Freezing weather threatens post-Thanksgiving travel, GOP readies priorities for Trump’s second term: Weekend Rundown

Arctic blast hits post-Thanksgiving travel period

An Arctic blast has brought snow, frost and dangerously cold winds to the northern Plains, Midwest and Great Lakes, creating “very difficult to impossible” travel conditions on one of the busiest days of the year, as millions of Americans head home after Thanksgiving.

A National Weather Service advisory issued early Sunday warned that lake effect snow bands and showers had developed downwind of the Great Lakes in northeast Ohio, far northwest Pennsylvania, western New York and portions of northwest New York, creating hazardous travel conditions. Meanwhile, freeze alerts are in place for around 2 million people in parts of Georgia and Florida.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul warned New Yorkers on Saturday to avoid unnecessary travel. More than 100 National Guard troops were staged in western New York “to support local communities,” she said in a statement.

The heaviest snow accumulations are expected east of Lake Ontario. Erie, Pennsylvania, has recorded 30 inches of snow, the highest total so far, according to the NWS.

Republicans prepare sweeping agenda for Trump’s second term

Republicans are making plans to craft a huge party-line bill in the new Trump administration using the budget reconciliation process, which would allow them to pass policies involving taxes and spending without needing any Democratic votes.

Their top priorities include extending the 2017 Trump tax law, boosting border enforcement and repealing clean energy funding in President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.

“I’ve told all the freshmen and the returning members: Be ready for a very busy first 100 days,” said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise.

President-elect Donald Trump’s second-term agenda has some Americans worried about the impact on their lives and livelihoods. Gay couples are rushing to get married out of fear their rights might be rescinded, and small businesses are already preparing for Trump’s promised tariffs.

Notably, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago after Trump threatened to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian goods.

Iran offers backing to Syria as rebels take control of Aleppo in surprise push

Iran has thrown its support behind Syria’s government after thousands of insurgents took control of the country’s second-largest city of Aleppo and seized nearby towns and villages in a swift and surprise offensive.

“We firmly support the Syrian army and government,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was quoted as saying by the state-run IRNA news agency. “The Syrian army will once again be victorious over these terrorist groups as in the past.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a London-based war monitor, reported that insurgents led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group had taken control of Aleppo International Airport and now control “the majority of” Aleppo, a surprise flare-up of activity after 13 years of civil war.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that the U.S. has designated HTS a “terrorist enemy, so we have concerns, obviously, about that group.” Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said Syria will continue to “defend its stability and territorial integrity against terrorists and their supporters.”

Meet the Press

Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., said he is supportive of President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to impose tariffs on imports from a number of nations, including Canada and Mexico, pointing to the long history of the U.S. using trade as a “strategic tool.”

“Access to our economy is a privilege,” Hagerty told “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker. “If you think about it, we’ve made access to this economy a strategic tool ever since World War II.”

“Right now, the United States has the most open market of any major economy in the world. We need to take a very hard look at countries that don’t have our best interests at heart, countries that are allowing our borders to be violated, and use those tariffs as a tool to achieve our ends,” Hagerty added.

Politics in brief

FBI pick: Trump announced Saturday he would pick Kashyap “Kash” Patel, a 44-year-old loyalist with little significant experience in federal law enforcement, to serve as director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

To ban or not to ban?: As Trump assembles his White House staff and selects his Cabinet picks, an ideological divide has emerged around a TikTok ban, throwing the app’s future into question.

Trans health care: The Supreme Court will hear arguments Wednesday on a law restricting transition-related health care for minors. Experts say the decision could have broad impacts for years to come.

The Latino vote: Trump performed better than expected with Hispanic males in the election. Soon, they’ll be looking for returns on their votes.

2024 polls: Presidential polling had a better year than in recent elections. Here’s what the polls got right — and what they missed.

The year of the veteran running back

NFL teams historically prefer to move on after a rookie deal. The longer players are in the league, the more wear and tear their bodies suffer, and running back is one of the most injury-prone positions in the league.

So it wasn’t a surprise that the New York Giants opted to let Saquon Barkley become a free agent instead of signing him to a multiyear deal. They didn’t want to commit a large part of their salary cap to an aging running back who just a few years ago tore an ACL.

But after signing with the Philadelphia Eagles, Barkley has been nearly unstoppable and is on pace to break the league’s all-time mark for rushing yards in a season. And he’s not the only veteran running back proving those long-held beliefs wrong.

Their success has general managers around the league wondering: Are they the start of something new, or are they outliers?

A record-breaking holiday box office

The “Wicked”-“Gladiator II” combo delivered a strong box office last weekend. Adding “Moana 2” to the mix shattered records and propelled this holiday stretch to the highest-grossing Thanksgiving weekend ever.

The sequel to Disney’s animated hit has grossed $221 million across North America since its Wednesday release, the biggest Thanksgiving debut ever and the biggest five-day opening of all time.

Auli‘i Cravalho, who was only 16 when she voiced her breakout role as Moana, spoke with NBC News about the pride she feels in celebrating the people of the Pacific on the big screen.

“I remember watching and rewatching the movie ‘Mulan’ and resonating with her background of Asian/Pacific Islander and her dedication to family and culture. She also was the first princess to run off into battle and kick butt! I still watch that film even as I’m turning 24, and she’s still one of my favorites today,” Cravalho said.

In case you missed it

• Six people were pulled alive from the rubble of a Missouri home that exploded Saturday morning, authorities said. Three were critically injured.
• The mother of Israeli American hostage Edan Alexander told NBC News she was both shaken and relieved to see her son in a Hamas-issued propaganda video.
• Over a year after the Hawaii wildfires, homeowners stuck between expiring financial assistance and rising rents are unable to pay for rebuilding costs.
• A new wave of laws and mandates about religious curricula in schools is testing the bounds of what may be legally permissible.
• Bluesky is becoming a preferred platform for reporters, writers, activists and others who feel X is a more “toxic” place.
• Farmers packed into London streets around Parliament to protest the new U.K. government’s decision to tax inherited agricultural property.
• The sun has reached its solar maximum, meaning more solar storms and spectacular auroras could be in store over the next year.
• While it used to be taboo to take a phone out during a movie, people posting from “Wicked” screenings has once again renewed debate over movie theater etiquette.