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I just looked it up and this interests me greatly. If this is accurate this would indicate that there was, within Seventh-day Adventism, a group who believed that Christ "COULD NOT SIN". Based off what I know of Ellen White's teaching on this particular subject I would imagine this movement was immediately identified as heretical within the Church.

There's one I've never heard of LOL!

December 13, 2025 Good morning. The antidote to our increasingly disembodied lives may lie in letting go of our inhibitions and dancing like kids do. María Jesús Contreras Baby steps How fascinating to read this week about the A.I.-generated travel influencers that are taking gigs away from real-life, flesh-and-blood influencers. People whose job it is to take trips to far-flung locales and post about it on social media fear they’re being elbowed out by computer-created personae that can do the job for much less. For those of us who are still in awe that “travel influencer” is a job that exists, for which one might be paid $100,000 or more for a single post about a vacation, the news that this relatively newfangled position may be endangered by artificial intelligence is sort of dizzying. We were just getting accustomed to the fact that we are being “influenced” at all, and now the robots are taking over the task? Ponder this strange screen-born economy long enough and you start craving the real world, a world in which influence comes from the things and people you encounter as your body moves and acts and reacts in space. Thank goodness for an equally intriguing recent story in The Times, by Margaret Fuhrer, about the uninhibited way that children dance. It delivered just the reminder I, and maybe you, needed that there’s excessive delight to be found on the physical plane. Babies and toddlers are un-self-conscious when they dance. They’re spontaneous, present, unconcerned with who’s watching them. This approach “brings us back to our own intelligent bodies, our own basic understanding of what it is to be alive,” a movement therapist told Margaret. “Babies don’t perform movement — they discover it.” Do adults perform movement when they dance? They do. We do. We have no choice — we’ve done it before, so each time we dance we’re re-enacting the remnants of every time we’ve danced previously. We try and fail and try again to catch the rhythm; we think about how we’re being perceived. But what a privilege it is to move, even if it’s awkward, to be embodied and expressing and trying to be responsive to a beat, to be more subject and less object. Social media is, we all know, pure performance — whether you’re an influencer or not. But it’s etheric, as in taking place in the ether. An Instagram post is a conceptual performance, projected images of real action. And the whole point of a social media post is the audience: Who’s looking, who’s watching, what do they think of us? Our posting selves are the very opposite of a child dancing; we’re a million miles away from the grounded reality of “our own intelligent bodies.” The last time I wrote about dancing, I wondered why we don’t dance more and made a commitment to do so. It’s been two years since then, and I’ve half-kept my promise. I’ve tried to “go out dancing” whenever I’ve found willing accomplices — maybe three times in two years. I dance in my building’s elevator at the end of most days; I always have headphones on, and I like the final exertion of energy before arriving and winding down. But it wasn’t until I read Margaret’s story, and watched adults try to follow the unscripted moves of a baby, that I remembered why I’d wanted to dance more in the first place. So much of our movement is just using our bodies like reliable vehicles to get ourselves from one place to another. Dancing is an act of remembering that, once, when we were small, everything was new. Once, we moved our bodies primarily in order to play, express and discover. The more online we become, the farther we drift from what Margaret calls “our earliest soundtrack,” the rhythm that’s in us before we’re born, “the basslike thump-thump of our mother’s heartbeat and the oontz-oontz of her circulating blood.” There’s an old PBS interview with Kurt Vonnegut in which he says: “The moral of the story is, we’re here on Earth to fart around. And, of course, the computers will do us out of that. And what the computer people don’t realize — or they don’t care — is we’re dancing animals. You know, we love to move around. And we’re not supposed to dance at all anymore.” I’m not sure what he meant by “we’re not supposed to dance at all anymore” — maybe he felt, as so many of us do, that dancing is unserious or frivolous. Let’s do it anyway. Let’s remind the “computer people,” which is really all people, ourselves included, that we’re dancing animals, and shake our tail feathers accordingly. THE LATEST NEWS Venezuela Skipper, the oil tanker that the U.S. seized this week. Vantor, via Associated Press The oil tanker seized by the U.S. this week was part of the Venezuelan government’s effort to finance Cuba, according to documents and people inside the Venezuelan oil industry. For Marco Rubio, a primary architect of the U.S. campaign against Venezuela, pushing out Nicolás Maduro could help fulfill another decades-long dream of his: crippling Cuba. The tanker’s seizure may squeeze Venezuela’s government, experts say, but it’s unlikely to significantly disrupt the big business of oil smuggling. The U.S. military commander who initially oversaw the Pentagon’s attacks on boats off Venezuela’s coast retired. Several officials say he had raised concerns about the attacks. Politics The White House this week. Doug Mills/The New York Times The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a lawsuit to stop President Trump’s construction of a new White House ballroom. House Democrats released dozens of new images collected as part of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, including photos of Epstein with Trump, Bill Clinton and Woody Allen. The Trump administration is sharing air travelers’ names with immigration officials to find people with deportation orders. The Trump administration is investigating whether Boston’s affordable housing policies prioritized people of color and, in doing so, discriminated against white residents. International The Thai government on Saturday disputed President Trump’s announcement that Thailand and Cambodia had agreed to a cease-fire. Elon Musk is daring Europe to take him on. The billionaire has lashed out after E.U. regulators fined X, his social media site, roughly $140 million. Myanmar’s military bombed a hospital in a rebel-held area, killing 34 people and injuring dozens more. It was the 67th attack on a health care facility in Myanmar this year, according to the W.H.O. Other Big Stories Flooding in Burlington, Wash. Grant Hindsley for The New York Times Heavy flooding in western Washington swamped roads and sent people fleeing to rooftops, but as of last night, no one had died, officials said. Sherrone Moore, who was fired as the University of Michigan’s football coach this week, was arraigned on charges of stalking and home invasion. King Charles III, 77, said doctors plan to scale back his cancer treatments. THE WEEK IN CULTURE Film and TV Emma Mackey as the title character in “Ella McCay.” 20th Century Studios “Ella McCay,” the first new film from James L. Brooks in 15 years, shares some DNA with other beloved entries in his filmography. But “Broadcast News” it is not: “This is one weird flick,” our critic writes. With fewer films made on site in Los Angeles, visitors to Hollywood are passing on studio tours. Next month will be the last Sundance in Park City, Utah, before the film festival relocates to Colorado. Expect debuts, reunions and three Charli XCX titles. Video Games Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a role-playing game from France, took home the biggest prizes at this year’s Video Game Awards. The Times’s Zachary Small traveled to Paris to report on how a small team, working with a relatively small budget, made a bold artistic statement with Clair Obscur. Music The swooping interior of Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. View Pictures/Universal Images Group, via Getty Images Frank Gehry’s halls and amphitheaters sound as marvelous as they look. The architect, who died this month, had the ear of a passionate fan, our critic Joshua Barone writes. Timbaland’s latest protégée is a pink-haired pop singer called TaTa Taktumi. The producer created her — and her music — with a little help from artificial intelligence. More Culture Why go see “A Christmas Carol” or “It’s a Wonderful Life” one more time? Tradition and nostalgia, sure. But revisiting these classics also offers an opportunity to reflect on different stages in life. Today is SantaCon, a debaucherous bar-crawl-slash-fund-raiser in New York City. Readers shared their craziest stories of SantaCons past. Zohran Mamdani’s sharp sense of humor was an asset as he ran for mayor of New York City. Maybe it was the result of the improv classes he took in his 20s. This year has been a big one for comedy, our columnist writes: Late-night came roaring back to life; Roy Wood Jr. delivered a must-see special; and Amy Poehler made a must-listen podcast. Morning readers: Save on the complete Times experience. Experience all of The Times, all in one subscription — all with this introductory offer. You’ll gain unlimited access to news and analysis, plus games, recipes, product reviews and more. CULTURE CALENDAR 🎬 “Avatar: Fire and Ash” (Friday): There’s a new “Avatar” movie on the way, the third film in James Cameron’s sci-fi fantasy series about the alien moon Pandora. While the original “Avatar” was a cultural tidal wave, the second film, subtitled “The Way of Water,” seemed to make a smaller splash. But it was still a box-office hit, bringing in more than $2 billion globally. The new film, “Fire and Ash,” was nominated for a Golden Globe in “cinematic and box office achievement” — interesting, considering it’s not even out yet. Perhaps the jury simply assumed that anything with “Avatar” in the title was bound to make a lot of money. RECIPE OF THE WEEK Aya Brackett for The New York Times By Melissa Clark Tomato sauce When was the last time you simmered a big pot of classic tomato sauce? Samin Nosrat’s recipe hits all the right notes: hearty, full of onions and garlic and plenty of olive oil, and spiced with basil and red chile flakes. It does involve a fair amount of chopping (all those alliums) and over an hour of simmering to make. But when tossed with your favorite pasta and maybe a meatball or two, it will be worth every moment. And the recipe makes enough for dinner tonight plus extra to freeze for up to three months. It’s a boon for your future self — and your current one, too. REAL ESTATE Kyle Weekes and Nigel Campbell. Clark Hodgin for The New York Times The Hunt: A dancer and a vocalist looked for a place to put down roots in New York with space to entertain guests. Which home did they choose? Play our game. What you get for $4 million in California: A compound in Ojai, a contemporary home in Los Angeles or a Spanish-style house in Santa Barbara. Small scale: Frank Gehry was known for his museums and concert halls. But the small bungalow he called home was also a masterpiece. LIVING Click ‘yes’ on the dress: Sarah Diamond, a Times reporter, let thousands of people on the internet choose her wedding gown. Vows: She’s in Gaza. He’s in Cairo. Separated by a closed border, they married remotely. Tripped up: You may be surprised to learn the little-known (and sometimes nonsensical) rules that govern air travel. ADVICE FROM WIRECUTTER Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter The best stocking stuffers Stocking stuffers are often the final piece of the gift-giving puzzle. Yet this assortment of small gifts needn’t be scraped together during an 11th-hour mad dash to the drugstore. Petite presents can be as meaningful, thoughtful and memorable as the big stuff. The best stocking stuffers for kids — many of which would make great small Hanukkah gifts, too — range from the classics, like socks and lip balm, to the whimsical, like temporary tattoos and bath bombs. For the grown-ups, seek out more unusual items that have the potential to spark a little joy and last beyond Christmas morning. Our favorite stocking stuffers for adults run the gamut from the lovely (a tiny, colorful set of bud vases) to the practical (rose gold nose hair trimmer, anyone?). GAME OF THE WEEK Mikal Bridges of the Knicks shoots over the Magic’s Desmond Bane. Wendell Cruz/Imagn Images, via Reuters Connect New York Knicks vs. Orlando Magic, N.B.A. Cup semifinals: A few years back, the N.B.A. introduced a midseason tournament modeled after those of European soccer leagues. While some players initially bristled at the idea, the tournament has steadily grown more popular. “I think it’s a perfect shot in the arm at this point in the early start of the season,” Chris Finch, the head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, told The Athletic recently. And this semifinal matchup has some juice. The Knicks have the top-rated offense in the East, and they’ve torn through most teams they have faced — except the Magic, who are responsible for the two worst losses of the Knicks’ season. Both teams are among the best in the conference, and there’s a good chance that they meet in the playoffs. This game could offer a preview of how they’ll fare when the pressure is on. Tonight at 5:30 p.m. Eastern on Prime Video For more: The most divisive part of the N.B.A. Cup? The gaudy, Technicolor courts. The Athletic ranked them here. NOW TIME TO PLAY Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangrams were analogizing and gazillion. Take the news quiz to see how well you followed this week’s headlines. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your weekend with The Times. — Melissa Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Host: Sam Sifton Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Lara McCoy, Karl Russell News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Editorial Director, Newsletters: Jodi Rudoren

THIS DAY IN HISTORY December 13 2000 Al Gore concedes presidential election Vice President Al Gore concedes defeat to George W. Bush in his bid for the presidency, following weeks of legal battles over the recounting of votes in Florida, on December 13, 2000. In a televised speech from his ceremonial office next to the White House, Gore said that while he was deeply... read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT American Revolution 1776 General Charles Lee captured at Widow White’s Tavern Arts & Entertainment 1925 Dick Van Dyke born Asian History 1937 The Rape of Nanking begins Civil War 1862 Battle of Fredericksburg Crime 2000 Texas Seven prison break Exploration 1577 Explorer Francis Drake sets sail from England Middle Eastern History 2003 Saddam Hussein captured Sports 1992 Goaltender Manon Rheaume becomes first woman to play in pro hockey game U.S. Presidents 1918 Woodrow Wilson arrives in France for peace talks World War I 1916 Soldiers perish in avalanche as World War I rages World War II 1942 Joseph Goebbels complains of Italians’ treatment of Jews

American heart surgeon works side by side at the operating table with an Ethiopian cardiac perfusionist whose life he saved decades ago. (More) Delaware man revives tradition of opening his doors to neighbors with nowhere else to go for Christmas. (More via Reddit) Middle-aged Oregon residents create a nude calendar to raise money for snowplowing. (More) News reporter believes she's walking to her assignment. Instead, she finds her partner down on one knee with a ring. (More, w/video) Retired police officer transforms a bus into a full-service laundromat for people experiencing homelessness. (More) Today, we're sharing a story from reader Regina M. in New Jersey. "My sister and I went to see the Rockefeller Center tree lighting. With all the crowds and blockades, it was difficult to gain entry to the area. We briefly started speaking with the young couple next to us, brainstorming ways we could get in the area. They quickly made a reservation to a bar/restaurant within the parameters of the tree and added us—two strangers—to the reservation. We all got in! It was a magical night. We shared a drink with them later to thank them."

Trump Ballroom Challenged The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued President Donald Trump yesterday, seeking to halt his White House ballroom project until it receives congressional approval and undergoes independent reviews. The nonprofit alleges Trump exceeded his constitutional authority and skipped federally mandated reviews when he ordered the demolition of the East Wing in October to make space for a ballroom (see photos). At roughly 90,000 square feet, the planned ballroom would be nearly double the size of the White House’s primary residence and accommodate nearly 1,000 people. Trump has criticized the East Wing's roughly 200-person seating capacity as too small, forcing some events to be hosted in outdoor tents. Although Trump has stated the estimated $300M project will be privately funded, that does not necessarily exempt it from federal laws and procedures. The last major White House renovation was completed in 1952 under President Harry Truman. Costing roughly $60M in today’s dollars, it involved a near-total gutting and rebuilding of the White House’s interior.

Succession View in browser For almost an entire year, Donald Trump has begged the Federal Reserve to slash interest rates and supercharge the American economy. And for almost an entire year, Fed Chair Jerome Powell has barely budged. Now, as the president prepares to appoint Powell’s successor, amenability seems to be top of mind. “I don’t think he should do exactly what we say,” Trump told The Wall Street Journal today of the future chair. But “I’m a smart voice and should be listened to.” Trump himself appointed Powell to the chairmanship during his first term, but their relationship has since soured. The president’s nickname for him is “Too Late,” referencing Powell’s reluctance to lower interest rates as quickly and as dramatically as Trump would like. He has also called Powell a “moron” and a “numbskull.” Tensions peaked in July when, during a visit to one of the Fed buildings currently under renovation, Powell fact-checked some of Trump’s claims directly to his face. This week, Trump called Powell a “bad head of the Fed.” Since he first took office, Trump has applied pressure on the Fed via the bully pulpit of social media. But during his second term, Trump has tried to exert influence over the country’s central bank—long considered independent from the machinations of Congress and the White House—by other means. His attempt this past summer to fire one of the Fed’s governors, Lisa Cook, defied precedent (although it has been held up in the courts for now). He has also installed Stephen Miran, a Trump ally who served elsewhere in the administration, to the Fed’s board. At both of the meetings he attended, Miran pushed for a more extreme rate cut than the other governors. This week, when the bank cut rates by another 0.25 percent, it did so under a cloud of speculation about who the next Fed chair might be. Powell’s second term as chair will be up in May, and although interviews for a successor are ongoing, Trump has signaled that he’s already made his choice. Kevin Hassett, who leads the National Economic Council and who has been broadly supportive of Trump’s push to decrease interest rates, is widely considered the front-runner. Although Hassett has emphasized his “firm commitment to not being partisan,” his penchant for reduced borrowing costs happens to align exactly with Trump’s. Today, the president confirmed to the Journal that Hassett is at the top of his list, along with Kevin Warsh, who previously served as a Fed governor during the George W. Bush and Obama administrations. In his second term, Trump has sought to consolidate his influence across federal agencies. Along the way, many of the traditional checks to executive power have been eroded. Trump’s pick for director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russ Vought, has used the position to “inflict pain on the Democrats,” as my colleagues Toluse Olorunnipa and Jonathan Lemire put it: Vought has focused his federal spending cuts on programs spearheaded by the Biden administration. At the Department of Justice, the president has fired dissenters and attempted to install loyalists such as Lindsey Halligan and Alina Habba, both of whom were once on Trump’s legal team. For the Fed historian Peter Conti-Brown, Trump’s attempts to pressure the central bank are less about any particular economic strategy and more about the same desire for control that inflected these other moves. “I don’t know that Donald Trump thinks about policy or thinks about the Fed,” he told me. “I think he thinks about power.” The results of direct presidential influence on the Fed could be catastrophic. The central bank, which controls the supply of money in the United States, is oriented toward what Conti-Brown described as the “medium term.” It is not meant to be an immediate lever for economic growth, as the president seems to see it. Lowering borrowing costs in service of partisan interests without respecting the broader macroeconomic picture, Conti-Brown said, could lead to “the collapse of the currency, hyperinflation, and devastation for all participants in the economy.” It could also give the president yet another avenue to reward his friends and punish his enemies: As my colleague Rogé Karma wrote recently, the Fed is the “central node of the U.S. financial system.” American banks and those who use them all ultimately feel the effects of the Fed’s judgments. The Fed’s operations have never been entirely disentangled from politics. Sarah Binder, a professor of political science at George Washington University, told me that the central bank needs political support from the administration and from Congress in order to do its job: making tough choices that are sometimes unpopular in the near term but that ultimately ensure the stability of the economy. “Even just raising the issue, trying to fire Cook, going and challenging all this in the courts—that’s not great for this perception that the Fed can work independently,” Binder explained. Public distrust could make it harder for the Fed to perform its essential functions. Then there’s Trump’s own political situation. Approval ratings for his management of the economy are dismal. This week, the president began an “affordability tour” to convince Americans that things aren’t really as bad as they feel; during the first stop (at a luxury resort), he mocked the word affordability and took a detour into ranting about Somalia. The Republican Party’s success during next year’s midterms could hinge on whether Trump can somehow lower prices on consumer goods, yet the president has not provided a coherent solution. The Fed exists outside of these factors. After all, it’s not the agency’s job to lower the cost of beef and eggs. Its role is much larger, and touches nearly all aspects of American life—which is exactly what makes the president’s campaign to sway the agency so dangerous. Related: Trump campaigned on affordability. Now he’s calling the idea a “con job.” The Court has an easy answer on the Fed.

🤑 Thune's taste of '28 Add Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) to the list of GOP senators who have strong ideas on the issues Republicans should focus on next year. Why it matters: He's one of several senators to keep an eye on as the GOP prepares for 2028 and the post-Trump era. The dynamic could make Majority Leader John Thune's job even more complicated in the coming months and years. Driving the news: Sen. Hawley and his wife, Erin Hawley, are launching a new dark money group, the Love Life Initiative, to support anti-abortion rights ballot measures and policies, we scooped earlier today. They plan to run national ad campaigns. Erin Hawley wants the focus to not just be on abortion, but also on policies providing broader support for families. Zoom in: Expect the two Yale Law School grads to use their home state of Missouri as a proving ground for the new group. Voters there will be voting next year on a constitutional amendment that would restrict abortions and gender-affirming care for minors, though the wording has faced court challenges. The bottom line: Hawley sees a vacuum in the anti-abortion movement. He has noticed "elected officials have been more and more reluctant to comment, to weigh in, to frankly, do much on the issue of life." — Stef Kight

😱 Dems' Crockett freakout Rep. Jasmine Crockett has left some of her fellow House Democrats infuriated after launching a bid for U.S. Senate in Texas. Why it matters: Many in the party fear the anti-Trump firebrand will alienate swing voters and drag down Democrats in the state if she clinches the nomination — including in several key House races that could decide control of the lower chamber. "he ain't winning a general in Texas," said a senior House Democrat who spoke on the condition of anonymity to offer candid thoughts about a colleague. Crockett fired back in a statement: "It's hard to get a clear picture of who the Texans are from the fog of Washington." "My message is one that reaches people who are often ignored by the political class. I'm not running a campaign focused on insider politics. … I'm focused on reaching all 30 million Texans." Driving the news: Crockett, a second-term House member from a safely Democratic district in Dallas, launched her Senate bid on Monday. A superstar among the Democratic base for her no-holds-barred style of political combat, Crockett has consistently cited polling that suggests she's the front-runner in the March 3 primary over her main rival, state Rep. James Talarico. The big picture: Democrats see a rare opportunity to win statewide office in Texas for the first time in decades. While GOP Sen. John Cornyn is likely capable of fending off a Democratic challenger next year, he has to get past his GOP primary first. He's in a close race with state Attorney General Ken Paxton, whom Democrats see as beatable because of his many scandals and right-wing views. Down the ballot, the party will be trying to defend Democratic Reps. Vicente Gonzalez Jr. and Henry Cuellar, unseat GOP Rep. Monica De La Cruz and compete in several other open races. The other side: "Crockett is an extremely talented messenger and has engaged millions of Americans across the country," Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.), Crockett's fellow Progressive Caucus member, told us. "I know she will work very hard. ... She understands rough and tumble Texas politics and can more than hold her own," she added. "I've got a six-word response," said Rep. Al Green (D-Texas). "I believe that she can win." — Andrew Solender

📦 Johnson boxed in House Speaker Mike Johnson is boxed into almost an unwinnable position on health care next week. Why it matters: His vulnerable moderates are demanding votes on the expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies. But a big chunk of his conference will never support anything tied to the ACA. Moderates have shown no sign of folding, and several have signed on to discharge petitions to force action. "We've never voted for an extension before, right? So I'm not sure this is the time to do it now," Freedom Caucus member Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) told us today. Zoom in: Johnson huddled this morning with the "Five Families," a collection of various ideological factions of the conference, as leaders hunt for a path that can keep both conservatives and moderates on board. The package includes a series of proposals with GOP ideas aimed at lowering health care costs, according to House GOP leadership aides. Members will be able to offer an amendment to extend the ACA subsidies, but it's far from certain that it has the votes to pass. Between the lines: On Wednesday, moderates grew more concerned after Johnson presented a sparse health care outline to his conference. "lf the plan in conference had been, 'Wow, these guys really do have a cohesive plan, and people are, yeah, they're going to get an increase,' it would be something that [moderates] can handle," Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.) told reporters yesterday. "I wouldn't do the discharge petition, but that's not the deal." After the GOP conference meeting, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) filed his discharge petition to extend the ACA subsidies, as did Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Jen Kiggans (R-Va.). — Kate Santaliz

Without today’s jobs report, next-best data indicate a weakening labor market In normal times, today would have been a jobs day. However, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has been forced to delay the release until December 16 due to the lingering impacts of the Trump administration radically restricting BLS operations during the government shutdown. Further, BLS has announced that we will never have data from the monthly survey of households for October. This means that valuable information for that month—like the overall unemployment rate or the unemployment rate for various demographic groups—will never be known. During the last federal shutdown in 2018–2019, BLS did not suspend its activities and released its employment situation report as normal. In fact, this is the first time in 12 years that a jobs report was delayed and the first time a month of household data will be missed completely. https://www.epi.org/blog/without-todays-jobs-report-next-best-data-indicate-a-weakening-labor-market/?

Hidden clean energy There’s not much to see in the western Nevada desert beyond the expanse of sand, dotted by sagebrush flats and surrounded by craggy mountains. But beneath the desert’s dry surface lies a massive reservoir of hot water that could be the first of many hidden sources of clean energy.

At least 197 children were fathered by sperm donor with cancer-causing gene. Some have already died A sperm donor with a rare genetic mutation linked to an increased risk of developing cancer fathered at least 197 children across Europe, some of whom have already died from the disease, according to a new investigation. https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/10/health/sperm-donor-cancer-investigation-scli-intl?

Billion-dollar jackpots If it seems like lottery jackpots have been getting larger over the past few years, they have. And the odds of winning any prize — while still a long shot — have slightly improved. Here’s why.

Priced out Soccer fans are counting down the days until the men’s World Cup kicks off in North America next summer. But, after seeing the ticket prices, they may have to count every penny to attend any of the games.

🛢️ Why oil isn't skyrocketing Data: Financial Modeling Prep. Chart: Axios Visuals Oil prices are generally falling this week despite the U.S. seizure of a tanker off Venezuela's coast, saber rattling about doing it again, and Ukraine hitting a Russian tanker in the Black Sea, Axios' Ben Geman writes. 📈 Geopolitical strife usually sends prices upward, especially when oil and its producers are involved. So what's going on? 🌎 First, there's a global supply surplus. In a tighter market, these events might have more impact. 🇻🇪 Second is Venezuela's reduced stature in global oil markets. It's now a minor exporter, following years of sanctions. 🧠 Third, oil traders have changed their mindset. Traders increasingly want evidence of actual and continued disruption — not just vague potential — to send prices soaring. 📞 Eurasia Group analyst Gregory Brew says oil's resilience has "made it more likely for actors (such as the U.S.) to take actions against oil flows, since there is now a presumption that such actions are less likely to affect prices." "That helps explain why the U.S. is seizing tankers, why the U.S. has given a green light to Ukraine to attack Russian tankers, and could be why the U.S. decided to sanction Russian oil companies in October after resisting that move for 10 months." Go deeper ...

Gambling world's big split Screenshots: X A fissure has emerged in the gambling industry over prediction markets, with casinos crying foul while online betting apps embrace the hot new trend, Axios' Nathan Bomey reports. 🗳️ Prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket let users buy and sell contracts based on a range of outcomes, from elections to TIME's pick for Person of the Year. These markets operate even in states without legalized sportsbooks, and face lots of questions over their legality despite their booming popularity. 💵 Popular online sportsbooks now want a piece of the prediction market action. Fanatics recently became the first to debut its own prediction platform: Fanatics Markets, in partnership with Crypto.com. FanDuel and DraftKings are now poised to launch their own, too. 🎰 But old-school casinos are reluctant to follow suit. They fear running afoul of state regulators — particularly in Nevada, where the gaming commission has assailed prediction markets as unlawful. Gambling industry consultant Dustin Gouker: "If they're putting their casino licenses in Vegas at risk, that's no bueno — that's terrible for them." 🛌 Friction point: Kalshi and Polymarket may have legal common ground with apps like FanDuel and DraftKings, but they're not exactly comfortable bedfellows. Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan last month blasted the "duopoly" of FanDuel and DraftKings as a "scam," telling Axios that the traditional sportsbooks "all rip off the consumer" and that "none of them innovate." It's unclear whether prediction markets will be allowed to keep offering sports-related activity. 👀 What we're watching: The major prediction markets are striking deals that give them "legitimacy and brand awareness," Gouker tells Axios. Kalshi made agreements this month to feature its data with CNN and CNBC, while Polymarket struck a similar deal with Yahoo Finance in November. 🏛️ Several prediction markets are now forming a coalition to promote and defend their political interests, people involved in the effort tell Axios. Go deeper.

King Charles III says his cancer treatment is being reduced as he promotes benefits of screening LONDON (AP) — King Charles III said Friday that early diagnosis and treatment will allow doctors to reduce his cancer treatment in the new year as he encouraged others to take advantage of screening programs that can detect the disease early when it is easiest to treat. https://apnews.com/article/king-charles-iii-cancer-royals-14370b740bfd22e4a5f45c67a3117168?

Iran arrests Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, supporters say DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran has arrested Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, her supporters said Friday. https://apnews.com/article/iran-arrest-narges-mohammadi-8523591777ccf6338f9adc1afcf00d90?

EU indefinitely freezes Russian assets so Hungary and Slovakia can’t veto their use for Ukraine BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union on Friday indefinitely froze Russia’s assets in Europe to ensure that Hungary and Slovakia, both with Moscow-friendly governments, can’t prevent the billions of euros from being used to support Ukraine. https://apnews.com/article/eu-russia-frozen-assets-ukraine-war-a65c92625cab565da7b8e07013dead05?

This holiday season isn’t very merry for consumers, an AP-NORC poll finds Roughly half of Americans say it’s harder than usual to afford the things they want to give as holiday gifts, and similar numbers are delaying big purchases or cutting back on nonessential purchases more than they normally would, a new AP-NORC poll finds. Read more. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ The holiday shopping season comes with tons of extra emissions. Here’s how to do it sustainably

Sherrone Moore charged with stalking, home invasion after being fired as Michigan football coach ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Fired University of Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore “barged his way” into the apartment of a woman with whom he had been having an affair and threatened to kill himself after she reported the relationship to the school and he lost his job, prosecutors said Friday. https://apnews.com/article/michigan-sherrone-moore-5bbef9c47eb0a4048818e80c443a9767? Man’s death on roller coaster at Universal Orlando Resort ruled accidental ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The death of a 32-year-old man after riding a high-speed roller coaster at the Universal Epic Universe theme park was accidental, and an investigation has been closed, according to a Florida sheriff’s office report released this week. https://apnews.com/article/florida-orlando-theme-park-death-universal-studios-05b7aff3c2485a38984f5f1992e458b5?

Trump sued by preservationists seeking reviews and congressional approval for ballroom project President Donald Trump was sued on Friday by preservationists asking a federal court to halt his White House ballroom project until it goes through multiple independent reviews and wins approval from Congress. https://apnews.com/article/trump-white-house-ballroom-sued-preservationists-76dc3bbea28257e79f8becd487d2c4d7? Trump says he’s sealed Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire, but fighting continues WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Friday that Thai and Cambodian leaders had agreed to renew a truce after days of deadly clashes, even as Thai and Cambodian officials suggested there is still work to do to get the ceasefire that the U.S. administration had helped broker earlier this year back on track. https://apnews.com/article/trump-thailand-cambodia-ceasefire-clashes-8c7dd464da0c8914e07c7e1146a9ce8c? Trump's approval rating on the economy hits record low 31% President Trump's approval rating on his longtime political calling card — the economy — has sunk to 31%, the lowest it has been across both of his terms as president, according to a new survey from The Associated Press-NORC. https://www.axios.com/2025/12/12/trump-economy-inflation-affordability? 🏗️ The National Trust is suing to stop construction on Trump's White House ballroom project, The Washington Post reports. It's "the first major legal challenge to Trump's planned 90,000-square-foot addition and is poised to test the limits of his power." Gift link. Trump pledges retaliation after 3 Americans are killed in Syria attack that the US blames on IS DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — President Donald Trump said Saturday that “there will be very serious retaliation” after two U.S. service members and one American civilian were killed in an attack in Syria that the United States blames on the Islamic State group. https://apnews.com/article/syria-us-military-attack-palmyra-is-22f67e54c1a15fcc643de2672b83aacb?

Trump Pictured With Mystery Women in Shock Epstein Photo Dump The photos are the latest set of documents released by the estate of the late sex trafficker. An image of Donald Trump posing with a group of mystery young women forms part of a new trove of explosive photos disclosed by the estate of convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.Another photo also shows a bowl of novelty condoms bearing a caricature of the president’s face, along with the text: “I’m HUUUUGE!” House Democrats on the Oversight Committee released the images on Friday, together with photographs of other people in Epstein’s orbit, including former president Bill Clinton, MAGA acolyte Steve Bannon, Prince Andrew, former Harvard President Larry Summers and billionaires Bill Gates and Richard Branson. Many of the men have previously been linked to the late sex predator, but the photos may shed new light on Epstein’s expansive networks. “Obviously, there are photos of powerful men and folks that we want to have an opportunity to speak with,” Garcia told reporters. “But the thing right now that’s the most important is there is one man who has the power to release the files and get to the truth and bring justice to the survivors—and that’s Donald Trump.” The committee received about 95,000 photographs from the Epstein estate, and had gone through about 25,000 of them.Only 19 were released on Friday, but more would be put out in the weeks and months ahead, Garcia said. Some of the images only contain sexually explicit items, such as bondage instructions, a large latex glove and various sex toys. Others show Epstein’s former friends and associates. One of the photos, for example, shows Trump with six young women or girls whose faces were redacted by the committee. Trump also appears in another photo standing behind Epstein at what appears to be a social event. Former president Bill Clinton is pictured posing with his arms around Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell, while former Harvard president and Treasury Secretary Larry Summers is photographed on a private plane sitting next to controversial director Woody Allen. It is not clear whether the plane is Epstein’s infamous “Lolita Express,” the Boeing 727 jet that he used to traffic young girls and women. Bannon, who served as Trump’s adviser during his first administration, is also in some of the photos, including one showing him taking a photograph in a mirror with the sex predator. There is also an image of the pair sitting at a desk that appears to display a photo of a young woman on a couch or bed, apparently passed out. Allen is also photographed on a director’s chair while speaking to Epstein, while Branson is seen smiling on a beach, sitting next to inventor Dean Kamen and holding up a pad of paper as Epstein walks behind them. A cropped version of a professionally-taken photo of the now former Prince Andrew also forms part of the trove released on Friday. In the photo, Andrew, who was accused of sexual abuse by Epstein’s most high-profile victim, Virginia Giuffre, appears alongside Bill Gates and King Charles (then Prince of Wales) at summit in London. It is not clear when most of the photos were taken or who took them. But they are nonetheless likely to reignite the political firestorm that has plagued the White House for months over the Epstein files. The release of the images came as a new poll showed that most Americans believe Trump is hiding information from the public about the late sex predator. According to the Reuters/Ipsos survey, 70 percent of respondents said they thought the Trump administration is trying to conceal who may have been involved in the disgraced financier’s child sex crimes—including 62 percent of Republicans. The president came to office promising his MAGA base that he would release the files, only to later describe them as a Democratic hoax. In July, the Department of Justice also sought to kill the issue by releasing a memo stating that “no further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted.” But the documents released by the committee have sparked ongoing questions about the sex trafficker’s powerful networks and operations. The photos released so far do not appear to show any wrongdoing, and Epstein’s many associates—including Trump—have long denied knowing about his heinous crimes. But Trump has been frustrated for months that the matter has continued to take oxygen away from his second-term achievements. Last month, in a stunning reversal, he finally signed new laws officially directing the DOJ to release all unclassified records and documents connected to the convicted sex offender, but when that happens remains a mystery. The reversal came only after it became clear that enough Republicans would break ranks with the president and vote in favor of releasing the files. “But don’t talk about it too much, because honestly, I don’t want to take it away from us,” he told reporters ahead of signing the Epstein Transparency Act. “It’s really a Democrat problem.” Trump has also ordered his Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate Democrats who were once associated with the convicted child sex offender, including Clinton, Summers and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman. All three have denied knowing about Epstein’s crimes. “Once again, House Democrats are selectively releasing cherry-picked photos with random redactions to try and create a false narrative,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in response to the latest photos. “The Democrat hoax against President Trump has been repeatedly debunked and the Trump Administration has done more for Epstein’s victims than Democrats ever have by repeatedly calling for transparency, releasing thousands of pages of documents, and calling for further investigations into Epstein’s Democrat friends,” she added. https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-pictured-with-mystery-women-in-shock-epstein-photo-dump/?

Trump Voter Torches His Utterly ‘Tone Deaf’ Affordability Crisis PR Stunt The president “should stop mocking affordability,” a conservative Texas mom fumed. A woman who voted for Donald Trump savaged the president for his “tone-deaf” affordability tour stop, slamming his planned national public-appearance blitz as an insult to the American people. USA Today columnist Nicole Russell took aim at Trump in a scathing op-ed published after president appeared in the key swing state of Pennsylvania for the first stop of what has been described as an affordability tour. The president is attempting to reassure voters that his economic agenda is delivering results, even as many Americans struggle with high prices. Additional tour stops are expected later this month and into the new year nationwide, according to Axios. “I voted for President Donald Trump, and I don’t regret it,” Russell wrote in the op-ed, published Friday morning. “But some days, I get tired of his banter and smears. They’re prosaic and stupid and they usually don’t solve any problems or showcase progress, even if there has been.” The Texas mom of four described the tour as “as tone-deaf as it sounds” and urged Trump to “stop mocking affordability.” “It’s not a partisan word—and most Americans are tired of the high costs of living that have lingered since the pandemic,” Russell wrote. “There is no need for a public relations spectacle— if Trump is confident in his policies, and I think he should be, or he should be willing to make changes where necessary.” Russell also called on Trump to remain in D.C. and said his administration should “communicate confidently and directly to the American people about the economy.” The criticism comes as Trump faces mounting scrutiny over his handling of the economy during his second term in office. Reducing grocery prices was one of Trump’s central promises during the 2024 campaign. Trump was suffering from record low approval ratings at 31 percent as he kick-started his affordability tour this week. The 79-year-old appeared to acknowledge those unfavorable numbers on Thursday in a post on Truth Social. “When will I get credit for having created, with No Inflation, perhaps the Greatest Economy in the History of our Country?” Trump wrote. “When will people understand what is happening? When will Polls reflect the Greatness of America at this point in time, and how bad it was just one year ago?” The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment. https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-voter-torches-his-utterly-tone-deaf-affordability-crisis-pr-stunt/?