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I live in the Philippines with my family.

Colorado River water negotiators appear no closer to long-term agreement LAS VEGAS (AP) — The seven states that rely on the Colorado River to supply farms and cities across the U.S. West appear no closer to reaching a consensus on a long-term plan for sharing the dwindling resource. https://apnews.com/article/colorado-river-water-vegas-8d3ccf6c1f6e62c21ae930f2a8fa8bf9?

Health care rises sharply as a concern for Americans ahead of 2026, AP-NORC poll finds A new AP-NORC poll finds that Americans are more likely to prioritize health care than they were last year. About 4 in 10 U.S. adults named health care or health issues when asked to name up to five issues they want the government to work on in the coming year. The shift comes after President Donald Trump’s Republican administration reduced spending on Medicaid and decided to end coronavirus pandemic-era subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, essentially guaranteeing that millions of people will see a steep rise in costs early next year. Immigration and rising costs remain pressing issues. Read more.

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as photographed by the Hubble Space Telescope last month. Image: NASA, ESA, STScI, D. Jewitt (UCLA), M.-T. Hui (Shanghai Astronomical Observatory). Image Processing: J. DePasquale (STScI) ☄️ Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS made its closest approach to Earth early today, getting within 168 million miles. It's the third such object discovered in our solar system, giving scientists a rare chance to study a visitor from beyond our cosmic neighborhood. Go deeper.

American Airlines tightens frequent flyer perks on basic economy tickets Travelers who booked American Airlines basic economy tickets on or after Dec. 17 at 12am CT will no longer earn AAdvantage miles or Loyalty Points, according to the airline's website. https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2025/12/19/american-airlines-basic-economy-aadvantage-miles-perks?

📚 Books are out, articles are in Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios Many American high schoolers are being assigned fewer books to read cover to cover in favor of shorter material, The New York Times reports. That's based on research and informal surveys, and comes as high school reading scores are falling. 📱Some teachers who responded to the Times' survey complained about tech sapping students' attention spans. 📒 But many also said curriculum programs and test prep leave little time for entire books. ❤️ Some educators say their students still love books — if they can fit them in. Andrew Polk, a 10th-grade English teacher in Ohio, said, "Students absolutely can and do rise to the occasion. It's just a matter of setting those expectations." Gift link.

Legal immigration crackdown Illustration: Natalie Peeples/Axios President Trump's overnight crackdown on diversity visas is the latest example of his administration targeting legal immigration after high-profile incidents, Axios' Brittany Gibson reports. The administration is using events like the recent Brown University/MIT shootings for "undoing so many aspects of the immigration system," says Doris Meissner, who once led the Immigration and Naturalization Service and is now at the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute. 🇵🇹 The alleged Brown/MIT shooter entered the U.S. from Portugal through the diversity lottery immigrant visa program, which allows entry for about 50,000 people a year. ⏸️ The Trump administration paused the program quickly after the suspect's identity and background became public. Trump called to end the program several times in his first term. 🇦🇫 DHS last month paused all asylum decisions after an Afghan national — who entered the U.S. legally and was granted asylum — attacked National Guard members in Washington, D.C. The agency also suspended all immigration decisions for Afghan passport holders and nationals on the travel ban list, which has grown to 39 countries. 🇸🇴 And Trump ended Temporary Protected Status for Somalis over reports of widespread fraud in Minnesota. That decision will impact fewer than 1,000 people, but it's created justification for stronger immigration enforcement in the state — particularly in Minneapolis. 🌎 The White House's broader travel ban has halted the legal immigration process for about 20% of people in the system, the CATO Institute says. The pause has stopped citizenship ceremonies and green card interviews, and prevents affected people from renewing their visas. DHS didn't respond to Axios' questions about its broad crackdown on legal immigration in reaction to acts of violence or alleged fraud. In a statement to Axios, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin blamed President Biden for restarting the diversity visa lottery after Trump's first term. "President Trump has repeatedly tried to end the Diversity Visa," McLaughlin told us, providing a timeline going back to 2017. Go deeper ... Diversity visas, explained.

Justice Department releases limited set of files tied to Epstein sex trafficking investigation WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department released thousands of files Friday about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, but the incomplete document dump did not break significant ground about the long-running criminal investigations of the financier or his ties to wealthy and powerful individuals. https://apnews.com/article/release-epstein-files-justice-department-trump-f919d9dc9c3957cb2bd2c9c1a14b533c?

The listed reason from YouTube was the account "may have been hacked". The title of this thread "so it begins" reminded me of the attack on Helms Deep. A secular authority like Youtube could care less about the topics Scott likes to post on his website.

On New Year’s Eve, Marco Estrada wandered the streets of Lima, Peru, overwhelmed by years of alcohol and drug dependence and a deep sense of loneliness. Returning home in tears, he knelt on his bedroom floor and prayed a desperate prayer. https://adventist.news/news/former-addict-turns-motorcycle-taxi-into-missionary-ride-in-peru

MAGA Honors Charlie Kirk by Fighting Like Dogs at His Big Bash Ben Shapiro and Tucker Carlson aired out their grievances as the war engulfing the right rages on. Turning Point USA’s first AmericaFest conference without the group’s slain leader has descended into petty infighting among some of MAGA’s most prominent figures. In an extraordinary opening night, right-wing influencers vying for control over the future of the conservative movement publicly aired grievances against one another onstage, as the civil war erupting among President Donald Trump’s supporters played out in real time. Among the attack lines hurled at the event, which was supposed to memorialize TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk following his murder in September, were jabs at former Fox News host Tucker Carlson for his softball interview with white nationalist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes, as well as criticism of right-wing figures who failed to call out podcaster Candace Owens for spreading conspiracy theories about Kirk’s killing. Political commentator Ben Shapiro delivered some of the most vitriolic attacks, blasting the “frauds and grifters” dominating headlines in the MAGA world. He noted in his speech that Kirk “despised” the “evil troll” Fuentes, and said offering him any sort of platform was “an act of moral imbecility.” “That is precisely what Tucker Carlson did. He built Nick Fuentes up, and you ought to take responsibility for that,” Shapiro said. “Just as you ought to take responsibility for glazing pornographer and alleged sex trafficker Andrew Tate, or for mainstreaming fake historian and pseudo–Nazi apologist Darryl Cooper as America’s best and most honest popular historian," Shapiro added. Shapiro also used one of MAGA’s favored slurs to attack Owens for pushing baseless claims about Kirk’s murder, including suggestions that Israeli intelligence was involved or that Turning Point USA itself was somehow to blame. “In motive accusations, conspiracy theories, and just gasping questions—that’s lazy and stupid and misleading. None of them are a substitute for truth. None of them are a substitute for evidence,” Shapiro said. “So when Candace Owens says, ‘I don’t know, but I know,’ that is ret***ed, and we are all more ret***ed for having heard it.” Elsewhere, Shapiro blasted commentator Megyn Kelly for “shying away” from condemning Owens, and described top Trump ally Steve Bannon as someone who was “once a PR flack for Jeffrey Epstein.” Carlson fired back almost immediately, opening his own speech that night by joking, “I just got here, and I feel like I missed the first part of the program. Hope I didn’t miss anything meaningful.” He also mocked Shapiro for calling for “deplatforming and denouncing people at a Charlie Kirk event. This is hilarious.” Erika Kirk, the widow of the Turning Point USA founder, predicted there would be tensions between the warring MAGA figures during her own speech. “You won’t agree with everyone on this stage this weekend,” she said. “And that’s OK. Welcome to America.” Elsewhere at AmericaFest, arguments nearly turned physical. Videos posted online showed Blaze host John Doyle confronting one of Fuentes’ supporters, known as Groypers, who frequently attempt to gatecrash mainstream GOP conferences that they are banned from attending. As noted by The Bulwark’s Will Sommer, infighting over attempts to mainstream Fuentes’ extremist views is at the center of MAGA turmoil in the wake of Kirk’s death. “Watching TPUSA convention, it’s striking how much Charlie Kirk’s firewall against Nick Fuentes and white nationalism has evaporated after his murder,” Sommer posted on X. “Charlie Kirk was Nick Fuentes’s arch-enemy, and Fuentes tormented Kirk right up until his murder. Three months later, speakers and audience members at Kirk’s convention are eager to welcome Fuentes into the GOP.” https://www.thedailybeast.com/maga-honors-charlie-kirk-by-fighting-like-dogs-at-his-big-bash/? ps:So you thought a few choice words about Charlie Kirk was bad? Well this infighting amongst themselves is a lot worse and very disrespectful!!!!!!!!!! Disgusting doesn't even cover it!!!!!

Trump Ignores Law and Sticks His Name on Kennedy Center The name of the president was added to the sign outside the performing arts center. Construction workers on Friday added Donald Trump’s name to the sign on the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The board of the cultural institution voted to change the name of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to the Trump-Kennedy Center, despite any formal change requiring congressional action. However, that did not stop the center from slapping the president’s name on the signage one day later. The Kennedy Center also immediately changed its website Thursday to reflect the the board’s action. The move came after Trump had repeatedly suggested that the Kennedy Center become the Trump-Kennedy Center for months, both in public remarks and on social media. The board of trustees consists of mostly Trump loyalists after he fired multiple members shortly after returning to office and named himself chairman. The White House claimed the board voted unanimously to change the name on Thursday afternoon. “I was honored by it,” Trump told reporters at the White House shortly after. “The board is a very distinguished board, most distinguished people in the country, and I was surprised by it. I was honored by it.” However, the performing arts center is by law designated the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. It is largely understood that the power to rename it lies with Congress. Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty, who is an ex officio member of the Kennedy Center board of trustees, was on the call for the vote on Thursday. She said that when she tried to push her button to object to the renaming of the Kennedy Center, she was muted. “Participants were not allowed to voice their concerns who were online, yet it was said at the end it was a unanimous vote,” she said. “Clearly, the Congress has a say in this. This center, the Kennedy Center was created by the Congress.” Democratic Senator Andy Kim posted photos of the construction workers changing the sign and wrote on X: “this needs to stop as it’s illegal to change without Congress.” The Kennedy Center is less than a mile from the headquarters of the U.S. Institute of Peace, which the Trump administration also put the president’s name on earlier this month. It happened despite ongoing litigation over the institute’s control after the administration fired most of the staff. The Kennedy Center was named by Congress as a living memorial to the 35th president after he was assassinated. Members of his family expressed fierce opposition to the name change after it was announced on Thursday. Maria Shriver wrote that the Kennedy Center was named for her uncle as a man “who was interested in the arts, interested in culture, interested in education, language, history.” “It is beyond comprehension that this sitting president has sought to rename this great memorial dedicated to President Kennedy,” she wrote. “It is beyond wild that he would think adding his name in front of President Kennedy’s name is acceptable. It is not.” “The Kennedy Center is a living memorial to a fallen president and named for President Kennedy by federal law. It can no sooner be renamed than can someone rename the Lincoln Memorial, no matter what anyone says,” wrote former Rep. Joe Kennedy III. Trump-appointed Kennedy Center President Rick Grenell claimed the president “saved” the center. The 79-year-old president has taken a personal interest in redecorating the center. He often talks about the new columns on the building and replacing seating. A series of updates at the center are underway, thanks to funds allocated by Congress. The grand foyer and other areas also received major updates in 2024 before Trump took office. However, there have been numerous reports that ticket sales have plummeted and audiences for shows have been largely down since Trump’s takeover. https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-ignores-law-and-sticks-his-name-on-kennedy-center/? ps:He acts as if they had a chose as how to vote!!!!! What a vain person!!!!!!!!!!

🎉 Yahoo! It's Friday! You made it. Programming note: This will be our last regular edition of 2025. We'll have a "Year in Review" on Monday before taking a break until the New Year. In today's edition: Seahawks stun Rams on TNF, Weekend Watchlist, the most-collected athletes of 2025, checking in on the NBA MVP race, and more. Yahoo Sports AM is written by Kendall Baker and Jeff Tracy. Let's sports...   🏈 NFC WEST SEAHAWKS STUN RAMS IN GAME OF THE YEAR Seattle celebrates after converting the game-winning 2-point conversion in overtime. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images) The Seahawks pulled off one of the wildest comebacks in franchise history on Thursday night against the Rams, turning a late 30-14 deficit into a 38-37 (OT) win that could completely reshape the NFC playoff picture. By the numbers: Entering Thursday, the Seahawks were 0-172 all time when trailing by 15 or more points in the fourth quarter. They're now 1-172 thanks in part to a gutsy decision to go for the 2-point conversion and the win in overtime. Where it stands: The Seahawks now control the NFC West and the No. 1 seed in the NFC.   📺 VIEWING GUIDE WEEKEND WATCHLIST (Yahoo Sports) 🏈 College Football Playoff While the top four seeds (Indiana, Ohio State, Georgia, Texas Tech) enjoy their well-earned byes, the next eight teams take the field this weekend at each higher seed's home stadium. No. 9 Alabama at No. 8 Oklahoma (Fri. 8pm ET, ABC/ESPN): The Tide, the only three-loss team in the field, get another chance to beat the Sooners, who were responsible for one of those three defeats last month in Tuscaloosa. No. 10 Miami at No. 7 Texas A&M (Sat. 12pm, ABC/ESPN): The Hurricanes and Aggies are both making their inaugural appearances in the CFP despite both narrowly missing out on their own conference championship games. No. 11 Tulane at No. 6 Ole Miss (Sat. 3:30pm, TNT): The Green Wave got annihilated by the Rebels, 45-10, when they met in Week 4. Will the outcome be different this time around in Ole Miss' first game without Lane Kiffin on the sideline? No. 12 JMU at No. 5 Oregon (Sat. 7:30pm, TNT): Only undefeated Indiana has a longer active winning streak than the Dukes, who've won 11 straight to reach the CFP just four years into their FBS tenure. The mighty Ducks, whose only loss came against those Hoosiers, await in Eugene. Good read: Why you should root for JMU, even if the Dukes probably don't have a shot against Oregon (Jay Busbee, Yahoo Sports) 🏈 NFL Week 16 This weekend's slate features the first Saturday games of the season — and six matchups between teams in the playoff hunt. Packers at Bears (Sat. 8:20pm, Fox): The winner between Chicago (10-4) and Green Bay (9-4-1) will take over first place in the NFC North. Chargers at Cowboys (Sun. 1pm, Fox): Los Angeles (10-4) has won three straight; Dallas (6-7-1) must win out to have a chance at the playoffs. Buccaneers at Panthers (1pm, Fox): Tampa Bay (7-7) and Carolina (7-7) are tied atop the NFC South and play each other twice in the final three weeks. Jaguars at Broncos (4pm, Fox): Denver (12-2) has won 11 straight, while Jacksonville (10-4) is nearing its first 11-win season since 2007. Steelers at Lions (4:25pm, CBS): Pittsburgh (8-6) is trying to hold off the Ravens for the AFC North, while Detroit (8-6) is the first team outside the NFC playoff picture. Patriots at Ravens (8:20pm, NBC): New England (11-3) is a game ahead of the Bills in the AFC East, while Baltimore (7-7) is a game behind the Steelers in the North. Betting preview: Against-the-spread picks, predictions for every game (Frank Schwab, Yahoo Sports) 🥊 Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua What happens when a 6-foot-1 YouTuber-turned-boxer takes the ring against a 6-foot-6 heavyweight champion? We'll find out tonight when Jake Paul (12-1, 7 KOs) and Anthony Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) square off in Miami (10:30pm, Netflix). Change of plans: Tonight's fight was supposed to feature the 195-pound Paul and Gervonta "Tank" Davis, who generally competes at 135 pounds. Instead, due to Tank's ongoing legal issues, Paul — who bulked up to 216.6 pounds as of Thursday's weigh-in — will face the 245-pound Brit with a gargantuan 82-inch reach. Good luck, buddy. 🏐 NCAA Volleyball Championship No. 1 Kentucky will face No. 3 Texas A&M on Sunday (3:30pm, ABC) in the first all-SEC title game in tournament history. The run of a lifetime: The Aggies are looking to cap off an epic conclusion to their best season ever after knocking off previously undefeated No. 1 Nebraska to reach their first Final Four and then sweeping No. 1 Pitt to reach their first title game. Can they take down a third straight No. 1 seed — 2020 champion Kentucky — to hoist their first championship trophy? 🏀 College Hoops NBA and NHL arenas will host more than a dozen neutral-site men's and women's games this weekend, including five between ranked teams. Men: No. 6 Purdue vs. No. 21 Auburn (Sat. 6:30pm, Peacock) at Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Pacers); No. 8 Houston vs. No. 14 Arkansas (Sat. 5:30pm, CBS) at Prudential Center (Devils); No. 3 Duke vs. No. 19 Texas Tech (Sat. 8pm, ESPN) at MSG. Women: No. 16 Louisville vs. No. 17 Tennessee (Sat. 11am, Fox) and No. 1 UConn vs. No. 11 Iowa (Sat. 1:30pm, Fox) at Barclays Center (Nets). More to watch: 🏈 FCS Semifinals: No. 2 Montana State vs. No. 3 Montana (Sat. 4pm, ABC); No. 12 Villanova vs. Illinois State (Sat. 7:30pm, ESPN2) … The 125th "Brawl of the Wild" in Bozeman is in such high demand that tickets cost more than any of this weekend's CFP games. 🏈 D2 Championship: Ferris State vs. Harding (Sat. 4pm, ESPN2) … Both teams have perfect 15-0 records and have combined to win the last four titles. 🏀 NBA: 76ers at Knicks (Fri. 7pm, Prime); Thunder at Timberwolves (9:30pm, Prime); Rockets at Nuggets (Sat. 5pm, NBA) 🏒 NHL: Red Wings at Capitals (Sat. 12:30pm, NHL); Capitals at Red Wings (Sun. 1pm, NHL) … Two of the best teams in the East play a home-and-home on back-to-back days. ⚽️ Premier League: Man City vs. West Ham (Sat. 10am, USA); Everton vs. Arsenal (Sat. 3pm, NBC); Aston Villa vs. Man United (Sun. 11:30am, NBC) … Arsenal (36 points), City (34) and Villa (33) are separated by just three points at the top of the table. 🏈 Bowl Games: Kennesaw State vs. Western Michigan (Fri. 11am, ESPN); Memphis vs. NC State (Fri. 2:30pm, ESPN) … Myrtle Beach Bowl in South Carolina and Gasparilla Bowl in Tampa. ⛳️ Golf: PNC Championship (Sat-Sun, NBC/Golf) … Orlando's Ritz-Carlton Golf Club hosts the annual tournament featuring 20 pros playing alongside family members.   📈 DATA DUMP WHO WERE THE MOST-COLLECTED ATHLETES OF 2025? Jayden Daniels led the way in 2025. (PSA) Professional Sports Authenticators (PSA) graded 20 million cards in 2025, their most ever in a single year. Which athletes were best represented? 🏀 Basketball Michael Jordan (206k) Caitlin Clark (136.7k) Victor Wembanyama (110.2k) Kobe Bryant (74k) LeBron James (59k) Rounding out the top 10: Cooper Flagg (48.2k), Stephen Curry (33k), Anthony Edwards (30k), Shaquille O'Neal (27.5k), Luka Dončić (24.4k) 🏈 Football Jayden Daniels* (236.1k) Bo Nix* (115.2k) Caleb Williams* (99.1k) Drake Maye* (94.2k) JJ McCarthy* (89.4k) Rounding out the top 10: Michael Penix Jr. (75.6k), Brock Bowers (52.5k), Patrick Mahomes (52k), Malik Nabers (42k), CJ Stroud (38.4k) ⚾️ Baseball Shohei Ohtani (165.4k) Paul Skenes* (91.7k) Ken Griffey Jr. (65.1k) Aaron Judge (56k) Elly De La Cruz (45.4k) Rounding out the top 10: Nolan Ryan (37k), Bobby Witt Jr. (35k), Jackson Holliday (28.1k), Jackson Chourio (28k), Bo Jackson (27.3k) How PSA grading works: It all starts with getting your cards to them, either by mail or drop-off locations. Once received, PSA authenticates each card, grades it on a 1–10 scale, then seals it in a tamper-proof holder with a unique barcode. After grading, collectors can choose what to do next: ship cards home, store them securely in the PSA Vault, or sell instantly through PSA's eBay partnership or their cash-offer marketplace. The big picture: Because grading costs time and money, collectors tend to submit cards they believe will hold or gain value, making the most-graded players a proxy for where collector attention is focused. So think of this data as a snapshot of who mattered most to the hobby in 2025 — and who might matter most in the future. *Jayden Daniels, Bo Nix, Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy and Paul Skenes were all among the top 10 most-collected athletes of 2025, which follows a familiar pattern in the hobby. Breakout rookies (or rookies viewed as potential future stars) invite speculation and draw heavy grading volume from collectors thinking financially. "It's like buying a stock at an IPO or getting in on the ground floor of a startup," says PSA president Ryan Hoge. "You see these rookies and want to bet on them at the very start of their career."   🏀 BEST OF THE BEST NBA MVP RANKINGS: THE RACE IS HEATING UP (Bruno Rouby/Yahoo Sports) We have officially hit the one-third mark of the NBA season, so what better time to take stock of an MVP race that is as stacked with top-end talent as it has ever been, writes Yahoo Sports' Ben Rohrbach. Top 6 candidates: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder): The Thunder are so far and away the league's best team, and SGA is so far and away their best player, that it's hard to argue against him as the MVP. OKC is on pace to break the regular-season wins record, and their point guard is averaging 32-5-6 in such a consistent manner that it feels like he's programmed to do so. Nikola Jokić (Nuggets): Jokić is averaging another 30-point triple-double, which is ridiculous. He leads the league in rebounding and assists, and he ranks fifth in scoring. His last season, when he finished second in MVP voting, was arguably the most impressive statistically in league history, and he has been even better this year, shooting 67.6% on 2-point attempts and 43.3% on 3s. His production and efficiency are unprecedented. Jalen Brunson (Knicks): Brunson is the straw that stirs New York's drink on offense. The Knicks operate like the league's best outfit when he is in the game, scoring 126 points per 100 possessions, and like a bottom-five offense when he is on the bench (111.1 points per 100 possessions). With exceptional footwork, he gets wherever he wants, and usually, even at 6-2, he can manufacture a clean look for himself or someone else from there. Defensively, however, there is a limit to what Brunson can do. Luka Dončić (Lakers): Offensively, you cannot ask for more from Dončić, who is leading the league per game in points (34.7), field-goal attempts (23.1), 3-point attempts (10.7) and free-throw attempts (12.3). He is doing a lot, and while he could be more efficient, there are few players capable of getting to their spots and finishing from them as well as Dončić. Like Brunson, defensively is where he struggles. Victor Wembanyama (Spurs): We are running out of ways to laud Wembanyama, who as an athletic 7-foot-4 specimen is capable of things on a basketball court that others simply are not. He can score inside and outside, over everyone, but it is his defense that truly separates him. He all but blocks out the sun with his 8-foot wingspan. Cade Cunningham (Pistons): The Pistons are a surprising top seed, and Cunningham is their driving force. Quite literally. He is among the league's leaders in drives, prodding his way to his spots, where he can either pull up over a smaller defender, find Jalen Duren rolling to the basket or spread it out to a shooter. He beats you in many ways. Honorable mention: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks), Jaylen Brown (Celtics), Stephen Curry (Warriors), Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves), Tyrese Maxey (76ers), Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers), Alperen Şengün (Rockets).   🥊 BOXING MOVIE TRIVIA (United Artists/Archive Photos/Getty Images) 45 years ago today, Martin Scorsese's "Raging Bull" was released in theaters. Question: Robert De Niro won Best Actor for his portrayal of the movie's main character, whose autobiography inspired the film. What was his name? Hint: JM. Answer at the bottom.   🏈 PAY TO PLAY CHARTED: CFP SPENDING (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports) How do the 12 teams in the College Football Playoff compare financially? Here's what each football program spent during the 2023-24 academic year, which is the most recent data we have from the U.S. Department of Education. Speaking of spending: You won't believe how much these teams spend on balloons.   Trivia answer: Jake LaMotta

Pope names fellow Chicagoan, Bishop Ronald Hicks, as new archbishop of New York VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV on Thursday made his most important U.S. appointment to date, naming a fellow Chicagoan as the next archbishop of New York to lead one of the biggest U.S. archdioceses as it navigates relations with the Trump administration and its immigration crackdown. https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-trump-dolan-new-york-immigration-2ca935715323389f0ca990f4b39d1117?

Arizona jury sentences man to death in string of killings in metro Phoenix during 2017 PHOENIX (AP) — An Arizona jury on Thursday sentenced a man to death in a string of killings in metro Phoenix during a three-week span in 2017, marking the end of a seven-month trial over attacks that targeted random victims and the defendant’s own mother and stepfather. https://apnews.com/article/phoenix-murder-trial-04fb468c70da4b36b18e29a8f135b9bf?

Romanian court sentences US rapper Wiz Khalifa to 9 months for drug possession BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — American rapper Wiz Khalifa was sentenced by a court in Romania on Thursday to nine months in jail for drug possession, more than a year after he took part in a music festival in the Eastern European country. https://apnews.com/article/romania-rapper-wiz-khalifa-drug-charges-jail-c1b9ce20aaff0baea09e80a82df48f13?

EU leaders agree on 90 billion-euro loan to Ukraine after a plan to use Russian assets unravels European Union leaders agreed on Friday to provide a massive interest-free loan to Ukraine, where the government is on the verge of bankruptcy, to meet its military and economic needs for the next two years. But they failed to bridge differences with Belgium that would have allowed them to use frozen Russian assets to raise the funds. Read more. What to know: The plan had been to use some of the 210 billion euros ($246 billion) worth of Russian assets that are frozen in Europe, mostly in Belgium. But as the talks bogged down, the leaders eventually opted to borrow the money on capital markets. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever rejected the scheme as legally risky, and warned that it could harm the business of Euroclear, the Brussels-based financial clearing house where 193 billion euros ($226 billion) in frozen assets are held. Belgium was rattled when Russia’s Central Bank launched a lawsuit against Euroclear to prevent any loan being provided to Ukraine using its money. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Putin tells his annual news conference that the Kremlin’s military goals will be achieved in Ukraine Belarusian leader says Russia deployed its latest nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile to the country

Conservatives clash at Turning Point USA conference over MAGA movement’s direction A simmering battle over the future of President Donald Trump’s political movement exploded on one of the right’s biggest stages Thursday, as prominent conservative influencers used Turning Point USA’s annual youth conference to attack each other and their competing visions. Read more. What to know: The feuding threatened to eclipse efforts to memorialize Charlie Kirk, the organization’s charismatic founder, who was assassinated in September, even as participants insisted they were honoring the legacy of a unifying figure within the Republican Party. The raw bitterness on the opening night of the four-day conference reflected deep divisions over the meaning of “America First” and next steps for the “Make America Great Again” movement defined more by the force of Trump’s personality than loyalty to a particular ideological project. It could also foreshadow more schisms within an increasingly fractious Republican Party, something that Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s widow and Turning Point’s new leader, warned about in her opening remarks. Since the assassination, she said, “we’ve seen fractures, we’ve seen bridges being burned that shouldn’t be burnt.” RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Young conservative women find a home in Turning Point with Charlie Kirk’s widow at the helm

It’s not getting any safer for Florida’s bicyclists Niki Isaak was approximately 33 miles into the Central Florida Classic bike ride near Brooksville in October when a group of motorcyclists entered the bike path and began riding dangerously close to her. https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/12/19/its-not-getting-any-safer-for-floridas-bicyclists/? Florida Supreme Court upholds death sentence in challenge to 8-juror law The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the death sentence of a twice-condemned man, dismissing his constitutional concerns over a state law that allows just eight jurors to recommend death — the lowest threshold in the nation. https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/12/18/florida-supreme-court-upholds-death-sentence-in-challenge-to-8-juror-law/? Donalds campaign says it’s raised more than $40 million in race for governor Can anyone stop Byron Donalds from becoming Florida’s next governor? https://floridaphoenix.com/briefs/donalds-campaign-says-its-raised-more-than-40-million-in-race-for-governor/? Nikki Fried slams proposal to allow the state to remove locally elected officials Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried is blasting proposed legislation introduced this week by Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Blaise Ingoglia aimed at increasing local government spending transparency — specifically, a provision that would allow removal of local officials found to have committed “financial abuse.” https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/12/18/nikki-fried-slams-proposal-to-allow-the-state-to-remove-locally-elected-officials/? Measles cases rise amid holiday travel The number of measles cases is continuing to grow, reaching 1,958 confirmed cases in 43 states through Dec. 16 and threatening to undo next year the United States’ status as a nation that has eradicated the disease, according to a report released Dec. 17 by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/12/18/repub/measles-cases-rise-amid-holiday-travel/? ps:Lets just not take the shot and spread the measles to others!!!!!

ICE Still Separating Mom From Her Baby a Month After Dropping Charges The mother says her U.S.-born baby remains in state custody despite her case being dismissed. A woman detained by ICE says her baby daughter remains in state custody a month after prosecutors dismissed the charges that led to her own arrest. Esther Lopez-Sanchez is being held at a South Louisiana processing center while her child remains in the custody of Tennessee’s Department of Children’s Services (DCS), according to a report Wednesday by Fox 17 Nashville. The station reported that the baby girl was born in the U.S. and described her as a citizen. It did not report the baby’s age. Migrant advocate Zeinab Al-Mathkour told Fox 17 she speaks with Lopez-Sanchez daily from detention and the separation has left her devastated. “This has destroyed her,” Al-Mathkour said. Al-Mathkour said Lopez-Sanchez was arrested last year while pregnant and taken to the Rutherford County jail, where she went into labor and gave birth at a nearby hospital. After about two-and-a-half days with her baby, Al-Mathkour said, Lopez-Sanchez was transferred into immigration custody without the child. Fox 17 said court records show Lopez-Sanchez was arrested on Aug. 15, 2024, alongside her partner, Roberto Nunez-Gomez, on drug and firearm charges. Her charges were dropped on Nov. 12, 2025, the station said, while Nunez-Gomez was convicted. Al-Mathkour told the station Nunez-Gomez is the baby’s father and said the pair are no longer together. Despite this, DCS and the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, have refused to return the child to Lopez-Sanchez a month after she was told she would face no further action. Al-Mathkour told FOX 17 News Lopez-Sanchez asked to give the baby to family members. “(DCS) told her those won’t work because one of them is undocumented. The other one lives with someone who is undocumented,” she said. Asked if Lopez-Sanchez would be prepared to go back to Mexico to be reunited with her child, Al-Mathkour said: “Her whole focus is regaining custody of her daughter, whether that means fighting deportation here, or going back to Mexico.” Steve Gill, a conservative political analyst, argued the central question is the child’s welfare, including whether the baby should remain in foster care in the U.S. or be sent to live with family outside the country. Immigration attorney Andrew Rankin told Fox 17 that custody decisions are typically guided by a child’s best interests, but said parents must have a meaningful chance to be heard. “There is an argument that as a matter of due process, parents have the right to parent their child,” Rankin said. The Daily Beast has contacted the Department of Homeland Security and Tennessee DCS for comment. https://www.thedailybeast.com/ice-department-of-homeland-security-separates-mom-from-baby-a-month-after-dropping-charges/?

Fox News Host Turns on Trump Over Childish White House Trolling Even Brian Kilmeade couldn’t accept the president’s bizarre new plaques under images of his predecessors. A Fox News anchor blasted President Donald Trump’s unhinged White House plaques trolling his predecessors, including Joe Biden, Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton. As part of the president’s ongoing push to give his official residence a tacky makeover, Trump added gold-lettered commentary written in the style of his Truth Social ramblings underneath presidential portraits on the Colonnade at the White House. “Sleepy Joe Biden was, by far, the worst President in American history,” one sign reads. It also parrots Trump’s lie that the 2020 election was stolen. Host Brian Kilmeade, who typically speaks favorably of the president on-air, tore into Trump. “No, I’m not for this at all,” the anchor said when asked for his thoughts on Trump’s additions to his “Presidential Walk of Fame.” “So they’ve got to mock President Trump or put something on his plaque,” Kilmeade suggested. He then went on to criticize Trump for installing an image of an autopen meant to represent Biden, who beat him in the 2020 election. “I am not for the autopen,” Kilmeade continued. “If [Trump] is going to do it outdoors, just put the profiles up there. I am not for dispelling or saying anything bad. “Plus, a lot of presidents that people think were bad, ended up being looked at as great. I don’t think it’s going to happen with Joe Biden. But I am not for the trolling,” Kilmeade added. Fox News’ Jessica Tarlov agreed, calling the addition of the new plaques “repulsive behavior.” “Taking office as a result of the most corrupt Election ever seen in the United States, Biden oversaw a series of unprecedented disasters that brought our Nation to the brink of destruction,” Biden’s sign reads. The plaque under Obama’s portrait describes him as “one of the most divisive political figures in American History.” “Obama also spied on the 2016 Presidential Campaign of Donald J. Trump, and presided over the creation of the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax,” the sign reads, repeating Trump’s unsubstantiated claims. The addition joins a growing list of dramatic, and controversial, alterations Trump has ordered since returning to the White House for a second term. He has already gilded the Oval Office with Rococo mirrors, gold medallions and eagle figurines, paved over the Rose Garden with a concrete patio, and erected oversized flagpoles on the grounds. He’s also torn down the East Wing to make room for a 90,000-square-foot ballroom that keeps ballooning in cost. The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment. https://www.thedailybeast.com/fox-news-host-turns-on-trump-over-childish-white-house-trolling/? ps:That's pretty bad when even Brian speaks out!!!!!

Murdoch Paper Gives Trump Brutal Reality Check on His Economy “Paychecks are barely keeping pace with rising costs,” The Wall Street Journal noted. Rupert Murdoch’s flagship business newspaper says Donald Trump has his work cut out persuading Americans that a new “golden age” is just around the corner. In the latest salvo from its editorial board, the Wall Street Journal noted that the latest Labor Department figures showing inflation falling to 2.7 percent in the year to November, down from an estimated 3 percent, offer the president a “glimpse of sunshine” as he tries to convince voters the economy is in good shape. But tens of millions of Americans struggling with a cost-of-living crisis are still likely to be concerned that real hourly earnings have increased by only 0.8 percent over the past year, which it says “isn’t a golden age.” “Paychecks are barely keeping pace with rising costs,” the board says, and inflation will have to fall “further and faster” if Republicans are to avoid an electoral wipeout in the 2026 midterms. “Mr. Trump boasted about a decline in egg prices (-13.2 percent), but they had been artificially high because of the bird flu,” the board wrote in its latest opinion page offering. “Americans are still seeing price increases for items they regularly consume, including electricity (6.9 percent), household furnishings and operations (4.6 percent), medical care services (3.3 percent), and food (2.6 percent). A Fox News poll this week found that 72 percent of Americans rate the economy as fair or poor—essentially unchanged from when Trump entered office. “Mr. Trump is right that he inherited the inflation mess from Joe Biden, but Americans don’t feel that their situation is improving,” the board added. “Job growth has stalled since the spring, and more important, incomes after inflation haven’t been rising fast enough.” For months, Trump has been recording dire approval ratings as millions of Americans feel he has failed to follow through on his 2024 campaign promises to immediately lower food prices and improve the economy.The president has even had the audacity to routinely brush aside affordability concerns as a “con job” and a “hoax” orchestrated by Democrats. The issue became so dire that Trump’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles, pushed the president to deliver a primetime address to the nation on Wednesday in a desperate bid to convince Americans his economic plans are working. Instead, the 18-minute speech amounted to the 79-year-old president frantically stringing together misleading boasts about the economy, while simultaneously insisting that any financial pain Americans feel is entirely Joe Biden’s fault. The Journal’s editorial board also warned that the administration’s hardline mass deportation plans will do nothing to ease economic pressures during Trump’s second term. “JD Vance says restricting immigration will raise wages for American workers, but there’s little evidence this is happening,” the board wrote. “Deporting busboys and hotel workers won’t make Americans feel richer. Nor will Mr. Trump telling voters they’ve never had it so good. Americans will start to feel better when they get a raise that isn’t washed away by inflation.” The Journal’s editorial board has regularly criticized Trump for his economic policy, especially his obsession with import tariffs. Last week it slammed his decision to allow the export of powerful AI chips to China in return for a cut of the revenue as the worst deal since indigenous Indians gave up Manhattan Island in 1626. The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment. https://www.thedailybeast.com/murdoch-paper-wall-street-journal-gives-donald-trump-brutal-reality-check-on-his-economy/?

Pam Bondi Gets Jail Time Warning Over Epstein Files Cover-Up Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna threatened the attorney general directly. Attorney General Pam Bondi has been threatened with jail time if she doesn’t cough up the full Epstein Files by Friday’s deadline. Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna made the pointed threat on Thursday evening in an X video ahead of the 11:59 PM deadline. Khanna, whose Epstein Transparency Act spearheaded the charge towards the release, said: “Let me be very clear, we need a full release. Anyone who tampers [with] documents, or conceals documents, or engages in excessive redaction will be prosecuted because of obstruction of justice.” He then asserted: “We will prosecute individuals regardless of whether they’re the attorney general, or a career or political appointee. We need full transparency and justice for the survivors.” He added in his written post: “Any person who attempts to conceal or scrub the files will be subject to prosecution under the law.” Khanna said “rich and powerful men” have “raped underage girls” and they will be held accountable, as will those who helped cover up the abuse. The text of the law, however, does not specify a penalty if the DOJ fails to meet the deadline. Khanna told NBC News earlier this week that while officials would likely avoid charges during the current administration, “they could be subject to prosecution given the federal law, and the statute of limitations will likely run into a new administration.” He added that they also “could be hauled in front of Congress, the Oversight Committee,” and “there could be federal lawsuits” over any inaction. It comes after President Trump was forced to sign a bill ordering Bondi’s DOJ to release the files after a rare show of bipartisanship on the Hill. A 30-day deadline, which expires Friday night, was imposed. The law allows for redactions in certain circumstances, but Khanna’s X appeal makes clear that Democrats demand the fullest release possible. However, it is expected that the Justice Department will obscure some details relating to victims’ identities or related to ongoing investigations. There has been speculation that the investigation was re-opened in order to give the authorities an excuse to limit what is released. The law expressly prohibits redactions related to “embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity.” It comes after a new tranche of Epstein-related files was released by the House Oversight Committee on Thursday. This included a load of photographs, provided by the late financier’s estate. The trove of roughly 70 images includes heavily-redacted photographs of women’s passports, pictures of prominent men linked to the late sex offender, and “concerning text messages about recruiting women for Jeffrey Epstein,” according to a statement from Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., the committee’s ranking Democrat. The committee released the images without providing any explanation of the circumstances under which the photos were taken, but they caused fresh headaches for the Trump administration ahead of Friday’s deadline. The White House was also put on the defensive on Thursday by a fresh New York Times investigation. The piece, which carries interviews with more than 30 former Epstein employees and victims, closely links President Trump to the man he sought to distance himself from. “The two men’s relationship was both far closer and far more complex than the president now admits,” it read. The article detailed how their relationship started in the 1980s, and said they bonded as they “pursued women in a game of ego and dominance.” It stated, “Female bodies were currency.” Epstein was “perhaps [Trump’s] most reliable wingman” as he hit up parties in New York and Florida over nearly 20 years. The DOJ has been contacted for comment on Khanna’s video. https://www.thedailybeast.com/pam-bondi-gets-jail-time-warning-over-epstein-files-cover-up/? ps:Serously? Threatening this administration is like calling for your execution!!!!!

Monkey Sounds, “White Power” and the N-Word: Racial Harassment Against Black Students Ignored Under Trump In Colorado, students taunted their Black classmates by playing whipping sounds on their cellphones and saying they should be shot “to make us a better race.” https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-education-department-civil-rights-racial-harassment?