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| Good morning. It’s Wednesday, Dec. 24, and it’s been a record-breaking year in Congress, although some of the achievements are pretty dubious. Now let’s get to the news. Quick note: The 7 podcast is taking a break for the holidays. It’ll be back Monday. | |
 | President Donald Trump was handed a rare defeat by the Supreme Court. | - The ruling: Justices refused to allow Trump to deploy the National Guard in the Chicago area for now, a major setback in his efforts to push troops into cities across the nation.
- Zooming out: Trump isn’t used to losses at the court. With a 6-3 conservative majority, justices have repeatedly approved his actions — we’re tracking the biggest cases here.
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 | The Justice Department said the Epstein files contain “untrue” claims about Trump. | - What to know: Trump is mentioned many times in the files — we’re updating this story with key findings. Yesterday, the Justice Department said some claims are “sensationalist.”
- What else? The files cast fresh scrutiny on Jeffrey Epstein’s ties to former prince Andrew. One email, from “A,” asks Ghislaine Maxwell about finding “new inappropriate friends.”
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 |  | ICE documents reveal plans to hold 80,000 immigrants in warehouses. | | | The government plans to convert warehouses into at least seven large-scale detention centers and 16 smaller processing sites. (The Washington Post) | - The proposal: The Trump administration aims to funnel newly arrested detainees into one of seven planned large-scale warehouses, where they would be staged for deportation.
- Digging deeper: The warehouses would be located near big logistics hubs in Virginia, Texas, Louisiana, Arizona, Georgia and Missouri, according to plans seen by The Post.
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 | The Trump administration is still reading the news, despite its anti-media rhetoric. | - In February: Federal agencies canceled news subscriptions en masse to end what Elon Musk declared a scandal. But, in recent months, several agencies have taken out subscriptions.
- Here’s something great for officials to read: One Post reporter’s effort to show how Trump was transforming government brought her 1,169 new sources — and it nearly broke her.
- Last night: CBS broadcast the Kennedy Center Honors, leaving out Trump’s new branding.
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 | At least two people were killed in explosions at a Pennsylvania nursing home. | | | Firefighters respond at the site of a gas explosion that caused a partial building collapse at the Silver Lake Nursing Home yesterday. (Bastiaan Slabbers/Reuters) | - What happened? A suspected gas leak caused the blasts, authorities said. The building partially collapsed into its basement.
- The latest: At least five people are believed to be missing. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) stressed that the number could change.
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 | A new study examined how drinking tea or coffee can impact your bone health. | - The results: Tea may be slightly better for bone health, and too much coffee a day might have a negative effect. See all the findings and more tips to strengthen your bones here.
- Want to improve your diet in 2026? A doctor shared these 11 science-backed tips to help you eat healthier, from swapping fruit juice for smoothies to trying plain Greek yogurt.
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 | These deer in Maine have become internet darlings. | | | Deer eating from a trough at Brownville’s Food Pantry For Deer in Maine. (Brownville’s Food Pantry For Deer) | - Why? A father and son created a deer feeding station in their backyard. Unbeknownst to the deer, thousands of people watch them feast each day via YouTube live streams.
- Fan favorites: Shaggy was named for the deer’s messy fur, and Lefty has returned for 10 or 11 winters. Watching them has become a daily routine for many viewers worldwide.
Before you go … two more festive reads: How Anthony Bourdain’s boeuf bourguignon offers the gift of time and patience. Plus: A cheese that smells “like death itself” is a viral holiday craze. A heartwarming tale: A center for homeless residents was set to close. Rick Steves bought it. We want to hear from you: Do you have questions about stories you’ve seen in The 7? Send them here. We’ll find the right person to answer them and share responses in our weekend edition.
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Jamie Ross and 
