Israeli security cabinet approves ceasefire deal with Hamas
The Israeli security cabinet on Friday, Jan. 17, approved a Gaza ceasefire deal with Hamas. The move came just hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the two countries reached an agreement to return hostages.
The agreement satisfied last-minute snags that held up the deal on Thursday, Jan. 16. It would see a pause in the fighting in Gaza and the phased release of hostages, as well as Palestinian prisoners.
The ceasefire agreement will take effect Sunday.
CNN reported Netanyahu told his security cabinet that he received guarantees from negotiators that the United States would back Israel, returning to war, if future talks with Hamas break down.
Under the three-phase ceasefire agreement, fighting will stop in Gaza for 42 days. Hundreds of Palestinians and 33 Israeli hostages, including Americans, will be freed during the first phase.
By day 16 of the 42-day ceasefire, negotiators will begin talks on phase two of the deal, which would see the release of all remaining hostages, including Israeli male soldiers.
In addition, all Israeli troops will withdraw from Gaza, allowing many Palestinians to return to what remains of their homes.
The ceasefire will end more than a year of fighting between Israel and Hamas. The conflict began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas militants attacked a music festival in Israel, killing more than 1,000 civilians.
The ensuing war has claimed tens of thousands of lives after Netanyahu vowed to crush Hamas.
Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage release deal reached: Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli government would vote on the ceasefire deal with Hamas that calls for a pause in fighting and the release of hostages. And the clock ticks toward TikTok possibly going dark this weekend. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Jan. 17, 2025.
Ceasefire deal reached with Hamas to release hostages: Netanyahu
A ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas will soon finally come to fruition. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said early Friday morning, Jan. 17, that Israel reached an agreement with Hamas to return Israeli hostages, including Americans held in the Gaza Strip.
Talks of a deal hit a snag Thursday, Jan. 16, when Netanyahu said Hamas tried to reverse parts of the agreement.
Israel’s security cabinet is now set to meet Friday to discuss the ceasefire and hostage release deal. A wider cabinet vote to approve the deal is expected on Saturday, Jan. 18.
The deal would see a pause in fighting in Gaza and the phased release of Hamas hostages and Palestinian prisoners. If approved, it would take effect Sunday, Jan. 19.
This development comes as huge blasts from southern Israel could be seen over the Gaza skyline early Friday morning.
On Thursday, Israeli air strikes killed at least 72 people in the territory, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Israel’s military said it hit approximately 50 militant targets across the Gaza Strip over the past day, including weapons storage facilities and rocket launch sites.
This is not unprecedented in past conflicts. Both sides have stepped up military operations in the final hours before the ceasefire as a show of strength.
Los Angeles residents told not to return home as landslides pose new threat
A new threat looms in fire-ravaged Southern California: landslides. Authorities said leveled structures no longer hold the earth in place in some parts of the hillside and water from fire hoses and broken pipes has saturated the ground, creating a dangerous situation.
Los Angeles officials urged residents forced to evacuate by the deadly wildfires over the past week not to return home yet. They’re urging the evacuees to wait at least another week to return — whether their home was destroyed or spared — so emergency responders can remove toxic waste from incinerated neighborhoods and cut off potentially dangerous electricity and gas lines.
The Environmental Protection Agency needs to remove hazardous materials from damaged and destroyed homes before debris can be hauled away and utilities are fully restored.
The deadly fires claimed the lives of at least 27 people and more than 82,000 are still under evacuation orders.
The Palisades and Eaton fires continue to burn with no end in sight. They’ve scorched a combined area of about 60 square miles and destroyed thousands of homes.
As of CalFire’s latest update, the Palisade Fire remains 22% contained while the Eaton Fire is now 55% contained — up from 45% on Thursday.
Biden admin signals it won’t enforce TikTok ban
As a reported 170 million users wait with bated breath, a Supreme Court decision on whether to uphold a U.S. ban on the popular social media app TikTok is expected anytime now. That ban is set to take effect this Sunday.
However, the Biden administration is now signaling it will not immediately enforce the ban, instead leaving it up to the Trump administration which starts Monday, Jan. 20, with President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Trump already asked the Supreme Court to delay the ban. The Washington Post also reported this week he’s considering an executive order to suspend the ban’s enforcement.
Even if neither administration takes action to enforce the ban, TikTok can still decide to voluntarily shut down when the deadline hits Sunday. However, TikTok is not required to go dark — it’s the app stores and internet hosting services that could be on the hook if they keep providing TikTok to Americans.
The Justice Department has said that TikTok is a national security risk because the app could lead to the Chinese government accessing vast amounts of personal data from Americans.
Confirmation hearing for Gov. Noem, Trump’s DHS secretary pick, to begin Friday
In just three days, President-elect Donald Trump will take the oath of office and become the nation’s 47th president. As Inauguration Day approaches, confirmation hearings continue in Washington for Trump’s cabinet picks.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, will appear before the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Friday, Jan. 17. The hearing was originally scheduled for earlier in the week but was pushed back.
If confirmed by the Senate, Noem would oversee a department with at least 250,000 employees and multiple agencies, including Customs Border and Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Secret Service, the Federal Emergency Management, the Transportation Security Administration and the Coast Guard.
SpaceX Starship explodes shortly after 7th launch
The latest test flight from Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship rocket did not go according to plan Thursday night. SpaceX said the world’s largest rocket exploded shortly after taking off from Texas for its seventh launch.
FireAid lineup includes Billie Eilish, Green Day, Jelly Roll, Lady Gaga
FireAid, the Live Nation concert benefiting the victims of the California wildfires, will take place on Jan. 30 and the lineup has now been released.
Billie Eilish; Earth, Wind & Fire; Green Day; Jelly Roll; Joni Mitchell; Lady Gaga and Stevie Sicks are among the entertainers committed to performing. Also, Dave Matthews and John Mayer will perform together for the first time.
Live Nation said additional artists will be announced in the coming days. Organizers said the event will raise money for “rebuilding communities devastated by wildfires and supporting efforts to prevent future fire disasters in Southern California.”
FireAid will be held in two venues: the Intuit Dome and the Forum in Inglewood, California. Tickets for the concert go on sale Wednesday, Jan. 22.
FireAid will also be livestreamed across various platforms including Apple TV, Max, Netflix, Paramount+, SiriusXM, Spotify and YouTube. It will also air in select AMC theaters.
Journalist calls Blinken a ‘criminal’ over US support for Israel during briefing
Several journalists who are not members of the regular State Department press corps and reportedly outspoken critics against U.S. support for Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza repeatedly interrupted U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday, Jan. 16, during his final press conference. Blinken was interrupted by several journalists, but the situation quickly escalated after one reporter had to be removed by security.
The scene unfolded in the State Department briefing room. Independent journalist Sam Husseini, a long-time critic of U.S. foreign policy, yelled at Blinken over U.S. support for Israel.
Hussein reportedly called Blinken a “criminal” and said he belonged in The Hague, which is the capital city of South Holland, where the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is located.
The interruption ended once security picked Husseini up and forcefully carried him out of the room, as he continued to yell at Blinken and accused Israel of war crimes.
Blinken, who leaves office on Monday, Jan. 20, when President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated, later took questions from reporters. Blinken has been heckled during appearances in Washington, D.C., since the war in Gaza began more than a year ago.
Pro-Palestinian activists have also reportedly camped outside Blinken’s home in Virginia and repeatedly threw red paint to symbolize blood on a car carrying the secretary of state and his family.
Blinken has been targeted by pro-Palestinian protesters because of the U.S. supplying weapons to Israel, and diplomatic support of the country.
Israel’s war against Hamas started after the terror group’s attack on Oct. 7, 2023, left 1,200 people dead and 250 more kidnapped. More than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, according to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry.
While Israel has been accused of war crimes, the Biden administration said it cannot determine if Israel violated international law, because Hamas hides within the Palestinian civilian population.
Netanyahu delays ceasefire cabinet meeting, claims ‘last-minute crisis’ by Hamas
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said his cabinet will not meet to approve the deal for a ceasefire in Gaza until Hamas ends a “last-minute crisis.” The decision comes after Netanyahu’s office said Hamas retracted on some of the agreement terms.
Even as a deal seems close or even imminent, Israeli strikes continued in the Gaza Strip. The territory’s health ministry reported at least 48 people killed over the past day.
Under the three-phase ceasefire agreement, fighting will stop in Gaza for 42 days. Hamas will free 33 Israeli hostages, including two Americans and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, during the first phase effective Sunday, Jan. 19.
The remainder of the hostages, including Israeli male soldiers, are to be released during the second phase. Hamas said it will not release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal.
Israeli troops will pull back to the edges of Gaza and many Palestinians will be able to return to what remains of their homes — something many people took to the streets to celebrate. Israel is also set to allow a flood of humanitarian aid into the region.
The Associated Press reported Thursday, Jan. 16, that Egyptian, Qatari and American mediators will meet in Cairo on Thursday for talks on implementing the deal.
On Truth Social, Trump said his administration will work closely with Israel to make sure Gaza never becomes a “terrorist safe haven” again.
Biden warns of ‘oligarchy’ and ‘tech-industrial complex’ in farewell speech
President Joe Biden’s farewell speech to America on Wednesday included several warnings. And a ceasefire deal to end more than a year of fighting in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas hit a snag. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025.
Biden warns of ‘oligarchy,’ ‘tech-industrial complex’ in farewell speech
Speaking from the Oval Office one last time, President Joe Biden delivered his farewell address Wednesday night, Jan. 15. Biden spoke on reforms he would like to see in Washington and issued a stark warning detailing his concerns about what he sees as a concentration of power among the ultra-wealthy and the risks of technology.
In what is likely his final address to the nation after a political career spanning five decades, Biden opened his speech with the ceasefire deal in Gaza announced earlier in the day. He said he kept the incoming administration fully informed during the process.
He said some of his top accomplishments in office include job growth following the pandemic, infrastructure modernization and Medicare reform, telling Americans it will take time to feel the full impact of what has been achieved.
With the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump just days away, Biden said he would ensure a peaceful transfer of power, but he did have a warning.
“Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead,” Biden said. “We see the consequences all across America, and we’ve seen it before. More than a century ago, the American people stood up to the robber barons back then and busted the trusts. They didn’t punish the wealthy. They just made the wealthy play by the rules everybody else had. Workers want rights to earn their fair share.”
Referencing former President Dwight Eisenhower’s concerns about a military-industrial complex six decades ago, Biden said he’s equally concerned about the dangers of a potential rise of a tech-industrial complex.
“Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation enabling the abuse of power,” he said. “The free press is crumbling. Editors are disappearing. Social media is giving up on fact-checking. The truth is smothered by lies told for power and for profit. We must hold the social platforms accountable to protect our children, our families and our very democracy from the abuse of power.”
Biden remarked on the rise of artificial intelligence, calling it the most consequential technology of our time. He emphasized that the U.S., not China, must lead the race.
The president also spoke of his hopes for change in the nation’s capital, calling for an end of hidden funding called “dark money” from campaign contributions, a ban on stock trading from members of Congress and for the U.S. to enact an 18-year term limit on Supreme Court justices. He also called for the U.S. Constitution to be amended.
“We need to amend the Constitution to make clear that no president, no president is immune from crimes that he or she commits while in office,” Biden asserted. “The president’s power is not limit[less] — it is not absolute. And it shouldn’t be.”
In closing, Biden called on Americans to stay engaged in democracy. Telling the story of a veteran who worked at the Statue of Liberty, known as the Keeper of the Flame, he said America will always be defined by one word: “possibilities.”
“My eternal thanks to you, the American people,” Biden said. “After 50 years of public service, I give you my word, I still believe in the idea for which this nation stands [for] — a nation where the strength of our institutions and the character of our people matter and must endure. Now it’s your turn to stand guard. May you all be the keeper of the flame. May you keep the faith. I love America. You love it, too.”
Republicans, Democrats react to Biden’s farewell address
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., wrote on X, “Joe Biden discussing democracy, a free press, institutions and the abuse of power in his final farewell speech is rich.”
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., also weighed in, writing, “Joe Biden’s going out of office the same way he went in: petty, partisan and frankly not telling the truth.”
“President Biden’s ‘farewell address’ should have been a formal apology for the endless lawfare, inflation-fueling policies and reckless decisions made during his administration,” Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida added.
Democrats responded differently.
“Tonight, President Biden delivered his farewell address to a nation that is stronger because of his leadership,” former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. “In doing so, he honored the vision of founders, the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform and the aspirations of our children.”
Former President Barack Obama also responded to his former vice president.
“Four years ago, in the middle of a pandemic, we needed a leader with the character to put politics aside and do what was right. That’s what Joe Biden did… I’m grateful to Joe for his leadership, his friendship and his lifetime of service to this country we love,” Obama said.
Netanyahu says cabinet won’t meet over ceasefire deal with Hamas yet
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said his cabinet will not meet to approve the deal for a ceasefire in Gaza until Hamas ends a “last-minute crisis.” The decision comes after Netanyahu’s office said Hamas retracted on some of the terms of the agreement but did not specify which.
Even as a deal seems close or even imminent, Israeli strikes continued in the Gaza Strip, with the territory’s health ministry reporting at least 48 people killed over the past day.
Under the three-phase ceasefire agreement, fighting will stop in Gaza for 42 days. Thirty-three Israeli hostages, including two Americans, and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will be freed during the first phase. It is set to go into effect Sunday, Jan. 19.
The remainder of the hostages, including Israeli male soldiers, are to be released during the second phase. Hamas said it will not release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal.
Israeli troops will pull back to the edges of Gaza and many Palestinians will be able to return to what remains of their homes — something many people took to the streets to celebrate. Israel is also set to allow a flood of humanitarian aid into the region.
The Associated Press reported Thursday morning that mediators from Egypt, Qatar and the U.S. will meet in Cairo on Thursday for talks on implementing the deal.
On Truth Social, Trump said his administration will continue to work closely with Israel to make sure Gaza never again becomes what he called a “terrorist safe haven.”
Crews work to control Los Angeles area wildfires as winds die down
The National Weather Service lifted the red flag warning for the Los Angeles area Wednesday night as winds died down. Strong winds have made it harder for fire crews to battle the flames.
However, dangerous fire and weather conditions are expected to return next week.
Good news: We are expecting a much-needed break from the fire weather concerns to close this week. Bad News: Next week is a concern. While confident that we will NOT see a repeat of last week, dangerous fire weather conditions are expected. #cawx#PalisadesFire#EatonFirepic.twitter.com/zhXmHUWtgp
This comes as firefighters still work to contain the two biggest, deadliest and most destructive fires in Southern California. The Palisades and Eaton fires continue to rage in the Los Angeles area.
Plus, a new vegetation fire broke out in the San Bernardino area Wednesday afternoon.
The Eaton and Palisades fires have not grown much over the past few days, but they are both still largely uncontained. Fire officials reported some progress in the desperate fight to extinguish the flames.
Meanwhile, the Little Mountain fire in San Bernardino spans over 30 acres at 0% containment. Police arrested a man in connection with that fire on two felony charges, including one of reckless burning.
Senate confirmation hearings continue as Inauguration Day nears
Senate confirmation hearings continue Thursday, Jan. 16, as President-elect Donald Trump’s picks for interior secretary, EPA administrator, housing and urban development secretary and treasury secretary answer questions from lawmakers.
“To my knowledge, Donald Trump has never acknowledged the legal results of the 2020 election,” Democratic Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin said to Bondi. “Are you prepared to say today, under oath without reservation, that Donald Trump lost the presidential contest to Joe Biden in 2020?”
Bondi replied, “Ranking Member Durbin, President Biden is the president of the United States. He was duly sworn in, and he is the President of the United States. There was a peaceful transition of power. President Trump left office and was overwhelmingly elected in 2024.”
Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, Trump’s pick for secretary of state, also had his hearing Wednesday. Straight Arrow News political correspondent Ray Bogan has a complete breakdown of what happened here.
Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket lifts off on first space flight
Thursday morning saw a big win for billionaire Jeff Bezos’ space company, Blue Origin, as its New Glenn rocket blasted off into orbit.
The company’s first rocket powerful enough to launch satellites into space took off just after 2 a.m. ET from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. All seven of its engines fired successfully.
Blue Origin marked the mission a success after demonstration technology on board, called the Blue Ring Pathfinder, was safely carried to orbit.
However, the company did not reach its bonus goal of guiding part of the New Glenn rocket back to a safe landing on a platform in the middle of the ocean after takeoff.
It took rival SpaceX four tries to get a similar maneuver right.
Still, Blue Origin stressed its most important goal was for the test satellite to reach orbit. NASA intends to use the New Glenn rocket to launch two orbiters to Mars in the future.
Israel, Hamas ceasefire deal reached, Knesset to vote Thursday: Report
After more than a year of fighting in Gaza, Israel and Hamas may finally be close to signing a ceasefire agreement. Hamas allegedly accepted a draft ceasefire agreement from Qatari mediators on the night of Tuesday, Jan. 14.
The agreement called for a three-stage ceasefire, the first of which would include the release of 33 hostages, mostly women and children, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.
The terms of the second phase would be negotiated while the first phase was still being carried out. The same goes for the third phase — its terms would be negotiated during the second phase.
It’s a complicated framework that could very easily fall apart.
Israeli media initially reported government officials would vote on the agreement Thursday, Jan. 16, but on Wednesday, Jan. 15, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office denied Hamas agreed to any kind of ceasefire. He threw into doubt whether any hostages would be released anytime soon, which incited more calls for Netanyahu to step down.
Several reports claimed a deal was struck, and that the Israeli government would vote on it. But until a ceasefire goes into effect, the conflict continues.
Around 100 hostages are believed to still be held by Hamas in Gaza. Not all of them are believed to be alive, and every day a deal isn’t made, the likelihood of bringing any of them home alive drops.
President Biden made remarks on Wednesday as well, saying, “At long last, I can announce a ceasefire, and a hostage deal has been reached between Israel and Hamas.”
The president said that the deal is structured in three phases, with the first phase lasting six weeks, including a full ceasefire, withdrawal of the IDF from the populated areas of Gaza and the release of a number of hostages held by Hamas, including women, the elderly and the wounded. Americans are part of that hostage release as well, according to Biden.
Biden said that in exchange, Israel will release Palestinian prisoners, with a surge in humanitarian assistance then set to begin. After that, phase two of the negotiations will begin, which the president says will be a “permanent end of the war.” If negotiations take longer than the six week period, he said, “the ceasefire will continue as long as the negotiations continue.”
When phase two begins, there will be an exchange of the remaining living hostages as well. At that point, the temporary ceasefire will become permanent. Finally, in phase three, Biden said the remains of deceased hostages will be returned to their families, and a, “major reconstruction plan for Gaza will begin.”
Biden said the details of the deal will need to be implemented by the incoming Trump administration, and that there are “genuine opportunities for a new future,” in the Middle East.
This story has been updated with statements from President Joe Biden during a meeting with the press on Wednesday, Jan. 15.
Hamas accepts draft deal for fragile Gaza ceasefire: Officials
A ceasefire could soon be on the horizon in Gaza. Two officials say Hamas has accepted a draft agreement that would halt its war with Israel.
An Israeli official told the Associated Press that the two sides were still finalizing the details. However, the deal could wind down more than 15 months of fighting, which started when Hamas launched attacks into Israel, killing roughly 1,200 people and taking hundreds more as hostages.
Since then, Israel has launched strikes and invaded Gaza, killing at least 46,000 people based on official Palestinian estimates. A peer-reviewed academic study published last week in the top medical journal, The Lancet, suggested that the number could be as high as 64,000.
On Tuesday, Jan. 14, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken suggested the sides were nearing a deal.
“I believe we will get a ceasefire,” Blinken said. “And whether we get there, the remaining days of our administration or after Jan. 20, I believe the deal will follow closely the terms of the agreement that President Biden put forward last May, and our administration rallied the world behind.”
Under the proposed deal, the two sides would fulfill terms in three phases.
Phase one, the first 42 days, would see Hamas release 33 hostages and Israel release 30 Palestinian prisoners. Israeli soldiers would move further out from the center of Gaza, while displaced Palestinians would move back in.
During phase two, which encompasses the following 42 days, Hamas would release the remaining hostages in exchange for a to-be-determined number of Palestinian prisoners and Israeli troops withdrawing from Gaza.
Phase three would involve exchanges of dead bodies between the two sides, the reopening of Gaza’s border crossings, and a plan to rebuild Gaza.
While officials suggest this is the closest the two sides have come to a deal, previous talks have fallen apart. And the agreement could break if either side fails to meet its requisites during any phase.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would also need his cabinet to approve the deal.
Iran and Ukraine offering US help to put out wildfires in Los Angeles
Offers of help are coming from unlikely nations as wildfires continue to burn in Los Angeles, California, which have scorched tens of thousands of acres. The latest assistance offers are coming from U.S. adversary Iran and war-torn ally Ukraine.
Both nations are offering to send firefighters to Los Angeles as crews continue to battle wildfires that have displaced thousands of people and killed at least two dozen individuals.
Kyiv said on Sunday, Jan. 12, it may send around 150 firefighters, while Tehran said it is ready to send an unspecified number of “rapid response teams” with the Iranian Red Crescent Society.
Nearly 1,500 members of the California National Guard are already fighting the fires, along with teams from other states, as well as Mexico and Canada.
The California National Guard called Ukraine’s offer “nothing short of extraordinary” but stayed mum on Iran’s offer.
Tehran and Kyiv’s offers come as tensions with Iran are expected to intensify under President-elect Donald Trump’s second term and funding for military aid to Ukraine remains in doubt.
Iranian state media has also floated inflammatory rhetoric toward the U.S. in the wake of the fires, saying that the Los Angeles fires are nature’s retribution for U.S. support of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.
There is also speculation that Tehran is offering assistance because Los Angeles County is home to more than 100,000 Iranians, according to the 2020 U.S. Census, which is reportedly the largest Persian population outside of Iran.
Currently, it’s unclear if the United States is accepting help from either Kyiv or Tehran.
Strong winds return to Los Angeles, threatening firefighters’ progress
Strong winds in fire-weary Southern California could be hazardous on Tuesday, Jan. 14, according to the National Weather Service. And nominees for prominent positions in the incoming Trump administration prepare for confirmation hearings this week. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025.
Strong winds return to Southern California, threatening firefighters’ progress
Strong winds are kicking up in Southern California yet again on Tuesday, Jan. 14, as fire crews continue to battle strong infernos. The latest fire, dubbed the Auto Fire, sparked in Ventura County on Monday night, Jan. 13.
The Auto Fire has charred more than 50 acres and remains completely uncontained, according to CalFire’s latest update. Officials warned similar fires could spark in that area throughout the day Tuesday.
The National Weather Service warned that expected wind gusts of up to 65 miles per hour Tuesday make for “particularly dangerous” conditions in bone-dry areas that have not seen rain in months.
The largest threats remain the Palisades and Eaton Fires, which have already burned more than 38,000 acres combined.
The Los Angeles County fire chief said crews are “absolutely better prepared” with water tankers and additional firefighters Tuesday than they were a week ago when hurricane-force winds whipped the flames and smoke, fueling the fires.
Since then, at least 24 people have died and flames destroyed more than 12,000 buildings, many of them people’s homes.
State and local politicians, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, have faced heavy criticism over their response to the fires — especially after hydrants ran dry last week.
Among the most vocal critics has been President-elect Donald Trump. Newsom, who has butted heads with Trump several times in the past and vowed to “Trump-proof” California, blasted the soon-to-be president in a letter.
Newsom accused Trump of “politicizing” the disaster and spreading misinformation, calling on the soon-to-be president to visit the area.
“The hundreds of thousands of Americans displaced from their homes and fearful for the future deserve to see us all working together in their best interests,” Newsom said.
Trump’s team said it was engaged in conversations about making that visit. The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that Trump will likely visit California sometime next week, following his inauguration on Monday, Jan. 20.
Several parts of Southern California remain under an extreme fire danger warning through Wednesday, Jan. 16, including densely populated Thousand Oaks, Northridge and Simi Valley.
Meanwhile, there’s a danger of a different kind threatening the eastern half of the U.S. The National Weather Service forecasted a fresh arctic blast will sweep over the area, threatening to freeze pipes and put a strain on energy resources across a large part of the country.
While it’s not expected to cause major snowstorms, meteorologists said it could bring the coldest weather of the winter so far, starting Thursday, Jan. 17. Another arctic blast was forecasted to follow. The cold air will again hit The Great Plains states this weekend to early next week, before heading east.
Trump would have been convicted if Jan. 6 case went to trial: Special counsel Jack Smith
Early Tuesday morning, the Justice Department posted special counsel Jack Smith’s investigative report into the 2020 election interference case involving President-elect Donald Trump to its website. In it, Smith said he believed there was sufficient evidence to convict Trump of trying to obstruct the 2020 election results should the case have gone to trial.
Trump pleaded not guilty to the charges and the case was eventually dismissed after Trump’s presidential election victory in November due to the DOJ’s policy not to prosecute a sitting president.
“The Department’s view that the Constitution prohibits the continued indictment and prosecution of a president is categorical and does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the government’s proof or the merits of the prosecution, which the office stands fully behind,” Smith wrote in the 137-page report.
He added, “For Mr. Trump’s election and imminent return to the presidency, the office assessed that the admissible evidence was sufficient to obtain and sustain a conviction at trial.”
In the report, Smith said his team determined that Trump knew there was no “outcome-determinative fraud in the 2020 election” and “that many of the specific claims that he made were untrue.” Smith claimed Trump knew he had lost the election.
Smith, who resigned from the Justice Department last week, wrote his team had no interest in affecting the presidential election, and in a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland accompanying the report he wrote, “My office had one north star: to follow the facts and law wherever they led. Nothing more and nothing less.”
The president-elect criticized the release of the report on Truth Social, calling Smith “a lamebrain prosecutor” and saying Smith “was unable to get his case tried before the election, which I won in a landslide.”
This is just one of two volumes making up Smith’s final report. Another volume detailing his findings on Trump’s classified documents case remains confidential. A hearing is set for Friday, Jan. 17, where a judge will decide the fate of that portion of the report.
Special counsel in Hunter Biden cases responds to president’s accusations
Special Counsel David Weiss, who investigated President Joe Biden’s son Hunter, issued his final report Monday.
In the 280-page report, Weiss criticized the president for making “gratuitous and wrong” accusations that politics tainted his years-long case. Weiss charged Hunter Biden with tax and gun crimes, but the president pardoned his son this past fall.
Weiss pointed to Joe Biden’s words when pardoning Hunter, claiming Hunter was the victim of an “unfair” prosecution and a “miscarriage of justice.” Weiss said while other presidents have pardoned family members in the past, none have “taken the occasion as an opportunity to malign the public services at the Department of Justice based solely on false accusations.”
Weiss said he ignored political opinions during his investigation and that his decisions were “based on the facts and the law and nothing else.”
Confirmation hearings for Trump nominees begin
Senate confirmation hearings for President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet picks kick off Tuesday, starting with controversial defense secretary pick Pete Hegseth.
Two other nominees were set to have hearings Tuesday, but both were delayed.
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum’s hearing to be interior secretary was postponed to Thursday, Jan. 16, to give time for the Office of Government Ethics to complete its review.
Trump’s pick for Veterans Affairs secretary, former Rep. Doug Collins, will now have his hearing in one week in order for the FBI to complete its background check.
Hamas expected to release dozens of hostages: Israeli officials
Hamas is expected to release 33 hostages during the first phase of a ceasefire agreement that negotiators are working to finalize, Israeli officials said Tuesday. They have expressed cautious optimism that an end to the ongoing war might be in sight after 15 months of fighting destabilized the Middle East and devastated Gaza.
The agreement would allow for more aid into the Palestinian enclave and ensure the return of dozens of hostages held by Hamas since the militant group attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The Israeli government said Hamas and its allies still hold 94 of the 251 hostages taken from Israel, at least 34 of whom are dead.
A senior Israeli official said Monday that most of the 33 hostages to be released in the first phase of the deal are alive, but the bodies of dead captives will also likely be among those released. The first phase would take place over an initial 42-day ceasefire.
Los Angeles Rams honor firefighters during ‘home game’ win in Arizona
The Los Angeles Rams’ “home” game may have been 400 miles away, but the team — forced to relocate due to the deadly wildfires — made sure to honor its city and first responders Monday night.
Rams players and staff, including quarterback Matthew Stafford, wide receiver Cooper Kupp and Coach Sean McVay wore special shirts and hats Monday night to show support for Los Angeles firefighters on the front lines.
Retired Rams star offensive lineman Andrew Whitworth, who helped the team win the Super Bowl in the 2021 season, spoke to fans watching at home and to the crowd in Glendale, Arizona, saying, “We are strong. We will not be defined by this devastation. We will rebuild L.A., hand in hand together for as long as it takes and whatever it takes. We will build it together.”
A moment of silence was held before kickoff in honor of all those displaced by the wildfires.
The Rams went on to defeat the Minnesota Vikings 27-9 in its first playoff victory since winning Super Bowl LVI. The Rams will head to Philadelphia on Sunday, Jan. 19, to take on the Eagles in the divisional round.
Although it was not a usual home game for the Rams, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said more than 45,000 fans traveled from California to Arizona to see their team win.
Biden administration proposes new rules limiting AI chip exports
With just a week left until he leaves office, President Joe Biden is making his last few policy changes as president. On Monday, Jan. 13, the Biden administration proposed a new framework for how advanced computer chips used to develop artificial intelligence are exported.
The changes would help facilitate sales to allied nations while curbing access to countries where there are national security risks, like China. However, the proposal is raising concerns of chip industry executives, who said the rules would limit access to existing chips used for video games.
They also said the rules would restrict the chips used for data centers and AI products in 120 countries, limiting access to U.S. allies like Mexico, Portugal, Israel and Switzerland.
The Biden administration said the framework is designed to “safeguard the most advanced AI technology and ensure that it stays out of the hands of our foreign adversaries” but also enable the broad “diffusion and sharing of the benefits with partner countries.”
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the framework would ensure that the most cutting-edge aspects of AI would be developed within the United States and with its closest allies, instead of possibly being handed over to other countries.
Because the framework includes a 120-day comment period, President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration would be in charge of seeing it through and determining the rules for international sales of advanced computer chips.