A former ICE instructor testified at a Capitol hearing that ICE dramatically cut vital training for new recruits and lied to Congress about it as the Trump administration seeks to expand mass deportations.
NY/NJ's official FIFA Fan Fest at Liberty State Park has been canceled four months before the 2026 World Cup, as Gov. Mikie Sherrill pivots to a region-wide program of smaller watch parties and community events; ticket refunds are in process, and there will be no official NY/NJ Fan Fest, though other World Cup viewing experiences (Queens fan zone and NYC venues) will proceed as non-FIFA events.
Trump’s plan to boost domestic glyphosate production triggers swift backlash from MAHA allies, who warn the move would harm public health and exacerbate tensions over pesticide policy within his coalition.
The Commission of Fine Arts unanimously approved the nearly 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom design, while a federal judge weighs halting the project amid criticism from watchdogs that it’s too large.
The Pentagon warned Scouting America, formerly the Boy Scouts, that it must rapidly enact core value reforms or risk ending its long-standing partnership with the U.S. military; the alert comes amid decades of collaboration and controversy over the organization’s evolution, including girls joining and its name change, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth criticizing the group’s changes.
President Donald Trump announced government-backed investment accounts for newborns, starting with a $1,000 seed per child born 2025–2028 and tax-deferred growth in low-cost index funds. The accounts go live July 4, with about 25 million families eligible and more than 500,000 already signed up. The White House urges additional private contributions (notably from Michael Dell) and corporate participation, arguing the program will improve long-term family affordability, housing, diplomas and entrepreneurship—though withdrawals will be taxed and analysts note projected returns vary.
House Democrats plan to open an investigation into Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem as early as next week, setting the stage for a impeachment push and proceeding without Republican participation, arguing GOP reticence to oversight of the Trump administration and the low likelihood of GOP support for impeaching a Cabinet official.
Trump has installed four allies on the federal Commission of Fine Arts to review the White House ballroom project, including its former chief architect James McCrery II, as White House officials push for rapid approval within about two months ahead of next week’s CFA meeting.
The State Department will pause immigrant visa processing for applicants from 75 countries starting January 21, affecting permanent relocation while allowing dual nationals with a passport from a non-affected country to apply; non-immigrant visas are unaffected, and there is no announced end date. The move is framed as a reassessment to curb potential welfare dependence and is part of broader immigration restrictions pursued by the administration, amid other measures like travel bans and a historically low refugee admissions cap.
The UK government has announced that there will be no further changes to the farm inheritance tax proposals, following protests and a significant increase in the tax threshold to £2.5 million, aiming to support smaller farms while maintaining environmental scheme reforms. The government also pledged stability for environmental payments like the Sustainable Farming Incentive, with plans to simplify and expand the scheme, emphasizing the importance of environmental and economic sustainability in farming.
Sweden has become a global leader in AI and tech startups due to a combination of historical government initiatives, a digitally literate population, strong investment, and a culture of innovation and humility, serving as a model for integrating technology into everyday life to sustain growth and resilience.
The UK government has significantly relaxed its plans to tax inherited farmland, raising the threshold from £1m to £2.5m after protests from farmers and political pressure, aiming to protect family farms while still targeting larger estates and wealthy investors.
Trump officials plan to dismantle the global climate and weather forecasting system, which could impact international climate science and weather prediction efforts.
Uber is offering drivers $4,000 incentives to switch to electric vehicles amid threats from Trump to eliminate zero emissions targets, highlighting ongoing debates over environmental policies and corporate sustainability efforts.