The public will be able to copy and reproduce thousands of copyrighted works from 1930 in the new year, including flirtatious flapper Betty Boop,nine additional Mickey Mouse cartoons and novels from Agatha Christie and William Faulkner.
Why it matters: Copyright violations can run up a hefty price tag — but when works enter the public domain, creatives can legally reimagine American classics.
The Trump administration will lay out its construction plan for the new White House ballroom at a planning commission meeting next month.
Why it matters: The "information presentation" is the first step of the National Capital Planning Commission's review process, and it will be the first time commissioners get to question the president's controversial plans after bulldozing the East Wing.
The U.S. is undergoing its fastest religious shift in modern history, marked by a rapid increase in the religiously unaffiliated and numerous church closures nationwide.
Why it matters: The great unchurching of America comes as identity and reality are increasingly shaped by non-institutional spiritual sources — YouTube mystics, TikTok tarot, digital skeptics, folk saints and AI-generated prayer bots.
Jimmy Kimmel used his Christmas Day message to U.K. viewers Thursday to declare victory for free speech over President Trump's calls to cancel his talk show.
The big picture: British public broadcaster Channel 4 selects a high-profile figure to deliver an alternative to the British monarch's annual Christmas message — and Kimmel admitted in his that he has "no idea" what's going on in the U.K. but said "tyranny is booming" in the U.S., per a transcript published online.
Christmas doesn't end at the tree — for many, it ends at the return counter.
Why it matters: Americans return tens of billions of dollars' worth of unwanted Christmas gifts every year, turning good intentions into one of retail's biggest annual money sinks.
Last Christmas, we showed you how people would use AI in their daily lives. This year, to save you from tears, we're telling you how they're choosing not to use it.
Why it matters: AI is reshaping how people work and create, but many are making deliberate choices about when to leave it on the sidelines.
The weight-loss drug boom is creating a whirlwind of uncertainty for the fitness industry around a very basic question: Will GLP-1 users work out more or less?
Why it matters: About 1 in 8 U.S. adults have already taken the medications, whether for diabetes or weight loss purposes, according to the KFF Health Tracking Poll in May 2024 — and it's expected to keep surging.
Powerball's $1.817 billion Christmas Eve jackpot was won by a single ticket sold in Arkansas, lottery officials said Thursday.
Why it matters: The win caps one of the largest jackpot runs in U.S. lottery history and delivers a rare Christmas Eve payout — turning a $2 ticket into a life-changing windfall.
Photo illustration: Maura Kearns/Axios; Photos: Kypros/Getty Images, Joe Schildhorn/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
Over a million more potential Epstein documents have been handed over to the Department of Justice for review and possible release, the DOJ said Wednesday.
Why it matters: The announcement mid-afternoon on Christmas Eve comes as the DOJ faces scrutiny for not releasing all records related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein before a Dec. 19 congressionally mandated deadline that President Trump signed into law.
