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Matt Gaetz: Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said former Rep. Matt Gaetz lied to President-elect Donald Trump about his potential attorney general nomination in an attempt to avoid an impending ethics investigation. In an interview on NewsNation’s “Dan Abrams Live,” McCarthy suggested Gaetz sought a way out of Congress before a House Ethics report could be released and that he misled Trump about his circumstances. Watch the interview >

Gaetz ethics report: Gaetz stepped aside from the Cabinet nomination process amid growing fallout from federal and House Ethics investigations that cast doubt on his ability to be confirmed as the nation’s chief federal law enforcement officer. He has vehemently denied the allegations against him. Read more >

School shooting: Two kindergarteners, ages 5 and 6, are hospitalized in “extremely critical condition” after they were shot Wednesday at a religious school in the Northern California community of Palermo by a suspected gunman who died by suicide, authorities said. According to Butte County Sheriff Kory L. Honea, the gunman may have targeted the Feather River School of Seventh-Day Adventists due to its religious affiliation but isn’t believed to have had a prior connection to the victims or the school. Read more >

Transgender medical treatment: The Supreme Court seems likely to uphold Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors following a showdown over transgender rights Wednesday. Similar laws have also been passed in other Republican-leaning states. Those opposing the ban say it keeps kids from getting the treatment they need, while those supporting it argue it protects minors from life-changing decisions. Key takeaways from the arguments >

What’s next? The Supreme Court isn’t expected to decide on the ban for several months. The ruling could impact the 26 states that have passed versions of the ban. The latest >

Border report: U.S. authorities at the southern border say cartels are becoming more desperate after President-elect Donald Trump’s 2024 win and are using a new tactic to smuggle narcotics across the border: Unsuspecting drivers. The so-called “blind mules” are unknowingly bringing drugs over the border while cartel members use a tracker to retrieve the drugs on the U.S. side of the border. Details >

Cyberattack: A White House official said Wednesday that a Chinese hacking campaign has impacted at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of countries. The U.S. believes hackers managed to access communications of senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures. The FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency urge Americans to use encrypted messaging apps to keep their communications hidden from the attack. What to know >

Cryptocurrency: Bitcoin topped the $100,000 mark just hours after President-elect Donald Trump signaled a lighter regulatory approach to the cryptoindustry. The latest >

Bird flu: Production of raw milk, cream, and other products has been suspended at a California farm where multiple detections of the bird flu virus have been reported at the site over the past week, state health officials have announced. The California Department of Public Health placed Raw Farm LLC under quarantine on Tuesday after the bird flu detections were found within the company’s milk and dairy supply. Read more >