Lauren Boebert claims Trump’s veto of safe drinking water bill is retaliation 01. January 2026 (01:36) Colorado lawmaker , who pushed for Epstein files release, points to bill’s unanimous passage through US House and SenateRepublican representative Lauren Boebert has fired back at Donald Trump for vetoing a bill that would have funded a drinking water project in her Colorado district, implying the president was playing at political retaliation.The bill was aimed at funding a decades-long project to bring safe drinking water to 39 communities in Colorado’s eastern plains, where the groundwater is high in salt and wells sometimes unleash radioactivity into the water supply. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Children in England to be offered vaccines in their own homes 01. January 2026 (01:01) Exclusive: Pilot scheme launches as one in five start primary school with no protection against deadly diseasesHealth visitors will be sent door-to-door to deliver vaccines to children in England amid alarm that one in five start primary school with no protection against deadly diseases, the Guardian can reveal.The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that at least 95% of children should receive vaccine doses for each illness to achieve herd immunity. However, not a single one of the main childhood vaccines in England hit the target in 2024-25. There were also sharp differences in uptake across the country. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
New Traitors contestants include detective, crime writer and psychologist 01. January 2026 (01:01) BBC reveals latest cast, which also features cybersecurity expert, sweet shop assistant and personal trainerA retired police detective, a crime writer and a psychologist are among the next cohort of contestants to enter The Traitors’ castle, as the BBC revealed details of the latest series of its smash-hit sleuthing show.A sweet shop assistant, a cybersecurity expert and a personal trainer are also among those to be divided into plotting “traitors” and the “faithfuls” tasked with unmasking them. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Jack Smith told House committee he had ‘proof beyond reasonable doubt’ in cases against Trump 31. December 2025 (23:34) Ex-special counsel testified in front of judiciary committee about aborted federal prosecution of Donald TrumpJack Smith, the former justice department special counsel who led the aborted federal prosecution of Donald Trump, told a congressional committee that he never spoke to Joe Biden about his cases, according to the transcript of a deposition released on Wednesday.In his behind-closed-doors testimony to the House judiciary committee earlier this month, Smith defended the charges he brought against Trump for allegedly possessing classified documents and attempting to overturn the 2020 election, while warning of the consequences of allowing election meddling to go unpunished. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Keir Starmer to woo voters and MPs with new year plan to cut cost of living 31. December 2025 (23:30) PM to highlight energy bill and interest rate cuts, plus end to two-child benefit cap, and to invite his MPs to ChequersKeir Starmer will attempt to rescue his relationship with disillusioned voters and his own fractious MPs in a new year push to reduce the cost of living.The prime minister will give a speech in the coming days focusing on how his government is bringing down living costs, highlighting recent cuts to energy bills and interest rates and the end of the two-child benefit cap. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump backs away from deploying national guard in Los Angeles, Chicago and Portland 31. December 2025 (23:27) Decision comes after DoJ stopped contesting California court’s ruling to return control of guard to state’s governorDonald Trump has staged a sudden climbdown from his attempts to impose federal troops in law enforcement roles on Democratic-run cities, announcing on Wednesday that he was ending attempted deployments from Los Angeles, Chicago and Portland.The unexpected shift came after justice department lawyers said they were no longer contesting a California court’s ruling that returned the national guard troops to the authority of Gavin Newsom, the state’s governor. It also followed a rare rebuke from the US supreme court, which blocked the White House’s efforts to deploy national guards in Illinois. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Woman dies after being swept into ocean from Sydney beach in early hours of New Year’s Day 31. December 2025 (23:08) Police said 25-year-old woman hit by a wave near a tidal rock pool at Maroubra, and another swimmer missing at CoogeeGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA woman has been found dead after being swept out into the ocean from a Sydney beach in the early hours of New Year’s Day, as authorities issue a warning about dangerous surf conditions on the NSW coast.Later in the morning another swimmer went missing in the water at Coogee. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump administration reportedly freezes all childcare payments to all states 31. December 2025 (22:53) Trump official says funds will be released ‘only when states prove they are being spent legitimately’The Department of Health and Human Services is freezing all childcare payments to all states, an official for Donald Trump’s administration told ABC News in a report published Wednesday, just hours after department officials announced that they had frozen childcare funding to Minnesota.States’ funds, the unnamed official said, will be released “only when states prove they are being spent legitimately”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
ICE plans $100m yearlong ‘wartime recruitment’ media blitz to attract new agents 31. December 2025 (22:52) Campaign will target rightwing ideologues to fill ranks to meet Trump deportation goals in 2026US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has reportedly planned a $100m, one-year media blitz for what it’s calling “wartime recruitment”, targeting conservative radio show listeners, gun rights aficionados, military affairs followers and men’s interests enthusiasts – among others in the Maga-verse – for jobs in the Trump administration’s next phase of its mass deportation campaign.“Want to deport illegals with your absolute boys?” one of the agency’s ads says, directing interested readers to apply. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
End of an era as New York City transit retires three-decade-old MetroCard 31. December 2025 (22:38) Resisted at first, the replacement for the subway token became an indelible symbol of the cityFirst, New Yorkers saw the elimination of subway token, which lasted for half a century. Now, its successor – the swipeable MetroCard, which lasted barely more than three decades – has seen its demise.At midnight on 1 January, the flexible credit card-sized pass used by millions of New Yorkers to get through subway turnstiles is being terminated from sale just as a new mayor, Zohran Mamdani, takes office. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
