In the news today: Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 47th president today; three Israeli hostages and 90 Palestinian prisoners have been released as ceasefire takes hold; and Californians are again bracing for a heightened risk of wildfires. Also, in a Spanish village, horses leap through flames in a centuries-old ritual. |
President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance participate in a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider on Sunday, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
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Trump is returning to power emboldened to reshape American institutions
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President-elect Donald Trump, who overcame impeachments, criminal indictments and a pair of assassination attempts to win another term in the White House, will be sworn in as the 47th president on Monday, taking charge as Republicans assume unified control of Washington and set out to reshape the country’s institutions. Read more.
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Trump is expected to act swiftly after the ceremony, with executive orders already prepared for his signature to jumpstart deportations, increase fossil fuel development and reduce civil service protections for government workers, promising that his term will bring about “a brand new day of American strength and prosperity, dignity and pride.”
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Hamas returns 3 Israeli hostages and Israel frees 90 Palestinian prisoners
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After 15 months of collective grief and anxiety, three Israeli hostages left Hamas captivity and returned to Israel, and dozens of Palestinian prisoners walked free from Israeli jails, leaving both Israelis and Palestinians torn between celebration and trepidation as the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took hold Sunday. Read more.
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The skies above Gaza and Israel were silent for the first time in over a year, and Palestinians began returning to what was left of their homes across the war-ravaged enclave. After months of tight Israeli restrictions, more than 600 trucks carrying humanitarian aid rolled into the devastated territory.
In Israel, the joy of seeing freed hostages reunited with their families was tempered by major questions over the fate of the nearly 100 others abducted in Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack, still in captivity in Gaza. The next release of hostages and prisoners is due Saturday.
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Southern California braces for gusty winds and heightened wildfire risk
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Southern Californians are bracing for gusty winds and a heightened risk of wildfires, less than two weeks after the outbreak of deadly blazes that have killed at least 27 people and charred thousands of homes. Read more. |
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The National Weather Service has issued a warning of a “particularly dangerous situation” for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties from Monday afternoon through Tuesday morning due to low humidity and damaging Santa Ana winds. Critical fire weather with wind gusts up to 60 mph was also forecast for other Southern California communities stretching to San Diego.
The warnings come as firefighters continue to battle two major blazes in the Los Angeles area, the Palisades and Eaton fires, which have destroyed more than 14,000 structures since they broke out during fierce winds on Jan. 7. The Palisades fire was 52% contained on Sunday and the Eaton fire 81% contained, according to fire officials.
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A ritual in honor of Saint Anthony the Abbot in San Bartolome de Pinares, Spain, on Thursday. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
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In a Spanish village, horses leap through flames in a centuries-old ritual
On a chilly January night, hundreds of people gathered on the streets of San Bartolome de Pinares — population 500 — to watch a dramatic sight: horses galloping through towering flames. It’s a centuries-old tradition in the Spanish village northwest of Madrid that takes place every year to honor St. Anthony the Abbott, the patron saint of animals. Riders guide horses through bonfires lit in the middle of the street in an act believed to purify the animals in the coming year.
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Please let us know what you think of this newsletter. You can sign up for more and invite a friend here. For news in real time visit APNews.com. - Sarah
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