X says Grok, Musk's AI chatbot, is blocked from undressing images in places where it's illegal

Here’s a look at what’s happening in the world, from major international shifts to stories hitting closer to home.

Around the globe, Venezuela's interim president is moving forward with releasing more prisoners who were detained under the Maduro government. In Greenland, the arrival of European soldiers has coincided with U.S. talks that revealed some "disagreement" about the island's future. Protests across Iran, which followed a government crackdown and a widespread internet shutdown, now seem to be winding down. Of course, media attention remains fixed on the conflicts between Israel and Hamas and between Russia and Ukraine, with plenty of coverage also dedicated to China, the Asia-Pacific region, Latin America, and Europe.

Back in the U.S., former President Trump has threatened to use the Insurrection Act to deal with protests. In other government news, immigrant visa services have been halted for 75 countries over concerns about public assistance. The government also expressed regret for wrongly deporting a college student but said the final decision still stands. Meanwhile, an investigation into a UPS plane crash in Kentucky discovered that a specific part had also failed on four other aircraft in past years. On the political front, the Democratic party is reportedly making new inroads in The Villages, a traditionally conservative stronghold in Florida.

In business and tech, Verizon finally restored its service after an outage left customers without calls or data for hours. After a push from both sides of the aisle to lower credit card interest rates, Bilt is launching new cards with a 10% rate. The Gates Foundation also announced its new $9 billion budget, along with plans to reduce its staff. In the world of AI, the Grok model is now legally banned from being used to digitally remove a person's clothing from images.

Shifting to science and health, NASA conducted its first-ever medical evacuation from space, bringing an ill astronaut safely back to Earth. In a separate mission, four other astronauts also made their return. In a fascinating discovery, archaeologists in Saudi Arabia found mummified cheetahs in a series of caves, which could offer new insights into extinct species. On the wellness front, you might notice food products labeled "GLP-1 Friendly," a new trend aimed at people taking weight-loss drugs. Doctors are also warning against the viral trend of mouth taping during sleep. At the same time, experts are recommending simpler skincare routines and highlighting how important resistance training is for postmenopausal health. For those looking for more privacy, new at-home STD tests are providing a more convenient way to get screened.

In entertainment, music streaming soared to an incredible five trillion plays in 2025, with Christian, rock, and Latin music driving much of the growth in the U.S. The Golden Globes, however, saw its audience shrink by nearly 7%, pulling in 8.7 million viewers. For music fans, John Mellencamp is getting ready to hit the road for his "Minutes to Memories" tour, where he'll be playing his classic songs. In sports, a U.S. skating duo won the national championship, but unfortunately, a passport issue will keep them out of the Olympics. A scandal is also brewing in college basketball, as former NCAA players and their associates are facing charges for allegedly fixing games. And in soccer, Samuel Eto’o has been suspended for four games by the CAF.

On a lighter note, a resident in California is trying to figure out what to do about a black bear that has decided to move in under their house. In Virginia, a raccoon caused a bit of a scene when it wandered into a liquor store. The phrase '6-7' was also officially named the most overused phrase of 2025. In a ruling that might settle some arguments, the Ohio Supreme Court decided that "boneless" chicken wings can, in fact, legally contain bones. And in Baltimore, a cyclist is turning trash into treasure by making art out of discarded hubcaps.

Finally, a gallery of the year's most powerful photographs is getting some well-deserved attention. One analysis breaks down a stunning image of a woman with a gun on a motorcycle, while another piece tells the story behind that famous AP photo of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.

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