Forty-thousand oysters, lobster worth $400,000 and a cache of crabmeat all were stolen in separate recent incidents in New England. The first seafood heist took place Nov. 22 in Falmouth, Maine, where authorities suspect someone stole 14 cages full of oysters from an aquaculture site in Casco Bay. The other two thefts happened in Taunton, Massachusetts. First, a load of crab disappeared after leaving the Lineage Logistics warehouse on Dec. 2. Then, on Dec. 12, according to a broker, lobster meat destined for Costco stores in Illinois and Minnesota was stolen by a fraudulent trucking company.

A newly unsealed order in the criminal case against Kilmar Abrego Garcia reveals that high level Justice Department officials pushed for his indictment only after he was mistakenly deported and then ordered returned to the U.S. Abrego Garcia has pleaded not guilty to charges of human smuggling. He is seeking to have the case dismissed on the grounds that the prosecution is vindictive. The newly unsealed order sheds new light on the decision to prosecute. It reveals emails from top DOJ officials calling the criminal case a “top priority” in April. That was after the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the administration to work to bring Abrego Garcia back from El Salvador.

Environmental journalist Tatiana Schlossberg, the granddaughter of the late President John F. Kennedy, has died. Her family disclosed her death in a statement released Tuesday by the John. F. Kennedy Library Foundation. Schlossberg was 35. The daughter of Kennedy’s daughter, Caroline Kennedy, and Edwin Schlossberg, the journalist revealed she had terminal cancer in a November 2025 essay in The New Yorker. She was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in May 2024 at age 34 after the birth of her second child. In the essay, “A Battle with my Blood,” Schlossberg recounted rounds of chemotherapy, stem cell transplants and clinical trials.

The surge of federal officers this week in Minnesota follows new allegations of fraud by day care centers run by Somali residents. President Donald Trump has previously linked his administration’s immigration crackdown against Minnesota’s large Somali community to a series of fraud cases involving government programs in which most of the defendants have roots in the east African country. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and FBI Director Kash Patel both announced an increase in operations in Minnesota this week. The move comes after a right-wing influencer posted a video in which he claimed that day care centers had committed up to $100 million in fraud.

The year’s first supermoon and meteor shower will compete for dominance in January skies. The Quadrantid meteor shower peaks Friday night into Saturday morning, but fewer than 10 meteors will be visible per hour due to light from Saturday's supermoon. To spot the Quadrantids, venture out in the early evening away from city lights and glimpse the fireballs before the moon crashes the party. Wait for your eyes to get used to the darkness, and don’t look at your phone. Saturday's supermoon ends a four-month streak that started in October. There won’t be another until the end of 2026.

Tributes have been paid after the crash that injured British former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and killed two close associates. There were also growing concerns about Nigeria’s roads following the deadly crash near Lagos on Monday. Joshua was under “observation” while recovering from minor injuries following the crash, his promoter said. The high-profile accident has prompted serious concerns about road safety on Nigerian highways, where accidents are common. Experts say a combination of factors including a network of dilapidated roads, lax enforcement of traffic laws, and indiscipline by drivers, produces the grim statistics.

They’re ready to embark on 2026. Three more dog breeds joined the American Kennel Club’s roster of recognized breeds on Tuesday. One of the newcomers is the Teddy Roosevelt terrier, named for the former U.S. president. Another is the Russian tsvetnaya bolonka (zviht-NEYE’-ah boh-LON’-kah). It's a lapdog developed in Soviet-era Russia. The third is a centuries-old French hunting hound called the basset fauve de Bretagne (bah-SAY’ fohve deh breh-TAHN’-yeh). The AKC now recognizes 205 breeds. Recognition means eligibility for many U.S. dog shows and can increase a breed’s visibility to the pet-loving public.

Dozens of places across the U.S. will ring in 2026 by dropping a quirky assortment of fruits, vegetables, sea creatures and balls of all shapes and sizes. There’s the chile pepper drop in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and the cheese wedge drop in Plymouth, Wisconsin. Key West, Florida, has its conch shell drop and Mobile, Alabama, celebrates with the MoonPie drop. It’s all a nod to the famed New Year’s Eve ball drop in New York City’s Times Square. That tradition dates back to 1907. Now there are New Year’s ball drops and cherry drops and pickle drops from coast to coast.

Power problems and a stuck train have interrupted rail traffic through the Channel Tunnel connecting the U.K. to continental Europe. Eurostar has indefinitely suspended its services to and from London during the busy holiday period. The company blames overhead power supply issues and a failed train operated by LeShuttle. Eurotunnel, the Channel Tunnel's operator, says the power problem began overnight Monday, affecting both passenger and vehicle travel. Traffic is expected to resume gradually on Tuesday afternoon. Teams are working to restore the situation as quickly as possible. Passengers are advised to rebook their journeys.

The big story of the upcoming midterm elections will be the fight over which party will control the U.S. House of Representatives during the last half of President Donald Trump's second term in office. But there's a related issue that is potentially just as important — whether the Trump administration will try to interfere with the way the elections are held. Democrats point to a number of developments over the past year as warning signs. Trump has issued executive orders on voting and targeted groups that organize and fund Democratic campaigns. His Justice Department has sued mostly Democratic-controlled states for detailed voter information. And the administration has sent the military into Democratic-run cities.

Young gymnasts were sounding warnings about a coach as far back as 2017. That's the same year the U.S. Center for SafeSport was created in the wake of the Larry Nassar sexual-abuse scandal. People familiar with the case involving Sean Gardner told The Associated Press he had agreed to a permanent ban from coaching early this year but the center never closed the deal. The people spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation by SafeSport and said Gardner's case got tangled in office politics that included allegations of retaliation. SafeSport says putting Gardner on temporary suspension was effectively the same as a permanent ban. Gardner has pleaded not guilty to federal child pornography charges and is awaiting trial.

Faith leaders across the United States face challenges as they support anxious immigrants. Haitians, Afghans, and Somali Americans fear policy changes under the Trump administration. In Springfield, Ohio, and elsewhere, Haitians are worried as their Temporary Protected Status is set to expire soon. Afghan refugees face increased restrictions, affecting organizations like Lutheran Social Services. In Minnesota, Somali Americans are dealing with heightened immigration enforcement and derogatory comments from President Trump. Faith communities are uniting to provide sanctuary and support, and religious leaders are speaking out against dehumanizing rhetoric and emphasizing the dignity of every individual.

The Detroit Lions won't make the playoffs, but one of their fans has influenced the postseason picture. The NFL suspended Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf for the final two games after an incident with Lions fan Ryan Kennedy. Metcalf's absence was felt in the Steelers' 13-6 loss to Cleveland. This sets up a crucial game against the Baltimore Ravens, with the winner taking the AFC North and the loser going home. The NFC faces a similar scenario between the Panthers and Buccaneers. Analysts say the Steelers need to adjust their strategy without Metcalf to succeed against the Ravens.

Local authorities in France say Brigitte Bardot’s funeral is set for next week in the French Riviera resort of Saint-Tropez which she helped make famous. The cinema star and animal rights activist died Sunday at 91 in southern France. Saint-Tropez town hall said Monday that a ceremony is scheduled on Jan. 7 and will be broadcast on large screens at the port and central square. The burial will be private at the local cemetery overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. A public homage will follow. Bardot retired from cinema in 1973 and lived in Saint-Tropez for more than a half-century.

China’s top diplomat has slammed a record U.S. military sale to Taiwan. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday also blasted what he called pro-independence forces in Taiwan and the leaders of Japan. The military package announced earlier this month by the U.S. State Department amounts to the largest U.S. arms sale to Taiwan and is valued at more than $11 billion. China has responded to the arms sale by launching two days of military drills around Taiwan. The exercises also are seen as a rebuke to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi after she inflamed Beijing last month by implying Japan could militarily intervene over Taiwan.