December 25, 2025

California audit reveals mixed bag: Some fiscal wins, but millions lost

As we head into a new year, California’s state auditor found mixed results on the state’s handling of money and government agencies. The auditor gave good reviews for the state treasurer’s handling of securities, while some agencies were found to have wasted significant amounts of money. California state treasurer The most recent report analyzed state […]

December 25, 2025

Why more millennials skipped this year’s holiday trip home 

For Simone Harvin, the holidays no longer come with a plane ticket or a packed car. Although she loves her family, her annual trip home simply isn’t happening this year. “Travel of any kind is exhausting, but the expectation of being the one to endure long road trips and holiday traffic gets old after a […]

December 25, 2025

Trump’s second-term branding blitz breaks with presidential tradition

President Donald Trump has spent the start of his second term stamping his name and likeness across Washington — from federal buildings to landmark links. Now he’s pushing to create a line of “Trump-class” Navy battleships. The moves are raising eyebrows from historians, legal experts and political opponents. Can a sitting president rename government entities […]

December 25, 2025

What’s inside the Ukraine peace deal supported by Zelenskyy

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukraine could support a newly negotiated deal aimed at ending the war that began nearly four years ago, marking a sharp shift from an earlier proposal Kyiv rejected as too favorable to Russia.  Zelenskyy outlined parts of the new 20-point plan while speaking with reporters Tuesday, saying American and Ukrainian officials […]

December 25, 2025

30-year mortgage rates fall just in time for Christmas

The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage in the U.S. fell again this week, just in time for Christmas. But Americans don’t appear to want to buy a home for the holidays, despite the more attractive rates. Mortgage applications are at their lowest level in three months, according to the latest data from the […]

December 25, 2025

RFK Jr. announced a directive on medical care for transgender youth. 19 attorneys general sued to stop it

More than a dozen states led by Democrats and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit against Trump administration health officials over directives to bar medical professionals from providing gender-affirming care to minors. The coalition, led by Oregon, claimed the directive revoked people’s right to make their own decisions about their health, while Health Secretary […]

December 24, 2025

Americans feel down on the economy despite strong late-year numbers 

Even as economic data flashes some encouraging signs, Americans aren’t feeling it. GDP growth came in stronger than expected in the third quarter, expanding at a 4.3% pace, and inflation eased to 2.7% by the end of November. But two new surveys suggest public confidence is moving in the opposite direction.  What the surveys shows […]

December 24, 2025

Powerball jackpot reaches $1.7 billion ahead of Christmas Eve drawing

Someone could be waking up very rich on Christmas morning. The Powerball jackpot has surged to $1.7 billion, with the next drawing set for Wednesday night — Christmas Eve. If there’s a winner, the lump-sum cash option would be $781.3 million, before taxes. That’s a Christmas gift most people wouldn’t mind unwrapping. Powerball and Christmas […]

December 24, 2025

ICE drafts warehouse network to detain 80,000 immigrants: Report

The Trump administration is considering a sweeping expansion of immigration detention, one that would convert large industrial warehouses into massive holding facilities for migrants awaiting deportation. According to internal planning documents reviewed by The Washington Post, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has drafted a proposal to build a nationwide detention network capable of holding more than […]