US Domestic News Roundup: Three fell to their deaths in apparent murder-suicide; U.S. aviation proposed tracking most drones and more

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Boston mother, her two young children fell to their deaths in apparent murder-suicide

A mother found dead with her two young children on a Boston sidewalk outside a high-rise parking garage apparently pushed or threw the youngsters from the roof of the structure before leaping to her own death, authorities said on Thursday. The Christmas Day deaths of Erin Pascal, aged 40, her 4-year-old daughter, Allison, and her 16-month-old son, Andrew, are under investigation as a double-murder and suicide, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins told reporters.

U.S. aviation regulator proposes tracking most drones

The top U.S. aviation regulator on Thursday proposed a rule that would allow for remote tracking of most drones in U.S airspace. The Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, said the proposed rule would require all drones operating in the United States to be compliant within three years.

Prosecutors claim Avenatti was over $15 million in debt during alleged Nike extortion

California attorney Michael Avenatti, known for representing porn actress Stormy Daniels in a lawsuit against U.S. President Donald Trump, was more than $15 million in debt when he allegedly tried to extort as much as $25 million from Nike Inc, U.S. prosecutors claimed. "Specifically, the Government presently estimates that the defendant's debts at that time were, conservatively, in excess of $15 million," prosecutors said in a filing late on Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Phillips 66 says boiler plant fire extinguished at Los Angeles, California refinery

U.S. oil refiner Phillips 66 said a small fire at a boiler plant at its 139,000-barrel-per-day Los Angeles refinery in Wilmington, California was extinguished on Tuesday. "There were no injuries and all personnel was accounted for. The refinery is operating," the company said in a statement on Wednesday.

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.

Spate of shootings leaves two dead, seven wounded in North Carolina city

Police in High Point, North Carolina, searched for clues and suspects on Wednesday in a spate of shootings that have left two people dead and seven others wounded over two days, including a Christmas Eve drive-by attack outside a strip mall. Tuesday afternoon's burst of gunfire from a passing car on a group of about a dozen people gathered in a parking lot outside the shopping strip sent six men to the hospital, three of them initially listed in critical condition, police said.

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.

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, nearly 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.