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Kimberlee Singler, 37, was returned to the U.S. on Dec. 23 and is currently being held in custody in Colorado, according toColorado's 4th Judicial District Attorney's Office. Singler faces seven counts, including the first-degree murders of her 9-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son in December 2023.

"Singler is accused of committing an unspeakable act — really, a reprehensible act," Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vazquez said at anews conferenceon Dec. 23. "Crimes as horrific as this are simply heart wrenching... I know that these acts have deeply impacted our community and our hearts remain with the victims."

See timeline of case:Melodee Buzzard's mother charged with murder.

Singler wasarrested in late December 2023in London just over a week after two of her young children were discovered dead at their home in Colorado Springs, authorities said. Her 11-year-old daughter sustained a "significant injury" but was taken to a hospital and survived, according to prosecutors.

During the news conference, District Attorney Michael Allen said Singler will be held without bond pending a preliminary hearing. Online inmate records showed that a hearing was scheduled for Jan. 7, 2026.

What is Kimberlee Singler accused of doing?

On Dec. 19, 2023, police responded to a burglary call at Singler's home, according to the Colorado Springs Police Department. When officers arrived at the scene, they discovered Singler and her 11-year-old daughter injured and her 9-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son dead.

Singler and her 11-year-old daughter was transported to the hospital for treatment. At the time, police said Singler was considered a witness and a victim and allowed her to leave the hospital as there was not enough probable cause to suggest she was linked to the children's deaths.

But "as the investigation into this case unfolded, it was determined the initial report of a burglary was unfounded," according to police. After Singler appeared to be cooperating with police, she disappeared during the investigation, police said.

Prosecutors have alleged that Singler killed her two children by shooting them in the head and stabbing them in the neck in their home. She is also accused of attempting to kill her 11-year-old daughter but has denied the allegations.

At the time of the murders, prosecutors said Singler was in the midst of a protracted custody battle with her ex-partner.

UK judge rejected Colorado mother's challenge against extradition

Earlier this year, a judge in the U.K.rejected Singler's challenge to extradition, USA TODAY previously reported. Singler had denied the charges in a London court and her lawyer told the court Singler was "concerned that the statement made against her by her surviving child was not voluntary."

The judge ruled that Singler's challenge to her extradition, on the grounds that if convicted she faces a mandatory sentence of life without parole in breach of her human rights, should be dismissed.

According to Allen, his office has a filed a criminal complaint against Singler with the following felony charges:

• Two counts of first-degree murder after deliberation and with intent

• Two counts of first-degree murder of a child under 12

• One count of attempted first-degree murder after deliberation and with intent

• One count of attempted first-degree murder of a child under 12

• One count of first-degree assault

Allen said if Singler is convicted of the Class 1 felony charges, she faces a sentence of life in prison without parole.

Contributing: Anthony Robledo and Julia Gomez, USA TODAY; Reuters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Colorado mom accused of killing 2 children extradited to US from UK

This comes after the president posted a video in early November threatening to go into Nigeria "guns-a-blazing." Around that time, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed Trump's message and said in aposton X that the Department of Defense was "preparing for action."

"I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was. The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing," Trump added in the post.

It is not yet clear the outcome of that strike or what the exact target was. ABC News has asked the White House for more information.

In aposton X, Hegseth further said there will be "more to come" and expressed his gratitude to the Nigerian government for its support and cooperation.

"The President was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria (and elsewhere) must end.

"The @DeptofWar is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight -- on Christmas."

Hegseth ended his post with, "Merry Christmas!"

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

For some, like Reps. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., and Byron Donalds, R-Mo., that means annual Christmas traditions with loved ones.

"So, Christmas Eve is Spanish bean soup and Cuban sandwiches," Donalds told Fox News Digital. "And Christmas Day we just spend time, and Christmas night will be some basketball, some football, and maybe a fire."

Burlison described a "special" Christmas scavenger hunt his mother puts on for her grandchildren to find in their stockings.

Aj Brown, Tee Higgins Among Nfl Stars Reminiscing On Christmas Memories As They Impact Their Communities

"And then we do Christmas bingo for our White Elephant gifts, and it gets pretty competitive," Burlison smiled. "One of the funny things that happens every year is my brother will, whatever home we're in, he'll steal something from the house and then throw it in as one of the gifts."

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"You'll end up opening it and you're like, 'Oh, we have a vase just like this, Oh, wait, that's our vase!' It's so funny. He does it all the time."

House Majority LeaderSteve Scalise, R-La., told Fox News Digital his favorite Christmas tradition is opening presents with his children and eating Cajun fried turkey.

Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, said he always keeps his faith close on Christmas.

"The holidays always begin with attendingChristmas Massand thanking God for the miracle of the birth of Christ," Cuellar told Fox News Digital. "From there, it's about being at home with family — gathering around the table, sharing home-cooked meals, and keeping traditions that bring everyone together."

Meanwhile, Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., likes to share the end-of-year holidays with her chosen family of friends and neighbors.

'Christmas Lawyer' Who Went To War With Hoa Spends Windfall On Holiday Cheer

That includes making and sharing Christmas cookies with those same people, as well as "holiday dinner with my college roommates and holiday dinner with my poker group."

And Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., said Hanukkah and the rest of the holiday season was about his loved ones as well.

"The holidays are a special time for me to celebrate with my family — whether that's lighting the menorah with my kids, donating toys at local toy drives, or joining our community for tree and menorah lightings," Gottheimer said.

Original article source:Scavenger hunts, Christmas mass, Cajun-fried turkey: Capitol Hill's favorite holiday traditions

Tarique Rahman moved to London in 2008 for medical treatment with permission after he was tortured while in custody during a military-backed government that ruled from 2006 to 2008.

Rahman, 60, is the acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, one of two major political parties in the South Asian nation of more than 170 million people. His return is seen as politically significant ahead ofthe next election set for Feb. 12under the currentinterim government.

A flight carrying Rahman, his wife and daughter arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital, Dhaka, late Thursday morning among tight security measures.

Massive crowds of supporters spread across an area about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) between the airport and a reception venue, where many had stayed overnight. A sea of people also waited at the venue. Rahman's senior party leaders said earlier they expected "millions."

After a reception, party officials said Rahman plans to go to a hospital to visit his critically ill mother, formerPrime Minister Khaleda Zia,who led a coalition government from 2001 until 2006 when a non-elected government backed by the military came to power during a period of political chaos.

Zia, a former housewife, came to politics after her husband, former military chief and then President Ziaur Rahman, was assassinated in a military coup in 1981. She held power for the first time in 1991 after becoming a key leader in a nine-year movement against a former military dictator who was forced to resign during a mass uprising in 1990.

Zia is considered one of two key figures in Bangladesh politics along withSheikh Hasina, who wassentenced to deathin absentia in November. Hasina was convicted on charges of crimes against humanity involving the crackdown on a mass uprising that ended her 15-year rule in 2024. India has not approved requests to extradite Hasina since she fled there last year.

In recent years, Rahman has been a de facto leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. He regularly joined meetings and rallies online from London, keeping his party united. He was not openly challenged by any party insiders during his absence.

Bangladesh is now ata political crossroads. The interim government headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureateMuhammad Yunusis struggling to maintain law and order and restore confidence while attempting a return to democracy after Hasina's long premiership.

Global human rights groups including Human Rights Watch and the Amnesty International have accused the Yunus government of eroding democratic rights. Liberals in Bangladesh have expressed concernsover press freedomandminority rightsand accused Yunus of presiding over a visible rise of Islamists.

Rahman supported Yunus when he took over as the government's chief adviser, but the relationship with his party has been shaky.

Rahman was convicted in several criminal cases during Hasina's 15-year rule since 2009. Appeals courts under the Yunus government have acquitted him of all criminal charges including involvement of agrenade attacks on a Hasina rallyin 2004.

Forecasters said Southern California could see its wettest Christmas in years and warned of flash flooding and mudslides. Areas scorched bywildfires in Januarysaw evacuation warnings as heavy rains and gusty winds brought mudslides and debris flows.

Many flood areas were in burn scar zones, which were stripped of vegetation by fire and are less able to absorb water.

San Bernardino County firefighters said they rescued people trapped in cars Wednesday when mud and debris rushed down a road leading into Wrightwood, a resort town in the San Gabriel Mountains about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northeast of Los Angeles. It was not immediately clear how many were rescued.

Firefighters also went door to door to check homes, and the area was under a shelter-in-place order, officials said. An evacuation order was issued for Lytle Creek, also in the San Gabriel Mountains.

Travis Guenther and his family were trapped in Lytle Creek after roaring waters washed out the only bridge in or out of their neighborhood. More than a dozen neighbors took shelter at a community center or found hotel rooms.

"Everybody that left to go to work this morning is stuck," he said. "Half the families are here, and half the families are on the other side of the creek."

Guenther said he had plenty of supplies and was coordinating with other in the community of about 280 people. Two nurses who live on his street offered to help anyone who may need medical attention.

Janice Quick, president of the Wrightwood Chamber of Commerce and a resident of the mountain town for 45 years, said a wildfire in 2024 left much of the terrain without tree coverage.

The storm also stranded Dillan Brown, his wife and 14-month-old daughter at a rented cabin in Wrightwood with almost no food and only enough diapers for about another day. Roads leading off the mountain and to a grocery store became blocked by rocks and debris, Brown said.

A resident learned of his situation and posted a call for help in a Facebook group. In less than an hour, neighbors showed up with more than enough supplies to ride out the storm, including bread, vegetables, milk, diapers and wipes.

"I think we're a little sad and upset that we're not going to be home with our families," Brown said, but the "kindness shown is definitely an overwhelming feeling."

Residents around burn scar zones from the Airport Fire in Orange County were also ordered to evacuate.

Areas along the coast including Malibu were under flood warnings until Wednesday evening, and wind and flood advisories were issued for much of the Sacramento Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Several roads including a part of Interstate 5 near the Burbank Airport closed due to flooding.

The storms were the result of multipleatmospheric riverscarrying massive plumes of moisture from the tropics during one of the busiest travel weeks of the year.

Southern California typically gets half an inch to 1 inch (1.3 to 2.5 centimeters) of rain this time of year, but this week many areas could see between 4 and 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters) with even more in the mountains, National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Wofford said.

Snow at higher elevations

Heavy snow and gusts created "near white-out conditions" in parts of the Sierra Nevada and made mountain pass trave treacherous. Officials said there was a "considerable" avalanche risk around Lake Tahoe, and a winter storm warning was in effect until Friday morning.

Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in six counties to allow state assistance in storm response.

The state deployed emergency resources and first responders to several coastal and Southern California counties, and theCaliforniaNational Guard was on standby.

The California Highway Patrol reported a seemingly weather-related crash south of Sacramento in which a Sacramento sheriff's deputy died. James Caravallo, who was with the agency for 19 years, was apparently traveling at an unsafe speed, lost control on a wet road and crashed into a power pole, CHP Officer Michael Harper said via email.

Associated Press writers Sophie Austin in Sacramento, Jessica Hill in Las Vegas and Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City contributed.

The statement from Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry on Christmas morning appeared aimed at putting public pressure on the Southern Transitional Council, a force long backed by the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia has backed other fighters within Yemen, including the National Shield Forces, in the war against the Iranian-backed Houthis the kingdom launched in 2015.

"The kingdom stresses the importance of cooperation among all Yemeni factions and components to exercise restraint and avoid any measures that could destabilize security and stability, which may result in undesirable consequences," the Saudi Foreign Ministry warned.

Saudi Arabia says negotiations ongoing

The Council has moved into Yemen'sgovernorates of Hadramout and Mahra. The Saudi statement said meditation efforts were aimed at having the Council's forces return to "their previous positions outside of the two governorates and handover the camps in those areas" to the National Shield Forces.

"These efforts remain in progress to restore the situation to its previous statement," the ministry added.

Those aligned with the Council have increasingly flown the flag of the flag of South Yemen, which was a separate country from 1967 to 1990. There were calls for demonstrations Thursday in Aden to support political forces wanting South Yemen to again secede from Yemen, but it wasn't immediately clear if they would go ahead given Saudi Arabia's announcement. Aden has been the seat of power in Yemen for forces aligned against the Houthis.

The confrontation also has put pressure on the relationship between neighboring Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which maintain close relations and are members of the OPEC oil cartel but also have vied for more intensely for influence and international business in recent years.

The Council's moves in Yemen followan escalation of violence in Sudan, another nation on the Red Sea, where the kingdom and the Emirates back opposing forces in an ongoing war.

It's the latest chaos to grip war-torn Yemen

The Houthis seized Yemen's capital, Sanaa, in September 2014 and forced the internationally recognized government into exile. Tehran denies arming the rebels, althoughIranian-manufactured weaponry has been found on the battlefieldand in sea shipments heading to Yemen despite a United Nations arms embargo.

A Saudi-led coalition armed with U.S. weaponry and intelligence entered the war on the side of Yemen's exiled government in March 2015. Years of inconclusive fighting has pushed the Arab world's poorest nation to the brink of famine.

The war has killed more than 150,000 people, including fighters and civilians, and created one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters, killing tens of thousands more.

The Houthis launched attacks on hundreds of ships in the Red Sea corridor over the Israel-Hamas war, greatly disrupting regional shipping.

While traffic has inched up recently in the lull in attacks, many shippers continue to go around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope to avoid the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

Further chaos in Yemen could again draw in the United States. The U.S. launchedan intense bombing campaign targeting the rebelsearlier this year that President Donald Trump halted just before his trip to the Mideast. The Biden administration also conducted strikes against the Houthis, includingusing America's B-2 bombersto target what it described as underground bunkers used by the Houthis.

The Houthis meanwhile announced plans for a funeral Thursday for several of its fighters, including Maj. Gen. Zakaria Abdullah Yahya Hajar, whom analysts identified as the group's drone and missile chief. U.S. forces reportedly targeted Hajar, who allegedly received training from expeditionary Quds Force of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, in a strike in March in Sanaa. The Houthis provided no information on how or when he died in the funeral announcement.

Meanwhile, the Houthis have increasingly threatened Saudi Arabia andtaken dozens of workers at U.N. agencies and other aid groupsas prisoners, alleging without evidence that they were spies — something fiercely denied by the U.N. and others.

atmospheric river is laying siege to California, where evacuations have been issued because of the risk of life-threatening flooding and debris flows. - Sara Floyd" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

A powerful storm carrying a strongatmospheric riveris laying siege to California, where evacuations have been issued because of the risk of life-threatening flooding and debris flows.

"A dangerous scenario is unfolding, with widespread and significant impacts from flash flooding and debris flows expected," the Weather Prediction Center said about areas near and north of Los Angeles as the downpours arrived Wednesday morning.

The National Weather Service is warning of more flooding rains and strong winds in Northern and Southern California on Christmas Day.

Some areas in the mountains to the north and northwest of Los Angeles have already seen 4 to 8 inches of rain and the atmospheric river continues to soak the region. Feet of mountain snow, severe thunderstorms and strong winds round out the multiple threats the state is facing.

Evacuation warnings or orders were in place in parts of at least five Southern California counties, notably around areas recently burned by wildfires.

California Gov. Gavin Newsomdeclared a state of emergencyin Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Shasta counties. The state of emergency will "activate emergency authorities and preposition resources to keep our communities safe," Newsom said in a Wednesday post on X.

The city of Los Angeles also declared a local emergency Wednesday evening to ensure departments "have the required resources in the days ahead," Mayor Karen Bass said.

Here's the latest:

• Rare high risk of flooding rain: More than 7 million people in portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties were in the highest-risk zone Wednesday, according to the Weather Prediction Center. More than a dozen flash flood warnings were issued Wednesday morning in Southern California. San Bernardino County was under an extended warning until 9:45 p.m.

• Roads and highways washed out: Authorities in northwest Los Angeles and northeast Ventura counties have reported "heavy rain, rockslides, mudslides, and washed out roadways," the National Weather Service said. Debris flows and flooding have also been reported in the San Bernardino Mountains, including Highway 2. Mud and debris flows shut down northbound Interstate 15 near Cajon Junction Wednesday morning, and flooding shut down portions of Interstate 5 in Los Angeles County on Wednesday afternoon, according to Caltrans, the state Department of Transportation. The Los Angeles Police Department had responded to 52 traffic accidents as of Wednesday morning, the mayor's office said.

• Rescues underway amid mud and debris flows in Wrightwood: The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department issued a shelter-in-place order for the community of Wrightwood, northeast of Los Angeles, Wednesday afternoon due to flash flooding, mud and debris flows. An evacuation warning was previously in effect for the area. Video posted by the county Fire Department showed heavy flooding in the area that made Highway 2 impassable.

• Man rescued on Los Angeles River: The Los Angeles Fire Department rescued a man trapped in a small drainage tunnel on the Los Angeles River in the Winnetka neighborhood during heavy rain Wednesday morning. Two other people in the area were also moved out of the danger zone, the department said. The fire department has deployed teams to two river rescue incidents as of early Wednesday afternoon, the mayor's office said.

• Thousands without power amid high winds: Strong winds and heavy rain blasted Northern California Wednesday, including the Bay Area, where a wind gust up to 108 mph was clocked in the northern hills. Wind gusts have topped 90 mph in multiple spots across Southern California's San Gabriel Mountains. Thousands of homes and businesses have lost power in the state, according to PowerOutage.us.

• Chain controls in effect for I-80: The snowy side of this storm is now ramping up in the Sierra Nevada. Requirement 2 chain controls are in effect for Interstate 80, which means chains or traction devices are required on all vehicles except those with four-wheel or all-wheel drive that also have snow-tread tires.

• Two dead in weather-related incidents: A motorist crashed and died on a wet roadway in South Sacramento, the state highway patrol told CNN. "While the crash is still under investigation, it appears that the vehicle was traveling at an unsafe speed on the wet roadway and lost control," hitting a metal power pole, the agency said. Heavy rainfall had occurred in the 5 a.m. hour and light rain was in the area during the time of the crash. In San Diego, a 61-year-old man died Wednesday when a large portion of a tree fell on him. High winds were blowing in the area at the time, according to San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Capt. Jason Shanley. The victim was pinned under the tree and family members were unable to rescue him, the captain said. Firefighters and police were able to pull the victim from under the tree, but the resident succumbed to his injuries, Shanley added.

Rare high risk on Christmas Eve

High risk flooding events are incredibly significant: They're issued on fewer than 4% of days per year on average, but are responsible for more than 80% of all flood-related damage and36% of all flood-related deaths, Weather Prediction Center research shows.

Rainfall rates could exceed 1 inch per hour at times into Wednesday evening and potentially again on Thursday. That's more than enough to trigger dangerous flash flooding and life-threatening debris flows on recent burn scars, including from January'sEaton and Palisades fires.

The scorched ground of these scars repels water instead of absorbing it, quickly turning rain into a surge of floodwater that pulls mud and debris with it.

The holiday danger doesn't end Wednesday: Another atmospheric river-fueled storm will follow Christmas Day and continue into Friday. It's raising a Level 3 of 4 flooding rain risk for more than 12 million people, including many in Wednesday's high risk.

All told, rainfall totals in Southern California through the end of the week could be as much as 4 to 7 inches in coastal and valley locations, while foothills and mountains see 6 to 14 inches.

To put those totals into perspective, a city like Los Angeles could see anywhere from two months' worth of rain to nearly half a year's worth in just a week.

Residents not evacuating despite orders

Ventura, Santa Barbara, Orange and San Bernardino counties all issued evacuation warnings or orders for the threat of flooding by Tuesday evening. They followed orders and warnings first issued on Monday by Los Angeles County for areas in and around burn scars in the greater Los Angeles area, including the Eaton and Palisades fire zones.

The orders in the Los Angeles area for 383 properties that sheriff's deputies reached out directly to, including going door-to-door, the county Office of Emergency Management said Monday.

But many of the people had chosen not to leave, the city's Police Chief Jim McDonnell said at a Tuesday news conference.

"I would ask you to seriously reconsider that," McDonnell said.

They include Steve Schklair and his family, who live in a warning area for debris flow and mudslides. They recently moved back into their home in Altadena, which they spent almost a year rebuilding following the fires, he told CNN affiliate KCBS.

But the family will not be evacuating because they live in a "lucky spot" and will instead spend Christmas hunkered down at home, Schklair said.

"All the mud flows — and it does flow — (go) around the house and down the street, never comes up here," he told KCBS.

Impossible travel conditions in the mountains

Feet of snow falling in the Sierra Nevada will make travel there difficult or impossible at times through Friday. That includes Interstate 80 through Donner Pass.

The heavy snow will be a big change for the region, which has had much less snow than usual to start the season.

If that's not enough, severe thunderstorms are a threat for coastal parts of California both Wednesday and Thursday. Any storms that turn severe could produce damaging wind gusts or a brief tornado.

Some relief from this nonstop stormy pattern looks to finally arrive for the upcoming weekend.

CNN's Eric Levenson and Cindy Von Quednow contributed to this report.

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The disclosure of the transcripts as part of the Justice Department's ongoing release of its investigative files on Maxwell and the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein exposed how an FBI agent told grand jurors about Maxwell's critical role in Epstein's decades-long sexual abuse of girls and young women.

Maxwell,a British socialite and publishing heir, was convicted of sex trafficking in December 2021 after four women told a federal jury in New York City about how she and Epstein abused them in the 1990s and early 2000s. Epstein never went to trial. He was arrested in July 2019 on sex trafficking charges and killed himself a month later in his cell at a Manhattan federal jail.

Two weeks ago, as the Justice Department prepared to begin releasing what are commonly known as the Epstein files, Maxwell filed a habeas petition, asking a federal judge to free her on grounds that "substantial new evidence" has emerged proving that constitutional violations spoiled her trial.

Maxwell claimed exonerating information was withheld and that witnesses lied in their testimony. She filed the petition on her own, without the assistance of a lawyer.

This week, the judge, Paul A. Engelmayer, scolded Maxwell for failing to remove victim names and other identifying information from her court papers. He said future filings must be kept sealed and out of public view until they have been reviewed and redacted to protect victims' identities.

Victims fear Maxwell will be pardoned

Epstein accuser Danielle Bensky said the release of records has only sharpened the focus on Maxwell's crimes among their victims. Bensky said she's been involved in daily discussions with about two dozen other victims that make clear Maxwell "is a criminal who was 1,000% engaged in sexual acts."

"I've heard things that would make your blood curdle. I just had a conversation with a survivor last night who said she was the puppeteer," Bensky said.

Bensky said she was sexually abused by Epstein two decades ago. She said she was never personally abused by Maxwell.

Delayed and heavily redacted files

The transcripts of grand jury proceedings that resulted in Maxwell's indictment were released this week in accordance withthe Epstein Files Transparency Act, a law enacted last month aftermonths of public and political pressure.

The Justice Department has been periodically posting records after acknowledging it would miss last Friday's congressionally mandated deadline to release all records. It blamed the delay on the time-consuming process of obscuring victims' names and other identifying information.

On Wednesday, the department said itmay need a "few more weeks"to release the full trove after suddenly discovering more than a million potentially relevant documents. It was a stunning development after department officials suggested months ago that they'd already accounted for the vast universe of Epstein-related materials.

Some of the Epstein and Maxwell grand jury records were initially released with heavy redactions — A 119-page document marked "Grand Jury-NY" — was entirely blacked out. Updated versions were posted over the weekend.

FBI agent testifies Maxwell manipulated young girl

An FBI agent's grand jury testimony, describing interviews conducted with Epstein victims, foreshadowed trial testimony a year later from four women who described Maxwell's role in their sexual abuse from 1994 to 2004.

The agent told of a woman who described meeting Maxwell and Epstein as a 14-year-old attending aMichigansummer arts camp in 1994. Flight logs showed Epstein and Maxwell went to the school sponsoring the camp because Epstein was a donor.

According to the agent, whose name was redacted from the transcript, the girl had a chance encounter with Epstein and Maxwell one day. After learning that the girl was from Palm Beach, Florida, Epstein mentioned that he sometimes gave scholarships to students and they requested her phone number, the agent said.

Once home, the girl visited Epstein's estate with her mother for tea and the mother was impressed when Epstein said he provided scholarships, enough so that the mother said Epstein was like a "godfather," the agent said.

The agent said the girl began regularly going to the estate as Epstein and Maxwell "groomed" her with gifts and trips to the movies, and Epstein began paying for voice lessons and giving her money that he said she should give to her struggling mother.

The agent said the girl thought her relationship with Epstein and Maxwell was strange, "but Maxwell normalized it for her. She was like a cool, older sister and made comments like, 'This is what grownups do.'"

Eventually, the agent testified, the girl saw Maxwell topless at the pool. After she revealed that she hoped to be an actor and a model, Epstein told her he was best friends with the owner of Victoria's Secret and that she'll have to learn to be comfortable in her underwear and not be a prude, the agent said.

Then, the agent said, the girl asked Epstein what he meant by that and the financier pulled her into his lap and masturbated. After that, the agent added, the girl's encounters with Epstein began to include sexual contact, particularly in his massage room.

Maxwell was sometimes there with other girls, the agent said. One of the girls would begin massaging Epstein and Maxwell would tease the girls, the agent said.

"She'd grab the girl's breasts, and she would direct the girls on what to do," the agent said, relaying the girl's account. Maxwell's attitude during the encounters was "very casual; she acted like this was normal," the agent said.

The released testimony appeared to reflect the testimony at Maxwell's 2021 trial by a woman who testified under the pseudonym "Jane."

At trial, Jane said Maxwell also participated in group sessions between multiple females and Epstein that usually began with Epstein or Maxwell leading them all into a bedroom or a massage room at the Palm Beach residence.

But they can still be thrust back to their days of wanderlust and thrill-seeking whenever caretakers at the community in Los Gatos, California, schedule a date for residents — many of whom are in their 80s and 90s — to take turns donningvirtual reality headsets.

Within a matter of minutes, the headsets can transport them to Europe, immerse them in the ocean depths or soar them on breathtaking hang-gliding expeditions while they sit by each other. The selection of VR programming was curated by Rendever, a company that has turned a sometimes isolatingform of technologyinto a catalyst for better cognition and social connections in 800 retirement communities in the United States and Canada.

A group of The Terraces residents who participated in a VR session earlier this year found themselves paddling their arms alongside their chairs as they swam with a pod of dolphins while watching one of Rendever's3D programs. "We got to go underwater and didn't even have to hold our breath!" exclaimed 81-year-old Ginny Baird following the virtual submersion.

During a session featuring a virtual ride in a hot-air balloon, one resident gasped, "Oh my God!" Another shuddered, "It's hard to watch!"

The Rendever technology can also be used to virtually take older adults back to the placeswhere they grew upas children. For some, it will be the first time they've seen their hometowns in decades.

A virtual trip to her childhood neighborhood in New York City's Queens borough helped sell Sue Livingstone, 84, on the merits of the VR technology even though she still is able to get out more often than many residents of The Terraces, which is located in Silicon Valley about 55 miles south of San Francisco.

"It isn't just about being able to see it again, it's about all the memories that it brings back," Livingstone said. "There are a few people living here who never really leave their comfort zones. But if you could entice them to come down to try out a headset, they might find that they really enjoy it."

Adrian Marshall, The Terraces' community life director, said that once word about a VR experience spreads from one resident to another, more of the uninitiated typically become curious enough to try it out — even if it means missing out on playing Mexican Train, a dominoes-like board game that's popular in the community.

"It turns into a conversation starter for them. It really does connect people," Marshall said of Rendever's VR programming. "It helps create a human bridge that makes them realize they share certain similarities and interests. It turns the artificial world into reality."

Rendever, a privately owned company based in Somerville, Massachusetts, hopes to build upon its senior living platform with a recent grant from the National Institutes of Health that will provide nearly $4.5 million to study ways to reducesocial isolationamong seniors living at home and their caregivers.

Some studieshave found VR programming presented in a limited viewing format can help older people maintain and improve cognitive functions, burnish memories and foster social connections with their families and fellow residents ofcare facilities. Experts say the technology may be useful as an addition to and not a replacement for other activities.

"There is always a risk of too much screen time," Katherine "Kate" Dupuis, a neuropsychologist and professor who studies aging issues at Sheridan College in Canada, said. "But if you use it cautiously, with meaning and purpose, it can be very helpful. It can be an opportunity for the elderly to engage with someone and share a sense of wonder."

VR headsets may be an easier way for older people to interact with technology instead of fumbling around with asmartphoneor another device that requires navigating buttons or other mechanisms, said Pallabi Bhowmick, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who is examining the use of VR with older adults.

"The stereotypes that older adults aren't willing to try new technology needs to change because they are willing and want to adapt to technologies that are meaningful to them," Bhowmick said. "Besides helping them to relieve stress, be entertained and connect with other people, there is an intergenerational aspect that might help them build their relationships with younger people who find out they use VR and say, 'Grandpa is cool!'"

Rendever CEO Kyle Rand's interest in helping his own grandmother deal with the emotional and mental challenges of aging pushed him down a path that led him to cofound the company in 2016 after studying neuroengineering at Duke University.

"What really fascinates me about humans is just how much our brain depends on social connection and how much we learn from others," Rand said. "A group of elderly residents who don't really know each other that well can come together, spend 30 minutes in a VR experience together and then find themselves sitting down to have lunch together while continuing a conversation about the experience."

It's a large enough market that another VR specialist, Dallas-based Mynd Immersive, competes against Rendever with services tailored forsenior living communities.

Besides helpingcreate social connections, the VR programming from both Rendever and Mynd has been employed as a possible tool for potentially slowing down the deleterious effects of dementia. That's how another Silicon Valley retirement village, the Forum, sometimes uses the technology.

Bob Rogallo, a Forum resident with dementia that has rendered him speechless, seemed to be enjoying taking a virtual hike through Glacier National Park inMontanaas he nodded and smiled while celebrating his 83rd birthday with his wife of 61 years.

Sallie Rogallo, who doesn't have dementia, said the experience brought back fond memories of the couple's visits to the same park during the more than 30 years they spent cruising around the U.S. in their recreational vehicle.

"It made me wish I was 30 years younger so I could do it again," she said of the virtual visit to Glacier. "This lets you get out of the same environment and either go to a new place or visit places where you have been."

In another session at the Forum, 93-year-old Almut Schultz laughed with delight while viewing a virtual classical music performance at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado and later seemed to want to play with a puppy frolicking around in her VR headset.

"That was quite a session we had there," Schultz said with a big grin after she took off her headset and returned to reality.

Several loved ones approached the caskets carrying Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, and William Nathanial Howard, 29. The families huddled together, comforting one another and wiping away tears.IowaGov. Kim Reynolds, U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst and U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn looked on alongside senior leaders of the Iowa National Guard.

The killed guardsmen as well as a U.S. civilian interpreter killed in the Dec. 13 ambush were flown back to the U.S. last week, when President Donald Trumppaid his respectsand met with the families at Dover Air Force Base inDelaware.

On Wednesday, escorted by Howard's step-brother and two other members of the Iowa National Guard, the wooden caskets draped in American flags were lowered from the body of an Iowa Air National Guard aircraft that flew from Sioux City to collect the soldiers' remains from Delaware.

In Des Moines, like at Dover, as part of the solemn transfer ritual, fellow Iowa National Guard members wearing white gloves carried the cases. After the families spent several minutes mourning over their loved ones on the tarmac, the caskets were each loaded into a hearse, one blue and the other black.

The two soldiers, posthumously promoted to staff sergeant, were members of the 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment. Their families followed the hearses in a procession to funeral homes in Des Moines and Marshalltown, escorted by Des Moines Police Department and Iowa State Patrol, respectively. Their funerals will take place in the coming days, according to the Iowa National Guard.

On the route away from the 132nd Wing at the Des Moines International Airport, dozens of people lined up on the mild December day carrying American flags and paying their respects to the killed soldiers.

Ayad Mansoor Sakat, of Macomb,Michigan, a U.S. civilian working as an interpreter, was also killed. He was laid to rest in Michigan over the weekend.

Hundreds of U.S. troops are deployed in eastern Syria as part of a coalition fighting the Islamic State group, and Trump promised "very serious retaliation" after the attack. The administration last week proceeded withmilitary strikesin what Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described as a "declaration of vengeance" in a post on social media.

Three other Iowa National Guard members were wounded in the attack, one of whom was treated locally. Two others who were evacuated from Syria for medical treatment returned to the U.S. on Dec. 20.

As of last Friday,the building's facade readsThe Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. According to the White House, the president's handpicked board approved the decision, which scholars have said violates the law. Trump had been suggesting for months he was open to changing the center's name.

"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 in an email Wednesday. Redd, a drummer and vibraphone player who has toured with everyone from Dizzy Gillespie to Ray Brown, has been presiding over holiday "Jazz Jams" at the Kennedy Center since 2006, succeeding bassist William "Keter" Betts.

The Kennedy Center did not immediately respond to email seeking comment. The center'swebsitelists the show as canceled.

President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, and Congress passed a law the following year naming the center as a living memorial to him. Kennedy niece Kerry Kennedy has vowed to remove Trump's name from the building once he leaves office and former House historian Ray Smock is among those who say any changes would have to be approved by Congress.

The law explicitly prohibitsthe board of trustees from making the center into a memorial to anyone else, and from putting another person's name on the building's exterior.

Trump, a Republican, has been deeply involved with the center named for an iconic Democrat after mostly ignoring it during his first term. He has forced out its leadership, overhauled the board while arranging for himself to head it, and personally hosted this year's Kennedy Center honors, breaking a long tradition of presidents mostly serving as spectators. The changes at the Kennedy Center are part of the president's larger mission to fight "woke" culture at federal cultural institutions.

Numerous artists have called off Kennedy Center performances since Trump returned to office, including Issa Rae and Peter Wolf. Lin-Manuel Miranda canceled a planned production of "Hamilton."

The shooting unfolded at about 10:51 a.m. Wednesday while agents from ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations were "conducting a detail" in Glen Burnie, just outside of Baltimore, Anne Arundel County Police said.

When the agents "approached a white van, that van attempted to run agents over," police said.

Delaware state trooper hailed as hero after being shot, killed at DMV has been identified

"ICE agents fired at that vehicle," police said, and then "that vehicle accelerated, coming to rest ... in a wooded area" behind houses.

One person in the van was shot and is in the hospital in stable condition, police said. A second person who was outside of the van suffered minor injuries and was also taken to the hospital, police said.

​A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said the driver -- who is in the U.S. illegally from Portugal -- refused to turn off the van and drove "directly at ICE officers."

"Fearing for their lives and public safety, defensively fired their service weapons, striking the driver," according to DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin.

"The ICE officers were not severely injured," the statement added.

Ashlee Buzzard arrested in murder of daughter Melodee: 'Cold-blooded'

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said he's aware of the shooting.

"As information surrounding the incident continues to emerge, we will remain in touch with local officials and are standing by to provide support for the community," he wrote on social media.

ABC News' Luke Barr contributed to this report.

On Dec. 24, hundreds descended on the historic city, which Christians laud as the birthplace of Jesus Christ. The city and its landmarks attract Christian pilgrims from around the world, with special focus on the Christmas holiday season. The city estimated in 2014 that more than 2 million tourists and pilgrims visit each year, though numbers have waned over the past few years due to the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.

More:Israel announces new West Bank settlements despite sanctions threat

The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, was among those who traveled to the city for the celebrations on Dec. 24. He is the top Roman Catholic leader in the Holy Land, and hosted a Christmas service at the Church of the Nativity.

"This year we want a Christmas full of light," Pizzaballa told reporters. "Because this is what we need after two years of darkness, we need light."

He also acknowledged there were still problems "on the ground" but said it was time to "turn the page and look forward."

More:Israel sends tanks into West Bank for the first time in more than 20 years

U.S. Ambassador to IsraelMike Huckabeealso attended the event with his wife and recorded a video address from the city center's Manger Square, where large religious festivities are often held. The square hosted the large Christmas tree and traditionally acts as the final stop for the Christmas procession.

Bethlehem's mayor, Maher Canawati,told CNNhe thought it was "crucial" to resume the celebrations.

"It was very important for the resilience of the people of Bethlehem," he said. "Because many people almost lost hope."

Kathryn Palmer is a politics reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her atkapalmer@usatoday.comand on X @KathrynPlmr. Sign up for her daily politics newsletterhere.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Bethlehem celebrates Christmas after Israel Gaza war pause

This is something that was expected and supported by the state's Republican Gov. Jeff Landry. He spoke about it yesterday on Fox News.

"We know how to make cities safe, and the National Guard compliments cities that are having high crime problems. Look at what the president's done in Washington, D.C.," Landry said.

The National Guard is expected to be in Louisiana through the end of February to help fight crime there.

But this comes on the heels of a 6-3 Supreme Court ruling against the Trump administration this week, refusing to overturn a lower courts' ruling that prevented the deployment of the National Guard in Chicago to assist in the protection of federal personnel and buildings.

In a rare setback for Trump's anti-crime agenda, the court indicated that the administration had failed to identify a source of authority that would allow the military to execute Illinois laws.

RELATED NEWS |Supreme Court blocks Trump's bid to deploy National Guard in Illinois

The ruling now raises questions about what will happen in other cities in which the presidenthas deployed troopsor attempted to deploy troops.

A White House spokesperson indicated the administration will continue working to safeguard the American public and says nothing from the ruling detracts from the president's core agenda.

Illinois' Democratic Gov. JB Pritzkerposted on social mediaTuesday, calling the ruling a big win for Illinois and American democracy.

"The brave men and women of our National Guard should never be used for political theater and deserve to be with their families and communities, especially during the holidays," Pritzker wrote.

DENVER, Dec 24 (Reuters) - Santa Claus drove his reindeer-powered sleigh over rooftops around the world on Wednesday, delivering gifts to millions of children in a magic Christmas Eve ritual that North ​American air defense officials say they began tracking 70 years ago.

Still, despite its devotion to a tradition ‌dating back to the Cold War era of 1955, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, possesses limited intelligence about the direction ‌that Santa will take in any given year.

Santa is not required to file a flight plan. So the only thing NORAD knows for sure in advance is that the red-suited jolly old elf, also known as Kris Kringle or Saint Nicholas, takes off every Christmas Eve from his home base at the North Pole.

"NORAD tracks Santa, but only Santa knows his route, ⁠which means we cannot predict where or ‌when he will arrive at your house," a senior NORAD official said in a press statement.

NORAD, a joint U.S.-Canadian military command at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs,Colorado, ‍has provided images and updates on Santa's worldwide journey for seven decades, along with its main task of monitoring air defenses and issuing aerospace and maritime warnings.

The Santa tracker tradition originated from a 1955 misprint in a Colorado Springs newspaper of the telephone ​number of a department store for children to call and speak with Santa. The listed number went to what ‌was then known as the Continental Air Defense Command.

An understanding officer took the youngsters' calls and assured them that Santa was airborne and on schedule to deliver presents to good girls and boys - at least those who believe in him - flying aboard his reindeer-powered sleigh.

According to its website, NORAD detects Santa's liftoff with its polar radar network, then follows his journey with the same satellites used to warn of any possible missile launches aimed at North America.

As soon as ⁠Santa's lead reindeer, Rudolph, switches on his shiny red nose, military ​personnel can zero in on his location using the satellites' infrared ​sensors.

U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to be following NORAD's Santa tracker on Wednesday as he sat by a Christmas tree at his Mar-a-Lago residence inFlorida, fielding telephone calls from children around ‍the country.

As he spoke to ⁠one youngster fromPennsylvania, Trump said, "So Santa right now is in Copenhagen, Denmark, but he's heading toward our country. What would you like from Santa?"

Speaking to another caller, Trump jokingly explained the rationale for tracking Santa ⁠in terms of national security, saying, "We want to make sure he's not infiltrated, that we're not infiltrating into our country a bad Santa."

(Reporting ‌by Keith Coffman in Denver; Writing and additional reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Additional ‌reporting by Jonathan Landay in Washington; Editing by Saad Sayeed)

The DOJ said it "may take a few more weeks" to review the files produced by the FBI and the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.

"The US Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the FBI have informed the Department of Justice that they have uncovered over a million more documents potentially related to the Jeffrey Epstein case," the Justice Departmentsaid on its X accountWednesday afternoon.

"The DOJ has received these documents from SDNY and the FBI to review them for release, in compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, existing statutes, and judicial orders. We have lawyers working around the clock to review and make the legally required redactions to protect victims, and we will release the documents as soon as possible. Due to the mass volume of material, this process may take a few more weeks."

Spokespeople for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York and the Department of Justice did not immediately respond to NBC News requests for comment about the contents of the documents and why they weren't uncovered earlier. A spokesperson for the FBI declined to comment.

Epstein died in his jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges in the Southern District of New York. Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's accomplice,was indicted in July 2020on federal sex trafficking charges. She was found guilty in December 2021 in New York and is serving a20-year prison sentence.

The Justice Department publicly released thousands of pages of Epstein files on Friday, the statutory deadline for releasing all of the files as outlined in the Epstein Files Transparency Act that was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump last month. Another tranche was released Tuesday.

After the initial batch, Justice Department officials said they needed more time to review the files they have on hand and redact text and images related to Epstein's victims. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in an interview with Fox News on Friday that he expected the entirety of the Epstein files to be onlineby Jan. 2.

"The reason why we are still reviewing documents and still continuing our process is simply to protect victims," Blanche told NBC News' "Meet the Press" on Sunday.

"We're going through a very methodical process with hundreds of lawyers looking at every single document and making sure that victims' names and any of the information from victims is protected and redacted, which is exactly what the [Epstein Files] Transparency Act expects," he added.

As of Wednesday, the Justice Department had released about 40,000 documents related to Epstein, according to an NBC News analysis.

It's unclear why more Epstein-related files in the FBI's possession are just now being provided to the Justice Department.

Attorney General Pam Bondi this yeartold FBI Director Kash Patelto "deliver the full and complete Epstein files to my office" by Feb. 28, 2025. The directive came after Bondi said she was "repeatedly assured by the FBI that we had received the full set of documents," only to find out Feb. 26 that "the FBI Field Office in New York was in possession of thousands of pages of documents related to the investigation and indictment of Epstein."

News of the DOJ's recently coming into possession of the million-plus documents also comes nearly six months after the Justice Department and the FBI said in apublic, unsigned memothat they had both "conducted an exhaustive review of investigative holdings relating to Jeffrey Epstein."

The files released so far have includedseveral documentsthat mentioned President Donald Trump, including one that indicated he had flown on Epstein's private jet more times than previously known.

Trump has not been accused of any wrongdoing, and he has denied doing anything improper. The president has said he cut ties with Epstein at some point in the early 2000s because he was a "creep."

The Justice Department said Tuesdayin a post on Xthat the documents release included "untrue and sensationalist claims" about Trump.

Some members of Congress have criticized the delay in releasing all of the Epstein files.

Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who both spearheaded the bipartisan effort in Congress this year to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act, havepromised to hold officials accountablefor the holdup, floating impeachment or charges of contempt.

On Wednesday, after the Justice Department said more Epstein files were found, Khanna said his threat with Massie to pursue contempt charges helped lead to the DOJ's announcement.

"@RepThomasMassie & I will continue to keep the pressure on. After we said we are bringing contempt, the DOJ is now finding millions more documents to release," the California congressmanwrote.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., responded to the Justice Department's announcement of a longer timeline for releasing the files by accusing them of a "coverup."

"A Christmas Eve news dump of 'a million more files' only proves what we already know: Trump is engaged in a massive coverup. The question Americans deserve answered is simple: WHAT are they hiding—and WHY? Justice delayed is justice denied. Release the files. Follow the law," Schumerwrote in a post on X.

Schumer this weekintroduceda resolution that would direct the Senate to "initiate legal action against the DOJ" for not releasing the full Epstein files by last Friday.

Congress is scheduled to be back in session the first full week of January.

The private jet carrying Gen. Muhammad Ali Ahmad al-Haddad, four other officers and three crew members crashed in Turkey on Tuesday after taking off from the capital, Ankara, killing everyone on board. Libyan officials said the cause of the crash was a technical malfunction on the plane.

The Libyan delegation was on its way back to Tripoli after holding high-level defense talks in Ankara aimed at boosting military cooperation between the two countries.

Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah confirmed the deaths, describing the incident on Facebook as a "tragic accident" and a "great loss" for Libya.

Al-Hadad was the top military commander in western Libya and played a crucial role in the ongoing, U.N.-brokered efforts to unify Libya's military, which has split, much like Libya's other institutions.

The four other officers who died in the crash were Gen. Al-Fitouri Ghraibil, the head of Libya's ground forces, Brig. Gen. Mahmoud Al-Qatawi, who led the military manufacturing authority, Mohammed Al-Asawi Diab, advisor to the chief of staff, and Mohammed Omar Ahmed Mahjoub, a military photographer with the chief of staff's office.

The identities of the three crew members were not immediately released.

Turkish officials said the Falcon 50 type business jet took off from Ankara's Esenboga airport at 8:30 p.m. and that contact was lost some 40 minutes later. The plane notified air traffic control of an electrical fault and requested an emergency landing. The aircraft was redirected back to Esenboga, where preparations for its landing began.

The plane, however, disappeared from the radar while descending for the emergency landing, the Turkish presidential communications office said.

The wreckage was found near the village of Kesikkavak, in Haymana, a district some 70 kilometers (about 43.5 miles) south of Ankara.

At Haymana, gendarmerie police sealed off the area where the plane crashed, while the Turkish disaster management agency, AFAD, set up a mobile coordination center, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. Specialized vehicles, such as tracked ambulances, were deployed because of the muddy terrain.

Anadolu said Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya is expected to visit the site along with prosecutors assigned to lead the investigation.

Libya was also expected to send a team to Ankara to work with Turkish authorities investigating the crash.

While in Ankara, al-Haddad had met with Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler and other officials.

Libyaplunged into chaos after the country's 2011 uprising toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The country split, with rival administrations in the east and west, backedby an array of rogue militiasand foreign governments.

Turkey has been allied withLibya's government in the west, but has recently taken steps to improve ties with the eastern-based government as well.

Tuesday's visit by the Libyan delegation came a day after Turkey's parliament approved to extend the mandate of Turkish troops serving in Libya for two years. Turkey deployed troops following a 2019 security and military cooperation agreement that was reached between Ankara and the Tripoli-based government.

Abuelgasim reported from Cairo.

With a small detail of security forces standing guard outside, members of Mar Elias Church held Mass on Tuesday evening and lit an image of Christmas tree made of neon lights on the wall of the courtyard outside. The tree was hung with pictures of those who were killed in the attack.

They include three men the congregation hails as heroes for tacklingthe bomber, potentially averting a much higher death toll in the June 22 attack.

A man opened fire then detonated an explosive vest inside the Greek Orthodox church in Dweil'a on the outskirts of Damascus as it was filled with people praying on a Sunday.

Before he detonated the vest, brothers Boutros and Gergis Bechara and another congregant, Milad Haddad, tackled the shooter and pushed him out of the center of the church, congregants said.

"If it weren't for the three of them, maybe not one person would remain out of 400 people," said Imad Haddad, the brother of Milad Haddad, who attended Tuesday's Christmas tree lighting.

He hasn't decorated for Christmas or put up a tree at home, but gathering at the church was "is a message of peace and love" and a message that "we are believers and we are strong and we are steadfast in spite of everything," he said.

Thana al-Masoud, the widow of Boutros Bechara, recalled searching frantically for her husband after the explosion but she never found him, alive or dead. His body had been ripped apart by the blast.

"There's no holiday, neither this year nor next year nor the one after it," she said.

She takes comfort in the belief that her husband and the two other men who confronted the attacker are martyrs for their faith.

"Our Lord chose them to be saints and to spread His word to all the world," she said. "But the separation is difficult."

Attack stoked Christian fears

The attack on the church was the first of its kind in Syria in years and came as a new Sunni Islamist- dominated government in Damascus sought to win the confidence ofreligious minoritiesfollowing theouster of former President Bashar Assad.

Interim PresidentAhmad al-Sharaahas struggled to exert authority across the country, even in the ranks of allied groups. There have been several deadly outbreaks of sectarian violence in the country in the past year.

While the new government has condemned attacks on minorities, many accuse it of failing to act to control the armed factions it is trying to absorb into thenew state armyand security forces.

The June attack was blamed on an Islamic State cell, which authorities said had also planned to target a Shiite shrine. IS did not claim responsibility for the attack, while a little-known group called Saraya Ansar al-Sunna said one of its members had carried out the attack. The government said the group was a cover for IS.

Christians made up about 10% of Syria's population of 23 million before mass anti-government protests in 2011 were met by a brutal government crackdown and spiraled into a brutal 14-year civil war that saw the rise of IS and other extremist groups.

Hundreds of thousands of Christians fled during the war, during which there were sectarian attacks on Christians including the kidnapping of nuns and priests and destruction of churches. Now many are once again seeking to leave.

Solidifying faith and seeking peace

Since losing her husband in the church attack, Juliette Alkashi feels numb.

The couple had been sweethearts before she left Syria with her mother and brother to emigrate to Venezuela. In 2018, when Emile Bechara asked her to marry him, Alkashi moved back to Syria even though it was still in the midst of a civil war.

"Whatever is going to happen will happen, and I've surrendered to it," she said. "If one goes to pray and dies in the church — whatever God has written is what will be."

The only thing that matters now, Alkashi said, is that she and her 3-year-old son remain together.

Some congregants said the attack only strengthened their faith.

"I saw a column of smoke rising from the ground to the ceiling, and I heard a voice saying, 'I will not forsake you and I will not leave you,'" said Hadi Kindarji, who described an intense spiritual experience in the moment of the explosion.

He believes today that even the seemingly senseless violence was part of God's plan.

"Our God is present, and He was present in the church," he said.

Yohanna Shehadeh, the priest of Mar Elias church, acknowledged many in the congregation are afraid of more deadly violence.

"Fear is a natural state. I'm not going to tell you there is no fear, and I'm not only talking about the Christians but about all the Syrian people, from all sects," Shehadeh said.

As Christmas approaches, he said, they are praying for peace.

Storms began to move in late Tuesday evening and were expected to intensify into Christmas Eve. Authorities said the millions of people expected to travel across the state will likely meet hazardous, if not impossible, conditions as severalatmospheric riverswere forecast to make their way through the state, the National Weather Service warned.

"If you're planning to be on the roads for the Christmas holidays, please reconsider your plans," said Ariel Cohen, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Los Angeles, during a Tuesday news conference.

Forecasters said Southern California could see its wettest Christmas in years and warned about flash flooding, mudslides and debris flows in areas scorched bylast January's wildfires. Los Angeles County officials said they were knocking on the doors of some 380 particularly vulnerable households to order them to leave.

Much of the Sacramento Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area were under a flood watch and a high wind warning through Friday. Forecasters warned heavy snow and gusts were expected to create "near white-out conditions" Wednesday in parts of the Sierra Nevada and make it "nearly impossible" to travel through the mountain passes.

There's also a risk of severe thunderstorms and a small chance of tornadoes along the northern coast.

Heavy rain and flash flooding already led to water rescues andat least one deathin Northern California, local officials said. Shasta County Sheriff Michael L. Johnson on Monday declared a state of emergency to prepare for more rain and allow the state to help with hazard mitigation and search and rescue operations.

Southern California typically gets half an inch to 1 inch (1.3 to 2.5 centimeters) of rain this time of year, but this week many areas could see between 4 and 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters), National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Wofford said. It could be even more in the mountains. Gusts could reach 60 to 80 mph (96.5 to 127.8 kph) in parts of the central coast.

Officials expect multiple road closures and airport delays during the storms. Downed trees and power lines are also possible. Parts of Los Angeles are under evacuation warnings this week.

The county put up K-rails, a type of barrier, around the burn scar to help catch sliding debris during rainstorms. Residents could also pick up free sandbags to protect their homes, said Kathryn Barger, a Los Angeles County supervisor representing Altadena.

Many people in burn scar areas decided not to leave after receiving the evacuation notification, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell said. He urged them to reconsider.

"The threat posed by this storm is real and imminent," he said.

Local and state officials are gearing up to respond to emergencies through the week. The state has deployed resources and first responders to a number of counties along the coast and in Southern California. The California National Guard is also on standby to assist.

An atmospheric river is a long, narrow band of water vapor that forms over an ocean and flows through the sky,transporting moisture from the tropicsto northern latitudes.

Associated Press writers Sophie Austin in Sacramento, California, and Jessica Hill in Las Vegas contributed to this report.

So far, 64 people across 22 states have gotten sick with the same strain of salmonella. At least 20 people have been hospitalized and no deaths have been reported.

State and local public health officials have been interviewing patients about what they ate in the week before they became ill. Of the 27 people interviewed, about three-quarters said they ate raw oysters.

Over 1.7 million eggs sold in 9 states voluntarily recalled due to salmonella concern

"People in this outbreak are being hospitalized at a higher rate than expected when compared to other Salmonella outbreaks linked to oysters," the CDC wrote in a media release.

The CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are investigating to determine if a common source of oysters can be identified. No recall notices have been announced so far.

The CDC recommends that people cook raw oysters to reduce the risk of food poisoning.

Salmonella are bacteria that live in the intestinal tract of people and animals, which cause an illness called salmonellosis, according to theCDC.

People can get infected by eating contaminated food, drinking or coming into contact with contaminated water, or touching animals, animal feces or the places animals live and roam, the federal health agency said.

Symptomscan begin between six hours and six days after getting infected and include watery diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps with less common symptoms including nausea, vomiting, headache and loss of appetite.

Home delivery meals linked to salmonella outbreak, CDC warns

Illness with salmonella lasts between four and seven days, and most people recover without treatment.

In some cases, illness can severe that the patient is hospitalized, according to the CDC.Treatmentincludes drinking fluids to prevent dehydration and may include anti-diarrheal medication or antibiotics for those who develop severe intestinal illness.

The CDC says children younger than age 5, adults aged 65 and older and those with weakened immune systems are more likely to get severely sick.

Salmonella bacteria are a leading cause of foodborne illness in the U.S. -- as well as a leading causes of hospitalizations and death linked to foodborne illness -- but the CDC estimates cases are underreported with just one in every 30 infections being diagnosed.