15 h. ago How Trump’s promise to slash energy bills in half has failed across the US

Guardian analysis shows electricity bills were up 6.7% last year, and much higher in some states, and gas bills up 5.2%Trump’s failed energy bill pledge leaves US households struggling: ‘It’s obscene’Donald Trump has comprehensively failed to meet a key election promise to slash Americans’ energy bills in half within the first year of his presidency, with power prices instead surging across the US.The average household electricity bill in the US was 6.7% more expensive in 2025 compared with the previous year, according to a Guardian analysis of data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the Department of Energy’s statistical arm. The increases meant that, on average, US households paid nearly $116 more across 2025 than they did in 2024. Continue reading...

Politics

59 h. ago Trump promised ‘Liberation Day’ was to bring back manufacturing jobs – but they have dipped every month since

72,000 fewer people work in U.S. manufacturing than when the president made his April tariffs announcement, data shows

Politics

2 d. ago Russia threatens ‘nuclear end of the world’ if Trump follows through on promise

Russia has said Donald Trump taking Greenland and positioning nuclear weapons on the island would bring about the 'end of the world' in a chilling threat to the US president

Events

4 d. ago Iran protests live updates: Trump warns of ‘very strong action’ if Iran executes protesters, as death toll soars

US president says ‘help is on its way’, as reported death toll rises into the thousands and concerns Tehran may carry out first protest-related execution, that of Erfan Soltani Trump promises ‘help is on its way’ and tells Iranians to ‘keep protesting’Hundreds of gunshot eye injuries found in one Iranian hospital amid brutal crackdown on protests Erfan Soltani is reportedly facing execution in Iran on Wednesday after he was tried, convicted and sentenced, following his arrest on Thursday.The 26-year-old was arrested in Karaj, a city on the north-west outskirts of Tehran, at the peak of the protests before the internet black-out. Soltani is one of the many thousands of protesters arrested last week. Continue reading...

Events

4 d. ago Trump promises 'very strong action' against Iran as he reveals new red line

The president previously warned Tehran that he would take military action if it harmed protesters. Since then, at least 2,000 demonstrators have been killed.

Politics

4 d. ago Trump promises 'very strong action' if Iran 'crosses red line' and executes protester

At least 2,000 people have been killed during anti-government protests in Iran, and Donald Trump has spoken out against the regime's handling of demonstrators in the country

Politics

4 d. ago Dunelm heated blanket shoppers 'use all winter' helps slash energy bills

Shoppers have been raving about affordable throw that keeps them warm without turning on the heating

Economics

6 d. ago A congresswoman wants to impeach Kristi Noem. She’s right to do so | Jan

It may be tempting to dismiss the move as hopeless – but it interrupts the Trump administration’s promise of impunityIn the wake of the killing of Renee Nicole Good, Congresswoman Robin Kelly has announced the filing of three articles of impeachment against Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary. Predictably, reactions have been muted at best: with the GOP holding both the Senate and the House, impeachment can be dismissed as purely performative, a helpless response to an in and of itself understandable moral imperative of “just do something!”But such dismissals are too quick: this administration has been running on a promise of impunity at all levels, and Democrats have to start signaling that actions have consequences. They also need to break out of a fateful dynamic: during Trump 2.0, misdeeds and scandals are following each other in such rapid succession that neither the press nor the public ever seem to get to focus on one. Impeachment can concentrate minds and slow down ...

Politics

8 d. ago Trump promises oil companies ‘total safety’ in Venezuela as he urges them to invest billions

Country is ‘uninvestable’ today, president told, but CEOs signal they are ready to spend with supportDonald Trump promised oil giants “total safety, total security” in Venezuela in an effort to persuade them to invest $100bn in the country’s infrastructure after US forces toppled Nicolás Maduro from power.At a roundtable press conference at the White House on Friday afternoon with more than a dozen oil executives, including leaders from Chevron, ExxonMobil and ConocoPhilips, the US president doubled down on claims that Maduro’s arrest presents American oil companies with an unprecedented opportunity for extraction. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago Trump says major oil companies will invest $100B in Venezuela and promises them government security assistance

The U.S. government is attempting to take control of the Venezuelan oil industry

Politics

8 d. ago Trump promises the US will soon start attacking drug cartels on land

In an interview with Fox, the president claimed drug cartels were “running” Mexico and hinted the country could be his next target

Events

8 d. ago Trump’s Venezuela strike won’t distract voters from the crises at home | Steven Greenhouse

As Americans worry about healthcare and affordability, the ‘no more wars’ president is helping oil companies insteadImmediately after Donald Trump ordered a military strike in Venezuela, many critics focused on how that attack violated international law as well as the US War Powers Resolution. But there hasn’t been nearly enough focus on the domestic implications of Trump’s move.Trump seems to have ordered his Venezuela venture in part to flip the script away from domestic matters, where things aren’t going well for him. His approval ratings are under water, and he’s getting low marks on the economy, health policy (just 30% approval), inflation (31% approval on the cost of living), his immigration crackdown (41% approval) and his sending the national guard into US cities. Then there’s the big thumbs down that Americans are giving to his tariffs, which have helped push up prices even though candidate Trump promised to lower prices on day one.Steven Greenhouse is a journalist and auth...

Politics

9 d. ago House of Lords give Assisted Dying bill 'more time' after 'time wasting' accusations

The House of Lords agreed to give more time to consider the Assisted Dying legislation after being warned they were damaging their reputation and could make the bill fail.

Events

9 d. ago Dense, sticky and heavy: why Venezuela’s oil is valuable to Trump – video explainer

The Venezuelan oil industry is ‘a total bust’ according to Donald Trump, something he has promised to ‘fix’ after attacking Caracas and seizing the country’s leader. But with analysts estimating it could take up to 14 years and billions to fix, what is in it for the US president? Jillian Ambrose, the Guardian’s energy correspondent, explains why Venezuela’s dense, sticky oil is so valuable to Trump Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Don’t dignify Trump with talk of a ‘new world order’ – there’s nothing new or ordered about this chaos | Aditya Chakrabortty

The US president’s grotesque theatrics on the world stage are an opportunistic distraction from his falling domestic ratingsOf all the commandments for living under Donald Trump, the first is always this: don’t believe him. Nothing he says can be taken at face value; everything should be fed into a polygraph. Those of scrupulous courtesy can wrap it up in red ribbon, or uncork that aphorism about how the man must be taken seriously but never literally. All the same, scratch a Trump promise and underneath will glint a pretext. Scrutinise his grand plans and you find only shabby tactics.The Manhattan Democrat turns into a Florida-dwelling Republican; the troll who demanded Barack Obama’s birth certificate will hem and haw over releasing the Epstein files. From real-estate deals to Trump University, all that this guy swears is solid gold soon settles into so much bullshit.Aditya Chakrabortty is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Democrats can win back the White House in 2028. Here’s how | Colin Seeberger

Democrats should go on the offense against Republicans, but they should also lay out a vision for renewing the promise of a middle-class life By January 2029, Donald Trump will be capping off a nearly 14-year stretch at the helm of American politics. While he will no longer serve as president of the United States, his shadow over the future of American politics will continue to loom large across both sides of the aisle. Following Trump’s popular-vote victory in the 2024 election, the Democratic party has been forced to wrestle with what went wrong and how they can regain the support of an American majority to win back the White House. To win back Americans’ trust, Democrats have to prioritize affordability, broaden their cultural appeal, and reconnect with disaffected voters beyond their base.Trump’s political success has long been defined by his willingness to take on elite institutions and buck convention, putting distance between himself and weaknesses in the Republican brand whi...

Politics

1 week ago Taxpayer face £100million bill for 'unusable' prison as MPs brand MoJ's handling of the affair a 'catastrophic failure' and an 'absolute disgrace'

The taxpayer is shelling out £4million a year to lease Dartmoor prison from the Duchy of Cornwall even though the building is uninhabitable due to contamination by radon gas.

Economics

1 week ago Scotland legend James McFadden made bankrupt as eyewatering debts of more than £2.5M revealed

SCOTLAND legend James McFadden has been made bankrupt with debts of more than £2.5million. The Scotland legend and Sky Sports pundit, 42, applied for bankruptcy after his debts soared to £2,594,192. He was declared insolvent after failing to settle large tax bills — seven years on from narrowly avoiding a similar fate. Faddy joins other...

Economics

1 week ago The £3 trick that'll keep you warm AND slash your bills: Our experts reveal the energy savings tips that actually work and exactly how they could save you hundreds of pounds

The mercury has dropped this week, meaning the usual winter fail-safes such as putting on a thick jumper or hugging a hot water bottle may no longer be enough to keep you toasty.

Economics

1 week ago The £3 trick that'll keep you warm AND slash your bills: Our experts reveal the energy

The mercury has dropped this week, meaning the usual winter fail-safes such as putting on a thick jumper or hugging a hot water bottle may no longer be enough to keep you toasty.

Economics