January 3, 2026

Iran threatens US forces in Mideast after Trump vows to ‘rescue’ protesters

President Donald Trump has warned that the United States is “locked and loaded and ready to go” to help Iranian protesters if security forces “violently kill peaceful protesters.” Trump issued the threat on Truth Social as demonstrations over Iran’s deteriorating economy entered their sixth day and turned deadly, with as many as seven people killed […]

January 3, 2026

Why the US risks losing its measles-free status after 2025 surge

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recorded 2,065 measles cases across 44 states in 2025, the highest count since the early 1990s. There were 53 new infections reported in the last week of December; most occurred in South Carolina, Arizona and Utah, where there are ongoing outbreaks.  Declining vaccination rates across the U.S. […]

January 3, 2026

California’s PG&E cuts 2026 electric rates 5%. Not all customers will benefit

California’s largest utility company, Pacific Gas and Electric, said a subset of its customers will pay lower rates in 2026 than in 2025. The company’s announcement cuts against the national trend of rate increases, but California electricity rates are still far higher than the rest of the country. The typical electric bill for a customer […]

January 3, 2026

Cash still king: Poll shows strong support for forcing businesses to accept cash

New polling shows a large majority of Americans would support legislation that would force businesses to accept cash as a form of payment. Data, however, shows that more businesses are taking only credit or debit cards or digital payment forms at the point of sale. The poll was conducted by the Siena Research Institute at […]

January 2, 2026

Trump has said for months he got an MRI; it was actually a CT scan

A new interview with the Wall Street Journal is shedding light on President Donald Trump’s health. Since October 2025, the president has maintained that he underwent an MRI during his annual physical at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, but he was mistaken. It turns out, he actually had a CT scan. MRI vs. CT MRI stands […]

January 2, 2026

Why US press freedoms eroded in Trump’s first year back in office

On paper, including the parchment on which the Constitution is written, the United States still has press freedoms. But in the first year of President Donald Trump’s second term, the nation drifted further from being a world leader in press rights.  This year, the U.S. received its lowest ranking since Reporters Without Borders launched a […]

January 2, 2026

Sparklers likely caused Swiss Alps fire that killed dozens on New Year’s Eve

The New Year’s Eve fire in the Swiss Alps that left dozens dead was likely caused by sparklers attached to bottles of Champagne, officials announced in a press conference Friday. Beatrice Pilloud, the Valais attorney general, said witness accounts and videos from the incident led to the determination.  Pilloud said the sparklers were “birthday candles” […]