International News

Hamas says 8 of remaining 26 hostages are dead, according to source

Jan. 27, 2025

Hamas has told Israel that eight of 26 Israeli hostages set to be released as part of the first phase of the ceasefire are dead, a Middle Eastern official briefed on the matter told NBC News on Monday. It is believed to be the first time that the militant group has said exactly how many hostages are dead or alive. Later, a spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said these numbers matched information gleaned by Israeli intelligence.

International News

Tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians head to northern Gaza

Jan. 27, 2025

On Monday, Israel reopened roadblocks to allow more than 650,000 Palestinians waiting to cross from the south after reaching a hostage breakthrough with Hamas.

Entertainment

King Charles set to give Kate Middleton power to put $1 billion 'Kate Effect' into action

Jan. 27, 2025

Kate Middleton could likely become an official influencer. Prince William’s wife is expected to be the first Princess of Wales in 115 years who will be granted the power to give royal warrants. According to the royal family’s website, a "Royal Warrant of Appointment" is a seal of approval given by senior members of the British royal family to brands or people they support.

International News

Israel and Lebanon agree to extend deadline for Israeli forces to withdraw

Jan. 27, 2025

Israeli forces in southern Lebanon on Sunday opened fire on protesters demanding their withdrawal in line with a ceasefire agreement, killing at least 22 and injuring 124, Lebanese health officials reported. Hours later, the White House said Sunday that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to extend the deadline for Israeli troops to depart southern Lebanon until Feb. 18, after Israel requested more time to withdraw beyond the 60-day deadline stipulated in a ceasefire agreement that halted the Israel-Hezbollah war in late November.

Travel

Japan defeats France to win the Pastry World Cup

Jan. 27, 2025

Although the 2025 event was held in Lyon, the French team did not win the gold medal, settling for silver. Top honors went to returning champions Japan, whose team put together a lemon, pear, marigold and chocolate granita in the shape of an Asanoha (hemp) leaf for their restaurant dessert entry. For the frozen dessert, the team offered an apricot treat resembling a spinning top toy. “We packed the history and culture of Japan into the design. We were able to incorporate taste and delicate traditional patterns to showcase our techniques,” said chef Masanori Hata, the chocolate expert on his team.

Entertainment

Trump pardons all Jan. 6 insurrectionists | Opinion

Jan. 27, 2025

Earlier this month on Jan. 6, members of Congress of both political parties gathered at the U.S. Capitol to certify that Republican Donald J. Trump won the Electoral College 312-226. Presiding over this process was Vice President Kamala Harris, who lost last November.

Health

Weight loss may be helped by drinking this, study suggests

Jan. 27, 2025

Water is known to be a great resource for good health — but sparkling water could also offer unique benefits. A new report published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention and Health suggests that carbonated water may support weight loss by enhancing glucose uptake and metabolismin red blood cells.The researchers aimed to analyze the physiological effects of carbonated water, as it has been found to induce satiety (feelings of fullness) and gastric motility (movement of food through the body), both of which could reduce hunger.

Travel

Experienced skydiver plummets to her death despite parachute 'fully deploying as designed'

Jan. 27, 2025

A 55-year-old woman from Minnesota died Friday, following a parachuting incident in Eloy, Arizona, according to police. Officers with the Eloy Police Department were dispatched to Skydive Arizona on Taylor Street at about 4 p.m. on Friday, after receiving reports of a parachutist who experienced complications during the descent. Also responding to the scene were members of the Eloy Fire District, and when they arrived, medical personnel located the individual, later identified by police as 55-year-old Ann Wick. Emergency crews immediately initiated life-saving measures, though Wick was ultimately pronounced dead at the scene.

Entertainment

Morgan Wallen fans left disappointed over country star's 'I'm the Problem' tour

Jan. 27, 2025

Country fans were upset Morgan Wallen seemingly missed a few stops on his upcoming tour to support his fourth studio album. Wallen, 31, revealed he'll hit the road this summer on the "I'm the Problem" tour, but devoted followers were disappointed the "Last Night" singer only had a handful of dates slated around the country, as opposed to his last two-year "One Night At a Time" tour. Set to launch in Houston, Texas, in June, Wallen will have a rotating lineup of guests for the tour, including Brooks & Dunn, Miranda Lambert, Thomas Rhett and Koe Wetzel.

Automotive

Reflective clothing may reduce the effectiveness of pedestrian detection technology: IIHS

Jan. 27, 2025

High visibility clothing with reflective strips, which can help drivers see pedestrians at night, may also reduce the effectiveness of automated crash prevention systems, according to an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study. The IIHS study, published this month, examined how crash prevention systems in 2023 model year Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5 and Subaru Forester vehicles fared when encountering different pedestrian clothing amid varied lighting conditions. Each vehicle tested was equipped with automatic emergency braking, which in normal conditions reduced pedestrian crashes by 27% compared to vehicles without the technology, per IIHS research. However, researchers found reflective strips can hinder the performance of some vehicles’ AEB systems.