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Dec. 26 (UPI) — A red, white and blue glass ball will drop on July 3 in New York City’s Times Square to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday in a first for the city.

The event will mark the first time that Times Square has hosted a second ball drop after the ad-hoc America250 committee announced the decision on Friday, The Hill reported.

“One Times Square has long been a place where the world comes together to celebrate pivotal moments — from the end of World War II to the moon landing,” said Michael Phillips, who leads the company that owns One Times Square.

“We’re proud to serve as the starting point of this historic year, showcasing the nation’s celebration on a global stage.”

The committee said it will connect the traditional New Year’s ball drop with the July 3 event.

The Times Square ball to be used in the New Year’s celebration will drop at midnight on New Year’s Day in its traditional manner.

It then will be illuminated with red, white and blue lights and rise again to above a “2026” sign, where it will drop a ton of red, white and blue confetti at 12:04 a.m. EST, according to the New York Post.

A “dynamic pyro finale” will close out the New Year’s Day event as “America the Beautiful” plays.

The same ball will return to Times Square on July 3 to honor the 250th anniversary of the United States and the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence, which gave birth to the country.

“To ring in the 4th of July, starting with the same type of festivities that you would normally see on New Year’s Eve — what better way to represent this global impact that we as a country have and the responsibility that comes with that?” America250 chairwoman Rosie Rios told The Post.

“It’s going to be huge,” she added, “and it’s going to be beyond anyone’s expectations.”

The America250 committee also is sponsoring a contest for youth in grades 3 through 12 to earn an opportunity to visit “some of the nation’s most iconic historic and cultural landmarks” while participating in “America’s Field Trip.”

Students will share their perspectives on what the United States means to them in essays, and 250 will be selected to participate in the field trip or opt for a cash prize.

Dec. 25 (UPI) — Up to 350 Louisiana National Guard members began deploying this week in New Orleans and will stay through February to help maintain peace and safety during New Year’s and special events.

The deployment also comes amid efforts to locate and deport those who illegally are in the United States.

“These National Guard troops will support federal law enforcement partners, including the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security, as they enforce federal law and counter high rates of violent crime in New Orleans and other metropolitan areas in Louisiana,” Defense Department spokesman Sean Parnell said in a prepared statement on Tuesday.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry maintains his command and control of the state’s National Guard, whose mission is to enhance safety.

He said the troops will be fully deployed ahead of New Year’s Eve and will stay in New Orleans at least through February.

The deployment was announced after the Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down President Donald Trump’s effort to deploy the Illinois National Guard in Chicago over the protests of Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.

The troops will be tasked with ensuring safety in the French Quarter during New Year’s celebrations and during the Sugar Bowl and Mardi Gras.

“We know how to make cities safe, and the National Guard complements cities that are experiencing high crime,” Landry said during an appearance on The Will Cain Show.

He cited President Donald Trump’s National Guard deployment in Washington, D.C., as an example of how the troops can make cities safer for residents and visitors.

“When he wanted to send the National Guard into Washington, D.C., Louisiana was one of the first to raise its hand and say our troops will go there,” Landry said. “And the city is so much better.”

Dec. 25 (UPI) — The National Capital Planning Commission has added the East Wing Modernization Project at the White House to its Jan. 8 agenda to review construction of a new ballroom and other improvements.

Trump administration officials will provide the commission with an informational presentation on the ballroom construction and other planned improvements, according to The Hill.

No public testimony will be heard and no vote taken on the project during the meeting, according to the NCPC.

“This is an opportunity for the project applicant to present the project and for commissioners to ask questions and provide general observations prior to formal review, which we anticipate this spring,” the NCPC said in a FAQ published on the commission’s website.

The NPC has no authority over White House demolitions or site preparations and only reviews building exteriors, per the National Capital Planning Act, but it does review proposed new construction or permanent site improvements.

The National Environmental Policy Act does give the NCPC the authority to review projects within the District of Columbia to ensure compliance with the NEPA.

The National Historic Preservation Act, though, does not apply in the matter as the White House and its grounds are excluded from its provisions.

The Trump administration initially said the construction of a new ballroom in the East Wing of the White House would cost $200 million, and said that the project will be funded by private donations.

President Donald Trump last week said the project could cost twice that amount but that donors would cover all additional costs, too.

The president earlier announced the ballroom construction, which he said is needed to provide a modern event space inside the White House.

Officials with the National Trust for Historic Preservation challenged the construction in federal court and sought an injunction to halt all work.

A federal judge denied the injunction request but ordered the Trump administration to undergo a review process for the project.

Dec. 25 (UPI) — The remains of two Iowa National Guard soldiers killed in an ambush in Syria arrived at the Iowa National Guard base in Des Moines, with funeral services for both scheduled for this weekend.

The bodies of Staff Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard and Staff Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar were carried off a KC-135 on Wednesday afternoon at the base as Gov. Kim Reynolds, Sen. Joni Ernst, U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, leaders from the Guard and their families looked on, Iowa Public Radio and KCCI Des Moines reported.

“Today’s honorable transfer of Sgt. Howard and Sgt. Torres-Tovar marks their return to Iowa,” Reynolds said in a post on X. “They can now be laid to rest after making the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation.”

Howard and Torres-Tovar, who were promoted to the rank of staff sergeant posthumously, and a civilian U.S. interpreter were killed in an attack in Palmyra, Syria, on Dec. 13, in a lone gunman attack.

Their flag-draped caskets were saluted by Ernst, Nunn and Guard leaders before their families had a moment alone with them.

Iowa state and Des Moines police officers then escorted processions to Marshalltown, where Howard’s visitation and funeral will be held on Saturday, and south Des Moines, where Torres-Tovar’s visitation will be held Sunday, ahead of his funeral and burial on Monday.

Three other Guard members were also injured in the attack, two of whom are receiving treatment in the United States, while the other was treated in Syria.

Dec. 24 (UPI) — BP is selling its majority stake in Castrol to U.S. investment company Stonepeak in an effort to pay down its debt.

The company is selling its $10 billion, 65% ownership in the lubricants business to the investment firm. It will keep a 35% stake in the business through a joint venture.

The deal is expected to close at the end of 2026, the company said.

BP will use the $6 billion in proceeds to pay down some of its $26 billion in debt, the company said.

“We concluded a thorough strategic review of Castrol that generated extensive interest and resulted in the sale of a majority interest to Stonepeak,” said Interim CEO Carol Howle in a statement. “And with this, we have now completed or announced over half of our targeted $20 billion divestment program, with proceeds to significantly strengthen BP’s balance sheet. The sale marks an important milestone in the ongoing delivery of our reset strategy. We are reducing complexity, focusing the downstream on our leading integrated businesses and accelerating delivery of our plan. And we are doing so with increasing intensity – with a continued focus on growing cash flow and returns, and delivering value for our shareholders”

BP announced last week that Meg O’Neill would become CEO of BP in April. Murray Auchincloss stepped down as CEO and board director. Howle is interim CEO until O’Neill takes over.

O’Neill, an American raised in Boulder, Colo., is CEO of Woodside Energy.

Maurizio Carulli, analyst at the investment company Quilter Cheviot, called the Castrol deal “a positive step forward for BP, reinforcing its ongoing strategy reset and the aim to reduce its net debt and refocus its downstream business,” The Guardian reported.

Dec. 24 (UPI) — High winds, torrential rains and localized river flooding could make the Christmas holiday particularly challenging across much of Southern California.

A storm system is forecast to bring between 4 and 7 inches of rainfall to valleys and coastal areas located south of Santa Barbara County’s Point Conception on Thursday and Friday before dissipating on Saturday, KTLA reported.

Further east in San Bernardino County, heavy rainfall caused flash flooding and debris fields early Wednesday.

The potential for heavy rainfall and localized flooding caused the National Weather Service in Los Angeles-Oxnard to issue a flash flood warning for Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties from 4:02 a.m. to noon PST on Wednesday.

“Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles,” NWS forecasters said. “Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the dangers of flooding.”

NWS forecasters also advise holiday travelers and others to be aware of their surroundings and to avoid driving on flooded roads.

“In hilly terrain, there are hundreds of low water crossings, which are potentially dangerous in heavy rain. Do not attempt to cross flooded roads. Find an alternate route,” NWS forecasters advised.

Small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses are particularly vulnerable to flash flooding, according to the NWS. So are low-lying areas and others with poor drainage.

“Some locations that will experience flash flooding include: Santa Barbara, Lompoc, Santa Ynez, Montecito, Point Conception, Carpinteria, Solvang, Isla Vista, El Capitan State Beach, Refugio State Beach, Highway 101 through Gaviota State Park, Summerland, Rincon Point, La Conchita, Goleta, Buellton, Lake Cachuma, Highway 154 over San Marcos Pass, Santa Barbara Airport and Hope Ranch,” NWS forecasters warned.

Areas north of Point Conception are expected to get between 2 and 4 inches of rainfall in coastal and valley areas and between 4 and 7 inches in foothills and mountains through Friday.

Those south of Point Conception are expected to see heavier rainfall amounts of between 4 and 7 inches in coastal and valley areas and between 6 and 14 inches in foothills and mountains through Friday.

Heavy rainfall would become especially dangerous and destructive in local burn areas, where flooding and debris flows are more likely.

The rainfall could be accompanied by strong and gusty southeast and south winds on Wednesday and Thursday, with gusts of between 60 and 80 mph predicted across Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties, in the Ventura and Los Angeles mountains and Antelope Valley.

Winds gusting to between 35 and 55 mph are predicted in other areas, and high wind warnings and wind advisories remain in effect until the storm system passes on Saturday.

Dec. 24 (UPI) — The United States is witnessing an unprecedented decline in murders with 2025 projected to mark the largest one-year drop on record, an analysis of crime data indicates.

Crime analyst Jeff Asher, using data from the Real Time Crime Index, said murders have fallen nearly 20% nationwide between 2024 and 2025 following a 13% decline the previous year.

Several major cities hardest hit by gun violence were reporting sharp decreases.

Baltimore has been down 31%, Atlanta 26%, Albuquerque 32% and Birmingham at nearly 49%.

Nationally, robberies, property crime and aggravated assaults have also fallen by 18%, 12% and 7%, respectively.

The Hill attributed the decline to post-pandemic stabilization and heightened anti-violence initiatives at the local and federal level.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has expanded federal and National Guard interventions in cities such as Chicago, Washington, D.C., and New York since he returned to the White House.

In Memphis alone, murders dropped by almost 20% while Chicago recorded a 28% decrease.

Asher estimates roughly 12,000 fewer homicides occurred in 2024-2025 than during the pandemic peak though final FBI data is still pending.

Dec. 24 (UPI) — Americans are not in a jolly mood when it comes to spending for the holidays, with a majority saying it’s been difficult to afford things, according to a CBS News/YouGov survey released Wednesday.

The nationally representative sample of 2,267 U.S. adults was interviewed between Dec. 15 and 17, and asked 16 questions about the holidays and the economy in general.

With items costing more now than they did last year, respondents cut down on gifts, entertainment and travel.

When asked about things to buy for the holiday, 58% said it would be difficult, including 17% “very difficult” and 41% “somewhat difficult.” Conversely, 8% said it will be “very easy to afford” and 34% “somewhat easy.”

Regarding prices compared with last year, 27% said they cost “a lot more,” 44% “a little more,” 24% “the same” and 5% “little less” or “lot less.”

People with lower incomes obviously are struggling more.

For family incomes under $50,00, it is “difficult to afford” for 71% versus 56% for $50,000 to $100,000 versus 58% more than $100,000.

Based on the type of gifts, 42% say they are buying fewer gifts for others, 32% less for food and drinks, 48% for airlines/travel and 50% for entertainment. Of those categories, more spending was 5% for airlines/travel, 6% for entertainment, 16% gifts for others, and 17% food and drinks.

Despite financial concerns, the respondents are more positive this holiday season with 48% saying they feel “grateful,” 43% “happy,” 39% “stressed,” 29% “excited,” 29% “exhausted” and 23% “sad.”

People are preferring to avoid paying for things on credit. It breaks down to 45% using no credit, 30% using some, 16% using mostly credit and 9% using all credit.

People were also asked about the economy in general, with 32% saying it is good and 63% bad.

Thirty-two percent of people said their financial situation was good for them, down from 39% in July. Since January is has been in the 30s.

Compared with past years, 41% said it is worse in 2025, 36% not changed and 22% better.

Inflation is on people’s minds with 76% saying their income hasn’t kept up with their income, which is close to 75% in July and 77% in February. The annual inflation rate in the United States is 2.7% ending in November compared with 3.0% in September 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Respondents were negative about the job market with 5% saying it’s “very good,” 29% “fairly good,” 32% “fairly bad,” 20% “very bad” and 14% not sure. The national unemployment rate was 4.6%, released by the U.S.Bureau of Labor Statistics, reflecting the labor market status for November.

Among the bright spots, more Americans rate the condition of the stock market as good than bad, especially for those whom the market’s performance matters a lot to their finances. The stock market was listed as 10% “very good,” 32% “fairly good,” 14% “fairly bad,” 6% “very bad” and 38% “not sure.”

Another good sign is gas prices, with 32% saying they are going down compared with 12% in October. Only 20% say fuel prices are going up vs. 34% in October, with 33% saying the are the same vs. 38% two months ago.

The current average is around $2.85 per gallon for unleaded, compared with $3.04 a year ago, according to AAA. The highest average was $5.02 on June 14, 2022.

The sample was weighted to be representative of adults nationwide, according to gender, age, race and education based on the U.S. Census American Community Survey and Current Population Survey, as well as 2024 presidential vote. The margin of error is 2.5 points.

Dec. 24 (UPI) — A million more files that might pertain to the former Jeffrey Epstein case have been found and will be released in weeks, federal officials announced on Wednesday.

Officials with the office of the U.S. attorney for Southern New York said they found more than a million more records and will review and redact those subject to the Epstein Files Transparency Act and release them.

“We have lawyers working around the clock to review and make the legally required redactions to protect victims, and we will release the documents as soon as possible,” the Justice Department said in a post on X.

“Due to the mass volume of material, this process may take a few more weeks,” the Justice Department said. “The department will continue to fully comply with federal law and President [Donald] Trump’s direction to release the files.”

The files were located in the Southern District of New York, which is based in New York City, and by the FBI, both of which forwarded them to the Justice Department for processing and eventual release as required by law.

The recently enacted Epstein Files Transparency Act required the Justice Department to release all Epstein-related files after reviewing them and redacting certain types of information, including the identities of victims, child abuse materials and others.

All files were to be released no later than Dec. 19, which is the date that the Justice Department released hundreds of thousands of files, some of which were completely redacted and blacked out.

The Justice Department posted them on its Epstein Library webpage, where all released documents are to be deposited and made available to the general public via a dedicated search engine.

Despite posting hundreds of thousands of files, the department earlier said hundreds of thousands more files also will be released after undergoing review and redactions.

Some lawmakers have accused the Justice Department of violating the Epstein Files Transparency Act by not posting all available files by the deadline.

Officials said they have a large team of attorneys reviewing each file and redacting information as required and will post all additional documents as soon as possible.

The new batch of more than a million files that might be related to the Epstein case will greatly complicate and slow that process.

Epstein was a financier and convicted sex offender who hung himself while jailed in Manhattan in 2019 amid federal charges accusing him of sex trafficking of minors and related offenses.

Dec. 24 (UPI) — Sean “Diddy” Combs’ attorney filed an expedited federal appeal in seeking his immediate appeal from federal prison on the hip-hop mogul’s two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.

The appeal was filed Tuesday with the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York City, seeking an acquittal or vacating his conviction and remand for resentencing.

In the 84-page appeal, attorney Alexandra A.E. Shapiro argued U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian “acted as the 13th juror” and found that Combs “coerced,” “exploited” and “forced” his girlfriends to have sex and led a criminal conspiracy, which “trumped the verdict.

The speedy appeal process was granted last month. The federal governor’s brief is due by Feb. 20 and Comb’s reply is due by March 13.

Combs, 56, is serving a 50-month prison sentence. He is now in a low-security prison in Fort Dix, N.J. He was moved there after being detained in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., since his arrest on Sept. 16, 2024.

On July 2, a jury in Manhattan convicted Combs after two days of deliberations and a six-week trial. He was found not guilty of one count of racketeering conspiracy and two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion.

Later that day, Subramanian denied his bail request because he said it would be impossible for him to prove he does not pose a danger.

The defense proposed travel restrictions, regular drug testing and a $1 million bond co-signed by himself, his mother, his sister and the mother of his oldest daughter.

Prosecutor Maurene Comey also opposed the request.

“There is serious, serious conduct here that will mandate a lengthy period of incarceration,” Comey said.

He was sentenced on Oct. 5, along with five years of supervised release after his prison term and a maximum fine of $500,000. Comb has an estimated $400 million net worth.

“There is a light at the end of the tunnel,” the judge said. “These letters, all those letters that I saw, show that you have a universe of people who love you. Let them lift you up now, just like you’ve lifted them up for so many years.”

His expected release date is May 25, 2028, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Shapiro wrote prosecutors failed to provide their case and noted girlfriends and third parties were adults who “willingly and enthusiastically” participated in so-called freak-offs, which are days-long, drug-fueled sexual encounters.

And the sentence was illegal because it was “draconian.”

She said the enhanced sentence violates his constitutional rights.

Shapiro also noted her client had already served 16 months of his sentence, which is the average one for what he was convicted of.

“If the court does not overturn Combs’ conviction, it should release him immediately and instruct the district court to resentence him only for the conduct of which he was convicted,” the filing reads.

This case isn’t Combs’ only legal situation with more than 70 civil lawsuits filed. In October, Texas-based attorney Tony Buzbee announced he would represent 120 accusers.

The alleged victims include children, teens and adults. There are short-term and long-term romantic partners.

He has denied all of the allegations and claimed that security footage in which Combs is seen beating ex-R&B star Casandra “Cassie” Ventura Fin was altered. His ex-girlfriend testified during the trial.

During sentencing, he addressed the court after he submitted a four-page letter to the judge that included an apology to the victims.

Combs apologized to Fin and another ex-girlfriend, identified as “Jane.”

“I want to personally apologize again to Cassie Ventura for any harm or hurt that I caused to her, emotionally or physically. My actions were disgusting, shameful and sick,” Combs said.

Dec. 24 (UPI) — Special counsel Jack Smith is requesting that the full video of his deposition before the House Judiciary Committee on his investigations into President Donald Trump be released to the public.

Smith’s attorneys sent a letter to committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, on Thursday asking that his closed-door deposition be released. During the deposition, Smith defended his decision to file charges against Trump for allegedly trying to overturn the 2020 election.

“Mr. Smith respectfully requests the prompt public release of the full videotape of his deposition. Doing so will ensure that the American people can hear the facts directly from Mr. Smith, rather than through second-hand accounts,” wrote Lanny A. Breuer and Peter Koski, Smith’s lawyers, in the letter.

“We also reiterate our request for an open and public hearing. During the investigation of President Trump, Mr. Smith steadfastly followed Justice Department policies, observed all legal requirements, and took actions based on the facts and the law. He stands by his decisions,” the letter said.

“I was there. There is no reason not to release the video and transcript,” Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., said in reply to a CBS News reporter’s post about the letter on X, The Hill reported. “If @Jim_Jordan refused Jack Smith’s request for a public hearing – like every other Special Counsel – because he allegedly wanted to avoid the 5-minute rule, he got that.”

Jordan has said he had not ruled out public testimony.

Smith’s opening remarks were published by The Hill.

“Our investigation developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and to prevent the lawful transfer of power,” Smith said.

“Our investigation also developed powerful evidence that showed President Trump willfully retained highly classified documents after he left office in January 2021, storing them at his social club, including in a bathroom and a ballroom where events and gatherings took place.

“He then repeatedly tried to obstruct justice to conceal his continued retention of those documents,” he said.

Smith said during his testimony that he’d do it again with the same facts.

Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., told The Hill on the day of Smith’s testimony that he wouldn’t be against public testimony.

“I do think that we’re dealing with unprecedented events here, so it’s entirely appropriate. And I think people on both sides, maybe for different reasons, think that what happened here bears scrutiny,” Kiley said.

Dec. 24 (UPI) — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into Tesla Model 3 sedans, which might have a deadly flaw in the emergency door release mechanism.

The NHTSA investigation covers about 180,000 Model 3 sedans and is in reaction to recent media reports and a defect petition that suggest the occupants of the Tesla sedans and first responders had trouble using the emergency door release mechanisms after a crash, Electrek reported.

The NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation’s probe into the matter applies to the 2022 model year Tesla Model 3 sedans and their electronic door handles.

“The petition cites that the mechanical door release is hidden, unlabeled and not intuitive to locate during an emergency,” the ODI said.

The problem might have contributed to several deaths in fatal crashes, according to media reports.

The front manual emergency door release latch is located ahead of the window switches, which many passengers accidentally pull instead of using the door-opening button, which could damage the door window.

The rear doors are more complicated to open, which makes it important for Model 3 owners to learn how to use the emergency door mechanisms and to explain how to their passengers.

Instructions are included in the owner’s manual. A Tesla dealership can show owners how to use the mechanisms and afterward show their passengers how to use them in an emergency and to prevent damaging windows via accidental deployments.

Those who are unsure of whether their Tesla Model 3 sedan is subject to the investigation can do a search on the NHTSA recall page by entering their respective state and license plate number or the vehicle identification number or year, make and model.

The results will reveal if the vehicle is subject to a recall in this matter or any other.

Dec. 24 (UPI) — Three days following a massive San Francisco blackout that disrupted its driverless operations, Waymo said it will upgrade its fleet to better handle future power outages.

Saturday’s outage, which was sparked by a substation fire that damaged local infrastructure, left about 130,000 customers without power at its peak and 21,000 still offline by Sunday, according to Pacific Gas and Electric.

“We’ve always focused on developing the Waymo Driver for the world as it is, including when infrastructure fails,” the company said Tuesday.

Traffic gridlock followed as lights went dark with videos showing Waymo cars stalled across the city.

“We directed our fleet to pull over and park appropriately so we could return vehicles to our depots in waves,” Waymo wrote. “This ensured we did not further add to the congestion or obstruct emergency vehicles during the peak of the recovery effort.”

The Alphabet-owned company said it will take three immediate steps.

According to Waymo, it will update its vehicles to recognize regional outages, strengthen emergency response protocol and expand training and coordination with local first responders and city officials.

“Backed by 100M+ miles of fully autonomous driving experience and a record of improving road safety, we are undaunted by the opportunity to challenge the status quo of our roads, and we’re proud to continue serving San Franciscan residents and visitors,” Waymo officials continued in Tuesday’s blog.

Waymo operates ride-hailing services in San Francisco, Phoenix, Austin, Atlanta and Los Angeles.

It recently surpassed 450,000 weekly rides and expects to exceed 20 million total trips by year’s end.

“In San Francisco, we’ll continue to coordinate with Mayor [Daniel] Lurie’s team to identify areas of greater collaboration in our existing emergency preparedness plans,” the company stated.

Dec. 24 (UPI) — President Donald Trump’s newly tapped special envoy to Greenland, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, has denied suggestions the United States is “trying to conquer” the island, which belongs to Denmark.

Landry made the remarks Tuesday during an appearance on Fox News’ The Will Cain Show.

He said the United States wants an open dialogue with the people of Greenland, which is self-governing, to understand what they want.

“What are they looking for?” Landry said. “What opportunities have they not gotten? Why haven’t they gotten the protection that they actually deserve.”

He added that the United States “has always been a welcoming party.”

“We don’t go in there trying to conquer anybody and trying to … take over anybody’s country,” Landry added. “We say, ‘Listen, we represent liberty, we represent economic strength, we represent protection.'”

Trump named Landry his special envoy to Greenland on Monday, sparking concern from the Danish foreign minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, who summoned the U.S. ambassador in response. Rasmussen said the appointment showed that the United States has not given up on Trump’s idea of trying to buy Greenland from Denmark.

“We insist that everyone, including the U.S., must show respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark,” Rasmussen said.

Greenland is a territory of Denmark, but controls its own government. Trump has discussed the possibility of annexing the island nation, saying the United States needs it for national and world security.

“I think we’re going to get it, one way or another,” Trump said in a televised speech in March.

Trump announced his appointment of Landry as special envoy in a post on Truth Social on Monday.

“Jeff understands how essential Greenland is to our national security and will strongly advance our country’s interests for the safety, security and survival of our allies and, indeed, the world. Congratulations Jeff!” Trump posted.

Dec. 23 (UPI) — A judge in Oregon ruled Tuesday that the Trump administration cannot require states to account for how deportations have affected their populations in order to receive emergency or disaster preparedness funds.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Amy Potter’s ruling came in response to a lawsuit from 11 states challenging new requirements from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which they argued created undue burdens on access to hundreds of millions of dollars that could be used to prepare for floods, storms, acts of terrorism and other potential catastrophes.

The ruling is a setback for President Donald Trump as he has sought to remake the federal agency that is central to responding to disasters after earlier calling for it to be dissolved.

The ruling concerned a new FEMA policy that shortened the duration of grants to states from three years to one. The agency argued that the shorter period would allow it to better gauge the effectiveness of how states were using the money.

FEMA also required states to provide updated figures on their populations to reflect the Trump administration’s aggressive deportation efforts. Population counts have traditionally been the responsibility of the U.S. Census Bureau.

A group of 11 states – including Michigan, Oregon, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, Wisconsin and Kentucky – sued in response to the new requirements.

They argued that the requirements violated the Administrative Procedures Act and imperiled funding used for outreach programs in Hawaii, the deployment of emergency management personnel in North Carolina during tropical storms and staff to respond to flash floods in Maryland.

“This abrupt change in policy is particularly harmful to local emergency management,” wrote Potter.

In Oregon, affected funds were used to help cover the expenses of local emergency managers across the state, she wrote.

Dec. 23 (UPI) — An explosion Tuesday afternoon at a nursing home in eastern Pennsylvania killed at least two and left many injured and missing, local officials said.

The explosion took place at 2:15 p.m. EST at the Silver Lake Nursing Home in the borough of Bristol. It originated in the nursing home’s basement and caused a fire and part of the building to collapse, a Bucks County spokesperson told NBC News.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro traveled to the nursing home’s location and told media a gas leak is suspected of causing the deadly explosion and fire.

Shapiro commended the actions of police, firefighters and other first-responders to help others and minimize potential casualties.

The nursing home has 174 beds, most of which were occupied, and a worker told WCAU that about 50 people usually are inside the building.

The nursing home is located about 20 miles south of Philadelphia, and most of its residents are between ages 50 and 95.

The explosion shook nearby buildings and caused a response from fire departments and first responders in Pennsylvania’s Montgomery, Bucks and Philadelphia Counties, plus another from Burlington County in New Jersey.

This is a developing story.

Dec. 23 (UPI) — The U.S. Department of Education has signaled that next year it will resume garnishing wages of people who’ve defaulted on their student loans.

The change, reported by multiple news outlets, comes after a years-long respite on garnishment that began as a pandemic-era economic relief measure. The resumption follows other Trump administration efforts to recoup past-due student loan debt.

The department intends to notify about 1,000 borrowers who have defaulted on their debt that it will begin seizing parts of their paychecks, The Washington Post reported Monday. The initial notices will go out the week of Jan. 7, with more going out to borrowers each month, according to the paper.

Roughly 5.3 million borrowers have not made student loan payments, with many having fallen behind before the federal government stopped collecting on defaulted loans nearly six years ago, the Post reported.

A borrower is considered to be in default on their loan when they have not made a payment for more than 270 days. Up to 15% of their pay can be garnished as a result.

After returning to power earlier this year, the Trump administration has sought to undo Biden-era policies meant to ease the burden of student loans on borrowers. The department announced in April that it would again require defaulted borrowers to make payments on their loans and has sought to tighten rules for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

The Trump administration has defended its approach, saying it’s holding irresponsible borrowers accountable for loans that have cost taxpayers billions.

However, the Student Borrower Protection Center criticized the department for resuming garnishments, saying the measure is used without oversight and has been used to unjustifiably seize wages from hundreds of millions during the pandemic.

“At a time when families across the country are struggling with stagnant wages and an affordability crisis, this administration’s decision to garnish wages from defaulted student loan borrowers is cruel, unnecessary, and irresponsible,” Persis Yu, the group’s deputy executive director and managing counsel, said in a statement. “As millions of borrowers sit on the precipice of default, this administration is using its self-inflicted limited resources to seize borrowers’ wages instead of defending borrowers’ right to affordable payments.”

Dec. 23 (UPI) — A Delaware state trooper and a shooting suspect are dead after an incident occurred before 2 p.m. EST at a Division of Motor Vehicles office in New Castle, Del.

Neither the deceased officer’s name nor the suspect’s name were released as law enforcement investigated the matter, USA Today reported.

No information has been provided about potential injuries to others, but local police are assessing them.

Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer confirmed the shooting and said there was no active threat against the public in a post on X.

“Law enforcement acted swiftly to secure the scene, and the shooter has been confirmed deceased,” Meyer said. “State and local law enforcement are on the scene and coordinating response efforts.”

He asked the public to avoid the area and said updates would be released when available.

Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings sent “senior prosecutors” to the scene to help with the investigation, WDEL reported.

No information was initially provided regarding the shooting’s circumstances, and all Delaware DMV offices were closed for the day as of 3 p.m.

Hessler Boulevard and Route 13 were closed in the area near the New Castle DMV location.

New Castle is about 6 miles south of Wilmington, Del.

Dec. 23 (UPI) — U.S. consumers showed steady confidence this holiday season, with retail spending up 4.2% from last year, according to preliminary data via Visa released Tuesday.

Despite ongoing economic challenges, shoppers continued to buy especially tech and personal items. The analysis — based on Visa payments data from Nov. 1 over a seven‑week period — excluded auto, gas and restaurant categories and wasn’t adjusted for inflation.

Michael Brown, principal U.S. economist at Visa, said the “underlying surprise” was that U.S. consumer spending “is holding up reasonably well in light of softer consumer confidence than we had this time last year and a number of headwinds and concerns about inflation.”

In-store purchases made up 73% of total spending, though online sales rose by 7.8% and were the main source of growth fueled by convenience and early holiday deals.

Brown said the 2025 holiday season signaled a clear change in shopping habits, driven in part by artificial intelligence reshaping how consumers discover products and compare prices.

“We are seeing consumers use AI in a big way in comparison shopping and then helping to narrow down that perfect gift,” Brown told CNBC.

Electronics saw the strongest gains, with sales up 5.8%, driven by demand for newer, high-powered devices linked to the AI boom.

Apparel and other accessories rose 5.3% and general merchandise retailers offering one-stop shopping recorded a 3.7% increase.

But home-focused categories lagged. Spending on building materials and garden supplies slipped 1% and furniture and home furnishings were nearly flat edging up just 0.8%.

Although overall retail growth appears solid, the figures are not adjusted for inflation, meaning actual inflation‑adjusted gains were likely smaller once Consumer Price Index data was fully factored in.

Meanwhile, a recent survey found that 41% of Americans intended to cut back on holiday spending this year, which was up six points from 2024.

“This is the first holiday shopping season where roughly half of the consumers in that survey responded that they are going to leverage AI for one of those two tasks,” Brown added.

Dec. 23 (UPI) — The Department of Justice Tuesday released a third cache of files from the Jeffrey Epstein case, including flight logs that show President Donald Trump flew on Epstein’s plane more than has been reported.

The logs show Trump flew on Epstein’s plane at least eight times in the 1990s. One of those flights included an unnamed 20-year old woman.

The documents are released to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which became law on Nov. 19, though the Justice Department didn’t release all the files on time.

Epstein was an American billionaire financier who was a convicted sex offender. He died by suicide in jail while awaiting trial.

The information about the flights comes from an email sent in January 2020 from a New York federal prosecutor to an unnamed person. The email doesn’t accuse Trump of any wrongdoing.

“For your situational awareness, wanted to let you know that the flight records we received yesterday reflect that Donald Trump traveled on Epstein’s private jet many more times than previously has been reported (or that we were aware), including during the period we would expect to charge in a [Ghislaine] Maxwell case,” the email said.

Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s accomplice, is serving time for sex trafficking.

It said Trump “is listed as a passenger on at least eight flights between 1993 and 1996, including at least four flights on which Maxwell was also present. He is listed as having traveled with, among others and at various times, Marla Maples, his daughter Tiffany, and his son Eric,” it said.

“On one flight in 1993, he and Epstein are the only two listed passengers; on another, the only three passengers are Epstein, Trump, and then-20-year-old [redacted]. On two other flights, two of the passengers, respectively, were women who would be possible witnesses in a Maxwell case.”

The Justice Department said there were multiple references to Trump in the latest release. It called some of the mentions “untrue and sensationalist claims.”

“The Department of Justice has officially released nearly 30,000 more pages of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. Some of these documents contain untrue and sensationalist claims made against President Trump that were submitted to the FBI right before the 2020 election. To be clear: the claims are unfounded and false, and if they had a shred of credibility, they certainly would have been weaponized against President Trump already,” the department said on X.

“Nevertheless, out of our commitment to the law and transparency, the DOJ is releasing these documents with the legally required protections for Epstein’s victims.”

Dec. 23 (UPI) — The federal government is suing Washington, D.C., to ease its gun-ownership laws, which are the strictest in the nation.

The U.S. Department of Justice filed the suit Monday in federal court seeking to declare the laws unconstitutional and prevent the District from enforcing them. The laws ban most semiautomatic rifles and other firearms from being registered with the police department. This makes any possession of those guns illegal. AK-47s and AR-15s are among those that are illegal. Those owning those guns can face misdemeanor charges and fines.

The action “underscores our ironclad commitment to protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. “Washington, D.C.’s ban on some of America’s most popular firearms is an unconstitutional infringement on the Second Amendment — living in our nation’s capital should not preclude law-abiding citizens from exercising their fundamental constitutional right to keep and bear arms.”

The suit cites District of Columbia v. Heller, which was decided by the Supreme Court in 2008. Before Heller, the District made it illegal to carry unregistered firearms but it also banned the registration of handguns. The Heller decision said that people can have guns in their homes for self-defense.

After Heller, the District updated its gun laws and included a registry and training requirements. But it still makes assault rifles impossible to register.

The suit filed by the Justice Department argues the merit of the law.

“D.C.’s current semi-automatic firearms prohibition that bans many commonly used pistols, rifles or shotguns is based on little more than cosmetics, appearance, or the ability to attach accessories, and fails to take into account whether the prohibited weapon is ‘in common use today’ or that law-abiding citizens may use these weapons for lawful purposes protected by the Second Amendment. Therefore, the District’s restrictions lack legal basis,” the filing said.

D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser, a Democrat, said in a statement Monday, reported by the Washington Post, that the District would “vigorously defend our right to make decisions that keep our city safe.”

“Gun violence destroys families, upends communities, and threatens our collective sense of safety. MPD has saved lives by taking illegal guns off our streets — efforts that have been praised by our federal partners,” Bowser said. “It is irresponsible to take any steps that would lead to more, and deadlier, guns in our communities, especially semi-automatic rifles like AR-15s.”

Lawyers from Everytown Law, a gun safety organization, said the city’s gun bans are legal.

“The legal consensus is clear: assault weapon bans are constitutional. Since the Supreme Court’s rulings in Bruen and Rahimi, federal courts have repeatedly affirmed that these laws are consistent with the Second Amendment,” Bill Taylor, deputy director of Second Amendment litigation at Everytown Law, said in a statement. “Assault weapons are designed for mass devastation, and we look forward to supporting D.C. as it defends this critical common-sense safety measure.”

District of Columbia U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro told prosecutors in August not to enforce felony charges for the city’s ban on openly carrying rifles and shotguns in public or the city’s ban on magazines that hold more than 10 bullets.

Dec. 22 (UPI) — Colorado lawmakers have called on President Donald Trump to reverse a recent decision denying state disaster aid requests in the wake of “life-threatening flooding and historic wildfires.”

In a statement Sunday, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis announced Trump had rejected the state’s requests for help and accused the president of playing “political games.” He said the state would be appealing the decision.

“Coloradans impacted by the Elk and Lee fires and the flooding in Southwestern Colorado deserve better than the political games President Trump is playing,” Polis said.

“I call on the president’s better angels, and urge him to reconsider these requests. This is about the Coloradans who need this support, and we won’t stop fighting for them to get what they deserve,” the Democratic governor added.

Polis declared a disaster emergency on Aug. 3, for the Elk Fire and added the Lee Fire three days later. He filed an executive order by the end of August as the state revealed initial damage estimates from the fires and mudslides totaled more than $27 million.

In October, Polis declared a disaster emergency to unlock $6 million in state funding for flood response and recovery in Western Colorado.

Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet said, “Trump’s decision to deny Colorado’s request for critical federal assistance is unacceptable.”

“Communities in Western Colorado are in serious need of help after the life-threatening flooding and historic wildfires earlier this year,” Bennet added. “Trump continues to use Coloradans for political games; it is malicious and obscene.”

While a president can tap additional federal assistance with a major disaster under the Stafford Act, the Trump administration has recently denied some states’ requests for aid as it works to downsize the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The White House said Monday, “there is no politicization to the president’s decisions on disaster relief.” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson explained Trump’s decision, adding that the administration sent two firefighting planes to Colorado to help fight the fires.

“The president responds to each request for federal assistance under the Stafford Act with great care and consideration,” Jackson said, “ensuring American tax dollars are used appropriately and efficiently by the states to supplement — not substitute, their obligation to respond to and recover from disasters.”