A VW van sits among burned out homes, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)2025-01-10T00:11:09Z SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) The wildfires that destroyed homes in multiple sections of the Los Angeles area will test Californias efforts to stabilize the states insurance marketplace after many insurers stopped issuing residential policies due to the high fire risk. The wind-driven blazes that started Tuesday roared through neighborhoods from the Pacific Coast inland to Pasadena and the Hollywood Hills. The vast property damage in a disaster-prone state with high real estate prices and an uncertain insurance landscape could make coverage more expensive and even harder to find. One area likely to feel the impact and encounter challenges rebuilding is Pacific Palisades, an affluent community sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Monica Mountains. This weeks wildfire there has been named as the most destructive in the modern history of the city of Los Angeles. Flames destroyed businesses, a library, cultural landmarks as well as houses. State authorities previously listed the Palisades as one of the five Southern California areas with the highest concentration of potential wildfire risks. The community also is among the areas most impacted by an unavailability of insurance coverage. When State Farm decided to discontinue coverage for 72,000 houses and apartments in California last year, it dropped nearly 70% of its market share in Pacific Palisades, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.Heres what to know about Californias residential insurance crisis and how the ongoing wildfires may further disrupt the policy market: Why does California have a home insurance crisis?California has seen other major insurers pull back on property coverage in the nations most populous state as climate change makes wildfires, floods and windstorms more common and damaging. Of the top 20 most destructive wildfires in state history, at least 15 occurred since 2015. The data did not include the Los Angeles area fires this week.In 2023, seven of the 12 largest insurance companies by market share in California either paused or restricted issuing new policies in the state. That has made it extremely difficult for homeowners in high-risk areas to obtain or afford insurance. What happens to residents who cant get regular home insurance?California homeowners in wildfire-prone areas either go without insurance or join the Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan, which the state created as a last resort for homeowners who couldnt find insurance. Many people purchase the FAIR Plan to satisfy their mortgage requirements, but the policies only cover basic property damage and carry a $3 million limit. Given the value of the real estate involved and the limited coverage, FAIR Plan policyholders who lost homes in this weeks fires may struggle to be made whole.The policies can be very bare bones, with some options only covering the actual cash value of what was lost rather than the true replacement costs, said Amy Bach, executive director of the consumer advocacy group United Policyholders.The plan was designed to be a temporary solution, but more Californians are relying on it than ever. The number of FAIR residential policies issued in the state more than doubled between 2020 and 2024, reaching nearly 452,000 policies. Could claims from the LA fires push the FAIR Plan into insolvency?Policies sold to FAIR customers primarily fund the plan, but insurers would have to pay into the fund if it becomes insolvent or to keep it from insolvency. Under a new state rule, insurers could ask the state to approve rate increases to recoup the money spent on bailing out the FAIR Plan. FAIR Plan spokesperson Hilary McLean said it could take years to tally total losses from the Los Angeles area fires. While its too soon for reliable loss estimates, the FAIR Plan anticipates being able to pay out claims from the wildfires, McLean said. We are aware of misinformation being posted online regarding the FAIR Plans ability to pay claims, she said in a statement. The FAIR Plan has payment mechanisms in place, including reinsurance, to ensure all covered claims are paid.The plan has roughly $700 million in cash on hand and about $2.5 billion in reinsurance, according to testimony given to California lawmakers last year. The mean home value in Pacific Palisades and its surrounding areas hovers around $3.3 million, according to real estate company Redfin. Owners of the most valuable properties probably are not relying on the FAIR Plan because of the coverage limit, said Jamie Court, president of nonprofit organization Consumer Watchdog.The claims from the fires will be significant, Court said, but this is not enough to put the industry out of business or the FAIR Plan out of business.How has California responded to the insurance crisis?In a new tactic, state officials undertook a yearlong overhaul to give insurers more latitude to raise premiums in exchange for more issuing policies in high-risk areas.A new regulation that took effect this month allows insurers to consider climate change when setting their prices. California previously did not let insurance companies factor in current or future risks when deciding how much to charge. Many companies cited the restriction as their reason for retreating from the states insurance market. The state is also in the final stage of approving a rule that would let insurance companies pass on the costs of reinsurance to California consumers. Insurance companies typically buy reinsurance or insurance for themselves in case they face huge payouts from natural disasters or catastrophic losses. California is the only state that doesnt already allow the cost of reinsurance to be borne by policyholders.The new rules have prompted Farmers, the second-largest insurer in the state, to resume writing new policies for homeowners last month. Consumer Watchdogs Court says the rules also could make it easier for insurers to raise rates with little oversight. How will the fires impact Californias insurance market? Its premature to assess whether the wind-whipped fires and their destruction will put a damper on Californias attempt to preserve home insurance options for residents, said Denneile Ritter, a vice president with the American Property Casualty Insurance Association, the largest national trade association for home, auto and business insurers. But higher homeowner premiums could be coming soon, RAND economist Lloyd Dixon said. If insurers models signal a potential increase of risk, then youd expect to see the requests for premium increases by the insurers, he said.California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said Wednesday that the newly enacted rules allowing climate change consideration in premiums will help insurers accurately assess risks and set fair rates. The state is also issuing a one-year moratorium prohibiting insurance companies from dropping coverage in areas affected by fires. Insurance companies are pledging their commitment to California, and we will hold them accountable for the promises they have made, Lara said in a statement.-Associated Press reporter Sally Ho in Seattle, WA contributed to this report. TRN NGUYN Nguyn is an Associated Press reporter covering California government and politics. mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Actor Alec Baldwin attends his trial for involuntary manslaughter for the 2021 fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during filming of the Western movie "Rust," July 12, 2024, at Santa Fe County District Court in Santa Fe, N.M. (Ramsay de Give/Pool Photo via AP, File)2025-01-10T00:02:16Z SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) Actor Alec Baldwin has filed a civil lawsuit for malicious prosecution and civil rights violations in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of the Western movie Rust.The lawsuit was filed Thursday at state district court in Santa Fe, where a judge in July dismissed a charge of involuntary manslaughter against Baldwin in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.Baldwin also alleges defamation in the suit, saying that prosecutors and investigators intentionally mishandled evidence as they pursued the case.Defendants named in the lawsuit include special prosecutor Kari Morrissey and Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies, along with investigators from the Santa Fe County sheriffs office.Defendants sought at every turn to scapegoat Baldwin for the acts and omissions of others, regardless of the evidence or the law, the lawsuit states. Morrissey and Carmack-Altwies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.Hutchins died shortly after being wounded during a rehearsal for the movie Rust in October 2021 at a film-set ranch on the outskirts of Santa Fe, New Mexico.Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer, was pointing a pistol at Hutchins when it discharged, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said he pulled back the hammer but not the trigger and the revolver fired.

Firefighters extinguish burning embers at a house on Santa Rosa Avenue, also known as Christmas Tree Lane, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)2025-01-10T00:44:18Z LOS ANGELES (AP) At least five people were killed and thousands of structures were burned as fierce wildfires raged in the Los Angeles area. The dead include four men who were unable to leave or had stayed behind to defend their homes in Altadena, a community near Pasadena that is home to working and middle-class families, including many Black residents living there for generations. Anthony Mitchell and his son, JustinAnthony Mitchell, a 67-year-old amputee, and his son, Justin, who has cerebral palsy, were waiting for an ambulance to come for them. They didnt make it out, said Mitchells daughter, Hajime White. She said authorities told the family Mitchell was found by the side of his sons bed in Altadena. The Washington Post reported the family believes Mitchell was trying to save his son, who was in his early 20s. He was not going to leave his son behind. No matter what, White said. White, who lives in Warren, Arkansas, and is Justins step-sister, said her father called her Wednesday morning and said they had to evacuate from approaching flames. Then he said, Ive got to go the fires in the yard, she recalled Thursday. Another son, also in his 20s, lived with the pair but was in the hospital, and no caregivers were on hand, White said, adding Its very hard. Its like a ton of bricks just fell on me. White didnt immediately respond to a Facebook message from The Associated Press seeking comment. Victor ShawVictor Shaw stayed behind to try to fight the Eaton Fire and was found holding a garden hose in his hand after the blaze swept through his neighborhood. Shari Shaw told news outlet KTLA she tried to get her 66-year-old brother to evacuate with her Tuesday night as the fire approached the home they shared. He told her he wanted to stay behind and try to fight the fire, she recalled. When I went back in and yelled out his name, he didnt reply back, and I had to get out because the embers were so big and flying like a firestorm I had to save myself, she said. And I looked behind me, and the house was starting to go up in flames, and I had to leave. A family friend, Al Tanner, told KTLA they found Victors charred body on the side of the road with the hose the next morning. Said Tanner, It looks like he was trying to save the home that his parents had for almost 55 years. Rodney NickersonRodney Nickerson, an 82-year-old Altadena resident, died in his bed after staying behind because he felt that he would be OK waiting it out at home, said his daughter, Kimiko Nickerson. She spoke with KTLA while standing by the still smoldering remains of the family home. She said her father had experienced his fair share of fires over the decades. He was gathering some things, packing up his car a bit, and he said that he was going to gather up his stuff, but he said he was going to stay here too he said that he felt this was going to pass over and that he would be here, she said. Kimiko Nickerson said her father bought the home in 1968 with a $5 down payment and raised his family there.

Special counsel Jack Smith speaks to the media about an indictment of former President Donald Trump, Aug. 1, 2023, at an office of the Department of Justice in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)2025-01-10T01:23:17Z WASHINGTON (AP) A federal appeals court on Thursday denied a bid to block the public release of special counsel Jack Smiths report on President-elect Donald Trumps efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals turned down a emergency challenge from Trump and his co-defendants in his classified documents case, who are fighting to keep the report under wraps because they say its one-sided and prejudicial. The report, however, will not immediately be released, and theres no guarantee it will as more legal wrangling is expected. A lower court ruling from Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon temporarily blocking the Justice Department from releasing the report remains in place for three days.The defendants could also conceivably ask the conservative-dominated Supreme Court to intervene. Justice Clarence Thomas, in a concurring opinion last summer to the landmark ruling conferring broad immunity on former presidents, signaled his deep misgivings about the authority of Justice Department special counsels. A Trump spokesperson called Smiths report an unconstitutional, one-sided, falsehood-ridden screed. It is time for Joe Biden and Merrick Garland to do the right thing and put a final stop to the political weaponization of our Justice system, spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement after the ruling. The Justice Department said Wednesday that it plans to release the volume detailing Smiths findings on Trumps efforts to undo his 2020 election loss, but will withhold for now the section on Trumps classified documents case while legal proceedings against his co-defendants are ongoing. The two-volume report is expected to detail findings and explain charging decisions in Smiths two investigations, though the prospect for significant new information is unclear given the extensive details already disclosed in separate indictments against Trump. The classified documents inquiry was dismissed in July by Cannon, who concluded that Smiths appointment was illegal. Smiths appeal of the dismissal of charges against Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira, who were charged alongside Trump with obstructing the investigation, is still active, and their lawyers argued this week that the release of a report while proceedings were pending would be prejudicial and unfair.The election interference case was significantly narrowed by a Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity. The court ruled then for the first time that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution, all but ending prospects Trump could be tried before the November election.Smiths team abandoned both cases in November after Trumps presidential victory, citing Justice Department policy that prohibits the federal prosecutions of sitting presidents.Justice Department regulations call for special counsels appointed by the attorney general to submit a confidential report at the conclusion of their investigations. Its then up to the attorney general to decide what to make public. ERIC TUCKER Tucker covers national security in Washington for The Associated Press, with a focus on the FBI and Justice Department and the special counsel cases against former President Donald Trump. twitter mailto ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Richer is an Associated Press reporter covering the Justice Department and legal issues from Washington. twitter mailto

A woman cools herself with a fan during a hot day in London, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)2025-01-10T03:02:35Z Earth recorded its hottest year ever in 2024, with such a big jump that the planet temporarily passed a major climate threshold, several weather monitoring agencies announced Friday.Last years global average temperature easily passed 2023s record heat and kept pushing even higher. It surpassed the long-term warming limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit ) since the late 1800s that was called for by the 2015 Paris climate pact, according to the European Commissions Copernicus Climate Service, the United Kingdoms Meteorology Office and Japans weather agency. The European team calculated 1.6 degrees Celsius (2.89 degrees Fahrenheit) of warming. Japan found 1.57 degrees Celsius (2.83 degrees Fahrenheit) and the British 1.53 degrees Celsius (2.75 degrees Fahrenheit) in releases of data coordinated to early Friday morning European time. American monitoring teams NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the private Berkeley Earth were to release their figures later Friday but all will likely show record heat for 2024, European scientists said. The six groups compensate for data gaps in observations that go back to 1850 in different ways, which is why numbers vary slightly. The primary reason for these record temperatures is the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere from the burning of coal, oil and gas, said Samantha Burgess, strategic climate lead at Copernicus. As greenhouse gases continue to accumulate in the atmosphere, temperatures continue to increase, including in the ocean, sea levels continue to rise, and glaciers and ice sheets continue to melt. A tourist uses a hand fan to cool down another one sitting on a bench in front of the Parthenon at the ancient Acropolis, in Athens, June 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris, File) A tourist uses a hand fan to cool down another one sitting on a bench in front of the Parthenon at the ancient Acropolis, in Athens, June 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Last year eclipsed 2023s temperature in the European database by an eighth of a degree Celsius (more than a fifth of a degree Fahrenheit). Thats an unusually large jump; until the last couple of super-hot years, global temperature records were exceeded only by hundredths of a degree, scientists said. The last 10 years are the 10 hottest on record and are likely the hottest in 125,000 years, Burgess said.July 10 was the hottest day recorded by humans, with the globe averaging 17.16 degrees Celsius (62.89 degrees Fahrenheit), Copernicus found.By far the biggest contributor to record warming is the burning of fossil fuels, several scientists said. A temporary natural El Nino warming of the central Pacific added a small amount and an undersea volcanic eruption in 2022 ended up cooling the atmosphere because it put more reflecting particles in the atmosphere as well as water vapor, Burgess said.Alarm bells are ringing Firefighter Geo Mulongo, center, finishes his water while taking a break during the Line Fire in Highland, Calif., Sept. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File) Firefighter Geo Mulongo, center, finishes his water while taking a break during the Line Fire in Highland, Calif., Sept. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More This is a warning light going off on the Earths dashboard that immediate attention is needed,' said University of Georgia meteorology professor Marshall Shepherd. Hurricane Helene, floods in Spain and the weather whiplash fueling wildfires in California are symptoms of this unfortunate climate gear shift. We still have a few gears to go.Climate-change-related alarm bells have been ringing almost constantly, which may be causing the public to become numb to the urgency, like police sirens in New York City, Woodwell Climate Research Center scientist Jennifer Francis said. In the case of the climate, though, the alarms are getting louder, and the emergencies are now way beyond just temperature. The world incurred $140 billion in climate-related disaster losses last year third highest on record with North America especially hard hit, according to a report by the insurance firm Munich Re.The acceleration of global temperature increases means more damage to property and impacts on human health and the ecosystems we depend on, said University of Arizona water scientist Kathy Jacobs.World breaches major threshold Michael Mullenax, 10, from Lees Summit, Mo., cools off in a mister at Kauffman Stadium before a baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Miami Marlins, June 24, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File) Michael Mullenax, 10, from Lees Summit, Mo., cools off in a mister at Kauffman Stadium before a baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Miami Marlins, June 24, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More This is the first time any year passed the 1.5-degree threshold, except for a 2023 measurement by Berkeley Earth, which was originally funded by philanthropists who were skeptical of global warming.Scientists were quick to point out that the 1.5 goal is for long-term warming, now defined as a 20-year average. Warming since pre-industrial times over the long term is now at 1.3 degrees Celsius (2.3 degrees Celsius). The 1.5 degree C threshold isnt just a number its a red flag. Surpassing it even for a single year shows how perilously close we are to breaching the limits set by the Paris Agreement, Northern Illinois University climate scientist Victor Gensini said in an email. A 2018 massive United Nations study found that keeping Earths temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius could save coral reefs from going extinct, keep massive ice sheet loss in Antarctica at bay and prevent many peoples death and suffering. Francis called the threshold dead in the water. Burgess called it extremely likely that Earth will overshoot the 1.5-degree threshold, but called the Paris Agreement extraordinarily important international policy that nations around the world should remain committed to. More warming is likely Mark Paulson, a Public Response and Code Enforcement officer, checks on Deb Billet, 66, before calling an ambulance to take her to a hospital for heat-related symptoms, July 10, 2024, in Henderson, Nev. (AP Photo/John Locher, File) Mark Paulson, a Public Response and Code Enforcement officer, checks on Deb Billet, 66, before calling an ambulance to take her to a hospital for heat-related symptoms, July 10, 2024, in Henderson, Nev. (AP Photo/John Locher, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More European and British calculations figure with a cooling La Nina instead of last years warming El Nino, 2025 is likely to be not quite as hot as 2024. They predict it will turn out to be the third-warmest. However, the first six days of January despite frigid temperatures in the U.S. East averaged slightly warmer and are the hottest start to a year yet, according to Copernicus data.Scientists remain split on whether global warming is accelerating. Theres not enough data to see an acceleration in atmospheric warming, but the heat content of the oceans seem to be not just rising but going up at a faster rate, said Carlo Buontempo, Copernicus director.We are facing a very new climate and new challenges climate challenges that our society is not prepared for, Buontempo said.This is all like watching the end of a dystopian sci-fi film, said University of Pennsylvania climate scientist Michael Mann. We are now reaping what weve sown. Ricky Leath, an outreach specialist with the City of Miami, walks through a homeless encampment as he works with the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust to distribute bottles of water and other supplies to the homeless population, helping them manage high temperatures, May 15, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File) Ricky Leath, an outreach specialist with the City of Miami, walks through a homeless encampment as he works with the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust to distribute bottles of water and other supplies to the homeless population, helping them manage high temperatures, May 15, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More ___Read more of APs climate coverage at http://www.apnews.com/climate-and-environment___Follow Seth Borenstein on X at @borenbears_____The Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org SETH BORENSTEIN Borenstein is an Associated Press science writer, covering climate change, disasters, physics and other science topics. He is based in Washington, D.C. twitter mailto

Smokes from a wildfire rises over the Los Angeles Rams NFL football practice facility in the Woodland Hills section of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Greg Beacham)2025-01-10T00:48:07Z LOS ANGELES (AP) The NFL has moved the Rams wild-card playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings to Arizona after days of devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area.The game will be played Monday night at State Farm Stadium, the home of the Arizona Cardinals, in suburban Glendale, Arizona.The league announced the decision Thursday, a few hours after yet another fire broke out in an area several miles from the Rams training complex in the Woodland Hills neighborhood. The Rams canceled the post-practice media availability for their players to allow everyone to get home quickly.In a brief statement, the league said the decision was made in the interest of public safety.Los Angeles has been besieged by multiple wildfires all week following two days of extraordinary wind across the vast metropolitan area. The newest fire triggered an evacuation order in West Hills, a suburban neighborhood directly northwest of the Rams complex. While none of the fires was burning near SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, the NFL is moving the game amid concerns about air quality, the strain put on the community and the possible demands on police and fire department personnel. The Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers who will play a wild-card game at Houston on Saturday both practiced outdoors this week, but both teams coaches were concerned about the air quality, with Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh cutting his players normal outdoor time in half. The Los Angeles area will be at a high fire risk through Friday, the National Weather Service announced.A few hours before the Kenneth Fire broke out near the Rams training complex, coach Sean McVay said he was optimistic the game could be played at SoFi Stadium as scheduled, while realizing uncertainty was unavoidable.We would like to be able to play the game at home in front of our fans, McVay said. Thats the way that were operating, but I cant control when that decision will be made. ... If its not in LA, then the game will still be played, and weve got to be able to get ready for that. Game relocations are very rare in the NFL, but not unprecedented.In 2003, the league moved a Monday night regular-season game between the Chargers and Dolphins from San Diego to Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona, after wildfires in Southern California.The Rams had a Monday night game against Kansas City relocated from Mexico City to Los Angeles in 2018 because of concerns about the playing surface at Azteca Stadium, and McVay cited that experience as part of his preparation for the uncertainty created this week.You acknowledge these things, but you also want to make sure that how you can control making sure that youre doing the right things is preparing accordingly, while also being mindful that this is bigger than football, McVay said. If people youre directly involved with are affected, youre making sure youre tending to that first.The relocation wont have much effect on the traveling Vikings, while the Rams werent overly concerned about missing out on the comforts of home. Like most NFL teams, the Rams stay in a hotel on the night before home games to ensure a restful night of sleep. Before the Kenneth Fire broke out, McVay said no Rams players or coaches had been forced to move or had lost anything to the fire, although some team personnel had been affected.Weve lost power where I am for a couple of days, quarterback Matthew Stafford said. Weve been lucky in that regard, that (loss of) power is the worst thing thats happened to us. Obviously its a tough thing to watch on the news, to be around, to see. Driving around, seeing all that, its just really sad to see whats going on. A bunch of people (are) doing everything they possibly can to try and get things under control and get people back to normal as quickly as possible.___AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL GREG BEACHAM Beacham is a sports writer in California. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Notre Dame place kicker Mitch Jeter (98) kicks the game winning field goal during the second half of the Orange Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal game against Penn State Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)2025-01-10T04:20:03Z MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) A diving interception off an ill-advised pass set up Notre Dames trip to play for the programs 12th national title after a thrill-a-minute 27-24 victory over Penn State on Thursday night in the Orange Bowl. Defensive back Christian Gray snared Drew Allars pass across the middle at the Nittany Lions 42 with 33 seconds left, then the Irish moved 19 yards to set up Mitch Jeters 41-yard winner with 7 seconds left. The game featured three ties, three lead changes and 31 points in the fourth quarter alone.Notre Dame (14-1), seeded seventh in this, the first 12-team college playoff, will have a chance to bring its first title since 1988 back under the Golden Dome with a game Jan. 20 in Atlanta against the winner of Friday nights Texas-Ohio State semifinal in the Cotton Bowl. In the final, Irish coach Marcus Freeman will try to become the first Black coach to win the title at college footballs highest level. Weve been right here in this position before, and they believed and got the job done, and Im proud of them, Freeman said. No. 6 seed Penn State (13-3) fell agonizingly short in a game it controlled while taking a 10-0 lead over the first 28 minutes. Coach James Franklin fell to 4-20 with the Nittany Lions against teams ranked in the AP Top 10. Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard shook off a hit late in the second quarter that sent him to the medical tent to be checked for a concussion. He came back and led the Irish on four scoring drives in the second half, including the last one. Hes a competitor and competitors find a way to win, and thats what Riley does, Freeman said. Thats what this team does.Leonard finished with 223 yards passing, including a key 10-yard dart to Jaden Greathouse to convert third-and-3 on the last drive. Leonard also had 35 yards rushing, and passed and ran for a score each. With 4:38 left in the game, Leonard hit Greathouse for a 54-yard score to tie the game at 24 after a Penn State defender slipped. The game started slow (and boring), but Rileys injury injected life into things. He led Notre Dame on TD drives of 75 and 72 yards in the third quarter to take a 17-10 lead.At that point, the game was just getting started. Penn State had its chances, and Allar, along with all those Nittany Lions fans, will spend the offseason reliving that last throw or trying to forget it.Penn State forced a Notre Dame punt and looked assured of at least going to overtime when they took over at their 15 with 33 seconds left.After a gain of 13, Allar dropped to pass and had pressure coming. He threw across his body to the middle of the field, where Gray dove for the pick. Just catch the ball. Just catch the ball, Gray said. That was going through my mind and I knew I was going to make a play.Allar said he looked at the first two options on the play and saw neither were open, then was trying to throw the ball into the ground.Honestly, I was trying to throw it at his feet, Allar said. I shouldve thrown it away when I saw the first two progressions were not open. I didnt execute. Officials reviewed showed it was a catch, and the Irish were onto the next step on a road that looked all but impossible when they fell 16-14 to Northern Illinois back in September.Off target for much of the day, Allar finished 12 for 23 for 135 yards with the interception. Nick Singleton ran for 84 yards and all three Penn State touchdowns.Chilly Orange BowlThe kickoff temperature was 56 degrees, unseasonably cool for South Florida and making it the second-coldest Orange Bowl ever, next to the Georgia Tech-Iowa game in 2010 that started at 49 and felt like the upper 30s.Meyer, Leinart booedEvidently, Notre Dame and Penn State fans still dont like former USC quarterback Matt Leinart and former Ohio State and Florida coach Urban Meyer.They were introduced before the game as new members of the Orange Bowl Hall of Fame and were roundly booed Meyer getting the worst of it.Also introduced as a Hall of Famer: former Miami lineman Vince Wilfork, whose reception was far warmer. Up nextNotre Dame will face either Ohio State or Texas in the CFP national championship game on Jan. 20. Penn State opens its 2025 season at home against Nevada on Aug. 30.___Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Park Jong-joon, the chief of the presidential security service, arrives at the Joint Investigation Headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (Lim Hwa-young/Yonhap via AP)2025-01-10T04:08:16Z SEOUL, South Korea (AP) South Korean police questioned the chief of the presidential security service on Friday as the two agencies clashed over attempts to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol.The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials and police are planning a second attempt to bring Yoon into custody as they jointly investigate whether his brief martial law declaration on Dec. 3 amounted to an attempted rebellion. The presidential security service blocked an earlier attempt to detain Yoon at his official residence, which he has not left for weeks.Park Jong-joon, the presidential security chief, says that his duty is to protect the president and warned of bloodshed, as critics said that his agency is becoming Yoons private army.Park ignored two summonses before appearing for questioning on Friday over allegations of obstructing justice, a week after his forces repelled dozens of anti-corruption and police investigators from Yoons official residence. The anti-corruption office and police have vowed to make a second, more forceful effort to detain Yoon, warning that members of the presidential security staff could be arrested if they get in the way. The embattled president remains holed up at his official residence in Seoul, where the presidential security service has fortified the grounds with barbed wire and rows of vehicles blocking the roads. Yoon made a short-lived declaration of martial law and deployed troops to surround the National Assembly on Dec. 3, which lasted only hours before lawmakers managed to get through the blockade and voted to lift the measure. His presidential powers were suspended when the opposition-dominated Assembly voted to impeach him on Dec. 14 and accused him of rebellion. His fate now rests with the Constitutional Court, which has begun deliberating on whether to formally remove Yoon from office or reject the charges and reinstate him. Theres also speculation that police may attempt to detain Park and other leaders of the presidential security service before trying again to execute the detainment warrant against Yoon, which was renewed by a Seoul court on Tuesday.Speaking to reporters upon arriving for police questioning, Park again criticized the efforts to detain Yoon, saying that the investigation should proceed in a manner appropriate for the status of an incumbent president and the dignity of the nation.Many citizens are surely deeply concerned about the possible conflict and confrontation between government agencies, Park said. I came here today with the belief that under no circumstances should there be any physical clashes or bloodshed, and am hoping to prevent such incidents from occurring.Park said he made several calls to the countrys acting leader, Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, urging him to mediate an alternative approach with law enforcement and also made similar requests to Yoons lawyers, but did not receive a satisfactory response. Yoons lawyers accused the police of trying to undermine the leadership of the presidential security service. This is an abnormal move that displays a disregard for national security, the lawyers said in a texted statement. While the presidential security act mandates protection for Yoon, it does not authorize the service to block court-ordered detainments and some legal experts say the presidential security services action last week may have been illegal. Asked in parliament about the presidential security services effort to block the detention, National Court Administration head Cheon Dae-yeop said Friday that resistance without a legitimate reason can constitute a crime, such as obstruction of official duties. Although the president himself has wide-ranging immunity from prosecution while in office, that does not extend to allegations of rebellion or treason.Yoons lawyers have questioned the legitimacy of a new detention warrant against Yoon issued by the Seoul Western District Court, arguing that the anti-corruption agency lacks legal authority to investigate rebellion charges or order police to detain suspects. They also argue that detention and search warrants against Yoon cannot be enforced at his residence, citing a law that protects locations potentially linked to military secrets from search without the consent of the person in charge which would be Yoon. Yoons lawyers have urged the agency to either indict the president or seek a formal arrest warrant, a process that requires a court hearing. However, they have said that Yoon would only comply with an arrest warrant issued by the Seoul Central District Court, which handles most key requests in high-profile cases. They accuse the agency of deliberately choosing another court with an allegedly favorable judge, even though the official residence is located in the jurisdiction of the Western District Court. KIM TONG-HYUNG Kim has been covering the Koreas for the AP since 2014. He has published widely read stories on North Koreas nuclear ambitions, the dark side of South Koreas economic rise and international adoptions of Korean children. twitter mailto

Snow falls as a person boards a DART train Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)2025-01-10T05:21:36Z DALLAS (AP) A powerful winter storm that dumped heavy snow and glazed roads with ice across much of Texas and Oklahoma lumbered eastward into southern U.S. states overnight, prompting governors to declare states of emergency and shuttering schools across the region. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders mobilized the National Guard to help stranded motorists. School was canceled Friday for millions of children across a wide tract of southern states from Texas to Georgia and as far east as South Carolina.Some of the heaviest snowfall was expected Friday across the northern half of Arkansas and much of Tennessee, with totals in some parts of those states ranging from 6 to 9 inches (about 15 to 22 centimeters), according to the National Weather Service. Further south and east into Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, a wintry mix of sleet and freezing rain made travel treacherous. The storm dumped as much as 7 inches (about 18 centimeters) in some spots in central Oklahoma and northern Texas before pushing into Arkansas. More than 4,500 flights were delayed and another 2,000 canceled on Thursday, with more delays and cancelations expected on Friday. I have not seen any accidents, but I have seen a couple of people get stuck out on the road and sliding around, said Charles Daniel, a truck driver hauling a 48-foot (14.6-meter) trailer loaded with paint, auto parts and other supplies through slick, slushy roads in central Oklahoma on Thursday. People do not need to be driving. The polar vortex of ultra-cold air usually spins around the North Pole, but it sometimes ventures south into the U.S., Europe and Asia. Some experts say such events are happening more frequently, paradoxically, because of a warming world.The cold snap coincided with rare January wildfires tearing through the Los Angeles area.Snow, sleet hammers Texas, OklahomaPaul Kirkwood, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said the storm that swept through the Dallas area will create a swath of snow impacting parts of Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina and South Carolina.Texas Gov. Greg Abbott urged residents to avoid driving if possible. Roads could be dangerous as 75,000 fans were expected Friday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington for the college football championship semifinal between Texas and Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl. Southern discomfortThe system was expected to push northeastward by Friday with heavy snow and freezing rain all the way to the Virginia and North Carolina coasts. As much as 8 inches (about 20 centimeters) of snow could fall in parts of Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia through Saturday, the weather service said.Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency on Thursday as the northern half of the state girded for snow and ice beginning Friday morning. Weather service forecasters warned snow and ice are likely to accumulate across metro Atlanta, making roadways treacherous and possibly causing power outages. Public school systems across metro Atlanta and north Georgia called off in-person classes for Friday, with more than 1 million students getting a snow day or being told to stay at home to learn online. In Tennessee, Memphis-Shelby County Schools, the largest district in the state with more than 100,000 students, closed all schools Friday. With Memphis forecast to receive up to 8 inches (20.3 centimeters) of snow, officials said two warming centers are open 24 hours to provide shelter for people who need to escape the cold. The Carolinas prepareParts of South Carolina prepared for the first wintry weather in three years. The state Department of Transportation dusted off its brine and salt supply and began treating interstates and other major highways from Columbia north on Thursday. School systems in those areas either will close early or all day Friday or hold online learning days.In North Carolina, Gov. Josh Stein declared a state of emergency in advance of the storm, which forecasters say could bring up to 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) of snow to many parts of the state, with higher amounts in mountain areas. Sleet and freezing rain was also likely. The approaching storm prompted the cancellation of a public outdoor inauguration ceremony for Stein and other statewide elected officials in Raleigh on Saturday. A boil-water order for Virginias capitalRichmond, Virginia, was under a boil-water advisory as officials worked to restore the water reservoir system, which was shut down Monday after a storm caused a power outage, Mayor Danny Avula said. The city of more than 200,000 was distributing bottled water at 11 sites and delivering it to older residents and others unable to get to those locations, officials said.___Associated Press reporters Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City, Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee, Heather Hollingsworth in Kansas City, Charlotte Kramon in Atlanta, Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina, Nadia Lathan in Austin, Texas, Ben Finley in Norfolk, Virginia, Andrew DeMillo in Little Rock, Arkansas, Kimberly Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama, John Raby in Cross Lanes, West Virginia, and Dylan Lovan in Louisville, Kentucky, contributed to this report.___Read more of the APs climate coverage at http://www.apnews.com/climate-and-environment.

Two people ride bicycles amid the destruction left behind by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)2025-01-10T05:07:21Z LOS ANGELES (AP) The two biggest wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area have burned at least 10,000 homes, buildings and other structures, officials said Thursday as they urged more people to heed evacuation orders after a new blaze ignited and quickly grew.The fast-moving Kenneth Fire started in the late afternoon in the San Fernando Valley just 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from a school serving as a shelter for fire evacuees and then moved into neighboring Ventura County by the evening.Only hours earlier officials expressed encouragement after firefighters aided by calmer winds and help from crews from outside the state saw the first signs of successfully beating back the regions devastating wildfires that have killed seven people so far.We are expecting this fire to rapidly spread due to high winds, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said, echoing the forecast that called for winds to strengthen Thursday evening through Friday morning. The orders came as Los Angeles County officials announced the Eaton Fire near Pasadena that started Tuesday night has burned more than 5,000 structures, a term that includes homes, apartment buildings, businesses, outbuildings and vehicles. To the west in Pacific Palisades, the largest of the fires burning in the LA area has destroyed over 5,300 structures. All of the large fires that have broken out this week in the Los Angeles area are located in a roughly 25-mile (40-kilometer) band north of downtown, spreading a sense of fear and sadness across the nations second-largest city. Dozens of blocks were flattened to smoldering rubble in scenic Pacific Palisades. Only the outlines of homes and their chimneys remained. In Malibu, blackened palm strands were all that was left above debris where oceanfront homes once stood. At least five churches, a synagogue, seven schools, two libraries, boutiques, bars, restaurants, banks and groceries were lost. So too were the Will Rogers Western Ranch House and Topanga Ranch Motel, local landmarks dating to the 1920s. The government has not yet released figures on the cost of the damage or specifics about how many structures burned. AccuWeather, a private company that provides data on weather and its impact, on Thursday increased its estimate of the damage and economic loss to $135-$150 billion.Firefighters made significant gains Thursday at slowing the spread of the major fires, but containment remained far out of reach.Crews also knocked down a blaze in the Hollywood Hills with the help of water drops from aircraft, allowing an evacuation to be lifted Thursday. The fire that sparked late Wednesday near the heart of the entertainment industry came perilously close to igniting the famed Hollywood Bowl outdoor concert venue. Fire officials dont yet know the cause of the fires but are actively investigating. The enormity of the destruction emergesEarlier in the week, hurricane-force winds blew embers, igniting the Southern California hillsides.Right now, its impossible to quantify the extent of the destruction other than total devastation and loss, said Barbara Bruderlin, head of the Malibu Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce.There are areas where everything is gone, there isnt even a stick of wood left, its just dirt, Bruderlin said.Of the seven deaths so far, Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley confirmed two were in the Palisades Fire. County officials said the Eaton Fire had killed five. Cadaver dogs and crews are searching through rubble, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said. Anthony Mitchell, a 67-year-old amputee, and his son, Justin, who had cerebral palsy, were waiting for an ambulance to come, but they did not make it out, Mitchells daughter, Hajime White, told The Washington Post. Shari Shaw told KTLA that she tried to get her 66-year-old brother, Victor Shaw, to evacuate Tuesday night but he wanted to stay and fight the fire. Crews found his body with a garden hose in his hand.On Thursday, recovery crews pulled a body from rubble of what was a beachfront residence in Malibu on the scenic Pacific Coast Highway. A charred washer and dryer were among the few things that remained. There have been evacuations, school closures and arrestsAt least 180,000 people were under evacuation orders, and the fires have consumed about 45 square miles (117 square kilometers) roughly the size of San Francisco. The Palisades Fire is already the most destructive in Los Angeles history.All schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District, the nations second largest, will be closed Friday because of the heavy smoke wafting over the city and ash raining down in parts, and classes will not resume until the conditions improve, officials said.At least 20 arrests have been made for looting, and the city of Santa Monica declared a curfew because of the lawlessness, officials said. National Guard troops arrived in Los Angeles on Thursday evening. The county sheriff said to protect properties theyll be stationed near the areas ravaged by fire and a curfew was expected to go into effect from 6 p.m. until 6 a.m. Actors among those who lost homes Flames destroyed the homes of several celebrities, including Billy Crystal, Mandy Moore and Paris Hilton. Jamie Lee Curtis pledged $1 million to start a fund of support for those affected by the fires that touched all economic levels from the citys wealthy to its working class.State seeing a longer fire seasonCalifornias wildfire season is beginning earlier and ending later due to rising temperatures and decreased rainfall tied to climate change, according to recent data. Dry winds, including the notorious Santa Anas, have contributed to warmer-than-average temperatures in Southern California, which has not seen more than 0.1 inches (2.5 millimeters) of rain since early May.Some losses feel greater than othersRobert Lara sifted through the remains of his home in Altadena on Thursday with tears in his eyes, hoping to find a safe containing a set of earrings that once belonged to his great-great-grandmother.All our memories, all our sentimental attachments, things that were gifted from generation to generation to generation are now gone, he said.___Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio, and Watson from San Diego. Associated Press journalists Manuel Valdes, Eugene Garcia, Krysta Fauria and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles; Ethan Swope in Pasadena, California; Hallie Golden in Seattle; Mark Thiessen in Anchorage, Alaska; Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kansas; Jeff Martin in Atlanta; Janie Har in San Francisco; Brian Melley in London; Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire; Sarah Brumfield in Cockeysville, Maryland; and Tammy Webber in Detroit contributed. JOHN SEEWER Seewer covers state and national news for The Associated Press and is based in Toledo, Ohio. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Smoke lingers over a neighborhood devastated by the Eaton Fire, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/John Locher)2025-01-10T05:32:09Z LOS ANGELES (AP) Investigators are considering an array of possible ignition sources for the huge fires that have killed at least 10 people and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses in the Los Angeles area.In hilly, upscale Pacific Palisades, home to Hollywood stars like Jamie Lee Curtis and Billy Crystal who lost houses in the fire, officials have placed the origin of the wind-whipped blaze behind a home on Piedra Morada Drive, which sits above a densely wooded arroyo. While lightning is the most common source of fires in the U.S., according to the National Fire Protection Association, investigators were able to rule that out quickly. There were no reports of lightning in the Palisades area or the terrain around the Eaton fire, which started in east Los Angeles County and has also destroyed hundreds of homes. The next two most common causes: fires intentionally set, and those sparked by utility lines. John Lentini, owner of Scientific Fire Analysis in Florida, who has investigated large fires in California including the Oakland Hills fire in 1991, said the size and scope of the blaze doesnt change the approach to finding out what caused it. This was once a small fire, Lentini said. People will focus on where the fire started, determine the origin and look around the origin and determine the cause.So far there has been no official indication of arson in either blaze, and utility lines have not yet been identified as a cause either. Utilities are required to report to the California Public Utilities Commission when they know of electric incidents potentially associated with a wildfire, Terrie Prosper, the commissions communications director, said via email. CPUC staff then investigate to see if there were violations of state law.The 2017 Thomas Fire, one of the largest fires in state history, was sparked by Southern California Edison power lines that came into contact during high wind, investigators determined. The blaze killed two people and charred more than 440 square miles (1,140 square kilometers), according to the investigation headed by the Ventura County Fire Department. So far no such reports for the current fires have been posted to the CPUC website that tracks such filings. While lightning, arson and utility lines are the most common causes, debris burning and fireworks are also common causes. But fires are incited by myriad sources, including accidents. In 2021, a couples gender reveal stunt started a large fire that torched close to 36 square miles (about 90 square kilometers) of terrain, destroyed five homes and 15 other buildings and claimed the life of a firefighter, Charlie Morton.The Eaton and Palisades fires were still burning with little to no containment on Thursday. Winds softened, but there was no rain in the forecast as the flames moved through miles of dry landscape.Its going to go out when it runs out of fuel, or when the weather stops, Lentini said. Theyre not going to put that thing out until its ready to go out. JASON DEAREN Dearen is a national investigative reporter for The Associated Press. twitter instagram mailto

The sun sets over damage from the Eaton Fire, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)2025-01-10T02:53:35Z LOS ANGELES (AP) Steve Guttenberg awoke Thursday morning to a grim reality: The treacherous wildfire that tore through the Pacific Palisades had left his once-lush neighborhood charred and unrecognizable. With homes smoldered, streets emptied and friends scattered by evacuation orders, Guttenberg counted himself among the fortunate. His property was miraculously spared. But the actor-producer still struggled to reconcile his relief with the haunting sight of his ravaged, once lavish community. Just this morning, I woke up and I was really conscious of my mental state and my mental health, because the last three days, Ive seen so much tragedy, said Guttenberg, pacing through the ruins of his neighborhood. He said his home has electricity but no running water.Guttenberg thanked God that his block was safe, but he said about 20 homes were burned pretty bad in his 80-home community after wind-whipped fires tore across Los Angeles, destroying homes, clogging roadways as tens of thousands fled as the fires burned uncontained Wednesday. He said the fires are the worst hes ever seen in his 66-years. The wildfires have burned the homes of several celebrities including Billy Crystal, Carey Elwes and Paris Hilton. Guttenberg said he never expected all of this to happen.Its like when someone dies suddenly, he said. Its like when someone gets hit by a car. You never expect that to happen. Thats how shocking it was. During Guttenbergs stroll, it was an eerie scene with scorched palm trees, homes reduced to ash and rubble, and the daytime skies casted an ominous twilight over the devastation.Ive seen people scared, people in wheelchairs, mothers and fathers trying to find their kids, people having anxiety and panic attacks, said Guttenberg, who returned to his neighborhood to help others who stayed behind with relief efforts. He has helped move cars to clear the street, handed out food and assisted neighbors from out their homes. All these houses behind me burned to the ground where their families enjoyed wonderful times together with their friends and family, said Guttenberg while pointing at one charred home before dropping his head in sadness. Theres really a lot of pain going on right now. Im doing whatever I can to help alleviate it.For those looking to help, Guttenberg suggested starting with a simple call or text to ask displaced neighbors what they might need like food, supplies or emotional support. He also encouraged those who can return to their homes, if safe, to check on their property and assist others in assessing the damage.Guttenberg, the star of films like Short Circuit, Police Academy and Three Men and a Baby, is unsure how the film and TV industry will able to help during the beginning of awards season.Everybodys gonna do what regular people do: Help each other, give each other food and water, help each other in their backyards, in their front yards, he said. Even though somebodys an actor, producer, writer, director, were all just people. .. Maybe people can donate at one point to some sort of fund. But I just think, be a good neighbor right now. When asked about the timeline for his neighborhoods recovery, Guttenberg thinks it could take anywhere from five to 10 years to rebuild and fully heal. Its going to be a lot of work, he said. Its going to be unbelievable to try to rebuild this. Rebuild all the beautiful trees, homes and retail shops and lifestyle. The psychology of it all, its going to take a long time. JONATHAN LANDRUM JR. Landrum is an entertainment reporter based in Los Angeles. He reports on television, film and music for The Associated Press. twitter instagram mailto

Former President Donald Trump walks to make comments to members of the media after a jury convicted him of felony crimes for falsifying business records in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election, at Manhattan Criminal Court, May 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, Pool, File)2025-01-10T05:00:51Z NEW YORK (AP) In a singular moment in U.S. history, President-elect Donald Trump faces sentencing Friday for his New York hush money conviction after the nations highest court refused to intervene.Like so much else in the criminal case and the current American political landscape, the scenario set to unfold in an austere Manhattan courtroom was unimaginable only a few years ago. A state judge is to say what consequences, if any, the countrys former and soon-to-be leader will face for felonies that a jury found he committed.With Trump 10 days from inauguration, Judge Juan M. Merchan has indicated he plans a no-penalty sentence called an unconditional discharge and prosecutors arent opposing it. That would mean no jail time, no probation and no fines would be imposed, but nothing is final until Fridays proceeding is done.Regardless of the outcome, Trump will become the first person convicted of a felony to assume the presidency. Trump, who is expected to appear by video from his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, will have the opportunity to speak. He has pilloried the case, the only one of his four criminal indictments that has gone to trial and possibly the only one that ever will. The judge has indicated that he plans the unconditional discharge a rarity in felony convictions partly to avoid complicated constitutional issues that would arise if he imposed a penalty that overlapped with Trumps presidency. The hush money case accused him of fudging his business records to veil a $130,000 payoff to porn actor Stormy Daniels. She was paid, late in Trumps 2016 campaign, not to tell the public about a sexual encounter she maintains the two had a decade earlier. He says nothing sexual happened between them, and he contends that his political adversaries spun up a bogus prosecution to try to damage him.I never falsified business records. It is a fake, made up charge, the Republican president-elect wrote on his Truth Social platform last week. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, whose office brought the charges, is a Democrat. Braggs office said in a court filing Monday that Trump committed serious offenses that caused extensive harm to the sanctity of the electoral process and to the integrity of New Yorks financial marketplace.While the specific charges were about checks and ledgers, the underlying accusations were seamy and deeply entangled with Trumps political rise. Prosecutors said Daniels was paid off through Trumps personal attorney at the time, Michael Cohen as part of a wider effort to keep voters from hearing about Trumps alleged extramarital escapades.Trump denies the alleged encounters occurred. His lawyers said he wanted to squelch the stories to protect his family, not his campaign. And while prosecutors said Cohens reimbursements for paying Daniels were deceptively logged as legal expenses, Trump says thats simply what they were.There was nothing else it could have been called, he wrote on Truth Social last week, adding, I was hiding nothing. Trumps lawyers tried unsuccessfully to forestall a trial. Since his May conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records, they have pulled virtually every legal lever within reach to try to get the conviction overturned, the case dismissed or at least the sentencing postponed.They have made various arguments to Merchan, New York appeals judges, and federal courts including the Supreme Court. The Trump attorneys have leaned heavily into assertions of presidential immunity from prosecution, and they got a boost in July from a Supreme Court decision that affords former commanders-in-chief considerable immunity.Trump was a private citizen and presidential candidate when Daniels was paid in 2016. He was president when the reimbursements to Cohen were made and recorded the following year.On one hand, Trumps defense argued that immunity should have kept jurors from hearing some evidence, such as testimony about some of his conversations with then-White House communications director Hope Hicks. And after Trump won this past Novembers election, his lawyers argued that the case had to be scrapped to avoid impinging on his upcoming presidency and his transition to the Oval Office.Merchan, a Democrat, repeatedly postponed the sentencing, initially set for July. But last week, he set Fridays date, citing a need for finality. He wrote that he strove to balance Trumps need to govern, the Supreme Courts immunity ruling, the respect due a jury verdict and the publics expectation that no one is above the law. Trumps lawyers then launched a flurry of last-minute efforts to block the sentencing. Their last hope vanished Thursday night with a 5-4 Supreme Court ruling that declined to delay the sentencing. Meanwhile, the other criminal cases that once loomed over Trump have ended or stalled ahead of trial. After Trumps election, special counsel Jack Smith closed out the federal prosecutions over Trumps handling of classified documents and his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss. A state-level Georgia election interference case is locked in uncertainty after prosecutorFaniWillis was removed from it. MICHAEL R. SISAK Sisak is an Associated Press reporter covering law enforcement and courts in New York City, including former President Donald Trumps criminal and civil cases and problems plaguing the federal prison system. twitter mailto JAKE OFFENHARTZ Offenhartz is a general assignment reporter in the New York City bureau of The Associated Press. twitter mailto

Members of the Bedouin community carry the body of Yosef Al Zaydani, who was in Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip, a day after the Israeli army said his body was recovered in an underground tunnel in southern Gaza, during his funeral in Rahat, southern Israel, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)2025-01-10T07:54:12Z Israels army confirmed Friday that one of the bodies recovered from Gaza earlier this week was that of 23-year-old hostage Hamzah AlZayadni.His body was retrieved with that of his father, Yosef AlZayadni, who were taken together when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel 15 months ago. His father was quickly identified, while his sons remains were sent for verification.In recent weeks, Israel and Hamas have appeared to inch closer to an agreement for a ceasefire and the release of hostages. Palestinians and family members of hostages who were killed in captivity have been imploring the Israeli government and world leaders for a ceasefire deal.Gazas Health Ministry said Thursday that 46,006 Palestinians have been killed and 109,378 wounded in the Israel-Hamas war, with no end in sight. It has said women and children were more than half the fatalities but does not say how many of the dead were fighters or civilians. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. It blames Hamas for civilian deaths because it says militants operate in residential areas. Israels air and ground operations have driven hundreds of thousands of Palestinians into sprawling tent camps along the coast with limited access to food and other essentials. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and abducting around 250. A third of the 100 hostages still held in Gaza are believed to be dead. Heres the latest:President of Cyprus to meet Lebanons new presidentNICOSIA, Cyprus The president of Cyprus says he will be the first head of state to meet with the newly elected president of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun.President Nikos Christodoulides told reporters Friday that he would be meeting Aoun when he departs for Lebanon around midday Friday. Christodoulides said he knows Aoun well from his tenure as chief of Lebanons armed forces.He said the meeting is indicative of the role that Cyprus, as a European Union member closest to the Middle East, can play in helping to meet the challenges that have arisen in the region.In a written statement, Cyprus government spokesman Constantinos Letymbiotis said Christodoulides will also discuss with Aoun Lebanons internal issues and to convey Cyprus readiness to provide any needed assistance and to strengthen relations with its neighbor.Cyprus is less than 200 kilometers (130 miles) from the Lebanese capital Beirut and has provided the country with military assistance to prop up its armed forces. Body of hostage Hamzah AlZayadni identified after recovery in GazaJERUSALEM Israels army confirmed Friday that one of the bodies recovered from Gaza earlier this week was that of 23-year-old hostage Hamzah AlZayadni.The army said Friday that the identification was made by the National Institute of Forensic Medicine and Israels police and the family has been notified. The army said its forces recovered the bodies of Hamzah and his father from an underground tunnel in the Rafah area and returned them to Israel.His father, Yosef AlZayadni, had been identified earlier this week. The father and son were thought to still be alive before this weeks announcement. They were kidnapped together from Kibbutz Holit, when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.The news comes as Israel and Hamas are considering a ceasefire deal that would free remaining hostages and halt the fighting in Gaza. Israel says about a third of the remaining 100 hostages have died, but believes as many as half could be dead. Their fates could ramp up pressure on Israel to move forward with a deal.The Hostages Families Forum, which represents families of the hostages, said Hamzah was a nature lover who had deep affection for animals and was beloved by his friends. He leaves behind a wife and two children. Oil tanker that threated Red Sea spill has been salvagedDUBAI, United Arab Emirates An oil tanker that burned for weeks and threatened a massive oil spill in the Red Sea has been salvaged, a security firm said Friday. The Sounion had been a disaster-in-waiting in the waterway, with 1 million barrels of crude oil aboard that had been struck and later sabotaged with explosives by Yemens Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. It took months for salvagers to tow the vessel away, extinguish the fires and offload the remaining crude oil. The Houthis initially attacked the Greek-flagged Sounion tanker on Aug. 21 with small-arms fire, projectiles and a drone boat. A French destroyer rescued its crew of 25 Filipinos and Russians, as well as four private security personnel, and took them to nearby Djibouti.The Houthis later released footage showing they planted explosives on board the Sounion and ignited them in a propaganda video, which the rebels have done before.The Houthis have targeted some 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones since the war in Gaza started in October 2023. The rebels maintain they target ships linked to Israel, the U.S. or the U.K. to force an end to Israels campaign against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict.

A hiring sign is displayed at a fitness center in Riverwoods, Ill., Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)2025-01-10T08:00:06Z WASHINGTON (AP) Getting a clear view of the U.S. job market hasnt been easy the past few months.Hurricanes and a big strike at Boeing threw off the October jobs numbers, pushing them down and setting up a payback rebound in November that likely exaggerated the strength of hiring.The December jobs numbers, out Friday from the Labor Department, are expected to deliver a more accurate reading of where things stand. Most economists expect them to show that hiring is solid but slowing, especially compared to the boom days of 2021-2023. Forecasters surveyed by the data firm FactSet expect that U.S. payrolls grew by 153,000 last month, compared to 227,000 in November and a mere 36,000 in strike- and hurricane-hit OctoberBoston College economist Brian Bethune is slightly more optimistic about last months hiring. Hes expecting 165,000 to 175,000 new jobs in December a number, he says, that would be seen by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell as striking a Goldilocks balance, not hot enough to inflame worries about inflation, not cold enough to suggest the economy is sputtering. If we got a number in that range, hed put his feet up on the desk and probably have a good bourbon, Bethune said. If the forecasters are right about December hiring, the American economy generated about 2.1 million jobs last year, not bad but down from 3 million in 2023, 4.5 million in 2022 and a record 7.2 million in 2021 as the economy roared back from COVID-19 lockdowns and massive layoffs in 2020. The unemployment rate is forecast to have remained at a low 4.2% in December. Over the past few years, the economy and the job market have shown surprising resilience. Responding to inflation that hit a four-decade high two and a half years ago, the Fed raised its benchmark interest rate the fed funds rate -- 11 times in 2022 and 2023, taking it to the highest level in more than two decades. The higher borrowing costs were widely expected to cause a recession but didnt. Companies kept hiring, consumers kept spending, and the economy kept rolling along. In fact, U.S. gross domestic product the nations output of goods and services -- has expanded at a robust annual pace of 3% or more in four of the last five quarters. American workers enjoy unusual job security. Layoffs are running below the pre-pandemic trend. On Thursday, the Labor Department reported that just 211,000 people applied for unemployment benefits last week, the fewest in nearly a year.Inflation has come down, too, from a peak of 9.1% in June 2022 to 2.7% in November. The drop in year-over-year price increases gave the Fed enough confidence to cut rates three times in the last four months of 2024.But Fed officials signaled at their December meeting that they planned to be more cautious about rate cuts this year. They now project just two rate reductions in 2025, down from the four they envisioned back in September. Progress against inflation has stalled in recent months, and it remains stuck above the Feds 2% target. Fridays job report is expected to show that average hourly wages rose 0.3% last month from November and 4% from December 2023, according to the FactSet survey. The Fed sometimes frets that wage gains will fuel inflation as companies try to pass along higher labor costs to customers by raising prices.But Nancy Vanden Houten, lead U.S. economist at Oxford Economics, said in a commentary that current wage growth is consistent with the Feds inflation goals. That is partly because strong gains in U.S. productivity allow companies to pay their workers more and earn fatter profits without having to raise prices. Earnings growth wont give the Fed any headaches, Vanden Houten wrote.

Ari Rivera, right, and Anderson Hao hold each other in front of their destroyed home in Altadena, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/John Locher)2025-01-09T22:25:07Z LOS ANGELES (AP) With levels of sooty air pollution far too high across swaths of the Los Angeles area, Dana Benton is sleeping with a mask on, even with her air purifier running. My car was just covered in ash, and its just disgusting to think that we could be inhaling that, the Chinatown resident said through an N95 mask outside a Sprouts grocery store in the Mid-City neighborhood. Thats not where she lives. Like thousands of residents, shes left home to get away from the smoke. Now she and her cat are staying with her parents.Its not like a campfire, she said, even though it smells like one. The 30-year-old worries about plastic, asbestos and other toxins released from homes and businesses as wildfires rage through several Los Angeles neighborhoods; her eyes and throat have been burning even though she keeps her windows closed, air filter running on high and mostly has been staying indoors. All those microparticles are going into our lungs, she said. Its really very concerning ... I cant even think about the long-term repercussions, health wise, for everybody from all of this. Shane Torre douses hot spots of what remains of his home In Altadena, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/John Locher) Shane Torre douses hot spots of what remains of his home In Altadena, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/John Locher) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Shes not wrong. Small particles are some of the most health-damaging air pollution, linked to a range of chronic and deadly health issues, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Across Southern California, people are taking precautions as the air quality index a measure that includes fine particles reached hazardous levels for some neighborhoods, including Pasadena. Air purifiers in Home Depots around Central Los Angeles are sold out. Dr. Puneet Gupta, assistant medical director for the Los Angeles County Fire Department, said emergency room doctors tell him people with breathing problems are coming in by ambulance, driving themselves and with family.Conditions are changing constantly with shifts in wind and wind speed. Its important to take precautions like masking and staying indoors even after the fires are out, because air quality can be poor for quite some time, Gupta said. Lissa Renn looks at remains of car in Altadena, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/John Locher) Lissa Renn looks at remains of car in Altadena, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/John Locher) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Ryan Kittell, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Los Angeles, said dry, 50 - 65 mph winds are possible through next week across mountain and foothill areas, with the potential for another significant red flag period Monday night through Wednesday night.The risks for the Palisades Fire, the Hurst Fire, are definitely there for another pretty strong round of winds, he said. Dr. Nader Kamangar, a pulmonary critical care specialist at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, said he hasnt seen a spike in respiratory ER visits or admissions related to the smoke yet, but the situation ... may well change in the coming days and weeks.He said doctors worry most about very fine particles, which can carry toxic substances deep into the lungs and bloodstream, potentially causing heart and lung problems. When homes and cars made with toxics-containing materials burn, it adds to the danger. He said its important to wear N-95 respirators outdoors and for people with asthma or other respiratory problems to keep medicine and emergency inhalers with them. We are prepared for the worst, hoping for the best, Kamangar said, noting people with preexisting lung disease, children and the elderly are most vulnerable.Ash was falling from an orange sky as Celia Fagel walked her dog, Lou, for a potty break around their central Los Angeles neighborhood. She wore a black face mask, hoping to protect herself, she said. Its better to be safe than sorry, said Fagel, 34, Thursday morning.She worries about Lou, who doesnt get to mask up and has no idea whats going on. Ari Rivera, right, and Anderson Hao hold each other in front of their destroyed home in Altadena, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/John Locher) Ari Rivera, right, and Anderson Hao hold each other in front of their destroyed home in Altadena, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/John Locher) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Guillermina Gonzalez, 61, wore two masks Thursday to walk her dog and is encouraging her family to stay inside.All of this is really bad ... really dangerous, she said, speaking in Spanish. She said shes heartbroken by the scope of devastation and for the people who have lost homes.There are a lot of people who are going to need our help, she said, choking back tears. I tell everyone that if we can help we should, because we are all human beings. ___Webber reported from Fenton, Michigan.___The Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. DORANY PINEDA Pineda writes about water, climate and the environment in Latino communities across the U.S. twitter

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris lead a briefing regarding the federal response to the spread of wildfires in the Los Angeles area, in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)2025-01-10T12:00:39Z WASHINGTON (AP) As Joe Biden prepares to leave office, Americans have a dimmer view of his presidency than they did at the end of Donald Trumps first term or Barack Obamas second, a new poll finds.Around one-quarter of U.S. adults said Biden was a good or great president, with less than 1 in 10 saying he was great, according to the survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Its a stark illustration of how tarnished Bidens legacy has become, with many members of his own party seeing his Democratic presidency as merely mediocre. About one-third described Trump as good or great on the eve of the Republicans departure from the White House in 2021, according to AP-NORC polling, including about 2 in 10 who said he was great even after he helped sparked a deadly insurrection that saw a mob of his supporters overrun the U.S. Capitol. Americans were similarly likely to describe both Biden and Trump as poor or terrible about half said this characterized each presidents time in office but about 3 in 10 said Biden was average, while less than 2 in 10 said this about Trump. Bidens standing is also much lower than the last outgoing Democratic president, Obama, who left office with about half of Americans describing his tenure as good or great, according to another AP-NORC poll. Those findings are consistent with data released this week by Gallup, which found Bidens standing similar to that of President Richard Nixon after the Republican resigned during the Watergate scandal. The Gallup analysis found that other presidents who left with poor ratings including Trump, Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Jimmy Carter saw views of their presidencies grow warmer with time. But for now, few seem impressed with Bidens time in office, including a sizable chunk of Democrats. Im not going to sound like Star Wars, that he went over to the dark side and everything that might be implied there, John Cressey, a 79-year-old Democrat who lives in the Los Angeles area and does background work for films and movies, said of Biden. But I think he just lost the pulse of the nation and thats why Trump won. Among supporters of Bidens party, only about 1 in 10 described his presidency as great, while about 4 in 10 called it good, and a similar share described it as average. Cressey said he saw the 82-year-old Biden declining physically and believes the president was increasingly controlled by aides. He says Biden let the situation on the U.S.-Mexico border deteriorate into a mess. And Cressey summed up his chagrin with Bidens handling of the economy by saying, Go buy a carton of eggs. Disappointment especially high among Black and Hispanic AmericansThings werent always so bad for Biden. About 6 in 10 Americans approved of the way he handled the presidency as he took office, according to AP-NORC polling, but by early 2022, that had fallen to about 4 in 10, where views largely stayed for the remainder of his term. In the new poll, disappointment was especially palpable among Black and Hispanic Americans, who have traditionally leaned Democratic but shifted in larger numbers toward Trump in 2024. The contrast with Obama was especially striking among Black Americans. About 6 in 10 said Obama, the nations only Black president, had kept his promises at the end of his term, compared with around 3 in 10 who said the same for Biden. Similarly, about 7 in 10 Black Americans said they and their family were better off at the end of Obamas presidency while only about a third said that about Biden. I feel as though the economy hasnt progressed in a positive way since hes been in office, said Evonte Terrell, 30, a sales manager at a telecommunications company from Detroit who described himself as a waning Democrat. Terrell, who is Black, said the party has become too focused on things like climate change and war while de-emphasizing rebuilding communities and helping the poor. He also bristled at Bidens pardoning of his son Hunter, saying that, as a father, I would do the same but not everyone is going to have that capability. Younger people were particularly likely to have a negative view of Bidens presidency. Only about 1 in 10 Americans under age 30 say he was a good or great president, compared with about 4 in 10 ages 60 or older. Roughly 6 in 10 Americans ages 18 to 29 say Biden was a poor or terrible president.Terrell, facing student loan payments, also pointed to Bidens efforts to ease educational debt that were struck down by the Supreme Court. He said that amounted to years of just deferring when otherwise I could have been paying it off this entire time. A perception of failed promisesThe Biden administration helped oversee the passage of more large-scale legislation than did Trump or Obama including on public works, microchip production and health care and promoting green jobs. The president also signed the first major gun safety package in decades. Still, only about 2 in 10 Americans said the president made good on his campaign trail pledges. About 4 in 10 said he tried but failed to keep his promises, and a similar share said he has not kept his promises.Mark Jeanmougin, 47, who is from Cincinnati and works in cybersecurity, voted for Trump in 2016 but backed Biden in 2020 and Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in November. He sees Biden as a good president who set the United States up for success on issues like climate change while delivering badly needed infrastructure funding. But, he said, Biden definitely ran into some activist judges who were saying no to some of his policies.Jeanmougin said Biden helped improve the post-COVID-19 economy and rising inflation was an expected consequence. A hard landing, lots of unemployment, or a soft landing with inflation, he said. We knew that was what was going to happen. So the idea that so many of my fellow citizens were unaware or didnt know is really hard.In all, about half of Democrats said Biden tried and failed to keep his campaign promises, while about 4 in 10 said he succeeded. Few believe they are better offFor the most part, Americans dont think Biden is leaving the country in a better position than when he took office four years ago with a few exceptions. On the issues of creating jobs and prescription drug costs, Americans were about as likely to say Biden had a positive impact as they were to say hed had a negative impact. A similar share said he had no impact.But many thought hed done more harm than good in other key areas. At least half of Americans said Biden had a negative impact on the cost of living, immigration and the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians compared with about 2 in 10 who said he had a positive impact in each of these arenas.He was also perceived as having more of a negative impact than a positive one on Russias war with Ukraine, despite his administration pushing for billions of dollars in military aid to Kyiv. The negative views toward Biden regarding Israels war against Hamas were particularly pronounced among younger voters, with slightly less than 1 in 10 Americans under age 30 saying he had a positive impact on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. About 4 in 10 Americans said they and their families are somewhat or much worse off than they were when Biden became president, while about one-quarter said they are much or somewhat better off.Only about one-quarter said they and their families were worse off at the end of either Trumps or Obamas presidency.___The AP-NORC poll of 1,251 adults was conducted Dec. 5-9, 2024, using a sample drawn from NORCs probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 3.7 percentage points. WILL WEISSERT Weissert covers national politics and the White House for The Associated Press. He is based in Washington. twitter mailto AMELIA THOMSON-DEVEAUX Thomson-DeVeaux is the APs editor for polling and surveys.

Supporters of Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado surround the truck she waves from during a protest against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro the day before his inauguration for a third term in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)2025-01-10T05:04:41Z CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) President Nicols Maduro will extend his increasingly repressive rule over Venezuela until 2031 when he is sworn in on Friday, despite credible evidence that his opponent won the latest election and following protests against his plan to serve a third six-year term.On Thursday, as hundreds of anti-Maduro protesters took to the streets of the capital, Caracas, aides to opposition leader Mara Corina Machado said she was briefly detained by security forces and coerced into recording videos.The popular former lawmaker, whom the government has barred from running for office, had emerged from months of hiding to join the rally to demand that opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzlez be sworn in as president instead of Maduro. Machado addressed the rally then left on a motorcycle with her security convoy. Machados press team later announced on social media that security forces violently intercepted her convoy. Her aides then confirmed to The Associated Press that the opposition hardliner had been detained. Leaders in the Americas and Europe condemned the government for suppressing opposition voices and demanded her release. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump expressed his support for Machado and Gonzlez. These freedom fighters should not be harmed, and MUST stay SAFE and ALIVE! Trump said on Truth Social.Maduros supporters denied that Machado was arrested, saying government opponents were spreading fake news to generate an international crisis. The brouhaha ahead of Maduros inauguration adds to the litany of allegations of electoral fraud and brutal repression to silence dissent.Electoral authorities loyal to the ruling party declared Maduro the winner hours after polls closed on July 28, but unlike in previous presidential elections, they did not provide detailed vote counts. The opposition, meanwhile, collected tally sheets from more than 80% of electronic voting machines, posted them online and said the tallies show Gonzlez won twice as many votes as Maduro. Global condemnation over the lack of transparency prompted Maduro to ask the countrys high court also filled with allies of his United Socialist Party of Venezuela to audit the election results. The court reaffirmed Maduros victory without providing thorough evidence and encouraged the electoral council to release the vote counts. But neither the council nor the ruling party produced any evidence that Maduro had won, even though their voting center representatives also were entitled to tally sheets from every voting machine.The U.S.-based Carter Center, which observed the election on the governments invitation, declared the opposition-published tallies legitimate. Other election experts that the government allowed to witness the vote said polling records published online by the opposition faction appear to exhibit all of the original security features. The dispute over the results prompted international outrage and nationwide protests. The government responded with full force, arresting more than 2,000 demonstrators and encouraging Venezuelans to report anyone they suspect to be a ruling-party adversary. More than 20 people were killed during the unrest and many protesters reported being tortured in custody. It is unclear whether any heads of state were planning to attend Fridays inauguration ceremony hosted by the ruling party-controlled National Assembly at the legislative palace in Caracas. Colombias President Gustavo Petro, a close Maduro ally, said he would skip the event citing the detentions earlier in the week of another longtime Venezuelan opposition member and a human rights defender. Maduros last inauguration, in 2019, was attended by Cubas President Miguel Diaz-Canel and then-Bolivian President Evo Morales. The 2018 election was widely considered a sham after his government banned major opposition parties from participating.And it remains unclear if Gonzlez, who left for exile in Spain in September, will fulfill his promise to return to Venezuela by Friday. Government officials have repeatedly threatened Gonzlez with arrest should he step on Venezuelan soil. On Tuesday, Gonzlez said his son-in-law Rafael Tudares had been kidnapped in Caracas. Gonzlezs daughter, Mariana Gonzlez de Tudares, suggested in a statement that the government was behind her husbands disappearance.At what point did being related to Edmundo Gonzlez Urrutia become a crime? she said.

This image provided by European Space Agency shows close-up photos of Mercury's north pole taken by the European-Japanese spacecraft BepiColombo. (European Space Agency via AP)2025-01-09T15:58:51Z CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) A spacecraft has beamed back some of the best close-up photos yet of Mercurys north pole. The European and Japanese robotic explorer swooped as close as 183 miles (295 kilometers) above Mercurys night side before passing directly over the planets north pole. The European Space Agency released the stunning snapshots Thursday, showing the permanently shadowed craters at the top of of our solar systems smallest, innermost planet.Cameras also captured views of neighboring volcanic plains and Mercurys largest impact crater, which spans more than 930 miles (1,500 kilometers). This was the sixth and final flyby of Mercury for the BepiColombo spacecraft since its launch in 2018. The maneuver put the spacecraft on course to enter orbit around Mercury late next year. The spacecraft holds two orbiters, one for Europe and the other for Japan, that will circle the planets poles.The spacecraft is named for the late Giuseppe (Bepi) Colombo, a 20th-century Italian mathematician who contributed to NASAs Mariner 10 mission to Mercury in the 1970s and, two decades later, to the Italian Space Agencys tethered satellite project that flew on the U.S. space shuttles. ___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

A TikTok sign is displayed on top of their building in Culver City, Calif., on Dec. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)2025-01-10T11:12:55Z WASHINGTON (AP) The law that could ban TikTok is coming before the Supreme Court on Friday, with the justices largely holding the apps fate in their hands.The popular social media platform says the law violates the First Amendment and should be struck down. TikToks parent company is based in China, and the U.S. government says that means it is a potential national security threat. Chinese authorities could force it to hand over sensitive data on the huge number of Americans who use it or could influence the spread of information on the platform, they say. An appeals court has upheld the law, which bans TikTok unless its sold.The law is set to take effect Jan. 19, the day before a new term begins for President-elect Donald Trump, who has 14.7 million followers on the platform. The Republican says he wants to save TikTok.Here are some key things to know about the case: Is TikTok banned?Not now, but the short-form video-sharing app could be shut down in less than two weeks if the Supreme Court upholds the law. Congress passed the measure with bipartisan support, and President Joe Biden, a Democrat, signed it into law in April. TikToks lawyers challenged the law in court, joined by users and content creators who say a ban would upend their livelihoods. TikTok says the national security concerns are based on inaccurate and hypothetical information.But a unanimous appeals court panel made up of judges appointed by both Republican and Democratic presidents has upheld the law. When will the Supreme Court decide?The justices will issue a decision after arguments Friday, a lightning-fast movement by court standards. The conservative-majority court could drop clues about how its leaning during oral arguments. TikTok lawyers have urged the justices to step in before the law takes effect, saying even a monthlong shutdown would cause the app to lose about one-third of its daily American users and significant advertising revenue. The court could quickly block the law from going into effect before issuing a final ruling, if at least five of the nine justices think it is unconstitutional. What has Trump said about it?The law is to take effect Jan. 19, the day before Trump takes over as president. He took the unusual step of filing court documents asking the Supreme Court to put the law on hold so that he could negotiate a deal for the sale of TikTok after he takes office. His position marked the latest example of him inserting himself into national issues before he takes office. It also was a change from his last presidential term, when he wanted to ban it. Parent company ByteDance has previously said it has no plans to sell. Trump met with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, last month.Who else is weighing in? Free-speech advocacy groups like the ACLU and the Electronic Frontier Foundation have urged the court to block the law, saying the government hasnt shown credible evidence of harm and a ban would cause extraordinary disruption in Americans lives.On the other side, Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Republican former Senate leader, and a group of 22 states have filed briefs in support, arguing that the law protects free speech by safeguarding Americans data and preventing the possible manipulation of information on the platform by Chinese authorities. ___Follow the APs coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court at https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court. LINDSAY WHITEHURST Whitehurst covers the Supreme Court, legal affairs and criminal justice for The Associated Press in Washington, D.C. Past stops include Salt Lake City, New Mexico and Indiana. twitter mailto

This image provided by NBC shows reporter Jacob Soboroff covering the wildfires in Los Angeles. (NBC via AP)2025-01-10T14:53:04Z Follow live updates on the Los Angeles wildfires. NBC News reporter Jacob Soboroff didnt know what to expect when he turned his SUV onto the Pacific Palisades street where he grew up. What he found on Wednesday were smoldering ruins where his childhood home had stood. Only the remnants of a chimney and brick wall remained. It was among the countless number of buildings destroyed in the Los Angeles-area wildfires, where Soboroff is one of many journalists covering the story and living it.His own tale, told across several NBC News platforms Wednesday and Thursday, broke the so-called fourth wall and gave viewers an intimate experience of what the tragedy felt like.Im not going to pretend that Im not a human without my own thoughts and feelings, Soboroff said in an interview on Thursday. It would almost be a disservice to hide the emotions about what Ive seen.At first, the camera caught him staring blankly and trying to process. This is the first time Ive seen the house I grew up in and I really dont know what to say, he told viewers. Getting out of the vehicle, he pulled out his phone to FaceTime his mother about what had become of the house that he and four siblings lived in until he was 10. Even if it came as a surprise to Soboroff, it probably wasnt to viewers as they had watched him drive through the community, devastation all around him.What Ive seen here is what I would have expected from an earthquake, he said in the interview. This is what the Big One would have looked like. Not a fire. Weve had fires before. Soboroff, 41, lives now in a house near Dodger Stadium with his wife and two children. Everyone is safe, and the house is untouched, he said.Some journalists werent so lucky. Ryan Pearson, an entertainment video manager at The Associated Press, covered the fire all day Wednesday before finding that his home in Altameda had burned to the ground. Fire spared the home of Fox News Jonathan Hunt in West L.A., but his daughters high school was destroyed. Other reporters, like KCALs Rick Montanez, broke down on the air while describing some of what they were seeing. Soboroff has alternated reporting with personal missions this week. Since telling the story of his childhood home, several people reached out to ask him to check on their own homes, and hes tried to fulfill requests when he can. He went to see if a plaque honoring his father for helping build a local park was still visible. It was.He doesnt know who was living now in the home where he grew up, but is trying to find out and reach them.For me it was my memories, he said. But for them, it was the house they lived in.___David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social DAVID BAUDER Bauder is the APs national media writer, covering the intersection of news, politics and entertainment. He is based in New York. twitter mailto

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris lead a briefing regarding the federal response to the spread of wildfires in the Los Angeles area, in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)2025-01-10T15:04:34Z MIAMI (AP) More than 200,000 Salvadorans who have lived more than two decades in the United States can legally remain another 18 months, the Homeland Security Department said Friday in one of the Biden administrations final acts on immigration policy.The decision is the Biden administrations latest in support of Temporary Protected Status, which he has sharply expanded to cover about 1 million people. TPS faces an uncertain future under Donald Trump, who tried to sharply curtail its use during his first term as president. Congress created TPS in 1990 to prevent deportations to countries suffering from natural disasters or civil strive, giving people authorization to work in increments of up to 18 months at a time. About 1 million immigrants from 17 countries are protected by TPS, including people from Venezuela, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Afghanistan, Sudan and Lebanon. Salvadorans are one of the largest beneficiaries, having won TPS in 2001 after earthquakes rocked the Central American country. Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, suggested they would scale back the use of TPS and policies granting temporary status as they pursue mass deportations. During his first administration, Trump ended TPS for El Salvador but was held up in court. The money that Salvadorans send home is a major economic support for the Central American country, potentially complicating efforts to end TPS for an ally of the U.S. Trump has had warm relations with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, who worked closely with him on preventing illegal immigration to the U.S. Remittances amount to about $7.5 billion a year. Bukele is immensely popular, largely because his heavy-handed security efforts have eviscerated the countrys street gangs. In March 2022, El Salvadors gangs killed 62 people in hours, prompting its congress to allow a state of exception for Bukele to crack down, suspending some constitutional rights and granting more police powers. More than 83,000 people have been arrested since, most jailed without due process. El Salvador ended 2024 with a record low 114 homicides. In 2015, El Salvador had 6,656 homicides, making it one of the worlds deadliest countries.For Jos Palma, a 48 year-old Salvadoran who has lived in the U.S. since 1998, the extension means he can still work legally in Houston. He is the only in his family with temporary status; his four children were born U.S. citizens and his wife is a permanent resident. If TPS was not extended he could be deported and separated from the rest of the family. It brings me peace of mind, a breath of fresh air. Thats 18 more months of being protected, Palma said. It offers me stability. Palma, who works as an organizer at a day laborer organization, sends about $400 a month to his 73-year-old mother, who is retired and does not have any income. ___Associated Press writers Marcos Alemn in San Salvador, El Salvador, contributed to this report. GISELA SALOMON Salomon is a Miami-based reporter who covers Latin America and immigration affairs for The Associated Press.Salomon es una periodista que desde Miami cubre asuntos latinoamericanos y de inmigracion. twitter mailto

Lisa Diaz hugs a neighbor outside of their homes as the Eaton Fire sweeps through the area Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)2025-01-09T21:03:07Z Follow live updates on the Los Angeles wildfires. Major fires across Los Angeles this week have killed at least 10 people, forced 180,000 to flee their homes, and destroyed more than 10,000 structures. Here are some of the organizations accepting support for those impacted:ChildrenProject Camp: The Los Angeles-based organization runs trauma-informed pop-up day camps for children displaced or out of school due to natural disasters. Its in the process of setting up multiple sites to help families impacted by the Palisades and Eaton fires. It is accepting monetary donations as well as volunteers to staff the camps. Impacted families can also find out how to sign up for a camp here. Boys and Girls Clubs of Malibu: Informed by its experience helping kids and families after the 2018 Woolsey fire, the organization is offering free counseling, case management and resource referrals for area families. Its collecting donations to provide emergency grants and, when its facilities can safely reopen, it will create an emergency relief distribution center. Those looking for help can fill out intake forms in English and Spanish. Displaced householdsGoFundMe.org: The crowdfunding platforms nonprofit arm uses its Wildfire Recovery Fund to give emergency grants to verified people and families fundraising for themselves or others, as well as small businesses and nonprofits. Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) and bstrong: In partnership with Bethenny Frankels bstrong disaster relief fund, GEM will distribute cash cards to evacuated residents to help with immediate needs like accommodation, gas and food. The organizations are accepting cash donations.Los Angeles Regional Food Bank: The food bank is supporting a network of more than 600 partner agencies to make sure impacted households are fed. Its accepting cash donations, food donations at two sites, and volunteers. If your household needs assistance, you can find a food bank here. First responders and volunteersCalifornia Fire Foundation: California Professional Firefighters founded the nonprofit in 1987 to support families of fallen firefighters, firefighters and communities impacted by fires. The foundation is supporting both firefighters responding to the Los Angeles fires as well as people affected. Watch Duty: The nonprofit service provides real-time updates on wildfire activity, evacuations, shelters and more via its free app, which more than 1.4 million people downloaded in the 48 hours since the fires began. The organization relies on donations and a team of 200 volunteers, gathering and vetting information from radio scanners and official sources, to do its work. AnimalsPasadena Humane Society: The animal rescue had taken in over 300 animals due to evacuations as of Wednesday night, including some with burns and injuries. Its officers are also on the ground finding animals that need help. It is accepting monetary donations as well as purchased goods from its Amazon wishlist.Longterm recoveryCalifornia Community Foundation: The 110-year-old Los Angeles-based foundations Wildfire Recovery Fund addresses longterm recovery needs like temporary housing, rebuilding homes, mental health and medical care. It also provides updated equipment to firefighters and helps rebuild emergency communications systems. It is accepting cash donations and helps company match employees gifts as well. Team Rubicon and Samaritans Purse: Both organizations will assist people who lost homes once cleanup begins. Team Rubicon plans to help clear debris and Samaritans Purse will aid people sifting through debris to find personal belongings that may have survived the fire. People you knowFriends and family who lost property may need cash, temporary housing, or emotional support. But its important to reach out delicately, and to not have expectations for how or whether they will respond, said Dr. Adrienne Heinz, clinical research psychologist at the Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD. Here are some tips she has:1. It can be helpful to check in. It can be comforting to know that others are thinking about you and want to lend their support during a difficult time. An example: Im so sorry for what has happened to your community. There arent really words to describe how sad this is. Can I send your family a meal tonight? Im here for you and will keep checking in. No pressure to respond. 2. Offer concrete ways of helping like lodging, gift cards, meals, childcare. 3. Give them grace. They may not be able to respond for a number of reasons.4. Refrain from phrases that minimize or invalidate their experience, like At least youre alive, or Everything happens for a reason. Just because someone didnt lose their home, doesnt mean they arent hurting. The entire community is still enduring a stressful and likely traumatic event.Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of APs philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy. GABRIELA AOUN ANGUEIRA Gabriela covers philanthropys role in disaster resilience and recovery. She is based in San Diego, California. instagram mailto

Lisa Diaz hugs a neighbor outside of their homes as the Eaton Fire sweeps through the area Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)2025-01-10T16:14:37Z WASHINGTON (AP) U.S. intelligence has found no evidence linking a foreign power to the mysterious Havana syndrome injuries reported by some U.S. diplomats and other government personnel, though two agencies now say it remains a possibility.The conclusion comes from a review conducted by seven different intelligence agencies who examined cases of brain injuries and other symptoms reported by American diplomats and other government personnel who have raised questions about the involvement of a foreign adversary.The new assessment was released by U.S. intelligence on Friday. Five intelligence agencies in the review concluded that it is very unlikely that a foreign adversary was behind the incidents, according to a U.S. intelligence official who briefed reporters on the findings on condition of anonymity under rules set out by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Two of the agencies, however, reached a different conclusion, finding that there is a possibility that a foreign power may have developed or even used a weapon capable of causing the injuries reported by U.S. diplomats and government officials. The two agencies, which officials did not identify, did not find evidence linking any specific incident to a foreign technology, but based their findings on understandings of foreign weapon development and capability. One of the agencies found there was a roughly even chance that a foreign government used such a weapon or prototype device in a small, undetermined number of cases affecting U.S. personnel.The other agency determined that while its possible a foreign power has developed such a weapon, its unlikely that it has been deployed.

John Podesta, U.S. climate envoy, speaks during a plenary session at the COP29 U.N. Climate Summit, Nov. 13, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits, File)2025-01-10T17:14:10Z WASHINGTON (AP) The massive wildfires that have killed 10 people in the Los Angeles area and caused billions of dollars in property damage are the latest sign of the growing threat posed by climate change one that President-elect Donald Trump will have to take more seriously than he did in his first term, a top adviser to President Joe Biden said.John Podesta, Bidens senior adviser for international climate policy, said one of the iconic images of Trumps first term showed him tossing paper towels to people in Puerto Rico who had been been ravaged by a hurricane. Many critics called Trumps action disrespectful, especially after he disputed a death count from Hurricane Maria that reached nearly 3,000 people.You would think hopefully he would have learned from the publics reaction to that that you have to take the science seriously. You have to take the facts seriously. You have to take the threat seriously,' Podesta said in an interview with The Associated Press. As the unfolding disaster in California demonstrates, these challenges from extreme weather events that are induced by climate change are just getting worse and worse,' Podesta said. I think that, hopefully, the second Trump administration will indeed take this more seriously than in Trumps first term. Trump, a Republican, has not been offering much sympathy as the wildfires rage. Instead, he claimed this week that he could do a better job managing the crisis, casting blame on Californias Democratic governor. Trump has criticized his longtime political foe Gov. Gavin Newsoms forest management policies and falsely claimed the states fish conservation efforts are responsible for fire hydrants running dry in urban areas. Trump and his transition team have signaled that they will seek to reverse many of the mitigation actions the Biden administration has taken to reduce planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, including tighter pollution standards for power plants and cars and trucks. But Podesta suggested that when it comes to climate resilience including hardening infrastructure to make it more resistant to climate change Trump should listen to scientists and other experts. At least when it comes to this question of resilience and adaptation, I think, that is not a liberal or conservative issue. Thats not a red state or blue state issue. Its happening all across the country,' he said, citing Hurricane Helene, which devastated North Carolina and other states last fall.North Carolina was used to hurricane damage, but not in the mountains and not in Asheville,' Podesta said.Trump and his team would do well to understand and listen to the experts in NASA and NOAA and begin to plan and prepare for what is likely to be, again, an increasing risk across the country from these extreme weather challenges,' he said.Podesta and Ali Zaidi, Bidens domestic climate adviser, spoke to the AP as the White House released a report Friday on national adaptation and resilience planning strategy for climate change. Across the United States, climate change is accelerating the frequency and fueling the severity of extreme weather events, resulting in tragedies and new realities that once seemed unimaginable, the report said. The Phoenix area experienced 113 consecutive days of temperatures in excess of 100 degrees Fahrenheit last year, leading to heat emergencies that disrupted schools and businesses, while devastating floods in Iowa and Minnesota forced thousands to evacuate and wiped out roads and rail lines, the report said. Hurricanes supercharged by warm ocean water ravaged communities in the Southeast, killing hundreds and cutting communities off from power and water, while wildfires in New Mexico, Oregon and California destroyed entire neighborhoods, the report added. While the nation is moving to address the projected risks and impacts of climate change, there is far more work to do in the years ahead, the report said, urging an all-hands-on deck effort across all levels of government, including federal, state, local, Tribal and territorial leaders. The climate adaptation report, submitted under the framework of the United Nations, reflects the reality that the United States is not exempt from climate damage that has ravaged developing countries and island nations, Zaidi said.Development status does not grant any country climate-haven status, he said. Just because the U.S. has the biggest, most prosperous economy in the world does not mean climate risk stops at our borders. In our own communities, no place is impervious to this risk. All of us are on the hook to step up in a big way.While Trump has pledged to undo many of Bidens actions on climate change, Podesta and Zaidi were confident that the Democratic presidents signature climate law will continue in the new administration. The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in 2022 with only Democratic support, authorizes about $270 billion for clean energy such as wind and solar power, with many projects located in Republican congressional districts. Theres no question that the public supports the buildout of clean power and wants to see that move forward, Podesta said, adding that many Republican governors are excited about new battery plants, manufacturing jobs and other investments in their states. I think theyll want to try to do what they can to defend those investments and the jobs that go with them, he said, noting that more than 400,000 jobs have been created as a result of the IRA and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law approved in 2021.Walking away from all that would just be, not only bad policy, but really bad politics, he said. MATTHEW DALY Matthew Daly covers climate, environment & energy policy twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson speaks during a news conference following an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Baltimore. The Ravens won 35-10. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)2025-01-10T16:51:11Z Lamar Jackson beat out Josh Allen, and JaMarr Chase and Justin Jefferson are unanimous choices for The Associated Press 2024 NFL All-Pro Team.Saquon Barkley received 48 of 50 first-place votes and Patrick Surtain II got 49 from a nationwide panel of media members who regularly cover the league.Wow, thats crazy. Thats respect right there. Thats love, Jefferson said of his unanimous selection and second overall.Jackson received 30 first-place votes to Allens 18, making the team for the second straight year and third overall. Peyton Manning (7) and Aaron Rodgers (4) are the only quarterbacks with more All-Pro nominations in the Super Bowl era than Jackson.Linebacker Roquan Smith, slot cornerback Marlon Humphrey and fullback Patrick Ricard joined Jackson from the Ravens (12-5).The NFC-leading Lions (15-2) had four players selected: wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, right tackle Penei Sewell, safety Kerby Joseph and punter Jack Fox. They know whats up, said Joseph, who led the NFL with nine interceptions but was snubbed from the Pro Bowl.Barkley, who ran for 2,005 yards in 16 games in his first season with the Eagles (14-3), and linebacker Zack Baun were Philadelphias first-team selections. Barkley sat out the final regular-season game with the Eagles locked into the No. 2 seed instead of chasing Eric Dickersons 40-year-old single-season rushing record. Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett and 49ers linebacker Fred Warner were each chosen for the fourth time. Buccaneers left tackle Tristan Wirfs became the first player selected at both tackle spots. Before 2016, the All-Pro roster included two tackles but didnt differentiate between right or left side. Wirfs made it at right tackle in 2021. He switched positions in 2023.Its pretty special, Wirfs said. Its something I wanted to do, wanted to accomplish.Fourteen players are first-timers, including Raiders rookie tight end Brock Bowers. He got 27 first-place votes to George Kittles 22. Chiefs center Creed Humphrey and left guard Joe Thuney and Broncos right guard Quinn Meinerz round out the offense.Cincinnatis Trey Hendrickson, who led the league with 17 1/2 sacks, joined Garrett at edge rusher.Thats such a privilege and an honor, Hendrickson said.Kansas Citys Chris Jones and Pittsburghs Cameron Heyward are the interior linemen. Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. and Packers safety Xavier McKinney join Surtain, Humphrey and Joseph in the secondary.Thats a huge honor, Surtain said. Thats one of the accolades I definitely had goals for.Stingley, the No. 3 overall pick in 2022 chosen right before two-time All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner, rebounded from two-injury plagued seasons and played every game to help Houston win its second straight AFC South title.Its really more about the secondary as a unit, how do we gel together when it comes to communication, when the ball is in the air and different types of things like that. Id rather focus more on that than the personal, Stingley said. Steelers kicker Chris Boswell, Cowboys kick returner KaVontae Turpin, Broncos punt returner Marvin Mims Jr., Patriots special teams ace Brenden Schooler and Vikings long snapper Andrew DePaola along with Fox are the special teams picks.Jackson also was an All-Pro in 2019 and 2023. He was the NFL MVP both of those seasons and Baltimore had the AFCs No. 1 seed both years but failed to reach the Super Bowl. Jackson got 30 first-place votes, Allen received 18 and Joe Burrow got two.Ravens running back Derrick Henry received the two first-place votes that didnt go to Barkley.St. Brown (40), Thuney (41), Humphrey (44), Baun (44), Garrett (45) and Turpin (49) also had at least 40 of the 50 first-place votes.This was the third year for the APs new voting system. Voters chose a first team and a second team. First-team votes are worth 3 points, second-team votes are worth 1.___AP Pro Football Writer Josh Dubow contributed.___AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL ROB MAADDI Maaddi is senior NFL writer for The Associated Press. Hes covered the league for 24 years, including the first two decades as the Eagles beat writer. mailto

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs past Cleveland Browns linebacker Winston Reid, right, during the first half of an NFL football game Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)2025-01-10T16:51:06Z The Associated Press 2024 NFL All-Pro team selected by a national panel of 50 media members:First teamOffenseQuarterback Lamar Jackson, BaltimoreRunning Back Saquon Barkley, PhiladelphiaFullback Patrick Ricard, BaltimoreTight End Brock Bowers, Las VegasWide Receivers JaMarr Chase, Cincinnati; Justin Jefferson, Minnesota; Amon-Ra St. Brown, DetroitLeft Tackle Tristan Wirfs, Tampa BayLeft Guard Joe Thuney, Kansas CityCenter Creed Humphrey, Kansas CityRight Guard Quinn Meinerz, DenverRight Tackle Penei Sewell, DetroitDefenseEdge Rushers Myles Garrett, Cleveland; Trey Hendrickson, CincinnatiInterior Linemen Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh; Chris Jones, Kansas CityLinebackers Zack Baun, Philadelphia; Fred Warner, San Francisco; Roquan Smith, BaltimoreCornerbacks Patrick Surtain II, Denver; Derek Stingley Jr., HoustonSlot cornerback Marlon Humphrey, BaltimoreSafeties Kerby Joseph, Detroit; Xavier McKinney, Green Bay Special TeamsPlacekicker Chris Boswell, PittsburghPunter Jack Fox, DetroitKick Returner KaVontae Turpin, DallasPunt Returner Marvin Mims Jr., DenverSpecial Teamer Brenden Schooler, New EnglandLong Snapper Andrew DePaola, Minnesota___Second team OffenseQuarterback Josh Allen, BuffaloRunning Back Derrick Henry, BaltimoreFullback Kyle Juszczyk, San FranciscoTight End George Kittle, San FranciscoWide Receivers Terry McLaurin, Washington; CeeDee Lamb, Dallas; A.J. Brown, PhiladelphiaLeft Tackle Jordan Mailata, PhiladelphiaLeft Guard Quenton Nelson, IndianapolisCenter Frank Ragnow, DetroitRight Guard Chris Lindstrom, AtlantaRight Tackle Lane Johnson, Philadelphia DefenseEdge Rushers T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh; (asterisk)-Nik Bonitto, Denver, (asterisk)-Andrew Van Ginkel, MinnesotaInterior Linemen Zach Allen, Denver; Jalen Carter, PhiladelphiaLinebackers Frankie Luvu, Washington; Bobby Wagner, Washington; Zaire Franklin, IndianapolisCornerbacks Trent McDuffie, Kansas City; Christian Gonzalez, New EnglandSlot cornerback Derwin James, Los Angeles ChargersSafeties Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore; Budda Baker, ArizonaSpecial teamsPlacekicker Brandon Aubrey, DallasPunter Logan Cooke, JacksonvilleKick Returner Austin Ekeler, WashingtonPunt Returner Kalif Raymond, DetroitSpecial Teamer J.T. Gray, New OrleansLong Snapper Ross Matiscik, Jacksonville___(asterisk)-tied for second-team spot___AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

A man walks in front of the burning Altadena Community Church, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in the downtown Altadena section of Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)2025-01-10T17:41:58Z Flames were already attacking the campus of Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center when the cantor, Ruth Berman Harris, and three companions rushed in to rescue its sacred Torah scrolls. Physically, thats now all that is left of the 80-year-old synagogue, destroyed by wildfires that also destroyed a mosque, a Catholic parish and a half-dozen Protestant churches. Many members of these congregations were among the thousands of Angelenos who lost their homes this week. As the threat of new fires persisted, clergy were left with the huge challenges of offering comfort and pondering paths toward rebuilding and recovery.Theres absolutely nothing except for a few walls and the empty space, said the Pasadena Jewish Centers executive director, Melissa Levy. Nevertheless, hundreds of its congregants have gone to the site to say, Goodbye to the places where they celebrated milestones in their faith and family lives, Levy added. Navigating road closures to rescue Torah scrolls Berman Harris along with her husband, another congregant and a custodian managed to get the Torah scrolls into their cars and whisked away to safety before the synagogue was engulfed in flames Tuesday night.Its the heartbeat of any Jewish community, she said of the Torah. Thats why, despite road closures, she rushed in to try to save the scrolls after a congregant who lives near the temple called her to say the flames were getting closer.Several houses of worship were destroyed in Pasadena and Altadena, including a mosque Masjid Al-Taqwa. Its imam lost his house as well, said Enjy El-Kadi, digital communication manager for the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Los Angeles.The wildfires destroyed Altadena Community Church, as well as several homes owned by members of the congregation of about 60 people, said its pastor, the Rev. Paul Tellstrm.Its shocking, said Tellstrm. Its a reminder to us of all of the fragility of life. Worship without a buildingThe church, built in the 1940s, was known for its colorful stained glass and for hosting a popular choir.The churchs Facebook page shared images of the building engulfed in flames. Another photo showed parishioners singing outdoors. Underneath, the image it read: WE are the church! We can worship anywhere.This is a big blow, but it will not impede our progress, Tellstrm said. The most important takeaway is that we are the church not the building.Altadena United Methodist Church also burned down, as did the homes of many members, according to Facebook posts by its pastor, the Rev. J. Andre Wilson. He said that this Sunday, the church would have a brief online service.Our building is gone, he wrote. But YOU and US, are the church. Fire spoils churchs weekend wedding plansRicardo Springs II, a church member who came to see the remains of the building, said the congregation had been planning this Sunday to host the wedding of a couple that recently joined the church.The devastation is just heartbreaking, he said. God will see us through this.My sons grew up in this church, my wife grew up in this church, he told The Associated Press on Thursday. Its an awesome church community.St. Marks Episcopal Church in Altadena also was destroyed.It is with a broken heart that I share with you the news that our church building is lost, the Rev. Carri Patterson Grindon, the rector, wrote on Facebook. She said several community members lost their homes and the church staff was organizing a network of mutual support.We will need one another in the days ahead as we face these devastating losses, she wrote. I am here for you, and I know our community will hold together, and love and support one another through whatever lies ahead.Prayers and faith bolster affected congregationsThe Parish of St. Matthew, an Episcopal church in Pacific Palisades, whose campus also includes a preschool-through-8th grade school, reported that all of its clergy residences were destroyed, though its sanctuary, middle school and other buildings were intact.The church has hosted online gatherings, using the liturgy of Compline or night prayer.We feel your prayers, the schools chaplain, the Rev. Stefanie Wilson, said in the Thursday night online gathering, responding to the outpouring of concern from people far and near. We need them and we want them and we feel that youre with us right now. In Pacific Palisades, Corpus Christi Catholic Church was destroyed. Its website displayed a photo of the skeletal remains of the church, accompanied by this message: I have no words. Our beautiful church in Pacific Palisades, as of this morning.Also destroyed was Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church, which posted photos on its Facebook page showing the church intact before the fire and in ruins afterward.Throughout the stricken areas, faith leaders were concerned about congregation members who lost their homes and have found temporary shelter with friends or in hotels. But they are finding hope in their faith and their communities.Nothing in my faith has been rocked by this, said Melissa Levy of the Pasadena Jewish Center. If anything, its been bolstered by the support we have received and we can give. Synagogues still standing offer a place to worshipThe Los Angeles area is home to more than 600,000 Jews, the second-largest community in the United States. The Pasadena synagogue also lost its preschool, and in Pacific Palisades, fires seriously damaged another synagogue and a Chabad center, said Rabbi Noah Farkas, president of the Jewish Federation Los Angeles.Synagogues away from danger will host services over the weekend for those congregants who cannot attend their regular temples, and volunteers have been helping with everything from food and cash assistance to providing a dedicated text messaging line for hundreds of displaced families who have no idea what, if anything, of their homes survived the fires.Ive been here 32 years and literally every person I know has lost their house, Rabbi Zushe Cunin said of the neighborhood of his Chabad center. Apocalyptic is the word Ive been using.As clouds of smoke started building in the area earlier this week, Cunin said, he and other staff escorted about 100 children from their school to safety through growing traffic jams to the Pacific Coast Highway, and then ran back to save the scrolls. The fire damaged classrooms and other spaces, though the sanctuary is intact.But even as they remain determined to rebuild, the immediate priority for Cunin, Levy and Farkas is helping their congregants and the broader communities who have lost all their possessions.Even with the people of means, everything is gone, Cunin said.___AP visual journalist Manuel Valdes contributed.___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. LUIS ANDRES HENAO Henao is a multimedia reporter on the APs Global Religion team. He focuses on features and has reported for the AP from Alaska, Antarctica and the Amazon. twitter instagram mailto

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro attends a military ceremony on his inauguration day for a third term in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)2025-01-10T13:20:13Z Sigue la cobertura en vivo de AP en espaol de la investidura de Nicols Maduro como presidente de Venezuela. CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro was sworn in for a third six-year term Friday despite international condemnation of his recent reelection as illegitimate, as his administration grows increasingly brazen in cracking down on opponents.The countrys legislative palace, where he was sworn in, was heavily guarded by police, military and intelligence officers. Crowds of people, many sporting pro-Maduro T-shirts, gathered in adjacent streets and a nearby plaza.While Maduros supporters were rallying, his opponents were expected to head to the streets after aides to a key opposition leader said that she was briefly detained Thursday following an anti-government demonstration in the capital, Caracas.Heres the latest:As Maduros reaffirms control of military, opposition leader Gonzlez is nowhere to be seen Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro gestures to supporters next to his wife Cilia Flores after his swearing-in ceremony for a third term at the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro gestures to supporters next to his wife Cilia Flores after his swearing-in ceremony for a third term at the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More As Maduro gave a speech to the Venezuelan military forces largely credited with keeping him in power, the countrys opposition leader, Edmundo Gonzlez, was nowhere to be seen Friday in the Dominican Republic, where he arrived on Wednesday. He held a brief press conference on Thursday before disappearing from the public eye. While his wife was spotted at the hotel on Friday, Gonzlez had not appeared. On Friday morning, former Mexican President Felipe Caldern, who had traveled to the Dominican Republic in support of Edmundo Gonzlez along with other Latin American dignitaries, announced they would hold a press conference about Venezuelas opposition leader. But as of Friday afternoon, no press conference had been held yet.Earlier on Friday, Maduro made fun of Gonzlez, saying in a mocking tone: Im waiting for him to arrive, Im nervous. Biden administration extends temporary protections for 600,000 Venezuelans Opponents of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro participate in a protest the day before his inauguration for a third term, in Santiago, Chile, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix) Opponents of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro participate in a protest the day before his inauguration for a third term, in Santiago, Chile, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said it is extending the temporary legal status to about 600,000 Venezuelans who fled the country for another 18 months. It cited the extraordinary conditions that prevent eligible Venezuelan nationals from safely returning. The announcement came just minutes after Maduro was sworn in to serve a third six-year term and marks the Biden administrations latest in support of Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, which faces an uncertain future under U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who tried to sharply curtail its use during his first term as president.Britain and Canada slap sanctions against Venezuelan officials Night falls on Caracas, Venezuela, as seen from El Avila, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, days ahead of President Nicolas Maduros inauguration for a third presidential term. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix) Night falls on Caracas, Venezuela, as seen from El Avila, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, days ahead of President Nicolas Maduros inauguration for a third presidential term. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Venezuelan Tulio Rodriguez holds a wanted sign of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro that reads in Spanish: Reward. Dead or alive outside the Venezuelan embassy in Lima, Peru, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, the day before his inauguration for a third term. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) Venezuelan Tulio Rodriguez holds a wanted sign of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro that reads in Spanish: Reward. Dead or alive outside the Venezuelan embassy in Lima, Peru, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, the day before his inauguration for a third term. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Government officials, from left, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, National Assembly Vice President Pedro Infante, National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez, and National Assembly Second Vice President America Perez arrive for the swearing-in ceremony of President Nicolas Maduro for his third term in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) Government officials, from left, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, National Assembly Vice President Pedro Infante, National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez, and National Assembly Second Vice President America Perez arrive for the swearing-in ceremony of President Nicolas Maduro for his third term in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More The U.K. imposed sanctions on 15 senior top Venezuelan officials, including senior officials with the electoral service and the commander of the armed forces, and called Maduros claim to the presidency illegitimate. The sanctions include a travel ban and a freezing of assets.Nicols Maduros claim to power is fraudulent, Foreign Secretary David Lammy said. Todays sanctions send a clear message. The U.K. will not stand by as Maduro continues to oppress, undermine democracy, and commit appalling human rights violations.Canada also said it has imposed sanctions on 14 current and former senior officials that the government said have engaged in activities that have directly or indirectly supported human rights violations in Venezuela.Inauguration marred by lack of regional support An opponent of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro protests the day before his inauguration for a third term, at Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) An opponent of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro protests the day before his inauguration for a third term, at Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Opponents of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro display a Venezuelan flag during a protest the day before his inauguration for a third term in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) Opponents of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro display a Venezuelan flag during a protest the day before his inauguration for a third term in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Government supporters take a selfie as honor guards march after taking part in the swearing-in ceremony for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro for a third term in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Cristian Hernandez) Government supporters take a selfie as honor guards march after taking part in the swearing-in ceremony for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro for a third term in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Cristian Hernandez) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrives at the National Assembly for his swearing-in ceremony for a third term in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix) Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrives at the National Assembly for his swearing-in ceremony for a third term in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro greets government supporters after being sworn in for a third term in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Cristian Hernandez) Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro greets government supporters after being sworn in for a third term in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Cristian Hernandez) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Cubas Miguel Diaz-Canel, right, and Nicaraguas President Daniel Ortega attend the swearing-in ceremony of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro for a third term in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) Cubas Miguel Diaz-Canel, right, and Nicaraguas President Daniel Ortega attend the swearing-in ceremony of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro for a third term in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Few regional leaders other than those facing their own human rights criticisms traveled to Venezuela to attend Maduros inauguration.While countries like Peru said they recognized opposition leader Edmundo Gonzlez, not Maduro, as Venezuelas rightful leader, other regional allies like Colombian leftist leader Gustavo Petro and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum were notably absent. Venezuelan Opposition: A coup dtat has been consummated against the rights of the people Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, lower right, waves a Venezuelan national flag, during a rally to protest official results that declared President Nicolas Maduro the winner of the July presidential election, in Caracas, Venezuela, Aug. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Cristian Hernandez, File) Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, lower right, waves a Venezuelan national flag, during a rally to protest official results that declared President Nicolas Maduro the winner of the July presidential election, in Caracas, Venezuela, Aug. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Cristian Hernandez, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More A coalition of Venezuelan opposition parties condemned Maduros inauguration, calling it a coup dtat against the democratic will of the people. It said in a statement that Maduro landed his third term through brute force and by ignoring the popular vote.It maintained that opposition leader Edmundo Gonzlez was the rightful president who won the July presidential election.We begin today a new stage in the struggle for the freedom of Venezuela, the coalition wrote. We must make them feel our permanent and active democratic resistance, until the national constitution and especially the popular will is respected. US doles out new sanctions, boosts reward for information leading to capture of Maduro and top officials Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores arrive at the National Assembly for his swearing-in ceremony for a third term in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Cristian Hernandez) Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores arrive at the National Assembly for his swearing-in ceremony for a third term in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Cristian Hernandez) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More As Maduro rails on foreign critics, the U.S. Treasury Department slapped a new round of sanctions on Venezuelan officials.The U.S. sanctions were placed on the president of Venezuelas state-owned oil company, Maduros transportation minister and state-owned airline, and high-level military and police officials which the Treasury said had roles in carrying out Maduros repression and human rights abuses against democratic actors.The U.S. State Department also boosted its offer for information leading to the arrest of Maduro and his interior minister, Diosdado Cabello, to $25 million each, and placed a new bounty of $15 million for information about Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino. In 2020, the department had offered a reward of up to $15 million for information on Maduro. It also imposed new travel restrictions on an undisclosed number of Maduro-aligned government officials who the U.S. believes undermined the electoral process and were complicit in repression. Maduro claims compliance with constitution, criticizes US A government supporter dressed as Super Mustache, a character depicting President Nicolas Maduro as a superhero, stands outside of Miraflores Palace after a rally, days ahead of Maduros presidential inauguration for a third term in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) A government supporter dressed as Super Mustache, a character depicting President Nicolas Maduro as a superhero, stands outside of Miraflores Palace after a rally, days ahead of Maduros presidential inauguration for a third term in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More In a fiery speech following his swearing in, Maduro claimed that his government has complied with the constitution despite little evidence that he won the election and international claims of fraud. Maduro accused external powers of attacking Venezuela, taking digs at the U.S. government and foreign critics, and he promised to guarantee peace and national sovereignty.Today more than ever I feel the weight of commitment, the power that I represent, the power that the constitution grants me, he said. I have not been made president by the government of the United States, nor by the pro-imperialist governments of Latin America.Maduro accused the opposition of trying to turn the inauguration into a world war, but said they failed.In the crowd celebrating Maduros inauguration was Presidents Miguel Daz-Canel of Cuba and Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua countries also facing international sanctions for democratic crackdowns. Top Russian and Chinese officials were also in attendance.Opposition leader isnt in Venezuela despite promises Former Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, center, stands with former presidents, from left, Laura Chinchilla of Costa Rica, Jorge Quiroga of Bolivia, Vicente Fox of Mexico, Andres Pastrana of Colombia, Hipolito Mejia of the Dominican Republic, Jamil Mahuad of Ecuador, Felipe Calderon of Mexico and General Secretary of the Democratic Initiative of Spain and the Americas Asdrubal Aguiar, at the presidential palace in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ricardo Hernandez) Former Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, center, stands with former presidents, from left, Laura Chinchilla of Costa Rica, Jorge Quiroga of Bolivia, Vicente Fox of Mexico, Andres Pastrana of Colombia, Hipolito Mejia of the Dominican Republic, Jamil Mahuad of Ecuador, Felipe Calderon of Mexico and General Secretary of the Democratic Initiative of Spain and the Americas Asdrubal Aguiar, at the presidential palace in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ricardo Hernandez) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Opposition leader Edmundo Gonzlez remains in the Dominican Republic, and has announced a news conference at the hotel where hes staying. This comes despite promises by the former presidential candidate to arrive in Venezuela and be inaugurated as president.Gonzlez had never offered details of how he intended to enter the country and take power, especially given Maduros firm control of the military and government. Gonzlez was on a regional tour of Latin America in an effort to rally support before the inauguration, with his last stop being in the Dominican Republic.Maduro is sworn in inside the legislative palace Standing before officials, Maduro was sworn in at Venezuelas legislative palace. I swear by Bolivar, by Sucre, by Urdaneta, by Manuela Saez, by the eternal memory of our eternal commander Hugo Chavez ... I swear by history, I swear by my life, Maduro said.As he did, followers erupted into cheers.Maduro arrives to heavily guarded palace before inaugurationAuthorities announced the arrival of Maduro and other leaders to Venezuelas legislative palace, where he is set to be sworn in shortly. The building is being heavily guarded by police, military and intelligence officers. In adjacent streets and a nearby plaza, people, many sporting pro-Maduro T-shirts, are already gathering. Maduro walked by crowds as some outside the palace roared Vamos Nico!, or Lets go, Nico!Today weve come to support our constitutional President Nicols Maduro with tons of joy and excitement, said supporter Sabrina Sucre, who traveled from the Venezuelan coast with a fellow fisherwoman to witness the inauguration. EU imposes sanctions on 15 Venezuelan officialsThe European Union imposed sanctions on 15 top Venezuelan officials who had a role in the South American countrys 2024 election.Among those sanctioned are the president and vice president of Venezuelas Supreme Court, electoral agency and others, which the 27-nation bloc said have put the nations democracy at risk.Flights suspended, border closed between Venezuela and ColombiaVenezuelan authorities have announced the suspension of commercial flights and the closure of borders between Venezuela and Colombia, a country with which it shares a 2,200-kilometer (1,367-mile) border. The measure, which came into effect at 5 a.m. Friday local time and will last 72 hours, came after former opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzlez promised to return to the country to be sworn in as president.Gonzlez, who returned to Latin America last weekend from his self-exile in Madrid, is recognized as president-elect by the United States, several countries in the region and international organizations such as the Organization of American States. He hasnt offered details of how he intends to enter the country to appear at the inauguration and strip Maduro of power.Costa Ricas former President Laura Chinchilla part of the delegation of former leaders accompanying Gonzlez said Thursday he was still intending to enter Venezuela on Friday, without providing details. She spoke at the hotel in the Dominican Republic where they were staying. Maduro has weathered condemnation beforeMaduro is facing more international rebuke than at any time in his nearly 12 years in power. The self-declared socialist has clung to power despite credible evidence that he lost last years election by a landslide. That sparked criticism by the United States and others that the vote was stolen.But this isnt the first time Maduros claim to power has been questioned. Dozens of countries led by the U.S. condemned his 2018 re-election as a sham and recognized Juan Guaid, the then-head of the National Assembly, as Venezuelas legitimate leader. The opposition leader even led a parallel government for a few years, bolstered by the Donald Trump administrations maximum pressure campaign of punishing economic sanctions, and until the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic, repeatedly commandeered massive anti-Maduro protests. The anti-Maduro sentiment stemmed from the political, social and economic crisis that pushed millions into poverty, hunger, poor health, crime, desperation and migration.Maduro, who took power in 2013 following Hugo Chvezs death from cancer, has seen the entirety of his time in office marked by the crisis. Without El Comandante in charge, the economy entered a death spiral shrinking 71% from 2012 to 2020, with inflation topping 130,000%.Ahead of last years election, voters across the country repeatedly said they or their loved ones would emigrate if Maduro remained in power. Under his watch, more than 7.7 million Venezuelans have already left their homeland in search of better living conditions.Kidnapping and arrests ahead of Maduros swearing-inThis week alone, masked gunmen arrested a former presidential candidate, a prominent free speech activist and the son-in-law of self-exiled opposition leader Gonzlez.Gonzlez, who handily won last years election according to tally sheets activists collected from electronic voting machines, said his son-in-law was kidnapped Tuesday in Caracas by hooded men wearing black while en route to drop off his children at school.On Thursday, the eve of Maduros inauguration, aides to opposition leader Mara Corina Machado said she was detained, followed moments later by official denials, in a confusing episode that capped a day of protests. She was freed after she was coerced into recording various videos, according to her aides.Sharing cells in the countrys packed prisons with the hundreds of government opponents arrested since the election are as many as 10 Americans. Most have not had access to a lawyer and only limited contact with family members, who worry they could be subject to torture, as past American detainees have alleged.None has been declared wrongfully detained by the State Department, a designation that would give their cases more attention. Because the U.S. has no diplomatic presence in Venezuela, their families can face a long process pushing for their release. The Americans detentions add another complication to the many Venezuela challenges that await President-elect Trump when he returns to the White House on Jan. 20.Evidence of election fraudElectoral authorities loyal to the ruling party declared Maduro the winner hours after polls closed on July 28, but unlike in previous presidential elections, they did not provide detailed vote counts. At the same time, the main opposition coalition collected tally sheets from 85% of electronic voting machines, posted them online and said they showed that Gonzlez thrashed Maduro by a more than two-to-one margin. Experts from the Atlanta-based Carter Center, invited by Maduros government to observe the election, have said the tally sheets published by the opposition are legitimate.Global condemnation over the lack of transparency prompted Maduro to ask the countrys high court also filled with allies of his United Socialist Party of Venezuela to audit the election results. The court reaffirmed Maduros victory without providing thorough evidence and encouraged the electoral council to release the vote counts. But neither the council nor the ruling party produced any evidence.___Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

The U.S. Department of the Treasury building is seen in Washington, Nov. 18, 2024. The U.S. Treasury Department announced that it is expanding sanctions against the Russian energy sector for its nearly three-year old war in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)2025-01-10T15:32:11Z WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Bidens administration announced Friday that its expanding sanctions against Russias critically important energy sector, unveiling a new effort to inflict pain on Moscow for its grinding war in Ukraine as President-elect Donald Trump gets set to return to office vowing to quickly end the conflict.The outgoing Democratic administration billed the new sanctions as the most significant to date against Moscows oil and liquefied natural gas sectors, the driver of Russias economy. Officials said the sanctions, which punish entities that do business with the Russians, have the potential to cost the Russian economy upward of billions of dollars per month. More than 180 oil-carrying vessels that are suspected to be part of a shadow fleet utilized by the Kremlin to evade oil sanctions as well as traders, oil field service firms and Russian energy officials are also targeted by the new sanctions. Several of the vessels targeted are also suspected of shipping sanctioned Iranian oil, according to the Treasury Department. The United States is taking sweeping action against Russias key source of revenue for funding its brutal and illegal war against Ukraine, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement. With todays actions, we are ratcheting up the sanctions risk associated with Russias oil trade, including shipping and financial facilitation in support of Russias oil exports. In a move coordinated with Washington, the U.K. also slapped sanctions on Russian energy firms. The U.S. and Britain are both targeting two of Russias major oil producers, Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas, and dozens of the companies subsidiaries. The Foreign Office said that between them the two companies produce more than 1 million barrels of oil a day, worth $23 billion a year. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said oil revenues are the lifeblood of Putins war economy. Taking on Russian oil companies will drain Russias war chest and every ruble we take from Putins hands helps save Ukrainian lives, he said.The U.K. has already sanctioned almost 100 vessels in Russias oil-transporting shadow fleet as Ukraines Western allies seeking to increase economic pressure on Moscow ahead of any negotiations on ending the war.White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the Biden administration chose this momentjust 10 days before Biden leaves officefor tougher oil measures because worries about world oil markets have subsided.This was really based on market conditions, Kirby said. And so the time was propitious for this decision, and thats why the president made it.The State Department also announced it was hitting 14 senior Rosatom officials and executives with travel bans that also affect their immediate family members.Biden administration officials said that it will ultimately be up to Trumps administration whether to keep or scrap the new sanctions. Trumps transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the sanctions. Asked if the Biden administration consulted with the incoming Trump team, Kirby responded, We have at every step and on every major issue been keeping the transition team informed of our decisions, what were doing and why were doing it.Trumps incoming national security adviser, Mike Waltz, wrote in an opinion piece for the Economist published shortly before Election Day that the U.S. should use economic leverage for cracking down on Russias illicit oil sales to bring Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.Meanwhile, Trump told reporters on Thursday that Putin wants to meet, and we are setting it up.Trumps warm relationship with Putin over the years has come under heavy scrutiny. The Republican president-elect has also balked at the cost of aid to Kyiv, pledging to move quickly to end the conflict upon his return to office on Jan. 20.Trump added a new layer of doubt about future American support earlier this week when he appeared to sympathize with Putins position that Ukraine should not be part of NATO. The president-elect has criticized the Biden administration for expressing support for Kyivs eventual membership in the transatlantic military alliance. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Friday warned that a pullback in support for Ukraine would have reverberations far beyond Kyiv. He noted that the U.S. has relied on European allies cooperation over the last four years as it devised a strategy to deal with growing economic competition posed by China.I think its evident that if the U.S. pulls the rug out from under Ukraine, that will have an impact on the health of our European alliances and it will have reverberations in the Indo-Pacific, Sullivan said in a conversation with a small group of reporters at the White House. The Kremlin on Friday dismissed the new sanctions ahead of the anticipated announcement.We are aware that the administration will try to leave as difficult legacy in bilateral relations as possible for Trump and his team, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. The designation comes under a sanctions authority approved during Russias 2014 invasion and annexation of Ukraines Crimea peninsula, according to administration officials who briefed reporters on the the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House.Should the Trump administration move to roll back the sanctions, it would have to first notify Congress, which would have the ability to take a vote of disapproval of such a move, the officials added.The shadow fleet is made up of aging tankers bought used, often by nontransparent entities with addresses in non-sanctioning countries such as the United Arab Emirates or the Marshall Islands, and flagged in places like Gabon or the Cook Islands. Some of the vessels are owned by Russias state-owned Sovcomflot shipping company. Their role is to help Russias oil exporters elude the $60 per barrel price cap imposed by Ukraines allies. Finnish authorities suspect a Russia-linked shadow fleet vessel was i nvolved in possible sabotage, cutting critical power and communications cables under the Baltic Sea between Finland and Estonia on Dec. 25. The Biden administration unveiled a new $500 million military aid package on Thursday as Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.David McHugh in Frankfurt, Germany and Jill Lawless in London and Matthew Lee contributed reporting AAMER MADHANI Aamer Madhani is a White House reporter. twitter mailto

A black flag with white lettering lies on the ground rolled up behind a pickup truck that a man drove into a crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing and injuring a number of people, early Wednesday morning, Jan. 1, 2025. The FBI said they recovered an Islamic State group flag, which is black with white lettering, from the vehicle. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)2025-01-10T16:27:32Z NEW ORLEANS (AP) The Islamic State group-inspired attacker who killed 14 people in a truck rampage on New Years Day in New Orleans shot at police from inside his truck before officers fatally shot him, police bodycam footage released Friday shows.The footage presented to news outlets by New Orleans Police shows Shamsud-Din Jabbar shooting from behind an airbag as several officers surround his truck after it crashed into a crowd of revelers on the citys famed Bourbon Street. Three officers discharged weapons, police officials said at a news conference. Citing the ongoing investigation and pending litigation, they said they would not yet disclose how many shots Jabbar fired. One of two officers standing next to the open door of Jabbars truck has his gun raised, the bodycam of a third approaching officer shows. A muzzle flash is seen from inside the truck and a succession of shots rings out. Several officers run away and dive to the ground as Jabbar fires at them from close range.The two officers next to the drivers door both discharged their weapons, police said. A third officer in front of the truck and not visible in the video footage also discharged his weapon. JACK BROOK Brook covers Louisiana government, infrastructure and environmental issues from New Orleans. He is a Report for America corps member. twitter mailto

Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., arrives at Manhattan federal court Oct. 23, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)2025-01-10T16:33:24Z NEW YORK (AP) Prosecutors say former U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez should be imprisoned for 15 years, after the Democrat from New Jersey became the first to be convicted of abusing a Senate committee leadership position and the first public official to be convicted of serving as a foreign agent. In papers filed late Thursday in Manhattan federal court, prosecutors called for the lengthy prison term for the 71-year-old Menendez when he is sentenced on Jan. 29.Menendez was convicted in July of 16 corruption charges brought after an FBI raid on his residence in 2022 turned up $150,000 in gold bars and $480,000 in cash, much of which prosecutors alleged was the result of bribes paid by three New Jersey businessmen who wanted the senator to use his power to protect their interests and make them money.When he was charged in fall 2023, Menendez was chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was forced out of that position in 2023 and gave up his Senate seat in August. In presentence arguments last week, defense lawyers called for Judge Sidney H. Stein to be lenient with Menendez, saying his conviction had rendered him a national punchline and stripped him of every conceivable personal, professional, and financial benefit. Bob is deserving of mercy because of the penalties already imposed, his age, and the lack of a compelling need to impose a custodial sentence, the lawyers said. Two businessmen, Wael Hana and Fred Daibes, were also convicted along with Menendez while a third pleaded guilty and testified at the July trial. Prosecutors called for Hana to receive at least 10 years in prison and Daibes to spend at least nine years behind bars. Prosecutors said the crimes occurred from 2018 to 2022.In their submission, prosecutors called the case a historical rarity because Menendez abused his powerful post on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and because he acted as an agent of Egypt. The defendants crimes amount to an extraordinary attempt, at the highest levels of the Legislative Branch, to corrupt the nations core sovereign powers over foreign relations and law enforcement, prosecutors wrote.He corruptly promised to influence foreign relations, including attempting to pressure a federal agency engaged in diplomatic attempts to protect U.S. businesses from an extractive monopoly granted by a foreign nation to one of his coconspirators. And he corruptly promised to subvert the rule of law by disrupting multiple felony criminal proceedings, state and federal, including by influencing the selection of the chief federal law enforcement officer for New Jersey, they added.With Menendezs help, Hana was granted the sole right to certify that meat exported to Egypt from the United States conformed to Islamic dietary requirements.The monopoly that Hanas company received forced out several other companies that had been certifying beef and liver exported to Egypt and occurred over a span of several days in May 2019, according to trial testimony.

Rudy Giuliani, right, arrives at federal court in Washington, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)2025-01-10T12:17:28Z WASHINGTON (AP) Rudy Giuliani was found in contempt of court Friday for the second time this week by a second federal judge for continuing to spread lies about two former Georgia election workers after a jury awarded the women a $148 million defamation judgment. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell in Washington, D.C., found Giuliani violated court orders barring him from defaming Wandrea Shaye Moss and her mother, Ruby Freeman. She ordered him to review trial testimony and other materials from the case, and warned him that future violations could result in possible jail time. Moss and Freeman sued Rudy Giuliani for defamation for falsely accusing them of committing election fraud in connection with the 2020 election. His lies upended their lives with racist threats and harassment.Shortly before the hearing began, Giuliani slammed the judge in a social media post, calling her bloodthirsty and biased against him and the proceeding a hypocritical waste of time. Giuliani smiled and chuckled as the judge explained why she was holding him in contempt of court. Howell said it is outrageous and shameful for Giuliani to suggest that he is the one who has been treated unfairly in this case. This takes real chutzpah, Mr. Giuliani, she said.After the judge finished reading her decision from the bench, Giuliani asked her when she wrote it. He asked her why he had to travel to Washington to attend the hearing if she had already reached a decision in advance. Remarkable, he said.It is remarkable, the judge replied.Remarkable that you can do that in three or four minutes, Giuliani added.Giuliani continued to complain about the judge as he left the courtroom.It was a farce, he said, describing the judge as completely biased and prejudiced.Giuliani briefly testified during Fridays hearing, only to authenticate records about his personal finances. The judge didnt fine Giuliani for his most recent defamatory comments about the case, but she said would impose daily fines of $200 if he doesnt certify within 10 days that he has complied with her order to review trial testimony and other case-related material. I dont care what she did. She is a completely farcical judge, he said outside the courtroom. She didnt consider a damn thing I said. She wrote it beforehand.A jury sided with the mother and daughter, who are Black, in December 2023 and awarded them $75 million in punitive damages plus roughly $73 million in other damages.Mr. Giuliani started lying about Plaintiffs in December of 2020, and refused to stop after repeatedly being told that his election-rigging conspiracy theory about Plaintiffs was baseless, malicious, and dangerous, the plaintiffs lawyers wrote.Giulianis attorneys argued that the plaintiffs havent presented clear and convincing evidence that he violated a court order in the defamation case in comments that he made on November podcasts about alleged ballot counting irregularities in Georgia.Giuliani acted with the good faith belief that his comments did not violate the (judgment) and he should not be subject to contempt sanctions, his lawyers wrote. On Monday in New York, Judge Lewis Liman found Giuliani in contempt of court for related claims that he failed to turn over evidence to help the judge decide whether he can keep a Palm Beach, Florida, condominium.Giuliani, who testified in Limans Manhattan courtroom Jan. 3, said he didnt turn over everything because he believed the requests were overly broad, inappropriate or even a trap set by plaintiffs lawyers.Giuliani, 80, said in a court filing that he will attend Fridays hearing before Howell despite having travel-related concerns about his health and safety. He said he gets death threats and has been told to be careful about traveling.I had hoped the Court would understand and accommodate my needs. However, it appears I was mistaken, he said in the filing.On the witness stand, Moss and Freeman described fearing for their lives after becoming the target of a false conspiracy theory that Giuliani and other Republicans spread as they tried to keep Trump in power after he lost the 2020 election to Democrat Joe Biden. Moss told jurors she tried to change her appearance, seldom leaves her home and suffers from panic attacks.Money will never solve all my problems, Freeman told reporters after the jurys verdict. I can never move back into the house that I call home. I will always have to be careful about where I go and who I choose to share my name with. I miss my home. I miss my neighbors, and I miss my name.

Elton John performs on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Friday, Sept. 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)2025-01-10T15:36:47Z NEW YORK (AP) Capturing Sir Elton Johns 50-year career is a herculean task. Good thing his husband, David Furnish, and filmmaker R.J. Cutler were up for the challenge.Elton John: Never Too Late, one of The Associated Press picks for the best music documentaries of 2024, was inspired by Johns final U.S. tour in 2022 but quickly became a celebration of his life and work. It is filled with insight into his music, relationships including a fiery friendship with John Lennon troublesome childhood and struggles with addiction. It is bookended by myth-making performances at Los Angeles Dodger Stadium in 1975 and 2022. For fans and even John himself it is revelatory viewing.I was struck by how good the music was in those first five years, because I very rarely listened to my music. I was very proud of that, John told the AP this week. And also, it brought back the incredible struggle that I had with success, having no foundation underneath it. I turned to alcohol, drugs and then had redemption by getting sober. Elton John at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 10, 1976. (AP Photo, File) Elton John at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 10, 1976. (AP Photo, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More John and Bernie Taupin on March 5, 1973. (AP Photo/John Glanvill, File) John and Bernie Taupin on March 5, 1973. (AP Photo/John Glanvill, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Success and satisfaction are not one in the same, a fact thats quickly established in the film. John had fame but hungered for connection. Having a family changed him. The greatest things in my life are my two kids and David. And the music comes secondary to them, he says. The title Never Too Late sums it up for everybody, not just me. You can change things. Its never too late to change anything. Thank God I did. Because when I got sober, my whole life completely changed. Hes now been sober for 34 years. Its been glorious compared to what it was for about 10 years, 15 years, he says of his past struggles with drug and alcohol addiction. You know, I was still playing and touring while I was doing drugs. I never stopped. Because music kept me alive. Music kept me alive. It nearly killed me, but it saved me, if you get what I mean. I am just so proud because now I have a family. He views Never Too Late as not only a celebration of that journey, but an effective piece of advocacy, as he describes it. You can have children, and you can be gay, and you can have a happy family. I couldnt be happier.Never Too Late is also the title of an uplifting theme song written by Brandi Carlile, Andrew Watt, John and his longtime lyricist Bernie Taupin, currently shortlisted for the 2025 Oscars. Carlile was the catalyst; she paid John and Furnish a visit to their home in France, saw a rough cut of the documentary and felt moved to write a song. John attends the Broadway opening night of Tammy Faye on Nov. 14, 2024. (Photo by Greg Allen/Invision/AP, File) John attends the Broadway opening night of Tammy Faye on Nov. 14, 2024. (Photo by Greg Allen/Invision/AP, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More This song was about my life, and I found it very easy to write to, he said of the collaboration. And its message is simple: Ive been through hell, John says. And I still come out fighting the other side. So, you know, its very true to what I am.And while his days of touring are behind him, the song Never Too Late is part of a new era, as John explains it. Fans can expect new music in the future. There will be a new album sooner or later, he said. Im dying to record new stuff. A project like Never Too Late allows for reflection. When asked what John hopes his legacy becomes 50, 100 years from now, he says simply: I just want, on my tombstone to say, He was a great dad. Thats what I want. The musical legacy will speak for itself. But from a human point of view, He was a great dad and a great husband.Last month, John revealed he had lost some vision after contracting an infection. The eyesight is a problem. But were looking into treatment for it. Im a huge optimist. I basically lost the eyesight in my right eye for the time being. My left eye is not the greatest, he says. Hes been adjusting to the condition for six months. Ive had, since this happened, such an empathy for sight- impaired people and blind people... When you see so many other people who just cant see at all Im very blessed.Johns positivity is felt throughout Never Too Late. Hes uninterested in looking backwards; in the same way his record-breaking accomplishments are celebrated on film, so too are contemporary moments that spotlight his enthusiasm for his family and younger talent. For me, its all about whats going to happen in the future, not whats happened in the past, he says. With this documentary, we leave certain time behind. And now its all about starting again.Elton John: Never Too Late is available to stream now on Disney+. MARIA SHERMAN Maria Sherman is the music reporter at The Associated Press. She is based in New York City. twitter instagram mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

The Supreme Court is seen as the court discusses TikTok, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)2025-01-10T23:35:25Z WASHINGTON (AP) The Supreme Court agreed Friday to consider reinstating some preventative care coverage requirements under the Affordable Care Act that were struck down by a lower court. The federal government appealed to the high court after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with employers who argued they cant be forced to provide full insurance coverage for things like medication to prevent HIV and some cancer screenings. The lower-court ruling chipped away at the program sometimes referred to as Obamacare.Challengers raised religious and procedural objections to some of the requirements.Not all preventive care was threatened by the ruling. A 2023 analysis prepared by the KFF, a nonprofit, found that some screenings, including mammography and cervical cancer screening, would still be covered without out-of-pocket costs. Services and medications that might not be covered under the ruling include statins to prevent heart disease, lung cancer screening, HIV prevention, as well as medications to lower the risk of breast cancer for high-risk women, the group found. The requirements now remain in place for now, except for the eight companies who sued. The conservative 5th Circuit found that coverage requirements were adopted unconstitutionally because they came from a body the United States Preventive Services Task Force whose members were not nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.The court is expected to hear the case in the spring. ___ LINDSAY WHITEHURST Whitehurst covers the Supreme Court, legal affairs and criminal justice for The Associated Press in Washington, D.C. Past stops include Salt Lake City, New Mexico and Indiana. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

President Joe Biden speaks in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)2025-01-11T00:41:50Z WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden on Friday said he was still considering whether to give pardons to people who have been criticized or threatened by President-elect Donald Trump. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Biden said he and his aides were playing close attention to rhetoric from Trump and his allies about his political opponents and those involved in his various criminal and civil woes.It depends on some of the language and expectations that Trump broadcast in the last couple days here as to what hes going to do, Biden said. The idea that he would punish people for not adhering to what he thinks should be policy related to his well-being is just outrageous. Biden has just 10 days left in office, and the institutionalist has been using his waning days in office to restore some of the transition norms broken by his predecessor-turned-successor. But issuing preemptive pardons for actual or imagined offenses by Trumps critics that could be investigated or prosecuted by the incoming administration would stretch the powers of the presidency in untested ways. Trumps frequent targets include Republican Liz Cheney, the former Wyoming congresswoman, and Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat. They helped lead the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters. He has aimed particular criticism at special counsel Jack Smith, who charged Trump over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Biden, who Trump has said should be jailed, scoffed at the notion that he would pardon himself. What would I pardon myself for? he asked incredulously. No, I have no contemplation of pardoning myself for anything. I didnt do anything wrong. Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, one of the Republican members of the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, rejected the prospect of a pardon from Biden earlier this week in an appearance on CNN. I understand the theory behind it because Donald Trump has clearly said hes going to go after everybody, he said. But the second you take a pardon and it looks like youre guilty of something Im guilty of nothing besides bringing the truth to the American people and, in the process, embarrassing Donald Trump.In his remarks to reporters, Biden said a decision by the social media giant Meta to end fact-checking on Facebook was really shameful, calling it contrary to American justice. The move to replace third-party fact-checking with user-written community notes, similar to those on Trump backer Elon Musks social platform X, was the latest example of a media company moving to accommodate the incoming administration. It comes on the fourth anniversary of Zuckerbergs banning Trump from his platforms after the insurrection.Biden added: You think it doesnt matter that they let it be printed? Where millions of people read it, things that are simply not true. I mean, I dont know what thats all about. Its just completely contrary to everything Americas about. We want to tell the truth. ZEKE MILLER Zeke is APs chief White House correspondent twitter mailto COLLEEN LONG Long covers the White House for The Associated Press, with a focus on domestic policy including immigration, law enforcement and legal affairs. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

In this artist's rendering provided by Fanatics are T-shirts part of the LA Strong custom logo and apparel line that will raise money for organizations assisting those impacted by the recent wildfires. (Fanatics via AP)2025-01-11T00:33:06Z LOS ANGELES (AP) Los Angeles sports organizations are uniting to launch an LA Strong custom logo and apparel line that will raise money for organizations assisting those impacted by this weeks devastating wildfires.Fanatics announced Friday that T-shirts featuring the new logo will be available to purchase on team and league online stores, as well as the Fanatics website. The collaboration spans eight leagues, the University of Southern California and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic organizing committee.The sports organizations and Fanatics will donate all proceeds from the initiative to the American Red Cross and Los Angles Fire Department Foundation. LA Strong hoodies will also be available in the coming weeks.Whats happening is absolutely gut-wrenching and its our duty to use our platform in any way we can, said Fanatics founder Michael Rubin in a statement. He said he was heartbroken to watch the horror continue to unfold across Los Angeles and completely upend so many lives. We are proud to have teamed up with the LA sports community to launch a new LA Strong merchandise collection, he said. Wind-whipped fires tore across Los Angeles, destroying homes, clogging roadways as tens of thousands fled as the fires burned uncontained Wednesday. The pro teams partnering together on the initiative include the Los Angeles Lakers, Dodgers, Rams, Chargers, Clippers, Sparks, Angels, Kings, Football Club, Galaxy, Golf Club (TGL), Angel City FC and Anaheim Ducks.The leagues span from the National Football League, National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, National Hockey League, Major League Soccer, Womens National Basketball Association, National Womens Soccer League and TMRW Golf League. JONATHAN LANDRUM JR. Landrum is an entertainment reporter based in Los Angeles. He reports on television, film and music for The Associated Press. twitter instagram mailto

The Supreme Court is seen as the court discusses TikTok, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)2025-01-10T17:59:41Z WASHINGTON (AP) The Supreme Court on Friday seemed likely to uphold a law that would ban TikTok in the United States beginning Jan. 19 unless the popular social media program is sold by its China-based parent company.Hearing arguments in a momentous clash of free speech and national security concerns, the justices seemed persuaded by arguments that the national security threat posed by the companys connections to China override concerns about restricting the speech either of TikTok or its 170 million users in the United States.Early in arguments that lasted more than two and a half hours, Chief Justice John Roberts identified his main concern: TikToks ownership by China-based ByteDance and the parent companys requirement to cooperate with the Chinese governments intelligence operations.If left in place, the law passed by bipartisan majorities in Congress and signed by President Joe Biden in April will require TikTok to go dark on Jan. 19, lawyer Noel Francisco told the justices on behalf of TikTok. At the very least, Francisco urged, the justices should enter a temporary pause that would allow TikTok to keep operating. We might be in a different world again after President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20. Trump, who has 14.7 million followers on TikTok, also has called for the deadline to be pushed back to give him time to negotiate a political resolution. Francisco served as Trumps solicitor general in his first presidential term. But it was not clear whether any justices would choose such a course. And only Justice Neil Gorsuch sounded like he would side with TikTok to find that the ban violates the Constitution. Gorsuch labeled arguments advanced by the Biden administration in defense of the law a paternalistic point of view. TikTok, he said, has offered to post a warning that the content could be manipulated by the Chinese government. Dont we normally assume that the best remedy for problematic speech is counter speech? he asked Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, who defended the law for the Biden administrationA warning wouldnt be enough to counterbalance the spread of misinformation, Prelogar said.Francisco and lawyer Jeffrey Fisher, representing content creators and TikTok users, repeatedly tried to focus the court on the First Amendment restrictions that would fall on TikTok and its users, imperiling the livelihood of content creators, if the law is allowed to take effect.But compared to the mildly challenging questions directed to Prelogar, they faced skepticism from every justice other than Gorsuch.Justice Brett Kavanaugh raised U.S. concerns about China accessing information on tens of millions of Americans, including especially teenagers and people in their 20s, with whom TikTok is extremely popular.That seems like a huge concern for the future of the country, said Kavanaugh, whose daughters are in that age range. Roberts downplayed Fishers argument that banning TikTok violates American users free speech rights. Congress is fine with the expression, Roberts said. Theyre not fine with a foreign adversary, as theyve determined it is, gathering all this information about the 170 million people who use TikTok. The justices are expected to act within days, almost certainly ahead of the Jan. 19 deadline.Content creators and small business owners who rely on the app are awaiting a decision with anxiety.Theres really no replacement for this app, said Skip Chapman, co-owner of KAFX Body in Manasquan, N.J., a maker and seller of natural deodorants. Chapman said more than 80% of his sales come on TikTok and he has not found the same traction on Amazon or other platforms.Lee Zavorskas, a TikTok creator and a licensed esthetician based in New Hampshire, said she makes nearly half of her income on the platform by promoting products for other businesses. Zavorskas said she found it too stressful to listen to Fridays arguments. Instead, she spent her time building a YouTube channel.ByteDance has said it wont sell the short-form video platform, and Francisco said a sale might never be possible under the conditions set in the law. But some investors have been eyeing TikTok, including Trumps Former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchi n and billionaire businessman Frank McCourt. On Thursday, McCourts Project Liberty initiative said it, along with its unnamed partners, presented a proposal to ByteDance to acquire TikToks U.S. assets. The consortium, which includes Shark Tank host Kevin OLeary, did not disclose the financial terms of the offer.If TikTok isnt sold to an approved buyer, the federal law would prohibit app stores, such as those operated by Apple and Google, from offering the popular app. It would also bar internet hosting services from hosting TikTok.TikTok users who already have the app on their phones will continue to have access to it. But new users wont be able to download the app, and existing ones will no longer be able to receive updates. That will eventually render the app unworkable, the Justice Department has said in court filings. Prelogar said an eventual sale of the platform, even after the ban kicks in, would allow TikTok to resume operations. The sale of Twitter to Elon Musk, who renamed it X, shows that the sale of a social media platform can happen quickly, she said.That high-profile transaction went through in about six months from offer to completion, she said.TikTok, meanwhile, has been on notice since 2020, during Trumps first term, that its sale could be required if it couldnt satisfy the U.S. governments national security concernsThe federal law was the culmination of a yearslong saga in Washington over TikTok, which the government sees as a national security threat due to its connections to China. U.S. officials argue that the vast amounts of user data that TikTok collects, including sensitive information on viewing habits, could fall into the hands of the Chinese government through coercion. They also are concerned that the proprietary algorithm that fuels what users see on the app is vulnerable to manipulation by Chinese authorities, who could pressure ByteDance to shape content on the platform in a way thats difficult to detect.TikTok, which sued the government last year over the law, has long denied it could be used as a tool of Beijing.The company negotiated with the Biden administration between 2021 and 2022 to resolve the concerns around U.S. data privacy and potential algorithmic manipulation. In court documents, it has accused the administration of essentially walking away from those negotiations after it presented a draft agreement in August 2022. But the Justice Department has said the Biden administration concluded the proposal was insufficient because it would maintain TikToks ties to China. The agency said the Executive Branch also could neither trust ByteDance to comply nor detect noncompliance before it was too late.A three-judge panel made up of two Republican appointees and a Democratic appointee unanimously upheld the law in December, prompting TikToks quick appeal to the Supreme Court.___Associated Press writers Mae Anderson, Haleluya Hadero, Fatima Hussein, Didi Tang and Lindsay Whitehurst contributed to this report. Anderson reported from New York.

People attend a dedication of a prayer wall outside of the historic Vernon African Methodist Episcopal Church in the Greenwood neighborhood during the centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre, in Tulsa, Okla., May 31, 2021. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)2025-01-10T22:31:56Z OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) The first-ever U.S. Justice Department review of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre concluded Friday that while federal prosecution may have been possible a century ago there is no longer an avenue to bring a criminal case more than 100 years after one of the worst racial attacks in U.S. history.The Department of Justice said at the outset of its probe it had no expectation anyone would be prosecuted, but in a more than 120-page report federal investigators outlined the scope and impact of the massacre, an attack by a white mob on a thriving Black district that left as many as 300 people dead and 1,200 homes, businesses, schools and churches destroyed.Now, the perpetrators are long dead, statutes of limitations for all civil rights charges expired decades ago, and there are no viable avenues for further investigation, the report states. Among the findings in the DOJ investigation were federal reports from just days after the massacre, in 1921, conducted by an agent with the precursor agency to the FBI. But todays investigators said they found no evidence that any federal prosecutors ever evaluated those reports. It may be that federal prosecutors considered filing charges and, after consideration, did not do so for reasons that would be understandable if we had a record of the decision, the report concluded, adding that if the department didnt seriously consider such charges, then its failure to do so is disappointing. The report also examined the role of various people and organizations in the massacre, including the Tulsa Police Department, local sheriff, Oklahoma National Guard and then-Tulsa Mayor T.D. Evans, determining that each played a role in the chaos and destruction, either by failing to act or by actively participating in the attack.Damario Solomon-Simmons, an attorney for the last known survivors of the massacre, Viola Fletcher and Lessie Benningfield Randle, both of whom are 110, did not immediately respond Friday to a request for comment on the report. Solomon-Simmons had previously decribed the DOJs decision to investigate the massacre as a joyous occasion. Victor Luckerson, a Black author and historian who wrote a book about Tulsas Greenwood district, said there is value in the government establishing a definitive record of the attack.Having government documents available lays the groundwork for the possibility of reparations, Luckerson said. Any of those discussions about reparations, one of the first questions is how we establish a factual record of what happened.A researcher working for a state commission in 1999 estimated the damage from the attack to be $1.8 million in 1921 dollars, a figure the report said would be about $32.2 million today.The Oklahoma Supreme Court in June dismissed a lawsuit by survivors, dampening the hope of advocates for racial justice that the city would make financial amends for the attack.The nine-member court upheld the decision made by a district court judge in Tulsa last year, ruling that the plaintiffs grievances about the destruction of the Greenwood district, although legitimate, did not fall within the scope of the states public nuisance statute. SEAN MURPHY Murphy is the statehouse reporter for The Associated Press in Oklahoma City. He has covered Oklahoma news and politics since 1996. twitter mailto

Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer, top, runs for a touchdown after recovering a fumble by Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, bottom, during the second half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal game, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)2025-01-11T04:17:02Z ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Quinshon Judkins ran for two touchdowns before Jack Sawyer forced a fumble by his former roommate that he returned 83 yards for a clinching TD as Ohio State beat Texas 28-14 in the Cotton Bowl on Friday night to advance to a shot for their sixth national title.Led by Judkins and Sawyer, the Buckeyes (13-2) posted the semifinal victory in the same stadium where 10 years ago they were champions in the debut of the College Football Playoff as a four-team format. Now they have the opportunity to be the winner again in the debut of the expanded 12-team field. Ohio State plays Orange Bowl champion Notre Dame in Atlanta on Jan. 20. Sawyer got to Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers on a fourth-and-goal from the 8, knocking the ball loose before scooping it up and lumbering all the way to the other end zone with 2:13 left. It was the longest fumble return in CFP history. Ewers and Sawyer were roommates in Columbus for one semester before the quarterback transferred home to Texas. Ewers helped lead the Longhorns (13-3) to consecutive CFP semifinals, but next season will be their 20th since winning their last national title with Vince Young in 2005. Texas had moved to the 1, helped by two pass-interference penalties in the end zone, before Quintrevion Wisner was stopped for a 7-yard loss. Judkins had a 1-yard touchdown for a 21-14 lead with 7:02 left. That score came four plays after quarterback Will Howard converted a fourth-and-2 from the Texas 34 with a stumbling 18-yard run that was almost a score. Howard was 24-of-33 passing for 289 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He played his first game at AT&T Stadium since leading Kansas State to a win over undefeated TCU in the Big 12 championship two years ago. He was 0-3 as a starter against the Longhorns while at K-State, including an overtime thriller in Austin last season. Ewers finished 23 of 39 for 283 yards with two TD passes to Jaydon Blue and an interception after getting the ball back one final time. It might have been his last play for the Longhorns since he could go into the NFL draft. The Buckeyes went ahead on their opening drive of the game when Judkins scored on a 9-yard run. It looked as if they could get off to another fast start, after jumping ahead 21-0 and 34-0 in their first two playoff games.But Ohio State then punted on four consecutive possessions before Texas tied it at 7 on Ewers 18-yard touchdown pass to Blue with 29 seconds left in the first half. Arch Manning, the backup and future starting quarterback, kept that drive alive when he converted fourth-and-1 from midfield with an 8-yard keeper his only play in the game.Right after Texas first TD, Buckeyes running back TreVeyon Henderson turned a short pass into a 75-yard touchdown, following a wall of blockers before shooting through an open gap and sprinting to the end zone.Blue had a tying 26-yard TD catch with 3:12 left in the third quarter. The drive featured a terrific play by Ewers, who was being dragged down by Sawyer on third-and-10 when he managed to scoop the ball underhanded to Wisner for a 13-yard gain. Up nextWhile Ohio State is headed to the CFP national championship, Texas waits for a rematch with the Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium in the previously scheduled 2025 season opener Aug. 30. ___Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing, Oct. 31, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File)2025-01-10T22:14:02Z WASHINGTON (AP) The FBI must remain independent, above the partisan fray and committed to upholding the rule of law, outgoing Director Christopher Wray said in a farewell address just days before his expected retirement at the conclusion of the Biden administration following more than seven years on the job.No matter whats happening out there, Wray said, in here, weve got to stay committed to doing our work the right way every time, with professionalism, with rigor, with integrity. That means following the facts wherever they lead, no matter who likes it or doesnt because trust me, if theres anything Ive learned in this job, theres always someone who doesnt like you.The remarks at the packed farewell ceremony at FBI headquarters steered clear of any direct political reference, with no overt mention of President-elect Donald Trumps scathing criticism of him or the turmoil the bureau has encountered amid a spate of highly charged investigations into both Trump and President Joe Biden. But the backdrop was unmistakable, coming amid concerns that Trump who last month forced Wrays departure by naming loyalist Kash Patel to the job could seek to use the FBIs law enforcement powers to exact retribution against adversaries. Adhering to the rule of law, Wray added, means conducting investigations without fear or favor and it means not pursuing investigations when the predications not there. Thats what the rule of law is all about. Weve got to maintain our independence and objectivity, staying above partisanship and politics because thats what the American people expect and I think thats what they deserve. Wray has announced his intent to resign ahead of Trumps inauguration on Jan. 20, roughly three years short of the 10-year tenure given to FBI directors. The move followed Trumps statement that he would install Patel, a former Justice Department prosecutor who has sharply criticized FBI investigations into Trump, called for major overhauls of the bureau and talked about going after members of the so-called deep state in Washington a pejorative term Trump and his allies used for entrenched civil servants. Wrays tenure saw the emergence of increasingly sophisticated Chinese cyberespionage campaigns, brazen assassination plots by Iran including one that targeted Trump and, most recently, a New Years Day attack in New Orleans that killed 14 revelers and that the FBI is investigating as an act of terror. But the FBI in recent years has found itself mired in politically explosive investigations that have dominated attention and affected public perception of the bureau. Those include investigations into Trumps hoarding of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate agents searched the Florida property in 2022 and his efforts to undo the 2020 presidential election, both of which resulted in indictments. The FBI also investigated Bidens handling of classified information and the presidents son, Hunter, on tax and gun violations. Biden was not charged but his son was convicted and was eventually pardoned. The specifics of those investigations went unmentioned during the packed farewell ceremony, attended by current and former FBI colleagues, Justice Department leaders, state law enforcement officers and intelligence officials like CIA Director William Burns. The speakers who paid tribute to Wray focused instead on his dedication to the job as well as to the workforce he has led.Going forward, as we continue to collaborate with our good friends at FBI, CIA officers will keep asking ourselves one thing: What would Chris want us to do? said Burns, who called the relationship between his agency and the bureau closer than its ever been.Wray was appointed by Trump in 2017 after the then-president fired his predecessor James Comey, giving up a successful law career in Atlanta and returning to Washington and to public service following an earlier stint as a senior Justice Department official.He had certainly enjoyed the right to stay there and never come back, said Attorney General Merrick Garland, drawing laughs from the audience. His life could have been a relaxing stream of practicing big law, tailgating at (Georgia) Bulldogs games, watching his beloved New York Giants on television and, most important, walking his dog without a protective detail. Chris Wray, Garland added, is public-spirited to the core. So no one was surprised in 2017 when he once again answered the call, this time to fill one of the most critical and difficult rules in all of government.Garland said his favorite part of the day is the morning briefing on threats to the homeland that he and Wray attend together, where no politics are discussed.If the American people could witness those meetings, they would be so proud, he said.___ ERIC TUCKER Tucker covers national security in Washington for The Associated Press, with a focus on the FBI and Justice Department and the special counsel cases against former President Donald Trump. twitter mailto

A plume of smoke rises from the Palisades Fire on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, in the Pacific Palisades section of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)2025-01-11T05:33:49Z LOS ANGELES (AP) Many watched their homes burn on television in a state of shock. Since the flames erupted in and around Los Angeles, scores of residents have returned to their still smoldering neighborhoods even as the threat of new fires persisted and the nations second-largest city remained unsettled. For some, it was a first look at the staggering reality of what was lost as the region of 13 million people grapples with the gargantuan challenge of overcoming the disaster and rebuilding.Calmer winds enabled firefighters to start gaining some control of the biggest blazes in metropolitan LA on Friday before gusty weather returns over the weekend to an area that hasnt seen rain in more than eight months. But by Friday evening, new evacuations were issued in an area that includes The Getty museum as the eastern side of the Palisades Fire flared up, nearing Interstate 405. Bridget Berg, who was at work when she saw on TV her house in Altadena erupt in flames, came back for the first time with her family two days later just to make it real.Their feet crunched across the broken bits of what had been their home for 16 years. Her kids sifted through debris on the sidewalk, finding a clay pot and a few keepsakes as they searched for Japanese wood prints they hoped to recover. Her husband pulled his hand out of rubble near the still-standing fireplace, holding up a piece of petrified wood handed down by his grandmother. Its OK. Its OK, Berg said as much to herself as others as she took stock of the destruction, remembering the deck and pool from which her family watched fireworks. Its not like we just lost our house everybody lost their house. Since the fires first began popping up around a densely populated, 25-mile (40-kilometer) expanse north of downtown LA, they have burned more than 12,000 structures, a term that includes homes, apartment buildings, businesses, outbuildings and vehicles. No cause has been identified yet for the largest fires. Allegations of leadership failures and political blame have begun and so have investigations. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday ordered state officials to determine why a 117 million-gallon (440 million-liter) reservoir was out of service and some hydrants ran dry, calling it deeply troubling. Meanwhile, Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said city leadership failed her department by not providing enough money for firefighting. She also criticized the lack of water.When a firefighter comes up to a hydrant, we expect theres going to be water, she said.At least 11 people have been killed, with five from the Palisades Fire and six from the Eaton Fire, according to the LA County medical examiners office. Officials said they expected that number to rise as cadaver dogs go through leveled neighborhoods to assess the devastation to an area larger than San Francisco. Officials on Friday set up a center where people could report those missing. Tens of thousands of people remained under evacuation orders, and the fires have consumed about 56 square miles (145 square kilometers). The disaster took homes from everyone from waiters to movie stars. The government has not yet released figures on the cost of the damage, but private firms have estimated it will climb into the tens of billions. The Walt Disney Co. announced Friday it will donate $15 million to respond to the fires and help rebuild.The flames hit schools, churches, a synagogue, libraries, boutiques, bars, restaurants, banks and local landmarks like the Will Rogers Western Ranch House and a Queen Anne-style mansion in Altadena that dated back to 1887 and was commissioned for wealthy mapmaker Andrew McNally.Neighbors wandered around ruins Friday as they described now-vanished bedrooms, recently remodeled kitchens and outdoor living spaces. Some talked about the gorgeous views that drew them to their properties, their words contrasting sharply with the scene of soot and ash. In the coastal community of Pacific Palisades, Greg Benton surveyed where he lived for 31 years, hoping to find his great-grandmothers wedding ring in the wreckage. We just had just had Christmas morning right over here, right in front of that chimney. And this is whats left, he said, pointing to the blackened rubble that was once his living room. Its those small family heirlooms that are the ones that really hurt the most.Elsewhere in the city, people at collection sites picked through cardboard boxes of donated items to restart their lives. Firefighters on Friday afternoon had made progress for the first time on the Eaton Fire north of Pasadena, which has burned more than 7,000 structures. Officials said Friday most evacuation orders for the area were lifted.LA Mayor Karen Bass, who faces a critical test of her leadership as her city endures its greatest crisis in decades, said several smaller fires also were stopped. Crews earlier Friday had been gaining ground on the Palisades Fire, which burned 5,300 structures and is the most destructive in LAs history. California National Guard troops arrived on the streets of Altadena before dawn to help protect property in the fire evacuation zone, and evening curfews were in effect to prevent looting after several earlier arrests. The level of devastation is jarring even in a state that regularly confronts massive wildfires. Anna Yeager said she and her husband agonized over going back to their beloved Altadena neighborhood near Pasadena after fleeing with their 6-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son, their two dogs and some clothes. A neighbor told them their house was gone.Now she regrets not grabbing her childrens artwork, her husbands treasured cookbooks, family photos, and jewelry from her mom, who died in 2012, and her husbands grandmother, who survived Auschwitz. When the couple returned, they saw blocks of only chimney after chimney.Power lines everywhere. Fires still going everywhere she said, adding that when they walked up to their home it was just dust.Charred grapefruits littered their yard around a blackened tree, a few still hanging from its branches.Yeagers neighborhood of Tudor homes was planning to celebrate its 100th anniversary in May.You build a world for yourself and your family, and you feel safe in that world and things like this happen that you cannot control, she said. Its devastating.There were remnants of the front porch where Yeager had photographed her children nearly daily since 2020 and had planned to keep doing that until they reached high school. That gave her hope.The porch is still there and its to me, its a sign to rebuild and not leave, she said. You know, its like saying, Hey, Im still here. You can still do this.___Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio, Watson from San Diego, and Hollingsworth from Mission, Kansas. Associated Press journalists Eugene Garcia in Los Angeles, and Olga Rodriguez in San Francisco, contributed. JOHN SEEWER Seewer covers state and national news for The Associated Press and is based in Toledo, Ohio. twitter mailto

Brooklyn Brye, 4, looks up at giant snowman, in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)2025-01-11T05:02:51Z ATLANTA (AP) A winter storm that dropped heavy snow and glazed roads throughout the U.S. South was maintaining its icy grip on much of the region into the weekend. Power outage numbers around Atlanta crept up Friday night as meteorologists warned of accumulating freezing rain. More than 110,000 customers were without electricity, mostly in the Atlanta area.As our crews anticipated based on the forecast, additional freezing rain and falling trees have caused power outages as the sun has gone down, Georgia Power said via social media. Conditions overnight remain challenging with icy roads and winds, but as long as it is safe we will be working, the utility said.Georgia transportation officials urged people to stay off the roads until midday Saturday, and snow and ice was also forecast to continue in the Carolinas, Virginia and the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys. Earlier this week the storm brought heavy snow and slicked roads across much of Texas and Oklahoma before moving east. Arkansas and North Carolina mobilized National Guard troops for tasks such as helping stranded motorists, and governors in multiple states declared states of emergency. School was canceled for millions of children from Texas to Georgia and as far east as South Carolina, giving them a rare snow day.The storm piled up more than a years worth of snowfall on some cities. As much as a foot (about 31 centimeters) fell in parts of Arkansas, and there were reports of nearly 10 inches (about 25 centimeters) in Little Rock, which averages 3.8 inches (9.7 centimeters) a year. More than 7 inches (about 18 centimeters) fell at Memphis International Airport in Tennessee since late Thursday. The city usually sees 2.7 inches (6.9 centimeters) a year. City officials in Memphis were also concerned that wet roads would freeze overnight.The wintry mix of sleet, snow and ice has made travel treacherous in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. Sleet and snow that fell in South Carolina and North Carolina was changing to freezing rain. For kids home from school Friday, the wet snow also packed into a pretty good snowball.In Atlanta, Mikayla Johnson, 12, was making snow angels and snow figures.My first thought was, Wow! said Mikayla, who was outdoors with her father, Nate. We havent had snow since I was, like, 4 good snow, at least. So I was really happy.The storm dumped as much as 7 inches (about 18 centimeters) in some spots in central Oklahoma and northern Texas.Snow began falling in metro Atlanta before dawn Friday, leading to hundreds of flights being cancelled and hundreds more delayed at the worlds busiest airport, according to flight tracking software FlightAware. Four passengers were injured after a Delta plane bound for Minneapolis aborted takeoff that morning, according to the HartsfieldJackson Atlanta International Airport. One passenger was hospitalized, while three people were treated at the scene for minor injuries. The incident contributed to further delays, although Delta said it was unclear whether the weather had anything to do with the flight aborting its takeoff. The airline said there was an indication of an engine issue. Other airports with significant delays and cancellations included those in Charlotte, North Carolina, Dallas-Fort Worth and Nashville, Tennessee. The storm could continue to affect air traffic, the Federal Aviation Administration said Friday night.Texas Gov. Greg Abbott urged residents to avoid driving if possible, even as some 75,000 fans were expected Friday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington for the college football championship semifinal between Texas and Ohio State.The polar vortex of ultra-cold air usually spins around the North Pole, but it sometimes ventures south into the U.S., Europe and Asia. Some experts say such events are happening more frequently, paradoxically, because of a warming world.The cold snap coincided with rare January wildfires tearing through the Los Angeles area. Southern discomfortAs much as 8 inches (about 20 centimeters) of snow was forecast in parts of Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia through Saturday, the National Weather Service said. Officials urged drivers to give plows space after a semitrailer hit a Tennessee Department of Transportation truck in Smith County. Parts of South Carolina were seeing their first wintry weather in three years. The state Department of Transportation treated interstates and other major highways from Columbia northward, but vehicles were slipping off icy Interstate 95 south of the city. A public outdoor inauguration ceremony Saturday in Raleigh, North Carolina, for Gov. Josh Stein and other elected officials was canceled. The storms trajectory overlapped with much of the western North Carolina area impacted by Hurricane Helene last year.In Richmond, Virginia. Mayor Danny Avula said officials brought in extra resources to monitor the citys water treatment facility, which suffered a multiday outage following a snowstorm earlier in the week, including a new backup battery and additional water filters. ___Loller reported from Nashville, Tennessee. Associated Press reporters Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee; Jeff Amy in Atlanta; Jeff Martin in Kennesaw, Georgia; Makiya Seminera in Raleigh, North Carolina; Jonathan Mattise in Nashville; Heather Hollingsworth in Kansas City; Isabella OMalley in Philadelphia; Olivia Diaz in Richmond, Virginia; and Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina; and Lisa Baumann in Bellingham, Washington, contributed.___Read more of the APs climate coverage at http://www.apnews.com/climate-and-environment. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site