Scammers have defrauded Americans of over $333 million through bitcoin ATM scams in the first eleven months of this year, marking a sharp increase from prior years, according to the FBI. Why Bitcoin ATMs Are a Target for ScammersBitcoin ATMs require only a few minutes to complete a transaction, after which recovering the transferred funds is extremely difficult. Legal Actions and Industry ResponsesAuthorities have begun taking enforcement actions against bitcoin ATM operators linked to fraudulent activity. Calls for Regulatory ReformsAdvocates like AARP urge stricter regulation of bitcoin ATMs to shield consumers from scams. The rapid escalation of bitcoin ATM scams underscores the challenges faced by consumers and regulators alike.

Respondents to an annual Michigan college survey of overused and misused words and phrases say ” 6-7 ” is “cooked” and should come to a massive full-stop heading into the new year. Those are among the top 10 words on the 50th annual “Banished Words List,” released Thursday by Lake Superior State University. “The list definitely represents the fad and vernacular trends of the younger generation,” said David Travis, Lake Superior State University president. We’re using terms that are shared through texting, primarily, or through posting with no body language or tone context. AdvertisementEach number can be spoken aloud as “six, seven.” They even can be combined as the number 67; at college basketball games, some fans explode when a team reaches that point total.

Atsuko Okatsuka on her signature bowl cut and finding home in comedyBeyond her vibrant wardrobe and signature bowl cut, Atsuko Okatsuka is known for turning family trauma into laughs. The comedian recalls her grandmother bringing her to the US under the guise of a vacation and jokes about an "Atsuko planet" where everyone shares her haircut. CNN’s Hanako Montgomery caught up with Okatsuka in Tokyo and shared a playful moment of copying her signature look.

AdvertisementThen he visited an apartment building in Brooklyn to announce he is revitalizing a city office dedicated to protecting tenants and creating two task forces focused on housing construction. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 01: New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his wife Rama Duwaji smile as confetti falls after his ceremonial inauguration as mayor at City Hall Thursday January 1, 2026 in New York, NY. The invocation was given by Imam Khalid Latif, the director of the Islamic Center of New York City. Senator Bernie Sanders, an Independent from Vermont, speaks during an inauguration ceremony for New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani at City Hall in New York, US, on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. His family moved to New York City when he was 7, with Mamdani growing up in a post-9/11 city where Muslims didn’t always feel welcome.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, rings in the new year Watch Rio de Janeiro's dazzling firework show to bring in the new year.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said she didn’t watch President Donald Trump’s wild prime-time speech last month for one simple reason. “I’ve had enough of him,” she told ABC’s Jonathan Karl in a new interview. “But I did see some of it in the news afterward, and I think it was a demonstration of his mental incapacity.”She also pointed to another recent example: Trump’s attack on Rob Reiner after the filmmaker and his wife, Michele, were found stabbed to death in their home last month. Advertisement AdvertisementAdvertisement Advertisement“Something’s wrong there,” she said. See the full interview below:Political UpdatesRead the original on HuffPost

President Trump auctions off painting for almost $3 millionPresident Donald Trump rang in the New Year with the First Lady at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. Trump auctioned off a portrait of Jesus for nearly $3 million dollars. Trump says half of the money would go to St. Jude’s Children's Hospital and the rest would go to the local sheriff’s department.

Former residents of the Palisades Bowl Mobile Home Estates, a roughly 170-unit mobile home park completely destroyed in the Palisades fire, received a notice Dec. 23 from park owners saying debris removal would start as early as Jan. 2. A tattered flag waves in the wind at Asilomar View Park overlooking the Pacific Palisades Bowl Mobile Estates. After FEMA’s rejection, the owners failed to meet the City of L.A.’s debris removal deadlines. Despite the recent movement on debris removal, residents of the Palisades Bowl still have a long road ahead. On Wednesday, numerous burnt out vehicles still remained at the Pacific Palisades Bowl Mobile Estates.

On screen, Gutiérrez and Sanchez play versions of themselves: music video directors in an industry that takes itself too seriously. At that point they each were already directing music videos. But how does one break into making music videos? “Music videos are funny because they’re obviously not truly our work either; we’re at the service of another artist,” explains Sanchez. “The difficult thing about music videos that’s different from feature filmmaking is that it’s so fast.

President Donald Trump has delayed new tariff increases on upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets, and vanities for a year, pushing their implementation to 2027, according to a White House statement. Trump signed a proclamation hours before the end of 2025, postponing the tariff hikes on these items, which were originally due to take effect on Thursday. In September, Trump ordered 25% new tariffs on kitchen cabinets and upholstered furniture. Advertisement AdvertisementAdvertisement AdvertisementThe Wednesday order delays the significant increase, leaving tariffs on these goods at 25% for the time being. In September, Trump justified his tariffs on these wood products as well as on timber and lumber on national security grounds, and the need to protect domestic wood industry.

Deadly New Year's Day fire in Switzerland Dozens of people were killed and about a hundred others were injured as a devastating fire tore through a New Year's celebration in Switzerland, officials said.

President Donald Trump announced Wednesday he is pulling the National Guard from Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon, although the troops already had a limited presence because the states involved had sued to block their deployment. The president’s retreat on the eve of a holiday follows the administration’s setbacks in lawsuits aimed at removing the National Guard from cities in blue states. Shortly before Christmas, the Supreme Court blocked Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to Chicago. The White House’s efforts to deploy the National Guard have provoked widespread backlash for months. The judges said D.C.’s lack of legal autonomy gives the president wide authority over how the National Guard is implemented within city limits.

New York celebrates the start of 2026 Watch New York City count down to the ball drop in Times Square.

A new feature-length Chevy Chase documentary is coming to the small screen on New Year’s Day. I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not premieres Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, at 8 p.m. PT/ET on CNN; this means cord-cutters can livestream the doc on any TV streaming service that carries the network, including DirecTV (with a five-day free trial), Sling and Hulu + Live TV. At a Glance: How to Watch I’m Chevy Chase and You’re NotHow to Watch I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not: Air Date and Time, Where to Stream OnlineThe documentary airs on CNN on Thursday, Jan. 1, at 8 p.m. PT/ET (and can be livestreamed with DirecTV, Sling and Hulu + Live TV). Five-day free trial; packages from $29.99 per month CNN is included in any of DirecTV’s signature packages: Entertainment, Choice, Ultimate or Premier. Read The Hollywood Reporter‘s full I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not documentary review here.

Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper are chiming in on Heated Rivalry, Canadian streamer Crave and HBO Max’s gay hockey series that became a surprise breakout hit at the end of 2025. The beloved pair reunited on Wednesday to host their booze-fueled annual special, New Year’s Eve Live, on CNN. “Ohhh Heated Rivalry,” Cohen said with a laugh before beginning to ask who of them would be the show leads, Ilya and Shane. “Of the two of us, you’re Ilya and I’m Shane,” Cohen confidently stated. I can’t even sleep at night without thinking about [the show],” Carlile quipped as Cooper burst out in laughter, nearly falling over.