5 things to know for December 24th: Matt Gaetz report, Donald Trump, lottery winner, Hawaii volcano, Bill Clinton

5 things to know for December 24th: Matt Gaetz report, Donald Trump, lottery winner, Hawaii volcano, Bill Clinton



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Last minute errands often arise on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, whether it’s buying a quick gift or picking up one last ingredient. Check out what’s open and closed today and tomorrow.

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The House Ethics Committee found evidence that former Rep. Matt Gaetz paid tens of thousands of dollars to women for sex or drugs at least 20 times, including in 2017 when he paid a 17-year-old girl for sex, the bombshell report says of the panel via the Florida Republican published on Monday. The committee concluded in its document that Gaetz violated Florida state law, including the state’s statutory rape law, as the Republican-led panel took the rare step of releasing a report on a former member to publish who has resigned from Congress. “The Committee concluded that there is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House rules and other standards of conduct that prohibit prostitution, statutory rape, illegal drug use, improper gifts, special favors or privileges, and obstruction of Congress “Wrote the panel’s investigators. Gaetz was President-elect Donald Trump’s first nominee for attorney general, but dropped out due to opposition from Republican senators and after CNN reported key details of that ethics report.

President-elect Donald Trump seems intent on making America “greater” again. Last week he mocked Canadian officials by suggesting the U.S. could absorb its northern neighbor and make it the 51st nation. He threatened to take over the Panama Canal, the U.S.-built waterway that was controlled by its Central American namesake for a quarter century. And on Sunday he expressed his original desire to acquire Greenland, a Danish territory he had long wanted to acquire for “purposes of national security and freedom throughout the world.” Trump’s transition team declined to clarify whether these recent statements reflect real ambitions or other motivations, instead referring CNN to his recent comments and social media posts.

According to the New Jersey Lottery, the winner of a $1.13 billion Mega Millions jackpot has finally come forward and claimed his incredible windfall nearly nine months after the ticket was drawn. Officials say the eye-popping prize is the fifth highest in the game’s nearly three-decade history. According to the lottery, the winning ticket was drawn March 26 at a ShopRite supermarket in the coastal community of Neptune. The next Mega Millions drawing takes place tonight, with the jackpot estimated at $970 million. That’s quite a Christmas bonus!

The Kilauea volcano in Hawaii – one of the most active volcanoes in the world – has erupted Bright orange lava poured to a height of 300 feet on Monday after a three-month hiatus, according to the United States Geological Survey. Kilauea’s eruption began at about 2:20 a.m. local time and continued throughout the day. It drew crowds to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which is open to the public 24 hours a day. The USGS also posted a live stream of the spectacle. Authorities assured It told the public that surrounding communities were not at risk because the eruption was limited within the park, but warned that “emission rates of volcanic gases were very high” and were spreading downwind from the crater, affecting air quality, according to the USGS .

Former President Bill Clinton was admitted to a hospital in Washington, DC, on Monday afternoon where he is undergoing tests and observation after developing a fever, his spokesman told CNN. Clinton, 78, was at his home in Washington when he was taken to MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. He was expected to stay in the hospital at least overnight, an aide said, describing the former president as “awake and alert.” Since leaving the White House nearly a quarter century ago, the 42nd president has endured several health struggles. In 2004, he underwent quadruple bypass heart surgery and experienced a partial lung collapse the following year. In 2010, he underwent another heart operation to insert two stents into a coronary artery.

Cheaper diabetes drug receives approval
The FDA has approved a generic version of the daily injectable GLP-1 drug liraglutide — sold under the brand name Victoza — for people with type 2 diabetes, opening the door for cheaper options to come to market and address a shortage fix.

Why couples in Japan treat Christmas like a second Valentine’s Day
Find out why many couples in Japan have a special date on Christmas Eve, checking out the holiday decorations, dining at fancy restaurants and even staying at luxury hotels.

Burt, the giant crocodile in “Crocodile Dundee,” dies
The 16-foot-long saltwater crocodile made famous by a cameo in the film “Crocodile Dundee” has died. He was at least 90 years old.

The container store files for bankruptcy
The 46-year-old company is the latest big-name retailer to fall victim to customers cutting back on consumer spending.

The baby mammoth found in the Russian crater is the “best” preserved in the world
Russian scientists have revealed the carcass of a young female mammoth named Yana, whose incredibly well-preserved remains were found in Siberia after more than 50,000 years.

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In which city did a cargo ship crash into the Francis Scott Key Bridge and cause it to collapse?

A. Baltimore
E.g. Philadelphia
C. Pittsburgh
D. Boston

Take CNN’s 2024 Year in Review Quiz and find out if you’re right!

“To see (polio) disappear, there are so many stories about the vaccine, how many lives it saved…It makes the idea so absurd that they would now think about reversing course on vaccines.”

— Oscar-winning director Francis Ford CoppolaIn a recent interview, he vividly recalled his experiences as a child surviving polio.

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AND FINALLY…

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CNN gets rare access to St. Peter’s Basilica

In the tomb of Saint Peter
CNN Vatican correspondent Christopher Lamb had rare access to the tomb of St. Peter, buried in the world’s largest church honoring the Catholic Church’s first pope.

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