Tens of people are being forced to evacuate as a result of unprecedented wildfires that are spreading over the Los Angeles area. Greenland, Canada, and the Panama Canal are among Donald Trump’s targets. Additionally, a workers’ strike at a Utah ski resort surprises guests.
What to know today is as follows.
Fires rage uncontrolled around L.A. in unprecedented disaster, forcing at least 49,000 to evacuate
At least three wildfires in the Los Angeles area have been fueled by high winds that are predicted to get worse, forcing evacuations and a massive firefighter response.
Nearly 3,000 acres have been burned by the Palisades Fire, and a red flag warning has been issued for millions of people in Southern California. The two others are the 500-acre Hurst Fire and the 1,000-acre Eaton Fire. Wind gusts of up to 100 mph are predicted, and none of the three are contained.
Although the worst conditions were predicted for this morning, the National Weather Service stated that winds should gradually lessen over the day.
Although no fatalities have been recorded as of yet, Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency due to what he described as “unprecedented fires.” Thousands more have been advised to be ready to leave, and at least 49,000 people have been asked to evacuate.
Palisades Fire
Around 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, what began as a brush fire quickly grew larger, causing smoke clouds to rise into the air and forcing 30,000 residents to leave. Desperate to get out, some individuals abandoned their cars and ran to safety on foot as the roads leading away from the seaside village were congested. According to one local, the blaze transformed coastal Los Angeles into a post-apocalyptic sight, as shown in the images.
According to LAFD, a 25-year-old firefighter suffered a head injury while fighting the fire, and burns were discovered on bystanders.
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Eaton Fire
Around 6:23 p.m. on Tuesday, the Eaton Fire broke out in the Angeles National Forest foothills close to Pasadena and Altadena. As the fire spread, evacuation orders were issued. Witnesses described the destruction of the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center as “like a bad, bad, horrific dream.” As dense smoke engulfed the Pasadena region, an NBC News Los Angeles crew recorded residents being put into cars at a senior institution that was part of the evacuation zone.
Hurst fire
The Los Angeles Fire Department reported a brush fire spreading quickly after it was initially reported at 10:10 p.m. on Tuesday in the Sylmar neighborhood of Los Angeles. According to current reports, the fire has spread to 500 acres.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department issued a warning early this morning that the fire is now raging in and around the San Fernando Valley and that wind storms are causing it to expand northward into the city of Santa Clarita.
Today s forecast
Strong winds are still expected on Wednesday, which will make fighting fires more difficult, even though the National Weather Service said the most major wind event will occur between 10 p.m. last night and 5 a.m. this morning. Over 300,000 homes and businesses in the Los Angeles area were without electricity as of last night.
For updates, check out our live blog.
Trump floats methods for acquiring Greenland, the Panama Canal and Canada
Less than two weeks remain until President-elect Donald Trump takes office, but he has already set his eyes on expanding the size of the United States and, as he claims, strengthening its national security. During an unstructured press conference at his Mar-a-Lago property, Trump implied that he may use economic force to buy Canada and military force to seize Greenland and the Panama Canal.
During his son Donald Trump Jr.’s visit to the Arctic island yesterday, Trump reaffirmed his earlier proposals to buy Greenland, the self-governing region governed by Denmark. Trump threatened to impose extremely high taxes on Denmark at his press conference if the island’s attempts to become independent or join the United States were foiled.
Historians believe that if Trump and the United States pursue Greenland, they will face a difficult battle. One significant clue is the Danish king’s modification of the royal coat of arms to reflect 500 years of history.
Regarding the Panama Canal, Trump asserted that the United States has been overcharged for its ships to use the canal in comparison to other nations and that Panama is breaking a contract with the United States, however it is unclear which agreement he is referring to. Jos Raul Mulino, the president of Panama, rejected Trump’s assertion that China is essentially occupying the country.
What about the notion of the United States annexing Canada? According to Trump, that would truly be something. The resignation of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has caused political unrest throughout the nation. Trump joked that it ought to become the 51st state and claimed to have discussed running for governor with Canadian hockey great Wayne Gretzky. However, the reality of Trump’s rhetorical fantasies is much more complex due to Canada’s unique political system.
Go here to read the entire story.
More politics coverage:
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The body of former President Jimmy Carter
arrived at the U.S. Capitol to lie in state
after a memorial service in the rotunda. A funeral service is scheduled for tomorrow.
-
A New York appeals court judge
denied Trump s request
to halt Friday s scheduled sentencing in his hush money case.
-
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who oversaw Trump s classified documents case,
temporarily blocked the release
of special counsel Jack Smith s report on his investigation.
-
The Republican-led House
passed its first bill of the new Congress
a strict border measure called the Laken Riley Act.
-
The Pentagon
reached a historic settlement
that may affect more than 35,000 LGBTQ veterans discharged under don t ask, don t tell and other similar policies.
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How the Republican Party loses its grip on the so-called trifecta of the White House, the House and the Senate is not a matter of if but when, NBC News chief political analyst Chuck Todd writes. But how we get to that point is still unknown.
Read the full analysis here.
Driver in Las Vegas Cybertruck blast used ChatGPT to plan it, officials say
According to officials, the Army soldier who detonated a Tesla Cybertruck in front of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day did so with the help of artificial intelligence.
According to federal enforcement officials, Matthew Alan Livelsberg requested ChatGPT for information on how to assemble an explosive, how quickly a round would need to be shot for the explosives in the truck to detonate, and the regulations he would need to circumvent in order to obtain the ingredients. According to Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill, “I believe this is the first instance that I’m aware of on U.S. soil where ChatGPT is utilized to help an individual build a particular device.”
According to ATF San Francisco Field Division Kenny Cooper, Livelsberger may have caused the vehicle’s fuel air explosion with a self-inflicted gunshot.
In a statement, a representative for OpenAI, the company that owns ChatGPT, expressed sadness over the discovery that its technology was used to plan the attack. ChatGPT responded by offering warnings against harmful or unlawful activities as well as information that was already publicly available online.Go here to read the entire story.
Read All About It
-
Meta s decision to end third-party fact-checking on its social media sites was
met with praise
from some Republicans and
concern from some employees
. The move is the culmination of months of efforts by CEO Mark Zuckerberg
to position the company for the conservative pressure
of the incoming Trump administration.
-
Peter Yarrow, the folk singer who made up one-third of the folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary,
has died at the age of 86
.
-
U.S. home heating costs are
projected to climb 8.7%
for the season thanks to a run-up in electricity prices and colder weather in the Midwest and Northeast.
-
The eldest daughter of Ruby Franke, the once-popular family vlogger who was convicted of abusing her children,
opened up about the abuse she endured
.
Staff Pick:
A flurry of frustration at America s largest ski resort
Skiing the immaculate, powdery slopes at Utah’s Park City Mountain Resort may cost up to $288 per day. Some tourists, like Peter Nystrom of Minnesota, save for a long time in order to pay for their travel, meals, and accommodations at the biggest ski resort in the United States. Nystrom’s family, which comprised his wife, four boys, and in-laws, spent over $20,000 on the trip.
For skiers and snowboarders, however, those once-in-a-lifetime experiences have soured due to a ski patrol union strike that began shortly after Christmas and has caused the resort to operate at a reduced capacity. Wait periods of 90 minutes and elevator lineups of up to 1,000 persons have resulted from the situation. According to the resort’s chief operations officer, nobody wanted to go skiing and riding on vacation.Amanda Covarrubias, editor of news
NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified
We searched the internet for this week’s top sales. To identify the finest technique to clean your gold, silver, and other items, Select editors also spoke with jewelers.
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