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Lead On January 2026 the U.S. Department of State issued an official response to a Chinese military exercise conducted near Taiwan, urging restraint and de‑escalation. The statement emphasized Washington’s interest in preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and called for all parties to avoid actions that could raise the risk of miscalculation. The … Read more

In the early hours of 1 January 2026, a fast-moving fire ripped through Le Constellation, a basement bar in Crans‑Montana, Switzerland, turning a New Year’s celebration into a catastrophe. The blaze began around 1:30am and spread within moments, prompting emergency calls and the arrival of police at 1:32am. Officials say about 40 people died and … Read more

Lead Actor George Clooney, his wife Amal and their two children were granted French citizenship earlier this month, a move that prompted public criticism from US president Donald Trump on Truth Social and a pointed response from Clooney. The 64-year-old Oscar winner praised France’s privacy protections and said the family values raising their children outside … Read more

Lead: The College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Caesars Superdome on Thursday, January 1, 2026, pits the Mississippi Rebels against the Georgia Bulldogs in an SEC rematch. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET and the game will air on ESPN. Georgia enters on a nine-game winning streak after a comeback victory over Mississippi on … Read more

Lead: On Jan. 1, 2026 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, No. 1 Indiana overwhelmed No. 9 Alabama, 38-3, to advance to a College Football Playoff semifinal matchup with No. 5 Oregon at the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9. The Hoosiers, led by Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza, controlled the game on both sides of the … Read more

Jan. 1, 2026 — In his inaugural address as mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani foregrounded the city’s cuisines as symbols of both identity and economic security. Speaking on Thursday, he moved between personal memories and policy commitments, praising the workers who prepare the city’s dishes while proposing city-owned supermarkets to lower the cost … Read more

Lead On January 1, 2026, a 77-year-old woman was reported overboard from the Holland America Line ship Nieuw Statendam while the vessel was sailing north of Cuba, the U.S. Coast Guard said. The ship was about 40 miles northeast of Sabana, Cuba, when crew members discovered the incident and began rescue procedures. The U.S. Coast … Read more

Lead As clubs and fans look toward the 2026 calendar year, every farm system has at least one young player who could take a major step forward. This report picks a single breakout candidate from each MLB organization, identifying who could rise up prospect lists, reach the majors faster than expected, or re-establish value after … Read more

Lead The U.S. Department of Commerce has moved to sharply lower proposed duties that would have pushed tariffs on some Italian pasta to 107% later this year. A preliminary October proposal that added a pasta-specific 92% duty on top of existing EU tariffs has been reworked after new submissions, producing recommended levies of roughly 24%–29%. … Read more

Lead: President Donald Trump has acknowledged that an advanced imaging exam he discussed for weeks at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center was a CT scan, not an MRI, according to an interview published Thursday in the Wall Street Journal. The White House previously described the president’s advanced imaging results released Dec. 1 as “perfectly … Read more

On 1 January 2026 at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland extended their unbeaten Premier League home run to 10 matches by holding Manchester City to a 0-0 draw. The game produced several clear chances for both sides, including an early Bernardo Silva finish that was ruled out for offside and a late Josko Gvardiol strike … Read more

Lead On Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, No. 10 seed Miami upset No. 2 Ohio State 24-14 in the first College Football Playoff quarterfinal. Miami scored twice in the second quarter — a Carson Beck touchdown pass followed 1:42 later by Keionte Scott’s 72-yard interception return — and held the … Read more

Lead: Millions of Americans face higher monthly premiums after Congress allowed enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits to expire at the end of 2025. On Dec. 30–31, a small bipartisan group of senators discussed a compromise to temporarily renew and reform the credits, with Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) saying any deal would need … Read more

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — On Jan. 1, 2026, Oregon shut out Texas Tech 23-0 in the Orange Bowl quarterfinal of the College Football Playoff, a defensive performance that delivered the Ducks into the Peach Bowl semifinal. Oregon’s front produced relentless pressure, recording four sacks and forcing two interceptions plus a strip‑fumble that led directly to … Read more

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