Nearly three-quarters of Americans to stay home for New Year’s Eve
As roughly one million revelers plan to ring in the new year by partying in New York’s Times Square, nearly three-quarters of Americans plan to stay home to end 2024. That’s according to a new survey from the Associated Press and the University of Chicago.
The poll asked American adults, “How do you plan to spend New Year’s Eve?” It found that 72% plan to celebrate at home, 21% will go to a relative or friend’s home and just 6%, overall, intend to go out to a bar, restaurant or other organized party.
The number of people “going out” doubles to about 13% for the age group 18-29. People 60 and older are least likely, just 2%.
The poll also asked about New Year’s resolutions. About 57% of respondents say they are planning to make at least one New Year’s resolution. The top five resolutions to start 2025 are eating healthier, exercising more, setting financial goals, losing weight and taking care of one’s mental health.
The same poll found a partisan divide when it comes to optimism about 2025 with 69% of Republicans believing the next year will be better for them personally, compared to just 19% for Democrats.
Millions of tourists expected to flock to largest ice and snow park in the world
Winter is in full swing, and while summer is typically the season for travel, China is expecting tourists to book a flight to see the largest ice and snow park in the world. The frozen wonderland is taking shape in Harbin, located in the country’s northeast province.
For 26 years, the winter attraction has drawn in millions with the help of towering ice sculptures illuminated with glowing neon lights. The “Big World of Ice and Snow” festival is the world’s largest ice and snow theme park, equipped with 300,000 cubic meters of ice and snow.
Park officials expect people from all over the world and other parts of China to make the trek to the attraction.
Chinese officials said they’re preparing for half a billion visitors to the country during the snowy season.
In an attempt to draw in domestic and international guests, the Chinese government has increased flight routes and reduced travel restrictions.
Snow-covered ski resorts, parks and landscapes are keeping China’s economy booming. The government saw a 500% increase in revenue during last year’s winter season.
The country’s economy is expected to keep growing during the Ninth Asian Winter Games in 2025, a sports event that will bring athletes from around Asia to Harbin to compete.
South Korean parliament votes to impeach acting president
The political turmoil involving key U.S. ally South Korea deepens as its acting president is impeached. And severe weather could disrupt plans for millions on one of the busiest travel weekends of the year. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Dec. 27, 2024.
South Korean parliament votes to impeach acting president
Han, South Korea’s number two official, has been leading the country since the opposition-controlled National Assembly moved to get rid of Yoon. The assembly voted Friday to approve the impeachment motion against Han 192-0, with current governing party lawmakers boycotting the vote.
Meanwhile, two lawyers from Yoon’s legal team appeared before the constitutional court on Yoon’s behalf as hearings into his impeachment begin. The court has 180 days to decide whether to reinstate Yoon or remove him from office.
South Korea is a key ally of the United States. The U.S. has nearly 30,000 troops stationed there. Any new government would have to deal with President-elect Donald Trump come January. Trump has previously stated that South Korea should pay as much as $10 billion to have American troops there.
Israeli airstrikes hit Yemen airport where WHO chief was boarding plane
A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa and multiple ports Thursday, Dec. 26. The World Health Organization’s director-general said the bombardment happened not far from where he was about to board a flight, injuring a crew member with the U.N. Humanitarian Air Service.
Our mission to negotiate the release of @UN staff detainees and to assess the health and humanitarian situation in #Yemen concluded today. We continue to call for the detainees' immediate release.
As we were about to board our flight from Sana’a, about two hours ago, the airport… pic.twitter.com/riZayWHkvf
At least three people were later reported killed and dozens injured in the airport strike.
A U.S. spokesperson said U.N. team members have since left the airport and are “safe and sound” in Sanaa. The injured crew member was getting treatment at a hospital.
The Israeli army told the Associated Press it was not aware that the WHO chief or delegation was at the location in Yemen.
Meanwhile, in Gaza, Israeli strikes left 20 people dead, including five Palestinian journalists, according to the territory’s health ministry. The Israeli military claimed they were militants posing as reporters.
Russian anti-aircraft system may have struck Azerbaijan passenger plane
Early indications point to a Russian anti-aircraft system as the cause of a deadly Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane crash in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, Dec. 25, a U.S. official told multiple outlets. There are reports that the Russian system used a surface-to-air missile to hit the flight before it crashed near the city of Aktau, killing 38 of the 67 people on board.
A commission has been set up to investigate the crash, including representatives from Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Russia. However, Russian and Azerbaijani investigators will not be allowed to conduct their own forensics investigations, according to Kazakh state media.
The flight was en route, from Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny when it was diverted. Russian state media said the diversion was because of fog. The plane crash landed while attempting to make an emergency landing in Kazakhstan.
Some aviation experts have pointed to holes in the underside of the plane as evidence of shrapnel and that the plane appeared to have been shot down.
Judge rules ‘Diddy’ and Jay-Z rape accuser can remain anonymous
A New York judge has ruled a woman who is accusing music moguls Sean “Diddy” Combs and Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, of raping her when she was 13 can stay anonymous for now.
Judge says woman accusing Jay-Z, Sean 'Diddy' Combs of raping her at age 13 can proceed anonymously https://t.co/GwuLF7l5N0
In her decision, Judge Analisa Torres reserved the right to revisit the decision at a future date if the case moves forward, which would help defense lawyers prepare for trial. Torres also cited “substantial interest” from the public.
Severe weather threatens to disrupt post-Christmas travel
Friday is the start of one of the busiest travel weekends of the year and severe weather will likely throw a wrench in many people’s plans. Storms across the western and southern U.S. are threatening delays for millions of passengers, especially Saturday, Dec. 28.
Here are some key messages regarding the severe weather threat this Saturday (12/28). pic.twitter.com/BmzmpznyeE
The National Weather Service said another round of severe thunderstorms is expected to hit the deep south Saturday with strong tornadoes, damaging winds and large hail from Louisiana to Alabama. Meanwhile, a series of Pacific storm systems will continue to impact the west, bringing strong winds, low-elevation rain and heavy mountain snow.
Americans get lottery fever as Mega Millions jackpot hits $1.15 billion
While lottery officials say the odds of winning any Mega Millions prize are 1 in 24, chances of hitting the jackpot are 1 in 302.5 million. However, come April, the chances will go up — along with ticket prices.
Right now, Mega Millions is $2 per ticket, but that cost will jump to $5 in April. Lottery officials insist the price hike will lead to improved jackpot odds along with more frequent giant prizes and even bigger payouts.
American Airlines resumes flights after ‘technical issue’ on Christmas Eve
American Airlines reported a widespread “technical issue” on Christmas Eve morning, Dec. 24. The Federal Aviation Administration said the airline requested a ground stop for all its U.S. flights.
American Airlines responded to worried travelers on X, saying, “Your safety is our utmost priority, once this is rectified, we’ll have you safely on your way to your destination.” The airline lifted the nationwide ground stop around 8 a.m. ET, but no further details on the “technical issue” have been released.
American Airlines said it was expecting to fly nearly 12.7 million customers during the holiday period from Dec. 18 to Jan. 6.
The Transportation Security Administration said it expects to screen nearly 40 million travelers from Dec. 19 to Jan. 2, a more than 6% increase from the same time last year.
On the Monday before Christmas, Americans are hitting the roads and heading to the airports. Travel experts said the holiday travel rush is now kicking into high gear.
AAA predicted Americans will set another record this Christmas and New Years. This comes after record-breaking travel during the 2024 Thanksgiving holiday.
The auto club expects 119.3 million will travel at least 50 miles between Saturday, Dec. 21, and Wednesday, Jan. 1. That’s about three million more than last year.
AAA said people are traveling in droves on the weekend before and after Christmas. They said this is because Christmas falls on a Wednesday.
The previous record for Christmas travel was set in 2019. Right now, the worst time to drive before Christmas is Monday, Dec. 23, from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. Roads are expected to be very congested.
Meantime, the TSA expects to screen about 40 million passengers from the time period that started last Thursday, Dec. 19, through Thursday, Jan. 2. That would be a 6% jump from the 2023 holiday season.
Looking ahead, the TSA anticipates Friday, Dec. 27, and Monday, Dec. 30, to be the next two busiest days for flying.
Despite airports being packed, AAA expects about 90% of holiday travelers, or roughly 107 million people, to drive to their destination. More than four million people will travel by other modes, such as bus or train, which would be the highest rate in 20 years.
Zillow offers look inside Santa’s home at North Pole
Home for the holidays. It’s what many of us are dreaming about this time of the year, and Zillow is giving everyone the chance to visit one special home: Santa’s.
First, here are some new numbers before we get to the tour. AAA estimates a record 119.3 million people will travel 50 miles or more over the year-end holiday period from Dec. 21 to Jan. 1, according to its forecast released Wednesday, Dec. 11.
Nearly 90% of holiday travelers are hitting the road this year, representing roughly 107 million people expected to hop in their cars. Meanwhile, nearly 8 million passengers will take to the skies.
That number may or may not include travel by reindeer, the transportation of choice for one famous jolly fellow. Yes, we’re talking about Santa Claus.
Santa will leave his North Pole storybook home on Christmas Eve to fly around the world. As we prepare to embark on our trips home, Santa is letting us tour his home, courtesy of Zillow.
The real estate website is once again presents “Santa’s House,” a virtual tour of ol’ St. Nick’s 2,000-plus square foot cabin on 25 acres worth an estimated $1.2 million.
Zillow said this is its most visited off-market home listing, already viewed more than 3 million times.
Inside, you’ll find the kitchen where Santa, Mrs. Claus and the elves bake Christmas cookies. The open-concept living room includes a Christmas tree and fireplace –– with a fire, so delightful.
Moving upstairs, a guest bedroom has been transformed into a gift-wrapping room, which is a necessity for this home. And to prove this is indeed Kris Kringle’s abode, there’s Santa’s mail room where he reads every letter sent by boys and girls from all over the world.
This year, the listing includes a feature called “Let Santa Know You Moved.” Kids (and their parents) who have recently relocated can let Santa know their family’s new address. That way, Rudolph and the gang will have no trouble finding them on Christmas Eve.
Of course, if you want to track Santa’s moves once he leaves his home on his global journey, NORAD’s Santa Tracker will return on Dec. 24.
‘America’s germ capitals’: Cities people are most likely to get sick
As the holiday travel season kicks off, so does the cold and flu season. Soliant Health conducted a study analyzing which cities Americans are most likely to catch a cold or the flu while on vacation.
Researchers considered current cold and flu activity, air quality, asthma rates, allergies and germs in public transportation.
Bakersfield, California, ranked as the top city where people are most likely to get sick. Two more Golden State cities, Fresno and San Diego, followed as illness hotspots.
New York City and Jackson, Mississippi, also rank among the top five cities in which Americans are likely to get sick.
Honolulu, Hawaii, ranked at the bottom of the illness hotspot list for Americans looking to travel to cities where they are least likely to get sick.
According to the study, Omaha, Nebraska; Boise, Idaho; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Provo, Utah, are among the five places where people are least likely to catch a cold or the flu.
Soliant Health researchers urged traveling Americans to have a plan in case they do get sick on vacation. Researchers recommended knowing where reliable health care is located in case medical treatment is necessary.
Researchers also recommended “staying vigilant,” meaning that Americans should keep up with health habits.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listed tips for reducing the risk of getting sick. Washing hands, avoiding close contact and staying home when sick are all ways to prevent the spread of illness during this flu season.
Cyber Monday pulls in record $13.3 billion in sales
Your chances to get some of the deepest discounts of the holiday shopping season have passed with Cyber Monday now in the books. Consumers took full advantage, collectively spending a record $13.3 billion online during Cyber Monday.
Adobe Analytics said that’s up 7.3% from last year and surpassed projections of $13.2 billion in sales. The company said between the peak hours of 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. alone, people spent a combined $15.8 million every 60 seconds.
“Cyber Monday remains the biggest online shopping day of all time, as shoppers took advantage of bigger-than-expected discounts in categories such as electronics (peaking at 30.1% off listed price), toys (26.1%), apparel (23.2%), televisions (21.8%), and computers (21.5%),” Adobe said.
Adobe said “buy now, pay later” plans were quite popular, accounting for more than $991 million worth of Cyber Monday spending.
The company said toys were the clear winner on Cyber Monday, with online sales growing 680% compared to an average day in October 2024.
Other interesting facts include: 57% of online sales came through a mobile device, representing $7.6 billion in spend; traffic to retail sites from chat bots (shoppers clicking on a link to a retail site) increased by 1,950% compared to the year prior; and there was record online spending on Thanksgiving Day of $6.1 billion, up 8.8% from last year.
Adobe said deals will continue in the weeks leading up to Christmas, but will come down from their Cyber Monday peak. Adobe said shoppers can still find good bargains through the month in computers (peaking at 18% off listed price), toys (18%), electronics (17%), televisions (17%), apparel (17%), sporting goods (16%), and appliances (14%).
Sunday after Thanksgiving sees record number of flyers
The Transportation Security Administration reports Sunday, Dec. 1, was the busiest flying day ever in the United States. The record-breaker occurred as Americans tried to get home from the long Thanksgiving holiday week.
TSA agents screened 3.09 million flyers on Sunday, breaking the previous record set earlier this year. 3.01 million Americans flew on July 7, the Sunday after the Fourth of July.
Before that, 2.95 million people flew on May 24, the Friday before Memorial Day, when many people celebrate the unofficial start of summer.
Officials said air travel was relatively smooth compared to past years.
FlightAware reports airlines canceled less than 1% of all flights over the long holiday week. 83% were on time. The biggest difficulty on Sunday was lake effect snow in the east. FlightAware says 120 flights were canceled.
In addition, an air traffic controller shortage throughout the holiday week was a bit of a travel nuisance, especially at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. The FAA had to slow some departures, resulting in flight delays.
Overall, the TSA reports 12.6 million travelers flew this week between the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and Sunday, Dec. 1. That topped last year’s total of 12 million.
America facing a live Christmas tree shortage again
As millions of Americans get ready to begin their search for the perfect Christmas tree, growers are having historic challenges getting them to sale lots, according to the Wall Street Journal. The day after Thanksgiving is usually the biggest day for live tree sales, but since Thanksgiving came so late this year, it’s a very short selling season.
On top of that, a nationwide shortage is expected thanks to severe weather across the country this year, such as northeastern drought and North Carolina floods caused by Hurricane Helene. North Carolina is the second-biggest supplier of Christmas trees in the country.
Shoppers bought roughly 21.6 million real Christmas trees in the U.S. last year, according to the National Christmas Tree Association. The Department of Agriculture said the number of trees harvested in the U.S. has declined 30% since 2002, while the American population has grown 16% over the same period.