Zuckerberg says Meta is ditching fact-checkers for community-driven oversight
Meta announced Tuesday, Jan. 7, that it will replace its third-party fact-checking program with a community-driven system called Community Notes. The change will begin rolling out in the United States on Facebook, Instagram and Threads, with plans for global implementation in 2025, according to CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
In a video statement, Zuckerberg explained that the transition is aimed at simplifying policies, reducing moderation errors and prioritizing free expression. He criticized the existing fact-checking system as overly complicated, leading to errors that impacted millions of users.
“So we’re going to get back to our roots and focus on reducing mistakes, simplifying our policies, and restoring free expression on our platforms. More specifically, here’s what we’re going to do,” Zuckerberg said. “First, we’re going to get rid of fact checkers and replace them with community notes similar to X starting in the U.S.”
Meta’s fact-checking initiative, launched in 2016, involved partnerships with independent organizations certified by the International Fact-Checking Network and the European Fact-Checking Standards Network. These groups reviewed flagged content, assessed its accuracy and assigned ratings such as “False,” “Altered” or “Missing Context.”
Under the outgoing system, flagged posts had their visibility reduced while users received notifications before sharing inaccurate content. Repeat offenders faced penalties, including reduced reach and restrictions on monetization. Zuckerberg said the complexity of the system led to unintended consequences.
“So we built a lot of complex systems to moderate content. But the problem with complex systems is they make mistakes even if they accidentally censor just 1% of posts. That’s millions of people. And we’ve reached a point where it’s just too many mistakes in too much censorship,” Zuckerberg said.
Community Notes, modeled after a similar feature implemented by X, will rely on user contributions to flag and add context to posts. Meta plans to refine the system in the United States before expanding it globally. The company described the move as part of an effort to enhance transparency and involve users more directly in content moderation.
Meta emphasized that strict oversight will remain for content related to terrorism, child exploitation and drug-related issues. While the company acknowledged concerns about the potential for increased misinformation, it expressed confidence that refinements to Community Notes will mitigate these risks.
At least 95 killed in 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Tibet
A powerful earthquake proves deadly in East Asia on Tuesday morning. And winter weather pounds the United States from the Great Plains to the East Coast. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025.
7.1 magnitude earthquake kills at least 95 in Tibet
At least 95 people are dead Tuesday after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake rocked Tibet, China, according to Chinese state media. The quake occurred just after 9 a.m. on Jan. 7 near Shigatse, one of Tibet’s holiest cities.
The quake reached a depth of 6.2 miles, damaging buildings and sending people running to the streets in neighboring Nepal and India. Cities as far away as Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital city about 240 miles away, felt tremors.
The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake at a magnitude of 7.1, while the China Earthquake Networks Center reported it at 6.8. Multiple aftershocks followed the initial quake.
In addition to the dozens of lives lost, local authorities said the disaster injured at least 130 people.
First winter storm of 2025 leaves at least 4 dead across multiple states
The system moved east on Monday, Jan. 6, from the Great Plains to the East Coast. It brought snow, blizzard conditions and ice. The storm hit cities like Kansas City and Cincinnati the hardest.
Authorities said a public works employee in Missouri suffered a fatal injury while working to remove snow. Two people in Wichita, Kansas, died in a weather-related crash, and one person in Houston, Texas, most likely died as a result of the cold weather, according to local authorities.
The storm knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of homes across at least a half-dozen states.
While the heavy snow ended, the danger remained. Forecasters said the winter system is drawing cold air behind it, meaning states across the entire U.S. will experience a cold front.
Pentagon transfers 11 Yemeni detainees from Guantánamo Bay to Oman
The Pentagon said the U.S. transferred 11 Yemeni detainees to Oman, which agreed to help re-settle them. Two of the detainees are former bodyguards for Osama Bin Laden and were being held at Guantánamo Bay in Cuba.
None of the 11 detainees released were charged with crimes.
The move comes amid steps to reduce the population at the controversial U.S. military facility. Only 15 detainees remain at Guantánamo Bay’s detention facility, which the U.S. set up as the war on terror began after Sept. 11, 2001.
Of the 15 current detainees, only three are eligible for transfer. Three more are eligible for a periodic review, seven are involved in the military commissions process and two detainees were convicted and sentenced by military commissions.
In recent weeks, the Biden administration transferred four other detainees from Guantánamo, including one brought to the detention facility the day it opened in 2002. That person was never formally charged.
The move follows a recent ruling by a military judge that plea agreements with alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed and two other accused terrorists are valid and binding. Those deals take the death penalty off the table for the three men, who remain at Guantánamo Bay.
Biden attends memorial service for New Orleans terror attack victims
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden attended a memorial service Monday, Jan. 6, for the 14 victims killed in the New Year’s Day truck attack in New Orleans. The interfaith prayer service was held at the famous St. Louis Cathedral in the city’s French Quarter, less than a mile away from the scene of the Bourbon Street terror attack.
Jill and I traveled to New Orleans to stand with a community defined by strength and resilience.
To grieve. To pray. And let them know that America stands with them, and mourns with them. pic.twitter.com/26Phe203WF
The president spoke at the service, reassuring the people of New Orleans they are not alone and highlighting the city’s enduring strength and resilience amid tragedy. He referred to past devastation experienced by the city, including Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
“If there’s one thing we know: New Orleans defines strength and resilience,” the president said. “You define it, whether it’s in the form of this attack, from this attack, or hurricanes or super storms. This city’s people get back up.”
The president and first lady also visited the Bourbon Street memorial, where they placed flowers and prayed for the victims.
While in New Orleans, the Bidens met privately with grieving families, survivors and first responders.
Though both cases were dismissed, the special counsel is required to provide a report to Garland, who can then decide whether to make it public.
According to the letter and a legal filing, Trump’s lawyers and two former co-defendants in the documents case viewed a two-volume draft copy of the report over the weekend. They called the report “one-sided” and “slanted.”
In the letter, Trump’s lawyer requested Garland fire Smith, who is set to resign before Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, or let the decision on the release of the report be handled by Trump’s incoming attorney general, Pam Bondi.
The lawyers for Trump’s two former co-defendants in the documents case also asked the judge who dismissed the case to halt the report’s release, citing her ruling that Smith’s appointment was unconstitutional.
While it is not clear when the report will be released, the lawyers have asked the judge for a hearing on their request by Friday, Jan. 10, believing the release is “imminent.”
‘Shark Tank’ star Kevin O’Leary announces bid to buy TikTok
With millions of social media users counting down TikTok’s days in the U.S., one businessman is looking to prevent the ban from taking effect. “Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary issued a press release Monday announcing his interest in purchasing TikTok.
O’Leary — known by “Shark Tank” fans as “Mr. Wonderful” — said he is partnering with former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt on the bid.
Speaking to Fox Business, O’Leary said he would need Trump’s help to seal the deal. O’Leary said he’s “protecting the privacy of 170 million American users” and “empowering creators and small businesses.”
TikTok faces a federal ban on Jan. 19 unless its China-based parent company, ByteDance, sells. The Biden administration and other federal lawmakers believe TikTok threatens national security, accusing the Chinese government of using it to spy on Americans. Lawmakers fear the app is being used to weaponize and influence content Americans view.
On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments from ByteDance on why it should prevent the ban.
Zuckerberg appoints UFC boss and Trump ally Dana White to Meta Board
Meta is once again signaling its closeness to President-elect Donald Trump by appointing Trump ally and Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White to its Board of Directors. The appointment comes a week after the company named a former Republican political staffer as its head of policy and less than a month after it donated $1 million to the president-elect’s inauguration fund.
Zuckerberg praised White for his success in growing UFC, saying, “I’ve admired him as an entrepreneur and his ability to build such a beloved brand.”
UFC has held more than 300 live events, and Forbes estimates the promoter’s value to be over $11 billion.
During a speech at last year’s Republican National Convention in support of Trump, White said, “I know America needs a strong leader, and the world needs a strong America. I know Donald J. Trump is the best choice for President of the United States.”
However, White is not without controversy. In 2023, TMZ released a video of a physical altercation between him and his wife. White apologized after the video emerged, saying, “There’s never ever an excuse for a guy to put his hands on a woman.”
Meta appointed two other business executives to its board alongside White — John Elkann, CEO of the Italian company Exor, and former Microsoft executive Charlie Songhurst.
Meta accused of censoring Palestinian content on Instagram and Facebook
Facebook and Instagram’s parent company Meta is facing accusations of censoring pro-Palestinian content, according to a report on Sunday, Jan. 5. The allegations came from news outlets like the BBC and a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report.
HRW said that it found more than 1,000 cases of what it called suppression of pro-Palestinian content shortly after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
The organization said that the suppression of content has been “systemic and global,” and started before Hamas’ terrorist attack.
A separate BBC report in December 2024, found the Facebook pages of 20 “prominent” Palestinian-based news outlets saw their engagement drop by nearly 80% shortly before and a year after the Oct. 7 attack, while engagement for Israel’s 20 largest news outlets grew by nearly 40%.
The BBC report includes leaked documents from current and former Meta employees who say the company launched a crackdown on Palestinian users’ comments after Hamas’ terrorist attack.
Meta confirmed the crackdown but said the measures were necessary to respond to a “spike in hateful content” coming out of Palestinian regions.
Meta argued it wrestled with freedom of speech and the fact that Hamas is a designated terrorist organization. The tech giant noted that pages posting exclusively about the war in Gaza were the most likely to see engagement take a hit.
“We acknowledge mistakes, but any implication that we deliberately suppress a particular voice is unequivocally false,” a Meta spokesperson told the BBC.
One of the Palestinian photojournalists in Gaza told the BBC, “In spite of the challenges, the risk and the content bans… We must continue sharing Palestinian content.”
Meta pulls plug on AI bots after backlash over glitches, misinformation
Meta’s experiment with generating accounts using artificial intelligence has hit a snag. The company removed several of its AI bots following user backlash over misleading chats and awkward images.
Meta’s AI-generated profiles, complete with bios, selfies and posts, were designed to blend seamlessly into social media platforms. But users quickly noticed flaws, including glitchy visuals and false information, sparking widespread criticism.
AI bot @HiMamaLiv sparks controversy
One bot, Liv, described herself as a “proud Black queer mama of two and truth teller.” However, when Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah interacted with Liv through direct messages, she uncovered inconsistencies.
Attiah revealed on the social media platform Bluesky that, when speaking to a white friend, Liv said she grew up in an Italian-American family. Meanwhile, she told Attiah, who is Black, that she grew up in a Black family.
Attiah questioned whether the bot tailored its backstory based on who it interacted with.
Meta pulls bots after backlash
Following the controversy over Liv and other bots like “Dating with Carter,” which offered private dating advice, Meta removed the accounts from Instagram and Facebook.
A Meta spokesperson told CNN the accounts were part of an early AI experiment.
This isn’t Meta’s first foray into artificial intelligence. In September 2023, the company introduced chatbots modeled after celebrities, including Snoop Dogg, Tom Brady, Kendall Jenner and Naomi Osaka.
Despite initial buzz, Meta shut down these celebrity-inspired chatbots in less than a year.
Bugs and technical issues
Meta also addressed bugs affecting the AI bots. One issue prevented users from blocking the bots, while another suggested the bots had been active for over a year, despite being part of a recent experiment.
Musk aids Vegas police, says Cybertruck contained explosion at Trump Tower
Las Vegas authorities said they still have no clear motive for why an Army soldier drove a Cybertruck in front of the Trump Tower in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day, intending to kill himself and set off an explosion. Law enforcement is still searching for answers, while Tesla CEO Elon Musk has taken a central role in the investigation. Musk reportedly sent a team to Las Vegas to assist investigators in extracting data and video from the remains of the Cybertruck.
The Las Vegas sheriff has praised Musk’s assistance, noting that the truck contained “a tremendous number of cameras” and that Musk provided authorities with footage from Tesla’s charging stations.
The sheriff said the footage is already helping investigators track the movements of Sgt. Matthew Alan Livelsberger, who traveled from Colorado to the Las Vegas Strip over several days.
While Musk is providing evidence to officials in Las Vegas, he is also weighing in on an online debate: Why did the explosion cause minimal damage?
On X, Musk said, “The evil knuckleheads picked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack. Cybertruck actually contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards. Not even the glass doors of the lobby were broken.”
The evil knuckleheads picked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack. Cybertruck actually contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards.
In another post, Musk boasted about the Cybertruck’s durability, sharing a conservative activist’s comment that called the incident a “Cybertruck ad campaign” and adding, “I’m pretty sure we could get it running again too.”
While some suggest the Cybertruck’s strength contained the explosion, others point to Livelsberger’s extensive military background, claiming he had the expertise to create a more lethal blast.
The Washington Post reports that investigators have primarily found evidence of fireworks and fuel, with a car analyst telling the paper he doesn’t believe Musk’s claims.
“You didn’t really have an explosion as much as you had a bonfire,” Karl Brauer, Iseecars.com executive analyst, told the Post. “I’m not at all convinced that the Cybertruck being so strong is the reason it blew upward.”
Kenneth Cooper, a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives San Francisco division, seemed to agree.
“The level of sophistication is not what we would expect from an individual with this type of military experience,” Cooper said.
Fellow Green Berets, including Livelsberger, have a “sophisticated understanding of explosives and how bombs work,” according to group chats reviewed by The New York Times. Some of his comrades speculated that Livelsberger may have struggled with mental illness.
Family members of Livelsberger have suggested he wouldn’t have wanted to cause damage to the Trump Hotel, as he was a staunch Trump supporter, according to sources who spoke to The Independent and The Daily Beast. The New York Post reports that Livelsberger’s wife left him days before the attack.
As investigators work to find concrete answers, speculation continues over the motive behind the New Year’s Day explosion.
Meta’s new head of global policy Joel Kaplan has close Republican ties
Meta is putting a Republican in charge of global policy just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump takes back the White House. Joel Kaplan is a former deputy chief of staff to President George W. Bush and has close ties to the Republican Party. He’ll replace former deputy prime minister of Britain Nick Clegg.
Clegg said it was the “right time” for him to move on as Meta’s president of global affairs in a Facebook post.
“Joel is quite clearly the right person for the right job at the right time – ideally placed to shape the company’s strategy as societal and political expectations around technology continue to evolve,” Clegg wrote.
Joel Kaplan (far right) is pictured in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in 2007. Kaplan served as President George W. Bush’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy. Getty Images.
Kaplan has been at Facebook since 2011, most recently as Clegg’s deputy. In a comment on Clegg’s post, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg told the former Liberal Democrat party statesman he’s grateful for his service over the past seven years.
“I’m excited for Joel to step into this role next given his deep experience and insight leading our policy work for many years,” Zuckerberg said.
The switchover comes as Meta cozies up to Trump ahead of the White House switchover. Meta recently donated $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund, a break from tradition. Meta did not donate to President Joe Biden’s inauguration or Trump’s first one.
The donation came after Zuckerberg visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago following the election. Trump has previously called Facebook a “true Enemy of the People” and accused Zuckerberg and his wife of using election donations to boost Democratic voter turnout.
As Zuckerberg tries to smooth things over with the future president, Clegg’s politics might have become a hurdle if he had stayed. He didn’t shy away from sharing his thoughts. Just this past month, he said on a BBC podcast that X owner Elon Musk, who is very close to Trump, could become a “political puppet master.”
“Elon Musk is obviously now playing an outsized role in both the election and now the formation of the new U.S. administration,” Clegg said.
Meanwhile, Kaplan has previously faced pressure for his Republican ties. He once apologized to Meta staffers after he was spotted sitting behind his close friend Brett Kavanaugh during Kavanaugh’s contentious Supreme Court nomination hearing.
But those ties could help Meta navigate a new terrain today. Among those praising Kaplan’s promotion is Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, who called Kaplan a friend of 25 years.
Congratulations. Both Joel and Kevin have been friends of mine for 25 years, and I am hopeful that their promotion signals a renewed commitment to free speech online. For the past decade, Big Tech has been far too eager to censor and silence, I hope that Meta will now join X in…
“I am hopeful that their promotion signals a renewed commitment to free speech online,” Cruz wrote on X. “For the past decade, Big Tech has been far too eager to censor and silence, I hope that Meta will now join X in fighting to protect free speech for everyone.”
Kaplan’s Facebook profile is pretty bare. His only post of 2024 is one sporting a photo of him with Vice President-elect JD Vance, taken when Trump rang the New York Stock Exchange bell.
Meghan Markle kicks off 2025 with Instagram return and Netflix series
Meghan Markle is starting the year with big moves. The Duchess of Sussex returned to Instagram and announced a new Netflix series, marking a fresh chapter in her public life.
The Instagram comeback follows a seven-year hiatus. Markle’s first post features a video of her on the beach, drawing “2025” in the sand on New Year’s Day. Within hours, her account gained 200,000 followers and currently boasts over one million.
Social media return after ‘Suits’ fame
Markle was an active Instagram user during her time on the hit drama “Suits.” However, she stepped away from social media when her relationship with Prince Harry became public. Over the years, Markle has shared her reasons for leaving, citing heavy online bullying.
Her new Instagram account has comments turned off, likely as a way to focus attention on her content while minimizing negativity.
‘With Love, Meghan’ premieres on Netflix
The Instagram debut isn’t the only major moment for Markle this year. Her new Netflix lifestyle series, “With Love, Meghan,” premieres Jan. 15.
The show blends how-tos on topics like cooking and gardening with personal insights. It also features appearances by celebrity friends, including Mindy Kaling, and her husband, Prince Harry.
Small business owners concerned as TikTok ban looms
The popular social media app TikTok could be banned in the U.S. in a matter of days and the looming threat has some small business owners concerned. Since the app launched in 2017, small business owners say they have used TikTok in several ways, from advertising and marketing to selling goods directly.
TikTok estimates the ban would cost the company more than $1 billion in revenue in a single month.
If the ban does take effect, small businesses could still turn to alternatives like Instagram Reels, Snapchat and YouTube Shorts. However, owners raised concerns that it may be harder to reach teens since TikTok tends to be their preferred social media app.
The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments over whether the ban violates the First Amendment on Jan. 10.
President-elect Donald Trump, who is not set to take office until Jan. 20, the day after the ban is scheduled to take effect, asked the Supreme Court to consider a delay on the ban taking effect.
FBI searches Houston location after New Orleans truck attack
Investigators are learning more about the man who drove a pickup truck into a New Orleans crowd, killing 15 people in what authorities are calling “an act of terrorism.” And authorities are investigating whether an explosion in front of the Las Vegas Trump Hotel was an act of terrorism. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025.
FBI searches Houston location after New Orleans truck attack
Authorities searched a location in Houston, Texas, in connection with the deadly truck attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Day. The FBI said it is believed to be connected to the suspect, who they said killed 15 people and injured dozens more early Wednesday, Jan 1. The agency called the attack “a deliberate act of terror.”
“It did involve a man driving a pickup truck down Bourbon Street at a very fast pace and it was very intentional behavior,” New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said. “This man was trying to run over as many people as he possibly could.”
Police identified the suspect as Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, 42, a Texas resident and U.S. Army veteran. Jabbar served in the Army on active and reserve duty, including a 2009 deployment in Afghanistan.
Authorities said Jabbar drove a white Ford pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street in the city’s French Quarter around 3:15 a.m. Wednesday. He then opened fire on responding police officers.
Officers shot and killed Jabbar at the scene, police said. Two officers were injured in the shootout.
Investigators discovered an ISIS flag on the rear bumper of the suspect’s truck as well as additional weapons and two improvised explosive devices. Authorities reportedly found and detonated at least one other improvised explosive device in the area.
Jabbar drove around security barriers set to deter vehicles from entering the area, police said. Kirkpatrick said the suspect drove onto the sidewalk, striking several victims.
According to the city, the barriers were under construction as New Orleans prepares to host the Super Bowl in February.
President Joe Biden held a press conference following the attack from Camp David. He said the FBI informed him it was looking at social media videos posted by the suspect just hours before the attack, indicating it was inspired by ISIS.
“To all the families of those who were killed, to all those who were injured, to all the people of New Orleans who are grieving today, I want you to know I grieve with you. Our nation grieves with you,” Biden said. “The law enforcement and intelligence community are continuing to look for any connections, associations or coconspirators. We have nothing additional to report at this time. The investigation is continuing to be active, and no one should jump to conclusions.”
Biden said the FBI does not believe Jabbar acted alone, and he has directed the U.S. intelligence community to work “intensively” to complete their investigation.
Jabbar’s brother told the New York Times that Jabbar converted to Islam at a young age but that this act was not religion-based but radicalization.
The president also said authorities were looking into any possible connection with an explosion outside a Trump Hotel in Las Vegas. Vehicles in both incidents were rented from the platform Turo, which allows car owners to rent out their vehicles.
The deadly attack in New Orleans led to the postponement of the Sugar Bowl at the Superdome less than a mile from Bourbon Street. That game will now be played Thursday, Jan. 2.
The FBI will hold a briefing Thursday with the House and Senate oversight committees on the New Orleans attack.
Victims of New Orleans truck attack begin to be identified
Kareem Badawi was a recent graduate of the Episcopal School of Baton Rouge. The school said Badawi was attending the University of Alabama.
Reggie Hunter, 37, was a father of two and worked as a warehouse manager.
Former Princeton University football player Tiger Bech was also killed. The 27-year-old moved to New York to work for a capital markets firm.
Ni’kyra Cheyenne Dedeaux, an 18-year-old from Mississippi, was set to attend college, where she planned to major in nursing.
Nicole Perez, 27, was a mother who worked as a store manager.
These are only a few of the names of the more than a dozen victims killed in the attack. More information about the victims is expected in the coming days.
Fireworks, gas canisters used to fuel Las Vegas Cybertruck explosion
Authorities in Nevada are working to figure out if the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside President-elect Donald Trump’s Las Vegas hotel on New Year’s Day was an act of terrorism. They say the driver, who died in the explosion, used fireworks, gas tanks, and camping fuel connected to a detonation system to set it off.
Seven people who were nearby when the blast went off were injured.
Investigators said the Cybertruck was rented in Colorado and arrived in Vegas about one hour before the explosion. Law enforcement officials have not identified the suspect because the person was badly burned in the explosion, but they have identified the person who rented it.
They said the suspect drove up and down Las Vegas Boulevard before pulling up to the Trump Hotel. The truck exploded seconds later.
Investigators are also working to figure out if this incident was related to the terror attack in New Orleans.
Power restored to nearly all of Puerto Rico after massive blackout
Power is mostly restored to homes and buildings across Puerto Rico after a massive blackout left the U.S. territory in the dark on New Year’s Eve. However, that might not be the end of it for some.
Luma Energy, the company that provides electricity to Puerto Rico, warned that more temporary outages could happen as it works to restore full power. The company said this could take up to two days.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the outage, but Luma Energy said a preliminary review indicated a failure in an underground electric line.
This is just the latest incident to highlight an ongoing problem with Puerto Rico’s power grid. In August, half of all the territory’s utility customers lost power during Hurricane Ernesto. It took more than a week to get it back.
Arctic air to bring a freezing start to 2025 in much of the US
Get ready to bundle up. Arctic weather will take over the warmer-than-usual temperatures that kicked off 2025 for a large part of the U.S.
Over the next couple of days, the coldest air of the season will move into the eastern part of the U.S., dropping temperatures to nearly 30 degrees below average in some areas.
While the bitterly cold air already started to move in, the worst of it is expected to hit next week.
🎆 As we round out 2024 and head into 2025, above normal warmth across the eastern half of the U.S. will be quickly replaced by a series of Arctic outbreaks… with the coldest air of the season set to take hold through next week. 🥶 pic.twitter.com/N046deYUpa
Forecasters said after the first wave of cold, two more rounds of arctic air will move in from Canada, setting up parts of the U.S. for a long-lasting run of freezing temperatures.
Notre Dame and Georgia to face off in postponed Sugar Bowl
The college football season provided lots of New Year’s excitement. Texas won in a double-overtime thriller, Ohio State routed Oregon and the top four contenders for the championship will be set after Notre Dame and Georgia face off in the Sugar Bowl Thursday afternoon.
The winner of the Sugar Bowl will move on to the Orange Bowl to face Penn State. The Nittany Lions defeated Boise State at the Fiesta Bowl 31-14 on New Year’s Eve.
Texas and Ohio State will face off in the Cotton Bowl after Texas edged Arizona State in double overtime at the Peach Bowl Wednesday and Ohio State shocked the nation with its thumping top-seeded, undefeated Oregon in the Rose Bowl.
The semifinal games are now the Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl. They will be played next week and determine who will go head-to-head for the College Football National Championship.
