Culture

Schnapp asked for added scene to close Will and Mike arc in Stranger Things finale

People reports that Noah Schnapp asked series creators Matt and Ross Duffer to add a scene to the Stranger Things finale to better close Will Byers’ relationship with his longtime friend Mike Wheeler. In the penultimate episode Will came out as gay and hinted at a long-time crush on Mike,

Culture

Rosa von Praunheim, influential German filmmaker, dies at 83

Rosa von Praunheim, an avant-garde filmmaker whose work drew attention to gay life in Germany, died on Dec. 17 at his home in Berlin. He was 83. His death was first reported by Stern magazine; he had recently announced that he had an inoperable brain tumor. Von Praunheim became widely

Science

New York will phase out horseshoe crab harvest, full ban by 2029

Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation that will phase out the catch of horseshoe crabs in New York waters for bait and biomedical use over four years, beginning in 2026 and culminating in a full prohibition in 2029. The allowed catch, to be managed by the state’s Department of Environmental

World

Met Office issues snow and ice warnings as Storm Goretti approaches UK

The Met Office has issued fresh weather warnings as Storm Goretti is set to bring heavy snow to the UK later in the week, Independent.co reports. Storm Goretti, named by France’s Meteo‑France and described as the first storm of the year, is likely to cause difficult travel

Tech

ZDNET explains its testing, review and affiliate-commission practices

ZDNET says its recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. The outlet gathers data from vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent review sites, and it pores over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own

Culture

Films from 2006 Turning 20 in 2026

Collider highlights ten notable films from 2006 that turn 20 in 2026, a milestone that will prompt retrospectives and renewed attention from cinephiles. The list underscores how varied and strong 2006 was, ranging from broad comedy to prestige drama and inventive genre work. Entries include the feature-length Borat spin-off described

Culture

When to refresh or replace used potting mix

Repotting often leaves you with a pile of old potting mix and a choice about whether to throw it away, put it in the garden or reuse it in another pot. Old soil isn’t always bad soil: most potting mixes lose structure and nutrition over time but can often

Culture

Guardian recommends 15 essential PS5 games to play in 2026

The Guardian has highlighted 15 PlayStation 5 titles it recommends playing in 2026 as the console enters its sixth year, saying these are “titles we think you should have” in your PlayStation collection. The selection spans genres and scales, from Sony’s 3D platformer Astro Bot and the mind‑bending

Sports

Olivier Sarr, older brother of Alex Sarr, plays for Raptors' G League team

People reports that Olivier Sarr, the older brother of Washington Wizards star Alex Sarr, plays for the Raptors' G League affiliate after a winding path to the professional ranks. Born Feb. 20, 1999, in Niort, France, Olivier left France to play college basketball at Wake Forest before transferring to

World

China says US seizure of Maduro threatens Beijing’s interests in Venezuela

China has expressed alarm after US forces seized Venezuela’s leader, Nicolás Maduro, in an operation that has upended the government of one of Beijing’s designated “all‑weather” strategic partners in Latin America. Hours before his capture, Maduro met a Chinese delegation in the presidential palace in Caracas and

Crypto

Grayscale launches Bittensor Trust as TAO jumps nearly 10%

Beincrypto reports Bittensor’s TAO climbed nearly 10% on Tuesday after Grayscale launched the Grayscale Bittensor Trust (GTAO) on OTC Markets. The move pushed TAO above $290 and lifted 24‑hour trading volume to more than $230 million. The trust offers regulated exposure to TAO without direct custody, though shares

World

Pro‑Maduro march in Caracas as acting leader says government remains in power

A large crowd supporting the ousted president Nicolás Maduro marched through the streets of Caracas on Tuesday, demanding his release from an American jail, while Venezuela’s acting leader Delcy Rodríguez said, "The government of Venezuela runs our country," directly contradicting President Trump. The Venezuelan government appeared to

Culture

Dan Trachtenberg’s four films ranked, led by 10 Cloverfield Lane

Collider ranks Dan Trachtenberg’s four feature films, putting 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) at No. 1 and Predator: Badlands (2025) at No. 4. The roundup describes Predator: Badlands (2025) as the mildest of the recent entries, noting its PG-13 tone, lighter violence, and a Predator as the protagonist that gives

World

Latin American states condemn U.S. seizure of Maduro at OAS emergency meeting

The United States was sharply criticized on Tuesday at an emergency Organization of American States meeting in Washington after U.S. forces seized Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, and flew him to New York to face gun and drug charges, delegates said. Several countries, including Brazil, Mexico and Colombia, strongly

Business

NASA awards Wallops launch range contract to ARES Technical Services

NASA has selected ARES Technical Services Corporation of McLean, Virginia, to provide launch range operations support at the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The Wallops Range Contract has a total potential value of $339.8 million with a one-year base period expected to begin Tuesday, Feb. 10, and

Sports

VAR decisions shape Nottingham Forest’s 2-1 win over West Ham

Goal reports West Ham were beaten 2-1 by Nottingham Forest in a crucial Premier League relegation six-pointer, with two controversial VAR decisions influencing the outcome. West Ham took the lead through a Murillo own goal after 13 minutes and thought they had doubled their advantage when Crysencio Summerville finished, but

Science

Earth–Saturn alignment will make Saturn’s rings nearly disappear this weekend

This weekend the orbits of Earth and Saturn will combine to create an interplanetary optical illusion: Saturn’s rings will be all but invisible when viewed from Earth by observers with clear skies and a good telescope. Astronomers call the effect a ring‑plane crossing, which happens when the ultrathin

Culture

Lucasfilm rumored to name Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan as co-presidents

Movieweb reports that Kathleen Kennedy is rumored to step down as president of Lucasfilm in 2026 and be replaced by two co-presidents, Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan; Kennedy was appointed by George Lucas in 2012 before the company was sold to Disney. Kennedy has overseen the sequel trilogy, spin-off films

Business

Trump tariffs force U.S. board and card game publishers to cut production

Tariffs imposed by President Trump have forced many independent board and card game publishers in the United States to curb production, cut staff and delay imports, threatening the future of a small but vibrant industry. Publishers including Greater Than Games and CMON Games have curtailed production and reduced head counts

Tech

ZDNET outlines how it chose CES 2026 parenting gadget picks

ZDNET says its recommendations for parenting gadgets seen at CES 2026 are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. The site says it gathers data from vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent review sites, and pores over customer reviews to find out

Culture

Applebee’s returns $6 Mucho cocktails and unveils O-M-Cheese Burger

People reports Applebee’s is starting the year by reintroducing its Mucho Smoocho Sips — $6 cocktails — and debuting a new O-M-Cheese Burger as part of a limited menu refresh. The Mucho Smoocho Sips lineup includes the returning Tipsy Cupid, made with vodka, orange liqueur, strawberry flavors and lemon sour, and

World

UK issues widespread snow and ice warnings as Storm Goretti nears

Fresh snow and ice warnings have been issued across the UK as Storm Goretti approaches, Independent.co reports. A yellow weather warning for ice covering almost all of England and Wales will remain in place until 10am on Wednesday, and Scotland has a yellow warning for snow and ice in

Business

Client blocked from father's legacy after solicitor firm ceases trading

A client from Falmouth, Cornwall says she cannot access her late father’s legacy after the solicitor handling the probate, Samuel Phillips Law, ceased trading. Her probate application was close to being finalised when the firm sent an email this month saying it had stopped trading, the letter said. She

Culture

Gerwig’s Narnia, Villeneuve’s Dune and other films Guardian writers flag for 2026

Guardian writers have highlighted a slate of films they are most excited about for 2026, singling out Greta Gerwig’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Messiah and Charli XCX’s mockumentary The Moment among others. On Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, the piece notes Gerwig is

Culture

Peaky Blinders Reenters Netflix Top 10 Ahead of The Immortal Man Spin-Off

Collider reports that Cillian Murphy’s Peaky Blinders has climbed back into Netflix’s global top 10 as viewers rewatch the series ahead of its spin-off film. Murphy played Thomas Shelby across all six seasons of Peaky Blinders from 2013 to 2022, the British crime thriller about a gangster family