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See unique New Year’s Eve drop traditions from around the US

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See unique New Year’s Eve drop traditions from around the US

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When many people think of New Year’s Eve, images of a giant colorful ball in New York City’s Times Square may come to mind, but for some others across the country, the New Year’s bell looks a little different.

Across the country, items unique to a city or state are chosen at midnight to celebrate the new year, including large illuminated mechanical food items, shoes, and symbols of the city itself.

Here are some of the most unusual New Year’s Eve drops in the US.

The sounds of Nashville music usher in the new year.

In the city of music, it is common to welcome the new year with musical notes. The event includes the famous red musical note, which is dropped from a 140-foot tower at midnight to ring in the new year.

The giant aluminum and acrylic music note is 16 feet tall and weighs about 400 pounds. The bill has 28,140 LED pixels that will create a 90-second fireworks display when the bill drops at midnight, according to the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation.

Plan ahead: Who will be performing on New Year’s Eve 2025? See the lineup

Door County’s annual cherry drop

This is the ninth year Door County has dropped giant cherries into the crowd. Ellie Soderbergh-Guger of the Sister Bay Information Center told USA TODAY that Wisconsin chose the sparkling cherry to welcome the new year as a way to encourage winter travel and create celebration with local residents.

The illuminated cherries weigh 300 pounds, Soderberg-Guger said. He added that the event has brought tourism awards and grants to the region since its inception.

Amelia Island, Florida drops jumbo shrimp

Ten years ago, Amelia Island, Florida, started a new tradition of dropping giant shrimp along with fireworks to celebrate the New Year, Madison Joza, director of communications and social media for the Amelia Island Convention and Visitors Bureau, told USA TODAY. “Fernandina is famous for being the birthplace of the modern shrimp industry, so shrimp was the natural choice,” added Joza.

Fans can view an LED custom shrimp drop on the downtown Fernandina Beach waterfront, and the event will feature food, music, vendors and more. This year’s LED Shrimp is new and improved, Joza added, and the event will include a “Name the Shrimp” contest prior to the item drop at 7 p.m. ET.

See USA TODAY’s official list. Countdown Celebration: Top 10 US New Year’s Eve Drops

Key West, Florida clicks into 2026

The New Year’s Eve ball drop in Key West, south Florida, looks a little different than jumbo shrimp.

A giant ruby ​​red heel has been in place in Key West for more than 20 years, and drag queens have been lowered into it.

“Each year, a stunning drag queen climbs over a balcony railing in a gorgeous gown, carefully perches on eight-foot-long red high heels dangling approximately 15 feet above Duval Street, and smiles and ‘waves the queen’s hand’ to thousands of cheering New Year’s Eve crowds below,” the Visit Florida Keys website states.

The website says the Queen will provide “witty commentary” while waiting for midnight. The event will also feature performances by other drag queens, male dancers, and other entertainers.

Other Florida favorites: 5 New Year’s Eve Drops in Florida and When and Where to Watch

Boise, see your favorite dish falling

In Boise, Idaho, fans will be able to see a giant glowing potato being dropped on the state Capitol for the first time in 13 years.

Tater shines above the city for several hours, then disappears with fireworks at midnight. Potato Rise begins at 6pm local time. It may look real, but it’s not an actual potato hanging over the city. The item is a custom-made polystyrene potato that is illuminated from the inside and painted to resemble a real Idaho potato, according to the event’s website.

Indiana drops giant pierogi from the sky

In Whiting, Indiana, a different kind of potato dish is taking to the air in honor of the new year. For the past nine years, the northwest Indiana town has been dropping pierogi at midnight to coincide with its fireworks show, and plans to do the same again this coming New Year’s Eve.

A 10-foot-tall pierogi is illuminated with lights and falls 50 feet into a boiling cauldron for the 10th year. Pierogi Drop Chairman Andy Dibell told USA TODAY that the event, hosted by the Whiting Knights of Columbus, is “a little different” and aims to create a special experience for tourists as well as locals in town.

“We have a big compound clock, we have lights, we have music and confetti, and as soon as this happens, the church bells in town ring,” Dibell said. “We’re trying to be as close to New York’s Times Square as possible.”

Raleigh, North Carolina drops giant acorns of copper and steel

In Raleigh, North Carolina, giant barrels and steel acorns are being dropped to celebrate New Year’s Eve. The acorn was created in 1992 to commemorate Raleigh’s bicentennial and is 10 feet tall and weighs more than 1,200 pounds, according to the Downtown Raleigh Alliance.

Visit Raleigh said the acorn was created by local artist David Benson and is a play on Raleigh’s nickname, “City of Oaks.” On Dec. 31, the acorn will be hoisted up by a crane and lowered during the final countdown to conclude the city’s annual opening night celebration.

“Older friends will lament, ‘Only three generations will remember us after we die,'” Benson said of Acorn’s legacy on Visit Raleigh. “Hey, I think we’ve got this resolved. We don’t even have to think about it!”

For the rest of this year, the acorns will be on display at City Plaza, 443 Fayetteville Street, which will be their home starting in May 2023.

“This is definitely a beloved icon,” said Stacey Bloom Rexrode, curator of exhibits and collections for the City of Raleigh’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department, according to Visit Raleigh. “People get worried when sites are moved, but we’re always excited when it comes to new sites. We’ve never had any vandalism or anything like that.”

President Trump says US facility ‘knocked out’, attack on Venezuela not confirmed

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President Trump says US facility ‘knocked out’, attack on Venezuela not confirmed

President Donald Trump said the US had “destroyed” a “massive facility”. Rumors of a U.S. attack on Venezuela have not been confirmed.

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President Donald Trump said the United States had “destroyed” the facility on Dec. 24, leaving unanswered questions about whether the United States had launched its first ground attack in Venezuela, which Trump has threatened to attack for months.

“They have big factories, big facilities where the ships come from. We defeated that two nights ago,” Trump said in a Dec. 26 interview on WABC. President Trump did not elaborate on the location of the facility.

The attack on Venezuelan territory would constitute a major escalation in President Trump’s ongoing pressure campaign to oust Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

The Pentagon contacted USA TODAY with the White House, which did not immediately return a request for comment. The Venezuelan government has not officially commented.

Trump’s comments sparked rumors after local news reports and a video about X circulated that an explosion occurred in an industrial area in the northwestern Venezuelan city of Maracaibo. Chemicals manufacturer Primazol said in an official statement that a fire broke out at a warehouse it owns in the region in the early hours of December 24, and said in a later statement that it “categorically denies” the rumors on social media.

In the interview, Trump also touted his administration’s dozens of attacks on Venezuelan ships suspected of carrying drugs in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific Ocean, killing more than 100 people. The Coast Guard also seized two oil tankers off the coast of Venezuela and is tracking a third tanker that refused to board the ship.

Since the boat attack campaign began in September, President Trump has regularly threatened to attack land-based targets as part of a broader effort to unseat Maduro. Legal experts say the boat strike was illegal and that Venezuela is not a major source of the deadly drug, despite the Trump administration’s claims.

How much does the American Dream cost now? Here’s the breakdown.

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How much does the American Dream cost now? Here’s the breakdown.

In theory, anyone can achieve the American Dream. But at what price?

A recent analysis by Investopedia found that it would take $5 million over a lifetime to fund eight key components of the American Dream, including homeownership and raising children.

Dreams are different for each person. But as Investopedia’s September report reveals, some human needs are universal.

In an accompanying survey, the financial journalism site asked 1,263 adults to identify goals related to the American Dream. Most people said they shared eight aspirations:

  • A comfortable retirement (86%)
  • Able to provide high quality medical care (86%)
  • Own a home (85%)
  • Raise a family (78%)
  • Own a new car (72%)
  • Go on vacation every year (71%)
  • Pet care (66%)
  • Have a wedding (55%)

This report leverages data from federal agencies, think tanks, and industry associations to tabulate the lifetime costs of each goal.

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Rethinking the American Dream: College and University Degrees.

High school students and their parents are weighing the benefits of colleges and universities.

Here’s how much it costs to realize the American Dream

List the lifetime costs of each goal from highest to lowest.

  • Severance: $1.6 million
  • Home ownership: $957,594
  • New car ownership: $900,346
  • Raising two children and paying for college: $876,092
  • Healthcare: $414,208
  • Annual vacation: $180,621
  • Pet: $39,381
  • Wedding: $38,200

Add these up and the lifetime cost of achieving the American Dream is $5,043,323.

That’s a mind-boggling amount, considering the average American with a bachelor’s degree earns about $2.8 million over their lifetime.

The American Dream is getting more expensive

During his 2024 election campaign, presidential candidate Donald Trump vowed to “bring back the American Dream.”

But the numbers suggest that dream is becoming increasingly expensive. Investopedia found that most components of the American Dream cost more in 2025 than in 2024, the last time the site tallied costs.

Caleb Silver, People Inc.’s business editor and editor-in-chief of Investopedia, told USA TODAY in September.

According to Investopedia, the lifetime cost of a new car will be $900,346 in 2025, compared to $811,440 a year ago. The cost of owning a home for life increased from $929,955 to $957,594.

However, not everyone defines the American Dream the same way.

Michael Strain, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and author of a 2020 book on the American Dream, suggests that Investopedia may have set the bar too high.

“I don’t know if we should equate the American Dream with the lifestyle enjoyed by the top 10 percent of earners,” he said in a September interview.

For Strain, the American Dream is more of a sense of upward trajectory: “Are we moving forward?” he said. “Are you getting better grades every year? Will your kids be better than you?”

The purpose of the Investopedia report is to get people thinking about how to finance their American Dream, Silver said.

“I hope people can read this and think about what their dream actually is, put a price tag on it, and come up with a real strategy that allows them to make enough money to achieve it.”

Here’s a detailed cost breakdown of the American Dream:

Severance: $1.6 million

According to Investopedia, the average cost of retirement over 20 years is $1.64 million. This tab is based on your average annual spending after retirement.

A year ago, Investopedia estimated the cost of retirement to be just under $1.6 million.

If these numbers seem high, consider that financial advisors often tell retirees to plan to spend only 4% of their savings on annual living expenses. And 4% of $1.6 million is only $64,000.

Home ownership: $957,594

This figure reflects the average cost of purchasing and financing a home with a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, including interest, insurance, and property taxes.

A year ago, Investopedia estimated the cost of homeownership to be $929,955.

The median home price in America is about $415,000, according to the report. The remaining lifetime tabs represent interest, insurance, and taxes.

New car ownership: $900,346

This figure reflects the cost of purchasing and financing a new car every 10 years for a two-car household between the ages of 22 and 75.

A year ago, Investopedia estimated the lifetime cost of owning a new car to be $811,440.

An Investopedia study found that 72% of Americans believe owning a new car is part of the American Dream.

But not everyone agrees. The average age of a car in the United States is nearly 13 years, an all-time high.

Raise two children: $876,092

This figure covers the cost of raising two children to age 18 and then attending a public university at in-state rates for each of them for the next four years.

Investopedia estimates that the total cost of raising two children is $645,819. College costs well over $800,000.

These costs partly explain why fewer Americans are choosing to have children.

Healthcare: $414,208

In past reports on the American Dream, Investopedia did not include healthcare as a factor. Healthcare is a need, not a want.

Americans need health care, and they want quality health care. Most survey respondents say access to quality health care is part of the American Dream.

This total represents average lifetime health care spending from ages 22 to 85.

Annual vacation: $180,621

According to research from Investopedia, most Americans consider vacations to be a non-negotiable part of the American Dream.

The chart above represents one vacation per year from ages 22 to 85, assuming an average vacation cost of $2,867.

A year ago, Investopedia estimated the cost of a lifetime vacation to be $179,109.

Pet ownership: $39,381

Two-thirds of American households own a pet, and most of us consider our furry friends to be an important part of the American Dream.

The diagram above shows the lifetime costs of owning one dog and one cat, including food and medical expenses.

For a wedding: $38,200

More than half of Americans say a wedding is part of the American Dream. Interestingly, the cost of weddings has actually decreased since 2024.

The total price of $38,200 includes the ceremony, reception, and rings.

Zoran Mandani taking the oath at Old Town Hall metro station

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Zoran Mandani taking the oath at Old Town Hall metro station

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New York City’s next mayor, Zoran Mamdani, will be sworn in on New Year’s Day not inside City Hall, but dozens of feet below.

According to a Dec. 29 news release, the next Democratic mayor will be sworn in in a private late-night ceremony at the Old City Hall subway station. New York State Attorney General Letitia James will administer the oath of office, and Mamdani’s family will also be in attendance at the underground ceremony.

more: Bernie Sanders swears in Zoran Mandani at public ceremony on January 1st

The metro station is a historical landmark in the city and represents a wide range of public transportation. It was the starting point for New York City’s first subway line in 1904. Although it was decommissioned in 1945, the station is maintained and available for tours through the New York Transit Museum.

Mamdani said in a statement that the station is a “physical monument” to New York City and that the subway system is the city’s lifeblood.

“As I take the oath from the train station at the start of the new year, I am humbled by the opportunity to lead millions of New Yorkers into a new era of opportunity and honored to carry on our city’s great legacy,” Mamdani said in a news release.

Later on January 1, the 34-year-old Democratic Socialist will hold a large public swearing-in ceremony on the City Hall steps above ground, where Sen. Bernie Sanders is scheduled to swear in Mamdani in front of about 4,000 guests.

more: What you need to know about Zoran Mamdani’s swearing-in ceremony

The opening ceremony will also include a public viewing event, Block Party on Broadway, at Canyon of Heroes along Broadway.

Kathryn Palmer is USA TODAY’s political reporter. She can be reached at the following address: kapalmer@usatoday.com And to X@Kathryn Purml. Sign up for her daily politics newsletter here.

‘Diff’rent Strokes’ actress dies at 57

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‘Diff’rent Strokes’ actress dies at 57

Melanie Watson Bernhardt’s role in Diff’rent Strokes marked one of the first times a disabled actor played a disabled character on television.

Melanie Watson Barnhart, the actress best known for her role as Cathy Gordon in “Diff’rent Strokes,” has died. She was 57 years old.

According to TMZ, Watson Barnhart’s brother, Rob Watson, confirmed that the actress passed away on Friday, December 26th in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The newspaper said she had recently been hospitalized for bleeding.

The actress was born with osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disorder. Genetic diseases and collagen conditions weaken bones and cause associated complications such as short stature, bone deformities, and fractures.

Watson Barnhart uses a wheelchair, and her role as Kathy Gordon, the optimistic friend opposite Gary Coleman’s Arnold Jackson on the 1970s and 1980s sitcoms, provided true disability representation on television. She appeared in four episodes of “Diff’rent Strokes” from 1981 to 1984.

According to IndieWire, the role was written specifically for her. Two of the episodes are named after her character. In one episode, Kathy’s parents convince Arnold that he should encourage Arnold to walk with crutches, even though he does not want to do so.

“I didn’t want to do that,” she told the outlet, adding that an autumn a few years ago made her afraid to walk. “I remember saying, ‘This is someone else’s dream,’ but they explained to me that this was the premise of the episode.”

She said her mother asked her to do just that scene, which she did, but she became disillusioned with acting. But, she added, “I didn’t realize how amazing it would be to be the first person with a disability to play a character with a disability.” “If I had to do it all over again, I would have stayed in this business.”

Coleman himself suffered from autoimmune kidney disease and was on medication, which caused him to be short at 4 feet 8 inches. He died in 2010 at the age of 42 after falling down the stairs at his home.

Wendy’s will release a 1-cent Junior Bacon Cheeseburger on December 30th. How to get it

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Wendy’s will release a 1-cent Junior Bacon Cheeseburger on December 30th. How to get it

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Wendy’s will be releasing Bacon this Tuesday, December 30th, also known as National Bacon Day.

The Dublin, Ohio-based burger chain is celebrating the occasion with a 1-cent Junior Bacon Cheeseburger for all Wendy’s app users on Tuesday, Dec. 30.

Wendy’s is proud of its bacon supremacy. “At Wendy’s, bacon isn’t just a topping, it’s a lifestyle,” the company said in a statement. “From our iconic Baconator to our Breakfast Baconator to our Bacon-Infused Breakfast Burrito, we literally own the bacon.”

The Junior Bacon Cheeseburger is made with a toasted bun topped with a fresh, unfrozen square beef patty, two strips of bacon, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise. “This is the right way to do bacon,” the company said in a statement.

National Bacon Day, Tuesday, Dec. 30, will be the only day customers can buy Junior Bacon Cheeseburgers for 1 cent at participating restaurants.

Here’s how to claim your offer:

How to get a Junior Bacon Cheeseburger for 1 cent at Wendy’s

To receive the 1 cent Junior Bacon Cheeseburger offer, you must redeem the following offer: Wendy’s app To purchase sandwiches for 1 cent, customers must have an account.

5 destinations that will shine in 2026, according to travel writers

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5 destinations that will shine in 2026, according to travel writers

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  • USA TODAY’s travel writers recommend five destinations for 2026 based on first-hand experience.
  • Destinations include North County San Diego, Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and Charleston, South Carolina.

If there’s one thing the USA TODAY Travel team never gets tired of, it’s chasing the moments that remind us why travel matters.

Over the past year, our team has taken planes, ships, and the occasional winding backroad to traverse the world, discovering places that surprise, inspire, and stay with you long after you’ve unpacked them.

From relaxing coastal retreats to bustling cities, these trips have shaped the way we think about travel in 2026. These are the kinds of destinations that offer more than just great photos. Whether you’re traveling for rest, adventure, or a reset, we offer outstanding food, rich culture, and experiences that feel meaningful.

This is not a list created based on hype or an algorithm. This comes from first-hand reporting, conversations with locals, and the places that truly move our team.

So, if you’re starting to plan where to go next year, here are five destinations that we think will shine in 2026 and are worth adding to your travel bucket list.

Spend a relaxing beach day in a coastal town

San Diego is a tried-and-true tourist destination, but consider heading north next time you visit. Earlier this year, I explored the North County coastal area where my family is. It’s a quiet and quaint place that rivals the metropolitan areas of the city.

This area is home to many seaside communities with unique views, activities, and character. Travelers can browse the boutiques and art galleries on Cedros Avenue in Solana Beach, camp at San Elijo State Beach in Encinitas, or hike at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve between Del Mar and La Jolla.

There are plenty of local coffee shops and eateries to visit along the way (don’t miss breakfast at Atelier Mana). Visitors can enjoy a relaxed pace while having easy access to famous attractions like Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo. During my stay, I was able to enjoy both the surfer town and city life.

Want to know more?Here’s the story I wrote after my visit. Lazy Beach Days: Discover San Diego’s Underrated Coastal Gems

— Nathan Diller, Travel Reporter

Escape the crowds of Tokyo and take a leisurely journey through Japan’s hidden gems

I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels like everyone I know is going to Japan. The island nation’s popularity has recently skyrocketed among travelers looking to indulge in delicious food (fresher than fresh sushi, right?), seemingly endless shopping, and rich cultural heritage, all while taking advantage of favorable exchange rates.

I jumped at the chance to visit this November and was surprised by just how much of Japan really captivated me. It was not Tokyo or Osaka, but the countryside.

I explored Gifu Prefecture, which is located in the center of Japan, as if I were on a road trip, similar to how Japanese people love to travel. Traveling through Gifu at a slower pace, soaking up the local cuisine and cultural traditions, was literally a breath of fresh air. This mountainous region is known for its spectacular fall foliage.

I was able to get to know Japan on a completely different level than when I was in the city. Add to that the fact that Japan’s hotspots like Kyoto and Mount Fuji are struggling with the effects of overtourism, and there’s no reason not to go off the beaten path.

Want to know more?Here’s the story I wrote after my visit. Avoid the crowds in Japan: Visit this hidden gem for a more authentic trip

— Kathleen Wong, Travel Reporter

this city knows its place

Charleston, South Carolina is the epitome of Southern coastal charm, with beautiful pastel buildings and cobblestone streets dating back centuries, lively restaurants filled with chatter and delicious Lowcountry cuisine, and nearby dune-dotted beaches where sea turtles nest seasonally.

But Charleston’s history also has an ugly side, tied to the slavery that made the port city rich. I don’t hesitate to do that either. Charleston remembers its past with places like the International African American Museum, Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Parks, and various former plantations that offer tours for tourists.

I love how this city has embraced its entire identity and is so quick to share it with visitors like family. My older daughter could have spent more time shopping along King Street, and my younger daughter could have spent the entire day at the beach, but no one complained about the educational opportunities all around, especially my husband and son, both history buffs. We’re all ready to go back.

Want to know more? Here’s the story I wrote after my visit. Charleston is a family vacation that even teenagers will love

— Eve Chen, travel reporter

This country is easy to visit, but hard to forget

I knew in my heart that even though I had never been to Portugal, it would be similar enough to other European destinations. At first glance, that may be true. After all, their history is closely tied to neighboring countries. But Portugal had its own charms to contend with.

A trip to Europe that will leave you feeling stimulated without getting tired. Cities like Lisbon and Porto are walkable, city trains are easy and affordable, and even small towns feel welcoming and friendly. You can move between history, beaches, wine country, and cozy cafes without feeling rushed or overwhelmed. That’s exactly why so many American travelers are hooked right now.

Portugal also offers great value. Coffee can be bought with small change, and the food is delicious without being extravagant. What really makes Portugal shine is its balance. With a beautiful coastline, postcard-perfect viewpoints like Cape Roca and Nazaré, and easy day trips to places like Sintra, Cascais and the Douro Valley, it’s easy to see why travelers say they can enjoy so many sights and activities in a short period of time.

While all things are important to consider, this trip taught me that traveling with strangers can be life-changing. For that, I will always be grateful to Portugal.

Want to know more? Here’s the story I wrote after my visit. Why Portugal is a ‘safer option’ for Americans traveling to Europe

— Josh Rivera, Travel Editor

Why West Virginia is truly “almost heaven”

Throughout 2025, I traveled to the New River Gorge region of West Virginia twice. The first was a work trip that helped me get familiar with everything the area had to offer. Then, a few months later, I returned on a personal visit to attend an LGBTQ rock climbing retreat.

I’m an outdoors person, so I loved being able to experience nature in beautiful parts of the country. West Virginia may not be every traveler’s top destination, but it should be. The state offers everything from summer whitewater rafting to winter ski slopes to year-round hiking and biking trails.

If you’re looking to get out and try a new activity, or revisit one you already love, West Virginia should be high on your list.

This state offers more than just beautiful scenery. The capital Charleston (not to be confused with Charleston, South Carolina, which my colleague Eve wrote about above) has a growing foodie scene and is an excellent gateway to the New River Gorge.

I have already started thinking about my next trip to climb again in 2026.

Want to know more? Here’s the story I wrote after my visit. From rock climbing to skiing, this hidden gem is perfect for families who love the outdoors

— Zach Wichter, Travel Reporter

Dunkin’ will be giving away free coffee on December 29th. How to get it.

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Dunkin’ will be giving away free coffee on December 29th. How to get it.

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As the calendar flips to 2026, Dunkin’ is capitalizing on the hustle and bustle of the holiday season with a week-long sale that includes free coffee.

The coffee chain announced it will be offering giveaways during the week of December 29th to January 2nd, so-called “proDUNKtivity” week.

“This is our way of getting through the last part of the year with a bang,” Dunkin’ said in a release. “Honestly, if ever there was a week worth picking up, it’s this one.”

Dunkin’ sale week begins with free coffee on Monday, Dec. 29, according to social media. After that, Dunkin’ will be holding a merch sweepstakes on Wednesday, December 31st, and a free donut with the purchase of a drink on Friday, January 2nd.

The chain also teased on its social media accounts that more details would be announced later this week. Here’s what we know so far:

How to Redeem Dunkin’ Coffee for Free. Promotion code details

On Monday, Dec. 29, Dunkin’ lovers can redeem a free hot or iced coffee of any size using the code “PRODUNKTIVITY” in the Dunkin’ mobile app.

However, customers will need to act quickly to get their hands on it. Dunkin’ said the code is valid for one million uses and is only available while supplies last.

The Dunkin’ mobile app is free to download, but users must be signed into their Dunkin’ Rewards account to use it.

Dunkin’ is announcing a “proDUNKtivity” week of sales. Goods and free donut details

Dunkin’ has hinted that it will announce more details as the week progresses, but has already announced two more deals so far.

On Wednesday, December 31st, Dunkin’ announced that it will be holding a giveaway on merchandise. And on Friday, Jan. 2, the chain announced that customers can get a free classic donut with the purchase of a drink.

Dunkin says to follow its Instagram and TikTok accounts for more information on the offer.

Melina Khan is USA TODAY’s national trends reporter. Contact her at melina.khan@usatoday.com.

How do race, power, and policy shape who is displaced in America?

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How do race, power, and policy shape who is displaced in America?

Monday, December 29, 2025, episode of the podcast The Excerpt: For a year, USA TODAY columnist Suzette Hackney followed people whose lives had been changed by evacuation. She explains why losing a home is so much more important than losing a roof over your head, and how race, policy, and power determine who gets left behind.

Press play in the player below to listen to the podcast and follow the transcript below. This transcript was automatically generated and edited in its current format for clarity. There may be some differences between audio and text.

Podcast: For true crime stories, in-depth interviews, and more USA TODAY podcasts, click here

Dana Taylor:

For most of us, home is an intricate part of our identity and a source of safety, memory, and stability. So what happens when the place that defines you is taken away? Hello. Welcome to this excerpt from USA TODAY. I’m Dana Taylor. Today is Monday, December 29, 2025. As we’ve seen across the country this past year, housing affordability is currently in crisis, especially for Millennials and Gen Z. For the past year, USA TODAY national columnist Suzette Hackney has explored what home really means, following people whose lives have been reshaped by displacement due to climate change, storms, tribal politics and more. Through telling these stories, she realized that home is not just a physical space, but a sense of belonging, stability, and the foundation of life. Suzette, thank you so much for coming back to The Excerpt.

Suzette Hackney:

Hello, Danna. Thank you so much for having me.

Dana Taylor:

You have reported on people who have lost their homes for a variety of reasons, including evacuation, expulsion from school, natural disasters, and economic pressures. Having spent a year on this project, what do you think home actually means to people?

Suzette Hackney:

Home is what you make and it means a lot to a lot of people, if it means being with your family, if it means having an affordable price, if it means having a place you want to explore or a place you never had the chance to live. One of the reasons I wanted to try this project was because I was actually living in Los Angeles last year. I was renting and my landlord wanted to sell the property. And suddenly I had no home. And I have the means, the resources, etc. to be able to jump off of that. But it was a really difficult time for me. It seemed like an unexpected event. That was something I hadn’t planned on. I hadn’t yet thought about where I would move next. I was very happy there. So it really got me thinking about how this aspect of the home can change in an instant for so many people.

Dana Taylor:

Throughout these stories, the loss of home is never just about structures. It is about identity, memory and belonging. Why is home so tied to our identity?

Suzette Hackney:

One of the things that happened when I started writing this was I started thinking about my childhood home and what it represented to me, from Big Mama to my grandmother, my mother, my aunts, and uncles who I lived with. We had a slightly unusual house structure. My mother and father were divorced. I realized how important it was for me to grow up in that environment and be able to learn how to garden and plant trees in the backyard with my grandmother. These are things that will stay with you even after many years. So I’ve been interviewing all of these people and talking about their memories and experiences, and it’s been really powerful.

Dana Taylor:

Suzette, many of the people you profiled have had their homes taken from them through systems and agencies ranging from tribal councils to school districts to federal disaster response. What patterns have you seen in how the powers that be decide who can protect the home?

Suzette Hackney:

Well, as you said, there’s a problem with the structure. So one of the first columns I wrote was about tribal councils deciding to expel people because they didn’t think they were Nooksacks. They didn’t deserve to be nooksacks. And another story column I wrote in Renton, Washington, was actually about a man whose father was illiterate and had little education, but who worked with his family to buy a house and, after receiving a prominent land threat, finally made a deal. So you look at these structures, you look at these people who have lost so much, they have lost their identity, and you think, “How could something like this happen?” But it happens really easily.

Dana Taylor:

Race and affiliation come up multiple times in the series. What do these stories tell us about how race shapes housing safety, access, and evictions in America?

Suzette Hackney:

Bruce Beach is probably the most popular and the beach best known for the family that literally owned all of this beautiful oceanfront property in California. And it was taken away from them. And their ancestors did not understand at the time what they were giving up. This problem arises especially when we focus on race and generational wealth. This is how black, brown, and Asian people typically acquire intergenerational wealth through owning property, owning a home, and passing it on from generation to generation. And that’s being taken away in a big way, and that’s systemic racism. That’s exactly what we’re thinking. This happens less often to white people. It happens to us too.

Dana Taylor:

In some of your works, you focus on communities that come together, sometimes across borders, to support people who have been forced to flee their homes. What have you learned about resilience and how people rebuild their homes after losing their homes?

Suzette Hackney:

One of the columns you talk about is Nooksack, where the Canadian tribes actually said, “We’re not going to make you homeless. We’ve got the money. We’ve got the resources. We’re going to build a new community for you. We’re going to build a new area for you, especially a new area where all these elders can settle.” And that was very moving to me. I still feel that strongly when I interviewed tribal officials in Canada and said, “These are our elders. These are the people who raised us, taught us, and did everything for us. Why would we make them homeless at this point in their lives?” It was so powerful to see people stand up and help those in need through systemic racism and unfair structures. And frankly, we need more of that in this country right now.

Dana Taylor:

And in one story, you followed people who actively chose to build a new home overseas. I am, of course, referring to black American women who immigrated to Mexico City. Please tell me about that story. What drives them to seek new lives south of the border?

Suzette Hackney:

There are a few things. So I interviewed about 10 black American women who had settled and immigrated to Mexico City, and they were very aware of the fact that they were immigrants. And this is not their home country. I feel very welcome, but I was wondering if I could do that first. COVID-19 opened borders and allowed people to realize for the first time, “I don’t have to sit in this office to work. I can work from anywhere, this country, this city. I can move closer to my mom.” So some of that is what the pandemic has brought to us as professionals, but these are also women who are raising children and who have been thinking about medical procedures and the affordability of health care. These are women who are especially thinking about the safety of their sons and feeling like, “I don’t know if my son is going to be okay after an encounter with a police officer in the United States.”

These are women who have just made up their minds. Some of the women have retired, while others have always said, “I’ve always wanted to live overseas.I never had the opportunity to do so before, but now I want to.” There are countless reasons why they made their decisions. Mexico City is truly a dynamic city. I had never been there before, so this was my first time interviewing there, and I understood its charm. I mean, it’s definitely a place full of love. People are very welcoming and kind. There is diversity everywhere. Parks and green spaces are really important in Mexico City. If you can walk, you don’t need a car. There are a lot of things that I really like, and some are reasonably priced. Some of the places these women live in, like Mexico City, they can’t afford to live in, say, New York City.

Dana Taylor:

It’s one of my favorite cities. I could talk a little bit about that. So how are President Trump’s anti-immigrant policies playing out here?

Suzette Hackney:

I talked to them a lot about it. There’s a huge level of frustration among them because it’s the exact opposite of what’s happening here in the United States. So they look back at their hometowns and see people being dragged out of their cars, businesses, homes, etc. because they look a certain way. However, they were still able to move to Mexico City and have felt nothing but love, support and kindness. So these women are angry about that. When they watch the news and see what’s happening in their hometown, they get angry, especially since they’re in a place where they feel so loved.

Dana Taylor:

Suzette, after a year of reporting on what home means, what do you think we often misunderstand about housing, belonging and the fragility of a sense of being rooted? And what do you hope readers take away from your amazing series?

Suzette Hackney:

Yeah, I mean, I don’t think we realize and a lot of people don’t realize that one day everything could change. You might wake up every day and get a phone call and your landlord might say, “We want to sell you,” or “We want you to move out, and we want to give you six weeks.” There were six weeks until the really important presidential election. I’ve been writing about this kind of thing and how difficult it is for decades. When I was a columnist for the Indianapolis Star, I remember getting a call from a homeless woman who had been kicked out of her home, was facing eviction, had children, and didn’t know where to go. And it was in the middle of winter, and she called me. This is what I thought. “I don’t know how to help you, but I’ve spent days, weeks, and months trying to help her navigate this system.” The systems in place are good, but the shelters can get full, especially in the winter.

In some cases, there are many mental health issues and such people don’t even realize how much trauma they are going through and how they need help. So it really speaks to who we are as people, what we’re willing to do for people. Look at the natural disasters, the fires, all the other things and, frankly, people who have lost their SNAP benefits. When you look at all of this, you can see how many people were willing to volunteer and try to solve it. And that’s what we all have to do for each other.

Dana Taylor:

Suzette Hackney is a national columnist for USA TODAY. Suzette, thank you so much for sharing your report with The Excerpt.

Suzette Hackney:

Thank you, Danna.

Dana Taylor:

Thanks to Senior Producer Kayleigh Monaghan for her production assistance, Executive Producer will be Laura Beatty. Let us know what you think about this episode by sending a note to podcasts@usatoday.com. Thank you for your attention. I’m Dana Taylor. Tomorrow morning, we’ll be back with another episode of USA TODAY Excerpts.

Steelers put playoff hopes in jeopardy

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Steelers put playoff hopes in jeopardy

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  • The Steelers’ stumble against the Browns could foreshadow an ugly end to the season for Pittsburgh.
  • Tyler Shaw, Cam Ward and Quinn Ewers all had strong efforts at quarterback to conclude their rookie seasons.
  • The NFC South is a close game, but the results have been disappointing.

Week 17 of the NFL emphasized that no matter what the final outlook for the playoffs is, we’ll have to wait another week.

Much of the postseason landscape has already been plowed through, with 12 of the 14 spots taken. However, there is still considerable fluidity in the situation, with winners still undecided in four of the eight divisions and the top seeds in each conference yet to be decided.

The schedule for next weekend’s final regular season game may be relatively drama-free. Still, many teams will be under pressure to make a strong final statement.

Here are the biggest winners and losers from Sunday’s games in Week 17.

NFL Week 17 Winner

On Saturday night, they did their part with a big performance against the Green Bay Packers. However, the results appeared to be insignificant, with the Pittsburgh Steelers defeating the hapless Cleveland Browns and their rival Ravens seemingly destined to be crowned AFC North champions. But against all odds, the Ravens are poised for a win next weekend thanks to a 13-6 loss for the Steelers. And with the situation changing, Baltimore has to like the chance to take control of the division, even if it has to do so on the road. The Ravens will definitely be feeding Derrick Henry, who came back with four touchdowns. And there will probably be enough time for Lamar Jackson to recover from his back illness and return to the starting lineup. The erratic team has defied expectations all year, so there’s not much point in trying to corner this group one last time. But with a game inconclusive against the New England Patriots in Week 16, Baltimore at least has some control over its fate.

philip rivers

That’s certainly a generous grade on the curve, but how else to evaluate a possible final outing for the 44-year-old, who retired for five years before the Indianapolis Colts came back when they needed it? Yes, the already-eliminated Colts lost 23-17 to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Rivers completed just 17-of-30 passes for just 147 yards. But the signal-caller, despite all the limitations, at least gave the clearly inferior team another chance to compete. Assuming rookie Riley Leonard starts the final game of the season, Rivers’ return will be treated as just a footnote in a very difficult season for Indianapolis. Indianapolis became the first team in 30 years to start 8-2 and miss the playoffs. But at least it was a fun push. After the game, Rivers said, “If I could say I knew everything that was going to happen, would I do it all over again? I would do it all over again.” Perhaps he is not alone there.

drake may stat line

The New England Patriots’ second-year quarterback will likely face too much of an uphill battle to catch Matthew Stafford in the NFL MVP race. But on Sunday, he made a strong statement saying he was deserving of the award. Maye completed 19 of 21 passes for 256 yards and five scores, becoming the first player in NFL history to complete 90 percent of his passes while throwing for at least 250 yards and five touchdowns in a game. His performance would have been even more impressive had he not come off the bench halfway through the third quarter of the Patriots’ 42-10 win over the New York Jets. Of course, adjust the quality of your opponent here. But whether he brings home the hardware or not, Maye’s outing was more than just a stat boost.

tyler shaw and cam ward

Who would have thought that the New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans would combine for one of the most entertaining shows of Week 17? Shaw rebuilt an injury-ravaged Saints offense, repeatedly attacking downfield for 333 yards and two touchdowns on 22-of-27 passing. Ward’s performance line (21-of-40, 251 yards, two touchdowns) may not seem to match his opponents, but the No. 1 overall pick was the driving force that kept the Titans in the game. According to Next Gen Stats, his average pitch time of 4.07 seconds ranks as the best in a single game since 2016, and Ward continually sought to extend plays and create for himself. He wasn’t always successful, but when you look back at the highlights alone, his incredible third-down escapes and his completions while down 4-10, they are nothing short of brilliant. Both New Orleans and Tennessee have a lot of work to do this offseason, but both franchises should be highly encouraged about their prospects behind center.

quinn ewers

The seventh-round rookie passer from Texas didn’t have many expectations beyond simply watching out the Miami Dolphins’ season after Tua Tagovailoa was benched. But in Sunday’s brief outburst, Ewers proved that in some way he can be an asset to the team’s quarterback room in 2026. His early spark, including a 63-yard connection with receiver Theo Weese Jr., helped lead the Dolphins to a 20-17 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Ewers was otherwise relatively quiet for most of the day, but showed great composure as he sliced ​​through the Buccaneers’ defense on short-to-medium range targets and kept the ball out of danger. While this isn’t enough to clinch a starting job next season, this performance reinforces his intriguing upside as a development option, especially for a franchise that may not need to invest heavily in a center next fall.

cody ford

Perhaps this counts as the kind of fun Joe Burrow has lacked this season. The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback would certainly prefer to win. But his team was long gone, and it was time for the signal-caller to take what he could get while the rest of Cincinnati’s offense carried on. Ford, a 345-pound offensive tackle who celebrated his 29th birthday Sunday, trotted out as a wide receiver as the Bengals took a big lead against the Arizona Cardinals late in the third quarter. Burrow found the big man, took the pass, and shook off a would-be tackler for a 21-yard gain. After the game, Ford called the play “a dream come true.” What else is Week 17 for?

NFL Week 17 Losers

pittsburgh steelers

Dealing with a 3-win Browns team loaded with injuries should have been an easy enough task for the Steelers, who were looking to win their first AFC North title since 2020. But the word easy may no longer be in this group’s vocabulary. In fact, Pittsburgh appeared to have little control over a team that only scored a touchdown on a duck from Shedule Sanders. Do you think DK Metcalf’s two-game suspension hampered the offense? Mike Tomlin didn’t seem to do that, largely shaking off the absence of his star target by saying in a halftime interview that the offense just needed touchdowns, not field goals. Neither team scored in the second half. Other than a last-minute surge, Aaron Rodgers completed just 4 of 13 passes for 35 yards when facing man coverage and struggled to get anything done outside of dump-offs, according to Next Gen Stats. The Steelers, whose Metcalf rushed for a season-high 148 yards in the first game, must find a way to get past the Ravens. And the defense, which previously allowed 217 rushing yards to Baltimore, could be without TJ Watt for another week. It has seemed premature to reflect on the Tomlin era this season, but the Steelers are now inviting all the controversy that could await the organization with another failure next weekend.

NFC South

The division crown will likely come down to the final game of Week 18 between the Buccaneers and Panthers, and unless the Falcons win and concede the three-team tiebreaker to Carolina, both teams should have a chance to bounce back from the penultimate game of the season. But there’s a good argument at this point that the Saints are a tougher opponent than both teams competing for the NFC South title. That’s not a good outlook for a division that will undoubtedly be the weak link among the conference’s strong postseason teams. Even if the Buccaneers, who had lost seven of their last eight games prior to Week 18, manage to escape with an 8-9 record, things will only get worse. Maybe one of these two teams can surprise a powerhouse like the Seahawks or Los Angeles Rams in the wild card round. Just like Carolina upset the latter at home a month ago. But for now, the division’s representatives feel like representatives of an underdog Group of Five that will soon prove to be the underdogs.

Myles Garrett aims for single-season sack record

The Browns defensive end dismissed questions about when he would surpass the mark set by Michael Strahan and TJ Watt, saying it was just a matter of time. For the first time in weeks, a historic feat doesn’t seem entirely certain after Garrett was sidelined for just the fourth time this season on Sunday. Indeed, the Steelers did almost everything in their power to prevent their edge rushers from having a decent chance of getting to Rodgers, regularly utilizing Kenneth Gainwell for chips and quickly removing the ball on plays where Garrett was given a clear pass. Garrett went so far as to say after the game that the Steelers were “more worried about getting me away from (Rodgers) than they were about winning, and I think that’s what stuck with him.” But now he has one final reprieve to set the bar in the final game against Burrow and the Bengals. Cincinnati’s line and Burrow’s penchant for holding onto the ball could make a historic moment possible. However, reaching that goal could still generate some buzz, considering Garrett will be eligible for one more game than Strahan and two more than Watt, who appeared in 17 games on the season but missed two games of the tilt due to injury.

Buffalo’s five-year reign atop the AFC East will likely come to an end by next week, with the Patriots potentially shutting out the Dolphins as they continue to grab home-field advantage. But that long-term goal came to a disappointing end for the Bills on Sunday when they couldn’t make a late comeback against the Philadelphia Eagles, losing 13-12 on a failed two-point conversion. Josh Allen simply missed Khalil Shakir’s open end zone, but it’s hard to blame the reigning NFL MVP considering how little help he was given. And while Buffalo’s 331-190 win over Philadelphia in rain-soaked conditions requires some perspective, it’s concerning enough that the offense couldn’t muster enough to beat a team that gained 16 total yards on zero finishes in the second half. The real troubling development for the Bills is that Sunday’s loss drops them to the No. 7 seed, which is sure to involve a tougher matchup than the AFC North champions that the No. 5 seed probably has in store.

We bring you all the NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY’s 4th Monday newsletter.

China conducts recording training aimed at encircling Taiwan

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China conducts recording training aimed at encircling Taiwan

Joe Cash, Yimou Lee, Wen-Yi Lee
|Reuters

BEIJING/TAIPEI, Dec 29 (Reuters) – China launched its most extensive war exercises ever around Taiwan on Monday, showcasing its ability to cut off the island from outside support in times of conflict and testing Taipei’s resolve to protect itself and its stockpile of U.S.-made weapons.

The Eastern Theater Command announced that it has committed troops, warships, fighter jets and artillery to the “Justice Mission 2025” exercise, which involves besieging democratically-ruled islands, conducting live fire and simulated attacks on land and sea targets, and blockading Taiwan’s main ports.

The live-fire exercise continued Tuesday across a record seven sea areas designated by the China Maritime Safety Administration, making it the largest-ever exercise in total area and closer to Taiwan than previous exercises. The military initially announced that the shelling would be limited to five areas.

China’s sixth major military exercise since 2022, after then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the democratically-ruled island, follows stronger rhetoric promoting Beijing’s territorial claims after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested that a supposed Chinese attack on Taiwan could provoke a military response from Tokyo.

Taiwan rejects China’s claims of sovereignty and insists only its people can decide its future.

more: President Trump plans to visit Beijing in April and then meet Chinese President Xi

Asked about Tuesday’s training, Hsieh Chi-sheng, Taiwan’s chief of intelligence general staff at Taiwan’s defense ministry, told reporters: “Our military operates on the principle of preparing for the worst and must take into account all possible scenarios.”

“Holding live-fire exercises near the Taiwan Strait not only puts military pressure on Japan, but also has the potential to create more complex challenges and impacts on the international community and neighboring countries.”

“Strong message regarding external interference”

The exercises began 11 days after the United States announced an $11.1 billion arms sale to Taiwan, the largest ever, prompting an outcry from China’s Defense Ministry, which warned the military would take “strong measures” in response.

“They (China) are sending a strong message about external interference,” said Chie Chun, a researcher at Taiwan’s National Defense and Security Research Institute, noting that China has “completely cut off” air and sea links with Japan in three zones in northern Taiwan.

Analysts say Beijing’s drills are increasingly blurring the line between routine military training and what could be the stage for an attack, aimed at giving the United States and its allies minimal warning of an attack.

The Chinese military also released a video depicting autonomous humanoid robots, microdrones, and weaponized robot dogs attacking the island, futuristic technology never before demonstrated by China.

Fu Zhengyuan, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Military Sciences, told state media that the exercises were justified by concerns about improving interoperability between Taiwan’s and U.S. combat systems, which he said would increase the risk of direct conflict between the two superpowers.

Taiwan’s government condemned the exercise, while the Ministry of Defense posted a video on Facebook showcasing various weapons. It includes a high-mobility artillery system with a range of about 300 kilometers (186 miles), including the U.S.-made HIMARS rocket system, which could hit coastal targets in China’s southern Fujian province across the Taiwan Strait in the event of a conflict.

The island’s coast guard said it was deploying large vessels to confront Chinese coast guard vessels near the area and was coordinating with the military to minimize the impact of the exercise on shipping lanes and fishing grounds.

Taiwan’s aviation authorities also said they were working to identify alternative flight routes after China designated a “temporary danger zone” in Taipei’s airspace for a 10-hour live-fire training exercise scheduled for Tuesday.

quick response

Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense said on Monday that 89 Chinese military aircraft, 14 warships and 14 coast guard boats were operating around Taiwan, and four warships were also spotted in the Western Pacific.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense announced that some Chinese vessels engaged in a standoff with a Taiwanese vessel near the island’s contiguous zone (24 nautical miles offshore).

The ministry said Taiwan’s military is on high alert and ready to conduct “quick response exercises” aimed at quickly moving troops if the exercise turns into an attack.

Taiwan’s stock market was unaffected by the drill and closed up 0.9%.

“I think these drills are just to scare us,” said Lin Weiming, 31, a teacher based in the capital Taipei. “Similar exercises have been conducted before. The political side of things can only be handled by the current government in Taiwan and how they choose to respond.”

“Crush the Separatist villains.”

In response to the training announcement, the Chinese military released a series of propaganda posters with graphics depicting targeting at four locations on the island.

Chinese state broadcaster said the exercise would focus on the blockade of Keelung Port in northern Taiwan, an important deep-water port, and Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan, Taiwan’s largest port city.

The People’s Liberation Army imposed a port blockade around Taiwan during military exercises last year, but this is the first time the People’s Liberation Army has publicly stated that its exercises around the island are aimed at “deterring” outside military intervention.

The first poster appeared to show a fleet of civilian ships that China is mobilizing to support an attack on Taiwan, vessels with ramps and open decks that can be used to carry out amphibious attacks.

“Foreign interference that touches the shield (of justice) will perish!” the poster read. “All Separatist villains that encounter the Shield will be destroyed!”

(Reporting by Joe Cash, Yimou Lee and Wen-Yi Li in Taipei; Additional reporting by Eduardo Baptista in Beijing and Fabian Hamacher and Roger Tan in Taipei; Editing by Lincoln Feast, Stephen Coates and Saad Said)

Snowstorm brings ‘blizzard’ conditions to northern US, delaying travel

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Snowstorm brings ‘blizzard’ conditions to northern US, delaying travel

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A powerful winter storm hitting northern regions of the country has begun dumping heavy snow in several states, causing delays on roads and airports as authorities warn of dangerous conditions for travel.

According to the National Weather Service, tens of millions of people were under blizzard and winter storm warnings on Dec. 29 from Minnesota and Iowa to Michigan, New York and Maine.

Federal forecasters said more than a foot of snow is expected to fall in the upper Great Lakes region, and twice that amount could fall on the south shore of Lake Superior.

more: Severe weather threatens post-holiday travel across the United States. See predictions.

Weather officials urged people to avoid traveling and warned them to bring a winter survival kit in case they get stuck in their car. Visibility may be near zero in some areas.

“Travel could be very difficult or impossible,” the weather bureau in Marquette, Michigan, said, warning of 3 to 7 inches of snow and 80 mph winds. “Hazardous conditions will impact the Monday morning commute.”

Power outages began to occur frequently. More than 80,000 homes and businesses were without power in Michigan on the morning of Dec. 29, according to USA TODAY’s power outage tracking information.

A ground stop order was issued at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Several airports, including Albany, New York, and Burlington, Vermont, were deicing aircraft from their runways.

The winter storm, which began gaining strength over the weekend, is expected to reach its peak strength on December 29, according to the National Weather Service.

As snow accumulates in the northern United States, arctic air will also move south, breaking the daily heat wave that brought record warmth to some cities.

“Brief showers and possibly some thunderstorms will herald the arrival of a cold front that will move across the East Coast and Florida and into the Atlantic and Gulf Coast today,” the National Weather Service said. “Today’s maximum temperatures will be 30 to 40 degrees cooler than yesterday in many parts of the central region of the country.”

Most investors don’t care about the AI ​​bubble

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Most investors don’t care about the AI ​​bubble

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If there’s one theme that will dominate the stock market in 2025, it may be this paradox. Investors know a lot about the AI ​​bubble, but they’re buying AI stocks anyway.

In a new Motley Fool survey, 93% of investors who own AI stocks said they plan to hold or grow those investments over the next year. Only 7% plan to reduce their holdings in AI stocks.

“I think most investors think of AI as a revolutionary technology, a game-changing technology,” said Asit Sharma, senior investment analyst at The Motley Fool.

But talk of AI bubbles is everywhere.

According to The Motley Fool, the stocks of the “Magnificent Seven” tech giants (Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla) rose 698% between 2015 and 2024, compared to a 178% return for the S&P 500 as a whole. Some market observers have warned that these gains are due to excessive expectations from artificial intelligence.

A new balancing act: Here’s why investment giants are trying to overturn the 60/40 rule

AI stocks are expensive. Investors don’t care.

The stock market is historically overvalued, largely due to the phenomenal growth of the Magnificent Seven. From a consumer perspective, the stock is expensive.

How big is the bubble? Consider a metric called the cyclically adjusted price-to-earnings ratio. Measures whether a stock is overvalued or undervalued. As of December 23, the S&P 500’s CAPE ratio is 40.59.

Historically, the only time this ratio was in a higher range was during the peak of the dot-com bubble in 1999-2000. That bubble eventually burst.

Despite talk of a bubble, AI stocks will continue to rise in 2025. Nvidia is up about 36% through Dec. 23, while Alphabet is up about 66%.

Investors continue to buy AI stocks, even though many believe they are historically overvalued.

A Motley Fool survey released on December 15 found that two-fifths of investors believe AI stock prices reflect a “speculative bubble” rather than a “sustainable trend.” The survey was conducted among 2,600 adults.

A separate survey by financial journalism site Investopedia found that two out of three readers think AI stocks are overvalued. 815 investors participated in the December survey.

When Investopedia asked readers to name one stock they would own for the next 10 years, most readers named a company in the Magnificent Seven.

“Most readers surveyed feel there is a bubble in AI and AI-related stocks,” said Caleb Silver, editor-in-chief of Investopedia. “But if you ask them what’s in their portfolio, it’s the same stocks.”

Investors are struggling with AI stocks

The AI ​​paradox is tearing investors apart. Some people are on the sidelines, avoiding AI stocks for fear of a bubble, but in the end they are just watching AI stocks soar. Some companies have invested heavily in AI and are now looking for relief.

“There are certainly people on both ends of the spectrum,” said Jonathan Swanberg, a certified financial planner in Houston. “On one side you have performance seekers who look at year-end earnings reports and want to own more of the best performing stocks. On the other side you have people who want to reduce their exposure to the most successful stocks because they fear the next crash.”

Runaway AI stock prices assume that artificial intelligence will eventually generate huge returns for companies investing in the technology.

Naysayers argue that to date, the payoff has not yet arrived. An influential 2025 report published by MIT found that despite billions of dollars invested in Generative AI, 95% of organizations involved are seeing “zero returns.”

Meanwhile, analysts predict that AI companies will take on more than $1 trillion in accumulated debt in borrowed money with the promise of speculative returns to fund AI projects.

Arguments against the AI ​​bubble focus on the strong profits of tech giants. For example, Nvidia reported record revenue of $57 billion in the third quarter of 2025.

Proponents of the Magnificent Seven note that their reach extends far beyond AI. For example, in addition to pursuing AI, Amazon operates a vast online marketplace, among many other interests. Alphabet owns Google.

“If the momentum of AI in business suddenly stops, they’re not going to go anywhere,” Sharma says.

What happens if the AI ​​bubble bursts?

Analysts have warned that the ongoing AI jitters will cause volatility in AI stocks, bubble or not. Nvidia’s stock seesaw into 2025.

If the AI ​​bubble bursts after 2026, investors can expect some or all of their tech stock holdings to decline significantly.

When the dot-com bubble burst in 2000, the tech-heavy Nasdaq ended up losing more than three-quarters of its value. Many dot com companies went bankrupt. Many large companies survived, and stock prices eventually recovered.

The same scenario could play out with AI. Stock analysts say the key is whether stocks are ready to ride out the bubble.

“Investors are aware of this risk and are determined to invest for the long term,” Sharma said. “They have confidence that the technology itself creates value.”

How Black Nerds Turned a Fantasy Card Game into a Community

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How Black Nerds Turned a Fantasy Card Game into a Community

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Tables are filled with decks of cards, dice, and custom playmats. Around him sits Joseph Johnson, the meetup’s black content creator, as a diverse group of players laugh, talk trash and explain the rules to anyone who needs them.

The camera is also rolling. The event, which looks like a casual Magic: The Gathering night, is also the latest episode of Tabletop Jocks, Johnson’s online series built to create a space for Black and queer players who have traditionally felt underrepresented in the hobby.

For a growing number of Magic: The Gathering players, fantasy card games have become more than just a fun pastime. Through events, online platforms, and intentional mentorship, they seek to make historically special spaces more accessible.

Among them is Keontaye Williams, another Black content creator based in Columbus, Georgia. He said the game saved his life and he thinks it can do the same for others.

“It basically saved us from being swallowed up by the street,” Willilamus said. “This game saved me from a dark path in life, so I’m going to play this game until I can’t play anymore.”

Williams, who lost three family members to gun violence in 2020, founded Growth Elevation Maturity, a nonprofit focused on gun violence prevention and uplifting local communities through outreach events.

A motivational speaker, Williams works to steer children and teens away from dangerous lifestyles. His next goal is to bring Magic: The Gathering to youth detention centers as a tool for connection and guidance.

It’s a message that resonates with Jonathan Jones, known online as “Black Sun Moon.” According to Jonathan Jones’ Twitch profile, he’s “Just a Breed,” a nickname for black nerds, and he’s trying to build a community that heroes can be proud of.

“The first thing people see about you is always your skin color, but once you sit down and play a few games, you don’t necessarily have to be a black player in the store, you become someone who plays mono-blue, someone who plays goblins, someone who plays dragons,” Jones said. “I want the African-American community in particular to know that there is an outlet. There is a game out there to be known for what you do, not just how people perceive you.”

A fantasy world with barriers to entry

Magic: The Gathering offers players an escape from reality, allowing them to cast spells and summon creatures without worrying about 9-on-5. But stepping into a fantasy world often comes at a price.

Since the game’s debut in 1993, Magic: The Gathering has expanded beyond hobby shops to a worldwide community.

Depending on the rarity of the cards, decks can cost players hundreds or even thousands of dollars to invest. Some of the most high-end cards sell for millions of dollars.

But proxies, unofficial stand-in cards that represent cards not in a player’s collection, and the 2019 launch of MTG Arena, a free-to-play online version of the game, opened the door to more players.

Card games aren’t the only expensive hobby, but Jack Howard, director of financial wellness at Ally Financial, said the community could lead to increased access.

“There’s a whole community out there printing things and sharing them, and it probably started with one person saying, this isn’t something you can easily buy,” Howard said. “But the person needed to be honest. So my advice is to be transparent.”

Fighting stereotypes

Despite a growing player base, the game has long been perceived as a white, male-dominated, and highly competitive hobby. Like any other online gaming space, there’s a lot of bias there, and Johnson has experienced it firsthand. His YouTube channel dispels these stereotypes by introducing himself as a “famous thug” before getting into gameplay.

“When you’re pretending to be a wizard, the color of your skin shouldn’t matter,” Johnson said, adding that his goal is to create a culture where “blurred” feel safe. “I’m not pushing anyone away from this activity. If they don’t want to be part of it, there are plenty of other things they can gravitate toward.”

Until recently, Williams ran a local game store that hosted Magic: The Gathering events. As one of the few black-owned game stores, he said he feels it is his duty to attract more players who look like him.

“There’s so much coverage on TV that portrays people of color, especially black people, in a negative light, and we’re always stereotyped as thugs,” Williams said. “Black people don’t just do bad things. We don’t just play sports. We’re also nerds. We can be anything we want to be.”

He added that he feels he has a responsibility to make sure other underrepresented players also feel welcome at his store. He recalled a young woman calling ahead of time wanting to come and play, but she felt uncomfortable every time she attended other Magic: The Gathering events.

“People either think she wasn’t capable of playing the game or they’re attacking her,” Williams said, adding that his response to her was, “I’m a gay black man from the South. I’m here to foster community, love, and acceptance, but if someone makes you uncomfortable, they’re out of here.”

She entered the store. they talked. She played and had a “great experience,” he said.

“The Cookout” and Third Space

Johnson wanted more. He said he always envisioned celebrating Juneteenth with a Magic: The Gathering twist. His vision became a reality in 2022 with the launch of a branded annual event called “The Cookout.”

It started as a celebration in his friend’s backyard. This year, he rented out a venue large enough for vendors and hundreds of people to attend. They had a barbecue and of course played Magic: The Gathering.

This year, The Cookout raised more than $10,000 for Black Girls Code, a nonprofit that supports young women of color in STEM fields, she said.

It’s not just The Cookout. Johnson, Williams, and Jones foster community at tournaments, conventions, and bars across the country. Johnson’s online gameplay has caught the attention of some celebrities. He played Magic: The Gathering with Grammy-nominated artist Post Malone, actors, and professional athletes.

“A lot of our success comes from a pure passion for the game,” Jones says. “When we can talk about that passion, it makes other people feel safe to be themselves. They find us and say, ‘Hey, this face looks like me, speaks my language, and loves the same games as me.'” From there, we build a community. ”

Contact Rachel Barber at rbarber@usatoday.com and follow her at X @rachelbarber_

Zoran Mamdani becomes New York Mayor: Ceremony information, etc.

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Zoran Mamdani becomes New York Mayor: Ceremony information, etc.

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Zoran Mamdani will be sworn in as New York City’s mayor shortly after the ball drops in Times Square, and his supporters will celebrate on January 1st.

“I’m very heartened by the response from New Yorkers who understand that this is not my success, this is our success. This is not my administration, this is our administration. Similarly, this is not my inauguration, this is for all of us,” Mamdani told reporters, as reported by CBS New York.

Approximately 4,000 ticketed guests will witness a public swearing-in at New York City Hall following the official ceremony shortly after midnight. This ceremony has been called the “opening of a new era.”

On either side of the ceremony, a public viewing event, “Block Party on Broadway,” will be held at Canyon of Heroes along Broadway.

Here’s what you need to know about Mamdani’s inauguration.

Nearly half of New Yorkers voted against Mamdani. what are they doing now?

When will Zoran Mamdani be sworn in?

Mamdani is scheduled to be formally sworn in shortly after midnight on January 1st. The public swearing-in will take place at a ceremony beginning at 1 p.m. ET.

Who would swear Mamdani?

The midnight oath will be administered by New York State Attorney General Letitia James.

James, a Democrat, has become a key figure representing the party’s opposition to the Trump administration. She sued Trump in a civil fraud case in 2023 and fought a now-dismissed Justice Department complaint this year.

The public oath will be administered by Senator Bernie Sanders.

Sanders, a Brooklyn native, like Mamdani, identifies as a democratic socialist. He is one of the country’s most prominent progressive legislators and supported Mamdani’s mayoral candidacy and campaigned for him ahead of his Nov. 4 victory.

A Dec. 22 news release from Mamdani’s transition team described James and Sanders as “political inspirations” for the next mayor.

Is Mamdani’s “Block Party” open to the public?

“Broadway Block Party” is open to the public.

Those wishing to attend must register their participation on the Mamdani Transition website. Block party gates open at 11 a.m. ET.

Contributor: Katherine Palmer, america today

DC pipe bomb suspect confesses to planting explosives: court documents

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DC pipe bomb suspect confesses to planting explosives: court documents

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The man suspected of setting off pipe bombs in Washington, D.C., in 2021 said after his arrest that “something went off” and wanted to target Democrats and Republicans because “they were responsible,” federal prosecutors said in court documents released Wednesday.

Brian Cole Jr., 30, was arrested earlier this month and charged with transporting and planting two pipe bombs. Prosecutors accused Cole of planting two pipe bombs near the Democratic and Republican National Committee offices the night before the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

Federal authorities previously said the device discovered on the day of the attack did not explode and no one was injured. After nearly five years of investigation, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on December 4 that Cole was taken into custody.

He made his first appearance in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on December 5 and was sentenced to prison without bail. In a memo filed Dec. 28, the Justice Department asked that Cole remain in prison while awaiting trial. A detention hearing is scheduled for Dec. 30.

The memo also contained a detailed account of statements made by Mr. Cole after his arrest, including confessions. Prosecutors argued that Cole posed an “intolerable danger” to the community and should remain in custody pending trial.

“Defendants’ choice of targets endangered the lives not only of innocent pedestrians and business workers, but also of law enforcement, first responders, and national political leaders, including the Vice President-elect and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, who were inside their respective party headquarters or passing by in their vehicles on January 6, 2021,” prosecutors wrote.

Conspiracy theories surrounding the incident: President Trump’s FBI officials claim the pipe bomb was an “inside crime” at the FBI

“I don’t like either political party at this point.”

Cole was arrested on the morning of Dec. 4 at his home in Woodbridge, Virginia, about 40 miles from Washington, D.C., authorities said. After his arrest, Cole was questioned by investigators for several hours and initially denied making, transporting or setting pipe bombs, according to the memo.

When investigators asked him about his whereabouts on January 5, 2021, Cole said he drove alone to Washington, D.C., to participate in protests related to the 2020 election, the memo added.

“I didn’t agree with the actions of the people. They’re like telling half the country they should just ignore it. I didn’t think that was a good idea, so I went to the protest,” the memo said, quoting Cole.

But as the investigation continued, prosecutors claimed Cole confessed to traveling to Washington, D.C., to plant two pipe bombs outside the RNC and DNC. He also allegedly told investigators, “If people feel that something as important as voting in a federal election is being tampered with, someone needs to speak up, right? Someone at the top,” according to the memo.

“Defendant felt that ‘those above,’ including ‘people and public figures on both sides,’ should not ‘ignore people’s grievances’ or call them ‘conspiracy theorists,’ ‘evil people,’ ‘Nazis,’ ‘fascists,’ etc.,” the memo continued.

When investigators questioned Cole about his motives, Cole said he “saw everything go bad and something snapped,” and that he wanted to do something “for the parties” because “they are in charge,” according to the memo.

Prosecutors added that when Cole was asked why he installed devices at the RNC and DNC, he replied, “I really don’t like either political party at this point.”

The suspect told investigators he was “pretty relieved” the bomb didn’t go off.

During interrogation, Cole also detailed to investigators the manufacture, transportation and installation of pipe bombs, according to the memo. The suspect told investigators that he made black powder using charcoal, sulfur powder, and potassium nitrate that he purchased from Lowe’s Home Center.

Cole said he learned how to make black powder by playing video games and watching science-related videos on YouTube, according to the memo. Prosecutors said he then assembled the pipe bomb in “a few hours” before driving to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 5, 2021.

“The defendant placed one of the devices in his backpack, got out of his car, and walked towards the DNC. He set the timer on the first device to the maximum time (60 minutes) and placed the device near the DNC,” the memo said. “The defendant then returned to his vehicle, removed the second device, placed it in his backpack, and walked to the RNC, where he set the timer for 60 minutes and installed the device.”

Later in the interview, the notes state that Cole said he had not tested the pipe bombs before placing them. The memo added that when Cole learned the pipe bomb had not exploded, “he was ‘quite relieved’ and claimed he had placed the device at night because he did not want to kill anyone.”

Contributors: Natalie Neysa Alund and Aysha Bagchi, USA TODAY

Drake Maye dazzles, playoff competition intensifies

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Drake Maye dazzles, playoff competition intensifies

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  • Although much of the NFL playoff picture was settled after Week 17, there is still a heated battle for the top seed in each conference.
  • The NFC South could end up being a matchup between the Panthers and Buccaneers in Week 18, unless the Falcons cause problems.
  • The AFC North champion will be determined by a showdown between the Steelers and Ravens after Pittsburgh stumbled against Cleveland.

32 things we learned from Week 17 of the 2025 NFL season:

0. The number of losses the New England Patriots, who won their first AFC East title in six years by the end of Sunday, have suffered on the road this season. With their 42-10 victory over the New York Jets, the Pats became the second team (along with the San Francisco 49ers) to go three undefeated seasons on the road since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.

1. Such is the case with the Las Vegas Raiders, who currently occupy the top spot in the 2026 NFL Draft after Sunday’s (decisive) loss to the New York Giants, a matchup of teams that went 2-13 entering the weekend.

2. The number of playoff spots available heading into Week 18 – basically the titles yet to be won in the AFC North and NFC South. Perhaps it will be the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers with the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers deciding who wins the crown on the field… unless the Atlanta Falcons keep winning and add a little twist to the NFC South showdown. (If all three teams finish 8-9, the Panthers will win the district because of their 3-1 record against the other two teams.)

3. Net passing yards gained by the Minnesota Vikings in their Christmas win over the Detroit Lions. That included a loss to the Vikings despite a defensive effort that included seven sacks (minus 48 yards) of Minnesota’s rookie QB Max Brosmer.

4. Uniform number of suspended Steelers WR DK Metcalf. Do you think the team could have used him in Sunday’s 13-6 loss to the lowly Cleveland Browns? Pittsburgh, which had just 160 net passing yards in the loss, destroyed its chance to win the AFC North, but will need to come out victorious by sweeping the archrival Baltimore Ravens in Week 18 at Acrizier Stadium.

5. Patriots QB Drake Maye threw a career-high number of TD passes on Sunday, marking a historic performance. Was it enough to put a cap on the league MVP’s resume? LA Rams QB Matthew Stafford will answer Monday night in Atlanta.

6. New Orleans Saints QB Tyler Schau’s jersey number. On Sunday, he outscored fellow Tennessee Titans rookie QB Cam Ward to lead the Saints to their fourth straight win. New Orleans WR Chris Olave certainly thinks Schau did enough to be named Offensive Rookie of the Year.

7. Ravens running back Derrick Henry has rushed for 200 yards in a game during his 10-year career, the most in NFL history, as he did in Saturday night’s win at Green Bay. His 216 yards were the most by an opponent at Lambeau Field.

8. Henry also tied his career high with four TD runs against the Packers and is fourth all-time with 122 career TD runs. With two more to go, he will pass Hall of Famer Marcus Allen for third place.

9. But perhaps the craziest statistic on Henry’s great night may have been his career-high (in the NFL, anyway) 36 carries.

9a. FWIW, Henry had at least 36 ran four times (including one 46) during his time at the University of Alabama. Nick Saban – I’m not worried about tire tread.

10. Arizona Cardinals guard Trey McBride set a new single-season record for catches for a tight end on Sunday with 119 catches in 2025.

11. Anyone want to win the NFC South? The Buccaneers and Panthers both lost on Sunday. It was the seventh loss in the last eight games for the Bucks, who have won the division every year since 2021.

12. The last time Carolina won the division was in 2015, when they advanced to Super Bowl 50 in Santa Clara, California…and this season is no different. The same goes for the Denver Broncos, who won Peyton Manning’s last NFL game, the Super Bowl.

13. (At least) the number of games Seattle Seahawks QB Sam Darnold has won over the past two seasons is on a pretty select team. He is the only player who has been able to manage this while playing for two different teams since he was acquired from the Vikings earlier this year.

14. Former NFL QB Ryan Fitzpatrick’s jersey number. I wish he had worn it Thursday night at the Prime Video postgame desk in Kansas City.

15. Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence has rushed for nine TDs this season, nearly double his previous career high (five). His team is just one win away from clinching the AFC South championship.

16. Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen, 29, on Sunday scored his 300th regular-season touchdown in his 127th game, making him the fastest player in history to do so.

17. Indianapolis Colts QB Philip Rivers uniform number. If this is really the case…shoot, I have to admit that your three-game return invigorated December.

18. Unfortunately, despite starting 7-1, the Colts became the first team in 30 years to miss the playoffs.

19. Thomas Morstead of the San Francisco 49ers completed a punt on Sunday night… for the first time since November.

20. Elsewhere, the Packers haven’t committed a punt in their last two games…and still managed to lose both, but they’re the first team to go 0-2 in these situations.

twenty one. The number of yards Cincinnati Bengals OT Cody Ford covered on his first career reception after hooking up with QB Joe Burrow. Sunday was Ford’s 29th birthday.

21a. According to the league’s research department, Ford’s play set a new record for big men.

twenty two. still Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett’s sacks this season – still He is just one step away from breaking the single-season record of 22 1/2, which has been achieved twice since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.

twenty three. Garrett had 21 1/2 in his first 14 games, but only had a half-sack in his last two games.

twenty four. Sunday’s upset of the Steelers without bagging QB Aaron Rodgers was the first time Garrett went without a sack since Oct. 12.

twenty five. Like the Eagles? The father-son play-by-play duo of Ian and Noah Eagle appeared in four NFL games between Christmas and Sunday.

26. Like the Eagles? Philadelphia is currently 11-5, and Sunday’s win over Buffalo extended the team’s modest three-game winning streak.

27. The defending Super Bowl champions don’t earn the NFC’s No. 1 seed, but they didn’t earn it last season either, which they did pretty well.

28. Speaking of top seeds, the Broncos and Seahawks need one more win to qualify for the AFC and NFC, respectively. Super Bowl 48 rematch, anyone?

29. Denver’s Sean Payton joins Bill Belichick as the only head coaches in league history to win at least 13 regular season games in at least five different seasons.

30. The Houston Texans are the only team to make the playoffs in two separate appearances after starting the season 0-3.

31. According to NBC, Niners QB Brock Purdy became the first player in history to pass, rush, and throw a pick-six all in the first quarter of a game.

32. Week 18, folks, is when a lot is decided for the 60th Super Bowl tournament…even if 18 teams disappear until next season. enjoy.

All your NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY’s 4th Monday Newsletter.

See amazing images taken by NOAA’s GOES satellite in 2025

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See amazing images taken by NOAA’s GOES satellite in 2025

This article has been updated because it was previously inaccurate. NASA built and launched the GOES satellite, and NOAA owns and operates the GOES satellite.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite Network (GOES) captured many natural phenomena above Earth this year, including extreme snowfall, wildfires, volcanoes, and numerous aurora borealis.

NOAA’s GOES satellite serves as the “eyes in the sky” monitoring weather in the Western Hemisphere, continuously transmitting high-resolution images and data for weather forecasting, severe storm tracking, fire monitoring, and space weather forecasting.

Below is a sample of some of the great images taken this year.

January 2025: Rare snowstorm blankets southern United States

An arctic blast hit the southeastern United States on January 21, coinciding with the coldest period of the year. In addition to bringing record-low temperatures, it also triggered a winter storm that caused extreme snowfall in some southern states, according to NOAA Climate.gov. NOAA’s GOES-16 satellite captured the snow-covered southeastern United States.

How rare is this southern snowstorm? Texas, Louisiana, and Florida covered in snow

July 2025: Historic Grand Canyon Lodge destroyed by Dragon Bravo fire

On July 4, NOAA’s GOES-18 satellite captured the Dragon Bravo fire in Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park, which started with a lightning strike and quickly became a roaring wildfire. The fire destroyed more than 70 historic buildings, including the iconic Grand Canyon Lodge.

more: Historic lodge at Grand Canyon North Rim destroyed by wildfire

July 2025: Catastrophic flooding occurs in central Texas.

On the night of July 3 and early morning of July 4, the GOES-19 satellite captured the convergence of severe storms and waterway flooding that caused devastating flooding that claimed dozens of lives across central Texas. The system brought even heavier rain to areas west of Kerrville, Texas. A large amount of rain fell in just a few hours, with some areas receiving more than 12 inches in a short period of time. As a result, more than 135 people lost their lives.

more: Find out how the Texas floods happened and why Camp Mystic was in a dangerous location.

September 2025: Aurora

On September 30, three NOAA satellites captured a dazzling sight of aurora borealis (also known as the aurora borealis), caused by intense solar activity during the sun’s 11-year solar cycle, along the U.S.-Canada border. In mid-November, a significant geomagnetic storm occurred, making the phenomenon brightly colored and widely visible in the southern United States.

more: The Northern Lights dazzle the night sky as far south as Texas and Florida.

December 2025: Erupting volcanoes and atmospheric rivers

active volcano in hawaii: According to the Hawaii Volcano Observatory, Kilauea, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, has been erupting since December 23, 2024. The volcano became very active in December, producing intense lava fountains. NOAA’s GOES satellite captured this image of Kilauea’s eruption on December 6th and December 7th.

Atmospheric rivers impact the Pacific Northwest: Washington and the West Coast are dealing with a series of atmospheric rivers that flood regions with heavy rain. This pattern is sometimes called “Pineapple Express” because it originates from the area around Hawaii. Rainfall totals exceeded 12 inches in the Olympic Mountains and Washington Cascades, according to AccuWeather, leading to the threat of flooding and mudslides in some areas.

See impact: Photos show devastating flooding in Washington state

Source: NOAA, CIR, US TOD

The Patriots win the AFC East. Steelers failure

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The Patriots win the AFC East. Steelers failure

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USA TODAY Sports will provide timely updates on the NFL’s evolving playoff picture each week during the 2025 regular season. We typically start on Sunday afternoon and work our way through the rest of the week (Monday and Thursday games, or Saturday games if applicable). And when the holidays are over, I’ll watch it then too.

What the hell happened? What does that mean? As the seven-team brackets for each conference begin to take shape, what are the relevant factors (and perhaps the tiebreakers)? All will be explained and analyzed leading up to postseason berths being determined on Sunday, January 4th.

Here’s how week 17 went:

y − 1. Denver Broncos (13-3), AFC West Champions: After surviving a matchup against the Chiefs on Christmas night, a win in Week 18 would earn Denver the top seed…but not in Week 17. Saturday’s loss to the Bolts ended the Broncos’ first district championship in 10 years, but it was also the last time they won a Super Bowl. Remaining schedule: vs. charger

y − 2. New England Patriots (13-3), AFC East Champions: After defeating the Jets on Sunday, Buffalo lost to Philadelphia to win its first division title since 2019. The Pats are just a tiebreaker for first place in the conference, and a win for the Pats and a loss for Denver could earn them the top seed in Week 18. remaining schedule: vs. Dolphins.

x − 3. Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4), AFC South leader: They have won eight in a row but need one more to lock up the division. A win combined with losses to Denver and New England would clinch Duval County’s No. 1 seed. If Houston loses, a win will keep them in the AFC South. remaining schedule: At Titans

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7); AFC North Leader: They missed out on a district championship in Cleveland. They have to beat Baltimore in Week 18. remaining schedule: vs. Ravens

x − 5. Houston Texans (11-5), Wild Card No. 1: They have won nine of 10 games, including an eight-game winning streak after Saturday’s win over the Chargers, but have yet to overtake fellow fast-rising Jacksonville for first place in the AFC South. Still, with Saturday’s win over the Bolts, Houston at least clinched a wild-card berth. Houston has a chance to win its third straight division title, and the Jags only need a win in Week 18. With the Texans’ victory, Indianapolis was officially eliminated. They currently sit in the No. 5 seed after overwhelming the Chargers and Bills. Remaining schedule: vs. Colts

x − 6. Los Angeles Chargers (11-5), Wild Card No. 2: Saturday’s stumble against Houston ended their quest to rally for an AFC West title. The Bolts will need to chart a path to the postseason as a wild card contender. Remaining schedule: at the broncos

x − 7. Buffalo Bills (11-5), Wild Card No. 3: Sunday’s close loss to Philadelphia ended any hopes of winning a sixth consecutive AFC East title. The Bills fell to seventh place because the Chargers had a two-game advantage (5 wins, 1 loss) in the common game tiebreaker. Remaining schedule: vs. Jets

9. Baltimore Ravens (8-8) In the hunt: (With the loss, the Colts are technically in eighth place in the AFC.) Saturday night’s win at Green Bay and loss to Pittsburgh will put the Steelers and Ravens in contention for the AFC North crown in Week 18. remaining schedule: At the Steelers

x − 1. Seattle Seahawks (13-3), NFC West Leaders: A win in Week 18 will earn them the top seed in the division and the NFC. remaining schedule: with the 49ers

y − 2. Chicago Bears (11-4), NFC North Champions: Green Bay’s loss Saturday night was doubly sweet because it also clinched the district title for the Bears. If Chicago wins and Seattle loses in Week 18, the Bears will receive the No. 1 seed. remaining schedule: 49ers vs. Lions

y – 3. Philadelphia Eagles (11-5), NFC East Champions: They won’t be able to get into the top spot, but they could still reach the 2nd seed…which led to them making it to the Super Bowl last season. By defeating Washington in Week 16, Philadelphia became the first team to finish Division I this season in 2025, and the first team to win a championship. this Since splitting 21 years ago, the company has split several years in a row. remaining schedule: vs. Commanders

4. Carolina Panthers (8-8) NFC South Leader: They missed a chance to finish the division on Sunday. The loss to Tampa Bay in Week 18 will still have an effect. remaining schedule:At the Buccaneers

x − 5. San Francisco 49ers (11-4), 1st Wild Card: A win would give the Niners a sweep over Seattle on the final weekend of the regular season and clinch the top seed. If we keep winning, we won’t be leaving the building again this season. That means we’ll be playing Super Bowl 60 at Levi’s Stadium. Last Monday, they topped the Rams in NFC West play with a 4-1 record. remaining schedule: vs. Bears, vs. Seahawks

x − 6. Los Angeles Rams (11-4), Wildcard #2: They became the first team to qualify for the playoffs, but were unable to sweep Seattle, losing the inside track to gain home-field advantage and receiving a bye in the first round. remaining schedule: Falcons vs. Cardinals

× − 7. green bay packers (9-6-1), Wildcard #3: The Lions’ loss on Christmas night left a battered puck on the field. But with Saturday night’s loss to Baltimore, Green Bay is guaranteed the No. 7 seed and will not play another game at Lambeau Field this season. remaining schedule: At Vikings

11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9) in the hunt: (They’re actually ranked No. 11 in the overall NFC standings because they’re worse than the Vikings, Lions, and Cowboys.) A loss to lowly Miami would have eliminated them…if the Panthers hadn’t also lost and bailed out the Bucks. The teams will meet in Week 18, and if Atlanta loses one of its final two games, the winner will take the NFC South crown. If all three clubs finish 8-9, the tiebreaker would go to Carolina, as the Panthers’ 3-1 record against the other two teams takes precedence. remaining schedule: vs. Panthers

Week 18 NFL Playoff Decision Scenario (Incomplete)

Denver earned the No. 1 seed in the AFC with the following results:

▶Win

New England earned the No. 1 seed in the AFC with the following results:

▶ Victory + Broncos loss

Jacksonville clinch AFC No. 1 seed:

▶ Win + Broncos loss + Patriots loss

Jacksonville clinch AFC South:

▶Win

Houston clinch AFC South:

▶ Victory + Jaguars loss

Pittsburgh won the AFC North with the following results:

▶ Win or draw?

baltimore clinch With AFC North:

▶Win

Carolina wins NFC South:

▶ Win or draw?

Tampa Bay wins NFC South:

▶ Win + 1 Falcons loss (either Week 17 or Week 18)

Week 17 NFL Playoff Decision Scenarios

Seattle clinched the NFC West and the No. 1 seed in the NFC with the following results:

▶ Rams loss or tie + 49ers-Bears tie

NFL teams will be eliminated from playoff contention in 2025

▶ New York Giants

▶ Arizona Cardinals

▶ New Orleans Saints

▶ Tennessee Titans

▶ Las Vegas Raiders

▶ Commander Washington

▶ Atlanta Falcons

▶ New York Jets

▶ Cleveland Browns

▶ Cincinnati Bengals

▶ Kansas City Chiefs

▶ Minnesota Vikings

▶ Miami Dolphins

▶ Dallas Cowboys

▶ Detroit Lions

▶ Indianapolis Colts

× – qualify for the playoffs

yes – clinched division

z- Secure home field advantage and win a 1st round bye

All your NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY’s 4th Monday Newsletter.

California drops lawsuit over federal cuts to high-speed rail projects

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California drops lawsuit over federal cuts to high-speed rail projects

david shepherdson
|Reuters

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WASHINGTON, DC – California has dropped a lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s decision to cancel more than $4 billion in federal aid for high-speed rail projects in the state, the state announced late Friday.

The California High-Speed ​​Rail Authority, which filed the lawsuit in July, said the decision to abandon the case reflects “the state’s assessment that the federal government is not a reliable, constructive, or trustworthy partner in promoting California’s high-speed rail.”

The agency said it plans to proceed without federal funds, adding that only 18 percent of the long-delayed project’s program spending comes from federal funds. A judge this month denied a motion to dismiss the case.

The Federal Railroad Administration released a 315-page report in June that found the project had missed deadlines, was underfunded and had questionable ridership projections. The U.S. Department of Transportation announced on Saturday, Dec. 27, that an FRA investigation demonstrated that after more than 15 years, the California High Speed ​​Rail Authority “is unable to deliver on its high-speed rail commitments on time or on budget.”

The department added: “America’s tax dollars will no longer be wasted anywhere on this train, but will instead support real projects that improve the lives of rail passengers, local drivers, and pedestrians.”

Projects suffer from delays and cost overruns

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said in July that the Trump administration’s decision to cut the subsidy amounts to “petty political revenge motivated by President Trump’s personal animosity toward California and high-speed rail projects, not the facts on the ground.”

The funding cuts are the latest hurdle in a 16-year effort to connect Los Angeles and San Francisco in three hours by train, providing the fastest passenger rail service in the United States. The project was originally scheduled to cost $33 billion and be completed by 2020, but is now projected to cost between $89 billion and $128 billion and is expected to be in service by 2033.

The rail system, whose first bond issue was approved by California voters in 2008, has constructed more than 50 major rail structures, including bridges, overpasses, undercrosses and viaducts, and completed nearly 130 miles of track for the project.

In August, the Department of Transportation canceled another $175 million for four projects that are part of the high-speed rail plan, following the cancellation of $4 billion in federal aid.

The California state agency announced this week that it will begin the process of attracting private investors and developers by summer 2026. The agency said Friday, Dec. 26, that the loss of federal funding will not derail the project or construction, adding that progress is being made.

The agency noted that the bill signed in September would set aside $1 billion annually for the program through 2045, and said “states are moving forward without an end, rather than continuing to spend time and money toward an end.”

President Trump canceled $929 million in federal aid during his first term, which was challenged by states, but was settled in 2021 by Democratic President Joe Biden, who refunded the entire amount.

(Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Matthew Lewis)

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