School Shooting, Christmas Spiders, and a Holiday Toy Heist

A 17-year-old girl opened fire at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, on Monday, killing a teacher and a student and injuring six others.
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Politics

➤ The New York judge presiding over President-elect Donald Trump’s so-called “hush money” case denied Trump’s bid to vacate his conviction on presidential immunity grounds, saying the case didn’t involve Trump’s official actions. (More

➤ Also on Monday, Trump said he would “certainly look at” pardoning New York City Mayor Eric Adams on federal corruption charges, suggesting the case was politically motivated. (More)  

➤ David Hogg, a 24-year-old Parkland shooting survivor and anti-violence activist, announced his bid for DNC vice chair, aiming to reconnect young voters with the Democratic Party. (More)  

➤ A Washington, D.C., restaurant server was fired for violating a zero-tolerance policy on discrimination after posting comments about refusing service to incoming Trump administration officials. (More)  

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Sports

➤ The Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, and Minnesota Vikings all clinched NFL postseason berths on Sunday. (See Playoff Picture)

LeBron James scored a respectable 18 points, along with eight rebounds and eight assists, in his return to the Los Angeles Lakers lineup after missing time. (More)

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a high ankle sprain on Sunday and will be considered “week-to-week.” He won Super Bowl LVII against the Philadelphia Eagles while playing through the same injury. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s results: NFL | NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | NCAAM Soccer

The Holiday Section
Today's Holiday section is brought to you by:

The Flyover

A holiday drone show in Texas featured nearly 5,000 drones creating a gingerbread village display and earning a Guinness World Record. (See Video)

In Santa Claus, Indiana, volunteers answer thousands of children’s letters to Santa each year, keeping a 90-year tradition alive in "America’s Christmas Hometown." (See Photos)

The Christmas spider, a symbol of luck in Ukrainian and German traditions, represents legends of cobweb-decorated trees and miraculous protection, inspiring festive ornaments. (See Spider)

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Finance

Trend Line Daily Market Report   12/16/2024

NASDAQ
National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations
20,169.21
1.22%
SPX
S&P 500
6,074.13
0.38%
DJI
Dow Jones Industrial Average
43,733.56
-0.22%
BTC
Bitcoin
$105,985.16
1.62%
GOLD
Per Ounce
$2,670.40
0.54%
IONQ
IonQ, Inc.
$42.01
+24.18%
Gold and Bitcoin are traded 24 hours a day.

Big Stock Move: Shares of IonQ soared 24% on Monday following Google’s breakthrough "Willow" quantum chip announcement, fueling excitement in quantum technology. (More)

➤ Bitcoin surged past $106,000 on Monday, up 50% since Donald Trump was reelected. Investors anticipate cryptocurrency-friendly policies, including a potential national Bitcoin reserve. (More)

Vera Wang has sold her fashion brand to WHP Global after 35 years but will remain chief creative officer, focusing on global expansion. (See Details)

Women’s basketball league Unrivaled raised $28M in Series A funding, bringing its total 2024 investments to $35M. Backers include Giannis Antetokounmpo and Michael Phelps. (More)

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Science & Technology

➤ Chinese police are testing a new spherical patrol robot that can move up to 22 mph, navigate diverse terrains, and deploy crime-fighting tools like tear gas, smoke bombs, and net shooters. (See Robot)  

NASA's November collection of best photos features Jupiter's Abyss, the Great Nebula in Orion, and a breathtaking view of the Milky Way over the stone moai statues on Easter Island. (See Photos)  

A new study released Monday suggests that Saturn's rings are 4.5 billion years old, matching the planet's age, contradicting the previously held belief that they are 400 million years old. (More)  

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The Rotator

Travel Tuesday

➤ Popular European destination cities such as Barcelona, Amsterdam, and Rome have implemented aggressive new strategies to dissuade tourists from visiting. (More)

Designed by an Oscar-winning film director, the newly reopened Palazzo Talia in Rome offers only 25 rooms along with stunning public spaces. (See Photos)

The winter months provide an opportunity to visit Yellowstone National Park with smaller crowds and dramatic snowy views. Visitors can enjoy snow coach and snowmobile tours, ice skating, snowshoeing, and more cold-weather activities. (See Photos)

Et Cetera

The iconic Home Alone house in Winnetka, Illinois, is on the market for $5.25 million. The 9,000-square-foot home blends nostalgia with modern upgrades. (See Photos)

A $1 million freight heist diverted three toy shipments in an elaborate scam using fake trucking firms. Stolen goods later appeared for sale on Amazon. (More)

Bluey, Luna, and Milo are the top 2024’s pet names, with trends inspired by pop culture, cartoons, and food. Cheese-inspired names like Provolone are also rising. (See Names)

An artist uses X-ray photography to reveal the hidden details of everyday objects, creating stunning images in a specialized, radiation-proof studio. (See Photos)

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Losing your hearing? Don’t pay $2,500+ for a prescription; try this new OTC Hearing Aid for only $189 from Audien Atom! (See It Here)

Poll Position

Where is your Christmas gift hiding spot?

  1. Garage
  2. Closet
  3. Under the bed
  4. Car
  5. Attic/basement
  6. Work
  7. Other
 

Yesterday's Results:

Do you prefer to watch TV shows or full-length movies?

  1. Movies: 41%
  2. TV shows: 40%
  3. Neither: 19%

Quote BoxDaily Quote

Quote

"This time everyone wants to be my friend. I don't know. My personality changed or something.” 

—  President-elect Donald Trump discussing the number of CEOs who have reached out to him.

TriviaToday's Trivia

How many times did the Wright brothers fly together? 

Show me the answer

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Panel Seeks Cheney Probe, White Christmas Map, and the World's Ugliest Dog

Thursday, December 19, 2024

A House GOP-led panel on Tuesday called for the Justice Department to open a criminal investigation of former Rep. Liz Cheney for potential "criminal witness tampering" related to her role on

Trump Shooting 'Preventable,' Athlete of the Year, and Cops With Gift Cards

Wednesday, December 11, 2024

A bipartisan House panel report released Tuesday found that the attempted assassination of President-elect Donald Trump in July was "preventable and should not have happened." ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌

Don’t miss the “Rockefeller Moment” happening in coal.

Tuesday, December 10, 2024

Don't miss the "Rockefeller Moment" happening in coal. ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌

CEO Murder Suspect Held, A Christmas Ship, and Bird Island

Tuesday, December 10, 2024

Luigi Mangione, designated "a person of interest" in the Manhattan murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, was taken into custody in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Monday after being spotted

Trump Heading to Paris, 2,500 Stolen Pies, and a Doggy Cruise

Tuesday, December 10, 2024

President-elect Donald Trump has announced he will attend the reopening celebration of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris this weekend, marking his first foreign trip since winning the November presidential

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