Culture

Neill Blomkamp’s Oats Studios anthology is a hidden hard sci‑fi gem on Netflix

Movieweb reports that Oats Studios, a hard sci‑fi anthology created by Neill Blomkamp, is a hidden gem currently available on Netflix. Released in 2020, the 10‑episode series transports viewers to a desolate post‑apocalypse, strange outer worlds and alternate realities, blending live‑action with 3D CGI and visuals

Business

Bill Gates Donates $7.9 Billion to Melinda French Gates's Foundation

Bill Gates donated nearly $8 billion to the private foundation of his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates, according to a tax filing reviewed by The Times’s Theodore Schleifer. The filing shows a $7.88 billion payment in 2024 to Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation as part of the couple’s divorce settlement.

World

Woman arrested after loose dog allegedly bit two children in Bolton

According to People, a 47-year-old woman in Bolton, England, was arrested on Jan. 9 on suspicion of having a dog dangerously out of control after two children were bitten by a loose dog on Halliwell Road on Jan. 5. Greater Manchester Police said the two children were taken to a

Politics

Glenn Youngkin says JD Vance would be a strong Republican nominee in 2028

Gov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia said on Sunday that Vice President JD Vance would be a "great, great presidential nominee," joining other prominent Republicans who have pointed to Mr. Vance as a likely 2028 contender and a successor to President Trump. Mr. Youngkin, whose term ends in less

Crypto

X previews Smart Cashtags to show real-time asset prices and mentions

Beincrypto reports X is previewing a feature called Smart Cashtags that product lead Nikita Bier says will let users tag exact assets or smart contracts so tapping a cashtag surfaces the asset’s real-time price and all related mentions in the timeline. Bier framed Smart Cashtags as formalizing X’s

Tech

Indonesia and Malaysia suspend access to Grok over deepfake concerns

Access to Grok, the xAI chatbot, has been cut off for users in Indonesia and Malaysia after regulators said the chatbot's safeguards were ineffective. Both countries issued temporary suspensions intended to remain in effect until xAI implements safeguards that comply with regulators' demands. "The government views

Culture

Elizabeth McCracken's A Long Game questions craft-book orthodoxy

Elizabeth McCracken, novelist, memoirist and former tutor at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, has written A Long Game, a book that challenges the conventions of creative-writing craft books and the private language of workshops. The review notes that terms such as trope, POV, backstory and character arc have spread since the

Culture

Home Alone 2 ranks ninth globally on Disney+ after the holidays

According to Collider, over two weeks after Christmas Day Home Alone 2: Lost in New York topped out at ninth place globally over the past week on Disney+. The sequel follows the original's premise: the McCallisters prepare for a Christmas trip and forget Kevin, who mistakenly boards a

Health

Analysis suggests Australian GP bulk-billing rate nearly doubled after Medicare incentive

An analysis by online health directory Cleanbill suggests the proportion of Australian GP clinics that fully bulk bill almost doubled to 40.2% by the end of 2025, following Medicare incentives introduced by the federal government in November. The study noted the government implemented an additional 12.5% payment on

Sports

Real Madrid outclassed by Barcelona in 3-2 Spanish Super Cup final

Goal reports Real Madrid were outclassed by Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final, losing 3-2 in a result that will increase pressure on manager Xabi Alonso. The match featured early struggles for Madrid, with mishaps from Rodrygo and errors from Raul Asencio as they failed to gain a foothold

World

Iran protests spread despite crackdown as U.S. action in Venezuela weighs on minds

Antigovernment protests in Iran that began late last year spread across the country last week and continued over the weekend despite an escalating crackdown by authorities; rights groups estimate at least 200 people have been killed. The demonstrations have been driven mainly by economic distress — sanctions, years of mismanagement and

Sports

Brighton knock Manchester United out of FA Cup as Gruda and Welbeck score

Brighton eliminated Manchester United from the FA Cup at Old Trafford after goals from Brajan Gruda and Danny Welbeck, leaving the 13-time winners out of the competition in January. Gruda opened the scoring after Georginio Rutter had a header cleared off the line, and Welbeck added a second in the

Culture

Six underrated 1990s sitcoms argued to be funnier than Friends

Movieweb lists six underrated 1990s comedy series it argues are funnier than Friends, highlighting shows that failed to reach the same cultural heights despite strong writing, distinctive tones and notable casts. The pieces singled out Just Shoot Me! (1997–2003) for its sharp workplace satire set at fashion magazine Blush

Culture

Pro organizer's closet hacks to free up space for bulky winter clothes

People reports professional organizer Janelle Lam shared closet storage hacks to make room for bulky winter clothing like sweaters, coats and boots. Lam recommends using stackable shelves and clear bins, low-profile under-bed storage boxes with wheels, and vacuum-sealed bags (the set in the roundup includes an electric pump) to compress

Crypto

On-chain data point to Bitcoin rebound as Trump credit cap may boost DeFi

Beincrypto reports that on-chain data suggest Bitcoin may have bottomed in late December, opening a short-term rebound window, according to analyst Willy Woo, whose models show investor flows bottomed on December 24, 2025, and that President Donald Trump’s proposed 10% credit card interest cap could push some consumers toward

Business

China Holds Economic Foothold in Latin America as Trump Targets Venezuela

China has built a dominant strategic position in Latin America as the region’s leading lender and trading partner, and it is watching President Trump’s power grab in Venezuela and his broader push against Chinese influence closely. Chinese trade with the region grew to more than $500 billion in

World

Russian network pushes anti‑U.S. arms message after Venezuela raid

In the days after the U.S. raid in Venezuela, a network of Russian propaganda websites known as “Portal Kombat” has been promoting messages that countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia should stop buying American military hardware, and that the U.S. seizure of Nicolás Maduro shows the United

Culture

Fly Me to the Moon becomes streaming hit on Apple TV

Collider reports that Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum's Apple TV film Fly Me to the Moon has become a streaming hit, ranking as the tenth most-streamed movie on the platform in the U.S. at the time of writing. The film underperformed theatrically, earning just over $38 million

Health

Clearing a mother’s home as Alzheimer’s advances reveals joy and hidden pain

Stephen Kelman writes that his mother has moved into a nursing home after her Alzheimer’s progressed to the point that she needs round‑the‑clock care, and he has been emptying the house where she lived for more than 50 years, curating her life through the possessions he must

Sports

Ricardo Pepi to miss weeks after broken arm, USMNT March spot in doubt

Goal reports Ricardo Pepi will require surgery on a broken arm after injuring himself while scoring in his first match of 2026; the club says he is expected to miss around two months, putting his place in the USMNT’s March friendlies in doubt. Pepi finished tidily but landed awkwardly,

Culture

Jesse Armstrong says writers' rooms can feel 'like walking on the moon' but he has impostor syndrome

Jesse Armstrong, the award-winning screenwriter behind Succession, said a writers' room can feel 'like you're walking on the moon' when it is working well, but admitted he has experienced impostor syndrome. He made the remarks, aged 55, on Radio 4's Desert Island Discs

Tech

Meta disables nearly 550,000 suspected under-16 accounts after Australian ban

Meta said it has removed access to almost 550,000 accounts believed to belong to people under 16, in its first compliance report a month after Australia’s under-16s social media ban took effect. The company said the total included about 330,000 Instagram accounts, 173,000 Facebook accounts and

Culture

Nip/Tuck: a raunchy medical drama to watch while you wait for The Pitt

Movieweb recommends revisiting Nip/Tuck as an ideal follow-up to The Pitt, calling it "one of the horniest medical dramas ever made" and noting the series ran for six seasons from 2003 to 2010. Written by Ryan Murphy, the show centers on two plastic surgeons, Dr. Christian Troy

Sports

U.S. names 16 skaters for 2026 Milan Winter Olympics

People reports Team USAs figure skating roster is set: on Sunday, Jan. 11, 16 athletes were named after the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in St. Louis to represent the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan next month. The delegation comprises three men, three women, three

World

India and Bangladesh Relations Strained as Elections Near and Sports Boycott Looms

A simmering dispute between India and Bangladesh has escalated into diplomatic protests and what officials and sports bodies describe as a near sports boycott between the neighbors, who share one of the world’s largest land borders. The rift widened after the 2024 overthrow of Sheikh Hasina, who fled to