On Dec. 31, 2025, designers John and Christine Gachot completed the conversion of a 19th-century carriage shed on their Shelter Island property into a combined art studio and recreation space. The project repurposes a rustic outbuilding into a working atelier and social room equipped with a Pac-Man arcade, pool table and a vintage slot machine. … Read more
Lead The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said it has frozen all child care payments to Minnesota after a viral video alleged widespread fraud in day care centers. Deputy HHS Secretary Jim O’Neill announced tighter documentation rules for Administration for Children and Families payments, requiring justification plus receipts or photos. The action … Read more
Lead Friends and colleagues paid public tribute more than two weeks after filmmakers Rob Reiner and his wife, photographer Michele Reiner, were found dead at their Los Angeles home on 14 December. Actors and directors including Cary Elwes and Martin Scorsese posted remembrances, while law enforcement moved to limit release of investigatory material. The Reiners’ … Read more
Lead: NASA is preparing Artemis II, a four‑person crewed flight that could lift off as soon as February 6, 2026, from Kennedy Space Center. The mission will send NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen on a roughly 10‑day loop around the moon — the … Read more
Dec. 31, 2025 — New York Times readers voted in an online poll to name their favorite films of 2025, producing a list that blends big studio hits, streaming standouts and smaller art-house fare. Thousands of votes yielded a Top 50 that often overlapped with critics’ selections but also elevated controversial titles such as Eddington … Read more
Lead: National Guard troops arrived in New Orleans on Dec. 30, 2025, to bolster security ahead of New Year’s celebrations, the first major holiday since the Jan. 1, 2025 Bourbon Street truck attack that killed 14 people. The deployment—350 Guard members authorized by the federal government—augments state police and local law enforcement as the city … Read more
On Dec. 31, 2025, The New York Times published a podcast episode that paired two major investigations: reporting on alleged brutality inside the Russian military and coverage of an unprecedented tranche of documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein — more than 5 million pages. The episode, part of the paper’s “The Headlines” series, featured reporting that … Read more
As 2025 closed, the cultural world marked the loss of a remarkable number of creators — actors, musicians, writers, filmmakers and designers whose work shaped film, music, literature and visual art. Over the year, figures from David Lynch and Robert Redford to Sly Stone, Roberta Flack and Giorgio Armani passed away, leaving distinct legacies in … Read more
Recent official indicators show China’s factory sector moving back into growth after a record contraction in the previous reporting period, according to a Financial Times summary of government data. The rebound, modest but broad enough to lift key manufacturing gauges above the standard PMI expansion threshold, comes amid easing COVID restrictions and targeted stimulus measures. … Read more
Lead: In San Antonio on Dec. 30, 2025, sixth-year senior Ken Seals led TCU to a dramatic overtime victory over No. 16 USC in the Alamo Bowl, completing 29 of 40 passes for 258 yards and throwing the game-winning touchdown. Trailing late, Seals engineered two scoring drives in the final five minutes of regulation and … Read more
Lead On December 30, 2025, North Carolina recorded a 79-66 victory over the Florida State Seminoles, a game the team’s recap characterized as a night dominated by Wilson. The result left the Tar Heels with a 13-point margin and drew attention for UNC’s defensive effort that held the Seminoles to 66 points. The official University … Read more
As holiday gatherings finish and travel slows, clinicians in the Philadelphia region reported a notable uptick in influenza, COVID-19 and norovirus infections on Dec. 31, 2025. Local family physician Dr. Delana Wardlaw and Lehigh Valley Health Network infectious‑disease clinicians said the increase follows holiday-related mixing and travel. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates … Read more
Markets in New York closed 2025 with the S&P 500 set to record a rare third consecutive year of double-digit returns, marking an unusually strong stretch that has occurred only a handful of times since the 1940s. The index is projected to finish the year up about 17%, following gains of 23% in 2024 and … Read more
Lead: A Trump-appointed board’s decision to place President Donald Trump’s name on the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has prompted a new wave of artist withdrawals, public protests and falling audience numbers at the Washington venue. In late December 2025 several high-profile performers canceled engagements, citing principle or concern for their audiences. … Read more
New York’s iconic New Year’s Eve ritual will welcome an expanded centerpiece for the 2026 countdown: the Constellation Ball, unveiled for the Times Square drop on Dec. 31, 2025. The new sphere — the ninth official ball used at One Times Square — measures 12.5 feet across and weighs just over 12,000 pounds, making it … Read more
