More musicians drop out of Kennedy Center shows after Trump name change 30. December 2025 (16:57) The Cookers on Monday pulled out of a New Year’s Eve jazz gig at the controversially renamed ‘Trump-Kennedy’ centerA second jazz band has pulled out of performing at the controversially renamed “Trump-Kennedy” center in Washington DC, giving just two days notice before their New Year’s Eve gig was set to take place.The Cookers, described as a Grammy-nominated, all-star septet of legendary post-bop jazz musicians, have not given an explicit reason for their decision but in a statement posted on their website said: “Jazz was born from struggle and from a relentless insistence on freedom: freedom of thought, of expression, and of the full human voice.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US judge halts ending of temporary protected status for South Sudanese migrants 30. December 2025 (16:32) Emergency request by several of the country’s nationals and an immigrants rights group was granted by the courtA federal judge on Tuesday blocked plans by the Trump administration to end temporary protections from deportation that had been granted to hundreds of South Sudanese nationals living in the United States.US district judge Angel Kelley in Boston granted an emergency request by several South Sudanese nationals and an immigrant rights group to prevent the temporary protected status they had been granted from expiring as planned after 5 January.
Kelley, who was appointed by the Democratic former president Joe Biden, issued the order after four migrants from South Sudan along with African Communities Together, a non-profit group, sued. The lawsuit alleged that action by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was unlawful and exposed them to being deported to a country facing a series of humanitarian crises. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Cecilia Giménez, famed for ‘Monkey Christ’ mural mishap, dies at 94 30. December 2025 (16:22) Spanish woman’s attempted restoration of church artwork was widely mocked but became lucrative tourist attractionCecilia Giménez, the woman who achieved unwanted international fame for her botched “Monkey Christ” restoration of a 19th-century mural in Borja, north-east Spain, has died aged 94.In 2012, Giménez, an amateur artist, decided to restore Ecce Homo, a mural by a local artist, Elías García Martínez, that hung in the Santuario de Misericordia church in Borja. However, her talent as an artist was not equal to her good intentions and she produced what was described as the worst restoration in history. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Israeli president’s office denies Trump’s claim Netanyahu pardon is ‘on its way’ 30. December 2025 (16:21) Isaac Herzog’s spokesperson says he has not spoken to Trump since US president wrote to urge him to stop trialThe office of Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, has denied a claim by Donald Trump that Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on trial on corruption charges, would soon receive a pardon.Speaking shortly before his meeting in Florida with the Israeli prime minister on Monday night, Trump said he had been told by Herzog that a pardon was “on its way”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Offenders in England and Wales to have alcohol levels tracked over new year period 30. December 2025 (16:17) Sobriety tags worn by thousands released from prison or serving community sentences will monitor wearers’ sweatThousands of offenders in England and Wales will have their alcohol levels tracked over the new year festive period by electronic tags that monitor the wearer’s sweat.The tags, which are now worn by 5,000 people who have been released from prison or who are serving a community sentence, are designed to keep criminals sober over the festive season and drive down drink-fuelled reoffending. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
From Send to single-sex spaces: key tests facing Keir Starmer in 2026 30. December 2025 (15:49) Moment of maximum danger will come in May’s local and regional elections and PM is already plotting his comebackKeir Starmer will begin his second full year in Downing Street as one of the least popular ever prime ministers – a spectacularly rapid reversal from his landslide election win of just 18 months ago.Yet Starmer believes this will be the year things start to improve for his beleaguered premiership and fractious Labour party. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump should defy Netanyahu over nuclear talks with Iran, says its foreign minister 30. December 2025 (15:00) Seyed Araghchi claims US president’s Arab allies now view Israel’s recklessness as ‘a threat to us all’You’ll never defeat us in Iran, President Trump: but with real talks, we can both win | Seyed Abbas AraghchiDonald Trump should defy Benjamin Netanyahu and realise renewed talks with Iran over its nuclear programme are a better bet and more likely to succeed owing to stronger support in the region for a successful outcome, the Iranian foreign minister, Seyed Araghchi, says in a Guardian article. He also suggests Trump’s Republican base want a deal and not further unnecessary wars.Araghchi was writing a day after Netanyahu held talks with Trump in the US in which Israel’s calls to consider fresh attacks on Iran were discussed alongside the Gaza peace plan. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Cheaper medicines, rules for cash and new state laws: what will change in Australia on 1 January? 30. December 2025 (15:00) Changes include the Victorian government expanding land taxes and Queensland introducing a child sex offender registerGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastCheaper medicines on the PBS, a Medicare phone service and new laws mandating businesses to accept cash payments are just some of the major changes coming into effect in the first week of 2026.Indexation increases to social security payments, changes to childcare settings and a new online mental health service will also kick in from the beginning of January. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Ukraine war live: Russia says it has moved its nuclear-capable Oreshnik missiles into Belarus 30. December 2025 (14:49) Move could feasibly allow Russian missiles to reach European targets faster from Belarus, its neighbouring ally that also shares a border with Nato countries Poland, Lithuania and LatviaGermany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has echoed Donald Tusk’s optimistic tone regarding talks on ending the war in Ukraine.He posted to X to confirm there had been “another round of consultations” with “European and Canadian partners”. It is not clear who was in the meeting.Peace is on the horizon, there is no doubt that things have happened that give grounds for hope that this war can end, and quite quickly, but it is still a hope, far from 100% certain. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Eurostar cancels all trains to and from London after Channel tunnel power cut 30. December 2025 (14:16) Passengers urged to change plans after problem with overhead power supply and failed LeShuttle trainBusiness live – latest updatesAll Eurostar trains to and from St Pancras International have been suspended, after a power outage which has affected all trains using the Channel tunnel.A Eurostar spokesperson confirmed all its services had been halted until further notice, and declined to say when trains would begin running again. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
