News Wrap: Relentless rain adds to California's wettest holiday season in decades

William Brangham:

The day's other headlines begin in California, where more than 45 million people were under flood alerts today after relentless rains added to the state's wettest holiday season in decades.

In some of the hardest-hit areas, the downpours have died down enough for the cleanup to begin. The town of Wrightwood in the mountains northeast of Los Angeles got nearly a foot of rain in just three days. Residents who had evacuated returned to find their homes buried in mud. Locals say they will need to lean on each other to get through.

Michelle Meyers, Wrightwood Resident:

I thought what my son said about this all happening on Christmas was really poignant. But this community, whether it's floods or fires or now this, they really pull together and they're out helping each other.

William Brangham:

All the way across the country, millions are bracing for a belated white Christmas. Areas north of New York City and parts of Pennsylvania could see up to a foot of snow through tomorrow. Travel disruptions are also in the forecast, with more than 1,000 flights already canceled because of this winter weather.

Officials in Kentucky say a 15th person has now died as a result of a recent plane crash at Louisville International Airport. In a social media post yesterday, the city's mayor said Alain Rodriguez Colina -- quote -- "suffered severe injuries at the time of the crash and passed earlier this Christmas Day."

He was one of 12 people killed on the ground when UPS Flight 2976, bound for Hawaii, crashed just moments after takeoff. Three pilots also died. In its initial report, air safety officials said they found cracks where the plane's engine was connected to its wing.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he'll discuss security guarantees with President Trump when the two meet in Florida on Sunday. Zelenskyy told reporters today that a broader 20-point plan is -- quote -- "about 90 percent ready." But he acknowledged that Ukraine and Russia have yet to reach agreement on territorial issues.

Meantime, Russia carried out a number of strikes today, including one on Ukraine's second biggest city, Kharkiv. Local officials say at least two people were killed and six others injured, including a baby.

In Northern Israel, officials say a Palestinian man from the West Bank killed at least two Israelis there today and injured two more. Police say the suspect ran over a pedestrian in the city of Beit She'an and then fatally stabbed a young woman nearby. He was then shot and taken to a hospital for treatment.

Authorities are describing the incident as a -- quote -- "rolling terror attack." In response, Israel's defense minister has ordered troops to crack down on what he called terrorist infrastructure in the assailant's West Bank hometown.

On Wall Street today, stocks ended just a touch lower to wrap up the holiday-shortened week. The Dow Jones industrial average slipped just 20 points on the day. The Nasdaq also fell by 20 points. The S&P 500 ended virtually unchanged.