Wednesday, December 24, 2025 • 3 min read

Court rulings have dealt a series of blows to the Trump administration’s immigration and health care agendas. The setbacks come as a majority of Americans say they are unhappy about the country’s leaders and direction. Here’s the latest:

Just a few weeks ago, almost half of the lower 48 states had snow on the ground. But only 18% can expect a White Christmas, down from a multiyear average of 38%, according to NOAA. See which states will wake to a snowy scene. [USA Today] 

A newly released tranche of Epstein files included numerous references to President Trump. Read takeaways. The Justice Department has asked employees to help redact the huge cache of files, raising the possibility of more releases this week. [Politico/CNN] 

Former Sen. Ben Sasse has stage-four pancreatic cancer, he announced on social media. The former Nebraska senator, a Christian conservative who became a Trump critic, praised advances in treatment. "I’m not going down without a fight," he said. [Reuters] 

Venus Williams and actor Andrea Preti got married — again. The celebration, in the tennis star’s Florida hometown, was the couple’s second ceremony this year, after earlier nuptials in Italy. See photos and read her sister’s tribute. [Theankaraqueen/People] 

The Avengers are reassembling. The first trailer for Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday, which comes out next year, promises a reunion of many fan-favorite superheroes and a few surprises. Watch the teaser. [Yahoo Entertainment] 

Kate Winslet’s directorial debut, Goodbye June, is now on Netflix. Written by her son, Joe Anders, the “admirably solid” movie tells the story of a family preparing for big changes. Read a review. [AP] 

Little Monsters, assemble! Lady Gaga’s concert film Lady Gaga in Harlequin Live — One Night Only drops at 7 p.m. ET on YouTube. Here’s why she chose Christmas Eve to release it. [Variety] 

Every year since 1960, NORAD has followed Santa’s reindeer-powered sleigh across the globe. There’s just one catch: "Only Santa knows his route,” a NORAD official said, “which means we cannot predict where and when he will arrive at your house.” [Space] 

Read your daily horoscope. Play the crossword. Check the forecast in your area.

In 1968, as Apollo 8 orbited the moon on Christmas Eve, lunar module pilot Bill Anders took the famous “Earthrise” photograph. This breathtaking image is credited with jumpstarting the modern environmental movement. [Live Science] 

Forty years in, Michael Graham is still bringing “a mentality of joy” to work as a mall Santa at Tysons Corner Center in Virginia. “What’s the one thing that you want as a human? To be loved,” he said. “That’s what I get out of it.” See what kids are asking for this year. [Washington Post] 

Swap the bottle of wine for a bestselling novel — or even a puzzle. See more great last-minute hostess gifts. [Southern Living]