President Trump insists the economy is thriving. So, how does he explain why so many voters view the economy negatively? Also, the Federal Reserve considers whether to cut interest rates today. Will concerns over inflation keep rates as is or will unemployment worries prompt another cut? Plus, the unraveling of the Afghan man accused of gunning down two National Guard members. How are other Afghans in the US who fought for the CIA navigating the stress and despair that commonly haunt frontline soldiers?
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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Rebekah Metzler, Rafael Nam, Luis Clemens, Alice Woelfle, and Arezou Rezvani.
It was produced by Kaity Kline, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas.
We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange
Asian Doll went full sun goddess on a tropical vacation, and she was kind enough to share some pictures! The artist — who goes by Asian Da Brat on Instagram — dropped jaws revealing designer bikinis while lounging poolside, on the sand, and out…
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“🎄✨It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!” a Saturday, December 7, post via the royal family’s official Instagram read. “The King and Queen are pleased to share this year’s Christmas card.”
The seasonal card featured an image of Charles, 77, and Camilla, 78, strolling hand in hand while visiting Rome’s Villa Wolkonsky earlier this year. The image, taken by Chris Jackson, was snapped during the royal couple’s official state visit to Italy in April.
“Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year,” the inside of the card read.
Photographer Jackson, 45, was especially pleased to take Charles and Camilla’s holiday card pic.
“What a great visit that was,” Jackson wrote via Instagram comment on Saturday. “Happy Christmas!!🎄🇮🇹.”
Charles’ Christmas card is just one of his annual traditions. Every year, he leads his family — including Camilla, son Prince William and the monarch’s siblings — on a walk to Christmas Day church services at Sandringham Estate. That afternoon, Charles will deliver a sentimental holiday speech to the British people before settling in for an intimate celebration with his family.
“The celebration may carry a wistful tone,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly earlier this month, referring to Charles and daughter-in-law Princess Kate Middleton’s respective cancer battles. “However, it will also be a time of celebration, especially after Kate received the all-clear.”
King Charles III and Queen Camilla leave the Vatican in October.Aaron Chown / POOL / AFP
Charles and Kate, 43, were both diagnosed with undisclosed forms of cancer in 2024. While the king is still undergoing treatment, Kate revealed that she is in remission earlier this year.
“They all want to make the most of their time together,” the insider added of the family’s holiday plans. “Charles prioritizes duty, but he’s also a family man who knows his time is precious. He wants a special last Christmas in case it’s his last.”
The source further revealed that Charles will do “everything expected of him and more” regarding his public Christmas duties.
“Charles wants to have a traditional holiday with all the royals,” the source added to Us. “Every family Christmas is precious, but it’s especially so for him this year.”
Kate kicked off the festive season with the “Together at Christmas” carol concert she, once again, organized on Friday, December 5. Kate was joined by husband William, 43, and their three children at Westminster Abbey.
“At its heart, Christmas speaks of love taking form in the simplest, most human ways. Not in sentimental or grand gestures, but gentle ones. A moment of listening, a word of comfort, a friendly conversation, a helping hand, presence,” the Princess of Wales wrote in a letter to attendees. “These simple acts of care might seem small, but they contribute to the beautiful tapestry of life to which we all belong. Christmas is a time that reminds us how deeply our lives are woven together. Just as the roots of trees share strength beneath the soil, unseen but vital, so too do we. We are drawn by an instinctive pull towards belonging and connection.”
Charles, meanwhile, was absent from the carol service as he had official engagements in Germany that same week.
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Taste the magic from these sweet stars who are soft, sweet, and dreamy! It’s Cotton Candy Day, and the celebs are here to brighten up your Sunday … in every single way 😜! Billie Eilish brought her sweet tooth to the ‘gram, BLACKPINK’s Lisa…
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With increased immigration enforcement under President Trump, many families with undocumented members are living in fear of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. Many are afraid to leave their homes and families are having to face the reality that they may be separated, detained and even deported. This week on The Sunday Story, NPR immigration correspondent Jasmine Garsd, reporting for the Code Switch podcast, takes us into the lives of the immigrant families who are facing immense pressure in the United States.
Jana Kramer is standing firm in her beliefs about vaccinating her children.
“I listened to a podcast episode about giving the baby a vax — what did you end up doing?” a fan asked Kramer, 42, in an Instagram Stories Q&A on Thursday, December 4.
Kramer responded, “The update I will give is we changed doctors’ offices to where it’s our choice and can ask as many questions and have the choice to do or not to do and not the … ‘if you don’t, then you’re not allowed to be in this office’ approach.”
Back in February, Kramer claimed on her “Whine Down” podcast that during a visit to her former doctor’s office, she “essentially got blamed” for her son having an ear infection because she had been “behind” on his vaccinations.
“I didn’t like how that felt. I got turned off by that comment, and so it didn’t make me want to go back to that office, because I’m like, ‘You just blamed me for my child having an ear infection.’ So like, I didn’t like that. I don’t even know why I’m crying, but like, it just made me feel like a bad mom or something,” she admitted.
Kramer shares daughter Jolie, 9, and son Jace, 7, with ex-husband Mike Caussin, as well as son Roman, 2, with husband Allan Russell.
The One Tree Hill alum added that she felt “overwhelmed” knowing that Roman “needs so many vaccinations,” but she also wasn’t sure if she trusted vaccinations yet.
Jana Kramer/Instagram
Kramer previously discussed vaccinations during a 2020 episode of her podcast, featuring special guests Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaccine activist and the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services as of 2025, and Dr. Abe Malkin, M.D., who is board-certified in family medicine and addiction medicine.
Kramer also spoke to Dr. Mehmet Oz, who has taken both a pro- and anti-vaccine stance, during another podcast episode in 2020. The pair discussed the widely disputed theory that vaccinations cause autism.
“To vaccinate or not to vaccinate. It’s been something that has quite frankly kept me up at night,” Kramer wrote via Instagram at the time. “If I’m being super honest, I’ve done the most amount of research since I’ve had Jace, since I’ve always heard about autism and boys with the [measles, mumps and rubella vaccine]. The more research I’ve done, I’ve questioned myself and thought, ‘Omg, am I the reason Jolie had a speech delay because of her vaccines?’”
The “Whiskey” singer continued, “As you can see, I don’t know the answers, and I have just prayed that I am doin the right thing but I sure wish there was a definite answer one way or another because for every article I see it gets debunked by the other. Quite frankly it’s exhausting.”
Kramer added that “another issue is the fact that people can be so mean” no matter which side of the debate one chooses to be on.
“So please, in the comments, don’t hate on me for vaccinating, don’t hate on others who have different opinions. Please offer your knowledge, but don’t be mean if someone doesn’t agree. Can we just agree to disagree kindly and have healthy conversations?” she concluded.
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