A suicide bomber in Aleppo, Syria, killed one police officer and injured several others. The attacker detonated an explosive when officers tried to arrest him in the Bab al-Faraj area.
Key Facts
A suicide bomber attacked Syrian police forces in Aleppo.
One officer died, and several others were injured in the explosion.
The bomber blew himself up as police tried to detain him.
The incident happened in the Bab al-Faraj neighborhood.
Authorities are investigating and have secured the site of the explosion.
The attack occurred as officers were preparing for New Year's Eve festivities.
No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing yet.
Protests in Iran have been ongoing for four days, with demonstrators trying to enter a local government building in Fars province. The protests began due to a steep decline in the Iranian currency's value and have spread to several cities, leading to injuries, arrests, and increased security measures.
Key Facts
Protesters attempted to enter a governor's office in Fasa, Fars province.
Three police officers were injured, and four people were arrested.
Confrontations have also occurred in Hamedan and Lorestan.
Iran announced a bank holiday, closing schools and public offices, which many saw as a way to control the protests.
The protests started in Tehran, fueled by a large drop in the currency's value.
Demonstrations have spread to various cities and involve university students.
The current protests are widespread but not as large as those in 2022 after the death of Mahsa Amini.
President Masoud Pezeshkian plans to address protesters' legitimate concerns, but the prosecutor general warned of a strong response to any instability.
Finnish authorities seized a cargo ship called Fitburg that was sailing from Russia to Israel after it allegedly damaged undersea telecommunication cables in the Gulf of Finland. Finnish police are investigating possible criminal damage and interference with telecommunications. The crew, consisting of 14 members from Russia and nearby countries, have been detained.
Key Facts
Finnish authorities seized the cargo vessel Fitburg due to suspected cable damage.
The ship was traveling from St Petersburg, Russia, to Israel.
The investigation is looking into criminal damage and interference with telecommunications.
The crew of 14 includes citizens from Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan.
The cable is crucial infrastructure owned by Elisa, a telecom company, but services have not been disrupted.
Similar incidents have occurred in the Baltic Sea area, raising concerns about security and potential sabotage.
NATO has increased its military presence in the Baltic region amid these security concerns.
Estonia reported a related cable outage, and investigations are ongoing to determine any connections.
Lebanon's government gave a deadline for disarming Hezbollah, but the group refuses to give up its weapons. The Lebanese military prepared a phased plan to disarm Hezbollah by the end of 2025, as suggested by the United States. Israeli strikes on Lebanon continue while debates around Hezbollah's disarmament persist.
Key Facts
Lebanon's government set a deadline to disarm Hezbollah, which Hezbollah rejected.
The Lebanese cabinet asked the military to disarm Hezbollah by the end of 2025.
Hezbollah calls the disarmament plan a U.S.-Israel agenda against Lebanon.
Israel continues air strikes in southern Lebanon, including attacks north of the Litani River.
An Israeli attack in Sidon recently killed three people, including a Lebanese army officer.
Israel is accused of preventing reconstruction in southern Lebanese villages after previous conflicts.
Hezbollah claims its weapons are necessary to prevent Israeli occupation.
The U.S., a key ally of Israel, provides weapons to the Lebanese army but not to confront Israel.
Humanitarian organizations Oxfam and Doctors Without Borders criticize Israel's decision to ban them from assisting people in Gaza. They deny accusations that their work supports terrorism.
Key Facts
Oxfam and Doctors Without Borders are humanitarian groups.
These groups help people in need, often in areas affected by conflict or disaster.
Israel has banned these organizations from working in Gaza.
The organizations deny any allegations that they support terrorism.
This ban prevents them from providing aid to Palestinians in Gaza.
A man named Shakaine Dwyer, 29, has been charged with murder after a car hit and killed Ruben Nunes, 34, in north-west London. The incident occurred on December 3, and initially, Dwyer was charged with dangerous driving, but this was later changed to murder.
Key Facts
Shakaine Dwyer is 29 years old and from Willesden, London.
Ruben Nunes, the victim, was 34 years old and from Peterborough.
The accident happened on December 3 in Willesden, London.
Initially, Dwyer was charged with causing death by dangerous driving on December 7.
The charge was updated to murder on a following Monday.
Another man, Gregory Ejiofor, 31, is charged with having a firearm with intent to scare people.
The police were called to the scene of a car hitting pedestrians at 12:45 GMT.
Prime Video will release new shows and movies in January 2026, including "Beast Games Season 2" and "The Night Manager Season 2". "Beast Games" returns with a contest featuring 200 participants divided into smart and strong groups, while "The Night Manager" continues its spy drama.
Key Facts
"Beast Games Season 2" premieres on January 7, 2026.
The new season features $15 million in cash and prizes.
The show has 200 contestants, equally divided into smart and strong groups.
"The Night Manager Season 2" airs starting January 11, 2026.
Tom Hiddleston reprises his role in "The Night Manager".
Various movies and shows are also added, including popular titles like "Mission Impossible" and "Zombieland: Double Tap".
ABC's New Year's Eve show, Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest, will air on December 31, 2025, at 8:00 PM ET on ABC. The event will feature live performances from multiple locations, including New York, Las Vegas, and Chicago, with Diana Ross headlining the Times Square performance.
Key Facts
The show will air on ABC on December 31, 2025, starting at 8:00 PM ET.
Ryan Seacrest and Rita Ora will host the event in New York City.
The live broadcast includes countdowns in Chicago with Chance the Rapper and in Las Vegas with Rob Gronkowski and Julianne Hough.
Viewers can also watch the event later on Hulu.
There will be performances from 42 artists across several cities.
Diana Ross will headline the midnight performance in Times Square.
Other performers include Charlie Puth, Demi Lovato, Post Malone, Little Big Town, and more.
The event is available to live stream on Fubo, which offers a free trial.
President Trump recently agreed with European leaders that Russia is preventing a peace deal. The CIA found that Ukraine did not target Russian President Putin's residence with a drone. President Putin had claimed otherwise.
Key Facts
President Trump spoke with European leaders and agreed that Russia is stopping a peace deal.
The CIA assessed that Ukraine did not aim a drone at President Putin's home.
President Putin claimed the drone attack targeted his residence.
President Trump discussed the situation with President Putin.
The conversation between Trump and European leaders suggests a shared view on Russia's role in the conflict.
New Year's Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash is a major New Year's Eve event featuring famous country music performers and a fireworks show. It will be broadcast live from Nashville, Tennessee on CBS and available to stream through Paramount+ and Fubo. The celebration will include performances, a countdown, and Nashville's signature Music Note Drop.
Key Facts
The event is called New Year's Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash.
It takes place on December 31, 2025, starting at 8:00 PM ET.
It will be shown on CBS and streamed on Paramount+ and Fubo.
The event will feature performances from country music stars like Jason Aldean, Lainey Wilson, and Bailey Zimmerman.
The celebration will broadcast from Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park in Nashville, Tennessee.
Nashville's traditional Music Note Drop and a fireworks display will happen at midnight Central Time.
The hosts are Bert Kreischer and country star HARDY.
There will be a live countdown for the Eastern Time Zone.
As the world welcomed the year 2026, different countries celebrated with fireworks, drums, and light shows. New Zealand and Australia were among the first to usher in the new year, while Bangkok, Beijing, and other cities also hosted large celebrations.
Key Facts
Crowds globally gathered to celebrate the start of 2026.
New Zealand and Australia were the first countries to celebrate with fireworks.
Bangkok featured a major fireworks display by the Great Buddha of Thailand.
Beijing celebrated with a show that combined drums and lights.
Celebrations included iconic backdrops and vibrant displays.
A large glacier in Antarctica, known as the Thwaites Glacier, is melting quickly. A team of about 40 researchers is going on a two-month mission to study the glacier's changes and its impact on sea levels.
Key Facts
The Thwaites Glacier is located in Antarctica and is roughly the size of Florida.
It is referred to as the "Doomsday Glacier" due to its potential impact on sea levels.
Rising temperatures are causing the glacier to melt quickly.
Nearly 40 researchers are part of the expedition to study the glacier.
The research mission will last for two months.
The study aims to understand how the glacier's melting could affect global sea levels.
Miles O’Brien, a science correspondent, is reporting on the expedition.
Bulgaria is switching from its national currency, the lev, to the euro. Some people in Bulgaria are concerned that shops might increase prices during the change.
Key Facts
Bulgaria is changing its national currency from the lev to the euro.
The switch to the euro is official.
Some Bulgarians are worried about price increases in stores.
Citizens fear that shops will round prices up when converting currencies.
The concern is that everyday items might become more expensive with the new currency.
President Trump claims to have resolved eight conflicts in his second term. One of these involves Azerbaijan and Armenia, who are working on a peace plan. Their leaders met with President Trump to discuss this in the Oval Office.
Key Facts
Azerbaijan and Armenia have a history of rivalry since the USSR broke up.
President Trump hosted leaders from both countries in the Oval Office.
They discussed a potential peace agreement.
The peace plan involves a narrow strip of land along the border with Iran.
Special correspondent Simon Ostrovsky and producer Katia Patin visited the Armenian-Iranian border to examine the peace efforts.
PolitiFact has called 2025 the "Year of the Lies" after examining statements made by politicians. Katie Sanders, PolitiFact's Editor-in-Chief, spoke about this with Lisa Desjardins.
Key Facts
PolitiFact has been naming a "Lie of the Year" for the past 15 years.
In 2025, they decided to label the entire year as the "Year of the Lies".
The reason for this label is the number of misleading statements by politicians.
Katie Sanders is the Editor-in-Chief of PolitiFact.
Lisa Desjardins discussed this topic with Katie Sanders.
Several Florida cities will experience freeze warnings and frost advisories as low temperatures are expected. These cold conditions may harm people, plants, and infrastructure unprepared for freezing weather.
Key Facts
Florida cities face freeze warnings and frost advisories due to unusually low temperatures.
The freeze warning lasts from 1 a.m. to 8 a.m. on Thursday.
Cities such as Lake City, Gainesville, and Ocala are among those affected.
The National Weather Service (NWS) advises protecting sensitive plants and outdoor pets from the cold.
People vulnerable to the cold, like young children and the homeless, are advised to take precautions.
A frost advisory affects cities like Orlando and Lakeland from 1 a.m. to 8 a.m. as temperatures hover just above freezing.
The NWS mentions that freeze warnings in Florida for three consecutive days are not common.
Dry conditions may increase fire risks during New Year celebrations.
The article reviews important images from 2025 taken by photojournalists. These images cover events in Ukraine, U.S. immigration enforcement changes, and the election of a new pope. This summary is part of an arts and culture series called CANVAS.
Key Facts
The article features a yearly review of significant photos from 2025.
Four photojournalists shared their experiences capturing these images.
Key topics include events in Ukraine and changes in U.S. immigration rules.
The election of a new pope is highlighted as a major event.
The review is part of a series called CANVAS that focuses on arts and culture.
Chloe Flower, an American pianist and composer, is working to get young people interested in classical music. She does this by blending classical music with modern genres like rap, house, and pop, creating a new style called "Popsical."
Key Facts
Chloe Flower is an American pianist and composer.
She aims to engage young people with classical music.
Flower combines classical music with genres like rap, house, and pop.
She has created a unique music style called "Popsical."
The news is reported by Independent Television News correspondent Amelia Jenne.
A new group called The Alliance of Sahel States held a meeting to discuss ways to improve security and economic conditions in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. This meeting took place in Mali's capital, Bamako, where expectations for positive changes were discussed.
Key Facts
The Alliance of Sahel States is a new group formed by Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
The purpose of this group is to enhance security and economic conditions in these countries.
A recent summit was held in Bamako, Mali's capital.
The meeting aimed to raise hopes and expectations for better security and economies in the member states.
Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger are looking to work together through this alliance.
A conservative commentator, Cabot Phillips, responded to conspiracy theories involving him in the death of Charlie Kirk. Phillips denied being at a military base and offered evidence of his whereabouts. These theories have no factual support.
Key Facts
Charlie Kirk, cofounder of Turning Point USA, was shot at a debate in Utah on September 10, 2025.
