5 things to know for Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve, Health care policy, SNAP restrictions, Stock market, MetroCard retired

By CNN Newsource

Published December 31, 2025 4:59 AM

By Alexandra Banner, CNN

It’s been a whirlwind year, and we’re grateful you have read along with us. If it all feels like a blur, CNN’s Year in Review Quiz is a fun way to jog your memory.

Here’s what else you need to know to get up to speed and on with your day.

1️⃣ New Year’s Eve

In the coming hours, countries around the world will ring in 2026 with dazzling fireworks and grand celebrations. US authorities have said they are taking extra precautions to ensure public safety at major events. In New York City, thousands of NYPD officers are deployed throughout Times Square ahead of the iconic ball drop, supported by helicopters and drones for comprehensive monitoring, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Tuesday. “New Year’s Eve in Times Square is one of the largest and most complex public safety operations in the world, and one the NYPD has secured successfully for decades,” Tisch added. Meanwhile, on the West Coast, California will usher in the New Year with more stormy weather just days after a destructive Christmas-week storm caused intense flooding and debris flows.

2️⃣ Health care policy

The Affordable Care Act’s enhanced premium subsidies are set to expire after today, leaving millions of Americans facing higher health insurance costs in 2026. While the House is expected to vote in January on a Democratic proposal to extend them for three years, the effort faces significant hurdles in the Senate. This comes after Democratic lawmakers refused to fund the federal government this fall unless the subsidies were renewed, leading to a record-long shutdown that only ended in mid-November with an agreement to hold a vote in the Senate on the matter. Both Democratic and Republican health care bills failed to pass the chamber in mid-December.

3️⃣ SNAP restrictions

Starting Thursday, Americans in five states who receive government help paying for groceries will face limits on buying soda, candy and other foods deemed unhealthy. Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah and West Virginia are the first of at least 18 states to adopt waivers restricting purchases through the SNAP program — long known as food stamps — which serves 42 million people. The move aligns with the Trump administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative, aimed at reducing chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes linked to sweetened drinks and processed foods.

4️⃣ Stock market

The US stock market is on the verge of a rare milestone: three consecutive years of double-digit gains. Historically, a three-peat is unusual and has only happened five times since the 1940s. The S&P 500 is set to rise 17% in 2025, following gains of 23% in 2024 and 24% in 2023, despite worries over tariffs, geopolitical tensions and the longest government shutdown in history. Financial analysts say stocks were fueled this year by strong corporate earnings, excitement around artificial intelligence and optimism about potential Federal Reserve interest rate cuts.

5️⃣ MetroCard retired

New York City is saying goodbye to the MetroCard after more than 30 years in service. Beginning January 1, the Metropolitan Transit Authority will no longer sell MetroCards, and riders will be required to use OMNY, a contactless payment system. OMNY is short for One Metro New York and replaces swipes with taps at turnstiles via smartphones or smartwatches with mobile wallets, credit cards or OMNY cards. MTA has said the change will save the agency $20 million annually in costs related to production, distribution, vending machine repairs and cash handling costs. For many, though, MetroCards have become a nostalgic keepsake, and some are already turning them into collector’s items.

Breakfast browse

NASA could be weeks away from its biggest test in decades

NASA’s Artemis II mission, set to lift off as soon as February, will mark the first time astronauts have aimed to venture beyond near-Earth orbit since 1972.

Best destinations to visit around the world in 2026

CNN Travel reveals the best places to visit in 2026, from Japan and Spain to Australia and the Caribbean, highlighting culture, food, nature and once-in-a-lifetime events.

New England seafood heist

Thousands of oysters, a cache of crab and $400,000 worth of lobster meat were stolen in a shell-shocking heist.

FBI ramps up investigation into alleged day care fraud

The Trump administration says it has frozen all child care payments to Minnesota amid a federal investigation into alleged fraud. A power failure paralyzed Channel Tunnel rail traffic on Tuesday, causing travel chaos for thousands of passengers in London, Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam.

Europe travel chaos

A power failure paralyzed Channel Tunnel rail traffic on Tuesday, causing travel chaos for thousands of passengers in London, Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam.

Weather

🌤️ Check your local forecast to see what you can expect.

And finally…

▶️ Eating 12 grapes and wearing red underwear: New Year’s superstitions explained

Looking for luck in 2026? Some people say these traditions and rituals may bring good fortune and set the tone for a prosperous year ahead.

Today’s edition of 5 Things AM was edited and produced by CNN’s Andrew Torgan.

Article Topic Follows: CNN - National

Jump to comments ↓