Here’s what you need to know at the end of the day.
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Good evening. Please note: We’ll be off on Monday for the holiday.
Here’s the latest.
1. President Trump rushed to sign the tax bill into law before heading down to Mar-a-Lago for Christmas.
The White House had considered holding a formal signing ceremony early next year — but decided against it after TV networks noted that Mr. Trump had vowed to do it before the holiday.
Will your taxes go up or down? Get a sense with our tax bill calculator. And here’s some of the best writing from across the political spectrum on the bill.
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2. The U. N. Security Council voted 15 to 0 to impose harsh new sanctions on North Korea. Above, the American ambassador to the U. N., Nikki Haley, spoke to her colleagues there.
The measures significantly choke off the country’s fuel supplies — and will force North Koreans working abroad to return within two years. (They’re a key source of cash.)
It’s significant that Russia and China joined in the resolution. It could be the last test of whether economic pressure can force North Korea to reverse course on its nuclear program.
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3. More than 700 employees have left the Environmental Protection Agency since President Trump took office, amid plummeting morale.
Most are not being replaced. More than 200 of them are scientists, creating what some experts say is a worrisome brain drain.
Republicans have long sought to shrink the agency, now led by Scott Pruitt, above. The plan is to cut 3,200 positions total.
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4. The deadly opioid crisis is getting worse, particularly for black Americans.
New federal data shows that the drug death rate is rising most steeply among black people. Experts say fentanyl in heroin, or on its own, is often the opioid to blame. Above, police activity after a fight at a suspected drug den.
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5. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims have fled horrific violence in Myanmar in recent months. It was one of the most rapid mass exoduses in modern history.
This is the story of how they escaped into Bangladesh, told in text, photos and video. And here’s how to help.
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6. Three months after Hurricane Maria made landfall, parts of Puerto Rico are still without water, and over a million people remain in the dark.
But many are determined to celebrate Christmas . “I couldn’t allow the pessimism that is everywhere, that is covering us, to also wither the culture, the traditions,” said one woman who attended a parranda, a traditional get-together to sing carols. “We bring our happiness.”
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7. The narratives of the “Star Wars” universe are created by a small group of diverse writers, something of an outlier in Hollywood.
Its goal is to tell stories that fulfill the expectations of loyal fans — and create meaningful female characters .
Kiri Hart, head of the Lucasfilm story group, above, said it “feels miraculous, and really hopeful, not just for ‘Star Wars,’ but for movies in general.”
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8. Tom Petty, Fats Domino, Della Reese, Mary Tyler Moore. We lost many important artists in 2017.
Here are some of their most notable quotes . “I was going to be famous if it killed me,” Chuck Berry, above at Madison Square Garden in 1971, once said.
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9. We also introduced a wildly successful new podcast this year: “The Daily.”
This special episode is an audio time capsule of 2017, chronicling the moments from the inauguration to the tax bill — and the hurricanes, attacks and scandals in between.
For more on the year that was, check out our 2017 Year in Review .
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10. Finally, back by popular demand, and not a moment too soon: The Week in Good News.
This new feature is meant to send you into the weekend (especially a long one like this one) with a smile, or at least a lighter heart.
Among the items: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, above, have set a date for their wedding; Neapolitan pizza is one of civilization’s glories; and you’re never too old to dance.
Have a great weekend.
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