Sydney's famous New Year's Eve fireworks dazzle again as Australia welcomes in 2026 | AP

A pall is hanging over the holiday season in Lexington, Nebraska, where the Tyson beef plant, by far the largest employer in small town, is set to lay off 3,200 people when the company closes the facility on Jan. 20, after three decades of operation. | AP

A Powerball ticket purchased at a gas station outside Little Rock, Arkansas, won a $1.817 billion jackpot just before Christmas. | AP

Incoming New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani will make history as the city's first mayor to take the oath of office on a Quran. He will also be the first Muslim, South Asian, and African-born mayor. | AP