Samsung’s New Wi‑Fi Speaker Has Big Monolith Energy

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Lead: Samsung has revealed two new Wi‑Fi speakers, the Music Studio 5 and Music Studio 7, ahead of CES 2026 in January. The devices, designed in collaboration with French designer Erwan Bouroullec, combine minimalist aesthetics with room-oriented audio features. Samsung positions the pair around a “timeless dot concept,” while the Music Studio 7 is billed … Read more

LG officially enters the art TV category with the Gallery TV

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LG has announced the Gallery TV, its first product explicitly aimed at the growing ‘‘art TV’’ market, unveiling a mini‑LED panel paired with the Gallery+ content service. The company confirmed 55‑ and 65‑inch sizes and a default white frame with a wood‑tone option; pricing has not been released. Gallery+ will deliver thousands of display visuals … Read more

Donald Trump says he is not worried about Chinese military drills around Taiwan – BBC

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Lead US President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday that he is not concerned about the Chinese military exercises encircling Taiwan, saying he has a strong rapport with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and that Xi has not raised the drills with him. The two-day war games began that day, after Washington announced a roughly $11bn … Read more

Measles Case in East Bay: Where the Infected Shopper Traveled Before Christmas

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Lead: Contra Costa County public health officials reported a confirmed measles case on Monday affecting a person who visited multiple public locations in Walnut Creek in the week before Christmas. The individual tested positive for measles on Dec. 24 after shopping and seeking care in the East Bay, prompting health officials to alert the public … Read more

New Year Honours 2026: Idris Elba knighted; Wiegman and Lionesses honoured

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Lead The 2026 New Year Honours list, comprising 1,157 recipients, recognises figures from the arts, sport, public service and community campaigning across the UK. Actor Idris Elba has been knighted for his charity work with young people, while England women’s coach Sarina Wiegman receives an honorary damehood after leading the Lionesses to the 2025 European … Read more

Stock futures little changed after S&P 500 posts back-to-back losses

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Lead: U.S. stock futures opened largely unchanged early Tuesday after the S&P 500 logged its second consecutive daily decline on Monday in New York, as pressure on large-cap technology names weighed on the indexes. In regular trading the S&P 500 fell 0.35%, the Nasdaq Composite lost 0.5% and the Dow dropped 249 points (0.51%). Market … Read more

Trump says US ‘hit’ dock in Venezuela, marking first known land attack – ABC News

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On Dec. 29, 2025, President Donald Trump said the United States “hit” a dock in Venezuela where drugs were reportedly being loaded onto boats, calling it a major explosion in the loading area. He made the claim publicly at Mar-a-Lago after earlier mentioning in a radio interview that U.S. forces had “knocked out” a large … Read more

Viral YouTube video alleges fraud at Somali-owned Minnesota day care centers

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Lead On December 29, 2025, a YouTube video posted by creator Nick Shirley went viral after accusing several Somali-owned day care centers in Minnesota of financial fraud. The clip has rapidly circulated across social platforms, drawing attention from local residents and sparking online debate. Authorities and community groups have said they are tracking the fallout … Read more

Malcolm in the Middle explores midlife with a Hulu reboot

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Lead: The Fox sitcom Malcolm in the Middle returns to screens for a four-episode Hulu event titled Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair, debuting April 10, 2026. The limited arc reunites Bryan Cranston (Hal), Frankie Muniz (Malcolm) and Jane Kaczmarek (Lois) as Malcolm is pulled back into his family’s chaos to celebrate Hal and … Read more

Beyoncé Becomes Fifth Musician Billionaire, Forbes Says

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Forbes has placed Beyoncé, 44, among the world’s billionaires after the commercial success of her Cowboy Carter era and related businesses. The designation follows a stadium tour that generated more than $400 million in ticket sales and roughly $50 million in merchandise revenue, and builds on past touring receipts including the Renaissance tour’s roughly $579 … Read more

Trump says he’d ‘love to fire’ Jerome Powell in latest attack on Fed chair

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Lead: On 29 December 2025 at a joint press event with Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former US president Donald Trump renewed public attacks on Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, calling him a “fool” and saying he would “love to fire” him. Trump repeated disputed claims about the cost of a Federal Reserve building renovation … Read more

Lamar Jackson’s Status Undetermined, But There’s Optimism

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Head coach John Harbaugh said on Monday that Lamar Jackson’s availability for Sunday night’s AFC North winner-take-all game in Pittsburgh is currently “undetermined,” though there is optimism after visible improvement. Jackson is recovering from a back contusion and Harbaugh said the quarterback was working on his recovery at the facility; the team expects to have … Read more

Beyoncé declared a billionaire by Forbes – BBC

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Forbes has placed Beyoncé among the world’s billionaires in its latest rankings, marking her as the fifth musician to reach a 10-figure net worth. The designation follows years of high-grossing tours, a concert film, brand partnerships and strong merchandise sales that together pushed her wealth past the billion-dollar mark. Forbes’ update comes after the magazine … Read more

Why Chargers QB Justin Herbert Won’t Play vs. Broncos in Week 18

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The Chargers have confirmed that starting quarterback Justin Herbert will not play in Week 18 against the Denver Broncos, coach Jim Harbaugh said in the team’s official announcement. The decision removes Herbert from the regular-season finale and shifts preparation to the backup quarterback for the final game. Team officials framed the choice as a health-management … Read more