Musician cancels Christmas Eve jazz concert at Kennedy Center after Trump name change
A Christmas Eve jazz concert at the Kennedy Center was canceled just days after the White House announced that President Donald Trump’s name would be added to the iconic performing arts institution in Washington, D.C.
The show’s host, musician Chuck Redd, who has led the holiday “Jazz Jams” at the Kennedy Center since 2006, said he called off his performance after Trump’s name was added to the facility.
“When I saw the name change on the Kennedy Center website and then hours later on the building, I chose to cancel our concert,” Redd told the Associated Press.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Kennedy Center for comment. The Kennedy Center’s website lists the show as canceled.
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The Kennedy Center’s board voted unanimously on Dec. 18 to rename the institution the “Trump-Kennedy Center,” prompting swift backlash from members of the Kennedy family who said the decision undermined the legacy of President John F. Kennedy.
Maria Shriver, Kennedy’s niece, criticized the decision, calling it “beyond comprehension.”
Last week, workers added Trump’s name to the outside of the center, and the website’s header was changed to “The Trump Kennedy Center.”
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Another Kennedy niece, Kerry Kennedy, vowed to remove Trump’s name from the building after he leaves office.
President Lyndon Johnson signed a bill in 1964 that designated the center as a living memorial to Kennedy following his assassination in 1963. The law prohibits the board of trustees from making the center into a memorial to anyone else or from putting another person’s name on the building’s exterior, the AP reported.
Trump was elected chairman of the Kennedy Center board in February, after removing 18 trustees appointed by former President Joe Biden.
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Since Trump returned to office on Jan. 20, several artists have canceled performances at the Kennedy Center, including Lin-Manuel Miranda, who called off a production of “Hamilton.”
Redd has toured worldwide and performed with numerous musicians, including Dizzy Gillespie, according to his website bio.
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Fox News Digital has reached out to Redd for comment.
Second-largest Powerball jackpot won in Arkansas on Christmas Eve
A ticket in Arkansas matched the winning numbers drawn on Christmas Eve for the Powerball’s $1.817 billion jackpot.
The grand prize has an estimated cash value of $834.9 million, the second-largest U.S. lottery jackpot ever won, according to the lottery.
The largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history was won on Nov. 7, 2022, when a California ticket claimed a $2.04 billion prize.
The white balls drawn Wednesday were 4, 25, 31, 52 and 59. The red Powerball was 19 and the Power Play was 2X.
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“Congratulations to the newest Powerball jackpot winner! This is truly an extraordinary, life-changing prize,” Matt Strawn, Powerball Product Group Chair and Iowa Lottery CEO, said in a statement. “We also want to thank all the players who joined in this jackpot streak – every ticket purchased helps support public programs and services across the country.”
The winner will have the choice between an annuitized prize of $1.817 billion or a lump sum payment worth $834.9 million. If a winner selects the annuity option, they will receive one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5% each year.
Both prize options are before taxes.
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In addition to the jackpot winner, eight players won $1 million by matching all five white balls. There were also 114 tickets that won $50,000 prizes and 31 tickets that won $100,000 prizes.
Wednesday’s win marked just the second time a Powerball jackpot ticket has been sold in Arkansas, with the first coming in 2010.
The Powerball jackpot was last won on Sept. 6, when two tickets in Missouri and Texas split a $1.787 billion prize.
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The jackpot will reset to $20 million, with the next drawing on Saturday.
The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.
Trump-backed candidate finally declared winner after weeks of uncertainty
Nasry Asfura has won the 2025 Honduras presidential election, delivering victory for the right-of-center National Party of Honduras (PNH) and shifting the political landscape of Central America.
The 40.3% to 39.5% result in favor of Asfura over Liberal Party candidate Salvador Nasralla arrived after the vote-counting process had been delayed for days by technical glitches and claims by other candidates of vote-rigging. Rixi Moncada, the candidate of the ruling LIBRE party, came in a distant third.
The results of the race were so tight and the ballot processing system was so chaotic, that about 15% of the tally sheets, which accounted for hundreds of thousands of ballots, had to be counted by hand to determine the winner.
Two electoral council members and one deputy approved the results despite disputes over the razor-thin difference in the vote. A third council member, Marlon Ocha, was not in a video declaring the winner.
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“Honduras: I am ready to govern. I will not let you down,” Asfura said on X after the results were confirmed.
The head of the Honduran Congress, though, rejected the results and described them as an “electoral coup.”
“This is completely outside the law,” Congress President Luis Redondo of the LIBRE party said on X. “It has no value.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated Asfura on X, saying the U.S. “looks forward to working with his administration to advance prosperity and security in our hemisphere.”
Initially, preliminary results on Monday showed Asfura, 67, had won 41% of the ballot, inching him ahead of Nasralla, 72, who had around 39%.
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On Tuesday, the website set up to share vote tallies with the public experienced technical problems and crashed, according to The Associated Press.
With the candidates only having 515 votes between them, a virtual tie and site crash saw President Trump share a post on Truth Social.
“Looks like Honduras is trying to change the results of their Presidential Election,” he wrote. “If they do, there will be hell to pay!”
By Thursday, Asfura had 40.05%, about 8,000 votes ahead of Nasralla, who had 39.75%, according to Reuters, with the latter then calling for an investigation.
“I publicly denounce that today, at 3:24 a.m., the screen went dark and an algorithm, similar to the one used in 2013, changed the data,” Nasralla wrote on social media, adding 1,081,000 votes for his party were transferred to Asfura, while 1,073,000 votes for Asfura’s National Party were attributed to him.
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Asfura, nicknamed “Tito,” is a former mayor of Tegucigalpa and had entered the race with a reputation for leadership and focus on infrastructure, public order and efficiency.
His win ended a polarized campaign season, with one of the defining moments of the contest being Asfura’s endorsement by Trump.
“If he [Asfura] doesn’t win, the United States will not be throwing good money after bad,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform Nov. 28.
Before the start of voting Nov. 29, Trump also said he would pardon former President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who once led the same party as Asfura. Hernandez is serving a 45-year sentence for helping drug traffickers.
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In the end, the election saw the defeat of centrist former vice president of Honduras, Nasralla and left-wing Moncada, 60, who served under President Xiomara Castro.
Moncada, a prominent lawyer, financier and former minister of national defense, focused on institutional reform and social equity.
Nasralla, a high-profile television personality turned politician, mobilized a base but fell short of converting his popularity into a winning coalition.
He was focusing on cleaning up Honduran corruption. The Honduran presidential race was also impacted by accusations of fraud.
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In addition to electing a new president, Hondurans voted for a new Congress and hundreds of local positions.
Officer tells Democrat: ‘I’m not the guy for that’ following comment at traffic stop
A prominent Rhode Island Democrat was captured on police bodycam video asking an officer, “You know who I am?” before her arrest during a recent traffic stop.
Maria Bucci, 51, who is the chairwoman of the Democratic committee in Cranston – the second-largest city in the state – is now facing a misdemeanor DUI charge following a traffic stop on Dec. 18 in East Greenwich, according to media reports.
“You know who I am right?” Bucci is heard telling an East Greenwich police officer just moments after he said he smelled alcohol in her breath and described her driving as erratic.
“I don’t know who you are miss,” the officer responds, before adding, “You can start throwing out names and start doing out what you need to do, it’s not going to work with me, I’m telling you right now, I’m not the guy for that.”
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The bodycam footage shows the officer trying to lead Bucci through a series of sobriety tests.
Bucci, a former Cranston mayoral candidate, previously served on the City Council from 2004 to 2008 and also launched an unsuccessful bid for a Rhode Island House of Representatives seat last year, the Cranston Herald reported.
At one point during the traffic stop, Bucci is heard saying, “Call my husband right now, and call the attorney general and everybody else in town, cause this is disgusting, God forbid I was a Black person, I’d be arrested.”
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The officer eventually takes Bucci into custody. As she is placed in handcuffs, she says “you’re a d—” and looks towards the body camera.
“Like I am not drinking, you’re a loser,” she adds.
At the beginning of the video, Bucci told the officer she had a glass of wine and had attended a Christmas party.
Bucci, who is expected to be arraigned on Jan. 5, was released on a $1,000 personal recognizance, according to WPRI.
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Bucci and the Rhode Island Democratic Party did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital.
Former first-round NBA draft pick makes unprecedented move to college basketball
It’s common for players to announce they are heading to the pros from college — not the other way around.
But a recent report in basketball has fans baffled after Nigerian center James Nnaji, the 31st overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft, has committed to play at Baylor.
The 7-foot center will be able to play the second half of the Bears’ season, according to On3 Sports, and will be granted four years of NCAA eligibility.
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How is this possible for someone who not only declared for the NBA Draft but was taken in the 31st overall in 2023?
Well, Nnaji never signed an NBA contract. When he was drafted by the Detroit Pistons, Nnaji had his rights moved to the Charlotte Hornets. Then, in the three-team deal for Karl-Anthony Towns, his rights moved to the New York Knicks.
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Nnaji never appeared in a regular-season NBA game and decided to go overseas to continue his pro career. He played for FC Barcelona in Liga ACB in Spain. They mutually parted ways in August.
Then, Nnaji returned to the Knicks to play in the Summer League in Las Vegas, where he averaged 3.2 points and 3.6 rebounds over five games.
With the Bears thin in the front court — Maikcol Perez and Justin Bodo Bodo are both dealing with injuries — Nnaji will come in and should play significant minutes for Scott Drew’s team at Baylor.
Nnaji was just 18 years old when he was drafted, and teams liked his measurables with the hopes of developing his talent in the league.
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“Nnaji’s measurables in terms of his size and length are impressive, and he’s a big leaper who can finish above the rim, though he does present as something of a project for the Hornets,” CBS Sports’ Kyle Boone wrote about Nnaji when he was taken in 2023.
Baylor is 9-2 to start the 2025-26 season.
Reckless driver destroys town Christmas tree during joyride, forced to fix mess
Video shows a late-night joyride spiraling out of control as a driver raced around a central square in southern Kazakhstan before crashing into a towering Christmas tree and knocking it over.
CCTV footage from the town of Saryagash shows the driver speeding into the largely empty square during the early morning hours and performing tight circular spins, commonly known as donuts, in a Russian-made Lada sedan.
As the driver attempted to complete a second consecutive spin, the vehicle swung wider than before and headed directly toward a 40-foot Christmas tree positioned in the center of the square.
The car continued forward and slammed into the decorated tree, sending it crashing to the ground as lights scattered across the pavement. The impact flattened the illuminated holiday display almost instantly.
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The driver sped away, leaving the toppled tree lying flat in the square.
According to The Sun, witnesses said the vehicle’s tires screeched as the driver circled the square, narrowly missing street furniture and festive decorations in the moments leading up to the crash.
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The Sun also reported that Saryagash District Police said in a statement they received a report around 3 a.m. that an unknown driver had crashed into the main Christmas tree installed in the central square and then fled.
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“Officers carefully studied the recordings from the area using CCTV cameras,” police said in the statement. “As a result, the identity of the offender was established.”
Police later confirmed the driver was behind the wheel of a VAZ-2105 Lada.
Investigators tracked him down after reviewing the surveillance footage, and his vehicle was subsequently impounded, according to the report.
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Authorities said the driver was issued a fine for dangerous driving. In an unusual outcome, police also ordered him to repair the damage he caused to the holiday display.
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“The young driver repaired the damaged tree and promised not to commit similar offenses in the future,” police said.
Dangerous flu mutation sweeps nation as experts warn of ‘pretty severe variant’
A new form of the flu, which is highly contagious and aggressive, is sweeping the nation this season.
A mutation of influenza A H3N2, called subclade K, has been detected as the culprit in rising global cases, including in the U.S.
The World Health Organization stated on its website that the K variant marks “a notable evolution in influenza A (H3N2) viruses,” which some say calls into question the effectiveness of this season’s influenza vaccine against the strain.
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The K variant causes more intense flu symptoms, including fever, chills, headache, fatigue, cough, sore throat and runny nose, according to experts.
Among 216 influenza A(H3N2) viruses collected since Sept. 28, 89.8% belonged to subclade K, a CDC report states.
The agency continues to release a weekly influenza surveillance report, tracking which states are seeing the most activity for outpatient respiratory illness.
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Below are the states and regions within the highest range of reported medical visits, not necessarily confirmed influenza cases, as of the week ending Dec. 13.
Very High (Level 1)
- New York City
Very High (Level 2)
- New York State
Very High (Level 3)
- New Jersey
- Rhode Island
- Louisiana
- Colorado
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High (Level 1)
- Massachusetts
- Connecticut
- Michigan
- Idaho
- South Carolina
High (Level 2)
- New Mexico
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High (Level 3)
- Washington, D.C.
- Maryland
- North Carolina
- Georgia
The CDC has estimated that there have been at least 4.6 million illnesses, 49,000 hospitalizations and 1,900 flu deaths this season so far. The flu vaccine is recommended as the best line of defense against the virus.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Dr. Neil Maniar, professor of public health practice at Boston’s Northeastern University, shared details on the early severity of this emerging flu strain.
“It’s becoming evident that this is a pretty severe variant of the flu,” he said. “Certainly, in other parts of the world where this variant has been prevalent, it’s caused some severe illness, and we’re seeing an aggressive flu season already.”
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Subclade K is the “perfect storm” for an aggressive flu season, Maniar suggested, as vaccination rates overall are down, and it’s uncertain whether this year’s flu vaccine directly addresses this specific mutation.
“The vaccine is very important to get, but because it’s not perfectly aligned with this variant, I think that’s also contributing to some degree to the severity of cases we’re seeing,” he said. “We’re going in [to this flu season] with lower vaccination rates and a variant that in itself seems to be more aggressive.”
Maniar stressed that it’s not too late to get the flu vaccine, as peak flu season has not yet arrived.
“The vaccine still provides protection against serious illness resulting from the subclade K variant that seems to be going around,” he said. “There are likely to be lots of indoor gatherings and other events that create risk of exposure, so protection is important.”
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Even healthy individuals can become seriously ill from the flu, Maniar noted, “so a vaccine is beneficial for almost everyone.”
“Individuals typically start to develop some degree of protection within a few days and gain the full benefit within about two weeks, so now is the time for anyone who hasn’t gotten the vaccine yet.”
Gunfire erupts after van driver allegedly tries to mow down ICE agents on Christmas Eve
Two people were injured after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents opened fire on a van in Maryland on Christmas Eve when the driver allegedly tried to run them over during a law enforcement operation, officials said.
Anne Arundel County Police Department spokesperson Justin Mulacahy said officers responded to West Court in Glen Burnie at about 10:50 a.m. Wednesday for reports of a shooting involving ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations agents.
A preliminary investigation found that ICE agents were conducting a detail in the area when they approached a white van, according to police.
Police alleged the driver attempted to run the agents over, prompting ICE agents to open fire on the vehicle.
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The van then accelerated before stopping in a wooded area of a nearby residential neighborhood.
Mulacahy said one person inside the van was struck by gunfire and transported to an area hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.
Another person outside the van sustained minor injuries and was treated at an area hospital.
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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said on X that the agents identified the driver of the van as Tiago Alexandre Sousa-Martins, an illegal alien from Portugal. Solomon Antonio Serrano-Esquivel, an illegal alien from El Salvador, was the passenger, DHS said.
According to DHS, the officers approached the van and told Sousa-Martins to turn off the engine, but he refused and attempted to flee. Sousa-Martins also allegedly began to ram his vehicle into several ICE vehicles before driving the van at ICE agents.
“Fearing for their lives and public safety, the ICE officers defensively fired their service weapons, striking the driver,” DHS said. “Sousa-Martins then wrecked his van between two buildings, injuring the passenger.”
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The agents rendered medical aid to both the driver and passenger, DHS added, before they were transported to the hospital for treatment.
“Our brave officers are risking their lives every day to keep American communities safe by arresting and removing illegal aliens from our streets,” DHS said. “Continued efforts to encourage illegal aliens and violent agitators to actively resist ICE will only lead to more violent incidents. The extremist rhetoric must stop.”
The incident has triggered at least three investigations. The Anne Arundel County Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division will review the shooting, while the FBI will investigate the alleged assault on federal agents.
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ICE will also conduct an internal investigation through its Office of Professional Responsibility.
Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal Awad said the multiple investigations are standard procedure in incidents involving federal and local agencies and emphasized that her department was not involved in the shooting.
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“No Anne Arundel resources were involved in this incident, nor were they present,” she said.
No further details were immediately available as the investigations continue.
Trump chats with kids tracking Santa as he comforts child scared of getting coal
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump spoke with several children on Christmas Eve as Santa Claus made his rounds across the globe, praising “clean, beautiful coal” and referring to one child as a “high-IQ person.”
The pair joined the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) Santa Tracker hotline from Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, where they fielded calls from kids about what they hoped St. Nick would bring them for Christmas.
One child spoke to Trump about wanting a Kindle, the e-reader designed and marketed by Amazon.
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“That’s pretty good. You must be a high-IQ person. We need more high-IQ people in the country,” he replied.
One 8-year-old North Carolina girl asked if Santa would be upset if she didn’t leave him cookies.
“I think he won’t get mad, but I think he’ll be very disappointed,” said Trump. “Santa tends to be a little on the cherubic side.”
Trump asked one child in Kansas for a Christmas wish.
“Um, not coal,” the child replied.
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“Not coal. No, you don’t want coal. You mean clean, beautiful coal. I had to do that, I’m sorry,” Trump said.
“No, coal is clean and beautiful. Please remember that at all costs,” he added. “But you don’t want clean, beautiful coal, right? What would you like?”
Trump has frequently referred to coal as “clean” and “beautiful” in an effort to boost its use.
During a call with a child in Oklahoma, he said he was fond of the state, which he won in the 2024 presidential election.
“Santa loves you. Santa loves Oklahoma like I do. You know, Oklahoma was very good to me in the election. So, I love Oklahoma. Don’t ever leave Oklahoma, OK?” he said.
During the same call, Trump talked about tracking Santa.
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“We track Santa all over the world. … We want to make sure that he’s not infiltrated — that we’re not infiltrating into our country a bad Santa,” he said. “We found that Santa is Good!”