News for December 16, 2025

Washington’s repeated atmospheric river storms are overwhelming roads, levees, and dams, forcing rescues and showing how strained Gov. Bob Ferguson says the state’s infrastructure has become.

A federal judge let President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom project keep moving forward while a lawsuit by the National Trust for Historic Preservation continues.

President Donald Trump is expected to sign an order that would move cannabis to a less restricted federal category and recognize its medical uses.

Measles outbreaks are worsening in Arizona, Utah and South Carolina as new cases rise, more people are quarantined, and officials warn the virus is still spreading.

Trey Songz was arrested in New York City after prosecutors said he was tied to two separate altercations at Manhattan night spots.

Washington’s Indigenous cold case unit won its first murder conviction after Tina Marie Alcorn pleaded guilty in the 2016 killing of Indigenous artist George David.

Former California doctor Mark Chavez was sentenced to home detention and supervised release for his role in the ketamine distribution tied to Matthew Perry’s fatal overdose.

U.S. retail sales were flat in October, while the National Retail Federation said holiday spending could still grow as major retailers like Walmart and Target see mixed but steady demand.

Women who say former Denver cardiologist Stephen Matthews drugged and raped them are suing him and Hinge, saying the app failed to remove him despite earlier warnings.

A new NBC News poll says most Americans plan to spend less on holiday gifts this year because of inflation and broader money worries.

US Jewish groups are urging tighter security at public Hanukkah events after a deadly attack at a celebration in Australia, even as Chabad.org and other Jewish communities plan to keep public gatherings going.

U.S. Southern Command said U.S. strikes destroyed three suspected drug boats in the eastern Pacific and killed eight people on board.