A fire at a bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana in the early hours of New Year's Day has left dozens of people presumed dead and around 100 injured, according to authorities.
On Jan. 1, 2026, a new collection of iconic works, including Betty Boop, Blondie, nine Mickey Mouse cartoons, classic detective novels, beloved films and songs entered the public domain after reaching their 95-year U.S. copyright maximum.
Enhanced tax credits that have helped reduce the cost of health insurance for the vast majority of Affordable Care Act enrollees expired overnight, cementing higher health costs for millions of Americans at the start of the new year.
A fire ripped through a bar's New Year celebration in a Swiss Alpine resort less than two hours after midnight Thursday, with dozens of people feared dead and about 100 more injured, most seriously, police said.
Zohran Mamdani became mayor of New York City just after midnight Thursday, taking the oath of office at an historic, decommissioned subway station in Manhattan.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te on Thursday vowed to defend the self-ruled island's sovereignty in the face of China's "expansionist ambitions," days after Beijing wrapped up live-fire military drills around the island.
The U.S. military said Wednesday it struck five alleged drug-smuggling boats over two days, killing a total of eight people while others jumped overboard and may have survived.