New News Blog

  Venezuela is the latest country to be hit by US strikes as the Trump administration ramps up military interventions. This week, United States President Donald Trump confirmed that the US had  struck a docking facility in Venezuela , marking the first military action on the South American country’s land since it began targeting Venezuelan shipping in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific in September 2025. Speaking to reporters as he met in Florida with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump said there had been “an explosion in Venezuela”, at a facility where boats the US believes to be carrying drugs usually “load up”. Read more....

  Displaced Palestinians in Gaza are enduring “hell” under winter conditions as Israel continues its attacks. “There is no real ceasefire”, one Palestinian man told Al Jazeera. Israel says it will suspend more than three dozen humanitarian organisations, including Doctors Without Borders (MSF), for failing to meet its new rules for aid groups working in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip. MSF – one of the largest medical groups operating in Gaza, where the health sector has been targeted and largely destroyed – says Israel’s decision will have a catastrophic effect on its work in the enclave, where it supports about 20 percent of hospital beds and one-third of births. The organisation also denied Israel’s accusations about its staff. Read more....

  Ruben Amorim said there were "no excuses" for  Manchester United's failure to beat Wolves after the  Premier League's bottom side earned a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford. Wolves earned just their third point of the season against United and their first since Rob Edwards' appointment as manager on Nov. 12. Amorim is dealing with a long list of absentees including injured captain Bruno Fernandes, but insisted afterwards his team should still have beaten a Wolves side which hasn't won a league game since April. "We didn't use that excuse against Newcastle and we are not going to use today, but of course, if you see the game, I understand why we play the way we play today, the lack of fluidity, lack of one against one," said Amorim. "We knew that it would be a completely different game compared to Newcastle because in Newcastle, we have more space to play. Read more....

The late author spoke about the motivation behind her 2019 book about climate change and her work as a science and climate reporter.   Coming from one of America's most preeminent families of politicians, Tatiana Schlossberg carved out her own path to make an impact on the world. The environmental journalist and author, who  died at 35  on Dec. 30 after being diagnosed with  acute myeloid leukemia ,  opened up on TODAY in 2019  about her work and whether she would ever enter politics herself. "I think it’s important for everyone to serve in a way that suits their strengths, and I’m a writer, and so hopefully I can get people interested in this issue and engaged in that way," she said about covering climate change. "I will stick to journalism." Read more....

  It began on the first day of his second term, with instructions to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to end the "weaponisation" of prosecutorial power. But with those first strokes of his pen, President Donald Trump instead launched a year of dramatic changes to the Justice Department, the government body responsible for enforcing federal law in the United States. Traditionally, the Department of Justice has cultivated an aura of "prosecutorial independence". Though the department is part of the executive branch, its investigations and prosecutions are meant to be free from political taint, unswayed by the pressures of the presidency. But critics warn that Trump has corroded the longstanding barrier between the department and the White House, in order to leverage prosecutorial power for his own aims. “The overriding story is the effort to turn the Justice Department into a political tool and make it an instrument for pursuing the president’s political enemies,” said...

  Diggs is subject to waivers and no longer a member of the Dallas Cowboys The  Dallas Cowboys  announced Tuesday that they are  releasing  cornerback  Trevon Diggs . The veteran defensive back is subject to waivers. If he passes through waivers, he will be free to sign with any team.  Any club that claims Diggs becomes responsible for the $472,000 he is due in base salary for Week 18, and $58,823 if he is active this week,  per ESPN . Diggs signed a five-year, $97 million extension with Dallas prior to the 2023 season, in which he tore his ACL. While he is technically signed through 2028, there is no more guaranteed money remaining on his deal after this year.  Diggs played in the first six games of the season before an accident in his home landed him in concussion protocol. Dallas placed him on injured reserve after re-aggravating a knee injury, but he returned to the lineup in Week 16. In eight games played this season, Diggs recorded 25 t...

  Th   Star New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who's played a key role in the meteoric rise of  Pro Bowl quarterback Drake Maye , was accused of felony strangulation, Massachusetts   court records revealed on Tuesday. Diggs, 32, also faces a misdemeanor assault charge,   stemming from an alleged incident that happened on Dec. 2, Dedham District Court records showed. That would have been a day after New England beat the New York Giants, 33-15, on " Monday Night Football." Diggs "categorically denies" all the allegations, his attorney said in a statement to NBC News. "The timing and motivation for making the allegations is crystal clear: they are the direct result of an employee-employer financial dispute that was not resolved to the employee’s satisfaction," the statement said. "Stefon looks forward to establishing the truth in a court of law.”  Read more....   Reo

  The big New Year getaway turned to chaos on Tuesday as an estimated 25,000 passengers were left stranded when  Eurostar   trains  were cancelled without notice. Services between London and  Paris,   Brussels  and Amsterdam were suspended for hours at one of the busiest travel times of the year. Some  trains  that had left Kings Cross St Pancras turned around en route and headed back to London – a round trip of five hours, finishing where the train had begun. Read more....

  FES, Morocco -- A much-changed  Nigeria  eased past a poor  Uganda  side 3-1 in Fes on Tuesday to make it three wins out of three at the  Africa Cup of Nations, eliminating the 10-men Cranes in the process. Paul Onuachu's opener and  Raphael Onyedika  sealed maximum points in a low-key encounter where a limited Uganda side showed little of the urgency or quality required to get the victory they needed to remain alive in the competition. The East Africans fell apart after substitute goalkeeper Salim Magoola's second-half red card for handling outside his box, with Nigeria romping into a three-goal lead before  Rogers Mato  pulled one back for the East Africans. Read more....

  TAIPEI/BEIJING, Dec 30 (Reuters) - China fired rockets into waters off Taiwan on Tuesday, showcased new assault ships and dismissed prospects of U.S. and allied intervention to block any future attack by Beijing to take control of the island in its most extensive  war games  to date. As part of drills rehearsing a blockade, China's Eastern Theatre Command conducted 10 hours of live-fire exercises, launching rockets into waters to the north and south of the democratically governed island. Read more....

  US president says he would back attacks if Tehran rebuilds nuclear or missile programmes.  Iran has promised to respond harshly to any aggression after United States President Donald Trump threatened further military action, should Tehran attempt to rebuild its nuclear programme or missile capabilities. President Masoud Pezeshkian issued the warning on X on Tuesday, a day after Trump met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Florida estate, where he firmly leaned into the Israeli regional narrative yet again. Read more...

  The UAE says it rejects accusations of support for southern separatists (STC) and that it is committed to Saudi security, after Saudi-led coalition strikes port of Maukalla. The strikes targeted what the coalition called foreign military ⁠support to STC. Rashad al-Alimi, the head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, has decided to cancel the joint defence deal with the United Arab Emirates. UAE forces in Yemen must leave within 24 hours, al-Alimi says, announcing an air, land and sea blockade on all ports and crossings for 72 hours. Read more....

  Widespread and locally severe frosts are expected, along with the first snow of the winter for many, the Met Office has said.   The UK is set for a cold and snowy start to 2026, according to the Met Office. A yellow warning for snow and ice has been issued for parts of Scotland from 6am on New Year’s Day until midnight on January 2. And while New Year's Eve celebrations are expected to be comparatively balmy, the days following are likely to see temperatures plummet. Met Office deputy chief forecaster Mark Sidaway said: "It certainly looks like we are in for  a taste of ‘winter ’ as we welcome in the new year, initially in the north, but more widely across the UK for the first week of 2026. Read more....

  Meera Syal also made dame while England women’s football and rugby winners feature prominently   The actors Idris Elba and  Meera Syal  have been made a knight and a dame in the new year honours list, with top awards also going to the ice skaters Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean. The  former head of NHS England, Amanda Pritchard, was also made a dame and there were knighthoods for Patrick McCabe, a former UN official responsible for clearing unexploded bombs in Gaza; Tristram Hunt, the former Labour MP and now director of the V&A, for services to museums; and Roy Clarke, creator of the sitcoms Last of the Summer Wine, Open All Hours and Keeping Up Appearances. Elba, known for his roles in The Wire and Luther, was knighted for services to young people in recognition of his charity work at the Elba Hope Foundation, which supports community empowerment, education, youth advocacy and sustainable development. Read more....

  The  Denver Nuggets , suddenly, are holding their breath and hoping for the best. Star center and three-time NBA MVP  Nikola Jokić  suffered an left knee injury Monday, Dec. 29 in a game against the  Miami Heat  after awkwardly hyperextending it. Jokić trudged off the court with an extreme limp and did not return in the second half. “Immediately, he knew something was wrong,” Nuggets coach David Adelman told reporters after the game, an eventual  147-123  Heat victory. “This is part of the NBA. Anyone who gets hurt, it’s gut-wrenching, especially somebody as special as he is.” Initially, the Nuggets had said Jokić was questionable to return to the game, though he was not on the floor at the start of the second half. Read more....

  Former world heavyweight boxing champion  Anthony Joshua  escaped with minor injuries in a car crash that killed two of his friends and team members on Monday, according to Nigerian authorities and his promoter. The incident occurred around 11 a.m. (5 a.m. ET) on a busy stretch of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, which connects Ogun to the commercial center of Lagos, local police in Ogun state reported. Joshua, who has family ties in Ogun, sustained only “minor bruises,” but Babaseyi Boluwatife, a spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, said two other occupants in the vehicle with him, including the driver, were killed. Read more....

  Nick Smith Jr. delivered 21 points with five three-pointers off the bench, stepping up as Austin Reaves sits with a calf strain injury. The Lakers answered their coach’s criticism with a complete performance, including 25 assists and dominant defense in their 125-101 victory over Sacramento. Tuesday’s clash with Detroit Pistons (24-7) will test the Lakers, who are just 7-7 against teams with winning records this season.  Read more....

  Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says his county is in a full-scale war with the U.S., Israel, and Europe, claiming the West does not want Iran to stand on its feet. LONDON --  Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that Tehran is in a "full-scale" war with the U.S., Israel and Europe, describing the country's diplomatic situation as "complicated and difficult." "In my opinion, we are in a full-scale war with America, Israel, and Europe; they do not want our country to stand on its feet," Pezeshkian said in a lengthy interview posted to the official website of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday.  Read more....

  A new winter storm is moving east on Monday, bringing dangerous wind, snow and ice to millions. Wind gusts up to 45 mph are possible in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. Gusts up to 65 mph are possible in Cleveland, Ohio, Michigan and parts of Pennsylvania, where high wind warnings are in effect. A blizzard warning is in effect across parts of Iowa, Wisconsin and the upper peninsula of Michigan. Heavy snow and wind gusts up to 50 mph are creating whiteout conditions. Minneapolis was under a winter weather advisory Monday morning due to the blowing snow. Read more....

In 2025, Israel attacked at least six countries, including Palestine, Iran, Lebanon, Qatar, Syria, and Yemen. It also carried out strikes in Tunisian, Maltese and Greek territorial waters on aid flotillas heading for Gaza. READ MORE.....

  The Russian army claims its troops have captured of the Dibrova village in eastern Ukraine’s war-torn Donetsk region. Also in Donetsk, at least one person has been killed and five injured in Russian shelling of the eastern city of Sloviansk, according to the head of the region’s military administration. Read more....

  Steve: Somehow, it was all too predictable. Go behind, then struggle to create any openings. The run of three defeats is becoming a concern. Jean-Philippe Mateta is a liability, unable to hold up the ball or find the target. Daniel Munoz and Ismaila Sarr are a big loss. The need for additional players of quality is now urgent. Time to stop being prudent and invest in the present - and the future. Andy: Again we got what we deserved as wasted too many chances. Our wing-backs are not releasing the ball into the box quickly enough and the extra touch often causes us to lose position. I can accept this with Nathaniel Clyne, but Tyrick Mitchell is starting week in week out and was also to blame for Spurs goal as he ducked out of the challenge at the far post. On the whole, our season has gone well, but players must be aware of where they could have been if chances were taken. Les: Lifeless performance. A lot of uncertainty at the club. We're not going to get relegated so get rid of Ol...

  A "bomb cyclone" is ushering a period of cold and snow for some parts of the United States for the end of the year.  Blizzard conditions, a “ bomb cyclone ” and a rush of freezing arctic air threaten to snarl post-holiday travel and create  potentially dangerous conditions  across the country through the beginning of the week, particularly in the Midwest and Northeast.   Heavy snow and strong winds are expected to cause whiteout conditions with near-zero visibility in the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes region Sunday through Monday. Some parts of the region could see as much as two feet of snow, leaving potential for power outages.  Meanwhile, freezing rain threatens to create icy roadways in New England on Sunday. And strong thunderstorms in the South will usher in a new round of cold temperatures to start the New Year. Forecasters expect areas in the West that have seen a delu...

  Fierce rain and bitter cold continued to batter Gaza this weekend, as the number of Palestinians killed by the harsh winter weather continues to rise. Sunday saw two people killed, including a seven-year-old child, when a wall collapsed due to the cold weather, according to Gaza’s civil defense. As Palestinians seek shelter from the heavy rain in bombed-out ruins, aid agencies have warned of the risks posed by the dilapidated buildings which are prone to collapse during the cold weather. Read more....

  China’s military announced Monday it was mobilizing army, navy, air and rocket units around Taiwan for “major military drills” aimed at sending a “serious warning” against any push for Taiwanese independence and “external” forces interfering with the island. The exercises – dubbed “Justice Mission-2025” – would test combat readiness and “blockade and control of key ports and critical areas” from Monday, China’s Eastern Theater Command said. Live-fire activities would take place in five maritime and airspace zones encircling the island on Tuesday, according to information released by the command. Read more....

  Former House Speaker  Nancy Pelosi  predicted that Democrats will retake control of the House of Representatives in the 2026 midterm elections, in an interview with ABC News  that aired Dec. 28. She told Jonathan Karl that "when" the party takes control of the chamber, the Democrats need to reestablish congressional power. "Right now, the Republicans in the Congress have abolished the Congress. They just do what the president insists that they do. That will be over," Pelosi said. "That ends as soon as we have the gavel." Pelosi,  the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House , will step away from the chamber at the end of her term. She said that her successor as the head of the House Democrats, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, is ready to take the gavel. Read more....

  West Palm Beach, Florida  —   Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky traded freezing, missile-tormented Kyiv on Sunday for the frescoed dining room at Mar-a-Lago, where he hoped to gain President Donald Trump’s sign-off on a revised  20-point peace plan  to end the war in his country. Emerging after more than three hours of talks, neither man announced any major breakthrough in the grinding effort to end the conflict started by Russia in 2022. Both emphasized the process was complicated and would take more time. And Trump, who spoke by phone earlier in the day with Russian President Vladimir Putin, still offered a relatively sympathetic view of Moscow’s positions. Yet unlike some previous meetings, Trump praised Zelensky and remained confident that peace was near. Read more....

  ZURICH, Dec 27 (Reuters) - Switzerland cannot defend itself against a full-scale attack and must boost military spending given rising risks from Russia, the head of its armed forces said. The country is prepared for attacks by "non-state actors" on critical infrastructure and for cyber attacks, but its military still faces major equipment gaps, Thomas Suessli told the NZZ newspaper. "What we cannot do is defend against threats from a distance or even a full-scale attack on our country," said Suessli, who is stepping down at the end of the year. Read more....

  An ability to connect with people has kept America’s most storied political family at the heart of its politics for more than half of the nation's 250-year history. WASHINGTON  – Stepping inside  Kathleen Kennedy Townsend’ s sun-filled apartment is like stepping into American history. A letter from her father  Robert F. Kennedy  hangs in the hallway. "Dear Kathleen, as the oldest of the Kennedy grandchildren you have a special responsibility: Be kind to others and work for your country,” RFK wrote his 12-year-old daughter, two days after the  assassination  of his brother, President John F. Kennedy, in 1963. Read more....

  If Israel and the US were to attack Iran again, they would ‘face a more decisive response’, Pezeshkian warns. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says that the United States, Israel and Europe are waging a “full-fledged war” against his country. The president’s remarks on Saturday came ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting on Monday with US President Donald Trump. They also come six months after Israel and the  US launched strikes on Iran, and after France, Germany and the United Kingdom reimposed United Nations sanctions on Iran in September over its nuclear programme.  Read more....