CHRISTMAS EVE

A young girl wrote to a Rhode Island police department asking them to run a DNA test on a cookie and carrots left for Santa Claus and his reindeer.

The 26-year-old beautician died in a shooting at a Merseyside pub on Christmas Eve.

Several power plants failed to deliver power to homes on Christmas Eve, leaving tens of thousands of New Englanders in the dark. ISO New England fined the operators roughly $39 million.

Some 89% of people in Henan province have been infected but visits to clinics have peaked.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson was given the Presidential Citizens Award by President Joe Biden on Friday.

Two of the best teams in the NFL get ready to clash on Monday Night Football, as the Buffalo Bills, already having clinched their division, take on the Cincinnati Bengals, who are preparing for hopefully another deep postseason run. Buffalo Bills (12-3) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (11-4)The Bills have clinched another AFC East title, and are one of football’s hottest teams coming into the New Year. Coming into Monday night, Buffalo is riding a six-game win streak, having not lost since their overtime defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings in mid-November. Monday night will mark the 32nd time the Bengals and Bills have faced off on the gridiron, with Buffalo holding a 17-15 record against Cincinnati, though they have not met since 2019. MY PICK: Bills win 38-33Check out the NFL standings and results on NFL.com

South African officials say the death toll from an explosion of a tanker truck on Christmas Eve near eastern Johannesburg has risen to 34, including 10 health workers at a nearby hospital

After nearly a week, the elevators in a Westland independent senior living building are back up and running.

Pennsylvania police arrested a man who they said shot and killed his wife on Christmas Eve.

A tanker blast near a hospital in South Africa has killed at least 34 people, including 11 health workers. The blast also tore off the roof of the hospital’s emergency department.

The annual Dexter Luminary Project usually occurs every Christmas Eve, but this year the event was postponed due to the cold weather. The Dexter Luminary Project in downtown Dexter near Monument Park. The first year the group only did five streets: Baker Road and Central, Fourth, Ann Arbor and Broad streets. “It’s a small way, but makes a big statement.”To learn more about the Dexter Luminary Project, visit the event’s social media. Read more from The Ann Arbor News:Does Ann Arbor need more protected bike lanes?

"He is such a Men[s]ch," the deli said.

FLINT, MI - Flint PAL Inc. is presenting its fourth annual “Toy Giveaway” on New Year’s Eve following a delay because of wintry weather in the area. The event is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31 at the Haskell Community Center, located at 2201 Forest Hill Ave. The giveaway was originally set to take place Christmas Eve, but it was rescheduled due to last week’s major winter storm. Children ages 2-13 are eligible and must be present to pick their own toys. Sponsors for the toy giveaway include Bodies by McQueen, Brickedup.com, Dee Cramer, Chips BBQ, Lamaash.biz, and Next Level Corvette Club.

Dak Prescott has thrown 12 interceptions in 10 starts this season, something coach Mike McCarthy and his QB know needs correcting.

Research director slams cost of higher education, Abbott hits back at Biden criticism and more top headlines

The below-freezing temperatures on Christmas Eve caused pipes to burst inside the new Shelby Township Library.

Officials wrote on social media that one person was transported away from the scene by Huron Valley Ambulance.

The Fox News Entertainment newsletter brings you the latest Hollywood headlines, celebrity interviews and stories from Los Angeles and beyond.

A Texas maintenance worker was fatally shot as he was checking pipes at an apartment complex after a resident mistook him for an intruder attempting to break in.

Kathy Whitworth, the winningest golfer ever on a single pro tour, died suddenly on Christmas Eve while celeberating with family. She was 83.

Local organizers in Washington say three buses of recent migrant families arrived from Texas near the home of Vice President Kamala Harris in record-setting cold on Christmas Eve.

Spanish authorities announced Monday the recovery of the body of a seventh victim after a bus plunged 30 meters (100 feet) from a bridge into a river on Christmas Eve

Three buses of recent migrant families arrived from Texas near the home of Vice President Kamala Harris in record-setting cold on Christmas Eve. (Dec. 26)

Police in Atlanta, Georgia, asked for the public's help in identifying a suspect in a fatal shooting that happened on Christmas Eve in Northeast Atlanta.

Authorities in Spain says rescuers have recovered the victims from a bus that ran off a bridge and plunged into a river on Christmas Eve, killing six passengers and injuring the driver and another passenger

Canadian authorities say a bus rolled over on an icy highway in British Columbia on Christmas Eve, killing four people and injuring three dozen

One woman is dead and three men are wounded following a shooting at he Lighthouse pub in Wallasey, England that took place on Christmas eve, local police said.

The Kardashian's annual Christmas Eve party was held at the eldest Kardashian's home, Kourtney Kardashian Barker. The party designed by celebrity event-planner Mindy Weiss, featured many famous faces.

The buses that arrived late Saturday outside the vice president's residence were carrying around 110 to 130 people.

Local organizers in Washington say three buses of recent migrant families arrived from Texas near the home of Vice President Kamala Harris in record-setting cold on Christmas Eve.

Texas authorities have not confirmed their involvement, but the bus dropoffs are in line with previous actions by border-state governors calling attention to the Biden administration’s immigration policies. The buses that arrived late Saturday outside the vice president's residence were carrying around 110 to 130 people, according to Tatiana Laborde, managing director of SAMU First Response, a relief agency working with the city of Washington to serve thousands of migrants who have been dropped off in recent months.

Two historic rivals lock horns on Christmas Eve, with division championship implications, as the Dallas Cowboys look to close the gap with the still-hot Philadelphia Eagles. In overtime, Prescott threw a strange interception that led to a pick-six for Jacksonville, handing the Cowboys a 40-34 loss. The defeat interrupted a four-game winning streak for Dallas, and pushed them to three games back of the Eagles coming into the weekend. All-time, Dallas is 72-55 against Philadelphia, winning seven of the last 10 meetings. MY PICK: Cowboys win, 34-31Watch the NFL on FuboTV (Free Trial)Check out the NFL standings and results on NFL.com

CASS COUNTY, MI – Multiple children were injured in a two-vehicle crash in Cass County on Christmas Eve. Police say a Niles woman and her daughter were traveling south on M-51 when the woman lost control of her vehicle. Children in both vehicles sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the crash and were taken by ambulance to Niles Lakeland Hospital, according to the release. Police do not suspect alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash, the release said. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Howard Township Fire Department, SMCAS Ambulance, and PrideCare Ambulance.

Some of the migrants were dropped off in Washington D.C. wearing T-shirts with temperatures dropping to 18 degrees Fahrenheit, according to CNN.

Missing Texas A&M student Tanner Hoang, 22, was found dead in Austin on Christmas Eve after an 8-day search. Hoang's family said he was supposed to graduate this month.

Domenick Nati told Insider that the problem has forced him to cancel his Christmas plans as no Ubers are available where he lives in Virginia.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office announced Saturday Corporal Ray Hamilton was fatally shot in the line of duty on Christmas Eve. Hamilton was a five-year veteran of the department.

KALAMAZOO, MI - Police in Kalamazoo are investigating a Christmas Eve shooting. Officers from the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety located the scene of the shooting near the intersection of Conant and Hawley streets. The victim is a 23-year-old man from Kalamazoo who is currently in stable condition, police said. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety at 337-8120 or Silent Observer at 343-2100. Read more from MLiveMan holds 3 juveniles at gunpoint, breaks into woman’s apartment, Kalamazoo police sayNumerous vehicles in ditches off U.S. 131 in southern Kalamazoo County15-year-old shot in Kalamazoo16-year-old charged as adult in murder of Kalamazoo teenager17-year-old shot at Kalamazoo apartment complexHomeless man’s death sparks call to action from Kalamazoo city commissioners

Week 16 of the NFL continues with an action-packed Christmas Eve slate. Here are the top plays from Saturday!

Russian military forces pounded the city of Kherson, Ukraine with missiles on Saturday, Christmas Eve, killing at least eight civilians and injuring dozens more.

Nashville mayor John Cooper called on the Titans to postpone their game against the Texans on Saturday in "solidarity" with their Nashville neighbors.

Police say officers were called to the Center Parcs leisure complex at Longleat at 11:00 GMT.

Only one college football game is on tap for Christmas Eve, as the San Diego State Aztecs and Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders grab their leis on Saturday. Watch NCAA Football on FuboTV (Free Trial)EASYPOST HAWAI’I BOWLMiddle Tennessee State Blue Raiders vs. San Diego State AztecsTime : 8 p.m. In their first 19 bowl games, the Aztecs are 10-9, including winning each of their last two bowl games. Middle Tennessee State is just 5-8 in bowl games, but has won two of their last three. MY PICK: San Diego State wins, 30-24

Mercury, the closest planet to the sun, will shine brightly in the sky on Christmas Eve as it reaches its highest altitude in the evening sky.

With smaller trees, more champagne, and a focus on adult fun

GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Fredrick Meijer Garden and Sculpture Park will close due to severe weather at 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23, officials announced Friday afternoon. The park will also be closed on Christmas Eve, Saturday, Dec. 24 and will not reopen until 9 a.m. on Monday Dec. 26 according to a press release. Meijer Gardens was already scheduled to be closed on Christmas. The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning, a rarity regarding storm intensity, for Southwest Michigan from Thursday evening through Saturday night. Related: Meijer Gardens to host 28th annual Christmas & Holiday Traditions exhibitionGuests from around the world visit Meijer Gardens during the holidays to take in 46 trees and displays representing countries and cultures from across the globe.

As we all gear up for our holiday celebrations and look forward to spending time with family, it’s important to remember there are children inside of this hospital and other hospitals across the state that won’t get to see their families and loved ones on Christmas.

MUSKEGON, MI - Due to blizzard warnings, Port City Church’s Christmas Eve at the Frauenthal Theater event was canceled Thursday. Two, free one-hour holiday services at the historic center were scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 24. Related: Free holiday activities in Muskegon hosted by Frauenthal Theater Christmas weekendIn a recent Frauenthal Center Facebook post, it was announced that a recorded service will be posted on Port City Church’s Facebook page and website at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 23. National Weather Service officials said conditions will steadily deteriorate Thursday afternoon, with know becoming heavy Thursday night. ”Widespread blowing and drifting snow is expected in all areas with the worst of conditions near and west of U.S. 131,” said National Weather Service meteorologists in Grand Rapids.

A major winter storm is heading toward Metro Detroit this weekend, with rain expected to turn into snow that lasts through Friday and into Christmas Eve.

Most of Michigan is under a blizzard warning or winter storm warning ahead of Christmas 2022. See how much snow is predicted across the state.

Stores would have been crazy busy this week anyway, but when you add in what looks like a nasty winter storm, the rush was on.

Get ready, Chicago. Snow is expected to move in on Thursday — and air temperatures are expected to be well below average with wind chills between -20 and -30 degrees Fahrenheit on Christmas Eve and Day.

More volunteers are needed for the Salvation Army's Red Kettle campaign.

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas premieres tonight at 8/7c. Watch Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas when you register for select streaming services. So, in an effort to break into that new competitive space, she takes on a Christmas Eve courtroom special. It’s a holiday challenge that will reveal whether or not she has what it takes to bring a behind-the-camera vision to life. Watch the premiere of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas tonight at 8/7c on the Hallmark Channel.

William V. McGalliard planted America's first Christmas tree farm in White Horse, New Jersey, in 1901. He helped fuel the nation's 20th-century surge in having Christmas trees at home.

MUSKEGON, MI - The Frauenthal Theater is inviting the West Michigan community to experience Christmas Eve at the historic venue for free this year. Favorite Christmas songs will be led by some of the Lakeshore’s best musicians Dec. 23-24 at the downtown theater, 425 W Western Ave., Unit 200. The non-ticketed event will be a night of carols, joy and celebration led by Steve Derdowski, the lead pastor at Port City Church. “At Port City, we feel blessed, and we wanted to give back to the community and celebrate the holiday in the historic and beautiful Frauenthal Theater.”Port City’s Cloverville Campus, 3387 Heights Revenna Rd. in Muskegon, has services on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m., and the McGraft Campus, 1617 Palmer Ave. in Muskegon, has services on Sundays at 11 a.m.For more information on Christmas Eve at the Frauenthal and Port City Church, visit www.weareportcity.com.

Kirk Franklin’s The Night Before Christmas premieres tonight at 8/7c on Lifetime. Kirk Franklin’s The Night Before Christmas is set on a blustery, but beautiful, holiday night. When a Christmas Eve blizzard traps Nia and her estranged mother Journee inside a nearby church, they’re pushed to weather the storm alongside several similarly disappointed parishioners. Together, the unlikely group works together to save Christmas traditions, mend broken relationships, and get reacquainted with the meaning of their favorite holiday. Watch the premiere of Kirk Franklin’s The Night Before Christmas tonight at 8/7c on Lifetime.

After a two-year hiatus, hundreds of people came looking to spread holiday cheer to those who may need it most. It’s back, with wide smiles, a lot of heart, and more flashlights looking to spread holiday cheer.

FRANKENMUTH, MI — Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland is once again hosting in-person visits with Santa. Santa returned to Bronner’s, located at 25 Christmas Lane in Frankenmuth, on Black Friday and will visit with children through Saturday, Dec. 24, Christmas Eve. The iconic Christmas store hosted virtual visits with Santa in 2021 and 2020. Saturdays and Sundays are particularly busy, so guests hoping to see him on those days should anticipate a wait. Santa visits will conclude at 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve, and the store will close for the holiday at 4 p.m. Bronner’s is closed on Sunday, Dec. 25, Christmas Day.

Some families seem to have it all together, and others ... well, not so much.

A new bakery in Mount Clemens is celebrating more than just new beginnings.

A Pennsylvania man has been charged with murder in the fatal Christmas Eve shooting of a man at a cabin in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Like it or not, the Christmas weather scenario played out pretty much as expected.

Scottish singer Tom Walker has praised the piano skills of the Duchess of Cambridge after the pair recorded a Christmas tune that was shown during a carol concert.

Here are this morning's top stories.

The staff is tired, the omicron variant is bearing down and the intensive care unit beds are filling fast at a hospital in the French city of Marseille.

This Christmas Eve, Jolly Old St. Nicholas is once again delivering gifts to children around the world in record time. Here's how to track his whereabouts.

An annual NBC tradition is airing “It’s a Wonderful Life” on Christmas Eve -- but there’s something you might not know.

Amid the surge of coronavirus cases across the U.S., numerous churches have canceled in-person Christmas services.

This Christmas Eve, Jolly Old St. Nicholas is once again delivering gifts to children around the world in record time. Here's how to track his whereabouts.

From Bethlehem and Frankfurt to London and Boston, the surging coronavirus dampened Christmas Eve festivities for a second year.

It appears we still may have some scattered showers around Christmas morning, but then dry out in the afternoon.

As expected, it was a breezy, chilly day Wednesday, and even with a few flurries for some festive holiday effect.

An assembly line of holiday films to make the heart sing is the Hallmark Channel's blueprint, and it works every year like mistletoe or eggnog.

The European Union and Britain are back to quarreling less than a year after finalizing Brexit.

The Pentagon has announced it will keep a Navy aircraft carrier in the Middle East to provide protection for the more than 10,000 American and coalition troops withdrawing from Afghanistan in coming weeks.

Eight days have passed since Dion Emery was killed in a hit-and-run on Christmas Eve near the intersection of Schoolcraft and Greenfield roads. “He died by himself, He died by himself,” cried Dion’s mother, Patricia Rutland. His mother, and other family members, are all questioning why someone would hit Dion and keep on driving, on Christmas Eve of all days. If it wasn’t for a post made to a group on social media, the family would have never found out. More: Detroit crime news

UK chief trade negotiator David Frost looks on as Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson signs the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement at 10 Downing Street, London Wednesday Dec. 30, 2020. (Leon Neal/Pool via AP)BRUSSELS – Britain’s Parliament voted resoundingly on Wednesday to approve a trade deal with the European Union, paving the way for an orderly break with the bloc that will finally complete the U.K.’s long and divisive Brexit journey. With just a day to spare, lawmakers in the House of Commons voted 521-73 in favor of the agreement sealed between the U.K. government and the EU last week. She noted that the deal protected trade in goods but did not cover services, which account for 80% of Britain's economy. “We have a deal in trade, which benefits the EU, but not a deal in services, which would have benefitted the U.K.," May said.

Lights atop a police cruiser flash at the scene of a crime in this undated file image. ADRIAN, Mich. – Police are looking for the man responsible for a stabbing on Christmas Eve in Adrian. Police said the victim was transported to a hospital in Toledo but the other man left on foot before police could arrive. Adrian Police were assisted at the scene by the Adrian Fire Department. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Adrian Police Department at 517-264-4808 or via email at APDTips@adrianmi.gov.

BRIDGEWATER TOWNSHIP, Mich. – While serving a search warrant Saturday, the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office located the body of a man wanted in connection with a Christmas Eve road rage shooting. ORIGINAL STORY: Washtenaw County deputies search for suspect in road rage shootingAccording to authorities, the road rage incident happened neat the intersection of Alber and Textile roads in Lodi Township at about 9:45 a.m. Deputies said the suspect fired gunshots, hitting the victim’s vehicle multiple times. The Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office said they were able to identify a potential suspect through tips provided to authorities. Police said the deputies spent several hours attempting to make contact to serve a search warrant Saturday before discovering the 51-year-old man’s body inside the home. Anyone with information is asked to contact Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office at 734-973-7711.

DETROIT – Detroit police are asking for help locating a missing 37-year-old woman. Tiffani Knall was reported missing on Christmas Eve from the 19000 block of Hickory Street. Her mother last spoke to her on Dec. 20 at 11:20 a.m. and has not heard or seen her since then. Anyone with information should contact the Detroit Police Department’s 9th Precinct Investigative Unit at 313-596-5940 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-Speak Up. All tips to Crime Stoppers are anonymous.

DETROIT – Police are investigating a homicide that happened around 8:20 p.m. on Christmas Eve in the 15800 block of Wildemere Street in Detroit. According to police, the victim is a man in his 30s. His body was found inside an upper flat in the area with multiple gunshot wounds. The motive behind the shooting is still under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the Detroit Police Department’s Homicide Unit at 313-596-2260.

I will spend Christmas at home alone because I don't have anyone to spend them with. “I don’t feel like celebrating anything,” Otero said as she sat down to eat a plate of salmon with potatoes. “We have missed one another these Christmas holidays,” Cano said. I am one of the last ones left. I will spend Christmas at home alone because I don’t have anyone to spend it with.”AP writer Joseph Wilson contributed to this report.

DETROIT – As you probably know, an annual NBC tradition is airing “It’s a Wonderful Life” on Christmas Eve -- and this year, more than any other year, we need that movie. There is a way cool science angle to the movie that nobody knows about: Near the beginning, remember the scene where the angels in heaven choose an angel named Clarence to head to Earth to save George Bailey? Well, there’s an ultra-cool science angle to that scene. Check out my explanation in the short video above -- it’ll make your Christmas even more special! RELATED: Best Christmas movie?

We had a record high of 64 degrees (17.5 degrees Celsius), and there was even a sailboat seen on Lake St. Clair! Tonight’s sunset is at 5:06 p.m.Christmas DayMostly cloudy skies will start our Christmas Day, and then snow showers should increase during the afternoon…particularly later in the day into Christmas night. Mostly cloudy Friday night, with lows again in the upper teens (-7 degrees Celsius). Weekend UpdateMostly cloudy on Saturday, with highs in the low 30s (0 degrees Celsius). Becoming partly cloudy Saturday night, with lows in the low 20s (-6 to -5 degrees Celsius).

Nothing is going to stop Santa Claus from coming to town. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) tracks everything in the skies of the United States and Canada -- and that includes Santa’s sleigh and his reindeer this Christmas Eve. You can follow his journey around the globe through one of the livestreams included in this article, or by clicking here. You can call 660-557-2682 to hear a message from Santa.

Nothing is going to stop Santa Claus from coming to town. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) tracks everything in the skies of the United States and Canada -- and that includes Santa’s sleigh and his reindeer this Christmas Eve. You can follow his journey around the globe through one of the livestreams included in this article, or by clicking here. You can call 660-557-2682 to hear a message from Santa.

Christmas Day remains snowy. Snow showers return Thursday evening, to prep Santa and his sleigh for a good landing overnight. Christmas Day is a White Christmas in my book. Despite the lack of an inch of snow on the ground in many neighborhoods, snowflakes will be falling with scattered snow showers. · Track the live Michigan Weather Radar here· Track severe weather alerts here· Submit storm photos here· Find more weather forecast articles at Weather Center

In this photo provided by Maitrise Notre-Dame de Paris soprani singer Julie Fuchs and the Notre Dame Cathedral choir recording a Christmas concert on Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020, inside Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. The concert will be broadcasted on French television on Christmas. (MSNDP/Musique Sacree Notre-Dame de Paris via AP)PARIS – Wearing hard hats and protective suits, members of the choir of Notre Dame Cathedral sang inside the medieval Paris landmark for the first time since last year’s devastating fire for a special Christmas Eve concert. The public was not allowed and isn’t expected to see the insides of Notre Dame until at least 2024. The Notre Dame choir used to give 60 concerts a year inside the cathedral but has been itinerant ever since, moving among other Paris churches.

Few people were there to greet them as the coronavirus pandemic and a strict lockdown dampened Christmas Eve celebrations. The Philippines prohibited mass gatherings and barred extended families from holding traditional Christmas Eve dinners. On Christmas Eve in Italy, church bells rang earlier than usual. In Athens, Christmas Eve was eerily silent. The schedule for Christmas Eve and Christmas day included Masses in English and Spanish, and a bilingual jazz vespers service.

Snow showers return Thursday evening, to prep Santa and his sleigh for a good landing overnight. Christmas Day is a White Christmas in my book. Despite the lack of an inch of snow on the ground in many neighborhoods, snowflakes will be falling with scattered snow showers. The holiday’s first day, Umoja - Community, will be partly sunny with morning snow showers. Monday has another chance of rain and snow showers.

(AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)BEIJING — Authorities in China’s northeastern port city of Dalian are testing millions of residents after seven new coronavirus cases were reported there in the last 24 hours. It has a deal to secure up to 100 million doses of the potential vaccine produced by AstraZeneca. Koca said the first shipment of three million doses of CoronaVac would be shipped to Turkey on Sunday and arrive Monday. He said Turkey could get 4.5 million doses until the end of March and would have the option buy up to 30 million doses. Indonesia has reported nearly 700,000 COVID-19 cases, the largest caseload in Southeast Asia and second in Asia only to India’s 10.1 million confirmed cases.

It took more than three years of wrangling before Britain left the bloc’s political structures last January. If Britain were to quit the EU with no agreement governing trade, the two sides would reinstate tariffs on each other's goods. Even with a trade deal, goods and people will no longer be able to move freely between the U.K. and its continental neighbors without border restrictions. ”“And the difference that a trade deal makes is not going to be obvious to most people from that,” he said. ___Follow all AP stories on the Brexit trade talks at https://apnews.com/Brexit

Stocks are ticking higher on Wall Street Wednesday, Dec. 23, following a mixed set of reports on the economy. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)Stocks closed slightly higher on Christmas Eve, as investors went into the holiday weekend not bothered by President Donald Trump’s threat not to sign a major economic stimulus package approved by Congress this week. Relatively safe investments like utilities and real estate were among the biggest gainers, while energy stocks fell. Trump has asked for higher individual payments to Americans, something Democrats support but which is unlikely to get a vote in the Republican-held Senate. Consumers pulled back on their spending by more last month than economists expected, mainly because of a drop in income.

Airports also recorded around 1 million travelers on each of the five days between last Friday and Tuesday. Fauci, who turned 80 on Thursday, said he and his wife would be celebrating his birthday and the holidays with their children on Zoom. It took 292 days to reach 1 million cases on Nov. 11. Nurses are exhausted, terrified of what’s next and angry at those who ignore pleas to stay home and stay safe. Associated Press writers Heather Hollingsworth in Kansas City, Missouri, and Shelley Adler in Fairfax, Virginia, contributed to this story.

LANSING, Mich. – Michigan officials will not release the number of daily COVID-19 cases or deaths on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day, the state announced. On Wednesday (Dec. 23), Michigan announced 3,443 new COVID-19 cases and 70 additional deaths, bringing the state totals to 469,928 cases and 11,775 deaths. The next update won’t come until Saturday (Dec. 26), the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced. “We wanted to give MDHHS staff some time off during the holidays,” MDHHS Director Robert Gordon said. The same will be true after New Year’s Day, with new numbers being posted Jan. 2 and Jan. 4.

After resolving a few remaining fair-competition issues, negotiators tussled over EU fishing rights in U.K. waters as they worked right into Christmas Eve to secure a provisional deal for a post-Brexit relationship after nine months of talks. A trade deal would avert the imposition of tariffs and duties that could cost both sides billions in trade and hundreds of thousands of jobs. Johnson has always insisted the U.K. will “prosper mightily” even if no deal is reached and the U.K. has to trade with the EU on World Trade Organization terms from Jan. 1. Rumors of a pre-Christmas trade deal surfaced in recent days based on progress on the main outstanding issues, other than fishing. On Wednesday, brokering on quotas and transition times for EU vessels to continue fishing in U.K. waters was in full swing, with progress reported from several sides.

All most people wanted for Christmas after this year of pandemic was some cheer and togetherness. Instead many are heading into a season of isolation, grieving lost loved ones, worried about their jobs or confronting the fear of a new potentially more contagious virus variant. Peruvians won't be allowed to drive their cars over Christmas and New Year to discourage visits even with nearby family and friends. South Africans won’t be able to go to the beach on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or New Year’s Day. The four nations of the U.K. — England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — have all ditched their original Christmas relaxation plans.

SEOUL – South Korea will prohibit private social gatherings of five or more people and shut down ski resorts and major tourist spots nationwide starting from Christmas Eve as it contends with surging coronavirus infections. The capital area has been at the center of a viral resurgence in past weeks that has overwhelmed hospitals and increased death tolls and raised questions to how the government is handling the outbreak. Forty-eight COVID-19 patients have died in the past 48 hours, the deadliest two days since the emergence of the pandemic. The viral resurgence has put pressure on the government to raise social distancing restrictions to maximum levels, something policymakers have resisted for weeks out of economic concerns. The mass outbreak in Samut Sakhon was revealed over the weekend when authorities reported more than 500 new cases, the country’s biggest single-day increase by far.

A quick shot of rain and snow remains in the forecast for the first official day of winter on Monday. More rain of snow are possible Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Afternoon highs will be near 40°F on Tuesday and near 45°F on Wednesday. Christmas Eve Thursday becomes cloudy again with rain and snow showers. Enough cold air wraps around an area of low pressure to give us snow flurries and light snow showers as Santa arrives early Christmas morning, and when families wake up on Christmas Day.