Vera C. Rubin Observatory discovers enormous, record-breaking asteroid in first 7 nights of observations – Live Science

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Lead In the first seven nights of imaging from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, researchers identified a giant, unusually rapid rotator: asteroid 2025 MN45. Measured at about 2,300 feet (710 meters) across, the object completes a full spin in roughly 113 seconds, making it the fastest-spinning asteroid known above the 500-meter size class. The discovery … Read more

One Year After the Eaton Fire, Altadena Residents Confront Insurance Gaps and Soaring Rebuild Costs

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One year after the Eaton Fire scorched the foothills of Altadena in January 2025, survivors say the neighborhood still reads like a landscape of loss: empty lots, piles of dirt and a slow, uncertain path to reconstruction. More than 6,000 homes across the affected area were destroyed or damaged and 19 people died, and local … Read more

One million without heat and water after Russian strikes

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Lead More than one million people in Dnipropetrovsk region were left without heating and water after Russian drone strikes damaged infrastructure, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister said. The attack also caused power outages for thousands in neighbouring Zaporizhzhia, though power was later restored there. Ukrainian authorities and companies including DTEK are engaged in repairs amid a … Read more

Layoff pace in December hit lowest level since mid-2024, Challenger says – CNBC

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Layoff pace in December hit lowest level since mid-2024, Challenger says Lead: Consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported Thursday that announced layoffs in December totaled 35,553, the lowest monthly figure since July 2024 and a potential sign of stabilization in the labor market. The December total was down 50% from November and 8% from … Read more

Donald Trump’s Venezuela action raises threat for China’s oil supplies

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Lead US measures taken under former President Donald Trump targeting Venezuela’s oil sector have elevated the risk that Chinese crude flows from the South American nation could be disrupted. The moves, implemented by Washington through sanctions and asset restrictions, affect state-linked Venezuelan oil entities and the contracts that underpin oil-for-loan arrangements with Chinese counterparts. The … Read more

AEW Dynamite Results: January 7, 2026 — Hangman & Swerve Win Lights Out, Young Bucks, Andrade Return, More – All Elite Wrestling

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Lead: On January 7, 2026 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, AEW opened the year on TBS and HBO Max with a chaotic Dynamite headlined by a violent Lights Out main event in which Hangman Adam Page and Swerve Strickland defeated HOOK and Powerhouse Hobbs. Jon Moxley retained in a dramatic Continental Championship Eliminator, pinning Shelton Benjamin with … Read more

Asus previews ROG NeoCore Wi‑Fi 8 router at CES — a design and stability pivot

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Lead: At CES 2026, Asus unveiled the ROG NeoCore, a proof‑of‑concept Wi‑Fi 8 router shown as an icosahedron design that emphasizes wireless stability and low latency. The demonstration, seen in person by ZDNET’s Kyle Kucharski, included visible Ethernet ports, vents and a wall‑mount hook. Asus framed the move as a step toward routers that prioritize … Read more

House to vote on renewing ACA subsidies as Senate nears possible compromise

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Lead On Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, the U.S. House of Representatives moved to extend enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies that lapsed at the end of 2025, voting on a three-year renewal at the U.S. Capitol. The measure is expected to pass the House despite opposition from Speaker Mike Johnson, but faces uncertain prospects in … Read more

‘It can be unnecessary — and even too much’: Are violent video games like Grand Theft Auto 6 becoming too realistic?

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The most anticipated games of 2026, led by Grand Theft Auto 6, are pushing visual fidelity toward near-photographic realism, prompting fresh debate about whether ultra-real graphics improve play or simply replicate real-world harms. GTA 6, developed by Rockstar under Take-Two Interactive and billed as the “largest game launch in history” with a budget above $1bn, … Read more

China reviews Meta’s $2bn purchase of AI start-up Manus

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Lead: China has opened a regulatory review of Meta Platforms’ planned $2 billion acquisition of AI start-up Manus, the companies said, introducing uncertainty over the deal’s timing and potential conditions. The review, initiated by Chinese authorities under foreign-investment and national-security provisions, comes as governments worldwide scrutinise big tech acquisitions. Both Meta and Manus have indicated … Read more

Withdrawal from Wasteful, Ineffective, or Harmful International Organizations – U.S. Department of State (.gov)

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On a State Department web page dated January 2026, an item titled “Withdrawal from Wasteful, Ineffective, or Harmful International Organizations” was posted but became inaccessible due to a site error. The site returned a technical message reading the page was experiencing difficulties and an “Exception: forbidden” notice, leaving the text of the announcement unavailable on … Read more

Trump’s offshore wind project freeze hit with lawsuits from states and developers – PBS

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Lead: Developers and two states have filed federal lawsuits after the Trump administration on Dec. 22 ordered a pause on leases for five large East Coast offshore wind projects, citing national security concerns. The suits, filed in early January 2026, name the administration and seek to lift the suspension so construction can resume. Equinor has … Read more