Serena Williams Takes Key Step Toward Pro Tennis Return
Tennis GOAT Serena Williams, now 44, has re-entered the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s testing pool, a required step for any retired player considering a return. She hasn’t played since the 2022 US Open, where she said she was “evolving away from tennis” rather than retiring. By joining the testing pool, she fulfills a key rule that requires six months of testing availability before a comeback, signaling she may be exploring a return to professional competition.
Rosé, Bruno Mars, Kendrick Lamar Lead Apple Music’s Global Year-End Chart
Rosé and Bruno Mars’ hit “APT.” was Apple Music’s biggest song of 2025, leading global streams, Shazam tags, radio play, and lyric views. Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “luther” followed at No. 2, with Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With A Smile” at No. 3. Apple’s Artist of the Year, Tyler, The Creator, made his first appearance on the year-end chart, while rising artists Gracie Abrams and Alex Warren broke into the top 10.
‘One Battle After Another’ Takes Top Prize at Gotham Awards
The 35th Gotham Awards kicked off the film awards season with surprises, as Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another won best feature, its only win from six nominations. Previous Gotham best feature winners, like Spotlight, Moonlight, and Everything Everywhere All at Once, later went on to win the Oscar for best picture. Iranian director Jafar Panahi was Monday night’s biggest standout, taking home awards for international feature, original screenplay, and director for It Was Just an Accident.
Amazon Begins Testing 30-Minute Deliveries
Amazon is testing Amazon Now, an ultra-fast delivery service in parts of Seattle and Philadelphia, promising thousands of household essentials and groceries to doors in about 30 minutes or less. Prime members get discounted delivery starting at $3.99, while non-Prime fees start at $13.99; a $1.99 small basket charge applies to orders under $15. The service includes a selection of items, from groceries and personal care products to electronics and seasonal goods.
U.S. Soccer Launches Kang Women’s Institute to Elevate the Women’s Game
U.S. Soccer announced Tuesday the launch of the Kang Women’s Institute, backed by Michele Kang, to advance women’s soccer through research, innovation, and best practices tailored to female athletes. The institute will address gaps in sports science, such as injury prevention, mental health, and training models, which have traditionally been based on male physiology. Key initiatives include a national study on female player needs, developing evidence-based standards for health and training in collaboration with the NWSL and USL, and creating tools to support players’ physical and mental wellbeing at all levels of the game.
Skrillex, the Strokes, Noah Kahan to Headline Bonnaroo 2026
The 2026 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, taking place June 11-14 in Manchester, Tennessee, will be headlined by the Strokes, Skrillex, Rüfüs Du Sol, and Noah Kahan. Special Saturday performances include Kesha’s curated “Superjâm Esoteríca: The Alchemy of Pop” and “Weird Al” Yankovic’s Bigger & Weirder Roovue. The lineup also features a wide range of artists including Modest Mouse, Four Tet, Alabama Shakes, Vince Staples, Japanese Breakfast, Wet Leg, Major Lazer, and many more.
Prada Completes $1.4B Acquisition of Versace
The Prada Group has completed its $1.4 billion acquisition of Versace, bringing the Italian house under the same umbrella as Prada and Miu Miu. The deal, enabled after a rival sale of Capri Holdings to Tapestry was blocked, aims to revive Versace’s financial performance and strengthen Prada Group’s position as a global luxury powerhouse. Versace’s new leadership includes Prada heir Lorenzo Bertelli as executive chairman and Dario Vitale, formerly of Miu Miu, as the top creative director, succeeding Donatella Versace.
‘Stranger Things 5’ Opens With 59.6 Million Views, Netflix’s Biggest English-Language TV Debut Ever
The fifth season of Stranger Things set a new Netflix record with 59.6 million views in its first five days, making it the most-watched English-language series premiere week and third overall, behind only Seasons 2 and 3 of Squid Game. This marks a roughly 171% increase over Season 4’s premiere, which had about 22 million views in its first three days. Additionally, all four previous seasons of Stranger Things entered Netflix’s Top 10 simultaneously for the first time.
NBCU Doubles Down on Creator Content in Milan Olympics
NBC is expanding its coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy by partnering with over 20 online creators to reach younger audiences. The “Milan Cortina Creator Collective” will feature returning stars from the 2024 Paris Games, like ATFrenchies and Matthew Meager, alongside new additions including Kylie Kelce, Anna Sitar, Bowen Yang, and Matt Rogers. Creators will have unprecedented access to athletes and competitions across Milan, Cortina, and Livigno, producing content for platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, as well as podcasts.
Airbnb to Host ‘Marty Supreme’ Table Tennis Event
Airbnb is hosting the “Marty Supreme Invitational” on Dec. 17 at a secret Lower East Side location, offering 24 guests the chance to compete in an exclusive table tennis tournament inspired by the upcoming Timothée Chalamet film, Marty Supreme. Guests will enter a members-only table tennis gymnasium, guided through a locker room and officiated by a New York table tennis legend. Registration closes Thursday at 9 a.m. PT and participation is free. Set in 1952, Chalamet stars Marty Mauser, a hustler chasing table tennis glory, and is loosely based on real-life player Marty Reisman.
Image:
Read More:
A$AP Rocky Returns to Form with the Inspired, Curated Chaos of ‘Don’t Be Dumb’
Kiyan Anthony Adjusting to Life in the Limelight at His Own Pace
What We’re Watching: ‘Heated Rivalry’, ‘The Pitt’, ‘Harry Potter’, & More
Zoe Saldaña Sits Atop Hollywood as the Highest-Grossing Lead Actor of All Time
FIFA’s First Betting Data Partner Signals a New Era for Global Soccer
