National News

MIT professor from Portugal shot at home dies, police say  BBCMIT professor fatally shot at his Brookline home, officials say  The Boston GlobeMIT professor killed in shooting at home  NBC NewsMIT professor Nuno Loureiro killed in shooting at his Brookline, Massachusetts home  CBS NewsM.I.T. Professor Is Fatally Shot in His Home  The New York Times

Democrats to block Senate nominations over Bondi’s ‘failure’ on Epstein files  The Guardian

Sen. Mark Kelly clashes with Hegseth over Pentagon’s investigation into him  ABC NewsPentagon launches new phase of probe into Sen. Mark Kelly over ‘illegal orders’ video  CNNIf tried by court-martial, senator accused of ‘seditious behavior’ would be deprived of several constitutional rights  The ConversationPentagon “escalating” its review of Sen. Mark Kelly over video urging defiance of illegal orders  CBS NewsHegseth’s office ‘escalating’ probe of Sen. Mark Kelly, Pentagon says  The Washington Post

Portion of Highway 2 will be closed for ‘months,’ Gov. Ferguson says  KING5.comGovernor Ferguson: Highway 2 will be closed “for months” due to storm damage  KOMORoad closure update: US 2 could be closed for months  MyNorthwest.comWSDOT reopens over 50 highways since start of atmospheric river  KIRO 7 News SeattleHighway 2 will be closed for ‘months,’ Gov. Ferguson says  The Seattle Times

Clan del Golfo: US designates Colombia cocaine gang a terrorist group  BBCUS designates Colombia’s biggest drug cartel Gulf Clan as terrorist organization  The GuardianUS officially labels Colombia’s EGC group a ‘terrorist organization’  Al JazeeraTerrorist Designations of Clan del Golfo  U.S. Department of State (.gov)US designates Colombia’s Clan del Golfo as a terrorist organization, citing narcotics trafficking  Fox News

Hegseth says he won’t release full boat strike video  PoliticoHegseth Declines to Show Lawmakers Boat Strike Video  The New York TimesLive updates: Trump administration news on health care, boat strikes and Epstein files | CNN Politics  CNNPentagon won’t release full video of Caribbean strike that killed two people, Hegseth says  The GuardianTrump administration won’t show all US lawmakers video of Venezuelan boat strike  BBC

Mike Johnson confronted by GOP moderates over Obamacare subsidies  PoliticoHouse Republican leaders ditch vote on ACA funding, all but ensuring premiums will rise  NBC NewsHouse GOP will not allow amendment vote to extend ObamaCare subsidies  thehill.comNo vote coming on extending healthcare subsidies, US House Speaker says  BBCHere’s what’s in the House GOP health care bill  CNN

Washington threatens European groups over EU’s treatment of US tech giants  Financial TimesU.S. Threatens Penalties Against European Tech Firms Amid Regulatory Fight  The New York TimesUS Threatens to Retaliate Against EU Firms Over Digital Tax  Bloomberg.comEU presses US for tariff relief on steel, machinery and medtech  politico.euUS warns of fees or curbs on European services amid dispute over EU tech rules  France 24

Rob Reiner’s tragic final weekend emerges: Conan’s party, the Obamas and unthinkable violence  The Seattle TimesRob Reiner’s son Nick made guests uneasy at party day before parents found dead, sources say  NBC NewsNick Reiner will be charged with first degree murder in his parents’ killing  NPRDecember 15, 2025: Rob and Michele Reiner’s son ‘responsible’ for their deaths, police say  CNNMichele Singer Reiner Inspired Rob Reiner to Change the Ending of ‘When Harry Met Sally’  The New York Times

Brown University shooting person of interest spotted in new images  Fox NewsFBI releases photos of suspect as search for Brown University shooter enters fourth day – live updates  CNNPolice release new video in hunt for Brown University shooting suspect  The GuardianBrown, USC agree to cancel game after shooting  ESPN’He truly changed my life’: Classmate recalls Brown University student killed in mass shooting  ABC News

Her 1951 walkout helped end school segregation. Now her statue is in the U.S. Capitol  NPRStatue of Black teen who fought segregation replaces Robert E. Lee at U.S. Capitol  The Washington PostWATCH: Johnson and Jeffries lead statue unveiling of civil rights activist Barbara Rose Johns  PBSBarbara Rose Johns’ statue unveiled in U.S. Capitol, honoring civil rights legacy  WSETUS Capitol unveils statue of teen civil rights icon Barbara Rose Johns, taking Robert E. Lee’s spot  AP News

Susie Wiles calls out Bondi, Vance and Trump in Vanity Fair  ABC NewsTrump’s Inner Circle, On the Record (Part 2 of 2)  Vanity FairSusie Wiles comes under the spotlight after Vanity Fair remarks  thehill.comTrump chief of staff Susie Wiles says president ‘has an alcoholic’s personality’ and much more in candid interviews  CNN‘Extremely demoralizing’: Republicans respond to the bombastic Wiles interview  Politico

JCPS elementary teacher charged with having sexual conversations with student  WAVE NewsLouisville teacher charged with having ‘sexual conversations’ with 5th-grader during NTI  WDRBKentucky fifth-grade teacher arrested for sending sexually charged messages to student  WHAS11JCPS teacher charged for allegedly having sexual conversations with student  The Courier-JournalLouisville teacher charged for having sexual conversation with 5th-grade boy during NTI  WLKY

New report finds the Arctic continues to warm faster than the planet as a whole  NPRArctic Report Card Marks Record Temperatures and Rainfall in Arctic  The New York TimesArctic endured year of record heat as climate scientists warn of ‘winter being redefined’  The GuardianFrom record warming to rusting rivers, 2025 Arctic Report Card shows a region transforming faster than expected  The ConversationThe Arctic Is in Dire Straits, 20 Years of Reporting Show  Scientific American

BBC declares it will fight the US President but should it?  BBCUK lawmaker: BBC should ‘stick by their guns’ against Trump defamation suit  thehill.comBBC vows to defend itself in $10bn Donald Trump lawsuit  The GuardianTrump sues BBC for $10 billion, claims defamation from Panorama documentary  CNBCTrump Files $10 Billion Suit Over BBC Documentary  The New York Times

What Trump’s reclassification of pot and CBD could mean for seniors, research and stocks  CNBCWhite House is considering reclassifying marijuana to ease restrictions on the drug  CNNGOP Rep. Lawler says it would be ‘wrong’ for Trump to reclassify marijuana  thehill.comTilray, Canopy Stocks Fall Ahead of Possible Trump Move to Reclassify Weed  Barron’sTrump’s Marijuana Move Would Go Far Beyond Biden| WSJ Politics Newsletter for Dec. 16  The Wall Street Journal

Historic gift endows Cornell CALS Ashley School  Cornell ChronicleHead of Rochester real estate firm endows new school at Cornell University  WXXI NewsCornell Announces New CALS School With Historic $55 Million Endowment  The Cornell Daily SunStephen Ashley’s $55M gift to Cornell will endow CALS Ashley School  Rochester Business Journal

Ballroom construction must go on as a matter of “security,” Trump admin says  AxiosJudge lets Trump’s ballroom construction proceed  PoliticoJudge warns Trump administration against ‘irreversible’ White House ballroom construction work  Fox NewsTrump administration says White House ballroom construction is a matter of national security  AP News‘Stop the music’ in Trump’s big ballroom  thehill.com

Man found dead in submerged car near Seattle after a week of heavy rain and flooding  PBSMan drowns after driving car onto flooded road in Snohomish County  KING5.comWatch: Drone footage shows extent of flooding in Washington state  BBCNew Evacuations Ordered After Levee Failures  The Weather ChannelWA flooding leads to first confirmed flood fatality in Snohomish County  MyNorthwest.com

Xcel likely to shut off power to many Front Range communities at noon Wednesday due to dry conditions and high winds  Colorado Public Radio‘Be ready for outages’: Xcel says power shutoffs likely on Wednesday for high winds  kdvr.comXcel may shut off power to up to 500,000 customers amid dry, windy weather in Colorado  The Denver PostXcel set to shut off power due to extreme wind threat  AxiosXcel plans power shutoff in Boulder on Dec. 17 amid extreme fire risk  The Boulder Reporting Lab

The brawl over the Colorado River is about more than water  PoliticoWorlds apart in water politics, Denver and Phoenix seek similar solutions to a drier Colorado River Basin  The Colorado SunAmid Colorado River ‘impasse,’ tense meeting comes to Las Vegas  Las Vegas Review-JournalWhat some Utah leaders want to see out of this week’s Colorado River meetings  FOX 13 News UtahNevada governor calls for renewed Colorado River negotiations  FOX5 Vegas

Philadelphia Highway Patrol Officer Andy Chan laid to rest  6abc PhiladelphiaOfficer Andy Chan funeral: Mourners gather in Philadelphia for funeral service  FOX 29 PhiladelphiaChildhood friend explains why Andy Chan wanted to become a Philly cop  NBC10 PhiladelphiaPhilly roads will be closed for Highway Patrol Officer Andy Chan’s funeral  Inquirer.comPhiladelphia police officer Andy Chan laid to rest years after motorcycle accident  WHYY

Shots fired near JFK Airport during apparent road rage incident, traffic delays due to investigation  ABC7 New YorkCBP officer fires weapon during road rage incident near JFK Airport entrance  Fox NewsShots fired by on-duty Customs officer near JFK in apparent road rage incident  NBC New YorkCBP officer opens fire at another driver on Van Wyck Expressway, Port Authority says  GothamistCustoms and Border Protection officer fires gun in dispute with driver at JFK airport  AP News

Hochul Holds 19-Point Lead Over Stefanik & Leads Blakeman by 25 Points  Siena Research InstitutePoll shows Hochul leads all rivals in gubernatorial race, though Stefanik closes gap slightly  NewsdayPoll: Hochul leads Stefanik by 19 points in 2026 race  NEWS10 ABCPoll: Hochul keeps strong lead over Stefanik, Blakeman; voters warm to Mamdani  Spectrum NewsSiena poll shows Hochul holding 19-point lead over Stefanik  Times Union

Levee failure on White River prompts ‘Go Now’ evacuations in Pacific  KING5.comSecond levee fails in Washington, forcing more evacuations, as atmospheric river renews flood threat  CNNWhite River breach forces evacuations, Flash Flood Warning in Pacific  KOMOLevee failure prompts evacuation in Pacific  The Seattle TimesWashington state orders immediate evacuations in three Seattle suburbs  The Guardian