Dec. 31, 2025 — Over 2025 the stock market’s strong finish owed largely to one theme: investments tied to artificial intelligence. The S&P 500 climbed more than 17 percent as the Federal Reserve trimmed interest rates by 0.75 percentage points, and investors rallied around companies seen as central to A.I. infrastructure. While the economy broadly … Read more
Lead Health officials reported that the drug‑resistant fungus Candida auris spread across 28 U.S. states in 2025, with 7,046 cases recorded nationwide as of Dec. 20 and 158 cases reported in Alabama this year. Public health authorities say the organism persists on skin and surfaces, enabling transmission in health‑care settings and via contaminated equipment. State … Read more
Lead: On Dec. 31, 2025, at Walt Disney World in Florida, a cast member was injured after a large prop boulder rolled off its track during the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular. Videos shared on TikTok and Reddit showed the prop falling from the raised stage and striking a staffer who stepped in front of … Read more
Wall Street closed out 2025 near record territory on Wednesday as a surge in technology stocks and growing hopes for lower interest rates offset a year of political and economic disruption. The S&P 500 rose 16.4% for the year, finishing at 6,845.50 on New Year’s Eve in New York, despite slipping 0.7% in the final … Read more
The Ohio Department of Health and local officials confirmed the state’s first pediatric influenza death of the 2024–2025 season in the Miami Valley region. The report, announced by local health authorities, marks the first child fatality attributed to seasonal flu in Ohio this year and has prompted renewed public-health reminders about vaccination and early treatment. … Read more
Lead: Former special counsel Jack Smith’s full closed-door deposition before the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee was made public Wednesday in a 255-page transcript and over eight hours of video. The material stems from a deposition earlier this month in a committee investigation led by Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan. Smith, who sought to testify publicly but … Read more
On 31 December 2025 a suicide bomber detonated an explosive belt in Aleppo’s Bab al‑Faraj neighbourhood, killing one police officer and wounding two others as security personnel who were guarding New Year’s Eve events moved to detain him. State media SANA and officials quoted by Al‑Ikhbariah said officers had observed the suspect and tried to … Read more
EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas on 31 December dismissed Moscow’s allegation that Ukraine targeted Russian government sites — including a reported drone incident near President Vladimir Putin’s Valdai residence — calling the accusation a deliberate distraction designed to derail ongoing peace diplomacy. Kallas said unfounded claims from the aggressor should not be accepted while … Read more
Lead Three and a half weeks after their last game, Ohio State opens its College Football Playoff quarterfinal against Miami with a chance to move past a Big Ten Championship loss earlier this month. Miami arrives having won its first-round game at Texas A&M and is making its first appearance in the 12-team Playoff. The … Read more
Lead FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys announced they waived sixth-year cornerback Trevon Diggs on Tuesday, meaning the team will enter 2026 without the former All‑Pro on the roster. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer addressed the move at his weekly Wednesday press conference, saying the decision reflected multiple factors including on-field performance and adherence to team … Read more
Lead: A cast member at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando was injured on Dec. 31, 2025, when a 400-pound rubber boulder used in the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular dislodged and rolled toward the audience. The employee moved to intercept the prop and was struck and knocked to the ground; video of the incident circulated … Read more
Lead: Zootopia 2 has crossed $1.46 billion worldwide as of December 2025, making it the highest-grossing release ever under the Walt Disney Animation label. The sequel earned $333 million in North America and $1.13 billion internationally, pushing Frozen 2 into second place among the studio’s titles with $1.45 billion. While Zootopia 2 sets a new … Read more
Lead Since the launch of a U.S. military and economic pressure campaign against Caracas, Venezuelan authorities have detained multiple American citizens, U.S. officials said on Dec. 31, 2025. The recent arrests include three Venezuelan‑American dual passport holders and two U.S. citizens with no known ties to Venezuela. Some detainees face credible criminal charges, while U.S. … Read more
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida, a cast member was injured after blocking a 400‑pound rubber prop that rolled off its track during the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular. Viral video shows the oversized boulder leaving its cue and striking the employee, who fell while preventing the prop from reaching audience seating. Park officials confirmed … Read more
Lead: President Donald Trump issued the first vetoes of his second term on Tuesday, rejecting two low-profile, bipartisan measures: a drinking-water pipeline bill tied to Rep. Lauren Boebert and a land-control measure for the Miccosukee Tribe of Florida. Both measures had sailed through Congress with widespread support and were considered routine before the White House … Read more
