Three inmates, all accused of violent crimes, are back in custody after escaping from an Atlanta-area jail. It’s still unclear exactly how they got out, but police say their recorded jailhouse phone calls reveal how they plotted their escape.
Here’s what else you need to know to get up to speed and on with your day.
1️⃣ Epstein files
The latest release of Epstein files featured more mentions of President Donald Trump than last week’s drop, and raised additional questions about the Department of Justice’s handling of the documents. Another revelation is that prosecutors sought to investigate and potentially charge more people. A series of apparent FBI emails from 2019 cite “10 co-conspirators.” To date, only Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, his former girlfriend, have been charged. Here are more takeaways from the latest release.
2️⃣ National Guard
The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected President Trump’s request to allow him to deploy the National Guard to Chicago to protect ICE agents, a major loss for the administration. The decision, which came over dissents from conservative Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, appeared almost certain to jeopardize deployments of the National Guard in other cities as well.
3️⃣ Nursing home explosion
Two people are dead and 20 others were injured after an explosion and fire tore through a nursing home outside Philadelphia, spurring first responders, bystanders and staff to rush the elderly residents to safety, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation, but the preliminary belief of officials is that it was a gas leak, Shapiro said. A local utility company was on site responding to reports of a gas odor in the facility when the explosion occurred, the company said in a statement.
4️⃣ Student loans
The Trump administration will begin garnishing the wages of student loan borrowers in default starting in January, the Education Department told CNN on Tuesday. The move comes months after the administration restarted collecting federal student loans in default, which happens after 270 days without payment. The process, known as administrative wage garnishment, allows the agency to order non-federal employers to withhold a portion of an employee’s income to pay off the loans. In April, the department said that more than 5 million borrowers were in default and nearly 4 million more were delinquent, which means they hadn’t made a payment in more than 90 days.
5️⃣ Weight loss drugs
The FDA this week approved a daily pill version of the weight loss drug Wegovy — creating a new option for how patients can take medicines in a class of drugs that has revolutionized obesity treatment. The drug, which maker Novo Nordisk calls simply the Wegovy pill, uses the same active ingredient that’s in the original version, along with its sister drug for diabetes, Ozempic. Both Wegovy and Ozempic, which mimic the hormone GLP-1, are given as weekly injections, as are rival drugs Zepbound and Mounjaro from Eli Lilly. About 1 in 8 adults in the US say they’re currently taking one of the medicines, according to data from health policy research group KFF.
Breakfast browse
Historical mysteries solved in 2025
Researchers studied fossils, well-preserved remains and even a single fingerprint to unravel some of the world’s longest-standing mysteries this year.
US still eyeing Greenland
Denmark’s foreign minister said this week he was “deeply upset” by President Trump’s appointment of a special envoy to Greenland who wants the island to become part of the United States.
Plane lands itself
File this under aviation firsts: A twin-engine turboprop automatically landed itself after experiencing an in-flight emergency near Denver, according to the landing system’s manufacturer. Here’s how the technology works.
Cyberattack floods TikTok rival with vulgar videos
One of China’s most popular short-video and streaming platforms was flooded with porn and violent content, sparking outrage and confusion in a nation where the internet is tightly controlled.
Quiz time
Getty Images/AP/Reuters
To say that 2025 was a busy news year would be an understatement. There were wildfires and hurricanes and plenty of political intrigue. We also enjoyed some memorable moments in sports and entertainment. What do you remember?
➡️ Take CNN’s Year in Review quiz
Weather
🌤️ Check your local forecast to see what you can expect.
And finally…
▶️ Technical glitch creates Christmas joy for shoppers
A Texas grocery store let its customers walk out without paying after a computer glitch froze up the checkout lines.
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