Keeping Up With America

Mike Johnson fights to retain the speaker’s gavel — with help from Donald Trump: The House will vote at noon Friday to select a speaker. Johnson is expected to win nearly all Republican votes but just a handful of GOP defections could be enough to stop him. House Speaker Mike Johnson is trying to avoid the same fate that his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy, experienced two years ago: an embarrassing, drawn-out floor fight for the speaker’s gavel.

At least 10 shot outside Queens nightclub as multiple gunmen open fire: Authorities say there is no nexus to terror and all of the victims are expected to survive. At least 10 people were shot when three to four gunmen opened fire on a group standing outside a Queens nightclub where a private event was taking place Wednesday night, the New York City Police Department said in a press briefing early Thursday.

Biden to award Presidential Citizens Medal to key members of House Jan. 6 committee: President Joe Biden will award Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., who served as chair and vice chair of the now-defunct House Jan. 6 committee, with the Presidential Citizens Medal during a ceremony at the White House on Thursday.

Man who died in Cybertruck explosion outside Las Vegas Trump hotel ID’d as Army special ops soldier: The truck was rented to Matthew Alan Livelsberger, two senior law enforcement officials told NBC News. An Army spokesperson said Livelsberger was on approved leave at the time. A decorated U.S. Army soldier believed to be the person killed in an explosion in a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump hotel in Las Vegas sustained what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, officials said Thursday.

Power is restored to nearly all of Puerto Rico after a major blackout: Residents could still see temporary outages in the coming days. Full power restoration across the island could take up to two days. Power was restored to nearly all electrical customers across Puerto Rico on Wednesday after a sweeping blackout plunged the U.S. territory into darkness on New Year’s Eve.

Around the World

South Korea police search Jeju Air and airport operator over fatal plane crash: The conversion of data from the cockpit voice recorder to audio files, which could provide vital information on the final minutes of the flight, was completed on Thursday, officials said. South Korean police said Thursday they had raided Jeju Air and the operator of Muan International Airport as part of their investigation into Sunday’s crash that killed 179 people in the worst aviation disaster on the country’s soil.

Ukraine halts flow of Russian gas to Europe: A major natural gas pipeline supplying Russian energy to Europe ran dry Wednesday after Ukraine stopped Moscow’s six-decade supply in the hopes of hurting its invader financially.

Lets Talk Business and Tech

Mortgage demand dives nearly 22% to end 2024

Apple offers holiday discount in China as Huawei competition heats up

U.S. dollar index hits more than two-year high as markets brace for Trump return

Richer, Wiser, Happier

3 safety features home equity loans offer borrowers now: If you’re looking to borrow money for 2025 and already own a home that’s appreciated, then your home equity may be your optimal borrowing option right now. With a home equity loan or home equity line of credit (HELOC), you can potentially access hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of equity at an interest rate significantly lower than some popular alternatives.

This Is 1 of the Worst Investing Mistakes You Could Make in 2025 | Katie Brockman, Fool. The stock market can be intimidating, especially during periods of volatility. But the good times can be stressful, too, because nobody knows for certain when the next downturn will begin.

Pro Bowl rosters include 9 Ravens, 7 Lions, no Patrick Mahomes | 2024 NFL All-Rookie Team: CBS Sports unveils league’s best first-year players

Diddy’s Bodyguard, Intern and Producer Speak Out in New Peacock Doc Trailer: ‘I Didn’t Want to Be Around Him Unless There Was Cameras’ | David Fincher Says He Met With Warner Bros. to Direct ‘Harry Potter’ and Told the Studio ‘I Want It to Be Kind of Creepy’

Jeremy Renner celebrates his ‘rebirthday’ 2 years after snowplow accident | MrBeast finds his Mrs! YouTube star reveals Christmas Day engagement

Life Hacks to Hack Your Life

Here’s How Much You Should Save in Your 401(k) in 2025

Use the ‘Organizational Triangle’ to Keep Your House Neater

Dr. Oz and Donald Trump Drop Untold Bombshell Live Today

Best walking workout: Here’s how to start walking for exercise