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December 31, 2025 — 5:30 p.m. As the two‑hour series finale of Stranger Things premiered on Netflix, viewers across the globe reported playback problems and app failures while attempting to watch the episode on New Year’s Eve. Social posts showed frustrated fans unable to load the finale; the episode follows Season 5, Vol. 2, which … Read more
Lead: The Green Bay Packers claimed cornerback Trevon Diggs off waivers from the Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday after Dallas released him, the team said. Dallas coach Brian Schottenheimer described the move as “a culmination of multiple factors,” citing on-field performance and unspecified off-field issues. Green Bay will assume Diggs’s Week 18 base pay of $472,000 … Read more
Lead: President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he is withdrawing federally controlled National Guard troops from Los Angeles, Portland, Ore., and Chicago after recent court actions raised legal doubts about federal authority to keep the forces deployed. The removal followed a U.S. Court of Appeals order that returned control of California’s Guard to Gov. … Read more
Lead: Trump Media and Technology Group announced it will distribute a new digital token to shareholders, issuing one token per share via a partnership with Crypto.com on the Cronos blockchain. The move was unveiled on Wednesday and prompted a rise in Trump Media’s shares; the company said tokens will arrive “in the near future” and … Read more
Who: Major studios and high-profile filmmakers including Christopher Nolan, Denis Villeneuve, the Russo brothers and Alejandro G. Iñárritu, plus star talent from Zendaya to Tom Cruise. When: releases span January through December 2026, with tentpole clustering in summer and a heavy year-end slate on Dec. 18 and Dec. 25. Where: wide theatrical rollouts, several films … Read more
Lead On Dec. 31, 2025 in Minneapolis, St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington was notified he is one of three netminders selected for Team Canada’s roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Binnington, emotional when he received the call, said the selection motivates him to redouble his focus with the Blues in the … Read more
As midnight swept across time zones on Jan. 1, 2026, communities from Sydney to Beirut marked the start of the new year with fireworks, bells and public gatherings. Photographers captured shared rituals and local variations — from Sydney Harbour’s pyrotechnics to Taipei 101’s tower display and Seoul’s bell-tolling ceremony. The images document both large public … Read more
Thousands gathered in New York City’s Times Square on Dec. 31, 2025, to watch the iconic ball drop at midnight and usher in 2026. The event followed a long-running tradition that began in the early 20th century and is now paired with a special America250 semiquincentennial moment after midnight. Organizers staged a daytime confetti test … Read more
Organizers of the Rose Parade in Pasadena and regional emergency officials warned Wednesday that a strong winter storm is bringing near-certain rain to Southern California, threatening a wet New Year’s Day crowd along Colorado Boulevard. Forecasts called for rain beginning late Wednesday and continuing into Thursday morning, with a parade kickoff scheduled for 8 a.m. … Read more
Lead: On Dec. 31, 2025, San Jose Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini was named to Team Canada’s roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan–Cortina, after a selection process led by general manager Doug Armstrong. Celebrini, who first caught Armstrong’s attention during a Nov. 21, 2024 meeting at Enterprise Center, strengthened his case with a strong … Read more
Lead: Cities around the globe marked the arrival of 2026 on the night of 31 December 2025, with waterfront fireworks, public gatherings and official safety operations in place. Early time zones saw major displays over harbors and coastlines while later celebrations stretched across the Americas from Rio de Janeiro’s beaches to New York’s Times Square. … Read more
Former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua was discharged from a Lagos hospital on Wednesday after a car crash on Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, that killed two of his close team members. Nigerian authorities and his promoter said Joshua sustained minor injuries and was released as clinically fit to recuperate at home. The victims, strength-and-conditioning coach … 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
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 As 2026 opens, gold is positioned for a potential major advance if a technical breakout sustains above the $5,000 level. Markets have largely priced in moderate U.S. rate cuts and a softer dollar, but a parabolic upswing and ongoing structural tailwinds could push bullion toward the $6,000 area. The immediate technical target lies near … Read more
