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Lead Chicago is seeing a surge in flu-related hospital visits and emergency room activity, reaching levels not recorded since 2022, city health officials said on Saturday. The positivity rate among people tested for influenza is just above 24 percent, and emergency department visits are listed as “very high” by the Chicago Department of Public Health. … Read more

Lead At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Lego unveiled a new Smart Play system of sensor-packed 2×4 “Smart Bricks” that detect nearby tiles and minifigures, produce lights and sound, and network over Bluetooth. The company confirmed Star Wars Smart Play sets will ship March 1, priced from $70 to $160, with interactive smart tags and … Read more

Lead: The Cleveland Browns dismissed head coach Kevin Stefanski on Monday in Berea, Ohio, ending a six-season tenure that produced two playoff appearances but a 5-12 finish this year. Owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam made the announcement after the team closed the season with two straight wins, including a 20-18 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. … Read more

Lead Ashley St Clair, the writer and political strategist who became estranged from Elon Musk after the birth of their child in 2024, says she was left “horrified and violated” when X users employed Grok to produce sexually explicit manipulations of her photographs. The altered images included a version of her pictured as a 14-year-old … Read more

Investor Michael Burry said on Monday that he has held a stake in Valero Energy since 2020 and that recent political developments have strengthened his conviction. His Substack post argued U.S. refineries on the Gulf Coast are well suited to process Venezuela’s heavy crude, which could lift refining margins over time. The comments followed a … Read more

Lead Leaked images posted by @evleaks on January 5, 2026 show Motorola preparing a foldable called the Moto Razr Fold, alongside a second-generation Moto Tag and a small camera wearable. The photos present the Razr Fold open and finished, with a triple-lens rear cluster and two textured color variants. The images also reveal a Moto … Read more

Federal health authorities announced a major revision to the childhood immunization schedule that reduces the number of vaccines universally recommended for all children from 17 to 11. The change, unveiled after a December 5 presidential directive, moves several previously universal vaccines — including rotavirus, hepatitis A and B, meningococcal shots and seasonal influenza — into … Read more

Lead Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced on Monday that he will not seek a third consecutive term in 2026, saying he cannot split his attention between a statewide campaign and defending Minnesota amid an unfolding child-care fraud investigation and intensified partisan attacks. Walz framed the choice as one between political campaigning and protecting residents from … Read more

Lead: The 83rd Golden Globes culminates on Sunday, January 11, 2026 at The Beverly Hilton with Nikki Glaser as host, after a week of industry gatherings across Los Angeles. Special honors precede the telecast, with Helen Mirren receiving the Cecil B. DeMille Award and Sarah Jessica Parker honored with the Carol Burnett Award. Major studios, … Read more

Lead: Venezuelan authorities on Monday installed Delcy Rodríguez as interim president after U.S. forces captured long-serving leader Nicolás Maduro during a weekend operation. Lawmakers aligned with the ruling party convened in Caracas to swear in a National Assembly whose term runs to 2031, while Maduro pleaded not guilty in a U.S. federal court to narco‑terrorism … Read more

Ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, made their first U.S. federal court appearance on January 5, 2026, in Manhattan after being captured in a U.S. military operation in Caracas. Standing before Judge Alvin Hellerstein at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Courthouse, Maduro said he was innocent, insisted he remains Venezuela’s president and … Read more

Lead: On Jan. 5, 2026, former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were arraigned in federal court in lower Manhattan after U.S. special operations forces captured them in Caracas over the weekend. Both defendants pleaded not guilty to charges that include narco-terrorism and cocaine importation; Flores’ lawyers said she is “prepared” for … Read more

Lead: On Dec. 1, 2025, Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., held a news conference at the U.S. Capitol to push back after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a formal administrative review that could reduce Kelly’s retired rank and corresponding retirement pay. Hegseth said the action follows a video in which Kelly and other lawmakers urged troops … Read more

At the 2026 Critics Choice Awards on Sunday night in Los Angeles, Timothée Chalamet, 30, used his Best Actor acceptance to publicly thank his partner, Kylie Jenner, 28. Chalamet won for his lead role in Marty Supreme and addressed Jenner in the audience, calling her his partner of three years and expressing gratitude for what … Read more

Lead: Anker unveiled a refreshed 45W Nano charger at CES 2026 and it is already available for pre-order at $30, $10 below the advertised MSRP, with shipments slated to begin on January 20. The compact unit adds a smart display that reports live power flow, temperature and charging status and is designed to auto-recognize attached … Read more