FEMA to pay for more firefighters as California blazes burn beyond capacity
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will reimburse California for costs associated with hiring more firefighters and controlling the raging wildfires that have ripped through Southern California. News of the Fire Management Assistance Grants trickled in Tuesday, and by the evening the White House put out a statement from President Biden confirming the move. FEMA confirmed the measures on Wednesday, in an announcement laying out some details about the grants. The funding will provide federal reimbursements for up to 75% of “eligible firefighting costs” incurred by the state, as California seeks to shore up its firefighting force and put out the wildfires that have killed at least two people and driven thousands from their homes. Eligible costs include expenses for field camps, equipment, materials, supplies and mobilization or demobilization efforts attributed to fighting the fires. HUNDREDS OF LA HOMES EXPECTED TO BURN IN WILDFIRES “My Administration will do everything it can to support the response,” Biden said Tuesday, announcing news of the grant. “I am being frequently briefed on the wildfires in west Los Angeles. My team and I are in touch with state and local officials, and I have offered any federal assistance that is needed to help suppress the terrible Pacific Palisades fire.” EX-NFL QUARTERBACK SHOWS MASSIVE SCOPE OF CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES: ‘MUCH WORSE THAN PEOPLE THINK’ Firefighter shortages in California have been an ongoing problem for several years in California. In advance of the news about FEMA’s grant, the Los Angeles Fire Department was compelled to request that all off-duty firefighters in the area volunteer to help. The U.S. Forest Service this summer boosted its staffing levels in California for the first time in five years, but the total number of federal wildland firefighters remains greatly diminished from what it used to be despite the state seeing an uptick in the number and severity of wildfires in recent years, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Meanwhile, in October, the U.S. Forest Service announced an end to prescribed burning to control wildfires as a result of staffing shortages. California’s decision to end prescribed burns came after Biden’s opposition to a bipartisan bill aimed at streamlining the process for implementing forest management projects, like prescribed burns, in California. In a September statement explaining the opposition to the bill, the Biden administration said that certain provisions served to undermine crucial environmental protections. PLANE PASSENGER REACTS TO LA WILDFIRES: ‘THIS IS PURE DEVASTATION’ FEMA’s grants aimed at bolstering the state’s firefighting force amid the raging wildfires were initiated following requests from California. FEMA indicated that at the time of the requests the wildfires had burned an excess of 700 acres of private and public lands around the Pacific Palisades, San Fernando Valley and Santa Calrita Valley areas. FEMA added that more than 45,000 homes in the area were being threatened by the fire. A spokesperson for the agency told Fox News Digital that its regional office is in constant contact with local authorities in California, and that the agency has also deployed a FEMA liaison officer to the area to help monitor the evolving situation. The spokesperson added the agency is urging residents to listen to local officials and has provided a phone number for them to text if people are in need of safe shelter.
Trump says Newsom is to ‘blame’ for ‘apocalyptic’ wildfires
President-elect Donald Trump pinned blame for the “apocalyptic” wildfires tearing through Los Angeles County on Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. “Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way,” Trump posted on Truth Social late Wednesday morning. “He wanted to protect an essentially worthless fish called a smelt, by giving it less water (it didn’t work!), but didn’t care about the people of California. Now the ultimate price is being paid. I will demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean, fresh water to FLOW INTO CALIFORNIA! He is the blame for this. On top of it all, no water for fire hydrants, not firefighting planes. A true disaster!” At least four wildfires are currently raging in Los Angeles County, tearing through the Pacific Palisades and Sylmar neighborhoods of Los Angeles, as well as near Pasadena. At least 30,000 residents have evacuated the area, as swanky mansions and homes are threatened by the devastation or have already been incinerated. Newsom’s director of communications Izzy Gardon told Fox Digital in response to Trump’s Truth Social: “We’re focused on protecting lives and battling these blazes—not playing politics.” CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES RAGE ACROSS LOS ANGELES COUNTY, FORCING THOUSANDS TO EVACUATE THEIR HOMES Newsom declared a state of emergency after the Palisades Fire grew large on Tuesday. “This is a highly dangerous windstorm that’s creating extreme fire risk – and we’re not out of the woods. We’re already seeing the destructive impacts with this fire in Pacific Palisades that grew rapidly in a matter of minutes,” Newsom said in a statement. “Our deepest thanks go to our expert firefighters and first responders who jumped quickly into fighting this dangerous fire. If you’re in Southern California, please pay attention to weather reports and follow any guidance from emergency officials.” Trump, while on the campaign trail last year, vowed to send more water to California if re-elected, saying he would tap a “large faucet” in the northern parts of the U.S., that would deliver water to the state. The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, one of the Golden State’s top water supply systems, has been fiercely protected by environmentalists over its dwindling smelt and Chinook salmon populations. “You have millions of gallons of water pouring down from the north with the snow caps and Canada, and all pouring down and they have essentially a very large faucet,” Trump said in September. “You turn the faucet and it takes one day to turn it, and it’s massive, it’s as big as the wall of that building right there behind you. You turn that, and all of that water aimlessly goes into the Pacific (Ocean), and if they turned it back, all of that water would come right down here and right into Los Angeles,” he said. PALISADES FIRE: HEIDI MONTAG, SPENCER PRATT LOSE HOME; CELEBRITIES FLEE RITZY NEIGHBORHOOD During Trump’s first administration, the former and upcoming president frequently put Newsom’s leadership over wildfire prevention under the microscope, including threatening to withhold federal funds over the yearly fires. PACIFIC PALISADES INFERNO FORCES THOUSANDS TO FLEE CALIFORNIA HOMES; GOV. NEWSOM DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY “There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor. Billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests. Remedy now, or no more Fed payments!,” Trump posted to X in 2018. Newsom and other Democrats have historically pushed back that wildfires in the state are due to climate change and global warming. “You don’t believe in climate change. You are excused from this conversation,” Newsom shot back at Trump in 2019, after the president slammed him for his wildfire leadership again that year.
Andhra Pradesh: 4 killed, several injured in stampede at Tirupati during distribution of tokens
CM N Chandrababu Naidu spoke to officials over the phone about the treatment being provided to the injured in the incident.
DeSantis halts rivalry with Newsom, offers aid to besieged blue state governor
Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has offered to assist California as Gov. Gavin Newsom is grappling with multiple fires ripping through Los Angeles County this week. “Our prayers are with everyone affected by the horrific fires in Southern California. When disaster strikes, we must come together to help our fellow Americans in any way we can,” DeSantis posted to X on Wednesday morning. “The state of Florida has offered help to assist the people of California in responding to these fires and in rebuilding communities that have been devastated,” he added. DeSantis’ offer of support to California comes after he recently led his state through Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene last year. The two governors have frequently traded barbs with one another in recent years, most notably when Florida was open for business during the pandemic, and California implemented strict lockdown orders and mandates. CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES RAGE ACROSS LOS ANGELES COUNTY, FORCING THOUSANDS TO EVACUATE THEIR HOMES At least four fires are raging in Los Angeles County this week, tearing through the Pacific Palisades and Sylmar neighborhoods of Los Angeles, as well as near the city of Pasadena. Newsom declared a state of emergency after the Pacific Palisades fire quickly grew on Tuesday. PALISADES FIRE: HEIDI MONTAG, SPENCER PRATT LOSE HOME; CELEBRITIES FLEE RITZY NEIGHBORHOOD “This is a highly dangerous windstorm that’s creating extreme fire risk – and we’re not out of the woods. We’re already seeing the destructive impacts with this fire in Pacific Palisades that grew rapidly in a matter of minutes,” Newsom said in a statement. “Our deepest thanks go to our expert firefighters and first responders who jumped quickly into fighting this dangerous fire. If you’re in Southern California, please pay attention to weather reports and follow any guidance from emergency officials.” PACIFIC PALISADES INFERNO FORCES THOUSANDS TO FLEE CALIFORNIA HOMES; GOV. NEWSOM DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY At least 30,000 residents have evacuated the area as the devastating fires have burned mansions and homes to the ground, including those belonging to Hollywood stars such as James Woods. “All the smoke detectors are going off in our house and transmitting to our iPhones. I couldn’t believe our lovely little home in the hills held on this long. It feels like losing a loved one,” Woods shared on X of the devastation to his home. ACTOR STEVE GUTTENBERG HELPS PALISADES FIRE FIRST RESPONDERS AS FLAMES RAGE, ‘IT’S A GHOST TOWN’ President Biden reported to the public that he has been in frequent communication with California leaders as the fires rages and that FEMA aid was approved to assist efforts. “I am being frequently briefed on the wildfires in west Los Angeles. My team and I are in touch with state and local officials, and I have offered any federal assistance that is needed to help suppress the terrible Pacific Palisades fire. Earlier tonight, FEMA approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant to support areas that are impacted and help reimburse the state of California for the immediate firefighting costs. My Administration will do everything it can to support the response,” Biden posted to X on Tuesday evening.
Dems accused of ‘stonewalling’ Tulsi Gabbard confirmation after GOP demands quick hearing
The Trump transition team is accusing Democrats in the Senate of “stonewalling” Tulsi Gabbard’s confirmation to the position of Director of National Intelligence (DNI). A hearing has yet to be set for President-elect Trump’s DNI pick, despite Republicans pushing for Gabbard’s nomination to be one of the first considered due to national security concerns. The potential delay in her hearing was first reported by Axios. Committee rules dictate that the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence can’t hold a hearing unless all necessary paperwork is received at least a week beforehand, the office of Intel Vice Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., told Fox News Digital. BORDER STATE DEMOCRAT RUBEN GALLEGO BACKS GOP’S LAKEN RILEY ACT AHEAD OF SENATE VOTE Per Warner’s office, the committee has yet to receive pre-hearing questions from Gabbard or an ethics disclosure. They also haven’t gotten a copy of her FBI background check. However, a spokesperson for Gabbard and the Trump transition team pushed back on this. According to the transition, the paperwork that was due on Dec. 18 was submitted, the FBI background check has been done, and an additional round of paperwork is due on Thursday and will be finished by then. The FBI did not respond immediately to Fox News Digital’s question about whether the background check had been provided to the Intel Committee. RFK JR. TO MEET WITH SLEW OF DEMS INCLUDING ELIZABETH WARREN, BERNIE SANDERS The transition team also noted that Gabbard has a top-secret security clearance from her Army service, meaning her background check was expedited. The spokesperson for Gabbard asserted that Warner was directing Democratic members of the committee not to set up meetings with her until he had done so, drawing out her meeting process. According to them, Warner’s office was emailed on Nov. 27 but did not reply until Dec 29. “After the terrorist attacks on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, it’s sad to see Sen. Warner and Democrats playing politics with Americans’ safety and our national security by stonewalling Lt. Col. Gabbard’s nomination, who is willing to meet with every member who will meet with her as this process continues,” said transition spokesperson Alexa Henning. “It is vital the Senate confirms President-elect Trump’s national security nominees swiftly, which in the past has been a bipartisan effort. We are working in lockstep with Chairman Cotton and look forward to Lt. Col. Gabbard’s hearing before Inauguration Day.” TRUMP, GOP SENATORS TO HUDDLE AT CAPITOL, WEIGH STRATEGY ON BUDGET, TAXES AND BORDER The only Democrat to bypass this supposed directive was Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., the transition team said. The two met last month at the Capitol. Gabbard’s team added that Sens. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., and Angus King, I-Maine, only responded after Warner’s team finally confirmed their meeting. Warner’s office denied issuing any such directive to Democratic members. “That is flat-out untrue. Vice Chairman Warner has encouraged every senator on the Committee to meet with the nominee (as he has), carefully evaluate her experience, record and statements for themselves, and reach their own conclusions about whether she has the qualifications and background for this critical role,” spokesperson Rachel Cohen told Fox News Digital in a statement. The intel vice chairman met in person with Gabbard on Tuesday. “I had a session with Ms. Gabbard, I went in with a lot of questions. I’ve still got a lot of questions,” Warner said afterward. MIDWESTERN STATE SENATOR REVIVES DOGE-ALIGNED BILLS AS GOP PREPARES FOR DC TAKEOVER “This is an extraordinarily serious job that requires maintaining the independence of the intelligence community. It also means maintaining the cooperation of our allies. We’ve got a lot of our intelligence from our allies on a sharing basis, and if those – that information is not kept secure, it raises huge concern. So I’ve got, you know, we’ve got a number of questions out for her. This is the beginning of a process.” A spokesperson for the new Intel chairman, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., told Fox News Digital in a statement, “Chairman Cotton intends to hold these hearings before Inauguration Day. The Intelligence Committee, the nominees, and the transition are diligently working toward that goal.” A source familiar told Fox News Digital that the committee has yet to prompt Gabbard for her written responses to the advance policy questions, and emphasized that she can’t respond to something not yet received.
ISRO delays satellite docking experiment again, says ‘drift was found to be…’
The planned docking for Thursday has been postponed and satellites are safe, ISRO said.
“I just don’t really recognize the Republican Party”: Ousted state Rep. Steve Allison goes down swinging
Allison lost his primary last year, after being targeted by his party over his vote to kill school vouchers.
Biden says he is still considering pre-emptive pardons for Trump targets Liz Cheney, Fauci and others
President Biden said he was still considering pre-emptive pardons for President-elect Donald Trump’s political foes, such as former GOP Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Dr. Anthony Fauci, during his final interview with a print publication before leaving the White House. The interview, conducted over the weekend in the Oval Office by USA Today’s Washington Bureau chief Susan Page, was released Wednesday morning. Biden told Page during the discussion that he was still unsure whether to offer pre-emptive pardons to potential Trump targets, including Cheney, Fauci and others. Biden added during the interview that when he met with Trump following his November election victory, he urged the president-elect not to “try to settle scores.” TWO FEDERAL DEATH ROW INMATES REFUSE BIDEN’S COMMUTATION IN CONTINUED FIGHT TO PROVE THEIR INNOCENCE “He didn’t say, ‘No, I’m going to…’ You know. He didn’t reinforce it. He just basically listened,” Biden told Page. Reports of potential pre-emptive pardons for people who could face Trump’s political wrath started to surface after Biden pardoned his son, Hunter, following his conviction on felony gun and tax charges. The pardon came after Biden said he was not considering such a move. Biden continued handing out pardons and commutations during the waning days of his presidency. Last month, he set a record for the largest single-day act of clemency when he commuted the sentences of roughly 1,500 people in mid-December. Some Democrats have warned the move to issue additional broad-based pardons for Trump’s political targets – on Biden’s way out the door – could set a dangerous precedent. Meanwhile, others have publicly advocated for the pardons over fear of what Trump might do. One of the public officials who Biden has reportedly been considering for one of the pre-emptive pardons, Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., told CNN Monday that he did not want to see every president going forward handing out broad-based, blanket pardons. However, Schiff stopped short of saying whether he would decline such a pardon if it were offered to him. BIDEN CLAMS HE ‘MEANT WHAT I SAID’ WITH PROMISE NOT TO PLEDGE HUNTER, HOPES IT DOESN’T SET PRECEDENT Other lawmakers, such as Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., signaled support for Biden issuing pre-emptive pardons. “I think that without question, Trump is going to try to act in a dictatorial way, in a fascistic way, in a revengeful [way his] first year … towards individuals who he believes harmed him,” Markey told Boston Public Radio following Trump’s November election victory. “If it’s clear by January 19th that [revenge] is his intention, then I would recommend to President Biden that he provide those preemptive pardons to people, because that’s really what our country is going to need next year.” Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.
Meta ending 3rd-party fact checkers ‘transformative,’ but other legal issues remain, says expert
The decision by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to end Facebook’s work with third-party fact-checkers and ease some of its content restrictions is a potentially “transformative” moment for the platform, experts said, but one that is unlikely to shield the company from liability in ongoing court proceedings. The updates were announced by Zuckerberg, who said in a video that the previous content restrictions used on Facebook and Instagram — which were put into place after the 2016 elections — had “gone too far” and allowed for too much political bias from outside fact-checkers. Meta will now replace that system with a “Community Notes”-style program, similar to the approach taken by social media platform X, he said. X is owned by Elon Musk, the co-director of the planned Department of Government Efficiency. “We’ve reached a point where it’s just too many mistakes and too much censorship,” Zuckerberg said. “The recent elections also feel like a cultural tipping point toward once again prioritizing speech. So we are going to get back to our roots, focus on reducing mistakes, simplifying our policies, and restoring free expression on our platforms.” META ENDS FACT-CHECKING PROGRAM AS ZUCKERBERG VOWS TO RESTORE FREE EXPRESSION ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM The news was praised by President-elect Donald Trump, who told Fox News Digital that he thought Meta’s presentation “was excellent.” “They have come a long way,” Trump said. Still, it is unlikely to ease the legal liability for Meta, which in recent months has been hit with the possibility of a multibillion-dollar class action lawsuit stemming from a privacy scandal involving the political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica. The Supreme Court in November rejected Meta’s effort to block the lawsuit, leaving in place an appellate court ruling that allowed the class action suit to move forward. Meta has also been the target of multiple Republican-led investigations in Congress. Republicans on the House Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government probed Meta’s activity and communication with the federal government and the Biden administration last year as part of a broader investigation into alleged censorship. The platform also came under scrutiny by the House Oversight Committee in August, as part of an investigation into claims that the platform suppressed information about the July 13 assassination attempt of Trump. MORE THAN 100 FORMER JUSTICE DEPT OFFICIALS URGE SENATE TO CONFIRM PAM BONDI AS AG Combined, these factors make it unlikely that Meta will see its legal problems go away anytime soon, law professor and Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley told Fox News Digital in an interview. “Facebook is now looking at a tough patch ahead,” he said. “Not only do the Republicans carry both houses of Congress as well as the White House, but there is ongoing litigation in the social media case in Texas.” Additionally, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority is also unlikely to be sympathetic to the views of Meta in any case centered on First Amendment protections and rights to free speech. The House investigations and litigation have both forced more of Meta’s actions into public view— something Turley said expects to come under further scrutiny in the discovery process in Missouri v. Biden, a case that centers on allegations of political censorship. “That discovery is still revealing new details,” Turley said. “So Meta understood that in the coming months, more details would be forthcoming on its censorship program.” Still, he said, this “could be a transformative moment,” Turley said. “And an alliance of Zuckerberg with [Elon] Musk could turn the tide in this fight over free speech,” Turley said. “And as one of Zuckerberg’s most vocal critics I welcome him to this fight.”
AG Merrick Garland intends to release Special Counsel Jack Smith report on Trump election case
Attorney General Merrick Garland will release Special Counsel Jack Smith’s report on the 2020 election interference case against President-elect Trump, according to a court filing. The Department of Justice told the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals on Wednesday that Garland intends to release Volume One of Smith’s final report to Congress and the public, which covers the allegations that Trump attempted to illegally undo the results of the 2020 presidential election. However, Garland will not release Volume Two, which covers the classified documents case against Trump, as two defendants in that case still face criminal proceedings. Only the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees will be permitted to view Volume Two, and they will be prohibited from discussing the report publicly. “This limited disclosure will further the public interest in keeping congressional leadership apprised of a significant matter within the Department while safeguarding defendants’ interests,” Justice Department attorneys said in response to a motion to stop the report from being released. FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH FROM RELEASING FINAL REPORT It is customary for special counsels to release a final report, detailing the findings of their investigation and explaining any prosecution or declination decisions they reached. In Smith’s case, the prosecution decision is immaterial, given Trump’s status as president-elect and long-standing Justice Department policy against bringing criminal charges against a sitting president. Smith planned to release his final report sometime this month, as early as the end of this week. He will resign from his position before Trump takes office on Jan. 20. However, Trump co-defendants Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira filed an emergency motion to block the reported imminent release of Smith’s final report. FORMER TRUMP CO-DEFENDANTS WANT JUDGE TO BLOCK SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH REPORT U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Florida Aileen Cannon on Tuesday ruled in favor of Nauta and De Oliveira to “prevent irreparable harm.” Cannon said Smith is “temporarily enjoined” from “releasing, sharing, or transmitting the Final Report or any drafts of such Report outside the Department of Justice.” The order remains in effect until three days after a resolution is announced from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. JUDGE GRANTS JACK SMITH REQUEST TO DISMISS JAN. 6 CHARGES AGAINST TRUMP, APPEAL DROPPED IN FLORIDA DOCS CASE Nauta and De Oliveira pleaded not guilty to federal charges alleging they conspired to obstruct the FBI investigation into classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago. Smith was tapped by Garland in 2022 to investigate both the alleged effort by Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election, as well as Trump’s keeping of allegedly classified documents at his Florida residence. Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges. Cannon, this summer, dismissed Smith’s case against Trump relating to classified records, ruling that he was appointed unlawfully as special counsel. And in November, federal Judge Tanya Chutkan dropped Smith’s charges against Trump in the 2020 election interference case. Smith also dropped his appeal to Cannon’s ruling in the classified records case. Garland has opted to release the reports from two other special counsels whose investigations concluded during his tenure – publishing both the summary reports submitted by John Durham, who was tapped by then-Attorney General Bill Barr in 2019 to review the origins of the Trump-Russia probe, as well as the final report from Robert Hur, a former U.S. attorney whom he tapped in 2023 to investigate President Biden’s handling of classified documents.