Disney’s “Zootopia 2” dominated the Thanksgiving box office, earning$156 million domesticallyand $400 million internationally for a $556 million global debut. The animated sequel set multiple records, including the largest global opening for an animated film ever and the fourth-biggest worldwide debut in history, trailing only “Avengers: Endgame,” “Infinity War,” and “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”
Why the Sequel Is a Hit
Directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard, “Zootopia 2” reunites a rabbit police officer (Ginnifer Goodwin) and a con-artist fox (Jason Bateman) as they investigate a mysterious new reptile in the city. The film’s PG rating, established brand, and family-friendly appeal contributed to its massive draw.
Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman said, “The incredible response reflects both its worldwide appeal and the remarkable work of our filmmakers and cast.”
Record-Breaking Numbers
Global Achievements:
Highest animated global opening of all time
Largest Walt Disney Animation international launch ever
Biggest animated sequel debut worldwide
U.S. Achievements:
Second-biggest Thanksgiving Day gross ($28 million)
Highest animated opening ever for a non-local title
Fourth-highest international opening of all time
Disney’s Bounce Back
After a summer of underperforming releases, “Zootopia 2” gives Disney a major box office win. With “Avatar: Fire and Ash” scheduled for December, the studio looks set to end 2025 on a high note.
The memo, written Friday by Dr. Vinay Prasad, said FDA staff found the deaths to have a “likely, probable, or possible” connection to vaccination. But the agency has not explained how those conclusions were reached, and the findings have not been made public or reviewed by outside experts.
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary told Fox News over the weekend that the agency intends to release information about the cases — material he says the Biden administration did not previously share.
“It makes a mockery of science if we’re just going to rubber-stamp things with no data,” Makary said, while also noting that the COVID vaccine “was amazing for people at risk and for older people.”
The memo surfaced days after the CDC dropped its universal COVID vaccine recommendation, shifting toward a more targeted approach.
Experts Say FDA Must Produce Evidence
Public health experts across the U.S. expressed alarm at the lack of supporting data.
Dorit Reiss, a professor at UC Law San Francisco who studies federal regulatory processes, criticized Prasad for proposing changes to vaccine review protocols based on an unpublished and unvetted internal review.
“Dr. Prasad is not suggesting a deliberative process to assess next steps, as was FDA’s usual practice,” she wrote. “It’s more problematic given that Dr. Prasad’s expertise is not in vaccines.”
Dr. Amesh Adalja of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security said the memo contains “no actual medical data” that could justify linking the children’s deaths to vaccination.
“To make such a claim, one would need to know basic things such as age, vaccine type, underlying conditions, and what analysis was done to establish causality,” Adalja told ABC News.
He warned the statement could fuel misinformation: “It will only serve to increase anti-vaccine sentiment and further politicize an issue that should not be politicized.”
Questions Loom as Agencies Stay Silent
ABC News contacted both the FDA and the Department of Health and Human Services for comment. Neither has released additional details about the children’s deaths or the internal review cited in the memo.
With no publicly available data, the episode has intensified tension around U.S. vaccine oversight, raising concerns from both vaccine experts seeking transparency and parents looking for reliable guidance.
If you want, I can create a shorter social-media-optimized version, a TV script version, or a more analytical angle for an opinion column.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Sunday confirmed that she authorized the deportation of Venezuelan detainees to El Salvador—even after a federal judge ordered the flights to stop. Speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Noem said the decision was hers alone.
“The decisions that are made on deportations, where flights go, and when they go are my decision,” she told host Kristen Welker. “We will continue to do the right thing and ensure that dangerous criminals are removed.”
The Justice Department revealed in recent court filings that Noem instructed officials to continue the removals to a Salvadoran megaprison while the courts review whether the Trump administration defied a lawful order. District Judge James Boasberg had orally instructed authorities to return more than 100 Venezuelan detainees to the United States.
The administration insists it wasn’t obligated to follow that directive, arguing the judge’s oral order lacked binding force at the time.
The Alien Enemies Act at the Center of the Fight
This spring, President Trump invoked the 18th-century Alien Enemies Act to expedite deportations of Venezuelan nationals, framing it as part of what he calls the largest removal operation in American history.
DOJ’s latest filing says Noem believed she was acting within the bounds of the law when she authorized transferring detainees already removed from the U.S. to Salvadoran custody. “The decision was lawful,” the filing states, describing it as a reasonable interpretation of the court’s instruction.
Migrants Released After Prisoner Swap
The Venezuelan detainees held in El Salvador were released over the summer and later transferred to Venezuela in a wide-reaching prisoner exchange between the two countries.
Boasberg has already found probable cause to begin contempt proceedings over the deportations. That process was on hold until an appeals court ruled last week that the judge could move forward.
Legal Battle Continues
The underlying lawsuit—brought by the American Civil Liberties Union—challenges the administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act. Judge Boasberg is still weighing the case.
Noem stood by the administration’s approach.
“I’m proud of President Trump, and his leadership, and the decisions that we have made,” she said.
If you’d like, I can create an even shorter version, a version with more political context, or one tailored for social media.
Most American parents have probably worried about their kid’s screen time. But in Australia, the debate has escalated into something far more dramatic: a nationwide ban on social media for anyone under 16. And as Australia prepares to enforce the first law of its kind among major Western countries, U.S. policymakers, tech companies, and parents are paying close attention.
The question now is unavoidable: Is this a preview of what could happen in the United States?
What Australia Is Doing — and Why It Matters to Americans
Starting December 10, Australia will require major platforms — including Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, and Facebook — to block or remove all users under 16, threatening multimillion-dollar fines for noncompliance.
It’s one of the strictest tech regulations ever directed at kids, and it lands just as more U.S. states are considering their own versions of youth social media restrictions. At least 20 states have already passed laws targeting social media and minors, but none go as far as an outright ban.
That’s why researchers, lawmakers, and parent groups across the U.S. are watching closely. Australia is about to run the world’s biggest real-time experiment in raising the digital age — and its results could shape American policymaking.
Why American Families Should Pay Attention
Australia’s decision stems from concerns familiar to many U.S. parents:
• Rising teen anxiety and depression • Online bullying • Sexual exploitation and predatory behavior • Algorithm-driven addiction • Disrupted sleep, attention, and development
If Australia sees improvements in youth mental health — or even a cultural shift toward offline play, socializing, and schooling — expect American lawmakers to seize that evidence quickly.
Platforms, meanwhile, may soon roll out age-verification technology globally, not just in Australia.
What U.S. Teens Can Learn from Down Under
Many Australian teens are devastated. Creators fear losing hard-earned followings. Students worry about losing contact with friends. Some are trying to find loopholes.
Others — especially those who’ve already quit social media — are seeing it as a rare chance to hit reset.
Their reaction mirrors America’s divided culture around youth tech:
Some kids need the break. Some kids rely on online communities for support. Most kids feel both.
That same complexity exists in the U.S., where vulnerable teens use social media to find identity-affirming spaces but also report harmful content and conflict.
Could This Happen in the U.S.?
Not immediately — but momentum is building.
• Utah, Arkansas, and Texas have passed laws requiring parental consent for social media accounts. • Congressional proposals are gaining bipartisan support, including federal age-verification mandates. • Dozens of lawsuits accuse Meta, TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat of designing addictive platforms that harm children.
If Australia’s law appears effective — or even politically popular — it could accelerate similar efforts in the U.S., especially as both parties search for child-safety wins heading into future election cycles.
The Gap That Should Worry American Parents: Gaming
Australia’s ban does not include gaming or chat-based platforms like Roblox, Discord, or Steam — all extremely popular among American kids.
U.S. educators warn that predators often use these platforms precisely because they’re less regulated.
Australia’s experience may spark parallel conversations here: If we regulate social media, do we also need to regulate gaming?
Why Silicon Valley Is Nervous
American tech companies will be forced to implement new age checks, moderation tools, and parental controls for Australia — and they tend to scale new systems globally to save costs.
That means U.S. users could soon see:
• more aggressive age verification • stricter parental control dashboards • reduced features for minors • content restrictions inspired by Australia’s policy
The U.S. tech industry is watching Australia like a stress test — and preparing for ripple effects.
A Global Turning Point
For decades, America has led the world in shaping the internet. But now, the biggest policy experiments are happening elsewhere — especially in Australia and the EU.
Australia’s under-16 ban may be remembered as the moment lawmakers decided youth mental health mattered more than Silicon Valley’s business model. Or it may spark backlash, lawsuits, and workarounds that show the limits of tech regulation.
Either way, its impact won’t stop at Australian borders.
A Year of No Social Media: The Big Question
Australian 14-year-old Maxine, who already quit social media, says she’s looking forward to “a year of peace and silence.”
Her perspective raises the underlying question that resonates across America: What would happen if U.S. teens had a year to unplug?
Would mental health improve? Would connection suffer? Would kids rediscover offline childhood — or just find new online escapes?
Russia launched a deadly overnight drone strike on Kyiv, killing at least one person and injuring 19, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Residential buildings in the Vyshhorod area were heavily damaged as emergency crews worked through the night.
“Such attacks happen every day,” Zelenskyy said, emphasizing the strain on Ukraine’s defenses as Russia escalates its aerial campaign.
Delegation Travels to Florida for High-Stakes Negotiations
The attack coincided with Zelenskyy’s top advisers traveling to the United States for key discussions with the Trump administration on a proposed peace plan. The delegation is expected to meet in Florida with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner.
Witkoff is then scheduled to visit Moscow next week to present the U.S. proposal to Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, skepticism remains high; Putin has repeatedly suggested that talks with Zelenskyy are “pointless,” raising doubts about whether any plan acceptable to Kyiv could win his approval.
Contentious Issues Remain Unresolved
This round of talks follows earlier negotiations in Geneva, where a 28-point U.S. plan was trimmed to 19 points but left major sticking points unsettled—particularly whether Ukraine might cede territory and whether it could pursue future NATO membership.
The Ukrainian delegation is led by National Security Council head Rustem Umerov. His role comes amid political turbulence at home, including the resignation of Zelenskyy’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak following a corruption scandal.
Intensifying Air Campaign Sparks Urgency
Zelenskyy said Russia has launched roughly 1,400 drones, 66 missiles, and over a thousand aerial bombs in the past week alone, underscoring the growing pressure as peace talks advance.
“This is why we must strengthen Ukraine’s resilience every single day,” he said, calling for continued air-defense support and “real, reliable solutions” to bring the war to an end.
Vanessa Hudgens has announced the birth of her second child with her husband, professional baseball player Cole Tucker. The actress shared the news on Instagram with a photo from her hospital bed, smiling as she held Tucker’s hand.
“Well… I did it. Had another baby! What a wild ride labor is,” she wrote, adding a tribute to mothers and “what our bodies can do.”
Fans Celebrate the Growing Family
Hudgens and Tucker, who welcomed their first child in July 2024, were quickly flooded with congratulations from fans. Cole responded to her post with three red heart emojis.
Speculation about the birth had already begun after Hudgens shared a photo without her baby bump, prompting followers to guess that the baby had arrived.
A Look Back at the Announcement
The couple, married since 2023, revealed they were expecting again when Hudgens posted a glowing maternity photo in July. Earlier this year, she spoke openly about wishing for more privacy after paparazzi captured her leaving the hospital following her first child’s birth.
Postpartum Moment Captured
Following her latest delivery, photos circulated of Hudgens being wheeled out of the hospital while holding her newborn, dressed comfortably in a black jumpsuit with her hair pulled back.
The couple now celebrates life as a family of four, receiving love and support from fans around the world.
By early Sunday morning, more than 450 U.S. flights had been canceled, according to FlightAware, with Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport facing the heaviest setbacks. O’Hare alone recorded 179 cancellations, including 110 departing flights, after already enduring more than a thousand cancellations and delays on Saturday.
Record Snowfall in Chicago
Snowfall at O’Hare reached 8.4 inches by midnight, breaking the city’s previous November daily record of 8.0 inches set in 1951. Across the Chicago metro area, totals ranged from 7 to 10 inches, creating hazardous conditions for travelers and residents.
Broader Weather Impacts
The FAA warned that heavy snow and ice across the Upper Great Lakes, combined with thunderstorms in the Southern Plains, would continue to affect operations on one of the busiest travel weekends of the year.
Millions heading home from Thanksgiving are likely to face continued delays as the storm system moves east.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — After a stormy start to Sunday, a strong cold front has made it off the coast putting an end to the storms.
Cloudy, breezy and chilly conditions will follow. Temperatures on Sunday will drop in the 40s all day. The winter-like air will continue when we go back to work and school on Monday with temperatures staying in the 40s. Rain returns on Monday as well as we track low pressure developing in the Gulf.
What should we expect Sunday and Monday behind the cold front?
It’s going to feel like winter has arrived! Sunday it will be cloudy, cold, and windy with a small chance of lingering rain showers behind the front. Temperatures will hover in the 40s most of the day. Monday will be even colder with widespread rain showers. The rain will likely keep our temperatures trapped in the 40s all day, so it will be a rude welcome back to work and school after the long holiday weekend.
How long will the cold air stick around?
It will stay chilly through Tuesday, then warm slightly Wednesday and Thursday as the mild Gulf breeze returns.
When else could it rain this week?
Another rainmaker looks to blow in Thursday and depart on Friday. For now we have a 60% chance of thunderstorms on Thursday and a 40% chance of showers on Friday.
When could we get our first freeze?
We have no freezing weather in forecast over the next 10 days, and long range signals indicate we probably have to wait until mid December at the earliest for a chance of freezing weather in Houston. On average, Houston historically gets its first freeze during the second week of December.
Visitors can stroll through 11 uniquely themed holiday villages across Downtown’s North and South Poles. Favorites such as Tinsel Town, Winter Wonderlawn, Ice @ Discovery Green, Peppermint Plaza, and Texas Winter Lights return with immersive lights, decorated trees, photo-friendly surprises, and new festive touches. Most villages are free, only Winter Wonderlawn, Texas Winter Lights, Astros Light up the Park, and the Ice Rink at Discovery Green require a ticket purchase.
Ice @ Discovery Green (Discovery Green) – ticket purchase required.
Peppermint Plaza (Avenida Plaza) – free
Land of Sweets (Hilton Americas) – free
Twinkle Town (Trebly Park) – free
For more details on activations at each village, schedules, purchasing tickets, parking, a map and more, go here.
Entrance to Winter Wonderlawn requires a ticket.
A Holiday Tradition for the City
City Lights Downtown Holiday Magic brings together local organizations, arts partners, and businesses to create a joyful, family-friendly celebration. With glowing installations, seasonal music, and plenty of sparkling moments, the event marks the start of a magical holiday season in the heart of Houston.
Downtown Houston is glowing brighter than ever as City Lights Downtown Holiday Magicreturns with eleven festive villages — and this year, one dazzling newcomer is stealing the show. Astros Light Up the Park, presented by Methodist and hosted at Daikin Park, transforms the home of the Houston Astros into a full-scale holiday lights experience perfect for families, fans, and anyone ready to step into the spirit of the season.
A Holiday Home Run at Daikin Park
Astros Light Up the Park invites visitors to wander through 12 immersive light exhibits celebrating the ballclub and the city that loves them. From northern-lights-inspired tunnels to Houston landmark displays and baseball-themed wonderlands, every corner feels like a chapter in a sparkling Astros story.
The centerpiece is a winter scene complete with gentle snowfall swirling around a massive holiday tree built from oversized baseball ornaments — a whimsical twist that blends sports pride with seasonal magic. Interactive installations and photo-ready moments at every turn keep fans of all ages entertained. A portion of the proceeds benefits the Astros Foundation, extending the holiday cheer into the greater Houston community.
Eleven Villages, One Connected Holiday Adventure
While Astros Light Up the Park headlines the season’s festivities, the full City Lights experience offers a holiday playground stretching across Downtown. Visitors can explore:
Winter Wonderlawn at POST Houston, a rooftop winter escape glowing with thousands of lights and skyline views.
Tinsel Town at Market Square Park, filled with free family activities, Santa photos, and nightly entertainment.
Deck the Trees at Alley Theatre, where artist-designed holiday trees accompany the theater’s seasonal productions.
Jingle Town at Lynn Wyatt Square, blending live performances, cocoa, crafts, and pre-show fun.
City Hall-iday Lights, presenting the annual tree lighting celebration hosted by Mayor John Whitmire and Reliant.
Texas Winter Lights at Marriott Marquis, a rooftop Texas-style winter wonderland with snowfall, music, and photo ops.
Ice @ Discovery Green, the city’s beloved outdoor ice rink with themed skate nights and a new custom light display.
Peppermint Plaza at the George R. Brown Convention Center, showcasing an artistic tree exhibition and live holiday performances.
Land of Sweets at Hilton Americas–Houston, dressed in sparkling lights and featuring a life-size Disneyland-themed chocolate installation.
Twinkle Town at Trebly Park, complete with a Candy Cane Tunnel, Texas’ largest mistletoe ball, pet photos with Santa, and hands-on holiday workshops.
Together, these villages turn Downtown Houston into a walkable winter escape, connected by METRORail’s festive Holiday Express, Park Once zones, and even new “Reindeer Rides” — complimentary electric vehicle shuttles on select nights.
A Season to Explore
With sights, sounds, flavors, and lights stretching across the city center, Houston’s holiday season promises an experience sweeter and brighter than ever. But for Astros fans and festive explorers alike, Astros Light Up the Park at Daikin Park is the must-see attraction that brings hometown magic to life — one glowing pitch at a time.
