Trump hires new lawyers, files notice of appeal for hush money conviction

(LOS ANGELES) — At least two people are dead and many more injured as several fires broke out across Southern California amid historically dry and windy conditions.

Tens of thousands were evacuated as more than 5,000 acres burned in the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood in Los Angeles. The Eaton Fire — which broke out miles away from the Palisades Fire, in Altadena, California — had grown to 2,227 acres with 0% containment. The Hurst Fire, meanwhile, erupted and spread northeast of San Fernando, California, burning at least 500 acres.

Over 245,000 customers without power in LA County

At least 245,000 customers were without power as of 8:40 a.m. local time in Los Angeles County, according to poweroutage.us.

Officials urge residents to follow evacuation orders

California officials urged residents to follow evacuation orders to keep themselves and first responders out of danger as the fires continue to grow.

“There is nothing worth your life,” LA County Sheriff Robert Luna said at a press conference Wednesday.

Officials said there has been a high number of injuries among those who did not follow evacuation orders.

Palisades Fire spreads to 5,000 acres

The Palisades Fire has spread to 5,000 acres with 0% of the fire contained.

At least 1,000 structures are estimated to have been destroyed in the fire.

2 dead, over 1,000 structures destroyed across LA County

Two civilians are dead and there have been a high number of injuries due to the Eaton Fire, LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said at a press conference Wednesday.

The cause of death for the two people has not yet been determined.

There have also been about 100 structures destroyed in the Eaton Fire.

The cause of the fire is currently unknown and it is under investigation.

Meanwhile, an estimated 1,000 structures have been destroyed in the Palisades Fire, which has grown to 5,000 acres, officials said.

While there are no known deaths, officials said there were injuries due to the fire.

“When they ask you to evacuate, evacuate. This is not a drill,” Kathryn Barger, the LA County chair supervisor, said at the press conference.

Eaton Fire grows to 2,227 acres

The Eaton Fire in Los Angeles has grown to 2,227 acres with 0% containment, according to Cal Fire.

Wind gust of 100 mph recorded near Eaton Fire

A wind gust of 100 mph was recorded at 5 a.m. PST at Mountain Lukens in the San Gabriel Mountains, northeast of La Canada Flintridge — very close to the Eaton Fire — on Wednesday morning.

It is not only the winds creating dangerous conditions on Wednesday morning, it is also very dry.

In the last eight months, Los Angeles downtown has seen only 0.16 inches of rain. This makes May 6 to Dec. 31 the second-driest period on record.

-ABC News’ Max Golembo, Ginger Zee and Kenton Gewecke

Universal Studios Hollywood closed on Wednesday due to fires

Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal CityWalk will be closed on Wednesday due to extreme winds and fire conditions.

“We will continue to assess the situation and expect to open for business tomorrow. The safety of our team members and our guests is our top priority,” Universal Studios said in a statement on X.

Over 150,000 customers without power in LA County

At least 150,000 customers were without power as of 6:45 a.m. local time n Los Angeles County, according to poweroutage.us.

Extreme winds making wildfire fight ‘extremely difficult,’ fire chief says

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Battalion Chief Brent Pascua told “Good Morning America” Wednesday that the “extreme fire activity” and winds of the Palisades blaze is unlike anything he had ever seen.

“For the local residents that may be in the area that are thinking about evacuating, if it’s a thought, I would say do it,” Pascua said. “The earlier the better. Have that go bag ready, have that emergency plan ready with your family and execute it so you’re all safe.”

Extreme and “erratic” Santa Ana winds of up to 40 mph are exacerbating the situation, Pascua said. “That makes this fire fight extremely difficult,” he added.

The winds, Pascua added, are “spreading fire faster than our crews can get in front of it. Our most important priority is life safety. We’re trying to get everyone out of the way. That way we do not have anyone hurt or killed.”

Asked if he had ever seen such conditions, Pascua replied, “I have not.”

“I have seen a lot of Santa Ana fires get up to 40, 50 miles an hour,” he continued. “Last night I saw light poles being blown over, utility poles being blown over just from the wind, not even from the fire.”

Santa Ana winds expected to coincide with growing fires

A damaging Santa Ana wind event is set to continue through to Wednesday afternoon coinciding with several growing wildfires in the Los Angeles County area.

Wind gusts of up to 99 mph were recorded in the eastern San Gabriel Mountains, 98 mph in the Santa Monica Mountains and 84 mph at Hollywood Burbank Airport.

An “extreme” fire warning is currently encompassing Malibu, Burnbank, Simi Valley and San Fernando. A “critical” fire danger extends to the east of San Diego.

Los Angeles and Orange Country are subject to “Particularly Dangerous Situation” red flag warnings until 4 p.m. PST Wednesday.

Relative humidity levels also remain below 10% in the area. Los Angeles recorded its sixth driest October to December period on record to close out 2024.

Winds are expected to weaken and relative humidity to climb from Thursday into Friday.

-ABC News’ Max Golembo

Hurst Fire expands to 500 acres

The Hurst Fire in Sylmar had expanded to 500 acres as of 1:50 a.m. PT, per an update from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The fire northeast of San Fernando was at zero percent containment, Cal Fire said, with the cause of the blaze still under investigation.

-ABC News’ Marilyn Heck

Harris promises more support for California to fight ‘devastating’ fires

Vice President Kamala Harris said her “heart goes out to all those being impacted by the devastating wildfires in Southern California.”

In a Wednesday morning statement, Harris said she and her husband “are praying for our fellow Californians who have evacuated and we are thinking of the families whose homes, businesses and schools remain in harm’s way.”

“We are deeply grateful for the heroic first responders who are risking their own safety to fight the flames and help keep communities safe,” Harris added.

The vice president said she had been briefed on the situation and was receiving “regular updates” on the fires. “I am also urging residents in the affected areas to listen to local officials, remain vigilant and evacuate immediately if told to do so,” she added.

The White House is “committed to ensuring that no community has to respond to this disaster alone,” Harris said, noting the mobilization of federal resources to suppress the fires and assist those affected.

“As a proud daughter of California, I know the damage that wildfires have on our neighbors and communities,” Harris said.

“I also know that the impact is often felt long after the fire is contained. As we respond and as Californians recover, I will ensure that our administration is in constant contact with state and local officials.”

-ABC News’ Justin Gomez

James Woods recounts ‘losing everything at once’ in Palisades Fire

Actor James Woods documented the spread of the Palisades Fire into homes in the hills around Los Angeles on Tuesday, writing in posts to X that “all the smoke detectors are going off in our house” as the blaze approached.

“I couldn’t believe our lovely little home in the hills held on this long,” Woods wrote. “It feels like losing a loved one.”

“It tests your soul, losing everything at once,” he added.

-ABC News’ Marilyn Heck

1,400 firefighters deployed to ‘unprecedented’ fires, Newsom says

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said more than 1,400 firefighting personnel and hundreds of “prepositioned assets” have been deployed to battle the “unprecedented fires” ravaging parts of Los Angeles.

“Emergency officials, firefighters, and first responders are all hands on deck through the night to do everything possible to protect lives,” Newsom said in a post to X.

Hurst Fire burns 100 acres in Sylmar

The Hurst Fire — burning in Sylmar, north of San Fernando — expanded to 100 acres as of early Wednesday morning, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.

Santa Clarita City issued mandatory evacuation orders for four areas of the city — Newhall Pass, Wildwood, Eternal and Calgrove.

-ABC News’ Lissette Rodriguez

Los Angeles schools to close amid fire threat

The Los Angeles County Office of Education reported Wednesday school closures in 19 districts due to spreading wildfires and related weather conditions.

Among them was the Los Angeles Unified School District, which announced that six schools will close on Wednesday “due to the fire activity across the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area.”

In a statement, the district said Kenter Canyon Charter Elementary, Canyon Charter Elementary School, Marquez Charter Elementary School, Palisades Charter Elementary School, Paul Revere Charter Middle School and Topanga Elementary Charter School would all be closed.

Los Angeles’ Griffith Park will also be closed, while classes at the North Hollywood High School’s Zoo Magnet are cancelled, the district announcement said.

“Students at the six closed schools will pivot to continuity of learning where they will have access to academically enriching digital resources,” the district said.

Los Angeles Unified said it would “continue monitoring the situation” and, if necessary, extend online learning into Thursday.

“The high winds and red flag warnings will remain through Wednesday and Thursday,” it added.

“We urge everyone to be careful and cautious when commuting to school or work, especially in areas with extreme wind and heavy smoke. Please make the right decision for you and do not compromise your safety or security.”

Eaton Fire spreads to 1,000 acres

The fire that broke out at about 6:12 p.m. near Eaton Canyon in Pasadena had spread by midnight to about 1,000 acres, the Angeles National Forest said in an update.

-ABC News’ Marilyn Heck

Pasadena issues mandatory evacuation orders

The City of Pasadena issued mandatory evacuation orders for the area north of Orange Grove and Rosemead Boulevard, east of Lake Avenue and west of Michillinda Avenue as the nearby Eaton Fire continued to grow.

The city earlier said on its X account that those subject to emergency evacuation orders should go to the Pasadena Convention Center.

The Eaton Fire is burning in the hills northeast of the city, posing a direct threat to the northern suburb of Altadena.

Firefighter injured, ‘multiple’ people burned in Palisades Fire
Erik Scott, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department, said that a 25-year-old female firefighter “sustained a serious head injury” during the response to the devastating Palisades Fire in Los Angeles County on Tuesday evening.

“She received immediate treatment at the scene and was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation,” Scott said in a statement posted to X.

Scott also said that “multiple burn victims” were identified “walking toward a nearby restaurant,” which he later identified as Dukes.

“Incident operations redirected medical resources to the location to provide evaluation and treatment,” he added.

-ABC News’ Marilyn Heck

Palisades Fire burning at 5 football fields per minute

With the winds picking up Tuesday evening, the Palisades Fire is burning at the rate of five football fields per minute, according to CalFire.

The winds around the fire are expected to increase to up to 80 miles per hour through the night.

Eaton Fire grows to 400 acres

The Eaton Fire is now at an estimated 400 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

“Firefighters are working aggressively to slow the spread and protect critical infrastructure under extreme conditions,” CalFire said in a statement.

Fifteen streets in Altadena are under mandatory evacuation.

LAFD summons off-duty firefighters to help combat multiple fires

The Los Angeles Fire Department called on all of its firefighters to report for duty on Tuesday night as multiple brush fires relentlessly raged on in Southern California.

In a post on X, the LAFD wrote, “All #LAFD members currently off-duty are to call [in] with their availability for recall.”

The summons came at approximately 6:30 p.m. local time.

New fire breaks out in eastern Los Angeles

A second fire broke out Tuesday evening, in Altadena, California, located in eastern Los Angeles County.

Fueled by rapid winds, the Altadena-based brush fire quickly grew from 10 acres to 200 acres in just 30 minutes.

The Eaton Fire prompted evacuations as high winds are set to continue overnight, the Angeles National Forest said in a post on X.

Biden urges residents to heed evacuation warnings

President Joe Biden is urging Los Angeles residents to heed evacuation warnings as two wildfires burn out of control.

Biden, who is in Los Angeles, was briefed twice throughout the day Tuesday as the flames spread and “encourages residents in the affected areas to remain vigilant and heed the warnings of local officials—especially if ordered to evacuate,” the White House said in a statement.

Biden traveled to California for a ceremony to designate two new national monuments.

Evacuation order issued in Santa Monica

The City of Santa Monica issued an evacuation order for all areas of the city north of San Vicente Boulevard.

There is an “Immediate threat to life” in the area due to the Palisades fire, the order warned.

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(NEW YORK) — Meta, the parent company of Facebook, announced plans Tuesday to replace fact-checkers with a user-based system known as “community notes.”

Fact-checkers who were put in place in the wake of Donald Trump’s 2016 election have proven to be “too politically biased” and have destroyed “more trust than they’ve created,” particularly in the United States, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a video posted by the company.

“The recent elections also feel like a cultural tipping point towards once again prioritizing speech,” Zuckerberg added.

The policy shift will make the platform more generally permissive toward user posts, especially on some controversial subjects such as immigration and gender, the company said. Zuckerberg also acknowledged that the change may mean “we’re going to catch less bad stuff.”

The decision will impact content moderation on Meta-owned platforms Facebook, Instagram and Threads, which count nearly 4 billion users worldwide.

Critics of the move said it reflected a partisan effort to align Meta with President-elect Trump, who has repeatedly criticized the company for alleged anti-conservative bias. Proponents, meanwhile, praised the decision as a sign of renewed emphasis on free speech rather than content policing.

Experts who spoke to ABC News said it’s difficult to know exactly what motivated the company, but they said both explanations are plausible.

Meta may view the decision as an opportunity to jettison a policy targeted by conservatives and curry favor with Trump, while shifting the company toward a permissive stance on speech that Zuckerberg has previously avowed, the experts said.

“Zuckerberg knew he’d have a fight on his hands to change the basic tenets of Facebook,” Eric Goldman, a professor at Santa Clara University School of Law who studies content moderation, told ABC News. “The question is: Why now?”

Meta did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.

Meta launched the fact-checking program in the heat of intense scrutiny leveled at the company regarding the spread of misinformation on the platform during the 2016 presidential campaign.

The initiative came under criticism from prominent Republicans, including Trump, who accused the company of anti-conservative bias in its evaluation of user posts.

Tension between Meta and Trump intensified in early 2021, when the company banned Trump’s accounts from its platforms in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol. At the time, Zuckerberg called the risks of allowing Trump on the platform “simply too great.”

In recent years, however, the social media platforms have shifted toward a conservative-friendly, laissez-faire approach to speech, Sol Messing, a research associate professor at New York University’s Center for Social Media and Politics and a former research scientist at Facebook, told ABC News.

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk acquired then-Twitter, now X, in October 2022, moving soon afterward to weaken the platform’s content moderation rules and emphasize a “community notes” approach. Last year, Meta reinstated Trump’s accounts.

“There’s been a shift rightward in terms of attitudes toward free speech in Silicon Valley and perhaps this decision is part of that,” Messing added.

Lately, Meta and Zuckerberg have appeared to warm toward Trump. Meta donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration last month, after having foregone a donation to Trump’s inauguration in 2017.

On Monday, Meta appointed Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White, a Trump ally, to the company’s board of directors. The move came days after Meta named former Republican lobbyist Joel Kaplan as its new chief global affairs officer.

“It’s very difficult to ignore this [fact-checking] announcement in terms of the timing of those moves, as well,” Messing said, noting other potential reasons for the move such as cost-cutting or skepticism about the role of experts in policing content.

For his part, Trump appears to believe he influenced the policy change. When asked at a press conference at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday whether Meta’s new content moderation policy came in response to his previous criticism of the company, Trump said, “Probably.”

Still, there is reason to believe the policy change brings Meta’s content moderation approach into closer alignment with views previously expressed by Zuckerberg, some experts said.

In a blog post on Tuesday, Meta referred to a graduation speech delivered by Zuckerberg at Georgetown University in 2019 in which he advocated for loose restrictions on speech.

“Some people believe giving more people a voice is driving division rather than bringing us together. More people across the spectrum believe that achieving the political outcomes they think matter is more important than every person having a voice. I think that’s dangerous,” Zuckerberg said at the time.

Goldman, of Santa Clara University, said Zuckerberg may be seizing upon Trump-era opposition toward content moderation.

“It’s plausible that Zuckerberg all along has felt Facebook was doing too much content moderation, and he has finally decided to express that view more forcefully,” Goldman said. “It’s not a new view for Zuckerberg to be questioning the value of content moderation.”

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(BEAVER DAM, Ark.) — An Amber Alert has been issued for a pregnant Wisconsin teen, who police believe is with the 40-year-old man who impregnated her.

Sophia Martha Franklin, 16, is three months pregnant, according to the alert, which was issued Monday.

Gary Day, 40, “is known to be the father of the unborn child,” according to the alert.

Franklin has a no-contact order against Day, according to the alert.

Day faces charges of child enticement and abduction, according to a criminal complaint obtained by ABC News.

Franklin previously told police she began speaking with Day online in April, according to the complaint, and later traveled with him to his home in Arkansas.

She was last seen at her home in Beaver Dam, located about an hour northwest of Milwaukee, on Sunday night, the complaint states.

Early Monday morning, Day was seen walking near the family’s home on surveillance footage, it states.

Day, who is believed to be driving a black Buick LaCrosse, is known to have used various license plates, according to the Beaver Dam Police Department. The vehicle has been seen with both Arkansas license plate number BBR20L and a Pennsylvania license plate of KGW5186.

Police are asking anyone with information on Sophia’s whereabouts to contact them at 920-887-4612 or the Amber Alert tip line at 888-304-3936.

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