Congress blocks Obamacare subsidies after shutdown fight, premiums set to surge
Lawmakers fought over Obamacare subsidies tooth and nail for the latter part of the year, and ultimately, neither side won. Senate Democrats thrust the government into the longest shutdown in history in an effort to refocus the narrative in Congress on healthcare, and Republicans agreed to talk about it in the open. And both Republicans and Democrats got a shot to advance their own, partisan plans. Both failed. Now, the subsidies are set to expire on Wednesday, sending price hikes across the desks of tens of millions of Americans that relied on the credits. REPUBLICANS CONSIDER USING RECONCILIATION AGAIN AFTER TRUMP’S BIGGEST LEGISLATIVE WIN When lawmakers return on the first week of January, healthcare will be front of mind for many in the Senate. But any push to either revive, or completely replace, the subsidies may, for a time, take a backseat to the government funding fight brewing ahead of the Jan. 30 deadline. When asked if he was disappointed that lawmakers were unable to, at least in the short term, solve the subsidies issue, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., was more concerned about people that would experience higher costs. “I think who it’s most disappointing for are the people whose premiums are going to go up by two, three times,” Hawley said. “So, it’s not good.” Price hikes on premium costs will be variable for the roughly 20 million Americans that rely on them, depending on age, income and other factors. Broadly, a person’s out-of-pocket cost is expected to double with the credit’s lapse, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. The nonpartisan healthcare think tank painted a broader picture of the disparate impact on premium cost increases in a report released late last month that, based on myriad factors, including where a person lives, their age range and where they sit above the poverty line, some could see price hikes as high as 361%. SENATE QUIETLY WORKS ON BIPARTISAN OBAMACARE FIX AS HEALTHCARE CLIFF NEARS While Senate Republicans’ and Democrats’ separate plans failed to advance — despite four Republicans crossing the aisle to support Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s, D-N.Y., plan — lawmakers are working together for a solution. There are two plans with traction in the House. The GOP’s plan advanced on the floor earlier this month but doesn’t address the issue of the expiring tax credits. Then there is a bipartisan plan that calls for a three-year extension of the subsidies, similar to Senate Democrats’ plan, that is teed up for a vote. The latter option, and its bipartisan momentum, has some Democrats hopeful that a three-year extension could get a shot in the upper chamber. “I’ll also say that the glimmer of hope is if we’re searching for a bipartisan deal that can pass the Congress, we don’t need to search any further than the three-year extension of the subsidies that’s going to pass the House of Representatives,” Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, told Fox News Digital. “We don’t need a negotiation any further. That bill can pass, if it can provide relief to the taxpayers, and it can pass, then that’s our vehicle.” SANDERS BLASTED AFTER BLOCKING BIPARTISAN KIDS’ CANCER RESEARCH BILL: ‘GRINCH,’ ‘SELFISH’ Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., however, has maintained a deeply-rooted position against just a simple extension of the credits. He argued that a straight-up extension for three years would be “a waste of $83 billion,” and lacks any of the reforms that Republicans desire, like reinstalling an income cap, adding anti-fraud measures, and reaffirming language that would prevent taxpayer dollars from funding abortions. “I mean, I think if nothing else, depending on if the House sends something over here, there would be a new vehicle available,” Thune said. “And if there is some bipartisan agreement on a plan, then you know, it’s possible that we could — obviously it’d have to be something that we think the House could pass, and the president would sign.” “But I’m not ruling anything out, I guess is what I’m saying,” he continued. “But you know, a three-year extension of a failed program that’s rife with fraud, waste and abuse is not happening.” Senate Democrats are open to negotiating on a bipartisan plan, something that is already ongoing after Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, held a meeting with lawmakers before leaving Washington, D.C., earlier this month. But Democrats are also making clear that they don’t want to budge on some of the Republicans’ demands. “Let’s put it this way, Republicans are asking to meet with me, and I’m telling them, I’ll listen, you know, I made it clear what I think is the only practical approach, and I’m certainly not going to go along with selling junk insurance,” Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said.
India issues FIRST statement after China’s claim to mediate Pakistan truce, says ‘there is no role for…’
India reiterated that there is no third party involved in the ceasefire on May 10, following Operation Sindoor, which was reached following direct talks between the Director General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two countries.
Raihan Vadra-Aviva Baig engagement: Where did Priyanka Gandhi’s son first meet Imran Baig, Nandita Baig’s daughter?
Recently, Aviva Baig took to her Instgram stories and uploaded a picture with Raihan Vadra, which she has now put in the ‘highlights’ section, has gone viral on the internet
BIG move by Swiggy, Zomato, Zepto amid gig workers’ strike on New Year’s Eve, offer delivery agents…
The development comes as an effort to maintain operations when delivery worker unions called a strike on December 25 and 31 over issues like pay, working conditions, and social security.
Faridabad SHOCKER: 25-year-old woman held captive, raped for hours, thrown out from moving van, gets 12 stitches in head
In a shocking case from Haryana’s Faridabad, a 25 years old woman was raped for two hours in a moving van by two men, and was later thrown out of the car in a deserted Gurgaon-Faridabad road. Both suspects have been detained by crime branch and recovered the van.
Why are Zomato, Swiggy, Zepto, other gig workers on nationwide strike today? Know reason here, their demands
Quick delivery apps Swiggy, Zomato, Blinkit and other platforms are a lifeline for those dependent on last-minute delivery. However, on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2025, many people might have to face inconvenience as gig workers of many of these delivery ecommerce platforms and food delivery apps are on strike. The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) and Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT) will lead the strike, which is supported by multiple regional players. Worker unions from Maharashtra, Karnataka, Delhi-NCR, West Bengal and parts of Tamil Nadu have also announced the strike.
Former GOP Sen. Jon Kyl announces dementia diagnosis, steps away from public life
Former Republican Sen. Jon Kyl announced on Tuesday he is withdrawing from public life after being diagnosed with dementia. Kyl, 83, became one of Arizona’s most prominent Republicans during a career that spanned nearly three decades across both chambers of Congress, including a stint as Senate minority whip. “I was blessed to represent the people of Arizona in Congress and to have numerous other opportunities to contribute to the political and civic life of our nation and state,” Kyl said in a statement. “However, the time has come for me to withdraw from public life. I have been diagnosed with a neurological disease manifesting as dementia.” Kyl represented Arizona’s 4th Congressional District in the House from 1987 to 1995 before serving in the U.S. Senate from 1995 to 2013. DAVID MARCUS: BEN SASSE IS DYING, BUT HIS LETTER TO AMERICA WILL LIVE FOREVER After leaving the Senate, Kyl joined the lobbying firm Covington and Burling, before being appointed in 2018 by then-Gov. Doug Ducey to fill the vacancy caused by the death of former Sen. John McCain. Kyl held the seat for several months in the Senate before rejoining the firm in 2019, where he helped guide the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. The longtime Arizona lawmaker described himself as “a very fortunate man” despite the diagnosis. FORMER COLORADO SEN. BEN NIGHTHORSE CAMPBELL DEAD AT 92 “My family and I now head down a path filled with moments of joy and increasing difficulties,” he stated. “I am grateful beyond expression for their love and support, in these coming days as in all the days of my life.” Kyl moved to Arizona as an 18-year-old freshman to attend the University of Arizona, where he met his wife. The university said Kyl devoted more than two decades to public service, leaving a lasting impact on water policy, national defense and intelligence. “His leadership, integrity, and commitment to service reflect the highest ideals of public life,” the university said in a statement. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., said Kyl gave “decades of his life” serving Arizona, adding that he’s grateful for the former GOP senator’s “commitment to our state and country.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Mamdani picks educator who worked to dismantle Gifted & Talented program as NYC schools chancellor
Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is expected to announce Wednesday that he will appoint Kamar Samuels, a longtime New York City educator and Manhattan superintendent, as the next schools chancellor, according to multiple reports. Samuels, who has been an educator with New York City public schools for almost two decades, is known for promoting racial diversity through school mergers and for working to dismantle the Gifted & Talented program, which some critics argue is racially biased, the New York Post reported. The schools chancellor oversees the nation’s largest public school system, educating more than 900,000 students across roughly 1,600 schools and employing roughly 135,000 people. Samuels led school mergers aimed at racial integration while overseeing a de Blasio administration effort to increase diversity in certain Brooklyn middle schools, according to Chalkbeat. MAMDANI APPOINTS CONVICTED ARMED ROBBER TO PUBLIC SAFETY TRANSITION TEAM According to the Post, Samuels has also backed the International Baccalaureate program, which he said aligns with his philosophy of expanding opportunities for students while investing in teachers. Samuels’ appointment would align with Mamdani’s campaign pledge to reshape education policy under his administration. In October, Mamdani told The New York Times he would renew a plan first proposed by former Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2021, which sought to eliminate the Gifted & Talented test for public school kindergartners, opting for a universal test in second grade. MAMDANI ECONOMIC ADVISOR IS REPARATIONS ACTIVIST WHO SAYS ‘DEVALUATION OF BLACK LIVES’ INGRAINED IN US SYSTEM Mayor Eric Adams halted de Blasio’s initiative when he took office, according to the Post. Mamdani’s pick for schools chancellor was first reported by City & State. Samuels began his career as an elementary school teacher in the Bronx before moving into school leadership as a middle school principal in the borough. He later served as deputy superintendent in Brooklyn’s Community School District 23, then as superintendent of Community School District 13, before taking over as superintendent of Manhattan’s District 3. “It’s a politically challenging assignment to run District 3, really, and he ran it at a very challenging time,” said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine told City & State. “He consistently just showed incredible sensitivity and nuance and stuck to his principles.” MAMDANI SAYS NYPD COMMISSIONER APOLOGIZED AFTER HER BROTHER CALLED HIM ‘ENEMY’ OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE AT GALA Samuels would succeed outgoing Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos, who reportedly sought to remain in the role, the publication added. Mamdani will be sworn in as New York City’s next mayor on Thursday, Jan. 1. Fox News Digital has reached out to Mamdani’s team for comment. Fox News Digital’s Deirdre Heavey contributed to this report.
Former Colorado Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell dead at 92
Former U.S. Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell of Colorado died on Tuesday at the age of 92, according to his family. Campbell died of natural causes surrounded by his family, his daughter Shanan Campbell, announced. He is survived by his wife Linda, their two children, Shanan and Colin, as well as four grandchildren. Originally a Democrat, Campbell switched to the Republican Party in 1995 while serving in the U.S. Senate, a seat he held from 1993 until his retirement in 2005 due to health reasons. Before serving in the Senate, he held office in the U.S. House and the Colorado House. TATIANA SCHLOSSBERG, JFK’S GRANDDAUGHTER, DIES AT 35 AFTER YEAR-AND-A-HALF LEUKEMIA BATTLE Campbell was known for his passionate advocacy of Native American issues as well as his dress attire, which included cowboy boots, bolo ties and a ponytail. He was a member of the Northern Cheyenne tribe and said his ancestors were among more than 150 Native Americans, mostly women, children and elderly men, killed by U.S. soldiers while camped under a flag of truce on Nov. 29, 1864. He helped sponsor legislation to upgrade the Great Sand Dunes National Monument in southern Colorado, where the killings happened, to a national park. Campbell was also a strong supporter of children’s rights, organized labor and fiscal conservatism. A renowned master jeweler, Campbell has designs displayed at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian. “He was a master jeweler with a reputation far beyond the boundaries of Colorado. I will not forget his acts of kindness. He will be sorely missed,” Colorado Sen. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, said on X. Colorado Democrat Gov. Jared Polis ordered flags to be lowered to half staff from sunrise to sunset on the day of Campbell’s service. “He will be missed here in Colorado and across the country, and his contributions leave a lasting legacy to our state and nation,” Polis said on X. Born April 13, 1933, in Auburn, California, Campbell also served in the Air Force during the Korean War. He received a bachelor’s degree from San Jose State University in 1957. He also attended Meiji University in Tokyo from 1960 to 1964, was captain of the U.S. judo team at the 1964 Olympics and won a gold medal in the Pan American Games. Additionally, he worked as a deputy sheriff in Sacramento County, California, coached the U.S. national judo team, operated his own dojo in Sacramento and taught high school classes. Campbell was also a motorcycle-rider and cattle rancher, and he was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame. The former lawmaker has driven the Capitol Christmas Tree across the country to Washington, D.C., on several occasions. “He was truly one of a kind, and I am thinking of his family in the wake of his loss,” Colorado Rep. Diana DeGette, a Democrat, said on X. Campbell founded Ben Nighthorse Consultants, a lobbying firm that focused on federal policy, including Native American affairs and natural resources, following his retirement from public office. He also continued to design and craft American Indian jewelry after leaving Congress. MIKE CASTLE, DELAWARE’S LAST REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR AND CONGRESSMAN, DEAD AT 86 Although he switched to the Republican Party in March 1995 after becoming angry with Democrats for killing a balanced-budget amendment in the Senate, Campbell said his principles never changed. “It didn’t change me. I didn’t change my voting record. For instance, I had a sterling voting record as a Democrat on labor. I still do as a Republican. And on minorities and women’s issues,” he once said. A social liberal and fiscal conservative, Campbell’s party switch outraged Democrat leaders. “I get hammered from the extremes,” he said shortly after the switch. “I’m always willing to listen … but I just don’t think you can be all things to all people, no matter which party you’re in.” Editor’s Note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Ben Nighthorse Campbell was the first Native American to serve in both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate. In fact, Charles Curtis was the first to hold that distinction. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Disney to pay $10m over alleged breaches of US child privacy laws
Settlement comes after US Federal Trade Commission accused the entertainment giant of unlawfully collecting children’s data. Published On 31 Dec 202531 Dec 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Disney has agreed to pay $10m to settle allegations that it breached child privacy laws in the United States, authorities have said. A federal court approved the settlement to resolve allegations brought by the US Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Justice said on Tuesday. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list The order also requires Disney to operate its YouTube channel in accordance with data-protection rules and establish a programme to ensure future compliance. Disney had agreed to settle the claims brought by the US antitrust watchdog in September. The civil case stems from allegations that Disney collected children’s personal data without parental consent via its videos on YouTube. Antitrust officials alleged that Disney had wrongly designated more than 300 YouTube videos, including content from The Incredibles, Toy Story, Frozen, and Mickey Mouse, as not being aimed at children. YouTube requires content creators to designate videos as “Made for Kids” or “Not Made for Kids” to comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule. Under the rule, companies in the US are prohibited from collecting data from children below 13 without parental notification. Other major companies that have paid settlements under the rule, which has been amended several times since its enactment in 2000, include Google and Microsoft. Disney did not immediately respond to a request for comment. “The Justice Department is firmly devoted to ensuring parents have a say in how their children’s information is collected and used,” Assistant Attorney General Brett A Shumate said in a statement. Advertisement “The Department will take swift action to root out any unlawful infringement on parents’ rights to protect their children’s privacy.” Disney, which has its headquarters in Burbank, California, is one of the world’s largest entertainment companies, with revenue for the fiscal year 2025 reaching $94.4bn. Adblock test (Why?)