A country on the streets Iran has been rocked by widespread protests since late December 2025, igniting unrest across cities from Tehran to Shiraz and Mashhad. What began as economic discontent has rapidly escalated into broad anti-government demonstrations that challenge the very foundations of the current regime. Rights groups report hundreds of deaths and thousands of arrests as security forces use lethal force to quell demonstrations. According to data from human rights monitors, more than 500 people have been killed and over 10,000 arrested. Reuters notes authorities haven’t released official figures, but the scale of repression is clear despite a…
Author: Bea Vaughn
After more than 26 years of nearly nonstop weekly episodes, One Piece is officially closing the curtain on its long-running season with the Egghead Island Arc and entering a brand-new phase in 2026 — but it’s not the end of the story. Final voyage of the Egghead Island Arc The One Piece anime is set to wrap up the Egghead Island Arc with its final episode in late December 2025 — marking the close of what many are calling “Season 1” of the show in its traditional broadcast format. This arc has been one of the most pivotal in years,…
The video game world is in mourning after the tragic news that Vince Zampella, one of the most influential developers in modern gaming history, has died at the age of 55. His sudden passing has shocked players and industry insiders alike — especially so close to the holidays — and has set off an outpouring of tributes reflecting on a career that reshaped first-person shooters and multiplayer experiences for millions. Who was Vince Zampella? Vince Zampella was an American video game designer whose work touched some of the biggest and most beloved franchises in gaming. Born October 1, 1970, he…
In mid-2025, news circulated widely that China formally banned access to the subscription platform OnlyFans, with state authorities labeling the service as a “corrupt Western disease” and part of an unwelcome moral influence from abroad. This move has sparked debate online and in international media about censorship, culture and digital freedom. From Great Firewall to total block Although OnlyFans was never officially offered in mainland China due to strict laws against pornographic content, tech-savvy users had occasionally accessed it anyway. For a brief period around late 2024, social media posts suggested the platform was accessible in China without a VPN,…
A calm summer evening at Sydney’s world-famous Bondi Beach turned into one of Australia’s deadliest attacks on Sunday, 14 December 2025. A father and son opened fire during a Hanukkah gathering at Archer Park beside Bondi, killing dozens and wounding many more. The event has stunned Australia and reignited urgent debates about terrorism, antisemitism and gun licensing. How it happened According to police timelines and eyewitness reports, gunshots were first reported at Archer Park near Bondi Pavilion in the early evening during a Hanukkah celebration. Two men — later identified by multiple outlets as Sajid Akram (aged about 50) and…
Netflix’s surprise agreement to buy Warner Bros Discovery’s film and TV studios and streaming arm has sent shockwaves through Hollywood and Washington. Depending on which headline you read, the deal has been reported as roughly $72–83 billion in cash-and-stock value; Reuters pegs the price at about $72 billion while other outlets report figures nearer $82–83 billion as different deal components and formats are tallied. This is one of the biggest entertainment tie-ups in decades and — if it clears regulators — a landmark moment for streaming consolidation. Why Netflix did it (and why Warner agreed to sell) Several forces pushed…
The memory market has gone from “nice-to-upgrade” to “ouch-my-build” in the space of a few months. In late 2025 we’ve seen dramatic, headline-making increases in DRAM (RAM) prices — big enough that server/cloud operators, PC builders, laptop makers and even gamers are feeling it. If you’ve noticed higher prices for DDR4/DDR5 kits, slower discounts on laptops or cloud providers warning of higher bills, you’re not imagining it. What happened? Demand for memory exploded in 2025 as hyperscalers and AI players rushed to build out data-centre capacity and buy advanced memory types (DDR5, HBM). At the same time wafer-capacity and module…
Bitcoin (BTC) recently fell from its early October peak (around US$ 126,000) to as low as the US$ 80,000 range. Ethereum (ETH) and many major alt-coins followed the downward trend, erasing much or all of their 2025 gains. The total crypto market capitalization has dropped over US$ 1 trillion in recent weeks, with losses of around 25-30% in some metrics. What’s going on? 1. Macro & risk sentiment shift Crypto is no longer isolated from macroeconomics; in fact, it’s moving with it now. 2. Leverage, liquidations & technical-weakness 3. Institutional/on-chain flows & whale behaviour 4. External shocks & geopolitical/trade risk…
Rockstar Games has officially delayed Grand Theft Auto VI, pushing its launch to November 19, 2026. The previous release date, which was May 26, 2026, has now been pushed back by about six months. According to Rockstar, the decision comes down to polishing: “These extra months will allow us to finish the game with the level of polish you have come to expect and deserve.” The company also thanks fans for their patience and support, acknowledging the “long wait”. This is the second major delay for GTA 6: originally, the game was expected in fall 2025. Why the delay? What…
Xpeng — the Chinese EV maker that keeps branching into new “physical AI” projects — has just pulled another headline-grabbing stunt: the company unveiled a next-generation humanoid called IRON at its 2025 AI Day. The demo showed a tall, human-shaped machine walking with unusually fluid posture and covered in synthetic skin. The CEO even unzipped the back to show there was no person inside after critics suggested the “robot” looked too naturally human. It’s flashy, technically interesting and also the kind of thing that makes my stomach tighten. What Xpeng actually showed (the technical highlights) From the public material and…