New Year’s Eve celebrations as the world welcomes 2026 – Al Jazeera

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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

Anthony Joshua released from hospital after Lagos car crash

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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

Superbug hits 28 states, including Alabama: Where the deadly fungus is spreading

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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

Can the A.I. Boom Keep Lifting Stocks into 2026?

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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

Gold Forecast 2026: Why Macro Forces and Technical Breakouts Point to $6,000

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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

Leistikow’s 6 thoughts from Iowa football’s bowl win vs Vanderbilt – Hawk Central

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On Dec. 31, 2025, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, No. 23 Iowa upset No. 14 Vanderbilt, 34-27, in the ReliaQuest Bowl. Quarterback Mark Gronowski, in the final game of his college career, was named game MVP after a 16-for-22, 212-yard passing night with three total touchdowns and a rushing score. The Hawkeyes scored 27 … Read more

Brian Schottenheimer: Skipped team flight one factor in Trevon Diggs’ release – NBC Sports

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Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs was waived unexpectedly with one week remaining in the season after a mix of on-field and off-field issues, coach Brian Schottenheimer said. The team cited performance, injury history and protocol breaches as contributors, and Schottenheimer described the decision as the result of “multiple factors.” Diggs signed a five-year, $97 million … Read more

Ohio’s first pediatric flu death of season reported in Miami Valley – WHIO-TV

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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

Suicide bomber kills at least one police officer in Syria’s Aleppo – Al Jazeera

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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

House Republicans Release Jack Smith’s Closed-Door Deposition Transcript and Video

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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

EU top diplomat rejects Kremlin claim that Ukraine attacked Russian government sites

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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

Disney cast member injured trying to stop massive rogue rubber ball during Indiana Jones show

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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

Brian Schottenheimer explains Cowboys’ decision to waive Trevon Diggs

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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