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In Charlotte on Dec. 21, 2025, the Carolina Panthers edged the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-20 after a late interception by safety Lathan Ransom with 42 seconds remaining. Quarterback Bryce Young finished with 191 passing yards and two touchdown throws, while rookie kicker Ryan Fitzgerald delivered a 48-yard field goal that proved decisive. The victory moved … Read more
This holiday season, consider gifting books that have faced attempts to be removed from American classrooms and libraries. In its 2024 report the American Library Association (ALA) recorded 821 attempts to ban or remove library materials across the United States, with states such as Texas repeatedly ranking among the most targeted. Many challenges focus on … Read more
Lead On December 21, 2025, rapper Nicki Minaj made an unannounced appearance at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Phoenix, joining CEO Erika Kirk onstage. In remarks to the crowd, Minaj offered public praise for President Donald Trump and also criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom, reading posts from her X account. The surprise appearance drew immediate … Read more
On Dec. 21, 2025, U.S. Coast Guard units attempted to intercept the oil tanker Bella 1 as it sailed in the Caribbean after reportedly heading to Venezuela to pick up cargo. According to three U.S. officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the vessel refused boarding and continued to move away, prompting an ongoing … Read more
Lead San Francisco recovered electricity for the majority of customers by Sunday morning after a widespread outage struck the city on Saturday afternoon. The disruption affected about 130,000 homes and businesses and hit large portions of the northern city, with crews working overnight to restore service. Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) reported more than … Read more
Lead: James Cameron’s third Avatar film, Avatar: Fire and Ash, opened worldwide to $345 million over its first weekend and earned $88 million in North America from Dec. 19–21, 2025. The launch places it as the second-biggest global debut of 2025 behind Disney’s Zootopia 2, and early audience measures — including an A CinemaScore — … Read more
Lead On 21 December 2025 Israel’s security cabinet approved plans to establish 19 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, a decision that officials say advances a long-running build-out and critics warn further undermines the prospects for a Palestinian state. The approval — announced by the finance ministry and confirmed by the cabinet — … Read more
Lead Millions of Americans shopping for Affordable Care Act (ACA) coverage face higher costs for 2026 as enhanced tax credits have lapsed and premiums have climbed. Open enrollment runs through Jan. 15 for coverage beginning Feb. 1, and many consumers are exploring alternatives outside the official marketplaces. Some alternatives can cut monthly premiums substantially, but … Read more
Lead Thirteen miles down an unmarked dirt road along the Chama River in Northern New Mexico sits the Monastery of Christ in the Desert in Abiquiu, an isolated Benedictine community visited on December 21, 2025. Home to 15 monks and a small guesthouse, the monastery offers a rhythm of seven daily chants, manual work and … Read more
The 2025 political shift under President Donald Trump created a turbulent year for U.S. clean energy, as federal incentives were rolled back, some permits were canceled and developers scrambled to complete projects. Despite those headwinds, industry leaders and analysts say solar and battery storage continued to add significant capacity and that 2026 could see renewed … Read more
Lead James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash opened to an $88 million domestic weekend on its release, joining a $257 million international intake for a $345 million global debut. The start trails the $134 million opening of 2022’s Avatar: The Way of Water and the sequel’s $435 million global bow, raising questions about long-term hold … Read more
Dec. 21, 2025 — Bowen Yang closed his seven-and-a-half-season run on Saturday Night Live on Dec. 21, 2025, in an episode hosted by Ariana Grande with Cher as the musical guest. The broadcast included several holiday-themed numbers and a satirical greeting from a depiction of President Trump. Yang, who joined S.N.L. as a writer in … Read more
Lead: Cartagena, Colombia, will prohibit traditional horse-drawn buggies in the Old City starting December 29, replacing them with a fleet of 62 electric carriages in a roughly $2 million program meant to address animal-welfare concerns and modernize tourist transport. The decision follows years of protests from animal-rights advocates and a high-profile campaign that demonstrated battery-powered … Read more
Lead On Sunday, Dec 21, 2025, at 8:20 p.m. ET, the Baltimore Ravens host the New England Patriots at M&T Bank Stadium in a game that could swing both teams’ postseason trajectories. Baltimore enters fresh off a 24-0 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, while New England (11-3) rides strong play from second-year quarterback Drake Maye. … Read more
In the early hours of Sunday, a group of armed assailants opened fire at KwaNoxolo tavern in Bekkersdal, a township 46 kilometers west of Johannesburg, killing nine people and wounding at least 10 others, officials said. Police said the attackers fled in a white minibus and a silver sedan after firing both inside the pub … Read more
