Jackpot for Mega Millions surges past $1B after no numbers match on Christmas Eve drawing
Hang onto those stocking-stuffer lottery tickets. The Mega Millions jackpot has surpassed $1 billion after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn on Christmas Eve. That means the estimated jackpot for Friday's drawing is $1.15 billion, potentially the fifth largest jackpot in the game's history. Lottery officials say the odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350, while the odds of winning any Mega Millions prize are 1 in 24. Tickets for the game are sold in 45 states. Mega Millions tickets are $2 a piece. Half of the proceeds from the sale of each ticket remains in the state where the ticket was sold.
Biden signs a bill officially making the bald eagle the national bird of the US
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Joe Biden has made it official: The bald eagle is now the national bird of the United States. Biden signed a bill into law on Tuesday to correct what had long gone unnoticed and designate the bald eagle as the national bird. The bald eagle has been a symbol of the United States for more than 240 years, appearing on the nation's Great Seal since the design was finalized in 1782. That year, Congress also designated the bald eagle as the national emblem. But the honor of becoming the national bird had remained elusive until now.
The end of the 'Rust' criminal case against Alec Baldwin may unlock a civil lawsuit
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) -- The conclusion of a criminal case against Alec Baldwin in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer may clear the way for a related civil lawsuit by relatives of the deceased woman and efforts to depose the actor under oath. Attorneys for the parents and sister of deceased cinematographer Halyna Hutchins said Tuesday that they'll move forward with their suit for damages and compensation after prosecutors withdrew an appeal in the dismissal of a criminal charge against Baldwin. Hutchins died shortly after being wounded during a rehearsal in the movie "Rust" in October 2021 at a film-set ranch on the outskirts of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Richard Perry, record producer behind 'You're So Vain' and other hits, dies at 82
Hitmaking record producer Richard Perry has died at 82. With a flair for both standards and contemporary sounds, his many highlights included Carly Simon's "You're So Vain," Rod Stewart's "Great American Songbook" series and a Ringo Starr album featuring all four Beatles. Perry was widely known as a "musician's producer," treating artists like peers rather than vehicles for his own tastes. He was also the rare producer to have No. 1 hits on the pop, R&B, dance and country charts.
King Charles III is set to focus on healthcare workers in his traditional Christmas message
LONDON (AP) -- King Charles III is expected to use his annual Christmas message to highlight health workers, at the end of a year in which both he and the Princess of Wales were diagnosed with cancer. His King's Speech will be broadcast in the afternoon on Wednesday, Christmas Day. This is the king's third Christmas speech since he ascended the throne after his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died. It's the first since he was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in February. In keeping with the King's desire to go into the community, he tasked speech organizers with finding a site away from the royal estate.
Soprano Angel Blue sings her first Metropolitan Opera 'Aida' in a new production
Angel Blue, one of the most admired singers of her generation, is headlining the Metropolitan Opera's first new production of Verdi's "Aida" in 36 years. The 40-year-old takes on the title role of the enslaved Ethiopian princess torn between love for an Egyptian warrior and loyalty to her country. It's a part that comes weighted with history, especially for a Black soprano at the Met, where Leontyne Price embodied the role from her first performance in 1961 until her retirement in 1985. Blue tells The Associated Press she's long looked up to Price, and directors who have worked with her say the singer is ready for the challenge. Blue's Met debut in 'Aida' will happen New Year's Eve.
Centuries-old angels uncovered at Boston church made famous by Paul Revere
BOSTON (AP) -- Conservators have uncovered eight angels in a historic Boston church that counted Paul Revere as a bell ringer and played a pivotal role in the Revolutionary War. The angels were painted in the early 18th century but painted over in 1912 as part of a renovation of the Old North Church. Inspired by research showing the existence of at least 20 angels, conservators for the past four months have been removing the white paint that covered the eight angels located on the balcony's arches in the church sanctuary. The public is now able to view them.
Swiss Olympic snowboarder Sophie Hediger dies in avalanche, aged 26
Swiss Olympic snowboarder Sophie Hediger has died following an avalanche at a mountain resort. The country's skiing federation says the incident took place at the Arosa resort in Switzerland. The 26-year-old Hediger competed at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics in the women's snowboard cross and the mixed team version of the same event. Hediger achieved her first two World Cup podium finishes in the 2023-24 season. Her best result was a second place in St. Moritz in January.
NFL on Netflix: Christmas Day games are a 1st for streaming giant
Netflix will have one of its biggest days since the site launched in 1998 when it carries two NFL games for the first time on Christmas. "NFL Christmas Gameday on Netflix" kicks off with a two-hour pregame show at 11 a.m., before Pittsburgh hosts Kansas City. Baltimore faces Houston in the second game. The streaming giant agreed to a three-year contract in May to carry Christmas Day games.
Magic and lights draw crowds to an alpine village in Washington state for Christmas
LEAVENWORTH, Wash. (AP) -- Freshly baked pretzels, shining tree lights and sleds in the snow lend a ruddy warmth to an unlikely collection of Bavarian-themed chalets in the mountains of Washington state. Decades ago, the town of Leavenworth was a near ghost town, one of the poorest parts of the Pacific Northwest. The mines and the sawmill had closed, and even the railroad left. That's when desperate business owners took a serious gamble -- reinventing the community in the vision of an alpine village. More than half a century later, the result brings tourists from near and far -- especially during the holidays, when Leavenworth takes on the flavor of a German Christmas market.