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    A Disquieting Read: Reflections on Western Certainty in a Multipolar World

    The heart-warming hustle-bustle of Christmas and the optimistic welcoming in the New Year are over. A quiet content has enveloped the house. Yes, there is a spot of winter gardening to do, but that can wait until the afternoon. With a large steaming mug of coffee in my hands, I eagerly ensconce myself in my… Continue reading A Disquieting Read: Reflections on Western Certainty in a Multipolar World
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    Donald Trump wants the US back on the moon before his term ends. Can it happen?

    After losing a year to havoc and job-slashing at Nasa, the pressure is on billionaire administrator Jared IsaacmanWith astronauts set to fly around the moon for the first time in more than half a century when Artemis 2 makes its long-awaited ascent some time this spring, 2026 was already destined to become a standout year in space.It is also likely to be one of the most pivotal, with new leadership at Nasa in billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman, and the tycoon-led private space industry assuming more than a mere supporting role to help win for the US its race with China back to the lunar surface. Continue reading… More

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    Trump news at a glance: president denies falling asleep in public meetings as he defends ‘perfect’ health

    In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump robustly defended his health after the first year of his second term in office raised growing questions. Key US politics stories from 1 January 2026Donald Trump has denied falling asleep while attending public meetings and robustly defended his health after the first year of his second term in office raised growing questions.Trump, who at 79 is the oldest person to assume the US presidency, told the Wall Street Journal “my health is perfect” and expressed frustration with scrutiny of his wellbeing. Continue reading… More

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    Mamdani pledges ‘new era’ for New York and vows to govern ‘audaciously’

    New mayor gives speech at inauguration and rescinds all orders signed by Eric Adams after corruption indictmentZohran Mamdani vowed to “reinvent” New York City in a speech on his first day as mayor, promising “a new era” for America’s largest city and an ambitious start to his term of office.The 34-year-old political star and democratic socialist, who a year ago was a virtually unknown state assemblyman, is the city’s first Muslim mayor, the first of south Asian descent and the first to be born in Africa. He is also the first to be sworn in using the Qur’an. Continue reading… More

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    George Clooney fires back at Trump after US president mocks his French citizenship

    Trump called the actor and his wife, Amal, ‘two of the worst political prognosticators of all time’ after they were awarded French passportsGeorge Clooney has lashed out at US president Donald Trump for criticising France’s decision to grant the Hollywood actor and his family French citizenship.The 64-year-old Oscar winner, his wife, Amal Alamuddin Clooney, and their two children became French citizens earlier this month after living on a property in southern France for years. Continue reading… More

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    Zohran Mamdani vows to govern New York ‘expansively and audaciously’ after being sworn in by Bernie Sanders –as it happened

    This live blog is now closed.Zohran Mamdani promises ‘new era’ for New York City in first speech as mayorZohran Mamdani and his wife Rama Duwaji appearing on stage for his inauguration ceremony earlier.New York is a place that “a young immigrant democrat socialist Muslim can be bold enough to run and brave enough to win,” he says, “not by abandoning conviction, but by standing firmly within it.” Continue reading… More

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    What is Keir Starmer doing to push back the populists? Not nearly enough. We have a plan to take them on | Chris Powell

    There is much to learn from the New Labour playbook. We were disciplined, innovative, robust and proactive – and we won• Labour needs complete ‘reset’ to defeat threat posed by Reform UK, says strategist• Chris Powell is an election strategy analyst and advised the Labour party for more than 20 yearsThe next general election will be no ordinary democratic contest. Not the usual swing of the pendulum this way or that. It will be a key moment in the history of our democracy – and it could be less than three years away.Be in no doubt: populists represent a new and terrifying threat to the kind of free elections and free society we cherish, but now take for granted.Chris Powell is an election strategy analyst and advised the Labour party for more than 20 years. David Cowan, who co-authored this article, is founder of Forensics, a data and consumer research consultancy. They are co-founders of winningagainstpopulists.com Continue reading… More

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    Abortion may no longer be a top priority for Democratic voters ahead of 2026 midterms, polls show

    Abortion was seen as one of Democrats’ strongest issues in the 2024 election – new polls indicate that may be shiftingUp to seven states will vote on abortion rights this year. But recent polling indicates that Democrats may not be able to count on the issue in their efforts to drive votes in the 2026 midterms, after making abortion rights the centerpiece of their pitch to voters in the elections that followed the fall of Roe v Wade.In 2024, 55% of Democrats said abortion was important to their vote, according to polling from the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI). But in October of this year, just 36% of Democrats said the same. By contrast, abortion remained about as important to Republicans in both 2024 and 2025, PRRI found. PRRI’s findings mirror a September poll from the 19th and SurveyMonkey, which found that the voters who cared most about abortion are people who want to see it banned. Continue reading… More