Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles. Today's NYT Strands puzzle could be a challenge. If you're looking for today's Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET's NYT puzzle hints page. Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So FarHint for today's Strands puzzleToday's Strands theme is: One good turn deserves another. Here are the nonspangram answers:CIRCLE, SPIN, ORBIT, WHIRL, PIROUETTE, ROTATEToday's Strands spangramThe completed NYT Strands puzzle for Dec. 31, 2025.

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Last weekend, visitors walking through Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and nearby areas found tall, bright sunflowers, deep pink desert sand-verbena, basket evening primrose and even elusive desert lilies, which thrilled photographers like myself. The go-to location for seeing wildflowers in the area is Henderson Canyon Road, just northeast of the town of Borrego Springs, and it did not disappoint. Desert sand-verbena grows in the area around Henderson Canyon Road in Borrego Springs. We did see some desert lilies off Henderson Canyon Road, but none in bloom, so we headed farther east. A desert lily grows on a small hillside just above a dry creek wash in Borrego Springs.

Post on Facebook Post on Flipboard Share on LinkedIn Post on Reddit Share on Threads Share on X Send through WhatsappShock hit markets as 2025 budget moves pushed Meta toward AR wearables. What changes for users as Meta pivots to AR glasses in 2025 and why it matters• Meta will redirect investment toward wearables, reported Dec 4, 2025, shifting priorities. How industry voices reacted to Meta’s AR pivot during the last weekTech outlets and analysts framed the announcement as a pragmatic retrenchment rather than abandonment. Industry reporting shows an uptick in product previews and developer SDK updates aimed at glasses hardware rather than sprawling virtual-world services. Expect faster iteration on AR hardware support and clearer APIs for creators, and prepare for short-term turbulence as teams shift.

Rainy days in Türkiye fall to 86 as rainfall hits lowest level in 52 yearsANKARATürkiye recorded a sharp decline in both the number of rainy days and overall precipitation in 2025, with nationwide data showing just 86 days of rainfall and the lowest annual total in more than five decades, according to official meteorological figures released by the Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Ministry. The figures show that the number of rainy days across Türkiye fell 14 percent below long-term averages, which typically stand at around 100 days per year. During this period, Türkiye’s average rainfall amounted to 422.5 kilograms per square meter. Rainfall declined in all regions, with particularly severe reductions in the south and southeast. Officials warned that the combined drop in rainfall amounts and rainy days points to heightened meteorological drought risks, with potential implications for water resources and agriculture across Türkiye.

The ball drop tradition at Times Square began in 1907, though New Year’s Eve celebrations at the venue were first held in 1904. "This proud tradition is now a universal symbol of the New Year," Times Square says on its website. Here's what to know about the annual Times Square tradition and how to watch the celebrations on CNN and streaming. Big sports events, bigger trials and movies galoreHow to watch and stream CNN's 2026 New Year's Eve special with Anderson Cooper and Andy CohenAnderson Cooper and Andy Cohen will return for the ninth consecutive year as co-hosts of CNN’s "New Year’s Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen." USA TODAY will also be streaming the New Year's Eve celebrations from Times Square live.

Atsuko Okatsuka on her signature bowl cut and finding home in comedyBeyond her vibrant wardrobe and signature bowl cut, Atsuko Okatsuka is known for turning family trauma into laughs. The comedian recalls her grandmother bringing her to the US under the guise of a vacation and jokes about an "Atsuko planet" where everyone shares her haircut. CNN’s Hanako Montgomery caught up with Okatsuka in Tokyo and shared a playful moment of copying her signature look.

A new expansion at the Hilton Garden Inn set to complete summer 2026 will bring 40 additional guest rooms, providing accommodation for more attendees of the events held at the hotel’s event center. The hotel currently has 135 rooms available, but with a 29% increase in that department, Katie Bowers, Hilton Garden Inn director of sales, said she hopes to draw more attendees to events the hotel hosts. When the Hilton Garden Inn fills all its reservations, guests reserve rooms with overflow hotels in the adjacent Blue Earth Plaza.

Beyoncé claims billionaire crown after record-breaking concert tour The Cowboy Carter Tour grossed more than $400 million in ticket sales alone, according to Pollstar, and a further $50 million in merchandise sold at the shows, according to ForbesBeyonce attends the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 02, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. ( photo credit : Johnny Nunez/Getty Images for The Recording Academy )

But when all that festive fun is over, you might suddenly find yourself with a hole in your viewing schedule. An ideal watch if you’re spending the New Year with your chosen family, and love a musical. Stream it on: NowWhen Harry Met SallyAdvertisementThere are iconic romantic comedies and then there’s the game-changing When Harry Met Sally. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan brought Nora Ephron’s screenplay to life in a big way, making When Harry Met Sally an essential watch 35 years after its first release. Given how the story reaches its height at a New Year’s Eve party, it’s also the perfect warming and wholesome way to see in 2025.

AFPNew York: US singer Beyonce is now a billionaire, Forbes magazine said on Monday, becoming only the fifth musician to achieve such a milestone. The 44-year-old entertainer joins a select club that includes her husband, rapper Jay-Z, as well as Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen and Rihanna, according to the publication, known for its rankings of the world’s richest people. In 2023, her Renaissance World Tour grossed nearly $600m. She then reinvented her musical profile in 2024 with the Grammy-winning country album “Cowboy Carter” before staging the world’s highest-grossing tour of 2025. Combining these earnings with income from her music catalogue and other deals, Forbes estimated that Beyonce brought in $148m in 2025 before taxes, making her the third highest-paid musician in the world.

CHRISTUS Health is guided by the aspirational goal of zero preventable harm, while recognizing that health care is complex and that achieving this goal requires constant learning, collaboration and improvement. Patient safety efforts focus on prevention, transparency and learning from both successes and challenges to strengthen care delivery. Six CHRISTUS Hospitals earned “A” ratings for patient safety from the Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit that evaluates hospitals across the country. These volumes underscore the CHRISTUS Health investment to accessible, high-quality care across emergency, primary, and specialized services along with our ongoing commitment to safe, reliable and high-quality care for every patient. “Patient safety is the foundation of every decision we make,” Glenney said.

There were glimpses of each Tuesday night for USC, in a brutal 30-27 Alamo Bowl overtime defeat at the hands of Texas Christian. USC had led by two scores with less than five minutes remaining, only to see its lead evaporate in that span. Though, it didn’t seem to be headed that way as TCU faced a third and 20, with its hopes hanging in the balance. USC held TCU to two straight three-and-outs — and just 11 total yards in two drives — to open the game. But this time, USC’s defense managed to salvage the mistake, forcing a three-and-out, only to find itself on the field again less than 90 seconds later.

Ripley would prove his early-season clearance was no fluke when he set a World Record of 18-1 (5.51) three weeks later in Los Angeles. He would raise the record twice more in 1976, first to 18-1 ¼ (5.52) and then to 18-2 (5.54). Confident that he was ready to jump high, Olson had the bar raised to the World Record height of 19-2 ¾ (5.86), which he cleared cleanly on his first try. It was a welcome return to form for Olson, who had set 7 World Indoor records in 1982-1983, but had struggled with injuries and illness the next two years. ), 2022 (=5th)2-time Olympic silver medalist—2021, 20242-time World Indoor Champion—2024, 20252025 Diamond League Champion2025 World Female Field Athlete of the YearCoached by Matt Horsnell since she was 11—trains at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.

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