Good Morning! Today’s edition is 1,175 words, a 4-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• California drug and theft laws

• Trump endorses House Speaker Mike Johnson

• Trademarked smells

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*Editor’s note: I’ll be off tomorrow to celebrate. Look for the next edition in your inbox on Thursday. Thanks for your support in 2024, and here’s to big things in 2025! Happy New Year!

Big Story

World Population Reaches 8.09 Billion

In 2024, the world population grew by over 71 million and will reach an estimated 8.09 billion by New Year’s Day 2025.

• The total accounts for a 0.9% increase, slightly slower than the 75 million added in 2023. According to estimates, 4.2 births and 2.0 deaths will occur every second in the first month of 2025.

• The US population grew by 2.6 million in 2024, bringing the country’s total to 341 million. In January 2025, the US is expected to see one birth every 9 seconds, one death every 9.4 seconds, and a new person added through international migration every 23.2 seconds. Combining these factors, the US gains one person every 21.2 seconds.

• Since 2020, the US population has grown by 9.7 million people, a 2.9% increase. This rate is slower than the 7.4% growth recorded during the 2010s, which was already the lowest since the 1930s.

Big Story

California Cracks Down on Drugs & Theft

California has already begun enforcing a new law called Proposition 36 that makes punishments tougher for drug crimes and theft.

• Prop. 36 rolls back a decade-old initiative that reduced penalties for certain lower-level drug and petty theft offenses. The old law was designed to reduce incarcerations and relieve the state’s overcrowded prisons.

• Under Prop. 36, if someone gets caught selling dangerous drugs like fentanyl three times, they can be forced to get drug treatment or go to jail for up to three years.

• The law also gets tougher on people who keep shoplifting. If someone has been caught stealing twice before, they could now go to jail for up to three years.

• People are divided about whether the law is a good idea. Supporters say the old rules were too soft and let people continuously commit crimes without real consequences. But opponents say there aren't enough treatment programs available for drug addicts, and it could be costly to put more people in prison.

Big Story

Polar Vortex

Frigid air from the polar vortex is expected to bring record-breaking cold to parts of the US, especially in the South and Southeast, by mid-January.

• Along with the cold, there’s a high chance of major winter storms, as a unique weather pattern could cause significant snowstorms in the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast.

• The coldest weather is expected in two rounds. The first will arrive shortly after New Year’s, possibly bringing a wintry mix to New England. The second round, from January 6–14, is being closely watched for potential East Coast snowstorms.

• Areas from Texas to Alabama and the Appalachians are likely to experience the coldest temperatures, with overnight lows potentially dropping below 0°F and temperatures reaching 25°F to 35°F below average.

• The polar vortex is a low-pressure area over the Arctic that traps extremely cold air during winter. When its strong winds weaken, parts of the vortex can drift southward.

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Quick Stories

US News

• President-elect Donald Trump endorsed House Speaker Mike Johnson ahead of Johnson’s reelection bid this Friday. The House has a narrow Republican majority, making Trump’s support crucial for Johnson's chances to keep the job. (More)

• The US announced nearly $6 billion in military and financial aid for Ukraine on Monday. President Biden allocated $2.5 billion for security assistance, while Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen confirmed $3.4 billion in general budget support to help Ukraine amid escalating Russian attacks. (More)

• The FBI is warning sports leagues about crime organizations targeting professional athletes, following several burglaries at the homes of prominent NFL and NBA players. These homes are seen as valuable targets due to the high-end goods they may contain. (More)

World

• Andrei Kotov, a Russian man arrested for allegedly running a gay-friendly travel agency, was found dead in custody in Moscow. Kotov faced charges of "organizing extremist activity." Authorities claim he died by suicide in his cell while awaiting trial. (More)

• The Taliban says it will close all national and foreign nongovernment groups that employ women in Afghanistan. The announcement comes two years after they told NGOs to stop employing Afghan women, allegedly because they weren’t complying with hijab laws. (More)

• Trinidad and Tobago declared a country-wide state of emergency Monday after a surge in deadly gang violence. A weekend of gang-related shootings that left multiple people dead forced the government to make the announcement. (More)

Business & Economy

• US stock markets closed lower on Monday (S&P -1.07%, Nasdaq -1.19%, Dow -0.97%). No apparent new catalyst fueled Monday’s losses, but the S&P and Dow are up about 24% and 13% on the year, respectively, and on track for the best year since 2021. (More)

• Financial markets will mostly close on Thursday, Jan. 9, for the National Day of Mourning for Jimmy Carter. President Biden also issued an executive order to close federal agencies and offices that day. (More)

• The DOJ announced that the final distribution from Bernie Madoff's victim fund began Monday. Over $131 million will go to more than 23,000 victims globally, bringing the total disbursed to over $4.3 billion across 40,000 victims in nearly 130 countries. (More)

Sports & Entertainment

• The FAA is investigating a near-collision at LAX involving a charter plane carrying Gonzaga’s basketball team and a Delta flight. The Gonzaga jet, taxiing to its gate, was ordered to stop by air traffic control as the Delta flight prepared for takeoff, avoiding a potential accident. (More)

• An Argentine judge confirmed charges against five people in connection with the death of former One Direction member Liam Payne and ordered preventive detention for two of them for supplying him with drugs. (More)

• Lebron James turned 40 yesterday. He is currently tied with Vince Carter as the second player to play 22 NBA seasons, and when he plays the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight, he will join a group of 32 players who have competed in the NBA in their 40s. (More) 

Science, Health, & Tech

• A study analyzing subtitles from over 160,000 films between 1970 and 2000 found that the use of words like "kill" and "murder" in movie dialogue has risen over the past 50 years. The increase was seen across all genres, not just crime films. (More)

• Apple is offering free access to its entire Apple TV+ catalog from January 3 to January 5, 2025. Anyone with an Apple ID can stream the service's original TV shows and movies on any device where Apple TV+ is available. (More)

• A solar storm is expected to bring northern lights visible as far south as Illinois and Oregon tonight (December 31). The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has issued a G3 geomagnetic storm warning which could cause the auroras at lower latitudes. (More)

Extra Credit

👃 These 15 smells are trademarked in the US.

📸 The stories behind Reuters photos of the year.

🧊 …and haunting photos captured in minus 30-degree temps.

🐕️ A missing dog rings the doorbell to signal she’s home.