A brush fire broke out in Jurupa Valley on Tuesday, January 21, as strong Santa Ana winds persisted across Southern California. Known as the "Clay Fire," it ignited along the Santa Ana River Bottom near Pedley Road and Van Buren Boulevard around 5 p.m.
Los Angeles is grappling with the toxic aftermath of wildfires that devastated areas including Pacific Palisades and Altadena, destroying over 15,000 structures and releasing dangerous pollutants into the air. Scientists report that the burning of homes, cars, and infrastructure has produced hazardous levels of toxins, including lead and chlorine.
Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels, whose jurisdiction lies along the southeastern Arizona border with Mexico, has expressed concern over a significant rise in border-related crimes. According to Dannels, these crimes have cost the county more than $14 million.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston signaled the possibility of reassessing the city’s cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) if requests from the federal agency significantly increase. Speaking with Denver’s 9NEWS on Monday, Johnston reaffirmed Denver’s commitment to partnering with ICE on violent criminals but suggested the city might reconsider its approach if the current administration’s requests surpass those of its predecessor.
South Korea’s Constitutional Court was forced to adjourn its first impeachment hearing for President Yoon Suk-yeol on Tuesday after he failed to attend, citing security concerns. Yoon, impeached in December following his abrupt imposition of martial law, faces charges of insurrection and is subject to an arrest warrant, further complicating the political turmoil.
Seattle Judge Veronica Galván faces criticism after releasing an armed robbery suspect, Millorz J. Canales, weeks before he allegedly committed a brutal attack on a 14-year-old rival gang member.
Sean “Diddy” Combs is reportedly unhappy with the attention fellow inmate Luigi Mangione is receiving at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn. Mangione, accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has overshadowed Combs, who was previously the facility's most high-profile inmate following his September 16 arrest on sex trafficking charges.
Alan Dershowitz, Harvard law professor emeritus, told Newsmax on Sunday that Hamas is likely to release a small number of American hostages before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20. Speaking on Sunday Report, Dershowitz predicted this move as a symbolic gesture toward Trump but emphasized it would not halt the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Another tragic death has underscored the consequences of lax immigration enforcement in Harris County, Texas. On December 1, 7-year-old Ivory Smith was killed by a drunk driver in northeast Houston. Her mother sustained serious injuries in the crash. The alleged driver, 41-year-old Venezuelan national Joel Enrique Gonzalez Chacin, was in the country illegally and had a prior criminal record. He now faces charges of intoxicated manslaughter.
