1 Death Toll From Los Angeles Fires Rising, Over 180-Thousand Under Mandatory Evacuation Orders
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner confirmed just before 1 am Eastern time that the death toll from the fires currently ravaging Los Angeles had risen to 10. Five deaths happened because of the Eaton Fire near Pasadena, while two others have now been confirmed to have died in the Palisades Fire. There was a glimmer of good news last night, as it was confirmed that the massive Palisades Fire was now considered to be six percent contained. Los Angeles police arrested a possible arson suspect yesterday afternoon they suspect in connection with the Kenneth Fire. According to KTLA, residents spotted the man trying to light a fire and held him down until police could arrive to take him into custody. AccuWeather now estimates that the total damage from the Los Angeles fires could reach $150-billion.
2 Jimmy Carter's State Funeral Assembled All Five Living American Presidents
Every living American president sat together yesterday at the state funeral for President Jimmy Carter at the Washington National Cathedral. Ted Mondale, the son of Carter’s Vice President Walter Mondale read from a eulogy his father wrote for Carter before the elder Mondale died in 2021, in which Walter said that “Carter was farsighted.” Carter’s grandson Jason gave a warm speech about Carter, emphasizing that his grandparents were “normal people.” As former presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and President-elect Donald Trump sat in attendance, President Joe Biden gave a eulogy for Carter, referred to the former president’s character several times, saying at one point “To young people, to anyone in search of meaning and purpose, study the power of Jimmy Carter’s example.”
3 Supreme Court Declines To Block Trump's Sentencing Today In New York Hush Money Case
A divided Supreme Court issued a 5-4 ruling yesterday allowing Judge Juan M. Merchan to sentence President-elect Donald Trump today in the hush money trial. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the court’s three liberals in rejecting an emergency motion from the Trump legal team to block the sentencing. Merchan has previously indicated that he doesn’t plan to sentence Trump to any jail time in the case.