The death toll from the New Year’s Eve fire in a bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana has risen to 40. Another 115 were injured in the blaze – which is thought to have been started by a sparkler in a champagne bottle – with many still in a critical condition. Switzerland has declared five days of national mourning and authorities have warned it could take weeks to identify all the bodies. Several people have been killed and dozens arrested in Iran as protests over the country’s ailing economy continued for a sixth day. President Masoud Pezeshkian said his government would take action to “resolve the issue of people’s livelihoods”, while Donald Trump says the US is ready to “rescue” Iranians if Tehran responds to peaceful demonstrations with deadly violence. The Royal Mint has released five new commemorative coins to honour milestone anniversaries in 2026, including a new £5 coin to mark 100 years since the birth of Queen Elizabeth II and two new 50p coins to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the British Grand Prix and 50 years of the King’s Trust.

Donald Trump has hit back at claims he is showing signs of ageing, in a lengthy interview with The Wall Street Journal. The 79-year-old president says he has tried compression socks for his swollen ankles, but stopped because he found them uncomfortable. He uses make-up to cover bruising on his hand, and regrets undergoing advanced imaging in October because it generated scrutiny of his health. And he has ignored his doctors’ advice to lower his hefty daily dose of aspirin, which he has been taking as a blood-thinner for 25 years. “I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart,” he says. “I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense?”

The writers and editors of the food blog The Infatuation eat out at around 200 different places a week. Their predictions for the hottest restaurant trends of 2026 include the ever-freakier Caesar salad, now including everything from miso and tahini to octopus and a whole steak tartare; Ozempic-sized portions like a single meatball or arancini (and waiters asking “any weight loss drugs we should know about?”); funky martini garnishes such as anchovy, octopus and “cinnamon raisin” (eurgh); ultra-pricey versions of classics like coffee, sushi and pizza; and high-end hotdogs featuring everything from fishcakes to wagyu beef and, of course, octopus.

Last summer, some experts insisted that bombing Iran’s nuclear sites would cause Iranians to rally behind the regime. “You can junk that conventional wisdom,” says The Wall Street Journal. Mere months later, the Iranian people are rising up against the government. The protests began among shopkeepers in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, and have rapidly spread to other cities, rallying students, truckers and bus drivers, among others. Economic grievance is central, with inflation at 42%, a currency that has lost 40% of its value against the dollar since June, and a lack of reliable water and power. Economic protests can quickly turn political. In the country’s northwest, students have been chanting: “Death to the dictator.”

The regime, which normally responds to demonstrations on the streets with mass “beatings, arrests, torture and shootings”, has so far been more cautious, as if realising the danger of a broad anti-government uprising. The central bank chief has been ousted as the fall-guy for inflation, and “reformist” president Masoud Pezeshkian has been rolled out with a “rare offer of dialogue”. The unpopular Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has remained quiet. This is an opportunity for the US to show support for the Iranian people. In 2009, Barack Obama foolishly stayed silent as the regime crushed protesters, hoping for a nuclear deal. Donald Trump should resist this mirage. Easy wins include restoring internet access when it is cut off and unmasking regime thugs. But more important is enforcing oil sanctions with even half the vigour displayed against Venezuela. Iranian oil exports are at record highs – a mockery of Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign. None of this means the regime is in immediate danger of collapse. But dictatorships often look stable until the moment their rule ends.

Winter is finally here, says Alec Marsh in The Spectator, and not a moment too soon. It’s “easily the best season”, despite what many claim. Not just because these cold months are the perfect time for open log fires and hearty knitwear and bracing strides along the beach. But because Britain is, at heart, a “winter nation”. Not all that snow-chain faff loved by Canadians – “God forbid we’d be that prepared” – but given to tight smiles and wrapping up warm, even indoors. And we love it. Winter feeds our phlegmatic soul – rather as sunshine and “fauna dedicated to killing you” define Australians. It gives us our grit and our true national pastime: gallows humour. Granted, it tends to go on a fortnight too long. But that’s an April problem. For now, stock up on horseradish, mustard and port, and throw another log on the fire.

In the 1950s, says Jonn Elledge on Substack, British European Airlines tried to kick start a network of inter-city helicopters, designed to serve as air buses. The first route – between Liverpool and Cardiff – opened in June 1950, but it lasted less than a year and carried only 819 passengers. The second route, launched a year later, ran three times a day between London and Birmingham. But it didn’t run between city centres, could only carry three or four passengers, and helicopters were relatively dangerous, noisy and difficult to fly. The project was abandoned, perhaps because we already had something that did the job perfectly well. “It’s called a train.”

It’s a video of a knotty interchange in Dublin, says The Hustle, which has been used to turn traffic into music. In the extremely pleasing clip, every time a vehicle crosses the central purple line a different note is played depending on which part of the road it’s travelling on. The result is a truly soothing and slightly addictive watch. “I need a full days’ worth of this,” said one viewer in the comments, “absolutely amazing idea and execution.” Have a listen here.