Fires continue to spread throughout Los Angeles County, with three out of the five blazes currently burning not contained at all.
The five fires burning Thursday morning have destroyed more than 45 square miles and forced around 179,000 people to be placed under evacuation orders, CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/california-windstorm-fuels-pacific-palisades-wildfire-as-residents-flee-live-updates/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Five people have died, and more than 1,300 structures have been destroyed, with more than 60,000 additional structures threatened.
One resident <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c5y81zyp1ext" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the BBC that the situation was “like Armageddon,” and numerous celebrities have reported that their homes have been destroyed, including <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/anna-faris-adam-brody-mandy-moore-become-latest-celebs-to-lose-homes-in-socal-fires" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mandy Moore</a>, Anna Faris, and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hollywood-stars-talk-leaving-and-losing-homes-as-socal-fires-continue-to-burn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James Woods</a>.
Strong winds have pushed the fires into densely populated areas in Southern California, CBS reported, adding that the two largest fires – the Palisades and Eaton Fires – weren’t contained at all. The Palisades Fire alone covers nearly 27 square miles and destroyed hundreds of homes and buildings. Five people have died in the Eaton Fire, which has burned more than 16 square miles and destroyed nearly 1,000 homes and buildings. The Sunset Fire began Wednesday night in Hollywood Hills, but the evacuation order for the area has been lifted. The Hurst Fire has burned at least 855 acres and was 10% contained as of Thursday morning, while the Lidia Fire has scorched 348 acres and was 40% contained.
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Shortly after 6 p.m. on Wednesday, the Los Angeles Fire Department issued an evacuation order for parts of the Hollywood Hills, where many celebrities reside. That led to major traffic jams in Hollywood and West Hollywood as residents attempted to flee.
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Traffic jam as people try to evacuate due to the Hollywood Hills fire
<a href="https://t.co/yu2eT6p9GF">pic.twitter.com/yu2eT6p9GF</a>
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) <a href="https://twitter.com/TPostMillennial/status/1877199977677517012?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Democrat politicians in California have been blamed for the devastating fires following <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/la-mayor-karen-bass-slammed-for-slashing-fire-department-budget-by-millions-fire-hydrants-run-dry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> that Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass slashed the fire department’s budget. Failure to properly manage water in the state also led to fire hydrants drying up when crews tried to put out the fires, leading President-elect Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-rips-gavin-newsom-over-poor-resource-management-during-fires" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to slam</a> California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat.
“Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way,” Trump published on <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113793724958051185" target="_blank" rel="noopener">social media</a>.

Palisades Fire

‘Like Armageddon’: L.A. Fires Continue To Spread, 3 Blazes At 0% Containment

California

Natural Disaster

U.S.

Wildfires

The Biden administration’s attempt to rewrite Title IX to allow men in women’s sports, locker rooms, and bathrooms, has been struck down nationwide by a federal court.
Twenty-six states sued to stop the regulations from going into effect, and the Supreme Court in August provided a temporary stay of the rules. But now a federal court has <a href="https://adfmedialegalfiles.blob.core.windows.net/files/TennesseeAppellateOpinion.pdf">blocked</a> the regulations from going into effect for all states – even those that didn’t sue to block the regulations.
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, one of the attorneys general who led the charge against the change to Title IX, called the latest ruling a “huge win.”
“Biden&#8217;s radical Title IX rewrite has been defeated in court again,” Rokita said on X. “For now, Hoosier girls and girls nationwide are protected from biological males being able to infringe on their private spaces. Proud to be a part of the coalition of like-minded AGs fighting for this commonsense outcome.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨Huge win! Biden&#8217;s radical Title IX rewrite has been defeated in court again. For now, Hoosier girls and girls nationwide are protected from biological males being able to infringe on their private spaces. Proud to be a part of the coalition of like-minded AGs fighting for this… <a href="https://t.co/Uk66gBMd50">pic.twitter.com/Uk66gBMd50</a>
— AG Todd Rokita (@AGToddRokita) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGToddRokita/status/1877395511524634958?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Riley Gaines, a student-athlete who competed against a male in college swimming, also lauded the ruling.
“Huge win for girls and women everywhere!!! This morning, a federal court ruled in favor of reality. Biden&#8217;s Title IX rewrite has been vacated nationwide. Common sense is slowly returning,” Thank you, [Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti]!”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨Huge win for girls and women everywhere!!!
This morning, a federal court ruled in favor of reality. Biden&#8217;s Title IX rewrite has been vacated nationwide.
Common sense is slowly returning. Thank you, <a href="https://twitter.com/AGTennessee?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AGTennessee</a>! <a href="https://t.co/hD9GZu2CMC">pic.twitter.com/hD9GZu2CMC</a>
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Riley_Gaines_/status/1877391800823853333?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Skrmetti published his own post praising the decision, saying, “The court&#8217;s order is [a] resounding victory for the protection of girls&#8217; privacy in locker rooms and showers, and for the freedom to speak biologically-accurate pronouns.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Another massive win for TN and the country!
This morning, a federal court ruled in our favor and vacated the Biden admin&#8217;s radical new Title IX rule nationwide.
The court&#8217;s order is resounding victory for the protection of girls&#8217; privacy in locker rooms and showers, and for the… <a href="https://t.co/XsnzSEQvAU">pic.twitter.com/XsnzSEQvAU</a>
— TN Attorney General (@AGTennessee) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGTennessee/status/1877379286954553591?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Alliance Defending Freedom, which represents some female athletes and Christian educators fighting against Biden’s Title IX rules, <a href="https://adfmedia.org/press-release/victory-women-girls-federal-court-rejects-biden-admin-redefinition-sex-title-ix" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> the news “a colossal win for women and girls across the country.”
“The Biden administration’s radical attempt to redefine sex not only tossed fairness, safety, and privacy for female students out the window, it also threatened free speech and parental rights,” said ADF CEO, President, and General Counsel Kristen Waggoner. “With this ruling, the federal court in Kentucky rejected the entire Biden rule and the administration’s illegal actions.”
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The Biden administration attempted to redefine “sex” as it is defined under Title IX, a statute that prohibits sex-based discrimination at schools that receive federal funding. The Biden administration’s definition of “sex” included “gender identity,” which would allow biological males to compete against women in women’s sports, an unfairness that has already cost hundreds of women scholarships and medal opportunities.
President-elect Donald Trump has said he would keep men out of women’s sports, and told radio hosts Clay Travis and Buck Sexton in August that he would do so on the first day of his administration.
“President Trump just pledged to all of us on @clayandbuck that men will not be allowed to compete against women in sports when he is elected president,” Travis said on X. “He promises to take care of it on day one and end Kamala and Biden’s new Title IX policies allowing this to happen.”
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President Trump just pledged to all of us on <a href="https://twitter.com/clayandbuck?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@clayandbuck</a> that men will not be allowed to compete against women in sports when he is elected president. He promises to take care of it on day one and end Kamala and Biden’s new Title IX policies allowing this to happen.
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClayTravis/status/1819079232221598013?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Title IX

‘Colossal Win For Women And Girls’: Federal Court Strikes Down Biden Title IX Rewrite Nationwide

Federal Court Strikes Down Biden Title IX Rewrite Nationwide

Biden Administration

Lawsuit

Transgender

Los Angeles Democrat Mayor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/karen-bass" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Karen Bass</a> stood silent as reporters asked her tough questions on Wednesday about her handling of the devastating fires that erupted in her city while she was out of the country.
The questions came after Bass had to return home from a trip she was taking to Ghana to see the country&#8217;s new president sworn into office.
&#8220;Do you owe citizens an apology for being absent while their homes were burning?&#8221; a reporter asked Bass at the airport.
Bass ignored the question.
&#8220;Do you regret cutting the fire department budget by millions of dollars, Madam Mayor?&#8221; the reporter continued.
Again, Bass ignored the question about why she cut millions of dollars from the fire department, the second largest cut that she made in her budget for this fiscal year.
&#8220;Have you nothing to say today?&#8221; the reporter continued. &#8220;Have you absolutely nothing to say to the citizens today?&#8221;
Bass again refused to answer the questions.
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&#8220;Elon Musk says that you&#8217;re utterly incompetent. Are you considering your position?&#8221; the reporter continued. &#8220;Madam Mayor, have you absolutely nothing to say to the citizens today who are dealing with this disaster? No apology for them?&#8221;
Again, Bass refused to answer the questions despite clearly being able to hear them.
&#8220;Do you think you should have been visiting Ghana while this was unfolding back home?&#8221; the reporter asked.
At this point, Bass and her team began to flee from the area and sought a different way to exit from the airport.
&#8220;Do you, Madam Mayor, let me ask you, just again &#8212; have you anything to say to the citizens today as you return?&#8221; the reporter again asked. &#8220;Madam Mayor, just a few words for the citizens today as you return to deal with the catastrophe?&#8221;
At no point did Bass respond at all to the questions being asked.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
LA Mayor Karen Bass remains absolutely SILENT as reporter questions her about being in Africa during the wildfires and whether she regrets cutting the Fire Department’s budget by millions of dollars.<a href="https://t.co/pJzifvxxgi">pic.twitter.com/pJzifvxxgi</a>
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1877126870111523250?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2025</a></blockquote>

Powerful Winds Fuel Multiple Fires Across Los Angeles Area

Karen Bass Ignores Questions About Her Handling Of Devastating Fires

Fire

Karen Bass

Los Angeles

On Wednesday, GOP Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), and Jerry Moran (R-KS) reintroduced the Justice for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/9-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9/11</a> Act, originally introduced by Cotton and McConnell last August, to cancel any plea deals made between the Biden administration and the Guantanamo Bay inmates who planned the 9/11/2001 attacks. Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) is introducing companion legislation in the House.
Three detainees at Guantanamo Bay, including alleged 9/11 architect Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, had filed plea deals. Last week, a military appeals court ruled that the Pentagon could not reverse the deals reached by military prosecutors and defense attorneys.
The Act <a href="https://www.cotton.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/11_plea_deal_bill_reintro.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">states</a>:
<blockquote>
Notwithstanding the provisions of section 949h of title 10, United States Code, any plea agreement entered into by Khalid Shaikh Mohammad, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin ‘Attash, or Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi for actions involving the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001, and its related judgment, shall not preclude the trial of such individual under chapter 47A of such title or any other provision of law for that terrorist attack. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in any trial of Khalid Shaikh Mohammad, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin ‘Attash, or Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi under chapter 47A of title 10, United States Code, or any other provision of law for the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001, a sentence of death shall be available. 
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in the case of any sentence imposed on Khalid Shaikh Mohammad, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin ‘Attash, or Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi, such individual shall be held at United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in solitary confinement; provided no contact with foreign nationals; and provided no psychological treatment except that specifically authorized by medical authorities at United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay; and shall not be transferred to the continental United States or any other country. 
</blockquote>
“Giving a plea deal to the terrorist masterminds behind 9/11 is disgraceful and an insult to the victims of the attacks, as well at those who served to avenge them,” Cotton <a href="https://www.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cotton-mcconnell-lawler-reintroduce-bill-to-stop-joe-biden-from-releasing-9/11-terrorists" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a>. “These monsters should have faced justice decades ago; instead, Joe Biden has set the stage to let them go free. My bill will stop this travesty and prevent the Biden administration from replenishing the ranks of our terrorist enemies any further on his way out the door.”
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“In the wake of terrorist savagery, our obligation is to deliver justice,” McConnell echoed. “However long it takes, those responsible for September 11 deserve nothing more, and the families of their victims deserve nothing less.”
“The court’s decision to uphold the plea deal for three 9/11 conspirators is alarming,” Moran added. “In addition to the plea deal, the Biden administration continues to use its final days in power to release some of the world&#8217;s most violent terrorists from Guantanamo Bay. These men should face trial for their crimes, and Congress must act quickly to pass this important legislation.”
“September 11th is a date that will forever be seared in our national memory, especially for New Yorkers,” Lawler stated. “For the Biden-Harris Administration to have offered a plea deal without the death penalty to the very people who planned the attacks that took the lives of almost 3,000 is a betrayal of our cops, firefighters, and 9/11 victims and their families. The Justice for 9/11 Act will nullify this horrendous plea deal and prevent any future ones from being offered to those who perpetrated this heinous attack.”
“A hearing is scheduled for later this week at Guantanomo Bay, where Mohammad and two other defendants could plead guilty in separate hearings, with the death penalty removed as a possible punishment,” Fox News <a href="//FE2DFBB2-BFEC-43AE-BAEC-9AFFDA6DD542/v" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a>, adding, “The administration announced on Monday 11 Yemeni detainees, including two alleged bodyguards for Usama bin Laden, would be resettled in Oman, after being held for two decades without charges.”

US-ATTACKS-WORLD TRADE-SMOKE

Cotton, McConnell Push Act To Bar Biden From Giving Convicted 9/11 Terrorists Plea Deals

9/11

Courts

Guantanamo Bay

Joe Biden

Mitch McConnell

Plea deal

Tom Cotton

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hollywood" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hollywood</a> stars Anna Faris, Adam Brody, and Mandy Moore have become the latest celebrities to lose their homes in the Southern California fires that remain 0% contained in Los Angeles as of Wednesday.
The three celebrities joined actors like James Woods and reality TV stars Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag who have completely lost their homes as wildfires rage in the area thanks to the high-speed Santa Ana winds forcing the evacuations of tens of thousands in the Palisades Fire, Eaton Fire, and Hurst Fire, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/multiple-fires-blaze-throughout-la-county-prompting-thousands-of-evacuations">reported</a>.
In one video from <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2025/01/08/adam-brody-leighton-meester-anna-faris-houses-burn-down-los-angeles-wildfires/">TMZ</a>, it showed the 45-year-old Brody and his actress wife Leighton Meester’s home completely engulfed in black smoke and flames with barely the structure of the home remaining.
Inside the post, there were also pictures of ashes and what was left of Faris&#8217; home. There has been no word from either Faris or Brody about the loss.
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On Tuesday, Moore took to her social media account and wrote in an Instagram Story, “Evacuated and safe with kids, dog, and cats. Praying and grateful for the first responders,” <a href="https://ew.com/mark-hamill-other-stars-detail-evacuating-la-amid-horrific-palisades-fire-8771183">Entertainment Weekly</a> noted. “Grateful for the kindness of friends that we had a place to land last night. Trying to shield the kids from the immense sadness and worry I feel. Praying for everyone in our beautiful city. So gutted for the destruction and loss. Don’t know if our place made it.”
Moore updated her <a href="https://www.instagram.com/stories/mandymooremm/3541288342069564786/">Instagram Story post</a> on Wednesday, saying that her “sweet home” in Altadena was leveled in the Eaton fire.
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“I am devastated and gutted for those of us who’ve lost so much. I’m absolutely numb,” the “This is Us” actress wrote.
“My children’s school is gone,” she added. “Our favorite restaurants, leveled. So many friends and loved ones have lost everything too. Our community is broken but we will be here to rebuild together. Sending love to all affected and on the front lines trying to get this under control.”
James Woods was one of the stars whose home didn’t make it after he initially posted on Tuesday on <a href="https://x.com/RealJamesWoods/status/1876780073845408023">X</a> that he had safely evacuated the area, only to share later that his home was gone.
Later Tuesday night, Woods broke down in tears during an appearance on CNN talking about the fire that had burned up his entire street, <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/mark-hamill-la-fire-malibu-evacuation-dog-trixie-1236104022/">according</a> to The Hollywood Reporter.
“There was so much chaos, it was like an inferno. Every house was on fire around us,” Woods said. “We were evacuated with the clothes on our back. One day you are swimming in your pool, and the next day it’s all gone.”
Pratt and Montag also lost their Palisades homes in the fire and shared on social media that the “Nightmare came true,” along with a video of their home being engulfed in flames, <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/01/08/entertainment/jamie-lee-curtis-home-possibly-affected-from-palisades-fire/?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_campaign=nypost">Page Six</a> noted.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hollywood-stars-talk-leaving-and-losing-homes-as-socal-fires-continue-to-burn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hollywood Stars Talk Leaving And Losing Homes As SoCal Fires Continue To Burn</a>

Anna Faris

Anna Faris, Adam Brody, Mandy Moore Become Latest Celebs To Lose Homes In SoCal Fires

Celebrities

Entertainment

James Woods

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nhl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NHL</a> announced that it has postponed Wednesday night’s game between the Los Angeles Kings and the Calgary Flames due to the fires raging in southern California.
“In light of the devastating effects of the wildfires in the Los Angeles area, tonight’s game between the Los Angeles Kings and Calgary Flames at Crypto.com Arena, NHL Game No. 653, has been postponed,” a <a href="https://media.nhl.com/public/news/18544">statement</a> from the National Hockey League read.
“The thoughts of the entire NHL family are with the Kings, hockey fans and the people of the Los Angeles area during this difficult time,” it added. “A makeup date will be announced as soon as it can be confirmed.”
The <a href="https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-closely-monitoring-developments-los-angeles-fires-vikings-rams-playoff-game">National Football League</a> also announced that it was monitoring the situation as it relates to Monday night’s playoffs game between the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. Los Angeles County firefighters have been struggling to battle the blaze thanks to high-speed Santa Ana winds, leading to tens of thousands of evacuations in the Palisades Fire, Hurst Fire, and Eaton Fire, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/multiple-fires-blaze-throughout-la-county-prompting-thousands-of-evacuations">reported</a>.
&#8220;The NFL continues to closely monitor developments in the area and will remain in contact with both clubs and the NFLPA,&#8221; the league said.
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The Rams team posted on <a href="https://x.com/RamsNFL/status/1876823423575314666">X</a>, “Our hearts are with those affected by the Palisades wildfires and the first responders protecting our community. Be safe.”
LA Rams stars Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp praised the first responders trying to battle the blaze.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Tonight&#8217;s <a href="https://twitter.com/NHLFlames?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NHLFlames</a> at <a href="https://twitter.com/LAKings?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LAKings</a> game has been postponed in light of the devastating effects of the wildfires in the Los Angeles area. A makeup date will be announced as soon as it can be confirmed. <a href="https://t.co/IiY8l80RAR">https://t.co/IiY8l80RAR</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ff1TJeU0WD">https://t.co/Ff1TJeU0WD</a>
— NHL (@NHL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NHL/status/1877082040845119682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
“Thank you to all of the first responders! God bless the families impacted!” <a href="https://x.com/AsapPuka/status/1877043154127327302">Nacua wrote</a>.
“Our thoughts and prayers  are with everyone affected by the fires,” <a href="https://x.com/CooperKupp/status/1877074720283119897">Kupp</a> added. &#8220;Thank you to the firefighters, first responders, and everyone else doing their best in unfathomable circumstances.&#8221;
Dozens of stars are part of the thousands who were forced to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/multiple-fires-blaze-throughout-la-county-prompting-thousands-of-evacuations">evacuate</a> their homes in the area. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/james-woods">James Woods</a>, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mark-hamill">Mark Hamill</a>, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mandy-moore">Mandy Moore</a>, and others have opened up on social media about leaving and losing their homes as the wildfires continue to burn, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hollywood-stars-talk-leaving-and-losing-homes-as-socal-fires-continue-to-burn">reported</a>.
Woods initially posted on <a href="https://x.com/RealJamesWoods/status/1876780073845408023">X</a> that he had safely evacuated the area, only to share later that his home was gone.
Later Tuesday night during an appearance on CNN, the actor broke down talking about the fire that had burned up his entire street, <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/mark-hamill-la-fire-malibu-evacuation-dog-trixie-1236104022/">according</a> to The Hollywood Reporter.
“There was so much chaos, it was like an inferno. Every house was on fire around us,” Woods said. “We were evacuated with the clothes on our back. One day you are swimming in your pool, and the next day it’s all gone.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sag-awards-live-announcement-canceled-due-to-los-angeles-area-fires">Numerous premieres in Hollywood were canceled</a> due to the fires, including Universal’s “Wolf Man” and Paramount Pictures’ “Better Man,” The <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/los-angeles-wind-storm-fires-pacific-palisades-celebrities-1236103557/">Hollywood Reporter</a> noted.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/multiple-fires-blaze-throughout-la-county-prompting-thousands-of-evacuations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Multiple Fires Blaze Throughout L.A. County Prompting Thousands Of Evacuations</a>

NHL Postpones Kings-Flames Game Due To Raging SoCal Fires; NFL Monitoring Situation For Playoffs

Los Angeles Rams

Playoffs

Sports

Far-Left fact-checking outfits are in full-blown panic mode after Meta CEO <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mark-zuckerberg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mark Zuckerberg</a> announced on Tuesday that Facebook will drop its current fact-checking system, thereby cutting off funding for the partisan organizations.
The International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), which includes signatories like PolitiFact and MediaWise, called an emergency meeting &#8220;specifically&#8221; over Zuckerberg&#8217;s announcement, a Business Insider report <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/metas-fact-checking-exit-prompts-urgent-ifcn-meeting-2025-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revealed</a>.
&#8220;This program has been a major part of the global fact-checking community&#8217;s work for years,&#8221; IFCN&#8217;s director Angie Holan said. &#8220;People are upset because they saw themselves as partners in good standing with Meta, doing important work to make the platform more accurate and reliable.&#8221;
One PolitiFact employee said they &#8220;found out this morning at the same time as everyone else&#8221; about Zuckerberg dropping the partnership.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/zuckerberg-says-meta-restoring-free-speech-will-get-rid-of-fact-checkers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zuckerberg said in a video</a> posted Tuesday that Meta will no longer work with third-party fact-checkers, will end restrictions on topics like gender and immigration, and scale back filters that censored people for innocuous posts. The CEO added that Meta would focus on ensuring free expression, saying that the recent election seemed like a “cultural tipping point.”
Zuckerberg started the controversial partnership with left-wing fact-checking sites back in 2016, following the election of President Donald Trump. Conservative news sites, including The Daily Wire, quickly saw the suppression of their content for supposedly posting &#8220;misinformation.&#8221; However, information that was merely contrary to the mainstream narrative was often rated false or misleading.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The same with Daily Wire. We were literally the number one informational source on Facebook before the censorship regime decreased our reach by fully 90%. <a href="https://t.co/NMavyWtScT">https://t.co/NMavyWtScT</a>
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/1876731953820336326?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
Even satire from Right-leaning sites, such as The Babylon Bee, was rated &#8220;false&#8221; by these supposedly independent fact-checking outfits.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Fact checking almost killed The Babylon Bee. So many of our jokes were rated &#8220;false&#8221; that the media began to characterize us as &#8220;traffickers in misinformation under the guise of satire.&#8221; Ironically, that was misinformation.
Fact checking safeguards narratives, not truth.
— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) <a href="https://twitter.com/SethDillon/status/1876755011079741615?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
Holan, though, shifted blame to Facebook for the actual censorship of posts. &#8220;It was never about censorship but about adding context to prevent false claims from going viral,&#8221; she said. Notably, Facebook made the decision to censor posts based on the fact-checking ratings.
Now that Meta &#8212; a leading funding source for IFCN members &#8212; is no longer using these fact-checkers, these operations will have to size-down, Holan indicated.
&#8220;The IFCN was here before Meta&#8217;s program, and we&#8217;ll be here after it,&#8221; she said. &#8220;We may look different in size and scope, but we&#8217;ll continue promoting the highest standards in fact-checking and connecting organizations that want to collaborate worldwide.&#8221;
&#8220;We&#8217;re here to help them figure out the best way forward,&#8221; Holan added.

US-TECHNOLOGY-META-DISINFORMATION

Facebook Fact-Checkers Freak Out, Call Emergency Meeting After Zuckerberg Pulls Funding

Facebook

Mark Zuckerberg

Media

PolitiFact

California State Representative Bill Essayli (R) explained how the mismanagement of the state’s fire policies made it vulnerable as a wildfire rages through Los Angeles County’s Pacific Palisades.
Essayli, a Republican who represents California’s 63rd State Assembly district southeast of Los Angeles, detailed different policies that he says have exacerbated the risk and severity of wildfires. Essayli’s comments come as a wildfire in the Pacific Palisades and the Eaton Fire just south of Los Angeles have <a href="https://www.cnn.com/weather/live-news/los-angeles-pacific-palisades-eaton-wildfires-01-08-25/index.html">taken at least two lives</a> and destroyed an estimated 1,000 structures.
“Our governor has been obsessed with holding a special session to ‘Trump-proof’ CA, when he should be focused on FIRE-PROOFING our communities,” Essayli <a href="https://x.com/billessayli/status/1877080451267047740">wrote on X</a> before highlighting specific policies that he says hinder the state’s ability to manage fires.
&#8220;In the 1950s, the average timber harvest in California was around 6.0 billion board feet per year. Today, that number has dropped to ~1.5 billion board feet per year,” he went on to say. “California’s forests, which cover a third of the state, are now choked with nearly 163 million dead trees.”
“California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and other regulatory policies limit the ability of local government and fire management services to clear dead trees and vegetation. (This is a big deal and prevents much of the controlled burns we desperately need.)&#8221;
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Essayli also explained that various pieces of legislation that could have helped prevent wildfires or limit their severity were rejected or failed to reach the desk of Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom or were vetoed by him.
Senate Bill 1003, for example, would have allowed local governments and fire management services to build more underground power lines, a measure that could prevent exposed power lines from lighting forest debris on fire.
Other pieces of legislation would have exempted wildlife prevention efforts from regulations imposed by the California Environmental Quality Act, he added.
“Many of the wild fires CA experienced could have been prevented or significantly mitigated with better management, policies, and funding. This is a time for accountability and, more importantly, change in how we approach fire policy,” Essayli added. “Many of the rejected proposals were brought by Republicans, and I suspect they were rejected for that reason. There is only one political party to blame for CA&#8217;s failures.”

California fires

California Assemblyman Explains How State Has Mismanaged Fire Prevention Policies As Wildfires Rage

Gavin Newsom

U.S. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/capitol-police" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Capitol Police</a> arrested a man on Wednesday evening near the Grant Memorial who claimed that he had napalm in his car, according to a source familiar with the incident.
The incident happened around the time that President-elect Donald Trump was set to visit the U.S. Capitol to pay his respects to the late former President Jimmy Carter.
A grounds crew worker noticed the man trying to light something on fire by his car, which was parked in front of the statute, according to a source familiar with the matter.
When asked what he was doing, the man communicated that he had &#8220;napalm&#8221; in the car and was &#8220;trying to light it on fire,&#8221; according to the source.
Napalm is a highly flammable substance that was developed by U.S. scientists during WWII and has been used on the battlefield in flamethrowers and bombs.
Capitol Police acknowledged on X that they had responded to the incident after receiving a suspicious vehicle report.
&#8220;Our officers have taken the driver into custody,&#8221; USCP said in a statement. &#8220;As is routine, our bomb squad will investigate the suspicious vehicle.&#8221;
Police shut down a wide area around the vehicle and advised the public to stay away.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Our officers have taken the driver into custody. As is routine, our bomb squad will investigate the suspicious vehicle.
Please continue to stay away from the area. <a href="https://t.co/PlA4bgNbkQ">pic.twitter.com/PlA4bgNbkQ</a>
— The U.S. Capitol Police (@CapitolPolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/CapitolPolice/status/1877125469146952041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
In a separate incident on Wednesday, USCP arrested and charged a man for trying to bring weapons inside the Visitor Center.
Police officers stopped that man just after 2 p.m. after he “tried to get a machete into the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC),” USCP said in a statement.
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“During security screening at the CVC’s north doors, our officers spotted a machete in the man’s bag, stopped the x-ray machine, arrested the man, and secured the machete,” police said.
Police added that they also found three additional knives in his bag.
“The man is being arrested for multiple charges of Carrying a Dangerous Weapon,” they said.
This is a breaking news story; refresh the page for update.

Washington, D.C. Cityscapes And City Views

Capitol Police Arrest Man Claiming To Have ‘Napalm’ At Grant Memorial

Capitol Police

Crime

Terrorism

Washington D.C.

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/cnn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a> is under fire as Navy veteran Zachary Young testifies in his $1 billion lawsuit against the network, telling judge and jury that a CNN report that aired November 11, 2021, had &#8220;destroyed his reputation and business.&#8221;
Young&#8217;s suit alleges that the segment — which aired on &#8220;The Lead&#8221; with anchor Jake Tapper and featured reporting by correspondent Alex Marquardt — incorrectly implied that he had profited illegally from his efforts to aid in the evacuation of &#8220;desperate Afghans&#8221; who were trying to flee the country in the wake of President Joe Biden&#8217;s disastrous military withdrawal from Afghanistan months earlier.
As <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/cia-trained-navy-veteran-details-very-devastating-impact-cnn-segment-had-his-life-labeled-criminal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> by Fox News Digital, &#8220;14th Judicial Circuit Court Judge William S. Henry, who is presiding over the trial in Bay County, Florida, has already ruled that Young &#8216;did not act illegally or criminally&#8217; despite what the network reported on air. Judge Henry has also declared the court found Young &#8216;did not take money from Afghans.'&#8221;
CNN&#8217;s reporting painted a very different picture, however. Twice before the November 11 segment even aired, Tapper had teased a story about &#8220;desperate Afghans still trying to escape the country being preyed on by folks demanding that they pay up big time to get out.&#8221;
Tapper then introduced Marquardt&#8217;s report, saying, &#8220;Afghans trying to get out of the country face a black market full of promises, demands of exorbitant fees, and no guarantee of safety or success.&#8221;
Marquardt&#8217;s report focused on Young, claiming that the Navy veteran had asked for &#8220;prices well beyond the reach of most Afghans&#8221; in exchange for his efforts to help them escape the Taliban-controlled country.
&#8220;In a text message, he told CNN that Afghans trying to leave are expected to have sponsors pay for them,&#8221; Marquardt explained, also noting that Young had attributed the &#8220;volatile&#8221; high costs attached to evacuation to &#8220;environmental realities.&#8221;
Marquardt went on to say that Young had declined to share a detailed explanation of the costs, adding, &#8220;In another message, that person offering those evacuations, Zachary Young, he wrote, ‘Availability is extremely limited, and demand is high’… he goes on to say, ‘That’s how economics works, unfortunately.'&#8221;
The segment concluded with interviews of two anonymous Afghans — with whom Young says he never had contact — who told CNN that they hoped to evacuate family members from the country, but were afraid they could not afford to do so.
<a href="https://newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/nicholas-fondacaro/2025/01/07/facts-didnt-matter-testimony-cnn-defamation-trial-begins" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Young&#8217;s defense</a> is set to focus on a number of text messages that his attorneys say make it clear that some at the network were aware prior to airing the story that it was &#8220;full of holes.&#8221;
Young&#8217;s attorney Kyle Roche, during Tuesday&#8217;s opening statements, claimed that the CNN report was &#8220;reckless&#8221; and that the network had &#8220;set out to destroy Zach’s reputation.&#8221;
&#8220;They didn’t care about the truth. They cared about theater and they cared about ratings,&#8221; he said, previewing internal messages from CNN editors who stated that Marquardt&#8217;s report was &#8220;full of holes like Swiss cheese&#8221; and &#8220;80 percent emotion and 20 percent obscured fact.&#8221;
During Young&#8217;s testimony, which began Tuesday and continued on Wednesday, a series of messages between Marquardt and Young were presented as evidence. The exchange showed that Marquardt had told Young he planned to go ahead with the story, but then only gave him a two-hour window in which to respond to multiple questions.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
That message came in the night, Vienna-time. Young responded 5-minutes later: &quot;I will need some time to review and provide comment.&quot; Marquardt told Young that the story was &quot;running this afternoon DC time.&quot; This would be in just a couple of hours. <a href="https://t.co/RoAnDsV99t">pic.twitter.com/RoAnDsV99t</a>
&mdash; Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) <a href="https://twitter.com/NickFondacaro/status/1877019355956822089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Young replied, saying that the story&#8217;s claims were not accurate and the deadline was not reasonable — and threatened legal action against the network if they ran with it anyway.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
&quot;That&#39;s definitely not a realistic deadline. In any case, I can tell you for sure, some of your facts/assertions for not accurate, and it they are published, i will seek legal damages,&quot; Young warned CNN&#39;s Alex Marqardt. The warning was not heeded. <a href="https://t.co/fLwCNb3M9K">pic.twitter.com/fLwCNb3M9K</a>
&mdash; Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) <a href="https://twitter.com/NickFondacaro/status/1877020492948770889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Following the report, Young said on the stand that he had been in therapy and placed on medication after suffering multiple panic attacks a day. He also said that he&#8217;d not been able to work since the report came out — and that when he&#8217;d tried to offer his assistance with evacuations in Sudan, his posts were &#8220;flooded&#8221; with &#8220;hate echoing what CNN said&#8221; in the reports about him.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Young testified that he tried to offer evacuations during the crisis in Sudan, but people flooded his LinkedIn post with hate echoing what CNN said about him.
&mdash; Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) <a href="https://twitter.com/NickFondacaro/status/1877078103391895686?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
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When CNN attorney David Axelrod (no relation to the CNN commentator/former Obama staffer) got up to cross-examine Young, one of the first questions he asked referenced an old resume in which Young had cited his ability to &#8220;deal with stress.&#8221; Some speculated that line of questioning would later be used to attack his claims that the CNN report was damaging to his mental health.

CNN Under Fire As Navy Veteran Testifies In $1 Billion Defamation Case

Afghanistan

Military

“Police Academy” star Steve Guttenberg described the terrifying scenes of the Palisades Fire in Southern California where he lives, calling it the “most unbelievable” blaze he’d ever seen.
Speaking to <a href="https://x.com/tomshattuck/status/1876821735342768471">KTLA 5 News</a>, the 66-year-old actor on Tuesday pleaded with people who had abandoned their cars during evacuation to leave their keys behind so they could be moved to allow first responders into the area to battle the fires blazing thanks to high speed Santa Ana winds.
“What’s happening is people take their keys with them as if they’re in a parking lot,” Guttenberg said. “This is not a parking lot. We really need people to move their cars. If you leave your car behind, leave the key in there so a guy like me can move your car so that these fire trucks can get up there.”
He explained that he had friends on the hill in the line of fire who he said “can’t evacuate cause they are stuck” behind the cars that are blocking the road.
“There are people stuck up there. So we’re trying to clear Palisades Drive and I’m walking up there as far as I can moving cars,” the actor said. “There are families up there, there are pets up there. There are people who really need help.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Actor Steve Guttenberg is helping move abandoned cars out of the way in order for incoming fire trucks to make their way to battle the Palisades fires.
“If you leave your car behind, leave the key in there so a guy like me can move your car so that these fire trucks can get up… <a href="https://t.co/WJaR5dRKs3">pic.twitter.com/WJaR5dRKs3</a>
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) <a href="https://twitter.com/DiscussingFilm/status/1876779551021310445?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
Later Tuesday night, Guttenberg spoke to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/08/entertainment/steve-guttenberg-la-wildfires/index.html">CNN</a> and said that he hadn’t “seen anything like this in my entire life, and I don’t think many people have.”
“At 9 o’clock in the morning, it was an idyllic Pacific Palisades, and then by 10 o’clock, 10:30, the sky was dark as if it were nighttime,” Guttenberg said. “The fire was so close that everybody was told to get out of their cars &#8230; the police said get out of your cars.”
He said he spent “all day trying to move” the cars that did have keys in them, so the firefighters could get into the area.
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“There were mothers who were hysterical [having] panic attacks, helping them with their suitcases and they were worried about their families up there because they couldn’t get them out in time,” Guttenberg said.  “There were little kids crying. There were people who couldn’t speak English, driving their friends&#8217; cars or their boss&#8217; cars and being careful where they drove. This is the most unbelievable fire I’ve ever seen.”
In addition to dozens of stars being part of the tens of thousands of people who had to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/multiple-fires-blaze-throughout-la-county-prompting-thousands-of-evacuations">evacuate</a> their homes due to the Palisades Fire, Hurst Fire, and Eaton Fire, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sag-awards-live-announcement-canceled-due-to-los-angeles-area-fires" target="_blank" rel="noopener">numerous premiers in Hollywood were canceled</a> including Universal’s &#8220;Wolf Man&#8221; and Paramount Pictures’ &#8220;Better Man,&#8221; The <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/los-angeles-wind-storm-fires-pacific-palisades-celebrities-1236103557/">Hollywood Reporter</a> noted.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hollywood-stars-talk-leaving-and-losing-homes-as-socal-fires-continue-to-burn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hollywood Stars Talk Leaving And Losing Homes As SoCal Fires Continue To Burn</a>

Steve Guttenberg

Actor Steve Guttenberg Describes Terrifying Scenes Of Palisades Fire

Hollywood

Los Angeles Mayor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/karen-bass" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Karen Bass</a> faced backlash on Wednesday over policy decisions she made that left her city ill prepared for combatting the deadly fires that erupted this week, causing billions of dollars worth of damage.
Patrick Soon-Shiong, the owner of The Los Angeles Times, called out Bass&#8217; failings in a post on X.
&#8220;Fires in LA are sadly no surprise, yet the Mayor cut LA Fire Department’s budget by $23M,&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;And reports of empty fire hydrants raise serious questions. Competence matters… Follow @latimes for live coverage in partnership with @Spectrum.&#8221;
&#8220;Our hearts go out to those who have lost their homes and are seeking shelter,&#8221; he added. &#8220;The live camera view coverage will give our readers a real time view of the fires and the stream is open to all Angelenos. Stay safe.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Our hearts go out to those who have lost their homes and are seeking shelter. Fires in LA are sadly no surprise, yet the Mayor cut LA Fire Department’s budget by $23M. And reports of empty fire hydrants raise serious questions. Competence matters… Follow <a href="https://twitter.com/latimes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@latimes</a> for live…
— Dr. Pat Soon-Shiong (@DrPatSoonShiong) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrPatSoonShiong/status/1877050332083056863?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/01/08/us-news/la-mayor-karen-bass-cut-fire-department-funding-by-17-6m/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that the cut was the second largest cut that Bass made in her 2024-25 fiscal year budget.
Well over a thousand structures were destroyed, The New York Times reported, as officials worried that the worst was still yet to come with well over 15,000 structures at risk of being destroyed. Tens of thousands of people evacuated their homes and hundreds of thousands more were left without power.
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The main fire, the Palisades Fire, has now destroyed more than 11,000 acres and another major fire, the Eaton Fire, has destroyed more than 10,600 acres. There were at least two smaller fires that had erupted in the area, one of which had been contained.
Bass was more than 7,000 miles away visiting the African nation of Ghana for the inauguration of President John Dramani Mahama when fires erupted Tuesday.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
FOX 11: &#8220;If you&#8217;re wondering, &#8216;Where is LA Mayor Karen Bass?&#8217; She has been in Ghana, so she&#8217;s apparently on her way back. That&#8217;s why we have not seen her.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/tEF9q64HFK">pic.twitter.com/tEF9q64HFK</a>
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1876983329850839198?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2025</a></blockquote>

Wind-driven Wildfire Ravages Los Angeles

LA Mayor Karen Bass Slammed For Slashing Fire Department Budget By Millions; Fire Hydrants Run Dry

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