between 2022 and 2025 while a teenager. In the first incident, the court heard Turner was asked to leave a Metrolink tram, which he had boarded at Oldham tram stop with 11 other boys, by a travel safety officer for vaping. They reported the incident to the same travel safety officer who had dealt with the boys earlier, and the police were called. The police also seized class A drugs, cannabis, three phones and a snap bag with remnants of white powder. These were being concerned in the supply of class B drugs, possession of an offensive weapon in public, theft, escape from lawful custody, two counts of possession of class A drugs and two counts of possession of class B drugs.

January 09, 2026 11:04 UTC

Last weekend’s storms, coupled with king tides, caught Marin County cities like Corte Madera, Sausalito and San Rafael off guard. Floodwaters spilled over levees, covered bike trails, and surrounded homes and businesses. Nobody was seriously injured and the level of damage is still being assessed. But it’s a wake-up call for residents, both in Marin County and across the Bay Area, about the risk of more flooding in our future. Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.

January 09, 2026 11:04 UTC

Luton Town have signed Manchester City winger Emilio Lawrence on loan for the rest of the season. The 20-year-old has yet to play for City's first team but has made three appearances for their Under-21s in the EFL Trophy in the current campaign. Lawrence began his career in Everton's academy before joining City in 2022 and has won age-group caps for Scotland up to Under-21 level. "Of course, he still has to develop and that is part of the reason why we brought him here, to help him with that. But he has also come to help us win some games.

January 09, 2026 10:50 UTC

Russia Claims Bratskoye, Zelensky Hit By Massive Losses As War Takes Dark TurnMOSCOW: Russia said on Thursday that any troops sent to Ukraine by Western govts would be “legitimate combat targets”, after Britain and France announced plans to deploy a multinational force there in the event of a ceasefire.A Russian foreign ministry statement said “militaristic declarations” by a coalition of pro-Ukraine Western govts were becoming increasingly dangerous. Russia was responding for the first time to a meeting of the “coalition of the willing” in Paris on Tuesday at which Britain and France signed a declaration of intent on the future deployment. French President Emmanuel Macron said it could involve sending thousands of French troops. “All such units and facilities will be considered legitimate combat targets of Russian Armed Forces.” It added: “The fresh militaristic declarations of the so-called coalition of the willing and the Kyiv regime constitute a veritable ‘axis of war’. .. Plans of these participants are becoming increasingly destructive for the future of European continent and its inhabitants...”REUTERS

January 09, 2026 10:36 UTC

While institutions in the United States, Australia, France, and Israel were included, British universities were notably absent.Officials told UK representatives that the exclusion was intentional, not an oversight. Sources familiar with the discussions explained that Abu Dhabi’s primary concern was preventing Emirati students from exposure to what it views as potential Islamist radicalisation on UK campuses. This diminishes the value of UK degrees for Emirati students seeking employment or further study in the UAE.The UAE’s move is closely tied to its long-standing concerns about Islamist movements, particularly the Muslim Brotherhood. Several British universities, including the University of Manchester and Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, operate campuses in Dubai. Nevertheless, the exclusion of UK institutions from government scholarships highlights the challenges faced by Emirati students seeking to study in the UK.

January 09, 2026 10:36 UTC

Catch up on stories from the past week (and beyond) at the Slashdot story archive

January 09, 2026 09:32 UTC