Maria Shriver mourns cousin Tatiana Schlossberg – Read her touching tribute

Maria Shriveris mourning her cousin and friend,Tatiana Schlossberg.

Shriver – who is the cousin of Schlossberg's mother,Caroline Kennedy– paid tribute to Schlossberg, whom she called "sweet, beloved" as well as "valiant, strong" and "courageous."

"I return to this space to pay tribute and honor her loving and supportive family, who came together and did everything they possibly could do to help her," Shriver, 70, captioned acarousel of Instagram photosof Schlossberg, including a New Yorker photo with her hair short and styled in a graying pixie cut. "I return to this space heartbroken because Tatiana loved life. She loved her life, and she fought like hell to try to save it."

Schlossbergdied at 35, the John F. Kennedy Library FoundationconfirmedDec. 30. The news came after she revealed a terminalcancerdiagnosis ofacute myeloid leukemiaina heart-wrenching essayfor the New Yorker published Nov. 22.

Caroline Kennedy's daughter Tatiana Schlossberg, 35, has died after revealing her terminal cancer diagnosis in a New Yorker essay published Nov. 22. See the granddaughter of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy's life in photos, beginning here at the 2023 Profile in Courage Award ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston, Oct. 29, 2023.

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Tatiana Schlossberg, Caroline Kennedy's daughter, dies. See her career

Caroline Kennedy's daughter Tatiana Schlossberg, 35,has diedafter revealing her terminal cancer diagnosis in a New Yorker essaypublished Nov. 22. See the granddaughter of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy's life in photos, beginning here at the 2023 Profile in Courage Award ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston, Oct. 29, 2023.

Tatiana Schlossbergand the curse of tabloid cruelty

"She will always be in our hearts," her parents, siblings, husband and childrensaid in an Instagram post.

Schlossberg is President John F. Kennedy's granddaughter, while Shriver's mother is Eunice Kennedy Shriver – the sister of the former president, aunt of Caroline Kennedy, 68, and great-aunt of Schlossberg.

"I cannot make sense of this. I cannot make any sense of it at all. None. Zero," Shriver continued. "Tatiana was a great journalist, and she used her words to educate others about the earth and how to save it. She created a beautiful life with her extraordinary husband George, and children Eddie and Josie. She fought like a warrior."

Tatiana Schlossberg,John F. Kennedy's granddaughter, has died

View this post on Instagram

Shriver recalled growing up with Schlossberg's mother, Caroline Kennedy, and their other cousins, calling her a "rock" amid the loss.

Shriver also encouraged her followers to read Schlossberg'sNew Yorker essay. "Her piece is extraordinary. Whatever your faith, please pray for Tatiana and her grieving family."

In the essay, Schlossberg wrote that she learned she hadacute myeloid leukemiaafter giving birth to her second child in May 2024, and her doctor noticed an imbalance in her white blood cell count. She described how she handled the diagnosis with her family. She said she tried to stay present with her children even when it was difficult.

"For my whole life, I have tried to be good, to be a good student and a good sister and a good daughter, and to protect my mother and never make her upset or angry," she wrote. "Now I have added a new tragedy to her life, to our family's life, and there's nothing I can do to stop it."

Shriver called the journalist "a perfect daughter, sister, mother, cousin, niece, friend, all of it." She added: "Those of us left behind will make sure (her children) Eddie and Josie know what a beautiful, courageous spirit their mother was and will always be. May we all hold Tatiana's family in our collective embrace not just today, but in the days ahead."

Contributing: Sarah D. Wire and Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Tatiana Schlossberg death: Maria Shriver mourns cousin

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

Maria Shriver mourns cousin Tatiana Schlossberg – Read her touching tribute

Maria Shriveris mourning her cousin and friend,Tatiana Schlossberg. Shriver – who is the cousin of Schlossberg...

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Kate Beckinsale addresses weight loss following death of her mom: 'I think it’s shock and trauma'

Ernesto S. Ruscio/Getty for Campari

Kate Beckinsaleissued a "PSA" after receiving some critical comments about her appearance under a recentInstagram post.

TheUnderworldstar said that she has been mourning her mother's death, which has compounded her grief toward her late father and stepfather. She said she has been struggling with eating since her stepdad, actor Roy Battersby,diedin January 2024.

"It doesn't make you feel very hungry, and I don't know if there's some sort of survivor's guilt because it started after my stepdad died," Beckinsale said in anInstagram Reeladdressing the comments about her body. "And it's not like anorexia where you're starving and it's a kind of willpower thing. It's like your body has closed down. I think it's shock and trauma."

Jon Furniss/WireImage

Beckinsale said that watching her family members suffer at the end of their lives has caused her to lose her appetite. Despite witnessing their pain, theSerendipityactress said she refuses to become a "cruel piece of s--- that would say the stuff that a lot of you guys say to me." She also said that she wouldn't make "nasty" remarks about other people's appearances.

"It just wouldn't cross my mind and I am so grateful to have been brought up by people who raised me like that," she said. "And I really miss them."

Judy Loe, Beckinsale's mother,died of cancerat the age of 78 in July. Beckinsale previously spoke about the "immeasurable suffering" that her mother endured.

"Jude was the compass of my life, the love of my life, my dearest friend," the actress shared on Instagram at the time. "The vastness and huge heart of this tiny woman has touched so many people who love her dearly. She has been brave in so many ways, forgiving sometimes too much, believing in the ultimate good in people, and the world is so dim without her that it is nearly impossible to bear."

JC Olivera/Getty

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Beckinsale is not the only celebrity to receive criticism about her weight loss. Earlier this month, Kelly Osbournerespondedto similar comments about her weight and appearance following the death of her father Ozzy Osbourne.

"You say that I look ill," Osbourne shared. "Well, I am ill right now. My life is completely flipped upside down. I don't understand how people expect me to bounce back and look like everything is just fine in my life when it's not."

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

Kate Beckinsale addresses weight loss following death of her mom: 'I think it’s shock and trauma'

Ernesto S. Ruscio/Getty for Campari Kate Beckinsaleissued a "PSA" after receiving some critical comments about her appearance un...

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MTV Channels Going Offline Like They Began, with The Buggles' 'Video Killed the Radio Star'

TheBugglesVEVO/YouTube

NEED TO KNOW

• MTV first debuted in the US on Aug. 1, 1981, adding MTV Europe to their slate in Aug. 1987

• This fall, MTV announced that MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV and MTV Live would shutter at the year's end

• The closures impact viewers in the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Austria, Poland, Hungary, Australia and Brazil

MTV chose to end its reign as a music network just as it began.

The 24-hour music broadcaster that became an international phenomenon in the 1980s has aired its final hours. The UK and Ireland were the first to bid farewell to MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV and MTV Live.  France, Germany, Austria, Poland, Hungary, Australia and Brazil will also be impacted, per theBBC.

MTV debuted in Aug. 1981 in the US, with a debut in the UK and Ireland in August 1987. The channel's debutteased music videos from the day's biggest artists—Prince,Whitney HoustonandGeorge Michael.

It's been over 10 years since the main MTV channel in these localities stopped airing music videos daily, shifting the focus to reality TV to meet viewers' shifting interests. Music videos were then relegated to the sister stations, except for the annual MTV European Music Awards.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

MTV Music's last song was Video Killed The Radio Starpic.twitter.com/48WNnbgesb

— Jono Read (@jonoread)December 31, 2025

After 38 years of introducing fans to different artists and genres, MTV Music, the flagship channel, chose to end its run the way MTV began, playing the Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star."

BBC journalist Jono Read shared the moment the channel went off-air in a videopostedto X. Each channel aired a different final video. MTV 90s airedSpice Girls' "Goodbye."

Viewers who try to tune in to these channels now see a scene cycling through the affected channel's logos, with a chyron noting that they can access MTV content on the main channel, MTV HD.

Neither MTV or its parent company, Paramount Skydance, have commented on the brand's future in the United States.

On August 1st, 1981, at 12:01 AM EST, the MTV channel was officially launched nationwide in the USA, with the spoken words of "Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll," followed by the MTV theme song, and then followed by MTV's first music video: "Video Killed the Radio Star" by the…pic.twitter.com/L6uEb52IpT

— History Defined (@historydefined)December 6, 2025

In 2025, PEOPLE spoke with former MTV DJ and television personalityDaisy Fuentesabout the era of change at MTV.

"I thought, while it's a bit sad, it's been a bit sad for a while. I think MTV had its time and history that time will never repeat, and it's time to change," Fuentes shares.

"We all change. We have to evolve. And I hope that there's another version of them, just like there's another version of us, us who were part of that we're no longer the same. Why should we expect them to be? The world has changed so much."

As for the future, she continues, "I'm curious to see its evolution. It could be great. I think change is good. I think it's time. It will always be part of our youth."

Read the original article onPeople

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

MTV Channels Going Offline Like They Began, with The Buggles' 'Video Killed the Radio Star'

TheBugglesVEVO/YouTube NEED TO KNOW MTV first debuted in the US on Aug. 1, 1981, adding MTV Europe to their slate in Aug. 1987 This fall,...

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Chief Justice says Constitution remains 'firm and unshaken' with major Supreme Court rulings ahead

WASHINGTON (AP) — Chief Justice John Roberts said Wednesday that the Constitution remains a sturdy pillar for the country, a message that comes after a tumultuous year in the nation's judicial system withpivotal Supreme Court decisionson the horizon.

Roberts said the nation's founding documents remain "firm and unshaken," a reference to a century-old quote from President Calvin Coolidge. "True then; true now," Roberts wrote in his annual letter to the judiciary.

The letter comes after a year in which legal scholars and Democrats raised fears of a possibleconstitutional crisisas Republican President Donald Trump's supporters pushed back against rulings that slowed his far-reaching conservative agenda.

Roberts weighed inat one point, issuing a rare rebuke after Trump called for the impeachment of a judge who had ruled against him in a case over the deportation of Venezuelan migrants accused of being gang members.

The chief justice's Wednesday letter was largely focused on the nation's history, including an early 19th-century case establishing the principle that Congress shouldn't remove judges over contentious rulings.

While the Trump administration faced pushback in the lower courts, it has scored a series of some two dozen wins on the Supreme Court's emergency docket. The court's conservative majority has allowed Trump to move ahead for now withbanning transgender people from the military, clawing back billions of dollars of congressionally approved federal spending, moving aggressively on immigration and firing the Senate-confirmed leaders ofindependent federal agencies.

The court also handed Trump a few defeats over the last year, including in his push to deploy theNational Guardto U.S. cities.

Other pivotal issues are ahead for the high court in 2026, including arguments over Trump's push to end birthright citizenship and a ruling on whether he can unilaterally impose tariffs on hundreds of countries.

Roberts' letter contained few references to those issues. It opened with a history of the seminal 1776 pamphlet "Common Sense," written by Thomas Paine, a "recent immigrant to Britain's North American colonies," and closed with Coolidge's encouragement to "turn for solace" to the Constitution and Declaration of Independence "amid all the welter of partisan politics."

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

Chief Justice says Constitution remains 'firm and unshaken' with major Supreme Court rulings ahead

WASHINGTON (AP) — Chief Justice John Roberts said Wednesday that the Constitution remains a sturdy pillar for the country...

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95 Passengers Sickened by Unknown Illness on Celebrity Cruises Sailing

Michele Eve Sandberg/Shutterstock

NEED TO KNOW

• 95 passengers and nine crewmembers fell ill during a Celebrity Cruises voyage in late December

• Symptoms reported included vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps

• The Celebrity Eclipse made a round-trip voyage

Dozens of passengers fell sick on a Celebrity Cruises voyage in late December.

According to the CDC, 95 of the 3,042 passengers aboard theCelebrity Eclipsecruise ship reported becoming sick during the voyage, which lasted from Saturday, Dec. 20 to Sunday, Dec. 28.

Nine crewmembers also reported being ill during the trip, which was a round-trip voyage from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., making stops in the Caribbean, per data tracked byCruise Mapper.

After departing the Florida port, the ship made stops at St. Johns, Antigua, Philipsburg, St. Maarten, San Juan, Puerto Rico and Puerto Plata-Amber Cove, Dominican Republic before returning to Florida.

Arterra/Universal Images Group via Getty

The outbreak was reported to the Vessel Sanitation Program on the final day of the trip.

The predominant symptoms experienced by the ill passengers and crew members were vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps. The exact cause of the outbreak remains unknown.

In response to the wave of illness, Celebrity Cruises "increased its cleaning and disinfection procedures" along with consulting VSP about "sanitation cleaning procedures and reporting ill cases."

The crew also "collected stool specimens from gastrointestinal illness cases" to be tested, and isolated the sick passengers and crew.

Per the CDC, VSP "remotely monitored the situation, including review of the ship's outbreak response and sanitation procedures."

PEOPLE reached out to Celebrity Cruises and did not receive an immediate response.

The CDC reported22 outbreaks on cruise ships in 2025. Sixteen of these outbreaks were reported as norovirus. Before the Celebrity Cruises outbreak, the CDC reported anorovirus outbreak infecting over 100 passengerswho were aboard a 133-day cruise around the world.

The ship's stops included the U.S., England, Mexico, Japan and South Africa after departing from Germany in November.

Daniel Knighton/Getty

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In order to stay safe and healthy when aboard a cruise ship, the CDC recommends washing your hands often, drinking water to stay hydrated, and taking care of yourself.

If you do fall sick while on a cruise, tell the ship's medical center and follow their instructions.

Read the original article onPeople

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

95 Passengers Sickened by Unknown Illness on Celebrity Cruises Sailing

Michele Eve Sandberg/Shutterstock NEED TO KNOW 95 passengers and nine crewmembers fell ill during a Celebrity Cruises voyage in late Dece...

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Russian crew detained after undersea cable cut in ‘sabotage’

Police from Finland have detained theRussiancrew of a tanker suspected of cutting a telecommunication cable in the Baltic Sea.

Finnish authorities seized the Fitburg, a St Vincent and Grenadines-flagged cargo ship, on Wednesday. It had been travelling from St Petersburg to Haifa,Israel.

The ship's crew consists of Russian, Georgian, Kazakh and Azerbaijani sailors, according to police, who are investigating the case as aggravated criminal damage and suspected sabotage.

The Fitburg, which was detained while anchored in Finnish waters, is suspected of being "responsible for damage to [a] cable" running between Helsinki and Tallinn in the Gulf of Finland.

The incident occurred in the Baltic Sea, which has seen a huge increase in suspected sabotage attacks on undersea cables since the start of theRussia-Ukraine war.

Western officials suspect the attacks are being carried out as part ofVladimir Putin's hybrid war campaign, which is designed to punish the West for its military support of Kyiv.

Elisa, the Finnish telecoms operator and owner of the cable, said the damage had "not affected the functionality of [its] services in any way".

The company said it had informed Finnish authorities as soon as it detected a fault in the cable earlier on Wednesday.

A Finnish police spokesman said: "At this stage, the police are investigating the incident ‍as aggravated criminal damage, attempted aggravated criminal damage, and aggravated interference with telecommunications."

The Estonian justice ministry said a second telecoms cable connecting the country toFinlandfailed temporarily on Wednesday, although it was not confirmed that it was connected to the Elisa incident.

Alar Karis, the Estonian president, said on social media: "I'm concerned about the reported damage ... hopefully it was not a deliberate act, but the investigation will be clarified."

Alexander Stubb, the Finnish president, said: "Finland is prepared ⁠for security challenges of various kinds, and we respond to them as necessary."

The case under investigation is reminiscent of an incident in December 2024,when Finnish authorities boarded the Eagle S, an oil tanker linked to Russia. They suspected that its anchor had damaged five cables in the Baltic.

Finland's attempt to prosecute the Eagle S's crew collapsed. A court in Finland ruled that prosecutors had not been able to prove that the crew intentionally damaged the cables. The fact that the ship had been stopped in international – rather than Finnish – waters, led to a dispute about jurisdiction.

The Baltic Sea is crossed by as many as two thousand ships a day and has become one of the most fraught flashpoints between Nato allies and Russia.

In an interview with The Telegraph earlier this year, a top German naval officer said it could be very difficult to prove that a rogue crew had dropped and dragged an anchor on purpose.

"If you don't have a well-trained crew, it might drop the anchor because they've been told to wait three days, or because there is a lack of orders, or because there is bad weather, and not realise there is a cable underneath them," said Stephan Haisch, a Rear-Admiral in the Bundeswehr, the German armed forces.

"It's stupid, because the cables are marked on the nautical chart, but they just don't know. It can happen – but it is really stupid and short-sighted," he added.

Another problem is confirming whether a ship has any ties to Russia, as in many cases the vessels will sail under the flag of an obscure country with no obvious Russian links.

The Fitburg, for example, was sailing under the flag of St Vincent and Grenadines, a former UK Overseas Territory and island nation in the eastern Caribbean.

According to London Stock Exchange Group data, the owner of the Fitburg is Fitburg Shipping Company Ltd and the manager is Albros Shipping and Trading Ltd.

In addition to cutting cables, Russia-linked ships are suspected of carrying out surveillance on Nato ships and warplanes. They are typically part of Moscow's infamous shadow fleet, a group of rusty, poorly maintained ships that sail under foreign flags to evade sanctions.

When the Eagle S was boarded in Danish waters, the crew was unable to explain why it was carrying specialist equipment designed for such surveillance.

An ongoing Nato mission to crack down on suspicious Russia-linked ships in the Baltic Sea is being led by Germany, which last year opened a new headquarters in Rostock, on the country's northern coast.

Known as CTF Baltic, [Commander Task Force Baltic], the facility has angered Moscow, which claims it violates a 1990s-era treaty that banned the stationing of new Nato forces in the former communist state of East Germany.

"I could say that people are bothered by [the task force] in Russia, and that is a good sign, if people are bothered in Russia, because then we have achieved a certain effect," said Rear-Adml Haisch.

Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays.

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

Russian crew detained after undersea cable cut in ‘sabotage’

Police from Finland have detained theRussiancrew of a tanker suspected of cutting a telecommunication cable in the Baltic Sea. Finnish aut...

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Miami has more at stake than a CFP win vs. Ohio State in Cotton Bowl

Twenty-three years ago this week,Miami lost the Fiesta Bowlin double overtime to Ohio State and never recovered.

Ohio State and Miami were like two ships passing in the night — theBuckeyes have since kicked their dynasty to new heightsas the Hurricanes dropped several rungs down the Power Four ladder as one of the Bowl Subdivision's perennial underachievers.

That's not much of an overstatement: Miami might remain reputationally relevant, but a checkered run in the wake of that controversial loss features just one conference championship as a member of the now-defunct Big East, two division championships since joining the ACC and as many losing seasons, four, as years with double-digit wins.

Meanwhile, each of the past three permanent Ohio State coaches have won a national championship, while current coach Ryan Day has won a remarkable 87.8% of his games since replacing Urban Meyer in 2019.

Held against this backdrop, the quarterfinals of theCollege Football Playoffat theCotton Bowlbetween the No. 10 seed Hurricanes and the No. 2Buckeyesprovide an opportunity for revenge along with the chance to reverse the program's decades-long swoon and potentially jumpstart a renaissance.

After years of unrealized expectations, Miami could be poised to break through and capture a landscape-shifting win against the defending national champions.

"Certainly, we've progressed a lot as a program, and these guys have worked really hard to keep earning that progress, and now we find ourselves with an opportunity here in the College Football Playoff," said fourth-year coach Mario Cristobal. "So we're really excited about that opportunity."

Looking at this season, steady progress under Cristobal yielded a team that was simply too talented and too accomplished to leave out of the playoff despite two midseason conference losses.

While a win in the opener against Notre Dame was the eventual tiebreaker inthe final playoff rankings, the Hurricanes established their case with a furious four-game winning streak to end the regular season before pulling out an ugly but effective10-3 road win against No. 7 seed Texas A&Min the opening round.

"All three phases of the game, working together to ultimately pull out a win in what a lot of people say is one of the hardest places to play in the country, and in a playoff atmosphere, elevates that even more," said senior quarterback Carson Beck.

Miami reaches CFP with transfer portal assist

As much as any team in the playoff, Miami has been transformed by the transfer portal. The offseason headliner was Beck, who came in from Georgia and struggled through his own midseason decline but has rebounded with 12 touchdowns against just one interception in his past five games.

Overall, roughly half of the Hurricanes' starting lineup was obtained through the portal, a list that includes wide receivers CJ Daniels and Keelan Marion, linebacker Mohamed Toure and defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor. Among traditional recruits, Miami unearthed a gem in three-star receiver Malachi Toney, who leads the team with 89 receptions for 992 yards and eight touchdowns.

These newcomers have joined a roster that has been built from the inside out, with offensive and defensive lines that rank among the best in the Power Four; as predicted, Cristobal has turned Miami into one of the most physical teams in the country.

Miami is "big and strong and powerful," said Day. "They've done a really good job of recruiting and adapting to the new structure of college football. They do a good job of coaching them, and you can see as the season's gone on, they've gotten better. And we know it's going to be a great challenge for both sides of the football."

Said Beck, "Our trenches on offense and defense have led this team. We go as they go. And any good football team, that's how it's going to be. And we understand the talent that they bring in their trenches as well."

Ohio State is Miami's toughest challenge of season

This program-building philosophy helped Miami pull out a win in College Station despite just three third-down conversions, three missed field goals and a potentially costly turnover in the fourth quarter.

"It was one of those games where we felt, all right, we're holding up good and we're knocking them back," said Cristobal. "I guess what I'm trying to say is the confidence that they bring to us and being able to call and manage the game is off the charts, and certainly they were the difference today."

But the Hurricanes will face by far their toughest test to date — tougher than Notre Dame, Texas A&M or anything they took on in the ACC — against an opponent in Ohio State with no discernable weakness.

Despite losing in the Big Ten championship game to Indiana, Ohio State is considered the favorite in this year's tournament after a nearly flawless regular season that saw just one win, against Texas in the opener, decided by fewer than 18 points. The highlight was the 27-9 win against Michigan to snap the Wolverines' four-game winning streak in the rivalry.

Statistically, these are opponents breathing the same rarefied air among the elite teams in the Power Four. Ohio State ranks 24th nationally in yards per game and 12th in yards per play; Miami ranks 34th and 27th nationally, respectively. On defense, the Buckeyes lead the country in giving up 213.5 yards per game and 3.9 yards per play; the Hurricanes are allowing 281.5 yards per game and 4.5 yards per play.

"Yeah, you know, they're really a fast defense," said Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin. "They're coached really well. They have really good players. And they're a very good defense. So we have a really tough challenge against us. We have to focus on our execution as an offense."

The comparison is even more striking when looking at each team's performance against opponents with a winning record. Offensively, both have averaged 6.4 yards per play in these matchups — seven games for Miami and eight for Ohio State.

Miami win would be 'transformational'

And like the Buckeyes last season, the Hurricanes look to benefit from an opening-round matchup against an SEC opponent before turning to a Big Ten powerhouse. After losing to Michigan to end the regular season and missing the conference championship game, No. 8 seed Ohio State bulldozed Tennessee and then avenged an earlier loss to Oregon in the quarterfinals.

"I think the first thing is not having the mindset of just being here," Cristobal said. "I think that's probably the opposite of our mindset. If we're blessed enough to earn the opportunity to keep playing, our only goal was to keep getting better every single week, and we feel like we did that in our last game."

A win would be transformational. Looking back at the program's rise and fall, Miami's time in the wilderness exceeds the roughly two-decade run as perhaps the sport's defining program, which included national championships in 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991 and 2001. But beating the Buckeyes would make a thunderous statement: We're back, and maybe back to stay.

"Yeah, we're very blessed to have this opportunity," said offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa. "At this point, we're coming to take it all. To play against Ohio State at the Cotton Bowl, it's pretty much a blessing to be here."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Miami needs Ohio State win in CFP to return to college football elite

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

Miami has more at stake than a CFP win vs. Ohio State in Cotton Bowl

Twenty-three years ago this week,Miami lost the Fiesta Bowlin double overtime to Ohio State and never recovered. ...

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Bills DE Ed Oliver hurts knee, further delaying his return from IR

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills starting defensive tackle Ed Oliver had minor surgery for a knee injury this week, further delaying his return off injured reserve for playoff-bound Buffalo.

Coach Sean McDermott provided the update on Wednesday, by saying the injury happened while Oliver was rehabbing from a torn left bicephe sustained in late October. Oliver was originally projected to return before the end of the season.

McDermott did not have a timetable on Oliver's recovery, by saying the knee injury adds a level of uncertainty. He, however, didn't rule out the player returning should the Bills make a deep playoff run.

Buffalo (11-5) closes the regular season by hosting the New York Jets (3-13) on Sunday. The Bills are currently the AFC's No. 7 seed, with an opportunity to climb as high as No. 5, meaning they'll open the wild-card playoff round on the road.

McDermott said he has yet to determine whether to rest some of his starters on Sunday. And the players include quarterback Josh Allen, who was not scheduled to practice on Wednesday because of a sore right foot.Allen first hurt his footin a 23-20 win at Cleveland two weeks ago, and then aggravated the injury in a 13-12 loss to Philadelphia on Sunday.

Other players not scheduled to practice on Wednesday were edge rusher Joey Bosa, safety Jordan Poyer (hamstring), defensive tackle DaQuan Jones (calf) and linebacker Terrel Bernard, who has already been ruled out after hurting his calf on Sunday.

Kicker Matt Prater was schedule to practice fully after missing the past two games with a quadricep injury.

AP NFL:https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

Bills DE Ed Oliver hurts knee, further delaying his return from IR

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills starting defensive tackle Ed Oliver had minor surgery for a knee injury this week...

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Lamar Jackson at practice for the Ravens as Baltimore prepares for Pittsburgh showdown

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Lamar Jackson was at practice Wednesday for the Baltimore Ravens as they prepared for this weekend's showdown at Pittsburgh for the AFC North title.

Jackson missedlast weekend's must-win game at Green Baybecause of a back injury. He hasn't had a full week of practice since early November, but his presence Wednesday suggests that's a possibility now. The two-time MVP quarterback also missed three games earlier this season because of hamstring problems.

The Ravens beat the Packers with Tyler Huntley at quarterback, but they still need a win over the Steelers on Sunday night to make the playoffs.

AP NFL:https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

Lamar Jackson at practice for the Ravens as Baltimore prepares for Pittsburgh showdown

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Lamar Jackson was at practice Wednesday for the Baltimore Ravens as they prepared for this weeke...

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Gospel singer Richard Smallwood dies at 77, leaving a legacy that inspired many in music

Richard Smallwood, a gospel singer and recording artist nominated eight times forGrammy Awards, has died. He was 77.

Smallwood died Tuesday of complications of kidney failure at a rehabilitation and nursing center in Sandy Spring, Maryland, his representative Bill Carpenter announced.

Smallwood had health issues for many years, and music gave him the strength to endure, Carpenter said in an interview.

"Richard was so dedicated to music, and that was the thing that kept him alive all these years," he said. "Making music that made people feel something is what made him want to keep breathing and keep moving and keep living."

Smallwood's songs were performed and recorded over the years by artists such as Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, Destiny's Child and Boyz II Men. Houston brought his music to film by performing "I Love the Lord" in the 1996 movie "The Preacher's Wife," according to Smallwood's biography at theGospel Music Hall of Fame.

Smallwood "opened up my whole world of gospel music," singer and songwriterChaka Khanwrote on Facebook after his death.

"His music didn't just inspire me, it transformed me," she said. "He is my favorite pianist, and his brilliance, spirit, and devotion to the music have shaped generations, including my own journey."

Smallwood was born Nov. 30, 1948, in Atlanta and began to play piano by ear by the age of 5, according to biographic materials provided by Carpenter. By age 7, he was taking formal lessons. He had formed his own gospel group by the time he was 11.

He was primarily raised in Washington, D.C., by his mother, Mabel, and his stepfather, the Rev. Chester Lee "C.L." Smallwood. His stepfather was the pastor of Union Temple Baptist Church in Washington.

Smallwood was a music pioneer in multiple ways at Howard University in Washington, where he graduated cum laude with a music degree. He was a member of Howard's first gospel group, the Celestials. He was also a founding member of the university's gospel choir, according to an obituary from Carpenter.

After college, Smallwood taught music at the University of Maryland and went on to form the Richard Smallwood Singers in 1977, bringing a contemporary sound to traditional gospel music. He later formed Vision, a large choir that fueled some of his biggest gospel hits, including "Total Praise."

"Total Praise" became a modern-day hymn that touched people from all types of backgrounds and walks of life, Carpenter said by phone Wednesday.

"You can go into any kind of church — a Black church, a white church, a nondenominational church — and you might hear that song," he said. "Somehow it found its footing throughout the whole Christian world. If he never wrote anything else, that would have put him in the modern hymn book."

Wonderperformed "Total Praise"at the funeral of Martin Luther King Jr.'s sonDexter Scott Kingat Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Feb. 10, 2024.

In recent years, mild dementia and other health issues prevented Smallwood from recording music, and members of his Vision choir helped care for him.

His legacy will live on "through every note and every soul he touched," Khan said.

"I am truly looking forward to singing with you in heaven," she said.

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

Gospel singer Richard Smallwood dies at 77, leaving a legacy that inspired many in music

Richard Smallwood, a gospel singer and recording artist nominated eight times forGrammy Awards, has died. He was 77. ...

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Emma Heming Willis celebrates 18 years with Bruce Willis – 'So lucky'

Emma Heming Willisis celebrating a milestone withBruce Willisamid hisdementia battle.

The model and author reflected on their 18th anniversary of becoming a couple on Tuesday, Dec. 30. "18 years ago, he became my boyfriend. With one kiss on the top of my head, time stood still," the actress captioned a throwback photo of herself and her "Perfect Stranger" costar onInstagram. "I'm so lucky to know this kind of love."

In the photo, Willis kisses Heming Willis on the side of the head as she looks on. The couple wed in 2009, and now share two children: Mabel Ray, 13, and Evelyn Penn, 11. Willis has three daughters from his previous marriage toDemi Moore.

View this post on Instagram

Heming Willis, 47, previously opened up about the challenges of celebrating the holidays amid Willis declining health. The "Sixth Sense" actor, 70, was first diagnosed with aphasia, which affects how a person communicates, especially using speech,in 2022. The diagnosis led to his retirement from acting. In 2023,Willis' family announcedthat the condition had progressed tofrontotemporal dementia.

In a post on her website, titled "The Holidays Look Different Now," Heming Willis, 47, opened up about living through what she described as a "web of grief" during the holidays.

Bruce Willis' wifeEmma Heming Willis opens up about holiday 'grief'

Emma Heming Willisresponds to public 'judgment' amid Bruce's dementia

"For me, the holidays carry memories of Bruce being at the center of it all," she wrote. "He loved this time of year — the energy, family time, the traditions. Dementia doesn't erase those memories. But it does create space between then and now. And that space can ache."

Heming Willis went on to share that she finds herself "cursing Bruce's name while wrestling with the holiday lights or taking on tasks that used to be his," not because she is mad at him but "because I miss the way he once led the holiday charge."

But, she added, "You can miss what was and still show up for what is."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Bruce Willis, Emma Heming Willis celebrate 18 years together

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

Emma Heming Willis celebrates 18 years with Bruce Willis – 'So lucky'

Emma Heming Willisis celebrating a milestone withBruce Willisamid hisdementia battle. The model and author refle...

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Bari Weiss invites George Clooney to newsroom after he said she's 'dismantling CBS News as we speak'

CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss invited actorGeorge Clooneyto visit the network's newsroom after Clooney told Variety on Tuesday that Weiss was "dismantling CBS News as we speak."

"Bonjour, Mr. Clooney! Big fan of your work. It sounds like you'd like to learn more about ours. This is an open invitation to visit The CBS Broadcast Center, where I'm spending the holidays working to relaunch the Evening News with my colleagues. Tune in January 5," said Weiss in a statement sharedto Varietyby Paramount Skydance on Tuesday.

A representative for Clooney did not immediately returnFox News Digital's request for comment.

'Editorial Independence' Petition Unlikely To Faze Paramount Ceo David Ellison Amid Bari Weiss Saga: Ex-journo

The "Bonjour, Mr. Clooney" remark in Weiss's statement is an apparent reference to the actor and his wife recently being granted French citizenship.

Clooney pulled no punches in hiswide-ranging interviewwith Variety's Brent Lang. The actor touched on topics such as politics, PresidentDonald Trumpand the current state of the press.

Read On The Fox News App

One issue that Clooney seemed particularly perturbed by was CBS and ABC's decision to settle multimillion dollar lawsuits with Trump, suggesting the networks should have instead said, "Go f--- yourself."

CBS and ABC have paid at least $16 million apiece to settle lawsuits brought by Trump. But Clooney, who has been living in France after uprooting his family to get away from the culture of Hollywood, is bothered the networks didn't fight back.

Bari Weiss Suggests Cecot '60 Minutes' Piece She Delayed Wasn't 'Fair' In Memo To Staffers

"If CBS and ABC had challenged those lawsuits and said, 'Go f--- yourself,' we wouldn't be where we are in the country," Clooney toldVariety. "That's simply the truth."

"It's a very trying time," Clooney continued. "It can depress you or make you very angry. But you have to find the most positive way through it. You have to put your head down and keep moving forward because quitting isn't an option."

Paramount Global and CBS agreed in July to pay a $16 million upfront sum to settle the president's lawsuit against the network over how "60 Minutes" edited and released an interview with then-Democratic rival Kamala Harris in 2024. Trump's team, which initially sought $10 billion, claimed the network's use of edited clips from a single response about Israel constituted "election interference." Trump's legal team championed the settlement as a win for media accountability and the American people.

Cbs, Bari Weiss Facing Mounting Backlash From Liberal Critics Over Yanking '60 Minutes' Segment

The same month as the settlement, the Trump administration's Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved an $8 billion merger between Paramount and Skydance Media, putting David Ellison in charge of the newly formed company.

Ellison then handpicked Bari Weiss to takeover CBS News, but Clooney isn't a fan.

"Bari Weiss is dismantling CBS News as we speak," Clooney told Variety. "I'm worried about how we inform ourselves and how we're going to discern reality without a functioning press."

Trump's win over CBS came on the heels of ABC's apology and$16 million settlementwith Trump last December after he sued for defamation over "This Week" anchor George Stephanopoulos' claims on the air that the president had been held "liable for rape." The jury in the E. Jean Carroll case to which he was referring had actually ruled he was liable for "sexual abuse."

Click Here To Download The Fox News App

ABC and CBS did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital.

Fox News' Brian Flood contributed to this report.

Original article source:Bari Weiss invites George Clooney to newsroom after he said she's 'dismantling CBS News as we speak'

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

Bari Weiss invites George Clooney to newsroom after he said she's 'dismantling CBS News as we speak'

CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss invited actorGeorge Clooneyto visit the network's newsroom after Clooney told Var...

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Hong Kong greets 2026 without fireworks after deadliest blaze in decades

HONG KONG (AP) — Fireworks are typically a celebratory centerpiece of Hong Kong's New Year celebrations. Not this year.

The territory greeted 2026 without spectacular and colorful explosions in the sky over its iconic Victoria Harbor aftera massive firein November that killed at least 161 people.

The city's tourism board instead hosted a music show Wednesday night featuring soft rock duo Air Supply and other singers in Central, a business district that also is home to the famousnightlife hubLan Kwai Fong. The facades of eight landmarks turned into giant countdown clocks presenting a three-minute light show at midnight.

Fireworks have long been part of the city's celebrations for the New Year, Lunar New Year and National Day. The pyrotechnic displays against Hong Kong's world-famous skyline of skyscrapers typically draw hundreds of thousands of people including many tourists to both sides of the promenade.

Hotels and restaurants likely affected

Rosanna Law, the territory's secretary for culture, sports and tourism, acknowledged Tuesday that having no fireworks would affect some hotel and restaurant businesses.

Annie Wang, a tourist from Shanghai, said that although she had planned to watch the fireworks show, she understood the city's decision because she found news of the blaze heart-wrenching.

"It's quite regretful. But there's no way around it after the fire," said Wang, a university student.

Wang Miao, a teacher from the neighboring economic hub of Guangzhou, planned to join the official countdown activities in Central despite the absence of fireworks. She said it was a pity that she could not see pyrotechnics, but she could understand why.

"It doesn't affect our experience in Hong Kong," Wang said.

By early Wednesday evening, crowds of revelers had already gathered near the performance stage in Central, hoping to secure the best views of the musical performance.

Worst fire since the 1940s for Hong Kong

The financial hub's worst blaze since 1948 broke out at Wang Fuk Court, in the northern suburban district of Tai Po, in late November. The apartment complex was undergoing a monthslong renovation project with buildings covered bybamboo scaffoldingand green netting.

Authorities havepointed to the substandard nettingand foam boards installed on windows as contributing factors in the fire's rapid spread. Thousands of affected residents have moved to transitional homes, hotels and youth hostels, struggling to recover from the loss of lives and homes that took them years to buy. The casualtiespained many residentsacross the city.

Past tragedies in Hong Kong have forced similar cancellations of fireworks. They include the 2013 National Day festivities following a vessel collision that killed 39 people on Oct. 1, 2012, and the 2018 Lunar New Year celebration after a bus crash that left 19 dead. During the 2019 anti-government protests and the COVID-19 pandemic, multiple displays also were scrapped.

The origin of fireworks is believed to date to China in the second century B.C., when someone discovered bamboo stalks exploded with loud bangs when thrown into fire, creating the first natural "firecrackers," according to the American Pyrotechnics Association, a U.S. trade group.

TheGuinness World Recordsorganization says the first accurately documented firework, the Chinese firecracker, was created by Li Tian, a monk from China's Tang dynasty dating to around 618 to 907 C.E. Li discovered that putting gunpowder in enclosed hollow bamboo stems created loud explosions and bound crackers together to create the traditional New Year firecrackers to drive out evil spirits, Guinness said.

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

Hong Kong greets 2026 without fireworks after deadliest blaze in decades

HONG KONG (AP) — Fireworks are typically a celebratory centerpiece of Hong Kong's New Year celebrations. Not this yea...

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Palestinians watch as Israeli bulldozers claw down their West Bank homes

NUR SHAMS REFUGEE CAMP, West Bank (AP) — Palestinians in theIsraeli-occupied West Bankwatched as Israeli military bulldozers pulled down their homes Wednesday as part of a nearly year-long incursion into the territory's northern refugee camps.

The scene in Nur Shams has been repeated often across the northern West Bank in the roughly 11 months since Israeli troops launched operation "Iron Wall" there in early 2025. During that time, the military has demolished or heavily damaged at least 850 structures across the refugee camps of Nur Shams, Jenin and Tulkarem, according to an analysis of satellite imagery by Human Rights Watch.

Troops have also forced out the camps' populations, leading to thelargest displacementin the West Bank since Israel captured the territory in 1967. Tens of thousands of residents areliving with relatives,cramming into rental apartments or living in public buildings.

Israel says the operation aims to root out armed groups and says the demolitions are needed to destroy militant infrastructure or to clear routes for troops.

Israel has said its troops will stay in some camps for a year, and its unclear when, if ever, Palestinians will be able to return.

Rights groups and Palestinians say the raids are destroying homes. AP video showed bulldozers tearing down several houses out of a total of 25 the military said it planned to demolish.

"Our home is dear to us, the memories are dear to us, the family, the neighbors, and the good people are dear to us," said Motaz Mohor, whose home was set to be destroyed as he watched the bulldozers. "The first time our grandparents were displaced, and this is the second time."

His grandparents had moved to Nur Shams after their original displacement from the cities of Jaffa and Haifa during the 1948 war surrounding Israel's creation, when some 700,000 Palestinians were expelled from their homes by forces of the nascent state or fled as troops advanced, an event Palestinians call the Nakba, or "catastrophe."

Mohor said he was sheltering with roughly 25 of his relatives in a 100-square-meter (1,070-square-foot) apartment after being displaced from the camp.

The military said troops had allowed residents to get their belongings from homes beforehand. It said it had only taken down structures where there existed a "a clear and necessary operational need" and after examining alternate courses of action.

The military said the camp was still an area of militant activity even almost a year after the start of the operation and that troops had located explosives in the camp within the last month.

Ahmed al Sayyes, 60, said his home was also slated for demolition. He was surprised to wake up and see the bulldozers beginning work.

"It's very difficult and painful," he said. He said the house where he is sheltering is for sale and he'll have to leave it. "It's a tragedy after tragedy. Very difficult. Only God knows where we will end up."

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

Palestinians watch as Israeli bulldozers claw down their West Bank homes

NUR SHAMS REFUGEE CAMP, West Bank (AP) — Palestinians in theIsraeli-occupied West Bankwatched as Israeli military bulldoz...

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Disney park worker hurt shielding crowd from 400-pound prop in Indiana Jones show

A Disney employeethrew himself in front of a runaway rubber boulder,getting injured as he shielded guests from the 400-pound prop during an Indiana Jones themed attraction, officials at the Florida park said Wednesday.

Fans at Disney's Hollywood Studios were all set to see a demonstration of the"Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular"when viral video captured the wild moments of the massive ball rolling off its track .

Guests appeared to be initially entertained by the mishap during a recreation of the iconic scene from "Raiders of the Lost Ark." However, those brief laughs quickly turned to concern as the huge bouncing ball barreled off its track and toward the audience.

That's when a park employee confronted the wayward sphere, holding out his forearms and bracing for impact.

But he was no match for the faux boulder, which easily knocked him to the floor.

The man successfully halted the prop's momentum toward the crowd, but he did not immediately stand up after being struck as fellow employees rushed to the worker who was flat on his back.

The officialDisney Parks Blogsays the prop is made of rubber and weighs 400 pounds.

A Disney spokesperson confirmed the incident occurred, but did not offer any further specifics such as when exactly the mishap occurred or the extent of the employee's injuries.

"We're focused on supporting our Cast Member, who is recovering," Disney said. "Safety is at the heart of what we do, and that element of the show will be modified as our safety team completes a review of what happened."

In the classic 1981 movie, screen legend Harrison Ford played swashbuckling archeologist Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones Jr.

In an early scene of the Steven Spielberg flick, Ford's character was seeking to grab an ancient gold idol, but had to overcome a booby trapped lair that included a massive rolling boulder that he narrowly escaped.

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

Disney park worker hurt shielding crowd from 400-pound prop in Indiana Jones show

A Disney employeethrew himself in front of a runaway rubber boulder,getting injured as he shielded guests from the 400-pound prop during an...

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Eagles will reportedly rest Jalen Hurts and other key starters in Week 18 despite chance at No. 2 seed in NFC

The Philadelphia Eagles have a shot at securing the No. 2 seed in the NFC in Week 18, but theteam is reportedly going to prioritize restover putting its best players on the field. The Eagles are expected to rest Jalen Hurts and other key starters when the team takes on the Washington Commanders on Sunday, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

If Hurts is held out of the contest, it's presumed backup Tanner McKee will get the start against the Commanders in Week 18. McKee has appeared in three games this season, throwing just three passes.

While Hurts was the only player specifically mentioned in the report, other key offensive starters like A.J. Brown, Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith, among others, could also miss the contest.

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni previously hinted at the possibility the team could rest its starters in Week 18. When asked about it Monday,Sirianni mentioned the benefits of having a "bye" weekheading into the playoffs. He noted that the two most recent times the team rested its starters in Week 18 — 2022 and 2024 — it reached the Super Bowl.

While that's a solid reason for once again employing the strategy, it could raise some eyebrows among Eagles fans. Philadelphia enters Week 18 with a shot at the No. 2 seed in the NFC. If the Eagles beat the Commanders and the Chicago Bears lose to the Detroit Lions, the Eagles would jump up to the No. 2 seed in the NFC. That would ensure the Eagles host home games throughout the playoffs unless they have to play the No. 1 seed — which hasn't been determined, but will be one of the Seattle Seahawks or San Francisco 49ers. As it stands, the Eagles will enter Week 18 as the No. 3 seed in the NFC.

With the Eagles resting their starters, the Commanders presumably have a better chance of winning the contest. But after a strong 2024, Washington has fallen back to earth following multiple injuries to quarterback Jayden Daniels, who the team shut down with a few weeks left in the regular season. Daniels' backup, Marcus Mariota, is also injured, which could lead to the Commanders once again turning to third-string quarterback Josh Johnson. That could lead to the game being much closer than expected despite the Eagles reportedly writing it off as a "bye" week.

Despite another strong season, the Eagles face plenty of questions entering the playoffs. The team's offense, which ranked seventh in points per game last season, hasn't found its rhythm this year. The Eagles rank 19th in points per game this season, the team's first under new offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo.

While the Eagles could use Week 18 as an opportunity to right the ship — something the Los Angeles Rams will look to do after head coach Sean McVay said theteam needed to improve— Philadelphia will instead hope a week of rest has everyone feeling good ahead of the playoffs.

There's no definitive evidence that supports either approach. The Eagles have shown in recent seasons that rest can work. McVay's Rams have shown, at times, that rest in Week 18 can lead to a team coming out flat in the playoffs.

Despite the fact there's no right answer, that won't stop Eagles fans from ripping Sirianni and the team if it suffers a disappointing loss in the first week of the playoffs after taking it easy in Week 18.

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

Eagles will reportedly rest Jalen Hurts and other key starters in Week 18 despite chance at No. 2 seed in NFC

The Philadelphia Eagles have a shot at securing the No. 2 seed in the NFC in Week 18, but theteam is reportedly going to ...

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Christian McCaffrey injury update: 49ers' RB misses practice

Christian McCaffreyis the engine that powers theSan Francisco 49ers' offense.

Could an injury prevent him from playing in the regular season finale? The star running back has managed to avoid those issues all season long, but he popped up on the injury report with a back ailment ahead ofWeek 18.

Early indications are that it's just a stiff back for McCaffrey and the overall concern appears to be minimal. Regardless, his status is now in question for the team's matchup against theSeattle Seahawkson Saturday, Jan. 3.

49ERS PLAYOFF PICTURE:Scenarios, chances for San Francisco to win NFC West

The No. 1 seed in the NFC is on line in San Francisco and all eyes are now on the health of McCaffrey.

Here's the latest on the 49ers running back.

Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.

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Best images of the 2025 NFL season

Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18)makes a catch for a touchdownagainst the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.

Christian McCaffrey injury update

McCaffrey missed practice on Tuesday, Dec. 30 with a stiff back.

The running back has routinely missed the first official practice of the week all season for rest-related reasons. Given his injury history, it appears San Francisco has been doing everything in its power to ensure the star would be fresh for a postseason run.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan didn't seem too concerned about the injury for McCaffrey,telling reporters on Dec. 30that it's only a stiff back. The coach added that it was an ailment that popped up against theTennessee Titanson Dec. 14.

"I know he battled it hard that week, but I haven't heard anything about it since," Shanahan said. "It might have stiffened up in the game, and it was sore from Sunday night, so that's why we've got him on here today."

Shanahan indicated that the team has been holding walkthrough practices since their Week 18 contest against the Seahawks comes on a short week.

Injuries have been a problem for the 49ers throughout the 2025 season, but McCaffrey doesn't appear to be in danger of missing the regular season finale at this time.

That concern will ramp up if he continues to be sidelined though.

More:Seahawks at 49ers: Predictions, picks and odds for NFL Week 18 game

49ers RB depth chart

• Christian McCaffrey

• Brian Robinson Jr.

• Jordan James

• Isaac Guerendo

McCaffrey handles a majority of the workload in the San Francisco backfield with a small dose of Robinson snaps sprinkled in.

James and Guerendo remain on the outside looking in at this point in the season.

Shanahan indicated that James moved ahead of Guerendo on the depth chart, but it would still take an injury for him to get some playing time.

If McCaffrey can't go in Week 18, expect the 49ers to roll with a combination of Robinson and James.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Christian McCaffrey injury update: 49ers RB has stiff back

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

Christian McCaffrey injury update: 49ers' RB misses practice

Christian McCaffreyis the engine that powers theSan Francisco 49ers' offense. Could an injury preven...

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Female Chef Accusing Stefon Diggs of Assault Shares Alleged Texts From Patriots Star: 'I Won't Be Paying You S---'

Kathryn Riley/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• The former chef of the New England Patriots' star receiver Stefon Diggs provided text messages she allegedly exchanged with her former boss to police after accusing him of assault

• The exchange starts with the woman demanding that the recipient, who she says is Diggs, pay out her entire contact for the season despite leaving early

• Diggs allegedly responded that he did not want to pay her and another chef and that he "don't got to do a mf thing"

Stefon Diggsallegedly refused to pay out the full contract of his former female chef, according to text messages she shared with police, which she claims are from the New England Patriots' star receiver.

The texts were included in an incident report created by the Dedham Police Department and obtained by PEOPLE whichdetails Diggs' alleged assault of the chef.

The exchange that the female provided to police began with a text she sent to a recipient she identified as Diggs, which read: "You will [be] paying me out for the season & the money you said you would give me for my business. wasted my f---ing time being here because you got a f---ing circus going on. I'm out of your life."

The person who the female identified as Diggs then responded: "I won't be paying you s---," followed by another text which said, "F--- I look like paying you and paying another xhef [sic]."

That same individual later texted: "I don't got to do a mf thing."

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty

It is unclear if the texts were sent before or after the alleged incident between the female chef and Diggs that resulted in police filing a felony charge of strangulation and a misdemeanor charge of assault against the footballer.

The texts are not timestamped and there is no timeline for the exchange provided in the police report.

The chef sent the texts to police after she first reported her allegations against Diggs on Dec. 16 — two weeks after the alleged incident.

She alleged to police that things escalated between her and her former employer after she approached him about back pay she claimed to be owed, according to the report. Then, Diggs allegedly walked into her bedroom after the two had "been having an ongoing text exchange over money owed to [her]," the report states.

As the two again started to discuss the matter, Diggs allegedly became "angered," the woman told police, per the report. She alleged that Diggs then "smacked her across the face," and she pushed him away.

Diggs is then accused of attacking the woman, who alleged in her interview with police that he "tried to choke her using the crook of his elbow around her neck."

She told police that she "did have trouble breathing and could've blacked out," and also alleged that "as she tried to pry [Diggs'] arm away, he tightened his grip."

Diggs allegedly released her at some point and "threw her on the bed," the woman claimed, according to the report.

She alleged that Diggs then left the bedroom and said, "Thought so."

Kathryn Riley/Getty

The female told police she did not want to file a police report when she first reported the incident, but had a change of heart on Dec. 23 and asked police to move forward with charging Diggs.

It was after that first meeting and before deciding to pursue charges that the woman provided police with her text messages, which the report noted came from a different phone number than the one provided by the female.

She told police that the texts were sent from her work phone.

A lawyer for Diggs, who is in hisfirst year of a three-year, $69 million contractwith the Patriots and recentlywelcomed a new babywith hisGrammy-winning girlfriend Cardi B, told PEOPLE he "categorically denies the allegations."

David Meier, who is representing Diggs, called the claims made by the employee "unsubstantiated, uncorroborated" before adding that they "were never investigated — because they did not occur."

He also said that the allegations are a "direct result of an employee-employer financial dispute that was not resolved to the employee's satisfaction."

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The Patriots reiterated that Diggs "categorically denies the allegations" in a separate statement. "We will continue to gather information and will cooperate fully with the appropriate authorities and the NFL as necessary," the organization added.

The NFL said the league was monitoring the situation.

Diggs is due to appear in Dedham District Court on Jan. 23 to be arraigned in the case.

Read the original article onPeople

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

Female Chef Accusing Stefon Diggs of Assault Shares Alleged Texts From Patriots Star: 'I Won't Be Paying You S---'

Kathryn Riley/Getty NEED TO KNOW The former chef of the New England Patriots' star receiver Stefon Diggs provided text messages she a...

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Bad Bunny Scolded by Mexican Museum for Touching Historical Artifact in Since-Deleted Photo

Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• Bad Bunny's recent visit the National Institute of Anthropology and History sparked controversy

• The Puerto Rican rapper shared a photo to his Instagram Stories of himself touching a historical artifact at the Mexican museum

• The museum released a statement explaining the incident

Museum rules apply to everyone, includingBad Bunny.

Earlier this month, the Puerto Rican rapper visited the National Institute of Anthropology and History in Mexico City and shared multiple photos to his Instagram Stories, including one of him touching a historical artifact,permultipleoutlets.

On Saturday, Dec. 27,the museum released a statement on social mediato confirm Bad Bunny touched the artifact and explain what happened.

View this post on Instagram

According to the National Institute of Anthropology and History, staff was present throughout Bad Bunny's entire visit to the museum. Upon witnessing him place his hand on the artifact, staff explained that touching pieces in the museum isn't allowed.

Once he was informed of the rule, theDebí Tirar Más Fotosrapper removed his hand from the artifact, per the museum's statement.

"As is public knowledge, physical contact with archaeological goods is prohibited," read the statement on social media.

The incident comes ahead of what's sure to be a major 2026 for Bad Bunny, who's set to headline the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. on Feb. 8.

"What I'm feeling goes beyond myself," he said in a statement upon the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show announcement. "It's for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown… this is for my people, my culture, and our history. Ve y dile a tu abuela, que seremos el HALFTIME SHOW DEL SUPER BOWL."

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Todd Owyoung/Peacock/Getty

He's also scheduled to continue his Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour with shows scheduled around the globe from January to July.

Additionally, Bad Bunny earned six nominations at the upcoming 2026 Grammy Awards: Album of the Year, Best Música Urbana Album and Best Album Cover forDebí Tirar Más Fotosas well as Record of the Year and Song of the Year for "DtMF" and Best Global Musical Performance for "EoO."

The 2026 Grammy Awards will be held on Feb. 1 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Read the original article onPeople

byAlex Forten

in

December 31, 2025

Bad Bunny Scolded by Mexican Museum for Touching Historical Artifact in Since-Deleted Photo

Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty NEED TO KNOW Bad Bunny's recent visit the National Institute of Anthropology and History sparked controver...

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This Theory for How 'Stranger Things' Ends Has Me Completely Convinced

Buckle up, there's a new theory for how the last episode ofStranger Thingsis going down, and it's pretty compelling. As a reminder, fansoriginallytheorized that the Upside Down was a wormhole, which ended up being correct. And part of that theory centered around a speech Mr. Clarke gave at the beginning of the season:

"Just think of all the places mankind could go—another galaxy, another time even. So why aren't we doing it now? If wormholes did exist, they would beextraordinarilyunstable. Their enormous gravitational force would rip them apart at the very moment they formed."

In other words, Mr. Clarke specifically hinted at time travel when talking about the wormhole, which...does not seem like a passing comment. Enter a new theory onReddit(care of userbyrd82) speculating that the gang's attempt to destroy the Upside Down will trigger time travel to before it was even created,andbefore Hawkins lab ever even existed.

"The ripple effects are massive in the best way. Eleven is never taken from her mother. Her mother is never tortured, never broken, never loses her child. Jane grows up normally. Hopper's daughter never gets cancer because she's never exposed to radiation from the lab, which means Hopper never becomes the grief-hardened man we meet in season one. Eddie is alive because there's no Vecna, no satanic panic, no town looking for someone to blame. Barb never dies. Max's brother is still alive because he's never possessed, never pushed down that violent path. The Upside Down itself never fully forms because it was born from humans messing with time and dimensions in the first place."

The theory also speculates that the kids still become friends but "They meet the way they were always supposed to: school, bikes, D&D, being weird kids in a small town. They're still friends because they were always meant to be friends. Same group, different origin. Destiny without suffering."

As the theory notes, for this to work, the Duffer Brothers would have had to film the final moments of the series when the kids were still kids. In other words, this would have had to be the plan pretty much from season one. But...stranger things have happened (sorry).

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