NetflixNine years, five months, and sixteen days prior, Netflix introduced streaming audiences to Stranger Things, a nostalgic Stephen King-inspired series starring Winona Ryder and a group of previously unknown child actors. Today, those actors are stars in their own right, and Stranger Things has evolved from a niche sci-fi show into a cultural phenomenon. Yet all good things must come to an end, and we’ve long known this series would conclude in 2025. What came as a surprise, though, was the release schedule: , with the finale dropping — — in the final moments of New Year’s Eve. Now that Stranger Things has wrapped up and all is said and done, how did events unfold? How was Vecna defeated? Most crucially, who survived to tell the tale? Here’s everything you need to know about the epic two-hour finale, “The Rightside Up.”Warning! Spoilers for the Stranger Things series finale ahead! The final plan to defeat Vecna uses the WSQK radio tower as a “beanstalk” to reach the Abyss. | NetflixHow was Vecna defeated?Most of these answers emerged in the first half of the episode. The complex plan to take down Vecna by venturing into the Abyss proceeded roughly as intended, though a few snags required a last-second distraction from Murray and led to Kali’s death. Will learned what viewers of Stranger Things: The First Shadow have always known: Henry Creel was transformed into Vecna, yet even so, Henry aligned with Vecna’s worldview. The Mind Flayer was roused, and Vecna and Eleven clashed within it. For a moment, things looked hopeless, but Will’s newly discovered psychic abilities turned the tide for the Hawkins crew. In the end, though, Joyce delivered the final blow. With Vecna vanquished, only one other part of the plan remained—and it was far simpler: detonate a bomb to destroy the Upside Down once and for all. Eleven pulled Mike into her mind to bid a final farewell, then she was swept away along with the rest of the interdimensional bridge. Stranger Things Finale, Time Jump, Explained Eighteen months later, everyone is gearing up for the Class of ’89 graduation: Mike, Will, Lucas, Max, and Dustin are set to graduate, Steve now works as a coach and teacher in Hawkins, Robin’s back from Smith College, Jonathan’s returned from NYU, and Nancy left Emerson to pursue a career in journalism. Eleven appears to sacrifice herself when the Upside Down is destroyed. | NetflixAfter the graduation ceremony, all the teens gather in Mike’s basement for one final game, where they manage to summon a mage to help defeat the remaining evil. Mike’s narration about the D&D characters also hints at the players’ futures: Max and Lucas grow closer, Dustin leaves to study in vast libraries, Will moves to a big city and finds community, and Mike keeps telling stories throughout college. Naturally, Eleven’s absence is palpable, but Mike has a theory about how she might have survived—by making a pact with the dying Kali. “Together, the sisters devised a plan, a plan to protect the mage from the Order of the Black Hand, who remained hell-bent on stealing her powers,” he said. “So in order to trick them, she had to make everyone, including her friends, believe that she was dead. And so the sister cast a spell from far away. Safe from the power of the suppression stone. A spell of invisibility.” Essentially, Kali snuck Eleven out at the eleventh hour and created an illusion of her so she could disappear without a trace. Mike doesn’t know if his theory is true, but we do see Eleven—whether in reality or in Mike’s mind—climb a cliffside and gaze over three waterfalls, just as they discussed. Eventually, everyone stores their Dungeons & Dragons binders on the shelf, and before Mike leaves the basement, he watches Holly and her friends (including Derek) eagerly sit down to start their own campaign. Set to the strains of David Bowie’s “Heroes,” that’s how all five seasons of Stranger Things come to an end. While some questions were answered, plenty of open-ended moments remain up to interpretation. Thankfully, it’s no Game of Thrones finale—but now that it’s over, it’s hard not to feel like the two hours lacked surprises. For a show defined by its twists, the Stranger Things finale felt remarkably formulaic.The Stranger Things series finale is now playing on Netflix and in theaters.
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Explosive fire at Swiss Alps bar during New Year’s celebrations claims multiple lives
A devastating fire in the Swiss Alps claimed dozens of lives and left at least 100 others injured during New Year’s festivities, according to police.The blaze occurred in the area of Crans-Montana, Switzerland, police confirmed."The fire started around 1:30 a.m. this morning at a bar called 'Le Constellation,'" commented police spokesperson Gaëtan Lathion. "There were over a hundred people in the building, and we are seeing many who are injured or dead."Later, Swiss police reported that "several tens of people" are presumed dead, with around 100 individuals injured—many of them seriously. Authorities could not immediately provide more precise casualty figures.Police stated that investigators were working to determine the cause of the fire.The Valais Canton attorney general said it was too early to establish the fire’s cause, but authorities have ruled out terrorism."We’re just at the beginning of our investigation, but this is an internationally renowned ski resort with lots of tourists," Lathion noted.The number of injured people overwhelmed local medical resources, as the intensive care unit and operating theater at the regional hospital reached full capacity. Victims were transferred to other nearby hospitals, officials said.A reception center and helpline have been established for families of victims, Lathion said.Authorities urged local residents and visitors to exercise caution in the coming days to avoid accidents that could further strain emergency medical services during the busy ski season.The community lies in the heart of the Swiss Alps, roughly 25 miles north of the Matterhorn.
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EB5 United Surpasses 700+ I-526E Approvals, Reinforcing Leadership in Rural EB-5 post-RIA
MIAMI, FL, Jan 1, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - EB5 United is pleased to announce that it has surpassed 700 I-526E approvals under Rural Priority Processing, marking one of the strongest post-RIA performance records in the EB-5 industry. This milestone comes less than three months after the company announced surpassing 600 approvals on August 27, 2025, further underscoring both its leadership in Rural EB-5 Projects and the effectiveness of USCIS Priority Processing introduced under the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act (RIA) of 2022.Since 2022, EB5 United has sponsored three Rural TEA EB-5 Projects and one post-RIA Urban High Unemployment Area (HUA) Project. USCIS adjudication results clearly demonstrate the processing advantages available to investors in the Rural category. From 2022-2025, the company recorded 72 approvals in Rural Project 1 with an average processing time of 9.7 months (shortest approval: 2.8 months); 409 approvals in Rural Project 2 averaging 8 months (shortest approval: 2.7 months); and 224 approvals in Rural Project 3 averaging 11.9 months (shortest approval: 1 month). In contrast, the Urban HUA Project has received only six approvals to date, averaging 28.6 months.USCIS petition approval speed has accelerated significantly in 2025. Most of EB5 United's approvals this year have been issued in under five months, and several investors who filed in August 2025 received their approvals in under 90 days! Of all Rural I-526E petitions adjudicated across EB5 United's platform since the RIA of 2022, 76.88% have been approved within 12 months."The current processing times that we are seeing in rural projects with priority processing are incredible and unprecedented. Over 13 years in the industry, I have never seen adjudication times for I-526 or I-526E Petitions average less than 2 years, let alone 5 months. It is great to see the EB-5 program as a clear priority to USCIS today," said Brennan Sim, Global Sales, EB5 United.About EB-5 ProgramThe EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program was created in 1990 to attract foreign investment to stimulate economic growth through job creation in the United States. The program allows foreign nationals to make a qualifying investment into a new or existing U.S. commercial enterprise that creates 10 U.S. jobs to obtain a Green Card. EB-5 Investors and their families gain Permanent Residency to live and work anywhere in the United States. One EB-5 investment allows the main applicant, spouse, and any unwed children under the age of 21 to all obtain Green Cards.About EB5 UnitedEB5 United is a General Partner & Fiduciary to EB-5 Investors. Since 2011,EB5 United has helped 2,000+ investors obtain 3,000+ Green Cards for family members. They work with industry leading networks and attorneys to ensure their investors receive the best treatment possible from a Source of Funds perspective.Contact+1 424 265 9778contact@eb5united.comSOURCE: EB5United Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com
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France reportedly plans to ban children under 15 from social media starting in 2026
Local media reported on Tuesday that France intends to prohibit children under 15 from using social media and limit cellphone usage in high schools starting next year. The proposal seeks to reduce excessive screen time and protect minors from online hazards such as inappropriate content. President Macron has repeatedly pointed to social media as a contributing factor to violence among young people. "Numerous studies and reports now verify the various risks posed by adolescents’ excessive use of digital screens," a draft law stated, according to Le Monde. The document further notes that children with unregulated online access have been exposed to "inappropriate content" and may face cyber-harassment or disruptions to their sleep patterns, per the outlet. This proposal follows Australia’s lead, as the country introduced a world-first ban on social media for children under 16 in December—restricting access to platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. Macron is targeting January for Parliament to debate the proposal, with a possible implementation date of September next year, according to the local outlet. In June, Macron stated he intended to advocate for similar regulations across the European Union (EU) following a fatal school stabbing in April that shocked the nation, Reuters reported. Macron has previously taken multiple steps to digitally protect minors. However, technical challenges—including and lax enforcement—have hindered the effectiveness of these measures. Cellphones have already been banned in French elementary and middle schools since 2018, according to Le Monde. In 2023, France reportedly attempted to pass a law establishing a "digital legal age," which required parental consent for social media users under 15. This law, however, was blocked by EU regulations. In November, the European Parliament urged the EU to to address adolescent mental health issues, though final decisions rest with its member states, Reuters reported.
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China’s ‘condom tax’ triggers backlash as Beijing grapples to reverse population collapse
Starting Jan. 1, China will impose a 13% value-added tax (VAT) on contraceptives while exempting childcare services from the same tax—a move authorities say is part of a broader push to boost births as the country faces a sustained population decline, according to The Associated Press.Announced late last year, the tax overhaul removes exemptions that had been in place since 1994, when China was still enforcing its [one-child policy].Alongside the new tax on contraceptives such as condoms and birth control pills, the [government] is exempting childcare, marriage-related services and elderly care from VAT, the BBC reported.Beijing has been urging young people to marry and have children as it grapples with an aging population and sluggish economy. Official data shows China’s population has shrunk for three straight years, with about 9.54 million babies born in 2024.That figure is roughly half the number of births recorded a decade earlier—when China began easing family-size limits—according to national statistics cited by the BBC and AP.China’s population pressures have been building for years: Births fell from about 14.7 million in 2019 to roughly 9.5 million in 2024. In 2023, India officially overtook China as the world’s most populous country.The new contraceptive tax has drawn ridicule and concern in China. On social media, some users joked about stockpiling condoms before prices rise, while others argued the cost of contraception is trivial compared to raising a child, the BBC noted.“I have one child, and I don’t want any more,” Daniel Luo, a 36-year-old Henan province resident, told the BBC. He said the price increase wouldn’t change his family plans, comparing it to small subway fare hikes that don’t alter daily behavior.Others worry the policy could have unintended consequences. Rosy Zhao, who lives in the central city of Xi’an, told the BBC [the tax] could lead students or financially strained people to take risks—an outcome she called the policy’s most dangerous potential effect.Health experts echoed those concerns in AP interviews, warning higher prices could reduce contraceptive access and fuel more unintended pregnancies and [sexually transmitted infections]. In 2024, China recorded over 670,000 syphilis cases and more than 100,000 gonorrhea cases, per data from the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration.China also reports some of the world’s highest abortion numbers: Between 2014 and 2021, authorities logged 9 million to 10 million annual abortions, according to the National Health Commission. China stopped publishing abortion data in 2022.Demographers and policy analysts remain skeptical that taxing contraceptives will meaningfully raise birth rates. Yi Fuxian, a senior scientist at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, told the BBC the idea that higher condom prices would influence fertility decisions amounts to overthinking the policy.[VAT] revenue—which totaled nearly $1 trillion last year—accounts for about 40% of China’s tax collection, per BBC-cited figures.Henrietta Levin of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) described the move as symbolic, reflecting Beijing’s attempt to lift what she called “strikingly low” fertility rates. She also cautioned that many incentives and subsidies depend on heavily indebted provincial governments, raising questions about whether they can fund the measures adequately.Public health experts interviewed by the AP said the policy could disproportionately harm women, who shoulder most birth control responsibility in China. A 2022 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation study found condoms are used by about 9% of couples, while 44.2% rely on intrauterine devices, 30.5% on female sterilization, and 4.7% on male sterilization.Some women say the tax revives resentment over the government’s long history of meddling in reproductive choices. From roughly 1980 to 2015, the Communist Party enforced a one-child policy via fines, penalties and—sometimes—forced abortions, the AP reported. Children born outside the policy were sometimes denied household registration, effectively making them non-citizens.“It is a disciplinary tactic, a management of women’s bodies and my sexual desire,” Zou Xuan, a 32-year-old Jiangxi province teacher, told the AP.Concerns about further state intrusion have also emerged recently. The BBC reported that [women] have received calls from local officials asking about menstrual cycles and pregnancy plans. A Yunnan province health bureau said the information was needed to identify expectant mothers—a move critics say risks alienating the very families Beijing hopes to encourage.Levin warned such approaches could erode public trust. She told the BBC: “The [Communist] Party can’t help but insert itself into every decision that it cares about. So, it ends up being its own worst enemy in some ways.”While the government is adjusting policies once used to limit population growth, experts caution that reversing decades-long demographic trends will be far harder than raising checkout-counter prices—especially after years of policies that shaped whether families could have children.
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Iran shuts down amid protests as demonstrators storm governor’s office, crowds chant ‘Death to Khamenei’
Iran came to a virtual halt on Wednesday with businesses, universities, and government offices shutting down under a state-mandated closure during protests triggered by an escalating political and economic crisis.Online video footage distributed by the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK) reveals intense scenes in cities such as Shiraz, Isfahan, Kermanshah, and Tehran.The videos show protesters shouting anti-government slogans and facing off against security forces on packed streets.The footage captured sounds of screaming and what appeared to be gunfire, as demonstrators hurled objects and chanted, "Death to the Dictator" and "Proud Arakis, support, support."Further footage from MEK shows crowds yelling, "Death to Khamenei!" and "Shame on you, shame on you!" as fury seems to be spreading nationwide, notably through bazaar-driven demonstrations in Tehran.Among the most striking incidents occurred in Fasa, a city in south-central Iran. Videos shared online depict demonstrators throwing objects at a government compound's gates and shaking them until they gave way.Opposition groups also stated that protesters breached the governor's office, leading Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces to fire shots, per .Military helicopters were observed hovering over the city, seemingly to intimidate locals and stop the unrest from expanding.In Kermanshah, western Iran, footage shows bazaar merchants challenging security forces while shouting, "Dishonorable, dishonorable."The single-day closure impacted 21 of Iran's 31 provinces, including Tehran, as President Masoud Pezeshkian attempted to control rising public outrage driven by and deteriorating living conditions. with security forces persisted for a fourth straight day in cities throughout the nation.The unrest has occurred alongside a series of high-level that have increased uncertainty.On Wednesday, Pezeshkian named Abdolnaser Hemmati, a former economy minister, as the following Mohammad Reza Farzin's resignation.State media cited the president as recognizing the position was "extremely difficult and complex," cautioning that the new central bank head would encounter severe pressure and criticism during continued economic upheaval, according to .Meanwhile, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared the appointment of IRGC Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi as deputy commander-in-chief of the Revolutionary Guards.
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Video of Putin residence attack slammed; US officials say Ukraine did not target the leader
The Russian Defense Ministry on Wednesday released nighttime footage that it said showed wreckage from a Ukrainian drone intercepted during an attempted strike on a residence used by President Vladimir Putin.The video, filmed in a snow-covered, forested area in Russia, shows a Russian serviceman standing over debris that Moscow said belongs to a drone.Russian officials also said the drone was shot down before it could strike its target in the Novgorod region and was carrying a six-kilogram explosive device that failed to detonate.The footage was released as Moscow faced mounting skepticism over its account of events.It was reported Wednesday that U.S. national security officials concluded Ukraine did not target Putin or any of his residences in the alleged drone incident.The report said the finding was supported by a CIA assessment that determined no attempted attack on Putin occurred, citing a U.S. official briefed on the intelligence.Instead, Ukraine was believed to be targeting a military site it had previously struck in the same region but not near Putin's residence, the official said.Ukrainian officials have continued to reject the allegations, with a military drone expert claiming the video provided little evidence of an attempted strike on one of Russia's most heavily secured locations."This footage, unfortunately, does not offer proof of anything other than that there is a wrecked drone on the ground somewhere being stood over by a Russian serviceman," CEO Cameron Chell told Digital.Chell, whose firm supplies drones to the U.S. Department of Defense and its allies, said the drone shown in the video looked ill-suited for such a mission."The attacks that occurred on Dec. 29 were also hundreds of kilometers away," he added."The engines on the drone in this new footage are very small, and though capable of multiple hours of flight with the type of fixed-wing drone displayed, it would be extremely slow and unsophisticated."This drone is not untypical of many Ukraine drones, but these would only be used for infrastructure targets and woefully ineffective in an attack on a facility the likes of Putin's residence," Chell concluded.Ukraine's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi also dismissed the footage as "laughable," saying Kyiv was "absolutely confident that no such attack took place," according to reports.Russia alleges the drone was part of a wave targeting Putin's residence earlier this week.Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov asserted 91 drones had been intercepted en route to Putin's residence, a figure that appeared to conflict with earlier Defense Ministry statements.The ministry initially reported that 89 drones were shot down across eight regions, including 18 over Novgorod, before revising the numbers upward.Only after Lavrov's remarks did the Defense Ministry claim that 49 drones intercepted over Bryansk — nearly 300 miles from Valdai — were also targeting the presidential residence.The ministry initially reported that 89 drones were shot down across eight regions, including 18 over Novgorod, before revising the numbers upward.The timing of the allegations has also drawn scrutiny, coming shortly after what Moscow described publicly as a positive meeting between President Trump and Zelenskyy in Florida.Zelenskyy also called the allegations a "complete fabrication," saying it was designed to justify further Russian strikes and undermine diplomatic efforts.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected Ukraine's denials and said Moscow would toughen its diplomatic stance.Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.