Random News: January 16, 2025

DISCLAIMER: Zak's Random News is very random and doesn't cover many things, and not everything may be accurate, because I'm just some guy. Go find a real news source.

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Good morning. It’s January 16, 2025, and it’s a Thursday for some reason. Due to a variety of work-based factors, my life remains extraordinarily busy in recent days, and today will be even busier. However, things are coming together well on a variety of fronts. I remain — sometimes ridiculously — optimistic.

• I know it’s not on top of your national headlines anymore, but the fires in the Los Angeles area continue to be fought.
• The Palisades Fire is at 22% containment, now having burned through 23,713 acres.
• The Eaton Fire remains active as well, but firefighter are starting to get the upper hand there in Altadena. It’s at 55% containment after burning 14,117 acres.
• But winds eased early today, bringing some hope to residents across Los Angeles County who have been on edge for over a week.
• All "particularly dangerous situation" red flag warnings largely expired by last night without causing any significant fire growth. But dry conditions and locally gusty winds were forecast to linger into today − particularly in the mountains.
• Also helpful: temperatures are expected to drop five to 10 degrees below normal for the remainder of the week, and Friday is predicted to be the coldest.
• I know I’m rather chilly this fine morning.
• And before I move to other news, a shout out to the many brave, tenacious, and highly skilled firefighters and other first responders who’ve done such an amazing job on the front lines of this disaster.
• Moving on.
• A huge victory for the Biden administration yesterday as a ceasefire deal has been reached to end 15 months of fighting between Hamas and Israel in the Gaza Strip.
• The hard-won agreement will also free dozens of hostages held in Gaza, as well as Palestinians in Israeli jails. The news follows weeks of talks brokered by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt, amid a brutal winter for civilians in Gaza, as well as dramatic developments across the Middle East that have dealt setbacks to Iran, an Israeli foe.
• However, Israel has delayed a cabinet vote on the ceasefire and hostages deal, blaming Hamas for reneging on parts of the agreement — which the group denies.
• Just hours after the agreement for ceasefire and hostage exchange was reached, Israeli bombardment killed at least 45 people in Gaza City.
• The three-phase deal is set to begin Sunday, but many of its details and the timeline remain unclear. Netanyahu said he won’t comment until all details are finalized.
• That guy is a giant asshole.
• But here’s hoping. My guess: Netanyahu has been asked/told by Donnie Dump to keep killing Palestinians until he takes office, so he can grab credit.
• Because Dump is, also, a giant asshole.
• In other news…
• Last night, President Joe Biden delivered a farewell address to the nation.
• Biden did not use the moment to recite a laundry list of his accomplishments.
• Instead, he issued a final warning about the path he sees the nation following, one he cautioned could erode the institutions he’s spent more than 50 years revering.
• Biden warned of a developing oligarchy in America as he stressed the importance of holding the ultra-wealthy to the same expectations as the working- and middle-class citizens.
• His reference seemed clear: Donnie Dump and Elmo Muck, the world’s richest man who’s going to run a shadow government, making Dump do as he requires.
• Biden also pointed out that, “Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation, enabling the abuse of power. The free press is crumbling, editors are disappearing.”
• That is correct.
• Biden gave another warning, this one about the “profound possibilities and risks” that come with artificial intelligence.
• And Joe ended his speech with an assignment for us all.
• “Now it’s your turn to stand guard. May you all be the keeper of the flame. May you keep the faith. I love America. You love it too. God bless you all. And may God protect our troops. Thank you for this great honor.”
• Many of you have no idea how much we’re going to miss his kindness and his selflessness. But perhaps you’ll see soon enough.
• Let’s move on.
• Something we didn’t mention yesterday but deserves attention.
• On Tuesday, the House passed a Republican measure banning transgender girls and women from competing on school sports teams that match their gender identity. 
• Note that the measure does not extend to transgender boys and men.
• The bill, known as the "Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act," would amend Title IX, the federal law banning sex discrimination in schools, to recognize a person's "sex" as "based solely on a person's reproductive biology and genetics at birth."
• Schools who allow "a person whose sex is male to participate in an athletic program or activity that is designated for women or girls" risk losing federal funding. 
• It passed in the House with 218 voting in favor, 206 voting against, and one voting present. Two Democrats from Texas — Reps. Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez — joined all Republicans in support of the bill.
• You may recall that House Republicans passed the same bill in 2023 with no Democratic support, but the Senate, which was then controlled by Democrats, did not take it up.
• GOP campaigns spent tens of millions of dollars on ads last year that characterized the issue as a threat to girls and women in sports.
• As we mentioned last time this came up, this law (if passed) opens the door to intrusive genital examinations of girls.
• So I’d say to prepare your daughters for forced exams — in public schools — to prove they are girls. This is what the Republicans want, and what 49.9% of Americans chose when they re-elected Donnie Dump.
• Moving on.
• How much public support is there for the upcoming TikTok ban? Not a whole lot.
• In March 2023 — around the time that Dump said the app should be banned as Chinese spyware — 60% of Republicans and 43% of Democrats supported the ban. By the following year, just 42% of Republicans and 24% of Democrats supported it.
• It’s obvious that Dump’s flip-flop on this topic — having instigated the band that he himself now opposes — is pure pandering to the public. But you know who agrees with his new outlook?
• The ACLU, who says that a TikTok ban will endanger the constitutional rights of every American to speak and receive information online.
• They also note that the law at issue gives the president unprecedented power to shut down Americans’ speech and access to information under the guise of protecting national security.
• It’s also my suspicion that Dump has promised Elon Musk that he’ll be able to buy the platform at an extraordinarily discounted price. TikTok is currently valued at around $84 billion.
• In other news…
• Yesterday, the U.S. Treasury Department made a great effort to Trump-proof our country’s sanctions against Russia. 
• They are expanding the web of sanctions on companies and institutions supporting Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine, re-designating about 100 entities for sanctions, and placing sanctions on 15 new entities.
• Under the sanctions, any company that does meaningful business with parts of Russia’s military industrial complex would also face the risk of penalties.
• Removal of the sanctions would require congressional notification, which could make it harder for the incoming Dump administration to change sanctions without drawing public scrutiny.
• Well done.
• Let’s move on to… Greenland.
• Short version: Greenland is an autonomous country that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
• Donnie Dump wants to just… take it. During his first term, Dump floated the idea of the U.S. buying Greenland, even though the island's leaders have said it is not for sale.
• Now he won’t rule out using military force to take control of the country. You know, like Russia is doing to Ukraine.
• Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen spoke to Dumples yesterday on the phone. She said that Greenland must make its own decisions about independence from Denmark.
• She also reiterated Greenland Prime Minister Múte Egede's statement "that Greenland is not for sale.”
• The idea that the USA would aggressively attack a sovereign nation in this era of human existence is vile and disgusting. Dump has cited both economic and national security excuses for wanting the island.
• Let’s keep on moving.
• You may have expected a bunch of reports on the confirmation hearings for Donnie Dump’s cabinet nominees.
• No.
• I tend to focus on stories where I think you might be able to impact with your own efforts. The only thing you can do at this point is note what happens when these people assume their roles — and I anticipate very little success in stopping any of them from getting these jobs.
• And then maybe vote for better people in the next election cycle after you get fucked by this incoming administration.
• Anyway, you’ll start to find out what happens beginning this coming Monday. Don’t say you weren’t warned. You were. Many times.
• And now, The Weather: “Call Bullshit” by Young Widows
• From the Sports Desk… who were the rushing leaders in the NFL’s 2024 regular season?
• 1. Saquon Barkley (PHI) - 2,005 yards. 2. Derrick Henry (BAL) - 1,921 yards. 3. Bijan Robinson (ATL) - 1,456 yards. 4. Jonathan Taylor (IND) - 1,431 yards. 5. Jahmyr Gibbs (DET) - 1,412 yards.
• How about receiving leaders?
• 1. Ja'Marr Chase (CIN) - 1,708 yards. 2. Justin Jefferson (MIN) - 1,533 yards. 3. Brian Thomas Jr. (JAX) - 1,282 yards. 4. Drake London (ATL) - 1,271 yards. 5. Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET) - 1,263 yards.
• While a portion of these guys are on teams that made the playoffs, a bunch aren’t, which tells you that football is truly a team sport, and unless all factors of offense and defense and special teams are working, you can’t achieve success as a team in the NFL.
• Today in history… Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus is granted the title Augustus by the Roman Senate, marking the beginning of the Roman Empire (27 BC). The Ostrogoths, under King Totila, conquer Rome after a long siege, by bribing the Isaurian garrison (550). Edward I permits his mother Eleanor of Provence to expel the Jews from the towns Worcester, Marlborough, Cambridge, and Gloucester (1275). Virginia enacts the Statute for Religious Freedom authored by Thomas Jefferson (1786). The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act, establishing the United States Civil Service, is enacted by Congress (1883). Ernest Shackleton's expedition finds the magnetic South Pole (1909). Nebraska becomes the 36th state to approve the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, enabling the start of Prohibition a year later (1919). Nazi Germany begins deporting Jews from the Łódź Ghetto to Chełmno extermination camp (1942). Adolf Hitler moves into his underground bunker, the so-called Führerbunker (1945). The last Iranian Shah flees Iran with his family for good and relocates to Egypt (1979). The UN Security Council unanimously establishes an arms embargo and the freezing of assets of Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda, and the remaining members of the Taliban (2002). The first impeachment of Donald Trump formally moves into its trial phase in the United States Senate (2020). 
• January 16 is the birthday of composer Niccolò Piccinni (1728), US vice president John C. Breckinridge (1821), businessman André Michelin (1853), politician Fulgencio Batista (1901), actress/singer Ethel Merman (1908), MLB player Dizzy Dean (1910), businessman Carl Karcher (1917), photographer Francesco Scavullo (1921), zoologist/anthropologist Dian Fossey (1932), writer Susan Sontag (1933), singer/pianist Ronnie Milsap (1943), director John Carpenter (1948), actress/dancer/choreographer Debbie Allen (1950), singer-songwriter Sade (1959), model Kate Moss (1974), singer Aaliyah (1979), actor/playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda (1980), MLB player Albert Pujols (1980), NFL player Joe Flacco (1985), and singer-songwriter FKA Twigs (1988).

Okay. Whew. Today (and basically every day for the next 10 days) is going to be crazy busy for me. And, in fact, I may not have any news for you at all toward the end of next week. We’ll talk about that later. Enjoy your day.