The world population grew by 75 million people last year, which means you and I rang in the new year with more than 8 billion fellow humans. In the U.S. there were 1.7 million more of us — a total of 335.8 million. That's a lot of people, but we're actually on pace for the slowest decade of population growth since the Great Depression. |
Three, two, one... 8 billion! (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images) |
|
|
Buses from Texas began dropping off migrants in New Jersey this weekend instead of New York City, where last week Mayor Eric Adams ordered buses to give 32 hours' notice and drop off passengers during limited hours if more than nine people on board may need emergency shelter. Nearly all the passengers who got off in New Jersey took trains into New York. |
|
|
California's ban on residents carrying guns in most public places went into effect while a court challenge against it goes ahead. The ban, which also applies to people with concealed weapon permits, was blocked by a federal district court judge on Dec. 20 but has been held while the ruling is appealed. In Illinois, a ban went into effect on making, buying and owning semi-automatic weapons and some types of handguns. |
Some people are going to be so mad when they learn the U.N. made this gif. (Giphy) |
| |
We know this is the first workday of the year for most of you, so we're sorry to pile taxes on top of it. But we at Need2Know have only your best interest at heart, so we spoke to tax expert Karla Dennis, who shared some things to keep in mind as those W2s, 1099s and an alphanumeric soup of other forms hit your mailbox and email inbox. |
And now for a story about someone whose tax planning suddenly got a lot more interesting than any of ours: A player in Michigan has hit the $842 million Powerball jackpot — the first time anyone has won it on New Year's Day. We feel sorry for the people who won Powerball on normal, boring days. How unlucky. |
|
|
A federal appeals court temporarily blocked Mississippi from creating a state court district in Jackson, the majority-Black and largely Democratic capital. The NAACP, which requested the hold and is suing to block the law, said it undermines democracy by stripping Jackson residents from being able to directly vote for the officials who appoint the prosecutors and judges in those cases. |
|
|
7. COLLEGE FOOTBALL FINALISTS |
Late-game defensive heroics propelled two college football powerhouses to the national championship game next Monday. Washington held off a Texas rally for a 37-31 Sugar Bowl victory while Michigan stuffed Alabama's last-gasp goal-line quarterback keeper to win 27-20 in OT in the Rose Bowl. The winners meet for the national title Jan. 8 in Houston. |
QB Michael Penix Jr. was a juggernaut on offense in the Huskies' win. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) |
| |
8. THE MOVIES ARE (ALMOST) BACK |
Hollywood hasn't reached its pre-pandemic revenues north of $11 billion, but thanks in part to the phenomena of Mario, Barbenheimer and The Eras Tour, 2023 was the closest yet, with $9 billion. "We're climbing our way back," said one Warner Bros. executive, no doubt pleased at 2023 closing with WB's Wonka atop the box office. |
|
|
The first storybook version of Winnie the Pooh's friend bounced into the U.S. public domain yesterday, along with films, songs, books and loads of other creative works that will turn 96 in 2024. We recently previewed this year's Public Domain Day with its most famous entry: Mickey Mouse. The wonderful thing about Tiggers, Is Tiggers are wonderful thi— .. wait, we can't actually finish that line. The TV version is still under copyright. |
(We don't have to credit anyone for this and no one can sue us.) |
| |
10. 2024 TRENDS: FOOD & LIFESTYLE |
Have you heard of girl dinners? If not, 2024 is going to give you plenty of chances to get familiar with this elevation of the snack plate. Also: Martinis are heading back to their roots. |
|
|
Diving into the New Year like… For 121 years, some New Yorkers have been celebrating the New Year by jumping into the frigid Atlantic Ocean. While we do not understand what impels people to do such a thing, we can't help but admire them (from indoors, where we will remain). |
|
|
(Top row: Adam Gray/Getty Images. Bottom left: Adam Gray/Getty Images. Bottom right: Selçuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images.) |
|
|
|
