Month: December 2025

Journalist and author Tatiana Schlossberg – daughter of Caroline Kennedy and Edwin Schlossberg, and granddaughter of late President John F. Kennedy — died Tuesday at age 35 following a battle with leukemia, her family announced.

The news was shared through social media by the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum: “Our beautiful Tatiana passed away this morning. She will always be in our hearts,” the statement read.

Schlossberg revealed her terminal diagnosis in a deeply personal essay published in The New Yorker this past November, sharing that she had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, including a rare mutation known as Inversion 3. Doctors discovered the cancer in May 2024 after she gave birth to her second child, when routine blood work showed an abnormally high white blood cell count. She wrote of receiving the diagnosis: “I did not — could not — believe that they were talking about me. I had swum a mile in the pool the day before, nine months pregnant. I wasn’t sick. I didn’t feel sick. I was actually one of the healthiest people I knew.”

Schlossberg spent weeks hospitalized at Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital in New York, followed by chemotherapy at home, bone marrow transplants and participation in multiple clinical trials, including immunotherapy. Her sister Rose was a stem cell match and donated cells for her first transplant. “My brother was a half-match, but he still asked every doctor if maybe a half-match was better, just in case,” she wrote of her younger brother, Jack.

In her essay, Schlossberg described the emotional weight of her illness on her family, particularly her mother, who has endured repeated personal loss. “For my whole life, I have tried to be good… and to protect my mother and never make her upset or angry. Now I have added a new tragedy to her life, to our family’s life, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.”  When doctors later told her that treatment could extend her life only briefly, she wrote: “During the latest clinical trial, my doctor told me that he could keep me alive for a year, maybe. My first thought was that my kids, whose faces live permanently on the inside of my eyelids, wouldn’t remember me.”

Schlossberg and physician George Moran were married in September 2017 in a ceremony at her family’s home on Martha’s Vineyard, after meeting when they were undergraduates at Yale University. The couple share two children, a son born in 2022 and a daughter born in May 2024. Schlossberg wrote candidly about missing much of her daughter’s first year due to the risk of infection following her transplants. “I didn’t ever really get to take care of my daughter—I couldn’t change her diaper or give her a bath or feed her.”

Schlossberg wrote that she focused on spending time with her family after her diagnosis — especially her young children: “Mostly, I try to live and be with them now. But being in the present is harder than it sounds, so I let the memories come and go. So many of them are from my childhood that I feel as if I’m watching myself and my kids grow up at the same time. Sometimes I trick myself into thinking I’ll remember this forever, I’ll remember this when I’m dead. Obviously, I won’t. But since I don’t know what death is like and there’s no one to tell me what comes after it, I’ll keep pretending. I will keep trying to remember …My son knows that I am a writer and that I write about our planet,” she wrote. “Since I’ve been sick, I remind him a lot, so that he will know that I was not just a sick person.”

An accomplished environmental journalist, Schlossberg worked at The New York Times and contributed to outlets including The Atlantic and The Washington Post.  She held a bachelor’s degree from Yale and a master’s degree from Oxford, and had been planning further research on ocean conservation before her diagnosis.

Schlossberg is survived by her husband, George Moran and their two children; her parents Edwin and Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg; as well as sister Rose, and brother Jack.

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The father of NASCAR star Denny Hamlin has died, and his mother remains hospitalized in critical condition after a destructive house fire tore through their North Carolina home over the weekend.

Local officials confirmed that Dennis Hamlin, 75, died from injuries sustained in the blaze, while his wife, Mary Lou Hamlin, 69, was critically injured and transferred to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Burn Center in Winston-Salem for treatment.

The fire broke out Sunday evening at a two-story home in Stanley, about 20 miles northwest of Charlotte, in Gaston County. Emergency crews were dispatched shortly after 6 p.m. and arrived to find the residence largely engulfed, with flames visible throughout the attic. The structure later collapsed due to the extent of the damage. Investigators said the cause of the fire has not yet been determined and remains under investigation.

Officials said Dennis and Mary Lou Hamlin were found outside the home after narrowly escaping the flames but had suffered “catastrophic injuries while escaping.” Both were initially transported to CaroMont Regional Medical Center, where Dennis Hamlin later died. Mary Lou Hamlin was subsequently moved to a specialized burn facility.

The home is owned by a real estate company managed by Denny Hamlin, according to property and business records cited by authorities. While the house appears to be a total loss, fire officials noted that some vehicles, along with racing memorabilia stored in the garage, were salvaged.

NASCAR released a statement offering condolences to the family: “NASCAR extends its deepest condolences to Denny Hamlin and the entire Hamlin family. Dennis Hamlin instilled a love of racing in his son, and sacrificed greatly to develop Denny into a world-class talent in the sport. We also continue to offer our thoughts and prayers to Denny’s mother, Mary Lou, and hope for her full recovery.”

A three-time Daytona 500 winner, Hamlin currently ranks tied for 10th on NASCAR’s all-time Cup Series wins list with 60 victories and is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished drivers of his generation. The tragedy comes just months after Hamlin, 45, captured the 60th victory of his NASCAR Cup Series career, a milestone he dedicated to his father. He has long credited his parents—particularly his father—with making extraordinary sacrifices to support his racing ambitions from an early age. Hamlin said after that October win: “He’s the one who got me into racing, took me to the track when I was five, sold everything they had, you know, we almost lost our house a couple times, and just tried to keep it all going. I’m just glad he was able to see 60.”  Hamlin had previously also shared that his father’s health had been declining and acknowledged the emotional significance of that victory: “I know for a fact this is my last chance for my dad to see it. I don’t want him going and never getting to see the moment,” he said at the time.

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New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs is facing serious criminal charges stemming from an alleged altercation at his Massachusetts home earlier this month, according to court filings and a police report obtained by multiple outlets.

Diggs, 32, has been charged with felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery related to an incident that allegedly occurred on Dec. 2 at his $2.5 million residence in Dedham, about 15 miles south of Boston. He is scheduled to be arraigned in Dedham District Court on Jan. 23, just days before the AFC Championship Game, should the Patriots advance that far in the playoffs.

The incident allegedly happened on Dec. 2 at Diggs’ $2.5 million home in Dedham, Mass., a suburb of Boston located just 15 miles south of the city. The alleged victim, who told police she worked for Diggs as a personal chef, reported that she approached Diggs about back pay she claimed he owed her, and things quickly escalated. According to the police report, the woman told police that she was in her bedroom when Diggs walked in after the two had “been having an ongoing text exchange over money owed to [her].” In one message, the woman wrote, “You will be paying me out for the season & the money you said you would give me,” with Diggs responding, “I don’t gotta do a mf thing…You can get whoever you want,” followed by, “You got my address, tell them come take the money.”

Diggs and the woman began to discuss the matter, which “apparently angered” the NFL star. The victim alleges that Diggs then “smacked her across the face,” and she pushed him away, with Diggs then accused of again attacking the woman, who alleged that he “tried to choke her using the crook of his elbow around her neck.” The victim told police that she “did have trouble breathing and could’ve blacked out,” and also alleged that “as she tried to pry [Diggs’] arm away, he tightened his grip.”   The police report stated the alleged victim stated that “he said that she is normally paid by wire transfer, and the initial agreement was for weekly pay. She said that since she has been working, she has been getting paid monthly instead … As of now, she said that she still believes she is owed a month’s pay.” (per Boston25).

The woman left the home that night and initially reported the incident to police on Dec. 16, but declined to file formal charges at that time. She later changed her mind and formally requested charges be filed on Dec. 23. She told investigators she quit her job with Diggs the night of the alleged incident and later received messages from him asking her to sign a non-disclosure agreement.

Diggs, who is in the first season of a three-year, $69 million contract with the Patriots, has strongly denied the allegations. His attorney, David Meier, said in a statement: “Stefon Diggs categorically denies these allegations. They are unsubstantiated, uncorroborated, and were never investigated — because they did not occur. The timing and motivation for making the allegations is crystal clear: they are the direct result of an employee-employer financial dispute that was not resolved to the employee’s satisfaction. Stefon looks forward to establishing the truth in a court of law.”

Another attorney for Diggs, Michael DiStefano, appeared remotely in court during a recent motion hearing, arguing that the police report and related documents should remain sealed due to concerns about prejudicial publicity. DiStefano also told the court that Diggs has made a financial offer in an attempt to resolve the dispute, saying, “As we speak, they’re working to come to an agreement on that.” The judge overseeing the case is expected to decide whether court records will be impounded and may also consider a request to push the arraignment to March.

The Patriots acknowledged the situation in a statement, saying: “The New England Patriots are aware of the accusations that have been made regarding Stefon Diggs. Stefon has informed the organization that he categorically denies the allegations. We support Stefon. We will continue to gather information and will cooperate fully with the appropriate authorities and the NFL as necessary. Out of respect for all parties involved, and given that this is an ongoing legal matter, we will have no further comment at this time.”

The NFL also confirmed it is aware of the case, stating, “We are aware of the matter and have been in contact with the club. We have no further comment at this time.”

Diggs is in his 11th NFL season, and first with New England after signing in March. He has recorded 82 receptions for 970 yards and four touchdowns through 16 games this year.

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President Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida on Monday in the hopes of advancing the ceasefire deal that the president brokered in Gaza.  Ahead of their closed-door meeting, Netanyahu also met with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The meeting between Trump and Netanyahu comes one day after the president hosted Ukrainian President Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago as part of the U.S. bid to negotiate a peace deal with Russia.

Prior to the meeting, Trump told reporters that the two leaders will discuss the need for Hamas to disarm, Iran’s ballistic missile and nuclear programs, and Syria’s new government. Netanyahu, standing beside Trump, praised the President: “I’ll say it again and again and again, we’ve never had a friend like President Trump in the White House. It’s not even close. And I think you can judge that by not merely by the frequency of our meetings, but by the content and the intensity.”  Trump responded, “Well, I just want to say that it’s very important who the prime minister and president of Israel is. We have a great relationship. He can be very difficult on occasion, but you need a strong man. If you had a weak man, you wouldn’t have Israel right now. Israel would have been, you know, Israel, with most other leaders, would not exist today.”

Standing alongside Netanyahu after the meeting’s conclusion, Trump said the talks with Netanyahu were productive, but disagreements remain over the occupied West Bank. Trump also said Hamas “will be given a very short period of time” to disarm to move to the second phase of his Gaza peace plan or “there will be hell to pay;” adding that Israel has “100%” lived up to the plan.  Trump said of Hamas, “They’re going to be given a very short period of time to disarm. And we’ll see how that works out. Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will be in charge of that, from our side. But if they don’t disarm, as they agreed to do — they agreed to it — then there will be hell to pay for them. And we don’t want that. We’re not looking for that. But they have to disarm within a fairly short period of time.”  Trump added: “we have 59 countries that signed on, big countries, countries that are outside of the Middle East as you know the Middle East. They want to go in and wipe out Hamas. They don’t want Israel, they don’t need Israel; they want to do it because it’s the right thing to do. Because they were for the deal, based on the fact that Hamas pledged, they swore, that they were going to disarm. Now, if they’re not going to disarm, those same countries will wipe out Hamas.”

Trump also threatened Iran with potential consequences, saying that Iran “may be behaving badly” and suggesting the country was trying to rebuild nuclear sites after the U.S. struck three of them this year:  “If it’s confirmed, look, there will be consequences. Consequences will be very powerful, maybe more powerful than last time.” In response, Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei, said that “any aggression will receive a strong, immediate response that goes beyond what the attacker expects,” (per the state-run Nour News agency).

Netanyahu said he had a “very, very productive meeting” with the president, and he thanked him for his partnership, and said that Mr. Trump would receive the Israel Prize, the most prestigious award in Israel, for his work on the peace negotiations.  Netanyahu told reporters: “We’ve never awarded it to a non-Israeli. And we’re going to award it this year to President Trump.”

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President Donald Trump said the United States recently destroyed a major facility in Venezuela tied to drug trafficking, a claim that, if confirmed, would represent a significant escalation in Washington’s campaign against the South American nation.

Trump made the remarks during a radio interview on 77 WABC’s “Sid and Friends in the Morning,” while discussing his administration’s efforts to disrupt narcotics flows from the region. He described the target as a large site used to support drug-smuggling operations by sea.  Trump said: “And we just knocked out, I don’t know if you read or you saw, they have a big plant or a big facility where they send the, you know, where the ships come from. Two nights ago we knocked that out, so we hit them very hard.”

In the interview with WABC radio, the station’s owner, John Catsimatidis, argued that “Venezuela is going to provide a lot more oil to the United States of America if Maduro leaves,” referring to Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Trump replied, “well, it’s about a lot of things. It’s about that. It’s about, you know, they took our oil, they took it, and they also sent millions of people in there from jails into our country, from jail, some of the worst people on Earth.”

The president offered no location or operational details during the interview, and U.S. officials have not independently confirmed the reported strike – leaving key questions unanswered about the scope and consequences of the alleged operation. The Pentagon referred questions about Trump’s statements to the White House, who did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The CIA also declined to discuss the matter. The New York Times later reported that U.S. officials said Trump was referring to a drug facility in Venezuela that had been eliminated, though they also declined to provide specifics.

Speaking to reporters Monday at his Mar-a-Lago resort, Trump expanded on his comments, pointing to damage at a port area allegedly used to load drugs onto boats. “Well, it doesn’t matter, but there was a major explosion in the dock area, where they load the boats up with drugs,” he said. He added that the strike hit what he called “the implementation area,” saying, “that is no longer around.”

If accurate, the strike would mark the first publicly acknowledged U.S. attack on land inside Venezuela since the Trump administration began a broader counternarcotics campaign that has largely focused on maritime operations. Since September, the U.S. military has targeted more than two dozen vessels it says were carrying drugs, resulting in at least 105 deaths, according to U.S. figures.  Earlier this month, Trump ordered what he called a “complete blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, striking at the government’s primary revenue source. U.S. forces have since seized oil tankers off Venezuela’s coast.

The president has repeatedly accused Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro of facilitating drug trafficking and collaborating with criminal groups designated by the U.S. as terrorist organizations, allegations Maduro denies. Trump has also claimed — without evidence — that Venezuela released prisoners who later entered the United States.  Trump last week suggested it would be “smart” for Maduro to step aside, saying: “He can do whatever he wants, it’s alright, whatever he wants to do. If he wants to do something, if he plays tough, it’ll be the last time he’s ever able to play tough.”

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On Sunday, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, in the latest attempt to end Ukraine’s war with Russia. The high-stakes meeting comes at a key moment in efforts to end nearly four years of war initiated when Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022.

Zelenskyy arrived shortly before 1:30 p.m., with Trump greeting the Ukrainian president and the pair shaking hands, flanked by American and Ukrainian flags.  Asked whether he thinks Putin is serious about the peace, Mr. Trump told reporters “I do. I think he is. I think they both are.” Trump said his message to Putin earlier in the day was, “got to make a deal. Got to get it done. Too many people dying. And I think both presidents want to make a deal.” Mr. Trump said “I do believe we have the makings of a deal that’s good for Ukraine, good for everybody, adding that “we’re going to have a great meeting today” and said he planned to call Putin back after the meeting with Zelenskyy to “continue a negotiation.”

During a news conference after their roughly two and a half-hour meeting, Trump and Zelenskyy indicated they are close to a potential peace deal and struck an optimistic tone, while acknowledging that challenges remain. Trump said: “You can say 95% but I don’t like to say percentages. I just think we’re doing very well. There are one or two very thorny issues, very tough issues, but I think we’re doing very well. We made a lot of progress today.”

Zelenskyy echoed those sentiments, telling reporters that “We had a really great discussion. We discussed all the aspects of the peace framework.” He added that the deal as a whole was 90% agreed, saying U.S., Europe and Ukraine security guarantees are “almost agreed.”  As for a timeline on finalizing a potential deal, Trump said the best case scenario is in “a few weeks .. I think we’ll get it done. I don’t want to say when, but I think we’ll get it done.” The two leaders also said they spoke with the leaders of France, Finland, Poland, Norway, Italy, the U.K. and Germany, as well as the presidents of NATO and the European Commission after their meeting at Mar-a-Lago. They also said that Trump is expected to host Zelenskyy and other European leaders in Washington in January.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen posted on X that several European leaders had spoken with Trump and Zelenskyy. von der Leyen wrote: “We had a good, one-hour-long call with @POTUS, President @ZelenskyyUa and several European leaders to discuss their meeting today on peace negotiations. There was good progress, which we welcomed. Europe is ready to keep working with Ukraine and our US partners to consolidate this progress. Paramount to this effort is to have ironclad security guarantees from day one.”

Trump had noted earlier on Sunday said that he had spoke with Putin ahead of his meeting with Zelenskyy. Trump wrote on Truth Social: “I just had a good and very productive telephone call with President Putin of Russia prior to my meeting, at 1:00 P.M. today, with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine. The meeting will take place in the main dining room of Mar-a-Lago. Press is invited. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DJT”

Zelenskyy said just days ago that he had a “good conversation” with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Mr. Trump’s son-in-law. Zelenskyy said the two leaders planned to talk about economic and security agreements and the “territorial issues” that remain major sticking points between Russia and Ukraine. Zelenskyy had also told reporters earlier this week that a draft 20-point peace proposal is roughly 90% ready. Agreed upon by U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators, the proposal is under review by the Kremlin, although Moscow has shown no signs of budging on its territorial demands. Chief obstacles to an agreement with Russia include the Donbas areas most highly coveted by Putin, U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine, and the status of Europe’s largest nuclear plant. Zelenskyy conceded last week he’d be willing to withdraw Ukrainian troops from Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland if Russia pulls back and allows the area to become a demilitarized zone to be monitored by international forces.

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