Marilyn Granas, First Stand-In for Shirley Temple, Dies at 98

After the youngsters worked together on ‘Bright Eyes,’ ‘The Little Colonel’ and other movies, she starred in an early Kenneth Anger film and became a casting director.

Peak devs were ready to go 'into vacation mode' after releasing it, but then it sold 1M copies in the first week: 'That quickly became a pipe dream'

2025 was the year of Peak.

‘Stranger Things 5’ Director Shawn Levy on Filming Max’s Escape From Vecna, Will’s Huge Breakthrough and the Wheeler Basement on Show’s Final Day: ‘It’s Changed Me Forever’

SPOILER ALERT: This story contains spoilers from Season 5, Volume 2 of “Stranger Things, now streaming on Netflix. Once more unto the breach, “Stranger Things” viewers. In the last episode of Volume 2 of the fifth and final season of Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” the whole

Myanmar junta lifts Yangon curfew ahead of elections

"Regional stability in Yangon region is improving now," said a statement shared by junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun.

Massie fundraising off Trump's Christmas criticism

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) on Friday fundraised donations from supporters after President Trump blasted him on social media and called him a "lowlife Republican" for his role in bringing the files of Jeffrey Epstein to light. "Imagine celebrating a blessed Christmas with your

Detecting the hidden magnetism of altermagnets

Altermagnets are a newly recognized class of antiferromagnets whose magnetic structure behaves very differently from what is found in conventional systems. In conventional antiferromagnets, the sublattices are linked by simple inversion or translation, resulting in

I spent 2025 digging through all the word game roguelikes flooding Steam to see if any could capture Balatro’s magic—here are the highly scientific results

Sweet spell of success?

Sigourney Weaver Stood Up to James Cameron on ‘Aliens’ After He Scolded a Young Actor: ‘When You Yell at an Actor, You Yell at All of Us’

Sigourney Weaver recently told The New York Times that she once stood up to James Cameron during their first movie together, 1986’s “Aliens.” The science-fiction action movie marked Weaver’s return as Ellen Ripley after the success of Ridley Scott’s “Alien.” Cameron was new to

The Anthony Bourdain Reader

The Anthony Bourdain Reader ( Amazon ) is a collection of writings from the late author, TV host, and chef, including some unpublished pieces. The Anthony Bourdain Reader is also a showcase for new and never-before-seen material, like diary entries from Bourdain’s first trip

What’s Coming to Tubi in January 2026

Tubi kicks off 2026 with a long list of new and familiar titles arriving on the streamer New Years Day. Viewers can look forward to watching movies and series spanning several genres, including “Bad Boys,” Taxi Driver,” “Carrie,” “Now You See Me,” “2001: A Space Odyssey,”

Karoline Leavitt announces pregnancy

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced she is pregnant with her second child on Friday. “My husband and I are thrilled to grow our family and can’t wait to watch our son become a big brother. My heart is overflowing with gratitude to God for the blessing of

Egyptian-British activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah arrives in UK after release from Egyptian prison

LONDON, Dec 26 (Reuters) - High-profile activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah, who was released from prison after an Egyptian presidential pardon in September, has arrived in Britain, the Egyptian-British campaigner's family and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Friday. Abd

Thomas Massie Hits Back at Trump With Obvious Epstein Question

Representative Thomas Massie torched Donald Trump’s pathetic swipe at him in his outrageous Christmas post. The president posted a special Christmas message Thursday addressed to “the many Sleazebags who loved Jeffrey Epstein,” and congratulated himself for “dropping” the

Chevy Chase Was Put Into a Coma for 8 Days After Heart Failure and ‘Basically Came Back From the Dead’: ‘The Doctor Warned Us We Might Not Get Him Back’

A new documentary reveals that Chevy Chase was put into a coma for around eight days after he experienced heart failure during the pandemic. It was reported in 2021 that the now-82-year-old comedian spent five weeks in the hospital due to undisclosed heart issues. “[He] has

NY requiring TikTok, Meta, more social media platforms to display mental health warnings

Gov. Hochul compared the social media labels to warnings on other products like tobacco, where they communicate the risk of cancer.

What to know about US strike on ISIS in Nigeria

The U.S. launched strikes against ISIS militants in Nigeria on Thursday, a Christmas Day attack amid tensions between the West African nation and the U.S. “Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS

With airstrike in Nigeria, Trump inserts U.S. into long-running turmoil

While Trump has said he acted to protect Christians, analysts report that violence, particularly by Islamist militants, has targeted both Christians and Muslims.

AARP members can claim share of $12.5M Facebook settlement – see if you’re eligible before Dec. 31 deadline

AARP denied any wrongdoing but agreed to the payout to end the litigation, which has been pending in federal court in California since 2022.

The Cure’s Perry Bamonte Dead At 65

Perry Bamonte, guitarist and keyboardist for the Cure, has died. According to a statement the band shared on their website , Bamonte passed away from a short illness over Christmas at his home. He was 65. The post The Cure’s Perry Bamonte Dead At 65 appeared first on Stereogum .

Knife attack on Paris metro: three women injured, suspected attacker arrested

A man stabbed three women at Paris metro stations République, Arts et Métiers, and Opéra on Friday. All victims were treated, and the suspect was soon arrested using CCTV and phone data, police said.

Digging the soulful jazz + drum & bass energy of Chanpan. Hard...

Digging the soulful jazz + drum & bass energy of Chanpan . Hard to categorize what this is — so many influences and styles . 💬 Join the discussion on kottke.org →

Africa: TECNO Glory Night Awards, Co-Hosted with TikTok Live and CAF, Celebrated Africa's Top Influencers and the "Power Your Moment" Spirit at AFCON Morocco

[TECNO] TECNO Glory Night Awards, jointly organized with TikTok Live and CAF, celebrated the creativity of pan-African KOLs powered by TECNO AI. With the launch of TECNO's "Power Your Moment" campaign during AFCON, this theme has been widely recognized by KOLs, stimulating the

Relax after a holiday feast by joining us for a nostalgic tour of old Japanese game mags that blurred the lines between analogue and digital

Compile's DiscStation series went far beyond the basic demo disc.

Perry Bamonte, Guitarist and Keyboardist for the Cure, Dies at 65

Perry Bamonte, best known as guitarist and keyboardist in the Cure, has died at the age of 65 after battling a short illness at home over Christmas. The Cure confirmed Bamonte’s death on the band’s website on Friday, remembering his contributions to the group during his two

Africa: TECNO and CAF Elevate Dream On The Field to New Heights with "Future Star of Africa" Youth Sponsorship Initiative

[TECNO] Groundbreaking partnership transforms pitch renovation program into comprehensive talent development platform, offering long-term support for promising U12-15 players across African nations.

Africa: TECNO Brings Immersive Fan Experience to AFCON 2025 with Pop-Up Stores and Interactive Zones Across Morocco

[TECNO] The opening ceremony marked the starting point of TECNO's AFCON ''Power Your Moment'' campaign, welcoming invited clients, guests, and partners as the tournament officially began. From the same day, the brand opened its physical spaces to the public, shifting from a

’Big Brother’ Star Mickey Lee Dead at 35

Lee died on Christmas Day after spending days in the ICU following multiple cardiac arrests

China sanctions US defense firms, executives over Taiwan arms deal

The imposed sanctions are largely symbolic, as American defense firms' business with China is extremely limited.

China's durian craze has turned this tropical fruit into a tool of diplomacy

Distinctive in taste and famously divisive, durian is not everyone's choice of fruit. This was certainly the case for some Chinese explorers when they first encountered it during the Ming Dynasty's early maritime voyages.

Clean Energy Is Still Winning. These 10 Charts Prove It. In March...

Clean Energy Is Still Winning. These 10 Charts Prove It. In March 2025, more electricity was generated with clean energy than with fossil fuels for the first time. 💬 Join the discussion on kottke.org →

Pluribus' existential art question, answered by Vince Gilligan and Rhea Seehorn

Gilligan and his Pluribus team weigh in on a simple question with big implications.

Explosion at Alawite mosque in Syria's Homs kills eight

DAMASCUS, Dec 26 (Reuters) - Eight people were killed in an explosion at a mosque of the Alawite minority sect in the Syrian city of Homs on Friday, Syrian state news agency SANA said. An ultra-conservative Sunni Muslim Syrian group known as Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah said on its

What 38 million obituaries reveal about how Americans define a 'life well lived'

Obituaries preserve what families most want remembered about the people they cherish most. Across time, they also reveal the values each era chose to honor.

PC gaming has a pricing problem, and the memory crisis is compounding it in a way that's utterly heartbreaking for our hobby

Money, money, money.

'It was definitely interesting': Persona 5: The Phantom X developer was surprised that people outside of Japan were 'cheering' for the Subway Slammer

The gacha's first villain became a meme earlier this year.

Israel recognises Somaliland as independent state, Netanyahu says

The decision has been condemned by Somalia, Egypt, Turkey and Djibouti, who call it a dangerous precedent.

Judge blocks deportation of UK man targeted by Trump administration

A federal judge on Thursday blocked the Trump administration from deporting a British man who was recently placed on a visa ban after U.S. officials accused him and four other Europeans of online censorship. Center for Countering Digital Hate CEO Imran Ahmed filed a complaint

Professor Layton Boss Wants People To Stop Demonizing Generative AI

Level-5 CEO Akihiro Hino has shared further thoughts on AI after a past interview of his went viral online The post Professor Layton Boss Wants People To Stop Demonizing Generative AI appeared first on Kotaku .

A Giant Lord Of The Rings Minas Tirith Lego Set Rumored To Cost Over $600

Where was Gondor when my credit card payment failed? The post A Giant Lord Of The Rings Minas Tirith Lego Set Rumored To Cost Over $600 appeared first on Kotaku .

Africa: AU Commission Chair Congratulates Somali Citizens On Mogadishu Municipal Elections

[ENA] Addis Ababa -- The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has congratulated the people of Somalia following the successful conduct of municipal elections in Mogadishu on 25 December 2025.

‘Marty Supreme’ Almost Ended in the 1980s, But Tears for Fears Stayed on the Soundtrack Anyway

Josh Safdie’s “Marty Supreme,” now in theaters, is filled with ‘80s bangers, including Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” and Peter Gabriel’s “I Have the Touch.” But Safdie’s latest film — starring Timothée Chalamet as a young man from New York’s Lower East

15th person dies month after UPS plane crash in Kentucky

A worker at a scrapyard near the Louisville airport has died months after the UPS plane plowed into the business.

Sirius XM Is Down 9% in 2025. Is This a Once-in-a-Lifetime Buying Opportunity Before the Stock Goes Parabolic?

Elusive wild cat feared extinct rediscovered in Thailand

An elusive wild cat long feared extinct in Thailand has been rediscovered three decades after the last recorded sighting, conservation authorities and an NGO said Friday.

What a $10K Investment in Tesla Could Look Like by 2030

North Korea’s nuclear sub reveal jolts US-Russia-China dynamics

North Korea’s nuclear submarine gambit marks a dangerous inflection point in the rise of an authoritarian nexus that challenges established deterrence dynamics. This month, multiple media outlets reported North Korea’s unveiling of what it says is the completed hull of its

Trump Tries to Save His Disaster Peace Deals at Mar-a-Lago

President Trump is holding two emergency summits next week at his Mar-a-Lago estate—first with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and then with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—in a supposed effort to stop two wars he’s failed to end. Axios reports that Trump will

America’s richest tech titans reap $550 billion windfall from AI surge

The staggering total, up from $1.9 trillion at the start of the year, reflects Wall Street’s all-in bet on artificial intelligence.

Amos Poe, “No Wave” Director Behind ‘The Blank Generation’ and ‘The Foreigner’ Dies at 76

Influenced by the French New Wave, the Israel native helped chronicle the punk explosion in downtown Manhattan in the 1970s.