Headlines

NPR

Trump Admin. Freezes MN Child Care Funds

The Trump administration announced it is freezing $185 million in annual child care funding to Minnesota pending a sweeping fraud audit, a move Gov. Tim Walz says is politically motivated and risks harming thousands of families and children statewide.

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CNN

Who Is Nick Shirley?

23-year-old MAGA influencer Nick Shirley vaulted from obscurity to national prominence after a viral Minnesota fraud video—amplified by top Republicans—highlighted how social media power brokers can catapult partisan “independent journalists” into the mainstream.

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ABC News

Russian Official Threatens Zelensky

A senior Russian official issued personal threats against President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after Moscow claimed—without evidence—that Ukrainian drones attacked one of Vladimir Putin’s official residences, raising tensions amid ongoing U.S.-backed peace talks.

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Associated Press

SNAP Soda and Candy Bans To Begin

New SNAP restrictions taking effect Jan. 1 in five states will bar recipients from buying soda, candy and other foods as federal health officials push states to curb diet-related disease despite warnings of confusion, higher costs and limited evidence of health gains.

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People

Tatiana Schlossberg Passes

Tatiana Schlossberg, the late journalist and daughter of Caroline Kennedy, was married to Dr. George Moran and was a devoted mother to their two young children, whom she described as central to her life during her battle with leukemia, a battle she tragically lost on December 30th, at 35 years old.

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The Guardian

Iran Urges Dialogue Amid Protests

Iran’s president has ordered talks with protest leaders after the country’s largest demonstrations in three years erupted nationwide over a collapsing currency, soaring prices and declining living standards, prompting clashes with police and renewed scrutiny of the government’s economic and political stability.

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CBS Boston

Diggs Faces Charges in Massachusetts

New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs is facing felony strangulation and misdemeanor assault and battery charges stemming from an alleged December 2 incident with a personal chef in Dedham, Massachusetts, allegations he and his attorney strongly deny as an unresolved financial dispute.

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Yahoo Finance

Warner Bros Likely To Reject Paramount

Warner Bros Discovery is expected to reject Paramount Skydance’s $108.4 billion hostile bid, even with billionaire Larry Ellison personally guaranteeing the offer, as the board weighs risks and a rival $82.7 billion cash-and-stock deal with Netflix that analysts say carries fewer execution uncertainties.

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The Washington Post

Russia's War Strains Its Society

As Russia’s nearly four-year war in Ukraine drags on, economic strain, and harsh state repression are deepening social divisions, eroding trust, and leaving a population increasingly fatigued and disconnected from the Kremlin’s narrative of unity and victory.

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NBC News

MH370 Search Resumes

The search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 is resuming more than a decade after it vanished, as U.S. marine robotics company Ocean Infinity begins a 55-day seabed operation in the Indian Ocean in hopes of finally uncovering the plane’s wreckage.

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USA Today

The Problem With Grief Policing

Charles Trepany asserts that, since the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, his widow Erika Kirk has faced intense online scrutiny, highlighting how “grief policing” judges individuals for grieving in ways that don’t meet others’ expectations.

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Newsweek

Walz Faces Resignation Calls

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz faces mounting calls to resign as federal fraud investigations in state-run programs, linked in part to a nonprofit serving Somali Americans, have revealed billions in stolen funds and drawn bipartisan criticism.

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The Wall Street Journal

Epcot's Global Drink Tour

Epcot’s fan-favorite “Drinking Around the World” challenge draws crowds with cocktails from every pavilion, but park staff scramble to keep day drinkers from turning the experience chaotic.

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Mental Floss

Words Turning 50 in 2026

A mix of everyday terms like “couch potato”, “digital camera”, “wannabe”, “athleisure”, and “meme” will celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2026, having first entered the English language in 1976.

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The New York Times

Denmark Ends Letter Delivery

Denmark’s longtime postal service, PostNord, is ending letter deliveries after more than 400 years, marking the end of an era as Danes mourn a nearly obsolete tradition while shifting almost entirely to digital communication.

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CBS News

No Evidence of Broader Bondi Involvement

Australian authorities investigating the Bondi Beach mass shooting say there is no evidence the father-and-son suspects were part of a broader terrorist cell, despite claims they were inspired by ISIS.

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Dr. Mardy Grothe

Twenty-Five Best Opening Lines of 2025

Dr. Mardy Grothe delivers his sixth annual showcase of great opening lines from 2025—a captivating collection of first sentences from novels, memoirs, and articles published throughout the year.

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Mediaite

Scientology in Trump's Circle

Ex-Scientologist Leah Remini warned it is “very scary” to see Scientologists increasingly involved in President Trump’s orbit, raising concerns about the religion’s influence within the federal government.

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Time

Most Anticipated Movies of 2026

Hollywood’s 2026 lineup promises a mix of original stories, sequels, adaptations, and star-studded blockbusters, from “Wuthering Heights” to “The Devil Wears Prada 2.”

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Variety

100 Most Watched Telecasts of 2025

NFL games and CBS’s hit series “Tracker” dominated 2025’s most-watched primetime telecasts, with the Super Bowl LIX leading the year at 126.7 million viewers.

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