The Trump administration will lay out its construction plan for the new White House ballroom at a planning commission meeting next month.
Why it matters: The "information presentation" is the first step of the National Capital Planning Commission's review process, and it will be the first time commissioners get to question the president's controversial plans after bulldozing the East Wing.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had a "very good" Christmas Day call with Trump advisers Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on ending the Russia-Ukraine war, per a post to X Thursday that Kushner reposted.
The big picture: Zelensky, President Trump's son-in-law Kushner and Witkoff discussed "new ideas in terms of formats, meetings, and, of course, timing on how to bring a real peace closer," the Ukrainian leader said in a video address to his nation later Thursday that was posted to his social media channels.
Christmas doesn't end at the tree — for many, it ends at the return counter.
Why it matters: Americans return tens of billions of dollars' worth of unwanted Christmas gifts every year, turning good intentions into one of retail's biggest annual money sinks.
The weight-loss drug boom is creating a whirlwind of uncertainty for the fitness industry around a very basic question: Will GLP-1 users work out more or less?
Why it matters: About 1 in 8 U.S. adults have already taken the medications, whether for diabetes or weight loss purposes, according to the KFF Health Tracking Poll in May 2024 — and it's expected to keep surging.
Powerball's $1.817 billion Christmas Eve jackpot was won by a single ticket sold in Arkansas, lottery officials said Thursday.
Why it matters: The win caps one of the largest jackpot runs in U.S. lottery history and delivers a rare Christmas Eve payout — turning a $2 ticket into a life-changing windfall.
