Agnes Keleti, the world’s oldest living Olympic medalist, passed away at 103 in Budapest. A highly successful Jewish athlete, she won ten Olympic medals—five gold—in gymnastics during the 1952 and 1956 Games, overcoming the interruption of her career by World War II and the Holocaust. After surviving the war in hiding, she competed for Hungary before seeking asylum in Australia and eventually immigrating to Israel where she coached gymnastics. Her remarkable life spanned incredible athletic achievement and the enduring strength of a Holocaust survivor.
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Apple will pay $95 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging its Siri assistant illegally recorded and shared users’ private conversations with third parties, such as advertisers. The settlement, covering a class period from September 2014 to December 2024, includes payouts of up to $20 per Siri-enabled device. While Apple denies wrongdoing, the plaintiffs claim unintentional Siri activations led to the unauthorized recording and targeted advertising. A similar lawsuit against Google is currently pending.
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On New Year’s Day, four suspects opened fire on a crowd of 15 outside a Queens concert hall, injuring ten teenagers attending a vigil for a recently deceased 16-year-old. The suspects, who police believe are gang-affiliated, fled in a light-colored sedan with New Jersey plates. All victims are expected to recover from non-life-threatening injuries, and authorities are urging anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers. The incident, while seemingly isolated to the venue, has prompted renewed calls for stricter gun control measures.
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Tesla’s fourth-quarter 2024 deliveries totaled 495,570 vehicles, falling short of analyst expectations and marking the company’s first annual decline in deliveries with 1,789,226 total vehicles delivered in 2024. Production for the quarter reached 459,445 vehicles. This news caused a significant drop in Tesla’s stock price. The lower-than-expected results follow a strong year for Tesla stock, which saw a 63% increase in 2024, but contrasts with CEO Elon Musk’s prediction of continued, albeit slower, sales growth.
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Federal agents, alongside the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau, executed search warrants at multiple locations, including the home of former NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey, as part of a joint investigation into allegations of sexual harassment and extortion. Maddrey, who resigned after being accused of demanding sexual favors from a subordinate in exchange for overtime opportunities, denies any wrongdoing, claiming a consensual relationship. These actions follow similar investigations into other high-ranking NYPD officials and are part of a broader inquiry into alleged misconduct within the department. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office is also involved in investigating these serious allegations.
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Jocelyne Wildenstein, the Swiss socialite known as “Catwoman” for her extensive plastic surgery, passed away peacefully in her sleep at age 84. Her partner, fashion designer Lloyd Klein, announced her death on December 31st, 2024. Wildenstein gained notoriety for her dramatic transformation and the highly publicized, multi-billion dollar divorce settlement from her art-dealer husband, Alec Wildenstein. She leaves behind a legacy of both extravagant wealth and a unique public image shaped by her extensive cosmetic surgeries and bold personality.
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Eleven Illinois teenagers face felony charges for allegedly luring and attacking two men using dating apps in separate incidents. Inspired by a viral social media trend, the teens beat the victims and damaged their vehicles. Charges include aggravated battery, criminal damage to property, mob action, and, in one case, hate crimes due to the use of racial slurs. All eleven juveniles turned themselves in and are currently detained in Cook County Juvenile Detention Center.
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A Tesla Cybertruck rented via Turo exploded outside a Trump hotel in Las Vegas, killing the driver, Matthew Livelsberger, a US army veteran, and injuring seven bystanders. The vehicle was found to contain fireworks, fuel, and gas canisters. Investigations are underway, exploring a potential link between this incident and a similar New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans, also involving a Turo-rented vehicle and a former military member. The FBI is pursuing leads across multiple states and internationally.
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Seventeen US states now mandate age verification for accessing online pornography, impacting major platforms like Pornhub. These laws, requiring state-issued ID, raise privacy concerns, prompting Aylo, the parent company of several adult websites, to withdraw service from these states. The increased demand for VPNs to circumvent these restrictions highlights the impact of the legislation. Furthermore, potential future restrictions under a Trump administration, as outlined in the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 plan, could lead to even stricter measures, including potential criminalization of pornography.
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A New Year’s Eve fireworks accident in Honolulu resulted in three fatalities and over 20 injuries, some critical. The incident involved a large, illegal firework “cake” that tipped over, causing a massive explosion that sent shrapnel into the surrounding area. Authorities are investigating the incident and considering stricter penalties for illegal fireworks use, citing the severity of the injuries and the chaotic scene. A fourth fireworks-related death occurred separately on Oahu, highlighting the dangers of illegal pyrotechnics.
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John Q. Hosedrinker