President Biden on Wednesday denounced Russia's large-scale Christmas Day attacks on Ukraine that damaged critical energy infrastructure and vowed to continue a U.S. surge in weapons deliveries" to Kyiv.

The big picture: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on X called the attacks "inhumane," while Russia's Defense Ministry said the "long-range precision weapons and strike drones on critical energy infrastructure facilities" in Ukraine had achieved the goal of Putin's forces.

• At least one person in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region died and six others in Kharkiv were injured during the attacks, according to local officials.

What they're saying: "The purpose of this outrageous attack was to cut off the Ukrainian people's access to heat and electricity during winter and to jeopardize the safety of its grid," Biden said in a statement.

• "In recent months, the United States has provided Ukraine with hundreds of air defense missiles, and more are on the way," added Biden, who will be succeeded by President-elect Trump next month.
• "I have directed the Department of Defense to continue its surge of weapons deliveries to Ukraine, and the United States will continue to work tirelessly to strengthen Ukraine's position in its defense against Russian forces."

Trump's pick for special envoy for Ukraine and Russia also criticized the assault.

• "Christmas should be a time of peace, yet Ukraine was brutally attacked on Christmas Day," Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg said on X.
• "Launching large-scale missile and drone attacks on the day of the Lord's birth is wrong. The world is closely watching actions on both sides. The U.S. is more resolved than ever to bring peace to the region."

Go deeper: Russia says it's using bitcoin to evade sanctions

President Biden and President-elect Trump both delivered warm Christmas messages as a change in presidential administrations nears, though the Republican leader went on to take aim at Canada, Greenland and the Panama Canal.

The big picture: Biden in a post to X acknowledging this would be the last time as president he'd wish the nation a Merry Christmas said he hoped the U.S. would "continue to seek the light of liberty and love, kindness and compassion, dignity and decency."

• He later said in a message wishing a happy Hanukkah, "As Hanukkah begins, may it shine from menorahs around the world."

Meanwhile, Trump began on Truth Social by wishing a Merry Christmas to all and posted a video with Melania Trump paying tribute to Christianity and thanking Americans who keep the U.S. safe before extending his holiday wishes in a later post to Chinese soldiers that he claimed were "lovingly, but illegally," operating the Panama Canal.

Zoom in: He did not elaborate further on these claims. Instead, he moved on to single out "Governor Justin Trudeau of Canada," whose citizens' he said paid taxes that were "far too high."

• If Canada "was to become our 51st State, their Taxes would be cut by more than 60%, their businesses would immediately double in size, and they would be militarily protected like no other Country anywhere in the World," added Trump, who in a later post wished a Merry Christmas to "Radical Left Lunatics."
• "Likewise, to the people of Greenland, which is needed by the United States for National Security purposes and, who want the U.S. to be there, and we will!" added Trump, who will be sworn in as president on Jan. 20.

Context: Trump's remarks build on earlier comments about Panama, Canada and Greenland.

• He's floated the idea of the U.S. taking ownership of Greenland and suggested annexing Canada amid border security negotiations in a pitch that Axios' Dave Lawler notes that's designed at least in part to needle Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
• And he's said the Panama Canal should be returned to the United States if Panamanian authorities don't lower fees for U.S. ships.

Bird flu cases in Washington have spread to an animal sanctuary, resulting in the deaths of 20 big cats and forcing the center into quarantine until further notice.

The big picture: Wild Felid Advocacy Center in Shelton is working closely with public health officials to monitor workers and animals after the presence of bird flu (HPAI) was confirmed in some big cats at the sanctuary, per a statement on its website.

• The center confirmed in a Friday Facebook post that the virus had killed five African servals, four bobcats, four cougars and two Canada lynx. One Amur/Bengal tiger, a Bengal cat, an African caracal, a Geoffroy's cat and a Eurasian lynx also died of bird flu.
• The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife in a statement warning that bird flu cases were on the rise in the state confirmed two cougars in Clallam County contracted the H5N1 strain of the virus.

Zoom in: The sanctuary said in a Dec. 2 Facebook post earlier this month that it would temporarily close because some of its big cats were "experiencing unknown illness" and confirmed four days later that bird flu had been detected in the animals.

• "We are heartbroken to share that animal health officials have confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) among over half of our wild felids as of December," per a Friday Facebook post from the nonprofit that houses big cats were previously not well looked after or whose owners could no longer care for them.
• Mark Mathews, founder and director of the sanctuary, told the New York Times on Tuesday that the animals' deaths occurred from late November to mid-December.
• The center has removed 8,000lbs of frozen food and had begun the weeks-long task of disinfecting the area the area, per the NYT.

What we're watching: The cause of the outbreak was not immediately known, but the center noted on Facebook that bird flu "spreads primarily through respiratory secretions and bird-to-bird contact and can also be contracted by carnivorous mammals that ingest birds or other products."

• Cats "are particularly vulnerable to this virus, which can cause subtle initial symptoms but progress rapidly, often resulting in death within 24 hours due to pneumonia-like conditions," the post added.

What they're saying: "This tragedy has deeply affected our team, and we are all grieving the loss of these incredible animals," the sanctuary said in its post.

• Mathews told the NYT they'd "never had anything like it." The big cats "usually die basically of old age," not something like this "pretty wicked virus," he said.
• "It looks like the virus has taken its course," he added. "We're just trying to make [one of the animals] that's incapacitated now just a little stronger."

What's next: The sanctuary aims to reopen in the new year, per the center's website.

Zoom out: A pet food company in Oregon this week issued a voluntary recall of its raw and frozen products, as state officials investigate the bird flu death of an indoor cat that they linked to its food.

• Meanwhile, Los Angeles County health officials are investigating the H5 bird flu deaths of four house cats that consumed recalled raw milk.

Go deeper: CDC reports first severe human case of bird flu in U.S.

A pet food company in Oregon has issued a voluntary recall of its raw and frozen products, as state officials investigate the bird flu death of a cat that they linked to its food.

The big picture: Northwest Naturals' recall of its 2lb Feline Turkey Recipe brand also prompted Los Angeles County health officials to warn pet owners not to feed their animals raw food.

Driving the news: Testing conducted by health officials confirmed a house cat in Washington County, Ore., "contracted H5N1 and died after consuming the raw frozen pet food," per a statement the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) issued on Tuesday.

• "Tests confirmed a genetic match between the virus in the raw and frozen pet food and the infected cat," the statement added.

Details: The recalled product is packaged in 2-pound plastic bags with "Best if used by" dates of May 21, 2026 and June 23, 2026, per a statement from Northwest Naturals.

• The product was sold through distributors in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Washington and the Canadian province of British Columbia.
• Public health officials are monitoring household members who had contact with the dead cat, but the ODA said no human cases of HPAI had so far been linked to this incident.

What they're saying: "We are confident that this cat contracted H5N1 by eating the Northwest Naturals raw and frozen pet food," said ODA State Veterinarian Ryan Scholz in a statement.

• "This cat was strictly an indoor cat; it was not exposed to the virus in its environment, and results from the genome sequencing confirmed that the virus recovered from the raw pet food and infected cat were exact matches to each other."

Zoom out: The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said in its advisory that it recently confirmed H5 bird flu in four house cats that consumed recalled raw milk and became sick and died in incidents currently under investigation.

• "Public Health is also investigating additional possible cases of H5 bird flu in three house cats from a different household," the department said.
• "Public Health is awaiting confirmatory testing. These cats were not known to be exposed to raw milk, however public health is investigating other possible sources of infection, including raw meat."

Go deeper: CDC reports first severe human case of bird flu in U.S.

Trying to save on travel this year? Consider "detour destinations" — oft-overshadowed places near perennial hotspots worth a closer look for the budget-conscious or crowd-weary.

Why it matters: Travel prices rose 10% from September 2019 to September 2024, per a recent NerdWallet analysis, leaving many searching for cheaper ways to get away.

Driving the news: "Detour destinations" will be a big 2025 travel trend, predicts Expedia's annual year-ahead outlook.

• "63% of consumers say they are likely to visit a detour destination on their next trip."
• Among Expedia's trending "detour destinations:" Reims, France (detour from Paris); Brescia, Italy (detour from Milan); Cozumel, Mexico (detour from Cancun); Santa Barbara, California (detour from Los Angeles) and Waikato, New Zealand (detour from Auckland).

Zoom in: Some travelers are embracing what Expedia calls "goods getaways," or traveling in search of a viral item they can't find back home — that chocolate bar from Dubai, for instance.

• "When going on vacation, 39% of travelers visit grocery stores or supermarkets and 44% shop for local goods they can't get at home."

The intrigue: "Noctourism," or traveling to bask in the glory of a stunning night sky, is another 2025 travel trend to watch, per Booking.com's 2025 travel predictions.

• Many of the country's best dark sky sites are out West, like Arches National Park in Utah, Big Bend National Park in Texas, and Joshua Tree National Park in California.
• But the East has its night-sky gems, too, like Pennsylvania's Cherry Springs State Park and the AMC Maine Woods International Dark Sky Park — which bills itself as "the first and only International Dark Sky Park in New England."

What they found: Booking.com's own list of trending destinations includes Sanya, China; Trieste, Italy; João Pessoa, Brazil; Tromsø, Norway and Willemstad, Curaçao.

Reality check: As much as travelers gripe about rising prices, they aren't stopping people from booking trips.

• 24.3 million people flew in August, "reflecting a 4% increase in U.S. domestic trips and a 3% increase in international trips compared to August 2023," per ticketing infrastructure firm Airlines Reporting Corp.

What's next: Having trouble putting an itinerary together for next year? Let AI take the wheel — 2025's version of closing your eyes and throwing a dart at a map.

President-elect Trump's inauguration is drawing donations from an array of blue-chip companies, and it's likely to exceed all past ceremonies in terms of fundraising.

Why it matters: This is a chance to earn goodwill from Trump, including for companies that distanced themselves from him in the past.

Driving the news: Toyota announced a $1 million donation on Tuesday, matching the amounts pledged by Ford and General Motors. Both U.S. carmakers also will provide vehicles for the ceremony.

• Silicon Valley is also pitching in: Amazon, Meta, and OpenAI each promised $1 million, while Uber is donating $2 million. Some of those donations are coming from their CEOs rather than from the companies themselves.
• Wall Street donors include Goldman Sachs and Bank of America.
• Crypto exchanges Kraken and Coinbase are getting in on the action too.
• Also cutting seven-figure checks, per the WSJ: AT&T, Charter Communications, Stanley Black & Decker, Intuit, Charter Communications, Pratt Industries and The PhRMA trade group.

Flashback: Several of the companies suspended political donations after Jan. 6 or released statements saying they would reconsider their approaches, WSJ reports.

• Four years later, some companies that denounced the insurrection are giving more to Trump's inauguration than they ever have for previous ceremonies.
• "People just really want to move forward and move on. The election results were very clear," a rep for one of the companies told WSJ, which adds that some statements condemning Jan. 6 have disappeared from company webpages.

What to watch: Trump's inauguration also is on pace to raise considerably more money than President Biden's in 2021.

• That's a possible sign that companies see Trump as a more transactional figure, and they hope donating to his inauguration will improve their standing heading into the new term.

Go deeper: Dems' plan inauguration boycott

Russian companies are using bitcoin to evade Western sanctions, thanks to a new law, the country's Finance Minister Anton Siluanov confirmed in a television interview.

Why it matters: Russia's economy has been hampered by difficulties in making and receiving international payments, even with countries like China that don't use the U.S. dollar as their reserve currencies.

Catch up quick: The Kremlin last month created an experimental legal framework for cryptocurrency miners, which includes a provision whereby approved entities can use crypto for international trade.

• It also could be a boon for Russian energy companies, which now can sell to a power-hungry group of domestic bitcoin miners.

Reality check: Just because Russian companies are allowed by their government to make payments in bitcoin, that doesn't necessarily mean all other countries will accept it — both due to their own laws and pressure on domestic banks from Western financial regulators.

The bottom line: This development could create a challenge for President-elect Trump, who is both a crypto convert and advocate for U.S. dollar dominance.

The media, our social media feeds and our most pessimistic friends fill us with doom and gloom stories. But by many measures, there's never been a better time to be alive in America. 

Why it matters: Yes, bad people are always doing bad things for bad reasons. It's called life. This column focuses on the Good Stuff: the undeniable trends that reveal a distinct edge for America, young people and this moment.

When your boozy uncle goes dark today, remind him and others:

1. There's no better place to start a business and rise to unthinkable heights doing what you choose to do. We have the best hospitals, colleges and technology centers.
2. You can think, say and worship as you please without fear of imprisonment. Faith might be fading, but the ability to practice it is unfettered.
3. The United States has the world's strongest military. We enjoy peace with our neighbors and the protection of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Our military is both the most feared — and most sought-after by other nations for assistance.
4. We're blessed with abundant natural resources — we can produce enough energy from the ground and skies to power ourselves for generations. In just eight years, the U.S. "has rocketed from barely selling any gas overseas to becoming the world's No. 1 supplier" — bolstering the economy and strengthening American influence abroad. (N.Y. Times)
5. We're still the place where people want to risk their lives to come live, work and raise a family.
6. The greatest inventions come from the magical animal spirits of American capitalism: freedom and entrepreneurial zest — hardwired into our souls and our national story. We enjoy a massive early lead to build the next great technology: generative artificial intelligence.
7. The United States is the world's longest-surviving democracy, which has remained steadfast, resilient and enduring through existential crises.
8. Young people are more optimistic than ever, earning more than ever, and able to make an instant difference in the workplace because of their tech savvy.
9. And Jim's favorite: Most people are normal. They don't watch cable food fights, or dunk on people on X, or say or do nasty things to others. They work hard, volunteer, help you shovel in a storm.

The bottom line: We're blessed, this and every holiday season, to have smart, engaged, thoughtful readers who trust us — and remind us when we fall short. Enjoy your family. Enjoy the holidays. Enjoy America.

War, financial anxiety and political unpredictability plaguing many nations are clouding this year's Christmas celebrations as nativity scenes go up.

Through the lens: Despite global unrest in the Middle East and Ukraine and migration crises around the world, Christians built and celebrated creative nativity scenes to seek moments of peace. Here are a few images from around the world.

The bald eagle is now officially the national bird of the U.S. after President Biden signed into law legislation amending a code to formally recognize the previously unofficial American emblem.

Why it matters: "The Bald Eagle has symbolized American ideals since its placement on the Great Seal in 1782," per a statement from Preston Cook, co-chair of the National Bird Initiative for the National Eagle Center, after Congress passed earlier this month the bill that was sent to Biden's desk.

• "With this legislation, we honor its historic role and solidify its place as our national bird and an emblem of our national identity," added Cook, who spearheaded the legislative effort with Minnesota Reps. Brad Finstad (R) and Angie Craig (D) and Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.).

Zoom out: The bill officially recognizing the bird of prey was among some 50 bills Biden signed into law on Christmas Eve.

The big picture: The bald eagle has unofficially been the national bird since its appearance on the Great Seal, which symbolizes the sovereignty of the U.S. as a nation.

• The bird also features on the president's flag, the mace of the House of Representatives, military insignia and "billions of one-dollar bills," per a Department of Veterans Affairs post.
• However, it had never been legally designated as the country's national bird until now.

Fun fact: Founding father Benjamin Franklin objected to the bald eagle's appearance in a letter to his daughter describing it as "a bird of bad moral character," per the Franklin Institute.

Go deeper: U.S. bald eagle population has quadrupled since 2009

Denmark is increasing defense spending in Greenland, said a Danish official Tuesday who called the announcement's timing with President-elect Trump's suggestion that the U.S. should own the territory an "irony of fate."

The big picture: Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told the outlet Jyllands-Posten on Tuesday of plans to spend a "double-digit billion amount" in krone, equivalent to at least $1.5 billion, on the self-ruled territory that's part of its kingdom to ensure a "stronger presence" in the Arctic.

• Trump said on Sunday the "ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity" for the U.S., which has a strategically important base on the northwest coast of the territory.
• His remarks that built on comments he made during his first term about buying Greenland prompted the territory's prime minister to say on Monday that it is "not for sale and will never be for sale."

State of play: Poulsen told Jyllands-Posten the Danish government's plan for Greenland included long-range drones, more inspection ships and sled patrols in the territory and an upgrade to Kangerlussuaq Airport so it can accommodate F-35 fighter jets.

• He said that Denmark had "not invested enough" for many years in the Arctic — where countries including China and Russia have been racing for resources in the region that's feeling the effects of climate change.
• Russia has already sought to claim territory up to Greenland's Exclusive Economic Zone.

Between the lines: The Danish Defense Academy's Army Maj. Steen Kjaergaard told the BBC Tuesday that Trump may have been pressing Denmark's government to act on this threat.

• "It is likely to be sparked by the renewed Trump focus on the need for air and maritime control around Greenland and the internal developments in Greenland where some are voicing a will to look towards the U.S. — a new international airport in Nuuk was just inaugurated," Kjaergaard said.
• "Trump is smart… he gets Denmark to prioritize its Arctic military capabilities by raising this voice, without having to take over a very un-American welfare system," he added, in reference to Greenland's reliance on money from Copenhagen.

Zoom in: Greenland's foreign, security and defense policy Arctic strategy for 2024-2033 outlines its goal for improved relations with the U.S. to increase the possibilities for more cooperation, with direct trade and transportation routes supporting this development — particularly with fellow Inuit in Alaska.

• It notes that a 1951 defense agreement means that the U.S. is, in effect, "the military defender in the event of a possible military conflict."
• The United States' Pituffik Space Base (formerly Thule Air Base) has a missile in the territory that's in North America but which has close ties to Europe, which has early warning radar that can detect Russian missiles.
• The base once sought to secretly store a nuclear reactor under an Arctic ice sheet called Camp Century, also known as the "city under the ice," during the Cold War era in a drive called Project Iceworm.
• Representatives for Trump did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment in the evening.

Go deeper: Trump dreams of empire expansion

Editor's note: This article has been updated with more context.

Andrew Freedman contributed reporting.

Founders Fund, the venture capital firm co-founded by Peter Thiel, is raising around $3 billion for its third growth equity fund, Axios has learned from multiple sources.

Why it matters: Founders Fund has backed some of the world's most valuable tech startups, including SpaceX and Stripe.

• It also will have access to the incoming White House, thanks to Thiel's longtime support of President-elect Trump and the firm's numerous investments with Elon Musk.

Catch up quick: Founders Fund in 2022 raised $3.4 billion for its second growth equity fund and $1.8 billion for its eighth early-stage fund.

• Early last year it split the early-stage fund in half, due to a perceived dearth of opportunities, and hasn't yet begun investing what it now calls "Fund IX."
• There were also talks about splitting the growth fund, but that didn't happen and now most of that money has been invested — including in capital-intensive AI companies.

Behind the scenes: Founders Fund hasn't provided prospective investors with an official size target for the new effort, but has said that $3 billion would be the approximate size.

• A firm spokesperson declined comment.

The Biden administration on Monday withdrew its proposed plans to reverse a Trump-era policy that made it easier for employers to refuse to offer birth control coverage in company-sponsored health plans.

Why it matters: With Democrats' loss of the White House and Congress in the 2024 elections, Republicans are in a strong position to undermine President Biden's legacy — including his administration's work to bolster reproductive rights post-Roe.

Driving the news: The Department of Health and Human Services said in a Federal Register notice on Monday that it's withdrawing the proposed regulations "to focus their time and resources on matters other than finalizing these rules" in the administration's final weeks.

• The plan would have made some 130,000 people eligible to receive coverage for contraceptives, Politico reports.

Context: During President-elect Trump's first term, his administration rolled back the Affordable Care Act's contraceptive mandate — allowing organizations to opt out of coverage, citing moral objections. Before that, exemptions were limited to religious grounds.

• The Biden administration's proposed rule would have scrapped the "moral" exemption and retained the "religious" one.
• It also would have created an "independent pathway" for people who have insurers with religious exemptions to access birth control through a "willing contraceptive provider" at no cost, the HHS said when announcing the plan last year.

The big picture: Patients have been rushing to get reproductive care — including getting IUD replacements, backup contraception and abortion pills — before the incoming Trump administration takes office next month.

• Access to reproductive health care more broadly could be in jeopardy, especially under a conservative Supreme Court, experts say.
• Republicans, who will soon control Congress, have vowed to restrict abortion care. They're likely to try to restrict access to medication abortion and could attempt to pass a national abortion ban.
• But Trump, after waffling on the issue, said he'd veto a national ban and prefers to leave the issue of abortion to the states. He also recently vowed for the first time to ensure the FDA does not block access to abortion pills.
• Millions of women of reproductive age could be impacted if the cost of care increases or access to contraceptives is limited.

More from Axios:

• Patients rush to get reproductive care before Trump takes office
• Patient requests for long-term birth control on rise after Trump reelection
• Biden admin floats expanded contraception coverage

Congratulations on your engagement — but is that a "real" diamond?

Why it matters: Flashy, lab-grown gems are dividing jewelry lovers.

The big picture: Rings have grown bigger as lab-grown diamonds catch on, mainly because they cost a fraction of natural stones.

What they're saying: Many young couples choose lab-grown diamond rings to save money for a home or other priorities, jewelers and experts say.

• Others want to score their dream bling for less or see the gems as more ethical.

Reality check: Lab-grown diamonds are just as real as mined ones.

But not everyone is sold on the trend. Naysayers have compared sporting lab-grown jewels to carrying a knockoff designer bag.

• "Buy what you can afford and be happy with it. Don't be fake," one TikTok user wrote on custom jeweler Erica Sett's page, which captures the debate.

The latest: Some critics press ring owners to share if their stones are lab-grown.

• "It's the people who have a 4-carat lab [diamond] and lie or aren't upfront about it that make it annoying for the natural girlies," another TikTok user commented on the page.

By the numbers: Posts tagged #LabGrownDiamond and #LabGrownDiamonds each more than doubled in the first 10 months of 2024 compared with the same period in 2023, according to TikTok.

"It used to be such a flex to have a 3-carat diamond or a certain color or clarity" grade, says Sett, who's based in New York City and works with natural and lab-grown stones.

• "People feel like their natural diamonds become less special to them when everyone else has what they have, and only they know it's natural," she tells Axios.

Follow the money: In 2020, the average lab-grown diamond was 1.2 carats and cost $3,887, Axios' Felix Salmon reports from industry data.

• By 2024, the average size had swelled 60% to 1.9 carats, while the average price had dropped by 30% to $2,657.

What we're watching: "Giant diamond" fatigue could push shoppers toward smaller or colorful stones, Sett says.

Meanwhile, natural diamond jewelers are courting millennials and Gen Z.

• A new marketing campaign from two major companies promotes their diamonds as "worth the wait."

The bottom line: Sharp opinions aside, your rock is between you and your partner.

Christmas Day and the first night of Hanukkah fall on the same date this year for the first time in nearly 20 years.

Flashback: Hanukkah last started on the evening of Christmas Day in 2005 — the only other time the two have aligned in the last 50 years.

• Hanukkah has started the night of Christmas Eve twice in the last 50 years: in 1978 and 2016.

How it works: The first day of Hanukkah comes on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar, which is based on lunar cycles with the occasional "leap month."

• Jewish calendar days begin at sundown, meaning 25 Kislev starts this year on the evening of Dec. 25, when the first candle is lit.
• Hanukkah can start in late November through late December on the more commonly used Gregorian calendar.

By the numbers: The earliest first nights of Hanukkah on the Gregorian calendar over the last 50 years came in 1994 and 2013, when it fell on Nov. 27.

• The latest came in 1986, on Dec. 26.
• The most common first night over the last 50 years? Dec. 8 (1974, 1993, 2012).

💬 Our thought bubble: This year's "Chrismukkah" is both a simple celestial coincidence and a blessing for people who take part in both holidays, giving us a rare chance to truly blend and share end-of-year celebrations and traditions with our different family groups and loved ones.

What's next: The next Hanukkah-Christmas alignment is in 2035.

President-elect Trump promised Tuesday that his Justice Department will "vigorously pursue the death penalty," one day after President Biden announced he had commuted sentences for most of the people on federal death row.

The big picture: The Trump administration set records with a spree of executions during his first term, and he appears poised to reverse Biden's moratorium on federal use of capital punishment once he's sworn into office.

• Biden, in a statement announcing he would commute the inmates' sentences to life without the possibility of parole, said he could not "stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted."

Driving the news: "As soon as I am inaugurated, I will direct the Justice Department to vigorously pursue the death penalty to protect American families and children from violent rapists, murderers, and monsters," Trump wrote in a Christmas Eve Truth Social post.

• He added, "We will be a Nation of Law and Order again!"

Context: Biden emphasized in a statement that he does "condemn these murderers, grieve for the victims of their despicable acts, and ache for all the families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss."

• The three men who did not receive a commutation are the convicted gunman in the Mother Emanuel AME Church shooting, the Tree of Life synagogue shooter and the surviving Boston Marathon bomber.
• The Biden administration in 2021 announced a moratorium on federal capital punishment pending a study of policies and protocols.
• The president said his Monday commutations were in line with the standard of the administration's moratorium, which applies "in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder."

Flashback: The first Trump administration announced in 2019 that it would instruct the Federal Bureau of Prisons to reinstate the death penalty after a 16-year hiatus.

• There were 13 federal executions during Trump's first term. They mainly occurred toward the end of his White House tenure.

Zoom out: Trump has previously said he plans to expand the use of the death penalty to drug crimes.

• "We're going to be asking everyone who sells drugs, gets caught selling drugs, to receive the death penalty for their heinous acts," Trump said during his official announcement of his 2024 presidential candidacy.

Go deeper: Biden commutes sentences of 1,500 Americans in single day record

All American Airlines flights nationwide were halted for about an hour Tuesday morning after what the airline called a "technical issue."

Why it matters: The nationwide outage snarled early traffic on Christmas Eve for the world's largest carrier.

Catch up quick: The FAA issued a nationwide ground stop for all American flights at the airline's request as of 6:49 a.m. ET.

• It was cancelled at 7:50 a.m. ET.

What they're saying: "A vendor technology issue briefly affected flights this morning. That issue has been resolved and flights have resumed," the airline said in a statement.

• The issue "impacted systems needed to release flights," American added.
• Multiple passengers posted on X that their planes had been forced to return to gates, and in some cases all passengers had to get off.

Between the lines: Even a temporary morning pause can throw an airline's daily schedule into chaos.

• FlightAware showed just over 300 flight delays nationwide around 8 a.m. ET, mostly impacting East Coast airports like New York's John F. Kennedy International and Boston's Logan International Airport.
• By 6pm ET, nearly 650 flights had been delayed. However, this was mostly at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, which experienced delays due to severe weather.
• Christmas Eve is one of the lightest air travel days of the holiday season, though nearly 2 million people flew on Dec. 24 last year, per the TSA.

The intrigue: On Monday, American touted its recent performance in a note to reporters, boasting it had more on-time departures than any competitor since the holiday season started.

Flashback: American isn't the only airline to have suffered holiday snafus.

• Southwest Airlines was fined $140 million and spent months rebuilding customers' trust after an extended Christmas week meltdown in 2022.

Editor's Note: This story has been updated with additional statements from American Airlines and more details from FlightAware.

More North Pole mail is being answered, according to U.S. Postal Service data shared with Axios.

Why it matters: Children's letters to Santa shouldn't go unnoticed.

USPS Operation Santa, which started in 1912, authorizes Santa's helpers to read and respond to North Pole letters. In the past several years, the program has seen record participation, according to data shared with Axios.

• By mid-January, USPS will share the total number of adopted letters for this season.

How it works: People visit the Operation Santa website to create an account and read letters from children of all ages across the country. Verified users "adopt" letters and send requested gifts by a deadline to ensure children receive packages by Christmas Day.

💭 Ashley's thought bubble: It took me about two minutes to create an account through the site and filter letters by state, but a lot longer to read the letters full of wishes for everything from toys to school supplies to groceries — and even a little Christmas magic.

If you're dreaming of a white Christmas, be jealous of those in the Mountain West, upper Midwest and northern New England.

• Those are the regions that most often had at least an inch of snow on the ground or actively falling on Christmas Day between 2003 and 2022, per historic satellite data.

Yes, but: Past performance is no guarantee of future results — especially as climate change shrinks the length of snow seasons in parts of the country, changing the odds of a white Christmas over time.

The latest: As of Dec. 16, NOAA's Climate Prediction Center is calling for heavy snow in parts of the Northwestern U.S. on and around Christmas.

• The best, timeliest forecasts for your area will come by way of your local National Weather Service office.

The once-fringe idea of Democrats appearing on conservative-leaning media is suddenly going mainstream in the wake of the party's 2024 election losses.

Why it matters: Nearly a dozen House Democrats tell Axios that party members need to increase their appearances on conservative-leaning and non-traditional platforms, or risk irrelevance.

• They say they no longer can look past the huge audiences offered by Fox News and conservative podcasts, whose messaging power became evident when Republicans swept the White House and both chambers of Congress in last month's election.
• "If half the country is watching and we gotta win 50% plus one, how can you reach anybody when you're not talking where they go?" Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) told Axios.

Driving the news: Most Democrats still prefer to stick to friendly outlets such as MSNBC or the more neutral CNN, where they can typically avoid confrontations and adversarial interviews.

• "I think one of the lessons learned from the 2024 election is that we have all but ceded alternative media to the conservative movement," said Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.).
• "If we have confidence in our message, we should be prepared to take our message to every corner of the ecosystem — including in politically hostile environments."

Zoom in: Some Democrats — inside and outside of Congress — have expressed post-election jealousy over how President-elect Trump used a hyper-focused media strategy to connect with specific voter demographics, particularly young men, by appearing on podcasts and YouTube shows with massive followings.

• Democrats say many of their own campaigns — from Vice President Harris' on down — focused too much on friendly outlets with declining audiences that already agreed with them.

Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) — who was re-elected in a district where Trump defeated Harris by nearly 10 percentage points — outlined a more local approach to this strategy.

• Golden told Axios that he goes on local conservative radio shows in Maine: "You've got to contest every corner ... Otherwise all they hear is what's said about you by the other side."

Zoom out: Adversarial media appearances by Democrats were rare during Trump's first presidency until several 2020 Democratic presidential candidates — including Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg — appeared in Fox News town halls.

• As transportation secretary, Buttigieg has gone further, using Fox as a venue to clinically defend Democrats' positions while skewering Republicans in front of many of their own voters.
• But only now — in the wake of 2024's election disappointments and amid calls for a Democratic rebrand— is Buttigieg's approach being widely embraced.

Between the lines: As cable news networks face declining viewership numbers across the board, Fox News Channel is still maintaining its relevance. It ended 2024 as the most-watched network during the election cycle — and saw increasing viewership among Democrats and independents.

• Fox News was the most-watched news network across the seven swing states last month's election.

Even progressives are beginning to embrace the idea of expanding Democrats' media reach: "My view is, as much engagement as possible is good," Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) told Axios.

• Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.), another progressive, told Axios that "as a gay woman, I have a particular view on the world and I actually think that it could be really helpful in this moment."

Several Democrats told Axios that revamping their party's media strategy should involve much more than simply going on conservative-leaning media.

• Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), co-chair of House Democrats' political messaging arm, underscored that appearing on conservative media is important, but it's not "where the jackpot is."
• "We need to speak to people who don't consume news as a hobby.... That's not just going on Fox News ... it's going on places of culture, sports, different things like that," he said.

The other side: Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) is among the Democrats who are more skeptical about engaging with conservative media.

• "People that watch Fox News have their minds made up about the type of rhetoric that they want to listen to," Crockett said.
• "God bless those that go on there, but I don't think that we're really changing the minds of the people that have decided that they want to watch that bullsh*t," she added.

The bottom line: Beyond simply going on alternative media himself, Moskowitz said he has actively been trying to persuade colleagues to follow his lead.

• Asked whether he thinks he's changed some minds, he told Axios: "I think I have, because I think you're seeing the number of people increasing that are doing that."

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