Top Stories • December 29, 2025

President Donald Trump says progress has been made toward a peace plan to end the war in Ukraine following talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago, though major issues including control of the Donbas region and long-term security guarantees remain unresolved. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is arriving at Mar-a-Lago today for talks with Trump on the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire, as Washington presses for stability and Israel seeks tougher measures against Hamas and broader regional threats, including Hezbollah and Iran. In a separate federal case, a Virginia man has confessed to planting pipe bombs outside Democratic and Republican Party headquarters on the eve of the January 6 Capitol attack and now faces federal explosives charges. In California, state officials have dropped their lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s cancellation of more than $4 billion in federal funding for the state’s high-speed rail project, opting to move forward without the money. Meanwhile, a powerful winter storm is disrupting holiday travel across the central and eastern United States, bringing blizzard conditions, high winds, tornadoes, and widespread flight delays. Daniel Compatangelo reports.