US Domestic News Roundup: No gift yet for Melania, Trump's Christmas Eve; Christmas Day, three found dead on Boston sidewalk and more

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Trump's Christmas Eve admission: No gift yet for Melania

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he had not yet bought a Christmas present for the first lady, just a day before the holiday that could bring a more ominous gift from North Korea. During a video teleconference with members of the U.S. Armed Forces from his resort residence in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump said in response to a question he picked out "a beautiful card" for first lady Melania Trump.

Woman and two children found dead on Boston sidewalk on Christmas Day

A woman and two young children were found dead on Christmas Day on a downtown Boston sidewalk at the base of a high-rise parking structure, authorities said, apparently after plunging from the roof level of the garage. Boston Police Commissioner William Gross said on Wednesday detectives had few details about what happened to the three victims, whom he said were found unconscious on the pavement and pronounced "non-viable" at a local hospital.

Former Trump campaign staffer sues over pregnancy discrimination

A staff member of Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign is suing the campaign for pregnancy discrimination, alleging she was stripped of job responsibilities after being impregnated by her supervisor. In court papers filed on Monday in New York, Arlene Delgado said she learned she was pregnant in mid-November 2016, around the time Trump won the presidential election. Delgado was a senior official for outreach to the Hispanic community.

Republican senator 'disturbed' by McConnell's work with White House on impeachment trial

Republican U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski said she was "disturbed" by the Senate leader's approach to working with White House counsel on the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, saying there should be distance between the two. The comments by the Alaska lawmaker come after Mitch McConnell, majority leader of the Republican-led Senate, said during a Fox News interview earlier this month that he was working in "total coordination" with the White House on the upcoming trial.

Fire in Minneapolis leaves 250 homeless on Christmas Day

Fire swept a hotel apartment building that provides transitional housing for the poor in downtown Minneapolis early on Wednesday, leaving about 250 people homeless on Christmas morning, city officials said. No deaths or serious injuries were reported in the four-alarm blaze. Three residents with minor injuries were taken to a hospital for evaluation, and several others were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation, officials said.

Christianity Today again slams Trump, raises issue of 'unconditional loyalty'

Christianity Today, the magazine founded by the late Reverend Billy Graham renewed its criticism of President Donald Trump in a new editorial that cited his "misuses of power" and asked fellow Christians to examine their loyalty to him, days after a controversial editorial that called for his impeachment. The 130,000-circulation magazine, which has 4.3 million monthly website viewers, in its editorial last week cited Trump's "profoundly immoral" conduct in office, drawing immediate criticism from Trump and dozens of evangelical leaders.

Recreational marijuana becomes legal in Illinois on New Year's Day

Many pot-smoking adults in Illinois will ring in the new year on a high note when recreational marijuana use becomes legal in the state on Jan. 1. Starting New Year's Day, people 21 and older will be able to legally buy up to 30 grams of marijuana flower, 5 grams of marijuana concentrate, or 500 grams of THC-infused products such as edibles at licensed commercial dealers throughout the state.

Record online sales give U.S. holiday shopping season a boost: report

U.S. shoppers spent more online during this year's holiday shopping season, a report by Mastercard Inc showed on Wednesday, with e-commerce sales hitting a record high. The holiday shopping season is a crucial period for retailers and can account for up to 40% of annual sales. But this year, Thanksgiving, which traditionally starts the U.S. holiday shopping period, was on Nov. 28, a week later than last year's Nov. 22, leaving retailers with six fewer days to drive sales between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Giuliani associate Parnas unable to pay both lawyers agrees to let one withdraw

A lawyer for Lev Parnas, an associate of U.S. President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani who has been charged with campaign finance violations, has requested to be withdrawn as counsel because of Parnas' inability to pay both his lawyers, according to a filing made on Christmas Eve. "Since I entered my appearance, Mr. Parnas' apparent ability to fund his defense has diminished," attorney Edward MacMahon Jr said in a filing with the federal court in Manhattan.

Colorado bank robber throws cash in air, shouting 'Merry Christmas'

A man with a white beard was being held on $10,000 bond for allegedly robbing a Colorado bank and throwing the stolen cash into the air while shouting, "Merry Christmas" to passersby, police and local media reported on Tuesday. David Wayne Oliver, 65, was arrested at a nearby Starbucks coffee shop after he held up the Academy Bank in Colorado Springs on Monday afternoon, according to a police report.