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The Daily Briefing

YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP

Tue Dec 24 2024

Nicole Fallert | Newsletter Writer

@nicolefallert

Snow in the Northeast and rain along the West Coast could cause holiday travel havoc. The man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare's CEO has pleaded not guilty to state charges. Fans are reacting after a legal complaint alleged that public opinions about actor Blake Lively were manipulated.

🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. This newsletter will be taking a pause for cookies and listening to "Last Christmas" on repeat. We'll be back on Friday!

Waiting in traffic as you read this?

A winter storm making its way east from the Great Lakes overnight is forecast to bring snow and icy conditions early Tuesday to a large stretch from the Northeast to the Mid-Atlantic, further complicating holiday travel for drivers and conditions for pedestrians. Here's what to know about the forecast in your area.

❄ Read more holiday coverage from USA TODAY:

•	If your flight just got delayed: You may be entitled to a refund or compensation.
•	Will we have a white Christmas? As the planet warms due to human-caused climate change, the probability of seeing snow at Christmas is becoming increasingly unlikely.
•	Didn't get a gift?! Don't panic. Here are last-minute, no-ship holiday gifts.
•	Need some cinnamon roll ingredients? Here's what's closed and what's open today.

People walk through Rockefeller Center two days before Christmas in midtown Manhattan on December 23, 2024 in New York City.

Spencer Platt, Getty Images

Luigi Mangione pleads not guilty to state charges

The man accused of shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson to death on a busy Manhattan street pleaded not guilty Monday to state murder and terrorism charges, just days after a dramatic return to the city to face federal counts in the case. Luigi Mangione's defense attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, speaking in court, said the justice system is treating her client "like a human pingpong ball" by trying him in multiple jurisdictions and shuttling him between them in quick succession. Read more

Luigi Mangione departs Manhattan Criminal Court on Dec. 23, 2024 in New York City.

Spencer Platt, Getty Images

More news to know now

•	Justin Trudeau is under major pressure as leaders from his own party urge him to step down.
•	President Biden might pardon others before leaving office.
•	A Starbucks strike expanded to locations in 12 states.
•	Some federal employees just got a pay raise.

What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

Key takeaways from the Matt Gaetz report

The House Ethics Committee's bombshell report on former Rep. Matt Gaetz's ethical conduct found that Gaetz violated Florida law and House ethics rules while he was a member of Congress, and concluded he "acted in a manner that reflects discreditably upon the House."

The background: Gaetz is a staunch ally of President-elect Donald Trump, and he was Trump's initial choice for attorney general, before withdrawing from consideration in the face of Senate opposition. He resigned from Congress last month.

•	Gaetz tried to stop the release: Gaetz sued the Committee Monday morning to try blocking the release of its findings from a multi-year investigation into allegations he had sex with a 17-year-old. The detailed report, however, was released later that day.
•	What the report says: The Committee found the Florida Republican held drug-fueled sex parties with women who received payments from him or an intermediary, including one who was underage.
•	Gaetz's response: Gaetz has maintained his innocence, attacked the credibility of the Ethics Committee, and on Monday published a series of posts on X with snippets of witness testimony that he said refuted the committee's findings.

👁 Read the House Ethics Committee's full report.

Could a generic Ozempic ease shortages and prices?

In a move that could eventually make weight loss drugs cheaper and easier to access, the Food and Drug Administration Monday approved a second generic in the category of medications known as GLP-1s. These are not considered as effective as the brand-name weekly injections sold for diabetes and weight loss as Ozempic and Wegovy by Novo Nordisk and Mounjaro and Zepbound by Eli Lilly — but experts say having more options could trigger brand-name drugs to lower prices. Read more

Today's talkers

•	Tennessee holds the No. 1 spot in USA TODAY Sports men's basketball poll.
•	Here's where the largest snowfall will happen this week at ski resorts.
•	Use this tips for success buying second-hand furniture.
•	Here are 15 must-see movies in theaters for the holidays.

'Astroturfing' and when fans feel manipulated

Over the weekend, Blake Lively accused her "It Ends With Us" co-star and director Justin Baldoni of sexual harassment and a retaliatory smear campaign to cover it. Lively's lawyers claim Baldoni tried to "destroy" her career and privately conceal abuse of his own. It's part of a practice called "astroturfing," the complaint alleges, and it's left fans and news readers alike questioning who is pulling the strings when it comes to their opinions of Hollywood. But it's not the first time the internet has sided collectively against a certain star.

Photo of the day: Nature's holiday decor

NASA likened a celestial formation to holiday decor, referring to the recently spotted star and dust cloud cluster as a "cosmic wreath." The image was in fact data collected from both the Chandra X-ray Observatory and James Webb Space Telescope combined to depict NGC 602, a star cluster located on the outskirts of a not-so-distant galaxy some 200,000 light years from Earth.

NASA recently spotted the vibrant colors that make up the "cosmic wreath."

NASA

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here . Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com.