Good Morning! Today’s edition is 1,171 words, a 4-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• Biden commutes death row sentences

• Kilauea volcano erupts

• TSA’s naughty list

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*Editor’s Note: I’ll be off the next few days to spend time with family. The Neutral will be back in your inboxes early Friday morning. Merry Christmas!

Big Story

Gaetz Report

The US House Ethics Committee released its report on former Rep. Matt Gaetz.

• The report revealed that former Congressman Matt Gaetz paid $90,000 to 12 women for sex and drugs, violating multiple House rules. The report also found "substantial evidence" that Gaetz had sex with a 17-year-old girl in 2017, which likely broke Florida's statutory rape laws. (See full report here)

• Gaetz resigned from the House last month after being chosen by President-elect Donald Trump as attorney general, though he later withdrew from consideration. Before the report's release, Gaetz unsuccessfully challenged the Ethics Committee's jurisdiction, claiming it no longer applied since he left office.

• The decision to release the report was controversial. Many, including the committee chairman, opposed its publication, arguing it broke tradition by targeting a former member. Gaetz was also previously investigated by the FBI for sex trafficking but faced no criminal charges.

Big Story

Biden Commutes Death Row Sentences

President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates on Monday, changing them to life in prison without parole.

• The next administration cannot overturn his decision, but it does not stop future death penalty cases from being pursued. Biden, who opposes the death penalty, put federal executions on hold when he took office in 2021.

• Biden’s clemency decision does not include high-profile cases like Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (Boston Marathon bombing), Dylann Roof (Charleston church shooting), or Robert Bowers (Tree of Life synagogue attack). These cases involve ongoing legal challenges, which must be resolved before any executions can be scheduled.

• Additionally, Biden's actions only apply to federal death row inmates, not the nearly 2,200 individuals sentenced to death in state courts, over which he has no authority.

• Earlier this month, he pardoned 39 people convicted of nonviolent crimes and commuted sentences for nearly 1,500 others. He also issued a controversial pardon for his son, Hunter Biden, who faced tax and firearms charges.

Big Story

Real-Life Iron Man

Korean scientists created WalkON Suit F1, a 110-pound robot that helps paralyzed people walk.

• It uses 12 motors to mimic the movement of human joints while walking and has sensors that process 1,000 signals per second to keep users balanced. Front cameras help it spot stairs and obstacles.

• The robot can walk up to users in wheelchairs, attach itself automatically, and help them stand up. It allows users to walk at two mph, climb stairs, and move sideways.

• Team member Kim Seung-hwan, who can't walk, won gold in the exoskeleton category at Cybathlon 2024 using the suit. He said he was inspired by “Iron Man” and wanted to create a robot to help people. The team aims to make the robot part of daily life for disabled people.

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Quick Stories

US News

• A man accused of killing a woman by setting her on fire on a New York subway was in the US illegally and had been deported before. Immigration officials said he entered the US in Arizona in 2018 but was sent back to Guatemala just days later. (More)

• A 7-year-old boy needed open-heart surgery after drones at a holiday show in Orlando, Florida, fell from the sky and hit people in the audience. One of the drones crashed into the boy’s chest while he watched with his family. The FAA is investigating the incident. (More)

• Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano began erupting yesterday, releasing fresh lava inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Officials say there’s no immediate danger to residents, but volcanic smog could pose a risk to downwind areas. (More)

World

• Poland has introduced Education for Safety lessons in schools, which include firearms training and basic first aid. In response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and increasing security concerns, the Polish government wants to ensure that children are prepared for potential threats. (More)

• Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's position has become more uncertain as the opposition party that had supported his government for years announced it would vote no confidence when Parliament resumes. In response, Trudeau reshuffled his Cabinet on Friday. (More)

• El Salvador's legislature lifted a seven-year ban on metals mining on Monday, a move pushed by President Nayib Bukele to boost the economy but opposed by environmental groups. El Salvador was the first country to ban all metals mining in 2017. (More)

Business & Economy

• US stock markets closed higher on Monday (S&P +0.73%, Nasdaq +0.98%, Dow +0.16%). Trading closes early at 1 p.m. ET for the Christmas holiday. (More)

• The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is suing Walmart and fintech company Branch Messenger. The lawsuit claims they forced over a million delivery workers to use expensive deposit accounts to access their paychecks. The companies allegedly opened these accounts using the workers' personal information, like Social Security numbers, without their permission. (More)

• Nordstrom will be taken private in a $6.25 billion deal by the Nordstrom family and a Mexican retail group. Shareholders will receive $24.25 per share, a 42% premium from the stock price reported on March 18, when news of the deal first broke. (More)

Sports & Entertainment

• Georgia quarterback Carson Beck is out for the season after undergoing surgery on his right elbow’s UCL. He’s expected to recover fully but will miss the College Football Playoff. Beck was injured during Georgia’s SEC Championship win over Texas. (More)

• Michael Vick was introduced as Norfolk State’s new football coach on Monday, marking a homecoming for the former NFL star. The team has struggled recently and hopes hiring Vick will reignite the program. (More)

• Christopher Nolan's next movie, The Odyssey, will adapt Homer’s epic poem into a mythic action film. Universal announced the project will be filmed worldwide using new IMAX technology. The movie is set to hit theaters on July 17, 2026. (More)

Science, Health, & Tech

• A study found that polymer-based tea bags can release micro- and nanoplastics into the body and environment. However, not all tea bags have the same impact. While tea itself may still be healthy, the findings could affect how people choose to brew it. (More)

• NASA's Parker Solar Probe is set to make a record-breaking close approach to the sun today, coming within 3.8 million miles of its surface. Today’s flyby is seven times closer than any other spacecraft has ever been. (More)

• Russian scientists revealed the remains of a 50,000-year-old baby mammoth found in Yakutia's permafrost. It is considered the best-preserved mammoth carcass ever found and is one of only seven complete mammoth remains ever discovered. (More)

Extra Credit

🛫 How to get on the TSA’s naughty list. 

🛷 The world’s smallest reindeer.

🎺 A Texas A&M alumnus accidentally joined the band and pretended to play for 4 years.

🚗 Murder suspect caught on Google Street View loading body into a trunk.