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For the first time during his presidency, Pope Francis has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction from President Joe Biden, the White House said on Saturday. Pope Francis, the first pope from the Southern Hemisphere, is unique, the White House said in a statement. Above all, he is the Pope of the People, a beacon of love, hope, and faith that illuminates the entire world. Additionally, according to the White House, Biden informed the Pope about the prize this morning. According to the White House, the two also talked about initiatives to promote international peace, such as Pope Francis's efforts to lessen suffering in areas that are at risk. Additionally, Biden tweeted, "Pope Francis, your love for everyone is unmatched, and your humility and grace are beyond words."...

In the Los Angeles area, a number of large wildfires are causing death and destruction. Due to strong winds and dry weather, a few wildfires that started on Tuesday have grown significantly in size. By Saturday night, almost 12,000 buildings and structures had been damaged, and 11 people had been killed. Over a dozen people are missing, and over 153,000 people are under evacuation advisories. For real-time updates, click this link. The fires' sizes and conditions are depicted on the maps below. They will be regularly updated.

WASHINGTON — In a court filing on Saturday, officials announced that Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith had resigned on Friday. The action was anticipated prior to Donald Trump, the president-elect, taking the oath of office. Smith's investigation into Trump's purported meddling in the 2020 election is anticipated to be published shortly. Trump has refuted the accusations. According to a footnote in a federal court filing, the Special Counsel finished his work and turned in his final secret report on January 7, 2025, and departed from the Department on January 10. The footnote was included in a Justice Department document where the government requested that Trump appointee U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon refrain from extending a limitation that is now preventing the release of...

On Friday, the Supreme Court decided to take into consideration reintroducing some of the Affordable Care Act's requirements for preventative care coverage that had been overturned by a lower court. After the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of companies who contended that they could not be required to offer complete insurance coverage for things like HIV prevention drugs and certain cancer screenings, the federal government filed an appeal with the top court. The program, popularly known as Obamacare, was eroded by the lower court decision. Some of the requirements were contested on the grounds of procedure and religion. The decision did not jeopardize all preventive care. According to a 2023 analysis by the organization KFF, certain screenings, such as cervical cancer and...

On Saturday, a winter storm that dumped snow and ice on portions of the South and East Coast will continue to move offshore. There are still some winter alerts in place for the middle Appalachians, and into Saturday afternoon, sporadic snow showers are still occurring in certain areas of northern New England. In some areas, another coating of snow of up to 2 inches is expected. On Saturday night and Sunday, a clipper system will move across the Great Lakes, bringing sporadic snow showers to parts of North Dakota and South Dakota as well as Michigan. The Upper Midwest could see up to 3 inches of dusting from the system, with some areas of Michigan's Upper Peninsula seeing more over 5 inches. A few developing pockets of flurries to light showers are anticipated throughout the day, according ...

WASHINGTON — In a court filing on Saturday, officials announced that Special Counsel Jack Smith had resigned from the Justice Department on Friday. The action was anticipated prior to Donald Trump, the president-elect, taking the oath of office.

With two games on Saturday, three more on Sunday, and a final to decide the divisional round on Monday, the NFL playoffs are finally here. The following is the schedule: Chargers at Texans (4:30 p.m. ET Saturday) Steelers at Ravens (8 p.m. ET Saturday) Broncos at Bills (1 p.m. ET Sunday) Packers at Eagles (4:30 p.m. ET Sunday) Commanders at Buccaneers (8 p.m. ET Sunday) Vikings at Rams (in Arizona at 8 p.m. ET Monday) For the most recent information from the NFL's first round, tune in to NBC News throughout the weekend.

While one person remained with his son who had cerebral palsy and was unable to leave, at least two of the victims died in the Southern California wildfire attempted to defend the homes where they had spent decades raising families. According to current records, severe wildfires caused by dry weather and strong windserupted Tuesday, resulting in the deaths of eleven persons throughout the Los Angeles area. Approximately 180,000 people have been displaced from their homes, and thousands of buildings have been destroyed. According to officials, the actual number of fatalities is unknown because communities are still being destroyed by the fires. What we currently know about the victims is as follows: Anthony and Justin Mitchell According to Anthony Mitchell, his father was a "protector" w...

The cause of the still-raging PalisadesFires can be found on a hilltop covered in vegetation, where the fire started soon after 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Although experts say it's simple to rule out lightning, a typical source of wildfires, fire investigators are still trying to figure out what started the fire. This week, there were no storms in the area. Another possible explanation is ruled out because there don't seem to be any transformers or power wires in the vicinity of the Temescal Ridge Trail. Stay tuned for real-time updates. People are the primary cause of the majority of wildfires. But was arson the cause? Although there was a possibility, four experts NBC News spoke with said the fires were more likely to have been unintentionally started. According to former Los Angeles Fire De...

Officially, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez are no longer together. After Lopez filed for a dissolution of their marriage on August 20, 2024, the pair has reached a settlement, according to court documents that TODAY.com was able to access. According to the documents, Lopez will retain the green diamond engagement ring that Affleck gave her when they resumed their affair in 2021. According to the documents, Affleck denies and waives all rights, title, and interest in and to the following assets, which are thus verified and given to Lopez: her jewels, clothes, and other personal belongings that are in her custody, control, or possession. Lopez previously discussed the meaning of the ring's color, referring to it as her fortunate and favorite color. "When someone truly thinks of you, loves yo...