Stories by CNN
More Americans Identify as LGBTQ+ Than Ever Before, Poll Finds
| CNN
The boost has a lot to do with young people, who have been much more likely than older generations to identify as something other than heterosexual, Gallup said.
Will an Asteroid Hit Earth in 2032? The Space Rock Has the ‘Highest Impact Probability’ Ever Recorded, but That’s Likely to Change
| CNN
A recently discovered asteroid, named 2024 YR4, is now the riskiest asteroid ever detected. NASA has calculated that the space rock has a 3.1% chance of hitting Earth in 2032.
Donald Trump Administration Fired Hundreds of FAA Probationary Workers, Union Says
| CNN
The move comes less than three weeks since the midair collision over Washington, DC, that killed 67 people and that highlighted shortages of air traffic controllers and FAA infrastructure issues.
Vice President JD Vance Turns on European Allies in Blistering Speech Downplaying Threats From Russia and China
| CNN
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance used his first major speech as vice president to lambast European politicians for suppressing free speech, losing control of immigration and refusing to work with hard-right parties in government.
Sonya Massey’s Family and Sangamon County Agree to $10M Settlement Over Fatal Shooting
| CNN
Sonya Massey was killed July 6 after two Sangamon County sheriff’s deputies responded to her 911 call about a possible prowler at her home. She was shot and killed following a dispute with one of the responding deputies involving a pot of boiling water in her kitchen, body camera footage showed.
Getting Rid of the Penny Introduces a New Problem: The Cost of Producing Nickels
| CNN
President Donald Trump says he has ordered the U.S. Mint to stop making pennies, which he correctly says cost more than one cent to produce.
Marco Rubio’s Years of Strong Support for USAID Stand in Contrast to His Sudden Criticism of the Aid Agency
| CNN
A CNN review of Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s past comments shows he has been for more than a decade a major supporter of foreign aid and USAID, which in fiscal year 2023 distributed more than $40 billion in foreign aid to more than 160 different countries.
Donald Trump Administration Drafting Executive Order to Initiate the Elimination of Department of Education
| CNN
The Trump administration has begun drafting an executive order that would kick off the process of eliminating the Department of Education, the latest move by President Donald Trump to swiftly carry out his campaign promises, two sources familiar with the plans told CNN.
Trump Directs Guantanamo Bay to Be Prepared to Host Up to 30,000 Migrants
| CNN
“Most people don’t even know about it. We have 30,000 beds in Guantanamo to detain the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people. This will double our capacity immediately,” President Donald Trump said from the White House.
Is Drinking Alcohol Bad for Your Health? New Dietary Guidelines Will Weigh Risks and Benefits
| CNN
Most adults in the United States drink alcohol, but there is steadily growing public concern about the health effects of moderate drinking.
Welcome to Tax Season. What to Know Before You File
| CNN
The IRS Direct File program, which lets eligible taxpayers file their taxes directly with the IRS for free, is now available in Illinois.
White House Orders Federal Government DEI Employees to be Placed on Leave Effective Immediately
| CNN
Slashing jobs in federal DEI positions is one move in a series of actions taken by the new administration, after Donald Trump promised to wage a war against such programs and take on the practice on Day 1.
Donald Trump Touts Political Firings and Retribution as He Begins a Government Overhaul at DOJ, FBI and State
| CNN
President Trump and his team wasted little time reassigning nearly two dozen senior Justice Department officials and dismissing career DOJ officials who oversee the nation’s immigration courts, State Department diplomats and the commandant of the Coast Guard.
Donald Trump Commutes Sentences of Proud Boys and Oath Keepers Leaders as He Pardons Over 1,000 US Capitol Rioters
| CNN
The commutations cover the sentences for 14 far-right extremists from the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys who were convicted or charged with seditious conspiracy. With the pardons, Trump has granted full clemency to hundreds of people already convicted of felony crimes like assaulting police and destroying property as part of the effort to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power.
Cecile Richards, Former Planned Parenthood President, Dies at 67
| CNN
Cecile Richards served as president of Planned Parenthood from 2006 to 2018, helping boost the profile of an organization long criticized by conservatives and anti-abortion activists who have called on the government to strip its funding.
Federal Budget Deficit Expected to Soar to $2.7 trillion in 2035, Highlighting Pressure on GOP
| CNN
Even if tax breaks are allowed to lapse at year’s end, the federal budget deficit will still climb to $2.7 trillion in a decade, according to the CBO’s latest outlook, released Friday.
Funeral Details Released for Jimmy Carter, Including National Day of Mourning
| CNN
The official state funeral in Washington, D.C. for former President Jimmy Carter will be held on Jan. 9, the White House confirmed Monday.
‘Home Alone’ Director Chris Columbus Explains How the McCallisters Were Able to Afford That House
| CNN
Audiences have wondered for years how the family in “Home Alone” was able to afford their beautiful Chicago-area home and now we know.
Inmates Are Learning to Code in Prison. Jobs May be Hard to Come by
| CNN
Study after study shows incarcerated education helps do what citizens and policymakers alike say they want: keep people from committing more crimes. However, getting education for many people behind bars remains a challenge.
A History-Making Probe Achieved the Closest-Ever Approach to the Sun
| CNN
The mission team knew it wouldn’t receive any communications from the spacecraft during its closest pass of the sun. Now, the team members will await more detailed data from Parker about the spacecraft’s status that’s expected to return to Earth on Jan. 1.
What Stores Are Open and Closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day?
| CNN
Many stores and offices are closed on the two holidays to give employees a chance to spend time with loved ones during the holiday season. This year, Christmas Eve falls on Tuesday, Dec. 24, and Christmas falls on Wednesday, Dec. 25.
Durbin Uses New Report to Accuse Justices Thomas and Alito of Violating Disclosure Laws
| CNN
The report from aides to Sen. Dick Durbin says that the failure by conservative Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito to disclose lavish trips and other gifts from wealthy businessmen “constitutes a violation of federal law.”
Party City is Going Out of Business, Stores Closing in Coming Months
| CNN
Party City’s “very best efforts have not been enough to overcome” its financial challenges, he added, resulting in the company’s collapse. The CEO said the company struggled to contend with inflation, which sent the company’s costs higher and dragged down consumer spending.
Chicago Man Visits Childhood Library in Michigan to Return Overdue Book After 50 Years
| CNN
He checked out the book in 1974 at the age of 13 because of his love of baseball. After discovering he still had the book a few years ago, Chuck Hildebrandt decided to hang onto it until the 50th anniversary of the due date to visit Warren, Michigan, and return it in person.
Officials Demand Explanation on Mysterious Drones as More Sightings Reported in New York Metro Area
| CNN
Federal agencies are facing intense pressure to give the public more details on unexplained drone sightings in the New York City metropolitan area that have been going on for weeks over residential neighborhoods as well as restricted sites and critical infrastructure.
Democratic Governors, Including Pritzker, Are Quietly Preparing Extensive Plans to Counter Donald Trump
| CNN
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker frustrated several of his counterparts by trying to get them to sign on to a group he started postelection to push back on Trump, but only Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed on as a co-chair. Pritzker has his staff exploring ideas such as blocking GPS tracking on apps for women who may be traveling to the state to get abortions.
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