Actor Chris Pratt urged his followers to pray for Los Angeles firefighters battling the fast-moving wildfires engulfing the city for a second consecutive day. Pratt, known for his roles in Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic World, took to social media platform X, formerly Twitter, to share his concerns and gratitude for first responders.
Intelligence sources from the U.S. and Israel estimate that only about 20 of the 251 hostages taken by Hamas on October 7, 2023, remain alive. This figure, shared during ongoing negotiations in Qatar, includes civilians and female Israeli soldiers but excludes male soldiers, whose inclusion might slightly increase the count.
In a historic move, Pope Francis appointed Sister Simona Brambilla as the first woman to head a major Vatican office. Brambilla, an Italian nun, will serve as prefect of the Dicastery for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, responsible for overseeing the Catholic Church’s religious orders worldwide.
The Biden administration is reallocating over $100 million in military aid originally earmarked for Israel and Egypt to Lebanon. The funding aims to support the implementation of a ceasefire agreement brokered between Israel and Hezbollah. The State Department outlined the plan in notices sent to Congress on January 3.
Elon Musk’s recent comments targeting U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other British officials have raised concerns about potential strains in U.S.-U.K. relations. Musk, a billionaire tech mogul and close adviser to President-elect Donald Trump, accused Starmer of complicity in mishandling decades-old child grooming gang scandals during his tenure as the U.K.’s director of public prosecutions.
Imam Nader Taha, a mathematics professor at Kent State University and religious leader at the Islamic Society of Akron and Kent (ISAK), is facing widespread condemnation after a video of his sermon praising the October 7 terrorist attacks surfaced. The sermon, delivered on December 13, 2024, described the attacks as a “miracle” and a victory against the “Children of Israel.”
Former President Jimmy Carter was honored Tuesday in a brief ceremony at the Capitol Rotunda, where his body will lie in state until his funeral on Thursday. Carter, who passed away on December 29 at the age of 100, is remembered as a member of the Greatest Generation, a dedicated public servant, and a humanitarian who continued his service long after leaving the presidency.
The contentious North Carolina Supreme Court race between incumbent Democrat Allison Riggs and Republican challenger Jefferson Griffin remains unresolved, with litigation now spanning both state and federal courts. The outcome of Seat 6 on the state’s highest court has been in limbo for three months since Election Day.
Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, once one of the most powerful figures in state politics, took the stand this week to testify in his own defense during his federal corruption trial.
The body of former President Jimmy Carter arrived in the Washington, D.C., area on Tuesday as the nation prepares for a state funeral honoring the life and legacy of the 39th president.
