MORNING NEWS UPDATE: DECEMBER 24, 2025
- Supreme Court Blocks Trump Administration's National Guard Deployment in Chicago: The U.S. Supreme Court rejected an attempt to deploy National Guard troops in the Chicago area amid immigration enforcement disputes, while related actions continue in other cities like New Orleans.
- Major Storm Causes Flooding and Power Outages in California: A powerful atmospheric river storm led to life-threatening flooding, evacuations, and widespread power outages across the state.
- New Batch of Epstein Files Released with References to Trump: The Justice Department released additional documents from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, including multiple mentions of President Trump, mostly from prior reports and subpoenas.
- Explosion at Pennsylvania Health Facility: An explosion and fire at a rehab center in Bristol, Pennsylvania, collapsed part of the building; investigations point to a possible gas leak.
Pennsylvania Nursing Home Explosion: Investigators and drones are searching the rubble of the Bristol Health & Rehab Center in Bristol, PA, following a massive gas explosion on Tuesday.
At least two people are confirmed dead, and several remain unaccounted for. Supreme Court Blocks National Guard Deployment: In a significant check on executive power, the Supreme Court has let stand a ruling that prevents the Trump administration from deploying National Guard troops to the Chicago area for domestic law enforcement.
Powerball Hits $1.7 Billion: After another drawing with no grand prize winner, the Powerball jackpot has soared to a massive $1.7 billion, making it one of the largest in the game’s history heading into the New Year.
Winter Weather Impacts: Fog and winter weather advisories are affecting holiday travel across various regions, with "Weather Impact Forecasts" warning of delays for Christmas Eve travelers.
- U.S. Bars Europeans Accused of Pressuring Tech Firms on Censorship: The State Department imposed entry bans on five Europeans alleged to have influenced U.S. tech companies to suppress American viewpoints online.
- Ongoing Immigration Policy Actions Under Trump Administration: Includes lawsuits against state laws limiting federal enforcement (e.g., in Illinois), National Guard deployments in select areas, and suspensions of certain visa programs following incidents like the Brown University shooting.
- Epstein Document Releases Spark Political Debate: Newly disclosed files have fueled discussions and scrutiny involving President Trump and related figures.
- Trump Announces Navy's "Golden Fleet" Initiative: Plans for new advanced warships, including "Trump-class" battleships, were highlighted as part of broader military expansions.
Kennedy Center Renaming: A renaming ceremony at the Kennedy Center highlights President Trump’s ongoing efforts to reshape Washington’s cultural and institutional landscape.
Epstein File Release: A fresh batch of legal documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein case was released on Tuesday; the files mention numerous public figures, including the President, though no criminal wrongdoing is indicated by their inclusion.
GSA Leadership Change: Edward C. Forst was sworn in today as the new Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA). Unusually, the ceremony took place in Florida, where Forst was serving on a local jury.
Diplomatic Recalls: The administration’s foreign policy shift continues as reports emerge regarding the widespread recall of career diplomats to be replaced by political appointees.
- Israeli Actions in Gaza and West Bank Amid Ceasefire Violations: Reports of strikes killing civilians in Gaza, vows to build settlements in northern Gaza, and approval of new West Bank settlements despite international criticism.
- U.S. Military Pressure on Venezuela: Airstrikes and statements at the UN targeting resources linked to President Maduro; related tanker seizures.
- Ongoing Conflicts and Humanitarian Exchanges: Houthi-Yemeni detainee swap; continued issues in Ukraine, Sudan, and Lebanon with ceasefire breaches.
- Other International Developments: Gun buyback in Australia post-shooting; prison riots in Ecuador; art theft in Brazil.
Zelenskyy’s New Peace Plan: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has unveiled details of a new peace proposal and is seeking direct talks with the U.S. administration regarding territorial security.
Thai-Cambodian Border Conflict: Fresh fighting has broken out between Thailand and Cambodia despite new ceasefire talks, with high casualties reported among Cambodian troops.
Myanmar Election Plans: The military junta in Myanmar is preparing to enact a three-phase election plan starting December 28, a move critics call a "façade" to solidify military rule.
AFCON 2025 Kickoff: The Africa Cup of Nations has begun in Morocco, with early victories for Nigeria and Senegal.
- U.S. Department of Education Reviews Brown University After Shooting: A program review initiated in response to the campus incident that killed students.
- Challenges in Higher Education Funding and Access: Discussions around undocumented students, accreditation, and financial troubles at various universities (e.g., in Ohio).
- Holiday Breaks and School Policies: Varied winter/Christmas vacations across states; some extended into early January.
- Broader Trends: Concerns over AI in education, transgender care policies impacting schools, and year-end reflections on K-12 issues like bullying and expulsions related to AI-generated content.
- U.S. GDP Surges 4.3% in Third Quarter: Strong growth driven by consumer spending and exports, exceeding expectations despite earlier concerns.
- Stock Market Records and Consumer Confidence Mixed: S&P 500 hits record close; consumer confidence weakens amid job anxieties, though overall economic indicators remain robust.
- Corporate Deals and Profits Rise: Notable acquisitions and profit increases reported.
- Year-End Reflections: Impacts from tariffs and policy changes under the Trump administration highlighted in reviews.
Strong GDP Growth: A much-delayed report shows the U.S. economy grew at a robust 4.3% annual rate in the third quarter, fueled largely by resilient consumer spending despite persistent inflation.
The "K-Shaped" Reality: While GDP is up, consumer confidence has fallen for five consecutive months. Economists point to a "K-shaped" economy where wealthier Americans benefit from stock gains while lower-income households struggle with high costs.
Fed Interest Rate Uncertainty: Higher-than-expected inflation (PCE index at 2.8%) has led many to believe the Federal Reserve may skip an interest rate cut in January, despite three cuts earlier this ear.
- Advancements in AI and Autonomous Tech: Fujitsu's new Physical AI integration; Samsung's Harman acquires ZF's ADAS business for $1.8 billion; global robotaxi expansions.
- Regulatory Actions on Big Tech: Italy orders Meta to suspend certain WhatsApp terms amid antitrust probe.
- Other Breakthroughs: Google's Gemini 3 model releases; Canon honored by TSMC; fleet management IPO filings.
- Year in Review: Rapid progress in open-source AI, hardware efficiency, and multimodal models.
3D Chip Breakthrough: Researchers have unveiled a new vertical 3D computer chip design that stacks memory and computing elements to break the "AI bottleneck" caused by traditional flat data transfers.
Palantir (PLTR) Stock Surge: Palantir continues to be a market leader in the AI sector, with its stock hovering near $194 today following a series of fresh government and defense AI contracts.
Earth-to-Space Quantum Link: Scientists have successfully demonstrated that quantum signals can be sent from Earth to satellites (not just vice versa), a major step toward a global quantum internet.
- Flu Season Intensifies with H3N2 Variant: Experts express concern over a potentially severe season due to a new flu strain.
- Global Health Wins and Challenges: Achievements in vaccines (e.g., cervical cancer targets met early); concerns over mpox in pregnancy and chronic illnesses like ME/CFS underfunding.
- Breakthroughs and Discoveries: Progress in treatments for HIV, TB, and other diseases; new insights into long COVID and brain health benefits from certain drugs.
- Medical Billing and Access Issues: Ongoing patient stories and advice on navigating high costs.
Dairy and Dementia Link: A long-term study published this week suggests that high-fat cheese and cream consumption may be associated with a lower risk of dementia, challenging previous assumptions about dairy fat.
Brain-Protective Peptide: Scientists have identified a four-amino acid peptide (CAQK) that can be delivered via IV to target injured brain tissue and reduce inflammation after traumatic injuries.
Cancer-Killing Nanoparticles: New metal-based nanoparticles have been developed that trigger a "shutdown process" in cancer cells by increasing internal stress while leaving healthy cells unharmed.
- NFL Action and Playoff Implications: Steelers defeat Lions in close game; other recent matchups pushing teams toward or away from playoffs.
- Cricket Highlights: Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli strong performances in Vijay Hazare Trophy; Bihar sets world record in domestic match.
- Women's Sports Milestones: Record-breaking achievements and moments across tennis, skiing, basketball, and more.
- College and Other Updates: Basketball scores; year-end reviews of influential stories and media shifts.
- Broader Trends: NIL landscape growth; in-season tournaments gaining traction.
College Basketball Holiday Slump: Most top-ranked teams are off for the holiday, but Kentucky recently secured a 99-85 win over Bellarmine, led by Kam Williams’ eight 3-pointers.
NFL Playoff Scenarios: Heading into the final weeks, the Houston Texans are navigating complex playoff scenarios that range from the AFC's No. 1 seed to potentially missing the postseason entirely.
UTSA Athletics Breakthrough: The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is celebrating a historic 2025, with three different programs—Women's Basketball, Baseball, and Women's Soccer—earning their first American Conference championships.
