US military says five killed in strike on alleged drug boats

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Lead: The US military reported that strikes on two small vessels on Wednesday killed five people alleged to be involved in narcotics trafficking. The statement came from US Southern Command, which did not specify where the strikes took place. The action follows a week of intensified operations against suspected smuggling boats in the Caribbean and … Read more

Warren Buffett officially retires as Berkshire Hathaway CEO

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Lead Warren Buffett, 95, has officially stepped down as chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway, ending a six-decade run that transformed a failing textile firm into a global conglomerate. The changeover took effect this week with longtime deputy Greg Abel assuming the CEO role, while Buffett remains chairman and says he will continue writing annual … Read more

Zohran Mamdani sworn in at Old City Hall station as New York’s 112th mayor

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Zohran Mamdani took the oath of office at the stroke of midnight on Jan. 1, 2026, in a private ceremony held inside the long-unused Old City Hall subway station, becoming New York City’s 112th mayor. The 34-year-old former state assemblymember from Astoria was administered the oath by New York Attorney General Letitia James and in … Read more

Crypto surged in 2025 then plunged — what comes next?

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In 2025 the U.S. appeared to tilt decisively toward cryptocurrencies: a pro-crypto White House, new legislation and rising institutional interest sent bitcoin to an all-time high near $126,000 in October. Days after peaking, markets tumbled — a sell-off beginning around Oct. 10 wiped roughly 30% off bitcoin’s peak and left the coin trading near $87,600 … Read more

Rose Parade 2026: Floats Roll Into Pasadena as New Year’s Eve Storm Soaks SoCal

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The Rose Parade moved into Pasadena late Wednesday as volunteer-decorated floats completed a slow, wet rollout ahead of the Jan. 1 Tournament of Roses. Spectators who arrived hours early battled rain and wind along the roughly 5.5-mile route, while organizers covered delicate floral work and prepared contingency plans. Phoenix Decorating Company confirmed it built 14 … Read more

Trump Tells Netanyahu He Will Back Action to ‘Disarm Hezbollah’

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Lead On December 29, 2025 at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, U.S. President Donald Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu he would support Israeli measures aimed at dismantling Hezbollah’s military capabilities. The exchange, described by attendees and later reported by The Jerusalem Post, included a pointed message from Mr. Trump that “Hezbollah must be disarmed.” … Read more

SpaceX, OpenAI and Anthropic prepare to launch landmark IPOs

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Financial Times reports that three of the most prominent private technology companies—SpaceX, OpenAI and Anthropic—are taking steps that could lead to major initial public offerings (IPOs). The move, if realized, would bring extensive investor exposure to space and frontier artificial intelligence capabilities and reshape capital flows in both industries. Each company faces distinct structural, regulatory … Read more

Measles case confirmed in Polk County tied to South Carolina outbreak

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Dec. 31, 2025 — Health officials confirmed an unvaccinated child in Polk County, North Carolina, tested positive for measles after visiting exposure sites in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, linked to an ongoing upstate outbreak. The child developed symptoms before Christmas and has recovered, authorities said. North Carolina officials identified this as the state’s second measles … Read more

The Night Manager TV review — hit spy thriller makes a confident return after a decade

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Lead: The Night Manager, the spy drama that became a cultural touchstone on its first outing, has returned to screens after roughly a decade away. This revival lands as a measured, self-assured re-entry: it retains the original’s moral ambiguity while updating its textures for contemporary television. Across its opening episodes the show balances sleek production … Read more

Trump will drop push for National Guard deployments in Chicago, LA and Portland, Ore.

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On Dec. 31, 2025, President Donald J. Trump announced that his administration will pause its effort to assign National Guard troops to Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon, after a string of judicial setbacks impeded those deployments. The move follows a Supreme Court decision that rebuffed an emergency appeal regarding Chicago, a November U.S. District … Read more

‘Several’ people killed by explosion and fire in Swiss ski resort bar, police say – BBC

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Lead: Authorities in Valais say an explosion and subsequent fire tore through the Constellation Bar in Crans‑Montana at 01:30 local time on New Year’s Eve, killing “several” people and injuring more than 100. Emergency services dispatched a large-scale response and many of the wounded have been taken to Valais hospital, whose intensive care unit has … Read more

What to Expect from Stocks in 2026

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Lead: New York — After three consecutive years of double-digit gains for the S&P 500, Wall Street broadly expects equities to extend their run into 2026, though forecasts diverge widely on the magnitude. The S&P 500 closed 2025 at 6,845.5, and major strategist targets range from roughly 7,100 to 8,000 by year-end 2026. Analysts cite … Read more

Victor Wembanyama left early vs the Knicks with knee injury – NBA

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Lead San Antonio center Victor Wembanyama left Wednesday night’s rematch with the New York Knicks after suffering an apparent left-knee hyperextension but returned to the bench before the finish, and the Spurs held on for a 134-132 victory in San Antonio. Wembanyama played 24 minutes, finishing with 31 points and 13 rebounds. He exited with … Read more

New Year’s Rockin’ Eve 2026 Arrivals & Performances: Mariah Carey, Demi Lovato, 50 Cent & More

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On Dec. 31, 2025, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest staged its annual multi-city celebration, broadcasting live from New York City and satellite locations including Chicago, Las Vegas and Puerto Rico. The program, anchored by Ryan Seacrest with co-hosts Rita Ora, Rob Gronkowski, Chance the Rapper and Julianne Hough, featured performances and … Read more