Catholic influencer's 5-year-old son dies after contracting flu

A Catholic influencer said Thursday that his 5-year-old son died from a severe case of the flu.

Paul Kim, who posts videos about his Catholic faith and has more than 300,000 followers on Instagram, said in a video on Instagram that his son, Micah, died on New Year's Eve after "fighting 11 long, hard days." Previously,Kim said on Instagramthat his son was hospitalized after contracting a severe case of the flu.

"We are so proud of him. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart, as his dad, on behalf of my family, for all the ways you guys prayed and lifted us up during this time," Kim said in the video. "This incredibly difficult, impossible time for our family. It's been the hardest thing I've ever been through in my life, and it continues to be."

On Dec. 21, Kimposted on Instagramthat his son was heading to the hospital in an ambulance after "having a medical emergency." The next day, he posted an update on Instagram saying Micah was on life support and asked for prayers.

In anupdate on Dec. 30, Kim said his son had a severe case of the flu, which caused the child to go septic and experience seizures.

"The doctors are saying it's one of the most horrific cases of this virus that they have ever seen in their life. It's very rare, what happened to my son," Kim said. "Rest assured, he needs a miracle."

Kim posted updates nearly daily since then, several including videos of the 5-year-old unconscious in the hospital. In Thursday's video, Kim said his son was in a coma before he died and that "his soul was already with the Lord."

"In many ways, we were fighting for Micah to buy him as much time as possible, until he passed," he said. "As a father, that is my duty. I was called to do that. Even if in God's ultimate will it wasn't meant for him to recover."

Kim said in the Thursday video that his account has been viewed more than 50 million times in the last few weeks since his son's hospitalization.

The influencer is now asking for privacy.

"Micah is already in heaven at work, seriously. So many testimonies, so many ways in which God is using the light in my 5-year-old to truly save souls and change the world," he said.

The 5-year-old's death comes as theflu surgesacross the U.S., withyoung children hit particularly hardby the respiratory illness. Roughly 3,100 people have died from the flu this season, including five children, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

byDaniel Coleman

in

January 01, 2026

Catholic influencer's 5-year-old son dies after contracting flu

A Catholic influencer said Thursday that his 5-year-old son died from a severe case of the flu. Paul Kim, who posts videos about his Catho...

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2026 is here! See full list of federal holidays for the year.

2026 is finally here! And the new year brings a new set offederal holidaydates.

TheOffice of Personnel Managementlists 11 federal holidays throughout the year, with two in January: New Year's Day (Thursday, Jan. 1) and Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Monday, Jan. 19). March, April, and August are the only months this year without any federal holidays.

On these days, federal offices, banks, and financial markets will all be closed.

Here's the schedule of federal holidays for 2026.

Ready for 2026?Big holidays, celebrations fall on Fridays, Saturdays.

See the evolution of New Year's Eve glasses

When are the 2026 federal holidays?

Federal holidays will fall on the following day, according to the OPM:

• New Year's Day- Thursday, Jan. 1

• Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr.- Monday, Jan. 19

• Washington's Birthday/President's Day- Monday, Feb. 16

• Memorial Day- Monday, May 25

• Juneteenth National Independence Day- Friday, June 19

• Independence Day/Fourth of July- Friday, July 3 (Because the Fourth of July falls on a Saturday, the day before (July 3) is considered a federal holiday.)

• Labor Day- Monday, Sept. 7

• Columbus Day- Monday, Oct. 12

• Veterans Day- Wednesday, Nov. 11

• Thanksgiving Day- Thursday, November 26

• Christmas Day- Friday, Dec. 25

Will Dec. 24 and Dec. 26 be considered federal holidays in 2026?

That is not known at this time.In December 2025, Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve) and Dec. 26 (the day after Christmas) were considered federal holidaysafterPresident Trump signed an executive order.

But this was enacted only for 2025 and is not considered a permanent addition to OPM's holiday schedule, according to USA TODAY's previous reporting.

Contributing: Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY

Julia is a Trending reporter for USA TODAY and covers scientific studies and trending news. Connect with her onLinkedIn,X,Instagram, andTikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:2026 holiday schedule: Full list of dates for federal holidays, more

byDaniel Coleman

in

January 01, 2026

2026 is here! See full list of federal holidays for the year.

2026 is finally here! And the new year brings a new set offederal holidaydates. TheOffice of Personnel Managemen...

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Historic 150-Year-Old Dutch Church Goes Up in Flames amid 'Unprecedented' New Years Violence

Remko DE WAAL / ANP / AFP via Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• Amsterdam's historic Vondelkerk church went up in flames in the early hours of New Year's Day

• The fire gutted the 150-year-old church and destroyed its spire

• Dutch police reported "unprecedented" levels of New Year's Eve violence

An historic 150-year-old Dutch church went up in flames amid "unprecedented" New Year's Eve violence in the Netherlands.

The Vondelkerk, an 1872 church overlooking Amsterdam's famous Vondelpark, caught aflame a little before 1 a.m. local time on Thursday, Jan. 1, Dutch authorities said,RTL reports. Homes in the vicinity of the church were quickly evacuated.

By the time the fire was finally under control 10 hours later, at 11 a.m., the church's 164-foot neo-Gothic spire had collapsed and "only walls" remained intact,De Telegraaf reports.

Laurens Niezen / ANP / AFP via Getty

No casualties were initially reported from the blaze, and the cause of the fire remains unknown and under investigation,The New York Timesreports.

The church, designed by Rijksmuseum architect Pierre Cuypers, served as a Roman Catholic parish for nearly a century before being deconsecrated, thereafter being used to host secular events. The building previously caught fire in 1904, which saw the loss of its original tower.

The inferno came as Dutch police faced "unprecedented" levels of New Year's Eve violence this year.

Ana Fernandez/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty

The chair of the Dutch Police Union, Nine Kooiman,said on Xthat she and her colleagues were being "pelted" with explosives.

"Unprecedented amount of violence against police and emergency workers," said Kooiman. "Lots of explosives/fireworks aimed at the colleagues. Myself already pelted three times. Really hope everyone gets home safely."

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE's free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Police arrested some 250 people across the Netherlands as the European nation's emergency number became overwhelmed,De Telegraaf reported. In Utrecht, southeast of Amsterdam, police reported being "continuously attacked by groups of young people," per the outlet.

A 17-year-old boy and a 38-year-old man were killed in separate fireworks incidents across the Netherlands overnight,the BBC reported, citing local media.

At a burn unit in Groningen, in the country's north, 19 patients were treated, including ten under age 15, per De Telegraaf. That's twice the number of patients treated at the unit after last year's New Year celebrations.

Read the original article onPeople

byDaniel Coleman

in

January 01, 2026

Historic 150-Year-Old Dutch Church Goes Up in Flames amid 'Unprecedented' New Years Violence

Remko DE WAAL / ANP / AFP via Getty NEED TO KNOW Amsterdam's historic Vondelkerk church went up in flames in the early hours of New Y...

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US military says at least eight killed in new strikes on alleged drug boats, with survivors abandoning ship

US military strikes against alleged drug boats have killed at least eight people over the past two days – the latest salvos in the United States' escalating actions against what it says are drug traffickers.

On New Year's Eve,US Southern Commandsaid the military struck two boats "operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations," killing five people.

The day before, Tuesday, the US struck what it described as a "convoy" of three boats participating in the trafficking of narcotics, SOUTHCOM announcedin a post to Xon Wednesday. Three people aboard one boat were killed, while those in the other two abandoned their vessel.

SOUTHCOM said it notified the US Coast Guard after Tuesday's strike to activate search and rescue efforts. It's unclear whether any survivors have been recovered.

"The U.S. Coast Guard is coordinating search and rescue operations with vessels in the area," a USCG spokesperson said in a statement, adding that "a Coast Guard C-130 aircraft is en route to provide further search coverage with the ability to drop a survival raft and supplies."

The announcement of the latest US strikes offered no details about where they occurred – not even a body of water – as has been the case in the past. The military only said the Tuesday strikes occurred in "international waters."

Earlier this week, on Monday, the US military said itstruck a boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing two people on board. That brings the total from three days of strikes this week to 10 people killed and six boats sunk, according to SOUTHCOM's information.

US strikes were first concentrated in the Caribbean Sea but the focus was later shifted to the eastern Pacific Ocean because administration officials believed they had stronger evidence linking cocaine transport to the US from those western routes, CNN previously reported.

CNN has reached out to Southern Command regarding the search and rescue mission for any survivors of Tuesday's strikes.

The Pentagon has rarely been proactive in acknowledging the survivors of prior strikes and military officials have come under intense scrutiny for their handling of those cases.

The most controversial was the first known strike against an alleged drug boat on September 2, in which CNN reported that US forces carried out a "follow-on strike" killing two survivors of the initial blast.

That revelation has prompted allegations of a possible war crime with some lawmakers demanding answers from the commander in charge.

In a subsequent strike, survivors were briefly detained aboard a US Navy ship before they were repatriated back to their home countries. In a third strike, the Pentagon contacted Mexican officials and tasked them with leading a search and rescue mission for one survivor who was never located. That individual is now presumed dead.

The new strikes bring the total number of vessels targeted by the US to at least 36 and the number of fatalities to at least 115 since the US began its campaign in September.

The Trump administration has claimed it is carrying out the strikes to stop the flow of drugs into the United States, but administration officials have also suggested they are part of a pressure campaign aimed at ousting Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, from whose country many of the stricken vessels have originated.

White House chief of staff Susie Wiles told Vanity Fair in interviews for a story published earlier this month that Trump wants to keep targeting boats until Maduro "cries uncle."

Last week President Donald Trump said the United States took out a"big facility"as part of a pressure campaign against Venezuela that has included a massive US naval and troop buildup in the Caribbean and a blockade of sanctioned oil tankers, in addition to the strikes.

The CIA carried out a drone strike earlier this month on a port facility on the coast of Venezuela, sources familiar with the mattertold CNN, marking the first known US attack on a target inside that country.

Trump, who has provided few additional details on the "big facility" action, told reporters on Monday that "there was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs" and that an "implementation area" was "no longer around."

Maduro has repeatedly criticized the US military deployment in the Caribbean and accused the US of waging a campaign of "psychological terrorism" against his country.

In a response to Trump ordering a "complete" blockade of sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela earlier this month, Venezuela's National Assembly approved a law last week that allows for prison terms of up to 20 years for anyone found supporting "piracy" or "blockades."

This headline and story has been updated with Wednesday's strike.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byDaniel Coleman

in

January 01, 2026

US military says at least eight killed in new strikes on alleged drug boats, with survivors abandoning ship

US military strikes against alleged drug boats have killed at least eight people over the past two days – the latest salvos in the United S...

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Body found confirmed to be missing teen, death ruled suicide

A body found in Texas on Tuesday has been identified as19-year-old Camila Mendoza Olmos, who had been missing for nearly one week, the Bexar County Sheriff's Office said on Wednesday.

The medical examiner determined she died by suicide from a gunshot wound to the head, the sheriff's office said.

The teenager went missing on the morning of Christmas Eve.

Authorities found her body in a field on Tuesday afternoon, approximately 100 yards from Mendoza Olmos' home, in northwest Bexar County, according to Sheriff Javier Salazar. The area had been previously searched, though authorities with the sheriff's office and FBI were back on Tuesday, Salazar said. The field has tall grass, and authorities felt there would be a benefit to check it again, he said.

A firearm was located at the scene where the body was found, Salazar said. A firearm belonging to a relative of Mendoza Olmos' has been missing, he said. As of Tuesday, authorities had not yet determined if the missing firearm is a match for the one observed at the scene, he said.

New video may show Texas teenage girl who's been missing since Christmas Eve: Sheriff

Salazar said one possibility investigators were working under regarding the teen's disappearance was the "fear of self-harm," and that there were some "indicators of suicidal ideation" and undiagnosed signs of depression.

"From what's being described to us, it sounds like it was a young person going through a very tough time in their life," he said.

3 found dead during search for fallen hiker in California, authorities say

The body was found in clothing similar to a description of what Mendoza Olmos may have been wearing when she went missing, Salazar said.

"This is certainly not the outcome we were hoping for," he said.

Amid the search for the teen, authorities this weekreleased a dashcam videofrom someone who was driving to work on Wednesday morning and passed a woman walking by herself. Salazar said Tuesday it is still unclear if that person was Mendoza Olmos.

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide - free, confidential help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call or text the national lifeline at 988.

byDaniel Coleman

in

January 01, 2026

Body found confirmed to be missing teen, death ruled suicide

A body found in Texas on Tuesday has been identified as19-year-old Camila Mendoza Olmos, who had been missing for nearly one week, the Bexar...

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At Zohran Mamdani's swearing in, Rama Duwaji remains art-world chic

As New York City's first lady,Rama Duwajichannels art-world chic.

The Syrian-American illustrator held two Qurans asZohran Mamdanitook the oath of office as New York City mayor after midnight on New Year's Day, in a minimalist black coat, a knee-length black dress or skirt and black ankle boots, with a pair of gold, sculptural statement earrings.

Duwaji, 28, has continued to subvert expectations in her clothing choices as the incoming first lady, favoring understated, modern looks with creative-class sensibility. Online, she's seen insimilarly modernist looks, and as the34-year-old democratic socialistmade hisvictory speechin November, Duwaji was by his side wearing a dark denim square-neck top by Palestinian-Jordanian designer Zeid Hijazi and a Ulla Johnson black skirt, also with statement dangling earrings by New York City jewelry designer Eddie Borgo.

Duwaji obtained a master's degree in illustration from the School of Visual Arts in New York. Her work has been featured in The New Yorker, The Washington Post as well as Apple and Spotify.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Duwaji, 28, was born in Houston to Syrian parents, spending part of her childhood in Dubai.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Get to know Rama Duwaji, Zohran Mamdani's wife and NYC's youngest first lady

Duwaji obtained a master's degree in illustration from the School of Visual Arts in New York. Her work has been featured in The New Yorker, The Washington Post as well as Apple and Spotify.

Rama Duwaji, illustrating her own life,is more than Zohran Mamdani's wife

At Mamdani's swearing in, he called taking the office "the honor and a privilege of a lifetime" after signing the paperwork and paying a $9 filing fee to make it official.

Mamdani, who was also surrounded by his parents, Mahmood Mamdani and Mira Nair, was administered the oath by New York Attorney GeneralLetitia Jamesunder the Spanish-tiled arches of alandmarked former subway station below City Hallin Lower Manhattan.

Inauguration live updates:Zohran Mamdani takes office as NYC mayor

Mamdani will also be sworn in outside City Hall bySen. Bernie Sandersafter an introductionby Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Mamdani is the 112th person — but thefirst Muslim and the first person of South Asian descent— to lead the nation's largest city. By taking his oath on the Quran, he is now the first mayor of New York to do so,according to the New York Times.

Contributing: Victoria E. Freile, Eduardo Cuevas, Dan Morrison and Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Zohran Mamdani's wife Rama Duwaji faithful to all-black aesthetic

byDaniel Coleman

in

January 01, 2026

At Zohran Mamdani's swearing in, Rama Duwaji remains art-world chic

As New York City's first lady,Rama Duwajichannels art-world chic. The Syrian-American illustrator held two Q...

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Will There Be a “Stranger Things” Spinoff?

Courtesy of Netflix

NEED TO KNOW

• Netflix has multiple Stranger Things spinoffs in the works, including some co-creator Matt Duffer referred to as a "clean slate"

• An animated show, first announced in 2023, will feature the original characters and premiere later this year

• The sci-fi show wrapped its fifth and final season on Dec. 31

After nearly a decade,Stranger Thingshas come to an end — but fans may get to revisit the world created by brothers Matt and Ross Duffer again soon.

Netflix's nostalgia-filled sci-fi show wrapped its fifth and final season with the release of its series finale on Dec. 31, bringing to an end the characters' long fight against the terrors in the Upside Down. Though the Duffer brothers have assured that all possible loose ends have been tied up, spinoffs are already in the works.

Speaking toVarietyin October ahead of the release of season 5's first wave of episodes in November, the Duffers stressed the importance of giving the story closure.

"We do every last remaining thing we wanted to do with the Demogorgons and Mind Flayer and Vecna and the Upside Down and Hawkins and these characters," Matt said. "This is a complete story. It'sdone."

Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

That being said, fans can still head to Broadway to see the prequel play,Stranger Things: The First Shadow,which first opened in London in December 2023 before making its Broadway bow in April 2025.

And in early November 2025, Netflix unveiled a first look atStranger Things: Tales from '85, an animated series first announced in 2023, which is set in Hawkins in winter 1985. According to the official logline, "the original characters must fight new monsters and unravel a paranormal mystery terrorizing their town."

COURTESY OF NETFLIX

"With animation, there's really no limits," Ross toldTudum.

"And it's nice, because the kids can stay young forever," Matt toldVariety. The show will premiere later this year and feature an entirely new cast voicing the beloved characters.

But the Duffers have confirmed another spinoff in the works as well — only that will feature "a different decade and different characters, but of course, still connected to theStranger Thingsuniverse," Ross toldTHR. "It's an idea we've had for years and something we're just really excited and passionate about."

As Matt toldVariety, "You're starting with new characters. It's like clean slate. You're not tied up into any knots."

"It's really its own entity," he added to ScreenRant.

As Ross noted toVariety, the spinoffs are "going to live in a bit of a different world. There's going to be connective tissue, but you're almost anthologizing in a way. Because we're notStar Wars. We can't be like, 'Oh, now we're on this planet.'"

Courtesy of Netflix

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While the Duffer brothers are creating the new series and will be, as Ross toldVariety, "heavily creatively involved" and "helping shepherd it along," they won't be its showrunners, as they have a new deal to develop projects for Paramount.

All five seasons ofStranger Thingsare available for streaming on Netflix.Stranger Things: Tales from '85will premiere on Netflix later this year.

Read the original article onPeople

byDaniel Coleman

in

January 01, 2026

Will There Be a “Stranger Things” Spinoff?

Courtesy of Netflix NEED TO KNOW Netflix has multiple Stranger Things spinoffs in the works, including some co-creator Matt Duffer referr...

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