Nottingham-based Cerca Magnetics recognised with high Sunday Times 100 Tech ranking
University of Nottingham spin-out, Cerca Magnetics has been placed at 15 in the highly regarded Sunday Times 100 Tech 2026, which ranks Britain’s fastest-growing private technology companies. Sales of Cerca’s lightweight wearable brain scanner reached £6.4m in 2024. Cerca Magnetics was founded in 2020 with support from the UK National Quantum Technologies Programme. Now, it’s possible and opening up new worlds of research, particularly related to the developing brain in the early years of life. Cerca co-founder and University of Nottingham Professor of Physics, Matthew BrookesEmail: jane.icke@nottingham.ac.ukPhone: 0115 7486462Location: Jane Icke - Media Relations Manager Science0115 7486462
Source:The Times
January 16, 2026 16:47 UTC
Labubu factories linked to exploitation of underage workers
January 16, 2026HRRC strongly condemns Pop Mart and Shunjia Toys Co. Ltd in their treatment of workers involved in the production of the Labubu doll. Both companies must implement employment practices in accordance with international labour laws and support the health and wellbeing of their employees. All of the workers interviewed by China Labor Watch, a US-based NGO, were working exclusively on the production of Labubu toys. [Image credit: VCG/Getty Images]In 2025, Chinese toy company Pop Mart saw the popularity of the Labubu doll increase substantially. In summary, the CLW report detailed 18 “key issues ” which Shunjia Toys Co. needed to immediately address, along with the mistreatment of workers throughout their employment.
Source:The Guardian
January 16, 2026 16:46 UTC
Abortions at highest level ever in England and Wales
More abortions are taking place in England and Wales than ever before, new statistics show. Most abortions (nine in ten) took place before ten weeks, with the majority of women taking abortion pills at home, unsupervised. “Everyone who values life across England and Wales must surely be grieved at this dramatic increase in abortions. “This suggestion that ‘There is no right number of abortions’ demonstrates that abortion providers will never be satisfied, no matter how many unborn children are killed. The right number of abortions is none.
Source:The Guardian
January 16, 2026 16:37 UTC
London Euston station Apsley train delays: Person dies
Rail services to and from London Euston were severely disrupted at around 7.45pm yesterday (January 15). Officers and paramedics were called to Apsley station after a casualty on the tracks was reported. The incident is not being treated as suspicious, and a file will be prepared for the coroner. “Officers attended along with paramedics but sadly a person was pronounced dead at the scene. “The incident is not being treated as suspicious, and a file will be prepared for the coroner.”
Source:The Times
January 16, 2026 16:21 UTC
Charles tells Ukraine: ‘We stand with you’
Charles’ written comments marked the first anniversary of the 100-Year Partnership between the UK and Ukraine, as the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion approaches at the end of February. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy has travelled to Ukraine, according to reports, for a forum of the centenary partnership, to discuss the details of future cooperation between the two nations. “I wish, above all, to convey my profound hope that Ukraine can achieve a just and lasting peace that safeguards its security, sovereignty and prosperity, in a way that Ukrainians deserve. “We stand with you.”Charles has publicly supported Ukraine since the early period of Russia’s invasion, meeting Ukrainians who have sought sanctuary in the UK at many events, and his recent Christmas Day broadcast featured the choir Songs for Ukraine Chorus. It will involve co-operation in healthcare and tackling disease, as well as agricultural technology and the space industry.
Source:The Times
January 16, 2026 16:02 UTC
Bank of England governor warns against populism
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Source:The Times
January 16, 2026 15:13 UTC
Peers: ‘Online glorification of child sex abuse must end’
The Government has been urged to ban online pornography glorifying or promoting child sex abuse. In a Committee Stage debate on the Crime and Policing Bill in December, Peers called on the Government to clamp down on extreme online sexual content depicting children. ‘Demonstrable harm’Lady Bertin said her proposals sought “to close the gap between the law governing offline and online pornography” and warned that online pornography “is now so extreme and pervasive that it does not just reflect sexual tastes; it shapes them”. ProliferationAccording to police figures, online child sexual exploitation and abuse increased by 26 per cent between 2023 and 2024 with 51,672 recorded crimes. Last year, the Internet Watch Foundation reported a proliferation of AI-generated videos depicting child sexual abuse and a fourfold rise in confirmed reports of AI-generated sexualised images of children in the first six months of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024.
Source:The Guardian
January 16, 2026 15:02 UTC
Will data dump bring UK’s economic optimism back down to earth?
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Source:The Times
January 16, 2026 13:22 UTC
Chester tech firm Oxbury Bank named fastest growing by Times
The Sunday Times 100 Tech ranks Britain’s fastest-growing private technology companies, shining a spotlight on the entrepreneurs and teams driving their success. OTHER NEWS:It is a sister league table to The Sunday Times 100, a ranking of Britain’s fastest-growing private companies. For the purposes of this ranking, a technology business is defined as one that either sells its own proprietary technology or has developed proprietary technology that is essential to delivering its products or services. Five of the 100 companies listed are based in the North West, including Tandem (Blackpool), ITS (Warrington), and C4X Discovery (Manchester). “This year’s Sunday Times 100 Tech highlights founders who are scaling at remarkable speed, creating thousands of jobs and exporting British innovation to the world.
Source:The Times
January 16, 2026 13:12 UTC
Michael Carrick almost has a full strength squad at Manchester United
Michael Carrick almost has a full strength squad at Manchester United - but there's a catchDarren Fletcher oversaw two games as Man Utd caretaker, but Michael Carrick has now been appointed as head coach. View 3 Images Carrick pictured during training. (Image: 2026 Manchester United FC)Michael Carrick asked Manchester United fans to "come on Saturday with everything you've got" in a rallying cry ahead of the Manchester derby. Carrick is expected to play 4-2-3-1, which poses the question: Can Amad and Mbeumo play together in that system? The extra squad options also raises questions about minutes for emerging academy prospects, like Shea Lacey, who was given two senior appearances by Fletcher.
Source:Express
January 16, 2026 12:44 UTC
Newcomer Yerin Ha wore a lovely, icy Prada to the Bridgerton S4 premiere in Paris
Last night in Paris, Netflix hosted the world premiere of Bridgerton’s Season 4. Benedict is played by Luke Thompson and Sophie is played by newcomer Yerin Ha. For last night’s premiere, Luke and Yerin posed together and they actually look like they have some nice chemistry. Because this season is a Cinderella story, complete with wicked stepsisters, I believe. Speaking of the wicked stepsisters, I assume these are those actresses: Isabella Wei, Katie Leung and Michelle Mao at the premiere.
Source:The Guardian
January 16, 2026 12:41 UTC
Tottenham confirm appointment of Rafi Moersen as new Director of Football Operations
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Source:Express
January 16, 2026 11:48 UTC
Manchester United confidence grows over dream signing as transfer funds confirmed
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Source:Express
January 16, 2026 11:22 UTC
Renee Good was shot four times by ICE agent she tried to run over
GRISLY new details have emerged relating to the injuries mom-of-three Renee Good suffered after being shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent. The ICE agent was standing in front of her car as she manoeuvred to drive away. Could ICE agent face charges over Minneapolis shooting? Trump claimed Good behaved horribly, claiming she ran the ICE agent over. Chaos also erupted in the city this week after an immigration agent shot a Venezuelan illegal.
Source:The Times
January 16, 2026 11:16 UTC
Astronauts leave ISS before splashing down on Earth in medical evacuation – video
This is the moment a SpaceX capsule left the International Space Station on an emergency return flight to Earth prompted by a medical issue afflicting one of the astronauts. It is Nasa’s first medical evacuation, with the mission being cut a month short. Onboard were American astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, a Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, and a Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui. Computer modelling predicted a medical evacuation from the space station every three years but Nasa has not had one before in its 65 years of human spaceflight
Source:The Guardian
January 16, 2026 09:44 UTC