Thursday, January 16, 2025
It is Thursday, January 16, 2025. Here are today’s top stories.
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Joe Biden gives farewell address
President Joe Biden gave a farewell address to America last night.
Biden talked about his administration’s work in getting the ceasefire deal in Israel and said Ukraine is still free. Biden said he’s helped America to bounce back from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Biden gave a warning about the future, saying there is a looming oligarchy of wealth and power that threatens American democracy.
Biden said after 50 years of public service, he still believes in America and said it’s now your turn to stand guard and be the keeper of the flame.
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Blue Origin rocket successfully launches
This morning, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin spaceflight company successfully launched its New Glenn rocket for the first time from a launchpad in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
The rocket is 320 feet tall and has seven engines. It successfully went into orbit and deployed a prototype satellite.
ABC News said New Glenn is the latest in a series of new, powerful rockets to launch in recent years.
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Southwest Airlines pilot charged with DUI
CBS News said a Southwest Airlines pilot was removed from the cockpit before a flight from Savannah to Chicago and charged with DUI after others smelled alcohol on him and saw other signs of intoxication. His name is David Paul Allsop.
Southwest Airlines said the employee was removed from duty and they apologize for the disruption in customers’ travel plans.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/southwest-airlines-pilot-dui-booking-savannah/
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Israeli government hasn’t approved ceasefire yet
The Israeli government has not yet approved the ceasefire deal with Hamas, saying there were disagreements with Hamas over issues about Israeli troops along the Gazan border and the release of certain Palestinian prisoners.
But it seems like the Israeli government has sorted out the issues with a planned vote on Friday to ratify the deal.
The Biden administration said they are confident that the ceasefire will go into effect on Sunday.
The deal in place, in its first phase, has a 42-day truce in fighting with the release of 33 Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/16/world/israel-hamas-gaza-cease-fire
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L.A. wildfires updates
News reports said the Los Angeles region went through Wednesday without another major fire breaking out, but weather forecasts say there will be more strong Santa Ana winds coming next week and no rain.
The death toll is 25 and over 12,000 structures have been destroyed. Government officials are now discussing how to carry out the huge effort ahead to clean torched communities of toxic ash and debris and rebuild homes, restaurants, schools, and businesses. The cost could be in the tens of billions. Many residents who lost their homes haven’t had the chance to return to their neighborhood due to ongoing firefighting efforts and dangerous conditions.
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That is all the top stories for today. See you tomorrow and stay with the light.