From a bird's-eye view high above St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, a stunning photograph shows the estimated 250,000 mourners who gathered for the funeral of Pope Francis. Another photo, taken at sunset from a beach in Uruguay, shows a…

Travelers who are now able to come to the United States without a visa might soon need to provide social media, email, and family history details to the Department of Homeland Security. The Trump administration has increased monitoring of international travelers. And now, Customs and Border Protection is proposing collecting five years of social media data from travelers from about roughly 40 mostly European and Asian countries who can now come to the U.S. for tourism or business for three months without visas. The public has 60 days to comment on these proposed changes.

Democrat Eileen Higgins’ victory in the Miami mayoral race marks a setback for Republican President Donald Trump. The president endorsed Higgins' rival and has touted his 2024 win in the area as evidence of his appeal in Florida and particularly among Hispanic voters. Higgins, who will be the city’s first female mayor, secured a decisive win over Trump’s pick, Emilio Gonzalez on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Higgins said she will explore legal ways to unwind an agreement that empowers police officers to conduct immigration enforcement. She emphasized affordability issues, contrasting Trump’s dismissive stance on inflation. Higgins also expressed concerns over a proposed Trump presidential library in Miami, calling it a “land giveaway.”

CBS says Tony Dokoupil will take over at the beginning of next year as anchor of its flagship “CBS Evening News” broadcast. He moves from the mornings, where he has been part of the anchor team for “CBS Mornings” since 2019. He represents the first major hire for Bari Weiss, the Free Press editor installed this fall as CBS News editor-in-chief following the network's corporate takeover by Paramount. Dokoupil faces a major challenge competing against the dominant David Muir of ABC's “World News Tonight,” which has nearly double the CBS audience. Dokoupil replaces the pairing of John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois, who both left the network recently.

Iceland's national broadcaster has announced it will boycott next year's Eurovision Song Contest due to discord over Israel's participation. This decision announced Wednesday follows similar moves by Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland and Slovenia. These countries have withdrawn after organizers refused to expel Israel over its actions in Gaza. Iceland's RÚV stated that neither joy nor peace will prevail with their participation. The walkouts have raised concerns about the future of the contest, which has been affected by the conflict in Gaza for two years. The European Broadcasting Union recently met to discuss Israel's participation but took no action to exclude any broadcaster.

Mega billionaire Elon Musk said his efforts leading the Department of Government Efficiency were only “somewhat successful” and he would not do it over again. Musk made his remarks in a friendly interview with his aide and conservative influencer Katie Miller, who is married to White House adviser Stephen Miller. Musk still broadly defended President Donald Trump’s controversial pop-up agency that Musk left in the spring before it shuttered officially last month. But Musk acknowledged how difficult it is to remake the federal government quickly and how much his businesses suffered because of his DOGE work and its lack of popularity. Musk is the Tesla and SpaceX CEO and also owns the social media platform X.

The language of politicians has become more vulgar in recent years. Leaders in both parties are openly using vulgarities. President Trump recently referred to alleged drug smugglers with an expletive during a Cabinet meeting. Vice President JD Vance and former Vice President Kamala Harris have also used to coarse language in public. Experts say this shift reflects changes in political discourse, increased media coverage, and social media's influence. On social media or other digital platforms, posts or video clips that evoke the strongest emotions are often rewarded with the most engagement.

Three years ago, Arden Cho was ready to walk away from acting. She’d landed her first lead role in the Netflix series “Partner Track” only to see it canceled after one season. Now, Cho is one of The Associated Press' Breakthrough Entertainers of 2025 after voicing the lead character Rumi in Netflix’s animated summertime hit “KPop Demon Hunters.” It's become the most-streamed movie on the platform and spawned inescapable earworms “Golden” and “Soda Pop” as its soundtrack dominated pop charts. Cho calls it her “golden moment.” She has multiple film projects lined up for next year.

Diana Ross has been named the headliner for “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.” The pop icon will perform a medley of hits, including “I’m Coming Out” and “Upside Down.” The show will feature 39 artists from locations like New York, Las Vegas, and Chicago. Other performers include Mariah Carey, Post Malone, and Demi Lovato. The event will air live on ABC on Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. EST and repeat on Hulu. Ryan Seacrest and Rita Ora will host from Times Square, with Chance the Rapper in Chicago and Rob Gronkowski in Las Vegas.

The Supreme Court is hearing arguments in a case that could make it harder for convicted murderers to show their lives should be spared because they're intellectually disabled. The justices on Wednesday are taking up an appeal from Alabama, which wants to put to death a man who lower federal courts found is intellectually disabled and shielded from execution. The Supreme Court prohibited execution of intellectually disabled people in a landmark ruling in 2002. Fifty-five-year-old Joseph Clifton Smith has been on death row roughly half his life after his conviction for beating a man to death in 1997. The issue in Smith’s case is what happens in borderline cases of intellectual disability.

The Federal Reserve will almost certainly reduce its key interest rate Wednesday, but the bigger question for financial markets and the economy is what signals Chair Jerome Powell may send regarding the central bank’s next steps. It would be the third cut in a row and bring the Fed’s key rate to about 3.6%, the lowest in nearly three years. For Americans struggling with high borrowing costs for homes, cars, and other large purchases, this year’s rate cuts could reduce those costs over time — though it’s not guaranteed.

If you’re in the market for a new vehicle, the remaining weeks of December could be a great time to buy. Several recurring industry trends converge at year-end, creating favorable conditions that can help you save money. This Edmunds article dives into the three key reasons why December often delivers the opportunity for better deals for car shoppers — and what to know to ensure you get the best one.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says officials are expected to hand their latest peace proposals to United States negotiators on Wednesday. The Ukrainian leader also says a presidential election could be held in Ukraine within three months if balloting could be made safe during wartime. His comment came after U.S. President Donald Trump called for a ballot. Zelenskyy told reporters late Tuesday that he is “ready” for an election but would need help from the U.S. and possibly Europe to ensure security for a vote to happen. He suggested that Ukraine could be ready to hold balloting in 60 to 90 days if that proviso is met.

Renewed border fighting between Thailand and Cambodia is showing no signs of stopping. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced in both countries and have sought refuge in temporary shelters. A Thai military spokesperson on Wednesday reported about 400,000 people have been evacuated and around 700 schools closed. Cambodia has evacuated more than 127,000 villagers. Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has vowed to continue fighting. Cambodia’s Senate President Hun Sen has promised a fierce response. The conflict follows a skirmish Sunday that derailed a ceasefire U.S. President Donald Trump had promoted to end similar fighting in July over territorial claims.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has welcomed a groundbreaking social media ban for children under 16 as families taking back power from tech giants. The ban took effect on Wednesday.  Albanese has acknowledged the challenges of implementation but emphasized the importance of protecting children. Platforms, including Facebook and TikTok, face hefty fines if they fail to comply. Australia's eSafety Commissioner will monitor compliance and report by Christmas on whether the ban is working. Some children have found ways to bypass the restrictions, but officials warn they will eventually be caught. The ban has sparked debate, with some families concerned about negative impacts.