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On the night of Jan. 1, 2026, a blaze tore through Le Constellation, a bar in Crans-Montana in the canton of Valais, killing about 40 people and injuring 115 during a New Year’s celebration. The fire began shortly after midnight, around 1:30 a.m., and witnesses reported at least one explosion inside the venue. Authorities say … Read more
This column argues that on Jan. 1, 2026, at the Rose Bowl, three-loss Alabama can still topple No. 1 Indiana despite the Hoosiers entering as favorites. Fernando Mendoza’s Heisman-caliber season and Curt Cignetti’s AP national coach-of-the-year honors have many forecasting an Indiana victory. Still, the piece contends Alabama’s history of overturning expectations, plus a resurging … Read more
Lead Former NASA engineer Charles Buhler and his startup, Exodus Propulsion Technologies, say they have built an electrostatic, propellant-less drive that in 2023 produced enough thrust to counteract Earth’s gravity. The claim was presented at the Alternative Propulsion Energy Conference (APEC) and described to the press as evidence of a previously unknown “New Force” that … Read more
Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior has emerged as the leading contender to take over as Chelsea head coach after Enzo Maresca left the club on Thursday amid internal tensions. The 41-year-old Englishman — appointed by Strasbourg in the summer of 2024 and formerly Hull manager — is reported to have strong internal backing at Chelsea and … Read more
Lead On the night of Dec. 31, 2025, 46-year-old pop star P!nk marked New Year’s Eve from a hospital bed after undergoing surgery to replace two cervical discs. In a social-media post she shared a selfie in a hospital gown and a neck bandage, then framed the episode as part of a turbulent year that … Read more
On 1 January 2026 in New York City, Zohran Mamdani took the oath of office as mayor in a ceremony that drew national attention and prominent progressive figures. Vowing an expansive, democratic‑socialist agenda that includes free childcare, free buses, a rent freeze affecting roughly 1 million households and pilot city‑run grocery stores, Mamdani framed his … Read more
Lead On New Year’s Eve into the early hours of 1 January 2026, at least two people died in separate fireworks-related incidents in the Netherlands as police described a wave of violence they called “unprecedented.” A 17-year-old was killed in Nijmegen shortly after midnight and a 38-year-old died in Aalsmeer; authorities issued a rare nationwide … Read more
Lead: On Jan. 1, 2026, a wave of creative works first published in 1930 will enter the public domain in the United States, freeing dozens of books, films, songs and artworks for reuse. Notable entries include the debut Nancy Drew novel, the cartoon that introduced Betty Boop, early versions of Pluto (then called Rover) and … Read more
Lead A new paper published in Science on Jan. 1, 2026, shows that common side‑blotched lizards in the dry hills outside Merced, California, sustain a three‑way behavioral cycle analogous to rock‑paper‑scissors. Researchers link throat‑color morphs — blue, orange and yellow — to distinct mating strategies and report biological mechanisms that help maintain the cycle across … Read more
On Jan. 1, 2026, new travel restrictions ordered by President Donald Trump began barring nationals of seven countries from entering the United States, according to updated U.S. Customs and Border Protection guidance reviewed by ABC News. The move follows executive orders signed earlier in 2025 and arrives as the administration simultaneously tightened H‑1B visa selection … Read more
Lead About 40 people were reported dead and roughly 115 more wounded, many critically, after a blaze tore through Le Constellation, a bar in Crans‑Montana, in the Swiss canton of Valais during New Year’s celebrations on the night of Thursday, January 1, 2026. Smoke was first noticed near 1:30 a.m., and witnesses described rapid spread … Read more
January’s first full moon — the traditional “wolf moon” — will peak in brightness early Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, while the Quadrantid meteor shower also reaches maximum activity over the weekend. The moon will appear larger and brighter because it meets the technical definition of a supermoon, but that extra glow will wash out many … Read more
Lead: At Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Thursday, Jan. 1, No. 5 Oregon and No. 4 Texas Tech met in the College Football Playoff Orange Bowl. Announced attendance was 65,021 and Oregon entered the fourth quarter leading 16-0 with 6:53 remaining. The winner will advance to play the Rose Bowl victor in the … Read more
Lead On 1 January 2026, Bulgaria became the 21st country to adopt the euro, a milestone reached nearly 20 years after the Balkan state joined the European Union in 2007. The handover at midnight replaced the lev with the euro as crowds gathered in Sofia while Bulgarian euro designs were projected onto the central bank … Read more
Expanded ACA subsidies end at New Year, driving steep 2026 premium hikes for millions Lead: Enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits that lowered premiums for most marketplace enrollees expired at the start of 2026, leaving millions of non‑employer-covered Americans facing substantially higher costs immediately. Lawmakers failed to pass a replacement before the deadline despite a … Read more
