Happy Holidays

📌 How much do you remember about 2024? What does 2025 hold? Find out in the quiz (NPR)

📌 The 2024 faces quiz (NY TIMES)

📌 The biggest news stories of 2024 (WSJ)

📌 Events to shake, or gently rattle, the world in 2025 (NY TIMES)

📌 These global stories were very, very, very popular in 2024 (NPR)

📌 Top 25 destinations to add to your travel bucket list in 2025, plus trends for flights, hotel stays and more (ABC)

📌 7 workplace challenges for 2025 (GALLUP)

📌 The biggest science stories that lit up our world in 2024 (PBS)

📌 Science in 2025: the events to watch for in the coming year (NATURE)

📌 2024 in review: 25 stories that shaped the sporting year (SPORTSPRO)

📌 The 5 biggest fashion trends we predict will take over in 2025 (COSMO)

📌 The 26 best dishes we ate across the U.S. in 2024 (NY TIMES)

📌 The 41 most anticipated movies of 2025 (TIME)

📌 The best movies and TV of 2024 (NPR)

Monday, December 30

🚨NATION

📌 Biden reportedly regrets ending re-election campaign and says he could have beat Trump (GUARDIAN)

📌 Trump urges Supreme Court to hit pause on a law that could ban TikTok in the U.S. next month (NBC)

📌 At least 3 people have died as severe weather threat moves east after tornado-spawning storms pummeled Texas and Mississippi (CNN)

📌 Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says U.S. could hit debt limit in weeks (NPR)

 🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Mexico creating app for migrants to send alerts if detained in US (AXIOS)

📌 US to send $1.25 billion in weapons to Ukraine, pushing to get aid out before Biden leaves office (AP)

📌 Musk causes uproar for backing Germany’s far-right party ahead of key elections (PBS)

📌 Interim South Korean president impeached just 2 weeks after former leader ousted (NBC)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 A 9th telecoms firm has been hit by a massive Chinese espionage campaign, the White House says (AP)

📌 NASA’s Parker Solar Probe survives historic closest-ever flyby to sun (NY POST)

📌 2024 was alarmingly hot all over the world (AXIOS)

📌 Bird flu virus likely mutated within Louisiana patient who became severely ill, CDC says (PBS)

 🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 Netflix smashes records with NFL doubleheader on Christmas Day (ESPN)

📌 Judge blasts Jay-Z’s lawyer in decision to deny dismissal of child rape suit and allow accuser to remain anonymous for now (CBS)

📌 Lively-Baldoni conflict takes another turn as director “prepares to fight back with counter-suit” (DEADLINE)

📌 Actress and model Dayle Haddon dies from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning at actor Marc Blucas' home (NBC)

📌 The world’s best chess player quits chess championship after refusing to change out of jeans (NPR)

Happy Holidays

📌 How much do you remember about 2024? What does 2025 hold? Find out in the quiz (NPR)

📌 The 2024 faces quiz (NY TIMES)

📌 The biggest news stories of 2024 (WSJ)

📌 Events to shake, or gently rattle, the world in 2025 (NY TIMES)

📌 These global stories were very, very, very popular in 2024 (NPR)

📌 Top 25 destinations to add to your travel bucket list in 2025, plus trends for flights, hotel stays and more (ABC)

📌 7 workplace challenges for 2025 (GALLUP)

📌 The biggest science stories that lit up our world in 2024 (PBS)

📌 Science in 2025: the events to watch for in the coming year (NATURE)

📌 2024 in review: 25 stories that shaped the sporting year (SPORTSPRO)

📌 The 5 biggest fashion trends we predict will take over in 2025 (COSMO)

📌 The 26 best dishes we ate across the U.S. in 2024 (NY TIMES)

📌 The 41 most anticipated movies of 2025 (TIME)

📌 The best movies and TV of 2024 (NPR)

Monday, December 23

🚨NATION

📌 Trump threatens to retake control of Panama Canal (AP)

📌 Senate confirms Biden's 235th judge, beating Trump's record (NBC)

📌 ‘Missing’ GOP congresswoman not seen for six months finally found living at dementia care home (GATEWAY)

📌 Top-ranking NYPD officer abruptly resigns amid sexual misconduct allegations (AP)

📌 Lara Trump withdraws name from consideration for US Senate (BBC)

 🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Germans mourn the 5 killed and 200 injured in the attack on a Christmas market (NPR) Anti-immigrant anger rises at scene of attack (CNN)

📌 Biden approves $571M in defense support for Taiwan (FOX) China says US is ‘playing with fire’ (AP)

📌 Two US Navy pilots shot down over Red Sea in apparent 'friendly fire' incident (FOX)

📌 Cyclone Chido kills 94 people in Mozambique (BBC)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 Party City to close its stores as company files for bankruptcy (AP)

📌 FDA updates the definition of 'healthy' foods (ABC)

📌 When people finish holiday shopping (AXIOS)

📌 FDA approves weight loss drug Zepbound to treat obstructive sleep apnea (NPR)

 🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 Blake Lively accuses 'It Ends With Us' co-star Justin Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation (NBC)

📌 Colin Jost, Michael Che get personal with annual SNL joke swap (DEADLINE)

📌 ‘The Lion King’ prequel scores $87 million internationally, $122 million globally (VARIETY)

📌 Charlie Woods hits hole-in-one at PNC Championship in front of dad Tiger (USA TODAY)

Friday, December 20

🚨NATION

📌 U.S. files murder charge against Mangione that could bring death penalty (FOX)

📌 Georgia appeals court disqualifies Fulton County DA Fani Willis from prosecuting Trump (CNN)

📌 Wisconsin school shooting victims named as teacher Erin West and student Rubi Vergara (NBC)

📌 FAA temporarily bans drones in parts of New Jersey, notice threatens 'deadly force' for 'imminent security threat' (ABC)

📌 Top aide to Eric Adams indicted on bribery and conspiracy charges (POLITICO)

 🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Putin says he’s ‘ready’ for potential talks with Trump during year-end news conference (PBS)

📌 French President Emmanuel Macron met with anger from Mayotte residents, days after devastating cyclone (CNN)

📌 Swedish police to go aboard Chinese ship that was seen near Baltic cable ruptures (AP)

📌 Israel strikes Houthi targets in Yemen after missile attack (BBC)

📌 An Uzbek man is charged in Moscow with killing a Russian general in a bombing claimed by Ukraine (ABC) 

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 Thousands of Amazon drivers have gone on strike in the thick of the holiday package season (CNN)

📌 Frito-Lay recalls Lay's Classic Potato Chips over undisclosed ingredient (CBS)

📌 You can now talk to OpenAI’s chatbot by dialing 1-800-ChatGPT (CNN)

📌 U.S. life expectancy rose significantly last year, hitting highest level since pandemic (NBC)

 🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 Prince William and Princess Kate's Christmas card features sweet photo with their kids (USA TODAY)

📌 Lizzo breaks silence and says she was 'blindsided' by sexual harassment lawsuit (PEOPLE)

📌 Ethan Slater’s ex-wife, Lilly Jay, writes about navigating divorce ‘in the shadow’ of his relationship with Ariana Grande (YAHOO)

📌 Meet the 12 teams of the College Football Playoff (CNN)

Thursday, December 12

🚨NATION

📌 Trump joins Elon Musk in opposing House GOP’s government funding bill (CNBC) Johnson’s spending nightmare points to grueling GOP problems next year (POLITICO)

📌 Congress passes Paris Hilton-backed bill to protect kids (CNN)

📌 House Ethics Committee secretly voted to release Matt Gaetz ethics report (AP)

📌 Search for answers continues three days after teen opened fire on Wisconsin private school (CNN)

📌 Former NFL running back and US Senate candidate Herschel Walker selected by Trump to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas (USA TODAY)

📌 U.S. reports first severe human case of bird flu, in a patient hospitalized in Louisiana (NBC)

 🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Russia says it has detained a suspect in the Moscow bombing that killed a senior general (AP)

📌 Turkey looks set to play an outsize role in shaping the new Syria after Assad (NPR)

📌 Spies foiled assassination plots during historic Iraq visit, Pope Francis says (NBC)

📌 France's ex-President Sarkozy loses corruption case appeal (BBC)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 Bird flu spread prompts California to declare state of emergency (USA TODAY)

📌 Dow tanks by 1,100 points, posts first 10-day losing streak since 1974 (CNBC)

📌 Federal Reserve cuts interest rates by quarter point in December (FOX)

📌 Astronauts who flew to space aboard Starliner face additional delay (CNN)

 🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 Famous Flat Earther travels all the way to Antarctica to put his theory to the test - only to realize our planet is very much round (DAILY MAIL)

📌 Tony Buzbee sues Jay-Z’s Roc Nation for allegedly soliciting his clients to file ‘frivolous’ lawsuits against his firm (CNN)

📌 ‘Bad Monkey’ gets $20 million tax credit to move from Florida to California (VARIETY)

📌 Disney pulls transgender storyline from ‘Win Or Lose’ Pixar series (DEADLINE)

Wednesday, December 18

🚨NATION

📌 Trump sues Des Moines Register, pollster for ‘election interference’ after pre-election poll (AP)

📌 Madison police chief says alleged motive of Wisconsin Christian school shooting suspect seemed to be ‘combination of factors’ (THE HILL)

📌 Congress scrambles to finalize a short-term bill with shutdown deadline days away (NBC)

📌 Connolly wins vote to be top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, defeating Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (POLITICO)

 🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Israel plans an extended occupation of Syrian buffer zone (AP)

📌 Hundreds of thousands of bodies could be buried in Syrian mass graves, advocacy group says (CNN)

📌 Magnitude 7.3 earthquake causes widespread damage in Pacific island nation of Vanuatu (ABC)

📌 Filipina who won a last-minute reprieve from an Indonesian firing squad is returning home (AP)

 📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 An Alabama woman is doing well after the latest experimental pig kidney transplant (AP)

📌 Japan's Honda and Nissan to reportedly begin merger talks (CNBC)

📌 FTC bans hidden junk fees in hotel, event ticket prices (CNN)

📌 Walmart employees testing body cameras at some stores for 'security measures' (USA TODAY)

 🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 Chance the Rapper's wife Kirsten Corley Bennett files for divorce 8 months after split (USA TODAY)

📌 Tom Cruise honored with US Navy's highest civilian award (BBC)

📌 ‘Bluey’ film in the works from Disney and BBC Studios, set to hit the big screen in 2027 (USA TODAY)

📌 With Sports gambling surging, federal regulation is discussed (NY TIMES)

Tuesday, December 17

🚨NATION

📌 Drone sightings lead to airspace shutdown at Ohio Air Force base, arrests near Boston airport (PBS)

📌 Ingrid Lewis-Martin, chief adviser to NYC Mayor Eric Adams, resigns and expects to be indicted (AP)

📌 Luigi Mangione's grandmother left family members millions, so long as they didn't commit crimes (PEOPLE)

📌 TikTok asks Supreme Court to block law that could ban popular app (NBC)

 🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 American among 7 tourists hospitalized after drinking cocktails at 5-star Fiji resort (ABC)

📌 Germany's chancellor loses a confidence vote, triggering new elections (NPR)

📌 Trudeau in Trouble: Canada's finance minister quits over Trump tariff dispute with prime minister (BBC)

📌 Prince Andrew won't join King Charles and royal family for Christmas after latest scandal (FOX)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 SoftBank CEO and Trump announce $100 billion investment in U.S. by firm (CNBC)

📌 Starbucks CEO doubles parental leave amid turnaround effort (FOX)

📌 Amazon manipulated injury data to make warehouses appear safer, a Senate probe finds (NPR)

📌 The federal EV tax credit has an uncertain fate. What car shoppers should know (NPR)

 🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 ‘The White Lotus’ release date revealed in first trailer for Thailand season (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER)

📌Jelly Roll reveals 'new goal' on weight loss journey after dropping 120 pounds (ABC)

📌 Dolphins WR DuBose update after head injury (AP)

📌 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle release 2024 Christmas card with brand-new photo of Archie and Lilibet (NY POST)

Monday, December 16

🚨NATION

📌 Storms across US bring heavy snow, dangerous ice and a tornado in California (AP)

📌 Luigi Mangione’s mom was contacted by police days before arrest (ABC)

📌 Biden administration auctioning off pieces of border wall (NEWSWEEK)

📌 Texas sues New York doctor for telemedicine prescription of abortion pills (NBC)

📌 Nancy Pelosi has hip replacement surgery after injury in Europe (CBS)

 🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 U.S. asks Israel to approve urgent military aid to Palestinian security forces (AXIOS)

📌 South Korea’s parliament votes to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his martial law order — third presidential impeachment in 20 years (AP)

📌 Blinken confirms direct contact with Syria’s rebel leaders (NBC)

📌 Israel will close its embassy in Ireland over Gaza tensions, Antisemitism accusations (AP)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 Detroit-area library says Chicago man can keep overdue baseball book — 50 years later (AP)

📌 Coffee prices climb to near 50-year highs — and it may take years for the rally to run out of steam (CNBC)

📌 Why GM scrapped its $50 billion robotaxi dream (AXIOS)

📌 Holding your pee can have dangerous health risks, experts say (CNN)

 🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 Jamie Foxx thanks his fans on Instagram after being hit with glass at his birthday party (YAHOO)

📌 Oprah Winfrey throws surprise birthday party for Gayle King (PEOPLE)

📌 Scott Disick buys mini Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon for son’s birthday 15th birthday (PAGE SIX)

📌 Woman who accuses Jay-Z of raping her at 13 shares new details about alleged assault (NPR)

Friday, December 13

🚨NATION

📌 The FBI should have done more to collect intelligence before the Capitol riot, watchdog finds (AP)

📌 US senator says mysterious drones spotted in New Jersey should be ‘shot down, if necessary’ (AXIOS)

📌 New York City is a top mass deportation target. Its Democratic mayor is a wildcard (POLITICO)

📌 Miami luxury real estate tycoon brothers charged with sex trafficking (AXIOS)

📌 Hannah Kobayashi's family offers GoFundMe refunds to those who donated $50K to search for her after voluntary disappearance (PEOPLE)

📌 Trump invites China's Xi Jinping to inauguration; He isn’t planning to attend (WSJ)

 🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Missing American Travis Timmerman found wandering barefoot outside Damascus (NBC)

📌 Ontario to restrict electricity exports to US and bar American-made alcohol if Trump tariffs applied (AP)

📌 EU countries double down on halt to Syrian asylum claims but won't send people back (ABC)

📌 Hamas concedes on Israeli troops in Gaza, raising hopes for hostage deal (WSJ)

 📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 Gen Z to the rescue? How malls are winning over a generation of in-person shoppers (CNBC)

📌 Meta donates $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund (AP)

📌 Stanley recalls 2.6M travel mugs due to potential burn hazard from faulty lids (FOX)

📌 YouTube TV raises Price 14%, to $83 per month, citing ‘rising cost of content’ (VARIETY)

 🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 Selena Gomez announces engagement to Benny Blanco (NBC)

📌 At 18, India's Gukesh Dommaraju becomes the youngest World Chess Champion ever (NPR)

📌 ‘Vanderpump Rules’ star James Kennedy arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic violence (AP)

📌 Morgan Wallen sentenced to 7 days at DUI education center, 2 years’ probation after pleading guilty to chair-throwing incident (NY POST)

Thursday, December 12

🚨NATION

📌 20,000 Malibu area residents face evacuation as Red Flag fire warnings persist (CNN)

📌 Only 2 in 10 Americans support Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter after promising to not do so (PBS)

📌 Kimberly Guilfoyle is the latest Trump family ally chosen for an ambassadorship. She is off to Greece (NPR)

📌 Sen. Schumer torpedoed by Manchin and Sinema on crucial labor vote (AXIOS)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Suicide bombing in Kabul kills Taliban refugee minister (CBS)

📌 US scrambles to quell ISIS resurgence in Syria after fall of Assad (CNN)

📌 Ex-defense chief in South Korea tried to kill himself after being arrested over martial law (AP)

📌 Puberty blockers to be banned indefinitely for under-18s across UK (GUARDIAN) 

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 Annual inflation rate accelerates to 2.7% in November, as expected (CNBC)

📌 Albertsons gives up on Kroger merger and sues the grocery chain for failing to secure deal (AP)

📌 Bankruptcy judge rejects The Onion's bid for Infowars (NPR)

📌 Elon Musk becomes the first person to reach a net worth of $400 billion (CNN)

 🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 FIFA names Saudi Arabia as 2034 World Cup host; Spain, Portugal and Morocco to co-host 2030 edition (AP)

📌 Malibu wildfire surrounds Dick Van Dyke's home; 98-year-old star 'safely evacuated' (FOX)

📌 Joe Burrow’s home broken into during Monday Night Football in latest pro-athlete home invasion (AP)

📌 Stuck squirrel wins 2024 Comedy Wildlife Photography award (CNN)

Wednesday, December 11

🚨NATION

📌 Dangerous situation as fire explodes in Malibu (USA TODAY)

📌 Trump's DOJ secretly obtained phone and text message logs of 43 congressional staffers and 2 members of Congress (NBC)

📌 McConnell "fine" after falling outside Senate GOP meeting (ABC)

📌 Trump promises quick environmental permit approval for any company making $1B investment in US (AXIOS)

📌 Task force probing attempts to kill Trump urges Secret Service to limit protection of foreign leaders during election season (AP)

 🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Israel says Syrian navy wiped out in barrage of strikes (WASHINGTON POST)

📌 From Syrian jihadist al Qaeda leader to rebel politician: How Abu Mohammed al-Jolani reinvented himself (BBC)

📌 South Korea’s ex-defense minister is formally arrested over martial law imposition (AP)

📌 Taiwan's Defense Ministry says a large Chinese military force has been detected nearby (NPR)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 A federal judge temporarily halts the proposed supermarket merger of Kroger and Albertsons (AP)

📌 Boeing restarts 737 Max production a month after strike ended, sources say (CNBC)

📌 Google says it has cracked a quantum computing challenge with new chip (CNN)

📌 The next Apple Watch Ultra could have satellite texting (VERGE)

 🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 Jamie Foxx reveals he suffered a brain bleed and a stroke, says ‘I don’t remember 20 days’ (CNN)

📌 Time names Caitlin Clark as “Athlete of the Year” (TIME)

📌 Blue Ivy attends 'Mufasa' premiere with parents Beyonce and Jay-Z (ABC)

📌 Bill Belichick has offer to coach UNC (NBC)

Tuesday, December 10

🚨NATION

📌 Lara Trump leaves RNC amid Senate chatter (POLITICO)

📌 Powerful Santa Ana wind event to bring potentially dangerous fire weather to Southern California (CNN)

📌 A Florida ‘condo cliff’ is coming (NBC)

📌 Mass. Rep. Lori Trahan says she was targeted by a bomb threat (NBC)

📌 Biden creates Native American boarding school national monument to mark era of forced assimilation (ABC)

 🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Visiting torched synagogue, Australian PM calls for unity (TIMES OF ISRAEL)

📌 Netanyahu is set to take the witness stand for the first time today in his corruption trial in Israel (AP)

📌 South Korea’s President Yoon is banned from traveling abroad after martial law chaos (AP)

📌 France’s first big #MeToo case goes to trial (LE MONDE)

📌 Passenger arrested after trying to divert flight in Mexico to the U.S. (CNN)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 Nvidia facing antitrust investigation from China (YAHOO)

📌 EPA bans two cancer-linked solvents found in some cleaners, lubricants and glues (ABC)

📌 TikTok says ban would cost U.S. small businesses, creators $1.3 billion in first month (CNBC)

📌 OpenAI launches video generator Sora (AXIOS)

 🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 Golden Globes 2025 nominations: ‘Emilia Perez’ dominates films with 10 nods; ‘The Bear’ leads TV with five (VARIETY)

📌 Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to make one-night-only Broadway debut in ‘& Juliet’, fulfilling lifelong dream (DEADLINE)

📌 Taylor Swift gifted Eras Tour performers, crew an extra $197M in bonuses in addition to their salaries (PAGE SIX)

📌 Katie Holmes refutes story about daughter Suri Cruise’s fortune (CNN)

Monday, December 9

🚨NATION

📌 5 takeaways from Trump’s ‘Meet the Press’ interview (THE HILL)

📌 Daniel Penny defense may have been handed 'partial victory' with dropped charge (FOX NEWS)

📌 Trump says he can’t guarantee tariffs won’t raise U.S. prices and won’t rule out revenge prosecutions (AP)

📌 College enrollment is falling at a ‘concerning’ rate, new data reveals (GUARDIAN)

 🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Syrians ransack Assad's private residence in Damascus after the regime's downfall (NPR)

📌 South Korea martial law fallout deepens as prosecutors close in on president, ex-defense minister (NBC)

📌 Ukrainian war dead reaches 43,000, Zelensky says in rare update (BBC)

📌 Romania election results thrown out after Russian interference claims (PBS)

📌 Australia synagogue fire condemned as clear act of antisemitism as police search for suspects (CNN)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 Federal court upholds Tiktok ban/forced sale ahead of January deadline (AP)

📌 USDA orders testing across nation's milk supply amid rising bird flu cases (NPR)

📌 FDA may ban artificial red dye from beverages, candy and other foods (NBC)

📌 Bezos vs. Musk: Space tycoons with dueling visions for humanity's survival (AXIOS)

📌 Trump says he doesn’t plan to remove Fed chairman Jerome Powell (CNN)

 🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 College Football Playoff bracket revealed: Oregon No. 1 overall, SMU gets in over Alabama (AP)

📌 Largest contract in sports history: Juan Soto to sign 15-year, $765 million contract with New York Mets (NBC)

📌 Stolen ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ are auctioned for $28 million (AP)

📌 ‘Moana 2’ cruises to another record weekend and $600 million globally (ABC)

📌 Former Real Housewife Brandi Glanville says doctors believe facial disfigurement could be from a parasite that ‘jumps around’ her face (PAGE SIX)

Friday, December 6

🚨NATION

📌 Blowing snow, blustery winds, bitter cold: Gnarly winter weather grips swath of nation (USA TODAY)

📌 Father of victim in NYC subway chokehold case sues defendant Daniel Penny (ABC)

📌 After meeting with Pete Hegseth, key Senate Republican says she's not ready to support him (GMA)

📌 7.0 earthquake off Northern California prompts brief tsunami warning (AP)

 🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Syrian rebels capture second major city as army withdraws from Hama (CNN)

📌 France's toppled government adds to the European Union's bigger political problems (NPR)

📌 Amnesty International accuses Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians (NPR)

📌 South Korean president fights impeachment as he’s investigated for insurrection (NBC)

 📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield halts anesthesia payment policy after backlash (NBC NEWS)

📌 University of Michigan ends required diversity statements (GUARDIAN)

📌 Boeing plea deal related to Max crashes rejected by judge (CNN)

📌 Daily dose of dark chocolate may lower diabetes risk, study finds (ABC)

 🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 ‘Harry Potter’ HBO series to film in summer 2025 after 32,000 kids auditioned for lead roles (VARIETY)

📌 Pregnant Kylie Kelce admits she had a 'full heaving cry for 30 Minutes' after finding out daughter Elliotte was a girl (PEOPLE)

📌 Jamie Foxx declares ‘I’m back’ in trailer for new Netflix special chronicling 2023 hospitalization (CNN)

📌 Amber Heard, 38, is expecting her second child after welcoming daughter Oonagh three years ago (DAILY MAIL)

Thursday, December 5

🚨NATION

📌 US Supreme Court leaning towards letting youth transgender care ban stand in Tennessee (NPR)

📌 Biden White House is discussing preemptive pardons for Fauci, Cheney and Schiff (POLITICO)

📌 California Democrat flips seat in the last House race to be called (NBC)

📌 Peter Navarro served prison time related to Jan. 6. Now Trump is bringing him back as an adviser (AP)

📌 Dangerous, blinding snow squalls from a potent, fast-moving winter storm threaten travel in the Northeast (CNN)

 🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 South Korea’s opposition parties move to impeach president over sudden declaration of martial law (AP)

📌 French government is toppled in no-confidence vote (NBC)

📌 Georgian opposition politician beaten unconscious by police, party says, as government crackdown intensifies (CNN)

📌 Global investigation exposes alleged billion-dollar Russian money-laundering network (GUARDIAN)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 Bitcoin hits $100,000 for first time (CNBC)

📌 Google's new AI weather model beats most accurate forecast system (AXIOS)

📌 Trump nominates cryptocurrency advocate Paul Atkins as SEC chair (AP)

📌 Voyager 1 is back online 15 billion miles away in interstellar space. But the end could be near (CNN)

📌 A new phone scanner that detects spyware has already found 7 Pegasus infections (WIRED)

 🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 Prince Harry addresses speculation about marriage with Meghan Markle: 'we've apparently divorced 10 times' (PEOPLE)

📌 Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Pete Davidson and more 'Saturday Night Live' stars reveal what they spent their first paychecks on (MSNBC)

📌 Japan's famous sake joins UNESCO's cultural heritage list, a boost to brewers and enthusiasts (ABC)

📌 College football signing day winners and losers include Texas, Florida and LSU (USA TODAY)

Wednesday, December 4

🚨NATION

📌 Pete Hegseth Defense Secretary nomination on the rocks; Trump team considering Ron DeSantis, others as possible replacements (ABC NEWS) Trump DEA nominee withdraws after being nominee for three days (AP)

📌 Trump team signs agreement to allow Justice to conduct background checks on nominees (AP)

📌 NYC Mayor Adams looking to cooperate with Trump administration on deporting criminal illegal migrants (NY POST)

📌 Incoming Senate Majority Leader plans sweeping bill on the border, defense and energy in Trump’s first 30 days (POLITICO)

📌 Missing Hawaiian woman crossed freely into Mexico, Los Angeles police say (ABC)

 🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Chinese hack of global telecom providers is ‘ongoing,’ U.S. officials warn and recommend using encrypted apps (NBC)

📌 The Princess of Wales returns to official duties in first state visit after cancer treatment (YAHOO)

📌 Why protests in the country of Georgia matter (VOX)

📌 US jets attack Iranian militias in Syria (TELEGRAPH)

📌 Putin's planes took Ukrainian kids into 'coerced' Russian adoption, a Yale report says (NPR)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 Frontier Airlines introducing ‘first class-style’ seats (CNBC)

📌 Trump vows to block Japanese steelmaker from buying US Steel, pledges tax incentives and tariffs (AP)

📌 Cucumber recall: Two more brands included as feds investigate salmonella outbreak (USA TODAY)

📌 Cyber Monday was the biggest US online shopping day ever (CNN)

 🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 Last 2 defendants in Atlanta’s Young Thug trial are acquitted of murder and gang charges (AP)

📌 Eminem's mother, Debbie Nelson, dies at 69 (NBC)

📌 Kendrick Lamar and SZA taking 'GNX' collaborations on the road for Grand National Tour (USA TODAY)

📌 Mattel sued over ‘Wicked’ dolls that included link to porn website on packaging (VARIETY)

Tuesday, December 3

🚨NATION

📌 Defense Secretary Nominee Pete Hegseth was forced out of veterans’ advocacy groups over drinking, sexual misconduct allegations (CNN)

📌 Trump suggests Canada become 51st state during dinner with PM Justin Trudeau (FOX NEWS)

📌 TSA screened more than 3 million travelers at U.S. airports Sunday, breaking record (PBS)

📌 Police officer became ‘double agent’ for Proud Boys, prosecutor says (AP)

📌 Supreme Court grapples with FDA's refusal to approve flavored vapes (NBC)

 🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Pro-Putin leader backs harsh crackdown as over 40 people hospitalized amid protests in Georgia (FOX)

📌 French government teeters after PM Barnier forces through budget (BBC)

📌 President Biden makes long awaited trip to Africa (NPR)

📌 German leader Scholz vows more Ukraine aid and defends his phone call with Putin (AP)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 Fresh organic eggs distributed to Costco recalled due to salmonella concerns (ABC)

📌 Intel CEO abruptly out as company falls behind in AI transition (VERGE)

📌 Oil companies blocked plan to stop plastic pollution; Efforts start again (VERGE)

📌 Tesla CEO Elon Musk loses bid to get $56 billion pay package reinstated (CNBC)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 ‘Moana 2’ sails higher with $389M worldwide opening; biggest ever for an animated movie (DEADLINE)

📌 Harvey Weinstein taken back to hospital in New York City, lawyer says (ABC)

📌 Chris Martin and daughter Apple share a sweet slow dance during her society debut in Paris (PEOPLE)

📌 Village People singer defends Trump's use of 'Y.M.C.A.,' says song isn't a 'gay anthem' (NBC)

Monday, December 2

🚨NATION

📌 4 million under winter storm alerts as snow buries Buffalo, rest of Great Lakes region (ABC)

📌 Pete Hegseth's mom called him 'abuser of women' during his 2018 divorce, NYT reports (MSNBC)

📌 Ken Martin emerges as early front-runner in race to lead Democrats as DNC chair (POLITICO)

📌 Trump threatens 100% tariff on BRICS countries if they pursue creating new currency (NBC)

 🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Justin Trudeau dines with Trump at Mar-a-Lago after tariff threat (AP)

📌 UN says it is halting aid through main Gaza crossing because route is too dangerous (NPR)

📌 Zelenskyy says NATO offer for Ukraine-controlled territory could end ‘hot stage’ of war (AP)

📌 Unprecedented protests sweep Georgia after government scraps EU bid (POLITICO)

📌 A new Belgium law gives sex workers contracts, benefits and safety protection (AP) 

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 Volkswagen’s woes mount as workers prepare to strike across Germany (CNN)

📌 Atlantic hurricane season races to finish within range of predicted number of named storms (NOAA)

📌 Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares steps down as carmaker continues struggle with slumping sales (AP)

📌 Inside your body, aging unfolds at remarkably different rates (WASHINGTON POST)

 🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 Thanksgiving box office record: ‘Moana 2’ scores dazzling $221 million debut, ‘Wicked’ adds huge $117 million (VARIETY)

📌 Brawl ensues after Michigan deals stunning upset loss to rival Ohio State (CNN)

📌 Eddie Murphy's son is marrying Martin Lawrence's daughter: 'A love that feels like destiny' (USA TODAY)

📌 ‘Wicked’ star Marissa Bode speaks out against ‘harmful’ ableist comments made about her character (TODAY)

LESS CONTROVERSIAL NEWS TOPICS FOR THE THANKSGIVING TABLE

📌 Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade 2024: 6 new balloons, range of performers including Kylie Minogue, Temptations (NEWSDAY)

📌 Grandma of 12 sets new world record with 1,575 pushups, he second record (ABC)

📌 Grandma and man she accidentally texted will have Thanksgiving together again (ABC)

📌 Snoop Dog discusses his plans to spend the holiday with his 9-12 grandchildren (PEOPLE)

📌 Two couples in California discover their embryos were mixed-up after their daughters were born, see what they chose to do (NY TIMES)

📌 ‘Moana 2’ box office predicted to beat ‘Wicked’ & ‘Gladiator 2’ openings (YAHOO)

📌 The last mercury retrograde of 2024 is upon us. What it means (USA TODAY)

📌 'Demure' is Dictionary.com's word of the year (NPR)

📌 NASA radar picks up frozen, buried Cold War base Camp Century (POPSCI)

📌 China’s hottest new tourist attraction is 5,000 feet in the air (CNN)

📌 Ocean explorers hoped they photographed Amelia Earhart's plane. Turns out it's a rock (NPR)

📌 Inside the world of competitive ‘tablescaping’ (NY TIMES)