Author: Admin Staff - Connor Leighton

Republican Matt Van Epps of Tennessee has been sworn as the newest House member. It comes two days after Van Epps won a closely watched special election that helped maintain his party’s slim grip on power. The swift seating of Van Epps comes at a time when talk of House resignations has been swirling. And it's also in stark contrast to the seven-week delay in swearing in the newest Democrat, Rep. Adelita Grijalva of Arizona. Johnson had refused to swear her into office during the government shutdown, and that infuriated Democrats.

The Trump administration has signed the first in what are expected to be dozens of “America First” global health agreements that prioritize combating infectious diseases in countries deemed to be aligned with the president’s broader foreign policy goals. The five-year, $2.5 billion agreement was signed Thursday by Kenyan President William Ruto and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to replace a patchwork of previous agreements that had traditionally been run by the U.S. Agency for International Development until it was dismantled earlier this year. A number of other African countries are expected to sign similar agreements by year's end. But Nigeria and South Africa are not expected to be among that group due to political differences with Trump.

“Five Nights at Freddy’s 2" builds on the first film's chaotic foundation with even more confusion, says Associated Press critic Mark Kennedy. The sequel continues the story of murderous animatronics, expanding the Freddy's Cinematic Universe. Returning director Emma Tammi and the original cast, including Josh Hutcherson and Elizabeth Lail, attempt to navigate the convoluted plot. The film introduces a new, genuinely creepy character, The Marionette, but fails to utilize it effectively. The storyline remains unclear about whether the animatronics are evil or friendly, leading to confusion. Released Friday, the film is rated PG-13 for violent content, terror, and some language.

The New York Times is suing to try to stop the Pentagon from imposing new rules on journalists who cover the military. Most mainstream news outlets refused to agree to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's policy this fall. As a result, they lost credentials to work in the Pentagon. The Times says in the suit filed Thursday that the rules violate the Constitution's freedom of speech and due process provisions because the rules give Hegseth the power to determine on his own whether a reporter should be banned. There's no immediate comment from the Pentagon on the lawsuit.

AI-powered shopping assistants have become a staple in online retail, making shopping easier and more convenient. This month, new AI tools have launched just in time for the holiday season. Amazon's Rufus chatbot, Walmart's Sparky, and Target's holiday gift finder are among the latest offerings. These chatbots aim to simplify finding the perfect gift by allowing conversational searches. General-purpose AI shopping tools, like those from OpenAI and Google, can search multiple sites for personalized recommendations. Virtual try-on tools and agentic AI for purchasing are also gaining traction, enhancing the online shopping experience.

Pope Leo XIV's first full-length U.S. book is set to release next winter. HarperOne announced Wednesday that it has acquired the rights to “Peace Be with You! My Words to the Church and to the World,” scheduled for release on Feb. 26. The book includes sermons and addresses that Leo has given since his election in May. HarperOne describes it as a vision for peace, unity and reconciliation in a fractured world. The title refers to his first public remarks as pope when he appeared on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Britain has sanctioned Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency and summoned Moscow’s ambassador after an inquiry concluded that President Vladimir Putin was responsible for a nerve agent attack on British soil in 2018. The government said on Thursday that GRU was being sanctioned in its entirely over the attack in the city of Salisbury that targeted Sergei Skripal. The former Soviet agent had defected to Britain. A British woman died after coming into contact with the Novichok nerve agent. Former U.K. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Hughes led an inquiry into the woman's death. He said that the attack on Skripal “must have been authorized at the highest level” by Putin.

Russian authorities say they have imposed restrictions on Apple's video calling service FaceTime, alleging it was being used for organizing what it called “terrorist activities.” Thursday's announcement marks another step in Russia's ongoing effort to control internet and online communications. In recent years, Russia has adopted restrictive laws and blocked noncompliant websites and platforms. After the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the government blocked major social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Access to YouTube also was disrupted. Authorities have further restricted internet access with widespread shutdowns of cellphone connections. Critics say these measures are aimed at tightening internet control.

A federal vaccine advisory committee is meeting in Atlanta to discuss whether newborns should still get the hepatitis B vaccine on the day they’re born. For decades, the government has advised that all babies be vaccinated against the liver infection right after birth. The shots are widely considered to be a public health success for preventing thousands of illnesses. But the committee formed by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaccine activist before he became the nation's top health official, is considering whether to recommend the birth dose only for babies whose mothers test positive, which would mark a return to a public health strategy that was abandoned more than three decades ago.

Ralph Lauren revealed Team USA’s Milan Cortina Winter Olympics looks Thursday, complete with Americana knit sweaters and plenty of vintage call-backs. The formal opening ceremony look pairs a patterned red, white and blue knit sweater with tailored cream trousers and a matching wool coat. Moving sportier, the closing ceremony outfit features a graphic puffer coat inspired by vintage ski kits over a color-blocked sweater. Beyond the ceremony looks, a Team USA collection, which will also be given to athletes as Olympic village wear, became available to the public Thursday.

A corner of Arkansas best known as home to Walmart headquarters has emerged as a little-known hot spot in the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement crackdown. That's according to an Associated Press review of arrest data, jail records, police reports and interviews with residents, immigration lawyers and watchdogs. Benton County offers a window into what the future may hold in places where local and state authorities cooperate broadly with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Records show the partnership has caught some violent criminals but also repeatedly turned misdemeanor arrests into the first steps toward deportations. The arrests have split apart families and spread fear through the immigrant community.

Cold, wintry weather brings risk for pets as well as people. Experts say pet owners need to prepare. Sweaters, coats and booties can be helpful accessories to reduce the risks of frostbite and hypothermia. Depending on the breed, size and age of the pet, veterinarians recommend limiting time outdoors and being safe around open flames. Avoid encounters with de-icing salts and antifreeze, which can be toxic when ingested in even the smallest amounts. Experts also suggest stocking up on essentials like extra food and medication in case of power outages, road closures or blizzards.

Yuma Kagiyama has upstaged world champion Ilia Malinin of the United States to lead the men’s short program at the figure skating Grand Prix Final in Nagoya. Malinin hasn’t lost a competition in more than two years and is the gold medal favorite for the Milan Cortina Olympics. He stepped out of his opening jump, a quadruple axel-triple toe loop combination, and finished third behind Kagiyama and his Japanese compatriot Shun Sato. Malinin isn’t fazed by the mistake on the quad axel, calling it an experiment that was something he likely wouldn’t attempt at the Olympics.

U.S. President Donald Trump will host the Congolese and Rwandan presidents for a deal-signing aimed at securing peace in eastern Congo. The White House has lauded the Thursday peace signing as “historic” and credited the Republican president for it. The peace signing will also open up access to eastern Congo's critical minerals for the U.S. government and American companies. The Central African nation of Congo has been battered by a decades-long conflict with more than 100 armed groups. The most potent of them is the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels. Congolese residents have expressed little hope Thursday's signing will quickly end the fighting that has continued in eastern Congo.

President Donald Trump will be taking center stage at the World Cup draw as he rolls out the welcome mat for teams and fans from around the globe. But Friday's draw at the Kennedy Center in Washington comes at a time when the Republican president has hardened his rhetoric against immigrants. His administration is looking at expanding restrictions on travel to the U.S. for people from 19 countries. Critics say that messaging undercuts the message of unity that the World Cup represents. The U.S. says it's working to ensure fans from other countries get expedited visas so they can attend next summer's tournament.

The end of 2025 is near. And the season of unwrapping our online lives — or at least a glimpse of what they looked like over the past year — is well underway. Spotify Wrapped, YouTube Recap and Duolingo's “Year in Review” are among the growing list of music streamers, social media sites and a host of other apps have already started delivering their annual recaps into customers’ inboxes. That gives users a peak at anything from the top songs they had on repeat and the videos they streamed the most, to online language-learning or everyday tips they turned to the internet for in 2025. Most can be found in the platform's apps.

Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins has testified in an antitrust case against NASCAR, accusing it of monopolistic practices. Jenkins, a passionate NASCAR fan, claims he's lost $100 million since becoming a team owner. He joined 23XI Racing, owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, in a lawsuit against NASCAR. They argue the charter agreements are unfair. Jenkins says NASCAR's final offer was insulting and forced owners to sign without negotiation. NASCAR contends it has done nothing wrong and claims the charter system has created significant value. The trial could reshape NASCAR's framework.